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Jelena Kabić
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Jelena Kabic is a sports betting writer that focusses on responsible gambling. A psychologist by vocation, Jelena volunteered in a rehab facility, where she worked with gambling addicts. She now reviews all our content to ensure it discusses betting in a socially responsible way.
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Amy's introduction to the gambling world was 6 years ago, when she joined a casino operator as a content specialist. Since then, she's helped launch and maintain gambling review sites in over 8 different countries. She's tested dozens of casinos and sportsbooks, which is how she can spot a subpar brand in an instant!
Last Update
July 27, 2023
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Betting Systems That (Sometimes) Work
Betting Systems
If you’re interested in increasing your chances of winning at sports betting, you might have come across the term betting systems during your research. But what exactly are betting systems?
Throughout this guide, we’ll introduce you to these approaches, explain how different systems work and explain which might be better for one sport or another.
What are Betting Systems?
A betting system is a combination of rules bettors can follow to establish a systematic process of selecting which bets to place. Refrain from confusing it with sports betting strategies, as although these might seem similar at first glance, they aren’t the same thing.
Tip!
Simply put, a betting strategy is a way to be strategic about your bets by maximizing the profit and minimizing losses.
Meanwhile, betting systems refer more to specific sports, and specific rules you can follow in those sports.
They have been around almost as long as gambling has existed, and there are plenty of them for both online casinos and sports betting.
This guide will focus on sports betting systems, but the knowledge you gather through it could also apply to some online casino games.
Do Sports Betting Systems Work?
One thing you must understand about any betting system is that none will work 100% of the time. Bettors will still lose some bets now and again and the house will always have a winning edge, but by using a specific approach, you might increase your chances of winning.
Nonetheless, by understanding how the different sports betting systems work, you might have the advantage of picking the correct matches or the proper bets to increase your winning odds.
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Basic Sports Betting Systems
Before diving deeper into the different betting systems available, a few aspects should always be part of your overall sports betting strategy.
The considerations below will help you increase your chances of winning, regardless of which betting system you opt for:
- Manage your bankroll: Bettors should establish betting limits and loss limits and stick to them.
- Specialize in a sport: The variety of betting options per sport, along with the ever-changing statistics, make it easier for a specialized player to have the upper hand when wagering.
- Control your emotions: Bettors should place their picks according to the statistics and their knowledge. Don’t make the rookie mistake of ignoring the data and betting on your favourite club or player.
- Research is essential: Along with the statistics provided by sportsbooks, bettors should spend a reasonable amount of time investigating the current performance of teams and players as well as if any injury might impact the outcome.
- Shop around for odds: Depending on which event you want to bet on, one sportsbook might offer better odds than another. Bettors should always compare the odds of different bookmakers before placing their pick.
- Be bold and update your strategy: As with everything in life, practice will allow you to understand what works and doesn’t. If you feel something you’ve been doing isn’t helping you reach your goals, you can always tweak and adapt your strategy to see if you can achieve a different outcome
NHL Betting Systems
Although ice hockey is widespread globally, betting on the NHL is one of the sport’s enthusiasts’ favourite options. As happens with all sports, bettors can take advantage of multiple betting systems to increase their chances of winning:
Bet on the fresher team.
Ice hockey is a physically demanding sport, and traveling takes a toll on the players’ level of tiredness and preparedness. It’s easy to understand how the players’ performance might be impacted when playing two games at home versus four games on the road.
You’ll probably have no issues picking which team will feel fresher and more well-rested for their next match.
Look for teams that have been on the road a lot and see if there is any good pick against them.
Even though the players might be tired, it doesn’t mean they’ll automatically lose. There are other aspects you should consider, such as overall performance and previous results, among others.
As with being on the road for several matches, playing back-to-back will exhaust players, you can look for teams that will play three games in four days and bet against them.
ZIGZAG betting system
This system suggests that when a team loses one match, bettors should bet on the same team to cover the spread on the following one.
Due to the tremendous amount of travel required in the NHL, the ZIGZAG theory is very relevant, but you should still pay attention to some considerations:
- Home Team Goes Up 1-0: When the home team goes up 1-0, bettors have an excellent opportunity to bet on the losing team in the next match.
- Home Team Goes Up 2-0: Bettors can pick the underdog for the third match. Usually, if the team loses their first two games on the road, they’ll try their best to win the third one at home.
- Home Team Loses First Game: Should the home team lose their first match at home, the odds of them winning the second match are very high. On average, 75% of NHL teams coming off a loss win the second game.
Football Betting Systems
Football is one of the most sought-after sports in betting, with the NFL and CFL being among the most popular leagues for bettors.
Players can opt for several different betting systems when wagering on football, and one of the most common is related to the bye weeks.
football betting system
Targeting teams coming off a bye week has been shown to be a positive system.
The additional rest allows teams to practice, heal minor injuries, and prepare for the next match.
Nonetheless, randomly betting on a specific team because it has come off a bye week might hinder your prospects. As mentioned, betting systems should always be part of your betting strategy, so you should always pair it with additional data.
As such, we recommend you also consider the team’s previous performance, its opponent, and any other aspect that might harm the team coming off a bye week.
If the sportsbook considers the team coming off the bye week as the favourite to win the match, it’s more probable the team will win.
Another attractive off-bye week option is picking the team on the road. Although the team playing at home tends to be the favourite, if its opponent is off the bye week, it might win the match.
Baseball Betting Systems
Bettors who follow baseball might have faced challenges due to the long season. Betting on the MLB is easily one of the trickiest markets for inexperienced bettors.
We’ll introduce you to a few systems that might help you have better results:
Bet on “bad” teams after a win.
A team that has been struggling and finally wins is much more likely to win the next match again. You’ll notice that this trend often occurs during the regular season, and there’s a simple explanation as to why.
The team has been down for a few matches and finally tasted sweet victory, thus making their utmost effort to have a taste of it again as quickly as possible.
Baseball Tip!
For this betting system, a “bad” team has a winning percentage of under .400. You should also focus on teams that have won their most recent match by no more than 13 runs.
When two winning teams face each other, bet on the under.
Sportsbooks tend to inflate their totals when two winning teams face each other, as they know bettors will likely bet on the over.
This system advises players to bet on the under when two winning teams with winning percentages above .500 meet each other.
good odds
The winning percentages of “under” in matches between two winning teams have ranged between 55% and 58% since 2005, which are pretty good odds.
Golf Betting Systems
Regardless of which golf competition you’re betting on, there are a few fundamental aspects you can use to ensure your winning odds increase. Below, you’ll find some of the most used betting systems in golf:
Bet on those familiar with the terrain.
Understanding the layout and region of the different golf courses can indicate which golfers will do better or worse.
For instance, many golfers might be more used to playing on Bermuda greens than on Poa annua turfs. Depending on their experience, some golfers might thrive on the bumpy fields of Poa annua, while others might have difficulty keeping up.
golf betting tip!
Focus on golfers that are playing on a putting surface they are comfortable in. For instance, Phil Mickelson does exceptionally well on the west coast.
Go for first-round lead bets when the weather is poor.
Before making any bet, make sure to check what the weather is going to be like during the week. You may be able to estimate what the meteorology is going to be like during the morning and afternoon waves, and use that to your advantage.
For instance, if you know that the weather will be excellent during the morning but might worsen during the afternoon, you should opt for First-Round Lead bets.
Fibonacci betting system
This approach has as its primary basis the Fibonacci sequence and is a negative progression strategy.
Simply put, the bettor will increase their stake following the Fibonacci sequence every time they lose a bet.
Although this system was first developed for casino games with a 50-50 chance, sports bettors have quickly adapted it to wager their picks in sporting events. However, due to the nature of the betting system, players should only use it in specific scenarios.
good to know!
The Fibonacci betting system is more effective when bettors place bets with even money odds.
Even money odds give bettors an approximate 50% chance of winning, allowing the bettor to double their stake with each win.
Let’s have a look at an example:
The starting bet is $1, and the Fibonacci sequence is $1, $1, $2, $3, $5, $8, $13, $21, $34, $55…
Every time the bettor loses their wager, they should place a bet in the following highest stake amount.
Each time the bettor wins, they move back two betting levels.
However, the Fibonacci sequence is endless, and your wallet likely isn’t. Always have a limit on your wagers and losses to ensure you’re playing responsibly.
1-3-2-6 betting system
The 1-3-2-6 is similar to the Fibonacci system in that you’ll have to place bets worth different stakes depending on which round you are in.
Bettors will follow the exact betting sequence while they win; when they lose, they’ll return to the original stake.
Let’s have a look at the table below to understand better how this works in sports betting:
| Round | Unit Bet | Bet Amount | Result | Profit |
| 1 | 1 | $10 | Win | $20 |
| 2 | 3 | $30 | Win | $60 |
| 3 | 2 | $20 | Win | $40 |
| 4 | 6 | $60 | Lose | -$60 |
In this scenario, you’ll still break even. According to the system, if you lose your second bet, you’ll have to continue betting 1 unit until you win.
As such, if we continue to consider the example above, the bettor would bet $10 for their next rounds until they win. After that, they will resume the betting units of the system.
Bottom line: Should You Rely on Sports Betting Systems?
Although no betting system will always work, these might help you improve your overall betting strategy. Generally speaking, these systems can be rewarding and increase your chances of winning, but you still have to do your homework.
As is the case with any gambling, you should always focus on the entertainment it brings you rather than looking to make a living out of it. More importantly, make sure to establish a betting budget and stick to it.
After you have established your bankroll, you can see which betting system better matches your strategy and tweak it to try and increase your overall results.
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FAQs
How do betting systems work?
Betting systems establish rules that bettors should follow when placing their bets to increase their chances of winning and profits. These systems should complement the bettor’s betting strategy.
What is the 1-3-2-6 betting system?
The 1-3-2-6 betting system requires bettors to place bets of specific units per round while they win and return to the original betting unit if they lose. For instance, you bet $10 on the first round and win. You’ll then bet $30 on the second round and win again. For the third round, you bet $20 and lose. According to the betting system, you’ll have to bet $10 for all subsequent games until you win.
Does the Fibonacci betting system work?
The Fibonacci betting system was initially developed for casino games that offer 50-50 odds, such as betting on red or black at roulette. Nevertheless, you can apply this system to specific betting markets that provide odds of roughly 50%, to increase your chances of winning.
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