As with most things in life, betting on sports is something that will naturally improve over a period of time. Through experience, effective punters will be able to spot value intuitively and have an instinct of when and how much to bet. Of course, getting to that stage can be a troublesome experience. Therefore, it is crucial to give yourself as much of an edge as possible when starting to bet on sports, and start implementing the good strategies that will become second nature over time. Here are a few tips and techniques to consider when entering the world of sports betting.
There are many staking plans out there for newbies seeking to use more experienced bettors’ knowledge as a starting point. Progressive staking plans like the Martingale system are worth avoiding; this particular method instructs players to stake increasingly vast amounts on the back of a loss with the aim of eventually making a profit, but this requires a significant bankroll and does not translate to sports betting well. It is much better to deploy a fixed or proportional wagering strategy, with the former using the same stake repeatedly and the latter using a percentage of your bankroll for each bet (for example, each stake could be 10% of your bankroll).
Choosing the right sportsbook is essential to starting your betting experience on the front foot. There is a multitude of sportsbooks out there seeking your custom, and the way they will attempt to draw you in is through the promise of a welcome bonus that sounds too good to resist. The ultimate sport betting guide from USAOnlineCasino.com asserts that the bonus is the least important factor when considering which sportsbook to join; while bonuses are inherently exciting, their terms and conditions can prove poor value in the long term for punters. It can be easy to blindly click ‘accept’ when presented with an exhausting list of terms and conditions, but it is crucial to take the time to become familiar with welcome bonuses so that you are not caught out by any rollover or wagering requirements. The guide from USA Online Casino.com also discusses the types of sportsbook in great depth, another factor to consider when creating new accounts.
Once you have decided on your staking plan and your sportsbook, then there is the small matter of deciding what to bet on. The important thing to remember while betting is that just because a bet loses, it doesn’t mean that it was a bad bet. Similarly, a winning bet may not have necessarily been the right bet, no matter how counter-intuitive that sounds. For example, finding a team at odds of 4/1 to win a match when you would expect them to be much shorter in price makes it worthwhile value, even if they ultimately end up failing to win. Betting on a team at odds of 1/8 to win a match may yield a small profit, but doing this consistently will see your marginal gains ruined when the team falls to a shock defeat.
The best bettors are those who can spot incorrect odds and act accordingly. In the long-term, betting on ‘value’ will prove more profitable than always betting on the favourite. There are so many uncontrollable variables in sport that make odds of 1/6 or similar worth avoiding. At odds that short, it would be tempting to ignore sensible staking plans and place huge stakes believing it to be a sure thing. Then your team has a player sent off in the first minute, and suddenly everything changes.
To find value, it is important to consider the previous form of teams or players. Winning streaks will inevitably see prices shorten, but consider the caliber of the opposition. If a team or player has won a series of matches against vastly inferior opposition, it may cause their opponent to become an attractive price as casual bettors lump on a team with a few recent wins. Form is particularly important in a sport like tennis. Always check past match-ups between players; it may be that one player low in the rankings has always found ways to expose a higher-ranked player in previous matches, so observe if and how that affects prices. Avoid players coming back from injuries. It can be tempting to see a star player at unusually long odds as a result of a long absence, but it is wise to stay away from fitness concerns when betting.
Bettors will develop their own strategies and techniques as experience is gained. Keep a record of your bets if you want to find out your strengths and weaknesses; you may discover that you’re particularly adept at betting on the number of sets in a tennis match, but that you have never won when betting on a horse. Reflecting on your betting strategy will enable you to develop much quicker and it will help you to spot value instinctively.
