How to Become a Professional Sports Bettor

Being a professional sports bettor might sound like a pretty fun career. After all, what's not to like about keeping up with your favorite sports and teams? The truth is, professional sports betting takes a great deal of hard work.

Many people attempt this career and many fail. You need serious dedication to turn yourself from an amateur sports bettor to a professional. It's not quite as simple as turning a passion into a profession; you’ll need to work on your skills, your approach, and your outlook, and you’ll need to do so constantly.

However, that doesn’t mean you should give up! Plenty of people do succeed at becoming a professional and there are some tips and tricks that can help you to get there.

So, if you're serious about turning sports betting into more than just a hobby, here's the lowdown - from a person who's done just that.

Brush up on your knowledge

You won’t get very far as a sports bettor if you don’t know your sports inside and out. Depending on your particular preference, you may wish either to branch out and bet on lots of different sports or to specialize in one you know particularly well. Either way, it’s important to gather as much knowledge as you can.

That means staying up to date with transfers, game states, rule changes, and other things that could seriously impact your chances of a winning bet. Make sure you don’t stagnate as a sports bettor, as you’ll quickly be left behind by those who are able to adapt to changes.

Stay on top of industry trends

As well as changes within sport, it's a good idea to know about changes within sports betting too. For example, when spread betting first came around the people that were in the know where able to jump on a new opportunity. The same goes for odds boosts and new kinds of bonuses, it pays to be in the know.

Utilize the knowledge of others

Of course, you can't know everything there is to know about sports and sports betting. Sometimes it pays to see what others have to say on the matter. We have expert guides to the best bets of the week, for the times when you need a bit of outside advice.

Pick the right platform to bet on

If you want to take advantage of the best online betting odds, then it’s crucial to make sure you’re placing your bets on the right platform. No two platforms are created equal; some sites have specific rules or stipulations that can hurt your chances of profit. Others have great bonuses and other incentives on offer to make sure you remain a loyal customer.

Remember that the most important things about a site are its trustworthiness, its customer satisfaction, and its range. If any of these things are lacking, it’s not the best site for you, and you should keep looking.

Below are the platforms that we think are the best in the business. However, if you're looking for something very specific then we have guides on everything. From the best football betting sites and NBA betting sites, to the best sites for table tennis betting.

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	Name	Score	Play Now	Welcome Bonus	Payment Methods	Sports	Payout Speed	Disclaimer
	1BetMGM Sportsbook Read Review	9.8	Claim OfferBetMGM.com	Bet $5 Get $158 in Bonus Bets	Cash, Venmo, PayPal, Bank Transfer, Apple Pay, Play+	20+	3-8 Days	Gambling problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+ and present in the state you're wagering in. T&C Apply.
	2bet365 US Read Review	9.2	Claim Offerbet365.com	Bet $5 Get $150	PayPal, Skrill, Paysafecard, PayNearMe, Visa, Mastercard	20+	Hours - 5 Days	Gambling problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+ and present in CO. T&C Apply.
	3FanDuel Sportsbook Read Review	9.6	Claim OfferFanDuel.com	Bet $5 Get $200 In Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins	Cash, Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, ACH Transfer, Visa, Mastercard	18+	Hours - 5 Days	Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. Gamblinghelplinema.org or call (800)-327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or Text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
	4DraftKings Sportsbook Read Review	9.4	Claim OfferDraftKings.com	Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly!	Cash, Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, Play+, ACH Transfer, Visa, Mastercard	25+	Hours - 5 Days	Gambling problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+ and present in CO. T&C Apply.
	5Betway USA Read Review	8.6	Claim OfferBetway.com	Up to $250 Back In Bonus Bets If Your First Bet Loses	PayPal, PayNearMe, Play+, ACH Transfer, Visa, Mastercard	16+	Up to 7 Days	Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. Gamblinghelplinema.org or call (800)-327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or Text HOPENY (467369) (NY).

Trust your instincts, but don’t be afraid to seek help

Following on from picking the right platform, it’s also important to make sure you’re not falling for baits put in place by unscrupulous websites to reel you in. Sometimes, websites will advertise insanely high and unrealistic bonuses to entice you into making a bet.

These bonuses seem too good to miss out on, but can have high wagering requirements, strict odds, and other bonus terms that put the bettor at a disadvantage.

It’s important to thoroughly research any website on which you intend to engage in sports betting, because you don’t want to make a mistake and regret it.

Pick the right bonuses

Speaking of bonuses, choosing good ones can actually help your bottom line. Some bonuses really are worth claiming and we do our very best to bring you those ones. Whether you're looking for the latest sports betting site promo codes, or sites where you can get a free bet, we've got guides for all of that.

What's important is knowing the bonuses that are worth claiming. Look for bonuses with:

• Low wagering requirement (1x for sports bets is optimum)

• Reasonable minimum odds (you don't want to have to bet on big outsiders)

• Fair minimum deposit (look for a minimum deposit of $10 - $20)

• Expiry date (ideally 7 days or more, but if you already have a bet in mind then 24 hours is fine!)

You can use this checklist to find the best bonuses in the business. If you'd like to save yourself some time and are interested in some hand picked bonuses then you can check out the ones below.

Don’t expect to rake in the dough

Although many sites will tell you there is a cast-iron way to beat the bookies and rake in the profits, that’s simply not the case. Sports betting can become a career for some people, but it's only seriously lucrative for a tiny minority.

While sports betting is certainly more predictable than many casino games – after all, you can factor in performance, strategy, and other things when you’re making a decision – the fact remains that you still don’t have full control over the outcome.

In the end, you’re gambling, and while that can be thrilling and electrifying, it’s not a guaranteed source of income, even if you’re on an amazing winning streak.

Develop a strategy

While you can never guarantee a win when you’re sports betting, you can definitely build a strategy around your strengths. This means not falling prey to bias – if you support a team, that doesn’t mean you should always bet on them to win – and it means prizing simplicity above almost all else.

Don’t overcomplicate your strategy, because doing so could mean you have trouble keeping up with it when games get hectic. It’s best to stick to something reliable and simple; while you may not make huge money from massive bets, you’re also risking less, too.

It might be that you prioritize the simplicity of making moneyline bets. You don't have the added complications of waiting for every leg of a parlay to come in. Alternatively, you might find that you have the edge when it comes to live betting, as you're able to make fast but sensible decisions.

Your betting strategy should come down to your personal strengths.

Be unique

If your expertise happens to lie with a sport in which everyone else has a huge amount of experience, it may be best to diversify. While you should play to your strengths, it stands to reason that crowded fields will yield less satisfying rewards should you win.

Try to look for the outside bets (although not ones where risk outweighs reward) and think outside the box when you’re betting. These bets will inevitably carry a little more risk, but they’ll be significantly more rewarding. Plus, there won’t be a crowd of people making the same decisions that you are.

Be the bookmaker

No, we're not suggesting you set up shop as a bookmaker, but it pays to know who your opponent is. Put yourself in the sportsbook's shoes and work out what you think the odds should be for a certain game - before you look at what they are actually set at.

As you can see, studying the form and drawing your own conclusions can be a lengthy process, but it is the best way to guarantee results. There's nothing quite as effective as knowledge and research when it comes to making accurate sports wagers.

Play little and often

It’s not a good idea to drop everything you have on a single Hail Mary proposition. Rather than going all or nothing, try to make smaller, more incremental bets across a wider span of time. This will limit the damage if you lose, but you’ll still start noticing a profit creep in if you manage to get on a win streak (which isn’t guaranteed, of course, but it can happen).

Place smaller bets and make sure to stop when you’re on the wrong end of a losing streak, because that’s when gambler’s fallacy can set in and stop you from recouping any of your losses.

When it’s not fun, stop

First and foremost, your sports betting adventures should be enjoyable for you. If they’re not – if you find yourself betting more from compulsion than because you’re genuinely enjoying doing so – then that’s the right time to call a halt to it.

Gambling addiction is a serious condition, and while it doesn’t afflict the vast majority of bettors, it’s not worth playing with your mental health. So, make sure that you walk away before it gets too bad. If you need to, call your family or friends to support you and make sure that it doesn’t reach that point.

Reach out if you need help

If you find things have gotten a little out of control then there are lots of organizations that can help you. Below are some resources for those struggling with gambling addiction in the US.

Responsible gambling is a crucial aspect of the gaming industry, and several organizations and charities are working tirelessly to promote safe and responsible gambling practices. In this table, we have compiled some of the top responsible gambling organizations and charities in the US that are committed to helping individuals and families affected by problem gambling.