Games do not have to be full regulation for bets to have action. The best practice that professional sports bettors follow is to read the terms and conditions that are posted in Las Vegas and at online sportsbooks. Each bookmaker will have their terms and conditions readily available to sports betting sponsors seeking clarity on their sports bets. One of the most frequently asked questions that sports bettors often ask online or at Las Vegas sportsbooks is whether overtime or extra innings count towards their bets. Because against the spread, the money line and the total number of players, the answer is yes. Many sports bettors who bet on the over on sporting events may have already won their bet as play continues. It is important to note that a sportsbook will pay out all winning bets once the game is over. In Major League Baseball, bettors have the option to bet on listed pitchers who are scheduled to start. If the owner listed on a sports bettor’s bet slip does not start the game, the sports bettor will have no action in the game and will be refunded their money.
Games are official for wagering purposes on professional and college football games after 55 minutes of play. Football matches are mainly played in open-air stadiums. There have been cases where games have been called due to weather. This has primarily been the case in college football contests. Lightning is a major concern for stadium operators, so officials are quick to stop action if there is lightning in the area. The referees will stop the game and force the players to return to the locker room and the fans to seek shelter. There will be a delay and in most circumstances the game will resume and the sports bettor will still have action on their bet. But there have been times when lighting and heavy rain have postponed games. If the game does not start or does not last the required 55 minutes, sports bettors will receive a full refund. An important rule for sports bettors is that if the game is rescheduled, the bettor will not have any action in the game. If the location of the game is changed, there will be no action because home field advantage may have been taken away from the home team. An example of this was when the San Diego Chargers were forced to play a home game in Arizona due to wildfires in the San Diego area. In the Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins game, NFL sports bettors had no action on their bet if the bet was placed before the location change. The disclaimer on all Las Vegas and online sports betting tickets says that the game must be completed on the scheduled date and place.
For sports betting purposes, professional basketball games are official for wagering purposes after 43 minutes of play and college basketball games after 35 minutes of play. For sports bettors betting on basketball overtime, they will count in the final score for sports betting purposes on the sides and totals of the bets. Since basketball is played during the winter months, it is important to note that if a team cannot make it to their game site due to weather and a sports bettor has a side bet, money line bet, or lay bet margin for the game, the bet will have no action if the game is not completed on the scheduled date and place. A sports bettor should immediately request a refund for their sports bet once the basketball game has been officially canceled for the scheduled date and venue.
Many sports betting professionals will bet on the first half, second half, and fourth quarter of games on the betting board. The first half of football and basketball matches must be completed in full for first half (1H) bets to stand.
In addition to bets on the entire match, all bets on the second half (2H) include the results of extra time. For fourth quarter bets, the best practice is to read the rules of Las Vegas and online sportsbooks to get clarity on this type of bet.
