Sharp vs. Square: What’s the Difference?
Are you a sharp or a square?
Some people would suggest that if you have to ask that question, you are in the latter category.
We’re not sure it’s going to be the determinant factor in your success in NFL betting, but it probably matters in terms of where you can play, concerning the online sportsbooks.
Why Casinos Pamper “Squares”
You have no doubt heard stories from the land-based casino world about players who are flown in and pampered every step of the way, with unlimited room, food, and beverage (referred to as “RFB“), show tickets, and other perks.
Why do casinos do that?
Because these players are known to be long-term losers at their games and for a considerable amount.
They are called “whales” in some circles. But in this context, they are also “squares.” They are not competitive with the “house.”
In sports betting, you don’t have to blow a lot of money to be a square.
So, a square is a player (a bettor) who is not coming from an educated perspective when battling the sportsbook. He or she is a “casual” player. Some sportsbooks cater to the more casual crowd. That would constitute the majority of sportsbooks and the majority of action.
What Makes a Sharp Bettor?
Certain sportsbooks cater to “sharps,” or sharp players. So if the squares are not coming from an educated perspective, the sharps ARE.
Sharps are generally described as professional bettors. But you might also expand that to include those who demonstrate the characteristics of pros as well, even though they don’t do it as a full-time endeavor. That is to say, they may not be heavily bankrolled, but they are fundamentally sound in their approach.
They have accounts at several different sportsbooks, which allows them to shop for the most value in a line. They study and know trends, and although they have embraced analytics, they know which stats and trends are meaningful and which ones are not. They do not get emotional about the games they are betting on. That means they don’t rush to the window to place a bet on their favorite team.
They compile power ratings on all the teams to give themselves a starting point through which to evaluate a betting line and decide whether they can grab some value or not.
They also have an understanding of other factors that are important in determining which team is going to win and/or cover a football game in the NFL. These are factors like matchups, situations, and scheduling. There are a lot of things that go into it.
Learning to Think Like a Sharp
Let’s say a few words about the way sportsbooks handle the different kinds of players. As we mentioned a few minutes ago, most of the sportsbooks are geared toward the casual or recreational player; i.e., the square. They are perfectly content with grinding out a profit, and if there is sharp money (also known as “wiseguy” money) winning with some degree of consistency at their establishment, they will do what they can to chase it away.
Then there are the sportsbooks that welcome sharps. So why do they do this? Well, because they are going to get some insight from these people. If they know these are people they have to respect, that will provide insight to them on how to move the line in order to thwart the action from squares.
It gives them a chance to know when sharp players have gotten down strongly on a side so that they can take some funds and make wagers of their own at various sportsbooks. If they act quickly enough, they are able to extract an edge because they are among the first to know where the smart money is going. They have people on board for this purpose.
One of our objectives here is to, at the very least, have you start thinking like a sharp, instead of falling into the life of a square. And one of the things critical to that is to be in a position to follow the right crowd, by being aware of where the smart money is going.
We’ll touch upon that in the next installment.
About Us
T&C
Privacy
Contact
Submit video