How do YouBet: Sports betting strategies with Jeremy Jones

YouBet is profiling sports bettors, and Jeremy Jones of TwinSpires.com jumps into the spotlight this week. 

A native of Lexington, Ky., Jones splits his time between offices in Lexington and Louisville, and he was excited to see Kentucky launch sports betting in September.

How did you get into sports betting? 

I grew up a huge sports fan and I always loved numbers and statistics. For that reason, I was a massive fantasy sports player growing up and it eventually evolved into sports wagering once I was old enough and now, I write articles based around sports betting.

Do you remember your first bet?

I certainly remember my first legal sports bet in Kentucky. I still have the losing Thursday Night Football same-game parlay ticket stub as a souvenir. My first ever legal sports bet in Vegas was a Friday night NBA play in 2017. I honestly have no memory of the bet or if it won or not.

Any early influences or lessons learned that you still value?

When I had to drive to Indiana to place a bet, I basically had to make my picks on Thursday and get them all in for the whole weekend, and that is just not a smart way to bet, as information constantly changes, as do the odds and lines. 

Now that I can wager at home, I take advantage of promos and boosts that create positive EV (Expected Value) on selections. Sometimes I will play wagers on things that I would have no clue about as just a fan, but looking at EV, you just have to play it and have made good money off of it. 

For example, I am not a big NHL fan, but FanDuel offered a boost on Bedard and Crosby to each have 3+ shots on goal. The EV for that play was +11.94%. I went big on that boost without much knowledge and got paid nicely.

How has your sports betting strategy developed over the years?

I certainly used to rely on parlays. Typically, either doing a lot of moneylines I liked in one parlay or taking about four or five spread/totals and parlaying them together. Now I spend more time focusing on some player props I like since I am already invested in fantasy sports. 

I will bet my picks both individually and in parlays, so I am not looking at a loss if I go 75% on my individual selections.

Thoughts on the highs and lows of sports betting?

I certainly enjoy winning money, but that is not why I bet on sports. I look at sports betting as purely entertainment and if I lose, then I just paid for the thrill and am not too down on myself. 

I diligently keep track of my wagers and profit/loss and will never go beyond what I am willing to spend for entertainment. It makes me feel like a fan watching my favorite team play every game I bet on rather than that “do or die” mentality.

I am happy when they win and mad when they lose, but it never affects me more than for just a few minutes.

Do you get involved in live betting?

I certainly have since it became legal in Kentucky. I have had success when I pick my spots. Prime-time football games have been really nice when I feel like a player prop line goes way down because of a slow start. Watching about a quarter and a half of an NFL game gives you great insight to how the game script should go, enabling you the opportunity to find some props to exploit.

Which betting sites/apps do you use?

I use them all for different promos and line shopping. BetMGM is probably my most used for non-promo wagers. However, I really like DraftKings for live wagering and FanDuel for profit boosts. Caesars, Bet 365, Penn, and now Fanatics get some play from me as well. Bet365 has by far the best options for same-game parlays, and they also offer instant payouts on moneylines once a team goes up by a certain margin depending on the sport.

Who do you think will win the Super Bowl?

Everyone seemed to be on the 49ers this season and I get it, but I am on the Eagles. I know it is rare for a team to go to the Super Bowl and then follow it up with a Super Bowl win the next season, but the Eagles only got better. Not only did they improve their run game and defensive line, the Eagles remained formidable in other facets.

Who will win the CFB Playoff?

Before the season, I was in on Texas. While I still believe that Texas can and will make the College Football Playoff, I no longer believe they could beat Georgia in a big game. I am back on the Georgia train and even though they are not unbeatable like the past two years, Georgia still will show up in the big games and win when it matters.