Sports Betting Tips
Being successful in sports wagering is more complicated than just being able to pick more winners than losers. There are certain guidelines that one should follow to increase one’s chances of sports betting success over the long term. Let’s take a look at these sports betting principles.
Do not bet more than you can afford to lose. Sports wagering can be an enjoyable thing if done responsibly. Betting money needed to pay bills or run your household is a quick way to find yourself in divorce court and/or out on the street. Only bookies, psychiatrists, and bankruptcy attorneys benefit when you bet over your head and lose.
You must manage your sports betting bankroll properly. Don’t chase your losses. Don’t try to get even on the last game of the day or the last day of the week. And do not bet on a game just because it’s on television. Remember that it’s impossible to make every day a winning one, but it is very possible to make every day a losing one if you’re not disciplined.
Watch out for “sure things.” The expression, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is” comes to mind. If you see a line that looks way off, it may not be a bad idea to bet on the team the book seems to be leaning toward. After all, the major sportsbooks are very good at setting solid lines.
Don’t let injuries dictate your wager. The more starters on a team, the less one injury will affect the team. Football has more than 20 starters, so one injury shouldn’t have a major impact on the game. The one obvious exception is if the starting quarterback gets hurt on a pass-happy team and the backup has no experience or a poor performance history. Injuries are much more important in basketball, where there are only five starters and usually only about eight players see significant playing time. If a book has a line on a game in which a key player is injured, keep in mind the book has factored that injury into the line.
Do not only consider a team’s last performance when handicapping a game. In football, a team that lost badly last week is very likely to practice harder and may face a team this week that is overconfident. Recent form is important, but you should always consider at least the last few games.
Be careful when using certain trends as a basis for your plays. For example, Team XYZ has lost 10 straight games on Friday. Do you honestly think that team is thinking, “Uh-oh? It’s Friday, so we’re probably going to lose”? On the other hand, if a team is 0-5 this season against teams with a winning record and they’re playing a team with a winning record, then that is a good indicator of the team’s true strength and should be taken into consideration.
