How to handicap teams down 0-2 in the NBA playoffs. Key Points – There are a number of considerations when betting the NBA playoffs on a team down 0-2. – Just because a team is down 0-2 in the playoffs doesn’t mean they aren’t worth betting on. Handicapping Teams Down 0-2 in the NBA Playoffs Losing the first two games of a playoff series is the absolute worst thing an NBA team wants to happen. They fall into a hole from which it may be challenging to climb out. An 0-2 hole is not the end of the world, but it is extremely hard to come back from.  Many NBA teams down 0-2 will fold and be eliminated quickly from the postseason. Others use the fear of elimination as a motivator. The trick for NBA bettors is to figure out which kind of team they are betting on in this situation. Plus, bettors shouldn’t forget about betting NBA totals. Doing so can be rewarding for the smart bettor. When handicapping teams down 0-2 in the NBA playoffs, it’s important to take these following factors into account. Location It’s worth noting where the losses occurred. In the NBA playoffs, the first two games are always at the home of the higher seed. It’s rare that a higher-seeded home team loses the first two games of any playoff series. However, it has happened.  More often, the visiting team loses the first two games of a playoff series. Visiting teams down 0-2 realize their situation. Not many teams that go down 3-0 ever come back to win a series.  Home teams that lose the first two games on their own court are in an even more difficult situation. They are faced with winning at least one game on the opponent’s home floor in order to send the series back to their home court for Games 5 and 7. Where the losses occur, in this case, matters as they can affect the overall psyche of a team. MOST RECENT: THE CHALLENGES OF BETTING BASEBALL ON OPENING DAY Identical NBA Playoffs Losses Not all losses are created equal. A team can lose a game in many different ways. When handicapping teams down 0-2, it would be preferable for a team to have lost both games under different circumstances.  Maybe a team shot poorly but was still able to hang in the game only to lose in the last minute. It’s possible a key player suffered an injury at some point in the game and didn’t return. That player’s presence may have been the difference.  If a team lost both games in the same fashion - say they struggled shooting the ball - that would be a cause for concern. It could mark a longer-term trend. Smart bettors would want to use this as they figure out how to bet on the next game (if they bet at all). The point here is that it’s worth looking at how the team lost its first two games.  Statistical Performance Bettors should take a look at a team’s statistical performances in those first two games. Are they meeting their expectations? Are they struggling in an area where they don’t normally have issues? If a team is struggling, bettors should examine it further to decide whether the situation is likely to improve or not. For example, an 0-2 team has shot poorly in both of the first two games. Upon review, the reason for the shooting lapse was the outstanding defense by the opponent. That is more telling than a team simply missing a lot of open jump shots.  A team may have scored the majority of its points in the paint. Once you examine it deeper, you find out that the opposition was missing its top interior defender for the first two games due to injury. He is expected to play in Game 3. That will likely make a huge difference in the game’s outcome. The idea here is to determine whether or not what has happened in the first two games is likely to continue or change. That will help bettors handicap these games.  https://youtu.be/j9StQ8SVDGc Best Players in NBA Playoffs Every NBA team has its best players. Have those players played up to their capabilities? Every NBA player has bad games, even star players.  Basketball is very much a team sport, but the stars of the team will set the tone for all of their teammates. If they aren\'t playing well, bettors should take a look at things like how the opposition is matching up against them. It’s also worth checking the star players\' health, their postseason performance history, their recent form, and even their body language on the court.  Public Response One of the best things bettors can do in a situation like this is take a look at how the public is reacting. When a series gets off to a slow start, the public will often act as though the world has ended.  They will write off the team that is down 0-2 and develop a doomsday mentality. There are other times when dropping the first two games of a series won’t change anything. It might be a popular team that is returning to its home court. The public will continue to bet on them. The best NBA bettors will always be aware of what the general public thinks and how it affects the way the lines are set and any line movement. Big line moves are a big deal. Smart bettors track this movement and use it to their advantage.

The challenges of betting baseball on Opening Day. Key Points – You will never know less about an MLB team during a season than you will on Opening Day. – The public makes baseball betting even harder on Opening Day. The Challenges of Betting Baseball on Opening Day Opening Day is an amazing day for baseball bettors and fans. It is a time when everything is fresh and still attainable. In addition, it marks the conclusion of an offseason that seemed to drag on for months. Weren’t we just watching numerous games every day? Opening day, however, can present some special obstacles for bettors who aren\'t watchful. That can be expensive if you aren\'t thinking about them. Here are a number of issues that present a challenge when betting baseball on Opening Day. Heavy Public Betting Public betting is substantial at the beginning of every MLB season. The season opener is a major event for public bettors, or those that really don’t know much about baseball betting. Public bettors like to wager on favorites, popular teams, and teams with popular players. These bettors don’t pay much attention to strategy. The average bettor should know how the betting public affects lines and odds. It’s one of the habits of the losing sports bettor to avoid. In most seasons, very little betting interest will be seen for a midweek game in April. But, MLB Opening Day will bring in a lot of cash. These public bettors will bet primarily on emotion because they have little else to fall back on and no other games to draw inspiration from.  This implies that public favorites will attract a significant portion of bets and that big-name pitchers and free agents will be overbet. Teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, and Astros are popular favorites and will see tons of betting action. So much so, that these public teams will often be overpriced on Opening Day. Baseball bettors should consider this before placing any Opening Day bets. MUST READ: EARLY MARCH MADNESS BETTING MISTAKES Opening Day Baseball Betting Generates Big Crowds Opening Day is a major event in many MLB cities. Teams will typically sell out for their home opener. By mid April, the stands are nowhere near Opening Day levels as the novelty of a new season wears off.  Playing at home is often an advantage on Opening Day because of the size of the crowds. Sportsbooks will often bake that into their odds as well. Smart bettors know this as they look for value in Opening Day baseball bets.  Pre-Game Is Hard on Starting Pitchers Teams will often hold a ceremony to bring in the new season on Opening Day. Such ceremonies have a propensity to linger on and that affects both teams and their pre-game preparations. The starting pitchers for either team may find that difficult. They will be warming up through the ceremony. They may have to change their warm-up routine if the ceremony takes too long. Some pitchers won\'t care, but there are enough guys that rely on their pre-game routine. Any deviation from it messes with their head. MLB games typically start at the time they are supposed to begin. If it says 7:08, the umpire is usually saying “Play ball!” right at 7:08. Still, some pitchers will be thrown off because of all the hoopla surrounding an Opening Day celebration. Even a brief delay before the start of a game can throw some pitchers off their game.  Pitching Rest Teams aim to have their starting pitching rotations in order going into the first game, with their aces prepared to pitch on Opening Day. That doesn’t always happen. Pitchers can be thrown off of their regular rest.  Sometimes, the spring training schedule gets messed up and an ace pitcher might need an extra day or two of rest before he takes the mound. Or, a pitcher might get the extra rest without needing it. Some pitchers actually do not manage extra rest very well. They like routine.  Bettors like routine as well. This is why they should be getting ready to bet MLB spring training right now. This can be true for some position players too. They get used to the routine of playing almost every day and then they get a few days off before Opening Day. That can be detrimental in some cases. Betting Baseball on Young Players on Opening Day Guys that haven’t been there before don’t know what to expect. Young players can be particularly anxious on Opening Day. It is a really important occasion for players who are new to the league or who were called up for the first time in the middle of the season last year.  It’s something young players have been looking forward to for a long time. The thrill and excitement of Opening Day can have a dramatic effect on players’ performances.  Even in the best cases, it might be difficult to predict what to expect from young players. In these situations, it may be even more difficult to believe that a young player will be able to reach his full potential.  The Challenges of Betting Baseball on Opening Day Lack of Information Almost no information exists for the baseball handicapper. Baseball betting is all about analyzing the past and figuring out what it signifies for the future. There is no past on Opening Day, at least none that is really significant.  You can\'t rely on anything from the previous season to effectively forecast what will happen on Opening Day.  Teams undergo roster changes and you know nothing of how a team will play in the new season.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on Opening Day. It just means you should be extremely careful. You need a solid justification for placing a bet. You will never know less about MLB teams heading into the regular season than you will on Opening Day. That is the challenge!

Avoid these early March Madness betting mistakes. Key Points  – Avoid early March Madness betting mistakes like betting with your heart. – Seeding and game location can influence March Madness outcomes. Early March Madness Betting Mistakes The best time of year for betting on college basketball, and arguably all sports, is during the NCAA Tournament. It can also be a highly pricey time of year if you\'re not attentive.  If you fall for some of the early March Madness betting mistakes, you might easily end up placing too many losing bets. College basketball lines are tighter come tournament time compared to the regular season. Plus, public action has a significant impact on those lines.  There are a number of March Madness betting mistakes that too many bettors make. Here is a look at the biggest ones and how you might prevent them.  March Madness Betting Mistakes - Emotion The NCAA tournament is one of the most thrilling sporting events of each year. It is easy to get caught up in all of the hoopla, the passion of the tournament. There will be upsets, close games, and every game will be on TV.   It is very easy to bet on games entirely based on emotion. Smart bettors know that this is a recipe for disaster.  Maintaining context is crucial in this case while discussing March Madness.  For the average college basketball bettor, betting on March Madness is actually easier than a typical regular season Saturday. At the most, a max of 32 teams are playing on one day (Day 1 and 2 of the tournament). That makes it easier for bettors to handicap games and avoid March Madness betting mistakes. Each game also receives far more attention than they would if it was the regular season. Bettors find it simpler than ever to find reliable information. When you think about it, handicapping tournament games isn\'t actually all that difficult. Stay away from betting on emotion. MOST RECENT: GETTING READY TO BET MLB SPRING TRAINING Buying on Name Recognition Too often, bettors go for the names that they have heard or seen frequently on TV. At tournament time, there are always games with top-seeded teams playing opponents from lesser-known conferences.  The betting public almost always leans toward name recognition. Just like betting on emotion, this can lead to too many losses. In the first two rounds of March Madness, there are always upsets. This is one of those sports betting traps to avoid. An upset would be considered a team that is seeded at least two spots below its opponent and pulling off the win. For example, a No. 9 seed beating a No. 8 seed would not be considered an upset. A No. 10 seed beating a No. 7 seed would be considered an upset.  There are usually a dozen upsets in any given tournament. That’s why it pays to do the homework and find betting value rather than bet on name recognition. There are too many instances where a lower-seeded team has enough talent and more motivation than a higher-seeded opponent. Speaking of Seeds When filling out their bracket, a person who does not follow college basketball a lot during the season is generally going to select the higher seeded teams to defeat the lower seeds. Again, this is another recipe for losing bets. Consider the recent winning percentages of No. 12 seeds in their first-round games. A No. 12 seed has beaten a No. 5  seed 53 times since the NCAA tournament was expanded to 64 teams in 1985.  That’s nearly 36 percent of all No. 5-No. 12 games. For instance, a middle of the pack team from a big conference is frequently more likely to receive a respectable high seeding than the undisputed champion of a smaller mid-major. Although seeds are one method used by sports bettors to evaluate the relative strength of teams, they are far from being a reliable source of information.  One of the March Madness betting mistakes is not searching for these undervalued underdogs. The NCAA tournament will almost always seed a middle-of-the-pack major conference team higher than a mid-major conference champion.  Early March Madness Betting Mistakes Location, Location, Location Despite the fact that all NCAA Tournament games are, in theory, played at neutral venues, some of those locations are undoubtedly much more neutral than others. While some teams must fly across the country, some will play just a few hours from their school. Some may even play on their home court.  If the game is close enough for fans to travel in large numbers, the venue can have a significant impact on the result. The teams with a national presence must also be taken into consideration. Teams like Duke or North Carolina, for instance, enjoy a sizable support base in the stands wherever they play due to their widespread appeal. A basketball game\'s outcome can be directly and unavoidably impacted by a highly biased crowd\'s impact on the officials.  March Madness Betting Mistakes - Ignoring the Competition During March Madness, it frequently doesn\'t matter which team is better or more talented. Every team will be as prepared and focused as they can be. Thus, the most crucial factor is not what the team can achieve, but rather the matchup with their opponent.  Too many bettors don’t look at the matchup. If you want to win more, avoid these habits of the losing sports bettor. Winning bettors need to look at how well a team is set up to limit what their opponent does best. They should also look to see if an opponent can take advantage of any flaws a team might have.  There may also be something a team does that an opponent hasn’t seen before. That can give teams problems. When you haven’t practiced or played a team that does something unique, it can take most of a game to get used to. On the other hand, games can get ugly if the lesser opponent is unable to offset the stronger team\'s advantage in height, length, agility, or shooting ability. In summary, college basketball handicappers must be aware that in the tournament, matchups are essential.

How to get ready to bet MLB spring training. Key Points – There is money to be made when you bet on MLB spring training. – Find value before you bet MLB spring training. Getting Ready to Bet MLB Spring Training Baseball bettors find spring training to be an exciting time of year. Baseball\'s preseason is far more intense than those of other sports because they take it much more seriously. That’s good news for bettors since it’s more attractive for people to bet MLB spring training.  There is a big difference, though, in betting on spring training and the MLB regular season. If you try and place bets in March the same way you do in August, you are going to run into some serious issues. If you want to have success when you bet MLB spring training, here’s a list of things you should consider first. MUST READ: 2023 STANLEY CUP FUTURES UPDATE The Best Aren’t Always the Best The top teams in MLB aren’t always the best spring training teams.  MLB teams that are on track to have successful seasons occasionally aren\'t all that strong in the spring. There are also teams that do extremely well in the spring but falter during the regular season. There have been times when success in the spring does translate into regular season success. In 2010, the San Francisco Giants had the best record in the Cactus League in spring training. The Giants went on to win the World Series. The team the Giants beat - the Texas Rangers - were actually the worst team in the Grapefruit League during the spring. The bottom line is this. Don’t put too much stock into how a team performed the year before. Don’t put too much into how a team is projected to do during the regular season. Those things will have little bearing on what will transpire in spring training. Offseason Changes Take Time When You Bet MLB Spring Training Changes can take a while to become permanent. During the offseason, baseball teams will sometimes completely restructure their rosters. A team could sign a number of new players that would make their outlook the next season seem extremely favorable.  However, chemistry is a crucial component in baseball. It might take some time for new players to warm up to one another. It may take a while for them to get used to playing with one another.  Therefore, a change that appears to have a lot of potential for success might not be effective until later in the MLB season. These new additions may prove to be outstanding moves, but not until later in a season. That’s okay for the teams involved, but not so much when you bet the MLB spring training. Veterans Hate the Spring MLB veterans hate spring training. The baseball season is incredibly long. Teams play 162 regular season contests for the chance to potentially play 22 more postseason games.  Players will play almost every day for more than six months. Before that all starts, players must complete around 30 spring training games. That’s a game a day for a month. What motivates teams and players is one of the biggest betting mistakes to avoid. It is not surprising that many seasoned players are not overly enthusiastic about games in March. The likelihood that a club will be at ease in the spring increases with the number of MLB veterans it has, provided those veterans aren\'t competing for starting positions.  Competition for Jobs Creates Success Success can be fueled by competition for positions. This is the opposite of the last point. When teams have younger players at positions where they are fighting for a starting job, that competition creates more success in spring training. When you bet MLB spring training, you will look for these types of teams to back. It could be veteran players too. They may have landed with a new team and have to battle with a couple players for the opportunity to start during the regular season. Players fighting for a job will work extremely hard during spring training. That will affect how many of the exhibition games turn out. https://youtu.be/0dfHrDwIgPg Bet MLB Spring Training - Pitching Starting pitchers are far less significant in the spring. In the regular season, starting pitchers make up the majority of most bettors’ strategy. Starting pitchers will only throw a few innings, especially early in the spring. They are typically not at their best either.  Understanding this can help you choose MLB exhibition games to bet on. Scheduling Doesn’t Matter The spring training playing schedule doesn’t matter. During the regular season, bettors spend  a lot of time considering how the schedule will affect things. Bettors look at things such as how long a road trip will be, whether clubs will have days off, and so forth.  In the spring, This just isn\'t relevant. Most teams play every day, so rest doesn\'t really matter. Fatigue is not an issue because it is still very early in the season and rosters are very deep. Plus, travel isn’t an issue. All of the ballparks in Arizona’s Cactus League, for example, are accessible by car within an hour. Be Patient There will always be betting opportunities in spring training. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you must be a patient baseball handicapper. The spring could be a good time to work on your money management skills and when to adjust your betting unit size. There are plenty of regular season games to come, so there is no need to wipe out the bank account before you really need to. Bet MLB spring training when there is value. When there isn’t, skip it. Don’t force yourself into less than ideal circumstances.

Here is a 2023 Stanley Cup futures update. Key Points – A number of factors, including goaltending, affect 2023 Stanley Cup futures. – Don’t forget special teams when considering 2023 Stanley Cup futures. 2023 Stanley Cup Futures Update If you enjoy placing championship futures bets on significant sports, you should certainly consider the NHL. When seeking profitable methods to invest your money, 2023 Stanley Cup futures are just as enticing as any other option on the board. The simple explanation for this is that hockey is usually more predictable than other sports. It is extremely uncommon for a surprise underdog to rise up and win a Stanley Cup. Typically, a great team that has been on the rise or has been among the league\'s elite ends up winning the Cup each year.  Even though it might not be a heavy favorite that hoists the Cup, it is usually a strong favorite or contender that does so. When handicapping NHL futures, there are a few things that can help you have more success. ICYMI: BETTING NBA TOTALS VERSUS COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOTALS Strong Favorites How good are the front-runners? Every time you wager on championship futures in any sport, this is where you should start. The majority of public funds will be spent on the favorites because that is where the public will turn its attention.  It would be worth looking into finding sharp money action on any strong favorites. This way, your money is on the team that the pros are betting on. This implies that the probability for those teams will typically be lower than they should be. It\'s your responsibility as an NHL handicapper to decide whether or not they merit that attention. You would need a very solid reason to bet against them if they are big favorites with no evident weaknesses and a decent probability of being the last team standing. You might be interested in betting on them despite the inflated odds.  However, if you don\'t think the favorites will win, you might be prepared to pay a little less for other teams whose odds of success are higher than they could be.  2023 Stanley Cup Futures - Goalie Play Without outstanding goaltending, it is practically impossible for an NHL club to claim the Stanley Cup. This does not imply that teams have never won without top-tier goalies. It merely indicates that they have had goalies who heated up at precisely the right time.  Therefore, you must be confident in the goaltending position before considering placing a wager on a team. Has their goalie situation been made clear? Is their go-to guy trustworthy and able to occasionally excel? If the answer to either question is \"no,\" that doesn\'t imply they can\'t win.  Teams have frequently made adjustments late in the season that have helped them advance far in the postseason. All this means is that a team is too much of a risk early in the season.  Goaltenders will often get hot and teams that do could see adjustments in their futures odds. Being able to anticipate big line moves can help bettors capitalize on a bet. Depth Is Crucial Teams that have quality depth are better built to win championships. In the NHL, injuries are unavoidable. The season is long and grueling, and there are a lot of different ways to get hurt.  Teams will lose players for extended stretches of time, and there is a considerable probability that these individuals will be important ones. A team must be confident that they can manage the loss of a star player without suffering a severe setback in order to maintain their postseason aspirations.  An NHL team without depth is dependent on staying healthy, which makes them more prone to risk in a full-season wager.  https://youtu.be/t2kbt3lphpE Taking Stock of Divisions & Conferences A large part of how well a team performs in a given NHL season depends upon its division. NHL teams are reliant on their divisions and conferences because those are the groups of opponents they will face most frequently throughout the season.  Teams need to beat the other teams in their division and conference in order to make the postseason. A team playing in a weak division will likely have the record to get into the playoffs. Playing a weak schedule might, however, not help them win late in the playoffs. There may be teams that play in a tougher division that you may consider betting on. Their competition during the season may be exactly what they need to get hot during the postseason. Regardless,  sports bettors must be certain of the price and value before placing a wager on 2023 Stanley Cup futures. 2023 Stanley Cup Futures - Special Teams Special teams are important in hockey.  Successful teams must be proficient both on the power play and when down a man. The majority of NHL championship teams will be the best in at least one of those categories.  As an NHL bettor, it would be wise for you to consider how teams perform in those two crucial areas - power play and penalty killing. How has the team performed in the past? What changes have they made ahead of the season? Do they have the necessary personnel? How well-prepared are the special teams by the coaching staff? What is the second unit\'s depth? These are all great questions when you begin to assess a team’s special teams. Teams frequently have one excellent power play or penalty killing unit, but that squad cannot play every minute. That makes the second unit even more important.   How Do They Rate NHL handicappers should keep in mind their criteria while placing wagers on 2023 Stanley Cup futures. Remember, you\'re not attempting to predict which team will win the title. You want to find teams that have a higher chance of winning the championship than the odds would indicate.  If you place wagers that pay out more than the risk they carry over the long run, you will win. One efficient technique to approach these bets is to assess the teams and rank them according to their chances of winning and overall strength.  Once the teams are arranged, you may mentally assign some simple odds to indicate each team\'s chances. NHL handicappers may discover appealing value when they contrast their odds with the published odds.

These are the top Super Bowl betting mistakes. Key Points – Most Super Bowl betting mistakes are the result of information released by the media. – Bettors shouldn’t believe everything they hear leading up to the Super Bowl. Super Bowl Betting Mistakes As soon as the conference championship games are over, the Super Bowl frenzy begins. It turns into an almost uncontrollable craziness. Media day is one of those absolutely crazy days where reputable journalists sit down with players from both teams.  Media day reveals a number of things to Super Bowl fans, football fans, and bettors alike. It used to be that the information revealed after Super Bowl media day was very helpful to bettors as they prepared to place their bets. That’s not really the case anymore. In reality, there are now many more opportunities for a bettor to lose money and be deceived by the media. Gaining valuable information from the sports media prior to the Super Bowl just doesn’t happen that often anymore.  Here are five critical Super Bowl betting mistakes that you should be aware of before wagering on this year’s game.   MUST READ: BETTING NBA TOTALS VERSUS COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOTALS Same Info Over Again As soon as the press and all of the networks begin their Super Bowl coverage, there are a number of items that you will hear over and over. One media source jumps on a story, and then the entire media is on it.  It\'s easy for anyone to assume that something must be really important if you hear it so frequently. However, this is often not the case. The reason you hear about the same issue over and over again - remember Joe Burrow’s small hands? - is because everyone in the media keeps asking about it.  Too many media representatives don\'t have a lot of uniqueness or innovation. They end up asking what amounts to the same question in a different way. The result is the same information over and over. The most widespread news or perspectives on the game are likely to be the most significant. Sports bettors must be impartial and thoroughly assess if anything they hear is relevant and important before making betting decisions. Jedi Mind Tricks & Super Bowl Betting Mistakes Injuries are probably the one thing that has the biggest impact on betting the Super Bowl. Teams are required by the league to submit injury reports and cannot withhold information about the health of their players. What coaches can do though is provide disinformation to throw off their opponents. A player may be listed on the injury report as questionable. The team may have the player sit out a number of practices. During the week’s media sessions, the head coach gives off a vibe like the player is worse off than was thought.  NFL teams won\'t give up information that will provide their rivals with anything to take away from or use as motivation. What that means is that you should be skeptical of anything you hear from the media in the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.  One of the easiest Super Bowl betting mistakes to make is simply believing everything you hear from the sports media. It doesn’t mean you should ignore anything that players or coaches say, but you need to avoid these habits of the losing sports bettor. Super Bowl Betting Mistakes - Hype Another of the easy Super Bowl betting mistakes is buying into the hype. There will undoubtedly be something that most every media source is hyping up before the big game. It could be that the media will become extremely enthused about certain players. It might be a certain narrative or some sort of human interest.  Whatever it is, the media gets overly excited about it. The betting public then follows suit. The public loves the hype and they will believe it. With all the hype and the public believing the hype, it’s really easy for the average bettor to believe everything that is being said by the media.  Too often, hype is not genuine. Other times when it may be true, it’s just not as significant as we are being made to believe. Everything that you see and hear in the two weeks before the Super Bowl should be approached as if you are a professional sports bettor. Do the research to find out if all the hype is justified.  Lack of Meaningful Information In today’s information age, there really isn’t much that we don’t know. Big line moves are still a big deal, but bettors can get that information relatively easily. We often have too much information and don’t know what to do with it all. It’s probably safe to assume that the sports media, after the first few days of coverage, will not learn anything new.  There might be some interesting background information about players or coaches. There will probably be some cool soundbites and there might be something new about a past playoff game and how it might affect the Super Bowl. Truly meaningful information, like that about a game plan, player health, opponent concerns, and other topics usually doesn’t come up. Players and coaches do not reveal this information so pundits can only speculate. One of the Super Bowl betting mistakes often made is speculating on information that cannot be verified.  https://youtu.be/H9fBkuhQDRE Plenty of Misleading Information Most of the information that comes out as a result of Super Bowl media day and all the coverage leading up to the game doesn’t offer much in the way of insightful information. It does, however, offer several opportunities to mislead or confuse bettors.  To avoid making Super Bowl betting mistakes, it is advised that you have your betting decision ready to go as early as possible. It’s probably best to have your position in place prior to the Super Bowl’s media day. Bettors can sort through what they learn on media and determine if any of the information would affect the final decision. Bettors that do their handicapping in advance can avoid these easy Super Bowl betting mistakes. They can avoid being misled by all the hoopla in the days leading up to the big game. 

There is a difference in betting NBA totals versus college basketball totals. Key Points – The wide variety of styles of play in college basketball is one of the key differences when betting NBA totals. – NBA bettors can take advantage of greater betting limits when it comes to totals. Betting NBA Totals Versus College Basketball Totals The betting public often makes the mistake of thinking that betting on basketball is always betting on basketball regardless of whether it is college or the NBA. After all, in both sports the objective is to score more points than the other team.  Smarter, more experienced bettors know that betting on the two sports is very different. It’s almost as if you are betting on two different sports. One area where the differences are pronounced is in betting totals.  Here, we look at four ways in which betting NBA totals is different from betting totals in college basketball.  READ OUR LAST POST: WHAT IS PARLAY INSURANCE Points Per Game The NBA obviously features more points per game than the college game does. There are a couple of key reasons for that. The college game is eight minutes shorter than the NBA where teams play four 12-minute quarters compared to two 20-minute halves in college. The college shot clock at 35 seconds is 11 seconds longer than the NBA shot clock. Pace can be much slower in the college game. The result is that game totals are set much higher in the NBA.  NBA totals of over 200 are common. They are unheard of in the college game where many totals are often less than 140. Some college totals are even less. Because college totals are so much lower, each point is more significant. One point is a significantly bigger percentage of the total score of a college game than it is in the NBA.  A total exceeded by seven points in a college game is a much bigger deal than one surpassed by seven in the NBA. When betting NBA totals, one has to adjust mentally to the increased scoring and faster tempo. Bettors can’t think like a college basketball bettor when betting on the NBA.  Players Impact Totals When an NBA star like LeBron James sits out a game, there is a noticeable impact. However, when a college team’s best player sits out, the effect is even greater.  One star college player makes a huge difference in a team’s scoring. Remember, college teams score fewer points. A star player that averages 20 points per game might account for one-third of a team’s scoring. Making up for that is much more difficult in the college game. Plus, these injuries or roster changes are not as highly publicized for college games. In the NBA, teams are more heavily scrutinized and the league requires injury updates a certain number of times per day. This makes it a bit more difficult when betting NBA totals compared to the college game.  Betting NBA Totals & Style of Play NBA teams are all made up of the best of the best. They are all elite athletes, many of whom were the best players on their college team, in their college conference, and among the best in the nation.  College teams do not have that luxury. Keep in mind that there are over 350 NCAA Division I basketball teams. With so many teams, there is a profound difference between the best teams in the nation and the worst. In certain college games, there may be a time when you adjust your betting unit size on a game total. To compete, many teams adopt different styles of play. There are teams that run up and down the floor and shoot three-pointers all night. Others stick to a strong defense. Take Virginia as an example. The Cavaliers have been a top-10 team for most of the last decade. Rarely do they get four- and five-star caliber players, but they play outstanding defense. In the NBA, most teams play man-to-man defense. Some teams are better than others, but on any given night, a team can explode for 120 points or more. For the most part though, the differences in tempo among NBA teams are not as big as those in college basketball. This is a key when betting NBA totals.  Betting NBA Totals Versus College Basketball Totals Betting Limits When betting NBA totals, bettors have the advantage of higher betting limits. Sportsbooks set their limits based on the amount of action they figure they will get on a given game. It’s a measure of the risk they are willing to take. With smaller limits though, it will take less money to move a total in college basketball as compared to the NBA. If a total moves significantly in an NCAA game, bettors can be almost certain that sharp money has come in heavy on one side of a total. These big line moves are a big deal. Bettors will often see more variation among sportsbooks with NCAA totals. In betting NBA totals, there is not as much variance. It still, however, pays to shop around for the best number.

Bettors should understand parlay insurance. Key Points – Most of the most well-known sportsbooks offer parlay insurance. – Parlays are still risky bets whether covered by insurance or not. What Is Parlay Insurance What sucks for bettors is missing out on a sizable payout because one leg of your parlay was lost. Fortunately, some sportsbooks offer parlay insurance to assist in covering those losses. If you lose a parlay by one leg, parlay insurance offers a partial refund on your bet. Every sportsbook has its own rules, but parlay protection typically pays up to $25 for a failed parlay. To help you feel more confident placing parlays and taking advantage of the best sportsbook bonuses, promo codes & offers, this post goes over the fundamentals of insuring parlays and highlights the variety of offers from the top sportsbooks. How It Works Some of the riskiest bets in sports betting are parlays. Although the payouts are sizable, one bad pick can ruin your entire parlay. That, of course, is the trade off. In an effort to encourage more gamblers to place parlays, sportsbooks began to offer parlay insurance. The insurance will partially reimburse you for your losses if you lose a parlay by just one leg. Let\'s say you place a multi-sport parlay at your sportsbook. There is an insurance promotion if you place a 5-leg parlay. You receive a refund of up to $25 if you lose just one of the legs. Although it might not seem like much, it\'s a great way to feel more at ease placing a parlay wager. Parlays provide extremely long odds with enormous potential payouts, so you don\'t need to wager more than $25 to stand a chance of making a significant profit. For example, you place a five-team NFL parlay and bet on five point spread favorites all at -110 odds. The five-team parlay will payout at +2300. That means a $100 bet, in this case, will pay out $2400 ($2300 in winnings plus the $100 wager). When putting together the parlay, you might want to use these tips for betting NFL parlays. If one of the underdogs wins and screws up the parlay bet, you get $25 back.  MUST READ: WHEN TO ADJUST YOUR BETTING UNIT SIZE Many Sportsbooks Provide Parlay Protection A lot of well-known sportsbooks provide some kind of insurance on a parlay bet. Each sportsbook has its own rules regarding the amount of a payout as well as the number of legs needed in the parlay.  Usually, parlay insurance is not offered on smaller - i.e. two-leg and three-leg - parlays. Typically, you will have to put together at least a four-leg parlay in order to get any form of insurance. Most of the more prominent sportsbooks don’t start paying any parlay protection until your bet reaches five legs. Here’s an example of one such sportsbook. Bettors must create a parlay of at least five legs. Each wager in the parlay must have odds of at least -200. If one of the legs loses, the sportsbook will pay the bettor $25 in parlay insurance.  If more than one leg loses, the bettor loses his entire stake. This particular sportsbook allows up to four of these parlay bets with insurance per day. Exotic parlays like teasers, round robins, and same-game parlays are prohibited.  If you don’t place a lot of parlays and are considering a five-leg bet, you might want to find a sportsbook like this one where you can get something back if you lose one leg of the bet. You might be more likely to take the risk knowing you are getting something back if one of the legs loses. Does Parlay Insurance Make Sense? It surely reduces volatility, even though parlays are among the riskiest bets in sports betting. If you have a solid parlay but are sketchy on one of the legs, finding insurance might make sense. It will definitely make the bet worth the risk. If you\'re not comfortable making parlays, don\'t feel pressured to do so right away. Although good, parlay insurance doesn\'t completely eliminate the risk involved in placing a bet. However, it may help in making strong betting choices when one might not be inclined to do so. The benefit of parlays is that you don\'t need to make a sizable bet in order to get a sizable payout. Although a $25 refund might not seem like much, in the context of parlays, that is actually a sizable wager. If you enjoy playing parlays, getting insurance won\'t be a regret. In fact, the security net might tempt you to place a wager that yields a sizable profit. Without the insurance, you might not make the bet.  What Is Parlay Insurance FAQs Regarding Parlay Protection What is insurance on a parlay bet? One leg of your parlay is covered by parlay insurance. You receive a refund, usually of up to $25, if you lose the parlay by just one leg. For example, you have a four-leg parlay bet. Three legs win, but one loses. You don’t win the parlay, but you do get the $25 insurance. Who provides parlay protection? Parlay protection can be found at many of the most prominent sportsbooks in the industry. To find out if your preferred sportsbook is running this kind of promotion, check with their customer service team. Does parlay insurance make sense? Yes, if you enjoy placing these types of bets, you should look for parlay protection. Even with insurance, parlays are still risky. However, having the guarantee of a payment offers bettors peace of mind when you turn in that bet slip.

Learn when to adjust your betting unit size. Key Points – Smart bettors learn the situations where they should adjust their betting unit size. – Proper money management is one of the cornerstones of successful sports betting. When to Adjust Your Betting Unit Size Many sports bettors struggle constantly with money management. It can be hard for gamblers to keep the self-control they need to handle their money well.  Choosing how much to wager on games can also be very difficult, especially if you don\'t use a specific criterion to guide your decision.  There are some general situations in which an increase or decrease in betting unit size are probably a good idea. However, ultimately, deciding on your bet size is a personal choice that you must feel comfortable. No two money management strategies are exactly the same.  Here’s a look at situations where you may want to place a larger than normal wager as well as those where you might place a smaller than usual bet. ICYMI: FINDING THE BEST SPORTSBOOK BONUSES Increase Insignificant Bets Most money management strategies advise placing wagers of one to four percent of your bankroll on a particular sporting event. However, if you have been consistently winning, you might want to make an adjustment. If you’re betting one percent of your bankroll and find yourself on a big win streak, you may want to adjust your betting unit size. A $10 bettor could become a $15 or $20 bettor, for example.   The purpose of the sports betting bankroll is to give you security and allow you to get through difficult times. However, if you are placing bets that are too small, you aren\'t maximizing your resources. Your bankroll will expand but much more slowly than it could.   Betting Unit Size Is Too Small There are times when a bettor just doesn’t bet enough. Consider a bettor with a $1000 bankroll who is highly risk-averse. His bets are consistently $1 to $5. That’s not even close to one percent.  When you bet so little that it doesn’t really make a difference, it might be time to adjust your bet size upward. When betting too little, one might not care enough to put forth any effort into making strong betting choices. Betting too little might actually make you a less successful bettor. Making Money But Not Enough So, you have some goals as a sports bettor. You win a lot of bets, but you keep falling short of those financial goals.  If you are winning consistently, you should consider increasing your betting unit size. This is especially true when you are not making the money you had hoped to.  This bettor is less likely to experience big loss, which makes it much easier to increase bet size. Because this bettor doesn’t lose as often, increasing one’s stake makes sense. Then, the financial goals that were set are more attainable.  Underestimating Your Ability Bettors often overestimate their skills, but if you did the opposite you might want to increase your betting unit size. When your winning percentage consistently exceeds your prediction, you have every reason to increase your stake. You  can determine a good bet size by working backwards from your estimated win percentage. If you estimated 55 percent but in actuality are hitting 60 percent, you might consider moving your $25 bet to $35 or even $50.  When you have proven that you can win more often over the long run, you can justify increasing your bet size. When to Adjust Your Betting Unit Size Betting Unit Size Consumes Bankroll There are situations where bettors should consider reducing the size of their wagers. All bettors hit periods where they can’t buy a win. When you hit one of their difficult periods, your bankroll might decrease significantly. With a smaller bankroll, it only makes sense to adjust the unit size downward. Once you begin to win again, you can always raise your stakes in accordance with the larger bankroll. Too Much Anxiety Scared money is never smart money. Sportsbooks like it when bettors lay down anxious wagers. When bettors aren’t sure of themselves, there is a greater chance that they are making an unwise betting decision. If the size of the wager causes anxiety or discomfort in any way, then it’s too much. Adjust the stake downward or don’t place the bet at all.  Losing bets hurts. Losing a bet where you wagered too much hurts even more. Only bet what you’re really comfortable losing, and avoid the habits of a losing sports bettor. Adjust Unit Size When Underperforming Bettors will often calculate their betting unit size based on their anticipated winning percentage. What happens if you are not consistently hitting that number?  This is a situation where you need to consider lowering your stake. Too often, bettors will chase their losses in an attempt to make up for all the defeats. The problem is that they will run out of money much faster.  It really comes down to bettors just being brutally honest with themselves. They need to know what they are doing, what they are capable of, and what that really means when they are losing. As a sports bettor, you will only hurt your own wallet if you lie to yourself about this. Adjust Betting Unit Size When Withdrawing Many bettors wager on sports, at least in part, to earn a little extra cash. Some even earn a lot more extra cash. Occasionally, these bettors will make withdrawals from their betting accounts. Gamblers that do this are using their betting funds for other purposes. That means, at some point, they must recalculate their betting unit size. This can be a critical error for many sports bettors. They win a bunch of money and then make a withdrawal. They place their next bet but use the same unit size. The problem, of course, is that the new bankroll is smaller.  The stake size might end up now being 15 or 20 percent of the bankroll. That leaves the bettor too vulnerable. Smart bettors will adjust the bet size after they make a large withdrawal from their betting account. 

How you can find the best sportsbook bonuses. Key Points – The best sportsbook bonuses will entice bettors to sign up for betting accounts. – The best sportsbook bonuses also have stipulations attached to them. Finding the Best Sportsbook Bonuses With the advancement of the Internet, people can do pretty much everything online. This includes shopping and gambling. Because bettors are no longer dependent on physical sportsbook locations, they now have a lot more convenience.  Any sports fan can place a bet online and earn a profit from the comforts of their own home. In order to meet the growing demand, thousands of websites have now been launched to give bettors some options.  Online sportsbooks have become very popular. These websites are in fierce competition with one another, and almost all of them offer the best sportsbook bonuses to draw in new bettors and keep existing ones. Basic Math & the Best Sportsbook Bonuses Free money is always welcome, but you should be aware of what free bets from online sportsbooks entail and how they operate.  Almost all sportsbook websites offer deposit bonuses to lure new customers into opening up a new betting account. Most websites offer a bonus of around 20% of the initial deposit in exchange for establishing the new account.   Your betting bankroll will be increased by the amount of this bonus. If the sportsbook is giving a 20% bonus and you deposit $1,000, your betting bankroll will be $1,200. Keep in mind that there will be stipulations attached to any bonus or incentive. READ OUR MOST RECENT POST: SPORTS BETTING MYTH BUSTERS Reload Bonuses Another one of the best sportsbook bonuses is the reload bonus. Again, it is designed to keep existing bettors from jumping to another sportsbook.  Reload bonuses are offered to seasoned players who add or reload money into their betting accounts. Like the initial deposit bonus, the reload bonus is a percentage of the amount being deposited.  Reload bonuses differ from deposit bonuses. They are typically less than a deposit bonus. If a deposit bonus averages 20 percent, the reload bonus might average 10 percent. If a bettor loads $100 into his betting account, the sportsbook adds another $10. Even though the best sportsbook bonuses appear to be quite alluring, the books have certain restrictions to protect their investment. Sportsbooks require bettors to use the bonus money for betting in order to prevent them from withdrawing it as free money.  Sportsbooks do this by requiring a rollover amount before the bonus can be unlocked and the money can be withdrawn. Typically, the rollover is a multiple of the bonus sum. For example, if a rollover requirement is 4x and the deposit amount is $100, a bettor must wager $400 (4 x $100) before he is eligible to withdraw the bonus funds. Finding the Best Sportsbook Bonuses The Best Sportsbook Bonuses - Strategies In the case of a 5x rollover, the bettor would have to wager five times the bonus amount in order to request a payout. The restriction isn\'t too bad, though, as both losing and winning bets count toward the rollover requirement.  For instance, if you reload $1,000 and receive a 10% bonus, the bonus is worth $100. You must wager $500 or more on sports if the rollover requirement is 5x. This can be done by placing 10 $50 wagers or any other multiples that meet the requirement.  Furthermore, it makes no difference whether you win or lose the bets you made. The only requirement is to make $500 worth of bets. Choosing a Sportsbook Online sportsbook bonuses are promotional offers designed to entice bettors to sign up with sports betting sites.  The bonus should only be one factor to take into account when choosing your sportsbook. There are a number of other factors to take into account before signing up with an online sportsbook. The bonus should actually be the last thing you think about. A sportsbook\'s financial standing, which will indicate its capacity to pay winners, should be among the key concerns. Check the sportsbook\'s history to learn how long it has been in business and if there have ever been any instances in which it failed to compensate winners. You can also look at impartial rating websites that review sportsbooks. The betting options provided by the betting site come in second place to financial stability. There is no point in depositing money if the sportsbook doesn\'t offer lines on the games you like to wager on.  Check the betting limits for the games you want to bet on next. If the sportsbook severely restricts your ability to place large wagers on your preferred game, you may want to explore your other options.  Another concern is how easy it is to conduct banking at the sportsbook. Certain sportsbooks, for example, may not accept credit card deposits. That might eliminate a sportsbook from contention right away. Offshore or US sportsbooks that offer flexible banking might make your short list. Many sportsbooks will have a wide variety of banking methods. Many betting sites also accept deposits using wire transfers, e-wallets, and other methods. Again, this is to ensure they can attract as many bettors as possible. A Test Drive Last but not least, see how simple it is for you to use the sportsbook and place a wager. Some people may find it very difficult to place a wager on certain websites. It’s one of the simplest betting mistakes to avoid. Don’t pick a sportsbook based on hype. Check to see if you can easily navigate the website. Nowadays, a lot of sportsbook websites let you \"test drive\" the functions of the site without having to register. Test the sportsbooks navigation and see if you like it. If they offer the best sportsbook bonuses, it might be a betting site worth trying. Final Note Although deposit and reload bonuses are now offered by nearly all well-known sports betting websites, the best sportsbook bonuses are still tempting offers.  Before you register with a sportsbook, you should consider other factors because the majority of them also offer similar bonuses and other incentives. As with anything related to sports betting, do your homework and make good decisions.