With nearly $100 billion spent in the US on sports betting, it’s an industry that can lead to great gains and losses. While there will always be risks, having a good sports betting strategy can ensure you get your part of that pie.
Whether you use one of the major online betting platforms, bet with friends, or work with a bookie, there are plenty of ways to get involved in gambling. You can have something informal with low stakes or you can hone your skills to become a full-time gambler.
No matter what approach you take, you’ll need to have a sports betting strategy. With lineups, trades, and injuries, you’ll find there are many things beyond your control. Here are 10 tips to ensure your strategy can turn any change into a win.
1. Focus On One Sport
The most successful bettors are the ones who get to know a single sport intimately. Be not getting distracted trying to know everything about every sport, they get to know the obscure details and patterns of a single type of game. This affords them an insight to make smart bets.
There are hundreds of college sports teams playing dozens of basketball, football, or baseball games every week. On top of that, there are all of the professional teams.
Getting to know details means knowing the odds. Getting to know the odds mean that there are fewer surprises to throw off your bet.
2. Get To Know One Team
Just like there are thousands of possible teams to bet on across every sport imaginable, there are dozens of teams in every league. If you don’t have the time to get to know an entire league, you can focus your betting on a single team.
Whether they’re a winning or a losing team, you could get to know their odds by getting to know their stats and details. You’ll know whose injuries will make it tougher in bad weather and which opponents they’ve easily beaten in the past.
For people new to betting, this a sports betting strategy that can help you understand your own style and tactics. By not spreading yourself too thin, you’ll be in a great position to make smart bets.
3. Account For Personnel Changes
Your sports betting strategy doesn’t take a break during the off-season. You need to be aware of changes to teams, players who’ve had surgeries, and new hires. You even need to pay attention to the coaching staff that’s been hired.
Every change to a team can make a difference in how they work together and whether or not their odds will improve.
Compare everyone’s records and adjust your bets according to who has moved, who has stayed, and how players are reacting in the media.
4. Bet Against Public Opinion
Get to know how public opinion favors teams historically. This can help you to inform how much you could potentially make. If the historically triumphant New York Yankees are playing a team with mostly rookies, you could be taking a big risk betting against the Yankees.
However, if you’ve seen those rookies play well together in the preseason, you could be on the inside track of a great bet.
See other more subtle ways that the public opinion is adjusting the odds. If there’s a rabid fanbase, but in your opinion a tough matchup, the public might make it seem like the hometown favorite is going to win. Put emotions and loyalty aside and go with the team that is most well-prepared for this game.
5. Bet Less Than 2% of Your Bank
If you’re a low-stakes bettor, you might not think of this rule. In fact, if you’re spending less than $100, 2 percent might not make the minimum bet.
But if your bankroll starts to climb, spread it around a little more. If you hit the level of $250 or more, a ten-dollar bet is still a small portion of your bank and lets you get in on more contests.
You’ll be less worried about losing money and be able to slowly build up your bankroll by spreading yourself out.
6. Create A Strategy With Software
If you’re serious about your betting, you should consider software solutions. Betting software can help develop strategies by linking to massive databases of statistics that can help you understand why odds might be for or against your team.
There are free database calculators for sports betting as well as paid options that offer more comprehensive services.
It might be intimidating if you’re not a big statistics person but once you get comfortable, you’ll realize the power of this data. You can watch trends and be aware of changes before the players on the field even know.
7. Bet Against The Spread
Betting against the spread can yield huge results if you get to know statistics intimately. Once the point spread is determined, you can get to see which teams match the spread and which don’t.
Comparing a team’s win-loss record to their ability to beat a spread can tell you how likely you are to be able to win a bet. While perhaps the team has a solid winning record, they might not have a great ATS record.
Don’t ignore other data when looking at betting but spreads can be a great indicator of just how much of an underdog this supposed “underdog” truly is.
8. Get To Know The Weather
For outdoor sports, the weather makes a whole lot of difference in how well players move and struggle on the field. The NFL has statistics reporting on how completion percentages are affected by bad weather or during colder months.
Look at how well a team has been playing historically during these seasons or during this kind of weather. A team that practices and plays in Florida most of the year might find Milwaukee a challenging city to play in during even a light snowfall.
9. Use Betting Systems
Look at the history of sports betting strategy and you’ll see that there are historically used systems that other gamblers have used in the past.
There are systems that tell you to double your bet after every loss. There are others where you manage your odds by watching your own betting history. Get to know what’s worked for the pros and the old-timers and find a method that can work for you.
10. Keep It Fun
You should be having fun, no matter what method you choose. Sports betting is a way to learn more about a game or your favorite team while making a little cash on the side to impress your friends.
When you stop having fun, take a break. There’s no point in losing your savings watching millionaires play a game on your day off. Keep your personal finances in order and only bet on that extra money you’ve budgeted to have fun with.
A Sports Betting Strategy Will Keep You Winning
Every bettor develops their own style after a couple of years. You’ll know what works for you, which socks are your lucky socks, and which seasons you do better in.
If you’re ready to get a handle on your own betting strategy, contact us for more tips on how to win big.