Benefits of Following a Sports Tipster when Betting
Every sports bettor eventually ponders on an important question: “Should I seek out sports betting tips before I put my money down?”
Enter the professional sports tipster. This individual earns their living by making recommendations to punters. As with any industry, some tipsters are excellent, others are awful, and some even are scammers — but knowing how to utilize the advice of good tipsters goes a long way in betting.
Knowing how to get the most out of sports betting tipsters is important whether you’re just signing up for mobile wagering or visiting a sportsbook in-person. In this article, we’ll cover how to spot a good sports tipster, the benefits of following one or more, and how to maximize tips to win big in the long run.
How to Spot a Good Sports Tipster
Let’s first note a very important fact: lots of people are after sports betting tips to boost their odds of winning.
The goal should always be to come out ahead, and value betting — betting in such a way that the probability of winning is greater than the bookmarker odds reflect — is your best bet for long-term profits. However, many people are simply interested in picking the winner, a trend demonstrated by this graphic comparing Google searches for ‘betting tips’ vs. ‘value bets.’ This means advice from a knowledgeable third party can put you ahead of the competition.
Fortunately, finding a good sports tipster to help you stay in the black isn’t rocket science.
- Good tipsters charge. You’ll be better off paying for a tipster’s services, as free tipsters are less likely to be audited and less likely to be legit.
- Beware the “Insider Information” claim. Advertising “insider information” or any other holy grail is a red flag.
Read reviews and get a feel for the service. A sports tipster with a good track record and honest approach is a better bet than one who promises you the moon.
Benefits of a Sports Tipster
There are compelling reasons to work with a sports betting tipster:
Increased Earnings
By working with a skilled, responsible sports tipster, your chances of earning money increase. You can measure the profitability of working with a tipster by calculating the return on investment over the period of their hire. Check into their historical records to gauge whether they’ve produced results before — this will give you some assurance that they’re able to reproduce those results.
Gaining Valuable Information
Talented sports tipsters are experts in their respective fields and should be viewed as a valuable source of knowledge on a particular sport. By blending this encyclopedic knowledge with mathematical skills, they can often impart valuable information to sports bettors.
Because sports betting is a social activity — it’s often done among friends — having this informational leg-up can put you ahead of the curve. Remember that sports tipsters advertising “insider info” would be more likely to cash in on that info themselves rather than take on clientele to help them earn. Anything that sounds sketchy probably is.
Keeping Your Own Opinions in Check
Betting on sports involves acting on instincts as well as playing the numbers. If you have a hunch and don’t want to run it by your friends (who may also act on it), a sports tipster is the third party to go to. High-rated tipsters can lower your overall stress level by confirming or challenging your selections.
How to Make the Most of Sports Betting Tips
Here’s how to maximize sports tipsters’ advice:
- Try several sports tipsters and keep detailed notes. If you’ve got the cash, it’s worth trying several sports tipsters and taking note of how each one performs. In the end, the numbers will indicate if one or two are worth sticking with.
- Keep a separate bank for each tipster. This will help you keep track of your return on investment from each tipster. Stick to your original money management strategy — don’t deviate.
- Make sure you choose the best odds. Do your due diligence in searching for the best odds out there with the help of an odds comparison website. Choosing the right odds can make or break a punter in the end. Keep in mind that odds will often shorten once a tipster has sent out a tip, as bookmakers on the backend are likely keeping track of who follows that particular tipster. But inefficiencies in the system mean you can still place your bets at odds recommended by your tipster. Keep up to date with any info provided on oddsmakers’ rankings.
- Stay on top of your betting. Be punctual and regular in placing the recommended bets — and once a tip comes out, place your bet immediately.
- If you trust your tipster, really trust them. Sports betting involves high risks and returns, and if you’ve got a sports tipster you like, you should follow their advice. This is especially important when you’re in a losing streak, but having a plan and following through is the way to either make a profit or rule out the tipster for the future.
- Set realistic expectations. You may have tasted the feeling of winning big on a bet, but it’s not going to happen reliably. Growth, if it does occur, is usually moderate. Manage your expectations when following a sports tipster.
- Don’t increase your bank significantly after a successful season. This is a common trap people fall into. If you have a winning season, make a conservative increase to your bank.
Sports betting is fun, engaging, and exciting — and following a sports tipster can boost your chances of success. Happy punting!
