Submitted by rsteel on
Many bettors really do not seem to care very much about earning a long term profit. They like to have some action on games as a form of recreation or excitement, not as an investment decision. Professional handicappers WILL NEVER bet into a bad line. You must recognize the value of the half point. On an average college basketball Saturday there are at least 10-14 games that are won or lost against the spread by a point or less. The pro bettor will be on the right side of these decisions more often than not. The pro takes the extra time to shop around for the best number at multiple sports books. He will have an idea on which direction the line is likely to move, enabling him to bet early or late depending on which time offers an advantageous number. With over 1,000 plays during a calendar year it is not unusual to gain an extra 15-20 wins and pushes just by betting into good numbers and not chasing bad numbers.
Professional bettors make the vast majority of their bets as straight bets not parlays. Professionals are satisfied with the return on investment from a 3-2 day a 12-8 week. They are in it for the long haul, not always looking to hit home runs. Parlays are the bricks that casinos and sports books use to build their operations from your money.
Professionals watch as many games as they possibly can with a focus on potential future betting opportunities. It is easy to look at final scores and make all kinds of false assumptions. Watching the games, reading game recaps, and analyzing the box scores will give a much better indication what the team’s current form is. It is also important to handicap games again once they are over. What happened that you expected to happen, and what was a surprise? Which things are likely to repeat and what events were more of an anomaly?
Linemakers have a very good idea which way the money is going to flow once they post their number. High profile games, public teams such as the Cowboys and Yankees always attract money. The professional bettor will always recognize the public bias realizing the lines will be inflated and either bet the other side or pass the game entirely. Pros will focus on lower profile games where the lines are more vulnerable and teams that are good but not great. Those teams are called tough outs.
The most common mistake amateurs make is chasing their losses. Increasing your unit size when you are losing in poker it is called going on tilt is the quickest way to bankruptcy in this business. Pro bettors know there will be many times when you lose more than you win. Maintaining an even keel during bad beats, winning streaks and losing streaks is one of the keys to long term success.
If you follow the key strategies detailed above from SHARP BETTORS I can assure you that your R.O.I. will show some dramatic improvements. Remember for all aspects of life if you want to be successful just mirror what already successful people do.
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