Sports Action & PlayNow Sports FAQ s Sports Action and PlayNow Sports currently provide sports bettors with the best of both worlds, providing two unique sports betting options to all B.C. residents of 19 years of age or older. While events and types of bets available for Sports Action are often similar to events also offered on PlayNow Sports (aside from Toto), each are distinct and thereby each feature their own unique set of rules and regulations. Below are some of the common questions Players often ask regarding some of the similarities and differences. Why does BCLC have two different sports betting brands? Sports Action launched in B.C. in 1991 and continues to be a popular, option for bettors at retail outlets. BCLC launched the new PlayNow online sportsbook in 2012 in an effort to provide B.C. sports bettors a more comparable Las Vegas type betting experience and a more viable option for those BC sports bettors who are currently risking their money with illegal or unregulated Internet sportsbooks. The PlayNow sportsbook now offers more sports, more leagues, tournaments and more types of bets than ever before. New parlay options, single bets, Futures and Outrights, Bet-Back Bonuses and other promotions, immediate settlement and payment on winning bets and betting on LIVE games while they're in-play are some of the most significant enhancements. Along with all of the new offers on PlayNow, also come new betting rules and conditions (different than Sports Action). Be sure to familiarize yourself with the betting rules for the sports you bet on - as whether your bets win or lose your bets will be determined accordingly. Where can I place my bets? Sports Action is available through lottery retailers in convenience stores, major grocery stores, drug stores, gas stations, BCLC branded lottery kiosks and through bars and pubs throughout the province. PlayNow is available online at PlayNow.com and through your mobile device at mobile.playnow.com. Why do the odds on Sports Action and PlayNow Sports differ? Odds on Sports Action games cannot be changed after they are posted and a risk premium (slightly lower odds) is therefore, applied to account for the added advantage provided to the bettor. Because PlayNow Sports is offered online and through a different system than Sports Action, PlayNow has additional dynamic liability controls in place. These controls include the ability to change the odds on an event if necessary and/or setting variable betting limits on an event, which generally enables PlayNow to offer higher odds. Why do the odds change on PlayNow but stay the same on Sports Action? PlayNow Sports is offered through a different system than Sports Action, allowing for dynamic, or changing, odds. Odds on PlayNow may often shift based on numerous factors affecting an event prior to starting (i.e. injuries, weather, etc.); and even more frequently for bets offered on Live events. Unlike PlayNow odds, Sports Action odds cannot be adjusted once they have been posted. Due to the additional advantage this provides to the bettor, Sports Action odds are typically more conservative. Why doesn t Sports Action have all of the same Sports/Leagues/Events as PlayNow? While both PlayNow and Sports Action provide various betting options on sporting events, the two brands are operationally distinct so there are many differences between them. Sports Action currently offers a maximum of 240 events per week (Oddset, Point Spread, Over/Under), selecting the most popular betting events available. Toto is a pools offering unique to Sports Action players. Currently there are no pools available on PlayNow. PlayNow Sports is not restricted in the number of sports/leagues/events/bets offered.
Why aren t all of the same types of bets offered on PlayNow Sports, offered on Sports Action? Sports Action currently offers six unique betting options, played through unique selection slips at retail outlets (Oddset 3-Outcome, Oddset 2-Outcome, Point Spread, Over/Under, Props and Toto) and adheres to the specific rules and regulations for these offers. PlayNow Sports, which is offered online (and not through a specific selection slip) features a broader variety of ways to bet. If a game or event is already available for betting on PlayNow why can t it also be available now on Sports Action? When odds are posted on PlayNow for any game (for example the Money Line on an NFL game), this actually has no bearing as to when odds will become available for Sports Action 2-Outcome Oddset. Sports Action menus are posted every Monday and Thursday morning however some odds are posted each morning for certain sports. PlayNow Sports can post odds further in advance with the ability to adjust odds as necessary due to any potential changes or updates that may affect the games offered. PlayNow Sports similarly can post odds on events at any point during the day, whereas Sports Action menus are more limited with an inability to update the odds. What if I don t have a computer can I still bet on PlayNow? It is not required that players own a computer to bet on PlayNow.com, but you do need to have access to a computer or smart phone or tablet. (i.e. you could use a computer at a friend s house, or at a library or internet café to access PlayNow.com). Why doesn t BCLC also offer PlayNow Sports where I can buy Sports Action? Due to operational system requirements, PlayNow Sports cannot currently be offered in our channel of lottery retailers via the lottery terminal. However, with the PlayNow sportsbook also available on mobile devices, you can make your bets on PlayNow wherever you are! Sports Action menus are available online at https://lotto.bclc.com/sports-action/, however Sports Action bets may only be purchased at authorized retailers. Will Sports Action be offering Live betting? Because PlayNow Sports is online, and offered through a different system, the dynamic liability controls allow PlayNow to offer Live betting on games already in progress. These controls include the ability to change the odds of a Live event and setting variable limits on events and bets. Since PlayNow already offers betting on Live events, there are no current plans to offer Live betting on Sports Action. Why can I combine Props within the same event with Sports Action, but not on PlayNow Sports? PlayNow Sports restricts correlated parlays on props within the same event, and as such can offer higher odds on these types of bets. Sports Action already accounts for potential correlation in the Prop bets offered, and therefore combining props within the same event is possible What bets on PlayNow are similar to the Sports Action games? While Sports Action and PlayNow Sports each feature their own unique set of rules and regulations, there are similarities in the bets offered. For all conditions for Sports Action and PlayNow Sports please review the complete Rules and Regulations. Below is a brief comparison of comparable Sports Action bets found on PlayNow Sports: Sports Action Oddset 3-outcome o For most sports, there is typically an option to choose either of two teams/players to WIN or a TIE on PlayNow. The names and rules of these bets on PlayNow will vary based on the sport and league. Some examples of these bets include Win-Draw-Win, Win-Tie-Win & 60 Minute Line. o Currently, Basketball features an Oddset 3 way market that features a tie result if either team wins by 5 or less points.
o o The most similar bet to Oddset 3 on PlayNow for NFL betting is the Win-Tie-Win (+/- 7.5 Points). The difference between this market and the Sports Action Oddset 3-Outcome is that this betting market offers a tie as Either Team by 7 Points or Less. Sports Action has specific TIE rules for each sport and similarly PlayNow Sports bets have rules of settlement unique to each sport and/or bet. Please review the Rules and Regulations prior to placing any bet. Sports Action Oddset 2-outcome o For most sports, there is typically an option to predict either of two teams/players to win WITHOUT the TIE result on PlayNow. The names and rules of these bets on PlayNow will vary based on the sport and league. Some examples of these bets include Money Line & Match Result. o Sports Action Oddset has specific settlement rules for each sport and similarly PlayNow Sports bets have rules of settlement unique to each sport and/or bet. Please review the Rules and Sports Action Point Spread o For most sports, there is typically an option to predict either of two teams/players to win after applying a point spread or handicap on PlayNow. The names and rules of these bets on PlayNow will vary based on the sport and league. Some examples of these bets include Point Spread, Puck Line, Run Line & Handicap o Sports Action Point Spread uses a payout table based on the number of selections to determine the potential payout while each selection on PlayNow has odds associated with that result to determine potential payout. o Sports Action Point Spread has specific settlement rules for each sport and similarly PlayNow Sports bets have rules of settlement unique to each sport and/or bet. Please review the Rules and Sports Action Over/Under o For most sports, there is typically an option to predict the total amount of points/goals scored in a game on PlayNow. The names and rules of these bets on PlayNow will vary based on the sport and league. Some examples of these bets include Total Points, Total Points Scored & Total Goals. o Sports Action Over/Under uses a payout table based on the number of selections to determine the potential payout while each selection on PlayNow has odds associated with that result to determine potential payout. o Sports Action Over/Under has specific settlement rules for each sport and similarly PlayNow Sports bets have rules of settlement unique to each Sport and/or bet. Please review the Rules and Sports Action Props o For most sports, there are typically various prop bets that can be placed in a game on PlayNow. o Props for games on PlayNow Sports can be found within the either the Sport/League page or within the list of bets on each specific Event page. o All Sports Action Props can be found on the daily Props Menu. o Sports Action Props offered within a single event may be parlayed together to create a bet however this is NOT typically allowed for bets on PlayNow Sports. This is due to differing methods of managing liability on each event along with functional differences in the bet mechanics on PlayNow. o Sports Action Props has specific settlement rules for each sport and similarly PlayNow Sports bets have rules of settlement unique to each sport and/or bet. Please review the Rules and Regulations prior to placing any bet. Sports Action Toto o While there is currently no pools type game with a pari-mutuel growing prize pool available on PlayNow Sports, it is possible to place a parlay on the outcome of 13 games by manually selecting the events and bet of their choice (Money Line/Point Spread/Totals etc.) and adding them to the bet slip. Do the same TIE rules with Sports Action apply to bets on PlayNow Sports?
No, not necessarily. Sports Action and PlayNow Sports bets each have specific settlement rules unique to each sport and/or bet. Please review the Rules and Regulations for Sports Action or PlayNow Sports prior to placing any bet. Why aren t all bets available as single bets? While Sports betting is legal in every province in Canada, it s currently deemed illegal for Canadian jurisdictions to offer single-event sports betting; as such, sports bets must be parlayed, meaning a minimum of two different events must be combined when placing a bet. In September 2011, a private member s bill (titled Bill C-290) was reintroduced to amend the Criminal Code [s. 207 (4)(b),] to allow Canadian jurisdictions like BCLC the ability to choose to offer betting on single events. For more information on Bill C-290, visit c290now.ca Due to some bet types, which intrinsically require the outcome of multiple events, there are in fact some bets on PlayNow Sports that can be made in a single transaction and do not require you to parlay with an additional selection. These singles include Futures (Outright) bets (i.e. Stanley Cup Winner) or bets that include multiple outcomes within a single bet (such as Power Picks, or bets like Correct Score or Half-Time/FullTime ( Double Result ) bets). All bets designated as 'singles' are highlighted throughout the site with "single" icon next to the offer. Why isn t betting on Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Boxing or other sports like Cycling or Motor Racing available on Sports Action or PlayNow Sports? Historically, BCLC has not offered these types of sports, but may consider offering these sports in the future. Why can I parlay different bet types with PlayNow but not on Sports Action? PlayNow is not purchased through using a Selection Slip and therefore bets can be created by selecting picks across different types of bets (i.e. A Money Line selection can be parlayed with a Point Spread selection and a Total Points selection, all within a single bet) How do I interpret the odds on PlayNow - and why are there different available formats for the odds? Unlike Sports Action which displays odds in a decimal format, PlayNow gives you the option to view the odds in 3 different formats. To change the odds format, use the odds format selector found near the bottom of the left navigation bar and select your preferred format from the drop down menu. Below is brief description of the 3 different formats: Decimal With Decimal odds, multiply the value of the odds with your wager to determine your potential win. The outcome with the lowest odds is projected as the most likely outcome (or 'favourite') and viceversa the outcome with the highest odds being the least likely to occur (also known as the 'dog'). Example: With decimal odds of 2.50 and wager amount of $10, this bet would potentially return $25. For a parlay bet, the total odds of a bet are determined by multiplying the value of all the odds and then multiplying by the amount bet. The Return from a winning bet when using Decimal odds includes the original stake or wager in this calculation. Example: With decimal odds of 2.50 and 4.00 and wager amount of $10, this bet would potentially return $100. American American odds (also sometimes referred to as "Money Line" odds) reveal the amount you must wager or can win on any selection based on a $100 increment. The favoured outcome is always displayed as a negative number. A negative number expresses the dollar amount that would need to be
wagered in order to win $100, while a positive number expresses the dollar amount that would be won from a $100 wager. Example: If the odds offered on a particular outcome are -110, it means that in order to 'win' $100 you would need to bet $110. If the odds are +110, it means that if you wagered $100, you would win $110. In this example you would calculate your payout by also adding your initial stake (wager). Fractional With Fractional odds, the numerator represents the amount to win from the wager amount shown in denominator. Example: Odds of 1/3 mean that bettor would win $1 for each $3 staked (thus equal to 1.33 in decimal format), and 2/1 mean that bettor wins $2 for each unit staked (thus equal 3.00 in decimal format). So, with a stake of $100, potential win on first bet is $133.33, and on the second bet, potential win is $300.