Betting without a concept exposes you to unnecessary risk of quickly losing your funds. Explore which strategies work and which are better avoided.
Betting Strategy
Correctly chosen strategy is the basis of successful betting (source: pixabay.com)
When we talk about strategy in sports betting, we mean several ways that can be applied to increase the chances of profit or reduce risk. These can be strategies related to bankroll management (deposit system), strategies used conceptually to increase profit, whether functional (value betting) or non-functional (martingale), or strategies used in betting on individual sports or markets (football betting, tennis, basketball, OVER/UNDER markets, etc.). In the following guide, we will introduce several strategies that you may encounter and highlight their advantages and risks.
Strategies based on deposit system
This is about the way deposits are allocated to individual bets. The basis of each of them is well-managed bankroll management, which helps in risk management. The most common strategies used by both beginners and experienced bettors are flat staking and betting using the unit system. The most effective method that can be considered when deciding the amount to bet is the so-called Kelly criterion. Using the Kelly equation, you can determine the optimal bet size that will maximize profits. Although there is no more effective method in terms of probability, there is one catch, and that is the human factor. For the Kelly equation to work well in practice, it is necessary to determine as accurately as possible the probability that the event we are betting on will occur. In our case, this means the probability of the result. And let’s be honest, how many of us can do that. If you are among the small fraction of bettors who manage to beat the closing odds and show long-term profit, understand odds, and can work with probability, the Kelly criterion will be the best method for you. For everyone else, we recommend learning to work as efficiently as possible with the unit system.
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Flat staking |
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Unit betting system |
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Kelly criterion |
Conceptual strategies
Advanced strategies related to the amount bettors stake on their tickets can be applied for profit purposes. Many of them can even be considered as strategies based on the deposit system, so they cannot be considered separately but always in some broader context. Do not take our division as dogma, but rather as a tool for better orientation in betting strategies. We offer you a view not only on the basic principle of profitable betting, such as value betting, but also on strategies that you should avoid, such as the infamous Martingale, which is often used by roulette players in online casinos. If we were talking only about profitable “strategies,” then we would be satisfied with sticking to value betting and arbitrage betting. Learning to find value in odds is a long-term matter that requires working with data, so for an inexperienced bettor, it is easier to double the stake in case of loss and hope that the next time it will work out. Generally speaking, even bettors who can identify valuable odds can use different deposit strategies, it is always necessary to think about bets comprehensively.
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Value betting |
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Sure betting (arbitrage betting) |
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Matched betting |
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Bankroll management |
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Martingale |
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Fibonacci sequence |
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Labouchere strategy |
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d’Alembert system |
Strategies by sports discipline / market
Given the enormous number of sports competitions and markets that bookmakers offer today, you can bet on virtually anything. Each sport has certain specifics that are good to keep in mind. Depending on the sport or market you are betting on, you can practice additional strategies considering the nuances between individual sports / markets. Do not limit your interest only to the main markets of big competitions with the largest bets. It will be difficult for you to find value there. Many successful bettors have recently taken a liking to statistical bets on the number of shots, corners, cards, touchdowns, offsides, exclusions, rebounds, etc. Or are you well-versed in politics? Take advantage of the lesser knowledge of bookmakers. It is no coincidence that some purely political bettors have emerged among us. With the ever-widening offer that bookmakers use to attract clients, the number of more obscure and less efficient markets with potential is also increasing.
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Football betting |
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Tennis betting |
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Hockey betting |
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Esports betting |
Frequently Asked Questions
1️⃣ Is there a strategy that guarantees profit?
Yes, there is! Long-term success can be achieved through value betting, i.e., betting on odds with a positive expected value.2️⃣ Why is the Martingale system disadvantageous?
Theoretically, on “paper,” Martingale is a perfect and foolproof strategy. It is certain that if you bet on odds around 2.0, you will win about 50% of the bets, and sooner or later, you will win one of the tickets in the series. However, the problem arises in practice. You may encounter a bad series, and for a few euros, you will have to risk hundreds of euros that you do not have in your bankroll. You never know how long the series of losing tickets will be. Another thing is that bookmakers may not accept bets for huge amounts and will not let you bet.
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