There is no magical formula to become better at betting on sports. Online Sportsbooks may try to trick you into thinking otherwise, but there is no “foolproof” way to always win. But don’t worry. We are here to help you become better at sportsbook betting. Not surprisingly, this does not come easy. Rather, you will become better at betting in sports through improving your knowledge, gaining more experience, and working hard.
Below are the top ten tips for how to become a better sportsbook bettor. The overarching theme is clear: more work and discipline will make you a better gambler.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
Do you want to be a millionaire? Great, who doesn’t? But let’s make sure that you set realistic goals for your sports betting career. To do that, you need to understand what kind of bets you will be making and the amount of money you will be gambling.
The law of averages will eventually greet you with close to as many wins as you have loses. Indeed, some of the greatest gamblers only win around 60% of the time. Once you realize that you will win almost as often as you lose, your expectations should be properly set to begin sports gambling on a sportsbook.
2. Review Your Bets and Your Results
The only way to know if you are getting better is by tracking yourself. To do otherwise would be like two teams playing a game without anyone keeping score. You can never improve unless you know what you need to improve on. And if you are being successful in one area of your gambling, focus on that aspect of your gambling. If you feel like you have a problem, stop playing and visit gamecare.co.uk
3. Stick to One Sport
Bettors sometimes think that they have to bet on more than one sport to be a true “sports bettor.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. Plenty of successful sports bettors sticks with one or two sports their entire career. This strategy lets bettors learn a great deal about the sport and certain trends that seem to repeat themselves over time.
4. Do Your Homework
There is a plethora of free sports gambling knowledge online. Get out there and join a sports betting forum, join a local gambling club in your community, review sports channel statistics on players and teams, and watch sports betting YouTube videos. Regardless of where you go for information, it is out there. You should always be learning and never feel like you “know it all.” Also, don't forget to check for available sportsbook bonuses before you make the bet.
5. Patience is a Virtue
Sometimes you will review the current slate of games and not be interested in betting on any of them. As COVID-19 continues to fade into the background and games get underway, we can reassure you that there is no rush. There will be more games in the future. Get off the sportsbook app/website and check back in tomorrow. The future could hold better games and odds that you are willing to bet on.
6. Shop Sportsbooks
Many sports bettors don’t realize that different sportsbooks sometimes offer different odds for the same sporting event. Before placing a bet, shop around other sportsbooks to see what sportsbook is offering the biggest payoff for the game you bet on. It doesn’t make sense to not choose the highest paying sportsbook for a game you are already going to bet on.
7. Don’t Get Trapped
Sports bettors of all experience levels lose. It’s a simple truth. Sometimes the bets you thought would win all end up losing you money. When this happens, the most experienced gamblers know to walk away for the day. Sportsbook gambling is a marathon, not a sprint. When you eventually hit a losing streak, re-evaluate these other tips and regroup the next day. Putting good money after bad is a recipe for failure – don’t do it!
8. Set a Deposit Limit
Everyone has some amount of money in the bank. A sports bettor has to decide how much of their money they will devote to sportsbook gambling. Some gamblers will have more money in the bank, fewer fixed expenses, and be comfortable with more risk. But for new bettors, we would recommend allocating no more than 5% of your take-home pay on gambling.
It is enticing to pull more of your money toward gambling, but until you become a professional sports bettor, you should limit the amount of money you dedicate to sports gambling. And once you become more experienced, you can then decide how much more of your income you can use for gambling.
9. Set a Goal
What type of gambler are you? In the big sports game do you want to bet on the long shot, or do you want to bet on the more likely outcome? This will depend on what type of profits you want to receive and your risk tolerance. More risk-averse? Then opt for betting on the favorite.
You should also understand how often you will be gambling. Some gamblers bet on several games a week, and some players only bet on one game every weekend. Complex bets, such as parlays, offer gamblers higher payouts. Parlays, of course, mean that the gambler is comfortable with more risks.
If you are looking to improve quickly as a gambler, you should start your gambling journey by only focusing on learning one kind of bet.
10. Don’t Get Emotional
We all love the exciting gambling movie. Who can resist watching a movie where a gambler who is down on their luck wins big before the end of the movie? Many gamblers fall for this emotional rollercoaster when they start to gamble and think that they are just one bet away from winning it all. The truth is that this sometimes doesn’t happen.
Betting on a sportsbook complicates this problem even more. Who doesn’t have a favorite team? And who doesn’t want their favorite sports team to win? Stop right there. Remember, you can’t get emotional about gambling. Look at the numbers and probabilities. That is the end of the analysis. In short, leave your heart at home before you start to gamble.
Conclusion
These ten tips are what every successful gambler understands and implements. Applying some of these tips may be difficult at first, but with practice and determination, you too can become a sportsbook betting expert. Have fun, but practice informed gambling the next time you bet on a sportsbook.