Sports betting has exploded since the Supreme Court legalized it in 2018. Americans will wager billions this Sunday, placing bets on everything from who will win the coin toss to how long Reba McEntire will take to sing the national anthem.

Most gambling is purely randomized, but sports betting is different. Fans study analytics, listen to sports podcasts and get picks from trusted experts. The belief is that knowledge can create an edge over the bookmakers and lead to consistent profits.

Winning consistently at sports betting is not easy. It requires a lot of effort and learning from mistakes, but the good news is that it can be done. There are two things that a winning sports bettor does: finds value and pays as little vig as possible.

Value bets are wagers on teams with a larger chance of winning than implied by the odds. They can be made on any sport, and are typically called “moneylines” or “over/unders.”

To find value bets, it is best to focus on a small NCAA conference and become an expert on the teams. This will allow you to tap into media coverage and build a database of statistics for each team. It also makes it easier to identify trends and handicap games.

It is important to remember that even the best handicappers can still be wrong about a game. This is why it’s important to keep track of your results and adjust your handicapping accordingly. It is also a good idea to open a separate bank account for placing sports bets. This way, you can separate your fun money from your serious money and avoid losing more than you can afford to lose. Some suggest risking between one and five percent of your total bankroll on each wager.