Tell us, how do you read betting odds? Understanding how to read odds is a vital step you must take if you want to become a successful sports bettor. With a solid interpretation of the odds, you can easily determine how much money you should wager, the bets that have the most value, and what you’ll earn in payouts. Teaching yourself how to read betting odds is a step you can’t miss if you truly want to become an expert bettor. While a few bettors think of this as being challenging, by investing time and enough practice, you can soon start reading odds. This article educates new punters like you about how to read, understand, and interpret betting odds and; more importantly how to make a profit with this skill. See: Betting Basics: Optimizing Your Betting Selections Types Of Betting Odds There are three major types of betting odds – Money line (American, Fractional (British),  and Decimal (European)odds. These are simply different ways of displaying the same odds and have no difference in terms of payouts. Fractional odds are the ratio of the amount (profit) won to the stake, decimal odds represent the amount you win for every $1 you wager, and money line odds depending on the negative or positive sign, show the amount you wager to win $100 or amount to win for every $100 you stake. What are Money Line, Decimal, and Fractional Betting Odds?  When odds are represented in moneyline, decimal, or fractional formats, they are that way for two reasons: To signal the implied probability of the outcome they are attached to. Indicate how much money bettors could win betting on that outcome. Money Line Odds Money Line or American betting odds are displayed as any three-digit number with a plus (+) or minus (-) sign in front of it; +150 -200, etc. The plus and minus signs on a betting line show your prospective payout and if you’re backing favourites or underdogs.  The favourites are identified by negative numbers, this number indicates the amount of money you should bet to win $100. Positive numbers represent underdogs and show the amount of money you’ll win if you wager $100. Most prominent wagers including many points spread bets have two sides with negative odds. This is because point spread aims at levelling the playing field between both sides. Calculating Winnings With Money Line Odds To win $100 on the favourites (Bruins), you need to wager $130. For the underdogs (Canadiens) a wager of $100 will win you $110. For a wager of $40 on Boston (-130), the equation looks like this: Cross-multiply for 130x = 4000 and solve for ”x” x= 4000/130 x= 30.77 A $40 bet on Boston wins you $30.77 and you get a $70.77 payout (original wager + winnings). Betting $40 on Montreal (+110) the equation will look like this: Cross-multiply for 100x = 4,400 and solve for ”x” x= 4000/100 x= 44.00 A wager on Montreal gets you $44.00, the total payout is $84.00. Calculating Implied Probability With Money line Odds Implied probability is the likelihood of an outcome given by the odds. To solve it, you’ll convert odds into a percentage, indicating the likelihood an event will happen vs. the alternative. This concept is important because if your estimate of the probability of an event happening differs from a sportsbook’s you can adjust your bet accordingly. E.g if a team had a 60% chance of winning and its implied probability was 52.4%, it would be a smart wager. The formula for calculating implied probability is: Risk/Return = Implied Probability In American odds implied probability can be used in positive and negative odds.  Formula For Positive Odds: This formula can also calculate Montreal’s (+100) implied probability of winning the game.  From the equation, Montreal has a 47.6% chance of winning. Formula For Negative Odds: Boston’s (-130) implied probability of winning the match, can be calculated with the above example. The bookmaker predicts that Boston has a 56.5% chance of winning the game. See also: Betting Basics: How Do Bookmakers Make Their Money? Decimal Odds Decimal or European odds are the easiest betting odds to work with, and are displayed like this:  Calculating Winnings With Decimal Odds To determine your payout with decimal odds, just multiply your wager by the odds assigned to the team you’re backing. For calculating winnings, subtract the original wager from the payout. Calculating Implied Probability  Use this formula to get the implied probability of decimal odds. Implied Probability: 1/Decimal Odds The equation below provides Kansas’ implied probability of winning: Implied Probability: 1/2.40 = 41.7% Cincinnati’s chances of winning: Implied Probability: 1/1.61 = 62.11% Fractional Odds Fractional or UK betting odds are popular in the UK and are used to bet on horse races. These odds are represented as – 9/5 or 1/2. When pronouncing the odds you’d say ”nine to five” or ‘one to two.” In fractional odds, the number on the left determines how many times bookies expect an event’s outcome to fail, while the number on the right is how many times the outcome is expected to succeed. How Fractional Odds Work If Oleksandr Usyk gets 8/13 odds for an upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua, the odds state that if their fight happened 21 times (8+13), Usyk would lose 8 matches and win 13. The implied probability of Usyk winning is calculated by the number of times he is predicted to win (13) divided by the total number of trials (21). This gives Usyk a 61.9% chance to win the fight. Look at the math below: To calculate Joshua’s probability of winning the fight, you’d use the same equation. If the odds are 11/8, and the fight happened 19 times (11+8), Joshua will lose 11 times and win 8 times. The probability will be 8 divided by 19. Joshua gets a 42.1% chance of winning the fight. The formula looks like this: Without factoring in the probability of a draw, the total of the probabilities

What is the relationship between football prediction and statistics?  Throughout the years, football has stood tall as one of the most popular sports in the world. And even after all this time, fans have never gotten tired of betting for football or discussing it with fellow enthusiasts. Yet, there has always been one subject that doesn’t get talked about enough and it is the influence of statistics in football prediction. When it comes to football statistics and its scope in this beloved sport, information is power. The football industry relies heavily on statistics for a number of activities – improving player performance, scouting, injury prevention, and the team’s overall quality of play too. But what are some ways statistics have influenced Football Prediction? How do we identify this impact? This article seeks to discuss this at length and provide some clarity for you as well. PS: If you’re looking for an incredible Football Prediction Site, you might want to check out MatchPlug. Article Content: What is statistical football prediction?  Rise of statistical analysis in football prediction (how it came to be) History and the use of statistics in football How statistics are used in football prediction today Statistics that matter when predicting football matches Basic statistics that are employed for football prediction Pros and cons of using statistics in football prediction Read: Football Betting: Important Facts And Questions That Must Be Answered What Is Statistical Football Prediction? Statistical Football Prediction is a method used to predict the outcome of football matches by using statistical tools. The aim of this method is to outdo bookmakers’ predictions, who use them to set the odds on the result of football matches. Ranking is the most commonly used statistical approach to football prediction. Football ranking systems rank teams based on their previous game results so that the strongest team is bestowed the highest rank. The result of a game can be predicted by comparing opponents’ ranks. There are different types of football ranking systems, so popular ones are FIFA World Rankings or World Football Elo Ratings. Another method used for football prediction is rating systems. While ranking systems focus solely on team order, rating systems assign to every team a continuously scaled strength indicator.  Furthermore, ratings can be assigned to not just a team, but to its attacking and defensive strengths, home field advantage, and skills of each team player too. Drawbacks In Ranking Systems Football Match Predictions  There are three core drawbacks in football match predictions based on ranking systems. Ranks assigned to each team do not show a clear difference between their attacking and defensive strengths. Ranks are accumulated averages and do not account for skill changes in football teams. The ranking system’s main goal is not to predict football games’ results, but to sort teams according to their average strength. Rise Of Statistical Analysis In Football Prediction (How It Came To Be) Charles Reep a Royal Air Force accountant was the first advocate of using statistics in football. Reep started collecting and analysing football using data after the Second World War. His research concluded that most of the goals in games, came from moves which didn’t have more than 3 passes, this was what birthed the long ball theory. Reep’s work heavily influenced the modern game, but his theory was later disproved by Jonathan Wilson, who concluded that Charles’ analysis showed that 91.5% of moves in the games he studied had 3 passes or lower and logically it would mean that 91.5% of all goals scored in football would come from movers with 3 passes or lower. However, Wilson stated that the problem wasn’t with Reep’s data collection, but with how it was interpreted. Jonathan Wilson proved that data isn’t enough to give teams a competitive edge – being able to interpret it was just as important. Due to his findings, data analysts have become an integral factor in football prediction over the years. History And The Use Of Statistics In Football While statistics have been used in football prediction over the years, they didn’t become prominent until the 21st century. Until then, the only noteworthy information was keeping the score on goals. Today, statistics is being massively used by bookmakers and odd compilers as a tool for football prediction or even championship tournaments. Although statistics are still relevant and help bettors avoid guesswork when placing wagers, they can still be interpreted. For instance, a player who had fewer passes than their teammate may seem like he didn’t pull his weight in a match, but when factors like his playing only as a substitute in the last 20 minutes of the game are considered, everything changes. Using statistics in football is one sure way to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a team, which in turn facilitates more predictions within a match. But, statistics don’t always provide context for a particular match and as such can be misleading. See: Key Differences Between Betting For Fun And Betting For Profit How Statistics Are Used In Football Prediction Today There are a lot of different ways statistics are used by football clubs today. We have listed the core ones below: 1. Scouting Talent Scouts from football leagues use statistical databases to search for talented players quicker and more efficiently. This saves clubs money and time because the scouts can use a system that lets them narrow down to a specific number of players.  They can also use that information to decide which player is worth watching play. 2. Training Players Coaches can benefit from statistics as much as CEOs of regular companies can. With the use of statistical analysis, they can gain an edge over their competition. They deploy wearable technologies that monitor stats like distance covered by players in a match, and the positions they occupy on the pitch. This information helps coaches build tailored training sessions for players to ensure that they perform at the highest level possible. These training strategies also ensure that players don’t get injured during the

What are the types of sports betting? One of the reasons why sports betting is great is that there are lots of ways you can bet on a game. You don’t need to just bet on one team you expect to win a match, you can bet on the probabilities like the margin of victory, total number of points scored, and different types of bets too. But, sports betting is still a complex passion and has lots of depth. Most of its depth is based on the fact that there are a variety of options attached to the type of bet you want to place. Whether you are an experienced or new bettor, have a good understanding of the bet types you can wager on. The more knowledge you have, the more informed your betting decisions will be. With this in mind, let’s now talk about straight bets, money lines, point spreads, and prop bets. Let’s talk about the betting options that are available from your sports books. Read also: Key Differences Between Betting For Fun And Betting For Profit 13 Types Of Sports Betting  Below are the types of sports bets and how they work: 1. Money Line Bets  Moneyline bets are the most common and simplest bet types. When you bet a team’s moneyline, that means you’re backing them to win. For instance, if you favour the Cincinnati Bengals to win, you’d bet on their moneyline. If the Bengals win, you win your bet. But if they lose, your bet loses. When you visit a Prediction Site, money lines are the first bets you see, then points spreads and totals. These types of bets differ in the odds they provide. A match might have an underdog with long odds and a huge potential payout, while the favourites who are expected to win have short odds and low payouts. 2. Point Spread  Point spreads are entertaining for more experienced bettors because they level the playing field. Here, the underdogs are given additional “phantom” points. The bets may be listed as: Buffalo Bills +14 (-110) Cincinnati Bengals -14 (-110) In this scenario, the Bills are expected to lose by 14 points. The oddsmakers gave them 14 “extra” points to add to their total. For that bet to the payout, Bills must win or lose by less than 14 points. If the final score is Bills 21 and Bengals 27, that would mean that the bills covered the spread. With the extra 14 points given by the point spread, they would have won over the Bengals. Similarly, the Bengals would need to defeat the Bills by more than 14 points to cover the spread. A final score of Bengals 31 and Bears 10, would show that Cincinnati covered the spread and won the bet. 3. Handicap Bets Handicap bets are quite similar to point spreads and are one more way for sportsbooks to level things for unevenly matched teams or players. The handicap present is to give an advantage to underdogs by giving them a “head start” the favourite has to overcome. The advantage a head start gives comes as points the underdog starts with to get an edge. The favourites must pass the edge or the underdogs use it to their advantage and you win that wager. Here’s an example: Manchester United is favoured against Leicester, this is the handicap the bookmaker gives: Manchester United: -3 Leicester: +3 This simply means that Leicester is starting the game with 3 extra points. If you back Manchester United, you’ll have minus 3 points from their final score. If they have more points than Leicester after the subtraction, then you win the bet.  Or maybe you backed Leicester as the underdog. You’ll add 3 points to their total score, and if it’s higher than what Manchester scored, you’d win the bet. If Manchester scored three goals in that match, the official score is – Manchester 3 – Leicester 0. But with the underdog’s handicap, the final score at the sportsbooks will be: Manchester United 3 – Leicester 3 A handicap like this for Leicester creates a tie, so if you bet on them for the match, you’d win the bet. 4. Over/Under (Totals) The over/under bet also known as totals bet is a wager made for the combined score of two teams playing in a match. You bet against a total set by the sportsbook and if the combined score will fall over or under the number given. If you’re previewing the NBA odds at a sportsbook for the Golden State Warriors playing the San Antonio Spurs, the over/under for the game is 214. You’d think the matchup will be a shootout and wager on the over. If you win, you collect your earnings. Over/under are typically set at around -110 unless the total is overly high or low. This means betting $110 on the over would earn you $100 if it won. Total bets are another simple wager you can make whether you’re betting for football in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB or collegiate sports. These types of bets are present in halftime or period scoring. 5. Parlay Bets  A parlay bet is a wager made on multiple bets winning. For a parlay to win, every “leg” or bet in the parlay must win for you to cash out your bets. If what you have is a four-leg parlay and only three bets win, you’d have a losing parlay ticket. Although most experts advise that you stay away from parlays because they suck you in, these bets are attractive because with a low amount you could win a larger amount, as your profits get multiplied after every win. So, betting $10 on a five-leg parlay including: Boston Bruins Moneyline (-215) Vancouver Canucks Moneylines (-155) Pittsburgh Penguins+4.5 (-110) David Pastrnak to score (+650) Sidney Crosby to score 20 points (-105)  If all these 5 bets won, you’d earn a payout of $663.80. See: Betting Basics: Optimizing Your Betting Selections 6. Teasers Teaser

What in your opinion, are the top 10 football betting websites serious bettors should follow in 2023? While you, like most online bettors have gotten used to betting with your favoured bookmaker over the years, there is still a high chance that the bookie you’re using isn’t the right one for you, and as such it might be time for you to try someone else. Now, you’ve heard that there are hundreds of websites for betting for football and maybe even counted more than one hundred of them. But we’re guessing you’re still struggling with finding a good Prediction Site; because if you weren’t you wouldn’t be here. It’s okay, your search is over. In this article, we will highlight some of the best football betting websites on the internet, this year.  These sites are recognised for giving bettors incentives like accurate Football betting tips, device accessibility, and sign bonuses and offers. Keep reading for a detailed breakdown of the 10 football betting websites to follow in 2023, including information on how to sign up for betting sites and choosing a good Football Prediction site. See: How Can I Find The Best Football Prediction Website? Top 10 Football Betting Websites To Follow In 2023 1. MatchPlug 2. 1XBet 3. BetMGM 4. FanDuel 5. Caesars 6. WynnBet 7. Bet365 8. 888sport 9. 22Bet 10. BetWay Football Betting Websites To Follow In 2023 Football is one of the most popular sports in the world and is offered on all betting websites. While this may be good news for some bettors, it may not always be the blessing it looks like, mainly because having too many options in itself can be a source of stress. If you are having a hard time choosing a Football Prediction site, then it’s possible that you’re now realizing this too.  Thankfully, this list of top football betting websites we made will simplify everything for you. 1. MatchPlug MatchPlug is a reliable and dedicated Prediction Site you can rely on for Free football tips and accurate match predictions and betting previews. Our website courts variety, by offering coverage on other choice sports besides football like hockey, baseball, basketball, and American football. MatchPlug has a mobile-friendly website, is easy to navigate, and clutter-free, displays available daily odds at a glance, and gives bettors access to Today’s football matches. On our website, you’ll gain access to data-driven predictions that can help you make a steady income from betting. Why We Chose MatchPlug  By signing up on Matchplug, you can enjoy the several benefits that make us one of the top 10 football betting websites to follow in 2023. We mentioned some of them below: Coverage on all major American Sports leagues – NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS. Predictions across popular football tournaments – English Premier League, Championship, Europa, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, and French Ligue 1. Uses data mining methods to produce Today’s match prediction. Applies predictive analysis, and tools like statistical modelling, machine learning, and data mining to examine current and historical data for building a hot prediction site, bettors can trust.  Multiple subscription packages: Basic Package Site Access / Daily Emails of 3 Sure Games. Access to BASIC package markets. 2 Odds to 3 Odds daily. Over 80% Accuracy. Premium Package Site Access / Daily Emails of 6 Sure Games. Access to all BASIC package markets. 5 Odds to 30 Odds daily. Over 85% Accuracy. VIP Package 1.8 Odds to 3 Odds daily. Highest return on Investment (ROI). Personal account VIP manager. Highest level of accuracy (95%) for high stakers. 2. 1XBet 1XBet is another of the football betting websites that provides Football tips betting enthusiasts can rely on.  Established in 2007, 1XBet rose to popularity a few years ago when it signed deals with Chelsea and Liverpool. Presently, this bookmaker is famous for facilitating the Serie A Italian football league. 1XBet is also highly renowned above most sportsbooks as being one website that truly offers great football odds for a variety of matches, across leagues. Furthermore, this site has one of the best mobile apps in the market. It has numerous bonuses too like “Your birthday with 1XBet!” where you get a free bet on your birthday. Why We Chose 1XBet Hundreds of sports markets are available for every kind of sport. Features poker room, casino, live casino, and lotteries. Multiple payment methods – credit cards, bank transfers, mobile payments, and cryptocurrencies. Create accounts in one click. Numerous bonuses and added benefits for users like free bets. Responsive and customer-friendly support staff who are available 24/7. 60+ languages including Russian and Turkish. 3. BetMGM BetMGM was one of the first Football Prediction sites to take root in the USA, and over the years it has grown to become an authority in the sports betting industry.  This website has games displayed in the middle of the screen, sports markets to the left and players’ bet slip on the right. BetMGM’s extensive menu bar perched on top of the screen is perhaps one of its best features. It holds tabs for navigating the site’s Home, A-Z menu, My Bets, and Promotions and also links to all of the popular sports markets available on BetMGM. Why We Chose BetMGM Here are some features on BetMGM’s site that might excite you: A simple, smooth layout – every function is properly organized and labelled across the site for easy access and navigation. Free media streaming – BetMGM provides bettors with free streaming of less popular sports like tennis, table tennis, and snooker. All you need to do is scroll through your preferred event and watch it free of charge. Online casino and poker – bettors residing in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, can access online casino gaming.  The best part is that they can switch easily between all the offerings.  You can find a tab featuring popular casino games below your betting slip, and tabs linked to BetMGM’s casino and poker sites are placed at the top of

How much can you make following a tipster? (really) At one point, every sports bettor would have pondered the question: “should I get a tipster’s opinion first, before betting my money?” This is the part where you seek out a tipster, which is a person who earns a living by recommending bets to punters. Just like in every other industry, there are different types of tipsters you’ll come across. Some tipsters are excellent, others give awful advice, and then there are the scammers. But, knowing how to utilize the advice of a good tipster to your advantage, can go a long way in helping you make money in sports betting. Understanding how much you can get out of a sports betting tipster is important, no matter if you’re signing up on your mobile phone or visiting a land-based sportsbook in person. In this article, we discuss how to identify good sports tipsters, how to earn money using tips, the benefits of following a tipster and how to maximize tips to earn profits in the long run. Similar Article: Can You Make Money Backing The Favorites Article Content: 3 ways to identify a good sports tipster  Benefits of following a  tipster Make money following a tipster  How to utilize sports betting tips  3 Ways To Identify A Good Sports Tipster There are lots of bettors who search for tips because they want to increase their odds of winning. But, your main goal should be to come out on top every time and value betting as well – this means you should bet in a way where the probability of you winning is greater than the odds reflected by the bookmaker. Doing this is your best chance of gathering long-term profits. Same way, there are many bettors who just want to pick the winner. And oftentimes, the demand for betting tips outweighs that of value bets. This proves that seeking advice from a knowledgeable third party can place you ahead of other bettors. Thankfully, finding a good sports tipster isn’t a difficult task. These are 3 ways you can identify one, below: 1. A Good Tipster Charges Money It is better for you to pay for the services of a good tipster and be sure you’re getting the best because free tipsters can be audited and might not be legit. 2. Avoid Acclaimed “Insider Information” Any tipster claiming to have “insider information” or advertising any other services in this manner, is most likely a scammer and you should not get involved with them. 3. Read Bettors Reviews The best way to learn, especially in sports betting is from the experience of other bettors.  So, when you find a trader, ensure that you go through the reviews left of their pages and pay attention to the ones that raise concerns. You should also feel out about their services. If the tipster has a good track record and is recommended to be honest in their dealings, then use them over the ones who promise you quick profits. Benefits Of Following A Tipster While it is always advisable to use a Prediction Site to place your bets, there are still some really good benefits that can come out of following a tipster: 1. Higher Earnings  When you work with a talented and professional tipster, you increase your chances of earning more money. To measure how much you can make following working with a tipster, calculate the return on investment in the time you started working with them. You can also delve into the tipsters’ records to see if they’ve produced results before, this should give you some confidence that they can work the same wonders for you. 2. Getting Valuable Insights Sports tipsters who know their onus are experts in their respective industries and should be regarded as valuable sources of insights and information on a particular sport. For example, if what you need is Football betting tips, the tipster you use should be a renowned expert in this sport. By combining their vast knowledge with unmatched mathematical skills, these experts can give you vital insights. Additionally, since sports betting is a social event often done amongst friends, having a tipster in your corner can give you a much-needed headstart. Don’t forget, anybody advertising “insider info” is most likely trying to fill their pockets rather than genuinely help you make money. 3. Managing Your Opinions There are a million thoughts that come into your head when placing a bet, and most of them translate to opinions that require immediate action. If you have a gut feeling and don’t want to run it by your friends for fear of them acting on it, using a sports tipster is what you should do. A tipster takes some stress off your hands by either confirming or condemning your selections. No matter what they do for you, you’ll come to bet with a much clearer mind. See: How Do I Make Money From Football Betting? Making Money By Following A Tipster  Earning profits in sports betting is more about getting the odds to favour you and constantly being on the right side of statistical probability than it is about knowing how a sport works. Working with an experienced tipster can get you there faster, but you too can get the odds in your favour by yourself if you can just identify small prices that represent value. Value is where the price is more than the true probability; a defect in the market or the bookmaker has made a mistake. To make money while following a tipster, you would also have to put in some effort on your part to amplify the tipster’s abilities. Here is a quick rundown of what you should do, so that you can process this information faster: 1. Find Value Bets To find value bets by yourself, you’ll need expertise in understanding odds, modelling prices, and reading betting markets. But, if like most bettors you don’t possess the time, skills, or expertise to always

Does anyone know how bookmakers make their money? One good thing about sports betting is that you can make profits consistently by understanding the system and applying the right strategies. But, winning in sports betting needs more than understanding how it works. No matter how good you are, you’ll lose money. There are a lot of reasons why this happens, and one of them is bookmakers using some hidden techniques to give themselves an advantage in every prediction. Being successful in sports betting? Cashing out every other week? Is dependent on your understanding and then destabilising this advantage, and how bookmakers make their money. Read also: Can You Make Money Backing The Favorites Article Content: Who is a bookmaker? Types of bookmakers Bookmakers and how they set odds How do bookmakers make their money? The basic principle of bookmaking  Charging the vigorish / overround: How it works Odd compilers and what they do Bookmakers margins: how they work  how bookmakers create a balanced book Key Takeaways: How to make money from bookmakers  Who Is A Bookmaker? A bookmaker or bookie is a sports personnel who oversees gambling, especially on sports events. A bookie sets the odds you find on a Prediction Site, accepts and places your bets, and pays winnings on behalf of oddsmakers. Types Of Bookmakers There are three types of bookmakers to select from when betting online. 1. Fixed Odds Fixed odds bookmakers issue odds in fractions to create betting markets. Odds are offered in three outcomes of a match – Home, Win, Draw, and Away Win. The odds have an inbuilt profit margin or house edge. Bookies take bets on every option that reflects a probability and creates a profit. 2. Spread  Here, bettors wager on the outcome to be lower or higher than the spread. Spreads are represented in two numbers, traders buy at a high number and sell at a lower number. Spread-betting bookmakers earn money from the difference in stakes and payouts. Markets change depending on buy and sell stakes. 3. Exchange  Betting exchanges are represented in decimal odds and support peer-to-peer betting. It puts together bettors who want to back an outcome and layers who bet against it. Exchange bets are matched at equally beneficial prices, partially or not matched at all. These bookmakers issue a back and lay price for outcomes in sports. Back prices are lower than the lay price. An exchange bookmaker makes money from commissions on winning bets. This ensures that they make profits regardless of the outcome. Bookmakers and How They Set Odds One way bookmakers win is by calculating the odds of them winning an event. They do this using statisticians and developing complex models. “Moneylines” and “spreads” are important factors for them. Other times, their calculations are based on the ones developed by casino actuaries or risk calculators. Basically, they underscore which teams the bookmaker believes will win a match. Lines and spreads can be adjusted in the time leading up to an event based on the bets made in their books or fluctuations in casino bets. Bad weather, injuries to players, and doping scandals influence odds too. A bookie aims to maintain balance in the books by adjusting the odds as much as they can so that an even number of bettors back a win or loss. If the books are balanced, the bookmaker earns only the vig. But, if a bet is one-sided on a team or outcome, they have a higher chance of losing money. How Do Bookmakers Make Their Money? Bookmakers make their money by charging a fee (“vigorish” or “vig”) on every bet they take, and pay out earnings when customers win a bet. Their goal is to earn more cash than they pay bettors. They do so by adjusting the odds to even the amount of people betting on a win or loss. A vig is up to 10%, although high-profile bets like a tight line on the Super Bowl can be higher than this.  Here is an outline of other ways bookmakers make money: Bookies set the right bet prices. They set and change betting lines. Balancing the book and curbing risks. Counting on bettors’ emotions and lack of knowledge. See: Betting Basics: Optimizing Your Betting Selections Basic Principle Of Bookmaking  The basic principle of bookmaking is, a bookie accepts money when they lay a bet for a customer, and pays out money any time the customer wins a wager. Professional bookmaking ensures that they take in more money than they pay out. Bookmakers can’t control an event’s outcome out, but they can control how much they’ll lose or win in any results. Bookies set the odds for all the bets they lay, which always guarantees them a profit. Charging The Vigorish / Overround: How It Works Vigorish (juice, margin, or overround) is the main method bookies use to set odds in their favour. They build it into odds to help them make a profit. But, how does a vig work? We’ve explained everything using this coin toss example: A coin toss has two outcomes – “Heads or Tails” and both are equally likely. There is a 50% chance of heads and a 50% chance of tails. If a bookmaker offered true odds on the toss of a coin, they would offer more money than they already do. This would be: 2.00 in decimal odds +100 in moneyline odds  1/1 in fractional odds. A $10 bet at even money returns $20, which is $10 profit plus the initial stake back. If the bookmaker had 100 customers betting $10 on the toss of a coin, half bets on tails and the other half on heads, they won’t make any money in this scenario. In the image above, if the bookmakers are accepting a total of $1,000 in bets, they must also pay out a total of $1,000 in winnings no matter the result. But, since they are in business to make money, this scenario does not favour them. That

What is the difference between betting for fun and betting for profit? Many people all over the world, view sports betting as a favourite pastime, and as such, they tend to favour some games like football or horse racing over others. And since betting is a source of entertainment for sports enthusiasts, they engage in it regularly and at some point, they start developing a reason for why they keep gambling. You see, betting for football, horse racing, or any other sport gives bettors two benefits which they can decide how they want to enjoy. It can either offer you fun or profit. Whatever your reason is, betting is a serious game that still requires focus. But, back to our question, what are some key differences between betting for fun and betting for profit? We have given the answer in this article, as well as discussed how to navigate both choices. See: Football Betting: Important Facts And Questions That Must Be Answered Article Guide: Betting for fun Betting for profit Betting for fun vs betting for profit  Importance of betting for fun Importance of betting for profit  Tips and strategies for Betting for fun Tips and strategies in Betting for profit Advantages and disadvantages of betting for fun Advantages and disadvantages of betting for profits  How to bet for fun and profit  Betting For Fun Betting for fun is wagering money on a particular sporting event merely for entertainment. You don’t care whether you lose money or not, as long as you’re entertained by a match, you’re good. Watching sports without betting on them is exciting. But watching football or basketball when there’s no obsession for payouts involved, intensifies the fun you’ll have because you’re doing it with a clear mind. Here, you’re less likely to be affected by the outcome, compared to when you’re betting for profit. Betting For Profit Betting for profit is the riskier side of sports gambling, especially because anything can happen. You must fortify yourself with an edge over other bettors.  If you consistently bet for profit, you will never really enjoy a match, and neither will you feel the same excitement the other type of bettor does. This is because you’re fixated on making money, more than you are feeding your passion for sports. Making profits from a bet takes a lot of research and preparation, which sucks out all the fun for you. You’ll only ever be happy when you win a wager. Losing a bet also breeds negative emotions like stress, depression, and addiction if it’s not managed well. This is when you start chasing losses or accumulators’ bets because you want to compensate for the money you lost to feel good.  However, you can still make betting for profit enjoyable, by mastering self-control, applying the right sports betting strategies, and not overplaying your hand. Betting For Fun Vs Betting For Profit Some bettors gamble for the fun of it, while others gamble for a chance to win money. In the table below, we have examined some differences between betting for fun and betting for profit, to give you an idea of what both gambling choices entail. Fun  Profit Don’t care if you win or lose money. Gamble for a chance to win money. Enjoy the thrill of gambling. Risks losing money. Bet for the experience alone. Should have a bankroll. See gambling as a medium of entertainment. Avoid emotional attachment to bets. Uses betting to socialize with friends. Understands odds and how to use them. Bet to pass time the time. Learns to pick winners more than losers to increase profits. Important Points For Betting For Fun If you bet on sports to simply relax and be entertained, it is important that you know the practices that’ll make this experience worth it, since you’ll be predicting outcomes. Focus on a sport that intrigues you the most. That is how you have fun. Budget only an amount you can lose. And after you’ve lost, stop betting. Gambling stops being fun for you when you lose more money than you can afford. Don’t place huge stakes on single wagers. They should get a very small fraction of your entire daily budget. Reduce the number of bets you throw to win. Only back meaningful wagers, don’t jump on everything in the market. Getting involved in different types of wagers doubles the excitement, has more meaning, and places you closer to a win. In-game betting is more exciting, and so do it. Don’t obsess over the results. Understand the basic strategies of betting, they guarantee more fun when you use them and they work for you. Importance Tips For Betting For Profit So, you’re betting for profits? The tips you need to succeed in this area, are more straightforward and to the point. Be smart and know how to properly analyse the different factors that influence certain results. Know that hard work is essential if you want to win consistently. Exercise patience. This helps you to not be discouraged when your expectations aren’t met. Have a good knowledge of basic mathematics if you want to keep money from sportsbooks. Master control of your emotions so that your feelings are in check and you bet with a clear eye. Gather information on how to succeed by getting details on wagers, options, markets, and sporting events. Luck is good, but having a strategy is more important. This will help you assess what brings you successful wagers and why you fail. Tips And Strategies In Betting For Fun There are different ways you can be for fun. Do you want to just enjoy the game or get involved and place bets?  No matter what you want, these strategies can help you: First, find a good bookmaker where you’ll be placing your bets. You get extra points if you use a Prediction Site that gives you good lines and odds. After you’ve found a good bookie, the next thing you need to do is to open an account

How good is your knowledge of football betting facts and questions? When it comes to football betting, anyone who considers themselves a sports betting enthusiast must equip themselves with information surrounding certain facts and questions in this industry.  We say this because knowing these things don’t just help you make smoother bets, but it also gives you a better understanding of betting for football. On that note, we have written down answers to some frequently asked football questions you might have. These answers cover enquiries regarding betting odds, using football betting sites, types of bets, etc.   By the time you are done reading this article, we hope you’d have improved your football betting knowledge. Now, without further ado, let’s see what these facts and questions are.  Related: Betting Basics: Optimizing Your Betting Selections Important Football Betting Facts And Questions That Must Be Answered What should I know before betting on football? What is the most profitable football betting strategy? What is the secret behind football betting? What are some sure tips for football betting? What are the odds? Do football odds vary by bookmakers What are the different types of football odds? What does vigorish mean? Who sets the odds and lines in football? Why do odds and lines change? Why do different football betting sites have different odds and lines? Do own goals count for both teams to score? How does the first goal scorer work in football? What does draw no bet mean? What is double-chance betting in football? If two or more players tie for the golden booth, who wins it? How many red cards are issued before a football match is abandoned? How do booking points work in football betting? What is regular time in football betting? Should you bet on the draw in football? What is an assist in football? How does corner betting work in football? What do match odds mean in football betting? How do bet builders work? What is score cast betting in football? See also: Top Football Betting Myths Dispelled! 25 Football Betting Important Facts And Questions That Must Be Answered Football bettors have a lot of questions about betting for football, and it’s only right that we answer them with the appropriate answers. These are some football betting facts for you: 1. What should I know before betting on football? Before you start betting on football, there are a few things you need to do to make your betting experience more enjoyable. We listed some of the below: Find the best available odds in the market. Utilise matched and arbitrage betting. follow football tipsters and their predictions (to an extent) Keep a record of your bettings. Be content with the little wins and profits. 2. What is the most profitable football betting strategy? There are numerous football betting strategies, which you can follow to consistently cash out in this industry. However, some strategies are more profitable than others: Early cashouts. Bet over 1.5 goals live. Find a league to specialise in. Bet on the draw, late goals, cup games, and live games too. 3. What is the secret behind football betting? The secret behind football betting is wagering when you have higher than a 50-50 chance of winning a bet.   Or if the chances are less than 50%, you can win and then the bookmaker will make the amount they’ll pay as good or better than the risk you took. 4. What are some sure tips for football betting? There are some core football betting tips every serious bettor should always keep in mind if they want to succeed in this industry: Maintain discipline. The golden rule of betting is that you only wager an amount you can afford to lose. Utilise bonus offers. Shop around to find the best odds, don’t just accept the first one that comes your way. Do thorough research on odds, bookmakers, and football events. Always keep a record of your betting. It helps you track your wins and losses accurately. 5. What are the odds? Odds show the expected profit on each bet you place. For example, a 10 euros bet at odds of 2.2 will get you a profit of 12 euros on a winning bet (10 X 2.2 – 10). They also indicate the probability of a specific event happening. The lower the odds, the greater the probability of the event occurring ( odds = 1/ probability).  Odds of 4 show that the event has a 1 in 4 (¼ = 25%) chance of happening, while odds of 1.2 correspond to a probability of 83% (1/1.2). 6. Do football odds vary by bookmakers? Yes. the odds offered by bookies for a match might change due to unforeseen circumstances. But, once you’ve placed your bets, they cannot be changed, no matter what happens after that. 7. What are the different types of football odds? Football odds can be represented in many different ways. Decimal or European odds are offered mostly in Europe, and they differ from American odds or British odds (fractional odds). 8. What does vigorish mean? Vigorish (vig, juice, or overround) is the amount or commission a bookmaker charges bettors for each bet they place for a sporting event.  This vig is part of your bet so you don’t have to pay an additional fee. It’s how bookies make their own profit from sports betting. 9. Who sets the odds and lines in football? Odds and lines in football are set by oddsmakers or odds compilers in the employ of bookmakers. These professionals have extensive knowledge of football and their job is to ensure that the opening odds and lines are accurate. Oddsmakers are the ones who also adjust the odds and lines based on a number of factors. 10. Why do different football betting sites have different odds and lines? Odds and lines reflect the opinions of the odds compilers on what’s likely to occur in a sporting event. When the odds and lines vary in football betting sites, that

How good are you at optimizing your betting selections? Sports betting works in the direction you lead it, and it can be as easy or complex as you want it to be, based on how you decide to select or optimize your bets. In this article, we’ll break down the workings of optimizing your betting selections. The good thing is you don’t need to be an expert bettor or have much knowledge on how to optimize your sports picks and bets. This makes it very easy for you to get entertained, while still making money from sports betting, without needing to do a lot of learning. But, the downside to this is that making good selections consistently or making lots of money solely from sports betting is not simple. This means you must put in the effort and learn so many things to be a professional bettor that actually succeeds. We have listed out some strategies that can help you optimize your selections better. 8 Strategies For Optimizing Your Betting Selections Making good betting selections is the third and final requirement in becoming a successful bettor, but it is the most difficult and it isn’t something a single article will teach you.  But, in the absence of an exact blueprint to follow, our guide can provide some clarity on the things you don’t understand. We’ve made it comprehensive so that you get all the information and tips you need to build your own working approach. Keep in mind that this article won’t magically transform you into a successful gambler, but it’ll get you one step closer to it. It features several useful hacks for optimizing your betting selection process. So, let’s see what we have for you: 1. Expert Selectiveness In professional betting, you must be selective with the wagers you back. And there are certain areas you should apply this selectivity to if you want to succeed: The amount you bet in a given period. The number of sports and sporting events to wager on. Value of the odds and lines offered to you. Types of bets you place – point spread, money lines, or game totals. 2. Apply Rational Thinking As a rule of thumb, the decisions you make in sports betting should be based on rational thinking. “Hunches” or unproved “theories” won’t do you much good in the long run.  This is why it’s important that you ignore your instincts and focus on making selections born for rational and objective reasons. Reviewing your thought process before every selection is a great place to start. Step back and try to understand your reason for any bias, preconceptions, or assumptions. 3. Don’t Choose Picks Emotionally Love and support your favourite team, but don’t pick them because you’re hoping they win a match.  Matter of fact, do not bet on the team or player you like because those emotions can affect your judgment. But if you must pick a team you favour, be objective about your reason for doing so. Similarly, don’t be complacent when you’re on a winning streak or let a series of losses lead you to make bad betting decisions. 4. Work Hard Working hard is one of the simplest ways to improve your betting results, and this can be done by putting in more time and effort to research. Research gives you information about important things in sports betting like teams and players, helping you assess the outcome of events better. By committing your hours to put in the work, you can also interpret and analyse this information to your advantage. However, as you do your research take these factors that affect the likelihood of events occurring into consideration: Team/player quality. Key strengths and weaknesses. The current form of players/team. Recent injuries/fitness levels. Motivation. Consistency in performance and results. Venue. Schedules. 5. Look For Value Bets Finding value bets means assessing sports betting lines and then backing the odds which offer the most value with lesser risks and more opportunities for profits. Outrightly betting $1000 on a heavy favourite for an earning of $100 is not a smart move, and so is backing a team whose odds are undermined. Before you bet, research, calculate, and watch out for lines that offer you the most value. Note, value can be found by shopping for a good Prediction Site, rather than just good odds. 6. Bet Less Most bettors believe that wagering on as many sports as they can improve their chances of winning big money. This is a wrong notion. You must not place too many wagers weekly to earn money. The fewer bets you place, the more time you can spend on each of them. Spending quality time on your betting selections is a good way to improve them. So, instead of betting on every market you see on the bookmaker’s website, be more selective. Also, consider these points: How many sports to wager on. How many different leagues or competitions to bet on. The number of games/ events to wager on. How many bets to place on a game/event. 7. Weigh Risks And Rewards As it is with all good businesses, having a stable cost-benefit analysis is important if you want to make accurate betting selections. Follow this simple rule, avoid selections where the risks outweigh the rewards and vice versa. 8. Observe Selection Essentials In addition to every strategy that has been laid down in this article, make sure that you observe other important selection process essentials such as: Statistical and performance analysis. Betting trends. Good bankroll management. Tips That Help When Optimizing Your Betting Selections If you are a bettor who has a hard time conducting thorough research on sports events before making your betting selections you can get help with this.  There are certain tips that could help you with conducting research and ultimately making good selections. Here are some of those tips you could use for easier research: Check the implication of the event. Validate statistics. Steer clear of opinion