Courtsiding Betting Explained

What Is Courtsiding Betting?

Every experienced punter is always looking for ways to gain an edge over bookmakers for maximum profit in sports betting. One of the proven strategies bettors use to tip the scales in their favor is courtsiding betting, which utilizes latency in the odds adjustments of live bets.

This blog post delves into the concept of courtsiding betting, explaining what it is and how you can use it to your advantage. It also discusses the sports where punters can apply this strategy and addresses the legality of it.

What Is Courtsiding Betting

Courtsiding is one of the methods punters today use to gain an edge over bookmakers when placing bets on sports. It refers to placing live bets by exploiting real-time information gathered directly during sporting events. The idea behind it is that there is sometimes a time delay between what happens during a sporting event and the sportsbooks’ ability to adjust their odds. It creates a small window of opportunity for bettors to exploit that slight delay and place appropriate bets on lines that will guarantee profits.

As you may have inferred, this form of betting requires a bettor or a proxy to attend the sporting event and directly gather relevant information as the action happens live. The proxy will then quickly relay the information to the bettor, who is often away from the sporting event venue and will have access to ultra-fast internet connectivity. The idea is for the punter to place a fair bet based on the information they have received before the bookies can receive the same information and update their betting odds accordingly.

For example, if a particular party does something well during a crucial point in a sports match, the odds may swing in their favor. A punter that receives this information in real-time before the bookie could theoretically wager on the party before the price drops.

Courtsiding Betting – How to Use to Your Advantage?

As mentioned, courtsiding horse racing, tennis, football, and other sports betting utilize the loophole created by the time lag between real-time events and bookmakers updating odds on lines. It allows punters to take advantage of potential opportunities by quickly reacting to changing circumstances.

For example, let’s say there is a tennis match between star players Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. If Roger Federer manages to break serve at a crucial point in the match with the lead, the odds will swing in his favor. If a punter sees Federer win the point and bets on him before the information reaches the bookmaker and they amend the odds, they will gain a great advantage and improve their chance of landing bigger winnings.

It is important to note that you cannot wager on every point in tennis, cricket, horse racing, and other markets. Even organized betting organizations that exploit it find it hard to do that. That is why most experienced courtside focus more on specific points within the game that carry significant weight and are likely to cause notable swings on betting lines.

Courtsiding Software

When the concept of it sprung up a few years ago, punters would usually openly sit at tennis matches, boxing events, and other sports with their smartphones or laptops and place bets live. However, regulations have become stricter, and courtsiding football, tennis, horse racing, and other sports are heavily frowned upon due to the unfair advantage it creates. Hence, sitting at a game with your mobile or laptop device ready for betting is no longer viable.

The only option that bettors now utilize is having paid contractors to attend live matches armed with concealed electronic devices that allows transmission of updates to the bettor outside the arena. Even this is frowned upon in most jurisdictions.

Due to the state of things, it can be difficult to achieve, especially for casual bettors. Also, since bookmakers often show major events and closely monitor them, you may find it hard to yield favorable results on events like the US Open, Australian Open, etc.

Ultimately, the best chance to maximize betting opportunities at online sportsbooks is to utilize software. The software is designed to enhance data collection speed, accuracy, and efficiency, giving punters the edge they need in the fast-paced sports betting world.

Tips for Taking Advantage of Courtsiding

Here are some tips to take note of in using courtsiding betting to your advantage:

Tips Instructions
➡️ Choose the right sport Not all sports are suitable for it. Tennis is the best choice for this betting strategy as there is usually more delay between changing circumstances and odds updates.
➡️ Be selective about the event you bet on To be successful with courtsiding in sports betting, you can’t bet on every event that comes along. It would be best to do your due diligence to find the events with good chances.
➡️ Use a reliable information source Whether you will have a paid contractor feeding you updates on real-time information or utilize the courtsiding software, you need a reliable source of information to be successful.
➡️ Act swiftly The key to taking advantage of courtsiding is the ability to react quickly to changes in the game to make timely and profitable bets.
➡️ Manage your bankroll wisely Like any form of betting, it is crucial to properly manage your bankroll when engaging in golf betting and other sports. Set a strict budget for your bets and stick to it. Also, avoid chasing any losses you may incur.
➡️ Be disciplined and discrete Unsurprisingly, bookmakers tend to frown, with some even banning accounts they suspect of the practice. So, you must exercise discipline and discretion to avoid being detected while maintaining a good advantage.
➡️ Use betting exchanges Betting exchanges involve playing against other people, and you can use the advantage that you have information that others don’t yet know.

Sports Where People Use Courtsiding Betting

One of the most exciting things about it is that this betting strategy applies to various sports. Punters will find several opportunities to engage in courtsiding gambling, from tennis to horse racing, cricket, golf, football, and other sports. The key is to find a sport or event that can give enough delay between the real-time occurrence and the time it takes sportsbooks to adjust their odds accordingly.

Let’s look at the main sports games where bettors use courtsiding betting.

Tennis Courtsiding

Punters can take advantage of plenty of courtsiding tennis betting opportunities when choosing BetZillion’s premium bet selections. Tennis is the major sport that offers the best opportunities to punters. Interestingly, the term was even coined from this sport – indicating being at the “side” of the tennis “court.”

One of the major things that make tennis a great choice is that the umpires are still in charge of manually updating scores during tennis games. And while technology has no doubt gone far, there is usually still some slight delay between when a point is scored and the score update, especially with slow umpires.

Experienced enthusiasts are always ready to place a live bet or signal someone to do it as soon as circumstances change during a tennis tournament. At that point, it is a race between you and the sportsbook.

Horse Racing Courtsiding

Courtsiding horse racing is another popular option for punters in sports betting. Punters here focus on capturing critical details like positions of horses, jockey performance, track conditions, and other developments during the race to gain the needed edge.

That said, horse racing courtsiding can be more challenging than tennis due to the fast-paced and short nature of horse races and sports technology development.

Cricket Courtsiding

Another major sport is cricket. Courtsiding cricket punters focus on capturing information like ball-by-ball details, pitch conditions, player performance, and the game’s overall performance. With access to real-time data, you can place quick live bets for maximum profit.

That said, cricket is more challenging to achieve as sports data technology works well, granting a faster transmission rate. However, there is always room to exploit.

Is Courtsiding Illegal?

“Is courtsiding illegal?” – It is the big question on the mind of many punters, especially newbies who are new to the strategy. It is not surprising, given that it shades between the lines of what might seem legal by exploiting the opportunities it does.

To answer the question, the legality varies across different jurisdictions. In most countries and betting jurisdictions, it is technically legal. The practice doesn’t break any established laws. However, that doesn’t mean it is generally approved of, as it is heavily discouraged. It is often left to the authorities at sporting events and sports betting sites to decide on the action to take when faced with. Many take actions to prevent it and heavily sanction those caught.

One major jurisdiction that has tough regulations is Australia. In 2014, Victoria police arrested a courtsider during the Australian Open Tennis and charged him with competition manipulation-related offenses. These charges were later dropped as it wasn’t deemed of reasonable prospect for conviction. However, the jurisdiction remains very strict.

Courtsiding Betting Alternatives

While it is an exciting option that can help punters gain an advantage over sportsbooks, it will only be suited to some. Thankfully, punters can use many other betting strategies to tip the scale in their favor. Some of them include:

  • Arbitrage betting: This strategy involves taking advantage of discrepancies in the odds offered by different sportsbooks to bet on all possible outcomes in a match. This bet type guarantees a profit regardless of the outcome.
  • Value betting: This is an advanced strategy where you need to identify opportunities where the odds offered by sportsbooks are higher than the actual probability of the outcome occurring (overpriced odds). Unlike arbitrage, this bet doesn’t guarantee instant profit but is more profitable in the long run.
  • Matched betting: This is a betting strategy that involves using the free bets and promotions offered by sportsbooks to place bets that guarantees a profit. It utilizes bets on both sides of an event to offset any potential losses and ensures a profit.

Like courtsiding software, these alternatives also have software punters can use to easily find and take advantage of betting opportunities.

Final Words

Courtsiding in sports betting can be a valuable tool for bettors to gain an edge over bookmakers. By leveraging real-time information acquired directly from the sporting event’s venue, punters can make informed live bets to maximize profits. The strategy also works on various sports, with tennis being the biggest opportunity market.

That said, due to the gray nature of this betting strategy, it is not the best choice for punters to use when betting online. Not only do online bookmakers and betting exchanges frown upon and sanction it, but so do authorities at sporting event venues.

If you have the means to do it, you can engage in it. You can always try other betting strategies to maximize your online betting experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does courtsiding still work?
    Yes, it still works in sports betting today. However, with live streaming, live stats centers, and other features, it is more challenging to achieve except if you engage in more obscure, unpopular, and untelevised matches.
  • Can I make money on courtsiding betting?
    Yes, you can make money on courtsiding betting. By utilizing real-time information before sportsbooks are the wiser, you can swiftly take advantage of betting opportunities to increase your winning chances and potential profit.
  • Is courtsiding legal?
    The legality varies depending on jurisdictions. While it is strictly frowned upon, it is technically legal in most jurisdictions that allow sports betting. However, authorities in sports venues can impose certain consequences on those they catch engaging, such as banishment from events.
  • Still have questions?
    Ask our experts
Rebecca E
Author
Writer & Media

Rebecca is a Liverpool gal and a big fan of the club. She likes nothing more than sharing tips and predictions on sports betting. Her other favorite sports include horse racing, snooker, and golf. Rebecca is in charge of writing and media at BetZillion. You can thank her for making our articles look so great.

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Comments
(5)
Avatar
franeblazevic12
2 months ago

It’s clear that courtsiding has its risks, especially with increasing regulations and the use of technology to track live updates. For casual bettors, it might be more practical to explore alternatives like arbitrage or value betting.

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luuna
7 months ago

It feels like a gray area between what's fair and what's not. I’d be curious to know how common this practice is today, given that many sports organizations and bookmakers actively work to prevent it.

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Tim Harrison
6 months ago

Courtsiding remains common despite efforts by sports organizations and bookmakers to prevent it. The demand for quick information keeps the practice alive, existing in a gray area of legality and ethics.

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baoui
10 months ago

While courtsiding can offer opportunities for swift profits, it raises ethical concerns and legal implications, as some jurisdictions classify it as illegal or a form of cheating

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Ra Jean
1 year ago

How can the accuracy of courtsiding affect betting outcomes?

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Tim Harrison
1 year ago

The accuracy of courtsiding can significantly impact betting outcomes by providing real-time, accurate information that allows bettors to make informed decisions quickly. If courtsiders report incorrect information, it can lead to poor betting choices and financial losses.

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Sylvestre CHRISTIAN
1 year ago

How do courtsiders obtain live match information so quickly?

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Tim Harrison
1 year ago

Courtsiders obtain live match information quickly through direct observation at events, often using technology to relay data to betting platforms. They may also have access to advanced communication tools to share updates in real-time.

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