Bookie Tips: What Is An If Bet, If Win Only Bet? PPH Settings [If Bets Explained]

You can come across “if bets” while browsing the betting choices in your sportsbook account. It’s a fantastic choice for anyone looking for something different from the typical spread bets, and totals.

You can also choose from a wide variety of different If bets. However, as these bets typically lack value, thus they aren’t always a great substitute.

If bets are a bit more complex than a straight bet, thus it is important that you fully understand all the rules surrounding them.

As If bets can involve two to several bets, you want to ensure you are making the best selections possible.  

In this article, we are going to explain everything you need to know about If bets.

What Is An If Bet

If Bets Overview

If bets are a category of wager that can be found at all sportsbooks. Brad McFarlane is the known creator of if bets.  You can combine two straight bets with this kind of wager.

The second choice becomes a live bet or “action” if the first one wins. If you lose your first wager, nothing happens with the second wager. As a result, the success of the initial wager is a requirement for the second wager.

Using a pay-per-head sportsbook platform, agents have access to two crucial settings for bets.

The first one gives you the option to decide whether to permit or deny action reverses with more than two choices (often referred to as “birdcages”).

You may also limit the amount of underdogs allowed as the second setting. When operating your book using the pay-per-head betting service, you should take into account the increased exposure that underdogs provide because they pay more.

If Bet Example

Suppose you are looking to place a wager on an NFL Sunday. You decide to go with two If bet possibilities that happen at various times during the day:

• 150 Green Bay Packers (1:15 pm game)
• 120 Kansas City Chiefs (4:15 pm game)

These games are ideal for If bets because they don’t happen simultaneously and if one bet wins, the next one will happen naturally if you plan to watch each game.

If the Green Bay Packers win the early game, you will be a winner, and your second wager on the Kansas City Chiefs will go into a head.  The Chiefs must then win for your entire wager slip to get the full payout.

The Order Of Your Selections Is Vital

It’s crucial to pay attention to the sequence in that you make your selections if you want to know how these bets work. This is because the second bet/option won’t happen if the initial one loses.

As a result, the individual can select the betting order for any type of if bet (reverse if bets, if only win bets and if action bets, etc.) 

However, it is worth mentioning that the event’s start time is not important. Although, you don’t want all the games to have the same start time, otherwise your If bet won’t work. 

An individual should place their strongest pick first if they are really confident about it. Therefore, if it succeeds, they receive a payout, and as a result, the following choices in the bet will proceed.

The entire wager would be considered a loss if the individual had placed the option they weren’t very confident in the first spot, and it ended up losing.

If bets with over two selections can also be made using this reasoning. The first option should contain the games that are perceived by the individual as being more likely to win. Then, as they move down the list, the likelihood of each event should decrease. 

Although, limiting the amount of options in an If bet, reverse If bet or if win bet makes sense from a bookmaker’s point of view.

If Bet Rules

For someone new to betting on sports, it can be confusing. Especially as there are various types of bets. To make it easier for you, the following are some essential guidelines for if bets:

• They may include as many as seven options.
• Before the first selection begins, the wager must be placed.
• The individual only needs to specify the choices. They do not need to be made in the same order as the events take place.
• The initial wager is used for additional if bet selections.
• When placing “if-win-bets,” the first option is always acceptable, unless the result is a push or no-action.

The Different If Bets

There are a few kinds of these bets that you ought to consider when creating any If bets in general. These include an if only win bets, reverse If bet and if-action bets. Below, we have discussed these three different types and what they mean.

If Win Only Bets

The simplest kind of if bet, is an If only win bet, which relates to the earlier examples mentioned above. It can also be referred to as the if action bet or the Jaibi Wager. 

The distinction, in this case, is that following picks in the “if only win” bet continue once the initial pick “wins.” The whole if-only-win bet is void if the match is postponed, cancelled, tied, etc., and the stake is returned to the individual’s account.

For example, say that the Seahawks are playing the Packers and the Colts are playing the Patriots. Say you wagered $110 on the Seahawks in order to earn $100.

You effectively get a free roll on the Patriots if the Seahawks win their game. Thus, you will make $200 if the Patriots triumph. You will only lose the $10 you paid for the entire ticket if the Patriots lose.

If Action Bet

When placing an if-action bet, the second selection of the bet may be placed even if the initial selection results in a push/tie or is deemed “no action”. Which means the game is postponed. 

Unlike an if-only win bet where the first choice must win. The stake merely moves to the following selection in the event of a no-action result. This has no effect on whether the initial selection wins or loses. 

The individual could, for instance, decide to place a bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers to defeat the Chicago Bulls (first selection of bet) and the Indiana Pacers to defeat the Pistons (second selection).

The wager would transfer to the Pistons and Pacers match if the Cavaliers and Bulls game was postponed.

Reverse If Bets

By providing a mixture of every potential result on a series of options, a reverse if bet removes the challenge of selecting the order of selections.

They essentially combine all the potential bets on any number of selections. Thus, eliminating the chance of losing money because of the sequence of the selections.

Please be advised that the number of these if bets that are combined when you place a reversal bet double your initial wager.

A reverse bet with two selections is actually two if bets. So, if you made a $55 reverse bet, your total stake would be $110 ($55 on one bet and $55 on the other).

As the number of options rises, the number of bets also grows exponentially. When making reverse bets, it’s important to keep this in mind because it also means that your stakes will grow exponentially.

For example, if you have 3 selections, then you will be making 6 if bets. Additionally, if you wanted to make 5 selections, then your if bets would grow to 20.

Where Can You Use If Bets?

Generally speaking, the biggest team sports provide if betting options. There are if bets available for any form of wager where you can wager on a team to win, such as wagering on the NFL. 

In essence, if bets cover college and pro football, basketball, hockey, and baseball betting. If you want to add some variety to your standard hockey wagering or try your luck at NBA betting if bets are a wonderful choice.

Are They Common?

If bets are infrequently used in the world of sports betting since they are rarely justified.

To begin with, a lot of individuals are simply unfamiliar with the specifics of how they operate. Advanced bettors understand that the math simply does not back up the argument for utilizing them.

Additionally, if bets replicate several other, more well-known choices that are already available. For instance, a bettor might choose to wager a parlay, which carries a little bit more risk but delivers a bigger reward.

Or an individual may just decide to put up two separate wagers. There is just no compelling reason to employ if bets when there are other, superior alternatives available.

However, there are some circumstances where you may wish to place an if bet, if it is an option. Mainly, if you have a limited or restricted bankroll. 

Are If Win-Only Bets And Parlay Bets Similar?

Some people, they get confused between if-only-win bets and parlay bets. It is important that you know the distinction between the two. 

A parlay bet is somewhat different from an if bet win-only. A parlay combines several picks into a single wager that pays out if all selections succeed. The entire parlay is lost if even one wager fails.

A series of choices make up an if-only win bet. If the first wager succeeds, the second wager is made. You can choose to either collect on all winning selections or up to the first losing choice.

Then if only win bets allow for error, whereas the parlay bet is an all-or-nothing wager. Parlays that are successful will reward you more for taking on more risks.

A win-only bet, on the other hand, enables you to “get in and get out” with less risk but with a lower payout.

For example, let’s assume you wagered on three teams in an if bet and the exact three teams in a parlay bet. You place separate bets of $110 on the parlay and the if bet.

Team C loses, but Teams A and B triumph. In the if bet, you would make a $90 profit since you would win $200 on Teams A and B but lose $110 on Team C. 

In a parlay, you will forfeit the entire $110 because you only went 2-1 when you’re required to go 3-0 to have a winning ticket. Also, an if bet has a significantly lower house advantage than a parlay.

Advice For If Bets

If bets aren’t for everyone, but a lot of people do find success with them. If you fancy trying out if bets for yourself, then we suggest following this advice below. 

Start With Your Best Chance

With only win if bets, you want to start with the team that you are really confident will win. Otherwise, your whole bet is lost before you have really begun. The order of your selections, as mentioned previously, is really important. 

Great For Anyone Starting Out

If bets are the best choice for individuals who wish to play carefully, have a limited starting bankroll, or want to set a betting limit.

Consider someone who wishes to place tickets for both today’s game and Wednesday Night Football, but has a deposit limit on their account.

By employing a if bet, then the person can place a ticket on two games, but they only need the funds for a single bet.

Stay Disciplined

With if bets, you make more than one bet. However, if your first selection loses, it could be tempting to make a straight bet on your second option.

We would advise that you don’t do this. This is because it is a risk as you don’t know if that game is going to go into your favor. Which could mean you lose even more money. 

Don’t Forget Straight Bets

The fact that two different straight bets offer a bigger profit margin should be taken into account by any individual.

Therefore, you could make more selections for if bets, if you feel certain about the outcome. However, if you feel really confident, you could just make several straight bets. 

Lower Payout

Keep in mind that an if bet has a significantly lower payout. This is why it is better for people who are watching their spending or are limited on how much they can put up. 

Limited Number Of If Bets

The number of choices permitted in the various forms of these bets is sometimes limited by sportsbooks. If you wish to raise that limit, you may wish to speak with the sportsbook agent in your area.

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve learned the basics about what is an if bet with rules and examples, here are a few things to consider. If bets are a great option when you are looking to make two or more bets but only have the money for one. It is also perfect when you have a limited budget but still want to support your favorite teams.

There are three kinds of if bets that you ought to keep in mind, and all three function in slightly different ways.

It is worth noting that you need to be aware of the order of your selections when placing if bets. If your first selection doesn’t win, then your second selection won’t go through.

Also, they don’t always provide you with the biggest payout. These bets aren’t very common, but they are still available in your local sportsbook. 

We hope this article has been helpful. Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what a if bet and if win only bet it.

You May Also Like:

How To Be A Bookie

Betting Consultant

Bet Slips