Smart Betting and the Rise of AI in Sports Betting

Sports betting is constantly evolving, and not just from a sportsbook operator’s standpoint. There have always been betting trends and strategies that bettors have employed to hit wins. The landscape within betting communities has now shifted to smart betting and AI sports predictions. It is one of the biggest phenomena within the realms of online sports betting. And there are countless products and services that advertise smart betting solutions to bettors.

This is a revolutionary way of betting on sports. Instead of doting on tipsters, influencers or expert handicappers, this practice uses AI models to predict sports results. In the past 2 years, the market for such AI sports betting proprietary models has gone from strength to strength. Now, if you were to search for value betting software or AI prediction tools, you would find no shortage of options to pick from. But for the most part, these are not free, and there are no guarantees they will always win.

How Smart Betting Works

Smart betting uses AI models to crunch data and project probabilities. It gives you a rough idea of how likely a bet is to win. There are numerous ways the smart betting platforms can do this. Each platform uses its own unique, proprietary machine learning model.

So you aren’t necessarily getting the same AI picks or hot tips at two separate smart betting platforms. For instance, OddsJam may recommend a bet and put it at +15% EV – meaning the calculated win probability is 15% higher than the implied probability derived from the odds. But then, at another smart betting platform like Outlier.bet, it may only place that bet at +2% EV. Because they use a different formula to calculate win probability.

These platforms do not just feed you probabilities and hit rates either. They can go into all kinds of metrics, analyzing the odds, comparing game stats, and presenting any kinds of betting trends or insights that may come in handy.

Types of AI Sports Smart Betting Platforms

To demystify the way smart betting works, you have to understand how they calculate +EV picks, and what data they use.

Smart Betting Stats-Based Models

Stats-driven smart betting platforms will factor in a tremendous source of statistics and player performance metrics. The more sophisticated the platform, the greater pool of data and resources it will use. They can even go into player injury metrics, chart up minute-by-minute stats, and look for trends or tendencies in the performances.

Examples of Stats-based models include:

• Props.Cash
• HoF Bets
• Rithmm
• BetIdeas
• Leans.ai

Betting Trend Analysis

Trends can relate to form, or to recurring patterns in a players (or team’s) performances. For instance, an NBA player who makes 6+ rebounds in their last 5 games, or a soccer team that has kept a clean sheet in their last 3 H2H games against a given opponent.

These are statistics that may translate to good betting value, because they aren’t mainstream bets. By analysing the stats with a precise AI model, you can pick up all kinds of recurring phenomena and trends.

Cutting Research Time Down

The statistics based smart betting platforms are best for people who like to do their research, but want to save time. They also amplify the amount of data and research the bettor can do. The statistics may be aggregated into +EV and hit rates, but you can also compare the metrics in tables, charts, and other models.

This way, you can browse thousands of data points at any given time, and the information is all displayed in a clear and easily digestible way.

Odds Aggregators and Smart Betting

Odds-based smart betting is less about stats, and more about the prices given at sportsbooks. These platforms aggregate the market averages, betting lines and prices to work out the hit rate of each bet. These are done with advanced AI powered algorithms to make predictive analytics to give you a win % rate.

It is a very different approach, as they look into how sportsbooks price their odds, and examine the markets for any discrepancies. Plus, smart betting that revolves around betting odds may offer arbitrage and other odds-based strategies.

For odds-based smart betting models, you can check the likes of:

• OddsJam
• Outlier.Bet
• SmartBettor
• SharpApp
• BetWasp

Arbitrage and Hedged Betting

Arbitrage betting is offered at the more expensive smart betting platforms, and this can give bettors huge vantage points. The platforms scour the betting markets and sportsbooks for discrepancies in the odds, giving you opportunities to back both sides of a betting market. If done right, it means you will win money regardless of the game’s outcomes.

Smart betting platforms may also provide alternative hedged betting opportunities. Such as dutching, middles betting, low hold betting, and others. Though it is important to note, these betting tools are often quite pricey, and the ROI on arbitrage betting is quite small. So they are better suited for bettors with bigger bankrolls.

Sports Bonus Conversion

Another odds-based feature that some smart betting platforms offer is matched betting strategies. This is like arbitrage betting, but with sports bonuses. It is also called bonus conversion.

These smart betting platforms can also have bonus finders, and give you back-lay strategies to unlock as much of that bonus as possible. Of course, like arbitrage betting, it does come with risks.

Odds Shopping and CLV

The more resourceful smart betting tools don’t just aggregate odds, but they can also track them. By showing the historical line movements, they can give you a good idea of the closing line value of the odds. And you can gauge the movements with the machine learning models to find the right time when the price is at its highest.

Odds shopping refers to comparing sportsbooks for better odds and greater potential returns. Odds-driven smart betting platforms tend to offer this, and also use features like betslip integration to allow people to populate their slip with any selected wagers automatically.

How Can You Use Smart Betting AI Models

There is no one, end all be all, smart betting platform. Each has its own strengths and its own unique design. And, the majority are not free, they have monthly subscriptions. You could be paying anywhere from $10 a month up to $100 or more. It depends on the platform, and how many special features the smart betting platform offers.

From a starting point, the most important thing for any bettor to do is think about how they bet, and what they need from a smart betting platform. If, say, you like to do your research and look for good props, then a machine learning statistical analysis may do the job.

Someone who doesn’t care about stats but just wants high +EV picks may be more interested in the odds based smart betting platforms. These will look at market averages and pick out betting opportunities for the bettor.

Dangers of Smart Betting Platforms

Above everything else though, the most important thing for anyone considering subscribing to a smart betting software, is to recognise that these are not guaranteed to make profit. They are built to help bettors make more well informed decisions. But that doesn’t mean the decisions are bound to win.

Some smart betting platforms are really on the same level as following tipsters. In that you want good betting value, and they suggest them, without any follow up or research done. There are others that go into metrics and performance data to give you a more rounded view of the probabilities. But even they cannot predict the future.

So smart betting is not infallible. And unlike following a tipster or doing the research yourself, you will have to pay for a subscription for smart betting. That is not to say they are not useful, because they can help bettors enhance their results and expand their horizons. But you should still practice the same caution and self control with your budget as if you were betting without smart betting software.

Make a budget, stick to it, and don’t make any reckless or impulsive decisions. Every bet carries risks, and you must always be prepared that there is a chance your bet will lose.