Varying the size of your bets

[CaptSammy]

What's the thought on varying the size of your bet as opposed to a standard bet. Example you make 5 football bets with $500. One you really like; 3 you like; one you think could be good
Is better long term to bet a $100 on each game, or example
$300 on the team you really like
$75 on the 3 you like
$50 on the one you think might be okay

I noticed some bettors rate their bets and some bet more on the games they rate stronger than others

 

[oldmanTED]

CaptSammy

What's the thought on varying the size of your bet as opposed to a standard bet. Example you make 5 football bets with $500. One you really like; 3 you like; one you think could be good
Is better long term to bet a $100 on each game, or example
$300 on the team you really like
$75 on the 3 you like
$50 on the one you think might be okay

I noticed some bettors rate their bets and some bet more on the games they rate stronger than others

It really depends on your level of experience and your own personal comfort level. Many players are comfortable making a standard bet and/or a standard percentage of their bankroll for each play. As their bankroll moves up or down, so does their wager. This is one method of money management.

Other players, including myself, vary their plays. A decent rule of thumb is from 1 to 3 units or 1 to 5 units depending on your comfort level. Hope that helps somewhat.

 

[CaptSammy]

A decent rule of thumb is from 1 to 3 units or 1 to 5 units depending on your comfort level. Hope that helps somewhat.

I understand about bankroll and comfort level. Using your unit system say 1 to 5 units, what I want to know is if you were making 5 bets for example, and there was one team you really liked, would you ever bet 1 unit on 4 teams but on the one you really like you bet 5 units.

To me that makes no sense, if you're grinding long term, wouldn't it be better to keep your bets roughly the same. I mean you could vary one or two units depending on situation, but lets say you got the hot tip game of the year type shit, should you load up that much on one team, like more than the total number of all the units you bet on everything else that day. To me if the lose the big one, you wipe out everything else profitalbe you've done for the day, I hope I just made sense

 

[oldmanTED]

CaptSammy

I understand about bankroll and comfort level. Using your unit system say 1 to 5 units, what I want to know is if you were making 5 bets for example, and there was one team you really liked, would you ever bet 1 unit on 4 teams but on the one you really like you bet 5 units.

To me that makes no sense, if you're grinding long term, wouldn't it be better to keep your bets roughly the same. I mean you could vary one or two units depending on situation, but lets say you got the hot tip game of the year type shit, should you load up that much on one team, like more than the total number of all the units you bet on everything else that day. To me if the lose the big one, you wipe out everything else profitalbe you've done for the day, I hope I just made sense

I have been in this business for over 40 years and yes have had a day where all my plays are 1 unit with one game being 5 units. Others may use a 1 to 3 unit variance to be a bit more conservative. Some use just a 1, 1.5 and 2 unit variance. Once again it very much depends on your comfort level on your success rate of stronger plays. Most players either use a flat bet amount or 1 to 2 percent of their bankroll. It's all up to you. There is no exact guideline because every player is different and has a different level of skill and experience in handicapping games.

 

[CaptSammy]

depends on your comfort level on your success rate of stronger plays.

Thanks I gotta ya. so as long as you're following good bankroll management, it's okay to load up more on one game than another.

 

[BettingFoodStamps]

Thanks I gotta ya. so as long as you're following good bankroll management, it's okay to load up more on one game than another.

yes just like when ur slumping its ok to decrease till you get hot again and vice versa.

 

[CaptSammy]

yes just like when ur slumping its ok to decrease till you get hot again and vice versa.

Okay that I'm not clear on.

I budgeted so much money for football season at the start. Say no matter what I'm keeping my total bets to 500 per week for entire season start to finish. I use a unit system to rate the games I want to bet. So one week I might bet 4o units one week I might bet 10 units, But the total number of units per week I'm betting is divided into the $500 per week.

I think this way as a bettor you limit your variance and take the hot/cold out of the equasion. You're looking at grinding the hole season instead of chasing streaks. I think playing the hot/cold steaks is a better idea from the book maker's point of view.

 

[mhk]

CaptSammy, you are risking your entire bankroll every week? I wouldn't recommend that.. good strategy is to divide the picks equally, some weeks you have more plays (at a lesser amount).. you are on a good track, but like Oldmanted says, everyone is different. I've always preached 1-2% of br per play.. gl..

 

[BettingFoodStamps]

Okay that I'm not clear on.

I budgeted so much money for football season at the start. Say no matter what I'm keeping my total bets to 500 per week for entire season start to finish. I use a unit system to rate the games I want to bet. So one week I might bet 4o units one week I might bet 10 units, But the total number of units per week I'm betting is divided into the $500 per week.

I think this way as a bettor you limit your variance and take the hot/cold out of the equasion. You're looking at grinding the hole season instead of chasing streaks. I think playing the hot/cold steaks is a better idea from the book maker's point of view.

If you find something in however you create your own line that works say when teams are not too familiar with each other at the beginning of the season and your going 3-1, 4-0, 3-1 each week you want to make a wager of 2-3% of your bankroll.

On the flip side if your going 0-4,1-3 etc maybe drop your wagers to 1-2% of your bankroll. As long as you can hit 52% of your wagers and have a good idea of what trends seem to hit your lines stronger and vice versa you will make money.

Never chase its a horrible thing to do. Only thing worse is the martingdale system which you can google if your not familiar with it.

 

[halekulani]

i used to vary my bets but never found myself to be a consistent winner capping that way

this year for football i tried just picking 1-2 games (sometimes 3 games) per week (you can find my thread in the tracker forum), but always wager the same amount

you don't win a lot and it's a definite grind, but it's also a much greater chance for success. i'd say my w/l % is pretty good for now