Figure skating: What is it and how do you bet on it
Figure skating is a truly "thorough" sport, one of the oldest winter disciplines in the world. Back in 1871 figure skating was first recognized as a sport, and the first official competitions were held in 1882 in Vienna. Today, bets on figure skating can be found on the websites of many bookmakers (especially during the Olympics), and the number of interested players always increases. In this material we will tell about the main things, is important to take into account for anyone who wants to make a bet with the bookmaker on figure skating.
Russia and Eastern European countries have formed a powerful community of fans of figure skating, closely watching the life of athletes on and off the ice. However, figure skating has also earned the love of fans in Japan, Canada and here in the United States, as well as in some European countries. The stakes in figure skating are particularly popular during the Olympic Games.
Types of betting on figure skating
Winner. The most popular type of betting in figure skating is betting on the winner. It's simple - in the line, there are several contenders given, usually no more than eight-ten, each of which has a hypothetical chance of winning on the sum of two programs.
However, weighty chances are usually only between two or three participants or pairs, the odds of which are at least within ten. Figure skating is the kind of sport where the level and reputation are developed for years, and it is extremely difficult for a random participant to win. In figure skating, there are always strong favourites.
The winner of a separate program. All the same as in bets on the winner, only the calculation is in a short and arbitrary program separately. As in any private case in bets, the probability of an unexpected outcome is higher, and the "dark horse" is more likely to show the perfect routine on a single day and get ahead of the favourites.
This is especially true for a short program. A couple of falls on the quad jumps - and the clear favourite goes to prepare for an arbitrary program with a few points behind.
Getting into prizes. Most skaters find it difficult to fight directly for the victory, and many bookmakers offer to bet on getting a participant in a certain top.
In most cases, it is the top three places that contain the prizes, but the gradation can be wider - the top five, the top ten and so on. Such long "tops" can be more often found in the lines for big competitions like the Olympics.
Total points. The complexity of the programs and the level of risk on the ice are increasing every year, which leads to new records for points scored. In some cases, bookmakers give a picture in which the player can make a prediction on the number of points scored by the skater - more or less than the specified mark.
On total points most often can be put as part of the whole competition and on individual programs of the kind. A good option, if you are closely studying the development of a certain skater or pair, but do not want to depend on the results of the opponents.
Comparison of participants. "Who is higher" - a typical bet for any individual sport, but in figure skating this line of bets, unfortunately, cannot be found everywhere. In this line, you can make a prediction on which of the proposed two skaters or pairs will be higher in the table after two rolls or one program.
This type of betting can be interesting if, for example, those who follow a certain coach and believe that one of the players is more persistent than the other, led to victory in the tournament. And in general, figure skating - a sport historically filled with hot duels, the vicissitudes of which to follow is especially fascinating.
How to make bets on figure skating
Getting ready for tournaments with skaters
In the same interviews with thematic editions skaters sometimes too willingly talk about their form and health problems, sometimes even about personal life and some quite philosophically distracting things. All this information and countless fan videos from open and semi-closed rentals should become a guiding light for anyone who is going to bet on figure skating.
The winter season is quite short, and there are not so many competitions for the forecast. Therefore, it is almost impossible to track the current competitive form of an athlete or pair. At the risk of piercing the low odds on the favourite, it is worth clinging to any straw of information you have before the bet. Men's skating is more stable, but there is an injury or any disease, colds can throw the favourite off the throne.
In sports pairs and dances on the ice, there are their risk factors associated primarily with "chemistry" in the duet. The more experienced the pair, the more stable, and usually skaters take many years to become a single whole on the ice. Betting on a suddenly shot young couple who have been together for less than two years can be quite dangerous. Relationships in new pairs are usually not very stable, and it is already important how much the duo's coach can balance the work.
In women's singles skating the situation is the opposite, and the red flag is often the growing up of skaters. It is not a fact that your 15-year-old favourite, tearing rivals with their complex, but weightless as a feather jumps, in a year will be able to at least get into the prizes.
The top women's skating, in general, is getting younger, but with it, the age of young winners is quite short. The shifting of the centre of gravity and other problems associated with the transformation of a girl into a woman, often stand in the way of the brilliant prospects of the early champion.
Follow the judges
When choosing a bet, you should look at the combination of the venue of the tournament and the nationality of the appointed judges. The player must also have basic information about the political situation in the International Skating Union (ISU), which is in charge of figure skating. At different times, certain countries had more or less lobby in the organization. The sport is subjective, and it is important to know at least basic information about the people forming the judging panels.
