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Using Software to Beat Sports Betting

Sports betting is often perceived as an activity where gamblers use a combination of knowledge and intuition to win. The intuition aspect refers to how skilled gamblers supposedly make decisions based on their hunches.

For example, many believe that a professional sports bettor can quickly decide bets by drawing from their knowledge of players, teams, and stats.

However, pro sports bettors don’t make winning picks on a consistent basis just by considering what they already know. Successful bettors instead rely on research and a numbers-based approach.

Software programs are a key part of effectively using numbers to win. But how exactly do you use software to boost your winnings?

Keep reading as I cover more on sports betting software along with how it can be used to increase your winnings.

What Is Sports Betting Software?

Sports gambling software is essentially a database that gives you access to a wealth of stats and information. You can use these stats to come up with useful numbers that will help you make informed bets.

Of course, you can also just pour through stats yourself and try looking for winning trends. But the key benefit of betting software is that it makes the process much quicker.

A machine finds, stores, and crunches numbers far faster than a human. Therefore, these programs are definitely the way to go if you want advanced statistics.

Bookmakers themselves use similar software to craft lines. You should also be using it to find value in different bets.

A betting program can also track line movements and public betting percentages across a variety of online bookmakers. These features are helpful, because they allow you to see line movement, reverse line movement, and arbitrage opportunities.

You’d be hard-pressed to keep track of all this info yourself. Software, on the other hand, can easily track odds and other info across numerous internet sportsbooks.

How Do These Programs Work?

Sports gambling software can look confusing when you first open these programs and begin using them. However, you simply need to know what the different categories mean to get started.

You can begin by selecting the sport that you’re interested in. Most modern programs cover a variety of games, rather than a single sport.

Here are common pieces of information that come up when you select a game/league:

  • Available lines across different online sportsbooks.
  • Public betting percentages on these odds.
  • Potential arbitrage opportunities.
  • Injury reports.
  • Lineup changes.
  • Real-time line moves.
  • History of line moves.
  • Steam move alerts.
  • Reverse line movement.

Some of these programs also allow let you look up data from past games and seasons. This feature can be helpful for both placing single bets and developing systems (covered later).

Choosing Sports Betting Software

Price is an obvious consideration when picking a software program. You no doubt want quality program that’ll help you win more bets.

But you also have to consider your budget when doing so. After all, some software can cost upwards of hundreds of dollars.

You can find some free programs that are helpful. Although these free services aren’t as detailed as the software programs for sale, they’re better than nothing.

The goal is to find a cost-effective program that also has plenty to offer in terms of features. You also want software that’s easy to use and offers a tutorial.

The latter ensures that you know how to use the program right away. None of these products should take any more than half an hour to learn.

You should think about the features involved with any piece of software that you’re considering as well. Common features include the ability to follow certain sportsbooks’ lines, see game statistics, and get quality picks from the software service.

Finally, you want to look over reviews when checking out these programs. You can’t just take a company’s word on the greatness of their product.

Look to see what experiences other users have had when using certain software. Is the general consensus that the program is helpful and easy to use? Or have gamblers had a lot of trouble with the product in question?

You can find reviews from both websites and users. The latter are especially helpful for non-biased opinions.

Pros to Sports Betting Software

Sports gambling software gives you some inherent advantages over trying to make wagers on your own. These programs arm you with advanced stats that can lead to more winning wagers.

Of course, advanced stats aren’t the only benefit to using the software. Here are some other advantages to these databases.

You’ll Have More Information

You should be grateful that you’re a sports bettor and today’s age. Decades ago, gamblers had to scrape for info from newspaper box scores and other print sources.

Nowadays, you can simply purchase a software program or use a free one to get better stats. They include an entire database of numbers that can encompass multiple sports.

If you want to find how many NBA games were decided by three points or less, you can quickly access this info via the software.

These programs draw from a wide range of sessions to find games that meet your parameters. Imagine trying to accomplish the same goal by looking at scores from past NBA seasons yourself.

Some software only covers a certain game, such as tennis or baseball. But you can find plenty of other programs that cover a broad range of sports.

You Can Create a Winning System

You may have heard of sports bettors creating systems, which refer to formulas that can be used across multiple bets. The benefit to a system is that it can be used again and again on any line that meets the strategy’s parameters.

Most systems are based on a collection of stats that indicate when a certain event is more likely to occur. For example, one might create a strategy that’s based on NFL road games, where the home team is an underdog.

Of course, not all of these strategies are winners. The vast majority will actually lose money if put into play.

That said, skilled gamblers use software to “back test” their systems. Back testing refers to measuring a strategy’s effectiveness by seeing how it performs in games from the most-recent seasons.

The goal is to show winning results by testing the system against games that make meet the given parameters. Any strategy that doesn’t pass the test should be scrapped.
The data that you use for a system can vary greatly. You can either use a few parameters or many different ones.

No exact blueprint exists for how you create a winner. But the key is that you use software to test whatever strategy you plan on using.

Here’s an example:
  • You want to see if NFL teams normally cover the spread as road favorites coming off a loss.
  • You draw numbers from the last three seasons (768 total games).
  • You back test relevant games within this sample size that fit your system’s criteria.

Assuming the average odds on these point spread bets are -110, you’d have to win at least 52.5% of the time to show a profit. Again, you should get rid of any system that doesn’t win in the long run.

Don’t be discouraged if your strategy isn’t a winner, because the vast majority of sports betting systems fail. But when you do find a good strategy, it can be used again and again on games that meet the given parameters.

You Can Track Line Movements Across the Industry

Tracking line moves across different sportsbooks can be helpful in multiple ways. First, you can find the best prices on specific bets.

If one sportsbook has the team you want at -170 odds and another has them at -165, you definitely want to go with the latter.

The software can also watch for important line moves that identify the “sharp money,” or which way the pros are betting.

Getting in at the same odds as sharps increase your chances of winning a bet. After all, you’re betting like a pro in these cases — without even needing the same skills.

Reverse line movement is one popular trend that software tracks. This term refers to when a line moves the opposite way of what you’d expect based on public betting percentages.

Here’s an example:
  • 80% of the public is betting on the Boston Celtics at -3.5.
  • 20% of the public is wagering on the Atlanta Hawks at +3.5.
  • The line shifts so that Boston is at -2.5 and Atlanta is at +2.5.

Despite only 20% of the betting tickets being on the Hawks, their line has shifted for the worse. This movement indicates that heavy sharp money may be on Atlanta.

You can’t realistically track these moves in real-time across different sportsbooks. Software programs handle this burden for you.

Software Doesn’t Make Emotional Recommendations

Many sports gamblers have a big problem with making decisions based on emotions. They may wager on their favorite team or take an underdog because they’ve lost three straight bets on favorites.

Software, on the other hand, doesn’t make the same mistakes. It instead offers helpful recommendations and stats based on the numbers — not how it’s feeling in the moment.

These software programs supply information based on a wide number of variables and then suggest correct wagers. Many times, these programs give good advice since they’re not considering anything but the facts.

Of course, no software wins 100% of the time. Otherwise, everybody would use this specific program and all others would be ignored.

But you should definitely rely on good software when you find it. This is especially true if you struggle with making emotional wagers.

Gain an Edge Over Recreational Bettors

The willingness to use sports betting programs can set you apart from recreational gamblers. The latter crowd doesn’t typically use these tools, because doing so makes gambling less fun.

You can, of course, use this to your advantage by thoroughly learning betting software and using it on a regular basis. You’ll gain access to many helpful stats and alerts on arbitrage opportunities that the average gambler will never bother considering.

Another benefit is that you also put yourself more on par with the sharks, who commonly use software to make their picks.

A great program alone isn’t going to give you the same skills as the world’s top bettors. But it at least puts you on equal footing in terms of the tools being used.

Cons to Sports Betting Software

Using software to make sports bets is definitely a good decision for serious gamblers. However, not everything is perfect with using these programs.

Sports gambling software does have a few downsides that should be considered. Here are the main drawbacks you want to be aware of before purchasing a program or spending time learning a free version.

Some Programs Are Expensive

I mentioned earlier how some sports betting software can be expensive. You may have to spend several hundred dollars to get a certain tool that you’re interested in.

The good news is that a quality database can pay for itself over time. However, this is only true if you’re actually winning.

Assuming you only break even or lose money, then you’re just throwing more money at the software. At this point, you’re essentially involved in an expensive hobby.

You want to ask yourself beforehand if it’s still worth spending time and money on these programs when there’s still a chance of losing. If this idea doesn’t sound appealing, then you may want to forget software altogether.

Betting Software Requires a Learning Curve

Only the simplest betting programs allow you to jump right into the matter and start using them like a pro. But more-complicated versions, in contrast, require a learning curve that can take 20 minutes or longer.

This may not sound like such a long time. But it is when considering how boring learning sports betting software can be.

Again, you should choose a program that offers a helpful tutorial. Such videos can quickly get you up to speed so that little time is wasted learning the ropes.

Using Software Can Take the Fun Out of Sports Betting

Not every sports gambler cares deeply about their win rate. Some people just want to put a little action on their favorite team or a big game.

This crowd won’t enjoy spending hours using a betting program. They instead just want to quickly analyze lines and make bets based on their own knowledge.

Nothing is wrong with this mindset. If you’re somebody who just wagers on games for fun, then you have every right to do so.

Of course, sports gambling programs can be worthwhile once you get more into the activity. But you certainly don’t have an obligation to use these products if it takes the excitement away.

These Programs Can Make You Overconfident

Everybody has a different degree of confidence in their betting skills. You certainly need some confidence so that you can pull the trigger upon seeing a favorable opportunity.

However, sports betting software has a tendency to make gamblers overconfident. They may start placing too many wagers and/or increasing their bet sizes just because they’ve got advanced stats.

I mentioned earlier that software alone doesn’t win bets. Other successful gamblers have access to the same tools.

In fact, you’ll find that many top programs cover roughly the same stats and offer similar features. You’re not going to create much separation from other skilled bettors just because you’re using these programs.

Therefore, you should temper your expectations with what betting software can do. While these databases are extremely helpful, they’re not going to make you an automatic winner.

Widens Gap Between Good and Bad Bettors

The sports gambling world needs bad bettors. After all, somebody has to be on the losing side of the equation so that bookmakers can stay open.

But some recreational gamblers have been turned off over the years after losing too many wagers. One reason why they keep losing is because of sports betting software.

Serious gamblers use these programs to further maximize their edge. Meanwhile, fans who casually bet on games are very unlikely to adopt the software.

The serious bettors who do use software certainly aren’t breaking any rules. In fact, everybody who wants a better chance of winning should seek any advantage that they can.

Unfortunately, less-serious bettors may be further turned off from sports wagering when they consider that other gamblers are using software. Given that they don’t want to learn these programs, they may just stop betting altogether.

Conclusion

Winning sports gamblers don’t just use their intuition to be successful. They instead perform research and take advantage of favorable opportunities.

Betting software can help in these departments by offering useful stats and identifying significant line movement. These tools essentially give you a shortcut to making quality wagers.

You’ll find a number of these programs throughout the industry, which makes it hard to narrow down the best software. But you can read reviews and even use free trials in some cases to find what you’re looking for.

It’s worth the effort of searching for good betting software when considering the advantages. These benefits include having access to more stats, creating winning systems, tracking line movements, and getting non-emotional advice.

Of course, you also want to be aware of the downsides before spending anything on software. These drawbacks include the costs, learning curve, and the potential to become overconfident.

Overall, though, you’re betting off using sports betting software than not. This is especially true if you’re a serious gambler with aspirations of making profits.

I encourage you to at least check out a few programs and see what you think. You may ultimately decide to just make bets on your own, but it’s worth spending an hour looking into the matter.

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