Reverse Line Movement: What is it?

Reverse Line Movement

📈What is Line Movement?
❓How it Works
🔍RLM Pitfalls
💡RLM Tips

When placing bets on sporting events, not all bets are equal. Bets on sports can be divided into two separate categories. These are sharp and square money bets. Sharp money, which is sometimes referred to as smart money, is from bettors that sportsbooks will trust to be on the right side in most cases. Square money is from all other bettors. By knowing the difference between these two things, bettors will become more successful.

Another factor is reverse line movement, which will occur when any line moves in the opposite direction of most bets placed. Here, bettors can learn more about reverse line movement and discover how it can have an impact on the betting experience.

Join BetMGM today

What is Line Movement?

Before anyone can understand how reverse line movement works, having an understanding of line movement is essential. This is a self-explanatory action. A sportsbook will release a line for a sporting event and this is often done a week or more before the game is to be played, especially when betting on the NFL. With MLB betting, it is not uncommon for lines to bet set on the same day.

Once the opening lines are released, they do not stay the same. They begin to fluctuate right up until the start of the game and multiple factors play a role. Shifts in lines can be caused by player injuries, game officials, weather, and other things. The main reason for the movement of a line is betting activity. Online sportsbooks will often move lines based on sharp betting activity. If professionals are saying the current line is incorrect, the sportsbook will adjust that number.

How Reverse Line Movement Works

Now that standard line movement has been explained, it is time to take a look at reverse line movement. In short, this occurs when sharps and squares are on opposing sites of a game. This happens quite frequently since the public will usually place bets on the favorite while sharp bettors tend to bet in the opposite direction.

The split between these two will always be reflected in the betting percentages. A betting tracker can be used to monitor two key numbers, the bet percentage as well as the dollar percentage. The first shows the total number of bets that are being placed on either site while dollar percentages show the volume of bets on that team.

Reverse line movement will occur when most of the bets that are being placed are favoring one team but the line moves in the other direction. This movement is a result of sharp bettors who are placing significant wagers on the underdog. The actions of sharp bettors are seldom overlooked by a sportsbook since these individuals have great success records. If bets are being placed on the underdog, the sportsbook has a reason to believe that team will win. This causes an adjustment in the lines to try to create balance.

Why is it Important?

Identifying reverse line movement is very important when placing bets as it provides insight into what some of the professional bettors think of a particular game. Obtaining information from professional bettors is one of the best ways to be successful when wagering online.

information from professional bettors is one of the best ways to be successful

While some may think they have the experience needed to handicap games, there is always another bettor who has a better strategy and more insight. Sportsbooks pay attention to sharp bettors as they have beaten the odds many times. These bettors have shown that they are able to identify the value of any bet and will be able to back that up with large bet amounts. When used correctly, reverse line movement strategy can be very beneficial and profitable.

Pitfalls of RLM Betting

At first glance, reverse line movement seems like a very powerful tool that can lead to more wins and profits. While this is true, the process is not as simple as one would expect. There are very thin margins between losing and winning when placing sports bets. A single point, or even a half point, may not seem like a lot, but it can make the difference between a losing and winning ticket.

One mistake that many will make is to blindly follow sharp bettors. Tailing sharps, or chasing the steam, can be an easy way to lose a lot of money. Instead of watching sharps and mimicking their betting actions, it is best to aim for a positive closing line value. While obtaining the best number will not guarantee any win, it does pay out in the long run. By chasing steam, it is very difficult to get closing line value.

Tips for Reverse Line Movement Usage

It has already been stated that following sharps can lead to losses when not careful. However, reverse line movement foes provide some great benefits and opportunities to land some huge wins. Take a look at two tips that can improve the chances of a winning ticket with reverse line movement.

Trust Late Moves over Early Moves

Movement in lines will be truer as a sporting event nears the end. This is because the lines are often representations of the beliefs of sharps. At the end of a game of a match, there is no time to bluff, so the best time to get great odds will be towards the end of any event. It is also at this time that sharps have the most information accessible in regard to injuries and weather.

Shop Around

Line shopping will be beneficial when trying to identify reverse line movements. If there is RLM at one sportsbook, this may be a good time to shop around and see if there are any better lines at competing sites. Never rely solely on the actions of sharp bettors. While they are usually right, they can also be wrong. By taking time to shop around for the best lines, bettors will lower the risk and have better chances of getting great odds.

In Closing

When any betting line moves in an opposite direction of where most bets are placed, this is reverse line movement. This movement can be seen with moneylines as well as spread bets and it indicates how the professionals are betting. This strategy can be quite profitable, but it is always important to do research, have the latest information, and line shop for the best possible value.