Sports Betting Guide and Terms - Scout

Definition

In the sports betting industry, the term scout refers to a person who only places bets only on ‘strong’ plays. Such a person is different from a sports gambler, in that, he does not play every day; instead, a ‘scout’ selectively plays and does not incur the grind that is inherent in sports gambling.

In practice

A scout is perhaps the smartest sports gambler. As it is known that for one to survive and show profit in this volatile hobby one must achieve a winning percentage of 55% or greater, a scout selectively chooses his plays. This type of play ensures that one limits one’s plays and therefore does not really need to win at a 55% or greater clip. A scout can escape the need to win at such a percentage because he can escape the grind. In sports gambling, one will hit streaks (of either good or bad). When a scout plays, he only places bets on sides he thinks is the strongest. It is up to the nature of any particular scout as to the number of plays he will wager into, thus, one cannot clearly define how many wagers any particular scout will place in a set amount of time. In other words, a scout may play anywhere from 1-100+ plays in any given year.

Money management

Since scouts only play when they think they have the greatest advantage, scouts can forego the normal money management rules of sports betting. In summary, money management decorum states that one must not wager at most 5% of their total bankroll on any particular side. As stated earlier, there will be inherent streaks in sports betting. There will be times when one will simply win every single bet one places, and on the flipside, there will be times when one cannot simply win. By playing like a scout, one may be able to increase one’s bets without fear of having to win at the magical percentage of 55%.

Sharp players

Sharp players may also be scouts. Although, by definition, sharp players are those who play value plays, scouts may also be a professional, sharp bettor. These types of bettors (sharps) are those who seek out the best possible value for their bets. When a sharp player and a scout agree on a play, such a wager would be quite strong.
Summary

In conclusion, a scout is a person who avoids the daily grind of sports betting and simply plays and waits on particularly strong plays.