Free Online Article Directory. For Article Authors & Publishers
An Introduction To NFL Preseason Handicapping
Betting preseason NFL games never fails to elicit an irreconcilable difference of opinion among sports betting enthusiasts. Some consider it a very poor wagering opportunity, while others maintain that there's no better moneymaking opportunity in sports than pro football's preseason. The truth is probably somewhere between the two extremes--NFL preseason betting must be approached with caution and discipline, but offers the potential to make a tidy profit before the regular season kicks off.
The opponent of preseason wagering would suggest that its a bad wagering opportunity by its very nature alone--simply stated, the games don't count meaning that the motivation and focus of individual teams is always in question. It's hard enough to identify teams that are in a desirable 'spot' during the regular season, the often conflicting agendas of personnel evaluation, playbook testing, and injury prevention found in the preseason makes it impossible. All told, this uncertainty makes it very undesirable to get financially involved with preseason NFL games.
But like the old saying goes "every dark cloud has a silver lining". And the divergent agendas at play in preseason football can be seen as precisely why it is a good wagering opportunity. For example, say the Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers are set to play an 'also ran' team like the Houston Texans. By regular season standards, the Steelers would almost certainly be favored. In the preseason, however, they'll often have a different agenda for the individual game. A "better" team has more concern about protecting key players. and usually has fewer personnel decisions to deal with. They don't need to worry about implementing coaching changes, or creating 'team chemistry'. As a result, 'better' teams frequently approach preseason games as a mere annoyance.
On the other hand, consider the 'lesser' team in a preseason matchup. They often have a number of key starting positions they need to fill, along with backup positions up for grabs. They may have new coaching staffs that players want to impress, new offensive or defensive schemes to implement. Most significantly, 'lesser' teams often view the preseason as an opportunity to build team chemistry or create a winning attitude. A team trying to rebuild can benefit from winning *any* games, regardless of whether or not they count in the standings. For a league doormat, a win over an elite level opponent can serve as a rare highlight of a losing season.
Even teams that put a low priority on preseason games don't want to lose them all. For this reason, a longterm winning situation has been to bet on teams that lose their first two preseason games outright. Over the past twenty years, 0-2 teams in this spot have produced a winning percentage right around 60%.
Perhaps nothing determines a team's approach to the preseason more than the philosophy of the head coach. Some coaches simply hate to lose anytime they line 'em up to play football, and as a result their teams are usually good preseason bets. Bill Parcells was famous for the preseason focus of his teams. Not surprisingly, many who worked with Parcells earlier in their careers are now carving out their own records of preseason success. This sort of dominance isn't lost on the linesmaker and a coach like the Giants' Tom Coughlin (a former Parcells assistant) will have his ATS success will definitely been factored into the pointspread. Still, a motivated team that wants to win is always worthy of consideration.
One of the best tools that a handicapper has at his disposal during the preseason is the Internet. Actually, it's a great tool year round but during the preseason it is invaluable. The best source of information on coaching philosophies, game plans, injuries, lineup changes, etc, are the local sports pages of NFL teams. Basically, the situation during preseason is that there is a lot of interest in the team and a lot of anxious beat writers looking to write stories. The problem is that there is little in the way of real news, and for that reason you'll find the sort of minutiae on teams and players from which you can often extract relevant handicapping information. Even if there aren't any nuggets of handicapping gold, you can at least get a feel for the coach's goals for the game and the amount of playing time that key players will see. Sometimes coaches will come right out and say who will play at what juncture of the game, and will occasionally go on record that personnel decisions like evaluating all of the guys they're considering for the backup defensive secondary jobs are more important than winning. Clearly, operating with this knowledge is a distinct advantage and operating without it can be fatal. There's nothing more frustrating than betting on a team only to have them look like they could care less whether or not they win the game. During the preseason, however, it can frequently be prevented with some simple research and analysis.
In closing, the best advice is to not be afraid of wagering on preseason football, but to not get too excited about it either. It's a good chance to grind out a small profit, but definitely not the moneymaking opportunity of a lifetime. There will be plenty of other"and better"football wagering opportunities down the road. Discipline and self-control is always in your best interest when betting on sports, and that certainly is the case in the preseason NFL.
Author Resource:-
Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer specializing in travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.
If you have a business occasion under consideration you most likely know that you will need a locale tailored for offering you the best choices to give your participants a great time. The wonder of Las Vegas is that it can also be a destination where couples and even families can have a great time together. This city has a lot to offer you nowadays, so let's have a glance at just what the glittering gem of the American desert is providing.
In addition to regular bingo games, slots are becoming a popular added-extra on bingo sites, with new titles popping up on a regular basis. Many players have found slots to be a perfect way to fill in the time between bingo games. But just as there is a wealth of sites to choose from, there is also a wide range slots that will appeal to different types of players. So where do you start off?
Have you ever visited on-line gaming sites and looked around the poker bonuses and wondered if the presents have been also beneficial to become legitimate? Individuals that have can come to feel moderately assured in their skepticism. No one likes to fall to get a deal that's just as well good to become genuine. With poker bonuses, you need not be as well regarded as with all the legitimacy of your bonus offered you're exploring bonuses presented by excessive good quality online gaming venues. Such venues understand there is really somewhat of competition available. For this reason they're going to offer you poker bonuses as a way to draw in individuals which can be seeking a spot to attempt their luck with on the internet poker.
Although the game is still pretty much the same, the poker playing experience has evolved significantly over time, especially along with the advent of the internet and the emergence of so many poker-playing dedicated portals
The sport betting industry has evolved a lot lately, and the way things are going at present, it will very likely continue to progress and expand into the market for many years to come
Standing out as the biggest and most important NFL clash of the year, the Super Bowl is that kind of event that always takes the spotlight and draws keen interest from millions of football fans from all over the world
When you’re ready to place a bet on a match, there’s no better way than using the AFL betting web page with the top odds and tips available, to make your wager.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlelisted.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Ross Everett's Author Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 