How the Betting Public Affects Betting Strategy

The betting public has an effect on betting strategy

How the Betting Public places bets has an effect on the betting strategy of all types of gamblers. How the public bets can move the line in many instances until the sharp bettors bet it back or go with them. Sometimes the public is on the “correct” side of a wager.

Key Points

– Smarter bettors understand how the public affects their betting strategy.

– The betting public is often wrong.

How the Betting Public Affects Betting Strategy

Public action, which is sometimes ignored and misunderstood by many gamblers, is one of the major aspects in efficient handicapping. Bettors can improve their betting strategy by examining how most people are betting the way they are.

Studying these actions of the betting public can help understand if lines are being affected and, ultimately, adjusted. This also creates opportunities for the smarter bettor. Having an idea of how the public perceives a game can help you make money betting on sports.

What Is Public Action?

It’s crucial to understand what we’re talking about when we discuss public action. These days, there are a lot of different sports betting websites where you can get the breakdown of bets in a game.

However, there are two key characteristics that you must keep in mind. First off, this analysis looks at the overall number of wagers made on each team rather than the total sum wagered.

Sportsbooks are delighted to share the total number of bets, but they have no interest in disclosing the actual amount wagered. That is because it would reveal how much a top online sportsbook won or lost on any given game.

Bettors then face a problem. There is a distinction between a team with the most bets and a team with the most money wagered on it. Simply believing that the team with the most bets has also taken in the most money can lead to some pretty serious errors in sports betting. It’s definitely not a good betting strategy.

The second issue bettors have is with the betting statistics themselves. Are the statistics you are viewing authentic? Some sportsbooks will only put out information that is what their viewers want to see. Some will post the results taken from other websites or sportsbooks. Bettors have to be sure they are looking at accurate data.

Become a smarter bettor with the best sports scores, lines, and odds.

Public Betting Strategy

The basic patterns that the public follows are very predictable in two key respects. That is what makes public betting action so fascinating. Understanding it can also help bettors overcome a betting losing streak and win more bets.

The public has a very strong propensity to bet on favorites, popular teams, and popular players. Think about any major sports league. Take the NBA as an example. LeBron James is a popular player playing for a popular franchise – the Los Angeles Lakers. Public bettors love the Lakers and sportsbooks know this.

They also know the public will follow the masses. If public opinion is strong in favor of one team over another, the public will jump on the bandwagon. This where the smarter bettor can gain an advantage by having a betting strategy that looks at why the public is acting the way it is.

Public bettors also love to bet the Over when wagering on game totals. It makes sense. What fan doesn’t like to see a high-scoring game in any sport? That’s where the action is.

The problem with that is the public is often wrong. That’s why sportsbooks are still in business. These recreational bettors will bet on favorite teams and Overs without regard for lines and point spreads.

You have the Yankees in MLB, teams like the Chiefs and Packers in the NFL, and the Lakers and Celtics in the NBA. These are just a few examples, but often public bettors will place bets on these teams without even caring about the odds.

Using Public Action to Your Advantage

An interesting situation occurs when the odds are against what would be considered by the public as the favorite. That’s because casual bettors focus more on which team is most likely to win the game rather than on which one is most likely to cover the spread.

Interestingly, casual bettors also pick popular sportsbook wagers. They stick to traditional moneyline, point spread, and totals bets most often.

When you have instances where the public isn’t supporting the favorite, the smart bettors will begin to investigate why. Finding out why can be part of a solid betting strategy. Public bettors usually always jump on favorites. When they don’t, something is up and smart bettors will look into why.

It’s still football season. Learn more about NFL betting trends after a team’s coach is fired.

Your Betting Strategy

Whatever your betting strategy, it is probably a good idea to include this idea. Smart bettors will often develop what they believe to be a game’s line/odds. They also predict how the public will bet.

If the betting public isn’t where a bettor has predicted, it would be in his best interest to find out why. This can lead to some telling information that will help to make a better betting decision.

It is also important to understand that betting lines function as a market. There will be times when activity on one side is extremely heavy. It’s likely that there will be some adjustments made to even out the action on both sides.

Here’s a quick look at football betting markets to target.

Part of your betting strategy should include watching these movements and picking the optimal time to place your bet. You may also find sharp money has entered the market and moved betting lines. Getting on the side of sharp bettors is never a bad thing either.

Finally, your betting strategy may also include a contrarian element. This is when you bet against the public. After analyzing all the public action and determining what is going on, it is often in a bettor’s best interest to do the opposite of what the public does.

Remember, the betting public loses more than it wins. Being on the side of the house, even when it’s not popular, can be beneficial to your bankroll. Include it in your betting strategy when the opportunity presents itself.