What strategies do punters use ahead of major sports fixtures?
Both the Irish and global sports betting landscapes are made up of major games, fixtures, and events to wager on. These huge spectacles not only bring plenty of markets to get involved with but also lots of media attention and a feeling of genuine excitement for punters.
Most people who bet on these kinds of big fixtures have a range of go-to strategies they use in advance. These systematic betting approaches help them to decide how to bet before the action starts and gain a deeper insight into what may unfold.
But what are some of the top strategies bettors use before big sporting events?
Making the most of free bets
Promotions are a common sight around Irish sports betting and bring a range of bonuses for punters to claim.
Free bets are one of the most popular and can be found at many of the best sportsbooks the country has to offer. Lottoland’s €10 free bet illustrates this point perfectly and comes with easy-to-understand terms.
Optimising these kinds of promotions for registered customers is something savvy bettors in Ireland do ahead of big games. This enables them to not only track the best promos to claim before the action starts but also employ matched betting techniques to extract maximum value from them.
Pre-fixture research and analysis
Proper research and analysis is another strategy punters around the country adopt before major fixtures. This is easier than ever to do in the modern age because there arelots of sites online with sports data to dig into.
Whether it’s a big event in Irish horse racing, football, GAA,or rugby, most bettors will spend some time before it starts deciding who to back or which markets to consider. The most common things to research include
By spending time researching stats and looking into what they suggest beforehand, punters can make a more informed choice on where to put their cash. This helps them to bet in a more logical way and avoids making bets purely on guesswork.
Tracking down best value odds
Odds are key to sports betting and can make a huge difference to how much winning bets return.
The key thing to remember is that odds for the same event can vary between sportsbooks. As a result, it’s possible to get much better value odds at one betting site than it is at others.
Punters who are looking to bet on the Irish Grand National,for example, may see the horse they like has odds of 5 at sportsbook A but 8 at sportsbook B. By placing their bet at sportsbook B, they have a higher potential return if their horse wins.
Lots of punters in Ireland therefore spend time hunting down the best value odds before big games start. This often involves placing bets well in advance of the match and before market fluctuations right before the game negatively impact odds.
Looking for the best tips online
Whilst putting in the legwork to research and find their own bets is one popular strategy with punters, some prefer to look for tips to follow online before a big game.
This can be especially useful if you fancy betting on a game in a sport you’re not overly familiar with. By getting independent tips from people who are experts in that particular sport, you can find bets to make that you might have otherwise missed.
Most savvy bettors in Ireland, though, will still research any tips picked up online themselves. This helps to confirm it’s a bet worth making and avoids blindly following what other people say.
Dutching
Dutching might sound complicated, but it’s actually a simple strategy punters use before big fixtures.
It basically involves betting on more than one selection in the same fixture or race to win. Although it’s most commonly associated with horse racing, it can be used in other sports where the odds guarantee a return if any of your selections win.
The key thing for any successful Dutching strategy is adjusting bet sizes for each selection, depending on their odds. By doing this properly, you lock in profit should any of them win. There are some easy-to-use Dutching calculators online that make this simple to do.
Top strategies for big game punters
Punters who like to bet on major sporting fixtures use a variety of strategies. The most interesting ones are shown above and highlight just how they like to approach wagering on the biggest matches, races, and events.
