The year 2019 looks set to be the year of sports betting in New Jersey and throughout the US.

To get you ready for 12 months of overs, unders, scorecasts, and more, SugarHouse Sportsbook is looking for the sharpest sharps in the state. With two races left, you’ll be able to play for one of the following three prizes:

• First place: Two tickets to a regional sporting event of your choice or $500 in bonus cash.
• Second place: $250 in bonus cash.
• Third place: $100 in bonus cash.

Make the right bet and let the odds be your guide

To have a chance at winning at SugarHouse Sportsbook, you’ll need to place a winning real-money bet during the final two playing periods. Although you’ve missed the first race, the second one is currently underway and will come to a close at 11:59 p.m. EST on Jan. 6.

For those that want to win more but can’t get into the mix this week, the third and final race will run from Jan. 7 until the close of play Jan. 13.

The most important clause you need to take note of during both races is that your wager needs to win.

In other words, if you place a sports bet at PlaySugarHouse online sportsbook and it loses, you won’t earn any leaderboard points. However, if you do make a correct pick, your points will be based on the odds and the size of your wager:

“Leaderboard points equal the sum of the decimal odds of your bet.”

For example, if you picked the New York Knicks to beat the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 9 at odds of 3.0, you’d earn three Sharp Points. In addition to the above condition, you’ll also have to meet the requirements below to ensure your sports bets contribute to your ranking:

• You must stake at least $10 on an event with odds of at least 1.5 or higher.
• Sports bets must be placed and settled within the promotion period.
• Only winning sports wagers will count. Cashed-in wagers do not constitute as winning sports wagers.
• A winning bet will only count once toward your total.

Everyone can win, but only if you win

As you can see, there’s something in this for everyone. By setting the wagering requirement reasonably low, i.e., $10, it shouldn’t be too tricky to meet the entry requirements.

However, what isn’t so easy to do is win. For us, that’s the beauty of this promotion.

Unlike other points’ races where your success rate doesn’t matter, this giveaway separates the know-it-alls from the know-nothings. Put simply; you need to be a betting sharp to get something from this promotion.

Why is that a good thing?

Well, unlike certain casino games, NJ sports betting is a skilled endeavor. Although you can never guarantee yourself a win, you can swing it in your favor through a process of analysis, logic, and timing.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a secret recipe that will set you for triumph each time you step into the sports betting arena. However, there are some things the pros do to achieve a positive return on investment (ROI) each time they ante up.

How to beat the bookmaker

Study the stats

The best way to get ahead in sports betting is to look at all the available information.

Whatever sport you’re a fan of, there will be tons of statistics to analyze. From a player’s skill rating and his or her social media updates to a team’s recent results, there is a wealth of information you can use to identify a hot pick.

Select the best odds

Not all bets are created equal. If you’ve found a player or a team that looks to be a solid pick, make sure you assess all the potential outcomes and odds. By doing this, you’ll be able to get the most value possible from whatever you’re betting on.

Look for inconsistencies

When you’ve poured over the stats and found some associated odds, the final thing you should do is look for anything that doesn’t seem right.

For example, let’s say the Knicks are favorites to win over the Warriors. However, using social media, you’ve noticed that the Knicks’ Kevin Knox has been ruled out through injury. This update will obviously hurt the team’s chances of success and, in turn, improve the Warriors’.

If you can jump on this information and bet on the Warriors before the oddsmakers catch up and reduce their odds, you should be able to get more value than you otherwise would have.

Log in to SugarHouse Sportsbook and get betting

Naturally, there’s more to sports betting than the points we’ve outlined above. Just like there’s more to NJ online casinos than just slots.

However, they are just three things that most successful sharps do. If you can take those lessons onboard, combine them with your knowledge and get active before the end of this promo, you stand a chance of winning some great prizes this month.

Of course, to win it, you need to be in it.

If you’re not already a member of SugarHouse Sportsbook, it’s time to get started. Join today and you’ll receive a 100 percent deposit bonus worth up to $250 and, if you’re a sharp, two tickets to a sporting event of your choice.