How to Pick Winners in Sports Betting

Updated February 9, 2023By Noelle Matthews

It’s not always easy to pick winners in sports betting. Upsets happen all the time. Working out a strategy for making the best sports bets can be tough. We’ll help you out along the way! 

How to Bet Safely?

That’s why we’re here to give you some important tips on picking the best bets for any sport.

Sports betting picks

Making the best sports betting picks is a life-long process. It’s not easy to pick the winner in any betting contest. If it were too easy, betting would cease to exist.

That is why making the best picks requires some insights. It requires laying out a strategy, understanding the different bet types, and aggregating picks from a variety of sources.

You will have to be able to synthesize this information, analyzing sources, and making decisions. 

We will lay out all of this information for you to set up all the foundations for you. From there, you will be able to make your own picks on sports betting, or decide which picks to trust from around the web. 

Once you understand the basics, the next step is to understand your budget. Once you set achievable goals, and have a clear idea of how much you want to risk to get there, this will help you know how many picks to make.

Once you know how many picks to make, then you can start to focus on which picks to make. Here it is important to be selective. 

There is no shortage of betting options.

Before making your bet, it is always good to check out a number of online bookmakers. Compare the odds across your online sports betting accounts to make sure you are getting the best deal. 

Let’s look at some tips for some specific bet types.

Futures picks

But they can also include smaller bets that resemble props. You can place future bets on things like NFL’s next head coach to quit. 

One thing all futures have in common is the increased uncertainty. With so much time between your bet and the event, anything could happen. This is the key to making the best futures picks when you are sports betting.

Because there is so much uncertainty, odds can vary greatly from one bookie to another. By capping the market this way, you can get the best deal, and make the most money. This is always a good idea, but it’s especially important in futures.

We recommend 5Dimes for futures odds. We can’t guarantee that they will have the best odds every time, but it’s absolutely a great place to start.

Prop bet picks

Prop bets are bets that focus on events that have nothing to do with the end result. They are also known as exotics

Prop bets are the best place to have fun. Especially with friends. This is where creative juices really flow.

Super Bowl Props

During the Super Bowl you can bet on how long the National Anthem lasts, the first song during the Halftime Show, or how many yards will be run during the opening kickoff. 

  • Props are great places to make a profit
  • In fact, this is the type of bets that bookies lose the most on
  • This is because they do not put much thought into something they think will be random

So, the odds are often really good! Just with some basic probability calculations, or by checking out free picks offered around, you can make a nice profit here. 

Props are a great place to make a profit, and also just to have some fun!  This is especially recommended for betting with friends.

Over/Under picks

Making over/under picks can be a lot more fun and profitable than straight-up moneylines. This is because the odds are tweaked with the spread to make it more competitive. 

When you make an over/under bet, you are deciding whether or not the total points scored in the game will be above or below the number posted by the bookie. 

Over/unders work great with high-scoring games. Football’s unique scoring system also adds another layer of strategy. 

One thing to keep in the mind is the behavior of other bettors. Because they want to see action, more people bet on Over than they should, mathematically. This causes the odds to steam. 

So if you want to bet on Over, make sure to do it early. And if you want to bet on Under, it could be better to wait. The odds, generally speaking, shift in that direction the closer you get to the game. 

Best Strategies for comparing picks

When making sports betting picks, it is not just a matter of deciding which side of the wager to buy. It’s also figuring out where to buy them. 

This is why we always recommend having a few accounts to peruse. Choosing from our recommended sports betting sites assures they will have large markets. More bets to choose from means making smarter choices. 

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Compare odds at different sports betting sites

Whenever making a pick, make sure to shop around! We all do it with other things we buy, but some people forget to do that same with their bets.

Best sports betting picks in Twitter

Do not just listen to the first person someone suggests. It is important to synthesize and analyze a few recommendations. 

Twitter is a great source for this. Sources for sports betting picks on Twitter can be divided into individuals and websites. 

Many people have their own Twitter handler where they dispense picks. Normally some of their picks are free, while others cost. 

Social Media Picks

When you are looking for the best picks for your sports betting, no matter the sport or type of bet, it is important to collect from a variety of sources. 

  • Twitter is a great source of daily picks
  • Find great strategies from Youtube
  • Remember to check the credibility of your source

One site that has a number of experts is @bangthebook. Their picks cover lots of different sports and events.  They update it frequently and have high rates of success.

There are lots of tipsters on Twitter, each one with their own specialty. Bang the Book is a good place to start because its range is so broad.

Best sports betting picks in Youtube

For anyone who absorbs more more information listening and watching, rather than reading, Youtube is another great source of free picks for sports betting. 

You can subscribe to different Youtube channels to stay in touch with strategies and with picks on upcoming matches. There are plenty of them out there. 

A really good one, hosted by a proven sports bettor, is Kev’s picks. He has been betting for a long time, and it can be a lot of fun to hang out with him. 

Other channels, such as PickDawgs, do live streams. That is they are betting live. So you can see how they do in real time. No beating around the bush here. We love this type of transparency.

It is also a team, so you can pick which of the bettors you trust most. Either way, don’t rely on any one person. It’s best to collect a variety of information. 

Combine their picks with the strategies we suggest, and always check out a number of sports betting sites before placing any bet.

About the Author

Noelle Matthews
Noelle Matthews

Noelle Matthews is a highly experienced professional in the betting industry, with over 15 years of expertise. She has made significant contributions to leading organizations in the field, including Betfair, ESPN, and Sporting Life. With her deep understanding of sports betting, you can find her insightful and informative reviews, articles, and previews on this platform. Pandora's extensive knowledge and years of experience make her a valuable resource for anyone interested in sports betting.

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