What Is a Reverse Bet?

In the online sports betting world, there are several types of wagers. While you can get your more straightforward bets, there are exotic options like reverse betting. When reverse bets are used in the right way, they can give you greater control over your bankroll while minimizing your risk.

Although reverse bets are complex, they are incredibly popular due to their low-risk profile. While the returns can be smaller, the risk level still makes them suitable for beginners and casual bettors alike. Coming up in this guide, we'll walk you through the concept of reverse betting and uncover everything you need to know to get started.

How Do Reverse Bets Work?

To put it simply, reverse betting is a type of If bet, and it's one of the more complex wagers that you can place on a sport. This type of bet contains If Win, Tie, and Cancel bets where, if your initial bet wins, ties, or cancels, there is action on your second selection.

While they're considered to be more of an advanced bet, it’s worth it for beginners to understand them as they provide plenty of advantages.

In a way, they're similar to parlay bets, because they require you to make multiple selections. However, unlike parlays, they are lower risk as you can get a return even if some selections aren’t correct. This is ideal for sports bettors who want to wager on the outcome of more than one game without risking more money.

A reverse bet is when you place at least two wagers and the outcome of each dictates whether or not your following bets are placed. Essentially, you place your bet on your first selection. If this bet loses, you lose your stake, and the rest of your bet is then canceled.

However, if your first selection is correct, you get a return that is equal to your initial bet deducted. This same amount is then placed once more on your second selection. If that selection wins, you receive a payout minus your original bet. That amount is then placed on a third selection, and so on. But should any selection lose at any point, the rest of the bet is canceled.

The number of picks you can make will vary, but you can usually expect to be able to place between two and six selections.

How to Place a Reverse Bet

While there's no out-and-out reverse bet option at Bally Bet, you can complete the reverse betting process manually. Here's how:

1. Take a look at the list of available sports

2. Make at least two selections

3. If your first selection is successful, you can make a second selection, and so on

4. Enter your wager amount

5. You will receive confirmation of your wagers

Be aware that the order of your selections will influence the outcome of your bet. For example, let's say your first selection for the NFL is New England Patriots to win and your second selection is Buffalo Bills to win, but the outcome of the first game is that Bills win.

Even though one of your selections is correct, you will lose your entire initial bet. That's because your second selection didn’t have the chance to come into play.

If you had selected Bills to win for your first selection, you would have been given a payout on that wager.

Many sports bettors find that the order of their selections being able to alter the outcome of their bet adds another layer of excitement.

Number of Selections

Before you get started, it’s important to understand how the number of selections changes your bet. As you make more selections, the number of your bets increases significantly. It’s also worth keeping this in mind because it means that your wagers will also increase.

• 3 selections - 6 bets

• 4 selections - 12 bets

• 5 selections - 20 bets

• 6 selections - 30 bets

Win Reverse Bets or Action Reverse Bets?

While these two types of reverse bets are similar, they are fundamentally different.

The key difference between these two options is how pushes are handled when a line or bet has no action. This happens when a game is either canceled or delayed. Alternatively, it can also happen if a game finishes on the exact point spread the bet was on.

For a win reverse bet the initial wagers must have both action and win. So, if the first game has no action, the second selection is not placed. However, for an action reverse bet, the second selection will be placed if the first selection has no action.

As you can see, a win reverse bet is similar, but an action reverse bet requires two or more bets. If your initial bet wins, the next bet will be placed automatically. But if your initial bet loses, then no further bets are placed.

NFL Reverse Bets

We’ll now take a look at how reverse betting works in context. Let’s say you place a $50 bet for the Titans to win and your second $50 selection is for the Jaguars to win.

• If both teams lose, you lose your entire $100 bet

• If both teams win, you win your selections

• If only one team wins and the other loses, you then win the selection

• Since you moved your $50 bet to wager on the team that lost, you lose that wager

NBA Reverse Bets

Reverse bets work in every direction, so let’s see how this would work for an NBA game.

• Your first selection is the New York Knicks

• Your second selection is the Cleveland Cavaliers

• The Cavs cover, so your entire bet loses

MLB Reverse Bets

For reverse betting, your initial bet is multiplied by how many selections you have. So:

• Blue Jays are your first selection

• The Mets are your second selection

• You place a $55 bet, making your total wager $110

NHL Reverse Bets

In a typical reverse bet, you will usually choose between two and six selections. Here’s an example of what you might choose for an NHL game:

• Bet #1 - Buffalo Sabres to win against Toronto Maple Leafs

• Bet #2 - New York Rangers to win against Chicago Blackhawks

• Bet #3 - Philadelphia Flyers to win against New York Islanders

Are Reverse Bets Worth It?

If you're not sure whether or not reverse betting is for you, let’s check out some of the main benefits.

If you're a casual sports bettor who is interested in online sports betting that results in the lowest possible loss, then reverse betting is certainly something to consider.

This type of betting provides you with better immunity when compared to other betting options such as parlays. But if you're seeking a larger payout, a parlay bet may be better suited to you. You should keep in mind that with a bigger payout, there will be a bigger risk.

When you compare reverse bets to any other type of wager, you will see that it is far more flexible. You don’t need to win every single selection to get a return on your bet, unlike other betting options, though the payouts may not be as high.

With all of the advantages that reverse betting brings, there are some potential pitfalls to consider. As you can see, reverse betting is quite complex. Because of this, it can be daunting for beginners or casual sports bettor. There is a lot to unpack here for beginners, but for seasoned bettors reverse betting can appear simple.

Ultimately, it boils down to weighing the risk and reward, and finding a balance that you're happy with. Reverse bets can be affected by various factors like the order of your selections, so it's essential that you make your selections wisely.

Reverse Bet Strategy

Now that you've learned exactly what a reverse bet is, check out some popular strategies and tips to make sure you use this betting option as effectively as possible.

Use a betting calculator

A reverse bet calculator can help you work out the odds of your selections and how much potential profit there could be.

Divide your bankroll

Decide on the number of selections you want to make and divide your bankroll into equal parts. For instance, if you want to place a bet on two teams, you may want to divide your bankroll in half and place equal bets on both teams.

Utilize bonuses and promotions

Bonuses such as free bets can help you learn the rules of reverse bets before you start staking your own money. Many sports bettors prefer not to risk real money until they have fully learned how the bet works.

Use similar odds

When making selections, plenty of sports bettors like to stick with bets that have similar odds. This is because if the selections have very different odds, you could find yourself winning less often.

Don’t overdo it

It goes without saying that the more selections you add to your bet, the more risk there is. It's easier to predict two selections than it is to correctly guess 10 selections, for instance.