Sports betting / Guides / Betting Strategy

Betting Strategy

The truth is that most sports betting beginners don't give a damn about strategies. While this is forgivable, considering a beginner has a lot to learn, it's a mistake to ignore a betting strategy completely. With the right approach, bettors make sound decisions that lead to frequent wins.

Take note, though, that none of these betting systems guarantees instant success. But still, it's worth grasping and using one or two betting systems to tilt the odds. Keep reading to learn!

What is a sports betting strategy?Football betting strategy Baseball betting strategy Golf betting strategy

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What is a sports betting strategy?

A sports betting strategy is a set of systems or tips researched to create a profitable scenario. In other words, an appropriately crafted betting system transfers the advantage that the bookmaker enjoys to the player. This is possible because sports betting involves actual human activities, so there's no house edge to ensure the bookie always wins.

As expected, bookmakers factor in a lot of statistics before creating their odds. While this obviously makes it challenging to predict the outcomes, betting becomes more profitable with a proper statistical analysis. In plain language, strategies boost the player's winning chances besides minimizing basic mistakes.

Take money management, for example. The thing is that most rookies fail in sports betting because they don't know how to protect their capital. It's always an excellent strategy to know how much to bet with and on which particular games. Money management also helps green hands minimize any further losses by managing their game time. So, all in all, learn the primary sports betting systems and adapt them accordingly to increase efficiency.

Football betting strategy

A football betting strategy is not just any other sports betting strategy. That's because winning money from football betting can be challenging despite being the most favored betting market. In a football strategy, bettors must be willing to sacrifice a significant amount of time, skill, and commitment to be successful. They must evaluate games from all possible angles, including individual player stats, head-to-head outcomes, recent form, missing players, home advantage, and more. Below is how to come up with a winning football betting strategy.

How to create a football betting strategy

First of all, to make long-term profits from football bets, wear an entrepreneur's hat. As said earlier, betting on football requires an enormous amount of effort and time to research. Therefore, it's paramount to stay organized and draw up a clear roadmap for being successful. Remember that the bookie looks into tens of team factors before coming up with the odds.

Now that you're pumped up and rearing to go, it's time to sit down and refine a strategy. In this case, evaluate all the possible outcomes of a specific football match and gather as much information as possible. Always start with pure numbers and detailed game stats like average goals conceded and scored for each team. Also, look at technical stats like the player most likely to score or get booked and home ground advantage. It's never a bad thing to favor an in-form football team playing at home.

To wrap up a winning football strategy, consider what professional punters are saying about the specific game. This is probably the only way to get raw, straightforward information about the game. There are hundreds of matchday blogs and TV shows dedicated to discussing match statistics and predictions. Note, however, that not all opinions count in this case.

Top football betting tips

Doing your homework alone won't help in the slippery football betting world. That's because there are some obvious but vital pointers to keep in mind when betting on football. Below are the most obvious ones:

Bankroll/money management: Whether betting on football, golf, baseball, tennis, or any other game, setting aside gambling money is paramount. You should be comfortable living without this money if lost. The optimal bankroll management strategy in sports betting is to only use 1% to 5% of the total bankroll on a single bet.
Select a good bookmaker: Here is another vital but often overlooked point in sports betting. While there are many gambling sites out there, all are not the same. The best sportsbooks will usually offer players better odds, more markets, and a secure all-around experience. So, do enough research on this.
Betting markets: Understanding the available football betting markets is just as important as creating an optimal strategy. Football consists of betting markets like double chance, over/under, final result, half time/full time, the first team to score, and more. Therefore, research to find out which betting market is suitable for the event.
Claim the bonus: All punters are natural born winners. And because sportsbooks know this fact pretty well, they often entice players with multiple bonuses and promotions. As the smart one, claim the bonus and use it to boost the bankroll. Just don't ignore the bonus terms and conditions.

Baseball betting strategy

There is not much of a difference between a football and baseball betting strategy for a beginner. But in reality, the difference is like day and night. Unlike in football, where point spreads rule, baseball is mostly about moneyline. In short, punters only need to predict the winning team and not who covers. Although uncommon, players can also bet on "spreads" and markets such as over/under. Either way, being a successful baseball bettor needs a clear-cut plan.

How to create a baseball betting strategy

First, look at the team schedules. Often, baseball teams play around 162 games in approximately six months every summer. Now this means most teams have daily matches, with some traveling long distances to play. Obviously, a visiting team will suffer from tired legs. Also, a team playing after a day off enjoys fresher legs.
Second, research about individual player stats. By now, you should know that baseball is a hitter vs pitcher duel. For example, if a team with exemplary right-handed hitters faces one with 'average' right-handed pitchers, the former will likely have the shorter odds. So, consider these stats.
Lastly, what is the weather condition during the match day? Typically, games played in cold weather have less scoring than those played in warm weather. That's because cold air means more air density, leading to less ball friction and travel. Therefore, a less battered ball will travel shorter distances. Plus, heavy winds will make life more challenging for the hitters.

Top baseball betting tips

Now that a killer baseball strategy is at hand, it's time to boost it with these tried and tested baseball betting tips:

Avoid the hot favorites: Bookies know that the "Average Joes" love short odds. But as you may already know, the odds can be deceiving. Take EPL, for instance, where an in-form Chelsea is always sure to beat Brighton. But in MLB, the best teams like Yankees, Dodgers, and Cubs only win 65% of the total games during the season. So, take advantage of the underdogs.
Follow the Reverse Line Movement (RLM): Baseball betting isn't just about favoring the underdogs. Bettors need to follow the bookie's RLM to know how the betting line is moving. For instance, the Yankees can have -150 against the Cubs at +120. Then, the respective odds adjust to -135 and +110, respectively. In that case, the line has moved in favor of the Cubs. Remember, there are no clear favorites in baseball.
Focus on unders: When betting on totals, baseball punters always favor overs. Generally, high scoring games are more appealing than the boring snooze. But if you're among the sharps, games filled with double plays, strikeouts, and 1-2-3 innings are mouthwatering. In a nutshell, bookmakers know that the majority will go for overs. So, the savvy wise guys offer more money on the unders.
Don't chase parlays and teasers: The idea of transforming $10 to $100 with a single bet can be irresistible. However, parlays and teasers offer unfair odds despite being disguised with big odds. So, stick to individual game wagers and apply bankroll management at all times.

Golf betting strategy

Golf betting can be a bit complex to beginners than football or baseball betting. That's because golf is mostly about predicting the winner of the entire tournament. Also, picking the big names in golf betting can be a "sucker" bet as major championships and tournaments are usually won by players not talked about by the press.

Besides betting on the eventual tournament winner, golf bettors can also bet on an individual golfer's performance. Additionally, there are markets to bet on the first-round leader, group matchups, nationality, head-to-head, and more. Nonetheless, betting on outright winners of tournaments like The Masters, US Open, and PGA Championship is the most convenient way.

How to create a golf betting strategy

When laying the groundwork for a top golf betting system, knowing the available markets is paramount. Quite simply, bet on the outright or winner of the tournament, although this can be a tall order. So, to be safe, wait until the tournament has started to place a more accurate bet, depending on the stats. Also, consider markets like the Top 5 Finish, Top 10 Finish, First Round Leader, and other popular markets.

Meanwhile, it would help to know a thing or six about the golf course. By this, there's no need to know every cup in the course, but just the course layout and location. For instance, West Coast Swing golf courses are traditionally bumpy, meaning players from the Southeast may struggle. Overall, look at how comfortable a player can be on a playing surface before backing them.

Lastly, look at the weather forecast, just like in baseball. As said initially, cold air is far denser than warm air. So, when a cold club hits a cold golf ball, drag is a sure thing. Simply put, cooler energy decreases the travel distance by 1 or 2 yards for every 100 yards. Other weather factors to consider include rain, wind, and snow.

Top golf betting tips

Below are some helpful tips to help maximize the golf betting strategy:

Don't always back the favorites: Golf is not short of shockers like in other sporting events. Sometimes, underdogs can pull an upset to claim the trophy. An example is Tiger Woods, who always has short odds to win a tournament when in top form. However, backing him instead of an in-form homegrown player with long odds can be a costly mistake. The oddsmaker is always happy to offer longer odds to an unproven golfer.
Don't ignore the in-form golfer: Betting on an in-form golfer is arguably the best way to win something here. For example, a bookie can offer +200 for Abraham Ancer to finish inside the top 10. Suppose the player has finished in five consecutive top 20s, then the odds are just too good to pass by. You never know; Abraham may end up even finishing among the best 10.
Best players for major tournaments: Most recent major championships have been dominated by renowned names if the stats are not wrong. For instance, Koepka was ranked fourth worldwide when he bagged the 2018 PGA. On the other hand, Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters winner, was ranked 24th before the tournament. Now this means the chances of a world-class golfer (Top 25) to win a major event are high.
Course history: It is foolhardy to place money on the head of a specific golfer without considering their record on the respective course. In plain words, always look at how a golfer performs in a particular course. In addition, regional familiarity should never be overlooked, as a homegrown golfer is likely to perform well in a local golf course.