Where the money goes betting is often a source of confusion for those who are new to the industry. Most people new to betting assume that the more they bet, the more they will win. While this may be true for those who are lucky enough to enjoy high degrees of success, if you are looking for more consistent winnings, you need to put in the time to learn how to read the sportsbooks and understand which teams are hot and cold. This article will help you learn how to interpret the numbers so you can become a better, more successful bettor.
The Favorites
To start, it is important to learn who the favorites are. Favorites are simply teams that are considered to be more likely to win compared to the rest of the teams in their respective sports. There are many different factors that one needs to learn about in order to become a good sports bettor, but the most important information to have is the favorites for each team. Luckily for you, we have compiled a complete list of favorites for each team in the NCAA football and college basketball leagues. You can use this information in combination with the payouts posted on the websites of the various sportsbooks to determine whether or not you should wager on that team.
The Underdogs
Underdogs are considered to be the teams that are the opposite of the favorites. That is, they are the teams that are considered to be less likely to win compared to the rest of the teams in their respective sports. While this may seem like an easy concept to grasp, there are actually a lot of factors that determine whether or not you should put your money on an underdog. The most important of these factors is the same as with the favorites: the payout. Many people assume that because the favorite is giving you a favorable opportunity to win, that the underdog will as well. While this may be true in some cases, it is not always the case. You have to learn how to properly interpret the numbers so you can determine which teams are the most worth wagering on.
The Trends
In addition to looking at the favorites and underdogs, it is important to be aware of the trends. Just as with the favorites and underdogs, it is important to learn which direction the trends are heading in. This will give you a much better idea of which games to bet on and which ones to avoid. For example, if you know that the trend is pointing upwards, you can probably assume that the games with higher scores are the ones to bet on. The opposite is true if the trend is downward. It is always a good idea to check both the favorites and trends before making any wagers.
How To Read A Betting Line
In order to effectively bet on sports, you need to be able to properly interpret the betting lines. These are the odds given by the bookmakers for each team in a given matchup. For example, if you see a -400 betting line for a college basketball game between the Miami Hurricanes and the North Carolina Tar Heels, this means that the Hurricanes are an extremely popular pick to win that particular game and the books are adjusting their odds to make it more attractive for people to wager on them.
Just as with the favorites and underdogs, you have to learn how to properly read the betting lines for each team beforehand. You can use this information to determine whether or not you should wager on that team. For example, if you see that the Miami Hurricanes have a -400 line and you are a fan of both the Miami and North Carolina schools, you may decide to wager on a Miami win, since the line is flattering their odds of winning the game. However, if you are a fan of the North Carolina Tar Heels and the line is at -600, you may decide against betting on them because you think they have a better chance of winning.
The Money Line
Besides looking at the odds for each team as posted by the bookmakers, it is important to look at the money line. This is simply the point spread combined with the over/under amount for that game. The over/under is the total amount of points that you think you will need in order to win the game. For example, if the line is Miami +3, this means that the Miami Hurricanes are an… interesting team to wager on. People usually wager on them because of their exciting style of play. The total amount of points scored in a game is almost always more exciting than the outcome of a single isolated contest. This is especially true when you consider how much more chaotic the outcome is when there are multiple games going on simultaneously. When you couple this level of excitement with the fact that the books are often willing to pay out at odds that are more favorable for the bettor, you have a winning combination.
The Total
Finally, it is important to look at the total. This is the final score of the game, taking into account any overtime periods. While this may not seem like a lot of information to have when betting on sports, depending on how often you will be wagering, this can add up to a considerable amount of knowledge. For example, if you are looking for a long-term investment and you plan on wagering multiple times per week, it may be wise to look at the totals for the weekend’s games so you can have a better idea of the overall winner. This can help you determine which teams to wager on and which ones to avoid. There are many different factors that one needs to learn about in order to be a successful sports bettor, but with these key pieces of information, you will be able to make much better, more informed decisions about where to invest your money.