6 Best Sport Betting Books

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Betting on sports is one of the highest risk and most exciting ways for fans to get involved in the games, but what if we could find some tips and tricks to lower the risk and raise the excitement? These books are trying to do just that. For any fans trying to learn more about betting, this is our list of books to check out.

How We Chose the Best Sport Betting Books?

We chose books based on a few criteria. One of the most important criteria is relevancy. These books either have timeless information that will help any general bet, or they deal with modern formats and information. Additionally, once we weeded out the old books, we selected books with high review scores across purchasing platforms. Finally, it is important that all of these books are written to be informational, and provide help to prospective betters.

What are the best sport betting books?

Based on the criteria that we set, the best sports betting books are the ones that have the most helpful, relevant information. They are books that have information that can improve betting experiences and cause betters to gain confidence in the process, so much so that the books are supported by the bettors that use them and their teaching as well.

#1 The Everything Guide to Sports Betting

The Everything Guide to Sports Betting by Josh Applebaum is a guide to betting on most major American sports, such as football and basketball on both the pro and collegiate levels. It was released in 2019 and has information still relevant almost five years later. With main tips that air on the conservative side of betting, Applebaum’s goal is to allow every bettor to get themselves into a position to win and keep playing. With this book, you will not get rich quickly, but you can certainly bolster your odds of winning. For those with little to no experience, this is a solid starting spot.

Goodreads Rating

#2 The Logic of Sports Betting

The Logic of Sports Betting by Ed Miller and Matthew Davidow is another 2019 release that aims to help betters across different sports and focuses on how betting works and how tactics the house may use to ensure that they always come out on top. With solid reviews, the book is also bolstered by the expertise of the authors. Ed Miller is a professional poker player and gambler and has multiple books published on the topics. Given the breadth of work by the two authors, it is a given that this book has some quality material in it. It has some of the beginner material necessary for new bettors to get up to pace, but also does not linger too long on beginner topics. The Logic of Sports Betting can help bettors hone and refine their skills.

Goodreads Rating

#3 Mathletics: How Gamblers, Managers, and Fans Use Mathematics in Sports, Second Edition

Mathletics is a novel devoted more to player evaluation and statistics that will help amateur sports fans understand sports, athlete performance, and metrics used by ownership and coaching staff more than helping them win bets, but there is a catch. A small portion of this book uses some of the analytics that are explained to show how to properly analyze player props and performance bets. That framework of analytics over everything is what makes this book useful.  Because of said focus on stats and player evaluation, this book is more suited to experienced bettors, those who have bet before and are looking to gain as much information as possible to give them an edge. Especially those who may be creative in using the information they learn.

Goodreads Rating

#4 The Complete Guide to Sports Betting

The Complete Guide to Sports Betting by Kevin Dolan is one of the oldest books on our list but due to the comprehensive knowledge, much of what Dolan teaches is still relevant today. Much of what is in the book is beginner’s knowledge though.  To experienced bettors, some of the content may feel like common sense, but they feel so common because they are so important. For new bettors this information can be essential to making money early. Anybody can read this book, but unpracticed bettors will gain the most.

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#5 Conquering Risk: Attacking Wall Street and Vegas

Conquering Risk is both the title and the mission statement of this book by Elihu Feustel and Greg Howard. Betting is all about beating the odds and making as much smart money as possible. The authors are working to help readers understand the risks associated with betting and how to overcome them at every turn.  This book is especially helpful for any bettors looking to increase their odds at winning when betting on the NFL, MLB, NCAA Football, or the WNBA, as all of those leagues have models

Goodreads Rating

#6 Sharp Sports Betting

Sharp Sports Betting should be considered a primer for brand new bettors. It details common good betting practices to protect yourself as the bettor and your assets. Stanford Wong spells out the essential knowledge for anyone to be able to log in and start betting.  Aside from the basics, Sharp Sports Betting details two other useful tools for us as bettors. The first is identifying this term of “sharp bets”. It is exactly what it sounds like, bets that are a cut above the rest, the ones we want to place. The other skill is risk assessment and how to overcome risks and stay confident while betting.

Goodreads Rating

Sports Betting Book FAQs

What is the most profitable sports betting strategy?

While no bet is every 100% safe, hedging bets is always a solid strategy. It allows you to place safe, separate bets from those that are risky to almost ensure that you will still receive some money back on bets. 

Can you make a living betting on sports?

While some people have been able to do so in the past, sports betting is not guaranteed nor is it completely safe so bettors should always be prepared to need to gain income from another source for their own protection. 

How much do sharp bettors bet?

The number of bets varies from bettor to bettor but to be considered a sharp bettor, you need to be winning over 55% of bets placed. This is a difficult and high mark to achieve.

What is the smartest way to bet?

There is no one way to bet but some tips from professionals include focusing on a small market, such as one team, and gaining as much information about the operation of the bookers and the league that you are betting on.