Tips on Sport Betting...

With all these dodgey form turnarrounds we've been seeing lately in horse racing, which has made it almost imposssible to pick winners at times, I've decided to try some sports betting for a change. Any tips? Any good books I could read?

UD For football go to: Some cool features on this site

www.soccerpunter.com/

GB, are you more profitable on horses or sports betting?

UD, I havn't really taken sports betting seriously but like you I'm beginning to look at it more, hence searching the net for info, stats etc...

Last week I had improvements done to the flat on the side of my house. This old Afrikaans guy called "Oom Manie" has been doing them. Anyway, my girlfriend told him I like to follow the GG's and bet on them now and then. "Oom Manie" told my GF that he bets on sports. All he does is follow the top tipsters and he says he is doing really well out of it and it doesn't take much time. When I want to have a go at the horses, it takes me about 20-30 minutes to study a race, so it can take alot of time for a whole meeting. I really enjoy it when the horses run to form and my hard work is rewarded. Recently my top choice was beaten in second by the horse my systems picked to be the least likely to win. Fark this I thought. Now this got me thinking about "Oom Manie" and his success with sports betting. Instead of trying to pick horse racing winners, why not put the same amount of time and effort into sports betting. I know there is some corruption in sports and the odd surprise result, but it cannot be as bad as horse racing.

Maybe split your budget for lets say 3 month, 50% on sports betting and 50% on the horses and see which one is more profitable?

Hi Unlucky,

Been sportsbetting for a long time and one can make a profit.One advantage is no tax on winnings, so that does help over the long run. Another advantage is you can always "save your bet" by backing the other side if the odds turn in your favour.This way you can make a profit if either side wins. I must however point out that I dont bet on soccer becase I feel the draw is always the killer , in my case. Im sure Chicken will tell you which way to go with soccer bets.
My main bets are on rugby and cricket!!!!!,When I lived in the UK, many years ago I was advised never to bet on golf, motor racing or tennis, and have kept to that over the years. However Im sure you will get posts telling you how to make a profit on those sports, as well.

Rob Faux is a master with "taking back " etc so his advise will be of great help to you....


I find another plus is that one doesnt have to put up with objections (or lack thereof) , jockeys overweight, incopetent racing staff, wet conditions (and now windy condiions), bad draws, bad luck in running, dead heats, unfit horses, non triers and getting "trainered" when stable companion wins, bad track surfaces, big take outs from pools, spending thousands a year on race cards etc, doping ( rarely) , closure of racecourses, delays for jockeys not arriving on time, horses running loose, and o yes now windy conditions, having your horse scratched and then getting the unplaced fav, etc etc.

Shit I cant believe I wrote all that, with the amount I spend on horse racing every week.

Actually I have made hundreds of thousands of rand on horse racing......................................................................and lost millions... :X

Scotland the brave or should I say for the brave ?

Thanks CM. With the GG's I'm a marginal winner. I just had a look, a whole 13.5 betting units up after three months! A whole 1.5 units down in the last 30 days. So, lots of time for little profit. Interestingly for me I came to the same conclusion with my short internet poker career. Maybe sports betting will be the same...

UD
Very intresting your intentions on sportsbetting.
My question will always be what profit you expect.
Im pleased with a 4/10 on a ManU win.
Depending on what we put down.
Some bets are even 1/10.
At Fairview some weeks ago I got 1% on the PA that paid 26ks.
At times I do follow GB like today at soccer and rugby he got good results.
Hibs too.
I do like PE @ th Vaal for I see those tracks as chalenging with a big outlay and a low percentage reward.
Wil take note of the advice you get.
Again for me in soccer ARSENAL -MANU-CITY-LPOOLE to follow on straight wins.
Thanks for your input.

As a betting medium I have advocated sports betting over horseracing for a long time.

This year I made some pretty sweeping changes : I handed in my colours and GAVE AWAY my horses as I am no longer prepared to continue leaking money into an activity where even 'breaking square' is now near impossible and where the vision and management of the sport has almost entirely broken down. I have yet to meet anyone in racing ( unless they are not having to actually earn the money they commit to it ) who can look me in the eye and tell me they ENJOY squandering money on this scale. Fun it is not.

Having re-arranged my hobby I returned to the roots from which it had all started : punting.

Countrymember quoted a list of reasons that could ( or will ) scupper your latest bet. This is the nature of horseracing betting. A proper arithmetic evaluation of the activity will make you wonder how you EVER imagined you might turn a profit from it. But don't take my word for it. Put some serious energy and money into punting horses and it is unlikely that you will show a profit over time. I peronally know a number of people who punt for a living with varying success and I cannot afford the time and aggravation required whilst I still also have a business to run.

Now have a tilt at sports betting. I would recommend you first establish which sports you actually understand. Knowledge is power so an intimate understanding of your sport of choice ( as opposed to merely 'quite liking it' ) is essential.

In my experience the best sports to bet on are rugby and cricket but you may choose to disagree if you are expert in other sports.

Soccer is a bit of a 'no no' unless you have access to a betting exchange. If you do then you adopt a simple procedure : You simply lay the favourite whether that be the win, the loss or the draw. I was taught this by a bookmaker and it works like a charm. If fact - the shorter the favourite is in the ante-post market the more likely you are to make money as the price will drift the longer the match remains goalless - during which time the price improves to the benefit of the layer. You then either trade out or lay the draw if and when it becomes favourite. Etc.

Simply put - if you lay the favourite then you always have two results on your side and one against you. With the option to adjust in running. But then exchanges are illegal in South Africa.......so refer to my earlier comment about the management issue. Does it then follow that all UK punters should be seen as criminals?

My sport of choice is rugby. At the moment I am taking a break altogether as my entire 2011 action was overturned when the Crusaders lost to the Reds in the Super 15 Finals. Had they connected I would have enjoyed a very entertaining World Cup. I am not participating in the Currie Cup as I have found it mildly boring this year....possibly because of the absence of our top players.

Punters will generally find it better to punt long term on tournaments ( Super 15, 6 Nations, Currie Cup, World Cup ) where you can adjust on a leg by leg basis. It is often uneconomical to punt on individual matches.

I never look at prices until I have formulated betting in my own mind. If you are going to slavishly follow tipsters you will never develope your own skills and opinions. Nor will you identify a good price when it hits you in the face!

Without being wise after the event I would quote two examples in the last fortnight where the outsider represented a good bet :

1.) Australia ( in Australia ) versus NZ.
2.) Sharks vs Bulls at Loftus.

I am not mad about handicap betting as there are a number of issues to consider when punting the 'minus' team. Most sides ( like horses! ) do not know their price. If you are betting against a side with a 12+ start you run the risk of your side 'cruising' in the latter parts of a match and frittering away the lead necessary to return you a winning bet. On the odd occasion where I do punt on the handicap I lean towards the 'plus' on the handicap.

In summary - the best thing about sports betting is that it is more transparent. And there are fewer unknowns that can sink you. I'm not necessarily blaming anyone for racing's comparative lack of transparency but it is a fact. Furthermore there are still too many people in the sport who ACTUALLY BELIEVE that select individuals or groups have some sort of divine right to information privileges. Well done guys - you played a vital role in emptying the stands!

Brilliant post Garrick, thank you....(tu)