When it comes to sports betting, the first thing to remember is that human nature isn’t perfect. There are certain biases that all bettors share. People tend to take favorites and “ride the coattails” of perennial winners. These biases can actually make sportsbooks more money! Let’s take a look at how to avoid these biases. Here’s how to avoid the worst of them:
Parlays
The first thing to understand about parlays is that they have low odds of winning. The odds are stacked against the bettor and a parlay is not an excellent strategy for all situations. Consider this: Alabama is -800 to beat their SEC rival. This is a very low payout compared to the odds on a single team. This means that a parlay bet on Alabama would win 1% of the time, but a -800 parlay would win a mere 0.8% of the time.
Luckily, more online sportsbooks have added this feature. These sportsbooks go by different names, but the concept is the same. FanDuel is the first to offer them, and it has a superior interface, transparent pricing, and easy sorting of markets. Other sportsbooks are playing catch-up. BetMGM and PointsBet both offer one game parlays. While it is a new feature, other sites are slowly adding it to their sportsbook offerings.
Futures bets
When you are looking for an opportunity to make some money, you might consider making a Sportsbook futures bet. Futures bets are wagers on a future event or season, so you’re placing your money on a game that will not yet have been played. These types of wagers are highly profitable, as they allow you to place money on a team that may not yet have been crowned champion.
Futures bets can be placed on the outcome of the entire season or even on individual events. In casinos, you can place a bet on a specific team or player, and you’ll have to choose a risk amount based on the game’s odds. You can do the same thing with sportsbooks, but online you’ll find that futures bets are divided into tabs that are designed to make it easy to place a bet.
Free play bonuses
While free play bonuses at sportsbooks are attractive, it’s important to consider the terms and conditions before claiming them. These bonuses are free bets, worth half of their cash value. The rollover requirements vary, and the higher the bonus, the more difficult it will be to withdraw the funds. In some cases, a free play bonus is not worth much at all. If you are able to meet the wagering requirements, however, the free play bonus can be valuable.
A sportsbook’s offer may come in the form of site credit, which is similar to free bets. However, these are usually wagers of at least $50. Therefore, a $50 site credit can be used to place multiple bets or even just one bet. Often, sportsbooks are not malicious with their marketing, but they do like to catch people’s attention with big dollar amounts. When you receive a free play bonus, make sure the sportsbook has clearly stated terms and conditions.
Proper pricing
Many sports betting enthusiasts believe that the only way to make money in the gambling industry is to offer the best service for the most money. This is far from the truth, however. In fact, sportsbooks often charge a premium for average lines and are therefore unlikely to make money in the long run. However, the truth is that the industry is not run on an even-money basis. In order to stay profitable, sportsbooks must charge a premium for average lines.
The sports betting industry is dominated by bookmakers and operators who aim to maximize LTV and lower CAC, which is why sportsbooks offer various new user sign-up bonuses. Before legalization, the sign up bonus for new users was as low as $50, but as the sportbook industry grew, so did the bar, with bonuses quickly ballooning to $500 or more. Often, these bonuses go higher during a competitive time of year.