Sports betting is an integral part of sports culture, generating billions in wagers (legally) each year in the United States alone. But many bettors struggle to make money at it. Less than 5% of long-running betting accounts are profitable, though with discipline and knowledge, you can make it work for you.
The first step is to understand the basics of betting on sports. Then, learn the lingo and strategies that can make you more money. A good place to start is with the article How to Bet on Sports, which covers sports betting basics and popular terms.
Point spreads are used to even the playing field between two teams with different odds of winning. If a team wins by more than the number of points they are favored to win, they “cover” the spread and turn a profit for bettors who made that bet.
Another way to bet on sports is to place a bet on the total of a game, also known as a over/under bet. These bets can be tricky, however, as variance is a real thing. A random event, such as a coin flipping heads or tails, has a 50/50 chance of occurring; yet, many people still bet on a team that will win, or the over/under of a particular stat, such as how many strikeouts pitcher Max Scherzer will have in a given game.
Separate yourself from your fandom; do not bet on teams you like just because they wear prettier uniforms. Instead, do your research and study the numbers on both teams.
