Why is sports betting so hard???

Because you are betting in to somewhat efficient markets WHILE PAYING A PERCENTAGE TO DO SO.

So any edge the average guy gets in handicapping he loses more in vig.

What to do about this?

Most people cant get much better at handicapping without great effort, studying, and time - which most gamblers want no part of.  So the best thing for the average guy to do is get the best line at the best price as much as possible.

Simple.

If you take it one game at a time and don't get over extended then you can make money betting sports.

If you have a huge bankroll then play it like a fund manager......if you are trying to build a roll, then you have to be extremely patient and bet premium setups within your means.

If you are a wild man, forget it.

this is very simple im gonna break it down for you the best way I can.....first off vegas sets lines and they would ideally like even action...meaning they try to make the game even with the spread..keeping that in mind lets say you can pick winners at a 50 percent rate...im gonna give you an example how the juice will kill you...for every 100 dollar bet you pay 110 on a loss...and win only 100 on a win becuz of juice....so lets say week 1 you go 6-4 and he next week you go 4-6.........that is 50% but look at the payout differences.

6-4  makes you 600-440 a 140 dollar profit................

4-6 makes you 400-660 a loss of 260 dollar loss

so going 50% over 2 weeks you are already losing 120 dollars....

imagine if you cant pick at a 50% rate...the differences are even greater

this year was the first year I got rid of both ESPN and NFL network, and I can honestly say I did better than previous years.

not listening to all those retards has  paid off! 

fading people on this forum doesn't hurt either! 

Exactly.

1. Vig.-- that's the built in advantage for the books.

2.Money Management!-- Gamblers often run in streaks but you see most won't increase the size of their bets(sometimes even lower them thinking I can't possible be this lucky) when hot and I don't mean doubling down. When they are down/cold, they sure don't have the same problem.

3. Human nature:--With the information widely available nowadays, the lines are much shaper. It still can be done but you just have to be much more disciplined and selective. Unfortunately, it works against the nature of most gamblers, they want action and more action.

If all you do is follow the sport, keep-up with the news, who's hot etc, that's common knowledge known by everyone including the book.

Common knowledge is factored into the spread, but the book being smarter than you also factors in things you don't know. So when you see a line that looks way off, you think, wow that line is so easy, that's only because the book factored things into the line you have no clue about.

If all you do is follow the sport and have common knowledge Where have you gained an advantage ?

To gain an advantage you need to know things few others do, to do this requires one to do your homework.

What Van is trying to say is you should parlay as much as possible to get rid of the vig.

ROTFLMAO

YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.