SMART FOOTBALL BETTING
There’s no shortage of advice on handicapping strategies and formulas that claim to increase your chances of winning big bucks in football betting. To avoid possible confusion, however, and help you make smart decisions, here are some simple rules to consider.
Take the time to carefully study and analyze each game to be played. Being informed will increase your chances of predicting a probable winner.
Don’t be unduly influenced by how well or badly a team has performed in the distant past or indeed in the past couple of years. Focus instead on how it has played in recent games.
A team’s record at any particular point may not be a sufficiently accurate indication of how great it really is. Look for consistently good performance rather than extremes of caliber.
Be guided more by a team’s qualities and abilities than by the line. Bet the game rather than the spread.
The number of plays to make should depend on the amount of money you’re willing to risk and also on your confidence in your handicapping system.
Carefully study and analyze the merits of a team’s quarterbacks. They are usually the key to over/under bets, and they can make the difference between winning and losing a wager.
Generally, look for overs where a quarterback is great or good, and for unders where a quarterback is just average.
A few days before a game, the head coach usually reveals who the starting quarterback will be.
This will enable you to familiarize yourself with the quarterback who is likely to be the backup if the starting quarterback becomes injured. A weak backup may not be worth your wager.
Regarding injuries, do examine with care the status reports. These can vary from day to day and will give you an idea as to whether the injured player is likely to play or not. The closer to Sunday the report is, the more accurate it tends to be. It can help you decide how to bet.
Get to know a team’s coach and get to know his mindset. A coach’s decision can greatly influence a game’s total score. Check the Internet for a play-by-play of past games.
Pay attention to weather forecasts. A combination of rain, cold weather and winds exceeding 20 miles per hour will impede kickers’ performance. Wet turf presents additional challenges for all players; so does a wet, slick ball.
Where a game is played can affect scoring. For example, a game played in a dome tends to be higher scoring than one played outdoors. In essence, this is because players tend to concentrate better and so display better athletic performance when they are protected from inclement weather. You may also discover that a game’s over/under spread is largely based on a game’s location.
Take a good look at turnovers, which occur not infrequently. They bring an element of unpredictability and can therefore cause under bets to go over, and vice versa.
Although the above suggestions are few, they can nevertheless be useful in preventing painful losses when betting on football. In fact, they can help you to win consistently and boost your confidence as a bettor.