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Wisconsin Football: Sports betting basics

By Tanner Nestle

EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Bagers waits with his team to enter the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 5, 2016 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Bagers waits with his team to enter the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 5, 2016 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Wisconsin Football - Chris Orr
LINCOLN, NE – OCTOBER 07: Linebacker Chris Orr (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

How numbers change

The important thing to remember here is Vegas isn’t making a prediction. What they’re trying to do is bring in even money on both sides of a bet so they don’t get fleeced. And even Vegas isn’t perfect. Sometimes its numbers are far from public perception and a load of money comes in on one side and they have to adjust those numbers. But any bets made before changes will still hold the value present at the time the bet was placed.

For example, if Vegas is very high on Western Kentucky and opens the spread at Wisconsin -21, there would be tons of money coming in on one side of the line. Vegas would react accordingly and move the line in a way to entice the public to wager on the other side. This happens throughout the course of the week until game time. It’s a cat and mouse game that is very difficult to follow.

Expert gamblers with a keen sense of public perception will be able to predict where these lines will shift and place their bets accordingly. If a spread opens and is clearly one-sided in favor or against a bettors thoughts, they will either pounce before the change happens or wait until the change happens to gain extra value in their wager.

Next. Ten reasons why Wisconsin Football is overlooked. dark

If this is something I notice may happen at any point in the season that will affect my own thoughts on a pick I will point it out and explain it at that time.