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There are many ways to handicap
football games. The old adage “different strokes for different
folks” can be applied to this venture. Let’s look at some of
the different styles.
Fundamental analysis
– This approach looks at the various matchups of the 2 teams to
try to determine which side will have an advantage. This can be
done by examining statistics such as rushing yards per game or
rushing yards per play or any other statistic that you feel is
relevant to a team having success. Other handicappers use a set of
power ratings spotting strengths and weaknesses of teams to
determine which team has the better chance of winning.
Technical analysis
– This approach use trends and/or systems that exist to support
one team or the other. There are many trends that can be found but
the important thing for the handicapper is to determine which of
these trends or systems are relevant. Just to base your plays on a
trend that is meaningless or a trend that is back fitted to meet
certain criteria is not good handicapping. Any trend that you base
a play on should have a reason that it works.
Situational analysis
– This approach will look at the teams and the situation they
are in. Are they coming off a big win? Are they looking ahead to
next week? How do they perform against this particular team? Do
they play well after a loss? These are all questions that can help
you determine how a team will perform in their upcoming game.
Line analysis
– This approach looks at the line movement to determine which
side to play based on value. This is a very difficult
concept to grasp because it is not always clear why a line is
doing what it is. This approach is probably best employed by the
most experienced of handicappers because there can be a lot of
misinformation out there.
Our selections for both side plays
and O/U's are predominantly based on a
combination of Fundamental and Line Analysis. Teams must
play at least 3 games
before making any plays.
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