4 Tips For Making Successful Bets
Updated September 29, 2026
Updated September 29, 2026
Now that you know the terminology and bets you’ll find within sports betting, all that’s left is knowing how to bet. Any average person can place a sports bet, but not every average person will win a sports bet. Gambling can often be attributed to luck, but when sports are involved, there are additional analytics and other factors to consider that make betting less luck-related. What that means is you can tilt the odds in your favor, if you know what you’re doing. If you follow the four tips for sports betting below, you can maximize your chances of placing winning wagers.
This is probably the most important piece of advice you can follow in sports betting. If you’re already a sports fan (and if you’re looking into sports betting, odds are you are), then you are already well-equipped with knowledge regarding the sports you watch. You probably know more about the game and league than your average fan. You’re up to date on current injuries, standings, and statistics. Doing all of that for your own enjoyment is awesome, but it can also be used to place better sports bets.
Conversely, it can be tempting to try and bet on sports that you are not as familiar with. But sports betting is an activity that carries with it financial risk. Exposing yourself to additional risk by trying to bet on sports that you don't watch, featuring athletes you are not familiar with, can look very dumb in hindsight should it go poorly.
Betting responsibly is the most important thing that any bettor can do and trying to broaden your horizons into sports you don't understand is not responsible betting at all. Stick to what you know when using online sportsbooks like BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook and you can be rewarded handsomely for it.
This is an easy trap for newer bettors to fall into. Many bettors have a favorite team they like and may feel inclined to bet on them to win games. You mustn’t do that, as blindly betting on your favorite teams to win games can go poorly if you don't have any concrete reasons to bet on them. Betting on your team every game will cause you to lose money in the long run, unless you’re really lucky.
With that said, it is perfectly fine to bet on your favorite teams if you have legitimate justifications for doing so. If you do your research and determine that they have a chance to win a game or cover the point spread, then you should wager on them. But doing so just because you want them to win is a recipe for disaster. It is even a good idea to bet against your own team sometimes, using your knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses to your advantage even if they are in a position to lose an upcoming contest.
Sports betting is a multi-billion dollar industry, meaning there’s plenty of room for opportunities. Many people have realized that and have turned their interest in sports betting into analysis for others to consume. Countless people have in-depth knowledge of sports and the betting trends surrounding them. It can be quite a headache to keep track of everything yourself, so sometimes it’s helpful to look elsewhere for expert advice. Find a journalist who tends to be right, and read what they have to say every single day.
Conveniently, you can find expert sports handicappers to get expert advice from right here at ATS. Our sports betting experts cover everything from mainstream leagues like the NFL and NBA to smaller sports like the WNBA and tennis betting. You don't need to look anywhere else for the sports betting information you need to be successful.
Very closely related to picking sports you already know, sports betting is easier when you are an expert yourself. While looking elsewhere for sports betting picks and analysis is always helpful, doing your own research is also incredibly valuable. Bettors should be sure to not just look at statistics and trends before placing bets, but they should be sure to put the proper context behind everything that they see in order to make the most informed decisions possible.
For example, a team might be on a five-game winning streak, but that may not tell the full story. A five-game winning streak against the best teams in a league would carry more weight than a five-game winning streak against the worst teams in that league. Bettors should not just do their own research, but they must do research to back up that research to maximize their chances of cashing bets at a profitable clip.