When you're diving into the world of sports betting, you'll start to notice there's a lot more to it than you first thought.  At the center is Las Vegas, home to the world’s most famous casinos.  There, you have sportsbooks, where millions of bettors converge every year to bet on games.  But many industries emanate out of the Las Vegas sports betting scene.  There are journalistic endeavors, ranging from books to newsletters to newspapers.  And there are various media, like radio broadcasts, television programs, and podcasts.  And, of course, there are those who provide technological tools, such as odds, statistical data, bet tracking apps, and the like to sports bettors.  And what is the thread which runs through all of this?  It’s information!

Bettors quickly learn that information is the key to making money.  It’s not enough to just have a hunch.  You must do research and get access to data, which may not be priced into the number.  But proper research takes a lot of skill, and a lot of time.  And, of course, there’s a huge learning curve.  Very few are successful right out of the gate.  Does that mean you shouldn’t gamble?  No, that’s not necessarily true.  For many, gambling is just a casual pastime; a form of entertainment.  And winning is beside the point.  But, for others, winning is paramount.  And, if you’re one of those bettors, but you don’t have the time or skill to do proper research, then you might consider purchasing advice from a professional sports handicapper.  In this guide, we'll walk you through how, and from whom you should buy sports picks.

When should you buy sports betting picks?

When you want to wager on a football, basketball, or baseball game, you need to ask yourself, ‘Am I doing this for fun?’ or ‘Am I doing this to make money?’  If you’re betting for fun, then our advice would be to pick the games yourself, and not employ a professional handicapper.  After all, if winning isn’t the main reason you’re gambling, then why not choose your own teams based on your gut?  On the other hand, if you’re trying to make money through sports betting, then you may want to use an expert for your sports wagers.  We have some questions for you to answer before you make this decision:

If your answers to each of the above questions is ‘yes,’ then you might not be a candidate to hire a professional sports handicapper.  But if you don’t have the requisite research skills, data, time, discipline, or handicapping knowledge, AND you really want to win, then you very well could benefit from hiring a handicapper.  We're not here to give you advice on whether or not to buy sports picks.  That's up to you.  We're here to show you the different options to help you to make the best decision yourself.

​So, you’ve decided you may want to purchase sports picks.  But where do you start?  With the advent of the internet, there are now literally tens of thousands of sports handicappers.  How do you know which one to trust?  We’ll give you some things to consider:

Handicappers in the United States might know a lot about NFL picks, college football or the NBA, but what if you're not interested in any of those?  Maybe you prefer to wager on the Premier League, La Liga or the Bundesliga.  If that’s the case, you might have more luck searching for a European soccer handicapper.  When you can answer this question, then you can start to narrow down your search -- or possibly engage multiple handicappers for separate sports.

2. Does your handicapper have a long track record of success?

One of the most important factors when selecting a handicapper to work with is to identify someone who has a long record of success.  With sports gambling, anyone can have a winning year, or a losing year.  So, try to look past short-term success or failure.  Instead, try to find a sports handicapper who has had great success over decades.  That doesn’t mean he will have won every year (nobody does).  But do your research to find someone who has won more years than not.

3. What is the handicapper’s methodology?

When you choose a handicapper, you might want to try to find someone who is aligned with your preferred methodology.  Some handicappers are technical, and base their decisions on numbers or statistics, while others are fundamental, and make their picks based on player vs. player matchups.  If you’re a “numbers” guy, for example, you might get frustrated to work with someone whose methodology isn’t based on math.  Then, again, a handicapper’s particular methodology might be unimportant to you, so long as he wins.

One thing you could do before hiring a professional sports handicapper is to search for some free sports picks.  Most expert handicappers do offer complimentary selections to introduce you to their service.  There are no strings attached to these free picks.  If they win, you’re not obligated to subscribe to the handicapper’s service.  But also bear in mind that most handicappers aren’t publishing their very best plays for free.  Instead, the free plays are typically ‘good’ plays, but not ‘great’ plays.  Still, it’s a fantastic way to learn about a handicapper to see if he is the right fit for you.

Al McMordie founded Big Al’s Sports Picks in 1992 to help sports bettors become winning gamblers.  And BigAl.com has become one of the leading sports picks sites in the world.  Every day, at the website, there are Picks for Sale, as well as Free Plays for you from 20 world champion handicappers.  Additionally, there are articles, betting tools, sportsbook reviews, and a wealth of other gambling information to make you a winner.

There’s no doubt that sports handicapping is hard.  It's an undeniable fact that very few sports bettors make a profit.  There's a lot more to it than simply turning on a television set, and watching a game.  That being said, there are a lot of professional handicappers who understand how to break down a game to find an edge.  We know it can all be very overwhelming when you first start exploring your options, but in reality, we can only give one tip:  just start!

There's no one formula for bettors to implement to become a winning bettor in their sports betting strategy.  It requires time, effort, blood, and tears before one can develop a sustainable winning strategy.  All you can do is try your luck, document every step along the way, and learn to reflect on your past actions.  The more you learn, the more you can adapt and, eventually, you will reach a point where you have an edge over the sportsbooks.

After reading this article, you'll understand there's no simple answer to whether you should buy picks or not.  There's a lot of options, and it's up to you to decide.  We're always here to provide you with knowledge, picks, or help on any question when it comes to sports betting!