Sports betting has exploded since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, opening up wagering wherever states allow it. But the popularity of this activity shouldn’t distract bettors from the fact that it is not a get-rich-quick scheme, and successful long-term profitability requires diligent research, in-depth analysis, and strict discipline.

Before placing any bets, sports bettors should create a dedicated bank account to hold their funds and set specific profit goals. It’s also recommended to read up on the rules of each sport and understand player and team histories, as well as coaching strategies and statistics. In addition, it is important to follow and analyze professional sports betting analysts and look for situations where a line a book offers doesn’t accurately reflect the most likely outcome of a game.

Bettors can place bets on individual players, teams, or the overall score of a game. Wagers placed on individual players or teams are called moneyline bets, while those that place a bet on the total points of a game are known as Over/Under wagers. Over/Under bets are typically based on the theory that one team will score more points than the other, and can be placed either before or during the game.

It’s easy for sports fans to let their emotions guide their bet decisions, and this often leads to losses. It is also common for sports bettors to try and recoup their losses by increasing the size of their wagers, but this strategy rarely yields positive results. To become a profitable sports bettor, bettors should always keep near-obsessive records of their bets, and make decisions based solely on objective research and analysis.