Remember that just because you can make a certain type of bet doesn’t mean it’s the best option. With that being said, here are some new terms to throw out around your friends.
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Reverse Line Movement
Reverse line movement can be a great indication of which way to bet on a game. However, to really take advantage of reverse line movement, you do need to pay attention.
If the line on a game moves toward the public, and not against in a direction that looks to even out the money, go against the public. The logic behind this is that betportal is looking to capitalize on a game they feel very strongly about.
Basically, if the books are acting weird, you know something’s up.
While it’s never a terrible idea to bet against the public, in this circumstance, it becomes an even better idea to stay away from the side with the most money riding on it.
Arbitrage Betting
This type of bet isn’t always available, but when it is, you literally can’t lose. As you should know by now, different sportsbooks offer different odds, even on the same sporting event. If you don’t know this, take this as a reminder that you should always shop around for the best odds on your plays.
Arbitrage betting works like this, if sportsbook A has the Bengals vs. Browns at Bengals +110, and Sportsbooks B has the Bengals vs. Browns at Browns +105, the bettor would place a bet on both the Bengals at +110 and the Browns at +105. Because they’re both positive money bets, you’ll profit regardless of who wins.
If you’re thinking that the margins in these types of bets must be extremely small, you’d be right. However, arbitrage bettors typically bet very highs amounts of money to make it worth their while. In fact, few people can afford to make arbitrage betting profitable because it takes such a significant amount of money.
While the idea of a win-win play sounds pretty enticing, it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t always something you can do. Most books’ odds will be similar enough that arbitrage betting won’t be possible.
Not that it really matters, but sportsbooks do frown upon this type of manipulation of the system. While it’s unlikely you’d get caught, it’s always a possibility. Be safe out there.
Three-Ways
Three-way bets are typically seen more in Europe than the US. A three-way bet takes into account something not usually seen in US sports, the tie.
While this type of bet is commonplace in Europe, it’s really more sport-specific than location-specific.
You might think that betting on a game ending in a draw is a losing proposition, but the potential payout for making the play will have you thinking otherwise. Soccer games do frequently end in a tie, and if you pick the right one, you could find significant value in that bet.
Example odds on a soccer game might be, Team A winning -200, Team B winning +180, Draw +500. Anytime you can get a 300% to 500% (or more) return on your bet, it’s worth considering.
Some sports betting experts turn up their noses at teasers, but I think they can still be a very profitable component of your betting strategy.
Teasers allow you to adjust the point spreads on games, with the payouts being lowered accordingly. The key is to be sure you don’t move the line so much that you’re making a low-value play. If you can find the balance between a favorable line, and an acceptable risk vs. reward, teasers can be a smart move.
To anyone who thought they had a slick idea to bet on a team to win the game outright and parlay it with a first and second half win, sorry. Most of the time, you can’t do that. This situation is known as a correlated parlay, and most legit sportsbooks won’t allow it for obvious reasons.
You can make both bets, but you won’t be able to parlay them at nearly any sportsbook out there. In fact, if you find a sportsbook that does allow correlated parlays, double-check its validity before placing your bet.
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