When it comes to sports betting, there is no silver bullet. Every sports gambler is looking for that magic theory or foolproof strategy which can be applied to any sporting event to come away a winner. The neverending search for the universal sports betting truth is a fruitless one, you can learn to make smart sports wagers. This should be your goal as a sports gambler after all.
Just make smart sports wagers that will net you the most money with the least amount of risk. There are many ways to do this and they apply to every sport. Here are your 6 tips to winning in sports betting.
Find the Sportsbook
Sports gambling is as accessible as ever thanks to the wonderful internet and a recent Supreme Court decision. Online sports gambling has lead to a boom industry that’s been growing for 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down. There are hundreds of online gambling sites now available for your wagers and they are all competing hard for your action.
However, all of these sites are not created equal. Some are legit sportsbook that offer great wagers, odds, bonuses, and other features. Others are just trying to grab your money. Be sure to research your online sportsbooks and find the one that is not only legit, but right for you. You want big bonuses with low rollovers, the sports and wagers you like to bet, and a fast payout.
Online sports gamblers are a talkative bunch so you will have no problem finding information about every site you can find. Never settle for the first online gambling site you find, do your homework and find the one that’s best for you.
Know Your Sport, Know Your Wager
Finding a sportsbook you trust is important, but understanding your sport and your wagers are more important. There are hundreds of wagers available in any quality sportsbook. The money lines, point spreads, and totals are everyone’s favorites but there are many other.
Teasers, pleasers, parlays, props, and many more add a new level to the gambling industry. Learn as much as you can about these wagers to see if they are something you can understand and utilize. Know how the scoring of your sport will affect the wager you are placing.
Don’t Buy Points
Many online gambling sites will offer you points to buy when you place a point spread wager on basketball or football. It may seem like a good idea after all, who wouldn’t like an extra point or two to be sure your wager comes through a winner. However, every experienced sports gambler will tell you this is a bad idea. Much like buying insurance in blackjack, in the long run, it’s not the best move. When you buy points for you wager, you are changing the odds of your wager, and not in your favor either. It’s a simple but important rule, don’t ever buy points.
So Close
When you lose a bet, and you will, never think about it as if you were close. Even if you missed the over by one point or covering by two points. Chalk it up as a loss. There are only three outcomes in sports gambling. A win, a loss, or a push. Never close. When you start thinking you are close to winning, it tricks your brain functions to where being close to winning is just like actually winning.
If this happens you become content with losing. There have been hundreds of studies concerning how your brain reacts to winning and it has the exact some reactions as coming close to winning. Keep them separate, don’t settle for close, only wins.
Use Your Head, Not Your Heart
Betting on your favorite team is always a bad idea. There are many theories about this. Some say yes, some say no and justify their answers however they can. Just know it is a bad idea. When you are sports gambling, all you are trying to do is make a smart wager, objectively. If you are betting on your favorite team you are not being objective. Some will tell you it makes sense because you know the team, players, and coaches so well, there is no way you can’t make an informed wager, but this is bad advice unless you are constantly wagering against your favorite squad. Fan is short for fanatic, and fanatics aren’t known for making great decisions.
Don’t Gamble for the Sake of Gambling
Again, we want to make smart wagers on well-researched games. Don’t just gamble for the sake of gambling. Just because you are going to watch a game is not a reason to gamble on it. The accessibility of sports gambling has its drawbacks too and one of them is being able to place bets whenever and wherever you want. Don’t gamble like this. A quickly placed wager is not a smart wager.
