How and when to hedge in sports betting?

Especially for those who want to become professional or at least take sports betting as a source of income, there is an essential technique to be aware of. We are talking about hedging, a possibility that helps minimize losses in this business. However, this method needs to be used very carefully, as it also has the power to increase the damage of a wrong choice.

Thinking of helping bettors understand how it works and the best time to take a hedge, we wrote this article. Mastering this methodology is not simple, but it can be essential for success in the sports betting environment. We will detail what this technique is, how the main bettors usually use it, and the mistakes that should be avoided. In other words, stay tuned to the following paragraphs.

How do the covers work?

Many bettors, including some experienced ones, still do not know what a hedge is. This technique intends to avoid or, at least, minimize the loss of a selection made. Usually, it is used to balance possible losses of pre-match selections. However, it can also cover selections that have already been made live. So, coverage can only be completed throughout an event.

In a practical example, this technique can be used in the following scenario. A bettor placed a bet on the over 2.5 goals in a football match. However, at the 70th minute, the chosen game is tied 1×1. The bookmaker offers odds of 1.95 for the game to end in a draw. So, if the duel does not have significant indications that it will have a ball in the net, it is worth placing a new bet on the draw option. After all, if there are no more goals, you will have covered the initial selection. If a new goal comes out, you are at an advantage with the pick you already had. In other words, it is impossible for there to be a loss on this event.

When to cover?

Now that you know what coverage is, it is necessary to learn another essential factor: the ideal moment to make coverage. There is no exact science that proves this. However, there are some ways to understand when to use this technique. Using what is most common, i.e., pre-match coverage of teams, the period of the game is essential to know this.

At half-time, for example, coverage can already be made, even if it is not the most expected moment, usually. It will depend a lot on how the match progresses in the first 45 minutes and whether the starting team has shown chances of being the winner or not. However, it is pretty common to adopt this technique between minutes 60 and 75 when the game takes its final directions. That is when it is possible to identify whether the initial choice is on its way to being realized or not and what is more feasible to do to avoid the loss.

What not to do when it is time for coverage?

First, it is necessary to be fully aware of the difference between coverage and a new bet. A hedge makes sure that the loss does not happen or is minimized regardless of the outcome. On the other hand, a new entry does not necessarily have this profile. It can even compensate for a pre-game selection, but we no longer call it hedging if there is some risk of loss involved.

Thus, it is not enough to make a selection with high odds live to compensate for a supposed lost choice. Another important detail is that you should only hedge when the initial bet has no more value. When its rate is not equivalent to the probability of the option being won. Last but not least, we also point out that a hedge is not always possible. There are events where the odds will not make it possible to use this technique, and you will have to accept the loss.