Sharp vs Soft Bookmakers: What’s The Difference?

 

Online soccer betting Singapore has become even more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes as people’s mobility has been limited, and so relied on digital platforms for their day-to-day activities, which for some people include gambling. 

Sports bettors only needed to create an account on online sports betting website and start their betting activities. But, before doing so, they need to consider many factors when selecting the sports betting site they will be using for their football betting Malaysia. They must consider the sportsbook’s covered betting markets, banking options, customer service, licensing, and reputation. 

Apart from these, the type of bookmaker is another thing bettors should consider to choose the best sportsbook for their sports betting activities. They have to determine whether they will be using a sharp or a soft sportsbook – and to decide upon this, sports bettors have to learn the differences between the two. 

Generally, the target market of sharp bookmakers is sharp bettors or professional gamblers. On the other hand, soft bookmakers aim at square bettors, or the betting public, who consider sports betting a form of entertainment and only wager for fun. But aside from this, more aspects differentiate sharp and soft bookies. 

Sharp bookmakers model their business on low margins – generally, usually taking around 2 per cent on the game’s odds – to provide higher odds and better prices. They also utilise more sophisticated systems to create and update their lines constantly and promptly. And sharp bookies generally have higher betting limits; hence, account restrictions and banning are rare for this type of bookmaker.

Meanwhile, soft bookmakers model their business on high margins – taking about 5 to 10 per cent on the odds of games – which means betting odds do not often accurately reflect the probabilities of an event happening. This type of bookmaker employs manual systems, which results in slow creation and adjustments of lines, and it also is quick in restricting and banning bettors who they deem as significant risks to their business. 

To know more about the critical differences between sharp and soft sportsbooks, see this infographic from 88ProAsia. 

sharp-vs-soft-bookmakers-whats-the-difference-online-soccer-football-betting-singapore-malaysia-infographic