Sports betting strategies get mentioned quite frequently, but they aren't always covered in detail. This is a bummer, because betting strategies can be critical to the success of every gambler, whether you are just starting out or have been placing sports wagers for real.
Don't worry, though. We are here to change the lack of thorough coverage. Not all heroes wear capes, ya know? (We sometimes do, but it's a fashion choice.) Below, we will dig into the most popular sports betting strategies, assessing both their strengths and flaws. From there, we will get into the most intriguing strategies for top individual sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer and more.
Right off the bat, we should say we will not be burning space on proprietary sports betting systems that require subscriptions, have paywalls or are just generally opaque. We believe in accessibility for all, so we are tackling the most popular free-to-use strategies, potentially useful directions that don't have a barrier for entry.
Our 5 favorite sports betting strategies
These rankings reflect the five sports betting strategies that intrigue us the most relative to potential effectiveness, safety, and the simplicity with which they can be applied and understood. While these will not necessarily be our favorite sports bet strategies for certain sports, they are still bound to appear as we go through each major sport later on. So, you know, don't skip this part!
It is also important to understand that no sports betting strategy guarantees long-term profit. Even strong systems go through losing stretches, and sportsbooks already price markets very efficiently. Good strategies are usually about improving decision-making and bankroll discipline rather than discovering automatic winning formulas.
1. Positive expected value sports betting strategy (+EV)
What is the +EV betting strategy?
The positive expected value sports betting strategy (+EV) is a long-term approach in which you suss out wagers that have a higher-probability of happening than the odds suggest. This can be a gut-feeling approach, in which you'd wager on team- or player-based outcomes you personally feel are being undervalued. But it can also refer to the raw data on the outcome of an event.
What is the primary benefit of +EV betting?
If you suss out statistical anomalies in sports betting markets, you are giving yourself an edge over the house. Yet, even following the personal-evaluation approach has the benefit of usually helping with money management. Players are less likely to bet outsized amounts when they're basing decisions entirely off their own thoughts, impressions and analysis rather than if they're following the advice of an AI model, statistical algorithm or an expert, or worst of all, when they're chasing losses.
Example of +EV betting
So let's say you're looking to make NFL Super Bowl bets. You see that the coin toss odds aren't dead even. Instead, tails is a +105 and heads is -105. These odds are not rooted entirely in math. The implied probability of tails in this case is 48.8 percent. Its real odds are 50 percent. So, by wagering on tails, you are giving yourself a statistical edge.
What is the primary downside of +EV betting?
Finding true +EV betting opportunities is very difficult. They aren't always available, and you will have a harder time identifying them outside the prop-wager sections, though it can be among the most useful point-spread betting strategies under the right circumstances. It is a different ballgame if you are independently choosing the positive-value opportunities, but that in itself requires a ton of legwork on your end.
2. 1-3-2-6 Betting Strategy
What is the 1-3-2-6 betting strategy?
It looks intimidating at first glance, but the 1-3-2-6 betting strategy is actually super simple. The goal is to adjust your wager amount based on whether you won or lost the previous bet.
What is the primary benefit of 1-3-2-6 betting?
Two major factors lead to 1-3-2-6 appearing on this list. Firstly, it helps teach you discipline. This is useful when betting on sports in general. You never want to wager above your head.
Beyond that, this strategy also allows you to ride your hot streaks by increasing your bet amounts during wins. These upticks, however, must be incremental. You want to ensure that you don't squander your entire purse after a long hot streak. You want money left in the tank.
Example of 1-3-2-6 betting
Let's say you put $20 on the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Golden State Warriors and won $50. You are now $30 up in total. For your next bet, you would place half of that additional $30 onto your initial $20, making the wager for $45. Let's now say you win $80 on that wager, for a profit of $35. You take half of that ($17.50), and attach it to the most recent wager amount for your next bet. So, in this case, you would be putting $62.50 on your next slip.
Bettors follow this blueprint until they lose. Once they do, they hit reset, and start wagering at their initial amount ($20).
What is the primary downside of 1-3-2-6 betting?
The 1-3-2-6 system can be a little complicated to follow. It also is best deployed when betting on single-outcome events. If you use it while betting on futures, you will be forced to wait large swathes of time in between wagers.
3. Arbitrage betting
What is arbitrage betting?
When employing an arbitrage betting strategy, you wager on every possible outcome of an event or market across more than one sportsbook. This allows you to set it up in such a way that, if you've done the math right, you will make a profit no matter how the bet plays.
What is the primary benefit of arbitrage betting?
Arbitrage bettors accomplish two things: They minimize their risk and ensure they turn a profit. This is awesome on its face. But it requires that you understand the math.
Example of arbitrage betting
To start, you need to find bet types with an implied probability less than 100 percent. So, let's say you're betting both sides of the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees Major League Baseball matchup. You see one sportsbook listing the Dodgers to win at -150, which has a 60 percent implied probability. Another sportsbook, meanwhile, has the Yankees to win at +175, which is an implied probability of 36.4 percent. This adds up to 96.4 percent.
This is where having a betting odds calculator that spits out implied probabilities comes in handy. We recommend them as one of the best tools for sports bettors.
Anyway, now that you've spotted the opportunity, you have to ensure you're betting the right amount. Let's stick with our Yankees vs. Dodgers example:
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Regardless of which team wins, you turn your initial $96.42 investment into $100.04. This means you pocket around $3.62, a 3.8 percent return on your initial stake.
What is the primary downside of arbitrage betting?
Though it can be an effective sports betting strategy, arbitrage betting requires a lot of legwork. You need to have accounts with multiple sportsbooks and be on top of the betting markets. It can be very time consuming, and that's before factoring in how long it takes you to figure out the math.
Depending on how much you're willing to wager, it also has limited upside. A 3.8 percent ROI is technically great, but it's not one many people feel unless they're wagering thousands of dollars each time.
Some sportsbooks also monitor arbitrage activity closely and may limit accounts that consistently exploit pricing differences across markets.
4. Parlaying betting strategy
What is a parlay betting strategy?
When betting parlays, you are stacking wagers on top of one another. For the bet to be successful, you must hit on every single one. While this increases the likelihood of losing, it also significantly drives up your potential payouts, since you are lengthening the odds.
A parlay betting strategy, then, entails you combining three or more wagers onto one slip. Here's the thing: You are almost exclusively putting money on heavy favorites. When you wager on one heavy favorite, your potential return is incredibly low. Include three outcomes on one ticket, though, and you have a clearer pathway to at least doubling up.
What is the primary benefit of parlay betting?
The all-or-nothing element of parlay betting is a killer. If you build a nine-leg parlay and get eight of them correct, that is absurdly impressive. You also still walk away with nothing.
Example of a parlay betting strategy
Let's say you're looking to use this as one of your college football betting strategies. Here are four hypothetical odds for the upcoming week:
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Now, let's also say you are betting $100 per game. If all of them hit, you would make a profit of $93.43. That is nothing considering your initial investment would be $400. Yes, an ROI of 23.4 percent is technically great. But it comes with a harsher downside.
Someone using a parlay betting strategy would place $100 on all four teams to win. Your payout on that ticket would be $228.19, for a profit of $128.19, a return on investment of more than 225 percent.
What is the primary downside of the parlay betting strategy?
The all-or-nothing element of parlay betting is a killer. If you build a nine-leg parlay and get eight of them correct, that is absurdly impressive. You also still walk away with nothing. That is why it's important to not only stick with heavy favorites, but focus on sports of which you have intimate knowledge.
Sportsbooks also tend to build larger margins into parlay wagers, which is one reason they promote them so aggressively compared to straight bets.
5. Single-sport betting strategy
What is the single-sport betting strategy?
The single-sport betting strategy is where you put all of your focus into wagering on as many aspects of one league. Some people even narrow it down further and spotlight one team.
By wagering on just one sport or league (or team!), you make it easier to stay on top of everything: news, rumors, the latest betting trends, player and team statistics, etc. It is a lot easier, for instance, to bet on the NHL or even just bet on the New York Islanders than it is to successfully wager on the NHL, NFL, MLB, NBA, college football, et al. at once.
Example of single-sport betting
Let's say you're a diehard basketball fan. Rather than bet on the NBA, college basketball and international leagues like FIBA, you would narrow your focus to specifically betting on the NBA.
From there, you live and breathe the National Basketball Association. You consume rumors and news, watch games religiously, pore over box scores, read articles, listen to podcasts, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Going this route might seem like overkill to some, but it allows you to become an expert in something without having to employ a sports betting strategy that's more complicated than just working hard.
What is the primary downside of single-sport betting?
You really love the sport on which you're wagering to successfully employ the single-league or single-team approach. Starting with your favorite sport is a must. However, we also recommend factoring in the range of markets. For instance, you probably don't want to use this as one of the foremost horse racing betting strategies, because those markets are not known for their alternative options (props, live wagers, futures, etc.)
The best betting strategies for each sport
Which sports betting strategy would we recommend for all of the major sports? Why, thank you so much for asking. Let's run through our answers.
Best NFL betting strategy
For our money, the list of the best NFL strategies is headlined by +EV betting. The National Football League provides individualized lines for players and teams at a scale unlike any other league, making it easier to find wagers with lower implied probabilities on outcomes with a higher chance of hitting.
Best college football betting strategy
Since the prop markets for NCAAF aren't as robust as the NFL's market unless it's bowl season, we stacking heavy-favorite parlays ranks as one of the best college football betting strategies. It is not hard to find a bunch of teams listed as -500 or shorter favorites. Sprinkle three or more of those on top of a -250ish option you like, and you're cooking.
Also, just so we're clear: stacking heavy-favorite parlays might top the list of general football betting strategies. So don't sleep on it for the NFL, either.
Best NBA betting strategy
The Association is covered unlike any other sport in the world. Social media talk is endless, and the breadth of publicly available micro data is ridiculous. All of which says nothing of the constant, high-octane midgame action.
This is why we favor singularly focusing on it as the best of the NBA betting strategies. You are better off limiting distractions elsewhere, and NBA betting markets won't be at a shortage for options even during the dog days of the regular season.
Best college basketball betting strategy
Other college basketball betting strategies might be fancier, but we are sticking with the same preference we have for college football: stacking parlays with heavy favorites. Like the NCAAF schedule, the NCAAB field is littered with -500 or shorter options every week.
Best MLB betting strategy
Although there are plenty of great MLB betting strategies, we like the 1-3-2-6 approach more than any other. No other league has a longer season, 162 games is a lot, folks!, and this strategy is best suited for longer-term results. The way MLB stacks series during the season also makes it easier to track and monitor your wins versus losses.
Best NHL betting strategy
We have found that NHL betting lines vary perhaps more starkly across sportsbooks than any other major league. That's why we see arbitrage wagering as the best NHL betting strategy.
On any given night, it won't be hard to find sportsbooks with divergent lines on single games. Remember, though: You need the implied probabilities you're wagering on to add up to less than 100 percent. This is tantamount to us saying you need to use a probability calculator to effectively employ this strategy.
Best Tennis betting strategy
Betting strategies for tennis aren't as popular as they are elsewhere. A fairly limited wagering market makes it difficult to employ some of the most common ones.
To that end, we would stick with the 1-3-2-6 approach. This not only helps you manage your bankroll, but you will steadily gain more intimate knowledge of sports betting statistics when you're forced to adjust your stakes on a per-wager basis.
Best Soccer betting strategy
If any one tries to tell you a single-minded focus isn't among the best soccer betting strategies, do not listen to them. Consider the sheer number of leagues and the number of countries in which they are located. From the World Cup and Olympics to La Liga and the EPL, there are so many different events to track, you will be doing yourself a massive favor by limiting your focus to soccer only.
Best horse racing betting strategies
We are journeying off the top-five beaten path. In our eyes, all other horse racing betting strategies pale in comparison to fading favorites.
Because you bet on placement so often in horse racing, there aren't a ton of money-making opportunities unless you're working the underdogs. With that said, we strongly recommend using stab-in-the-dark amounts, money you won't care about losing. Horse racing results are among the toughest in the industry to predict. Winners are more random across a bunch of races, but you don't want to get burned fading favorites by wagering your typical purse. Plus, when working long-odds underdogs, you shouldn't need to wager as much to feel a victory.
Final thoughts on sports betting strategies
The best sports betting strategies are usually the ones built around discipline, patience, and realistic expectations. No system guarantees profit, and even experienced bettors deal with losing streaks throughout the year.
What matters most is finding an approach that matches your betting style, bankroll, and level of sports knowledge. Whether that means specializing in one league, looking for +EV opportunities, or managing risk carefully through bankroll systems, consistency tends to matter far more than chasing miracle payouts.
In the end, successful sports betting is usually less about finding secret formulas and more about making smarter decisions over time.
