Sports Betting

Live Odds Explained: What They Are and How They Work

Live odds (also called in-play or running odds) are prices that update while a game is in progress, reflecting the current score, time remaining, and everything happening on the field or court. Before kickoff, a book might list Team A at +120 to win. After they fall behind 1-0, the live price might drift to +350 as their win probability drops in real time. Understanding how these odds work is essential for anyone who wants to bet during games or exploit opportunities that don't exist in pre-game markets.

February 18, 2026

How Sportsbooks Calculate Live Odds

Under the hood, sportsbooks feed real-time game data into statistical models that constantly recalculate each team's win probability. The data includes:

Current score and time remaining
Possession and field position
Play-by-play events (touchdowns, turnovers, goals)
Situational context (down and distance, power play, innings)

Those probabilities are converted into moneylines, spreads, and totals, then adjusted for the book's theoretical hold (vig). A touchdown, interception, red card, big scoring run, or pitching change can swing win probability by 10 to 25 percentage points in seconds, and live odds jump accordingly.

Machine-learning models handle most of the updating, but human traders can step in to override or pause markets when the feed is wrong or something unusual happens (e.g., an injury the data feed hasn't captured yet).

Want to squeeze more value out of every bet? Use Shurzy's Live Odds tool to compare lines across top sportsbooks in real time and make smarter, higher-EV picks.

What You See on Live Odds Screens

Live odds screens in betting tools or apps show multiple markets updating at once:

Moneyline (who will win outright)
Spread (point margin adjusted for current score)
Total (over/under on final combined score)
Key props (next goal, race to X points, live player totals)

Because the models must balance time pressure (odds have to move fast) against latency (your video feed may lag 5 to 10 seconds behind the official data), books sometimes briefly suspend live markets around critical events to avoid being picked off.

This is why you'll occasionally see markets go dark for 10 to 20 seconds after a touchdown or goal. The book is waiting for confirmation and recalculating before posting new odds.

Read More: How Live Odds Change During Games

Why Live Odds Move So Fast

Live odds are a real-time price on probability, a continuous negotiation between what's happening, what the data says it means, and where the money is flowing. They turn every moment of a game into a new betting decision.

The speed of movement depends on several factors:

Game flow – A late-game touchdown moves odds more dramatically than a first-quarter score
Time remaining – Less time means bigger swings per event
Sharp action – If professional bettors hammer one side, the line moves instantly
Market liquidity – Popular games (NFL Sunday, NBA primetime) have faster, sharper lines than niche markets

Books are constantly adjusting not just to what happened, but to how bettors are responding. If a team scores but sharp money still backs the opponent, the line might not move as much as you'd expect. The market is telling you something the scoreboard isn't.

Want to squeeze more value out of every bet? Use Shurzy's Live Odds tool to compare lines across top sportsbooks in real time and make smarter, higher-EV picks.

The Role of Human Traders vs. Algorithms

Most live odds are set by algorithms, but human traders monitor for anomalies:

Injury delays – If a star player gets hurt but the feed doesn't show it yet
Weather changes – Sudden wind or rain that affects play
Technical glitches – Data feed errors or incorrect scores
Suspicious betting patterns – Sharp syndicates exploiting information the market hasn't priced

When traders detect something wrong, they can pause the market, adjust the line manually, or lower betting limits until they're confident the model is correct. This is why you'll sometimes see markets pulled entirely for 30 seconds to a minute. The book suspects something is off and won't risk posting bad lines.

The best live bettors understand this dynamic. If a market pauses after a play that seems routine, it often means the book knows something the broadcast hasn't shown yet.

Live Odds Across Different Sports

Different sports have different live betting dynamics:

NFL and NBA have the most liquid live markets with tight spreads and fast updates. Models are sophisticated and sharp money flows heavily. You'll see odds shift in real time after every play.
MLB has slower live betting because scoring is infrequent. A single home run can swing the moneyline dramatically, but between scoring events, lines stay relatively stable.
Soccer live betting is massive globally. The continuous play and low-scoring nature create unique dynamics. A red card or penalty can swing odds 30 to 40 percentage points instantly.
NHL combines elements of soccer (continuous play) and basketball (frequent action). Live odds move fast during power plays and slow down during even-strength play.

Understanding these sport-specific patterns helps you anticipate when odds will move and when they'll stay put.

Why Books Suspend Markets Around Key Events

You'll notice that live markets often disappear right before a field goal attempt, free throw, or penalty kick. This is intentional. Books suspend markets during high-leverage moments to prevent bettors with faster data feeds from exploiting them.

If your video feed is 8 seconds behind the official data, and you see a field goal attempt about to happen, someone with a faster feed already knows if it went in. Books protect themselves by pulling markets until the outcome is certain and reflected in the odds.

This creates a cat-and-mouse game. Bettors try to find the fastest feeds. Books try to suspend at exactly the right moments. The arms race benefits neither side, which is why most recreational bettors should focus on game flow and value rather than trying to beat the feed.

The Bottom Line

Live odds are dynamic, data-driven prices that reflect real-time game events and betting action. They update constantly, creating opportunities for bettors who can read game flow better than the model or identify moments when the market overreacts.

The key to using live odds effectively is understanding that they're not perfect. They lag information, overreact to variance, and sometimes price in public bias rather than true probability. That's where edges live.

FAQ

How fast do live odds update?

On major games, odds update every 1-3 seconds. On smaller markets, updates might be every 5-10 seconds. Speed depends on the sport and betting volume.

Why do live odds sometimes disappear?

Books suspend markets during high-leverage moments (field goals, free throws, penalties) to prevent bettors with faster data feeds from exploiting them.