Sports Gambling 101 1/2

Some of these Might make sense, and some won't.......

None of these are set in Stone, but I think it a good thing to look at.


1. Division Sandwich:

In the NFL, you have some really strong divisions year in and year out. Look at the NFC East division; you have the Giants, Eagles and Cowboys. Those are 3 teams who have a history of winning football games and ownership who are committed to their fans and winning. Here’s what you do.
You look at the NFL Schedule and see if you can catch one of these teams between division games. For example; In week 1 the Cowboys are playing the Giants, Week 2 they face the Buffalo Bills and in Week 3 they face the Philadelphia Eagles. This is known as a division sandwich, therefore, play against the Cowboys in Week 2 vs. the Bills, as the Cowboys are coming off a tough division game and they have a strong division game on deck.
Normally in this situation, the emotional toll is not as heavy for the team caught in the division sandwich and they might have a letdown vs. the team caught in the division sandwich.

2. Bet against the Pollsters:

Here’s the difference between a sports reporter and a gambler. One loves to talk a good game, the other loves to collect after a game!

Sports reporters have a job to sell articles and papers, sports handicappers and gamblers just want to collect their winnings to keep working.
Because if a sports handicapper or gambler can’t win for a living, then they will end up talking a good game for a living.

The media experts who predict the polls at the beginning of the season are usually ex athletes or coaches who go on hearsay, and when the week 1 college football odds come out, the sharp bettors usually bet against the top 5 teams who are heavy favorites.

Tip: Look for double digit favorites in the first week of College Football that are ranked in the top 5 in the pre season polls.

3. Rule of Thumb of Betting:

If you’re a parlay type bettor and like to bet the total and side of a game, here’s an Old Rule.

If you bet on the Favorite, take the OVER, if you like the UNDERDOG, take the UNDER.
The reasoning behind this logic is simple. For example; let’s say a team is favored by 7 points or more and the OVER is 44.5, all you need is for the underdog to get up ahead or stay in the game as long as they can, because the favorite is more likely to catch up and put up some points on the board to cover your over.

As for the dog, if they can keep the favorite off the board, your percentage of the UNDER and dog covering is in your favor.

4. Read the Box scores:

Reading the box scores is one of the oldest tricks in the business, but make sure you know what you’re looking for! Don’t just read the box scores to see the rushing or passing yards, because 60% of the stats in a box score will be about the same for each team, but you want to focus on “how a team lost a game”.

Did a team turnover the ball 5 times, did the QB throw 4 interceptions and that team is a UNDERDOG this week?

Stats like these are very important when reviewing the box score, because they don’t show up in the betting number the following week by the bookmakers.
Do you think the Bookmakers will tell you this type of information? Give your head a shake, they want your money and want you to be part of their 90% club!

What do you think the coach is going to focus on during practice the entire week if their team just had 9 turnovers last week?
Follow the line and see if they are an underdog and if the UNDER is worth a look.

good info

5. Look ahead Factor:

Again, these types of situational handicapping strategies are best used betting on college football or basketball.

In college sports, especially in the SEC and the BIG 10, you have some major rivals, like Florida vs. Florida State, Michigan vs. Ohio State.

Here’s what you’re looking for, you want to bet against teams who have a MAJOR RIVAL GAME ON DECK next week.
Let’s say, Michigan is playing Buffalo Bulls in Week 10 and they have Ohio State in Week 11.

Depending on each teams situation, bet against Michigan and Ohio State in this spot. However, make sure both teams are having good seasons.

Betsmart said:

good info

Click to expand...

Thanks Buddy

Like I said in the first post. Doesn't mean these are Set in Stone.

situations Change as you go along, but I like to use some of the info as a small Guideline.

6. Use a Line Service: ( Be it Paid or Free )

Yes, I Use SportsOptions and it's a Paid Service.

A Big question around here is Why Pay for a Line Service....Well you really don't have to pay. There are Plenty of Free ones out there.

It's just SportsOptions gives more Info than the Free Ones.

Why do you need a Line Service ? Simple, it gives you the information at the "Other" books and shows you where the lines are moving.

It also gives you Injury info all at one place...sure you can find this information on the Net.
But you will be searching at 5-10 different places, and by the time you have found that info....The Line has Moved !

7. The Revenge Game Factor:

The Revenge angle is HUGE in College Sports, as this is the coach’s main motivational pre-game speech or it might be the focal point in practice the entire week.

It will go something like this; “Remember how Florida State gave it to us 65-3 on our home field last year, remember how embarrassed we were in front of our fans! Are we going to let them get away with that again this year or are we going to make a statement this week.”

This is the type of stuff the coaching staff will say to his players in practice this week and in the end, you have one jacked up UNDERDOG football team! Revenge is huge in collegiate sports.

But, It sometimes Never Works ! Really depends on Which team we are talking about.

8. First Game on the Las Vegas Schedule:

Each week, the Las Vegas and Offshore Sportsbooks release their official NFL and College football (CFB) odds schedules of the games of the week.

Keep an eye out on the first game at the top of the NFL and College Football schedule, as this is usually the “sucker line of the week” game.

The Sportsbooks will review the games going on that week and try to find the easiest game to trap the public with and then set their sucker lines, knowing Joe Public will hammer that team.

Again, you need to have a sharp eye to this stuff, because the sucker line could be the total!

9. Have More than One Out :

10. Money Management

Numbers one, five and seven are the ones I disagree with

Players and management (at least the successful ones) know each game is worth the same. The successful ones do everything they can to avoid looking ahead and looking back. Obviously talented teams have letdown games every year. Trying to predict when they happen will set anyone up for failure

Most of the others are dead-on

Thanks for your insight.

Revenge in College Football.

Even bettors who downplay or entirely discount the significance of “revenge” in handicapping a football game might be tempted to reexamine their philosophy come Sept. 26.

Last year Penn State had won its first nine games heading into a clash with Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Nittany Lions were hoping to attain a perfect season and a national championship shot — or at least to generate an uproar if they were left out of the BCS title game.

Their plans changed when Iowa, trailing by nine points heading into the fourth quarter, rallied to beat Penn State 24-23 as an underdog of 7 1/2 points on Nov. 8. Penn State went on to win its final two regular-season games before losing to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl.

Sports gamblers like to debate when or if the “revenge factor” carries any weight. But public sentiment figures to favor Penn State in its rematch against Iowa, scheduled for Sept. 26 in Happy Valley — especially among fans and bettors who believe the Lions will be out to “punish” Iowa for last season’s debacle.

In Las Vegas, bettors don’t have to wait until the week of the game to take a position on it. Penn State-Iowa is one of dozens of college football “games of the year” on which oddsmakers have posted early betting lines.
Coincidentally, Penn State opened as a 7 1/2-point favorite against Iowa according to odds at the Las Vegas Hilton sports book — the same closing point spread attached to last year’s game.

In another game backed by a vivid story line, Tennessee opened as a 5 1/2-point favorite against UCLA in their Sept. 12 game, a rematch of last season’s thriller. In their 2008 opener, UCLA scored a 27-24 upset in overtime against the Volunteers as a 7-point underdog.

The “games of the year” on the betting board range from early September through the Army-Navy game scheduled for Dec. 12. Navy opened as a 12 1/2-point favorite at the Hilton.

As always in this type of wagering, bettors “lock in” the point spread at the time they place their bet, regardless of any subsequent changes in the line. According to the Hilton’s house rules, the game must be played within eight days of its scheduled date for the bet to be valid, and the game must be played at its designated site.

In other noteworthy “games of the year”
:
• Florida, the heavy preseason favorite to win the national championship, commands some of the largest point spreads on the board. The Gators opened as a 24-point favorite against Tennessee on Sept. 19 and are favored by 22 points against Florida State on Nov. 28. The Gators are a favorite of 2-1 — or less — to win the national title in Las Vegas sports books. Florida even inspired a “yes/no” proposition at all Lucky’s books that allows gamblers to lay minus 240 (risk $2.40 to net $1) that it will not win the national title.

• If Florida is like Tiger Woods on the Buick Open betting board, Texas and Oklahoma are Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank: contenders offering decent odds for bettors willing to try to “beat the favorite.” Texas opened as a 1-point favorite in their Oct. 17 showdown, a clash between Heisman Trophy hopefuls Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford.

• Ohio State, a narrow betting favorite to win the Big Ten title ahead of Penn State, opened as a 3-point underdog on the road against the Nittany Lions on Nov. 7.

• Southern Cal, projected as the class of the Pac-10 as well as a national championship contender, opened as a 19 1/2-point favorite in its traditional rivalry game against UCLA Nov. 28.

• Boise State, which enters the season with a lofty season-win over/under of 10 1/2, commands respect from oddsmakers in several “games of the year.” For example, the Broncos opened as a 15-point favorite against Hawaii on Oct. 24 and as an 18-point favorite against UNR on Nov. 27.

• UNLV, coming off a 49-27 loss to UNR a year ago, opened as a 9-point underdog against the Wolf Pack on Oct. 3 in Reno.

Jeff Haney Las Vegas Sun... (Page way down)...

TomGshotput said:

Numbers one, five and seven are the ones I disagree with

Players and management (at least the successful ones) know each game is worth the same. The successful ones do everything they can to avoid looking ahead and looking back. Obviously talented teams have letdown games every year. Trying to predict when they happen will set anyone up for failure

Most of the others are dead-on

Click to expand...

7-the revenge game works better in college. Have one st start off the college season, Oregon at Boise.

COLLEGE GAMES OF THE YEAR..Las Vegas Hilton odds, subject to change

THURSDAY, SEPT. 10

• CLEMSON
• GEORGIA TECH -3.5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12

• UCLA
• TENNESSEE -5.5
• SOUTH CAROLINA
• GEORGIA -11.5
• USC -3
• OHIO ST
• IOWA -10
• IOWA ST
• NOTRE DAME -2.5
• MICHIGAN
• OREGON ST -8.5
• UNLV
• TCU -5.5
• VIRGINIA

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17

• GEORGIA TECH
• MIAMI FL -4

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

• BOISE ST -9.5
• FRESNO ST

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, SEPT. 19

• TENNESSEE
• FLORIDA -24
• GEORGIA -3.5
• ARKANSAS
• MICHIGAN ST
• NOTRE DAME -7
• NEBRASKA
• VIRGINIA TECH -7
• KANSAS ST
• UCLA -6.5
• FLORIDA ST
• BYU -3
• USC -14
• WASHINGTON

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24

• OLE MISS -4.5
• SOUTH CAROLINA

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25

• MISSOURI
• NEVADA -2

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26

• ILLINOIS
• OHIO ST -9
• IOWA
• PENN ST -7.5
• TCU
• CLEMSON -3

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, OCT. 1

• COLORADO
• WEST VIRGINIA -5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
FRIDAY, OCT. 2

• PITTSBURGH -2.5
• LOUISVILLE

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, OCT. 3

• LSU
• GEORGIA -3.5
• ARKANSAS -8
• TEXAS A&M @ ARLINGTON, TX
• PENN ST
• ILLINOIS PK
• MICHIGAN
• MICHIGAN ST -4
• WISCONSIN -3
• MINNESOTA
• OKLAHOMA -10.5
• MIAMI FL
• USC -5
• CALIFORNIA
• NLV
• NEVADA -9
• AIR FORCE
• NAVY -1.5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, OCT. 8

• NEBRASKA -3
• MISSOURI

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, OCT. 10

• 
  [*]FLORIDA -8.5 (acid test for The Gators)
  [*]LSU
• GEORGIA -3
• TENNESSEE
• ALABAMA
• OLE MISS -3.5
• OKLAHOMA ST -13
• TEXAS A&M
• GEORGIA TECH
• FLORIDA ST -3.5
• OREGON
• UCLA -1
• BYU -10
• UNLV

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14

• BOISE ST -5.5
• TULSA

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->THURSDAY, OCT. 15

• CINCINNATI
• SOUTH FLORIDA -9.5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
FRIDAY, OCT. 16

• PITTSBURGH
• RUTGERS -3

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, OCT. 17

• TEXAS -1
• OKLAHOMA @ DALLAS, TX
• TEXAS TECH
• NEBRASKA -7
• VIRGINIA TECH
• GEORGIA TECH -2
• USC -6
• NOTRE DAME
• CALIFORNIA -5
• UCLA
• UTAH -7
• UNLV

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, OCT. 22

• FLORIDA ST
• NORTH CAROLINA -2.5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, OCT. 24

• TENNESSEE
• ALABAMA -11
• PENN ST -5
• MICHIGAN
• OKLAHOMA -12
• KANSAS
• OKLAHOMA ST -8.5
• BAYLOR
• CLEMSON
• MIAMI FL -4.5
• BOSTON COLLEGE
• NOTRE DAME -10
• OREGON -5
• WASHINGTON
• TCU
• BYU -3
• BOISE ST -15
• HAWAII

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, OCT. 29

• NORTH CAROLINA
• VIRGINIA TECH -7

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
FRIDAY, OCT. 30

• WEST VIRGINIA
• SOUTH FLORIDA -6

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, OCT. 31

• FLORIDA -13.5
• GEORGIA @ JACKSONVILLE, FL
• MICHIGAN
• ILLINOIS -7
• TEXAS -3.5
• OKLAHOMA ST
• USC -7
• OREGON

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->THURSDAY, NOV. 5

• VIRGINIA TECH -6
• EAST CAROLINA

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, NOV. 7

• OHIO ST
• PENN ST -3
• ILLINOIS -6
• MINNESOTA
• OKLAHOMA -9
• NEBRASKA
• KANSAS -2.5
• KANSAS ST
• FLORIDA ST
• CLEMSON -3
• USC -13.5
• ARIZONA ST
• LSU
• ALABAMA -3.5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, NOV. 12

• SOUTH FLORIDA
• RUTGERS -3

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->FRIDAY, NOV. 13

• WEST VIRGINIA
• CINCINNATI -2

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->SATURDAY, NOV. 14

• FLORIDA -16
• SOUTH CAROLINA
• TENNESSEE
• OLE MISS -12
• IOWA
• OHIO ST -8
• MICHIGAN
• WISCONSIN -3.5
• TEXAS -14
• BAYLOR
• NEBRASKA
• KANSAS -1
• MIAMI FL
• NORTH CAROLINA -2.5
• NOTRE DAME -1
• PITTSBURGH

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, NOV. 19

• COLORADO
• OKLAHOMA ST -17

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, NOV. 21

• LSU
• OLE MISS -3.5
• PENN ST -3
• MICHIGAN ST
• OHIO ST -6
• MICHIGAN
• OKLAHOMA -11
• TEXAS TECH
• CALIFORNIA -7
• STANFORD

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->THURSDAY, NOV. 26

• TEXAS -18.5
• TEXAS A&M

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
FRIDAY, NOV. 27

• ALABAMA -5
• AUBURN
• ILLINOIS -3
• CINCINNATI
• NEBRASKA -3
• COLORADO
• PITTSBURGH
• WEST VIRGINIA -2
• NEVADA
• BOISE ST -18

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, NOV. 28

• FLORIDA ST
• FLORIDA -22
• GEORGIA -1
• GEORGIA TECH
• CLEMSON
• SOUTH CAROLINA -1
• OLE MISS -17.5
• MISSISSIPPI ST
• ARKANSAS
• LSU -10.5
• OKLAHOMA ST
• OKLAHOMA -11.5
• TEXAS TECH -4
• BAYLOR @ ARLINGTON, TX
• KANSAS -5
• MISSOURI @ KANSAS CITY, MO
• NORTH CAROLINA
• NORTH CAROLINA ST -2
• VIRGINIA TECH -8
• VIRGINIA
• UCLA
• USC -19.5
• ARIZONA
• ARIZONA ST -2
• NOTRE DAME -5.5
• STANFORD
• WASHINGTON ST
• WASHINGTON -14
• UTAH
• BYU -7

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
THURSDAY, DEC. 3

• OREGON ST
• OREGON -5.5

<!-- /inline-content -->
<!-- /text-inline -->
SATURDAY, DEC. 5

• WISCONSIN -11
• HAWAII
• CALIFORNIA -8
• WASHINGTON
• WEST VIRGINIA
• RUTGERS -5
• CINCINNATI
• PITTSBURGH -7
• SOUTH FLORIDA -6.5
• U CONN

SATURDAY, DEC. 12

• NAVY -12.5
• ARMY @ PHILADELPHIA

Thursday, July 30, 2009 Las Vegas Sun... Many lines may have moved since this list was printed.
<!-- /inline-content -->