The goal of sports betting is to make money. Sure, we bet to enhance enjoyment in sports, but this will become an expensive hobby if it’s not profitable. In this guide, we will highlight how to win betting on sports by covering a series of tips and strategies that you can easily apply.
You’ll find that the guide will cover some basic, generic approaches to sports betting that all bettors need to follow, and then we’ll deep-dive into specific sports. Our goal is to help you become a more profitable sports bettor and, in turn, increase your enjoyment.
How to Win at Sports Betting
The fact that you’ve taken the time to read this page shows that you want to become more profitable with your sports bets. Simply being proactive is a significant first step to learning how to win at sports betting, and in this guide, we will expand on that even more.
We wanted to highlight that we’ve already created a guide on betting strategies that we strongly advise you to read alongside this article.
Before we dive in, it’s essential to know that to be successful in betting on sports, you need to have a little luck. Sport can be volatile and unpredictable, which is why we love it so much. But these two features can cause chaos when it comes to betting, and you need to be prepared mentally for times when “sure things” lose.
There are three keys for how to win betting on sports:
Work hard.
Be consistent.
Be comfortable with losing.
The three keys are relatively self-explanatory. Hard work is a given. You must research stats, data, team lineups, injury news, and weather forecasts – consider anything that could swing a result.
Consistency comes from placing bets on teams or markets you’re most familiar with. For example, if you’re a diehard MLB fan, it makes sense to start betting on these games, as it’s a sport/league you know most about.
Bettors don’t like to lose, but you’re going to lose at some point. You need to know that losing is part of the game, and obviously, we want to limit losses, but they will happen. As long as when you place the bet, you’re comfortable with the time invested in terms of research, then the result will matter a lot less.
Bet across a wide range of sports at BetOnline.
General Sports Betting Strategy
In our guide on how to win betting on sports, we’ve listed a few general sports betting strategies that you need to become routine in your picks. You can’t be successful long-term without working toward at least some of the basics.
1. Ensure Good Bankroll Management
Effective bankroll management is essential for long-term success. Allocate a specific portion of your overall betting budget for each wager, typically a small percentage (eg 1-5%) of your total bankroll. This approach helps protect your funds and prevents you from making impulsive bets that could deplete your bankroll quickly.
2. Be Research-Driven
Thorough research is critical to making informed bets: study team statistics, player performance, injuries, historical matchups, and relevant trends. A well-informed bet has a higher chance of success, as it’s based on a solid foundation of knowledge.
3. Track Your Results
Keeping a detailed record of your bets and their outcomes is crucial for refining your strategy. Note down the type of bet, teams involved, odds, and stake. Analyze your wins and losses to identify patterns, strengths, and weaknesses in your approach.
4. Use Value Betting
Value betting involves finding bets where the odds offered by the sportsbook are higher than the actual probability of the event occurring. This strategy requires a deep understanding of the sport and an ability to spot discrepancies between your assessment of an outcome’s likelihood and the bookmaker’s odds.
5. Shop Around for the Best Odds
Different sportsbooks might offer slightly different odds for the same event. Line shopping involves comparing odds across multiple sportsbooks to find the best value for your bet. Even a tiny difference in odds can significantly impact your overall profitability.
Sports Betting Tips and Strategies for Different Sports
To succeed in sports betting, you must adjust your approach for each. In this section of our guide on how to win betting on sports, we’ve looked at specific sports to see what you need to do to succeed betting on each.
Get great odds across US major league sports at Bovada.
NFL
The NFL is one of the most competitive sports in betting, purely because of the volume of bets placed. Sportsbooks are sharp and market movements are small, so you must be on top of your game to make money here.
NFL prop betting.
Home Field Advantage
Home field advantage capitalizes on the phenomenon where teams tend to perform better when playing on their home turf. While not foolproof, historical data suggests that teams often have a higher win percentage when playing at home due to crowd support, familiarity with the stadium, and reduced travel fatigue.
How it works: Look for opportunities to bet on home teams when facing opponents with a weaker away record or having to travel long distances for the game. While this strategy doesn’t guarantee success, it can be valuable when making your NFL bets.
Divisional Rivalries
Divisional games in the NFL are known for their intensity and competitiveness. Teams within the same division play each other twice per season, creating a familiar and often heated matchup. Divisional games can be more predictable than other matchups due to the teams’ familiarity with each other’s playing styles.
How it works: Pay close attention to divisional matchups, especially when one team has a solid recent record against the other. Historical trends within divisional games can provide insights into potential outcomes. These games often feature tighter point spreads and can be influenced by factors beyond stats, such as emotions and rivalry dynamics.
ballpark’s characteristics. For instance, a ballpark with shorter outfield fences might lead to more home runs. Wind blowing out can favor hitters, while wind blowing in can benefit pitchers. Consider how these factors might affect the teams’ offensive and defensive strategies.
NHL
Like the MLB, the NHL has a long season with a huge array of games to bet on. This allows you to be selective in the games and the markets, often creating a bigger edge for players compared to the likes of the NFL.
Goalie Analysis
Goaltending is a critical factor in NHL games, often dictating the outcome. Analyzing the starting goalie’s recent performance, save percentage, goals against average, and how they match up against the opposing team’s offense can provide valuable insights for your NHL bets.
How it works: Research the starting goalie’s statistics, recent form, and historical performances against the opponent. A strong goaltender can steal games, so consider backing a team with a reliable goalie against a weaker one.
Home Ice Advantage
Home ice advantage can be significant in NHL games, where the rink’s familiarity and the home crowd’s support can impact the outcome. Some teams perform much better at home than on the road.
How it works: Look for teams with a strong home record and compare it to their performance on the road. Betting on teams with a notable home ice advantage against opponents with weaker road records can offer opportunities for value bets.
Special Teams Analysis
Special teams, including power plays and penalty kills, play a pivotal role in NHL games. Analyzing teams’ efficiency on power plays and penalty kills can give you insights into their offensive and defensive strengths.
How it works: Research teams’ power play and penalty kill percentages, which indicate how successful they are during these critical moments in a game. A team with a strong power play might capitalize on man-advantage situations, while a strong penalty kill can prevent opponents from scoring during power plays.
Golf
Golf has multiple tournaments a week that run throughout the year. Favorites can go off at much bigger odds than most sports, meaning that when you win at golf, it can be huge. Read our guide on how to bet on golf for even more tips.
Head-to-Head Matchup Betting
Head-to-head matchup bets in golf involve selecting one golfer to outperform another in a tournament. These bets focus on the performance comparison between two specific players rather than the entire field.
How it works: Sportsbooks pair two golfers against each other, and you choose the one you believe will have the better tournament performance. Consider factors such as recent form, course history, and suitability for the specific course conditions. This strategy allows you to leverage your research on individual golfers and their strengths, increasing your chances of success.
Bet on major golf tournaments with value odds at BetNow.
Top 10 or Top 20 Finish Betting
Betting on a golfer to finish in the top 10 or top 20 of a tournament provides a wider margin of success, as it doesn’t require a golfer to win the event outright. This strategy can be useful when you expect certain golfers to perform well but not necessarily win.
How it works: Select a golfer you believe has a good chance of performing consistently and finishing within the tournament’s top 10 or top 20. While the odds might be lower than outright winner bets, this strategy offers a higher probability of winning due to the broader range of potential outcomes.
Betting on the Super Bowl winner or the MVP of a league.
Live Betting (In-Play Betting): Live betting allows you to place bets on a game or match while it’s in progress. The odds and available markets change dynamically as the game unfolds.
Teaser Betting: Teaser bets involve adjusting the point spread in your favor by a certain number of points for multiple games. The catch is that all selected bets must win for the teaser to be successful.
Round Robin Betting: Round robin bets involve creating multiple parlay combinations from a selection of bets. This strategy allows you to cover various outcomes while still enjoying the benefits of parlay bets.
Spread Betting: Spread betting involves placing a bet based on the accuracy of a prediction rather than simply winning or losing. Your potential payout is determined by how correct your prediction is.
