Sports Betting Tips and Strategies

When it comes to sports betting, there are many tips and strategies to consider. Whether you want to make some money or just enjoy the experience, you need to be prepared.

First and foremost, it is important to understand the sport and the teams involved. This will help you make better decisions when placing your bets. It also helps you avoid making common mistakes. For example, many people overlook the importance of free throw shooting. Although this statistic may seem irrelevant, it can be an important difference maker in the winning team.

Next, you need to take into account the weather and the surface of the playing field. Especially in sports like basketball, some players do well under less-than-ideal conditions. Then, you need to look at the game schedule. Some games are back-to-back, which can be a big deal.

Lastly, you need to understand the metric known as Win Shares. This stat measures how much a player contributes to a team’s wins. However, it doesn’t take injury time into account. If a player is injured, their Win Shares will decrease.

Sports bettors should also be aware of the TS% statistic. This metric takes free throw shooting into consideration and gives a more complete picture of a scorer’s abilities.

Another thing to keep in mind is how the oddsmakers write their lines. They are trying to minimize their risk as much as possible. To do this, they tend to focus on the favorite’s laying points. However, this can often lead to a bad bet.