Top Betting Strategy Guide

By Daniel Bennett on
As long as sports betting has existed, punters have dedicated countless hours searching for the upper hand to beat the bookies. Whether it comes in the form of expert football betting tips or a betting system, we’d all love to have a reliable betting strategy that wins every time. But does the perfect strategy exist? Let’s find out, as we take a closer look at the most popular betting strategies and assess the merits of each.

Sports Betting Strategies

There are many systems that have been adopted by punters over the years. Whilst we also have dedicated guide pages to matched betting and the labouchere system, on this page we’ve narrowed these down to the four most popular betting systems. Let’s take a closer look at each in turn.

Betting Systems:

Fixed wager

This is as simple as it gets when it comes to betting systems. You keep the amount you wager each time exactly the same regardless of whether you won or lost your previous bet and regardless of your account balance. The benefit of this method is that it doesn’t allow you to get carried away and increase your wagers once you’ve landed a winner.

Martingale

This is a classic roulette betting strategy which has found a home in sports betting. Martingale works by doubling up the amount you wager after a losing bet. In theory, the system sounds superb, but it can be a very risky strategy to employ. There’s no guarantee that one of your bets will win eventually, and you could end up chasing your losses and losing a whole lot of money.

Fibonacci

This staking method is based on the Fibonacci sequence of numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34…) where the two previous numbers are equal to the next number is the sequence. Using this method the bettor needs to select an initial betting unit. The system instructs you to move forward in the sequence once if you lose, and back two steps if you win. It’s less risky than the Martingale system, as the wager amounts don’t increase so rapidly, but like any betting system – it’s not foolproof. 

Proportional betting

Experienced sports bettors tend to favour proportional betting. The basic concept is to bet a certain percentage of your bankroll, for example 10%. If you win, the system requires you to increase the amount you wager on your next bet, to benefit from a ‘hot streak’. When you lose, your wager size decreases for your next bet in order to soften the blow to your account balance when you’re on a ‘cold streak’. The general idea here is to limit losses and enhance gains. When it comes to increasing and decreasing your stakes, we’d recommend you do this evenly to avoid any potential huge losses.

Our Verdict

There’s no strategy or system which can guarantee you wins. Whichever method you use, you’ll experience good runs and bad runs. This is part and parcel of sports betting. While these betting systems may seem useful, they do not increase your chances of winning at all. They are simply guides to managing your bankroll.

Unlike casino games such as roulette and craps, sports betting is not solely based on luck. The success of your bets can largely depend on the effort you put into doing your research. In theory, the more knowledge you have of a particular sport, team or player, the better your chances of landing a winner. If you’re a newcomer to the sports betting scene, our betting strategy tips are sure to point you in the right direction!

Whether you decide to choose to use a betting system or stick with one of your own, be sure to check out our list of top sportsbook and grab yourself an amazing welcome bonus to kick things off! All you need to do is compare, pick and bet!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are sports betting systems illegal?

No, they’re completely legal. Sports betting systems don’t give you an upper hand, they simply provide you with a pattern to help you create a betting strategy.

Can I get banned for using a sports betting strategy?

It’s highly unlikely that you will be banned for using a sports betting system. Some sports betting sites do have terms in conditions in place to prevent the use of systems that are designed specifically to beat the bookies, it’s open to interpretation whether or not systems like the Martingale and Fibonacci fall under this category.

Are sports betting systems foolproof?

Having a betting strategy is definitely not foolproof. In theory, if you played with an infinite bankroll at a bookie with no maximum bet limit, you’re likely to make a profit using any of the four systems mentioned above. However, in reality, maximum bet limits and deposit limits are in place to prevent players from beating the bookies in this manner.

The people behind this page

Compare.bet's online gambling content experts helped write, edit and check this page:

Daniel is a contributor at Compare.bet. He has half a decade of experience writing on topics including sports betting, online casino and the NBA. Daniel also helped cover Premier League football for Compare.bet news and has interviewed Louis Saha, Richard Dunne and Gary Pallister. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys film photography and making Spotify playlists.