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What Does Hot Game Mean In Sports Betting and Wagering?

by Doc's Sports - 10/13/2014

football helmet on fire

There are very few periods of time throughout the year when there isn’t a game or event that is garnering national media attention and bettors are clamoring to lay down a wager. Off the top of my head, the only period I can think of is during the MLB All-Star break, where it’s slim pickings to lay down a wager. Sure, the Home Run Derby and All-Star game are closely watched and people do bet on them, but it’s done more so to have a little action on the game to make it semi-watchable. However, the rest of the year is littered with massive, high-stakes, high-drama type events. These are what the industry called “hot games”

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What is a Hot Game?

The term “hot game” refers to a particular game or event that is drawing an overwhelming number of bets and a ludicrous amount of money. Most times, the majority of these bets and money are siding with one particular team whom the public seems to love betting on (think Dallas Cowboys or New England Patriots). From time to time, these teams might find themselves in a “hot game” due to the high-profile nature of the game – think playoffs or a first-place showdown between two very good teams.

Hot games can also refer to an event as a whole such as March Madness. Since March Madness is a high-profile event, many of the matchups will intrigue bettors and give them the opportunity to lay down a bet from tip off 12:00p.m. EST up until the last game gets underway at about 10:00p.m EST. Another way to identify a “hot game” is by looking at certain individuals and potential records that could be broken, or if they are making their return from a terrible injury.

Hot games are also common on the big day for any given sport – think Saturday’s during college football and Sunday/Monday for the NFL. Most hot games will feature the highest profiled teams, no matter who their opponent is.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Hot Game

There are two sides to every coin and knowing what the “hot game” is and wagering on it can offer up its share of advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, there are more disadvantages and I’ll explain why.

Whenever you are betting a “hot game” you need to first understand that the sportsbook and linemakers are already aware of it and have skewed the line to make it as favorable for the as possible. They also know how the betting public is going to bet, so now you must not only beat the book, but you are likely siding with the public and we all know the public is very rarely right. Because of this, the value on a certain team in a certain spot is all but gone, thus leaving you with a bad number which opens the door for bad beats.

The only advantage I can think of when talking about “hot games” is that you aren’t alone in your thinking regarding who should win. Sometimes bettors need a little reassurance so they know that their process is working and that other people see the game the same way they do. Unfortunately, from my experience, I find that the more people that side with you regarding your selection, the less likely it is for that team to win. That’s why they say Vegas wasn’t built on winners and that’s why I try to avoid “hot games” as best as I possibly can.

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