Cycling betting tips can be constructive for those who have never bet on sports or are unfamiliar with the sport. There are various tips that can help potential bettors make sound decisions about how to gamble their money. This article highlights these tips so that you don’t go into betting uninformed. As a result, you may be able to increase your chances of getting decent returns despite being new to betting. Read on for tips and additional information related to betting on cycling.
Cycling Betting Tips
Below are some crucial cycling betting tips to keep in mind. We also discuss various details about the sport through these tips so that you’re familiar with it and betting on it.
Consider Cycling Predictions
An important tip that any new bettor should follow is to look at cycling predictions. These are predictions by experts that utilize information about riders and teams to deduce who will most likely secure which position during an upcoming or ongoing tournament. You should make it a point to only follow predictions from experts instead of your friend or other internet-dwellers opinions. By doing so, you’re making sure to rely on credible predictions derived through experience, expertise, and considerable research.
Moreover, avoid relying on predictions made months prior to an event. The reason for that is to avoid using outdated information because updates on players’ health and performance can significantly alter their prediction. Consider this example: rider A, who was expected to make a podium finish, injured his ankle months before an upcoming tournament. As a result, there’s a high chance that he won’t perform as well as he was expected to before sustaining his injury. In that case, the predictions will change with another rider replacing him as the podium finisher. In short, follow predictions that are up to date with changes in the information about riders and their expected performances.
Understand the Sport and the Tournament
Understanding the sport and tournament you’re betting on is crucial to avoid making uninformed decisions. Some tournaments are multi-stage events, such as the Tour de France (more on this below).
Here are some details about the sport, some popular competitions, and riders (and teams) to help you familiarize yourself with the sport.
Essential Details on Cycling Events
There are different types of cycling events worldwide, and this article focuses explicitly on racing events. In the United States, there are five types of racing events; here are some details on each.
- Road cycling is the most common form of bike racing, with riders competing against each other on paved street roads. The racer who completes the entire race in the shortest time limit wins the race, be it a race with multiple laps or a point-to-point race.
- Track cycling occurs at a specific track created for cycling, and riders use track-designed bikes.
- Cyclo-cross is a season-specific type of event, occurring in Fall and Winter, because riders must navigate through some natural obstacle courses to reach the end. This form of race is relatively shorter than the others.
- Mountain cycling is an offroad form of cycling, as riders compete to climb a mountain.
- BMX cycling is a short race built on an offroad track with ramps and jumps. No more than eight riders compete in this event, and they all use BMX bikes.
Teams in cycling events comprise of the main rider known as the Team Leader and his/her teammates, who are secondary riders. These other riders, known as Domestiques, are not meant to win the race themselves but to facilitate the win of the Team Leader. Thus, they may do various things to accomplish that, including giving their wheel if the leading rider’s cycle breaks or getting water and food.
Races in large events take place in stages, occurring on different days with varying tracks. The winner of the tournament is the rider/team that has the best times in all of the stages.
Popular Cycling Events
Now that you have a basic understanding of the types of cycling events, here are some popular races/tournaments that are good options for betting.
Tour de France
This event occurs annually in France, with some tracks making their way into other nearby countries. It is a multi-stage event, with a total of 21 stages occurring over the course of 23 days in most cases. The 2023 Tour de France starts on July 1, 2023.
It’s important to understand that this event is a part of the UCI World Tour, which is the premier road cycling event in the world. There are many events organized as part of this championship, which include other popular events such as Giro d’Italia, Milan–San Remo, and Vuelta a España.
Olympic Cycling
There are 4 cycling categories in the Olympics on which you can place bets—with some differences in the betting markets depending on the online sportsbooks. The 4 categories include road cycling, track cycling, BMX, and mountain biking.
Best Cycling Teams and Riders
At the time this article was written and published, the following riders and teams were in the top 3 positions based on their points, according to Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
- Riders:
- Tadej Pogačar of team UAE Team Emirates
- Wout Van Aert of team Jumbo – Visma
- Remco Evenepoel of team Quick Step – Alpha Vinyl Team
- Teams:
- Jumbo – Visma
- Ineos Grenadiers
- UAE Team Emirates
Pick Simple Betting Markets
Betting markets are betting categories within a specific event (a sporting one, in this case). The best way to explain it is through examples within cycling betting. Simple options include outright winners or points classification winners.
Outright King of the Mountain Winner
This category is for the winner of the road cycling climbing race that’s held in specific competitions, namely the Tour de France, Tour of California, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. Therefore, this market is popular on many online sportsbooks that offer cycling betting for the Tour de France. Examples of such bookmakers (sportsbooks) include William Hill Sportsbook. The title may change to Queen of the Mountain when the competition is among women riders.
Over/Under Cycling Betting
This betting market is focused on the total number of stages a rider may go over or under to win the entire tour. For example, you can bet if rider B, that’s racing in a tour, wins the event over or under 7 stages.
Points Classification Winner
This category can be for sprinters in a cycling competition or a team. Therefore, it’s an award given to a rider and/or team because their cumulative points during a tournament in road cycling were highest among other contenders. You may also see a similar market called general classification, which is specific to riders’ total times during events with multiple stages.
Prop Betting
This category includes small details within a race; for example, you may bet that rider C will win a specific stage. They can be unpredictable and risky, so they are not ideal for new bettors.
Head-to-Head Betting
Some online betting websites may allow you to bet between 2 different riders on who will get the better time throughout a stage or tour.
The betting markets vary significantly based on the sportsbook you choose.
Consider Jersey Colors During a Race
The riders during a race may wear different-colored jerseys based on their positions during a race. For example, a leading sprinting rider (i.e., the rider who rides as quickly as possible toward the finish line) will wear a green jersey during the next stage. Other colors include yellow for the leader of the entire tour, white jersey with red polka dots for the King of the Mountain, and orange for the most aggressive rider. Knowing these can help with bets during a tournament or live cycling betting. Live cycling betting is when you make bets during an ongoing game. It can be a fun and exciting process because you get to see the results unfold right in front of you. That said, having some knowledge of a tournament can help make such bets.
Pick a Good Betting Website
Place your bets on betting websites that are licensed, offer good customer service, have promotions for new bettors, and have a range of betting markets and good odds. This way, you may be able to get more out of your bets through a reliable experience.
Answers to Questions You May Have about Betting on Cycling Events
Below are some answers to questions you may have about betting on cycling events.
Is there world championship cycling betting?
Typically, online sportsbooks offer betting odds for events that are a part of the UCI WorldTour. That way, you can place bets on specific tours that all contribute to the world winner.
Which is the best cycling betting website?
While it’s hard to crown the best cycling betting website, we can offer some top suggestions for you to consider. We picked these because they have good cycling betting odds, are reliable, and have good customer service.
- BetMGM
- William Hill Sportsbook
- Bet365
- Bwin
- Unibet
Should I follow cycling betting tips on Twitter?
As a general rule, avoid any tips or other betting information shared by non-experts. Instead, focus on the information experts provide so that you don’t risk making any risky decisions due to tips from unverified sources. That said, if any of the tips or other details match what is present on expert sites, such as this article, then you can follow them.
Final Words
We hope the cycling betting tips above can help make wagering on this sport more approachable. It’s always a good idea to do your research before placing bets because you are putting money on the line. Just make sure to choose good betting sites and read up on predictions beforehand.