Ever wonder how professional sports bettors get their edge? How they make money even when their favorite teams lose?
If you’ve ever tried to parlay winnings from sports betting into true profit, you know how difficult it can be. The vast majority of the time, you’ll lose your initial investment — sometimes in full. But if you know the right way to go about it, you can make a great deal of money off of sports arbitrage.
Here’s how:
Study The Market
As the name would suggest, sports arbitrage refers to the practice of making a profit from the difference in the price of bets placed on different games. The theory is that while many bettors will be focused on the outcome of one specific game, others may be willing to wager on a different match. Thus, giving rise to the idea of taking advantage of the fact that some people care more about one sport than another and make a side bet on the game while others are simply waiting for their favorite sporting events.
One of the best things about this strategy is that you don’t need insider information to make money. You just need to know which teams to pick and which games to avoid. If you do your homework and know how to place winning bets, you’ll reap the benefits of a profitable sports arbitrage strategy.
Find A Safe Haven For Your Wins
When you make a bet, you’re entering into an agreement with the bookmaker. Your win or loss is then determined by the terms of that contract. However, just because the bookmaker has agreed to give you a particular outcome, that doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily win or earn money when you place a bet. That’s where the ‘arbitrage’ part comes in.
Even though you may contract with a bookmaker in good faith and with the goal of earning money, there’s always the chance that your number might be up. Bookmakers are generally safe havens for losing bets. While there are exceptions, generally speaking you won’t lose money on a bet with a bookmaker. Your winnings will be subject to taxation, as will your arbitrage profits. But that’s a small price to pay for getting your fix of a game you love. Bookmakers offer that, and more.
Know When To Go All-In
One of the risks of any kind of gambling is that you might lose more than you’re actually willing to lose. This is why it’s important to set a limit on how much you’re willing to risk. You don’t want to risk everything you have just to make a few extra bucks. That’s why it’s always safer to go all-in on a wager than it is to place a series of smaller ones. The problem is that sometimes the winnings from one game will add up to more than you’re entitled to. That’s why it’s crucial to know when to walk away.
If you’re having a winning streak, especially one that continues for a while, it’s tempting to stay in. But the longer you stay in, the more money you’re likely to lose in absolute terms. The solution is to step away when you have enough to cover your loses from the previous games plus a small profit. Any additional winnings will then be your own. You don’t want to risk it all in one place, especially with something as unpredictable as sports.
Learn How To Place A Winning Arbitrage Bet
Let’s say you’ve decided to try your hand at sports arbitrage. What next? How do you make money?
The key to successful betting is in knowing how to place a winning bet. If you’ve ever tried to place a lay bet (an outright losing bet) on a football game, you know how difficult it can be to pick winning teams. That’s exactly what makes sports arbitrage so attractive. You’re not trying to pick winners. You’re simply trying to ensure that your money comes back plus some profit. Essentially, all you need is a team you believe will win and the discipline to know when to walk away.
The general rule of thumb is that you should only bet on games where you have both a definite favorite and an equally definite underdog. Otherwise, it’s a case of shooting in the dark which can lead to big trouble. You’ll often find that the closer the game, the more likely it is that there will be differences in the betting odds – differences you can make money from. For instance, there’s a huge discrepancy in the betting odds between college football and high school football. The former is quite popular and considered to be one of the more ‘sportable’ games. Many people who follow college football also follow high school football which means there will be a lot of volatility in the high school market when compared to the college market. Knowing how to place a winning arbitrage bet is all about knowing which market to target and how to bet on that market.
Diversify Your Investment
If you’re new to the world of sports arbitrage, it’s probably best to start small. Simply make a couple of bets where you’re sure of the outcome – maybe a few bets in a row for a few weeks or months – and then take a break. You can then gradually increase your wagers until you’re making a good income from this strategy. Remember: this is a risky strategy and you might lose more than you’re worth. But if you want to make some extra cash, it’s probably the best way to go about it. When you start, place very small bets. $5 on a game or less. Then, as you get more experienced, increase your wagers. Before you know it, you’ll be making enough money to pay your bills and have a bit left over. Just make sure that you don’t place all of your bets on one game. Otherwise, you’ll lose everything.
Some people like to make a living from sports betting. Some people like to go on vacation to Las Vegas and place bets there. Some people like to stay at home and watch games and place bets on them. There’s no wrong way to make a living from sports betting. It’s all about finding what works best for you.