Combining EV Betting with Other Strategies

Sports bettors who use EV betting, or expected value betting, as their primary betting strategy tend to look for the best betting line value in a particular sports betting market. 

Instead of using statistical research, gut feeling, and backing heavy favorites, EV bettors, specifically plus EV bettors, look to find an edge in the perceived value of a line that oddsmakers offer on various sportsbooks. Even if an EV bettor doesn’t firmly believe that a player or team will win a specific betting line, they believe it has a better chance of winning compared to the odds assigned to it on a particular sportsbook.

Here are other strategies to combine with EV betting to maximize return on investment.

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Why is it Important to Use Different/Multiple Strategies?

Using a variety of different betting strategies is important because it allows sports bettors to account for certain factors that aren’t captured with one specific method. 

While EV betting is certainly a good way to avoid emotional bias, it tends to overlook statistical analysis and trends, which can also be helpful to maintain a balanced, objective approach to placing quality wagers on sports betting markets. Sticking with one particular betting method or strategy is not profitable long-term and tends to limit a sports bettor’s ability to account for all relevant factors attached to a particular sports betting line.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular betting strategies to learn more about other methods to use or combine with EV betting.

What are the Most Popular Betting Strategies?

Sports betting is becoming legal in states across the country, so oddsmakers at various licensed sportsbooks need to stay ahead of sports bettors to maintain a profit. Here are some of the most popular betting strategies used by sports bettors to avoid losing bets on a long-term scale.

Shopping lines can be a big money saver when it comes to sports betting. Register an online sportsbook account with at least three to four different sportsbooks to find the best value on a particular betting line, to avoid overpaying on vig. EV bettors entire motive is to avoid overpaying on a particular betting line, and most sportsbooks have vig on their betting lines, even at plus odds, to gain a profit with either outcome. Placing a bet at -110 is much better than placing the same bet at -135 at a different sportsbook, saving money by laying a smaller vig.

Bankroll management is a popular betting strategy that sounds simple but it can become difficult to maintain for a lot of recreational sports bettors. Typically, one percent of your bankroll should be allocated to a wager. Thus, a $100 bankroll means a $1 bet should be placed, a $1,000 bankroll permits a $10 maximum wager, etc. However, it’s very easy to load up on a bet to gain a bigger return on investment if it wins. Discipline is the fundamental skill toward successfully managing bankroll. 

There are more popular betting strategies, but we’ll end with avoiding parlays. A parlay wager means a sports bettor is combining multiple bets into a single wager, increasing the odds with each leg added to enjoy a bigger payout if it wins. It’s fun to place parlays but they have a much lower percentage chance of settling as a win due to adding multiple betting lines. It’s the perfect example of going for a short-term profit while eroding your chances of maintaining long-term profit. 

How EV Can Help to Improve Your Betting Strategies

EV betting can help improve your betting strategies by eliminating emotional bias and data analysis to justify a particular wager. 

EV bettors, specifically positive EV bettors, look for discrepancies in betting lines that oddsmakers post on sportsbooks. So if an NFL team is a +130 underdog against their opponent, but a positive EV bettor believes they should be valued at +110 or shorter, they’ll place a wager on the +130 underdog since it offers value in their estimation. 

It’s not about finding the best team or backing your favorite team. EV betting is about locating expected value on a betting line, which often leads to better chances of breaking even or maintaining a profit. 

Combined Betting Strategies with EV

Bettors who combine EV betting with other betting strategies can increase their chances of maintaining profit long-term. These betting strategies are good to combine with the expected value (EV) betting method. 

Using betting trends and data can be effective when paired with EV, as long as a bettor avoids emotional bias as a fan. 

Managing bankroll with EV betting is a great fit, since it keeps a bettor from investing too much money on a particular wager. 

Placing straights instead of parlays also goes well with EV betting, since a bettor has already found value on a particular betting line. Avoid constructing bets that require multiple outcomes to increase the chances of winning a bet.

Shopping lines at various sportsbooks is a great practice with EV betting, since sports bettors who like a particular betting line can find even more value based on other sportsbook prices.