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The 7 Best Betting Strategies for Sports to Win Big in 2024

March 10, 2024

Written by    |
Bill Harrelson

You want to win big, don’t you? Of course, you do. Every sports fan dreams of hitting that massive, life-changing betting jackpot. The good news is that it’s possible — the key lies in having the right strategy. Join us as we walk you through the 7 best betting strategies for sports recommended by the ElitePickz team.

7 Sports Bet Strategies for Staying Profitable

Stick with the following sports betting methods to boost your betting winning percentage:

  • Don’t bet with your emotions.
  • Manage your money wisely.
  • Stick to popular betting options.
  • Take advantage of live betting.
  • Consider the 1-3-2-6 system.
  • Specialize in a sports league.
  • Follow expert guidance.

Continue reading as we explore each.

1. Don’t bet with your emotions.

One of the best sports betting strategies is to keep your emotions under control. Don’t let your heart lead your betting decisions. The pros know that emotion and gambling don’t mix.

Instead, stick to the stats and facts. Do your homework and understand the math behind the matchups. The experts at ElitePicks boast of more wins than losses because they do the math and find the pattern.

Also, watch out for personal biases. Just because a team is your favorite or you have a gut feeling doesn’t justify staking on that team. Oddsmakers build their lines based on probabilities, not hunches. If you want to win like the pros, you have to think like them.

2. Manage your money wisely.

Practicing proper financial management is one of the best strategies for sports betting. To win big, you need to be smart with your money. Set a budget before you start betting, and stick to it. Consider using the unit betting strategy, i.e., betting the same amount on each wager.

Discipline Is Key

Start with a small budget, maybe $20 to $50 per week, and never go over it. Once you’ve placed your bets for the week, stop. Don’t give in to the temptation to deposit more money from your bank account or credit card.

Be consistent and bet the same amount each time, around 1–3% of your budget. If your budget is $40 a week, bet $1 to $2 per wager. This way, a few losses won’t wipe you out, and you’ll still have money left to win big if your bets pay off. That’s how to bet on sports like a professional.

3. Stick to popular betting options.

Sticking to the popular options to minimize risk is one of the best sports gambling strategies. While they may not offer super impressive odds, you have a better chance of winning.

Credible betting options include:

a. Moneylines

Betting on the straight-up winner is easy to understand and a great way to start. The odds are usually close to even for favorites, meaning you won’t likely win so much money, but you’re also less likely to lose big. Underdogs have better payouts if they pull off the upset.

b. Point Spreads

Once you get the hang of it, point spreads open up more possibilities. The odds are still relatively straightforward, but you have to consider the margin of victory. Bet on the favorite to win by more than the spread or the underdog to lose by less. Spreads make games that would otherwise be lopsided more interesting and winnable for bettors.

c. Totals (Over/Under)

Betting the over/under, or “total,” is another option with decent odds. You’re predicting whether the combined score will be over or under a set number. This takes into account the offensive and defensive matchups to determine if it will be a high or low-scoring game.

While the payouts may be smaller, popular bet options minimize risk and set you up for the best chance of success. As you gain experience and become a professional sports bettor, you can experiment with teasers, parlays, props, and other options with bigger rewards — and bigger risks. But as a beginner, we recommend you keep it simple.

4. Take advantage of live betting.

One of the best betting strategies in sports is to bet when the game is active. Oddsmakers have to set lines quickly, and they don’t always get it right. As the game unfolds, you’ll see the odds change dramatically based on the events on the field or court.

Consider the following tips when engaging in live betting.

  • Look for scenarios where you think the oddsmakers have overreacted to a big play. Maybe a team goes down by two touchdowns early, but you believe they’re still the better team. Live betting lets you get much better odds on a comeback.
  • Pay attention to matchups and situations within the game. If a star player gets in early foul trouble or the pitching matchup favors the underdog, pounce on the live line before the oddsmakers adjust.
  • Consider the psychology of the teams and players. Some teams start slow but finish strong; similarly, some players rise to the occasion in high-pressure moments. If you understand these tendencies, you can find value in live betting.

P.S. Get our free PDF on how to actually profit sports betting here!

5. Consider the 1-3-2-6 system.

The 1-3-2-6 betting system is a simple online sports betting strategy to increase your winnings over time. The idea is that you adjust your wager amount based on whether you won or lost the previous bet.

Let’s say you bet $10 on the first game and won. For your next wager, you bet $30. If that bet wins, you go up to $60 on the third bet. Now, if you lose that third bet, drop back down to $20 for the fourth wager. If the $20 bet wins, go up to $60 on the fifth bet. The pattern continues, increasing and decreasing by fixed amounts.

The benefit of this system is that it allows you to ride winning streaks by increasing bets during wins while also minimizing losses by lowering bets after a defeat. The key is sticking to the pattern and not getting carried away when on a roll or chasing losses. Discipline and bankroll management are still important to avoid common betting mistakes.

6. Specialize in a sports league.

Knowing your team is a highly recommended sports bet strategy. To win big betting on sports, pick a league you know inside and out. The more familiar you are with the teams, players, coaching staff, and stats in a league, the better your chances of making smart wagers.

For example, if you’ve followed the NBA for years, specialize in betting on pro basketball. You’ll have a sense of how teams match up against each other, how players’ stats impact outcomes, and how trades or injuries might affect a team’s performance. Use your knowledge to spot odds that seem off and take advantage of opportunities the bookies may have missed.

The same goes for any sport, whether it’s the NFL, NHL, MLS, or another league. Become an expert in all aspects of your chosen league, paying attention to the perennial powerhouses and underdogs. See how teams play differently at home vs. away. Also, follow news on draft picks, trades, coaching changes, and how those developments might change a team’s fortune.

With in-depth knowledge, you can make calculated bets on spreads, over/under, propositions, and futures. You’ll have reasonable expectations for how teams and players should perform, which helps determine if the odds seem too high or too low. Making smarter bets based on your expertise in a league, rather than chasing long shots, will set you up for bigger wins over the long run.

7. Follow expert guidance.

To really finetune your betting strategies in sports, consider following the guidance of expert sports analysts. These pros devote their lives to researching teams, players, and matchups to identify value and profitable betting opportunities.

Here are some options to help you tap into the expertise of professionals:

  • Subscribe to a reputable sports betting advisory service, e.g., ElitePickz. For a monthly fee, you get access to personalized recommendations and expert picks.
  • Follow expert analysts on social media. Some pros are active on Instagram, sharing their opinions and picks for upcoming games. Look for those with a proven track record of success and lots of followers.
  • Check major sports media sites. Analysts on networks like ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports frequently provide their best bets and predictions for the week ahead. See which teams and spreads they favor, and consider adding them to your bet slips.
  • Watch pregame shows on sports channels. The expert panels usually debate the day’s top matchups and the biggest questions. Pay attention to who makes the most compelling cases — they may be onto something.

Relying on experts who devote their lives to sports betting gives you an edge. Do your research, too, but tap into the wisdom and experience of pros. When their guidance aligns with your analysis, you’ve likely found a winning bet. With practice, you’ll get better at filtering out the best expert advice to make smarter wagers. In time, you may even become the expert other bettors turn to — subscribe to our Discord channel today to start receiving mathematically proven picks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a trick to sports betting?

No. There are no tricks to sports betting. To have more wins than losses, you should be prepared to learn how the odds work. Another option is to follow the guidance of professional sports analysts.

What is the best algorithm for sports betting?

The best algorithms for sports betting are arbitrage and value betting. However, you’ll typically need an arbitrage calculator or a value bet calculator to get the best odds.

How do I win a bet without losing?

Betting without ever losing is unrealistic, as you’ll always make a few losses. The key is to ensure your wins supersede your losses, and an excellent way to achieve this is by following the guidance of professional sports analysts like ElitePickz; they have more betting experience and mostly have more wins than losses.

Conclusion

The 7 best betting strategies for sports discussed in this post are structured to help you make informed gambling decisions and increase your chances of winning. Do your research, find value bets, manage your money wisely, and enjoy the thrill of victory. But don’t forget the value in following an expert’s guidance; join us now at ElitePickz to receive mathematically profitable bets daily.

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