My Christmas gift: Seven types of value bets

Today I'm giving you 7 betting setups. Your experience doesn't matter, because I'll explain the logic and show the examples. The main thing is to understand what to do, when to do it, and why it works. I expect that you're a mentally mature person and understand this:

Betting is not a game and definitely not an entertainment. It's work that involves risks. Your bets are your decisions, so make sure to take them seriously.

At the beginning, it's important to master the warm-up - basic actions without which there's no point in moving forward.

The warm-up answers just two questions:

1. Why am I making this bet?
2. Do I have enough justification for that?

My answer is very simple: I make bets to earn money in the long run.

Let's say it's the Minnesota Wild against the Boston Bruins. The score is 3-0 in the second intermission. Minnesota concedes 1.5 goals at home on average. Boston scores almost 2.0 goals per game on average. The odds for the Boston team total over 1 goal are above 2.00. Therefore, this bet is justified by both statistics and the logic of the game.

The average odds of your bets should be around 2.00. There aren't many such bets, but the risk of doing nonsense is minimal. No accumulators (parlays). Ever. This is a lifestyle choice. Accumulators will take more from you than they can ever give. Work only with major sports: football (soccer) or hockey.

This is the golden mean because of objectivity, regularity and market availability. Until the basics are mastered, don't make the next step. And, most importantly, remember: betting is part of life, not a way to escape from it. Please check my betting templates below.

If a team hasn't scored a single goal by the start of the third period, bet on that team's individual total over 1 goal.

Why it works:

• Shutouts are a rare thing
• The losing team in the third period will increase the pressure, shoot more and force more mistakes from the opponent

The odds are already between 1.70 and 2.50. Before the match, these odds would be around 1.10. The risk is similar, but the potential profit is much higher if you take risks intelligently.

The English Championship is a league of almost equal teams. If the score is 0-0 at halftime, bet over 1 goal scored around the 60th minute.

Why it works:

• Goal probability increases sharply
• The match often opens up after the break

Once again, we look at odds between 1.70 and 2.50.

If the favourite falls behind, wait for the right moment and bet on the favourite's individual total over 1 goal. The teams that fit that template are:

• Liverpool
• Manchester City / Manchester United
• Barcelona
• Bayern

These clubs almost always respond with a goal after conceding.

Same scenario, but with a lower risk. Instead of betting on the favourite to score, bet on the match total to be over 2 goals. For example, Napoli are losing to Genoa. It doesn't matter who scores - you're just looking for at least 2 goals. Less risk, but roughly the same odds.

If there were penalties in the match (5-on-4), but by the end of the first period, there were no power-play goals, try betting on a total over 1 power-play goal (combined). Both teams will work for your bet, and power-play goals are a regular thing in ice hockey. Just make sure to choose active, attacking teams that provoke penalties.

When the favourite (Real Madrid, Bayern, Liverpool) concedes a goal, bet on the favourite's total over 1 corner in the first half.

Why it works:

• Pressure
• Crosses
• Shots
• Activity in the penalty area

This is your reaction to an event rather than guessing.

Have a look at the standings in various European leagues. Choose the goal-scoring leaders. Check how often they score 1+ goals in the first half. Bets on this team's total over 1 goal in the first half usually start from 1.70.