How to Make Money Betting on Sports
A profitable career as a sports bettor takes time, research and discipline. It is not something that can be accomplished in a day or two and anyone who approaches it expecting instant riches is setting themselves up for disappointment. But if you are willing to put in the work, you can improve your chances of turning a profit on a consistent basis.
There are a few key tips for making money betting on sports that should be followed by any serious bettor. First and foremost, never bet more than you can afford to lose. This is a big mistake that many new bettors make and it leads to huge losses. The best way to avoid this is to set a budget before you start betting and stick to it.
Another tip is to research a game before placing a bet. This can include a number of things from studying weather forecasts to following on-the-ground reporters on Twitter. These reports can give you insights into little things that fall through the cracks of national TV shows or talk radio. Lastly, it is important to remember that you are in a battle against the sportsbooks. Doing your homework on them is important and includes checking out their promotions page, looking at reviews and investigating their odds boosts and risk-free bet offers.
Once you have your research down, the next step is to block out media hype and bias. This can be difficult as there are hundreds of television shows, radio stations and websites devoted to covering sports. Many of these outlets aren’t in the business of informing their audiences, but instead of entertaining them. To be a successful sports bettor, you need to ignore this noise and bet on games based on numbers and stats.
Aside from bets on points spreads and over/unders, there are a few other types of bets you can place to increase your profits. These are called prop bets and they are specific to an individual player or event. These bets can range from the number of TD passes a quarterback will throw to how many times an athlete will get doused with Gatorade on the sidelines.
These bets offer more variation and a higher chance of winning than standard bets. You can also bet on team totals which are season-long bets based on how many games a team will win. These bets are adjusted throughout the year based on how each team is performing.
Lastly, there are future bets which are bets on events that will take place in the future, like who will win a division or championship. These bets have a much lower return on investment than positive EV bets, but they can still be lucrative if you are careful. Always keep track of your bets with a spreadsheet to help you stay on top of your wins and losses. Also, do not be afraid to try new markets and experiment with different betting strategies.