Futures/Outright Bets

An outright bet can also be called a futures bet. Although they're intertwined and mean the same thing, the term "future bet" is more generally used in the United States. And well, "Outright bet" is used in most other parts of the world.

A Futures bet is a wager placed on the outcome of a complete game or an event, such as determining the team that will win the Carabao Cup. The results of these bets are determined at the sound of the last whistle of the finals or full season.

The intriguing thing about outright bets is that you will get to enjoy your betting experience for more than one game. You also have the privilege to enjoy this wager as long as your selection is still a contender in the competition or still has a shot at winning.

Nevertheless, placing a bet on something that might take a while before you know your stand can be very risky. But isn't a wager more fun the riskier it is? In this article, You will be enlightened about some preliminary things regarding Outright/Futures bets. Please sit back and relax while we take you through this exciting adventure.

How Do Futures Bets Work?

As discussed earlier in this article, the outcome of the results in futures betting is usually known after multiple games. While placements are typically done before that sport's season, you can always stake on Futures during the season as well.

You win in futures bets when a correct outcome is selected but lose the wager if a wrong one is selected. I mean, you might back a Mikel Arteta-coached Arsenal team to win the Carabao Cup. But you can only cash out from your bet if the North London side wins the tournament. It doesn't matter if they reach the Final of the Cup; If they are eventually defeated or no longer eligible for the event, you've lost the wager.

Note that Futures Bets can work with individuals, too. You might predict and stake your money on Erling Haaland winning the next Ballon d'Or award. But you could lose the bet if the talented Norwegian striker gets injured beforehand in the season and can no longer contend against rivals.

Futures bet odds are usually massive compared to  Single-game odds. They are opened before the launch of a season, and stakes are taken throughout the season. Bookmakers will always conform the odds in response to season results, injuries, trades, as well as the number of wagers on specific events or outcomes.

How To Read Futures Bets and Odds

Reading Outright Bets and Odds might seem like trying to decipher a secret code. But put your mind at rest; it's all about understanding the language of probabilities. Those numbers you see are whisperers telling you who's likely to win and how much you could pocket.

Futures odds has a list form that displays your betting options. That's what you'll read before staking your cash. You must know that understanding odds is key to figuring out which wagers are worth taking. The formats in which odds are shown are sometimes different, but they are not difficult to understand.

Normally, the team or player with lower odds is the favorite. Everyone expects them to triumph. On the other side, those with higher odds are the underdogs. Choosing them means you're taking risks. And if they do win, cha-ching! Your purse will no doubt develop a baritone voice.

The numbers are not so hard to interpret, though. Let's say you see odds like +400 on Rafael Nadal winning a Grand Slam. If you bet $100 and he wins, you're grabbing $400 on top of your bet. Is the math easy to work out now?

I must remind you that the odds aren't just about the money. They are like Lord Varys' whisperers spilling the beans on how likely an event will happen. Low odds mean it's highly expected, while high odds tell you the outcome is a bit of a long shot.

Popular Future Bets In Soccer

There are a lot of outright bet types gamblers can try out in football. They let you test your knowledge and make a profit if you eventually make the right call. We're about to unveil the top picks that make soccer betting an electrifying experience.

Below are some popular future bet kinds you can try out.

League Champions

I need you to picture this as a football fan. Imagine the roar of the home fans and ultras, the flutter of flags, and the sweats that adorn every player's face. Truly, betting on the possible champion of a league is like picking the star of a college drama before the curtains even rise. I mean, you can decide to splash your cash on Bayern Munich to win the German Bundesliga (they've been champions for several consecutive years, after all). They are a powerhouse. And yes, you can try being a psychic and select RB Leipzig, a dark horse, to win the league. Whatever choice you make, predicting the future of a league campaign comes with this prideful vibe. Doesn't it?

Top Goal Scorer

Everyone knows that goals win games. You can try asking Pep Guardiola. He'll tell you more. Betting on the top goal scorer of a campaign is like predicting who'll wear the crown of the goal-scoring kingdom. While trying to make a pick, your thoughts might just run wild. Let's say you're trying to predict the top scorer in the Women's Champions League. Will it be a striker like Chelsea's Samantha Kerr who dances past defenders? Or will it be the best African Women's Player of all time, Asisat Oshoala, who plays up front for Barcelona? This type of bet takes you on the goal-scoring journey with your selection, with you cheering them on in each match.

Relegation Battle

It might have been assumed so, but not all wagers focus on champions. In the world of relegation bets, you're gambling on the sides that might find themselves on the lower parts of a league's ladder –say, the Italian Series A. What you try predicting are the teams that will fight tooth and nail to keep their spot in the big leagues and those that might not survive the pressure.

You can as well predict tournament winners, Player transfers, MVP of the season, Golden Glove Awards, Ballon D'or Awards, Pichichi trophies, and so on. 

Combining Multiple Futures Bets

Multiple betting combines several wagers into one. Whether it's a plutocrat Line, Handicap, an Over/ Under( or any other available type), when you place a bet with one selection, it's known as a Single. The moment you add one more choice into a wager, it becomes Multiple.

Parlays are bets that combine multiple sides into the same stake. This greatly enhances odds and a larger payout amount. When you combine numerous futures bets, you decrease your chances of winning and multiply the amount you could walk away with. Yes, a win-win-win scenario sounds tempting, but remember that throwing a curveball takes just one bet.

Combination bets are a way of laying on several selections as part of a bigger stake. There can be lots of different aspects to the bet. In full covers, for instance, some of them could indeed lose, and you would still take some winning returns as a payout.

Futures Bets Examples

Outright bets include team futures and players' futures. You could go on the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFL Super Bowl prior to the first match of the season. You could place a  stake on Giannis Antetokounmpo to win the NBA MVP award after he dominates the season's first 10 games. Or, you could wager on Athletico Madrid to take it all the way in the Copa Del Rey and get the crown. Each of these bets is an Outright bet, as their outgrowth depends on what happens over multiple games.

As its name implies, you can only cash out on a futures bet whenever the event or competition ends– days, weeks, months, or even years after being placed. There are popular outright markets in almost every sport, including the World Series, Super Bowl, NBA championship, Stanley Cup, World Cup, tennis tournaments, golf tournaments, and many more. For example, you could bet on Roger Federer to win the Australian Open at +350. That wager will either lose whenever Federer gets eliminated or cash in January if he wins. You could also stake on New York Jets' Aaron Rodgers to be NFL MVP at +1900. And that wager will either win or lose when the award is announced at the end of the season.

Let's cut to the chase. Futures bets are more straightforward to understand conceptually than a few other bets. For illustration, you're just putting some cash on Serena Williams to win the Wimbledon.

Tips and Strategy

There are several strategies available for turning future bets into golden opportunities. Below are few tips for new and seasoned futures gamblers. Read on.

Never be scared of Hedging your bets

Hedging is a sports-laying strategy in which a gambler takes the opposite side of their original bet once that initial bet's liability of winning has increased.

The intention is to generally guarantee you a profit or, at the very least, to reduce or exclude a possible loss. It assures you that even if you lose some money, your losses will be diminished, and your chances of coming out in the black will be increased.

Do your homework and follow trends

Knowledge will be very vital for you in making a winning pick. Study team playing patterns and dynamics, the form of players, new additions, and injury reports. Also, endeavor to keep your eyes open for trends. You should know what team is on a hot streak and which player has been consistent over seasons. Smart bets are always products of intense research.

You should also know that timing is a game-changer. Wager before significant events like big player transfers and big matches. Rumors can also come in handy for you. That way, you can secure favorable odds before the sportsbooks effect a change.

Summary

A future bet is described as a stake in something that's going to take place in the future, and it is generally not decided by one game or contest.

Futures are extremely popular in baseball, the Olympics, football, basketball, hockey, bus racing, rugby, golf, and much more. The only sports where you don't see futures bets as frequently are fight sports like boxing and MMA, where there aren't general events, and each match is a one-off fight. Although now, we're starting to see some MMA general contests. Who knows? You might want to make some outright wagers on those.

Remember that in an outright bet, for you to win, the club side or person that you picked must win. Say you picked the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Championship. All that matters is them bringing the trophy home. It doesn't count by how many games, points, or whatnot they win. No one cares if they didn't deserve it or if it was a seamless tournament. What matters is their success in winning what you wagered on them before or in the course of the season.