VALUE IN BETTING

One of the most important factors in coming on top more often than not is to understand and follow the principles of 'betting based on value'. Like an auction on ebay, ideally you want to pay the smallest amount possible for the item. With betting you want the best odds available for a given event.

Of course you must find the best odds from a bookmaker and consider if those odds are better or worse than the 'actual odds'. If you reckon that 8/11 is a realistic price and the best bookmaker price is 3/4 then this would be a value bet by comparison. Not much, but every fraction counts. Bear in mind the chance factor - a 7/2 real and 5/1 bookie odds has a better chance than a similarly valued 10/1 (real) and 15/1 (bookie).

Bookmakers by nature will set odds based on a market. Now, the larger the market and the more backing the shorter the price. When you see an Arsenal or Liverpool game with home odds of 2/9 it might make you wince. Due to heavy backing of major teams usually odds fall short of their actual value and you end up with a lower value bet. In this type of situation, think about the value attached to a draw or an away win.

Various factors affecting an event can have a good bearing on the value. In a football match, it pays to have a bit of knowledge. This knowledge can help you adjust your take on what the actual value is. For instance, a team might be affected by a flu bug the day before a game, the main goallie might be injured in pre-match training. The team might be playing on a muddied pitch etc etc. Bear in mind these type of factors.