4 Poker Skills You Can Transfer to Sports Betting

sports betting

Sports Betting

Many sporting seasons peak at the end of Summer offering gamblers the opportunity to wager on their favourite events. Few poker players can escape the temptation to bet on popular sporting events like Euro 2020 or Wimbledon. Whilst most poker players simply have a punt and hope to win, there are others who correctly use their skills developed from poker to help them.

In this article we will share a few skills you may already possess to help you have a better chance at winning from sports betting in the future.

1) Conservative Bankroll Management Decisions

Most poker players have learnt that being prudent is a necessity. You need to be shrewd, careful and cautious when choosing what games to play. We’ve discussed the importance of bankroll management before so you should be well aware of its importance in both live and online poker games.

But this skill can be transferred easily to sports betting too. Risking only a fraction of one’s bankroll means no wager will prove too costly. It will ensure you are protecting your bankroll and safeguarding you from potential problems like chasing losses or making reckless decisions.

2) Good Observation  

The best poker players have excellent attention to detail and observation skills. This is true not just at the table where players need to focus on their opponents but other aspects too like game selection or an eye for a lucrative bonus. This skill is just as important when making sports bets.

After all, you can intuitively detect a favourable bet from a bookie. With more American states starting to legalize online betting, many sites are dedicated to sharing information on available bonuses and other helpful tips.

If you’re a poker player that is attentive and observant, sports betting could be up your street.

3) Studying the Game Regularly

I like to think most of our readers are dedicating time each week to studying poker. This is a critical part of becoming and staying a shark. It allows players to stay in tune with current trends in strategy, revise or tweak strategy and stay ahead of the competition.

Did you know that this can help you in sports betting too? Consider a sport like football (soccer), the teams are often changing players or manager and their form changes too. Gone are the days when you can easily predict the winner of a game.

Instead, a proficient sports bettor looks at the context of the match; Who is in form? Who is at home? Which team have more injuries?

By spending some time studying the sport you are betting on you will be better prepared to make profitable bets and take advantage of ill-informed bookies.

4) Game Selection

Finally, we come to the game selection. Like poker, where choosing the right games is key to generating a positive win rate, sports betting has loads of options. You can find a huge disparity in the odds given from one site to another. This is where game selection comes to play.

An experienced poker player knows a soft poker site from a tough one. They will be able to detect when their sports betting site is laying bad odds and compare it with other similar sites. By putting in a little extra time and using game selection skills, you can find better odds.

Imagine if you are about to bet $100 on an even that is being laid 6-1 but you actually find it at 8-1 elsewhere. That is worth $200 to you! See how game selection can help you in sports betting?

Image Source: Pixabay

Narciso Baldo is the Director and Head Coach of Texas Hold'em Questions. He has been playing poker for over 16 years. After spending many years as a professional, he now runs UK poker training site Texas Hold'em Questions. Narciso regularly writes poker articles sharing tips, strategy, news and experience with gambling enthusiasts. Narciso also writes for reputable gambling portal Casino City Times, (bio here). Contact: info@texasholdemquestions.com