Value Betting
Professional Bettors' Core Method
Description
Value betting is the cornerstone of professional sports betting. It involves identifying situations where the bookmaker's odds are higher than your calculated true probability of an outcome. This method requires deep analytical skills, access to advanced statistics like expected goals (xG), and the discipline to only bet when genuine value exists. Successful value bettors combine statistical analysis with market knowledge to find edges that others miss.
Concept
You only place bets when the odds offered by bookmakers are higher than the true probability you've calculated.
Example:
If you assess a team has a 60% chance to win (true odds 1.66), but the bookmaker offers 2.00, that's value.
How to find value:
- Use expected goals (xG) and advanced football analytics
- Compare multiple bookmakers' lines
- Identify market overreactions to media hype
Analytical thinkers
Long-term method; bad runs still happen
Mathematically positive EV if done correctly