Today, millions of people place sports wagers daily on their smart devices. However, it is a fact that most bettors, especially newbies, lose to bookmakers, and only a few percent make consistent profits. It is because most bettors approach sports betting relying on gut feeling and sheer luck.
To become successful at sports betting, you must understand the intricacies, skills, and strategies that make one a sharp bettor. Fortunately, there are several valuable books written by experts in the field that can help.
This article ranks the top sports betting books, including:
- Best books to learn about sports betting
- Best new sports betting books
- Best football strategy books
Best Books to Learn about Sports Betting
Many bettors are frustrated by consistent losses because luck can only take one so far. Even if you’re lucky with all your selections (which is impossible), you will still miss out on the gold in sports betting without adequate know-how. In-depth knowledge of how the betting world works is the only way to make the activity potentially rewarding.
Sports betting books are important because they provide valuable information and insights into the industry. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced bettor, there is always extra knowledge you need to get. Additionally, it is noteworthy that the authors of these books have a sea of experience with many lessons to teach. Hence, these books also help you avoid common pitfalls while motivating you to win more.
Let’s delve into our list of 10 best sports betting books every bettor must read in 2024.
1. Smart Sports Betting by Matt Rudnitsky
The author of the Smart Sports Betting book is also an entrepreneur and has been featured on ESPN Radio, Sports Illustrated, and the Daily Beast. One of the reasons why Matt’s book is one of the best books for sports betting is that it tells one of the most fascinating gambling stories ever. It narrates how he turned $100, a birthday gift from his grandmother, into $7,896.32 in just two years, only to lose it again in two months.
Due to his fascinating experience and wins and losses, Matt cracked the code for long-term success in sports betting. Hence, his book is one of the most highly regarded in sports betting, having received many positive reviews from both novice and experienced sports bettors.
Smarts Sports Betting begins with the basics, helping beginners identify where and how to place sports wagers. It also explains how to find value bets and teaches actionable bankroll management strategies. Additionally, it describes how to reduce poor decisions and why bettors should avoid most sports media as they are clueless. Smart Sports Betting is especially useful for NFL bettors as it dives deep into how to comprehend advanced NFL data.
2. Fixed-Odds Sports Betting by Joseph Buchdal
The complete title of this Joseph Buchdal’s book is, “Fixed-Odds Sports Betting: Statistical Forecasting and Risk Management.” It shows that the book weighs heavily on a serious approach toward fixed-odds betting by analyzing sports betting strategies using thorough mathematical calculations. While it is ideal and actionable for novice and diehard bettors alike, this Buchdal’s book is for the serious ones and is not a light read.
Apart from taking an in-depth look into various staking plans, this book helps bettors spot value in almost any betting market and beat bookmakers. Additionally, it encourages bettors to treat sports betting as any other investment. Fixed-Odds Sports Betting also dives deeply into solid risk management methods. Buchdal’s theories help bettors reduce losses by every means possible in high-risk sports gambling.
Although published in 2003, this book remains one of the best books about sports betting today.
3. The Logic of Sports Betting by Ed Miller & Matthew Davidow
The Logic of Sports Betting is co-authored by Ed Miller, an expert gambling writer, and Matthew Davidow, a sports modeler. Both writers are highly experienced in sports betting and have managed to break down the subject in this book.
Published in 2019, The Logic of Sports Betting was written with Greenhorns in mind.
One of the reasons why it is one of the best sports gambling books is that it offers a detailed behind-the-scenes picture of how sportsbooks work and how bettors can take advantage of it.
Additionally, it explains how to avoid common betting errors and offers insights on developing habits to become a successful bettor and minimize losses. Since it is one of the latest publications, it also covers new concepts pertinent to winning more, including live betting, live streaming, the cash-out feature, etc. Today, it’s highly recommendable as one of the best books for starting sports betting.
4. The Complete Guide to Sports Betting by Kevin Dolan
The Complete Guide to Sports Betting by Kevin Dolan is one of the best books to learn about sports betting. As the name implies, this book covers almost everything every bettor needs to know, beginners and experienced alike.
One of the reasons why this publication is one of the top sports betting books is its in-depth analysis of betting systems and methods that have been proven to be effective by successful sharps. Besides research, the book explains how to implement these methods into your strategies and get the same excellent results.
Additionally, the book teaches how bettors can build correct power rankings, examine betting trends and patterns, and analyze line movements. Overall, The Complete Guide to Sports Betting is one of the best sports betting books to read to increase your betting IQ and gain a significant edge over bookmakers.
5. Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford Wong
Written by John Ferguson under the pen name, “Stanford Wong,” Sharp Sports Betting is one of the must-read sports betting books for any bettor, even passively serious about becoming successful in sports betting. The author John Ferguson is a renowned authority in the gambling industry, famous for writing Professional Blackjack. Also, Wong is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame, another tribute to his exceptional gambling experience and skills.
Sharps Sports Betting is often called the “Sports Betting Bible,” thanks to its in-depth focus on betting fundamentals, which includes numerous definitions of bet types and an extensive glossary.
It makes it a valuable read for anyone new to betting.
However, the book dives into more substantial parts later, analyzing several sports betting strategies and offering in-depth insights into how odds work and how wagering results play out. Although it primarily focuses on NFL betting, the book’s lessons apply to almost every sports betting market.
6. Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks by Joseph Buchdahl
Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks is the second publication by renowned sports betting writer Joseph Buchdahl on our list. Unlike many other sports betting books that tell success stories of grass to the grace of people winning millions, Buchdahl offers a realistic and factual picture of betting markets in his regular no-nonsense style. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an interesting one.
Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks is one of the best books on sports betting math and strategy, digging deep into the calculations of winning probabilities. It relates the slim chances of winning with human psychology when placing wagers, revealing why many bettors would rather lose their bets than learn the basics of how to win more.
If you are looking to get educated about the psychology of betting, probabilities, and what winning in the long term entails, you may not find a better book than this.
7. Weighing the Odds by King Yao
King Yao is a renowned punter and betting author, and his publication is one of the best books on sports betting analytics. Weighing the Odds dives deeply into the importance of an analytical approach in sports betting rather than seeing it as mere gambling. Yao believes a smart bettor shouldn’t see betting as a slot machine but as a battle against bookmakers and attack intelligently.
Therefore, the book explores how to painstakingly analyze historical data and develop a rewarding sports betting strategy. Also, it focuses on the logic behind betting odds, including how to understand and calculate them.
Overall, Weighing the Odds by King Yao is an ideal book for any bettor who wants to hone their betting skills and win more of their wagers. Furthermore, Yao’s book explains that there should be no blueprint for sports betting as markets adapt to changes constantly. It discusses how you can recognize these changes, adapt to them and still place winning wagers regardless.
8. Riskless Investment by George Lynam
George Lynam is an expert gambler with 30 years of experience in the field. He has directed and produced numerous gambling-related documentaries for the BBC. His book, Sports Arbitrage – Riskless Investment, is one of the most detailed publications ever written about arbitrage betting.
Generally, sports betting is a risky venture like every other form of gambling. However, if you are familiar with arbitrage betting, you’ll understand you can place sports wagers for real money with zero risks. With numerous examples, Lynam explains how you can make significant profits with arbitrage, even with a small starting bankroll. The book also delves into the details of different types of this strategy, including each-way and synthetic arbitrage.
Whether you are a newbie or a professional bettor, this book is a must-have if the concept of riskless betting appeals to you.
9. Lay the Favorite by Beth Raymer
Lay the Favorite is a memoir written by Beth Raymer, a woman who spent several years as a bookie assistant in Las Vegas. The book is a humorous and engaging account of Raymer’s experiences in the high-stakes and high-anxiety world of sports betting, from her early days as a cocktail waitress to her rise as an expert who runs an offshore bookmaker in the Caribbean.
The book, later adapted into a motion picture, takes readers on a journey through the world of sports betting, from the seedy underground gambling dens of New York City to the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. Along the way, Raymer introduces readers to interesting characters, including hustlers, celebs, lawbreakers, and crooks.
Unlike others on our list, this book won’t teach you betting strategies and methods or help you with technical information on placing winning wagers. However, it is an exciting read, especially if you are curious about the dark side of the sports gambling world.
10. The Everything Guide to Sports Betting by Josh Appelbaum
The Everything Guide to Sports Betting by Josh Appelbaum has everything a newbie needs to hit the ground running in the sports betting world. The book is packed with all the fundamentals of betting, from the definition of terminologies to the explanation of bet types, how odds work, how to identify value bets, and when to walk away.
Also, the book provides helpful betting tips and strategies to help bettors make smarter decisions and increase their chances of winning. It analyzes solid betting systems and shares insights on advanced concepts like bankroll management, line shopping, and movement, etc.
Overall, this book is a powerful tool to start your sports betting journey and hone your skills as you go. It provides everything you need to succeed and helps avoid pitfalls many other bettors fall into.
Best New Sports Betting Books
Due to the surging growth of the sports betting industry, there has been a surge in the number of books written about the topic. However, while there are several excellent classic ones, it is ideal to have some new books on sports betting in your library. It will keep you up to date on the latest information as the industry has evolved significantly over the years.
Soccer Betting 101 – 2021
Written by Elias Farry and released in 2021, Soccer Betting 101 is one of the best new sports betting books. The book focuses on how to make accurate selections in soccer betting. It teaches bettors what to look out for when betting on a football match and techniques for how to bet on a home win, away win and draw. Additionally, it explains how to know the safest games to wager in the Both Teams To Score market.
According to Farry, this strategy will help bettors identify two to three value bet opportunities daily while spending around half an hour on research. It will increase their chances of winning significantly.
Sharper: A Guide to Modern Sports Betting – 2016
Released in 2016 by Poker Joe, a retired professional punter, this book focuses on helping bettors become sharps, gaining an edge over bookmakers. To achieve this, it weighs heavily on expected value, arbitrage betting, handicapping, line grinding, and the importance of quantifying variables. The book also analyzed popular betting systems, focusing on the Kelly Criterion.
Another selling point of Poker’s book is its comprehensive catalog of common mistakes that plague bettors and its in-depth solutions for avoiding them. Sharper also reiterates that it is essential to take responsibility for their losses and avoid blaming players and coaches in sports events. Lastly, the book acknowledges the impact of luck on betting and explains how overconfidence results cause the downfall of professional bettors.
Football is the most wagered-on sport worldwide; hence, it is unsurprising that several books are dedicated to betting on it. Below are some of the best football betting strategy books.
The book Football Betting Tips & Systems: 20 Simple Steps & Strategies was written by Jimmy Austin and released in 2019. It focuses on the fundamentals of betting to help newbies know where to start and improve their football wagering picks. As the name implies, the book outlines 20 effective and actionable football betting strategies to help bettors beat bookmakers at their games.
Additionally, this book analyzes practical football betting systems and methods concisely, making it easily understandable for a first-time bettor. It also explains advanced concepts like xG in football, bankroll management, etc.
Data-Driven Football Predictions is one of the best football betting books and a must-read for every football bettor keen on making long-term profits. Released in 2019, the book is authored by Martin Chamberlain, founder of the Football Data Labs (FDL). The FDL project comprises a team of skilled data scientists with the primary goal of creating easily implementable betting strategies that are entirely data-driven for the long-term success of football punters.
This book covers a betting technique for the English Premier League and the over 2.5 betting market.
It reviews rich data patterns on teams and players of the league comprehensively, allowing bettors to build informed strategies for their wagers and giving them an edge over bookmakers.
Final Words
Sports betting is a complex and dynamic activity that requires knowledge, skills, and discipline to succeed. Fortunately, many sports betting strategy books can help you hone your wagering skills, increasing your chances of long-term success.
From classics like “Sharp Sports Betting” to more recent titles like “The Logic of Sports Betting,” these books are written by experts in betting and offer a wealth of information and insights into the field. They contain the basics of sports betting, common mistakes to avoid, and strategies, systems, and tools successful bettors use. You can also better understand the importance of bankroll management, emotional control, and risk management in sports betting.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced bettor, try to pick up one of the books on this list to become a better sports gambler.
