Sports betting is pretty much the most fun, challenging and rewarding way there is to spend time. If you aren’t cut out to be a sports bettor, though, it can be a very frustrating and expensive way to watch sports. I truly believe that anyone can be a successful sports bettor if they really want to, but it is a long way from easy. If you aren’t willing to do what it takes to be successful then your betting bankroll is going to shrink – either quickly or slowly, but inevitably. So, how do you tell if you are cut out for sports betting success? Here are eight questions that can help give you a good idea:
Do you stick to things? – Are you the kind of person who gets interested in something and sticks with it until you have learned all there is to learn about it, or are you the type who has many interests and jumps from passion to passion as something new comes up? In order to be a successful sports bettor you need to stick with it and keep learning and growing as a bettor for a long, long time. If you aren’t willing to commit to it intensely then you are never going to learn enough to be successful, and if you always jump at the chance to try something different then you are never going to develop and refine an approach to betting that will eventually be profitable.
Can you put emotion aside? – If you are interested in betting on sports then you are probably a big sports fan. Fans have teams that they love to watch, and teams that they hate. Successful sports bettors have to put that emotion aside when they are making their picks. They simply have to make the best, most value-packed pick regardless of whether that means betting on their favorite team, betting against them, or not betting on their game at all. If you can’t separate emotion from your betting then you are going to be in trouble.
Can you manage your money? – Money management is the single biggest factor that contributes to sports betting success. If you can’t manage your bankroll effectively then it doesn’t matter if you are the best handicapper in the world. If you are the kind of person who always finds themselves with an empty wallet before the end of the month then you are going to have to work very hard on developing the money management discipline required for success. there’s another question that needs to be asked here as well – can you afford to be a sports bettor? Sports betting is a tough way to get rich, and you are likely going to lose a lot of money before you start winning. That means that you absolutely need to be betting money you can afford to lose. If you don’t have extra money on hand then you need to wait until you do before you start betting. This is not a good way to invest your rent money to watch it grow.
Will you work harder than everyone else? – The people who are the most successful at sports betting are the ones who work the hardest and the smartest. There are no shortcuts to success, and it takes a tremendous amount of work to be successful. If you are the kind of person who doesn’t like to work hard then sports betting as a serious pursuit may not be for you. It is going to take more work than you think to succeed as a handicapper, and that could include making sacrifices and doing that work when you could be out doing things that are more fun.
Are you a gracious winner? – When you win a big bet you need to treat it with class – just feel good and then get right back at it. If you believe that you are some kind of a genius then you will get cocky when you start to win, and that will lead you off the path that led you to your success in the first place. You are only as good as your last win. That’s a cliche, but it is true. The more you linger on your sports betting wins and start to believe you are invincible, the closer you are to ultimate failure.
Are you curious? – Successful sports bettors want to know why things turn out like they do. They will develop theories, test those theories, refine them, and keep working at it until they have figured it out. They will constantly be looking for ways to improve their handicapping and their bottom line. They will read everything they can and seek out the answers to questions they have. If you don’t have that natural curiosity then you are going to have to really push yourself to keep developing and improving your sports handicapping.
Are you meticulous? – A sloppy sports bettor is an unsuccessful one. You need to be able to keep good records of the bets you made and the status of your bankroll. You also need to be able to record and process information quickly so that it is easily accessible to you when you need it.
Do you want it bad enough? – This is a simple question that only you can answer. If you truly want to be a successful sports bettor then you probably can be. That’s only if you are willing to work hard, accept setbacks, make sacrifices, keep success in perspective, and always be on the hunt for ways to improve your handicapping techniques.
