No one likes homework. The sound of the word makes us cringe. But, when it comes to money, you can only invest with a grain of salt. You would only buy a TV by doing some research, you would only invest in the stock market if you checked some reports, and you should only bet on sports while doing your homework. If you need clarification on what that means, let us show you how to research and do your homework on sports betting.
Read Breaking news
It is often the starting point for many people’s research. Surf on sites like ESPN, FOX Sports, and Sports Illustrated for the latest news. It could include injuries, general trends, analytics, and more. Remember that these sites employ insiders who closely follow sporting events and specific teams. You’ll want to hear their reports and information before placing your bets.
Follow General stats
When you’re on a site like ESPN, you will want to consider the stats they’re putting out. It’s the most basic stuff, but it’s essential. Example: Is a team currently on a winning streak? How do they perform at home compared to on the road? How does a team stack up against its department teammates and outside Teams? All this information is Beneficial.
Make sure to drill down to the player profile page. It is helpful in sports like baseball, where you can see a pitcher’s historical performance in a specific month or against a particular team.
Combined Analysis Statistics
A new wave of homework is considering recent analytics statistics. For example, someone who buys advanced metrics will tell you that a win-loss record in hockey may not be as significant as ball possession. Or in baseball, they’ll let you know that WAR winning percentage over replacements is one of the most important stats to evaluate a player, not whether he makes the All-Star team. In basketball, you can track how a player is doing at the rim and on the perimeter; in hockey, you can see how a player is doing in his zone compared to others; or in basketball, you can see how efficiently a team is scoring points per possession.
It’s a lot to digest, but these advanced stats give you extra information to bog down the game. You may decide to forego it and still go with your gut, but more often than not, considering specific advanced statistics will help you become a better handicap predictor.
Digest some betting statistics
From traditional stats to advanced stats to betting stats, remember, the name of the game isn’t winning the World Series, right? It’s about winning the bet. In this case, you’ll want to use sportsbook statistics and read current odds and trends to see how your team is doing. For example, the Golden State Warriors won 73 games last season but were so dominant; they faced a widespread. How are they doing as 9.5-12 favorites? They’re 34-7 on the road, but how many games have they covered the deficit? What to do against a solid defensive team?
You can check out specific stats on SBR or StatFox for answers to many of these questions. Wherever you end up looking, make sure to check out the game’s betting stats before you decide to take the plunge.
Get advice
Finally, discussing the game with other people is a great way to ensure you’ve done your homework. Whether it’s a friend who also bets, reviewing what you’ve seen in the line, where you’ve seen an edge, and how you came to that conclusion is reasonable. You may have missed something, or someone you respect has a different opinion about the game. You need to do it with others to get feedback.