Sports betting presents many strategies for victory, yet most new gamblers tend to lose more money than they win.
As they do not adhere to appropriate betting strategies, this often results in lost wagers. To prevent this, it is vital that you learn the fundamentals of betting strategies.
1. Shop for Lines
As in household appliance purchases, line shopping for sports betting can often make the difference between winning and losing bets.
Line shopping involves comparing odds and lines across several websites or sportsbooks. To maximize its benefits, it may be worthwhile opening accounts at several reputable sportsbooks that offer bonuses and rewards for betting with them.
2. Fade the Public
Fading the public can be an effective strategy that can prove profitable, but you shouldn’t rely solely on this tactic as your strategy.
At key moments when public anxiety causes lines to shift, value bets may present themselves. This is particularly relevant with betting options like point spreads and moneylines.
3. Zig Zag Betting Theory
There is evidence to support this betting theory, yet employing it blindly is risky. Teams do not want to find themselves on the brink of elimination so will often play their best games when facing potential extinction.
This holds particularly true in NBA playoffs, where home teams win over 65% of time. But this technique can work for other situations too.
4. Take the Underdog
Betting on an underdog might not seem like the obvious choice to new sports bettors, but when done right it can produce greater payouts than more popular bets.
Using this strategy requires conducting in-depth research across multiple markets to uncover lucrative underdog betting odds, while permitting bettors to make smaller stakes with reduced risks and more promising outcomes.
5. Take the Point Spread
Betting the point spread offers bettors more betting options and the possibility of winning, yet it is essential to keep in mind the vig, which can quickly add up, as well as team and player statistics when betting this way.
Consider also each team’s home and away ATS records when making your bet decision, so that you can make more informed choices regarding which side to back.
6. Take the Money Line
Moneyline bets offer an excellent way to break into betting without taking unnecessary risks. Moneylines typically offer higher payouts than point spreads and may prove lucrative if the individual researches both teams involved thoroughly before placing his bet.
Sometimes sportsbooks will offer large variations between their lines, giving you the perfect opportunity to choose the team with a lower money line number – this is particularly useful in high-scoring games.
7. Use a Betting System
Betting systems provide an easy and effective way to increase your odds of winning at gambling games, but it must be supported by research and analysis before being employed.
Avoid martingale strategies that involve increasing bets after losses with the hope that an eventual win will cover those losses and eventually bankrupt you quickly. Such gambling fallacies are highly dangerous.
8. Don’t Go on Tilt
Playing well-rested and without distraction is key for avoiding mistakes that lead to tilt.
Tilt can lead you down an unpredictable path when playing poker, making irrational decisions and abandoning winning streaks in order to achieve victory at a poker table. Over time, this type of tilt could cost you money over time – the most dangerous type being “lily-livered tilt”.
9. Don’t Chase Bad Bets
There are various betting strategies out there, and some can be more risky than others, like the Red Snake Betting System that requires gamblers to increase their stakes after each victory.
As with any form of gambling, however, bankroll management strategies are necessary if you wish to reduce risk and maximize return. The best way to avoid significant financial losses from gambling is having an established plan in place.
10. Don’t Go on Tilt
Mental agility is vital to successful gambling. A sound mental game will prevent you from making poor decisions such as calling bets when they should have been folded or playing weak hands.
Tilt can be hard to detect if you’re operating at “lily-livered” levels of tilt; although less destructive than full-blown tilt, “lily-livered” tilt may still lead to costly mistakes and errors.