Betting Systems - Public Percentages

Las Vegas handicappers / oddsmakers do not solely handicap the sports games they place lines on—they also handicap the people that bet into their lines. With the advent of the Internet, there has been a plethora of sports information available to the sports bettor. Thus, oddsmakers must also be privy to such information. Often times, trends that have been cashing in the past few years are now being negatively shaded (correction of the market). A clear example happens during the NBA (National Basketball Association) playoffs. In recent years, the zigzag theory has almost always worked to perfection. But, as more and more people became privy to this angle, oddsmakers were also forced to adjust their lines. In all, this handicapping of the betting public leads naturally into the public percentages.

Since Las Vegas was not built upon gamblers’ winnings, it is therefore local to assume that the house always wins. In sports betting, this is clearly seen in the public percentage angle. The angle stipulates that if too many people are on one side, such a side is doomed to fail / loose. In this situation, the oddsmakers have unevenly divided action and, in numerous instances, the side where the least amount of money usually wins. Psychologically, this can be explained by the “it looks too easy to be true” angle. Like in life, where there is no such thing as a free lunch, in sports betting, if it looks to good to be true, it usually is a losing bet. For example, if a sports team has won 5 straight and is now paying an opponent on a 3 game losing skid, and the prior is a big underdog to the latter, the team that is favored usually wins and covers the game. In this situation, the points look so easy, that it cannot lose (well, metaphorically speaking).

Internet websites such as sportsbook.com and wagerline.com offer the public a rough estimation of what the current percentages are for certain games. Specifically, this angle works best with the NFL (National Football League) and prime-time nationally televised NBA games. Games of high profile also fit into this category.

In closing, it is in the best interest of the bettor to bet against the betting favorite side (side with more money).