The meaning of the ‘minus’ sign in betting is simple – it means that the odds of an event are in favour of the underdog. But that’s all it means in the most basic form. In this post, we’ll explore some of the more specific applications of the ‘minus’ sign in betting and how you can take advantage of them.
Underdog Champion
When you bet on an underdog, you’re backing the greater likelihood of defeat against the more established favourites. This generally means that the odds of victory are in favour of the underdog. So if you think that the favourite in a particular match will most likely win, you can bet on them with confidence because you know that the odds are in their favour. It’s the same with a smaller bookmaker – if they think the favourite in a race is a certifiable sure thing, they’ll back them at a decent price because they know the odds are in favour of the favourite.
This isn’t always the case, of course. You might want to back a horse that you think is going to be relatively easy prey for the established favourite in a big race because the odds are better in your favour. Or you might want to bet on an underdog in a close fight because you think that, despite the betting odds, the underdog has a chance of winning. In these cases, you would need to study the form of the two horses to get a proper sense of where you stand.
Steering Clear Of The Main Event
Many sportsbooks will try to trick you into backing the main event of a sport – the grand national or international matches. These are well covered by the mainstream media and have large followings. This means that, as an outsider, it’s easier for you to pick up on any unusual activity surrounding these events. The main event will typically be the focus of all the betting action and all the attention of the bookmakers, so it’s often the ideal place to look for the best odds. Trouble is, these events are often some of the most expensive in the whole sport and are, as a result, heavily stacked in favour of the favourites.
This means that, for the vast majority of us, backing the main event is a sure-fire way to lose money. It’s always a good idea to keep a close eye on the prices for these kinds of events to see if there are any funny business going on that you should be aware of. Some sportsbooks will try to trick you into thinking that the main event is a normal match by putting in false starts and re-routing the event onto smaller tracks. This is why it’s important to always check the venue for the event first – the main event might not even be taking place at the listed location.
The Over/Under Principle
Many sports bettors will lay bets where the outcome is based around how many goals (or points) a team will score in a certain match. For instance, you might want to lay odds on whether or not the favourites will score more than two goals in a soccer match. This is called an over/under bet and it’s a common type of bet in tennis and golf as well. Basically, you’re placing a wager that the total number of outcomes will fall beneath or above a certain threshold. In the example above, you’re saying that you believe that the match score will be between two and four goals. This type of wager is usually settled after the match, with the winner taking responsibility for paying out at the correct rate depending on whether or not their prediction was right. If their prediction was right, they’ll make a small profit; if it was wrong, they’ll lose money. This is one of the reasons why over/under bets are often used in tennis and golf – the outcomes are more likely to fall within a certain range than it is for them to dramatically exceed or fall short of that range. This means that there’s more opportunity for the bet to go either way.
The Exacta Principle
If you’re a fan of horse racing and you’ve ever placed a bet on a horse race, you’ll be familiar with the exaxta principle. Essentially, this means that you’re placing a wager on the outcome of two or more races in the same event. Most notably, this includes the winners of the two or more legs of a marathon. The theory behind this type of wager is that it’s more likely for the exact outcomes of both races to fall within a certain range. As a result, the odds of both winning are generally in favour of the bettor. This means that, for the most part, getting two exact winners out of two races is a profitable proposition.
Smaller Offices, Local Communities
There are a number of ways that the ‘minus’ sign in betting can help you. First and foremost, if you’re located in a smaller office or community, you can take advantage of the fact that there aren’t really that many bookies in your area. As a result, there’s a good chance that the odds will be slightly more favourable in your area than they would be across the country. This means that, if you’re located in a town or community with less than 50,000 residents, you can potentially get more for your money.
There are other benefits to being located in a smaller community as well. If you’re located in the Isle of Man, for example, the odds will be slightly more favourable for Manxmen as well as other Manx-related wagers because there aren’t that many bookies on the island. As well, if you’re located in an area with a high prevalence of Irish heritage, you can take advantage of the fact that there aren’t that many Irish bookies – so the odds will generally be more favourable for Irish-related wagers than they would be elsewhere. In the same way, you can use local knowledge to your advantage when it comes to getting the best price for your wagers. Simply put, if you’re located in a smaller community, you have a better opportunity to get your money back if the sportsbook goes bust. This is because there aren’t that many other places where you can get your money if the bookie goes under. Local knowledge and access to smaller community resources can also be a key factor in winning your wagers.
The Mascot Effect
In the United Kingdom, the odds of any given sports team winning are determined by a formula called the “mascot effect“. This means that, when there’s a team with a popular mascot, the odds of that team winning will be adjusted to reflect the strength of the team’s persona. So, if you have a hunch that a certain sports team will win because their mascot is a “battering ram”, you can bet on them with confidence because the odds will be adjusted in their favour. It’s the same with a team that’s named after some historical figure or event – if you think that their victory is inevitable because they’re named after something, you can bet on them with confidence because the odds will be in your favour.
Keep all of this in mind when placing your wagers and you’ll likely enjoy greater success than you would otherwise. Remember, however, that some of these principles are based on probabilities – which means that you’re not guaranteed to profit. Nevertheless, if you do your research and follow the principles consistently, you’re sure to come away with some money in the end.