Sports Betting: Should You Specialize in One Sport?
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including Common Sports Betting Terms — or head to more advanced strategy — like 10 Tips to Become a Sharper Sports Bettor — to learn more.
When venturing into the fray of sports betting, it’s easy for beginners to be swept up in the excitement. Sure, it’s fun to have action on multiple games across different sports, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea when you’re just starting out. Knowing your limits, managing your bankroll and zeroing-in on one or two sports are the keys to becoming an experienced and profitable sports bettor.
Let’s say your favorite sports to follow are football and basketball. You’re a big NFL and college football fan and enjoy hoops at both the professional and collegiate levels. Examining the board for value on a regular-season NFL Sunday can be intimidating. If you’re including NBA and college basketball wagers on top of your football handicapping, you could end up spreading yourself thin.
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Don’t Bet for the Sake of Betting
Instead, a better practice in the early going is to focus on one sport. If you aren’t feeling fully confident, don’t force yourself to place a bet for the sake of having action on a game. One mistake beginner sports bettors make is putting too much money down too early. Winning sports bets is a rush, but this is a marathon, not a sprint.
Since the NFL season goes from September to February and college football concludes in early January, it makes sense to do the majority of your betting research on the gridiron in that span. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bet on other sports for those months, but football should be your main priority. Making money in sports betting is all about finding an edge. You’re going to find yourself hard-pressed to do that if you fail to concentrate on one at a time.
Do Your Research in Advance
The month of March is all about March Madness in the North American sports world, and the NCAA Tournament has consistently provided some of the highest drama possible in an athletic event of the years. With the Super Bowl ending a month prior, bettors and sportsbooks alike will turn their attention to the hardwood. Getting to know the NCAA Tournament-hopeful teams before the madness begins is helpful to spot potential upsets and letdowns. Don’t wait until it begins to do your analysis.
If you’ve been doing well betting on the NBA and are losing money at a rapid clip on college, don’t be afraid to take a step back and revaluate. It’s a given that media attention will largely be surrounding March Madness. Even if your friends refuse to put the NBA game on due to the wide variety of NCAA Tournament games happening, that doesn’t mean you can’t pick your spots and continue to profit on the Association.
If you find yourself turning a consistent profit over time while gambling on a single sport, it makes sense to consider adding others on to your plate. It’s important to remember that, as much as you think you know about sports, the sportsbooks will always know more. By giving the majority of your focus to a single sport early on and doing your due diligence, you can find excellent value on lines on a regular basis.
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Luke Miller is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Luke, check out his archive.