This week, we caught up with Jennifer Piacenti, one of the top female sports betting analysts in the U.S. She shared how her performing arts background led her to the betting world and dropped some insider tips on finding the best bets. Spoiler: It’s all about taking calculated risks!
About Jennifer Piacenti
Jennifer is the founder of Shark Bets, a sports betting app, and a top-ranked betting analyst. She’s been a Senior Betting Analyst for Sports Illustrated since 2021 and a radio host on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio since 2019. Jennifer also hosted the podcast Waiver Wired with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions on ESPN+. She’s appeared as a betting and fantasy expert on MLB TV, Apple TV, and VSIN and was the top-ranked betting analyst in 2023 and 2024 by SharpRank, holding the #1 spot in MLB and NFL for over 10 months.
You’ve had a fascinating journey from performing arts to fantasy sports and betting. How did that transition happen, and what drew you to the world of sports analytics?
Jennifer. It’s certainly not the traditional path! I always loved watching baseball, and I’ve always been competitive. I never played sports myself, since I was often in a ballet class or in a theatre, but I always enjoyed being an involved spectator. I used to watch my dad and uncles play softball growing up, and my dad always took us to Mavericks and Rangers games in Dallas.
Fast forward to moving to NYC for my performing career. Living in NYC was always an adventure. Part of being a New Yorker was embracing the community and meeting all kinds of people. I started watching Yankees and Red Sox games at the local bar with friends, and I convinced myself I should play fantasy baseball because … well, why not? What could these guys know that I couldn’t figure out?
Before you know it, I added my fantasy baseball skills to my Playbill bio, and I got some “fan mail” from someone who wondered if I would be willing to co-manage a high-stakes fantasy baseball team with them. Long story short, that someone was on the Board of Directors for a respected Arts Organization and is now a dear friend.
Through that I met so many people, including someone who invited me to Sirius XM to watch a live draft. Next thing you know I had a whole new set of friends, a guest TV appearance, and the beginning of a new career!
As sports betting started to take off, I realized that my deep knowledge of the players and the game helped me identify edges in the betting market. I still play some fantasy baseball, but now my primary focus is just beating the lines at the sportsbook! Football is probably my favorite sport to bet.
You’ve been recognized as a top-ranked betting analyst by SharpRank for two years in a row. What do you think sets your approach apart in such a competitive space?
Jennifer. My approach is always based on value. If I identify an edge, I will take a risk.
For example, if I think a player is 49% likely to go over his receiving yards, and the books are offering +120, I’ll always take that bet. I don’t ever take a bet because the “implied probability” means it’s an “easy” bet to win, and I rarely ever take a bet with juice of more than -130, as most of the time those bets are just as easy to lose as bets valued at +105. If you don’t believe me, try tracking your bets for a few weeks, and you’ll see what I mean!
Picking up little edges with every bet adds up. I almost exclusively bet in plus money, though I will take football ATS bets around -115. My overall win record is a little lower, but the bankroll grows a lot faster.
Hosting on SiriusXM and contributing to Sports Illustrated put you in front of both seasoned bettors and newcomers. How do you strike that balance in your content?
Jennifer. During my time at Sports Illustrated and on Sirius XM, I tried to gear my content more toward the newer bettor. Nothing is worse than someone throwing around a bunch of fancy lingo trying to sound impressive.
Sports betting is still new, and there are so many people who want to participate! I try to make my content entertaining and instructional. Even if I keep it light, I always have stats and deep analytics to back it up for those more seasoned bettors.
With the new app I created, Shark Bets, I keep both in mind. On Shark Bets, the user gets entertaining and instructional audio and video content with actionable bets and advice. For example, If I see a value pick, I send an audio message to my users right away, so they can take advantage of the line immediately.
What’s been a standout moment or guest from your time hosting on SiriusXM or collaborating with Sports Illustrated?
Jennifer. Oh, so many! I loved co-hosting a fantasy football podcast with actor Jerry Ferrara for a season: “Jen and Jerry’s Waiver Wired.” Interviewing Big Papi, Troy AIkman, and Terrell Owens was pretty special, and of course podcasting from Radio Row for the Super Bowl was a blast.
I also was honored to collaborate with “Cousin Sal” on his podcast network as well as on ESPN+ and Omaha Networks for a few years. Probably my very most favorite thing, though, is playing fantasy football and doing charity events such as the Scott Fish Bowl.
You’ve built a strong brand as a trusted voice in sports betting. What advice would you give to women who want to break into this industry and make their mark?
Jennifer. Be you. Don’t be anyone else. You don’t need to try to be like the guys. There’s enough guys out there. Meet people. Things get done through people.
I never went to journalism or broadcasting school, but somehow, I ended up a full-time senior betting analyst for Sports Illustrated! People are important. Write, create, connect. You’ll be surprised how quickly things can happen.
How do you stay sharp and up-to-date with the latest betting insights and trends while managing such a diverse workload?
Jennifer. I get up early and look at box scores. I sift through headlines. I listen to the radio and podcasts. I interact with people I respect on social media. I also sort through data in creative ways a few times a week.
I’m always trying to look at things from a different angle. I love trying to solve puzzles and find patterns. For others: Look at sites like Action Network, Team Rankings, Fangraphs and Fantasy Pros for some free content, which is more than enough to make successful bets! And if you want to dig deeper, don’t be afraid to invest in some deeper data packages. It can be super fun.
What do women want in sports betting?
Jennifer. They want what everyone wants - to WIN and HAVE FUN! Sports betting is a way to be invested in the game. It gives us a rooting interest, and, if in the end we make a little money along the way- even better!
Val C. Martinez
Founder of BettingLadies.com
