How to Bet on Specials

Back in the day, bookmakers were only offering odds on top sports; however, things have now changed. Today players can find special betting options for literally anything that takes place throughout the world. You may wanna predict Messi and Ronaldo's next clubs, who will be assigned as the next Chelsea manager, or who is going to get the sack next.

Meanwhile, one may also bet on novelties, non-sports-related options such as the election outcome in the USA, France or the UK; or even awards ceremonies like the Grammys or the Oscars.

And since even newbies know that non-sports betting markets are offered by the best bookmakers worldwide, our guides aim to teach you how to bet on specials, and how to expand your betting horizons and take advantage of everything a bookie throws your way.

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How to Bet on Specials and Make Money

The step-by-step process of beating the bookies on entertainment, long-term or other novelty wagers is quite similar to traditional sports betting. You can follow our guides to learn how to bet on specials and minimise your risk when picking to do so over non-competitive odds. So, follow the steps below and place your bets.

• 1
  Familiarise yourself with each respective online bookie in order to have easy access to its special betting markets. You should be able to easily spot all available options and the highest odds.
• 2
  Choose a bookmaker who offers bonuses on both ante-post and non-sports betting.
• 3
  Decide upon what you want to bet on among sports, awards, TV shows, celebrity gossip, or political events.
• 4
  Select straight bets, totals or props. You can predict the next Ballon d’Or winner, the colour of the Queen's hat in her next public appearance, or the halftime performer during next year's Super Bowl.

Which are the top types of Special Bets

The key part of specials betting is securing early high prices. These bets cover long periods, sometimes being available 1+ years in advance of the actual event. So, if you want to avoid any odds movement, grab the guaranteed early prices, especially when you back the most likely outcome. Do your research and find the best markets among the four basic specials categories.

Ante post & transfer betting

Long-term bets relate to specific markets, such as sports tournaments and league winners. Bettors can predict the team that will win the next Champions League, which player will lift the Wimbledon trophy, or which horse will conquer the Cheltenham Festival. However, the options are practically infinite since the bookmakers introduced the “Request a Bet” feature.

In 2006, a bettor placed a £200 bet on Xavi Alonso to score from his own half. Liverpool’s Spaniard made a 70-yard FA Cup goal vs. Luton, and the creative bettor received £25,000 from this 125.00 (124/1) odds bet. You can find hundreds of options on sports and transfer betting, having better chances to win big by placing a bet early.

• Which teams will be relegated from the EPL?
• Who will be the next Ballon d’Or winner?
• Which will be Kylian Mbappe’s next club?
• Will Liverpool win quadruple titles in 2024?
• Which team will be crowned NBA champions?
• Who will be the next Watford manager?
• Which national team will be the next World Cup winner?

Betting on Politics

Politics occupies a huge part of current world affairs, and you can predict who will win specific elections, head-to-head special bets between political parties, and more. You may actually find popular markets on the best Political betting sites covering the USA, UK and Australian Elections, as well as other electoral processes.

There are also options such as Over/Under parliament seats’ numbers, the next London Mayor, or special referendums to predict the winner. The odds are based on polls, a rather complex process that you should check from reliable sources in order to make well-informed decisions.

Entertainment & Novelty betting

Several top bookmakers emphasise on TV shows, song contests and other entertainment bets. Exploring our betting events calendar, you can find novelty betting markets over world-profile talent shows like X-Factor and the Big Brother, predicting viewership in percentage (Over/Under) and others. The complete list of these events is immense, so here are just the main ones.

• Which actor or movie will win the most Oscars?
• Who will win an Emmy for Writing and Directing?
• Which will be the best Television Series and the Best Motion Picture screenplay at the Golden Globes?
• Which country will win the Eurovision Song Contest?
• Who will win the Big Brother, X-Factor, America’s Got Talent, or Masterchef TV show?

Props Non-Sports betting

Apart from political and entertainment events, there are plenty of special betting props. The next James Bond actor after Daniel Craig is a representative example; you may also find numerous markets for Royals and celebrity couples, like the gender of their next offspring.

If you are well-informed about the celebrity and gossip industry, you can bet on them and make money. For several celebrities, a common betting market has to do with their next dating partner. This props betting type is one of the hottest topics in the entertainment world, so there’s no chance of not finding an available market to cover it.

Furthermore, there’s the Nobel Prize way out in novelties, where you must predict who will receive the prize in the fields of Literature, Physical, Economics, Chemistry, Physiology and Peace. Our experts have published a detailed guide with the best Nobel Peace Prize betting tips and taking an edge over bookies in each specific award.

Best Tips to Win Novelty Bets

If you want to bet on specials, it's crucial to pick where you will invest your money. Bookmakers with the most markets, lucrative promotions and bonuses, as well as unbeatable odds are indeed a very good start. We now list the best tips to help you become more successful.

⏩ Specific markets: These are the most straightforward bets among all the available options, such as the outright winners of a sports league, an awards ceremony, TV show, or political election. Head-to-head 2-way bets are similar to which team will win a basketball or baseball game; just pick the best performer between individual participants. On the other hand, bets like which place a country will take up in the Eurovision (2nd, 3rd, etc.) or forecast bets (i.e., winner & runner-ups) are harder to predict.

⏩ Early odds: Betting on ante posts is a wise alternative towards higher odds, especially on favourites. When a show begins or an election process starts, the candidates with higher winning chances offer more decent odds at that time before they -almost inevitably- drop later on.

⏩ Reliable sources: You can’t be a successful player when betting on novelties without having accurate and reliable information. You must always check the popular culture media and political news columns in an effort to gain valuable inside info. Social media, TV, and even your own research on movies, awards, shows and programs can dig out helpful advice before placing your bet.

⏩ Public opinion: Several bettors believe what the public opinion says. Going against the consensus is not always profitable because, in some cases, one-sided bets win. However, you should check when both the bookies and the public agree on the winning probabilities of an outcome (e.g., a favourite on a reality TV show); so, evaluate the situation and try to remove the emotional parameter.

Is betting on specials & novelties profitable?

If you prefer singles, novelties are an excellent option to back. Here, it's about predicting the outcome over a more extended period, so you must analyse all the parameters before placing a bet and be patient. We have a list that consists of enlightening pieces of advice. You can learn how to bet on specials and novelties following a four-step strategy.

When it comes to novelties, you are on even ground with the bookies. For instance, the Eurovision Song Contest and the Oscars proclaim the possible winners from contracting authorities, boards, and public votes. Even for bookies, these are unpredictable parameters, so do your own research and take advantage of them.

It’s difficult for bookmakers to be accurate when releasing betting odds for these novelty and ante post bets; simply because they can't use specific methods to calculate probabilities and fix the odds like they do with sports events. Gather as much information as possible and take a critical advantage before placing a special bet.

For instance, if you back Liverpool to score more than a hundred goals over one season or the number one Christmas song on the UK's charts, you'd better be well informed on that specific topic. If you avoid random betting, you can be profitable and exploit opportunities. So, do your homework before you bet.

Focus on the entertainment world, movies, TV shows, and pop culture and strengthen your knowledge. Discover areas where you can find value odds and competitive lines for head-to-head 2-way bets. Try to start from the same jumping-off point with bookies in order to have an almost 50:50 winning probability.

Last but not least, find the best novelty bookies and use multi-accounts in your favour. Search for the best lines for totals betting (e.g., the number of points a country could gain in the Eurovision) and get an edge from differences in odds between the bookies. Remember that higher odds always mean bigger profits.