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Sharp Betting Explained

Every sports bettor tries their best to have a 100% winning streak. Unfortunately, most bettors lose more bets than they would care to admit. However, some bettors enjoy impressive success. Such bettors are known as sharp bettors. However, there is more to a sharp bettor and sharp sports betting than meets the eye, not just success.
What Is a Sharp Bettor?
Sports betting sharps, known as sharp bettors, are players with a provably good and successful betting strategy. Their main quality is exceptional success in sports betting, meaning that most bets win. Besides being experienced, these bettors are also informed and experienced. It is worth noting that most of their wagers are usually long-term bets.
What Is the Behavior of a Sharp Bettor?
Sharp bettors don’t behave or operate like ordinary bettors. They also share certain characteristics, including the following:
Discipline
Sharp bettors have strict rules and principles that dictate their betting habits. For example, they limit how much they can stake, which sports they can bet on, the types of wagers they can place, and more. Their discipline (combined with a reliable betting strategy) helps them build consistency and self-confidence.
Research
Sharp bettors don’t make bets based on a whim. Instead, sharp bettors’ picks are usually thoroughly researched and reviewed. They evaluate all factors that can affect a game’s outcome, such as team formations and playing locations.
Emotional Maturity
Losses shouldn’t be the end of the world if you want to bet like a sharp bettor. If it does, you can make irrational decisions, such as canceling good bets out of fear or placing more bad bets out of desperation. That is why sharp bettors are emotionally mature – they take their wins and losses in stride and understand that more opportunities (and risks) lie ahead.
What Is a Sharp Sportsbook?
A sharp sportsbook (preferably one with a sharp betting app) is always recommended when making and placing sharps betting picks. It is worth noting that no sportsbook markets itself as a sharp sportsbook. However, sharp sportsbooks stand out from ordinary ones, mostly offering the best of everything.
What Defines a Sharp Sportsbook?
The following qualities and features define a sharp sports betting platform:
Low Margins
Margin in betting refers to the difference between a bet’s odds and the game’s true outcome probability. For example, suppose a game’s true probability of an outcome is 2.0. A bookie would offer lower odds of, say, 1.8, thereby making a profit on the 0.2 difference – this is how sportsbooks make money.
High Betting Limits
Most ordinary sportsbooks limit how much you can wager. The limits can be as low as $50 or $100. It is a big amount for an ordinary bettor, but it isn’t enough in sharp money betting. A low betting limit limits your potential winnings, inconveniencing sharp bettors. As such, sharp bookies usually have high betting limits, generally reaching thousands of dollars.
Low Fees
Some unscrupulous bookmakers usually charge exorbitant commission, service, and transaction fees when depositing or withdrawing your money. However, sharp bookmakers usually charge negligibly low fees – in fact, most don’t charge anything for their services or transactions.
Range of Markets
A sharp in betting looks for every opportunity to win. Sharp sportsbooks endeavor to offer as many opportunities as possible by covering many sports categories. Each sports category can contain dozens or hundreds of betting markets, depending on the available games and bet types.
A sharp bookie can feature thousands of sports betting markets, with more popping up regularly as others expire. It is also worth noting that the markets are suited to the player demographics – for example, an American bookie offers more NFL sharp bets or NBA sharp bets than soccer bets because basketball and football are more popular among American bettors. Similarly, you can expect more MLB sharp bets from a Canadian bookie.
Competitive Odds
How much you win depends on your stake amount and bets’ odds. Lower odds mean smaller wins, while higher odds mean bigger wins. Sharp sportsbooks usually offer competitive odds slightly higher than the standard – they also offer odds boosts, further boosting your winnings.
Big Bonuses
For example, there are welcome bonuses for new players, deposit-match bonuses for players who fund their accounts, free bets, price boosts, loyalty programs, and other ongoing bonuses. These promotions also usually have simple unlocking and wagering requirements.
Large Volume of Bets
Few betting markets usually mean few betting opportunities. Sharp sports bettors typically offer thousands of betting markets across as many sports categories as possible, including uncommon sports such as snooker and futsal. They also usually process large volumes of bets because they have many users.
Bonuses Offered at Sharp Sportsbooks
Sharp bettors usually offer generous bonuses and promotions. Their promotions also come in various types and typically have easy and reasonable requirements. Here is an overview of the three common bonuses available at most bet sharp bookmakers:
Matched Deposit Bonus
A matched deposit bonus is dependent on making a deposit. The bookie offers to match your deposit amount by a certain percentage, usually 100% or lower.
Risk-Free Bets
A risk-free bet guarantees you will get your stake back if your bet loses. These bet types are usually offered to new players and sharp money wagers. It is a convenient offer when making a high-stakes sharps bet.
Price Boosts
Odds determine the amount you will win, as discussed. A price boost is a deliberate increase in a bet’s odds, which increases the amount you stand to win.
Sharp Betting Sites – The Benefits
Sharp betting sites have many advantages. Here is an overview of three notable benefits of sharp betting:
More Extensive Markets
As explained, sharp sportsbooks cover many sports categories and thousands of betting markets. You wouldn’t need to look at another bookie for more betting markets and bet types.
Highly Competitive Odds
Higher odds mean larger winnings, as explained. Sharp sportsbooks offer not only competitive odds but also odds boosts, allowing you to win more money.
Superior Betting Limits
Sharp bettors usually stake a lot of money to win more. Sharp sportsbooks generally offer high betting limits to accommodate sharp betting money.
Comparison of the Sharpest Sportsbooks
Comparing the sharpest sportsbooks entails evaluating everything they offer.
The top 5 sharpest sportsbooks available internationally include the following:
- FanDuel
- BetMGM
- BetRivers
- PointsBet
- DraftKings
These bookies offer premium betting features but differ in certain aspects. For example, only PointsBet offers “Name-a-Bet,” an innovative feature that lets players recommend new betting types and markets. It is advisable to review each book to identify its unique offers, strengths, and weaknesses.
Sharp Sportsbooks Vs. Square Sportsbooks
Finding the Sharpest Odds
Finding the sharpest odds is as easy as finding the best sharp sportsbooks. It also involves reviewing each bookie’s odds and calculating the margins. Sportsbooks that offer price boosts are also recommendable.
Sharp Betting Advantages & Disadvantages
The most notable advantages of sharp betting include the following:
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Is Sharp Betting Worth It?
Sharp betting is worth it for one major reason: success. Success means more winnings and more money. However, you must work by developing a good betting strategy, being self-disciplined, researching every game, and using sharp sportsbooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is sharp in betting?
A sharp in betting refers to a successful, informed, experienced bettor. These punters are exceptionally successful and usually make long-term bets.
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What is sharp money in betting?
Sharp money in betting refers to similar bets placed by many sharp bettors. It usually points to bets with a high likelihood of success – ordinary bettors and punters usually follow sharp money for betting tips.
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What is a sharp bettor?
A sharp bettor is an exceptionally successful sports bettor. They rely on information, experience, and a good betting strategy.
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What is the sharp line movement in sports betting?
A sharp line movement is when the odds/lines change from the bookmaker’s original numbers to the new numbers at the start of a game.
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What does sharp action mean in betting?
Sharp action in betting means mirroring sharp bettors’ bets (seeing their wagers and making the same bets). It is an easy strategy for ordinary bettors looking to win more and lose less.
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Do sharps ever bet on favorites?
Sharp bettors usually have strict rules and principles on the types of bets they make. To this end, they wouldn’t bet on favorites if they didn’t likely win.
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How many games a day do the sharps bet?
Sharp bettors usually place many odds to maximize their potential winnings, albeit this depends on the winning probability. Most of their wagers are also long-term bets.