Sports betting: markets, odds and the rules behind free bets
Next to the casino, Kabaler runs a sportsbook. This section explains how it works in general terms — odds formats, the main markets and the sports we cover in separate guides — and, as everywhere on this site, the fine print of the promotions attached to it. Sports offers follow different rules from casino bonuses, and players who know one set often misread the other.
Reading odds
Decimal odds are the simplest: multiply your stake by the odds to get the total return, stake included. Odds of 2.50 on a stake of 10 return 25. Fractional odds (3/2) show profit relative to stake; American odds (+150 or -200) show profit on 100 or the stake needed to win 100. All three describe the same price. The price also contains the bookmaker's margin, which is why the implied probabilities of all outcomes add up to more than 100%.
The main market types
- Match result — who wins, or a draw where the sport allows one.
- Handicaps — one side starts with a virtual lead or deficit.
- Totals — over or under a line of goals, points or games.
- Props and specials — player and event markets.
- Live betting — prices that move during the event.
Our bet types guide explains singles, accumulators and system bets.
Sportsbook promotions: what to read
Sports offers come in a few shapes: deposit bonuses with a turnover requirement, free bets, bet boosts and accumulator insurance. The conditions that matter most are the minimum odds a bet needs to count, the number of selections required in an accumulator, whether a free bet stake is returned with winnings, which markets are excluded (cash-out or void bets often do not count), and the time limit. As an illustrative example, not a Kabaler term: a requirement to bet 5x a 20 bonus at minimum odds of 1.80 means 100 in qualifying bets, and any bet below 1.80 does nothing.
One more rule surprises people: cashing out a bet early often removes it from the qualifying turnover. If you plan to use cash-out, check how the offer treats it first. Our bonus terms guide covers casino rules; the logic of turnover and time limits is the same.
Sports covered on this site
We have short guides to football, basketball, tennis and cricket, focusing on how markets work in each sport and which of them tend to meet promotion rules. Which events and markets the sportsbook actually offers depends on the operator and your country.
Betting within limits
Sports betting feels like a skill game, and that feeling is exactly what makes it easy to overspend: a run of losses looks like bad luck that the next pick will fix. Decide a budget per week rather than per bet, and use the deposit limit in your account. See our responsible gambling page.