A lot of people who try their hand at betting on sports become frustrated when they struggle to convert their knowledge into profits. Many will just assume they can’t beat the bookie, some will be resigned to thinking they don’t know as much as they thought they did, others will keep battling on hoping for their luck to turn. There might be another reason, however. If this sounds like you, ask yourself this question – Do I have a sports betting handicap?
What is a sports betting handicap? Simply, it’s a reason that you may be disadvantaged against the crowd when it comes to handicapping sports. Some common ‘handicaps’ are:
1. Time
Bookmakers and their staff, and professional punters spend an incredible amount of time analysing sporting events. Reviewing past events, researching upcoming matches and analysing statistical data are all key ingredients to making profits, and can absorb a ton of hours every week. They have the time to do this as it’s their job. If you have a full time job – how can you expect to compete with them in terms of sheer workload? You can’t – it’s a handicap.
2. Experience
Another key to sports betting profits is having a wealth of experience in dealing with specific markets. Do you know the worth of a point in a handicap? Are you aware of common yearly trends in your chosen sport? The more experience you have in a particular sport, the less likely you are to fall for certain traps, and you will be faster in identifying profitable factors. If you are relatively new to the game, this may be your sports betting handicap.
3. Access
Are you getting the best price you can? Access to getting your bets on can be the difference between winning and losing. Do you have accounts with only one or two bookmakers, giving you only two prices to choose from? Or do you have accounts at a wide spread of sportsbooks, thus increasing your chance to gain a better price and return greater dividends on your winning selections. If you’re the former, then this is a sports betting handicap for you.
As important as identifying your own sports betting handicap is, there is one thing more important – dealing with it. If you are limited with your time – maybe specialise on specific markets where you can find yourself an edge. Maybe team up with a trusted friend? If you’re not getting the best prices – open more accounts! Spend more time scanning the prices before placing your bets.
Do whatever you have to do to reduce your sports betting handicap, and increase your sports betting edge. Make the crowd have a handicap against you – and the profits will follow!