In SmartStake's foundational guide, "The Sharp Bettor's Playbook: A Guide to Positive EV," we covered the core concept of Positive EV: looking for situations where the odds at a "soft" sportsbook differ from the estimated true odds. We learned that by reviewing sharp bookmakers like Pinnacle, we can try to identify potential pricing errors at softer books and place bets with a mathematical edge. Results are never guaranteed, and individual bets can win or lose.

Theory is the foundation, but execution matters. This guide moves from the "why" to the "how." It walks through the SmartStake +EV tool — a dashboard for finding and evaluating +EV betting opportunities.

Please note: Examples and screenshots in this guide are illustrative and do not represent any individual user's results. +EV betting involves variance — individual bets can win or lose. Results vary based on odds available, sportsbook terms, sample size, and user error. Only use disposable income. SmartStake is not affiliated with any sportsbook.

Your Command Center: The +EV Dashboard

Navigating to the Positive EV tool on SmartStake presents you with a powerful, real-time dashboard. This is where the magic happens.

Simply hit "Find Bets," and the tool quickly scans the market, presenting you with available +EV opportunities for the day. Let's break down what you're seeing.

Anatomy of a +EV Bet

Each card on the dashboard represents a single, positive expected value (+EV) bet. Here’s a closer look at the information provided:

• EV (Expected Value): This percentage represents the calculated mathematical edge on a bet. An EV of +5.2% means that the mathematical expectation is +$5.20 per $100 wagered, based on the estimated true odds. This is calculated by comparing the soft book's odds to the estimated "true odds" derived from the sharp market. Actual results will vary — EV is a long-run theoretical measure, not a prediction of any individual outcome. For an interactive breakdown of the math, check out our introductory guide.

• Bet Data Information about the event, market, bookmaker and bet.

• Win Probability: This is the "true" probability of the bet winning, calculated from the de-viggered sharp line. You'll notice many +EV bets have a win probability below 50%. This is not a red flag. Profitable betting isn't about picking the most likely winner; it's about finding odds that pay you more than the true risk warrants. If you were offered 3-to-1 odds on a fair coin flip, you'd take that bet every time, even though you expect to lose 50% of the time. The value is in the disproportionately high payout, not the win rate.

• Recommended Bet Size: This is a suggested stake based on your bankroll settings and the Kelly Criterion, a formula designed to maximize long-term growth. We'll cover this in more detail below.

• Actions: This is your toolkit for managing the bet.

Your Toolkit: Bet Actions Explained

The action buttons on each card give you full control over your betting workflow.

• Bet Calculator: Odds can change quickly. If you click through and find the line has moved, simply open the Bet Calculator. You can input the new odds, and it will recalculate the EV and your recommended bet size. You can also use it to run "what-if" scenarios.

  

• Track Bet: Once you've placed a wager, click here to add it to your Bet Tracker. Meticulous record-keeping is essential for understanding your performance and managing your bankroll.

• Math Explainer: For those who want to see the work, this button reveals the precise numbers used in the EV calculation.

• Odds Table: Hitting the table icon reveals the odds for this exact bet across all other sportsbooks we track. This is incredibly useful for line shopping or confirming just how much of an outlier the +EV line really is.

  

• Hide Bet: Once you've placed a bet or if the opportunity disappears, click the eye icon to hide the bet from your feed, keeping your dashboard clean and focused on actionable opportunities.

Managing Your Money: Bankroll & The Kelly Criterion

At the top of the page, you'll find the Bankroll and Kelly Multiplier settings. These are arguably the most important inputs for a serious bettor.

• Bankroll: This is the total amount of money you have set aside exclusively for betting. It should be an amount you are comfortable losing — use only disposable income. Proper bankroll management is the wall that separates disciplined bettors from run of the mill gamblers.

• Kelly Multiplier: The Kelly Criterion is a renowned formula used to determine the optimal stake size to maximize long-term growth while minimizing the risk of ruin. Our tool calculates the "Full Kelly" stake for you. However, a Full Kelly strategy can lead to high variance (big swings in your bankroll). The multiplier allows you to adjust your risk tolerance. Most professionals use a "Fractional Kelly" approach:

  • Half Kelly (0.5x): A common, balanced approach.
  • Quarter Kelly (0.25x): A conservative strategy that smooths out variance, ideal for beginners.

Setting these correctly tailors your recommended bet sizes to your personal financial situation and risk appetite.

Fine-Tuning Your Search: Using Filters Effectively

The market presents hundreds of opportunities, but not all are created equal. Our filters help you zero in on the highest-quality bets.

While most filters are self-explanatory, we apply a few by default that are worth understanding:

• Max Odds: We recommend setting a maximum odds limit (e.g., +200 or 3.0). While longshot bets can have sky-high EV, they have a very low win probability. Betting on them frequently can lead to long, demoralizing losing streaks that can wreck a bankroll and your confidence. Filtering for more moderate odds helps manage variance.

• Date Range: SmartStake recommends focusing on bets for games happening today or tomorrow. The closer a game gets to starting, the more the market tends to converge on true probability. SmartStake likes Pinnacle's "closing line" for close-in-time bets, as a benchmark.

Selecting Your Bookmakers

By default, the tool shows opportunities from all bookmakers available in your region. To tailor this to your accounts, click the bookmakers dropdown.

We separate the list into "Your Opened Books" and "Unopened Books." You can easily deselect any books you don't have an account with to see only the bets you can actually place. Click the "Save" button to store your selections for future sessions.

Selecting Your Sharp Bookmaker

Finally, the tool allows you to select which sharp bookmaker to use as your benchmark.

Currently, SmartStake uses Pinnacle as the default based on extensive public data indicating its market edge. SmartStake also offers Circa Sports, another highly respected sharp book. As more market data is analyzed, SmartStake will add more sharp books we trust to this list. When picking a sharp book, you should review its record for yourself and pick one you trust.

Additional Customization

The three-dot menu in the top-right corner offers a few more settings to personalize your experience.

Here, you can change your preferred odds format (American, Decimal, etc.) and toggle the visibility of bets you've previously hidden.

Help and Guides

If you ever need a refresher, the question mark icon will pull up relevant guides and articles for the tool.

Putting It All Together

The theory of +EV betting is straightforward, but the manual process of scraping odds, de-vigging lines, and calculating value is tedious and slow. By the time you find a candidate opportunity, the odds may have moved.

The SmartStake +EV tool automates the discovery process so you can focus on executing your strategy. +EV opportunities are candidate bets, not guaranteed profits — individual bets can win or lose, and results vary based on sample size, sportsbook terms, and user error.

Start Your Free Trial Today.

Video Guide: Using the Positive EV Tool

Now that you understand the power of Positive Expected Value, watch our video guide to see how easy it is to use the SmartStake +EV tool to find and place your positive expected value (+EV) bets.

In this in-depth video, Alex shares his personal journey and lessons learned from his own +EV betting workflow. He covers common mistakes like blindly chasing high EV percentages, the importance of not forcing bets, and how to critically evaluate market consensus beyond just the tool's initial recommendations. You'll learn how to customize your sharp book settings, identify clear value by looking for market outliers, and understand when to avoid misleading EV signals. Alex also provides practical examples of bets he would and wouldn't place, offering valuable insights into unit sizing and gaining confidence as you navigate the world of +EV betting.