Sports bets are a popular activity for people from all walks of life. Everything from boxing matches to soccer games and every possible sport in between is up for wagering on online sportsbook sites. Some people bet for fun and only on big games like the Super Bowl or championship games while others bet on their favorite teams despite the odds. Still others bet for just one reason: to win and make money.
There are three keys that will help any sports fan make the best bets and make money from their wagers. Even if you are an “amateur” or a fan that bets for fun you can still make some money. To find the best sportsbook bets all you have to do is follow these three simple plans.
Manage Your Money
Before you even begin placing wagers, it’s important to know your financial standing. Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Set aside a specific amount to use for sports wagering. Spread the amount between several small bets instead of going all in on a long shot or on one game. Remember that you can lose at any time, there is no guarantee despite what the handicap or picks may be. Knowing what you have and what you could lose is the first step to managing your sports wagering and picking smart bets.
Learn the Numbers
After you get your budget in order the next step to choosing bets to make money is to shop for the best numbers. The numbers are essentially the predicted stats, scores and spreads of each game. The numbers will vary depending upon your source. For the purest numbers consider going straight to the source. If you’re placing a bet on an NFL game, get the NGL numbers. Sportsbook numbers change based upon the betting action. There may typically be a 2 to 3 point difference between the source numbers and the sportsbook numbers. Those 2 to 3 points could me the difference between a winning wager and a loss.
Research
Whether you are betting on a spread, win/lose, parlay or other aspect of a match it is important that you do the research before placing a wager. You will want to know that statistics of the team for other games of the season, whether they are playing at home or away, if any players are sidelined or injured and also the pro picks for the match. The more you know about a sport, team or specific match up the better your odds at picking a winning wager.
There is no surefire way to guarantee that your wagers will be profitable. Gambling is a game of chance no matter how informed you are beforehand. The weather, a sudden player injury or even travel fatigue can change the outcome of the game and those are things that sports fans and gamblers have no control over. The more you know the more you can win, but no matter how much of a sure thing you think you have don’t sink your entire gambling bankroll onto one game. Spread it out, collect a few dollars here and there rather than losing it all on a bad wager.
