📘 Published November 3, 2026 · 5 min read
Live betting explained: how prices move during the game
Betting while the game is played: why the prices change with the score and the clock, how to check the margin of a live price, why speed raises the cost, and the tools that keep it under control.
Betting while the game is played
Before the game, a price reflects what the market expects. Once the game starts, every goal, penalty and minute that passes changes the chances, and the prices follow.
Licensed sportsbooks offer it: OLG's online sportsbook, PROLINE+, for example, offers single-event and live betting to players 19 and older located in Ontario.
Why the prices move
- The score: a team that takes the lead becomes more likely to win, so its price drops.
- The clock: the less time is left, the harder it is for the trailing team to come back.
- The game itself: a penalty, an injury or a goalie change can move the price in seconds.
💡 A price can change between the moment you see it and the moment you confirm. Check the price on your ticket before you confirm it.
Check the margin of a live price
A live price is a price like any other: 1 divided by the decimal price gives the chance it implies, margin included. Add up the chances of both sides: everything above 100% is what the sportsbook keeps.
A $10.00 bet pays back $19.09 of which profit $9.09
Close to 50/50: the margin makes the difference. Compare the prices before you bet!
Remove the margin (vig)
Type the prices of both sides of a market: you get the sportsbook's margin and the fair price of each side.
Speed multiplies the cost
The margin applies to every bet. Live betting makes it easy to bet again and again in the same game: the more bets per hour, the more the margin costs you over the evening.
Decide your budget for the game before it starts, and stop when it is spent, whatever the score.
The tools to keep it under control
In Ontario, a licensed site must let you set deposit and loss limits over 24 hours, 7 days or one month (AGCO Standard 2.23). Set them before the game, not during it. Since 14 May 2026, BetGuard lets you exclude yourself from every regulated site in Ontario at once.
Frequently asked questions
What is live betting?
Betting while the game is being played, at prices that change with the score and the clock.
Why does a live price change so fast?
Every goal, penalty or minute that passes changes the chances of each side, and the price follows. A price can change between the moment you see it and the moment you confirm.
How do I check the margin of a live price?
Turn each price into a chance (1 divided by the decimal price) and add up both sides: everything above 100% is the sportsbook's margin.
How do I keep live betting under control?
Set a budget and a deposit limit before the game, not during it. In Ontario, licensed sites must offer deposit and loss limits over 24 hours, 7 days or one month.
Bet responsibly
Betting is paid entertainment, for adults only (19 and over in Ontario, 18 and over in Alberta), never a way to make money. Set a budget before you start and stick to it, whatever happens.
💡 Free help, 24/7: ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 in Ontario, Addiction Helpline 1-866-332-2322 in Alberta.
Sources: about.olg.ca, agco.ca, igamingontario.ca
Odds move fast: always check the price on the sportsbook's site. Information, not betting advice.