Online Gambling Guide – How to Gamble Online

An online gambling guide will usually focus on casinos and sports, which dominate a large percentage of online betting. However, there are a host of additional and alternative options available. These include everything from competitive poker to classic games of chance like bingo and keno, and two of the new crazes, Crash Games, and Plinko.

In this detailed gambling guide, we’ll explore all the online betting options available. We’ll also explore some of the best online gambling strategies, tips, and tricks.

Popular Types of Online Gambling

Casino games, sports betting, and poker are the three main gambling verticals. Read our online gambling guide for beginners to learn about each of these betting options and alternatives such as esports wagering.

Online Casinos

Online gambling sites boast huge game collections unmatched by any land-based casino. They feature all the fan-favorites, including:

Regardless of the gambling guide you turn to, you’ll see that online slots dominate real money casinos. Casino sites offer everything from traditional 3-reelers with retro themes to more complex 5-reel slots with exciting bonus features and innovative mechanics.

Online slots come in an assortment of themes, symbols, and payout structures, with RTP percentages reaching 99% and hit rates as much as 30%+. Plus, you can win money on progressive slots from major providers such as Microgaming and Pragmatic Play. It’s like hitting the big time on Megabucks in your local US casino.

Online casino gaming also stretches to table games. Popular games at online casinos replicate the brick-and-mortar experience gameplay-wise, but you play against the random number generator instead of a shuffle of the cards or spin of the wheel.

Operators offer different variations of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, and you can enjoy any of them at your own pace. Plus, you can enjoy playing casino games for free with demo-play versions.

When it comes to live dealer games, they add a social component missing from RNG titles. They involve a real dealer, but the entire gameplay is streamed live from professional studios in HD quality. It allows you to enjoy real-money gambling while you chat live with the host.

Online Sportsbooks

Thanks to online sportsbooks, you can bet on any college and professional sport you want from anywhere. Currently, 38 US states have legalized sports betting; however, you should always check with your local laws because some permit only in-house sports betting, some allow placing bets online, and some allow both.

Punters can bet on sports in countless events and leagues from around the globe. The most popular betting markets in the US include:

Sports betting enthusiasts have many bets at their disposal. They can choose among moneyline, point spread, over/under, prop, or future bets. Live betting, parlays, and numerous betting features sportsbooks offer, such as Cash Out and live streaming of events, have added an extra layer of excitement to the classic wagering on sports.

Online Racebooks

When you wager at a licensed sportsbook, you may find that they also operate a dedicated ‘Racebook’. This will cover selected horse racing events and betting markets, including both domestic and international options.

Online horse race betting is available in the states that have formally legalized sports betting, while a total of 40 jurisdictions offering pari-mutuel wagering. This iconic betting system was first initiated back in 1906.

The biggest events tend to unlock the most competitive odds and broadest range of betting markets. These include the ‘Triple Crown’ in the US, which includes the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes (which are all thoroughbred races).

But what are the most common horse racing bets online?

1. Ante-post/Futures Moneylines: Pick the winner of a particular race before it begins.
2. Across the Board Betting: Split your stake evenly between three different outcomes: namely your horse to win, place, or show’. This increases your chances of winning significantly.
3. Exotic Wagers: These include more complex bets that typically carry higher odds and lower implied probability values. You can place an ‘Exacta’ bet, for example, which requires you to predict the two runners who think will finish 1st and 2nd (in the correct order)

Online Esports Betting

Recently, esports betting has enjoyed exponential growth as an online vertical. Broadly speaking, this describes the process of betting on competitively played video games, which are contested by individuals and teams in tournaments across the globe. Here’s a summary of the most popular esports games:

Esports betting verticals will include several markets, some of which are universally available. These include moneylines and over/under betting, on everything from the number of rounds contested to the number of kills scored in a game.

Game-specific markets include the first kill (in titles such as Call of Duty) and map winners. Maps may refer to specific missions, stages, or courses depending on the game being played, and tend to unlock tight odds with relatively high implied probability values.

The global revenue generated by esports betting is projected to reach $2.8 billion by the end of 2025. This value is expected to peak at $3.5 billion by 2029, highlighting a CAGR of 5.43% during the next four years. You can learn more about broader iGaming trends later on in our online betting guide.

Online Poker

Online poker is prevalent on most online gambling platforms, and you can enjoy it as part of the casino games or visit poker rooms entirely dedicated to this timeless classic. Its enduring popularity is down to the fact it is one of the few games of skill featured in our online gambling guide.

You can use your player funds to participate in cash games or enter tournaments and Sit ‘n Gos. Poker games are available from small stakes too, including freerolls with zero entry fees.

Although there are numerous poker variations, the most popular are:

Aside from these staples, the operators also cover niche variants, such as Razz, Badugi, and Pineapple. Moreover, operators offer poker games with different rules and betting structures to keep things fresh and exciting.

Alongside the games, poker tournaments have started drawing more attention. The poker rooms host anything from small events with several people to multi-table competitions featuring substantial prize pools. Participating in online poker tournaments can earn you a seat in the premier industry event — the World Series of Poker.

Pros & Cons of Online Gambling

Online gambling has its perks, but there are things that only land-based casinos can deliver. Here are the main pros and cons of online casino gambling.

Top Betting Systems and Strategies for 2025

You can try various betting systems when playing at an online casino or sportsbook to help you win more long-term. The good news is that we offer comprehensive guides here on how to win betting online.

For example, we offer a range of casino strategy and online gambling guides, which are focused on systems that can often be deployed across different games and verticals. These may adopt either a negative or progression structure, which means that you’ll continue to increase your stake with every successive loss or win respectively. Here’s a summary of the key gambling systems:

• The Martingale System: This is an aggressive system that requires you to double your stake with every successive loss. Although this can deliver potentially huge wins, it also incurs sizable losses in the interim. Most online gambling guides will encourage you to avoid this system unless you have a huge bankroll that can sustain significant losses.
• Labouchere: Synonymous with roulette betting, this is a number-based system that requires you to remove two digits after a win to determine your stake. You’ll add a number each time you win. You’ll also create the initial number that you use.
• Fibonacci: This is a negative progression system that also sees you increase your stake with every losing bet. The size of your stake will be determined by adding the value of your previous two bets together, so you’ll need a large bankroll to sustain this system.
• Paroli: This is a positive progression strategy that seeks to capitalize on winning streaks, making it more popular in games of skill. In this case, you’ll double your stake with each successive win. You can also create a rule prompting you to stop increasing your bets after a predetermined number of wins, depending on the size of your bankroll.
• D’Alambert: This is a negative progression system that’s more risk-averse than the Martingale. This simply requires you to increase your stake by a single unit bet with each loss. So, if your single unit bet is $5 and your first wager loses, you’ll then stake $10. Another loss will see you increase your stake once again to $15.
• Kelly Criterion: The Kelly Criterion is a mathematical formula that lets you identify the optimal stake amount for each bet. This is based on the real-time odds and implied probability values and expressed as a percentage of your bankroll. It’s synonymous with sports betting markets and wagers.

Lewis Humphries

Sports Betting Expert

• 

Best Betting Systems

Ultimately, you’ll have to choose a betting system that suits your outlook and bankroll. However, the Kelly Criterion is mathematically sound and enables you to tailor your bets according to the relevant odds and implied probability values.

Other Betting Systems and Strategies

As well as some of the major betting systems listed above, our in-house team of casino and gambling experts has researched lots of data to bring you a range of other systems you can use for potentially profitable gambling.

Learn How to Play Casino Games

Casino games are dominated by slots, which account for more than 70% of the GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) in markets across the globe. However, table games and poker also remain popular among players, and we’ve prepared a comprehensive online gambling guide for each of these verticals below:

Bankroll Management

According to industry experts, good bankroll management is one of the most important and successful gambling tips, increasing your chances of success by over 10%.

Knowing how to manage funds allocated for online gaming properly, will prevent you from chasing losses if you experience a bad day or end up on a losing streak. This is certainly key if you’re to make the most of our detailed online gambling guide.

More specifically, you should set a conservative bankroll that never exceeds an amount you can comfortably afford to lose. You can also use the customizable deposit limits available at licensed gambling platforms to manage your bankroll in real-time, while we’d also recommend that you keep track of your betting activity over time.

Sports Betting Bankroll Management

When engaging in sports betting, your bankroll should ideally cover a finite period. This may be a specific matchday, game week, or tournament. As most online gambling guides will tell you, you’ll also have to make provisions for the huge range of live markets available. You can learn more about sports betting bankroll management by reading our comprehensive guide.

Casino Bankroll Management

You’ll have to manage your casino bankroll slightly differently, often across shorter periods of gameplay and different verticals. Games of chance also put you at a greater risk of loss over time, so disciplined and strategic casino bankroll management is key here.

Online Poker Bankroll Management

Poker is a game of skill, but most iterations will feature numerous rounds of betting. It’s also important to set an overall amount to wager during specific games and poker tournaments so that you know precisely when to fold and how much you can raise the ante. Read our online poker bankroll management guide to learn more.

Top 5 Tips on How To Gamble Online

No online gambling guide of this type would be complete without some expert tips and insights. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when gambling online for the first time.

Online Gambling Bonuses

Online casino bonuses and promotions significantly boost your balance every time you make a deposit. Our brief online gambling guide on bonuses teaches you that the most common ones are:

• Welcome bonus
• Free spins
• Free bets
• Reload bonuses
• VIP/Loyalty programs

Welcome bonuses are available across both online casinos and sportsbooks. These typically take the form of 100% deposit matches up to a specified value, while operators may reward multiple deposits. Free bets typically have a lower value but also come with more manageable wagering requirements. They’re synonymous with sports betting.

Reload bonuses are also commonplace online. These typically comprise 50% or 25% deposit matches up to a lower value than the welcome package. Frequent bettors may also want to seek out gaming sites offering cashback promos, which can help you recoup a fixed percentage of qualifying losses each week. In some cases, VIPs can also access daily cashback bonuses up to a high value.

Deposit and Withdrawal Options

Payment gateways are essential to online gambling. The fastest payout casinos allow you to deposit and withdraw winnings and bonus funds. Knowing how to make quick cash-outs is essential when you are learning how to gamble online.

The most used and credible options include credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and bank transfers. However, in general, you’ll be waiting around 3–5 business days to get hold of your winnings. Some cashout fees may also apply.

Some players prefer Paysafecard, or an e-wallet solution such as PayPal, Neteller, or ePayz. They provide an easy and anonymous way for you to move funds from a secure online wallet straight to your casino account.

Finally, the top cryptocurrency casinos accept instant deposits with major digital coins, such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Tether (USDT). Aside from providing speedy transactions and anonymity, you can use them both for deposits and withdrawals.

Current Trends in Online Gambling

As the iGaming industry changes at an astounding rate, it also changes the traditional ways of how to gamble online. Several trends have recently affected the online casino sector, including the rise of mobile gaming and cryptocurrencies.

Since users can access the platforms via their mobile devices, gambling platforms have invested huge sums to develop responsively designed websites. These are optimized for mobile, with casinos using the HTML5 programming language to ensure that all games are available on the move. A growing number of sites are also designing complementary native apps on iOS or Android.

Overall, the global iGaming market is expected to be worth around $107.7 billion by the end of 2025. It will also grow at a CAGR of 5.42% between now and 2029, before the sector peaks at a value of $133.00 billion. This will be driven in part by the continued expansion of the US market, as more states move to legalize sports betting and online casino gambling.

Crypto casinos and betting sites will also become increasingly prevalent over time. Gambling platforms of this type are now accepting a broader selection of tokens, including third-generation coins like Cardano. They also unlock provably fair ‘Crash’ games, which combine simple gameplay and multipliers with a nominal house edge.

In the sports betting realm, artificial intelligence (AI) has also influenced the way that betting sites set their odds. This enables them to set more accurate odds by drawing from larger and less structured datasets. The AI principle of machine learning can also be leveraged by online casinos, to help them better assess individual customer behavior and their betting habits.

Final Thoughts

There are many online casinos and game selections that you can choose for play or real money. Spin the slots, play roulette, or enjoy a hand of Texas Hold’em, all from your laptop or smartphone. Our online betting guide has given you just a taster. All you need to do is choose the right casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites today.

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Responsible Gambling

The rise of online casinos led to a higher number of people battling gambling addiction. For this reason, it is more important that players and casino operators start employing responsible gambling practices. By implementing deposit tools, ID verification, and self-exclusion programs, operators can help users combat problem gambling.

• Gamblers Anonymous
• Online Gambling Addiction

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