1) Given freebitco.in added their sportsbook/betting platform making them not just a faucet/wallet but now also a sportsbook, is it safe to withdraw BTC from freebitco.in directly to an exchange? I'm starting to think no, it's not...
We have been a gambling site since 2013 so nothing changed. Check the terms of service of any exchange you use.
2) The betting seems to be parimutuel (like horse racing) in that odds are not decided until the betting period is closed, is that correct?
Yes.
And I saw the formula for the time weight multiplier in the website and understand the GENERAL concept (earlier wagers are paid out more with a higher weight of the prize pool), but I am still unable to have a good sense of what my wager and therefore payout is potentially worth. I feel some betters like myself really value being able to detect whether or not we have an edge in regards to a specific wager, so if it's unknown to us (because we don't know what odds we are getting or what the ultimate payout will be for our bet), many people will simply not bet to be safe.
It is player versus player betting so you can't know in advance what the other players will do after you place your bet. That does make it difficult to know if you have an 'edge' but it can also add to the game.
Have talked with numerous other bettors I know on various platforms and forums (not bitcointalk specifically) and I know they are also confused in regards to these two (2) questions, so any clarification here (and especially added to the website itself) would be greatly appreciated. Several year fan of freebitco.in and hope to see you guys and gals continue to grow.
Thanks in advance.
I'll see if we can put more information up.