Lightning Bets Explained

This article explores the new and exciting world of lightning bets and what every punter needs to know.

We will cover the following areas:

• What is the lightning bet
• How to play a lightning bet
• Lightning bet example
• Sports where you can place lightning bets

What Is Lightning Bet?

Now, what exactly is a lightning bet? The lightning bet is a type of wager punters can place on live games. The bet utilizes prop betting opportunities during live events, involving wagering on game occurrences that are not directly related to the event’s outcome. Unlike traditional wagers with fixed odds, lightning wagers offer dynamic and fluctuating odds, providing an exciting and fast-paced betting experience.

These lightning wagers typically come up and finish within moments, resulting in instant settlements even when the event hasn’t ended. Hence, the name “lightning.” While it is quite new, this market has become popular for many sports, from football to basketball and baseball.

This betting market was first introduced in 2022 by PointsBet, which remains the foremost lightning bet sportsbook to date. However, the bookmaker is not the only one that offers this exciting wager. Other international sports betting sites also offer punters combinations of live and prop bets, typically called “micro bets” or “flash bets.”

How to Play the Lightning Bet

Different from what many beginners might think, playing the lightning bet is as straightforward as placing any other wager on the sports betting market. The first step to placing the bet would be to find a sportsbook that offers the option. Besides PointsBet, the option is also available on other sites as micro or flash betting. Some platforms even provide lightning sports betting cash bonuses.

Once you have accessed the sportsbook of your choice, you will usually find the lightning wager options under the bookmaker’s live betting menu.

For example, if you are betting on any popular market, like the next play in an NFL game, the next pitch in an MLB match, or the next free throw in an NBA event, you will need to find and place that bet quickly. Once the wager is locked in, you wait for the outcome. The good news is that this option typically features quick results and will deliver instant payouts if your predictions are correct.

The lightning betting odds and payout works like any other typical betting market, i.e., the payout will equal the odds multiplied by the staked amount. The main aim of the lightning wager is to bring punters close to the live action, allowing them to fully immerse in the experience while offering many ways to win throughout the game.

Lightning Bets Examples

As mentioned, lightning bet involves placing live wagers on game elements that are not directly related to the game’s outcome, such as the result of the next drive, next play, next pitch, next goal, and so on. There are also some unique ones. Now let’s take a look at a typical lightning bet example.

Let’s say there is a matchup between the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls on an NBA game day. While the game is happening live, lightning bets on various aspects of an NBA game will be coming up, one of which is the “result of the next field goal.” Such a market asks if the next goal scored by either of the two teams would be a two-pointer or three-pointer.

A lightning bet market for such would look like this:

You can bet on either of the two options, and you will win if your prediction is accurate. Based on the odds, a wager on the two-pointer and three-pointer would yield $7.41 and $15 for every $10 wagered on them.

What Sports Can I Place Lightning Bets on?

The beauty of lightning bet is that it applies across various sports, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, and many others. These sports typically feature live lines and have various elements that facilitate the betting option. For example, a punter can place a Lightning 3-way bet on which team will score the next goal in a typical soccer match. All the other sports also have various areas that punters can engage in for exciting betting opportunities.

That said, the availability of lightning markets on some sports varies from one sportsbook to another. For example, PointsBet currently offers these wagers for NFL, NBA, and college basketball games, with plans to roll out additional markets for MLB soon. Some sites offer all three sports plus others in their micro-betting markets.

NFL Lightning Markets

American football is one of the best sports where lightning betting is widely available, especially in the NFL, the most popular league for the sport. When you go to the betting section of a live NFL game, you will find a wide range of opportunities to place lightning wagers for instant gratification.

Some of the popular options for the NFL here include:

• Next Play Result – Betting on what will happen in the next snap, whether a run or a pass 
• Next Drive Result – Betting on if the next drive will result in a scoring play (i.e., touchdown or field goal), a turnover, or a punt
• Field Goal Make/Miss – Betting on whether the kicker will make or miss the next field goal

Experienced punters can capitalize on their vast knowledge and experience regarding the NFL games to position themselves for a profitable session with these bets fully.

You should note that you won’t find any over under lightning bets in the NFL games, as these are more directly related to the event’s outcome. And that is not the essence of a valid lightning bet.

NBA Lightning Markets

Basketball is another good option for punters looking to engage lightning betting markets. With a wide range of games in the NBA, there are many opportunities to enjoy exciting betting experiences. Among the most popular NBA lightning betting opportunities is the “Type of Next Field Goal.” With this betting market, you need to predict if the next goal during the game will be 2 points or 3 points. The three points typically pay better than the 2 points.

Some of the other popular options in NBA games include:

• Team to Score Next Point: Bet on which team will score the next goal
• Next Free throw: Bet on whether the next free throw will be a make or a miss

Other Sports for Lightning Bets

As mentioned, other than the options listed above, lightning rounds betting is typically available for other sports, including baseball, soccer, tennis, and others.

Here are some of the market options that punters will find with these sports:

• MLB Baseball: ”Inning Moneyline & Total,” Team To Score In Listed Inning, ” ”Result Of At-Bat,” “Result Of Pitch, ” etc.
• Soccer: “Next Goal (3-way moneyline),” “Next Goal (2-way moneyline),” “Total Corners – Listed Time,” “Next throw in,” “Next free kick,” etc.
• Tennis: “Next Point, “ “Next Game,“ “Next Set,” etc.

These sports, too, don’t offer lightning bets over under like football and basketball.

Pros and Cons of Lightning Bets

As soon as lightning bet became a viable option with PointsBet Sportsbook at the forefront, it instantly became a fan-favorite among many punters online. Naturally, this is not surprising as the betting option has many advantages that make it ideal for punters. However, like any form of betting, this one has some drawbacks. So, let’s check out the pros and cons of lightning bets sports betting.