What Is A Sharp Bettor?

A sharp bettor is a person or group of people that use sports betting as a professional, money-making endeavor. Sports betting sharps are not betting for recreational purposes or to enhance the entertainment level while watching an event. Instead, they are in it to try and beat the sportsbooks for a profit.

The sharp bettor label tends to come out when someone wins around 55% of their bets placed, as no one really approaches 65% or even 70%.

People may see that sharp bettors are bettors that win more than 55% of their bets placed, but those parameters are not something official, or qualifies any one person over another.

Bettors who hold this sort of win percentage over time usually receive the label from sportsbook operators.

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Sports Betting Sharps – What Is The Behavior Of A Sharp Bettor?

Sharp bettors tend to focus on betting on undervalued or mispriced lines, and often use advanced statistical analysis and modeling to make informed decisions about where to place their bets.

In addition, sharp bettors are often very selective in the bets they place, focusing on a small number of well-researched bets rather than spreading their money out thinly across many bets. Behaviorally, sharp bettors tend to be disciplined and careful in their betting habits, avoiding the temptation to chase losses or bet impulsively.

They often have strict money management strategies in place to help ensure that they can weather the ups and downs of the sports betting world and come out ahead in the long run.

Example Of Sharp Bettor Behavior

In this example, let's start with the New York Jets opening as a -5.5-point favorite early in the week against the Miami Dolphins.

The first run of behavior that any sportsbook operator may see is sharp bettors acting as soon as the line becomes available. This first rush of money for a particular matchup makes the sportsbook react one way or the other.

After the first wave of sharp bettor money, throughout the week more casual customers begin to place their wagers with a little less strategy and foresight. This is the time the favorite in the matchup racks up public money, where the sportsbook operators may react for a second time.

Next Come in the Sharp Bettors Again

The counter-reaction from sports betting sharps would be to buy back against whatever side the public is putting money into. As it stands, the first move is made by sharp sports betting folks, second by public customers, followed by another round of sharp bettor action.

For the example posted above, let's say the Jets opened as a -5.5-point favorite, the first wave of sharp bettor action moved the line to Jets -7. The public sees a big favorite and piles on, turning the -7 spread into a -7.5 spread or possibly even -8 spread in the favor of the Jets.

Sharps Strike Again – And Receive Value on Each Side of a Bet

Hours before kickoff when public money comes in the most, sharp bettors have another opportunity to go against public sentiment and an even higher number. Sports betting sharps now place their action on the Dolphins at +8 or +7.5. The final count for sharp bettors is holding early line value for Jets -5.5 or -6 when the final line lands on -8 in addition to backing the underdog as high as +8 or +7.5.

They received the value on each side. The ultimate scenario would be for the result of the game to land somewhere between 6 or 7 where sharp bettors either win both sides of their bets or win one side of their bets with other bets pushing, which also would result in a net win.

You Can Bet Like Sports Betting Sharps Too – Discipline is Key

This is wagering like a sharp bettor. Although the average customers bet size may not compare, the average customer can wager like a sharp if they follow certain practices.

The difficult part for the average customer is not being bothered by the models and tools used by sharp bettors to follow along with the shifting of a line like in the example above.

If an average customer is not sports betting as a full-time hobby or trying to make a profit, missing a number throughout the week can throw off the process.

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Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?

  • Latest Betting Odds and Public Action: Vegas lines updated in real time, including who the public is betting on.
  • Last-Minute Handicapping Advice: Check out our extensive library of handicapping tips and advice from professional Vegas handicappers (we also recommend taking the time to look over our sports betting tips video library)
  • Want an expert opinion? Check out the latest Free Sports Picks and Best Bets from our team of expert sports handicappers.

Make sure to bookmark all the above!