With any sport it is difficult to predict the future, but baseball with its 162 game, seven-month season offers an especially daunting challenge. The great thing about wagering on futures is you can bet on various teams– fairly sure bets, up-and-comers, and long shots– and in the end either cover or win a substantial amount of money without having risked a lot. This article will focus on two basic topics– strategies for determining on which teams you’re going to bet and basic methods of betting that can, to a degree, protect your wager. In betting futures you’ll want to wager on more than one team and spread your bets amongst favorites, teams that have shown improvement, and clubs that might have that chance “Impossible Dream” year. It’s similar to betting March Madness in that you have a much better chance if you spread your money amongst various teams rather than putting everything on one club.
Before you place even one bet, do your research. Magazines, newspapers and the Internet have a wealth of analytical pieces on each team and how they should fair in the upcoming season. If possible, reviewing some back issues to see how various prognosticators have done in the past is not a bad idea. Looking for trends, such as how many analysts have chosen the Yankees to finish first in their division and to go all the way. If you have a particular expert that you find has been fairly accurate you think that their methodology is sound, that can be extremely helpful.
Read carefully, be especially in considering how the analysis has been done and how detailed it is (the more detailed usually the better), and be sure to incorporate your own knowledge of the game. If an analysis does not of its accuracy– business and management practices, including the team’s budget for player salaries; baseball managerial experience and Minor League system strength. Some more obvious areas that should be covered include key acquisitions, trades and losses; pitching strength and depth; offensive potential and defensive abilities. Team chemistry and other intangibles, overall depth of the team and age/experience of the club are also important to consider.
Feel free to do more detailed research yourself, you certainly it can pay off. If, prior to the NHL season, you had read what everyone said about certainly would have known that they were an improved team. But when you analyzed the trade, looked at how much the Senators had upgraded in terms of speed, scoring, and defense and saw their balance and depth, it became readily apparent that the Senators were the most improved team in the NHL and that they were poised to have a breakout season (which they have thus far). Anyone who says they are a “surprise team” did not do a thorough analysis of the Ottawa Senators.
Baseball, because of its long pre-season, may have more positive hype associated with it than any other sport. Every team seems to have at least one veteran player who’s ready to have a breakout year, a rookie sensation who will make a difference, and a pitcher who can really put the team over the top. Spring training by its very position in the calendar embodies and symbolizes optimism, signaling the end of a long, wet, cold winter and the start of a time that is defined by lazy, pleasantly warm days. Don’t fall for it, especially if you have a favorite team.
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