Strategy
Sharp
Also called sharp money, wiseguy
A consistently profitable bettor, or the money such bettors move a line with.
Sharp bettors win over time, usually through disciplined pricing rather than superior game knowledge. When a line moves against the majority of tickets, that is typically sharp money: fewer bets, larger stakes, better information.
'Sharp action' is worth watching precisely because books respect it. A line that moves toward a side receiving a minority of bets is telling you which way the informed money went.
The label also applies to books: a sharp book takes large limits, holds a low margin, and moves its number rather than restricting the bettor.
See also
- Square — A casual bettor, and by extension the predictable side of the market they bet.
- Steam — A fast, uniform line move across many sportsbooks at once, driven by heavy informed money.
- Reverse line movement — A line moving toward the side receiving fewer bets — a classic sign of sharp money.
- Limit — The maximum a sportsbook will accept on a market — or on you specifically.