Casual gamblers often ask what is a “sharp” in betting? The term sharp is often used in sports betting circles to describe a serious, smart, high-dollar sports bettor. Think of someone who bets professionally, typically winning more than they lose. They also may be focused on several sports.
A sharp bettor is usually very selective in determining which games to get down on. They use sports betting data and analytics to look for edges in lines where they can take advantage and win more frequently. Often, they win at the expense of a casual bettor.
Here are a few more traits of a sharp bettor:
- Sharp bettors are likely focused on one or more sports
- A sharp can be an individual or a group of people (sometimes called “betting syndicates”) and they are known as serious investors when it comes to betting
- A casual, recreational gambler does not qualify as a sharp
- A sharp is typically respected by sportsbooks and oddsmakers
We’ve been following betting percentages on games and that data is now available exclusively to Pro members. Use our historical betting data and analytics tools to make smarter betting decisions before getting down on a line. You might think that a spread increasing on a favorite is a sure bet, but how often does that favorite really win? Is the value actually on the dog grabbing the extra points?