How to Win at Sports Betting
Sports betting is a popular form of gambling that involves placing a wager on the outcome of a particular sporting event. The types of bets vary widely, from simple moneylines to more complex over/under and parlays. Regardless of the type of bet you place, the key to winning is understanding the odds and probabilities of each outcome. This will help you determine how much to bet, and which bets are worth taking.
The most straightforward type of bet is a straight bet, in which you place your bet on a single outcome. For example, if you believe the Toronto Raptors will beat the Boston Celtics, you would make a straight bet on the Raptors. If you’re betting on a MMA fight, you’d place a bet on the winner of the fight (either Francis Ngannou or Ciryl Gane).
Spread bets, also known as handicap bets, are used to even out unequal games. A sportsbook sets a number based on the expected margin of victory between the two teams, and bettors can then decide whether they want to take the underdog or the favorite. The more points a team wins by, the more money you will win on a spread bet.
While there are many ways to profit from sports betting, it’s important to keep in mind that no bet is guaranteed to win. The best way to increase your chances of success is by keeping a thorough record of all of your bets, which will help you identify patterns and trends. Pro bettors keep near-obsessive records of their bets, including the date, time, and amount of each bet. They also keep track of winnings and losses, so they can see when their edge is wearing thin.
Lastly, it’s important to bet on sports that you know well from a rules perspective. This will ensure that you’re making smart bets and not simply chasing past results. For example, if you bet on a team to win a game and they do just that, it’s unlikely to happen again next week. Smart bettors look for context in the result of a game, such as how many points were scored by each team, the number of field goals, or how often a certain player was on the field.
As the world of sports betting becomes increasingly legal, 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim explores the impact it will have on sports and its fans. In addition to a deluge of betting advertisements and elements likely incorporated into the broadcast, Wertheim warns that it could damage the integrity of college sports and prompt a subset of fans to tune out. Watch the full segment here.