how do sportsbooks set their lines, is there a way to beat them?
From what I gather, the books basically set their lines to balance action on both sides, using algorithms and data feeds, but also sometimes adjusting based on sharp money and public sentiment. I know they build in a margin so they're not just guessing, and you can see the lines move in real time if something big happens like a star player gets ruled out. Feels like if you could find the spots where they haven't reacted to new info, or maybe when the public overreacts, you could get an edge.
Has anyone actually had success identifying those weak lines consistently, or is it just luck when we beat the closing number?