Sports betting: an exciting challenge
Sports betting took off in ancient Rome, where it was offered on chariot races or gladiatorial fights, which were extremely frequent as the emperors promised the people “panem et circenses”, in other words “bread and games”. In the Middle Ages, sports betting continued to develop through archery and sword tournaments, and then in the following centuries through the game of palm or cricket. Up until this time, the winnings were rarely monetary.
From the 18th century onwards, the situation changed and winning money became the objective. In the 19th century, sports and horse betting exploded, especially for members of high society who were passionate about sports and racing. From the second half of the 20th century onwards, sports betting became more democratic as sports competitions were made available to the general public via television and the Internet.
Today, many sports betting operators are available online and offer a wide range of sports disciplines for those who want to make money through good predictions. However, in order to get off to a good start in the world of online sports betting, it is best to follow a few simple rules. Here are some tips of pure wisdom to start or continue your betting activity.
Never bet on exotic matches
This is a simple consequence of the previous advice. Indeed, if it is recommended to analyse the sports matches carefully before betting, it also means that you should ban bets on competitions or matches about which you have no information. Therefore, “exotic” league matches should be avoided unless you want to leave it to chance to decide whether your bets will be successful or if you have special knowledge of the subject.
Don’t bet on small odds
Although it is sometimes tempting to bet on small odds in an aggregate bet, this is actually a big mistake. Because “until the referee blows his whistle, anything is possible”, surprises are extremely common in sport.
Also, a small amount of odds can lose you an aggregate bet where the payout can be large but you only win a small amount of money if you bet well. Therefore, to avoid losing a cumulative bet at odds of 1.05, avoid low odds.
Don’t bet on your favourite team
If you are a fan of a team or a sportsman, never take bets on him. You probably have a wrong view of his real level and you risk not being objective. In other words, there is a good chance that you will make a mistake on your bet by letting your subjectivity speak for itself.
Combine bets, but not too many…
In order to increase their possible winnings, some bettors choose to combine bets in order to increase the odds. Of course, this is not without risk since one losing bet and your entire cumulative bet will lose.
So it is up to you to find the right compromise. Generally, it is recommended not to accumulate more than 3 bets with odds between 1.20 and 1.50, but after that it all depends on your risk aversion. Read all the tips from an informed fan on combination betting here…
Live betting
Live betting on a match is a sport in itself and we have devoted an entire article to this particularly exciting discipline. All the pro tips for betting live are in this article!
Mastering the lingo
Because sports betting has its own language, and only the initiated will be able to understand and communicate, and that’s where it all starts – you absolutely must consult the sports betting lexicon!
Managing your bankroll
Once you have deposited money with a bookmaker and your bonus has been credited, it is essential to put in place a strategy to manage your bankroll, i.e. the money you have in your account.
For example, never gamble the entire amount of money in your account, but rather small bets on a variety of games. Try to play risky on a few bets with small stakes and cover those positions with larger bets on events that you think have a high probability of happening.
For the rest, as in poker, avoid trying to rebound immediately after a failure. Your thinking may be impaired and you are more likely to make another loss than a gain. Rushing is definitely an enemy of the punter.
In this article you will find some really good tips on how to bet on the 2018 World Cup, and how to show total control of your bets at this must-see event. And in the next one you will learn when, how and why to bet on the favourites, or even predictions for the matches with the Blues…
And some other interesting articles:
- Statistics: should you believe in them?
- Should you secure your sports bets?
- Sports betting: beginner’s mistakes
- Sports betting: getting rich by betting $20
By following all these tips, you should be able to get off to a smooth start in the world of sports betting and ensure a healthy and productive game. However, don’t lose sight of the fact that sports betting is more about entertainment than finance, even if you do get some good wins quite often. It is more the love of sport than the love of money that usually drives punters. And, as the film Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra puts it so well, “when you make a bet, you have to be a sportsman”. All that remains is to wish the best sportsman wins, and that the others have a good time with sports betting!
