Practice: choosing a market

The last lesson of the course is a single football match from the [match centre](/matches). You note down 1X2, total 2.5, BTTS and draw no bet. You fill in the table. You choose one door or none. Not three markets "just in case". One contract, 1 unit (one stake, usually 1% of the bank), and the diary.

Practice in plain words

This practice reinforces one thing: different markets are different sentences. If you cannot say the sentence, you do not need a market; you are just bored. Boredom does not build a bet slip. Skipping the match after filling in the table is a valid way to pass the lesson. Next comes the course on odds lines: there you will look at price and value (value means a price higher than the real chance); here you already know *what* you are buying.

How it works

The match must be at least an hour away. No in-play. Four markets: write your own percentage where you can and a dash where you cannot. Click only where you have a number and a case. If there are no numbers anywhere, the answer is zero. Do not open correct score "out of curiosity".

1. A match from the centre.
2. Four markets.
3. One sentence.
4. 1 unit or nothing.

Example with numbers

Home win 1.85, draw 3.60, away win 4.40. Over 2.5 at 1.90. BTTS yes at 1.80. Draw no bet 1.40. All you can say is "the home side wins slightly more than half the time". So you take the home win or draw no bet, not BTTS. Anyone who stakes "a little on each" of the four has not completed the course: that is four units of correlation.

Common mistakes

• Four bets on one match.
• Correct score in the practice exercise "for the thrill".
• In-play betting because pre-match is "boring".
• Skipping the diary because "it is only practice".

What to write in your diary

The table and one decision. That is the lesson.

Next: reading odds lines. Glossary: markets / listing.