Some sports bettors confine themselves to one sport such as the NFL or NCAA football. They never venture into other areas, which means that they are missing some golden opportunities to make cash. Should you bet on more than one sport? It makes sense to do so if you’re willing to do the work and take the time needed to make solid picks in a second sport.

Betting throughout the Year

Serious sports bettors are extremely focused on making cash throughout the year. If they can’t do that, then sports betting is actually a hobby and not a business. Pro bettors are not in the game because they need a hobby to keep them occupied. Sports betting is a job to them, and it is year-round. If you want to be a professional, you’ll have to behave like one and bet on more than one sport, which will allow you to be active 365 days a year.

Choosing a Sport

Many sports bettors in the U.S. are hooked on the NFL. There’s a reason for that. Each week, there are enough games on which they can make cash, but the weekly nature of the game also allows for easier tracking and handicapping than other sports such as baseball, hockey, and basketball. But the NFL starts in September and ends in late January, leaving seven months vacant for a single sport bettor who focuses solely on football.

In choosing a sport, go with one that you enjoy watching, and one in which you already have some knowledge. Roll up your sleeves, as you’ll need to get to know the teams, players, and organizations inside and out. You’ll also have to understand how to bet on the new sport, because every sport is a little different.

Start Slowly

If you’ve been doing well betting on the NFL, you may think that you can instantly start betting on your new sport at the same rate and with the same intensity. That may work. You could place your first bets and take down everything. However, the opposite may happen too. So be wary.

Remember that every sport is unique, and that means when you wager on a new sport there will be factors with which you’ve never dealt. Not taking those factors into consideration can greatly affect your ability to make solid picks.

As an example, although there’s certainly travel involved in the NFL season, travel in the NBA can be especially taxing on a team, especially when a coastal team travels to the other side of the country for a six-game swing. A team away from home plays about a half-dozen games in nine or ten days, and each game is in a different city. That can take a toll on players. The smart sports bettors will figure that into their handicapping.

When Do You Know Enough?

How do you know if you are ready to make bets? Chances are it will take some time for you to get up to speed when it comes to making consistently good picks in your new sport. Here’s how to determine if you know enough to ramp up to a serious number of bets.

Handicap a week’s worth of games and make mock bets on them. Don’t spend real cash, but bet as you would if you were putting your money on the line. Track your success rate and analyze your picks in terms of how solid they were and what you might do to improve. Do this process for a few weeks, and once you feel confident in your abilities, try a few real bets along with your mock picks. Once you feel solid, switch to all real money picks.

Exploiting the Overlap

Sports seasons overlap in the US, and if you’re savvy, you can exploit that overlap. As one sport is in midseason, or perhaps ending, the new one is starting. Often the lines at the start of any season are fairly loose and some are downright inaccurate. Remember, bookies are making a transition at this time too. They are also in the early part of the season. If you’re up to speed, you may be able to use this time of overlap to discover value in certain lines and spreads.

Also, during the overlap you have a lot more betting opportunities. That means that you can split bets between the two sports. Sometimes, you’ll want to do a 50-50 split, while other times you’ll go 60-40 or maybe even 80-20 between the two sports. The point is that the overlap of the two seasons offers you a lot more quality choices, so be sure to utilize those opportunities.

Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin

Some people get a little crazy when they have so many chances to make bets, and they start risking too much of their bankroll. Keep that aspect in control by never committing more than 10% of your bank to a given week of wagering. Keep everything in control, especially your funds, or you could be out of cash before you ever have a chance to make money on your second sport.