The 14 Sports Betting Books You Cannot Afford To Miss in 2024
Sports betting books give you the necessary in-depth knowledge and analysis of your sport of choice to start betting professionally.
We have analysed thousands of on-market options and brought you only the best sports betting books worth reading before joining top gambling sites.
The list includes general sports gambling books, specialised football betting books, as well as works that provide a new approach to staking altogether.
Our picks will help you make the most informed choices.
1. Sharp Sports Betting
| Author  | Publishing Date | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Stanford Wong | August 2001 | PiYee Press | Science and Stats of Sports Betting |
The book focuses on the implied mathematical models integral to betting.
Over and under bets are mathematically based and as such, a thorough knowledge of the framework is essential to all gamblers wishing to start betting.
According to multiple reviews, Sharp Sports Betting is one of the simpler football betting books with basic rules and tips relevant for beginners, despite the difficult subject.
Details of the Book
Beyond its utility, this also is a fun and interactive book. Sharp Sports Betting focuses on the NFL and all the statistics related to the sport. You will need to place this one on your reading list if you are interested in the scene.
As a fun fact, also note that the name of the author Stanford Wong is just an alias. Perhaps, the information in the book is so crucial that the author needed to hide his identity.
2. The Smart Money
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Michael Konik | October 2005 | Simon and Schuster | The Mind and Practices of Gamblers |
This one is a novelty among sports betting books, as it focuses on the author’s exploits in gambling.
Konik’s betting strategies are uncommon amongst beginners recommended for them. The book garnered wide renown for highlighting the cunning edge of gambling.
By reading The Smart Money you will get a good grip of betting basics. However, if you are new to gambling, use this book only for informative purposes as it mostly addresses high stake play.
3. The Signal and the Noise
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Nate Silver | 27th September 2012  | The Penguin Press  | A Novel Outlook on Predicitons |
The Signal and the Noise is one of the best sports betting books in the world.The book reached number 12 on the New York Bestsellers list – the accolade that puts your book on the map.
Nate Silver’s insights are applicable to betting, providing a unique strategy. The book also captures statistical aspects that will inform your wagering and help you gain an advantage. The Signal and the Noise is one of those sports betting books that effectively teach their readers to follow trends to predict outcomes.
Other Forms of Betting
The book further shows that betting shouldn’t be restricted to sports only. Several areas of our lives are prone to staking, such as the elections, the appointment of managers, location for the next Olympics or World Cup, and winners of the Oscars.
Our time on the gambling market has also shown us that there are many weird things and events to bet on. Now, looking at probability-governed events that differ from sports can inform your approach to staking.
4. Fixed-Odds Sports Betting
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Joseph Buchdahl | 1st December 2003 | High Stakes | Statistical Forecasting and Risk Management |
Fixed odds don’t necessarily yield the desired results in gambling. The author tries to shine a light on how you can beat the bookmaker.
This book can be used both by seasoned gamblers and novices since it provides some basic numerical techniques. Fixed-Odds Sports Betting comprehensively provides tips on how to manage risk.
In-depth knowledge of the principles can turn betting into a form of low-risk investment, and this is one of the best sports betting books that will help you in that area.
Fixed Odds are Tricky
Fixed odds are primarily speculative and based on past results. They should be considered, but beginners need to be careful with them. The prevailing circumstances can change your odds very quickly.
The weather may seem a marginal influence, for instance, but it can affect the scores of your match. Before betting on fixed odds, be observant and factor in anything that affects the match.
5. Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
King Yao | July 2007 Â | PiYee Press | Intelligent Handling Sports Betting |
As the title implies, the book shows how you can apply betting principles wisely and gain an advantage.
The book can help beginners learn how to use the handicap odds to their advantage. Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting is acknowledged worldwide. It also proves similar to Wong’s works, making the two sports betting books complementary.
The writing is simple and it shows its readers how to attack the market for a positive value.
How to Weigh Odds
To become a seasoned bettor, you need to know how to go about your odds. Weighing odds implies the understanding of your risk of ruin. Analyse them and see how much you stand to win and lose.
The smaller odd doesn’t guarantee a win, so do your research before placing your bet. You need not rely on one bookmaker for calculating odds. Rather, examine various bookmakers on the same match. Insights like these make Yao’s work essential for the best sports betting books list.
6. The Success Equation
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Michael J. Mauboussin | 16th October 2012 | Harvard Business Review Press | Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing  |
Sports betting is a skill and, as this book illustrates, it is something you perfect over time.
Mauboussin’s approach revolves around using luck and skill to win your sports bets. This book can help you harness the art of guesswork which is helpful when you are simply looking at odds without analyzing them.
The Success Equation is not one of the popular sports betting books amongst gamblers. One reason may be that it doesn’t give an in-depth analysis of how to differentiate between luck and skill.
Luck versus Skill
The book explains in more straightforward terms the luck and skill concepts.
Mauboussin spends considerable time drawing the line between sports and their governing factors. For instance, he concludes that hockey is more reliant on luck, while basketball depends on skill.
This should highlight that you must familiarize yourself with your sports of choice. One good way to do so is by checking out one of the 15 best sports betting forums. The discussions with other experienced gamblers can be as informative as the best sports betting books.
Once you realize where your sport lies between the two, you can shape your strategy. It may not be the most thorough, but The Success Equation is a good addition to the best sports betting books.
7. Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Joseph Buchdahl | 27th May 2016 | High Stakes | Probability Theory |
The concept being approached here is probability theory. This concept can help beginners understand what it means that bets are based on chance.
Specific odds have a certain probability of achieving success. The book has been praised for its approach and how well the readers have understood it.
Calculating Probability
A work on probability will give you an insight into how your team may fare in regards to the odds.
The book teaches you how to go from odds to probabilities. The math behind the bet will determine whether it is worth the risk. There are 3 types of odds formulations when it comes to probability. There are decimal, fractional, and Moneyline odds. Grasp the details of these examples for you to get a better understanding of betting.
8. Superforecasting
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Phillip Tetlock and Dan Gardner  | 24th September 2015 | Crown  | The Art and Science of Prediction |
Superforecasting is one of the best sport betting books that tackle the art of prediction.
The book is famous for its application of prediction that hinges on certain patterns in the world. It shows how its readers can use Superforecasting to intuit the future. Once you understand the principles, you can achieve a lot in betting.
The Science of Prediction
Predictions have now been integrated into technology. Programmers are working day and night to produce apps that predict the outcome of matches at the click of a button.
These programs are based on years of research on the sport, and they do save your time. Aside from programs, reliance on experts can yield some results. Experts or regular gamblers draw their inferences from certain factors. Some of these factors are injuries, suspensions, average points, and possession.
9. Antifragile
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Nassim Nicholas Taleb | 27th November 2012 | Random House(US) Penguin Books (UK) | Things That Gain From Disorder |
The philosophy of Antifragile differs from the breadth of most football betting books.
Its betting strategy can be applied when a particular team is at a disadvantage. When a key player is injured, the other team might benefit.
This principle has helped gamblers to predict scores and results of matches they are used to betting for. The principle can only be used when you do adequate research on the matter.
Concept of Antifragility
The book written by Taleb is built around this very concept. The reaction to a stressor on the opposite end; concept is also extracted from risk analysis. Assessing risk in betting will give you a reaction drawn from your research.
How you react to pressure forms the basis of fragility and antifragility. The former is a negative response, while the latter is a positive. In betting, you have to form a positive response to pressure to recover from your loss.
Needless to say, you will find any other sports betting books that will provide the same insights.
10. The Logic of Sports Betting
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Ed Miller and Matthew Davidow | 17th May 2019 | Ed Miller and Matthew Davidow  | Understanding the Math Behind Betting |
The book is famous among betting beginners, but it has something for everyone in it. Its strategy revolves around grasping the mathematics behind betting.
The correlation between the principles of betting and mathematics most clearly shows when calculating the odds. For instance, odds are not added, but they are multiplied when you use a parlay.
Math Behind Betting
Probability is one of the main factors that influence the odds in a market. The math used to get the value of a bet is comparative.
The other essential aspects are the bookmaker margins. You have to look at other bookmakers to have an odd estimate. Note, however, that some betting sites providing apparently great odds can function illegally, and there are 13 clear signs to tell that. You have to compare which odd will give you the best outcome when you try to use point spreads.
11. Mathematics in Games, Sports and Gambling
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Ronald J. Gould | 28th July 2009 | Chapman and Hall/CRC | Maths and Stats in Sports |
This book, written by Ronald J. Gould, also received a revised 2nd edition. Both versions explain how mathematics is used in sports to determine the outcome of events.
This strategy is elaborate, but the author makes sure that readers can learn it as they go through this book. There are no complex mathematical equations clouding the reading.
The lack of mathematical intricacies to solve will make it easier for beginners to understand and implement models, making this one of the more user-friendly football betting books.
Stats in Sports
Statistics form a massive part of betting today. Previous encounters between teams form the basis of the statistics.
Certain situations within a match may produce outcomes that may affect the bet.
What Affects Your Bet
- corners
- batting averages
- number of shots
- number of touches in the final third
12. Profiting From Point Spreads
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Daniel Fabrizio and Joseph Hunter | 2nd April 2010 | BCD advisors | Profiting from Point Spreads |
This is among the wider read sports gambling books as it uses a strategy that benefits a high percentage of bettors.
The book perfectly illustrates how you can win by placing your bets for both teams. You can place your bet for the favourite and place the other for the underdog, or you could just place a draw.
13. Scorecasting
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Tobias Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim | 25th January 2011 | Three Rivers Press | Hidden Influences in Sports |
The book applies a strategy that many beginners start betting with. The principle that home teams hold the advantage is something used by all sports.
The number of appearances made by a team at that point of the competition also sways bettors, as well as the experience a team has in handling high stakes games.
Hypothetical Insights
Some of the insights bettors can use are as follows:
- The number of consecutive times Barcelona has lost to Atletico Madrid at home.
- Why Andy Murray doesn’t perform well in clay court.
- How often Lewis Hamilton wins the Silverstone Grand Prix.
These are just hypothetical insights that should be used to predict the outcome of a game.
It would be best if you researched games to get their records. These records usually repeat themselves, and they can influence your decision on a bet. Scorecasting proves just that.
14. Enemy Number One
| Author  | Release Date  | Publisher | Main topic |
|---|---|---|---|
Patrick Veitch | 9th April 2009 | Racing Post Books  | Secrets of the UK’s Top Punter |
The strategies employed by this punter will inspire any beginner to use his tactics for consistent wins. Any beginner would wish to clean out the bookmakers. Following his principles will get you started.
The book’s story is good enough that we would love to see it adapted; it would surely make it to the top 9 sports betting movies worth anyone’s time. However, the book itself is friendly enough to readers, and the story is very interesting for readers.
Final Thoughts
Sports betting is a form of sport that has been there for centuries. The popularity had only skyrocketed when technology became infiltrated as our principal medium of communication.
Most of the time, beginners have beginner’s luck, which may art them for a while, then the losing begins.
Betting has also proven to be a form of investment, especially with the recent Canadian bill that changes sports betting entirely. However, it may cause financial ruin without research. We have provided the best sports betting books that are useful both for beginner and tried-and-tested bettors.
It is recommended that you read at least one book before starting to stake. Finding a mentor will help safeguard your investment. However, if the list of expert literature may seem overwhelming, we also provide a clearcut and user-friendly guide to live betting online. The shorter form of our article can help you jumpstart your staking early.
References
- Bettor Days
- Summary and Analysis of The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—but Some Don’t: Based on the Book by Nate Silver
- Fixed Odds Sports Betting: Statistical Forecasting and Risk Management
- Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting
- Squares & Sharps, Suckers & Sharks: The Science, Psychology & Philosophy of Gambling
- You Are All Soft! Embrace Chaos!