Best Sports Betting Books to Read in 2020

We review the best sports betting books to read in 2020 and update our list annually. 

There have been hundreds of sports betting books written, but not all of them are high-quality. 

In fact, a lot of sports betting books are either completely outdated, provide wrong information or provide zero value. However, there are some gems that should be in every bettor’s library. 

Our plan is to regularly update this page and make it a great resource for all sports bettors. 

There are great sports betting books for beginners and experienced handicappers. Make sure you select the best sports betting books to read in 2020 based on your skill level. 

Some books have complex math and statistical betting models that may be hard for some to grasp at first. 

There are also books about the life of a sports bettor and several tell-all books detailing true stories. 

Despite the vast amount of excellent sports betting information available online nowadays, it’s still a good idea to pick up and read a book sometimes, especially when the information is valuable. 

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Best Sports Betting Books for Beginners and Pros

#1 – Sharp Sports Betting

Author: Stanford Wong 

Pages: 380 

If you asked a sports handicapper what’s the first book a new bettor should read – I predict about 90% of them would say “Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford Wong”. 

The book was initially published in 2001 and there have been two minor revisions (2009 and 2011). 

The book will teach you everything you need to know about thinking like a sharp.  

Basic teaser strategy (Wong Teaser) was derived from this book. Most of this book focuses on the NFL, but the lessons learned can be applied to help you become a better sports handicapper.

Stanford Wong is actually a pen name. The author’s real name is John Ferguson and he also wrote the book “Professional Blackjack”, which is another great gambling book to add to your library. 

#2 – Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting

Author: King Yao 

Pages: 254 

This sports betting book is often considered the successor to Sharp Sports Betting. 

We recommend starting with Sharp Sports Betting and then reading Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting, which was written by King Yao who has a background in financial trading. 

This book will change the way you look at sports betting. You’ll begin to use data-driven, analytical strategies to beat the bookies rather than just gambling and throwing your money away. 

While there are no concrete betting models introduced in this sports betting book, the author does a great job explaining the technical fundamentals of being a successful sports handicapper. 

#3 – The Smart Money

Author: Michael Konik 

Pages: 384 

The first two entries on our list of the best sports betting books provide the technical background of sports betting. This next entry is an entertaining read, while still providing a lot of value. 

If you bet on sports, you’re going to love “The Smart Money: How the World’s Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions. The book offers a rare inside-look of high-stakes sports betting. 

The author, Konik, was an agent for the “Brain Trust”, which was the most successful gambling ring in America. Konik illustrates how the Brain Trust operated in Las Vegas and offshore

Step into the world where betting $1 million on a football game is commonplace. Learn about the ins and outs of high-stakes sports betting based on the true stories Konik experienced. 

#4 – Sports Betting for Dummies

Author: Swain Scheps 

Pages: 464 

This is a new sports betting book that has garnered great reviews already. 

Sports Betting for Dummies is a book that’s geared towards complete beginners, but there is also some great insight of developing winning betting strategies for all major sports. 

This book starts by walking beginners through understanding odds and other basic concepts. 

Sports Betting for Dummies will walk you through the process of gathering and studying data. There are also chapters on managing your bankroll and other important beginner topics. 

If you have no knowledge of sports betting, this is the best beginner sports betting book to start with. 

#5 – The Signal and the Noise

Author: Nate Silver 

Pages: 576 

Nate Silver is the founder of FiveThirtyEight and he’s most famous for his near-perfect prediction of the 2012 US election. While this book isn’t focused on sports betting, it’s a must-read. 

In this sports betting book, you’re going to learn about statistics and predictive analysis. 

Silver meets with some of the country’s best forecasters to evaluate why they’re successful. He talks with gamblers, a meteorologist and other professionals who make predictions. 

A lot of the math in this book is tougher to understand for beginners, but it’s a great read after you have an understanding of the math behind sports betting odds. 

There are a lot of real-world examples that are explained in-depth throughout the book.