Richard WilsonThe popularity of sports betting has grown tremendously, and the online gambling industry is ballooning to become one of the biggest in the world. Some look at gambling as a waste of time and money, while others view it as a form of entertainment that accompanies their enthusiasm for watching sports. And for some, they take sports betting very seriously, making large bets on many things. Get online betting easy with betmgm promo code nj.
But is there a way to mitigate risk in sports betting? Absolutely. Making smart sports bets can be done when considering all the information that presents itself. Looking at the sports statistics can help you be more educated in making smart bets. For this purpose, let’s use NFL stats as our examples and explore how they can be used to your advantage.
Team Stats
When placing bets on the winning or losing teams, the spread, or even prop bets, team stats, and matchups can provide valuable information to a bettor. As teams go through their seasons, they begin to rack up averages and show what their team does best. When looking at matchups between teams, take these into account.
For example, the San Francisco 49ers are the best rushing team in the NFL overall, but they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the third-ranked rush defense in the NFL who give up less than 100 yards per game.
It may not be wise to choose that the 49ers will reach 100+ rushing yards in that game, or you might get better odds betting that they do go over 100+ yards. But at least knowing that information can help steer you in the right direction.
This can be used in many situations when considering stats before making a bet. Another one is the spread or betting the over-under on the total score. Offensive and defensive team stat comparisons and how many points each team allows and scores can give you a better advantage.
The oddsmakers use this information to give odds. Why shouldn’t you?
Individual Stats
Individual stats come in handy in different ways, especially when making prop bets. Prop bets are more individualized but are great bets to place if you are a fan of an outstanding player who may not play on the best team or even play on a team that you don’t like.
Frequently, there will be prop bets, especially for high-profile players like quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and defensive ends who are known to get sacks. These can be fun side bets that make it more fun to watch the games and give you bigger interest than just the final score. Make it fun for yourself!
A good example of a prop bet would be of Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs playing against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are the worst team in the NFL defending against the pass, averaging 293 yards given up per game. Mahomes has averaged 310 yards per game in his career.
Oddsmakers might set a prop bet for Mahomes to get to 350 yards in this matchup. You have to decide which side of the bet you will take.
If you think it is likely that he will reach 350+ yards of passing, you could bet that he makes it, but in this matchup, the oddsmakers are probably not giving a great profit margin on the side to make it because he is facing a bad defense. Instead, you could bet that he doesn’t make it to 350 yards. That will probably pay off more since it is a lousy defense.
This is where the decision-making in gambling gets tough!
Recent Performance
Don’t forget to take recent performance or game-to-game stats into account. Russel Wilson could be having a huge year overall, but due to an injury four weeks ago that he has been trying to play through, his recent stats have been lower than usual. Don’t get fooled into making a bet based on overall season stats when he has been average at best the past few weeks.
Use the stats for an all-encompassing look to give you the best picture possible to make intelligent bets. Even then, it’s not a foolproof system, but knowing you did your due diligence on gathering information will make you feel more confident in placing your bets.
James Robert
