Could anyone link me to some other resources?

birdmanweezy · 05-14-15, 12:20 PM

It's fun to watch the games but not necessary. Most of the times its easier to not even watch and just check a score afterwards. For tracking an excel sheet is simple and will do the trick. I don't use any software. I would never blindly tail some one. Go through read the threads and when you feel you trust someone tail him.

Buffalo Nickle · 05-14-15, 02:29 PM

I am not aware of any books related to sports betting which are of any use. Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford Wong and Conquering Risk by Elihu Feustel are often referenced as top books but are generally considered out of date for the strategies they referenced. The books are also very technical in nature of not of much interest to the general sports bettor.

Pinnacle has some decent sports betting articles which you might want to read on their site.

Watching games is unnecessary for sports betting. It's unlikely that the people that watch games to improve their betting are even betting on what they have watched as much as what they have ascertained from just following the sport. Watching a couple of games on a team is not of any particular use.

Posters on forums may have some good information to share. You may learn something about teams or injuries to players there. But you are not likely to win by betting on games recommended by forum posters. Use their posts to formulate your own opinions based on your own perceptions. To win at betting, you will be reliant on your own skill. Trying to make use of someone else's perceived skill is not likely to work out in the long run.

If you do not consider yourself an expert in a sport, you might as well not bet it. Experts can't beat the line so there is no reason to think you can. You've got to at least consider yourself something of an expert if you are going to bet.

Always remember that the people betting significant amounts of money on games are doing a lot more work than you are and are a lot smarter and you'd better have a good reason for betting the game. You've got to work hard to win at sports betting but being lucky doesn't hurt.

Xptboy · 05-15-15, 04:14 AM

OK thanks guys,

So how many sports do you think it would be possible to follow/specialize in properlly for sports betting? How many hours a week would it take to keep up with all the info?

Watching games surely doesn't hurt though right?

birdmanweezy · 05-15-15, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by Xptboy

OK thanks guys,

So how many sports do you think it would be possible to follow/specialize in properlly for sports betting? How many hours a week would it take to keep up with all the info?

Watching games surely doesn't hurt though right?

doesn't hurt at all. I bet all sports even soccer and tennis. I usually bet off line moves but I do keep tabs at least on every sport.

Optional · 05-15-15, 09:05 AM

Originally posted by Xptboy

OK thanks guys,

So how many sports do you think it would be possible to follow/specialize in properlly for sports betting? How many hours a week would it take to keep up with all the info?

Watching games surely doesn't hurt though right?

I used to be able to spend 20+ hours a week just on NASCAR and F1 capping and managed to win consistently for a few years. But don't have the time for that anymore and am losing consistently this year. So I think the time you spend can make a big difference.

You have an SBR spreadsheet set up here to help you track your picks and share them: http://xptboy.mysbrforum.com/spreadsheet/

Watching games can hurt. As unless you watch all the games you are only giving yourself a small part of the picture and might make bad decisions based on it.

I bet to make watching the sports I like better though personally

Big Bear · 05-15-15, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by Xptboy

Hey guys,

I'm 25 years old living in Europe and have a few years experience playing online poker. I'd like to start learning how to bet on sports though. I already started with 500 EUR BR on pinnacle, and can redeposit, but I'd like to do this properlly and run this BR up.

Anyways, I was wondering if there are any resources anybody could point me to to learn. I'd be interested in anything, including some key sticky threads here for newbies, and/or other sport betting forums/training sites/communities, and if there are some really good sports betting books I'll get those too.

I got a couple questions too:

I know about the bankroll and emotions rule, but was wondering how important you guys think it is to actually watch all the games you bet on? Is it possible to just bet, not watch the game and still make a profit longterm? Or do you have to keep watching the games?

Also could anyone recommend me a good software to track my bets? Or do I have just have to create my own excel spreadsheet or something?

Finally, I notice a lot of people on these forums are giving out their picks, I don't even really watch a lot of those sports or consider myself an expert... but if they seem to know what they are talking about then would there be anything wrong with me just tailing their bets?

if betting baseball ...

always check line-ups before placing a bet

best place to do that is

baseballpress.com

you can see a page on there that says bullpen usage. Look at which teams have throw their key bullpen guys on consecutive days. Closers/set up men rarely pitch 3 days in a row.

Look at the starting pitchers stats check out his whip, his ERA, home and away splits, K/BB ratio

see how deep he has been going into games

also look at teams home and away records and current streaks

record for LHP , Record vs RHP

you can also go to vegasinsider.com

and check line movement... make sure there is no reverse line movement

for example last Sunday Indians starter Salazar jumped 40 cents to -170 right before first pitch despite the public hammering the Twins

and needless to say Indians won big.

last need we said similar reverse line movement with the Padres vs Nationals game

public was all over Nationals and line kept moving to make Nationals a bigger dog

then bang once the rain delay was over Padres were up 7-0 and the ball game is over

Big Bear · 05-15-15, 09:19 AM

also go to espn.com check out the what the opposing team has done against a certain pitcher

FYI anytime Nationals put in Jose Labaton to catch its like the Nationals letting 2 pitchers hit

JJ Gold swings the bat better than Labaton

James Marques · 05-15-15, 09:38 AM

The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver. Read it.

Big Bear · 05-15-15, 09:40 AM

Originally posted by James Marques

The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver. Read it.

that doesnt sound like a gambling book...

is it?

downsouth · 05-15-15, 10:53 AM

http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/

Kyrkans Hus, Room: Himlavalvet Kaplansgatan 1

Here ya go. Good luck

James Marques · 05-15-15, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by Big Bear

that doesnt sound like a gambling book...

No, its a book about statistical analysis. Nate Silver invented PECOTA, an algorithm used by scouts to measure minor league talent. He is also the founder of Baseball Prospectus. He's a Bayes guy too, if you're into conditional probability.

Big Bear · 05-15-15, 06:48 PM

Originally posted by James Marques

No, its a book about statistical analysis. Nate Silver invented PECOTA, an algorithm used by scouts to measure minor league talent. He is also the founder of Baseball Prospectus. He's a Bayes guy too, if you're into conditional probability.

cool i will check that out

maybe they have it as a book on tape

James Marques · 05-16-15, 07:46 AM

It's not an overly-long read Bear, you can probably finish it in the middle of watching a boring ass MLB game.