Live Sports Betting Alternatives During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Live sports betting is often impacted by unpredictable factors such as riots, pandemics and natural calamities. Currently, most sports events have been cancelled and others suspended because of the Corona Virus Pandemic.

Sportsbooks, on the other hand, are getting creative to offer markets to wager on; now that most bettors are looking for something to keep them engaged during this quarantine period.

In this article, we will highlight some of the best live sports betting alternatives which include betting on weather, politics, financials, virtual sports, esports, and casino games.

Betting on Weather
Sportsbooks give you the option to wager in various weather aspects such as rain, snow, storms and temperatures. The most common bets are on extreme temperatures which could either be the lowest or the highest. You can choose to bet on the weather for fun or as a hedge. Ideally, if you work in an industry that depends on the weather such as farming, you can wager on the weather as a hedge.

For example, to have the best harvest from your crops, you will need the weather to be moderate. Thus, you can place a bet on extremely high temperatures such that if the weather gets to extreme levels and your harvest is negatively impacted, you can have some income from your winning bets.

Betting on Politics
This is one of the largest non-sport betting markets, but it is not a regular option since it depends on significant events such as American Presidential elections or UK Prime Minister elections. Politics are quite uncertain, and it is always advisable to bet on elections that you are familiar with. Similar to the sports betting’ golden rule, when betting on politics, do not base facts on your political preference.

Betting on Entertainment
There are various types of entertainment betting markets available online, including betting on TV shows, award shows, and movies. Some of the popular entertainment betting markets include TV series such as Game of Thrones, Reality Shows such as The Voice, Awards such as the Oscars, and Movies. The best thing about entertainment betting is the fact that it is easier to identify a profitable opportunity if you are a fan of the movie or show.

Financial Betting
The best time to bet on financial markets is when the financial world is in a panic mode as it is the case now with the coronavirus pandemic. With the total lockdown that is happening across various countries in the world, including the US and UK, most financial experts predict that there could be a potential meltdown like that recorded in 2008.
There are four final betting markets that you can explore, which include Shares, Commodities, Indexes, and Forex. The main idea behind financial betting is buying an asset when the prices are low and selling when the prices are high.

Virtual Sports Betting
Despite the cancellation of live sports events, you can still bet on your favorite team in virtual sports. The most popular virtual sports include Football, Basketball, Horse Racing, and Greyhound Racing, among others. You will also find similar sports betting markets as you would in live sports such as Tricast, Handicap, Forecast, Each Way and Win. Unlike live sports where you can go for weeks without something to bet on, virtual sports offer you 24/7 access to sports events.

Esports Betting
There is a wide range of games and genres you can wager in eSports. Some of the popular genres include First Person Shooter (FPS), Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA), and Fight and Real-Time Strategy. Esports games that have gained popularity among gamers include Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, among others. This wide range of games offers a variety of eSports betting options and some of the wagers you can place include Handicap, Totals, Moneyline, and Outright bets.

Casino Gambling
Unlike sports betting where you are required to predict an outcome of a future event, gambling, on the other hand, entirely depends on the theory of probability. In other words, in betting, you are required to place bets and cash out the winnings depending on the stakes you have set.
However, when you gamble, the result will vary between wins and losses. This concept explains why most players prefer gambling not only due to the thrill of having an uncertain outcome but also because gambling depends on a player’s luck. Winning on most gambles does not rely on a player’s skill, experience or competences.

Some of the popular gambling options include video slots, progressive slots, blackjack, roulette, video poker, and craps, among others.

Final Word
With the cancellation of major live sports, you can still explore other alternatives to sports betting during this quarantine period. Some of these options include betting on politics, weather, entertainment, financials, virtual sports, esports, and casino gambling. Whichever alternative you choose, it is always advisable, to start with the demo version to get an idea of how each option works before risking your money.

Peris Wambu – Sports Writer at Web International Services Ltd.

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