Their goal is to maximize their profit by focusing on the largest customer segment – casual players. Soft bookmakers usually have access to the same sophisticated technologies that would let them have the most “accurate” odds but choose not to use it. There is a reason the majority of bookmakers are considered soft. A soft bookmaker doesn’t mean it’s clueless For instance, if an important player gets injured before a game, it’s not uncommon for a sharp bookmaker to adjust their odds in a matter of seconds. When a sharp changes its odds, it can take minutes or even hours before the soft bookmaker makes the same adjustment. This means their odds less often reflect the true probability of a match. Soft bookmakersĪ soft bookmaker typically changes their odds slower and has more attractive odds aimed at the casual player. Many Asian bookmakers are considered sharp.
They usually use sophisticated mathematical models and a combination of automatic software and experienced traders that constantly adjust the odds in relation to events and the market. Some bookmakers have very fast-moving odds that are close to the true probability of a match. Have you ever come across the terms soft and sharp bookmakers? In this article, we’ll explain what this means, and why the sports betting industry is split into these two groups.