You remember in the advanced betting concepts we talked about value?
Value is quite simply the chance of a bet winning multiplied by the odds taken. Well - if you can't improve the chances of the team - then the best thing to do is improve the odds you take!
Impossible? No. Here's how it's done.
Use Multiple Bookies!
Just take a look at the odds in the tables on the right hand side - they're the prices from an FA Cup game on March 8, 2015 between Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers.
All of these bookies are reputable bookies - who had the same information - but take a good look at the spread of prices on the two sides and see that there is a significant difference in the prices.
A bet on Liverpool was priced between 1.29 and 1.35 (a spread of 20%) while Blackburn was priced between 7.60 to 12.00 (a spread of 75%!).
This is a fairly typical example - although the specific lowest or highest priced bookies change from game to game.
It happens because bookies rate the teams slightly differently to start with - but also because as their customers bet on the games, it causes the prices to change as the bookies try to balance the bets on both sides of the fixture.
Don't go away and forget about this! Don't just switch off because it's boring.
This is the most important thing you will learn about your betting in pre-season. You will do better if you follow this path. If YOU have active accounts at multiple bookmakers online - and only take the top prices - then you will win 10% or 15% or 20% more than you do today - even if you change nothing else.
Act Today - in fact I suggest you act now!
If you really do not have time now - then bookmark this page and come back later today and get your betting finances in order. This is important - and an easy step towards significantly improving your betting take.
As you prepare for the new season - open 1,2 or 3 accounts with new bookmakers and make a deposit in all of them then this season you are going to be winning more. (You can also claim the joining bonuses as well, a nice sweetener!)
You should try to fund each of the bookmakers to the same level - share your total betting bank among them - as I am going to suggest a staking plan that assumes multiple bookmakers.
Ok. I am currently using a variant of the popular "Kelly Criteria" in order to determine my own Money Management schemes.
This is a simple and elegant calculation, that examines the value advantage you have on the bookies odds, and suggests a stake level given your current bank.
However it does assume several things :
· You have calculated the potential winning chance of your bet
· You have found the best odds at one of your active bookies
· You have at least three active bookies
The "Kelly Criteria" will calculate the stake required to boost your bank at the bookie by a percentage equal to your advantage. It is an aggressive staking system that will maximise winnings if you accurately assess your chances.
It suggests percentages between 5% to 50% of a bank - and that it why it is essential that you have multiple accounts in order to smooth out any damage that may be caused by a big stake being lost at one bookie.
But just remember. The whole process is a tool. The more that you study Sports Betting - the more it starts to feel like an investment business. You should not leave steps out.
If you use the Kelly Criteria with incorrect chances it will give you bad advice. Your estimates must be good.
If you use the Kelly Criteria with just one account and accept low odds then you cannot expect to increase your average winnings. And you run the real risk of blowing you whole bank on a poor bet. No bet should ever be for more than 20% of your total bank. ever.
LINK COMING SOON: I have not (yet) managed to code an interactive web page with the Kelly Criteria calculation on it - I hope to have it completed ASAP - and will update this section accordingly.
OK. Hopefully you've paid attention and want to win more money. Now you need to prepare your portfolio of bookmaker accounts in order to get the best prices.
I've reviewed all the bookies that I personally bet with (links above left), and you can see many of them are well known brands - but they are far from being equal !
Note: If you join the bookies directly from any of the links on this site - then I get a free beer - which would certainly be appreciated. I am not paid by these bookies to specifically represent them - I hold personal accounts with them and use them to successfully bet and hedge my own sports betting.
To help out I have reviewed and ranked all my personal bookies in an Overall Bookie Scorecard. Only bookmakers I consider to be 100% secure make this list - no matter how good their odds are or their sports coverage, etc. Unless you can trust a bookie to manage your account and pay you out there is just no point!
I strongly recommend that you only choose bookmakers on this list. The criteria for selection & recommendation are included in the detailed reviews. Check out the REVIEWS menu link above.
If you already belong to all of these bookies then you are on the right track - you're probably a regular winner.
