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Sports Betting Without Knowing the Sport: How Market-Based +EV Betting Can Beat the Books

Updated May 22, 2025 | 2:38 pm CDT by Sam Smith

What if we told you that not knowing the sport you’re betting on might actually be an advantage? That sounds like sacrilege to die-hard fans. But if you’re serious about making long-term profits in sports betting — and not just being entertained — it’s time to rethink what it means to be a “sharp.” You don’t need insider knowledge. You don’t need to watch all the games. You don’t even need to know the rules. All you need is a market-based, +EV approach with data-driven sports betting, kind of like making sharp investments in the stock market.

Ditch the guesswork. Start making smarter, sharper Portfolio Betting page now!

Data-Driven Sports Betting: How to Win Without Knowing Sports

Being a fan is great. But fandom comes with baggage — emotions, biases, narratives. You “feel” like your team is going to win. You “believe” the star player will bounce back. These instincts might help you at the water cooler, but they crush your edge at the sportsbook.

When you know nothing about a sport, you don’t have to fight your instincts. You’re not emotionally tied to a team or player. You’re not overreacting to an injury or a cold streak. You can bet more like a robot — methodical, disciplined and focused purely on value.

Sports Betting & Stock Market: Do You Love Every Company in Your Portfolio?

Let’s flip the script. Do you only invest in companies you adore? Do you refuse to buy shares of a stock because you don’t watch CNBC?

Of course not. You invest based on numbers and expected returns.

That’s what market-based sports betting is. The sportsbook sets a line — say, over/under 6.5 strikeouts. The public reacts. The line moves. Behind all of it is a dynamic, liquid market — just like stocks. And if you know how to read those movements and spot inefficiencies, you can profit, regardless of whether you can name a single player involved.

Portfolio EV: Make Sharp Sports Betting Investments Without Watching

Let’s be real: You don’t have the time to track every league, watch every game and stay current on every lineup change. But with Portfolio EV, you don’t have to.

Portfolio EV scans thousands of lines and surfaces the bets with the highest expected value — in any sport. You want to bet MLB hits, EPL props or WNBA game lines? Done. You don’t need to know who’s playing or why. The value is in the number, not the narrative.

The tool helps you build a portfolio of bets — a smart, diversified collection of +EV plays that’s designed to deliver long-term returns.

Bet the Sports You Love. Profit From the Ones You Don’t.

No one’s saying you have to stop watching your favorite team. Sweat that same-game parlay. Ride with your gut if you want. That’s part of the fun.

But the smart bettor — the profitable bettor — understands:

  • Your edge isn’t in how much you know.
  • Your edge is in how well you follow the market.
  • Your edge is in volume and value, not vibes.

So go ahead. Build your robot. Let Portfolio EV find you high-edge bets in sports you don’t even follow because money doesn’t care what the final score is — and neither should you.

Categories Betting 101
Underdog Fantasy Pick’em Predictions Today: Anthony Edwards (May 22)
Sam Smith

Author

Sam Smith

Sam Smith is a writer and editor with Stokastic and OddsShopper. He has been immersed in the world of professional sports data since 2015 while also writing extensively on the NFL for a multitude of blogs and websites. With OddsShopper, Sam looks to blend his sports and editorial expertise with OddsShopper's data to bring you the best betting information possible.

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