Sports betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on them. A person who places a bet is referred to as a punter (popular in the UK) or a bettor (popular in the US). A sportsbook is a place where people can place bets.
Sports betting has exploded since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, making it legal in all 50 states. But despite the easy availability of gambling, it isn’t always wise to bet.
To make money at sports betting, you need to be a serious gambler with a plan. This includes budgeting for the money you will spend and opening a dedicated bank account for your wagers. Pros also keep near-obsessive records of their bets. This helps them test theories, like that left-handed pitchers are less likely to lose.
Another way to make money is to bet on longshots with good odds. But that’s not a get-rich-quick solution and it will likely limit your account sooner than if you placed conservative bets.
Over/Under betting is another popular way to wager on a game. If you expect a defensive slugfest, you’d bet the Over; if you think it will be a high-scoring shootout, you would bet the Under. As the saying goes, “It’s never Over until it’s over.” Taking into account the total number of points scored and the margin of victory will help you decide if you should bet Over or Under.