How to Decide on Which Sport to Bet On

As an avid sports fan, I used to think that watching sports was the best part of life. Nothing brings me more joy than sitting down on the couch to watch my favorite teams battle it out against divisional foes and rivals. Well, that is, unless I can win money while watching.

I’ve been betting on sports for nearly a decade and have learned a lot along the way, but one of the things I still struggle with is figuring out which sports to bet. Over time, trends develop, and I learn which sports are more profitable for me than others.

I certainly wish I had known certain things before I started gambling. So, for those of you who are trying to decide on which sport to gamble on, here are seven useful tips to help you make a decision.

1 ‒ Figure Out Your Goal

The first thing any sports gambler should figure out is what they’re trying to get out of sports gambling. If you are simply trying to add entertainment value and excitement to your sports viewing experience, then deciding on which sport to bet is easy. If you’re placing wagers to make money and turn a profit, that decision can get a bit more complicated.

For those of you who are looking for entertainment alone, I recommend betting on the sports you watch most regularly. That way, you can watch the sports you genuinely enjoy while also monitoring your bets. Real money sports betting is an excellent form of entertainment and can add to your watching experience.

However, if you consider placing wagers in the pursuit of profit, the selection process needs to come down to a few things I’ll discuss throughout this post. Individual sports are more profitable and more straightforward to bet on than others. Other variables can also add or detract to potential returns on your wagers.

2 ‒ Know What You’re Comfortable With

For both parties I discussed in the previous point, it’s crucial that you bet on sports you understand. Putting large amounts of money on sports that you wouldn’t consider yourself a fan of can cost you a good deal of money, especially if you’re not careful. Having said that, most professional sports can be adequately bet on with a bit of research and reading.

To start, though, consider betting on the sport you know best. Personally, I started with betting on baseball because it’s my favorite sport, and I’ve been watching it since I was a child.

Even though the MLB is one of the more challenging sports to bet on, I felt most comfortable betting a small amount on baseball when I first started gambling.

Comfort is crucial to success in gambling. If you place a bet even though you’re unsure of the value of that bet, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Winning money on sports you know very little about is not sustainable either. At the outset of your gambling career, pick out the sport you’re most comfortable with. Starting small will enable you to gain an understanding of the betting industry, and that knowledge can be applied to other sports.

3 ‒ Understand the Odds and Lines

Sports gambling is challenging for even the best handicappers. Heck, if you’re winning more than 50% of your bets, I would consider that to be pretty successful.

Most major sports share similarities in how betting is approached. Bettors can put money on moneylines, over/unders, prop bets, and other types of bets.

The way books list these potential bets can be convoluted with someone who is unfamiliar with the industry. However, if you follow the previous point and stick to something you’re comfortable with, you can gain a better understanding of how sportsbooks operate.

If you start slow by placing low-value wagers, you will not only enable yourself to figure out how sportsbooks operate, but you will also begin to notice trends. These trends are incredibly important to win money in sports gambling.

4 ‒ Don’t Pick a Sport for Convenience

One of the biggest mistakes I see inexperienced gamblers make is to bet on sports based on convenience. Whether it’s betting on a sport because it’s popular, in season, attending the game they’re betting on by chance, or any other reason, betting out of convenience isn’t always the right move.

A sect of new gamblers refuses to bet a sport if it’s not one of the major sports leagues like the MLB, NFL, NHL, or NBA. However, there is serious value in betting on some of the relatively unknown sports leagues.

The bigger sports are going to have the most competitive lines because professional oddsmakers study games and matchups more than you ever could.


Because of this, gamblers face a disadvantage when it comes to information flow and the value of certain lines. Some of my most profitable betting comes from bets placed on the more obscure sports.

While I prefer to bet on the sports I enjoy and watch, I cannot argue with the results. Don’t bet on a game just because it’s your favorite team and you’re going to watch the game anyway.

5 ‒ Do Plenty of Research

On the flip side of the previous point, betting on some of the obscure sports can be challenging for new sports gamblers. To be successful, it’s crucial that you do plenty of research before you place a wager.

This way, you make sure you’re as informed as possible. While every major sports league in the United States has plenty of data and statistics to monitor, some lesser-known sports might be lacking in this area.

As you continue to grow and develop as a sports gambler, you need to be able to track your progress as well as your wins and losses. These trends will tell you what works for you and what doesn’t.

It’s much easier to correct mistakes if you arm yourself with information and data. If you are unable to locate this information about results, statistics, and trends of the sport in question, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Before you select a sport, you should conduct a quick exercise. If you can’t locate the key statistics, figures, and gambling stats like wins and losses against the spread for individual teams and organizations, consider selecting a different sport.

6 ‒ Make Sure Your Sportsbook Offers Lines

Betting on less mainstream sports can be an excellent way for gamblers to make money fast; however, not all sportsbooks offer lines on every sport. When deciding on a sport to bet on, make sure the book you bet with has the sport you want to bet on.

All of the best and most reputable sportsbooks offer lines on almost any type of action. Occasionally, you’ll find that they refuse to put odds on individual matchups.

So, before you invest time and energy in picking a sport and researching the ins and outs of potential bets, make sure your book can accept your wager.

7 ‒ Stick to That Sport

Once you’ve settled on a sport, the best way to maintain consistency and figure out a productive and profitable system is to stick to that sport. You might feel inclined to immediately take everything you’ve learned about sports betting and apply it to other sports. However, you’re doing yourself an egregious disservice if you start betting on a wide variety of sports.

By developing tunnel vision, you will continue to improve as a gambler and increase the profit potential. If you’re one of the gamblers who place wagers to add entertainment to your viewing experience, you can disregard this point. Just make sure you’re not spreading your bankroll too thin when betting on multiple sports.

Conclusion

Despite all the information I provide in this post, selecting a sport comes down to personal preference. Sure, some sports historically have a higher return on investment than others, but if you find a way to handicap a sport that works for you, that’s really all that matters.

When selecting a sport, make sure you focus on your preferences and understand your purpose before gambling. If you’re here for a good time, then placing small wagers on several different sports isn’t a problem.

But, if you want to win money, new sports gamblers should pick one sport and stick to it, at least until you’re comfortable with sports gambling in general.

Make sure that the sportsbook you gamble with offers betting opportunities on the sport you’re thinking of betting on before investing time and energy researching it. Finally, and most importantly, do plenty of reading and analysis before you start putting money on the line.