The world of sports betting is only getting bigger as more and more websites and services offer opportunities for legal betting. From fantasy football, to march madness, to MLB strikeouts, there are plenty of things to bet on in the sports world, all of which have a significant amount of statistics with which betters can research and base their bets. This is where a handicapper comes in. Services like Big Al’s supply the opportunity to purchase, and take advantage of handicappers for sports betting, but how many you use, and why, can pose an important question for many involved—whether deep, or shallow—in the sports betting world.
What is a Handicapper?
A handicapper has little to do with its root word, but before we delve into exactly why you would have one, or multiple handicappers, we must first understand what exactly a handicapper is. A handicapper, in the world of sports betting, is someone who helps pick bets for a person. They do their own research, have their own methodologies, and either consult, or choose bets on behalf of the better. They are typically hired on by the better, and in some cases earn a cut of the profits of their bets. While there is a small bit more depth to nuances of what a handicapper is, these basic pieces of handicapping bets are the essentials to answering the question of whether or not a person should have more than one.
Method or Madness
Every handicapper has a different strategy, and a different history. When a person is choosing a handicapper, the wise way to look is to examine how the handicapper chooses benevolent bets, and what that handicapper’s history is. In addition, which sports the handicapper bets in, and has the most success in is important. These differing methods of betting can help a person find different amounts of success in different places, and during different games throughout their betting attempts. Thus choosing more than one handicap has the potential to provide a number of benefits.
Understanding the System
One space wherein utilizing a handicapper can be highly beneficial is where handicappers utilize point spreads. Point spread bets are incredibly popular in the United States, especially in regards to NFL games. A great way to understand these is to look at underdog teams. Let’s look at this past year’s NFL teams as an example. If the Denver Broncos, an AFC West team were playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an NFC South team, a point spread may be put into affect with a betting service. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who went 13-4 in the 2021 season, vs the Denver Broncos who went 7-10 places an obvious betting advantage on the Buccaneers. So why would anyone bet on the Broncos? A point spread essentially evens the betting game, adding points to the disadvantaged team, and making them a more reputable bet should they win. A good handicapper understands how to take advantage of point spreads, and knows the right games to take advantage of them with.
A Numbers Game
So why would you think about picking multiple handicappers—multiple people to pick different bets, and different positions? Truthfully, there is an aspect of both chance, and an aspect of strategy in the process. A great way to think about this is in relation to stocks and bonds. If you are investing in the stock market, you are essentially betting. You believe that one stock is going to go up, and the value of your share will increase. If you place all of your eggs into the basket of one stock, and that stock fails, you are at a net loss. However, if you diversify your investment portfolio, and you make a number of investments, your wins can outshine your losses.
Utilizing multiple handicappers allows you to do essentially the same thing as diversifying a stock market portfolio. You make a number of bets utilizing different strategies. Different handicappers utilize different strategies. One handicapper may make bets based upon individual players. Another handicapper may make their choices due to past game statistics. Another may utilize team dynamics. Any one of these could succeed or fail any given week, but investing in multiple increases your chances of success.
Do You Need To?
Back to our original question, do you need to utilize more than one handicapper when you bet? As a need, no. However, doing so can highly increase your chances of success. Taking advantage of these different strategies allows you more certainty that you will turn a net profit. When one fails, another may succeed. Additionally, you may learn that certain handicappers succeed more than others, and can better choose which handicappers you use for any given bet.