Sports Betting Strategy Tips to Win More Sports Bets
The Basics of Sports Betting Strategy
There are sports betting strategies for beginners, intermediate, and advanced sports bettors. Regardless of how much experience you have, remember that a sound strategy can improve your chances of winning on a consistent basis. These four basic principles will give you a good sports betting foundation:
Manage Your Bankroll
Bankroll Example:
Let’s say your bankroll for the whole NFL season was $1,000 and you want to bet on 5 NFL games every week:- Total bankroll: $1,000
- Bankroll per week: ($1,000/18) = $55.55
- Total game units: ($55.55/5) = $11.11
Bet Sober/Don’t Tilt
Do Your Homework
Utilize Free Picks and Prediction Sites
Check out these resources next time you are researching which bets to make:- Daily Free Picks from sports betting experts
- Free Sports Picks daily from state-of-the-art AI software
- Betting Odds Calculator
Don’t Overlook Line Shopping
What’s the Best Sports Betting Strategy?
Sports Betting Strategy Guides
Our team of experts want to help you make smarter sports bets. We have dedicated guides to help you develop your strategy, whether you’re a betting rookie or looking to build on your existing skills:
Bankroll Management Strategies Learn how to control your bankroll and make smarter bets.
Point Spread Betting Strategy Discover the basics of point spreads, one of the most popular betting options.
Prop Betting Strategy Find out more about props, and the wide market of bets they cover.
Parlay Betting Strategy Try combining your bets for one massive payday, with a little more risk than usual.
Future Betting Strategy Find out what futures betting is, and how you can predict results for upcoming contests.
Teaser Betting Strategy Learn more about teasers, and how they differ from parlays.
Sports Betting Odds Go over the basics of sports betting, and how odds are created and managed.
Advanced Betting Strategy Guides
For more advanced bettors, we have dedicated guides to help you take your game to the next level:
Sports Betting Systems Discover the stake-setting systems that some players swear by.
Hedge Betting Strategy Bet twice to ensure profit no matter the outcome.
Understanding Value Betting Learn how probability affects betting value to help spot the best lines.
Sports Betting Math Brush up on sports betting math, including vig (juice), tipping, and long-term profits.
Free Expert Picks and Predictions
See Our Picks PortalBest Betting Strategies By Sport
Given the differences in gameplay, leagues and outcomes, you’ll want to hone your sports betting strategy based on your chosen sport. We’ve created sport-specific guides to help refine your staking:
Tips For Effective Sports Betting Strategy
Whether you’re adopting a basic or advanced sports betting strategy, there are some key principles you should stick to:
-
Understanding each bet type will help you find the best value in every match. Moneylines are the most popular, but eagle-eyed players will be able to spot when the over/under, spread or prop bet is a better option. Keep an open mind when reading the lines and don’t be afraid to make different types of bets.
-
Betting lines are dynamic. The Patriots might be the -110 favorites at NFL betting sites today, but big money bets on their opponents could see the odds shift to +120 by tomorrow. Bookmakers move odds to ensure that they will make profit no matter the outcome. Understanding this line movement can help you cash in when you see great odds.
-
Fading the public means to bet against the strong favorites. Betting against popular belief can be risky. But line movement, sporting unpredictability and good odds can make it profitable, too. If you’re looking to fade the public, we’d recommend betting futures early in the season when bookmakers tend to have better odds. Either that or betting on the home underdog.
-
As previously mentioned, a great sports betting strategy requires a sport-specific approach coupled with thorough research. Become an expert in one sport, or even one team, first. Once you’ve developed a method of online sports betting and have (hopefully) made a little money, you can start to look at betting on other sports too.
-
Backing your team is one of the greatest joys, but betting with your heart is not a sound sports betting strategy. Let’s say you’re a loyal Houston Rockets fan. While you may see the potential and talent within the team, statistically speaking, the squad has been the worst performing team in the NBA throughout 2023. Therefore, placing an NBA bet on them might not be the best choice. Betting with your personal feelings involved could lead to irrational wagers.
-
If you research thoroughly, become an expert, and bet based on the facts, you will be a highly selective bettor. This is to your benefit. Those who bet on a large range of outcomes at the same time are rarely successful in the long term. To increase your chances of success, be picky.
Online Betting Strategy Mistakes to Avoid
It’s hard to make money sports betting in the long term, but it does happen. If you have any hopes of being successful, you’ll need to avoid these common betting pitfalls:
Your bankroll budget should be a strict cap of only money that you can comfortably afford to lose. From there, you can divide your bankroll up and bet small fractions on each wager. Betting over and above a small amount is high-risk bankroll management.
Before you confirm your bet, double and triple check your betting slip. Make sure you’re betting on the right event, outcome, and with odds you’re happy with. Check your stake as well, as it’s easy to add an extra 0 when you’re working quickly.
Parlay bets come with higher odds and a larger house edge, so most professional bettors tend to avoid them. Nevertheless, if you’re keen to cash in on the extra value, it’s particularly important to shop around for top parlay odds. Each bookmaker uses a slightly different odds calculator, so you could miss out on significant value by not finding the best price.
Research using independent, respected outlets. Avoid searching for statistics and opinions that will reinforce your beliefs. Instead try to approach each bet objectively. Inaccurate statistics and misinformation (found on fan forums) can contradict official league statistics.
No sports betting system is fool-proof. For that reason, never follow one blindly. Keep track of your profit and loss, and check in regularly to see how the system is working out for you. Don’t be afraid to change up your habits if you need to.
Very few people make a significant amount of money through sports betting in the long run. We encourage all bettors to see it as a form of entertainment, rather than a moneymaker. Keep realistic expectations with regards to your betting strategy, and remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Key Takeaways for Sports Betting Strategy
Ultimately, it’ll be up to you to determine which strategies work best for your style of play. The baseline for a successful betting strategy should always be some combination of bankroll management and research. If you’d truly like to win more bets, you’ll need to put in the work and choose a field of sports betting to study and work towards a goal.
With these tips and strategies, you should have a great foundation to build off and learn more about sports betting. Good luck, and go win some bets!