Professional sports bettors know that slow and steady wins the race when it comes to wagering on college basketball. With hundreds of chances to bet each and every week of the season, it is very easy for sports bettors to make mistakes, over-extend their bankroll, and lose a lot quickly. Here’s how to make smart bets throughout the college basketball season.
Evaluate Spreads and Totals
As soon as they are posted, you’ll want to analyze point spreads and over/unders. Compare and contrast the lines from various bookmakers, and look for the best deals in terms of the odds and the vig. A lot of sportsbooks will give you breaks on the juice for certain games or teams, but be careful – they may be doing that to attract more cash to a specific team. You may be saving on vig, but that won’t matter if you’re simply throwing your money away on the bet.
Early Lines
Many times, you can find real value in early lines, which are posted quickly and are often soft. Check lines on a team’s next game as soon as they are posted. Spreads and totals are listed online as soon as both teams playing have finished their previous game. In order to take advantage of these early odds, you will need to be up-to-date on each team, understand how they have been performing individually, and have some solid handicapping on-hand.
Don’t Fall for the Favorite
The general betting public is often enamored of the favorite. Do not fall for that fiction: The favorite does not always win, and they do not always cover.
Does that mean that you should not wager on the team that looks to be the winner?
No, but it does mean that you want to make each betting choice carefully. Simply perusing the lines, looking at a few statistics, and comparing a couple of players, won’t cut it. Remember that smart money goes on the team that is most likely to win in accordance with the spread. It is not about making your choice based on what everyone else is doing.
Where’s the Smart Money Going?
The smart money is defined as bets made by the professional sports bettors who are in the know. These guys are usually not in accordance with the general public. Check out online sources that offer information from some of these guys. You may also want to subscribe to a pick service that features picks by successful, professional handicappers. You can also figure out where the smart cash is going through careful analysis. This will often reveal where the best odds are, where the value is, and which team is the best choice in connection with the spread.
Refine Your System
As you go through the college basketball season, you should be constantly analyzing your successes and failures, and making adjustments to your methodology, techniques, and routine. There’s always room for improvement, and as the season goes on, you should continue to use the knowledge you’ve attained to make even smarter bets the next time.
Smart Bets Are Careful Ones
Smart sports bets that are made carefully, that offer the least amount of risk, and that give the bettors value, are preferred. These offer sports bettors the best chance of making cash. Carefully handicap each wager and use your bankroll effectively. Don’t overextend your cash by making large wagers on one game, but look to stay in the season by winning cash one game at a time and losing as little as possible on the bets that you miss.