Think you have what it takes to make it as a pro sports bettor? Well, you’re going to need a lot of time on your hands, as well as a lot of luck. You’ll also need as many perks and promotions as you can get your hands on, so see here for more betting promotions.

But there has to be more to it than that, right? After all, there are people who bet for a living and consistently make money. So, how do they do it?

They Work Very Hard and Calculate Everything

Being a professional sports bettor isn’t about having a good feeling and then risking everything. That’s what casual sports bettors do, and it’s what the oddsmakers rely on.

Pro bettors study the markets, check the odds, and crunch the numbers. Sportsbooks use incredibly complex software to check the stats, predict the most likely outcome, and set the odds accordingly. But as these programs are automated, they are fallible, and sports bettors must work harder than them and find the things they miss.

They Find an Edge

Sports bettors are always looking for an edge. The odds are carefully set so that the sportsbook always wins when all bettors and bets are taken into account. But that doesn’t mean that all players lose.

If you can tip the edge in your favor by a few percentage points, it could be enough to win.

There are a few ways to do this. The most difficult is to get information that the sportsbook or market doesn’t have, but as they know everything, that’s tough. The most common is to study the odds on different sites and find the very best ones each time. If you’re getting more money every time you win, you’re more likely to stay in the black over the long term.

Timing is also key. If you’ve ever watched horse racing, you’ll know that the odds can change massively as the race approaches. Some horses start as the outsiders, become the favorites, and then win, usually because the market has learned something and bettors have reacted. If you’re one of the first to learn that info and react, you can get on when the odds are high.

They Use Trusted Bonus Comparison Sites

One of the core principles of successful sports betting professionals is that they make use of betting bonuses. And to get a bonus with the best value all round, they have to do some research.

This is where trusted online betting bonus comparison sites like Bettingbonus.com come into the picture. Sites like that have a team of experienced punters and betting bonus experts who provide accurate information on betting bonuses.

Professional bettors know this and they take advantage of online resources of that ilk.

They Don’t Let Emotion Rule Their Decisions

Casual bettors find a game they want to watch on TV and then find a bet they like. Professional sports bettors tend to look for the bet first. They don’t force it, and they don’t let emotion control their picks either.

They’re not betting just for the sake of it, nor are they betting because they secretly want a team to win or lose. To be a pro sports bettor, you have to acknowledge that you can’t make every call and you don’t possess some kind of innate ability to accurately read every game.

Summary: Making it as a Pro Sports Bettor

Remember, while it’s possible to turn betting into a career, it’s very difficult, and you’ll need to work very hard. In that sense, it’s like any other job, albeit one where your paycheck isn’t guaranteed. Most sports bettors lose, so keep that in mind.