There are millions of sports fans who watch games and think to themselves “betting on sports must be easy, just look at all these great teams.” The truth is that betting on sports is not as simple as it looks. Once you take into account the vig (the house’s edge) and the fact that even the most successful “experts” get less than 60% of their bets correct, it becomes clear that sports betting is a numbers game that requires skill and discipline to make consistent profits.
One of the best ways to increase your odds of winning is by placing a moneyline bet. A moneyline bet is a straightforward wager that simply states which team will win the game. The odds will be posted, and the actual number indicates what you stand to win if you place a $100 bet on that team.
Another popular option is a totals bet, also known as an over/under bet. This type of wager predicts whether the two competing teams will combine for more (over) or fewer (under) runs, goals, points, etc. than the total amount posted by the oddsmakers.
Another way to boost your chances of winning is to shop the odds offered by different sportsbooks. This is particularly important for futures bets, which are placed early in a competition (such as the Super Bowl or March Madness). Because each sportsbook has its own clientele and pricing structure, some will offer better odds than others.