Learn to Bet Against the Public
One of the best tips in the sports betting world is to learn to bet against the public. This is easier said than done. The "public" in sports betting is your average joe from off the street that is picking the more popular team to cover the spread. For instance, the Dallas Cowboys and the LA Lakers are generally considered "public" teams. People enjoy betting on them because they tend to have big names, have large fan bases, are on TV a lot, and just generally get a lot of exposure. Another popular public bet is the Over in any over/under bet. Sports bettors like to cheer for points and the majority of people will bet on what they want to happen.
So one key to making money at sports betting is to bet against the public. At first, this will feel awkward because you are one of the general public. You sometimes will be betting on teams and situations that your heart says you shouldn't bet on. You mind is saying, "This is a no brainer bet". But in all reality, the good bet is on the other side of coin. Betting against the public is an uncomfortable feeling but is more times than not, the correct side to be on.
One key to betting against the public is to know whom the public is indeed betting on. First of all, make a list of all the teams and situations that you know are public teams. These teams automatically are giving more points than need be because the sportsbooks are accounting for the public bets. Secondly, find tools or sportsbooks online that give you percentage or wager data. This information will tell you how many people are betting on certain teams in a game.
Let's look at a perfect example. Assume the Dallas Cowboys are playing at the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL. The two teams are very similar teams and with the Jaguars playing at home - they could very easily be a favorite. But everyone loves the Cowboys. The lines come out and the Cowboys are favored at -3. The general public is going to jump on the Cowboys and before you know it, 70% of the bets are in on the Cowboys. Now is where you need to start watching what happens with this line. If for example, the line doesn't move or even moves towards the Jaguars, you can assume the Jaguars are a good bet. On the contrary, if 70% are on the Cowboys and the line moves to -5 or something, then this may just be a good game to stay away from. Matching up the public percentages with the lines moves is an art that you should learn if you are serious about sports betting. We'll discuss these types of examples even more when we talk about smart and sharp money in future articles.
For now, just remember that betting against the public in NFL, NBA and MLB is typically a profitable situation. Get past the uncomfortable feeling and start betting against these public teams to build your bankroll gradually!
