Strategy
Steam
A fast, uniform line move across many sportsbooks at once, driven by heavy informed money.
When a line moves sharply and simultaneously everywhere, that is steam. It usually means a syndicate has bet the number at multiple books, or significant news has landed.
Chasing steam — betting the same side after the move — is mostly a losing proposition, because by the time you see it the value has already gone and you are taking the worse price. The exception is a slower book that has not yet adjusted, which is genuine arbitrage against the market rather than following it.
See also
- Sharp — A consistently profitable bettor, or the money such bettors move a line with.
- Reverse line movement — A line moving toward the side receiving fewer bets — a classic sign of sharp money.
- Closing line — The final price on a market immediately before the event starts.
- Line shopping — Checking multiple sportsbooks for the same bet and taking the best available price.