Britney Simpson asked:


Today, sports betting or sports gambling is fast turning out to be a hobby which also generates income at the same time. It can be a lot of fun provided you know your limits and it can be very exciting especially when you are able to not only take pleasure in your favorite game but also get paid money when the team you bet on actually wins the game. Some sites also provide you with some free sports betting picks as well as free sports betting info to keep you better informed about the various aspects of sports betting.

Being able to make money from a hobby is certainly a great thing. The free sports betting picks or otherwise are all based on dependable analysis that bookmakers make so your income is assured. One of America’s favorite games is the NBA and this has proved to be a great generator of money for a big section of its fans. There are plenty of websites on the Net now which allow anybody the world over to take part in sports betting and the free sports betting info available with them will help the amateurs learn a few things and the others get even more skilled.

You also have quite a few websites that deal in collecting data from games that have just concluded providing it as a tool for analysis so that sports betting enthusiasts can learn from it. This analysis is then used to decide the probability of the team being able to win the next game they are scheduled for. The teams are then ranked according to this analysis and this ranking is used as a base for the bettor’s free sports betting picks or the paid ones. The free sports betting info provided by such websites also goes a long way in educating the bettors to improve their sports bets.

The team into which a sports bettor puts his money is usually the one with a better raking. If you are subscribed to a website, then you can get extra help in the form of alerts. Very often the general public might pick a losing team. In such cases those who select the team that wins can really win big money. When instances like these occur, the bookmaker will send email alerts to the people who have subscribed to the service. This is referred to as betting against the public and the chances of winning big money is pretty high. There are quite a few websites that provide you with free sports betting picks as well as free sports betting info which will help you improve your sports bets.

You can even make use of the free sports betting picks for this if you have any. Also going through the free sports betting info available on such websites can go a long way in improving your understanding of sports betting. No doubt the game is ruled by chance and there will be losses once in a while but the overall percentage of winning can be high enough to bring sufficient cash to the bettors. Luck go course plays an important role but thorough analysis of a team’s capability to win definitely gives the bettor an upper hand.



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Michael Tipton asked:


I know a little about money management, as I’ve been in the investment business for many years.  I’ve been a Principal, a Registered Advisor and a top producer in the financial services field; and there’s an element of stocks and bonds that can be related to sports gaming, if you analyze deeply enough.  Clearly, one of the most important components to investing, or sports gaming, and wagering, is the issue with money management. Whether it’s Black Jack or Poker, picking a football team to win, or mutual funds and stocks and bonds, it’s fairly common sense that a sound, disciplined approach, need be in place if you’re going to be successful.  (When you’ve got stress going on in the real world, I’d suggest not going to the Sport’s Book at this time.  You really need to be picking winners and managing money with a clear mind.  Trouble in the real world is not the time to be making money decisions). 

 Keep in mind, while I can help a client figure out a portfolio, I also know how it feels to get that ‘juice’ before a big game, with dollars riding at the sports book.  But let me remind you that the winners of this skill and game are the players that don’t over-react, nor become emotional, or do the most common mistake a maverick gambler can do: “chase” the bet".  This skill is really better served for the even keel, and, rational player, who might for example, step back, and assess, stick to a solid game-plan, and not rush their next decision, often out of dismay, even anger.  It may indeed be very much exciting, or a thrill, to “chase” down a Sunday evening, to “get back to even”, but lets face it; this is the stuff that can get you “killed”.  No analysis really needed with this fine fault, but to "chase down" anything related to money decisions, well, usually turns out very, very bad.  You should never do that when you’re dealing with your financial portfolio, so why apply that to a decision involving anything else that involves money, like sports gaming?  

 A sports player actually breaks even in sports like football, at 52.4 percent, not the 55 that many gamers might think. That would be calculated at 11-10 odds.  How’s that?  Simple. If you have 11 games right, 10 wrong, then that’s 11 games divided by the total of 21, with the result being 52.4.   Obviously, anything better than that will make you a profit.  (Many gamers assume 55 winning picks is the key, as 55 would you get you 10 more winners than losers over 100 games wagered.  But remember, the house cut, or (juice), only goes to bets that lose.  So, for illustration purposes, if you tried to win 100 dollars a game over 100 games played, you’d have to place 110 dollars per bet(10 percent, or juice to the house, is 10 dollars per bet), on every game, and if you hit 55 games correctly, you’d lose 45, for a net 10 game advantage.  The 45 losses would result in an extra $450 dollars having to be taken away from the net 10 games profit to cover the house (losses times 10 percent to the house), but you’d actually still have $550 in your pocket as net profit.)  My point here, is that obviously, this is better than a break-even figure.  You don’t necessarily have to be that good to win in sports gaming.

So, how can this help you in your own personal money management with sports gaming?  Sports gaming can still be a lot tougher than you might think.  To have a successful season, again you’ll have to hit better than 52.4 percent, but the average gamer, according to different sources, hits somewhere between 45-48 percent.  This is worse than simply by chance, or flipping coin when trying to figure out winners?  If your betting style is all over the place, and you’re “chasing” a dwindling success pattern, then this is simply going to lead you to disaster.  So, your best chance of success is to really stick to a sound disciplined money-management system, calculate your risk on a select few games per session, and find enough information from sources like EZ Sports Winners, to help advise you on those decisions. You’ll increase your chance of success many times over.  If you end up trying to do your own analysis, and you find a zillion games you’d like to be involved in, well, this is a red-flag, and you’ll do yourself a big favor the next time you go to the sports book,  take a big step back, and gather yourself.  Too many games or contests considered can get you hurt quickly in this business! 

 You can limit a disaster by creating a sound investment and money-management plan that begins with arriving at a calculated amount of what you, or any investor, would like to risk for his entire investment, and for our purpose for the sports-player here, over the course of a year or season.   Break that down to a per-week basis, then per-game, you can then arrive at an approximate amount to play on any given contest.  A great way to do this is to figure the largest amount of money you’d play on any one game, then wager accordingly.  A great way to do that is to figure out the total bank-roll you’d like to limit yourself to for the entire season, and multiply this amount by 2%.  This number gives you a decent top-game-play estimate.  If your total bankroll is going to be $50,000 for example, then in this case, you’re looking at a $1,000 ($50,000 time 2%, or .02).  For further strategy, a sports player could decide on the strength of each play, and employ a rating system, such as the one offered by EZ Sports Winners, to decide an amount to wager on any given play.  (EZSW employs a 1-6 game rating, with 6 being the best.  We use a 5-dime system on each suggested wager, with every 5 dimes representing 5 percent of your top-game play.  Each rating number is worth 5 dimes.  So, in this instance, with $1,000 being your top play, a game with a rating of one, then this 5-dime play would be worth a $50 dollar wager). For further explanation, visit our EZSW system page:  http://www.ezsportswinners.com/ezsw_system.htm.   This plan will help create a sound money-management strategy that will keep you out of trouble!   When you do in fact win, a great way to apply this to an increased wager is to take half your winnings and put them away in reserve, using the other half spread out on an average per-game basis, divided up by how many additional week-ends you decide you’d want to play.   For example, lets say you end up the week-end  with a $10,000 dollar profit.  And you have 14 weeks left in the NFL season.  You’d put $5000 away in reserve, and the other $5000 could be added to a week-end basis, averaged out over 14 weeks.  That’s roughly $350 dollars a weekend, maybe $50 to $100 dollars a game over the course of the rest of the season.  This will help manage your decisions when are you winning, rather than "doubling-up" on any single play, or losing your winnings on any one poor decision.  While this doesn’t seem exciting, this discipline will help ensure your best chance of success! 

With that said, how can we truly protect against the downside? Well, let’s face it, there’s a risk no matter what kind investment, and sports-gaming is no different.  We can however, put stop-losses in place, to protect a major landslide.  Remember, any investment, to make a profit, engages a certain amount of risk.  Any significant return on your money has everything to do with the amount of risk you want to take.  If you want absolutely no risk, forget sports gambling.  Put it in the bank.  In fact, don’t even touch a mutual fund.  Put it in a savings account at the bank, quite seriously.  Remember too though, and for our illustration purpose, you in fact get little return in exchange for this low risk, and your ‘real’ return is even less.  Take out the taxes on your low guaranteed rate, as well as the amount of inflation, and your dollar can be in fact losing value over time in various instances.   And of course, your time frame is very important on figuring your risk tolerance.  Many people of course need the stability of their money, and this would of course make a lot of sense for a retired person, or for people with a short-term situation, such as monthly budget dollars.  The "return" isn’t your goal here, as stability is your main concern.  Obviously, sport-gaming isn’t the channel for these kinds of dollars.   

But at the other end of the spectrum of course, we have the sports investment, or the sport bet.  It’s at the most extreme in terms of risk and reward, and you’re going to have to understand this, if your goal is to try and win, and make rational decisions, rather than just enjoy simple recreation (although there’s nothing wrong with this of course, if that’s your goal). But, It’s not for the feint of heart.  It’s a rapid result, with the only money used in this recreation being you luxury money, or the money you could easily afford to lose.  This is a very serious note I might add.  All the more reason to have a sound plan.  I implore you to have a sound gaming strategy, a solid money-management system, and a discipline, to stick to your plan rather than rush judgment, to help keep you from making irrational and emotional decisions.  This will ultimately serve you for the most optimum chance of success.

 

Bottom line, though, a more practical way of establishing your working bankroll each season is to simply ask yourself how much you can afford to lose in a worst case scenario and use that amount as your working bankroll. Maybe this amount increases as you put some winnings away, which is very important, but this would of course help you stop a total disaster in any given session.

Good luck!



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Britney Simpson asked:


Today with the growing internet technology, sports handicapping has turned out to be one of the services that is most sought after. There are a lot of services that provide you with these options and even give you access to free sports betting info and articles so you have a better idea if you are a newbie and improve your skills if you have already dabbled in sports betting.

There are quite a few sites online that even provide free sports betting picks. However, all the sports handicapping candidates do not have the required ability and proficiency to be in a position to give you a forecast with no flaws along with a detailed analysis. A good free sports betting info website will make known all possible details that you might need.

So how do you find the best of people who are experts in sports handicapping? You may begin by talking to friends and family and get some referrals from them. Publicity by word of mouth is indeed the best. People will recommend someone based on their own personal experiences. Then you can check to see of they have a good and proven track record. Even if he or she does not give you free sports betting info you can definitely scrutinize his or her track record and the rate of wins and losses.

Check out their expertise. From the time there is an increase in popularity of sports handicapping there has been a large increase in the amount of people providing you services in sports handicapping on the Net. Someone who has even five to ten years of know-how would be your best choice. And you can even find experts on the Net with as many as twenty years of experience. Most of them even provide you with some free sports betting info.

Take a look at the kinds of sports that they cover and the type of services they provide. A good professional in sports handicapping will provide services such as play after you win and will train and coach you on the different significant facets of sports handicapping. If they give you some free sports betting info then that would be an added bonus. Sports handicapping services on the Net are provided by many expert handicappers. Internet handicappers are people on the Net that make a living from selling picks to online sports bettors. Sports betting picks are actually forecasts of the future sports games like MLB baseball and NBA basketball.

One of the most fascinating sports in online betting is baseball. At the same time not everybody enjoys taking part in baseball betting as it is the easiest in sports handicapping as compared to other sports which means you have more chances of making money. Hard-core bettors would definitely be looking for something tougher. Since it is the easiest sport to control you can earn from it even as a first time bettor. And getting some free sports betting info couldn’t be better.



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Chris Grisham asked:


Sports betting is fast becoming a popular online sporting event. It involves the predicting or guessing of the results of a certain sports and putting a wager on it. Casinos are now including sports betting in their roster of games played. So does in online casinos. In the United States however, some states do not allow the operation of a betting, a gambling or a wagering scheme, thereby prohibiting sports gambling. In the states of Nevada, Oregon and Delaware however, this form of gambling is allowed. It is only Nevada though that operated sports gambling in the U.S. Anyway, who needs to go to Nevada when sports gambling can easily be played online, right in your living room, if you want. You need not dress up or travel. Simply open your computer and access the internet. A huge variety of websites offering casino games, including sports gambling, can easily be found. The problem is not how to find them but which one to make use of.

To some, sports gambling may be just a past time or a form of a breather once in a while from the humdrum of routine work. To others however, this is already a lucrative business that has become their livelihood. These is the reason why just as there are a big number of sport betting websites, there are also an equal huge number of online sites that offer various free online betting systems, tips, picks, odds, etc. These free online betting systems are sets of events which could lead to a very profitable betting scenario when combined for a particular sport or game. These systems are made to give the gambler sort of an edge with his bets. These systems are very important to a sports betting gambler since it is very hard for them to predict winners because sports are determined by human (the players).

Most sportsbooks make use of these free online betting systems to manage to make accurate odds with their analysis. A “trend” is what a short-lived system is called. An “angle” is a single event which estimates a selection of the higher probability of winning. Angles along with trends are then used in conjunction to produce what are now called “systems”.

To enable a gambler to determine which free online betting systems are going to work for him, it is important that he is able to make use of vital computer analysis tools and get from it all the probable games that belong to the sports bettor’s criteria. He should then analyze the games’ results to enable him to make a favorable prediction of which team is likely to win. Free online betting system determinants are a mixture of motivational, situational, biological, psychological and past performances.

However, no matter how good a bettor is in analyzing, free online betting systems could be deceiving. Therefore, in order for him to consistently win with his sports wagers, he would need to truly in a system or a handicapper that makes use of trends, angles, experience and most importantly, a proven system to result into many winning moments that would surely bring forth consistent profits.



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Chris Grisham asked:


It is said that sports picks are the most predictable form of betting in any sports genre. In fact, you can enjoy a 50/50 or even more chances of winning, especially if you have chosen a professional sports pick that you trust. You might even turn your 50% chance of winning into 90% of guaranteed wins. But nothing beats betting with free sports picks.

Finding free sports picks is so easy as it can be found everywhere. But you have to be careful and find only the right person to trust when it comes to choosing free sports picks for MLB. Should you find one, you may stick and believe in them as they are experts in the field of MLB betting.

Before placing your next bet, you may first gather a little extra advice from free sports picks. These are fantastic picks written by betting experts or online marketers whose purpose is to persuade you in signing up to their paid members area or simply to place your bets. However, you must pay extra precautions when dealing with these kind of sites.

Here are free sports picks that you may want to take a look at:

1. Paid Subscriptions. Sports betting experts pay extra effort and time into gaining in-depth knowledge of MLB so they reward themselves by charging a premium for sharing their knowledge, which in one way or another helps a lot of sports betting gamers to raise their chances of winning. But paying a premium is incredibly expensive, an approximately hundreds of dollars.

2. Email Newsletters.These serve as a precursor to paid subscriptions. The sports picks that you can get from these medium are considered as the weakest picks which is why online marketers offer them for free. A few good sports picks will be given away to entice you in subscribing a premium membership, where you can get real quality sports picks. But as mentioned above, it will cost you hundreds of dollars.

3. Betting Systems. You can make these on your own. But of course, you must not take for granted the free sports picks websites available. A lot of information found in blogs and articles are all for free so you can take time to improve your own knowledge. Your goal here is to device a good betting system so as to create your own free sports picks.

Whatever game you are into, be it basketball betting, football betting, or baseball betting, there is always a system involve, which is known as “Sports Betting Champ”. This can be done by checking the combination of different factors that surround both the game itself and the players. And this system is easier to learn so in the end you will end your quest for free sports picks as you are already knowledgeable on different ways to win the bet.

Who wouldn’t want to win in sports betting? Everyone does in whatever sports genre they are in. And it is not just all about the money to be won that matters, but also the pride of winning a title. If you can be good at sports betting, there is no doubt that you can be a millionaire in no time. There are a lot of websites that offer free sports picks and you can visit them every time you want to learn the latest and effective tips in winning the MBL season. You should bear in mind that in order for you to really win consistently wagering on baseball or any sport for that matter you need to invest in a handicapper or system that uses trends, angles, experience, and a proven system to churn out winner after winner to bring in consistent profits.



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Kristi Ambrose asked:


Fancy some football? Want to bet on your favorite team? If so, then you needn’t worry because NFL sports betting online is now available for you to enjoy! There are several different sport books online waiting for you to become a member so you can start wagering on sports events around the world! Before I go off and list some of the sites you can visit I think it’s important for you to know that hundreds of people around the world consider betting on the NFL for several different reasons. One of the main reasons is that NFL sports betting allows sports junkies more benefits online than offline. Some examples include convenience and no more worrying about collecting! Also, National Football League sports betting allows you to get sign up bonuses and even reduce the vig on certain days, as well as obtain free bets through customer appreciation or player rewards programs.

Much to your surprise, the NFL online sports betting gives you the chance to obtain fair lines. So, unlike your local bookies that know they can railroad you on a betting line for the reason that they have recognized your betting on the hometown favorite or that they are the only sports book available in town, the online-based National Football League sports betting provides betting lines that are similar. They don’t even bang you with a one side square point spread. Now, if you are really interested to know where exactly online you can bet on your favorite football team, consider the following sport books. These sport books are said to be two of the largest National Football League online sports betting sites available.

Pinnacle Sports book

Pinnacle Sports book is said to be the best NFL online sports betting book available on the web. Here, you will encounter fast Neteller payouts and lengthy history online in which has long been appreciated by thousands of players. Also, this National Football League online sports betting site has a solid reputation and they offer reduced vig betting option, making them as one of the worth visiting sport books online. The Pinnacle Sports book also offers money lines on almost every single game as well as grade games fast which means that funds are available in your account quickly and easily.

VIP Sports

We have NFL, College Football and Major League Baseball odds on every game as well as an assortment of props. That excitement is what drives us here at VIP and we’ve got what it takes to get your heart pumping in our online sports book. Also included; reload bonuses, best lines, half juice promotions!

Bet Game Day

BetGameDay is your ticket to huge bonuses and awesome promotions, free contests, Bet game Day Rewards. This site has lines for NCAA, NBA, NFL, MLB, Nascar, Golf, Tennis and much more!



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Dwayne Bryant asked:


With the Internet age comes many choices. Shop at the store or shop on the store’s website? Go to the bank to transfer funds or transfer funds online? One choice sports betting enthusiasts have is whether to place their wagers with a local bookie or place their bets with an online sportsbook. Let’s look at why this question has an easy answer.

First, when you sign up with an online sportsbook, you will get a sign-up bonus. These bonuses range from 10% up to 100%. So, for example, if you sign up and want to deposit $1,000, you can expect to have an additional $100 to $1,000 added to your account balance. So, for your $1,000 deposit, you could have up to $2,000 to start betting with. Not bad, right? If only my local bank had a program like that!

Online sportsbooks also offer reload bonuses, which work just like the initial sign-up bonuses, except the reload bonuses are for existing account holders. Each sportsbook has their own limits in regards to the amounts of these bonuses. When was the last time your local bookie gave you even one bonus like that?

Online sportsbooks also offer reduced vigorish or “juice” on certain days or during certain times. While your local bookie offers NFL sides and totals at -110, it is possible to get them at -104 or lower if you’re in the right sportsbook at the right time. Some even offer free bets at times through player reward programs. Think your local bookie has a rewards program for you?

Betting with your local bookie usually requires you to call him. While you can phone in your bets with online sportsbooks, you can also bet through the sportsbook’s website. How many times have you tried calling your local bookie five minutes before kickoff, only to get a busy signal?

Online sportsbooks also give you many options in regards to how you want to deposit and withdraw money. You can use a credit card, Western Union transfer, online accounts such as PayPal and Neteller, electronic funds transfers from your bank account, etc. I would be willing to bet your local bookie only deals in cold, hard cash.

There is one more reason why an online sportsbook is a better option than a local bookie. You have to deposit your money first. Most local bookies will let you bet whatever you want and then “settle up” at the end of the week. This way, it is far too easy to get in way over your head. By depositing only what you can afford into your online sportsbook account, you don’t have to worry about owing several times more than you can afford to lose.

As you can see, there are many reasons why an online sportsbook is a much better option than a local bookie. The internet is the home to many online sportsbooks, which mostly operate offshore. Take the time to do some research and you will find many online sportsbooks with solid reputations for bonuses and timely payouts.

Dwayne Bryant asked:


Betting preseason football is a lot different than regular season football. The methods used to handicap regular season NFL games do not work most of the time when used to handicap a preseason game. Let’s take a look at what things you should look at when handicapping NFL preseason football.

One thing you must know is the coaches. Some coaches do not care whether their team wins or loses in the preseason. Their objective is to evaluate the talent level all the way to the very last roster spot. Then there are coaches who are trying to instill a winning attitude in their team and they will put an emphasis on winning the preseason games. Obviously, you have a good betting situation if you can find a coach trying to win going against a coach who is more interested in seeing what his third- and fourth-stringers can do.

Also, do not pay too much attention to the starters. In the preseason, the starters will be out of the game well before the outcome is decided. Starters generally only play a quarter or two, if at all. Most coaches view the second-to-last preseason game as the “dress rehearsal” for the regular season. In that case, the starters may play up to three quarters. In any case, the starters will usually not decide a preseason game.

Pay attention to what the coaches say. This only holds true in the preseason. Read the team’s local paper or team website to find out what the coach’s plan is for the game. It is important to find out who will be on the field in the fourth quarter when the game will likely be decided.

Make sure you know what the quarterback rotation will be for each team. You could find an advantageous position where a veteran quarterback will be playing in the second half against third- and fourth-string defensive backs. On the other hand, a rookie quarterback playing in the second half is a disadvantage to you. Many times, the rookie quarterback is trying to learn the offense and is also not used to playing against the speed of NFL defenders.

Try to find good situations to back a team. For example, you may come across a game where one coach is planning to play his first and second string for most of the game, while the opposing coach is planning to play mostly third and fourth stringers. Also, look for teams that have started 0-2 straight up and are playing their third preseason game at home, especially when the coach has taken some criticism for the team’s poor start in the local papers. That is usually an excellent spot to back the home team in need of a win, especially when they are facing a team that doesn’t have the same motivation.

NFL preseason football betting can be a very profitable time if you understand you cannot handicap these games the same way you would handicap a regular season game. Use the advice above as a set of guidelines for your preseason football betting and you should see an increase in your bankroll before the regular season kicks off.

sidana.abhi asked:


Betting on football has its charm and many people make a living out of it. While having a lot of advantages, betting on football games hides some significant risks as well. In the following lines we will try to go through the main pros and cons of football betting.

Advantages of football betting.

Profits are tax free. Winnings of your bet can be 100% tax free if you use spread betting system. Otherwise you will have to pay Capital Gains Tax. Low investment. You can gain a fortune if you place correct bets on even a single football game. So bottom line is that you get huge profits with minimum investment. Save the broker commissions. In most cases betting on football games using the spread betting system can save you the broker’s commissions. Free betting on football is often available especially online. This is a convenient way to learn and get accustomed to betting if you are new to it.

Disadvantages of football betting.

A serious disadvantage of betting on football is that you can easily spend more than you can afford. Many people make this mistake simply because they didn’t do the calculations right or just because they hope to win and put all their money on a single bet. It is of utmost importance to know that in some occasions you can loose more than your initial bet. Betting on football as well as on any other game is time consuming task. To make yourself successful you need to dedicate a lot of your time in researching your team as well as all of the teams they will play against. Failing to do this can result in huge losses over time. It is natural that most of the people who are into betting will deny it but the reality shows that once you start you will want more of it. Since you cannot always win, be prepared to lose in a smart way. This is easily achieved if you learn to bet safely and allocate a specific amount of money you will use for betting for a specific period of time. Also it is good to devise some rules for the money you will win from betting. It is wise to use part of them to bet again and another part for your general needs.

Malcolm Heyhoe asked:


The Premiership circus rolls onto our screens on Saturday and every club will contribute to make another post World Cup season the biggest yet from a media perspective.

The World Cup Finals generate tremendous enthusiasm the following season, and with even the top managers under severe pressure this season for one reason or another, no Premiership job is totally safe this time around.

Should Martin O’Neill be at Old Trafford instead of Sir Alex, and will Chelsea fans tire of another season of ‘meaningless’ Premiership victories if European glory slips through blue fingers again?

‘Harry’ has been busy down on the south coast, whilst Charlton have to learn to live without ‘Curbs’ who might have jumped before being potentially pushed as the Addicks face a potential nightmare season.

Agatha Christie would have struggled to pen a more compelling start to a new term, whilst web sites offer advice to potential punters on how supporters can add profit to their enjoyment by placing bets of all varieties relating to matches that endanger the strongest of marital relationships.

Football punters are increasingly important to bookmakers who realise that horse racing has shot itself in the foot too often to entice new customers, albeit that Italian football is under scrutiny after some dodgy activity of late.

The ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar was accused of match-fixing in this country several years ago, but all Brucie’s blog seemed to achieve related to punters increasing their gambling on soccer, as opposed to the potentially terminal diagnosis in the horse racing sector. The ‘story’ (Bruce won substantial damages from a leading newspaper) merely boosted interest in fixed odds football betting!

Too many punters have their head in the clouds when they bet on football, with their hearts coursing the blood through the veins as betting slips are completed at breakneck speed as supporters back their team to achieve unrealistic targets.

Thierry Henry was a short priced favourite to score the first goal of the game in Arsenal’s matches last year, yet the Golden Boot winner only achieved the feat on five occasions.

Conversely, Darren Bent was on offer at rewarding odds by comparison and the Charlton striker opened the scoring in eight matches. ‘Sven’ made the mistake of ignoring Darren’s ability for this year’s World Cup, and the lesson for punters should be staring them in the face.

Punters need to delve into the information that is readily available these days, and rid themselves of laziness that will inevitably cost them money throughout the winter campaign. James Beattie scored the opening goal of the game seven times in matches involving Everton, yet James netted all those goals at Goodison Park.

Ignoring the potential of opposing teams for this example, the realistic odds for James to score the first goal at home this year should be around the 5/2 mark, with 12/1 freely available in matches away from Goodison Park. Those odds will not be reflected by bookmakers however, and punters need to hammer home the advantage, whether laying or playing the markets this season.

The scenario is repeated in the ‘correct score’ sector, with supporters of the popular teams steaming in for their side to slaughter the opposition on a weekly basis.

Although cynics suggest that ‘anoraks’ like myself can interpret numbers to an advantage, the facts suggest that figures never lie, and adopting this positive attitude can reap rewards.

Okay, so Arsenal hammered Middlesbrough 7-0 last year, but how many people would have suggested that Boro would have been the team that would have taken the hiding? Arsenal only managed to score a single home goal against Birmingham, before scraping past Cardiff (2-1) in a Highbury tie against Cardiff in the F.A. Cup, which emphasises the point I am trying to make.

If you consider that the home team is the favourite in the majority of matches, the sobering thought to consider when playing the correct score market, is that a stat of 310 against 70 emerged via home teams that scored a maximum of two goals in the Premiership last season. To ram home the point, also consider that two hundred and nineteen of those home teams scored less than two goals!

Splitting the two halves of a game offers more insight into the way that managers ‘wind up’ their players. Chelsea only ‘won’ sixteen first half ‘matches’, but claimed twenty-seven ‘victories’ in the second half of their games.

Hopefully this type of information will lead you to bet with your head this season and secure a profit instead of annual losses.

And finally to the bet of the year! This season’s major spread bet will be the market pertaining to the number of cards that Mrs (Graham) Poll will receive on her birthday. My spread would be around the 11/12 mark, with three given by her husband!

Be lucky!