5 basic betting tips now that more sports have returned

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Sports betting

Now that the NBA and NHL have returned to join MLB, golf and NASCAR, among others, there is no shortage of sports to wager on. If you are going to dive in, we provide a few tips on how to approach these sports, which are all essentially being played under unique rules. That will impact games and wagers. As a general rule, I rarely bet baseball and the NBA, but if you spot some trends, there is money to be made:

1) Don't overdo it

The temptation is there to play everything, especially since we have not had much to bet on. But keep in mind there are lots of options every day now. Pick your spots and be patient. Don't bet just to have action.

2) Don't be afraid to bet on your teams

Sometimes, having an emotional involvement in a team can be a negative. But if you can look at it objectively, it makes sense to bet on the team you follow. It's simple reasoning; you will know more about that team than any other. Sometimes that knowledge will lead you to bet against them. Again, be objective and it can pay off.

3) Throw out the old trends

Treat each sport like it is a new season and you have to develop new trends and data. For instance, early in the real regular season, hockey overs were easy money. But in the re-start, defenses and goalies have been well ahead, and that trend has reversed. Keep in mind some hockey and basketball teams have players who were out when the season was paused and have returned now, so you are starting from scratch in many ways. In baseball, watch for struggling high profile pitchers and bet against them until it turns around. In hockey, keep an eye out for hot goalies. And in the NBA, some teams are more prepared. These are all things to look for.

4) Keep an eye on the bankroll

With so much action available, be smart with your money. One rule I always use is never bet more than 10 percent of your bankroll on a given game. So if you are playing with $100 in your account, your maximum bet should be $10 per game. It will help mitigate your losses and keep you from chasing lost money.

5) Where you bet is critical

Having more than one web site is always a good idea, so you can shop for value and bet where you have the best lines or totals. If you like an over in a baseball game, for instance, and it is 8 runs on Website A and 9 on Website B, clearly you will take the extra run. Also make sure you use sites that will actually pay you when you win. I use two sites - mybookie.ag and BUSR. Both have lots of deposit options, are very user friendly and actually pay you when you win.

Whatever sport you are into, try some of these basic tips and good luck with your wagers.

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Texas hosts Clemson on Dec. 21. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.

For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.

“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”

Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”

Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.

“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”

Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.

“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”

The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.

Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.

Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”

Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.

“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”

Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.

Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.

Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.

“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.

Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.

Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.

“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.