Betting odds can be tricky to follow, especially if you’re not used to working with probabilities. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and compiled this blog post, explaining what these numbers mean and how you can use them to make better informed decisions about your wagers.
The Basics Of Compute The Odds
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the math involved in interpreting betting odds, it’s important to understand a few things about how they are usually computed. If you are ever curious about the odds of a side/goalie/horse in a race, you can usually find the information you need by looking in the chart below:
Each box represents a single betting opportunity, with two possible outcomes: either the actual football game score concurs with the pre-game odds, or it does not. The more often these outcomes occur (i.e., the more often you see scores that match the odds), the higher the probability that the odds are telling you the truth. The same goes for the opposite: if you’re finding that most of the scores don’t match the odds, then there’s a good chance that the house is cheating you or the bookmaker is trying to scam you (this has actually happened before in the history of football).
What this means in plain English is that if you’re ever curious about the odds of a game, you can usually find a verified compilation of those odds by checking the websites listed below.
Verified Compilations Of Football Odds
The odds of a game can change from second to second, so if you want to be absolutely sure that you’re getting the true odds, you should always look at several sources to verify them. Fortunately, the Internet makes this kind of thing a lot easier. There are various websites that keep track of football odds, and since most of these websites use the same software, it’s a simple matter of comparing the numbers to see if they match. Here are the three biggest providers of verified odds:
BettingOnSports.com
One of the first websites that comes to mind when you think of verified sports odds is BettingOnSports.com. Not only do they provide odds on a wide range of sports, but they also keep a record of all the games played, so you know which ones to trust. Even better, they update their odds regularly, which means that they are always current and reliable. If you visit their website and look under the “Odds” tab, you will see a long list of professional and college football games, along with a link to verify the odds. For instance, you can check the Michigan State Spartans against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and see that the former has a 6.5-point advantage in that game.
Bovada.lv
We already mentioned Bovada.lv in the preceding section, but it’s important enough to warrant another shoutout. Just like BettingOnSports.com, Bovada.lv also provides odds on a wide range of sporting events, including the NFL, NBA, and NCAA football. They even have odds on individual matchups, giving you a way to bet on the outcome of a specific game. In addition to their standard odds, Bovada.lv also features lines on all the popular games, which means that you can get a better idea of how a particular game will play out. For instance, you can look at the Indianapolis Colts versus the Baltimore Ravens and see that the Colts have a 5.5-point advantage in that game.
Bookmaker.eu
Last but not least, let’s not forget about Bookmaker.eu. Just like the other two websites mentioned so far, Bookmaker.eu also provides odds on a wide range of games, including NFL, NCAA, and NBA matchups, as well as European and English football (soccer). They also keep records of all the games played, so if you are looking for a particular matchup, you can simply go to their site and search for it. One of the unique things about Bookmaker.eu is that they actually give you the option to bet on whether or not a foul will be called in a particular game. For example, in the NFL, you can bet on whether or not a touchdown will be scored by either team in their next game. It’s up to you whether or not you want to wager on whether or not a foul will be called, but either way, Bookmaker.eu makes it very easy to wager on football.
In general, these websites make it very easy for you to check the odds of a game before placing your wagers. As long as you’re aware of the various methods that online bookmakers use to alter or corrupt their numbers (usually in favor of the house), then you can usually figure out which ones to trust and which ones to avoid. If you want to learn more, simply visit one of these websites and look under the “Odds” or “Betting Lines” tab for the information that you need.
How To Use The Odds
Once you have the odds in front of you, you need to know how to interpret them. Just because the odds are in your favor doesn’t mean that you should automatically bet on that game; after all, you might not have the best hand (i.e., you might be sitting on a losing streak). Consider the opposite: maybe you have a 6-game losing streak and are looking for a way to break the drought. In that case, you could use the odds to figure out which games are the best opportunities for you to finally win.
To get started, just follow these simple steps: