Sports betting can be challenging enough for the punter at the best of times. With the odds inevitably stacked in favour of the sportsbook, unless the bettor is confident of the knowledge or information at hand then he or she certainly stands to lose, if not necessarily this time around then certainly over the long term.
As well as having the reassurance of a balanced book fortified with its own house edge on every available line, the book also has the advantage of being able to call on the skills of its own handicapper.
The handicapper is the expert tasked with assessing all the data and info available on any particular option with a view to deciding upon the correct price. In doing so every factor is analysed and studied to the minutest detail. The handicapper, or “capper” as they say in the States, will have expert knowledge of the individual or team involved, of the rules of the sport and of the strategies used, of previous encounters between the parties, of any injuries or absences, even of the anticipated weather and its likely effect on the outcome.
If a player is disgruntled or demoralised the sports capper will factor this directly into the equation. If the team has an important match to play in a few days the temptation it will feel to take its foot off the gas and save its best for the big occasion will no doubt be taken into account too.
So in the face of all this the person placing the bet needs a bit of help of his own. Whilst he may have some knowledge of the factors involved, it is unlikely he would have either the expertise or the time to have weighed up in correct proportion all the pertinent and often conflicting factors that come together to set the price he is about to accept.
What he needs therefore is the services of a sports handicapper who is on his side. Someone who understands, just as the sportsbook understands, what the real odds are and who will be able to identify any weaknesses in its analysis which might have led it to offer an unintentionally generous price.
Fortunately for the determined betting enthusiast not all handicappers are on the payroll of the bookies. There are also a significant number of sports cappers who ply their trade by offering their knowledge and specific gambling picks to punters.
Naturally they come in a whole range of abilities, from the successful to the utterly pretentious. It is always advisable to study the form of the handicapper with the same gusto that one might study the form of a horse. Who is involved and what is their track record? Do they have a background in the sports in which they offer their advice? Do they offer free advice on sports picks by which their progress might be judged before a commitment is entered into?
It can be profitable using the services of a handicapper who knows the score and who can turn the house advantage into customer advantage. My tip is to shop around.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/basketball-articles/some-tips-on-selecting-the-right-sports-cappers-4481187.html
Author: Mark Richards
Mark Richards is a professional writer working for The Middle Man, a web-based business promotion agency. He also publishes A Blog About SEO.
