Without a clear approach, a player risks turning betting into a chaotic pastime, even though it is often important to have a stable profit or at least control over the bankroll. A strategy can help. Some are suitable only in certain conditions, others are potentially dangerous without discipline, as written on sportsbeem.com. Let’s familiarise you with three approaches that are really used by professionals and can be useful to everyone
Features of the Martingale Strategy
Martingale is a classic system of betting control, which came from the world of gambling, primarily roulette. The principle is simple: after each loss the bet is doubled. The goal is to recover losses at the expense of one win, returning all losses and getting a profit equal to the initial bet.
The strategy is really easy to understand and apply. Its main advantage is that if you have an unlimited bankroll and no limits on the size of the bet, the player in theory always comes out in the plus, because one win overlaps all previous losses and brings a profit equal to the original bet.
However, in practice, this strategy involves serious risks. It requires a very large bankroll, as even a short series of failures can quickly exhaust the available funds. In addition, most casinos and bookmakers set limits on maximum bets, which makes it impossible to continue a series of bets on the system.
Another important disadvantage is that Martingale does not take into account the real probability of the outcome of an event. The player acts blindly, relying solely on the mechanical system of doubling, and not on analysis or reasonable assessment of chances.
Suitable for beginners – only for practising discipline. Professionals – as a tool in very limited scenarios (for example, in live betting with a high probability of victory of the favourite). But in general, the strategy is risky and can lead to bankruptcy.
What is Value Betting
This is a strategy based on finding events that have a higher probability of winning than the bookmaker’s odds suggest. That is, you bet when the “value” of the odds is justified.
How do you determine value?
- Analyse statistics: line-ups, form, motivation, weather, referee.
- Use mathematical models and predictions.
- Compare odds at different bookmakers (arbitrage situations often signal value).
- Take into account the bookmaker’s margin (the lower it is – the more chances to find value).
If applied correctly, this approach can bring stable profits over a long distance.
However, the strategy requires serious preparation. The player needs to have analytical skills, the ability to collect and interpret data, as well as to make his own assessment of probabilities. Without discipline, regular work with information and a sufficient number of bets, the strategy will not work effectively. In addition, the odds on really favourable events often change quickly, so it is important to be able to react quickly and make bets in a timely manner.
Even beginners can start using the value approach as a tool to develop intuition and better understand the principles by which bookmaker quotes and margins work.
How to Apply Flat Betting Strategy
A strategy means that you bet the same percentage of your bankroll on each event. This is the easiest and safest way to manage your money.
Fixed Rate Options:
- Fixed amount – the same size of each bet (e.g. $200).
- Fixed percentage – the rate is recalculated when the bankroll changes (e.g. 2% of the current bank).
The main strength of the strategy is its stability: the player determines the size of the bet in advance and does not deviate from this rule regardless of the outcome of previous games. This approach provides a high level of control over the bankroll and makes the strategy particularly suitable for long-term play. You don’t need to make any sudden decisions – everything is already planned and systematised.
However, the strategy has its limitations. Bankroll growth is slow compared to more aggressive methods, especially if the initial capital is small. It may seem boring or not exciting enough to those who are looking for a thrill in the game.
How to Combine Strategies
In practice, it is rare to use a single strategy in its purest form. For example, a player can use a fixed bet in combination with over-under bets – that is, each value scenario gets a fixed percentage of the pot. Someone applies Martingale only in strictly clear situations, for example, in live betting on the favourite when the score is 0:1. This flexible approach requires experience, but it helps to balance risk and profitability.
Important principles when using any strategies:
- Even the best strategy doesn’t work without strict adherence to a plan.
- Record each bet, odds, result, bet type.
- Misjudged the value? Stopped sticking to the system? Analyse.
- Strategies don’t work instantly. It is important to think in terms of 100+ bets.
- Don’t double your bets after losing because of resentment. This is the path to bankruptcy.
There is no “magic button” that guarantees success. But there are proven approaches – like the ones described above – that allow the player to take a systematic approach to betting and control risks. If you are just starting out – start with flat betting and study value in parallel. If you are already experienced – combine, analyse and test. This is the way of a real bettor.
