Betting & Gameplay: Odds, Rules, Poker & Casino Basics

LiveSponsors players place bets and play on partner operators (Betano, bet365, TigerGaming, SportsBetting, Bodog, PokerStars, GGPoker, WPN, Natural8, PartyPoker, WPT, and others) — LiveSponsors itself doesn't run the sportsbook, poker room, or casino, so exact figures for some rules below depend on the specific operator.

Betting (Sportsbook)

How do I read odds shown in decimal, fractional, or American format?

Decimal odds (e.g. 2.00) show your total return per €1 staked, including your stake — a €10 bet at 2.00 returns €20 total (€10 profit). Fractional odds (e.g. 1/1) show profit relative to your stake. American odds use + or − numbers relative to a €100 stake. Decimal odds are most common in Europe, Brazil, and Australia; fractional odds in the UK and Ireland; American odds mainly in the US.

What is live/in-play betting?

Live betting lets you place bets on a sporting event after it has already started, with odds that update in real time as the game progresses. Availability of specific live markets depends on the sport, event, and operator.

What is Cash Out, and why isn't it available on my bet?

Cash Out lets you close a bet before the event finishes, for a value based on the current likelihood of your bet winning — letting you lock in a profit early or limit a loss. It isn't always available: it's commonly suspended during critical moments, on closed/suspended markets, on some complex bets, or during technical issues, and on some licences it isn't offered at all. A partial Cash Out is sometimes possible. Cash Out is entirely controlled by the operator you're betting with — for a specific Cash Out value or issue, please contact that operator's support, or reach out to us and we'll point you in the right direction.

What is Rule 4 in horse racing, and why were my winnings reduced?

Rule 4 is a standard horse-racing rule: if a horse is withdrawn after you've placed your bet but before the race starts, a deduction is applied to winning bets on the remaining horses. Only your profit is reduced; your stake is never deducted. The size of the deduction depends on the withdrawn horse's odds at the time. Rule 4 applies to win, each-way, and multiple bets, but not to ante-post, non-runner-no-bet, or in-play markets. The exact deduction scale is set by the specific operator.

What happens if the event is cancelled, postponed, or a market is settled incorrectly?

A bet is voided when the event it depends on doesn't go ahead as expected — the event is cancelled, a selection withdraws, or there's a rule breach. A voided bet is treated as if it never happened: your stake is refunded. If a void leg is part of a multiple, that leg is normally removed and the odds recalculated.

What is a dead heat, and how does it affect my payout?

A dead heat is when two or more competitors officially tie for the same finishing position. Your stake is divided by the number who tied, and your bet is settled on that reduced stake at the full odds.

What are system bets (Trixie, Yankee, Canadian, Heinz, Lucky 15/31/63)?

A system bet is a single wager built from multiple combinations of selections, so you can still win something even if not every selection wins — unlike a standard accumulator, where every selection must win. See our Glossary for how many combinations each type covers.

What is an each-way bet?

An each-way bet is two bets in one: a "win" part and a "place" part. Your total stake is doubled (a "€5 each-way" bet costs €10 total). The exact fraction paid on the place part depends on the field size and the operator's terms.

What is Draw No Bet, and what is a Bet Builder?

Draw No Bet removes the risk of a draw when betting on a match winner — if the match ends in a draw, your stake is refunded rather than lost. It usually only covers the regular result unless stated otherwise. A Bet Builder lets you combine several selections from the same event into one custom bet with combined odds.

Poker

What poker hands beat what?

From highest to lowest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card. In Razz, hand rankings are reversed — the lowest hand wins, Aces count low.

I suspect another player is colluding, chip dumping, or using a bot — what should I do?

Don't confront the other player directly and don't make a public accusation. Note down the details you can (table, approximate time, players involved, hand numbers) and report it through the platform's official support or reporting tool. Consequences for confirmed misconduct can include account suspension or a permanent ban, removal from tournaments, and in some jurisdictions may be treated as fraud with legal consequences.

If I forgot my poker login and created a new account by mistake, is that a problem?

Yes — even an accidental duplicate account is subject to the same multi-accounting rules as a deliberate one, and can result in the duplicate being closed. Please contact our support team so we can help review and resolve the accounts.

Are poker tools like HUDs or hand trackers allowed?

This depends on the specific poker room — many poker rooms restrict or ban HUDs/trackers, so please check with support before using one, as using a banned tool could get your account restricted.

Casino

Is the game rigged? How is fairness guaranteed?

Licensed online casino games use a Random Number Generator (RNG) to produce outcomes, and licensed operators can't manually alter individual results. Game fairness is checked by independent testing labs (such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs, or GLI) and licensed/audited by gambling regulators (such as the MGA, UKGC, Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, or Curaçao eGaming).

What is RTP (Return to Player) and house edge?

RTP is the percentage of all money wagered on a game that is, on average, paid back to players over the long run — an RTP of 96% means about €96 of every €100 wagered is returned on average. The house edge is the flip side (100% minus RTP). As general industry figures, online slots commonly run around 94–98% RTP; European roulette around 97.3%; blackjack with correct strategy can be 99%+. These are long-run averages — no individual session is guaranteed to match them, and actual RTP varies by the specific game.

What is a progressive jackpot?

A progressive jackpot grows over time as players wager on that game (or, for a networked jackpot, across many casinos/games), until someone wins it and it resets. Eligibility (e.g. a minimum bet to qualify) varies by game — check the specific game's rules.

Updated on: 26/08/2026