So you’ve decided to give sports betting a try and decided to start up with a bit of pocket money? Whether you’re looking for a way to waste time on the internet or you want a way to make a bit of extra cash, there are a number of surprisingly effective techniques and tools you can rely on to put a cash value on the sporting events you love the most.
Here, we’re going to give you a hand. We’re going to discuss some of the best strategies and tips to help you become a winning sports bettor. Let’s get started.
Study The Markets Before You Bet
Although there are hundreds of varying and unpredictable factors that could come into play during a game, there are always some consistent trends and patterns you can rely on. For example, home teams almost always underachieve against the spread (the amount you would win if you bet on that game’s total points margin), and favorites more often than not underperform against the spread.
Similarly, you know that the NBA is dominated by a handful of franchises, and that each season is pretty much comprised of the same matchups and trends. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the total opposite, a game with no clear-cut trends or patterns that could lend themselves to successful betting. These are the types of games that, for the most part, don’t lend themselves well to successful betting strategies.
It’s important to note that these rules don’t always work in favour of successful bettors. There are just so many variables that could cause an otherwise predictable trend to go off the rails for anyone at anytime. If you’re new to betting or if the trend has already gone off the rails for you, it’s important to look at the betting lines and the available data before you make a wager. This will help you understand why a team or player is considered a lock or an underdog and give you a better idea of what you’re getting into.
Don’t Bet Against The Spread
Most bookmakers offer betting lines which represent the point spread. In virtually all cases, that number will be listed before the game’s outcome is revealed. For example, if you’re looking at an NBA game and the line is listed as -3, this means you would have to bet on the Lakers to win by 3 points or more. Essentially, you would have to believe that the Lakers are worse than the spread suggests they will be in order to profit from betting on them.
As mentioned above, there are exceptions to every rule. In theory, you can bet on any game you want and win money. In practice, this is rarely possible. The fact is that there are just too many variables that could influence the final outcome of a given game for any one person or strategy to work consistently. When betting on the NBA, you really shouldn’t bet against the spread unless you’re getting some very compelling reasons for doing so (like an inside advantage or a huge edge in the form of a straight up or combined total).
Most sportsbooks and betting websites offer advice on when and when not to use the spread. For example, if you’re looking at a game with an enormous disparity in experience, skill or equipment between the two teams, you should probably avoid betting on the spread. On the other hand, if you think the teams are relatively even in those categories, then using the spread is usually a safe bet.
Learn How To Use Free Apps
Most people are very familiar with the traditional methods of wagering – namely, using paper and pencil to create charts and graphs analyzing the data, studying the trends and patterns, and using that information to place wagers. While these are still very viable options for bettors, there are also dozens of highly effective apps which make the process much simpler and more efficient. Using Google Sheets to analyse betting data and create custom graphs is quite popular these days, and the same can be said for a number of other spreadsheets and statistical analysis tools.
These days, everyone has access to powerful computers and the internet – two of the most vital tools in any sports bettor’s toolbox. This means you can always find accurate data and statistical information about virtually any sporting event, game or player you might be interested in wagering on. Free tools like Google Sheets and Excel make crunching data a matter of minutes instead of hours or even days. When you combine this with the huge number of bet options available on the internet, customizing lineups and creating betting grids have become incredibly easy.
Learn How To Value Parlays
Valuing parlays isn’t exactly intuitive, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very easy to make money off of them. To start with, you just need to make sure you place the right wager. The parlay is essentially a wager on multiple games which winnings are added together. For example, if you bet $100 on the Kansas City Chiefs plus the Philadelphia Eagles, you would win $200 (plus your $100 bet).
You would need to have some understanding of the spread for this particular wager, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very easy to make money off of them. Just remember, the less you wager, the better your odds of winning. Also, don’t expect to beat the house because they’re usually rigged in favour of the house. A key point to keep in mind is that the more you wager, the higher your profit.
Avoid Going Over 2.0
The main reason most gamblers lose is because of this simple mistake, going over 2.0. Believe it or not, this is one of the easiest things you can do to lose your entire bankroll. This is mostly because once you go over, you can’t go back. You’ll either need to win or settle, and winning rarely happens.
When you put down a wager on two or more events, the first thing you need to do is make sure you have a good understanding of what these events mean. Do you have a clear picture in your mind of what each outcome would mean? More importantly, do you know how these results could affect the other games’ outcomes?
If the answer to either of these questions is no, you’re going to make an awful lot of mistakes. One of the first things you’re going to do is place the same wager on more events than you can comfortably afford to lose. Most likely, this is going to lead you to going over 2.0. Once you go over, it’s almost impossible to win back your money without either settling or gaining an incredibly large profit. Don’t do this, it’s one of the most basic yet important tips for any successful sports bettor.
Use Software To Its Full Potential
Anyone who’s used AutomatedBET probably already knows how valuable this particular piece of software can be. It’s one of the best sports betting strategists around, and it’s completely free. All it takes is a little bit of patience to get used to the interface, but after that, setting up columns and rows of data is literally a couple of minutes. From there, you can sit back and let it do the wheeling and dealing for you.
It’s always a good idea to download software like this to your smartphone. Not only does this mean you can access the information anytime, anywhere, but it also allows you to easily check your bets while you’re on the move. If you’re out driving or walking and get a hunch that one of your picks is going to lose, you can pull over, input the score, and get the results without having to leave the vehicle. Of course, you can also use your phone’s GPS to find the exact location of any given event, making it even easier to follow along.
Use Live Data To Its Full Potential
Most sportsbooks give you the option of placing your wagers not only on games which have already been played, but also on those which are happening live. There are a number of advantages to doing this, not the least of which is that you get to enjoy the ambience of the game itself. While live data can also be highly beneficial from a statistical point of view, taking it all the way through is usually unwise. Unless you’re getting a really good running bet or there’s a big disparity in experience, it’s usually best to watch the action unfolding and make your wagers as it happens.