Baseball Betting Advice
In this chapter, we'll be covering some key baseball betting advice that I feel should serve as the core of your baseball handicapping philosophy. By know means am I writing the gospel of how to bet baseball, but I truly believe the criteria we cover here should firmly be in place before ever betting a baseball game. If you've read any of our other betting guides (NFL Betting Guide, NBA Betting Guide...etc), then you know I wholeheartedly believe in five distinct criterion when it comes to betting sports. We'll continue to use those same criterion, specific to baseball of course, along with one other that I feel is just as crucial. The baseball betting advice that we're sharing here certainly isn't the end all be all. You can think of it as a starting point that you will add to over the years. However, I do feel this baseball betting advice should be a permanent fixture of you handicapping philosophy. This criterion isn't like baseball betting strategies or trends that can come and go every year, but more a permanent fixture year in and year out. As I said, trends and strategies will only last or be profitable for so long, while your philosophy should be the starting point from where everything else is based. Baseball isn't an easy sport to handicap and it can take some time to understand the overwhelming amount of information. However, if you take the time to learn and develop, then you can be successful (I know a number of handicappers that turn a profit in baseball every year). Whether you're the "do it yourself type" or you follow a professional service, these criteria will apply to both. So enough of me preaching, let's take a look at this vital baseball betting advice. Proper Money Management Multiple Sportsbook Accounts Research Create Your Own Philosophy Keep Precise Records Stay Focused and Set Goals So there you have it. Just six simple criterion that should serve as the most important building blocks of your baseball betting philosophy. Heck, I'm sure you've seen most of them before (especially if you've read our other guides). Well let's take a look at each one in more detail and specifically apply them to baseball. I practice each one of them everyday and can promise you that every professional/successful handicapper does as well.
Money Management Money management, probably the most important baseball betting advice you'll ever get. You've certainly read enough of me preaching about it, but it's absolutely crucial in becoming a successful handicapper. There are only a few things in your control when betting baseball and how much you bet is one of them. This is where so many people get into trouble when it comes to betting on sports. They'll go on a losing streak and then start to chase losses and eventually run out of money (I know because I've been there). Losing streaks are inevitable, they're going to happen. It's how you handle those losing streaks that separates a sports investor from a novice gambler. If you're ever betting more than 5% of your bankroll on a game, then you're just asking for trouble (I'm more conservative and actually will max out at 3%). I've written a very detailed and proven strategy on money management, but their are a number of good ones out there. One important factor to remember though is that the more games you bet, the lower your average bet size should be (again see the money management section). To give you an idea though, my average bet size is 1% of my bankroll and like I said, I'll never bet more than 3% and that would only only happen maybe once a month. If you follow a handicapper that rates there picks from 1-5 stars (like most do), then you'll probably be alright betting 1% per star but that's only if the average star rating is around 2-3 stars (other factors also need to be considered). In other words, if they're giving out 4-5 star picks everyday, then you'll certainly want to reduce your bet size to make each star closer to .50-.75% of your bankroll. I would probably prefer this approach anyway, but I also look at it more long term and maybe a little more conservative than most bettors (hey, I know what it feels like to lose a bankroll and it's not fun). So now the question is "when do I increase my bet size." Again, there are a number of different methods whether it's done by breaking the season down into sections, a month by month basis, or when your bankroll increases or decreases a certain percentage. We discuss breaking the season into sections within our money management page. For me personally (in baseball at least), I will only adjust my bet size if my bankroll reaches a certain amount (a 25% increase or decrease). If my bankroll increases 25%, then I will increase my bet size to reflect the new bankroll amount (I will decrease if it goes down by 25%). So if I start the season with a $1,000 bankroll, then I won't adjust my bet size until I reach $1,250 or $750. And of course, I wouldn't adjust it again until I increase or decrease my bankroll by 25%. This is a very simple yet affective way to manage money and is probably the most important baseball betting advice you'll never want to forget. Again, if you learn one thing from this chapter, learn the importance of money management (This will not only serve you well in sports betting, but in life as well).
Multiple Sportsbook Accounts This piece of baseball betting advice falls into the same category as money management because it's something that's in your control. If you want to be successful at betting baseball then you must have muliple sportsbook accounts opened and funded (I recommend at least 5) If you only have one account, then your limiting yourself to only those lines and seriously killing your bankroll. For instance, if you're roughly a $100 bettor, then every cent you save (ex. from -134 to -133 or +133 to +134) is an extra dollar your either saving or could be making. Lines on baseball games can easily differ from 5-20 cents at different sportsbooks. Being able to shop for the best lines can literally save you hundreds and thousands of dollars every baseball season. If you don't have multiple sportsbooks accounts then you're just throwing money away. If money management is the most important baseball betting advice, then having multiple accounts is a very close second (I would say they're both about equal). Again, when you have the opportunity to control something when it comes to sports betting, you must take advantage of it...and getting the best line out there is definitely something in your control. Just look at any live odds site that lists multiple sportsbooks lines and you'll see that most all of them will differ. Why pay more or get less in return when you don't have too? We've even done the work for you with our recommended sportsbooks. The key is to only use sportsbooks that offer dime lines or less in baseball (at least up to a certain amount). As we discussed before, the lower that spread is between the favorite and underdog, the more advantageous it is to the bettor. Most sportsbooks offer dimes lines or less because of all the competition out there today, so you shouldn't have any problem finding them (especially with the ones we recommend). I know I sound like a broken record here with this baseball betting advice, but it's so crucial to have multiple outs (sportsbook accounts). I guarantee every professional handicapper does (typically at least 10). I'll say it again, you must take advantage of the factors you can control when it comes to betting on baseball and having multiple accounts is certainly one of those controllable factors.
Research Yea, that's right, research. It's amazing how so many people can't even follow this one bit of baseball betting advice. Now if you're doing it for recreation I guess I can let it slide, but if you're serious about betting baseball, then you must put in the time for research. Baseball betting research and data definitely isn't that hard to come across and you really don't have to spend all day doing it. Heck, if you just take half an hour to an hour a day, then you'll be ahead of the majority of other handicappers. But like I said, you can find baseball betting information everywhere on the internet. We'll give you plenty of great research sites, stats, and data throughout our Guide, but more importantly, we'll give you ideas, tips, and strategies that can help in your baseball handicapping. I wish I could say otherwise, unless your going to use a "baseball handicapper", but being a successful, winning handicapper will take some time...if it were easy, then we'd all be rich. The good thing though, is once you get your philosophy in place, the rest of your time can be devoted to researching and handicapping baseball games. I'm definitely not bucking the trend with this piece of baseball betting advice, but I can't tell you how many people just glance at who's playing/pitching and make their plays from that. The internet provides us with so much free research that you'd be stupid not to take advantage of it. Just put in the time, have reasons to back up your bets, and I can promise you that you'll be a much better handicapper. Click here to move on to part two of our Baseball Betting Advice chapter. As always, best of luck in all your sports betting endeavors.
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