Welcome to the Beginner Course

Beginner Course Overview

This comprehensive course will guide you through the fundamentals of sports betting with easy-to-follow lessons

Article 1: The Complete Beginner's Guide

A high-level overview of how sports betting works & how to get started

How Sportsbooks Work

Sharp vs. Square Betting

Bet Types Explained

Bankroll Management & Responsible Gambling

Start Learning

Article 2: How to Read and Understand Betting Odds

A deep dive into different types of odds and how to interpret them

American vs. Decimal vs. Fractional Odds

Converting Odds to Implied Probability

Using Odds to Calculate Payouts

Sportsbooks, Juice (Vig), and Payouts

Start Learning

Article 3: The Different Bet Types Explained

A beginner-friendly guide to moneyline, spreads, totals, parlays, props, teasers, and more

Game Lines Explained

Straight Bets vs. Parlay Betting

Future & Prop Betting

Live Betting

Start Learning

Article 4: How to Place a Bet

Step-by-step guide to placing bets

Signing up for Sportsbooks

Depositing Money & Bonus Offers

Understanding Sports Betting UI

Placing a Bet

Start Learning

Article 5: Bankroll Management & Responsible Gambling

Why managing your bankroll is crucial for long-term success and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Defining Your Bankroll

Understanding Units in Sports Betting

Flat vs. Percentage Based Betting

Psychology of Sports Betting

Start Learning

Start Beginner Course

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The BetSmarter Newsletter

Betting strategies, new tools, and discounts. 3 minutes to read, delivered every Friday.

Recommended Beginner Tools

These tools will help you get started with confidence

Pikkit

4.8

Bet tracking meets social betting

Recommended Experience Level:

All Levels

Bet Tracking

Odds Comparsion

Player Props

Community

Main Features

Bet-Syncing with Multiple Sportsbooks

Thriving Community

Line Shopping & One-Click Integration

Advanced Bet-Tracking

Read Full Review

Outlier

4.8

All-in-one arbitrage, +EV, & player prop research tool.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Arbitrage

Player Props

Community

Odds Comparsion

+EV

Main Features

Risk-Free Arbitrage Betting

Advanced, Visually Appealing Data

Player Prop & Game Line Research

Positive Expected Value & DeVig

Read Full Review

Juice Reel AI Sports Betting Picks Review

Juice Reel

4.4

AI sports betting predictions and a smarter way to track, analyze, and learn from every bet you place.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

AI-Backed

Arbitrage

Bet Tracking

Community

Odds Comparsion

Projections

Main Features

AI-Backed Predictions

Automatic Bet Syncing

Line Shopping

Thriving Community

Read Full Review

Gambly AI sports betting chat bot review

Gambly

4.8

One-of-a-kind AI-backed sports betting chat bot.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner

AI-Backed

Odds Comparsion

Player Props

+EV

Main Features

First Sports Betting AI Chat Bot

One-Click Integration with Sportsbooks

Free to Use

Find +EV Opportunities in Seconds

Read Full Review

Linemate

3.6

Parlay and trend-centric research platform for player props and game lines.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner

Player Props

Odds Comparsion

Main Features

Player Prop Research

Trend-Based Parlays

Free Access Tier

Premium Filters

Read Full Review

PropsMadness

4.1

Basketball-focused player prop research and line shopping platform.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Player Props

Odds Comparsion

Community

Main Features

Detailed Basketball Research

Line Shopping

Sharp Visual Insights

Premium Filters

Read Full Review

BeeBettor

3.9

Free-to-use odds screen with +EV tools and bet tracking across 20+ sportsbooks.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Odds Comparsion

Bet Tracking

+EV

Arbitrage

Player Props

Main Features

Arbitrage & +EV

Bet Tracking & Line Shopping

Line Movement Tracker

Educational Content

Read Full Review

SharpStakes

4.0

Player prop trends, AI analysis, and parlay building made easy.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner

Player Props

Bet Tracking

AI-Backed

Odds Comparsion

Main Features

AI & Performance Analysis

Player Trends & Insights

Bet Tracking

Parlay Optimizer

Read Full Review

Props.Cash player prop research tool review

Props.Cash

4.7

Quickly analyze player props using real-time stats, historical data, and intuitive filters.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner

Player Props

Odds Comparsion

Projections

Community

Main Features

Research Player Props Quickly

Stunning Visual Data

Player Prop Projections

Line Shopping for Props

Read Full Review

Action Network PRO review sports betting

Action Network PRO

4.4

Access to sharp insight reports, exclusive content, and community.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Projections

Bet Tracking

Odds Comparsion

Player Props

Community

Main Features

Line Shopping & Bet Tracking

Premium Content From Contributors

Access to Exclusive Betting Data

Cost Effective

Read Full Review

BettingPros

4.0

Model-backed game picks, player prop research, and premium content from experts.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Real-Time Odds

Odds Comparsion

Player Props

AI-Backed

Community

Main Features

Multiple Player Prop Features

AI-Betting Assistant

Premium Content

Bet-Syncing with Multiple Sportsbooks

Read Full Review

DoinkSports

4.0

In-depth research on game line & player prop bets with line shopping, history, and customization.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Player Props

Community

Main Features

Prop & Game Line Research

Line Shopping & History

Direct Support

Matchup Analysis

Read Full Review

Optimal Bet

4.1

Proprietary +EV grading system with in-depth research, betting modles, and bet tracking.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

+EV

Odds Comparsion

Player Props

Bet Tracking

Community

Main Features

In-Depth Research Tools

Extensive Betting Models

Bet Tracking & Line Shopping

+EV Picks

Read Full Review

HOF Bets

3.7

Sports analytics research platform focused on parlays & SGP bets.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner

Community

Odds Comparsion

Player Props

Main Features

Player Prop Research

Parlay & SGP Focused

Exclusive Discord Community

Line Shopping

Read Full Review

BetAlytics

3.8

Deep learning models and a proprietary rating system for predicting player props and game lines.

Recommended Experience Level:

Beginner & Intermediate

Projections

Community

Player Props

Main Features

Game & Prop Projections

Deep Learning Models

Team & Player Trends

Thriving Community

Read Full Review

Want to Start Elsewhere?

Explore our other courses or check out specific topics

Intermediate Level

For bettors ready to take their skills to the next level

Start Intermediate Course

Advanced Level

For experienced bettors playing the long game

Start Advanced Course

Expert Level

For professional-level bettors aiming for consistent profit

Start Expert Course

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Don't Gamble; Bet Smarter.

Betting strategies, new tools, and discounts. 3 minutes to read, delivered every Friday.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Expert reviews & comparisons of 30+ sports betting tools that help you find your edge & bet smarter.

Tool Reviews

Education

Tools by Experience Level

Articles

Company

About Us

Advertising Disclosure

Scoring System

Terms

Privacy

21+. Please play responsibly. For support with a gambling addiction, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Expert reviews & comparisons of 30+ sports betting tools that help you find your edge & bet smarter.

Tool Reviews

Education

Tools by Experience Level

Articles

Company

About Us

Advertising Disclosure

Scoring System

Terms

Privacy

21+. Please play responsibly. For support with a gambling addiction, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Expert reviews & comparisons of 30+ sports betting tools that help you find your edge & bet smarter.

Tool Reviews

Education

Tools by Experience Level

Articles

Company

About Us

Advertising Disclosure

Scoring System

Terms

Privacy

21+. Please play responsibly. For support with a gambling addiction, call 1-800-GAMBLER.