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Betting in sports has been on the rise in recent years, and there are tons of options now available for the players…

Teams play more matches with teams from their own Conference and less matches against teams from the other Conference. The team with the best record at the end of the regular season is awarded the Supporters’ Shield. The top six teams from each Conference will go into the playoffs for a shot at the MLS Cup. Having said that, here is what you should know before betting in the

MLS:

CURRENT FORM: Looking at the last five to ten matches can give us a lot of information about how the team has been acting lately. Look out for winning/losing streaks, which can show which teams are under pressure and which are in high spirits.

STANDINGS: Despite what recent form or even logic itself might dictate, the position of a team in the league table can negate all that. As the season draws to a close there are certain teams who have been eliminated from playoff contention. Some are indifferent and tend to not care, while others are free of anxiety and cause upsets against better opponents. Also, teams that are looking to make it into the playoffs might make solid runs towards the end of the regular season.

MOTIVATION: Motivation is key. There are numerous things that can either motivate, or demoralize the players. Winning streaks, good climate inside the club’s ranks and generally positive things tend to motivate the players. Bad relations inside the club, players causing bad publicity and a lot of other things tend to throw the entire team off track mentally.

HEAD TO HEAD: Just like any other league in the world, MLS also has its own rivalries. We’ve seen teams in winning streaks crash and burn against certain opponents, just because the club doesn’t play well in a certain venue. Other clubs fail to perform well at home due to the pressure of their own home crowd. There are certain match-ups that traditionally produce a lot of goals, so that’s also something to look at when betting on the Totals.

DISTANCE: This might not seem like even a factor at start, but it is a crucial one. Team schedules are sometimes very unfavorable against some teams. Since the continental United States are so big, teams are often called to travel from one side of the country to the other, and back. Also keep in mind for local derbies that have an extra layer of competitiveness.

MANAGER CHANGES: There is always the possibility of staff changes throughout the season, or even in the off-season. Such changes are done in order to change something, and it doesn’t always work out. Certain coaches can work with what they are given, while others simply can’t gel with the rest of the squad. Also look out for specific player-coach relations that tend to affect the rest of the team.

TEAM NEWS: A general view of what is going on about certain teams is always a bonus. Following social media accounts of the teams that you like is an easy way of getting some inside knowledge. Little or bigger things can come up throughout the season, so keeping up to speed with the news is somewhat of a must.

OTHER COMPETITIONS: Teams that play in the MLS also play in other competitions, like the US Open Cup, the CONCACAF Champions League or the Canadian Championship. Moreover, players are often called on international duty. Following multiple competitions might seem too much at first, but you will find that a lot of teams that compete in other competitions tend to act differently before and after those matches.

INJURIES/SUSPENSIONS: Soccer is not always pretty, and often we see players injured either in training or in the course of the match. Sometimes they are even injured doing every-day things like shave, or ride a bicycle. Moreover, players can miss matches due to disciplinary reasons.

PERSONAL RECORDS: OF course every soccer player wants to be remembered. When someone is on the verge of breaking a record like top scorer, he is more likely to do so. Betting on individual player performance is also a very interesting option with high yields. The birth of a child or other personal reasons can also affect the outcome of matches.

WEATHER/PITCH CONDITION: Weather can easily affect certain matches, simply because of the elements. Wind can easily affect the ball while it is mid-air, while rain can create slippery surfaces all over. The pitch condition can affect the game of entire teams, as natural and artificial have different characteristics.

These are all the things you need to take into consideration when betting on the MLS. There are a lot of factors to measure, but you must also trust your gut feeling. Sometimes gut feeling can go against all logic, but consistently betting with a system will be more beneficial in the long run.

Football is the most watched sport on the planet. There are so many leagues and competitions for you to sink your teeth into that you’ll never be short of chances to become deeply involved in the beautiful game.

But everyone likes a flutter now and again, and with some many markets to bet on, here’s some tips on how to make an educated bets and get your hands on some cash.

Betting is a game of chance

Making money in business is never easy, it’s one thing to be successful, build up your portfolio and then make a profit. But all that can come crashing down unless you work intelligently and the same can be said for placing a bet.

Betting is a game of chance, winning and losing comes down to the slightest of margins. And betting on football is pardon the pun a completely different ball game. There are so many markets to choose from, that you can be completely out of your depth very quickly.

The first piece of advice everyone should take on board is only to wager what you can afford. I hear so many stories of people losing hundreds and even thousands of pounds that if you can bet £10 do that. Start out small, build on  our success, but make sure it never stops being fun.

The full-time result

The most popular type of football bet is on the full-time result, with either a 1X2 bet (win/lose/draw scenario) or an Asian handicap.

With a 1X2 bet, you bet on a team to win or draw, whether that’s a single bet on one team or an accumulated coupon where all of your selections have to win.

If you chose to go down this route, having some knowledge of which teams are in form, topping their tables, or scoring goals for fun, if the team you want to choose is at home, take a look at their record, all these pointers will go some way towards you selecting the right bet.

In 1X2 betting, the odds are actually easier to read than you’ll think. One will signify the home, one the away, and the final odds will show a draw. What you’ll need to remember is that these bets will only cover you for the regulation 90 minutes, so bet smart and do your research.

The double chance bet

If you’re looking to make some quick betting money to top up your pot, this could be the one for you.

Allowing you to bet on two of the three outcomes of a game in one bet, it gives you the chance to bet on:

Home win/draw

Away win/draw

Home win/Away win

While these bets can be easier to win, the odds will be substantially lower than the full-time result market, so to make a profit, you may need to bet a little more.

The correct score bet

If you’re looking for something with longer odds, take a look at the correct score betting. For these to be successful, you’ll need to predict the result of a match, which can be easier said than done.

However, there is a way you can bet intelligently on the correct score market, and that’s to go for the correct score group betting option. So if you think a match will finish 3-0, pick this as your correct score bet, but there is a shadow of a doubt, then place an additional group bet on 3-1,3-3,2-0 for example.

Of course, the returns will be shorter than a correct score bet. But it allows you to cover all your bases.

The Accumulator

These type of bets are probably the most popular waged throughout the football seasons and will often see millions of pounds lost and won by punters, as the attraction of a small stake offers a larger payout.

You put many selections on one betting slip, and as the odds multiply it gives you the chance of a higher return.

This is one of my favourite ways to bet, and if I can land the right combo, then I can potentially make a more substantial sum while still enjoying the game.

The potential for betting on the beautiful game is huge as there are hundreds of betting combinations available. But remember when placing your bets to monitor your outgoings, stay smart and choose the bookmaker who’ll give you the best value.

Learn 3 Easy Rules to Bet MLB Intelligently

1) Make the Intelligent Bet YOU Want

Do you consider yourself an intelligent person? Would you carry around an umbrella if you were not expecting rain? I do not think so. Would you bet the moneyline just because you like a team’s starting pitcher? It is the same concept, but most would do it.

This is because the masses do not bet intelligently and do not realize what they are doing wrong. You are BETTER than this!

Have you ever thought in the following manner?

The Cubs have Jon Lester going and you really like the matchup against the Cardinals. After some handicapping, you figure that Lester will dominate the first couple of times through the order and – boom – you bet the Cubs moneyline.

Now what is wrong with that scenario?

First, a team win involves many more aspects than the just the starting pitcher’s performance. For example, the offense needs to score a few runs and the bullpen cannot blow it, to name a couple. You have determined Lester will pitch well. However, you have not calculated the Cubs’ chances of winning.

Remember, stick to what you predict!

Make prop bets on Lester or bet the 5-inning under line if you really think he is going to dominate. Some bettors become trapped thinking that they NEED to bet on game outcomes – moneylines and run lines.

On the flip side, intelligent MLB bettors will find their niche and profit from it. It might be totals, prop bets, 5-inning lines – you name it. Find something you are good at, and make the bet YOU want to make.

2) DON’T Undervalue Replacement Players

In many sports, injuries can really alter a team’s game plan and chances of winning. In a league as deep as the MLB, however, replacement players will not hinder a team’s efforts nearly as severely.

How many times has LeBron James had a really bad game with barely any production? Almost never, right? Now, how many times has Mike Trout gone 0-4? It probably happens once or twice a week.

As you can see, stars do not produce every single night in baseball. If Trout is out of the lineup, it is not the end of the world for the Angels. If a team’s best hitter is injured or resting, do not write off that team.

Toward the end of the season, many teams call up minor leaguers to get their shot in the bigs. Just because a team’s lineup contains three AAA prospects does not mean they will lose. Always look at the numbers and resist your first impulse to bail on a team when regular players fall out of the lineup.
3) Take Plus Odds on 50/50 Bets

Imagine we were flipping a coin and I offered you +110 odds on tails. You would accept that deal in a heartbeat. You are getting plus odds on a 50/50 bet which means you cannot lose in the long run.

These types of opportunities appear all the time in baseball. Obviously, you will do pretty well for yourself if you can recognize them. Say you are handicapping the upcoming Marlins-Mets game and you determine it is a straight toss-up – a 50/50 bet.

Next, you check the line and notice that the Marlins are +110 while the Mets are -115. Bingo! You have determined this game to be a 50/50 toss-up and yet you can receive plus odds on the Marlins. Pounce on that all day.

Some would shy away from betting this game because they do not feel strongly that the Marlins will win. Intelligent bettors know that getting paid 11 to 10 creates a positive expected value and big profits.

Prove you are an intelligent MLB bettor. Put what you have learned to the test. We will see you on the top!

Nothing to do with NFL Super Bowls or the stuff you pour your morning cereal into, this quintessentially British sport is something that punters may like to have a dabble in here and there. Of course, it’s not going to be as heavily offered by bookmakers as say the big football, cricket and rugby markets are, but you can find opportunities around for your Bowls betting if that’s your thing.

Looking For Opportunities

You may have to scour around different bookmarks to try and find your ideal one to work with for bowls betting. Some bookmakers may perhaps price up bowls markets for major competitions, without having anything like a dedicated section in their sportsbook for it. Even then you are probably going to be looking at nothing much more than outright winner markets for a competition, or on individual matches.

The key here is just going to be looking around and trying to find a bookmaker or two that perhaps does offer bowls markets with a bit more frequency. Some will have those dedicated sections for Bowls betting but that doesn’t always mean that they are going to be particularly well populated with markets and options at all. By having accounts at different bookmakers you can at least play with odds comparison between them to get your best value.

Which competitions?

Probably looking at the major events is going to lend itself well when thinking about how to bet Bowls intelligently. Those are at least the events in which you are going to be able to see past results of and get some idea of things like form. England hosts a Men’s and a Women’s National Championships along with Champions of Champions series. There are Inter-Club events and Inter-Count events as well and the same can be said of Scotland with their national competitions and club events.

Even though this sport may conjure up images of pensioners gathering on the weekend for a spot of lawn bowls, it is a sport of tremendous skill which engages a lot of young players. The major competitions in the sport are the World Indoor Bowls Champion and the World Bowls Events. The sport has also been a staple at the Commonwealth Games since its inception and is probably the time when it gets the most attention.

What to look for

It is a sport that isn’t going to be as well covered as others in terms of betting opportunities and markets, so how to Bet Bowls intelligently can be dialled into a couple of key markets. Those will be the straightforward outright tournament winner option of an event and individual match winners. Dip into your preferred bookmaker a few days before the start of a major tournament and assess your options in the outright for an event.

Then you can look at Match Winner options for the individual matches, say at the Commonwealth Games. These are pretty much going to be the limits of your bowls betting opportunities. But if you want them, they are out there to find and as with any type of betting, try and gather as much information as you can with regards to form and news about the teams and players.

You don’t have to stop there. If you have studied all the form you can and have made some solid picks that you feel comfortable with, you can always start thinking about building multiples in a bet, even starting with simple trebles to try and expand things a little further.

Make your bowls bet as intelligently informed as possible. The positive thing about Bowls betting not being a big high profile listing by bookmakers is that the prices are pretty much not going to be influenced too much by heavy betting to sway the market and shift prices. So that could leave a little extra value hanging out there on things like match outrights.

Football is the World Game; a cultural, socio-economic, religious and political barrier-breaking pastime watched by approximately half of the world’s population and played in over 200 countries.

Football’s showpiece event is the FIFA World Cup – the most widely watched and followed sporting event in the world – while the English Premier League is the most popular domestic competition.

Despite just how intensely football is put under the microscope on a global scale, it can still be a confusing sport to bet on. Here are our tips to help you make an informed decision when betting on football.

Pay attention to the news

It’s imperative to have at least some understanding of the events leading up to a match. Is a key player sidelined through injury? Does the manager have a tendency to rest regular first-team players on the eve of a European fixture? Too many rumours of an unsettled dressing room disrupting performances on the pitch? In most cases, these three examples might not be playing a factor, but it helps to be aware and could explain certain factors which have influenced the bookies odds.

Research!

One team always has the edge on the other but you didn’t know that before making a bet? The internet is at your fingertips at all times and it doesn’t take long to discover key facts such as team form, head-to-head records and top goalscorers. Researching the differences in results between a team’s home and away form is essential in football, and explains why teams can have some enticing odds when playing away from home.

In-Play Betting

A sure-fire method to heightening the excitement of your betting experience. More importantly, it offers a way to maximise potential profits as bookies’ odds increase during in-play betting. Football has numerous variables which makes in-play betting a must for punters, such as the influence of red cards and injuries to key players during matches.

Endless market options

From the totals of yellow cards and corners to predicting a penalty will be missed, there’s almost no limit for a football punter. Correct score markets are usually the most lucrative – and, of course, the most difficult to predict – while the over/under for goals scored can be a shrewd addition to a weekend multi-bet. Individual goalscorer markets are another worthwhile market to explore in football, while the volatile nature of the game means your betting can go beyond the 90-minute spectacle. Got a feeling a player is going to transfer to another club? You can bet on it. A certain manager is on the verge of facing the sack? Yep, you can bet on that too.

Make multi-bets – but keep them simple

Multi-bets are a great way to increase your odds and put you in line for a big payout off a fairly meagre stake. However, the win-draw-win element of football (atleast in league football, cup competitions can require extra-time and penalties) means you can’t afford to go crazy with the number of selections you make. It doesn’t matter if your friend tries to convince you of some legendary 20-leg multi that he heard someone won, it’s far too unlikely and will lead to a downward in your betting form. Alternatively, you don’t need to solely choose match results in multis and some bookies will allow you to make same-game multi’s; the perfect option for a team you are familiar with.

Incentives from the bookies

The sheer quantity of bookies requires them to do something to stand out from the pack. Whether it’s a signing-up bonus, live-streaming services or early payouts, you should only choose bookies who you feel are giving you all the tools needed to earn some winnings.

Cricket is a funny old game. It can take place over anywhere from two hours to five days, with each different format offering a vastly different entertainment package. As a result of this, the markets offered on the game are plentiful and varied, making betting on cricket an exciting and popular pastime.

Inevitably, this means that while there are plenty of markets which can be highly profitable, there are equally as many which are just the opposite. Have a look at the odds for any cricket match and you’ll find a number of unpredictable markets, which, unfortunately, many people fall into the trap of betting on. Particularly in the longer forms of the game, often these are the kinds of bets which are settled early – after all, many punters don’t want to have to wait all day (or potentially even five days) for their bet to be settled.

Take, for example, a Test match (five-day game) market, in which you can place a bet on over/under total runs scored in the first over. This is a highly variable market which can’t really be predicted with any great amount of logic, and the outcome is largely the result of luck. Betting on it isn’t a great way to make money in the long term, but many people will opt to bet on something like that because the outcome will occur quickly.

Often, bets that run throughout the match, or at least a large portion of it, are more predictable ones to bet on. There are a number of variables in cricket matches which contribute to the outcome, but if you’re across all of these and do your research, there’s no reason you can’t make intelligent bets which give you a good chance of profiting.

Some of these factors include: form (as always), the pitch, and the weather forecast. The latter of these varies in importance across different sports, but in cricket it is a huge factor. In a Test match, for example, the likelihood of a draw is significantly increased if there are large portions of rain forecast. Obviously the betting agencies are across this kind of thing and adjust their odds accordingly, but if you keep an eye on news related to the pitch preparation, the weather forecast and so on, you’ll likely be able to get a leg up on most other punters.

This is particularly the case if you leave your bets until relatively close to the time of the match starting. Betting agencies will put their odds up a few days in advance, and while they will adjust if external factors like the weather forecast change, they won’t necessarily do so as much as they should, and that’s where you can pounce.

Similarly, waiting until after the toss, which occurs 30 minutes before the start of each match, can give you a major advantage in a number of markets. The toss determines who bats and bowls first, and this can have a massive impact on the game in all three formats. Take, for example, a one day match in which team x wins the toss and chooses to bat first. If this is seen as beneficial to their chances of winning the match, the win/loss markets will adjust relatively quickly. Where you can capitalise, however, is on other markets, such as player markets. If you fancy a batsman on team x to make a lot of runs, his team winning the toss and batting makes that significantly more likely as it means he will likely have longer to bat – if his team batted second and bowled the opposition out for a low total, for example, that diminishes his chance of making runs. Generally, these kinds of markets don’t change a whole lot after the toss, giving you a good chance to make money.

With such a wide range of markets on offer and so many matches going on around the world at any one time, cricket can be a great sport to bet on. It is, however, important to be on your guard, as many markets don’t necessarily give you a great chance of making long term gains. Actions like keeping a close eye on all the external factors and waiting until close to the start of play to bet, however, can give you a good head start. As always, it’s important to bet responsibly so as not to be sucked into unprofitable markets, but if you follow a few simple steps you’ll be able to bet cricket more intelligently

The ‘sweet science’ has been adored by fans world wide for decades. Historically, it has been one of the most popular sports to make a wager on, with a recent spike in popularity lending itself to further attention in the betting markets.

The ultimate one-on-one, mano a mano combat sport epitomises what we love about about sport; each fighter putting their careers on the line every time they step into the squared circle.

These days, many of the big fights are combated in casinos, gambling venues, and hotels. Crowds have had easy access to wagering on the outcome of the battle as far as records go back, with gangsters commonly owning fighters and venues, opening books on a series of illegal contests. Now, it is controlled, however the hunger to place a bet on the big fights are still as strong as it has ever been.

However, how can we assure that we bet boxing, intelligently?

In a two horse race, which boxing is, it’s important to understand the disparity between the favourite and the underdog.

It is natural to want to back the favourite in a boxing contest. However, the rewards for supporting this outcome will be significantly less than the underdog. Obviously, the bigger the favourite, the less the pay-out will be. It is in these instances where finding value comes into play. Are the prices representative of the difference between the two fighters?

Value in the favourite

When you have in-depth knowledge of your sport, real value is easy to find; it is the type of information that odds compilers and algorithms can’t readily build into there prediction models. For example, Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor set all kinds of records last summer in the boxing mismatch of the year. On the face of it, you had a boxing legend with a 49-0 record vs. a novice who was making his professional debut in the sport.

Sure, McGregor has achieved greatness in mixed martial arts, but the bout was taking place in a boxing ring – somewhere that the Irishman had never competed professionally. MMA fans saw the price of McGregor (at one point as high as 9.0) as easy money; Mayweather fans saw the temptation of a Mayweather win (finishing at 1.25) as even easier money. We knew the narrative, and as boxing fans and insiders, we knew the outcomes before the first bell. With the amount of money placed on McGregor, Mayweather’s price on fight night was just like printing money. A £100 stake would return £125 on Floyd. Sure, it’s a heavy stake, but it was unrepresentative on the lack of risk involved, therefore was an intelligent wager to place.

Home ‘upsets’

Promotional companies’ prized assets (Anthony Joshua to Matchroom or Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to Golden Boy) are often wrapped up in cotton wool through the beginnings of their career. They are spoon fed victims (taxi drivers, plumbers, you name it…) through their first ten fights until they start building their record full of credible opponents; upsets are a real rarity here, and their odds will reinforce this. However, all stables will have fighters who are deemed less important to protect, with a loss on their records not being something that will define their careers. These ‘cannon fodder’ fighters will fight on the undercards of the stars against well-matched opposition. However an upset is a lot more common. A lot of these opponents will be unknown to the boxing community, let alone the odds compilers, so their prices will often be unrepresentative of the threat they pose.

Knowing some of these ‘nomad’ fighters will pay huge dividends if you can nail an upset. It may take a few attempts, but the rewards will be worth it in the long run.

Pick the ending

Sometimes you get a fight between two guys with completely different styles. A big hitter against a smooth stylist. In this instance, it’s worth looking to double up on the two outcomes of the fight. Is the big hitter likely to romp to a points victory? No. Is the stylish, more technical fighter likely to land a big bomb and end the contest? No. This was prevalent in the recent WBSS final between Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev.

Gassiev was only ever going to win that fight by KO, and Usyk, arguably, was only ever going to win on the cards. Therefore, backing each man to win by their expected method can show good returns in comparison to just picking a winner outright. This proves profitable in 50/50 fights, where both fighters have completely contradictory styles.

The beauty of boxing

Like any sport – boxing is hard to predict correctly over a sustained period continually. From Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson to ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard, and Manny Pacquiao, a majority of fighters will eventually lose inside the squared circle; picking what fights to bet on carefully tends to prove the most profitable from a betting perspective. A popular underdog is often best to avoid, as their price will have come in considerably as you approach fight night. A heavy favourite, on the other hand, is often still worth backing even if the price is as low as 1.15.

Upsets aren’t very common amongst the sport’s elite (during the pump of their career), so if you can sniff out any value, it’s often going to be worth a substantial stake. However – if Buster Douglas’ victory over Mike Tyson in 1990 is anything to go by – boxing still has its shocks even at the highest level. A costly reminder of why we adore the unpredictability of the fight game so much.