I’m Ben and I have been a sports bettor for over 20 years (my dad used to place the bets for me when I was underage). Like many sports bettors, my sports betting was more of a source of entertainment — thinking I knew better than the bookies, playing 6, 8, 10+ step parlays — and by now I’m sure we all know how profitable recreational sports betting is over the long run.
Over the past few years, I have spent countless hours searching for an edge to turn my recreational hobby into a profitable hobby. I’ve read numerous academic papers that outline a method to gain an edge. Unfortunately, all of those academic papers have too many restrictions and are not realistic to follow. They ignore the vig. They only focus on a specific football/soccer league and clearly state that results would be different for a different league.
There are numerous reasons I was looking to turn my sports betting hobby into a profitable venture. First, I actually have a Bachelor’s Degree with a specialty in Mathematics, so I can certainly understand the mathematics behind sports betting. Secondly, my wonderful wife and I have welcomed two little ones over the past couple of years, so my priorities have changed. I am no longer in a position where I can spend on a sports betting hobby like I have in the past. And, as expected, I don’t want to be spending my time reading academic research trying to implement a system, or figure out my own — I want to spend the time with my family. Lastly, I’d also like to find some ways to put a little extra away for the ‘nice to haves’ in life.
This is where positive expected value (+EV) comes in. There are tools online that find that edge I was trying to figure out myself. Backed by a team that usually includes people with a background in finance, computer science, and data science — how could I even compete with that on my own. So, a few years ago I started looking into these online tools to see if this could work for me.
After experimenting with a few (on a small scale) for a good chunk of a few seasons, I can honestly say that I am fully convinced that there are profitable tools out there that can give me that edge. OddsJam is one such tool that I just happened to stumble across and it has become my go-to for all of my sports betting. I don’t make a bet at all anymore unless it is +EV.
Now, this is the first post on this site. So, you might be asking why did I bother creating this site at all? Well, I know from talking to other recreational sports bettors that many are like me and looking for that edge. I also live in New Zealand, so I have a very limited pool of bookies that I can use compared to those in the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe. This puts me in a unique position. If I can make it work on a small scale, think of the potential based on where you live if you have access to more bookies. Perhaps more importantly, I have not come across many posts about people in my position — starting with a small bankroll and a limited number of bookies — who have shared their journey.
So, the goal here is simple: Share and document my journey to benefit others and show that it is possible, even when starting small, to be a profitable sports bettor using OddsJam.
Disclaimer: Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed that links to OddsJam are affiliate links and I am not hiding that. I truly believe in their product and use it daily. Visit OddsJam for a 7-day free trial and see for yourself. I will only receive a commission if you become a paying customer.