If you spend time in sports betting circles, you will come across many terms. Some of them are quite basic, but few will leave you wondering what this is. Well, one such trending term is “Reverse Line Movement.” So, sway all your confusions away and keep reading to know everything about the term.
Reverse Line Movement – Explained
The reverse line movement is a strategic move by sportsbooks to get equal action on both sides to balance betting markets. Sportsbooks are at a loss when one side of the bet is attracting more wagers and activity. So, to balance the action, reverse line movement is set.
It ensures profit to the sportsbook, which is called Juice. Reverse line movement happens when a line has the majority of bets, and thus, the line moves away from it. A quick example is Cincinnati Bengals falling from -7 to -6 despite attracting 75% of spread bets, or in a money line sport, Los Angeles Rams moved from -180 to -170 while receiving 70% of bets.
What Causes Reverse Line Movement?
Well, oddsmakers study the bets of sharp bettors thoroughly. The sharp bettors have a history of winning bets more than anyone as they’re most experienced and smart. If sharp bettors are betting majorly on one side, the odds of winning are genuinely high on that side. So, the odd maker moves the lines to balance the best.
For example, one side has +7, and the maximum bets are coming on the favorite. However, if the oddsmakers notice the sharp bettors love the underdogs, they will move the line to +6. This is one of the major reasons for reverse line movement.
Dealing With Reverse Line Movement
As soon as the reverse line movement is set, you must act fast. The reason is once a line has altered, there’s no reason to believe that sharps are still finding value at the new number.
For example, if “A” went from +7 to +6 behind just 25% of bets, the sharps were, ofcourse, betting on the “A” at +7. But if the line doesn’t resume to fall past +6, there’s no reason to think that they still like side” B.”
So, hunting old lines at multiple sportsbooks is the best way. Other sportsbooks will take time to react, and meanwhile, you can use the time. So, stay updated with the help of real-time analytics of sports betting for all the updates.
Bonus Tips for Bettors
Sports betting is taking the world by storm. The online platforms are safe, have exciting features, and make the matches even more thrilling. So, if you’re a novice or professional, always take care of a few things:
- Learn the basics of sports betting thoroughly. Don’t dive into complicated bets and start gradually by studying all the bets.
- Have a bankroll management system. Always bet the money you can risk losing. One should only risk 2-5% of your bankroll per wager.
- Try various sportsbooks as joining bonuses; loyalty programs are beneficial and help you compare odds.
- Pre-match in-depth analysis considering every factor is crucial. The player’s performance, venue, weather, etc., play an important role.