There are millions of sports fans across the globe who will watch a game and think, “Betting on this game must be so easy!” But betting on sports is not as lucrative as it might seem. Even the most successful “experts” get less than 60% of their bets right, and everyone will endure a few cold streaks along the way. But, with some basic math and a little bit of research, you can improve your odds of making money.

The first thing you must do is set a bankroll. Decide how much you can afford to risk on each bet, and stick to that amount. This is important because more people lose than win when it comes to sports betting, and it’s very easy to blow your entire bankroll in a single bet.

Next, you must do your homework. This can be as simple as researching weather forecasts and staying up-to-date on injury reports. But it’s also a good idea to find multiple sportsbooks that offer different lines on the same game. This can give you an advantage, because each book may be pricing the line differently based on its clientele. This can help you get better prices on certain teams and increase your chances of winning.

Another part of doing your homework is understanding the mathematics of sports betting. You need to know how much of a bet you need to make to break even after accounting for the sportsbook’s juice, or profit margin. A good rule of thumb is to wager at least 52.4% of the games you bet on to break even. This number will vary from sport to sport, and it is generally higher for the more popular events.

You should also understand the basics of point spreads and how they work. These are the numbers that sportsbooks use to handicap teams and make bets more profitable for them. A favorite team gives away points, while an underdog team takes them. Usually, these numbers are displayed in increments of half a point (.5), but some sports have.5 point scoring to avoid the possibility of a tie.

A lot of sports bettors try to beat the books by using statistics and math, rather than following their gut instincts. This can be a great advantage, especially in baseball, where there are so many factors to consider. For example, some teams are just bad at hitting left-handed pitching, while others excel against certain types of opposing lineups. Pro sports bettors keep near-obsessive records of their bets, which can help them identify and test theories like this.

Aside from knowing the math and doing your homework, a key to success in sports betting is being patient and not getting emotionally attached to any one game. You’ll have good days and bad days, but as long as you manage your bankroll properly, you should be able to come out on top in the long run. Good luck!