Whether you are a professional sports bettor who uses the sports market as an investment, or a recreational player who enjoys having some action now and then, the one thing that nobody can stop you from doing is getting an edge and yet throughout my years in this industry, it never ceases to amaze me just how many people are actually willing to wager their money without even trying to put that edge to work for them.

Believe me, I have been around sports bettors my entire life and I have seen so many come to the conclusion that you just can't beat the books, simply because they couldn't. Other than lack of money management, I am convinced that the #1 downfall for the majority of unsuccessful bettors is preparation. Everyone wants to win, and we all want to win money rather than lose it...but lets be honest for a moment...how many bettors can actually say prior to making a wager that they have done everything in their power to try and determine the outcome of a game?

I learned early on that this business is simply a "Numbers Game" and the only thing that matters is beating that number and with that education came the realization that the only way that I can make that happen, and happen consistantly enough was by working harder than the man whose number it actually is. I had it explained to me that the oddsmaker is just a human being, with emotions and opinions, and most importantly habits. And because he is human, the only edge that he can possibly have on me is experience, and as long as I am willing to gain that experience...then when it finally was my turn to call the shots, and pick the games...the only thing that stood between his line being too strong, or soft enough for me to make a living...was preparation.

You can be sure that there was a lot of preparation behind each point-spread on the board and that the sportsbook is banking that you are willing to make your wagers without being prepared. They know that some of the times you will come in "prepared"...meaning you tracked the line moves, found out what the sharps are doing, applied your capping methods, and finally come up with reasoning that actually makes perfect sense....and in those instances, the book has no choice but to pay you your winnings because you put the "work" in and came prepared. This is by far one of the most time consuming professions/investments that you can make. It requires so much dedication to improvement that if you are preparing correctly, you are always gaining in knowledge and experience with each wager.

In closing, the one point that I really would like to stress...and I hope that you are willing to follow....If you know deep down that you are not 100% prepared, and I do mean 100%....never, step up and make a wager. That has always been the 1 rule which I have never broken since I decided to make wagering on sports my only means for providing, and I know that it has served me better than probably any other. The main reason for that is because by knowing precisely the reasons I am making a wager, and being able to identify the exact edge that I perceive to have...I am then in such a better position, win or lose, to actually gain experience and knowledge from the outcome. Don't get me wrong, every famous/successful sports bettor that I have ever met also has what we call "feel", which is something that you need to be great....but that alone has never been enough. So don't ever give away your edge, and always make sure that before you make your bet, that you are totally prepared. You can be certain that the oddsmaker was.