Never-ending losing streaks, frustration, over-analyzation - there are many reasons that might lead you to avoid betting on your favourite sports. It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes, the sport you love might be too close to your heart for you to look at it objectively. Other times, you might want a change of pace. It's normal for you to get burnt out if you’ve been betting on the same league for months. Luckily, there are plenty of options in sports betting that you can explore. In this article, we’ll lay out the tips on betting on sports that you might not be familiar with or have no knowledge of at all.
Research with a Purpose
If we only state that research is an important part of sports betting, that’s not a very helpful tip. There is endless information available on every sport, so spend your time effectively and only look for the numbers and trends you need to know.
The fact that you want to bet on a sport that you don’t know probably means that you’re in it for the money - whether it's quick money or making a long-term strategy will work. After establishing a goal, you can research the things you must know.
Having a good idea of how a sports functions will always put you at a better advantage, but learning the sports’ rules and techniques alone won’t help you develop a good betting strategy. We suggest you focus mostly on the betting side of the sport and look at what the experts are saying.
However, many players still do it anyway as they “know” the teams well, which leads to them believing they have a better chance of predicting the outcome. People tend to bet against the information they believe to be true, as they rely on their gut feelings instead of the data.
This is where betting on sports you know might seem appealing as you don’t know the game, teams or players and you won’t have any attachment to them, leading to better analytical decisions. However, sports betting is indeed more complicated than only following what the data says, but it’s the best place to start.
If you’re willing to put in some extra effort, research only the basics of the sport while focusing on the betting side instead. This way, you’ll significantly boost your betting skills while the sport’s knowledge will come naturally.
Find a Good Bookmaker
Once you’ve stepped outside the major sports realm, finding a good online bookie may also become a challenge. However, it's also one of the most critical components of an effective betting strategy.
This factor is relevant, especially in lesser-known sports, because the odds of the matches won’t be as consistent as with the English Premier League or NBA. Bets that receive less action usually vary and it's crucial to find the best price for the sports you're betting on.
For example, if you’re looking to place a bet on the underdog, they might be listed at 2.5 on one site and 2.65 on another. This might not seem like a big difference, but if you’re out shopping for a product with a $2-$3 difference, you’ll likely take the better deal any day.
Another reason to consider the options for choosing a sportsbook is to take advantage of their offers and bonuses. Most sports betting sites offer bonuses to new customers so they will be determined to sign up. They also offer bonuses to existing customers for their loyalty. These bonuses are one of the biggest benefits of online betting, so it's best to try and take advantage of them if you can.
Bonuses and promotions can significantly impact how much money you can make (or lose). They will offset any beginner mistakes you make while learning the new sport you’re betting on.
Indeed, bonus rules will apply, which may prevent you from withdrawing the total amount immediately. But it's still an excellent way to get started, as if you lose a bet, you won’t lose all the funds you have deposited.
Stick to the Basics
Regardless of what sport you’re betting on, there are several fundamentals you should always follow, no matter what. While we could go on about all of them in detail, below are the ones that are most important to remember:
Bankroll Management
Keeping good track of your money is the key to a successful long-term plan. Managing your bankroll means never betting more than 2% to 5% on any single bet. Once your bankroll is figured out, it's essential to make it last as long as possible. If you’ve managed to win a few bets, don’t get tempted to put more money on your bets, and keep some of your winnings for yourself instead.
Don’t Chase Losses
This is an obvious point, but chasing losses is one of the biggest factors that led bettors to more financial issues than any other mistake. You will lose bets, whether you’re betting on the most important football matches or a lesser-known billiard match.
The worst thing you can do is to double or triple down on your subsequent bets in hopes of winning it all back. More often than not, this will lead you to a deep hole that you will have trouble returning from.
Try Fake Plays before You Jump In
We don’t usually think of the term “betting practice” in the sports betting space, but that’s precisely what we’re suggesting here. When you begin to bet on a sport you’re unfamiliar with; you should consider trying a paper betting strategy before putting any real money in the bets. Pick a bookie you feel comfortable with and fill out the bet slip, but don’t submit it.
Follow the match or event and see if you would have won the bet if you submitted the slip. After doing this a number of times, you’ll have a much better grasp of the process for betting on a specific sport. We know that it might be challenging to win bets you didn’t actually play and think about what could have been. However, it's good to know that if you lose because of the lack of experience, you won’t be kicking yourself for betting on a sport you know nothing about.
Once you’re confident with how the match and betting processes work, you should be ready to bet with real money.
Don’t Overthink It
Sports bettors are notorious for trying out every market during the start of their betting career. Cross-sport accumulators, big favourite moneyline bets and all kinds of strange prop bets are the ones that you go for when you get comfortable with betting.
We’re not saying that you shouldn’t explore the different betting markets, but we advise you to only “stick to simple bets” even on the sports you know. It's even more important to follow this advice on sports you’re unfamiliar with.
Indeed, you might learn some special tricks down the road that will help you develop more profitable strategies. But when you’re first betting on a match, go with the easiest possible bets you can make.
Keep it Simple
Once you’ve had some success with betting on a new sport, don’t get carried away, as it's tempting to do so. The more you bet and win, the more you’ll be attracted to bigger potential payouts by placing more complex or advanced bets. As we’ve mentioned in our previous point, stick to the simple bets and even though this seems like common sense, this is something that many bettors like to forget. The fewer selections you have for your bet, the more chance you have of winning.
If you plan to make money, think of smaller bets instead of big ones. Also, start with one team or selection. Betting on a 20-fold accumulator is like walking on a minefield while trying to get a payout and this often leads to huge losses.
Conclusion
Betting on a sport you don’t know much about means that you won’t likely go from beginner to expert immediately, as there are so many things to learn. During this learning period, use live matches on any streaming services, place your bets with free money, and take advantage of any welcome bonuses if you're ready. This will help you to learn more while keeping things simple.
Once more knowledgeable, you’ll discover that even though sports isn’t an exact science, you can still find patterns emerging from teams or individuals. This will let you identify better opportunities for successful betting, even if it's a sport you know nothing about. Do you have a specific way to prepare to bet on a sport you’re new to?
