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2018 Super Bowl Betting and Money Management to Protect Bankroll


by - 1/25/2018

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery

The Super Bowl is unlike any other football game. The stakes are higher. The media attention is dramatically more than other games. Many people watch this game - and bet on it - who don't watch another game all year. Teams have an extra week to prepare and countless distractions to deal with. The truth is that all of these factors and more means that this really isn't a great game to bet on - certainly worse than many others played each year.

Ideally, then, we just wouldn't bet on this game - we'd wait for places where our money was better invested. You can't do that, though. You can't be on the sidelines for the biggest game of the year. Where's the fun in that? Realistically, we will probably bet significantly more on this game than any other even though there is less-than-perfect value to be had here . Given that, it is important that we have the best possible Super Bowl betting money management strategy for this game. Here are four key questions to ask to develop that strategy for yourself:

What do you want to accomplish?: You have to set a goal going into any game, and that is especially true in a game this big. Are you looking to bet just so you have some skin in the game - a reason to enjoy the game more and a chance at bragging rights with your buddies when you win? Or are you looking to make big bets and finish off your season on a strong note? If you are just betting for fun you are going to be willing to bet less, and you are probably justified to take more risks and chase less value. Having a goal helps answer so many other questions as well. Are you looking to find just one bet that offers the most value or are you looking for a wide range of different and interesting bets? How much of a bankroll do you need? How much time do you need to spend handicapping and how detailed does that handicapping need to be? Use your goal to guide you in answering those questions and giving you the best chance of doing what you set out to do.

What are you good at?: There are way, way too many options out there when you are looking to make a bet - sides, totals, alternates sides and totals, and an endless and always growing number and variety of prop bets. To do well when faced with so many options you need to be honest and aware of what you are good at and what you aren't. I can throw well, but I can't dance nearly as well, so I'd choose to play baseball before I tried out for a ballet - and the world would be better off for that decision. Similarly, you need to know what kind of bets you are good at and interested in and what kinds you aren't nearly as profitable when betting. I don't care about totals. I don't like handicapping them, and I find myself far more interested when I watch the game in who wins than how many points they scored. So, as a result it wouldn't be too smart for me to look at the total in the Super Bowl for a good bet - I'm not as good at handicapping them and don't take any pleasure in cheering for them. On the other hand, I have an economics degree and a good mind for math, so breaking down prop bets to figure out the underlying math and what they really mean is right up my alley. You need to know what works for you and what you should therefore bet - and avoid.

How much can you lose?: You have to accept that you can lose any bet you make. Even the best bettors out there lose more than 40 percent of all bets they make. There is no shame in having a losing day - especially on a day as tough as the Super Bowl can be. It is really idiotic, though, to lose money you don't have or can't afford to lose - now or any time. It's goes beyond just making sure you don't wind up broke, too. You need to consider what the rest of your year has looked like. If you have been profitable up to this point then you need to decide whether you are willing to let your profit ride on this game or whether you want to lock some profit in for the year whether you win or lose here.

What looks good?: Once you have comfortably answered the first three questions and you know where you are at then comes the fun part - looking at all the betting options and figuring out where to bet. And when doing that you need to remember one thing - it is always better not to have a bet than to make one that doesn't make sense. When the game is as important as this one it can be easy to rush into a bad bet because you are desperate for action or because other people are talking about a bet. It's your money, though, so you should only bet when it truly works for you.

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