You can still build your bankroll by betting in the summer. At some point, the NBA Finals end and the Stanley Cup is won. Too many sports bettors just shrug their shoulders and say, “Now what?” No longer since the summer offers great betting opportunities. Here’s a look. Key Points – Smart bettors continue to build their bankroll in the “offseason.” – There are tons of betting opportunities in the summer months. America\'s Pastime Helps Build Your Bankroll There are often 10 to 15 MLB games accessible on the betting board on a given summer day. There are several different MLB betting strategies. Bettors have many different ways to wager on baseball when you take into account all the player and team props that are available. There is money to be made even if betting on baseball is a little different from betting on the NFL or NBA. Find your area of expertise. Maybe, it’s on the First 5 Innings or in the player props market.  Whatever it is, you have over 2,400 opportunities to wager on baseball during the summer.  Enjoy the Links You are missing out if you have never wagered on golf. Every weekend a tournament is held, and, like most sports, there are a number of betting markets. You can wager on the tournament winner if you like. It’s a great market because golf tournament favorites can often be given odds of +800, +900, or even above +1000. The payouts can be quite large. There are other markets like head-to-head bets, Round competition, and even golf props. The big thing to remember is that while sportsbooks and oddsmakers are spending time on baseball, they aren’t spending it on golf. That leaves some betting value for the smarter bettors. ICYMI: HANDICAPPING NHL PLAYOFF TEAMS AFTER AN OT LOSS Tennis Anyone? If you haven\'t bet on tennis, you should. Just like golf, there are tournaments every weekend where you can discover large plus-money favorites to win. Bettors can find heavy tournament favorites between +500 and +1000 every weekend of the summer. Numerous other wagers are also available, including head-to-head wagering and betting on the spread for games and sets.  Additionally, Grand Slam competitions like Wimbledon and the French Open provide a wide variety of betting opportunities for a full two weeks at a time. Spend some time acquainting yourself with the various tennis bets and then reap the benefits. Yes, There Is Summer Football You can still place a football wager even if it\'s not football season. Every year at the end of April, right as the NBA and NHL playoffs are starting, the NFL Draft is held. There are a number of bets like which player will go No. 1, which QB will be taken first, and many more. The Canadian Football League, or CFL, also begins play in early June. The CFL season consists of 18 games and lasts from the beginning of the summer to Thanksgiving. You won’t find the variety of bets like the NFL, but Canadian football gives football bettors a chance to wager in the summer.  The USFL ends in June and also gives football bettors an opportunity to bet on football in the early summer. Build Your Bankroll with NASCAR Every year, the NASCAR Cup season starts in February and lasts until November. There is a race somewhere every weekend in the summer.  Similar to golf, you may bet on both the overall race winner and the drivers competing head-to-head when you wager on NASCAR. There are top-5 bets, top-10 bets, and many more are available.  Like golf, bettors have a slight advantage when betting NASCAR. Sportsbooks and oddsmakers are busy preparing for the next football and basketball seasons. Those are the sports where they make their money. That leaves some opportunity for racing bettors. Triple Crown & More in Horse Racing The annual Run for the Roses, the Kentucky Derby, held on the first Saturday in May, serves as the opening leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing. It draws the interest of numerous gamblers. Both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, which are contested in the early summer, have a lot of betting interest. When a horse has a chance to win the Triple Crown, these races are immensely popular.  Throughout the summer, there are a ton of races at tracks in the United States and other countries. Smart horse racing bettors have a quality racebook where they can find the best odds on races from around the world. Other Summer Sports to Build Your Bankroll Similar to the NFL, the NBA holds its well-known draft at the end of June, right after the NBA Finals are over. The first player picked, second player picked, and many other possibilities are available to bettors. Nathan\'s Hot Dogs sponsors their annual Hot Dog Eating Competition on July 4. If you have never seen it, tune into ESPN. They cover the event every year. The competition has been dominated by Joey Chestnut for a while. Bettors can place wagers on the overall winner, the winner\'s consumption of hot dogs, and more. The Other Football  While Americans have their version of football, soccer is the game played around the world. There are leagues playing during the summer in several different countries. Major League Soccer in the United States begins play in early March and runs through the summer. The MLS Cup is played in October and November, and the winner is announced after the playoffs. Teams compete in 34 regular season contests. Bettors have plenty of opportunities to discover value bets throughout the regular season and playoffs.  The new seasons of several of the most well-known soccer leagues in the world, including the Bundesliga and the English Premier League, start in early August. Soccer bettors will have plenty to do for the rest of the summer when you include these games in the mix.

Handicapping NHL playoff teams is difficult enough. Doing so after an overtime loss can be an even bigger challenge. Playoff overtime rules are different than in the postseason. That has an effect on how bettors should look at the next game in a playoff series. Key Points – When handicapping NHL playoff teams after an OT loss, there are a number of things for bettors to consider. – Don’t forget to gauge the public’s reaction to the overtime loss. Understand the Rules Veteran NHL bettors are aware of the importance of overtime in the NHL playoffs. The sudden death period has a five-minute time limit during the regular season. That changes come playoff time. The playoff overtime period is a full 20 minutes and ends when one team scores. If the score is tied after one overtime period, the teams continue playing a second OT and so on until the game is decided. The drama is intense, and it\'s not unusual to see a battle that has gone into overtime become quite epic. The hockey team that loses in overtime will undoubtedly take it hard because the stakes are so high.  Because of the lingering irritation and disappointment, handicappers are aware that losing teams occasionally play poorly in subsequent contests.  Winning teams typically maintain their confidence and momentum.  Here are some items that should be taken into account when handicapping NHL playoff teams after they lose in overtime. MOST RECENT: MAKING SENSE OF VARIOUS SPORTSBOOK BONUSES When Do They Play Again When do they play again? The impact of a loss is likely to diminish the longer it is between games. When a team loses, it will hurt and be difficult. As time passes and teams begin to pay more attention to the broader picture, the impact of a loss subsides.  In the NHL playoffs, teams usually play every other day. There may be times, due to TV commitments or other conflicts, where there are two days between games. The longer rest period can help a team that has lost the previous game in overtime. Handicapping NHL Playoff Teams - Tied Up Losses hurt, but if the hockey team believes they actually missed their chance, it may hurt more. Take the following example. A team leads for most of the game. Late in the third period, the opponent ties the score. Then, the opponent scores late in the overtime period to win it. That type of loss stings. A team had what looked to be a win only to end up on the short end of an overtime loss. That situation is different than the team that was behind all game and then got lucky and tied it in the third period. They end up losing, but they were planning on losing anyway after they had fallen behind early on.  Those two situations produce different mindsets in the losing team. One is really down because it gave up a game it felt like the team should have won. The other shakes it off quickly because they lost a game they thought they were going to lose anyway. A Significant Win? When handicapping NHL playoff teams after an overtime loss, bettors should take a look at how significant the loss was. In the NHL playoffs, every victory counts, but some losses hurt more than others.  Imagine a team being up 3-0 in its Stanley Cup series. They lose a game in overtime. That loss is nowhere near as significant as losing when the series is tied 2-2. When you factor in when a team plays again and how it lost, there is great significance in which game of a series the overtime loss happened.  Handicapping NHL Playoff Teams & Adversity The NHL regular season is long and grueling. Even the top teams have inevitably had difficult defeats throughout the course of the season. How do they respond in these types of situations? Maybe they blew a considerable lead in a game and eventually lost in overtime. Perhaps a weaker team destroyed them, or they tried to come back from a deficit but failed. All of these situations give NHL handicappers valuable insight. Teams that deal with adversity better than others are ones you might be able to back after an overtime loss. If they have dealt with difficult situations through the season, they are more likely to get through them in the postseason.  The opposite is true also. Teams that don’t handle adversity well in the regular season are not likely to deal well with it in the playoffs. The Betting Public’s Reaction When a team wins an NHL playoff game, the general public will bet a certain way. Remember, the betting public likes to bet on favorites, teams with star players, and teams that have won recently. In the case of an overtime loss, it’s worth checking the public’s reaction. They are likely to bet on the team that won the last game in overtime. The public believes this team will have significant momentum after having won.  Keep in mind that the public’s reaction is something bettors should always pay attention to. Betting against the public has its advantages, but doing so blindly can lead to losses. Smart NHL bettors may frequently identify scenarios when their opinion and the public\'s reaction are not in harmony. These types of situations can lead bettors to find some serious value when handicapping NHL playoff teams after an overtime loss. 

Bettors can find seemingly endless sportsbook bonuses online. They are designed to keep existing customers and entice new ones to join a certain sportsbook. Bettors can examine these various incentives and learn how to take advantage of them. Here’s how to make sense of them all. Key Points – Bettors can take advantage of sportsbook bonuses at nearly every online sportsbook. – Sportsbook bonuses come in many different forms and sizes. Welcome/Sign-up Bonuses Almost all sportsbook websites offer welcome or signup bonuses when you create an account and make your first deposit. The bonus is typically a certain percentage of the money that was initially deposited.  It will be a small bonus sum if it is not a percentage bonus. The signup bonus\'s goal is to get you as a new customer as well as to give you a bigger starting bankroll.  Typically, 50% or 100% of the deposit is offered as a welcome bonus. If a bettor deposited $100 in a new online sportsbook, the sports betting site would add another $50 or $100 to that initial $100 deposit. Cash Payments Contrary to percentage bonuses, cash bonuses are not as popular at online  sportsbooks. These incentives are also provided at the time of registration, but the amount is fixed and less.  For example, you might make your first deposit at a sportsbook. As a result of the deposit, the book provides you with $20. Most often, a cash bonus is credited to a bettor’s account and must be used to wager on a sporting event before it can be withdrawn. RELATED: HOW SPORTS BETTING ODDS ARE SET Deposit-Free Sportsbook Bonuses As part of the signup bonus, many online sportsbooks will give you no-deposit bonuses. The bonus money is deposited into your account when you sign up. This allows a bettor to place a few bets without having to use his or her own money. Like cash bonuses, deposit-free incentives are typically small. Sportsbooks are in the business of making money, not giving it away for free.  These types of bonuses are popular during particular sporting events or promotions. A sportsbook might run something like this a few weeks before the Super Bowl or March Madness. The distinctive feature of no-deposit bonuses is that they have a high number of wagering requirements and rollover rates. These bonuses are perfect for first-time gamblers who don\'t want to risk their own money and want to get a feel for the sportsbook before making the first deposit.  Reload Bonuses Smarter bettors take advantage of the fact that most sportsbooks also offer reload bonuses on subsequent deposits. When you want to add more money to a betting account, many sportsbooks will offer you a bonus for doing so.  Now, the reload bonus is usually not as great as the initial deposit bonus, but it is still an incentive to deposit more into your betting account. The percentages are usually lower on reload bonuses.  A sportsbook that offers a 100 percent match on your first deposit might offer a 50 percent or even 25 percent match on your reloads. There might also be reload bonuses offered during specific promotions as opposed to offering them at all times.  Free-Bet incentives Free bet incentives are extremely popular now. Bettors can make wagers without having to worry about losing their own money. You might receive bonuses in the form of free bets. Oftentimes, sportsbooks will offer a free bet bonus if you wager on something specific. For example, a bookie might offer a free bet if you place a $50 or more wager on the Super Bowl. Once the Super Bowl bet is done and graded, you receive a free bet to use on any event. Match Play Sportsbook Bonuses Unlike cash bonuses, match play bonuses are given to you based on how the event is conducted. It is comparable to a coupon in that it is used only  once.  Match play bonuses are only available to bettors who have completed the minimum rollover requirements. The bonus is deposited into your account once you fulfill these requirements. Each online sportsbook has a different set of rollover rules and bonus amounts. Gambler’s Insurance Sportsbooks stay in business because bettors often lose a large number of their wagers. Some sportsbooks take precautions to prevent their customers from quitting permanently as a result of such losses.  There are a number of betting sites that will give you a bonus on losses that you have suffered. The bonus is usually a percentage of the overall losses. For example, some sportsbooks offer 10 percent cash back on a month’s losses. The sportsbook knows that if it offers a bettor something in return for losing, the bettor is more likely to come back and keep playing. Loyalty Rewards These are exclusive sportsbook bonuses from online betting sites provided to devoted customers. These bonuses are used by sportsbooks to keep their existing customers.  These types of loyalty programs are similar to those run by your local grocery store. Bettors  accumulate loyalty points that are earned each time a bettor places a wager. When the bettor reaches a certain threshold of points, they can be exchanged for money, free bets, or any other bonus that the sportsbook has come up with. High-Roller Sportsbook Bonuses A sportsbook may offer you a high roller bonus if you have a sizable bankroll or the ability to place large bets. This is typically a percentage of the deposit amount and can be a sizable sum, enabling you to almost double your bankroll.  For instance, a lot of sportsbook websites give high rollers a 50% bonus on deposits of $1,000 or more. These are the most frequent bonuses offered by online sportsbooks that you can use to your advantage when placing a wager on your preferred sporting event, game, race, or match.

Do you know how sports betting odds are set? Whether you are a fantasy football fan, a professional bookie, or a sports bettor, understanding how odds are created is a key for success.  Here, we dive into how and why bookmakers create their own lines and what factors influence these numbers.  Key Points – Understanding how sports odds are set can help bettors be more successful. – Sportsbooks set odds for every sporting event on their betting board. An Overview of Sports Betting Odds Sports betting odds are a crucial aspect of gambling. They provide insight into the likelihood of an event occurring and the potential payout.  Essentially, odds show the probability of a particular outcome of any sporting event from a horse race to a football game. Odds are calculated by taking into account numerous factors, such as previous performance, form, injuries, and weather conditions.  Bookmakers use these factors to set odds that enable them to make a profit while remaining competitive. Understanding how odds are calculated is essential for bettors, as it allows them to make informed decisions when placing wagers.  MUST READ >>> WONG TEASERS AND TEASER STRATEGY Factors That Influence Sports Betting Odds Sports betting is not just about placing a bet and hoping for a win. There are several components that affect the odds of a particular sporting event.  The sport itself, the players or teams involved, and the current form and statistics of each team or player are all considerations.  Additionally, factors such as weather, injuries, and team morale can also have a significant impact on the outcome of a game. If it affects a game’s outcome, then it affects the odds.  Professional bookmakers carefully analyze these factors in order to set accurate odds and ensure their own profitability. By understanding the various factors that influence sports betting odds, bettors can make better decisions when placing their bets. One such factor is home field advantage. Teams play on their own field or court and in familiar surroundings. This can boost a player’s and team’s morale and confidence. The home crowd can also motivate the home team.  Home team advantage isn’t always a guarantee, but it can serve as a boost to a team that plays well at home. Weather Can Affect Odds Weather is another factor that can play a role in setting odds. Wind is a huge factor in outdoor football and baseball games. Take the Patriots-Bills wind game a few years ago. The game total continued to drop as reports of 30- and 40-mile-per-hour gusts came true.  Wind blowing out from home plate will carry more fly balls out of a stadium. That can affect how oddsmakers set an MLB game total.  Bettors looking to win more often must pay attention to the weather as it applies to outdoor sports. Different Types of Bets There are numerous bets within every sports market. Every bet comes with associated odds. Whether it is a moneyline bet, a point spread bet, a totals bet, or some other exotic wager, there are odds.  American odds are expressed as a positive or negative number based on 100, since there are 100 cents in $1.00. The easiest type of bet to understand for new bettors is a moneyline bet. Bettors wager on a team to win. If their team wins, they win the bet.  The amount a bettor wins is dependent upon the odds. Favorites are expressed as a negative number and implies that an outcome is more likely. For example, the New England Patriots are a -200 favorite against the New York Jets. If you wager $200 on the Patriots and they win, you are paid out $100. On the other side, the Jets could be a +300 underdog. Since the Jets are not as likely to win, a sportsbook will offer a higher payout. In this case, a $100 wager would pay out $300 if the Jets pull the upset. Point Spread & Totals Bets Point spread and totals bets also have odds associated with them. The standard odds at a sportsbook are -110. That means a bettor must wager $1.10 to win $1.00.  If we use the same two teams from above, the Patriots are a -3 favorite over the Jets. That means the Patriots must win by four or more points in order to cover the spread. Normally, the bet would look like this at a sportsbook. New England Patriots -3 (-110) New York Jets +3 (-110) Notice that the odds are identical on either side of the bet. Sportsbooks can change those odds, but -110 is standard. If you like the Pats, you would place a $1.10 bet to win $1.00 and New England would have to win by four or more in order for the bet to win. For a bet on the Jets to win, New York would either have to lose by two, one, or win the game outright.  Totals bets are popular as well. Bettors wager on whether or not the final combined score will go Over or Under a certain number. Again, oddsmakers set odds on both sides. For the Patriots-Jets game, maybe the total was 46.5. New England Patriots O 46.5 (-110) New York Jets U 46.5 (-110) Oddsmakers often set lines in increments of 0.5 to avoid a “push” or, in this case, to avoid the total landing directly on 46 or 47. If the final score is 24-23, the total (47) has gone Over. A $110 bet on the Over would pay out $100. How to Maximize Your Betting Profits  If you\'re looking to maximize your profits in sports betting, it\'s crucial that you have a thorough understanding of sports betting odds. These odds determine the probability of an event occurring and the potential payout you can receive.  The key is to find value bets where the odds are in your favor. One important concept to understand is implied probability, which is the likelihood of an event occurring based on the odds provided.  By calculating the implied probability, you can determine whether the potential payout is worth the risk. Another important tip is to shop around for different odds, as they can vary between sportsbooks.  With a solid understanding of sports betting odds and a strategic approach, you can increase your chances of making profitable bets.

Wong teasers are one of those things that come up every now and then in the betting world. One minute they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. The next, well, not so much. Be prepared next time they come up as we look at basic teaser strategy. Key Points – Wong teasers and NFL key numbers go hand in hand. – The most common teaser is the NFL two-team, six-point teaser. The Deal with Key Numbers Before discussing Wong teasers, we need to spend a few minutes discussing key numbers. In each sport, there are winning margins that happen more often than others.  In the NFL, for example, there are some winning margins that happen way more than others. Three points is the most typical scoring margin in an NFL game. Roughly 15 percent of all NFL games are decided by a field goal.  The next most common scoring margin in the NFL is seven points. Seven percent of games end up being decided by a touchdown. This is why 3 and 7 are commonly referred to as key numbers in NFL betting.  Knowing that 15 percent of games are decided by exactly three points and that over 23 percent of games are decided by three points or less is valuable information for an NFL bettor.  There are other key numbers, too. The top-6 most common NFL scoring margins since 2000 are 3, 7, 6, 10, 4, and 14. Games decided by exactly one of those numbers account for 45.71 percent of all games since 2000. This is valuable information, especially for NFL teaser bettors. ICYMI: THE TRUTH ABOUT WAGERING ON SPORTS Teaser Bets A teaser bet is a form of a parlay wager. A parlay is a single bet composed of multiple bets. For example, you bet on two NFL games. You can combine them into a single bet making an NFL parlay. However, both individual bets must be graded as wins for the parlay to win. When betting a teaser, bettors get to adjust the point spread in their favor. There are multiple types of teaser bets, but the most common is the NFL two-team teaser.  A typical two-team NFL teaser might look like the one below. Pittsburgh Steelers -7.5 >>> Pittsburgh Steelers -1.5  Baltimore Ravens +2 >>> Baltimore Ravens +8 Notice the original spread for the two teams that we liked. Pittsburgh was a -7.5 favorite. With the six-point teaser, we can adjust the spread to -1.5. Now, the Steelers only have to win by two more points. The same goes for Baltimore, which was a two-point underdog. We adjust the spread to +8 and now the Ravens can either win outright or lose by seven points or less in order to win the bet.  If we combine these bets into a single NFL two-team, six-point teaser, both bets must win in order for the teaser to win. Because of the shifting of point spreads in the bettor’s favor, odds on a two-team teaser are roughly the standard -110. Sometimes, you might find more favorable odds. Sometimes, you won’t. Wong Teasers Defined The term \"Wong teaser\" comes from Stanford Wong\'s book Sharp Sports Betting, which popularized the idea. It can also be known as other things, like a basic strategy teaser.  In a Wong teaser, the spread is moved through the two NFL key numbers of three and seven. For Wong, working through the key numbers is what makes this a top NFL wagering strategy. NFL teaser bettors should seek out favorites between 7.5 and 8.5 or underdogs between 1.5 and 2.5. Here’s why. Look at the example above and take the Steelers. At -7.5, Pittsburgh must win by eight points or more to cover. Winning by eight or more only covers two of the top-6 most common scoring margins - 10 and 14. Those two margins account for about 10.5 percent of all games. If the Steelers are a -1.5 favorite, now they only have to win by two or more points. That would cover all of the top-6 scoring margins. That’s roughly half of all NFL games. Games decided by one point account for just four percent of all NFL matchups. Teasing the spread down to -1.5 gives Pittsburgh (and the bettor) a much better chance of covering. In the grand scheme of things, bettors need to hit just over 72 percent of their bets in order to make 52.4 percent of their teasers. Remember, that’s the number that bettors must hit in order to break even at standard odds (-110). Issues with Wong Teasers Before you get too enthused, keep in mind that a few problems have made it much more difficult to ride the Wong teasers gravy train.  In order to combat the rise of NFL teasers, sportsbooks have first raised the cost of teasers. Books have been extremely cautious in regards to the two-team teasers. It used to be easy to find a price of +100 for two-team teasers after Wong first wrote about them. Now, the typical NFL two-team teaser is priced at -120 in Las Vegas. Many sportsbooks will even go to -130 on NFL teaser bets. It’s still possible to win and make some money betting Wong teasers. They are just more unattractive now due to the additional cost. There is also the issue of finding bets. There are sportsbooks that won’t even accept NFL two-team teasers. If a book feels it is not in the best interest of the operation, they simply will not offer the bet.  Sportsbooks Have Changed the Rules Sportsbooks have reacted to Wong teasers by making it more difficult to find them. Remember, NFL teaser bettors are looking for short underdogs and long favorites.  If point spreads of 7.5 to 8.5 and 1.5 to 2.5 draw in teaser bettors, sportsbooks know this. To combat bettors from finding good teaser bets, bettors simply will not find as many point spreads in those ranges.  Now, those numbers still exist. Finding them requires a watchful eye and the right circumstances to use it in an NFL teaser. Often, when spreads do find themselves in those ranges, they are not there for long as sportsbooks adjust them.  Online sportsbooks have also changed the rules regarding a push. In a two-team teaser, the rules used to be that if one leg of the bet was a push, the entire teaser was a push. That resulted in a bettor getting his bet refunded.  That is not the case anymore. Most sportsbooks now count a win and a push in a two-team teaser as an overall loss. This has discouraged some bettors from attempting to put together two-team teasers.

Every year, millions of people find themselves wagering on sports. It’s fun. It’s exciting and there is the possibility of winning money. That is always a plus. Unfortunately, the majority of bettors are casual gamblers who are unaware of some shocking realities about sports betting.  Key Points – The reality of wagering on sports is that winning percentage by itself doesn’t matter. – Bettors must understand how to read odds and how to find value if they want success. Winning Percentage Means Nothing by Itself  Have you ever seen an ad where a sports betting expert tries to convince you to buy his picks? If you spend time on sports betting sites, you see these handicappers all the time. They make ridiculous claims regarding their winning percentage.  Somebody says they have a 70 percent success rate. Sure, he might have a 70 percent success rate over a week or even a few weeks. In the long run, even the best of the best in the industry only win 55 to 60 percent of the time. The bigger issue is this. It doesn’t matter. Winning percentage in and of itself means absolutely nothing. If you really understand sports betting, you know that you could have a 70 percent winning percentage and be losing money. Likewise, you know that you can pick winners 35 to 40 percent of the time and make some nice cash in the process.  This is one of the biggest fallacies in sports betting. No one wins all the time anyway, but those that are enamored with winning percentage are missing the boat. Let’s say you win 70 percent of the time. The problem is that you like big favorites. I mean they can’t lose, right? Please note the sarcasm there.  Let’s say you like the -1200 moneyline favorite in whatever sport. You choose to wager $1200 in order to win $100. Your outstanding winning percentage of 70 percent means you’ll win seven out of 10 wagers.  When it’s all said and done, instead of having the $12,000 you started with, you’ll have $9,100. Whomp. Whomp. Winning percentage by itself has little value. MUST READ: 5 MUST-KNOW STRATEGIES FOR SPORTS BETTORS & HANDICAPPERS Wagering on Sports Doesn’t Require 60 Percent Win Percentage Speaking of winning percentage, you don\'t need to cover the spread 60% of the time in order to experience wins.  Many amateur sports bettors don\'t consider how many games they need to win in order to break even over the long term. They place wagers based on their level of comfort.  Their bankroll isn\'t separate from their other finances and they don\'t know how to use it. They essentially place bets haphazardly and then wonder why they can’t win just 60 percent of the time. Ask a typical bettor what a good winning percentage is and that bettor will likely say 60 percent (or more). In reality, the best gamblers in the world often don’t come close to winning 60 percent when betting against the spread. The great thing is that they don’t have to. Once again, winning percentage by itself doesn’t matter. Pay Attention to the Vig  Want to win more money betting on sports? Then pay attention to the vig. The vig, or juice, is simply the commission that a sportsbook charges to take a bet.  Bettors can see the vig expressed in betting odds. Standard American odds on a point spread or totals bet are -110. This means that in order for a bettor to win $100 he must put down $110. When the bettor wins, he wins $100 which comes from a losing bettor. The sportsbook keeps $10 from each bet. The book is guaranteed to make money as long as there is equal investment on both sides of a contest. That’s how they stay in business. Here’s a better example. You and another person place wagers at -110 on each side of a bet. The sportsbook collects a total of $220. One side wins the bet and gets the $110 wager back plus winnings of $100. That adds up to $210. The other $10 goes to the book. It doesn’t matter who won. The book always makes money. Breaking Even When Wagering on Sports Why should bettors care about vig? Bettors should be concerned because the vig has an impact on how profitable they can be. You\'ll lose money if you only succeed 50% of the time. When the vig is higher, you need to win even more games in order to break even.  To break even at standard betting odds of -110, you must win 52.38% of the time. 53 out of 100 games won results in a small profit.  Bettors can benefit by getting a lower vig. They don’t have to win as often in order to make a profit. your winning percentage must be lower to make money.  When the juice is -105, bettors only need to win 51.19 percent of the time to break even. Think about it like this. If you wagered $1 million per year at -105 odds instead of -110 odds, you would save $19,000.  Betting $1 million seems like a lot, but if a bettor wagers just $100 per game, that equates to 1,000 games during the course of a year. It might be $1,000 wagers on 100 games. Either way, saving $19,000 is a big deal.  How do you find lower vig? That’s easy. You shop for it. There are tons of sportsbooks in the industry and they all feature different pricing. You can use two or three sportsbooks in order to find the best prices. It’s like going to fill up your car with gas. There are five gas stations within a few miles of your house. They all have the same product but at different prices.  You Can Win Wagering on Sports Here’s one that not many people believe. Anyone can make money betting on sports. It’s like anything. It takes time and energy to create successful betting systems.  Anyone who is willing to put in the effort can become a successful sports bettor with the variety of tools and information that are currently available.  The majority of people are simply unwilling to do so.   Be Careful Buying Picks Too often, bettors want to put their fate in the hands of others. With the rise of sports betting, there has been growth in both the sportsbook and sports handicapping industries. Like any industry, there are some great ones, and there are some duds. If you can put in the time necessary to handicap your own games, you may not need a handicapper. You definitely don’t need a handicapper if you are a small stakes bettor. Why pay for handicapper’s picks? Picks cost money and usually the cost of picks will eat up all the winnings of smaller stakes bettors. If it makes financial sense and the handicapper shows a propensity for winning some big bets, by all means invest the money. If you’re just too lazy to handicap on your own, you need to be careful when buying picks.

If there is one thing that every sports bettor and handicapper knows, it’s that the game can be challenging. The way to be successful in this field is to keep up with the changing trends and use a strategy or two (or more) to ensure your bets consistently hit their marks. At its core, winning at sports betting requires knowledge, discipline, practice and understanding of your own skills and limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of five must-know strategies for sports bettors. Whether you’re looking to improve existing strengths or start from scratch, use these tips to enhance your success.  Key Points – Some strategies for sports bettors are very easy to follow and lead to success. – Bettors should never chase their losses. Understand the Basic Strategies for Sports Bettors  An understanding of the basics is essential for any successful sports bettor. Learning how to read betting lines is where it all begins. Knowing a good bit about the sport you are betting on helps as well. Bettors can make more informed decisions with more knowledge. More knowledge allows experienced sports bettors to develop a plan of action that can be applied while placing bets. Having an effective strategy can help create profitability over the long term. Keep in mind that predicting outcomes is hard even when using these strategies and bettors must be prepared to manage their losses as well. ICYMI: HOW TO BET ON BASEBALL IN 2023 Compare Different Sportsbooks\' Odds  It’s no different than searching for who has the best gas prices in your area. If you can find the same product for a few cents per gallon cheaper, you choose the savings. It’s the same for bettors.  Sports bettors who want to increase their chances of success should definitely take the time to study the odds and compare different sportsbooks. By doing so, they can find the best value when making a wager.  Taking a look at each sportsbook’s odds page can help you determine which offers you the most favorable terms. Looking out for various price boosts. The best sportsbook bonuses can also improve your experience as a sports bettor.  In the long run, your savings adds up and line shopping becomes one of your most powerful strategies for sports bettors.  Strategies for Sports Bettors - Use Stats and Trends  A successful sports bettor knows that the best way to increase his chances at success is through handicapping. Handicapping involves using advanced online sportsbook betting analytics. These can help bettors make informed decisions when placing wagers.  This type of strategy is extremely useful for bettors looking to maximize their profits. It helps narrow down fields of potential opportunities in order to take advantage of value and improve the chances of making a profit. Not only does handicapping provide the ability to estimate the likelihood of a certain outcome, it also allows bettors to track and analyze historical data which can be used when formulating strategies for future bets.  With proper research, understanding and application of analytics, this method can help you gain an edge over other sports bettors. Among strategies for sports bettors, using stats and trends lends itself to a more successful betting experience. Don’t Chase Losses When it comes to sports betting, it is essential to develop a mastered strategy before you place your bets. Beyond the games or teams, there are many strategies that can help you be successful when placing bets.  One of the most important strategies to keep in mind is to never bet more money than you can afford to lose. Never, ever get caught up in chasing losses.  Picking carefully and setting goals on how much money you are about to commit will help guide your decisions and enable you to win big when the conditions are right. Most importantly, it will also protect you from financial ruin by always having a fallback plan.  Every step should be taken with caution as investing recklessly could have consequences. Consider your options wisely every time and remind yourself that winnings should never be taken for granted. Easy Strategies for Sports Bettors - Take Breaks  Sports betting can be an exciting and rewarding activity for some. For others, it is extremely frustrating. It’s always helpful to know these betting mistakes to avoid. Knowing can help bettors make the most of their game days. helps to have a sound strategy in mind if you want to make the most out of your game day.  One of the lesser-talked about elements of sports betting strategies is taking breaks. Think about those times when you feel overcome with emotions. Taking a break from betting allows you to realign your goals and remain in control of your emotions.  Betting on emotion is not advised by any serious sports bettor.  Doing so can lead to more strategic and profitable decision-making down the line. Keeping things in perspective is essential to any serious sports bettor’s success.  Make sure to take a quick breather whenever you start feeling overwhelmed or exhausted. It\'ll pay off both emotionally and financially. The Final Word All in all, successful betting requires discipline, knowledge, and strategy. Understanding the basics of sports betting is the first step to success.  Develop your knowledge of the sport you\'re betting on and read through the lines carefully. Compare different sportsbook offerings to get the best value.  Use stats, trends, and previous game results to make informed decisions when placing your bets. Always remember to choose wisely and never bet more than you can afford to lose. It\'s recommended that when faced with overwhelming emotions or exhaustion, it’s best to take a break from betting.  Taking breaks helps keep things in perspective and allows you to become fully aware of any potential risks. With the right strategies for sports bettors in place, anyone can make smart wagers that will provide benefits in the long run. 

If you are looking to bet on baseball in 2023, you have come to the right place. Smarter bettors have developed a number of strategies that pay off big dividends. In this article, we focus on just a few tips that make 2023 a baseball betting success. Key Points – To bet on baseball this season, bettors should consider a few strategies. – The ability to recognize reverse line movement can help your baseball betting. Baseball Betting in 2023  Unlike basketball and football, baseball is a moneyline sport. The majority of NFL wagers, for example, are made on the point spread. Although possible, point spread bets - known as run line bets - in baseball are less prevalent.  Moneyline bets are easy to understand. Bettors wager on a favorite or an underdog. According to the odds, the favorite is more likely to win. Remember that when you wager on the favorite, your profits are likely to be less than your initial stake.  A greater payoff will normally be offered if you win an underdog wager. All of this is based on the moneyline odds for a certain game.  The point spread is another option available to MLB bettors. The spread, or run line in baseball, is usually set at 1.5 runs. The odds on the favorite and underdog will vary.  Baseball totals bets allow players to wager on the Over or Under. The final cumulative score is predicted by bettors to go Over or Under a predetermined limit specified by oddsmakers.  Another noteworthy aspect of baseball is the extensive schedule of games. There are many opportunities for wiseguys and casual bettors alike to strengthen their edge because there are 2,430 regular-season games played in a season.  Here is some baseball betting advice for this season.  EDITOR’S CHOICE: THE MARIA STAKING STRATEGY Bet on Baseball - Avoid Big Favorites The average bettor favors favorites. The oddsmakers are aware of this and take advantage of it. The general public will place bets on teams like the Yankees or Dodgers whether they are given odds of -150 or -175.  As a result, some favorites may become expensive. It would be advisable for bettors to avoid them. Since 2005, MLB regular season favorites with odds of -150 or more have won around 63% of their games.  That indicates that the favorites lost 37% of the time. Spending $175 on a favorite to win $100 and lose can rapidly add up. You run the risk of losing a lot of money because you are continually laying a negative number.  The payments are small when favorites prevail. At -275, you might believe that the Yankees are a lock. You staked $275 and received $100. If the Yankees lose, you lose a lot of money. When they win, you win a relatively small amount. In learning to bet on baseball, skip the big MLB favorites. Find other bets that offer more value. You can CLICK HERE to read more about the challenges of betting baseball on Opening Day. The Plus-Money Underdog  Sports bettors should be aware that they must win 52.4 percent of the time in order to break even at standard (-110) odds. By betting on underdogs, bettors can win at a rate lower than 50% and still come out ahead.  On any given day\'s slate, there are some formidable underdogs. Consider placing three $100 wagers on underdogs with odds of +120, +150, and +170. A $300 investment yields $540 in return. However, picking underdogs at random is not a good strategy. But if you do your research, you can locate ones that are reasonably priced and have a chance to win.  Fade the Public When You Bet on Baseball Betting against the public is not a novel concept. It makes sense to wager against the public because they lose the majority of the time. The typical bettor bets based on instinct. Favorite teams, home teams, well-known brands, and teams with great players are things they look for regularly.  Another factor that influences public bettors is recency bias. If a team performed well in their previous game, they will bet on them. Likewise, they will fade teams that played poorly in the prior game.  By betting against the public, bettors can benefit from exaggerated odds and skewed public opinion. An added benefit is to position oneself next with the book. We all know the house always wins.  Since 2007, if an MLB bettor had placed bets on the games that had the most action and won bets on underdogs that received less than 40% of all moneyline bets, they would have won about 44% of the time. They would have won big too because of the plus-money odds. Look for Reverse Line Movement  Baseball involves more than just selecting short favorites and plus-money underdogs. Bettors need to pay attention to what experienced bettors are doing. One of the greatest ways to recognize sharp - or professional - action is to look for reverse line movement (RLM). This happens when a betting line moves in the opposite direction of the way it should move.  Let\'s use the Cubs at -150 playing the Brewers (+130) as an example. A full 75% of the moneyline bets go to Chicago, yet the Cubs\' line drops to -135 while the Brewers\' line has adjusted to +115.  Why would the bookies alter the odds in the public\'s favor while betting on the Cubs? It’s because professional bettors intervened and placed some sizable bets on the Brewers.  This may be a situation where you consider paying for handicapper’s picks. Most cappers will offer their reasoning behind their picks. This may help you learn more about reverse line movement.  Since 2005, MLB teams (favorites as well as underdogs) which got less than 35% of the moneyline bets and had a reverse line movement of at least one penny won 44% of the time. If you raise the RLM to 10 cents or more, the situation improves considerably more.  How to Bet on Baseball in 2023 Divisional Dogs In MLB, divisional teams play each other 13 times per season. Playing a team so frequently fosters some familiarity. That benefits the underdog.  In games played outside of the division since 2005, underdogs have lost a total of around 645 units. In divisional games, betting on underdogs would have netted a loss of about 70 units. That’s a significant difference.  Baseball bettors have even more options for picking divisional underdogs. Road divisional underdogs, especially in games with totals of 8.5 or higher, tend to do very well for bettors. A road divisional underdog offers value to bettors because the general public tends to overvalue home teams. Since 2005, wagering on road divisional underdogs in games with high totals has resulted in profits of more than 70 units.

This is how to use the Maria Staking strategy. Key Points – The Maria Staking Strategy is a bankroll management plan for success. – The strategy may or may not work in betting on various sports. The Maria Staking Strategy - How It Works When you start betting on sports, you start looking for different strategies that will help you win more. You figure out pretty quickly that winning more bets doesn’t always guarantee winning more money. Bettors also figure out that learning how to manage their money is one of the keys to increasing the size of one’s bankroll. One of the plans you might come across is the Maria Staking Strategy. It really isn’t a betting strategy as much as it is a money management plan.  The whole concept comes from an online figure known as Maria Santonix. She is credited with popularizing this strategy. It is reported that took a bankroll of 3,000 British pounds and turned it into 100,000 pounds in a little over ten months.  While all of her wagers were on horses, the strategy could be used in other sports. She never did disclose how she chose which horses to back, but did offer that she had some connections in the racing industry. Regardless, what transpired was something outstanding. Here, we lay out what was done and how the Maria Staking Strategy works. MUST READ: NCAA TOURNAMENT BETTING FACTORS THAT ARE OVERHYPED The Plan The Maria Staking strategy works like this. Bettors will wager a predetermined portion of their total bankroll on each individual bet. The odds associated with each bet are what determine the amount of the bet.  This plan was developed in the U.K. where decimal odds are most frequently used. Here, we will use American odds to explain the strategy.  Here is how it all works. When the odds on a wager are +250 or shorter, bettors will stake 1 percent of their bankroll. With $1,000 bankroll, the bet is $10.  Now, if the odds are +260 to +640, the wager shrinks to 0.6 percent of the bankroll. With the $1,000 bankroll, that wager would be $6.  For bets with odds of +650 to +1000, the wager is 0.4 percent. Using our example of $1,000 bankroll, the corresponding bet would be $4. The other part of the strategy is that the bets will adjust as the bankroll adjusts. Knowing when to adjust your betting unit size is difficult for bettors. This strategy makes it easy.  If the bankroll grows, the amounts that you wager will also grow proportionately. When the odds are +250 or shorter, you still bet 1 percent, but the amount of the wager will be different because the size of the bankroll is different.  There is an exception. The amount of the bets will not decrease until a player’s bankroll has shrunk to a level that is 65 percent of the initial amount. We look at an example next. Maria Staking Strategy Example Most bettors, especially inexperienced ones, are not likely to begin their sports betting journey with 3,000 dollars, pounds, or whatever currency. They will probably start with something much lower. For the sake of example, we will use 1,000 units, which could be dollars, pounds, euros, or any currency.  We begin with $1,000 and we will place our first wager on a bet at +200. That means we will stake 1 percent or $10. Let’s say we win the first bet. We profit $20 which gets added back to the bankroll. The bankroll is now $1,020.  Our next bet is one at +300. That means we will wager 0.6 percent of our new bankroll of $1,020. That’s a $6.12 bet. Let’s say we lose that bet. The bankroll goes down to $1,013.88. For our third bet, we find a great underdog at +600. Using the Maria Staking strategy, that means we will risk 0.4 percent of our bankroll ($1,013.88). We put $4.06 on our underdog.  When the underdog wins, we profit $24.36. That, of course, gets added back to the bankroll and leaves us with $1,038.24. And, the cycle continues. The Maria Staking Strategy - How It Works The Exception Like any rule, there are some exceptions. With the initial bankroll of $1,000, your bets would be $10, $6, and $4 depending upon the odds. If you lose the first bet, these wagers remain $10, $6, and $4.  In fact, those bets will remain the same even if your bankroll keeps decreasing. Those wagers only change if your bankroll gets to 65 percent - or $650 - of the initial amount. If you can avoid these habits of the losing sports bettor, it may not come to this. However, if it does, you have a strategy. If your bankroll falls below $650, your betting amounts will change. You will still use the 1.0, 0.6, and 0.4 percent numbers. The bets would change to $6.50 for bets with odds at +250 or shorter, $3.90 for those with odds between +260 and +640, and $2.60 for bets with odds of +650 to +1000. Can You Attain Success with the Maria Staking Strategy Like many betting strategies, the answer probably depends upon certain factors. A big factor is the sport you wager on. The namesake of this strategy bet only on horses. When betting on horses, you often find odds higher than +250. Betting on nightly NBA games, it would become pretty risky betting only on underdogs on the moneyline. The other key thing to remember is that this is simply a money management strategy. Nowhere in this plan is there anything about picking winners. At some point, you have to become adept at picking winners and doing so at least half the time. At plus-money odds, you can get away with losing more often, but you have to win at some point to increase the bankroll. If you are considering using this strategy, think of it this way. It’s like following a diet plan. The plan lays out how many calories you should eat for the day. Maybe it even breaks up how much to eat at each meal. However, nowhere in the diet does it tell you exactly what to eat.  The Maria Staking strategy can lessen exposure to risk and prevent bettors from chasing losses. Keep in mind that she didn’t bet on anything over +1000. Bettors that can find a way to pick consistent winners can find a way to grow their bankroll using this strategy.

NCAA tournament betting factors that are overhyped. Key Points – Casual bettors overhype a number of NCAA tournament betting factors.  – Smart bettors do not fall for the hype. NCAA Tournament Betting Factors That Are Overhyped Every year when the NCAA Tournament comes around, several factors are mentioned that have a significant impact on the event’s outcome. Some of the factors are actually very important. Other factors are deemed important by the betting public, but in reality they are not. The ability to identify elements that don\'t truly have a big impact on any game’s outcome is a characteristic shared by smarter bettors. It helps them avoid early March Madness betting mistakes. There are six NCAA tournament betting factors that are just ridiculously overhyped. We examine each below. Travel Every year, as soon as the bracket is announced, you\'ll hear all kinds of comments about the teams that have to endure grueling travel. Teams from the west and east coasts will have to travel across the country to play in their respective brackets. Big deal. Too many bettors will make assumptions regarding the effects and potential unfairness of travel. It’s really not that important. Between their final conference tournament game and their opening tournament game, teams typically have at least three days off. Some will have more. Teams travel all season long. Traveling across time zones is nothing new for teams that have done it all year. The best part of the tournament for first round winners is that they stay in the same hotel and don’t have to travel to play in their second game.  If they advance to the Sweet Sixteen, they will have four to five days off before they travel again. This is exactly what they do during the season. Public bettors will put way too much emphasis on traveling during the NCAA tournament. The one time when travel might play a small role in handicapping an NCAA tournament game is with teams that qualify for March Madness and must play in a play-in game. Play-in games are held on Tuesday and Wednesday before the first round begins on Thursday. All play-in games are in Dayton, Ohio. That means a team could play in Ohio on Tuesday and have to play less than 48 hours later on the West coast. That’s not ideal, but in most cases, travel during the tournament is way overvalued. ICYMI: HANDICAPPING TEAMS DOWN 0-2 IN THE NBA PLAYOFFS NCAA Tournament Betting Factors - Player Out Every year, a few well-known athletes are forced to sit out one or more NCAA tournament games due to a variety of circumstances. The most common reason is injuries.  Public bettors will almost always overreact to a star player being out for a tournament game. Take a team that will play without its leading scorer. The public will fade that team as a result Those casual bettors fail to look at what the team did during the season without that player. A team might have great depth. Too often, the public overlooks other factors that can influence the outcome of a March Madness game.  Yes, it’s true that most teams will regress some when a starter is out. The level of that regression usually isn’t as great as public bettors think. It is another NCAA tournament betting factor that bettors put too much emphasis on. Coaching History You see these types of games all the time. A coach has a team in the tournament and is playing the school that he used to coach at a few years prior. Maybe he was an assistant at the opposing school. How about when a coach is a finalist for another job and isn’t given the opportunity? Now, he’s facing that team that overlooked him in the NCAA tournament. These are just a few of the many different coaching storylines that fans will see in the NCAA tournament. The problem is that recreational bettors get caught up in the media frenzy. The media hypes these stories and bettors factor them into their betting decisions.  This is not smart. There are too many other NCAA tournament betting factors to analyze prior to making betting decisions. https://www.youtube.com/live/dFbRTiCc3OU?feature=share Conference Strength This happens every year. The Big 12 or the ACC is the “best” conference in basketball, according to all the experts. The public will then buy into the hype and overvalue 19-12 teams from these conferences that make the tournament. The problem with conference strength is that the conference doesn’t play the tournament games. The individual teams do. Sure, playing great competition all season long can bring out the best in a team.  The truth is that teams from strong conferences can struggle against weaker competition. Ask Virginia, a No. 1 seed in the 2018 NCAA tournament. The Cavaliers, from the ACC, became the first No. 1 seed to lose a first-round game in the tournament.  Looking into the relative strengths of each conference is usually a waste of time for college basketball handicappers. There are too many other NCAA tournament betting factors that are directly related to outcomes. Conference Tournament Play Another one that public bettors buy into is the team that won four or five games to win its respective conference tournament. Yes, teams will often carry some momentum into March Madness. UConn was the No. 9 seed in the 2011 Big East tournament. The Huskies would win the conference tournament then go on to win a national championship as a No. 3 seed. That is an outlier. It doesn\'t really matter how well a college basketball team did at its conference tournament.  There are times when a conference tournament victor will struggle during the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament due to a lack of focus and effort. In contrast, occasionally a team will turn things around and play well in the NCAA tournament after having a bad conference tournament performance.  Sometimes, teams will lose early in their conference tournament and then benefit from having the extra time off. There are just too many other factors involved to draw conclusions based on conference tournament play alone. NCAA Tournament Betting - Past Tourneys Smart bettors stay away from this one. Public bettors will put too much stock in how teams have done in the NCAA tournament in the past. For example, a certain team won its first tournament game nine out of the last ten years. Another has lost its last five Sweet Sixteen games.  Very few of the players on a current team had anything to do with some of the past tournament performances. Every season brings a new team, a new chemistry, and new results.  Considering past tournament performances is one of the big mistakes that bettors make when engaging in NCAA tournament betting. It’s one of the sports betting traps to avoid.