Live sports betting, also known as in-game or live betting, is an increasingly popular part of online gambling. It allows you to place wagers quickly before the game commences and maximize your winning chances.

It is essential to understand how this type of betting works and how to bet wisely in this environment. In this article, we’ll review some top strategies used by both knowledgeable punters and experienced oddsmakers alike.

1. Shop Lines

Line shopping also referred to as price comparison, is an essential tool for getting the most out of your sports betting. Just like shopping for groceries, electronics, or cars, price comparison helps reduce the house’s edge and boost profits.

Line shopping is an invaluable strategy that every serious bettor should utilize to maximize their gambling experience. Not only does it reduce the house edge, but it can also give you a better insight into sports betting markets and bets in general.

For instance, casual bettors who wager $25 per game could benefit from a small line discrepancy each month. While that may not seem like much money at first glance, remember that profits and losses in sports betting often come down to the smallest of margins.

One way to shop point spreads is to visit several sportsbooks and compare their spreads. In the NFL, for instance, it’s not unusual for one book to offer a -6.5/+6.5 spread while another provides -6/+6. This is because point spreads are an example of market manipulation used by bookmakers to create parity between teams and keep betting odds close together.

Another way to score points is by watching totals. This type of market manipulation occurs when the odds on each side converge around -110. In addition to spreads, totals also take into account factors like goals scored and penalties committed.

Shopping points may take some effort, but the payoff comes when you learn how to find the best value and avoid overpaying for lines. It’s an effective yet simple strategy that can drastically boost your profit potential and make you a more knowledgeable sports bettor in the long run.

Start by selecting a niche within one sport to focus your efforts on. Once you have an in-depth understanding of that niche, you can then venture out into other markets.

2. Fade the Public

Fading the Public is a betting strategy that involves wagering against what the public perceives to be common wisdom in sports. This contrarian approach can be profitable if you put in effort into research and bankroll management.

The strategy is most successful when betting against the public in Moneyline bets. In these wagers, underdogs typically have better odds than favorites.

Due to a tendency for betting on the favorite, it’s essential to watch for line shifts that could favor you.

You can also observe betting trends to see if the public is betting one way or another. These patterns may be based on factors like a team’s history, its home-field advantage, or even an opposing team’s record.

Trends can be invaluable when handicapping a game, but they shouldn’t be used as the sole means of betting. Instead, these should be part of an integrated strategy that incorporates other research and bankroll management techniques.

Many bettors attempt to “fade the public” without doing any actual research or handicapping, which is not recommended. This approach can result in large losses or even bankroll distress.

Success with fading the public involves taking time to research each bet and analyze how the betting public is responding. It may not be as straightforward as forecasting football game outcomes, but the effort can pay off over time when you start winning consistently.

Another effective way to deceive the public is by watching point total over/under bets. Betting on overs can be entertaining, but it has high variance and rarely pays off. Therefore, most sportsbooks will shade the lines against these bets by a significant amount in order to make the underdog seem more appealing.

3. Zig-Zag Theory

The Zig Zag Theory is a successful betting strategy that can be employed online to make money. This method relies on the idea that every game in a sports series is affected by what happened before, so teams who lose the first game often become more motivated and better equipped for winning subsequent contests.

Tony Salinas, a renowned sports handicapper, developed the Zig Zag Theory to assist bettors in spotting opportunities when betting on basketball and ice hockey. He believed oddsmakers didn’t adequately take this into account when setting lines, leading to overvalued favorites.

Initially, the Zig Zag Theory was meant to be applied to the NBA playoffs. However, it quickly became apparent that it could be applied to other sports and scenarios as well.

Home advantage is one of the key components that zig-zag theory takes into account. Statistics show that teams playing on their home court have an approximate 65% chance of winning a match.

It’s essential to remember that not every team will win every game. Every series is different, and the results of the first game in a series may influence subsequent outcomes.

Basketball fans know that teams who have won the first game of a series have an impressive 65% chance of winning subsequent matches. Therefore, you should always place your bets on the side which has won the prior match even if it isn’t their home team.

Another important element that zig-zag theory takes into account is momentum in a series. Therefore, it’s essential to know how the first game of an important series has affected each team. Additionally, researching each team’s history prior to betting on them allows you to make an informed decision about whether or not you should back them or not.

The Zig Zag Theory is an effective strategy for making money online, but it should not be relied upon solely. It’s best to start small and test out the strategy before investing in larger bets.

4. Keep Emotions in Check

Maintain control of your emotions, and you can have an enjoyable (and profitable) online gambling experience, especially at Betsensation. The good news is that you have a lot of power over what goes into it – the betting sites, bet types, and frequency. There are plenty of books, videos, and blogs that can help with this; additionally keeping an eye out for new betting opportunities helps separate the good from the bad. If you are new to online gaming in general, consider taking advantage of some free or low-cost courses which teach everything from setting up basic accounts to mastering sports betting techniques.