A plan or method devised to achieve a long-term objective. This is how a dictionary describes a strategy. Nothing more than a simple PLAN. It’s at this point that it stops being simple. No matter how simple we try to make our strategies there comes a time when SIMPLE flies out of the window. No matter how basic your rules there will come a point when things begin to go pear-shaped. That’s Sod’s Law.
The best we can do in any circumstances is have our simple plan made up of simple rules but with a number of stand-by options in reserve. In Horse-racing a famous stand-by is “getting out stakes”. Something I’m sure we’ve all had to rely on in the past.
Whilst making use of any strategy there are many things to keep in mind.
First, a strategy or any fancy name you like to call it, is not a new way of saying,”it definitely will win”. It won’t change the outcome of your bet/trade.
Secondly you must be disciplined in your approach no matter how certain you feel about the outcome of your bet. There are some fickle “happenings” when it comes to betting. Favourites amongst them being, your computer will crash as you are about to “box-in” your profit. Or Betfair, or the exchange you’re using, will crash.( Betfair have done just that tonight,
6th March). Always make sure you have an account with a second exchange. Believe me, there are a myriad of “happenings” just waiting to “Help” you with your betting.
Finally you must have a “Get-Out” plan. This is something you need no matter how simple your bet is. Be assured there will, be times when things will go amiss. Always at an inopportune moment, too.
Basic strategies will give a newcomer the opportunity to get to grips with the workings of both the bets and the exchanges. The simplest being a straight forward win on a team. Then, assuming everything works out correctly and the chosen team scores the first goal, the team is then made a LAY bet. This will of course cut the bet’s profit but there will be times when the LAY bet will provide the days profit.
The more basic strategies will give the punter an easier “entre” to the world of exchanges and trading. One very good example for the newcomer is MATCHED BETTING. This is basically four bets in which you only pay for three. Many people get MATCHED BETTING mixed-up with ARBITRAGE BETTING. There is a similarity but with ARBITRAGE BETTING the nett returns are a much smaller percentage of the amount staked.
What will make a good STRATEGY TRADER? Like the age old question, “How long is a piece of string?”. Nobody has a simple answer. Only experience makes one trader better than another. It’s getting the basics right BEFORE you begin to trade that really matter. Never trade a game or market with low liquidity. Spend some time finding how much you can expect to be bet on various types of matches etc. A Championship game will attract less in stake money than a Premiership or Champions League match. A lengthy study on match days will pay off in the future. Always be aware of probable ENTRY POINT and fully aware of the EXIT POINT.
Many strategies are based on betting market movements. Both before and during a match. Until you have a solid knowledge of such things be careful and don’t try to “second guess” the movements. It’s fatal. As menti0oned above, always have a plan to cover when a bet goes wrong. The most noted being when the underdog scores first in a LAY THE DRAW bet. Having a plan in place for such a situation will save you from panicking and making a complete hash when it happens, as it surely will.
Yet another “must do”, is GENERAL in depth study of various basic strategies.
How many matches are likely to end all square? How many will be home wins? What incidents of DRAW HALF-TIME HOME FULL TIME are likely? These and many more markets need to be fully researched before even a penny is staked. Paper-trade your selections for a reasonable period. Do this with as many leagues as possible. This will give you a good idea of how the various leagues pan-out.
Some strategies will fit in well with some leagues but not with others. The FRENCH FIRST DIVISION is the only one of the top European leagues which has an average of less than 2.5 goals per match. An ideal place to start if you want to trade correct scores games.
There are many other outstanding stats for almost every market open to the punter to bet on. You should decide how you want to approach the situation and which markets you want to play. It’s not worth specializing on one market to the exclusion of the others. At least two strings to your bow is a good situation to be in, because sooner or later you’ll hit the losing run.
Not as often as the NON-TRADER but often enough to need a second string to help negate any losses.
Strategy traders have the added advantage of being able to minimise losses which look like blighting their trades, as against some one who has a straight forward bet with no room for manoeuvre when things aren’t going according to plan.
Trading isn’t the GOLDEN GOOSE the punter would like it to be. It doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to win every time you bet. However it does give the opportunity turn events in a game to your own advantage. Whether that means you WIN MORE or LOSE LESS is up to the individuals actions as the game unfolds. It’s up to the punter to make decisions at the appropriate time. This comes with experience. How much that experience is going to cost you is down to your own decisions.
The more effort you put into your strategy trading, the more you’ll get out of it and the less you’ll lose.
Something to think about.
The top five in the premiership have played 15 games against each other, so far this season. THIRTEEN of those games have finished OVER 2.5 goals. Next week-end Man. City host Chelsea. City are rampant at home and Chelsea’s defence is creaking like and old rowing boat. Another scoring bonanza? You never know.
