Sports betting in Ireland: Essentials you need to know

Football is a massively popular sport around Ireland, and this includes not only local competitions like the League of Ireland Premier Division but also overseas ones such as the English Premier League. In truth, Ireland is a country which is in love with sport in general. Sports such as rugby, Gaelic football, horse racing and boxing attract an army of loyal fans.

Due to the passion Irish people have for top sports like football, it is only natural that sports betting is an activity many in the country like to get involved with. It is key to know what you are doing first though and to use this knowledge to have the best time when gambling on sports around the country.

Here are some of the essentials you should know about:

Only bet at reputable sportsbooks

If you only take one tip from this essential guide to Irish sports betting, make sure it’s this one. It is critical to only bet at sportsbooks in the country which are regulated, legitimate and use the latest cybersecurity measures to protect customers. This will not only keep you away from scam betting platforms but also means any platform you bet with will look after your cash and personal data properly.

Only gambling at reputable sportsbooks online also ensures you register with those which have the best bonus offers, excellent levels of customer service and great value odds to take advantage of. These types of platforms will also have a good range of sports and markets to get involved with. Luckily, there are some superb sites to bet on sports with around Ireland to choose from.

Understand the sports you bet on

This may sound a little obvious, but it is an essential that any Irish sports bettor should take on board. When you first log onto a sportsbook, there will be lots of sports to gamble on and you may be tempted by an exotic choice you have never come across before, such as kabaddi or water polo. This is a mistake though because you are betting without proper knowledge of the sport to inform the bets you place. As a result, you are unlikely to understand the best markets to focus on, how the sport works or which teams have the advantage.

It is much better to stick with sports you know and which you have a good understanding of. This ensures you are not only familiar with the rules and the sport’s history but also the teams and players involved in it. Having a good understanding of the sports you gamble on is also a must for responsible wagering and can make the process of finding betting opportunities easier.

Learn the betting markets

One thing any Irish sport bettor should know is how important learning the most common betting markets is. Although you may know how the ‘Win’ market works, it pays to get to know other popular ones too, such as ‘Each-Way’, ‘Prop Bets’, ‘Accumulators’, ‘Over/Under’ and ‘In-Play’.

By doing this, you add real variety to your sport betting and widen your horizons. This makes betting on sport in Ireland more interesting and also means you can try another market if the one you are looking at has no bets you fancy. If the win odds on Shamrock Rovers are pretty poor for a game they are due to play for example, you can switch to ‘Both Teams to Score’ or ‘Anytime Goalscorer’ markets to access better odds.

Research bets before making them

It is also a must to fully research any wagers before placing them. You should never make a bet blind or based only on subjective emotions. With the wealth of free information online in the modern world, doing this is simpler than ever.

A quick search online will return all the key data you need about form, weather conditions, home advantage, team news, head-to-head records and anything else to take into account beforehand. If you want to make things even quicker, there are a variety of betting tips available online to consider. While it is still important to think about these tips before following them, it gives you a fast way to narrow down the best betting opportunities for the day.

Set a budget and staking plan

Once you have found a top sportsbook in Ireland and are ready to start placing bets, it is key to not only create a budget but also to stick to it. This involves deciding how much cash you have available to place in your betting bankroll initially and how much you will spend on betting per session. In addition, it is also making an effort to manage your bankroll properly when gambling on sports.

It is recommended that you only use a small percentage of your bankroll on each wager in order to avoid any losses becoming a major issue. A staking plan that is based on a percentage of your betting bank can also be more flexible and change as your overall bankroll hopefully grows.

Essentials for all sport bettors in Ireland

Sport betting is huge throughout Ireland and this reflects how important sport is around the country in general. If you plan to try out gambling on popular choices such as football, it pays to find out the essentials first. The points listed above are a great place to start for any Irish gambler.