You may already know someone bragging that they picked 9 out of ten NFL games last week or managed to take a three-way parlay to the bank or engineered wins in both the daily double and trifecta at the track. Wow, what a great day that gambler had! Quite simply, ask them how they did the rest of the year.

The fact is that anyone can hit on a bet every once in a while, but in sports betting, where the top pros are right 60 to 65% of the time, it takes more than one day of luck to turn a true profit. Sports betting may not be a science, but it’s a discipline and it does involve research, analysis and skill. If you want to be a successful sports bettor, here are five tips that will start you and keep you on the correct track.

Successful handicappers are experts in a couple of sports. Foremost, do not bet soccer or the horses should you not follow soccer or even the horses. You must know the guidelines, strategies, players, coaches, trainers, venues as well as more of the sport on which you are going to wager. That implies reading previews, keeping abreast of daily developments and engaging in detailed analysis. You should always be open to learning something new and taking your understanding to another level. Become an expert and then a guru.

If you really want to make money on a weekly basis, in which case you have to treat sports betting like it’s really a business. Why? Because it is a business. Sports betting is not about hunches, it’s about weighing evidence, that includes stats, injuries, depth analysis and much more. Keep files on teams, your wagers, your successes and failures and analyze your effort. In case you are constantly losing, it is important to figure out why. If you don’t, you run the risk of going broke, going nuts or going to jail. Sports betting is a business and should be treated as such.

It is very crucial that you track just about every wager, including the amount you bet, how much you won or lost as well as your resulting balance. Be cautious in deciding the amount you’re going bet. Should you have a $500 bankroll and you’re making $50 wagers, that grubstake will be eaten up quickly. Make small wagers and if you win, then loosen up the bankroll a bit. But don’t go overboard and don’t start making desperation wagers as a way to make up for Tagoremch noted losses.

By crazy bets, I mean the following-exotics including parlays, futures, mixed parlays and various props. In the event the odds are long, then you should stay away from them. Concentrate on making single wagers on specific games in one sport. Moneyline, point spread and over/under wagers are generally sensible and winnable. You won’t make a killing on any one of these wagers, but when gambling on sports, they’re your very best bet. If you make some solid cash then designate 5 to 10% of your winnings (not your bankroll) for long shot wagers.

Say this as if it were a prayer, it could save your gambling life. Never bet when you are desperate, drunk, high on drugs, depressed, tired, angry, stressed or under-informed. Never do that. Never.

If as a sports bettor you’re looking to have a few laughs and drop some money on a game or two, then do so. Have a ball. You might win a couple of bucks and after that lose a couple of or lose much more. But do not anticipate to earn consistent cash from your efforts. To be able to do that, it’s important to be a true student of the game and an astute businessman, managing your money, making sensible decisions and keeping your emotions in check.