10 Hints And Tips To Make You A Better Sports Bettor

There is no “foolproof” way to become a successful sports bettor overnight, but there are several strategies you can adopt to improve your odds. However, it will require dedication and experience to see more regular betting successes.

The 10 hints and tips below will help you to become a better sports bettor over time, as long as you diligently stick to them. Once you start leaving your bets up to luck or fate, you’re sure to become a stronger bettor.

1. Always Manage Your Bankroll

Sports bettors need to know before they get started how much they’re willing to spend (and potentially lose) on wagers. The amount depends on your financial situation, but a good ground rule is to never bet money that you don’t want to lose.

This limit is your bankroll, and you need to keep an eye on it as you place your bets to ensure you don’t exceed your maximum spending allowance. You also need to set your “unit size”, which is the size of each individual bet. It’s recommended that beginners start with small unit sizes, about 1% to 5% of their total bankroll per bet.

2. Understand Your Goals And Risk Tolerance

Every bettor is unique and enjoys making certain bets. But you should make bets with both your goals and risk tolerance in mind: what do you want to achieve, and how much are you willing to lose?

Many people enjoy betting on their home team or on the underdogs. They’re attracted by long odds, willing to risk it all for a huge payout. Other bettors aim to make smaller, safer bets with short odds and small payouts, but a greater likelihood of winning more frequently.

Some place bets only on major tournaments, while others bet at every opportunity that arises. Betting is unique to each individual, and there are sports betting platforms that cater to every type of bettor.

Determine how sports betting looks to you, whether that’s big, infrequent bets, or small, daily bets. Once you have your goal and risk tolerance in mind, you are likely to improve and see more success.

3. Bet With Your Head

Almost all sports bettors get into the pastime because they enjoy watching sports or staunchly support a specific team or player. This means that their heart is really in it and they can be blind to the faults of their favorites.

That’s why it is recommended that you avoid betting on events with your favorite players or teams.

Always bet with your head, not with the loyalty you feel in your heart. You’ll make rational decisions that are likely to see payouts.

4. Stick To One Sport, At First

It is always best to stick to what you know. Perhaps you feel it is safer to place your bets across various sports and events, but if you’re new to sports betting, it is best to only bet on a sport that you’re familiar with.

Knowing the rules and history of the games gives you an edge over the sportsbooks. You’ll know how to analyze the teams and players and gather the information you need to make informed bets—which is key to making smart wagers.

5. Hedge Your Bets When You’re More Confident

Once you’re no longer a complete novice, you can start hedging your bets. This is a means of spreading your risk across several bets.

Hedging is when you place bets on the opposite outcome of your original wager. The reason for this is that no matter the outcome, you’ll at least still see some kind of return on your bets.

6. Chat With The Sportsbetting Community

There are plenty of forums or social media platforms where the sports betting community comes together to discuss odds, outcomes, and upcoming tournaments. It is a great place to socialize if you don’t know any other sports bettors in real life.

These forums help bettors become more familiar with the lingo, learn new strategies, or get helpful tips about upcoming games.

7. Track All Your Bets

Tracking your betting history may feel a bit pedantic, but it is really important if you want to become a better sports bettor.

It’s not a good feeling to go back and see all the times you’ve lost, but you should view it as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Or, in some cases, you can still lose bets even if you’ve done everything as you should have. Other times you may have been reaching to the impossible.

Getting a perspective of your past strategies and seeing what worked and what didn’t will help you manage your bankroll in the future.

8. Shop Around For The Best Lines

Just like you would shop around for the best prices when you’re considering a big purchase, you can also shop around different sportsbooks to find the best betting lines. There are many local sports books, as well as hundreds of online platforms where you can place your bets.

It takes very little skill to go line shopping. Simply compare different sportsbooks for the same sport and market, and find one offering the best odds.

9. There’s A Home Team Bias

Have you ever heard the term “home team bias”? That is the occurrence where the home team wins more often than the visiting team, something that is seen across most sports. The percentages of the home team bias differ across sports and seasons, but it is quite notable once you pay attention to it.

Of course, this bias will also impact how you place your bets. Where the home team might be the underdogs, when playing on their own turf they have a greater chance of winning. However, many bettors also fall into the trap of giving the home team a lot of credit when determining the best bet.

Although you need to consider that the home team might win, you can’t count on it, especially if they’re not equally matched.

Sportsbooks have also adapted their lines, setting them to account for this bias, meaning betting on underdogs at their own fields won’t be too profitable.

10. Skip The Sports That Can Be Fixed

Match fixing is rare at a professional level, but it is always a possibility. Individual sports, like tennis, boxing, or golf, are more likely to be fixed, which can be costly for bettors.

Team sports are tougher to fix, although not unheard of, especially basketball, as the NBA betting scandal of 2024 reflects.

So, to limit your losses, stick to sports where fixing is unheard of or very rare, like horse racing, football, or baseball.