Any regular sports betting enthusiast will tell you that chasing the big win is something of a foolish journey that will ultimately end in heartache, however, it’s the mistake that many novices make.
A successful sports bettor looks at the overall picture and builds up a betting strategy that looks towards defeating the sportsbooks in the long game. That means, on the whole, steering clear of the massive odds and instead focusing on the lower hanging fruit.
There are many ways to put the odds, literally, in your favor and plans that make your sports betting predictions more of a well-thought-out calculated risk than a lazy shot in the dark.
Analyzing the play before you set down to put your hard-earned cash on the line is of course part and parcel of keeping yourself one step ahead of the bookies and here are a few tips to help you in your endeavor.
Do Your Research
You may be the most knowledgeable pundit around when it comes to the sports you are betting on, but you can always pick up information that will help your strategy. In order to make the most of every bet you are set to make, take a look at the key metrics concerning the game you are set to bet on.
Check out any injury concerns, previous matchups, and the overall form of the parties battling it out. Ignore any talk of hoodoos and curses, stick to definable data and solid, accurate, information.
Don’t Chase the Odds
However tempting it may be, never back a bet JUST because of the odds. Don’t be distracted by the flashing light in your head that says ‘Wow, those odds are incredible’, they are only incredible if they benefit your strategy. Never place a bet on a longshot JUST because it’s a longshot.
Avoid Betting On Your Team
If you happen to support a certain team, our advice is never to bet on them or against them. The bet itself will be tainted by your own personal bias. Most novice bettors start out by betting on their team, as a way of amping up the importance of the game they may be watching, or perhaps to show allegiance to their team, neither of these reasons is a sensible one when it comes to a sports bet.
Know Your Limits
We don’t mean this just from a ‘don’t bet your mortgage’ perspective, though that should be reason enough to be careful about how your bet, but more because each decision you make when it comes to placing a bet should be solely based on the permutations and ramifications of what happens on the pitch, court or field, not down to whether you are making the bet in order to cover the debts you may have accrued.
Be Careful With Your ‘In-Play’ Betting
This is a big one and relates in part to the previous tip. Betting in-play in a live environment is strictly for very experienced sports bettors. This is for two chief reasons. One, you need to have the knowledge and skill to make real-time decisions that are based on the knowledge of events that are moving at breakneck speed as well as the background in the field to know that repeated bets in the live betting ecosystem can seriously start to ramp up your spending.