When done right, sports investing doesn’t require a lot of luck. Just make sure to keep in mind that you are INVESTING in sports, not betting on sports. Sports investing software, along with a good mathematical strategy, can really help you in the long run keep the positive upswings going. Here are some of my favorite sports investing strategies that I use.
The A-B-C Approach
This sports investing strategy works best on straight-line bets like NFL/NBA point spreads and Over/Under bets. It works like this: Pick an event that you would like to bet on. This is your “A” bet. Assuming a unit size of $100, you would make a $100 “A” bet. Wait for the event to end and check the result. If your bet won, great! Reset and start again with a new “A” bet.
If your “A” bet lost, it’s time to place a “B” bet. Find a new event to bet on, only you will be betting 2 units instead of 1. So in our example, you would be betting $200 for your “B” bet. Check the result when the event is over. If you won, fantastic! You now have recovered your $100 loss from the previous event, and end with a $100 profit (or $90, depending on your bookie’s juice amount).
If your “B” bet lost, it’s time for a “C” bet. Find an event to bet on, only you will be betting 4 units instead of 2. You guessed it, that means we’ll be betting $400 this time. More often than not, your “C” bet will come through for you, recovering your losses and giving you profit. Why is this? Well, try flipping a coin. What are the odds that you will get 3 heads or tails in a row. Not great. In fact, the odds are exactly 1 in 8. So assuming a 50% success rate (which should be much larger if you have a good investing program in place), you should only lose on a “C” bet 1 out of every 8 series.
What happens if you lose a “C” bet? No biggie, just reset and start again at A. Yes, you lost 7 units, but it’s only 7 units. If you use good bankroll management, this should not be a problem. You’ll make it up in the long run. Those really serious about investing in sports can choose to continue this double-the-unit approach, but you can end up with some huge bet amounts, so continue only if your bankroll can handle it.
The Double-or-Nothing Approach
This sports investing strategy is really only for fun, but in can definitely raise your bankroll in a hurry. It works best in baseball, where winning streaks are very common. Look for a historically winning team that is on a winning streak, like the Yankees, Rangers, Braves, or Red Sox. Wait for them to hit a winning streak of around 3 or 4 games. Take a VERY small amount of your bankroll, like $10. Bet on your streaking team to win. If they win, bet on them again, only double the amount. For instance, if you bet $10 on the Yankees to win, bet $20 on them to win again. If they win again, bet $40. If they win again, bet $80, and so on. If you ever lose, you’re out $10. Big whoop. You can see how this sports investing strategy can give you a big boost really fast.
So when should you quit? Well, that’s up to you and how gutsy you’re feeling. Just in July, I used this strategy with the Mariners. I put $10 down for the 1st game against the Blue Jays, and continued until they started the series against the Yankees. That ended in a 6-game winning streak and another $320 (give or take) in my bank account. Think about it, I could have lost this 31 times in a row and still have made a profit. This is a deceptively simple, yet pretty powerful little sports investing program, if I don’t say so myself.