In part one of this series, I talked about the first three of the ten sports betting tips you needs to know before placing a bet on a football game.
Today we are going to talk about the next three:
- Getting the line you want
- Getting dirt on the two teams involved
- Choosing a team based on your head, not your heartstrings
GETTING THE LINE YOU WANT
This is a very important issue and for most sports betting fans, it is one that is often overlooked. This is why I suggest having several accounts with a few different online sportsbooks or if you are lucky enough to live in the Las Vegas area, shop around at the various sportsbooks on the strip to get the best line you can. One sportsbook may have the Colts at -3 1/2 while another has them at only -3.
Obviously if you’re betting on the Colts to win you go with the sportsbook that has them at -3. Shop around and remember to only bet on the line you like and think is going to win you your money!
GETTING DIRT ON THE TWO TEAMS INVOLVED
Resarch, research, research! You can find out only so much by going to ESPN.com or NFL.com. Some of the best sportwriters are the ones covering their local team for the local newspaper and thank to the internet, you can get this type of content very easily. The info in the local papers provide really great information that can make the difference for a smart sports betting fan!
In these local papers, you will get a feel for the psyche of a particular team (which by the way is a huge barometer for me). You will also get a better feel for who is injured and truly won’t play and who is just shaken up a little from the previous week and is truly good to go.
You also find out more details of how confident the team feels for this match-up and whether there are any rivalries going on (the whole locker room “He said/He said” stuff that goes on). ESPN, the NFL Network, FOX, and CBS all do their job extremely well but to find out those extra nuggets of information you need to go to the local papers and then of course here at HotChicksHotpicks.com!
CHOOSING A TEAM BASED ON YOUR HEAD NOT YOUR HEART
Here is where so many sports betting beginngers get into trouble. How many times have you thought that YOUR TEAM was definitely going to upset the reigning Super Bowl Champions only to get blown away 30-7 or worse yet that YOUR TEAM was going to smoke some little underdog by 14 points only to get beat on a last second field goal?
Fact is this stuff happens every week in the NFL and you need to think accordingly. Most games in the NFL come down to a 3-4 point differential. The talent level is so high and it doesn’t drop off all that much between a starter and second string guy. These guys have jobs that are on the line every week so to expect teams to constantly cover five, six, seven and higher point spreads is ridiculous.
Always look for the smart play vs “Oh, hell yeah the Colts are going to win”. The Colts may well win, but will they cover the 8 points they are laying to the Texans? In using your head look for lines of -3 or less when betting on the favorite and +4 or as many as you can get when betting on the underdog.
Do Your Research: Does this team “really needs this game”? Are they good on the road? Do they play lousy after a big win?
Finally, if you think they may win the game but the point spread is too high for you, DON’T PLAY THE GAME. Move onto another match-up. It’s not like there aren’t enough games per week.
It’s a lot like dating actually. Choosing with your heart may give you a great ride for a while but in the end, you’re at the side of the road beaten and bruised with one helluva hangover.
Choose mostly with your HEAD with just a touch of heart and you’re sittin’ on that porch swing when you’re 50 and filthy rich looking into the eyes of your man or woman and thinking, “Man, I’m a smart little thing.”
Stay tuned for the last installment of Sports Betting 101: Ten Things You NEED to know.
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