You can make an entire career out of sports betting.
Look at Billy Walters. He’s an urban legend in the betting community and is considered to be one of the greatest sports bettors ever. His betting strategies led to a record 30-year winning streak, which is unheard of in the industry.
Walters’ success has stretched for decades and he’s estimated to have brought in $50-$60 million A MONTH in his heyday.
Now, we’re not saying this article will have you bringing in revenue like Walters’ overnight, but it sure is a starting point! I’ll show you 5 sports betting strategies that will help you win more bets and increase your earnings. These strategies aren’t secrets, but following them will help you win money betting on sports.
Strategy 1: Moneyline Betting
If you’re a newbie in the betting world, Moneyline betting is a great place to start. Moneyline bets are relatively safe because they are easy to research and if you want to, you can pick the favorite.
Here’s how it works: You wager on which team or person will win a game or sporting contest. It really is that simple!
Moneyline bets are less risky than other approaches. If the team you wager on wins, you win your bet. It’s one of the simplest ways to start sports gambling, as you’re waging on an easy, defined metric. If you want to, you could pick the favorite every time for an easy ride!
But you’re not here to learn about making easy bets, you’re here to make money. And picking the favorite isn’t going to get you the big bucks. The underdog will always have higher odds, meaning you’ll win more on your bets by waging on them.
Your job as a sports bettor is to research the teams your betting on and identify gaps. Who’s injured? Who’s on a winning streak? The more you know, the more confidently you can stake your bets.
Strategy 2: Fading the Public
Rookie gamblers, known as squares, make mistakes when they’re betting. And when they make mistakes, they lose money so it’s good to bet against them! Squares typically bet on the favorite every time (but they forget to research as I advised above).
Fading the Public is a sports betting strategy that pits you opposite the squares. It’s also really simple, which is why it’s a go-to choice for those starting to build their strategy.
As the rookies like wagering on favorites, fading squares is a strategy that usually involves taking the underdog. If you’re going to be successful at it, you need to work on handicapping, tracking movement and timing. Don’t just assume that being against the public is enough to keep the winnings trickling in.
Strategy 3: Chasing Steam
Chasing Steam is like fading the public, but for more experienced bettors, it can lead to more success. The strategy takes its name from water- when it reaches boiling point, steam is released and there’s a rush of energy! When bookies talk about odds ‘steaming’ they mean they’ve reached a new betting line, so there’s a lot to play for.
Steam is generated from the pro’s getting their money down and upping the stakes. The aim is to get your money down before the bookies have time to adjust to the stake- so to excel at this strategy you need to be quick.
If you see a line move on one betting site and have a steam strategy, you would need to place wagers on other sites that haven’t moved their lines yet. Effectively, you’re trying to mirror where the pros are spending.
Chasing Steam can be a profitable sports betting strategy but it is also riskier than other methods on this list. For this reason, it’s worth including in your betting plan but don’t wager blindly and vary your methods.
Strategy 4: Points Betting
Another profitable option is points spreading. In a points bet, you bet on which team you think will outperform their expected performance, as determined by the sportsbook.
Note: That doesn’t mean you can only bet on the winning team! All you need to do is choose the team you think will do better than the predicted line and you win. Even if your team loses, you can make money.
Here’s how it works: You bet $10 on a team that the sportsbook says will win by 4 points (-4), so you earn $10 for each extra point they win by.
Including points spreading in your sports betting strategy is a wise move. Points are easily understood, so it’s simple to calculate the value of your wagers and make accurate picks.
If you want to learn more about point spreading, this post on sports wagering online is a great starting point.
Strategy 5: Have Some Fun With Prop Bets
Sports betting should be fun! So why not include prop bets in your strategy for some added variety.
A prop is a bet on an event that occurs in or around a game. For example, betting on the time it takes for the National Anthem to be sung during the Super Bowl would be a prop bet.
Prop bets can be fun or skilled but skilled bets are where the money’s at! Moreover, only skilled props can be part of a winning long-term betting strategy. An example of a skilled prop would be how many TD passes Jimmy Garoppolo will throw in a game.
Only skilled props can be part of a winning long-term betting strategy and success depends on thorough research and analysis. Avoid luck-based props and focus on those where trends could emerge for the greatest results.
Use These Sports Betting Strategies to Turn Your Hobby Into a Side Hustle!
If you are new to professional betting, use these strategies to hone your craft and up your return. I’d recommend combining strategies to create a wider betting plan so that you’re not putting all your money in one place. Other than that, experiment and find what works for you!
Who knows, you might win big and come up with some sports betting strategies of your own. Give us a shout in the comments if you have a trusted tactic that Billy Walters would be proud of!
