Free Sports Betting Tips - 3

SPORTS BETTING GLOSSARY

Betting Straight Up - Winning straight-up means simply winning on the scoreboard without any regard to the point spread. Betting straight-up would be to take a side or a team and bet on them to win outright.

ATS or “Against the Spread,” – Betting with a point spread or line instead of on the straight-up result. Taking points on an underdog or giving points on a favorite.

Side – Like betting straight-up, a side bet is a wager on a particular team, or side to win a contest.

Betting the totals/over/under - The line on a given contest, representing the combined number of points/goals scored by the two teams; see over/under. Betting the over/under is a bet on whether the combined total of the points or goals scored by the two teams will exceed or be less than a specified number.

Half time total – Betting on a team or total in the first half of the game only.

Parlays - A parlay bet is a bet with two or more teams where all the teams must win for the bettor to be successful. Parlays are viewed by sharp gamblers as a sucker bet because the house edge (juice) is large.

Teaser - A bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted in the favor of the bettor. All bets must win in order to win a teaser.

Betting the “Money Line,” - The amount you must bet to win $100 (if betting a favorite), or the amount you win if you bet $100 (if betting an underdog). This is a bet based on the straight-up result of the game without a spread.

Betting the “Puckline,” - Used only in hockey. A “spread” usually set at exactly 1.5 goals. Favorites lay -1.5 goals while underdogs “get” +1.5 goals.

Now that we have covered the betting basics, we can breakdown some of the “exotics,” or “promotional,” bets.

Promos/exotics - Any wager other than a straight bet or parlay - also called a prop or proposition.

Betting “futures,” - Wagers made, or lines/odds posted on an event or outcome taking place some time in the future, like betting during the season on the eventual Super Bowl winner.

So the practice of betting on sports has come a long way from those cold days in the cave. Betting systems have advanced and online sports books have made betting and pay outs easier and handicappers can help you make the winning selections.

PICK ME A WINNER

The ability to pick winners has been a much sought after skill since Akk’s cave-mate Erk deduced that the four legs of the Saber Tooth tiger were twice as many as Grok’s two legs. This observation gave Akk the inside knowledge and statistical analysis to make an educated decision when agreeing to the bet. Erk shared this information with Akk and Akk got the win. Akk gave Erk a shiny new rabbit skin for his help and the handicapping industry was born.

Handicapping is the attempt to predict the outcome of sporting events by compiling research and analysis to determine a winner.

Nowadays, there is much more information to pour over and many factors such as the team’s or individual’s history, trends and the proper way to use the point spread and odds can make the difference between selecting a winner or loser.

Today, handicappers develop and employ their own system to determine who has the best chance of winning. Handicappers sell their observations and advice to bettors that would like to increase their chances of winning.

There are a few things to understand when deciding whether or not to use a handicapper. The first is to understand that the average bettor is not going to have the time or the access to complete the necessary research to make winning picks – keeping up with all the numbers is a full time job!

Handicappers complete all the research and sell their selections to the general betting public.

The next thing to consider is the cost associated with employing the services of a handicapper. But consider that a handicapper may charge $200 a month to provide bettors with picks, but if these picks win or “hit,” and the bettor can make $600 per month on those winning selections, the handicapper’s fee is well worth it, especially compared to losing on your own.

There are a few things to look for when selecting a handicapper. The first is that the handicapper you select should be honest and up front with their history as a handicapping professional. All of their past picks, performance record of wins and losses and how they determine their picks should be out in the open.

Also be wary of any handicapper that use the terms “lock,” or “sure thing,” because any seasoned gambler will tell you - there is no such thing. Additionally, stay away from the high pressure sales pitch. You should feel comfortable about whom you have managing your money, and that in essence, is what a handicapper will do for you. After all, you are placing these bets on the basis of their picks so remember: they work for you and not the other way around.

Well there you have it - a simple yet comprehensive guide to help you make your first bet. We have also compiled a glossary of betting terms you can refer to for additional information.

Good luck!