Live bet

With a live bet, you do not bet before kick-off but while the match is under way. The provider updates the odds in real time to match how the game is going. If a goal goes in, for example, the odds change at once. So you react to what is happening on the pitch right now, rather than basing everything on the situation before kick-off.

With a live bet, you know how the match has gone so far. You can see which team is dictating the match, whether someone goes off injured or a red card shifts the balance. All of this feeds into the odds and into your decision.

Live bets do demand quick decisions, though. Some markets stay open for only a few seconds, such as the bet on the next goal. Many betting shops show the matches on screens so you can follow the game directly. Live coverage on the spot helps you keep track and bet at the right moment.

The odds move live with the game. You always work out the payout as payout = stake times current odds. What counts is the odds at the moment you place the bet. The example shows a bet on a home win with a 10-euro stake.

As you can see, the odds shift considerably depending on the score. Anyone who backs the favourite to fall behind and then mount a comeback can catch higher odds, but also takes on more risk.

During a match, the provider keeps opening new betting markets. Many of them focus on what could happen next, and the choice is often wider than before kick-off.

• Next goal: you bet on which team scores next
• Next corner or card: short-term markets with a fast pace
• Final score live: the standard win bet at constantly updated odds
• Rest-of-match bet: only the action from the moment you place the bet counts

Which of these markets are on offer depends on the provider and on how important the match is. The bigger the fixture, the wider the choice tends to be. One important point: this full range is only available online. At the betting shop on the spot, you can only bet live on the final result and the next goal, and only in low-scoring sports such as football, hockey, ice hockey and volleyball. Other live bets, such as on the next corner or card, are not allowed in the betting shop. This limit applies nationwide under Section 21(4) of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling. The guide explains in detail how live bets at the betting shop work.

The live bet ties in directly with the action. You watch the match and decide in the moment.

• Advantage: you can factor how the game is going into your decision
• Advantage: often many betting markets per match, such as next goal or next corner
• Advantage: the odds can grow higher once the favourite falls behind

• Disadvantage: the fast pace easily tempts you into spur-of-the-moment bets
• Disadvantage: some markets stay open for only seconds, which puts you under pressure
• Disadvantage: the constant movement of the odds makes a calm judgement harder

The speed of the live bet can tempt you into betting more than you planned. Precisely because new markets keep popping up and the odds keep moving, the pull to carry on is strong. So set yourself firm limits for your stake and the number of bets in advance, and stay calm. Do not let the pace drive you, and do not chase your losses. Live coverage helps you judge the game, but it is no substitute for a clear limit. Play responsibly. Gambling is only permitted from the age of 18 (21 in Bremen). Which live markets are on offer can vary from one provider to the next. The guide explains step by step how live bets at the betting shop work.