The best time to place sports bets varies depending on the sport. If you wager on football the way you do on basketball, you are unlikely to see good results.
Each sport should be analyzed and bet differently, especially if you are serious about sports betting in the long run.
In this guide, we’ll help you find the best time to bet on the most popular sports.
You will also learn to take advantage of the best betting lines available for each matchup. Read on to start betting like a pro!
Best Sites To Bet On Sports In 2024
1. As Soon As The Lines Are Released
This tip works perfectly for beginners at football betting, but if you are really into sports betting, you can apply it to other sports.
Opening betting lines for football games are not as sharp right from the start. Professional bettors will see the value and start betting on a number they like, and that money will move the line to the other side.
It’s always a good idea to check the betting lines as soon as they are released. Once you see a number that might be off, you must bet on it because it’s almost certain that it won’t be around as you get closer to game time.
Remember, the sportsbook’s job is to create the sharpest line possible. They don’t care about the final score.
With that in mind, if the sharps or the public hit one side with lots of money, the opening line will eventually move, and you won’t see that number anymore.
If you bet early, you will probably get a better overall number for a specific matchup. So yeah, early lines are a big deal.
2. Betting During The Game
Live betting is one of the few remaining weak spots for the sportsbook. There aren’t many left, but in-game betting definitely gives the player a slight edge.
Oddsmakers usually set up a betting line, and then the market sharps that number, throwing money to one side or the other. We explained it in the tip before.
Well, the oddsmakers don’t have the luxury of time during live-betting events.
Sure, they will still post odds, but that number is never perfect. That’s when savvy bettors take advantage of a wrong number or an overreaction by the sportsbook.
Live betting remains one of the best options to beat the sportsbook. It’s the most vulnerable spot.
3. Betting As Soon As News Hit
Few things move a betting line like a massive injury. A key player listed as questionable could keep the betting line on hold. That number might swing once we find out the player’s definitive status for the game.
Bettors who take the business seriously are constantly waiting for news about injuries on key players. They will jump on a line as soon as the information hits the mainstream media.
Many are faster than the sportsbook and take a good number before the sportsbook can change it.
Following the example of the sharps behaviors, good bettors should jump on a line as soon as they learn about injury news. Often, you can beat the sportsbook by placing a bet before the number moves.
What Is The Best Time To Bet On Popular Sports?
I have previously shared some general tips about timing your bets. But it would be crazy to tackle every sport the same way.
Each sport and league it’s different and complex by its own merits. Good bettors have different times to bet on a specific sport.
Let’s take a look at how you can tackle some of the best sports to bet on.
Best Time To Bet On Football
The best time to bet on football is as soon as the betting lines get released. Most early numbers won’t be the same if you wait until the weekend to bet them.
The early numbers are usually fluky, and you must jump on them before the market iron those numbers.
College Football betting lines are usually available on Sunday mornings. These numbers will usually move faster than NFL markets.
This means you will have a little less time to bet on the opening lines.
What Is the Best Time To Bet On The NFL?
The best way to take advantage is to bet on the NFL as soon as the betting lines are on the board.
NFL betting is a different ball game. The oddsmakers release the opening lines on Sunday night, and right from the get-go, you will see the market move to one side.
Solid gamblers wait for those lines and jump right away before the numbers they consider fluky are gone.
Don’t get me wrong. You can always go back to the odds board during the weekend and bet on your favorite NFL matchup. However, by that time, you will bet sharp lines.
Best Time To Bet On The NBA
The NBA is certainly different from the NFL. For starters, the NBA is a daily league with teams playing on back-to-back nights plenty of times during the season.
Also, the sportsbooks won’t have betting lines available until the morning of the game, so there isn’t enough time to move the line one way or the other.
You can jump on the betting lines early, but you won’t find a considerable difference as you would in the NFL from the opening line to the kick-off time.
What Is The Best Time To Bet On NBA Games?
The best time to bet on the NBA is closer to the tipoff. Because the NBA schedule has 82 games per team, plenty of franchises give their players rest from time to time.
It’s better to place your wager whenever you find out the lineups and the players available for the game. Imagine betting on the Lakers early in the morning, only to find out minutes before the tipoff that LeBron James won’t be suiting up for the game. It’s a bad strategy.
However, this approach is one of many available for the NBA. Since the three-point shots took a more significant value over the last few years, no lead is safe in the league.
This means you should always look for an in-game betting approach. You can find plenty of value by betting comebacks on teams with three-point shooters.
Best Time To Bet On A Horse
The good thing about betting on horses is there are many ways to do so. Yet, the biggest advantage is that you will find odds on most races months before the events take place.
Good bettors monitor betting lines to see the movement and how the numbers behave every week leading to the race.
Here the strategy is about something other than the best time to place the bet. It’s mainly about the analysis of the best horses.
Once you have fewer betting options on who can win the race, you look at the betting line movements. When the odds of a horse you like are better than you expected, that’s when you jump on it.
Best Time To Bet On A Fight
The best time to bet on a fight is a combination of our strategy on the NFL and horses. I know it sounds weird but please bear with me.
First, the idea is to wager on a fight as soon as betting odds hit the board. We learn about the fight schedule two to three months before UFC events and six months or more for Boxing.
It’s a good idea to hit the opening lines considering the numbers might have early value. Naturally, the market will shape the numbers in the next few weeks, which means the earlier, the better.
The other step of the strategy is to monitor the odds movements just like you would in a horse race. Once you see a number at a price you like, you jump on it before it goes away.
So, bet on fights early and watch the market movement daily.
Follow Our Tips And Get An Edge Betting On Sports!
Trying to beat the oddsmakers is the entire ball game when betting on sports. You are wagering on a number, just like when trading stocks.
You can even lose a bet and be at peace because you grab a number you couldn’t refuse. That’s the way to do it.
With that approach, the time you place your bets is essential to be successful at betting. There is no perfect time, so don’t buy the narrative that there is only one way to go.
But the sooner you bet on a number, the better the value. That way, you prevent the market from sharpening the odds before placing your wager.
The last advice is to always pay attention to the in-game betting feature offered by your favorite sportsbook. Remember, the oddsmakers are vulnerable when live betting is available. That’s the best time to bet on sports.
Read Our Review Of The Best Online Offshore Sportsbooks
About the Author
Alonzo Solano
Sports Analyst and Content Writer
Alonzo is a Sports Betting Analyst and casino games enthusiast who has covered Football extensively at SBS, but don’t be surprised if you read him on other sports. He's the host of the NFL Latino TV podcast.
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