Sports Betting Opening number

When betting your particular sport or game how much attention do you pay to the opening number and what the number has done prior to placing your wager? I think beginning bettors just look at a board and find a game or team they "like" and place a wager. They have no idea what the game opened at and how that number has moved since the opener. Do you also think that information is critical or are you willing to bet a game without that knowledge if you like the team/number as is?

 

I pay a great deal of attention to what the opening line is on sports betting. For example, once the NFC and AFC Championship Games were completed this year, the Seahawks were initially installed as a 2.5 point favorite. That was nearly immediately erased until the point where the Patriots were 2 point favorites. By Super Bowl game time, the Pats were a -1 on the board. With this much of a swing in the action - and with such a slim margin for error by the spread - I didn't place a bet on the game. There are always better options to get a bet in.

As to when I do place a bet, you can be sure that I am getting every piece of information that is available. There's a famous statement..."my favorite team is the one that covers the spread." That's the way you have to approach sports betting, not from any emotional connection.

 

Agree 100% Earl. I was able to get NE +1, which I still thought had value. I never saw 2.5 and in fact after I placed my bet it was only minutes before it dropped again to E. The opener was a shocking number to me. The benefit of repetitively studying opening and closing numbers is that you get really good at spotting value in an opening line. I was able to correctly (in this case) deduce that the line had more Patriot strength left in it. I find I am acting on opened numbers and closing numbers but almost never in between, absent news of course.

 

I use sbrodds.com, a free resource. Any other good info sources?

 

vegasinsider.com

 

Seahawks opened at -3 during halftime of the AFC Championship game, as NE piled on the TD's in the 2nd half the line dropped quickly, an understandable reaction to how good NE looked vs. the Colts coupled with Seattle's close shave vs. GB

 

Vegasinsider.com is good, have also used scoresandodds.com.