My Pre-Game Research Routine Takes 2 Hours. Here's Every Step.

Every serious bettor has a research process. Here's mine, developed over four years and hundreds of hours of refinement.

Morning (30 minutes): Line shopping and movement tracking

I check opening lines at four different sportsbooks. I note any significant discrepancies. I also check where lines have moved overnight—sometimes Asian markets move lines before American markets adjust, which can signal sharp money.

I use a spreadsheet to track these movements throughout the week. By game day, I have a complete picture of how each line evolved.

Midday (45 minutes): Injury and news deep dive

I don't just look at the official injury reports. I follow beat reporters on Twitter for every team I'm considering betting. These reporters often have information hours before official reports.

I also check for non-injury news: coach tensions, locker room issues, contract disputes. These can affect performance even if everyone is technically healthy.

For NBA games, I specifically check rest patterns. How many minutes did key players log recently? Is this a back-to-back? A 4-games-in-5-nights stretch? Fatigue is real and undertpriced.

Afternoon (30 minutes): Weather and situational factors

For outdoor sports, I check multiple weather sources. Wind affects totals more than people realize. Rain affects running games in football. Cold affects dome team visitors.

I also look at scheduling situations. Teams coming off a big rivalry game often perform poorly. Teams looking ahead to a marquee matchup next week might not bring full effort.

Evening (15 minutes): Final line check and bet placement

By now I know which games I want to bet. I do one final line shop to find the best number. Half a point matters over the long run.

I place my bets with a clear head. No alcohol, no emotional decisions. Just executing the research I've already done.

Is this a lot of work for betting? Yes. Could I simplify it? Probably. But this process has made me profitable, and I'm not willing to shortcut something that works.

The key insight: most bettors spend 5 minutes looking at lines and 3 hours watching games. Flip that ratio. Spend more time preparing, less time sweating. Your results will improve.