Handicapping Tools of the Sports Betting Trade

There is a huge difference between playing online casino games of chance and betting on sports online. The biggest difference lies in the term "games of chance." There is a significant risk factor that comes with playing online slots and online table games like blackjack, craps, baccarat, and roulette. In fact, the risk has already been determined by mathematicians and expressed as odds of winning. Those odds of winning are effectively what gives online casino owners the edge they have over players.

From a gambling risk perspective, online sports betting is a different animal. While the house or bookmaker's advantage is a monetary advantage created by the vigorish the bettor has to pay on straight bets, the bookmaker does not have an advantage in terms of mathematical outcomes. BTW: They also have and monetary advantage on other wager types like parlays due to the odds they offer. Again, they don't have an outcome advantage.

Because bookmakers don't have an outcome advantage, the argument is often made that online sports betting is a skill-based form of online gambling. It's considered skilled-based because sports bettors have access to information that can help them pick winners. Of course, the outcome of each bet is either win or lose with each outcome equally likely. It's just a matter of bettors trying to identify the right side of each bet.

The information to which I referred is called handicapping information. This information can come in the form of data or news that helps point out the advantages one team or player might have over another. To be clear, handicapping is not a perfect science. It's intended to help sports bettors make informed decisions as opposed to purely speculating.

As you delve deeper into the world of online sports betting, you'll gain experience. What that experience will teach you is that information is king. To aid you in your sports-betting endeavors, I would like to tell you about the handicapping information that is available and where you can find it.

Sources of Handicapping Information

While you might not realize it, online sports book operators are always looking at the proficiency of their customers. If they see a customer who is winning sports bets at an unusually high rate, they'll start limiting the amount of their bets. Why? Consistent win percentages over say 60% are a clear indication that the bettor is a handicapper. If that rate hits 65%, they are an excellent handicapper.

So why not refuse to take bets from highly successful sports bettors? It's bad business. If word gets out that an online bookmaker is refusing to take bets from handicappers, they'll lose customers who aren't good handicappers but like to place large bets. It's better to let the good ones place bets while limiting their action.

If you want to be the kind of online sports bettor who gets hit with betting limits, you need information. Here's a look at the five (5) kinds of handicapping information you can access, plus an idea of where you can get the information.

1. Statistical Data

The best handicappers are the ones who understand the value of statistical information. At every game in every sport, there is an army of statisticians gathering information about the game being played. As an example, American football games create thousands of pieces of information ranging from how many yards a wide receiver gains after a catch to how often the water boy goes to the restroom during a game. Yes, I'm being a little silly there, but I do so to make clear they collect data on everything.

Once handicapping data is entered into a database, it can be used to make comparisons. The comparisons can help identify how certain teams and players have been performing over a certain period. That's useful information to know because it helps point out trends. It gives some indication about how one team might perform against their opponent. If enough trends seem to favor one team, there is a bet there to be had.

If you are seeking handicapping data and stats, there are three general places you can get such information:

• You can do the work yourself and create your own database


• You can find free statistical information online


• You can subscribe to a stats accumulation company and pull their available data

2. Weather Reports

Before wagering on any team or player, you would be well-advised to check the weather report for the area in which the game or match is scheduled to be played. Indeed, adverse weather can have a profound effect on how a particular game might be played and perhaps on the outcome of the game or match.

As an example, let's say you want to place a large bet on the over 47.5 in an NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The over might seem a strong play if the sun is shining and the field is in great shape. What a shock you might get if you neglect to check the local weather in San Fran and a rainstorm is expected by game time. They are going to play the game. Your problem would be the game going over 47.5 is going to look less likely on a muddy field.

Weather conditions matter most with sports that are generally played regardless of weather conditions. This info is easy to access online.

3. Injury Reports

If a player gets injured during the game or match on which you wagered, that's unfortunate. That would be especially unfortunate if the player happened to be your team's best or key player. Think starting NFL quarterbacks. It's not your fault if an untimely injury occurs during a game or match.

Conversely, it would be your fault if you wagered on a team without knowing that one or more key players are injured well in advance of the game in question being played. Yes, the lines will have been adjusted to reflect such injuries, but you not knowing will likely negatively affect your handicapping.

Most major college and professional sports leagues are required to provide injury reports on rostered players. Do your research. You can find that information for free on the internet.

4. Team and Player News

There is one more piece of information you need to be looking for as you handicap a game. We'll refer to this as general information. It will typically cover player suspensions, contract negotiations between players and teams, and bad news that might affect a player or team's psyche and ability to perform at the highest levels possible.

This kind of information is a little harder to find. The best resources are team news reports that might be offered by the league or team websites. If a superstar player gets hit with a surprise paternity lawsuit, you might find that information plastered all over the front page of websites like Yahoo or Rumble.

5. Picks From Paid Handicappers

If you live a busy life and don't have time to do your handicapping homework each week, all is not lost. There are professional handicappers who will gather information and make selections that they offer to the public through one of two sources.

First, there are a lot of sports and sports betting sites that employ public handicappers. They offer free selections as a value-added feature for loyal customers. However, caution is warranted. Public handicappers are notorious for being less thorough than hardcore handicappers.

Good handicappers want to make money from their work. They will sell their selections by subscription to anyone willing to pay the stated price. Is the information reliable? I would suggest you read plenty of reviews before you start paying money for sports picks.

Summary: Don't throw darts at a board. If you are going to bet on sports, take a few moments and find information that might help you make better selections. While your bookmaker might not like it, your bank account will.