If you want to make money betting on sports, it’s essential to follow a few simple rules. One of the most important is to always bet within your budget. It’s not uncommon for a big sporting upset to throw off your entire bankroll, so be sure to set a limit and stick to it. This will ensure that you don’t get carried away and end up losing more than you can afford to lose.

Another crucial tip is to research the teams and their recent performances before placing a bet. This will give you a better idea of their overall quality and how they match up with the opposing team. A good place to start is with the team’s win-loss record, but don’t stop there. It’s also a good idea to check out the stats and injuries for both teams. These factors will help you determine which team is the favorite and which is the underdog.

When it comes to betting, it’s also important to be aware of the sportsbooks’ tendency to shade the lines. This is especially true for higher-profile games and when the media is pumping up a particular side. For example, if you’re watching ESPN and the talking heads are all shouting about how great Seattle is, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and think that they’ll cover the spread. Unfortunately, the sportsbooks are fully aware of this and will adjust the line accordingly.

In addition to betting on moneylines, spreads and parlays, sportsbooks also offer a variety of other types of bets. These include player prop bets, which are individual statistics such as how many points a certain player will score. They’re usually available for most sports, but are especially popular in baseball and hockey because those are lower-scoring games where a single run or goal can decide the outcome of the game.

While it’s possible to make money betting on sports, it’s not easy, especially over the long haul. The key is to know your sport well and only bet on it when you have a positive expected value (EV). To do that, you need to understand the game’s nuances and how different scenarios can impact a matchup.

The best way to do this is to use a betting calculator, which will help you determine the correct line for each game. Aside from this, it’s also a good idea to open a dedicated sports betting account so that you can bet within your budget. This will also prevent you from getting overly emotional about a loss, which is likely to lead to bad decisions that could cost you more in the long run. A good rule of thumb is to risk 1% to 2% of your total bankroll on each play. This will keep you from going on a bad streak and force you to learn from your mistakes.