Should You Buy into a Sports Betting System?
Sports betting is immensely popular throughout the world and the Internet has made it accessible across the globe. Of course, gamblers want to make money and folks who put money down on sports are always trying to get that extra edge that will ensure a profit.
The problem with sports betting systems, whether it’s the Martingale System, Chase system, or another methodology, is that they negate important aspects of sports betting that are essential to the success of any gambler. Most websites that promote their so called can’t miss sports betting systems are run by con men who dont understand just how math and sports gambling merge as one.
Betting systems tend to be based on probabilities and are more connected to games of chance than skilled based wagering that defines poker and wagering on sports. Instead of buying into a specific system, here are some guidelines that will be useful to anyone interested in turning a profit through steady betting practices.
Sports Betting Checklist
• You need to be in the game for the long run. Sporadic betting leads to sporadic wins and, often, many loses. Wager throughout the season in a disciplined manner.
• Learn as much about the sport you’re betting on as you can and then learn even more. An educated gambler is a smart gambler and a smart gambler has a chance of turning a profit.
• Stay away from parlays, exotics and futures. It’s okay to make these wagers if you’re ahead of the game and to use them minimally, but relying on such bets to turn a profit is wrong headed. They are extremely hard to hit unless you are a very experienced sports bettor that understands correlated parlays and the math behind exotics and futures.
• Never wager when you’re angry, under the influence of any substance or depressed. Chances are you will make very bad decisions when you’re in a bad state.
• Never place a panic wager. In other words, maybe you’ve had a bad week and you decide you’re going to try to make up for every loss in one big wager. You may hit that bet, but then again you may not. Don’t make an all or nothing bet. More times than not it will sink you.
• Never wager on a team because you’re a fan of that club. Just because you’re a fan, that doesn’t mean that the team will win. Treat all teams equally, take the emotion out of your wagering.
• Focus on one sport and get to know it inside out. Don’t try to wager on every sport on the planet. Yes, there’s a lot of money wagered on European football but if you know nothing about it how can you possibly make any money except for an occasional fluke win?
• Keep written records of wins and loses to chart your progress. Do not rely on your memory! Write every bet down and its outcome. Be honest. In the long run it will payoff.
• Have reasonable expectations. Professional gamblers who make their living via sports betting win approximately 54- 58% of their wagers. That means that on average they lose more than 40% of their bets. Remember that these are averages. That means that in any given week a bettor may win 70% of their games and the following week lose 60%. The first week you may have made $700 on $1,000 worth of wagers but the next week, betting the same amount of cash, you lost $680. Over two weeks, you’ve turned a $20 profit. That’s to be expected in a real world scenario. (Of course, you still have your $1,000 bankroll.)
• Practice sound money management practices that will keep you in the game for the long run.
• Subscribe to a honest picks service. A good handicapping service that actually wins and bets their same games can mean the difference between success and failure. Those few that fit that mold are serious about ensuring your profitability.
• Following that same mold beware of scamdicappers. Guys that tout 80% winners, inside information, and all that other BS that some people actually believe exists.
The essence of successful sports betting is connected to the critical analysis of all available information and the utilization of top handicappers and recent developments in the sport in order to make an informed decision regarding on which team to bet. Sports betting systems may provide some guidelines for betting but they will not help you pick winners or profit consistently.
