How to Make Money Sports Betting: Pro Tips

Sports betting is something that can be a very enjoyable pastime and simultaneously can generate profits for one-if strategised appropriately.

While most people actually lose in the long run, those few who know their games, keep their discipline, and apply appropriate methods are bound to make a profit.

If you have ever wondered how to make money through sports betting, then this article is for you.

We’ll present proven strategies and tips to give you the best shot at success, from leveraging expert advice to finding niche opportunities.

 

Can You Really Make Money Betting on Sports?

It’s a question many people ask: Is it truly possible to make money betting on sports?

The short answer is yes, but let’s be clear—it’s far from easy.

While the majority of bettors—around 98%—end up losing money over time, there’s a small group of professionals who consistently beat the odds and turn a profit.

Take Tony Bloom, for example. Known as “The Lizard,” Bloom is one of the most famous sports bettors in the world.

He’s made millions from his betting activities, but not by relying on luck or hunches. Instead, he uses a highly strategic, data-driven approach that sets him apart.

Another notable figure is professional bettor Tony Ansell, who reportedly made £750,000 through betting on Scottish football.

Ansell’s success stems from his deep knowledge of the sport, which he leverages through meticulous analysis of statistics and insider information from players.

 

What Separates Professional Sports Bettors from the Rest?

So, what makes professionals like Tony Bloom and Tony Ansell so successful, while the vast majority of bettors lose money?

1. A Data-Driven Approach
   Successful sports bettors treat betting like a business. They analyse detailed statistics, build complex models, and use tools to find value in the markets. Luck has little to do with it—everything is about the numbers.
2. Discipline and Emotional Control
   The pros stick rigidly to their strategies, whether they’re winning or losing. They don’t chase losses, and they don’t let a good run tempt them into overconfidence. Emotional decisions are one of the quickest ways to lose money, and professional bettors understand this better than anyone.
3. A Long-Term Perspective
   Professional sports bettors know that success doesn’t happen overnight. They focus on sustainable, long-term profits rather than chasing quick wins. Losing streaks are inevitable, but the pros don’t let them derail their overall strategy.
4. Specialised Knowledge
   Pros often concentrate on specific sports, leagues, or markets where they have a clear edge. Tony Ansell, for example, honed his expertise in Scottish football, allowing him to spot opportunities that others might overlook. This kind of specialisation helps uncover value bets—the cornerstone of profitable betting.

The Bottom Line

Yes, it’s possible to make money betting on sports, but it requires a disciplined, methodical approach.

Successful bettors focus on finding value bets—where the odds offered by bookmakers are greater than the true probability of the event happening.

In essence, making money from sports betting isn’t about passion for the game; it’s about precision, patience, and strategy.

Next, let’s explore some of the strategies you can use to gain that crucial edge in the markets.

 

Strategies to Make Money from Sports Betting 

Now we explore the top five proven approaches to making money from betting on sports. These are the kind of strategies that professionals use on a daily basis.  

These are strategies designed to find an advantage in the market by taking a different approach from what the majority of bettors are doing.

 

1. Use a Top Tipster

A good way to improve your betting performance is through professional tipsters.

Tipsters delve into the data, form, and trends in order to weed out high-value betting opportunities and save time and effort for you.

Why Use a Tipster?

While this may work from time to time, usually gut feeling or personal bias are not long-term strategies.

Professional tipsters do lots of research and apply knowledge in their pursuit of value bets, which are bets where odds offered by bookmakers are higher than the actual probability of such an outcome happening.

How to Choose a Reliable Tipster

Not all tipsters are equal, and many make huge claims that simply do not stack up when examined.

To recognise a quality service, look for:

• Transparent records: The tipster must have a well-documented history of results, including profit, strike rate, and ROI.
• Consistency: A good tipster will show steady profits over a decent length period, such as 6–12 months or more.
• Independent reviews: Use trusted websites like Honest Betting Reviews to verify the credibility of a tipster.
  

Top Tipsters to Consider

Here are three top quality sports tipsters we have discovered through our research:

• Trade On Sports – a comprehensive tipping and trading platform managed by a team of professional gamblers and traders. The service covers a range of sports, including US sports, football, and tennis. During our live trial, their picks delivered impressive profits. with the football picks making 51 points, tennis 85 points profit and US sports over 105 points profit. Overall Trade On Sports is a high-quality service well worth exploring.
• The Golf Insider – top-performing tipster with an exceptional track record spanning over seven years. The Golf Insider has made over 2,000 points profit since launching in 2014. That’s £20,000 profit at £10 stakes per point, at a 30% ROI. During our live trial, The Golf Insider delivered standout winners at 150/1 and 50/1, finishing with 406 points profit. A standout choice for serious bettors and easily ranks among the best sports tipsters.
• Lucrative MMA Betting – a leading service for UFC betting, run by expert tipster James Blissett. In our review, the service achieved 159 points profit with a 44% strike rate, and over the long term, it has surpassed 400 points profit with an excellent ROI. Lucrative MMA subscribers receive expert UFC picks and educational content that explains the reasoning behind each bet.

So whether it’s a football tipster, golf tipster or any other kind of sports tipster, having an experienced professional on your side can massively increase your chances of beating the bookies. 

 

2. Do Matched Betting

Matched betting stands as one of the most effective ways to earn money while sports betting, especially for a beginner.

It involves exploiting bookmaker promotions, such as free bets and bonuses, in a low-risk manner.

How Does Matched Betting Work?

• Create an account at a bookmaker who is offering a free bet or promotion.
• Place a qualifying bet to get hold of an offer.
• Use a betting exchange (like Betfair) to lay the same bet.
• Use the free bet to place another bet and lay it on the exchange, locking in a profit regardless of the result. 

Using a matched betting service like Profit Maximiser gives you access to the top offers and teaches you how to make the most of them.

In our own trial, we earned over £2,000 in just three months using Profit Maximiser.

For those serious about profiting from football betting, matched betting is a highly effective method.

However, it’s worth noting that this approach is only viable in countries where free bets are permitted, such as the UK and Ireland.

Why Matched Betting Works

Promotions are given out by bookmakers to encourage new customers. With matched betting, you will be able to utilise these promotions without gambling on anything. 

Although promotions may become more sparse over time, you could still make hundreds or even thousands of pounds when you begin if you are able to do all the offers available correctly.

 

3. Find Value Bets 

Value betting is the foundation of professional sports betting. It’s simple: bet when the bookmaker’s odds suggest the event is less likely than it actually is.

What is Value Betting?

Imagine flipping a coin. The odds of heads or tails are 50/50 so fair odds would be 2.0 (evens).

If someone offered you odds of 2.50 for heads, that’s a value bet because the implied probability (40%) is lower than the actual chance (50%).

How to Find Value Bets

Manually finding value bets can be hard but tools like WinnerOdds make it easier.

These platforms scan the betting markets to show you where the odds are out of sync, so you can spot the opportunities.

Why Value Betting Works

Bookmakers sometimes make mistakes when setting the odds, especially for niche sports or less popular markets.

Value betting exploits those mistakes and over time, consistent value bets can make big money.

 

4. Trade the Betfair Markets

Betfair is a betting exchange where you can back an outcome and also lay it, effectively being the bookmaker.

Trading on Betfair means buying and selling bets during a match to lock in profits regardless of the outcome.

How Betfair Trading Works

1. Back and Lay: Back an outcome at higher odds and lay it at lower odds for a guaranteed profit.
2. In-Play Trading: Monitor live events and buy and sell bets as the odds change.
3. Arbitrage Opportunities: Find where the odds on Betfair are significantly different from bookmakers and make risk free profits.

Trading Strategies

• Scalping: Making small, fast trades to make tiny profits over and over. You can learn how to scalp the markets with a package like Betfair Scalper. 
• Swing Trading: Exploiting big odds changes for bigger profits.

Betfair trading requires discipline, knowledge of the markets and speed but can be very profitable if you put in the work.

 

5. Focus on a Niche Sport

Many bettors focus on popular sports like football or tennis where the competition is fierce and the bookmakers’ odds are sharp.

Instead focus on a niche sport like boxing, snooker or darts.

Why Niche Sports?

• Less Competition: Fewer bettors means less sharp odds, more value bets.
• Better Expertise: By focusing on one sport you have an edge over the bookmakers and casual punters.
• Insider Knowledge: Smaller sports have fewer variables so it’s easier to predict with research and data analysis.

Example: Betting on Snooker

Snooker is a sport where form and head to head records play a big part. By studying player habits you can find markets like frame betting or outright winners with more accuracy. 

Finding an edge in niche markets in less popular sports can be a good way of getting ahead of other punters and the bookies. 

 

Bankroll Management Strategies

Your bankroll is the foundation of your betting and managing it well can be the difference between long term success and quick losses.

Setting a Realistic Starting Bankroll
Start with a bankroll you can afford to lose. Your starting amount should be an amount you can live without stress.

The goal is to build a sustainable betting fund over time.

Determining Optimal Bet Sizing with the Kelly Criterion
One of the most popular methods for bet sizing is the Kelly Criterion, a formula that helps you determine the optimal bet size based on your bankroll and edge.

The Kelly Criterion Calculator can be useful here, balancing risk and reward while preserving your bankroll long term.

Risk Management with Unit Based Betting Systems
Using a betting unit system where each bet is a fixed percentage of your bankroll can help you control risk.

For example betting 1-2% of your bankroll per bet means no single loss can destroy your bankroll.

Creating a Withdrawal Strategy
Winning is great but pulling out too much too soon can hurt bankroll growth.

A sustainable withdrawal strategy is to reinvest a portion of your profits back into your bankroll to increase your betting power while enjoying your winnings.

Record Keeping and Performance Tracking
Keeping a sports betting bankroll tracker can give you an overview of your performance over time.

Detailed records will help you see trends, strengths and areas to improve and build a solid foundation for growth.

 

Final Tips to Make Money Sports Betting

Making money from sports betting takes patience, discipline, and a smart approach. To wrap things up, here are some final pointers to help you succeed.

1. Be Disciplined

Don’t bet emotionally or chase losses. Stick to your strategy and focus on long term profit.

2. Keep a Record

Record every bet you make, including stake, odds, outcome and profit/loss. This will help you to analyse your performance and see where you can improve.

3. Learn Continuously

The sports betting landscape changes so stay up to date with new tools, strategies and market trends.

 

Conclusion

Profitable sports betting is hard but rewarding when done with a strategy and discipline.

By mastering bankroll management, using data driven strategies and specialisation you can have an edge.

Keep learning, adapt to market changes and bet long term. Follow these principles and you’ll increase your chances of making money sports betting.