Softball – A Simple Guide to the Rules and Betting on the Sport
During my time at college in the states, I watched a lot of different sports. One which stood out and became a firm favourite of mine was softball. Nowadays, I continue to watch games whenever I can and I also enjoy betting on the sport.
Softball is similar to baseball in many ways, and was originally created as an indoor version of the sport back in 1887. In recent years, it has become hugely popular and there are major softball leagues throughout the USA and many other countries worldwide. You will even find softball at the Olympic games.
Yet there are many people who know very little about the sport. So in this post, I want to give you an overview of the sport. This is a very brief beginners guide to softball. Find out about the rules of the game and all you need to know to be able to bet on it.
Basic Overview of the Rules
There are 2 main types of softball; slow pitch and fast pitch. As the name suggests, the pace at which the ball is pitched differs, plus, you will find 9 players per team in slow-pitch softball, with 10 per team in the fast-pitch version.
Softball shares common traits with baseball. Yet the major differences are that the ball is pitched underhand, the ball is bigger and the field is smaller. Softball has 7 innings, with the visiting team batting in the first half of each innings. Each half innings is played until the fielding team successfully put out 3 batters or base runners. The object of the game is to score more runs than the opposing team.
There are 4 bases in the shape of a diamond in the infield and in the centre is the pitchers mound and the “rubber”, from where the pitcher delivers the ball. The batter must make it around all bases to achieve a run. Again, like baseball, the batter is out if three strikes are called.
Aside from the pitcher, the other positions include outfielders, who are positioned beyond the infield. There are also basemen positioned on the first, second and third bases. The catcher plays behind the home plate, in a semi-crouched position to receive pitches thrown to the batter.
Betting on Softball
Many top online sportsbooks offer the option to bet on softball. Popular operators such as William Hill and bet365 provide the chance to place a selection of bets, including a head to head; a bet on which of the 2 teams in a particular game will win. You simply need to look for the sport within the sports betting website to see the available bets.
It is worth noting that odds will only be available at online bookies when there are major softball tournaments or competitions upcoming or currently taking place. You will often find that when major tournaments are in swing, there will be a variety of bonuses and promotions to take advantage of too. When there are exciting softball betting opportunities and special offers available, needless to say, I will keep you posted on this blog!