The growth of the internet has led to a massive boom in the popularity of betting on sports over the past few years.
Following expert sport betting tips can be a great way to make a profit, but there are also numerous other strategies worth considering. Identifying which ones to use can be a tricky task, with many systems promising big returns but often failing to deliver.
However, there are some strategies which have been proven to work, although each of them requires a strict level of discipline. Read on as we look at some of the best betting strategies for pros.
The Martingale system
Initially made famous as a casino betting strategy, the Martingale system has successfully crossed over into the sports betting world.
It is a progressive betting system that requires you to double your stake after any losing bet and to keep repeating this until you back a winner. To make it work you must always back at odds of Evens or better to ensure that you eventually secure a profit.
For instance, you could use the Martingale system to back one soccer team to draw their game each week. As the odds for drawn matches are generally 2/1 or higher, you are guaranteed a winning return if you stick rigidly to the system.
You could start by placing a £10 on your chosen team to draw a game. Assuming odds of 2/1, if they draw you would receive £30, but if the game has a winner you would double your bet on the team’s next match.
Staking £20 on that game would potentially return £60 if it ends as a draw – giving you a £30 profit at that stage.
The mathematics behind the system return a profit at whichever point a draw comes in, although you may need a significant bankroll to cover the eventuality that a team doesn’t draw for a few weeks. However, if you can maintain your discipline and your bankroll can withstand a few repeated hits, the Martingale is a strategy that can move your gambling to pro level.
Managing your bankroll
All pro bettors understand the importance of managing their bankroll properly and never deviating from their system.
Betting to a low percentage of your budget might seem boring, but adopting a conservative approach will help you handle the periods where you find winners hard to come by.
All pro gamblers set an amount that they are prepared to lose within a particular timeframe. This is generally per month, but can also be weekly or over the course of a season.
Keeping your stakes to a low percentage of your bankroll, say 5%, would ensure that you are never risking too much of your cash at any given time. For a £1,000 bankroll your stake would be £50 if you chose to risk 5% per wager.
By sticking to the system, and never chasing losses, you will be able to safely navigate the many peaks and troughs toy will be faced with in sports betting.
A level staking plan on single matches gives you the best chance of taking advantage of your knowledge of your chosen sport and boosting your bankroll over time.
Extracting value from live betting
Consistently backing short-priced favourites might seem like an easy way to make money, but the unpredictability of sport means there is no guarantee this will yield a profit.
However, there are ways to extract more value from ‘banker bets’ to help you boost your winning returns.
For instance, Montreal Canadians are playing at home to Ottawa Senators and are priced at 1/2 to win the match.
A £100 bet would return £150 if Montreal are successful, but could you have obtained better value by waiting for the game to develop?
Montreal won 25 out of 41 matches at home in 2018/19, yet there were periods where they would not have been in front in those games.
Waiting for the odds to lengthen as play progresses is an easy way to boost your returns, particularly when you are backing a high winning percentage team like Montreal.
The returns can be even greater if your chosen team goes a goal behind, and many pro punters choose this moment to bet big on the favourite.
Choosing the right opportunity to strike is the key to successful live betting and is a strategy well worth using.
