I've tracked over 800 bets since I started betting about a year ago. This data has saved me hundreds of dollars.
What I Track
For every bet: - Date and time - Sport/game - Specific event (teams, players) - Bet type (ML, spread, over/under, etc.) - Odds - Stake - Result (win/loss/push) - Profit/loss - Running total - Notes (why I placed this bet)
What the Data Told Me
After 200 bets: I discovered my football Over 2.5 goals bets were +15% ROI but my Under bets were -22% ROI. I stopped betting unders.
After 500 bets: Found that my bets on odds above 3.0 were -8% ROI, but 1.5-2.5 odds were +7% ROI. I stopped chasing longshots.
After 800 bets: Learned that my pre-match bets outperformed live bets by 4% ROI. Reduced live betting.
Current Stats (800+ bets)
- Overall ROI: +7.8% - Sports betting ROI: +9.1% - Casino ROI: +3.2% - Best month: +$890 - Worst month: -$280 - Win rate: 54.3% - Average odds: 2.08
How to Start
Google Sheets works fine. Columns: Date | Event | Bet Type | Odds | Stake | Result | P/L | Running Total
That's it. Takes 30 seconds per bet.
The Rule
If you don't track it, you don't know if you're winning or losing. Most people who 'think' they're profitable are actually not. The spreadsheet tells the truth.
I review my spreadsheet every Sunday. 15 minutes that's worth hundreds per year.