In the world of online betting, learning how to find a value bet can give you one of those key marginal gains when it comes to making money. Value betting is finding a bet within a market where the price is bigger either than you believe it should be, or where it is bigger than the average price across other sites. In that way, you are finding better value than your fellow bettors, and are gaining a potential edge on the bookmakers.
What is Value Betting?
Value betting is another of those terms in the online gambling world where it can mean different things to different people depending on the market. Ultimately though, it is about finding a bet within one of the best online sportsbook‘s markets which reflects very good value for money based either on the bettors educated opinion, or on the state of the very same market on other gambling sites. Just like finding a bargain in a store, value betting is finding that which could save or win you that little bit extra.
Looking at an example below on BetOnline’s website, we will see how value betting can be used on any market; it just so happens that on their main sportsbook page, they also offer live betting. On the money line option between the Mets and the Tigers second down, we can see that the Mets, at odds of -152, are the favourites ahead of the Tigers whose odds are +140. However, if you are a fan of baseball and have knowledge that makes you believe the Tigers could upset the odd, it may be a value bet if you were to back them at +140 on the money line.
The value does not pertain to the actual amount you place on the bet. That is still at the bettor’s discretion, though there is sometimes a correlation: if you think you have found good value, but still on an outsider, you may still place a small value bet. On the other hand, if you believe you have found exceptional value on the odds on your selection, then you may place a much more substantial figure on that particular bet.
Value Betting Explained – What is a Value Bet?
In some ways, finding value in betting is through the eye of the beholder. One might find value in a market which the next person thinks is no value at all. The information we use to inform our bets in this respect is completely subjective, so finding value is a very individualistic exercise.
In other ways, value betting is actually incredibly straightforward, though takes some work to be able to do it. Say, for instance, you are looking at a racebook’s odds for a race happening the following day. Pick out one horse which fits your eye, and then monitor its price across a number of other sportsbooks you are signed up for. Whoever has the biggest price available is therefore providing the value bet for you, and you can place your bet on those odds.
Value betting therefore takes two forms: one in which your opinion is the most important, and one in which there is no subjectivity whatsoever. You are simply finding the best odds available by comparison and placing the bet which maximises your potential winnings.
Handy Tip: Value betting can be easier to do on certain types of markets compared to others. Such markets may include futures betting ones, and it is worth checking our guide into those markets too.
How to Find Value in Sports Betting
Finding value in sports betting can feel like an arduous task, especially as it is very rare for there to be great discrepancies between various bookmakers’ odds. Equally, the house is very rarely seen to lose. Nevertheless, it is possible to find value in different ways; either by outsmarting the individual sportsbook who may offer better odds on your value bet, or the market, by knowing or believing something that they may not.
Value Bets vs the Sportsbook
When you find a value bet against an individual sportsbook, that is because they are offering odds about an event occurring which are greater than the odds of rival online gambling sites. As such, you are effectively taking advantage of their generosity, either because they have missed out on some information that the other bookies have not, or simply because they are brave to lay higher odds about that particular outcome. Either way, if that bet then comes in, you will have placed a value bet against them for greater reward.
Below is a table highlighting the value bet in bold when comparing sportsbook odds:
| Sportsbooks for Chiefs to win Super Bowl LVIII | Odds |
| BetUS | +500 |
| BetOnline (value bet) | +650 |
| Bovada | +500 |
Value Bets vs the Market
Value betting against the market is much more of an individual pursuit. This is because you, as the bettor, believe you have found value in a bet due to information you possess about a selection, whether simply by being a fan of a certain sport or otherwise. This is especially prevalent in horse racing, and is effectively what racing tipsters do when advertising bets to their followers, as they believe they have found a horse whose price does not reflect their overall chance of winning.
Let’s say you think the Buffalo Bills should be the favorites to win the Super Bowl next year, but the bookmakers disagree. They would therefore be a value bet in the table below, as they are only third favorites in the market.
| BetOnline Super Bowl LVIII Futures | Odds |
| Chiefs | +650 |
| Eagles | +800 |
| Bills (value bet) | +950 |
| Bengals | +950 |
Best Sports for a Value Bet
Though there can be value to be had on all kinds of sporting events, you will find value easier to come by on certain sports than others. Below are certain examples where value can be found, outlining how individual sports lend themselves to finding even better value.
Basketball
Looking at the best NBA sportsbooks may well prompt you to attempt finding a value bet on basketball to start with. This is not quite so easy in individual matches, though as always, shop around in case one bookmaker is offering particularly good odds about your selection. Instead, it may be easier to find value, certainly from your own perspective, in futures markets, such as on the NBA Championship winners.
Football
Likewise with basketball, football does not lend itself to big price selections in money line markets due to there being only two realistic outcomes. Fortunately, the best football betting sites will offer substantially greater markets than simple head-to-head money lines or totals. Futures markets are the obvious place to begin when it comes to finding a value bet in the NFL, namely on the Super Bowl champions. Looking below, you may find value on the Dallas Cowboys at odds of +1400 with BetOnline if you shop around, or believe them to have a substantially better chance.
Soccer
Individual matches in soccer provide slightly better chances of value betting than basketball or football. That is because the possibility of a tie is much higher on the best MLS betting sites. This pushes the odds up for all three options in a match significantly, increasing the chance of a value bet somewhere in the market. Equally, there will always be futures bets on any number of worldwide soccer leagues and trophies for value to be found.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is a much more exciting sport to get involved with value betting on. While the above three sports effectively offer “three-runner races” in terms of outcomes, horse races almost always have more runners. The odds are presented on BetOnline below in fractional format, but can already be seen to be greater than money line odds in specific matches. Equally, tipsters may well tip up horses they believe are value for your bets on the best horse racing betting sites too.
Golf
The only sport which can rival or even top horse racing for large odds on certain outcomes is golf. Most PGA Tour tournaments, for example, have 156 players in, meaning that the odds even of big names like Jon Rahm or Scottie Scheffler winning are more substantial than you would find on favorites in a horse race. With so many players having the potential to win, you can often find great value against some of the biggest names in the sport.
How to Start Value Betting Online
To begin value betting on any type of market, or indeed betting in any form, you first need to sign up for a new customer account. For ease, we have chosen one of the best offshore sportsbooks in BetOnline as the site to sign up to in order to begin finding a value bet, though the new customer process is very similar across all of our favorite sites.
Step One – Complete a BetOnline Registration Form
You do not need to search too hard to find BetOnline on your browser. However, make sure you search them as one word instead of two, as otherwise they become a lot harder to discover! Once you find their site, click the “join now” button in order to begin the sign-up process. Fill in your all important details to kick things off.
Step Two – Verify Your Email Address
Though your account will be created immediately, you still need to complete an account verification to complete the entire registration process. A link will be sent to the email address you signed up with. All you have to do is click through, and your account will be verified.
Step Three – Deposit Funds
Your first deposit into your new BetOnline account can now be made. You have such a vast array of options to choose from when it comes to depositing with them; there are 16 different cryptocurrencies available should you possess and prefer to play with any of them, though you can also use traditional debit cards such as Visa or Mastercard. Choose whichever suits you best and make your first deposit.
Step Four – Choose a Market for a Value Bet
Your account is now fully registered, verified and funded, so you are ready to make your first value bet. Begin scrolling BetOnline’s plentiful sportsbook in order to find a market in which you have found a value option.
Step Five – Place your Wager
Whatever your stake is for this value bet, place it straight into your bet slip, which will open up on the right hand side of your screen. From there, press “bet now” and your wager will be on with BetOnline, ready to win you your first value bet!
Handy Tip: You can choose to go straight to BetOnline’s website and sign up in order to begin value betting, or you can first take advantage of some of BetOnline’s promo codes, to gain a valuable first bonus.
Tips For Value Betting
Value betting is far from a guaranteed way of making profit, so it is worth bearing in mind that you can still lose even when very confident that you have found value. After all, you may find a value bet on a soccer team who outplays the favorites, but still loses. Our online gambling experts have compiled a list of their favorite individual tips for value betting, to keep you armed with the best info.
1. Long Odds Beware
Just because a team, player or horse has long odds attached to it, does not mean it is value. They are priced up as such to reflect their respective chances of winning. Unless you have multiple reasons for backing a very high odds bet, value may still be better found closer to the top of the market.
2. Try Out Futures
Individual matches in team sports can be difficult to find value on, as even the less likely team to win are unlikely to be priced up at very tempting odds. Futures markets, for instance betting on the winners of the Super Bowl at the start of the NFL season, are much more likely to provide value alternatives, with your favorite team probably opening at higher odds.
3. Not Value Everywhere
In other words, do not force value onto a sporting event. Sometimes, there simply will not be an option that you feel is particularly great value on one side or the other. In this case, keep your funds away in your account ready for a different bet.
4. Be Individual
If you follow any tipsters who pick selections for you in certain sports, the chances are that the value they have found may not stick around as they are followed by numerous other gamblers. Stay single-minded in your approach to finding value, as your value odds will likely be there for you whenever you find them.
5. No High Stakes
A value bet does not determine the stake you put on it. Nevertheless, be cautious in your approach to value betting when you start off. Even when you find a bet which seems like exceptional value, do not up your stakes dramatically. Keep within your means, even when you start getting used to value bets.
