Explore Our Sports Betting Guides
Your strategy should be tailored to the sport you are wagering on. The same is true for your sports betting guide. Here are some of the guides handcrafted by our experts based on specific sports bettors love to wager on.
How to Bet on Sports Online
Betting on sports is exciting, but there is a lot to learn before you start placing wagers. Between the data, the jargon, and the speed at which things happen—it’s a lot. Compound on top of that the websites that teach beginners assuming you already know everything, and you create a giant waste of time.
That’s not how we do things here. We understand you aren’t going to know all the terms and the lingo. Most importantly, we know how you feel because we were there one day.
The first step every sports bettor should take is deciding which sports they want to wager on. This will help you narrow down your list of prospective sportsbooks. Know the sports you want to bet on will also help when it comes time to setting your bankroll and creating your system for how to win.
Once you know the sports you want to wager on, you can pick the sportsbook you want to use. Make sure you pick a sportsbook that has competitive sports betting odds, secure payment methods, and a high-quality user interface. Before signing up for an account, see if the sportsbook offers any type of welcome bonuses that can increase your bankroll.
After creating your account you can set your bankroll and make a deposit. An important part of creating your bankroll is deciding what size sports betting units you want to use. This will determine how much you wager on each bet you make.
Finally, you need to decide which specific bets you want to make. This is a key part of any profitable sports betting strategy. You should consider a variety of factors, including the types of bets and specific odds for any wager. Remember to compare odds between sportsbooks to always get the best odds.
Online Sports Betting Strategy for All Levels, Sports, and Bet Types
Betting on sports is fun, especially when you are winning. Learning how to bet on sports is just the first step in the process of becoming a profitable sports bettor.
The next logical step two is to dig into the strategy of betting. You can start learning different betting systems by using our experts’ sports betting strategy guides.
For example, here are sports betting guides based on specific betting types.
Guide to Reading Sports Betting Odds
Without overloading you with math, we want to go into a few need-to-know pieces of information about what betting odds are, how they work, and the different types you’ll see when sports betting.
The Types of Betting Odds
Depending on where you live in the world and where you choose to bet, you may see betting odds represented in a different way.
American Odds– These are odds written like (-160) and (+180) Fractional Odds– These are odds written like (5/8) and (9/5) Decimal Odds– These are odds written like (1.625) and (2.8)
(-160) is identical to (5/8) and (1.625). It’s just different ways to write the same betting odds. Do you need to learn how to convert these odds? Absolutely not. The best online sports betting sites give you the ability to toggle between your preferred format of betting odds. But it’s nice to understand the differences in case you interface with someone from a different region of the world or you go to make an in-person bet somewhere that uses a different format.
Tips for Mastering Betting Odds
- Understand what the odds mean – Know what you’re risking and what you stand to gain with a win. Just because you think a team is going to win a game doesn’t mean that it’s a profitable bet to make.
- Have a plan to time your bets – Embrace the fact that betting lines can and do change. Have a plan for timing your bets to get the maximum payouts and the biggest opportunities to win.
- Shop betting lines – Make sure you have a few different options set up to check for better lines. If you’re only betting at one sportsbook, you’re leaving money on the table. A half-point here and a few extra bucks there might not seem like a lot. However, when that gets extrapolated out over hundreds or thousands of bets—it’s huge.
How to Read American Odds
Once you know the types of odds available, you can practice learning to read them. Knowing how to read odds will make it that much easier to compare odds at different online sports betting sites.
For simplicity’s sake, let’s focus on reading American odds. If your sportsbook does not offer odds in this format, you can use this handy odds calculator to convert lines into American odds.
There are two factors to focus on with American odds: the number itself and the preceding symbol. If the symbol is “+” sign, then you are getting plus money. For a “-” sign, you are going to have to bet more to make a profit.
Exactly how much more will depend on the absolute value of the number itself. For instance, +200 odds mean that for every $100 wagered, you would win $200. But -200 odds imply that you would need to wager $200 in order to make a $100 profit.
Different Types of Bets
Nowadays, most online sports betting sites provide their members with a wide variety of types of bets. Each one is completely unique. They all can provide bettors with some massive opportunities to win big.
Here’s a quick look at the three most popular types of sports bets available in 2023.
Moneyline Betting
Point Spread Betting
Totals Betting
Latest Sports Betting Picks
Many advanced betting strategies rely on using the latest data available. But it is hard for even the most experienced bettors to keep up-to-date on all of the newest information. That is why many bettors rely on predictions from experts and computer-generated picks.
Free Betting PicksSports Betting News
Keeping up with the latest news is a key part of researching sports betting picks. Our experts not only stay up to date on the latest news, but they also interpret it as only expert sports bettors can. Check out our news section for expert insight into the latest developments.
Best Overall Sports Betting Site
Additional Online Sports Betting Guides and Resources
The more you learn about sports betting, the better your chances of turning a profit. Some information does not fit neatly into one of our above categories, though.
Below, you will find all the guides, articles, and resources that we couldn’t get organized above. These articles will span all sports, betting types, and experience levels.
The more you learn about sports betting, the better your odds are going to be of success. Using these guides will help you refine your betting skills in specific areas such as mobile betting, finding value, and understanding sports betting math.
FAQs About Online Sports Betting
Yes, you can bet on sports in the United States. There are a ton of great betting apps and online sportsbooks that provide convenient online betting wherever you are. Our list of the best USA online betting sites can help you find the best sportsbook for you.
The single best sports betting tip to make the most money is to shop your betting lines. Shopping for the best odds will help you make more money and increase your chances of winning your wager. There’s no reason you should take a bet at (-6) when it’s available somewhere else for (-5.5). A 5.5-point spread is easier to cover, so you are more likely to win.
When you’re just starting out it can be really discouraging to take that first loss. It is important to not give up if you start slow. In fact, even the very best professional bettors only get about 55% of their bets right. As long as you can find what bets are and aren’t worth taking there’s a lot more to your career as a sports bettor than just how often you win and lose.
No, there are plenty of other ways to gamble online. You can also bet on esports, play online casino games, and even online poker. Many gambling sites even offer all of these options in the same place.
Bitcoin, credit cards, and money transfers are all popular banking options for funding your online sports betting bankroll. The specific banking options available will depend on the site you choose to use.
Yes, you will need to pay taxes on your sports betting winnings. If you win enough in one setting you may even receive a 1099-G from the sportsbook. Paying taxes is just one more reason why bankroll management is so important.
Yes and no. Sportsbooks use your IP address to determine your location. So you cannot wager at a sportsbook that is based in another state without changing your IP. This can be done using a VPN, but you risk losing your bankroll and and winnings you’ve earned if you are caught. Luckily, there are plenty of offshore sportsbooks that cater to bettors in all 50 states.
Your ability to earn money from sports betting will depend on how often you can place winning wagers. The best sports bettors are ability to make a comfortable living while winning just over half of their bets. It takes a lot of time and effort to be a full-time sports bettor, though. For most people betting on sprots is just a fun and sometimes profitable hobby.
Oddsmakers try to balance the money wagered on all sides of a bet. If one side of the wager is getting more money than the others, than the sportsbook will change the odds accordingly. This is done to incentivize betting on both sides of the line.
The amount you can make betting on sports depends on what you bet and how good you are at picking winners. Some sports bettors make a living betting on sports for money, while others break even or lose. If you’re looking for a way to turn a small amount of money into a big win fast, look into parlays.
The only difference between these three types of odds is how they are represented. You won’t gain any advantages by using a different odds format.
There are a ton of great betting apps and online sportsbooks that provide convenient online betting wherever you are. Click this link to learn more about the best USA online betting sites and what factors make the top ones stand out.
Technically yes, it could happen, and many people have made their living betting on sports. However, this does not mean it’s an easy thing to do. A lot of time, effort, and knowledge is needed to make good money sports betting; let alone get rich. For most people wagering on sports should be a hobby, not a career.
Even the very best of professional bettors only get about 55% of their bets right. As long as you can find what bets are and aren’t worth taking, there’s a lot more to your career as a sports bettor than just how often you win and lose.
Nope! It’s just one of many in fact! You can also bet on esports, play online casino games, and even play online poker.