Betting Pro Football’s Three Game Teaser 

By Robert James

Take 3 teams, add 10 points to the spread in your desired direction, and then hope you win all 3 games. Sounds good, doesn’t it? In fact, it sounds too good to be true. Hence, why it’s called a teaser. Let’s break the 3 team version of this bet down a bit more with a few imaginary spreads.....  more

Don't Overlook the Obvious 

By Ted Kane

As we head for the first week of NFL football, we can count once again on being bamboozled by commentators with countless statistics and trivia regarding individual teams and articular match-ups. Fair enough; that sort of thing is fun as far as it goes, and some pieces of information may actually be applicable to certain situations. Any advantage helps, and if you hear something that might give you an edge more's the better....  more

Rubber Matches and Series Finales 

By Sean Benhabib

One way to win money betting on baseball and increase the odds of winning is to wait for the rubber matches or series finale. Several times a year, more times than be counted rationally, a good team will be on the road against or hosting a much more inferior baseball club. It happened a couple of weeks ago when the White Sox hosted the Royals, and at not quite such a variegated level when the Mets were on the road in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies. During each of these two series, the inferior squads gave the favorites a highly contested battle. If one had bet on the favorites in all eight games, 4 between the Royals and White Sox and 4 between the Phillies and Mets, one would have lost quite a bit of money going 3 – 5...  more

Gearing up for College Football 

By Ted Kane

College football gets underway this week, with a number of enticing pre-season matches lined up beginning Thursday. 'Pre-season' is somewhat of a misnomer, at least relative to what fans of professional ball are used to. The games are official as far as the polls and final NCAA standings are concerned, it's just that they involve teams from different conferences playing each other and make no difference toward determining the champions of individual conferences (except in rare instances as a tiebreaker). In any event, the money surrounding these contests is as green as any other; in fact, some of the games, particularly the ones pitting perennial powerhouses against perpetual laughingstocks, seem to be motivated almost solely by money. Here are some thoughts for those who would like to hail down this gravy train for the chance at a taste this weekend..  more

Don't Bet on the Conventional Wisdom 

By Ted Kane

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports known to man. Over the millennia, a lot of adages and dictates have grown around the pastime. While punters owe it to read books and articles dealing with wagering strategies and the history of the game, it is essential to do so critically. A volume written by a successful handicapper can be an invaluable resource, but what works for one person may not always work for another. There are some pieces of conventional wisdom that seem to appear in almost every tome and missive on playing the ponies. They are all worth considering, but here's another maxim to keep in mind: rules are made to be broken..  more

NFL Futures 

By Justin Williams

The value of handicapping NFL future wagers cannot be understated. Each year we see teams expected to perform well fall flat (ie 2005's Eagles or Chargers) while other teams exceed expectations (ie 2005's Bengals or Steelers).  Given the unprecedented parity that exists in this league thanks to a collective bargaining agreement that distributes revenue equally through the league, NFL future wagers provide value that can scarcely be found through any other sports wager.  more

Mixed Martial Arts 

By Robert Rousseau

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is one of the fastest growing sports in America. Its surge in popularity has come about for several reasons, but perhaps most influential has been Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter Reality Television Show (TUF). Millions of fans watched as Forrest Griffin and Diego Sanchez emerged as the TUF 1 winners, fighting their way through a host of elimination matches on their way to six figure Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contracts (TUF is similar to boxing’s, The Contender). Of course, when a lot of people are watching a sport, that also means that a lot of people are betting on it.  more

Recognizing Patterns 

By Sean Benhabib

One of the ways to take advantage of all the statistics available online these days and cash in on their potential is to recognize patterns. Knowing that the Chicago White Sox have not gone Over the total more than 3 times in a row at home this year or that the Grand Salami in the NHL has never soared over the total more than 4 times in a row during the 2005 – 2006 season is absolutey absurd information except if you are a gambler. Streaks always come to an end. Knowing when can be very profitable.  more

Small Ball 

By Ted Kane

Home runs are exciting. Inside the park, out of the park, grand slam, walk-off, even a simple solo shot that just stays fair down the line--however it happens, it's all good. But not every ballgame is won by a towering blast, and not all teams are built around power. A lot of managers subscribe to the philosophy of small ball, getting men on base and moving them over until the runners are plated. While this is not always dramatic, it is usually an effective way of winning games.  more

The Sure Thing, and What to do When You Find It 

By Ted Kane

Gamblers, especially horseplayers, are always looking for the sure thing, a can't lose bet. Of course, there is no such animal; one need only look at the horrific accident suffered by Barbaro to be reminded of the inherent perils of horse racing. That said, every once in a while you will find a horse that is so obviously superior to the rest of the field that it is impossible to imagine this horse losing without some bout of catastrophic bad luck. But it's not enough to merely identify a great horse, a successful handicapper must have a strategy to capitalize on the situation when it arrives.  more

Cash In On Signs of the Times 

By Sean Benhabib

When betting on sports, a gambler should always consider the clock and what is going on in the world. It sounds stupid, but a lot of money can be made knowing how well the San Diego PADRES just happen to play on Father's Day, or the Sacramento KINGS on the good Doctor King's birthday, Martin Luther that is. After a while, just knowing what movie is being released should be grounds for a sizeable wager on the Pittsburgh PIRATES, like when the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Dead Man's Chest, came to theaters just last month.  more

Are You Ready To Bet Some Football? 

By Ted Kane

I may not feel like it in this heat, but football season is right around the corner. Whatever the relative merits of other team sports, football is king when it comes to sports wagering. Baseball, for example, is a sport with a wonderful tradition and it is a pleasure to take in a good ballgame. But with a regular season of 162 games, not every game can be equally meaningful. The regular season in the NFL team is less than a tenth of that number at 16 games, leaving teams with a very small margin for error.  more

Another Option When Betting MLB Sides 

By Justin Williams

Traditionally, finding value through pitching matchups and home underdogs has been the key to winning with Major League Baseball. So called “wiseguys” have consistently beaten the books for more money in baseball than any other sport.  Without the standard point spread that accompanies basketball and / or football, the devoted baseball handicapper often times much simply pick the games victor. In general, this allows for fewer “bad beats” or “backdoor covers.”  more