Sports Betting Systems Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Sports betting is about so much more than simply placing money on the outcome of the game. While every sportsbook offers bets on which team will win the game, some venues allow you to wager on whether an individual player will make the next penalty kick or whether the coin toss is heads or tails.

Our guide walks you through some of the most popular betting systems, highlighting both their advantages and downsides. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re a newbie or a professional bettor; everything you read here will improve the probability of winning and help boost your profits.

The Fundamentals

Before diving into any particular betting strategy, we’ll go through some of the basics that every bettor should know. Below is a list of things to keep in mind each time you decide to try out a new online betting system.

Find a Good Betting Site

Although it may sound simple, finding a proper betting site isn’t such an easy task. Online betting has been booming since the start of the pandemic, giving rise to an exhaustive list of sports betting sites. However, not all of them adhere to the same standards or offer equally competitive odds. That’s why it’s good to shop around for a while and look for a reputable venue with the right offers.

Pick the Right Sport

This is another useful tip that’s often taken for granted, but it’s one that can significantly improve your sports betting strategy. When we say pick the right sport to bet on, we’re not implying that some sports are better than others. Finding the right sport comes down to your personal preferences. There is a good chance you’ll win the bet when you focus on sports you know and love.

Learn to Manage Your Money

This might be the hardest thing to master, which is why some bettors burn out quickly. Having proper bankroll management will take you a long way, and if you follow some basic rules, you’ll quickly learn to recognize the betting systems that work.

Control Your Emotions

This is probably the most important advice of all. Emotions and sports betting don’t mix because you’re supposed to make rational decisions while wagering. At times when you feel like you can’t control your emotions and you’re having trouble staying focused, take a break and come back another time.

Types of Systems in Sports Betting

One of the key factors that contributes to the excitement of sports betting is the extensive variety of bets. Below is a brief overview of the different types of betting systems. These systems can be split into three different categories:

• Positive Progression Systems
• Negative Progression Systems
• Insurance Betting Systems

Positive Progression Systems

This system requires gamblers to increase their bets when they’re on a lucky streak and gradually decrease them each they’re losing. The system is extremely popular as players don’t need to invest a large amount of money to start the game, and it helps you avoid a string of losses. There are two popular types of positive progression systems, the Paroli system and the Parlay system, and here’s how they work.

Paroli System

The main goal with the Paroli system is to achieve three wins in a row while doubling the wager with each win. This works well if you’re on a winning streak. You should start by deciding what your base bet is going to be. If you lose, you’ll place the base bet again. If you win, you’ll double the bet by wagering the winnings and the original stake. This is referred to as the first progression. In order to start the progression, you’ll need to wager on even odds.

Parlay System

If you’re interested in horse race betting systems, you’ve probably already come across parlays. This system combines two or more picks into a single bet. When it comes to parlays in sports betting, all the selections must win for the entire bet to payout. If one of the picks loses, the entire parlay is lost. This is a high-risk bet, but it also comes with some very attractive odds.

Negative Progression Systems

Negative progression systems are proof that losing a bet isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The system requires the gambler to increase the stake every time he loses. This betting strategy works best with casino games, but punters can also use it in baseball, basketball, hockey, or while betting on football. There are multiple negative progression systems, but these four are the most popular ones: Martingale System, Fibonacci System, D’Alembert System, and Labouchere System.

Martingale System

The Martingale system is one of the oldest and easiest online betting systems to learn. It’s all about progressively wagering more every time you lose. So, for example, if you start the system with a £10 bet and lose, your next wager should be £20. As your stake increases, so does the potential risk of losing, but a single win can generate a sizable profit.

Fibonacci System

The Fibonacci System is one of the most popular forms of negative progression systems. As its name suggests, this system is based on the Fibonacci mathematical sequence and can be used for sports betting and casino games. When used in betting, the system requires you to use betting units and maintain a consistent unit size. Every time your bet loses, the size of your wager increases. The main advantage of this system is that a player can gain back what was lost by placing a larger subsequent wager. The most important thing about the Fibonacci system is that wagering continues with each number equalling the sum of the previous two.

D’Alembert System

As well as other negative progression systems, the D’Alembert system involves increasing the wager after each loss. Although it’s similar to other systems, D’Alembert is unique because the stakes increase much slower than with its counterparts. This is its biggest advantage but also a major disadvantage as it takes much more time to recover the losses.

Labouchere System

This is one of the more complicated betting systems best explained as a strategy for recovering consecutive losses with fewer winners. The whole idea behind this system is that any punter who has a significant bankroll will eventually be able to make up for his losses. Despite being complicated, the system is still one of the favourites among many players around the world.

Insurance Systems

This system is based on reducing the wager with each bet you lose, and it’s the least risky option. The main advantage of the insurance betting system is the fact that it doesn’t let you wager higher amounts when you’re losing. This also shields you from incurring significant financial losses. However, the major disadvantage to this betting system is that it doesn’t enable you to recover from your losses unless you’re on a winning streak.

Bottom Line

When choosing a betting strategy, there are a few factors you should consider. You should always go for the less risky system rather than the complicated one. Throughout this article, we’ve discussed some of the most common systems and strategies, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and now it’s up to you to pick the most suitable option. Once you find a system that works, stick to it in order to have the best possible long-term results, and always remember to wager responsibly.

FAQ

What is the safest betting strategy?

The safest betting strategy involves wagering less than 2% of your bankroll. If you’re a newbie in this field, we recommend sticking to the insurance betting systems, as they require you to reduce your wager with each bet you lose. The Martingale system is also interesting and easy to learn. However, it requires a higher budget as your bets progressively increase every time you lose.

Are system bets profitable?

They can be. However, it depends on multiple factors. Before placing a bet, you should do a brief analysis of the odds and stake. If you choose a less risky system, you’ll have to work longer and harder to generate a profit. On the other hand, if you make a riskier decision, the potential rewards increase accordingly.

What is a good ROI in sports betting?

A 5% ROI is considered a good return with sports betting systems, and that’s what each sports bettor should strive for. This number isn’t easy to achieve, but if you implement the right strategy, your winnings can accumulate over time.