Knowledge is power, and proper research and analysis in sports betting make an excellent punter. Yes, sports betting is an information-based business, especially in modern times. Between the punter and their bookmaker, the betting cake belongs to whoever has more sporting info than the other. That’s because the more knowledge one has, the better the quality and consistency of the predictions one can make. Traditionally, sportsbooks – huge betting companies – have had the upper hand. That’s because they have, in their hands, tools like advanced analytics software and professional oddsmakers – things that the average sports punter has no access to. However, in modern times, punters have taken it upon themselves to advance their knowledge to become better sports gamblers. Some have become sports fans to know more about the teams and athletes they want to bet. Below is how a punter can conduct research and analysis in sports betting, improving their betting success and profits in the long run.
Be a Fan
The best way to have more knowledge about sports, or at least the most organic, is to become a sports fan. After all, watching sports, whether live or on TV, is fulfilling. Sports fan punters naturally desire to learn how their teams and athletes are faring. They rarely miss a live game, sometimes going as far as watching the matches of rival teams. In the process, they know which groups and athletes are in a run of good form and which ones they should avoid backing. This info is invaluable when making sports wagers. Often, a punter like this can quickly accumulate all the information they need to beat the bookie.
Read Sports News
Yes, read the big news! Sports magazines and websites like ESPN provide plenty of helpful info, including club personnel changes, current forms, injuries, general trends, etc. Reading sports news applies to all punters because even those who are sports fans don’t necessarily have all the knowledge that could help them. Big news outlets often have top journalists and insiders who often provide a richer scoop than any individual punter could gather.
Get Relevant Stats
You can never argue with sports stats. No matter how historically strong or widespread a team or athlete is, the current numbers can tell the whole story without bias. For instance, a soccer team that has scored an average of 2.5 goals per match over ten games should continue that run of form into the next five games. It wouldn’t matter that they’re not a traditionally strong team. It is an example of a regular statistic, like home form, away form, and league form (vs. cup form). Punters can also incorporate more analytical stats into their betting arsenal. Here are a few examples of analytical stats:
- Puck possession when evaluating the strength of a team in hockey
- WAR – wins above replacement – when evaluating players in baseball.
- How well a basketball player performs on the rim compared to the perimeter.
- Also, in basketball, using points-per-possession to evaluate the effectiveness of a team.
These advanced metrics and the more detailed, regular stats provide the ingredients for good money line wagers and valuable information for handicapping games. Most of these stats are accessible on the net or for nominal subscription fees.
