Online sports betting has gotten all sorts of attention over the last couple of decades, and unfortunately not just from the right audience. With a whole range of players involved, it can be difficult to figure out top sports handicappers from the ones who would trick you. With these few tips though, you’ll be able to recognize the fraudulent handicapping services and avoid getting trapped in their schemes.
Look Beyond Its Recent Win-Loss Ratios
A sports handicapping service may have had 4 wins out of the last 5 games it made predictions about, but the truth is, that does not prove much about its credibility. This 4:1 ratio is only a reflection of the very current predictions and does not give customers an insight on its usual streak or reliability.
Any handicapping service that constantly has to brag about its current winnings is probably not a trustworthy company in the first place. What really matters in sports handicapping is the long term record a company holds when it comes to that. Look beyond the last 10 games and see what lies behind it. Look at the 10 games before that, and the ones before those! Go even further back and check out its performances in the last couple of years.
Unless a service has a strong and legitimate Win-Loss record over a lengthy period of time (years, not months), you should steer clear of it despite all its claims of fortune-making and success.
Beware of "Game Of The Season" Label
Another sure shot of knowing the sports handicapping service is a fraud is if it begins declaring games early on in the season to be THE game to watch out for.
This is often witnessed in football games, where dishonest services began calling out the "game of the season" as early as September.
When you see this happening, ask yourself: how would a service know that there won’t be a better opportunity to place bets later in the season.
Scammers are aware that bettors have considerably more money early on in the season which is likely to be lost as the games proceed. So, they try to hype the matches being played early so they can take advantage of the bettor’s vulnerability.
Sometimes, fraudulent companies go as far as to promote multiple "Games of the Season." Don’t fall for these dishonest tactics and avoid handicappers who do this.
Watch Out For Pseudonyms
Let’s be honest; a trustworthy and successful handicapper will use its real name instead of outrageous fake ones. While it’s not uncommon for services to use catchy names for marketing purposes, you should still be privy to information about the dealers.
Think of it as any other deal you would make. Would you feel comfortable having an unnamed person give you legal or financial advice? Then why would you trust a service that withholds its real name? Trust your instincts and don’t let the fancy name fool you.
The wise thing to do would be choosing renowned services. We at SPORTSMASTERS have 40 years of experience in private handicapping, and have been constantly honing data and selecting the best possible winning results.
We believe in a safe and consistent style of handicapping that has always yielded positive results.