Must-Have Handicapping Resources for Sports Bettors

If your sports betting selection process involves nothing more than making blind choices, you might as well be flipping a coin for big money. There is nothing wrong with that, but it causes you to miss out on a potentially great opportunity to be a successful sports bettor.

You see, online sports bettors like you have an advantage that's not available to online casino gamblers. You have access to information that can help you make better sports betting choices. All casino gamblers can do is throw their money in a slot or on a table and pray for the best.

The term "information" refers to certain data that can be used to dissect a game or match in search of a team or person who might have a significant advantage over their opponent. Experienced sports bettors call this information "handicapping information." The process of handicapping a game or match is exactly what astute and successful sports bettors do before making their final selections.

If you aspire to be a successful sports bettor, you need to know where to find the right handicapping information. To help you, here are a few must-have handicapping resources that you should be carrying in your sports handicapping arsenal.

Statistical Data

The entire basis of most forms of gambling is built around statistics. If you want to know why retail and online casinos always have the edge, you don't need to look any further than the statistical advantages they have on every game of chance. Those advantages are built into the way the games have been created.

To be successful at horse race betting, you need access to past performances (stats) to use as predictors of future performances. When playing poker, you need a basic understanding of the statistical probability that supports your hand versus others. Even lottery players are forced to accept the statistical odds of them hitting "the big prize."

In the world of sports betting, statistical information can be used similarly to how horseplayers use past performance handicapping information. Past team or player performances can also be used as predictors of future performances.

When betting on team sports, stats can make a difference in terms of comparing team performances. You can derive great handicapping value if you can imagine how one team is likely to perform against the other team. Example: An NFL bettor should have great interest in the comparison of one team's offense against the other team's defense and vice versa.

At the individual player level when handicapping sports like golf or tennis, statistical data can also be used for comparisons. The data might point out that one tennis player struggles against lefthanders, which is exactly what they are facing in the upcoming match.

Looking at recent trends is another way that stats can be used to separate teams or players. A great betting opportunity might present itself if a handicapper is able to identify that one team or player in a game or match is trending upward while the other is trending in the other direction.

Where can you get access to statistical handicapping information? You have three choices:

• You can accumulate data on your own, a tedious task but something astute handicappers like doing


• Free statistical information can be found in newspapers and online (sports betting and handicapping sites)


• If you have financial resources and take sports betting seriously, you might want to subscribe (pay) to get pre-packaged information from a reputable online sports data provider
  

Injury Reports

In team sports, one significant injury can completely change the complexion of a game. If an NFL team's starting QB is out with an injury, it's going to change the way the team's offense plays no matter how good the replacement QB might be. If an NBA team's top scorer goes down, who is going to carry the scoring load? You always need to be aware of which players are going to be on the field/floor/ice and which ones might be on the sidelines.

In individual sports, injuries are less significant because most injured players won't play. However, some players might try to play through minor injuries, and that's something you need to know as a handicapper and sports bettor.

In most major sports, teams are required to give injury updates regularly. Final injury reports are often required at least a full day before the game or match in question is scheduled to be played. You should be able to get updated injury information by visiting a league or team's website. Injury reports for individual players are typically available in news reports and or on the sport's website.

Weather Reports

Aside from basketball and hockey, most sports are played outdoors. Furthermore, they are usually played on grass fields. It's for this reason that weather should always be a primary concern.

One thing you should note is that while bad weather will usually have an adverse effect on how each team plays, some teams might play better than others under poor weather conditions. This is a handicapping factor that you should always keep in the back of your mind. Also, weather can affect the outcome of over/under bets in football, soccer, and baseball.

Where can you get weather reports? The same place you get them before you step outside to go to work. If you are betting on a game or match a day or two in advance, you best invest some time looking at the applicable city's weather forecast for game day.

Expert Tips

Let's assume for a moment that you live a busy lifestyle. It's possible you don't have much time that you can devote to handicapping. Since you don't want to be flipping the proverbial coin, you might want to consider letting experts lead the way.

In your search for expert picks, you'll have two choices. First, it's not hard to get free expert opinions on the Internet. Even your favorite online sportsbook might offer free picks. However, caution is warranted. Free picks usually come with little to no analysis to support the picks.

If you have some extra financial resources, your second expert pick option would be preferable. There are handicapping services that offer both picks and supporting analysis. Again, caution is warranted. Some "pay-to-play" handicapping services are better than others. Do a little due diligence before you start plopping down your hard-earned cash.

The Intangibles

You have your stats. You have your injury and weather reports. You might even have an expert pick or two as a handicapping assist. Are you ready to become a successful online sports bettor? Not so fast. There is one more thing you need to consider, the intangibles.

What are the handicapping intangibles? They are the little things you should be considering that might not have anything to do with how teams or players have played in the past. Here are some of the intangibles you might want to be thinking about:

• Ongoing contract negotiations between a team and key player


• Adverse news related to a player - team/league disciplinary action or legal troubles


• Possibility a team is taking a dive to secure a better draft position


• The possible influence of a rivalry between the teams or players in question


• Key player placed on maternity leave


• The effects of key players playing for new contracts or free agency


• Points spreads or money lines that seem suspicious


• and more

Summary: There is nothing wrong with betting on your favorite teams or making educated guesses. However, your expectations related to being a successful sports bettor should be lowered. If you are serious about consistently winning sports bets, you'll have to do the work. In a sports betting world where information is king, you'll soon learn that the gathering of handicapping information will oftentimes shine a light on the winning side of every sports wager.