Watch Out for Scammers

Welcome to all new readers who have joined us after last week’s edition went live! If you haven’t subscribed yet, join a community of sharp sports bettors by subscribing:

The Pick Selling Industry

Shady practices from so-called “experts” in the sports betting industry are not new.

There was a lot of talk about scammers in the sports betting industry on X this week. An account with a big following was caught faking bet slips, a job post was found on Upwork looking for a fake bet slip creator, and the professional gamblers at Unabated called out a new craze going after naive sports bettors.

It’s safe to say the sports betting space is in a toxic, but familiar, spot.

Every day, professional bettors are looking to find and capitalize on new edges.

Unfortunately, at the same time, sports betting “cappers” are doing the same, but the significant difference is that their edge relies on ways to extract money from unsuspecting people and not from sportsbooks.

Please don’t fall for it.

Red Flags to Look For

There are several telltale signs that indicate something is too good to be true, and it should be avoided.

Because, just like with anything in life, if it looks too good to be true, it likely is.

Sharp bettors often complain about limits. Limits are bans that recreational sportsbooks impose on sharp bettors for no other reason than that they place sharp action that can help them win in the long run.

Check out the best sports betting tools to help you make sharper bets.

This is why exchanges like Novig have gained popularity in the sharp community. It’s a peer-to-peer exchange that will never limit anyone; they need the liquidity.

However, not everyone knows limits exist, and people often get fooled by a couple of glaring red flags that should indicate a person is a lifelong loser and not a winner.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s not new. People have been trying to scam others in the sports betting space for a long time.

The oldest trick in the book is giving a group of people opposite sides of a game. Half the people are happy and think the person is sharp, while the other half have never seen a winner. The person running the scam is the only one who “wins” by taking other people's money.

Scammers are not new, but the game has evolved.

Here are some things to look out for to protect yourself from draining your bankroll.

Big Bets on Parlays

Parlays are suckers bets for squares, but great bets for sharps.

If someone is betting big on parlays, they are either lying or they’re a known loser by the sportsbook since they’re allowing this big action.

No Losers, Only Winners

If someone frequently touts winning slips, but there is never a mention of any losers, that is a massive red flag.

People use social media as a highlight reel. They may bet 10 parlays, and if one hits, even though their subscribers lost, they try to make it seem like they won.

Max Bets on Efficient Markets

All major sports have efficient game line markets.

Con men will give out “max bets” on NFL spreads and totals, saying they have such an edge that warrants a max bet.

Spoiler alert: those edges don’t exist.

The list goes on and on, but here are other red flags:

• Big bets at soft books & promoting sign-ups at soft books

• No unit recommendations

• No explanation or understanding of EV

• Spamming parlays

• Multiple “max bets” a day/week

• Ridiculously large or small bet slips

• Posting stale lines

The list goes on and on.

Let’s Get This Straight

Every week, we dissect a relevant sports betting topic to determine its validity.

The 1% Rule With Handicappers

Everyone thinks they’re the exception to the rules above.

Here’s the reality:
Only 1% of pick sellers are legit.

Not everyone who sells picks is purposely trying to scam people. (The percentage of people who do, though, is alarmingly high).

The ones who do make life hell for the true and few that are legitimate.

Finding a legitimate service is difficult, but there’s another truth that people are ignoring.

For all the money you spend tailing someone else’s picks, you could use those funds on a sports betting tool that teaches you how to find picks with a long-term edge yourself.

Put in the work, and you will reap the rewards.

Featured Platform Spotlight: Novig

Every week, we highlight one of our trusted tools or platforms that helps our readers become better and more profitable sports bettors.

Novig is at the forefront of the prediction market movement in the US, and it’s one of the best platforms in the industry.

Read our full overview of Novig.

With the lowest vig in prediction markets, no fees, impressive market offerings, parlays, player props, and more.

Novig’s app provides real-time data, including odds history and traded volume, allowing you to analyze market trends before placing a trade. For example, you can see how NFL spreads shifted over time or check liquidity for a tennis match.

Novig’s low-vig exchange is an ideal choice for sharp and recreational bettors. We use it ourselves, and it’s a platform worth signing up for.

$25 purchase match promo code: BETSMART