How to Beat the Pro Football Pointspread: A Comprehensive, No-Nonsense Guide to Picking NFL Winners

by Bobby Smith

Overview

In this second edition that takes into consideration the perpetually evolving NFL rules, How to Beat the Pro Football Pointspread continues to set bettors on a confidence-building path lined with high-priority realities that for decades have flown under the typical football bettor’s radar.

Smith emphasizes that pure football knowledge must be absorbed and then applied to the world of point spreads. He teaches his readers to look at the game with the bettor’s eye instead of the fan’s, and explains his theories about reasonable statistical expectations and ways to challenge the oddsmakers. He also discusses the implications of coaching styles, stadium locations, and even the weather on each bet made throughout the season.

With years of football betting under his belt, Smith has written a key resource for anyone wagering on America’s most popular sport.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.

Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634500296
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	08/04/2015
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Bobby Smith was born in Forest Hills, New York, and attended St. John’s University. Bobby is the chief writer and editor of Sports Reporter’s Zone Blitz, an annual college and NFL football forecasting almanac. He currently lives with his wife, Theresa, and daughter, Celine, in Long Island, New York.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Part 1 The Mindset 1

Chapter 1 Smarter Than the Average Fan 3

Chapter 2 NFL Infrastructure 13

Chapter 3 Understanding Statistics and Rankings 21

Chapter 4 Understanding the NFL Landscape 25

Chapter 5 Challenging the General Football Media 35

Chapter 6 Challenging the Football Handicapping Media 47

Chapter 7 Challenging the Oddsmakers and Bookmakers 55

Part 2 The Practical 65

Chapter 8 Change is Constant 67

Chapter 9 Understanding Schedules 77

Chapter 10 Identifying Team Styles, Strengths, and Weaknesses 87

Chapter 11 Sniffing for Blowouts 95

Chapter 12 Predicting Turnovers 103

Chapter 13 Positioning for Upsets 113

Chapter 14 The Great Value Debate 121

Part 3 The Tactical 125

Chapter 15 Let the Games Come to You 127

Chapter 16 The Coaching Network 135

Chapter 17 Totals: The Universe is Out of Alignment! 143

Chapter 18 Weather and Surface 153

Chapter 19 Money Management 161

Chapter 20 College Football and the Future 169

Acknowledgments 179

About the Author 181