This is the ultimate betting guide. Follow the five points step by step and read carefully to become more successful in sports betting!
1. Learn the basics of sports betting
The core of sports betting is that you place a bet with a betting office or an online bookmaker. Suppose Arsenal has to play football against Manchester United. The betting office will then determine on the basis of statistics how likely it is that one of the clubs will win or that it will be a draw. They subsequently adjust this estimate. They do this by including the bets of gamblers in the assessment. It is important to understand how the odds work globally. There is always a small advantage built in for the (online) bookmaker. It is never the case that you can bet on all outcomes and then always break even.
If two boxers are completely equal according to the bookmaker, the odds for both will be around 1.95. At a real 50/50 with no house edge you would of course expect 2.00 for both. The idea is, if you want to gamble professionally or take profit in the long term, to beat this bookmaker’s house edge. This is exactly the point that makes sports betting difficult. Especially because any incorrectly estimated odds are straightened out very quickly. Gamblers will bet a lot on this, so that this option will automatically be adjusted downwards.
2. Choose your sport and your niche
It is important to choose a sport or a niche within a sport and mainly focus on that. It’s not that you can’t win if you start focusing on multiple sports/athletes/niches, but the chances are smaller. This is because knowledge that the bookmakers do not have can give you a lot of advantage. When you see value in something (see also Point 6. of our list) and the bookmaker doesn’t, you can take a profit.
Realistically, you simply cannot know everything about all sports, athletes and teams. That is why it is advisable to specialize in a sport or niche and mainly limit yourself to it.
3. Follow all the news
Directly related to Point 2. is that you should closely follow all the news about your chosen favorite sport or niche. Do this, for example, by following social media accounts. Also view all news websites. Do this every day of the week. A small piece of news, such as a minor injury or cold in a top player, can make a difference. It is not for nothing that top gambler Billy Walters gives keeping up with and interpreting news as a secret for successful sports betting (source). If you have knowledge in-house and others don’t, you can use it to profit. Don’t forget: bookmakers adjust the odds based on the bets.
When a lot of people think a team is in shape, but you have knowledge they don’t, you can take advantage of this. The odds for a victory of the other team will be higher. Moreover, the more knowledge you absorb from different sources, the more objective your own opinion will be. It is therefore also advisable to register with online forums. An online forum for gambling enthusiasts or for enthusiasts of your chosen sport or niche can provide useful tips. Our betting tips can of course also come in handy.
4. Budget and management
One of the most important points is sticking to your budget and using your play money wisely. While it is possible to win money over a period of time, you will also start to lose. Therefore, never bet more than you can afford and determine how much you can afford to lose before betting on sports.
In addition, choose to bet a maximum bet per bet or per match, or event. This also has to do with discipline. Therefore, sometimes literally, don’t put all your money on your one horse.
With smart management of your budget you have more chances to win and spreading your chances of winning at least a little is wise. It is often recommended to bet a maximum of 5% of your budget on one bet. Always look out for freebets! Bookmakers try to pursue you to play for them, so find those with free bets and use it to make profit!
5. Take a break to stay objective
A final tip is to take regular breaks. Do not continue to gamble continuously. Occasionally create space and time for yourself to reflect on sports betting. Do you get satisfaction from it and does it give you something? What are your achieved results? What is going well and what is going better? View and study your journal. Taking a break allows you to see more clearly and objectively. That is precisely what is very important to become a good sports bettor!