Sharp Sports Betting Book by Stanford Wong My Review
Sharp Sports Betting, by Stanford Wong, is one of the more popular sports betting books. It's been around for quite a few years, but continues to be revised and updated on a recurring basis.
It's offers a ton of information with the majority of it being centered upon NFL handicapping. While maybe a little to novice for the sharp handicapper, a lot can be learned for the beginning to intermediate handicapper.
Stanford covers a vast amount of information in the nearly 400 pages of Sharp Sports Betting. From how and where to place a bet all the way to some great advice and statistics on proposition wagers.
He gives plenty of real world examples and even goes the interactive route with problems to solve at the end of each chapter. It's almost written like a text book for sports betting...which I thought was a great idea and should really be implemented in other sports handicapping books as well.
He devotes chapters to NFL props, parlays, totals, and teasers, respectively. For the beginning sports bettor, Sharp Sports Betting will open your eyes to the intricacies of sports handicapping.
You'll see from the 29 different tables just how much goes in to becoming a successful bettor. Not only that, but you'll realize the importance of statistics and the major role they can play in handicapping various events. With that said, let's get into some of the specifics that I really enjoyed about the book.
Sharp Sports Betting -
What I liked
To be honest, I really thought it was a great read. He shares a ton of eye opening information, and even the sharp handicapper will probably pick up something up as well. However, it should really enlighten you if you're a novice.
Mr. Wong gives some great information of what goes in to the opening lines and how an oddsmaker actually develops this number. He covers the statistics for key numbers and exactly how you should account for them in your handicapping.
Throughout the book he discusses probabilities, standard deviation, and Poisson props. It's a great introduction to these concepts if you're not familiar with statistics yet.
I enjoyed all of the data shared in the 28 different tables throughout the book. This goes to show you how important keeping track of data on a seasonal basis can be to your overall handicapping success.
Simply put, the information introduced within the NFL data is worth the price of the book in my opinion. The data on teasers alone should give you plenty to contemplate when handicapping spreads in the NFL...although it may be a little dated now.
As you can probably tell, I could go on and on and on, but I think you're getting the point. Plus I doubt Mr. Wong would really want me to copy and paste half of his book in this review.
Sharp Sports Betting
What I Dis-liked
Well, from reading the review already, you can see there's not much I didn't like about the book. The concepts and information covered are exactly what a novice handicapper needs to be introduced to in order to get a good idea of what professional handicapping is all about.
Now do I think this book can add EV to your handicapping? Yes, I think so, but most of the strategies and techniques have already been played out in the sports betting market place, so there might not be a whole lot you can take advantage of.
As I've said many times, professional handicappers aren't going to give away their best secrets and I'm sure Mr. Wong wasn't going to either. With that being the case though, I still think a lot of these concepts can be implemented and expanded upon in your own handicapping.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the oddsmakers can read as well and it's not as if these ideas haven't been in the market place for quite some time.
However, I don't believe that was the point of Mr. Wong writing Sharp Sports Betting and I don't think that's what you should take a away if you're new to these concepts.
As for the hard data and statistical tables, I have no reason to believe they are not precise. With that being the case though, they can also be a reference point, but I would suggest a spreadsheet or program that can be updated frequently.
While this book isn't going to make you rich overnight, it will give you some very nice insight into a number of ideas you're probably not familiar with as a novice to intermediate handicapper.
Sharp Sports Betting -
Our Recommendation
Well, this should be pretty obvious by now if you've read any of this review. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any sports handicapper. While the professional may not pick up much, the novice will could be a little overwhelmed.
I personally think that's a good thing because it's important to know what goes into being successful. Now obviously you don't have to use all of the information (or any of it for that matter), but it can serve as a stepping stone to your handicapping.
Take the book for what it's worth...which is more or less an educational tool. It's not meant to give you top secret sports betting data, but rather introduce you to some techniques that you may not be familiar with.
Without a doubt, I would encourage you to check it out. It's a good read and if you're looking to get more sophisticated with your sports handicapping, then I really think you'll enjoy it.
To read my review on other books look on this page.
