There are many ways to beat the betting odds, and knowing how to do this successfully can be the key to profit-making in sports betting. One effective way is to identify the underdogs that are most likely to win, and place bets on these teams with the hope that they will turn out to be the favorites. However, finding the right underdogs in any sport can be difficult, which is why it is important to know how to identify them.
Know The Trends
As with any form of entertainment or leisure activity, the world of sports betting can be a changing environment. The athletes that individuals follow, or bet on, may not be the same as those that are popular at any given moment, especially in today’s globalized world where the sports seasons change according to where you are located.
For example, few people would have predicted that German Chancellor Angela Merkel would have attended the 2014 FIFA World Cup, or that the 2014 edition of the event would have been staged in Brazil rather than Germany.
Similarly, the most popular basketball players in the world may not necessarily be the most effective ones in terms of generating winnings for their owners. The data available from betting websites can indicate which players are currently performing well and which ones are not, helping sports bettors identify the optimal lineup for any sport.
The Top Performers
When trying to identify the “underdog” teams in sports betting, it is important to look at the previous performances of the athletes rather than simply their current form. The latter may not always be a reliable indicator of future success, especially in today’s world where physical prowess can be duplicated through weight training and performance enhancing drugs.
In the past, certain athletes have performed above expectations, leading to a rise in popularity and generating large win-streaks for their teams. This was notably the case for Roger Federer, who began his career in 1996 and went on to win four consecutive Wimbledon championships, an Olympic gold medal, and a record-breaking number of ATP Tour singles titles before retiring in 2016.
Similarly, Rafael Nadal rose to fame in his native Spain after winning four straight ATP World Tour titles in 2005, helping the country celebrate a special anniversary during his time there. After his departure from the tournament in 2015, the Madrid region held a special ceremony to honor his legacy.
The Underestimated Teams
Just because an athlete is popular at any given moment does not mean that they will perform well in the upcoming matches. In fact, the opposite may be true as the unduly optimistic may find themselves struggling with injuries and lacking the support of their team’s coaching staffs. In these cases, it may be beneficial to bet against these teams rather than with them.
The Key To Success
The key to success in sports betting, as in any other form of entertainment or leisure activity, is proper planning and research. Knowing how to identify the underdogs in any sport can be a matter of knowing where to look for them, as opposed to simply trusting your intuition or looking at random statistics. Proper planning helps eliminate the pitfalls that can otherwise lead to financial ruin, helping sports bettors become more confident in their abilities and increasing the likelihood of generating profitable results.