Live betting explained
Live betting means betting after the game has started, at prices that change with every score and every minute.
Key points
- A -150 pregame favorite that trails by 10 at halftime might be +200 live: the chance the price implies falls from 60% to 33%.
- Books pause live markets after big plays, so a price you see can be gone a second later.
- Two live prices of -125 on each side imply 111.1% together: an 11.1% margin.
On this page
How live prices work
Before the game, a price reflects each team's chance over the full game. Once it starts, the book updates that chance with the score, the time left and what's happening on the field, and moves the prices to match.
One team's price through a game (example prices)
- Pregame
- -150 (60%)
- Up 7, 1st quarter
- -250 (71%)
- Down 10, halftime
- +200 (33%)
- Down 3, 4th quarter
- +130 (43%)
The percentages are each price's implied chance: 150 / 250, 250 / 350, 100 / 300 and 100 / 230.
Spreads and totals move the same way. A total of 44.5 before kickoff might be 51.5 after a 21-point first quarter, because those 21 points already count toward it.
Suspended markets and price changes
Live markets close for a few seconds after anything that changes the chance: a score, a turnover, an injury, a red-zone trip. When they reopen, the price is new.
- If the price changes while your bet is being placed, the book may reject it or ask you to accept the new price.
- Bets placed after an event the book hadn't priced in yet can be voided under its house rules.
- Streams and score feeds run seconds behind the field, so the book often knows before you do.
Check the margin before you bet
Live prices are set fast, and the book has to protect itself against news it hasn't seen. Work out the margin on any live market the same way as before the game: add both sides' implied chances.
Try two -125 prices: 55.6% + 55.6% = 111.1%, an 11.1% margin. The same game at -110 / -110 before kickoff was 4.8%. Our vig guide explains what the margin costs over many bets.
When live betting can make sense
It makes sense when you know something the price doesn't reflect yet, and you can act on it before the book does. That window is short, because the book watches the same game with faster data.
It makes less sense as a way to win back a pregame loss. Chasing at a wider margin, in a hurry, is how small losses become big ones.
Set a limit before the game starts and stop when you reach it. If betting stops being fun, call 1-800-MY-RESET.
Live betting by sport
| Sport | Biggest movers |
|---|---|
| NFL and college football | Touchdowns, turnovers, quarterback injuries, time left |
| NBA | Runs of scoring, fouls on stars, time left |
| NHL | Goals, power plays, pulling the goalie late |
| MLB | Runs, pitching changes, innings left |
Our pick cards show prices before the game only. Once a game starts, its card shows no bet button, because the pregame price no longer exists.
Frequently asked questions
What is live betting?
Betting on a game after it has started, at prices that update with the score and the time left.
Why was my live bet rejected?
The price changed or the market was suspended while the bet was being placed. Books pause markets after scores and other big plays.
Is the margin higher on live bets?
It can be. Add both sides' implied chances to check: two -125 prices add up to 111.1%, an 11.1% margin.
Can I cash out a live bet?
Many books offer a cash-out price on open bets. It's a price like any other, with the book's margin in it; our hedging guide shows how to compare it with a hedge.
21+ only. Sportsbook offers and availability vary by location. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-MY-RESET.