A successful handicapper requires
Reading comprehension
Quantitative logic
Statistical skills
Money management
Discipline/self-control
Adaptability
Computer literate
Very strong work ethic
Constant self-improvement
This title is absolutely TRUE!
If you like the dog usually better to bet it closer to game time. If you like the favorite there is usually no upside to waiting bet it now. This is not a hard and fast rule but is the norm to betting at the best odds. As you gain experience in this business you acquire a better feel when to place your bets in order to maximize value. No one times the market perfectly all the time no matter how long you do this.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable. One of the hardest aspects of betting sports is dealing with variance. I know most of you have heard this before BUT to emphasize no matter how sharp how good you are at this craft there will inevitably be bad stretches over an extended sample size reminding you to stay humble and adhere to proper money management.
This is not only my motto for sports betting but life as well. Sports betting is a skill it is a profession studied and learned from the school of hard knocks not unlike an MBA acquired from a university.
WOW we are almost 6 months into our 2023 betting year. I am in my 25th year of doing this as my primary source of income. All that means is I am old. Before you know it, football will be starting up again. Where does the time go?
Work does not have to be a 4-letter word when you really enjoy what you do for a living. Nothing is perfect everything has its’ pluses and minuses. However, whatever you do have passion energy pride enthusiasm in your efforts. You cannot always control the outcomes but you can always control your effort. Enjoy the process as much as possible to avoid burnout.
Sports betting is an intellectual pursuit. It is staying one step ahead of the markets it is constantly challenging forcing you to adjust and adapt.
A common myth in handicapping is you should only play dogs and somehow if you bet a favorite, you are a square. People value is value. If you are handicapping a game and your line is -2.50 or -9.5 points and the lines at the book are -1.95 or -8.0 respectively guess what you have excellent value play them BOTH. Sometimes the obvious play is the best play. Take the money and move on.
Shocking news most casual bettors do not make a profit from sports betting. This is not a terrible thing. If every bettor won there would be no sports books, they would be out of business. However, as we know the sports book just acts as a broker. The good news and why sports betting is so advantageous you are not competing against the sports books you are competing against other sports bettors. The sports book simply takes the money from the losing bettor’s passes it on to the winning bettors and keeps their cut.
Sports handicapping is a fluid market of competing bettors risking money on the probability of an end result to occur. The challenge prior to the event is to accurately calculate if you have an edge (in other words value) over the betting market.
A bettor needs to ask what is the probability of this outcome to occur rather than do I think this team will win or not. Focusing on who will win or lose is NOT handicapping. Ignoring the line, the price is NOT finding value.
In order to really know what sports handicapping is we must mention what it is NOT:
There is NO cookie cutter model to follow in sports betting to guarantee success. What works for one person may not work for another. What I do suggest is handicap from a position of your strengths while improving in areas you think will help you find value more effectively. If numbers/math modelling is your thing great if research intangibles subjective factors is your skill along with an ability to quantify them giddy up. If reading the market getting ahead of the steam acquiring CLV is your strength focus there.