“Nothing good comes from gambling”. Have you ever heard that before? In reality, this statement does have a little truth to it. Gambling has forever been and probably will continue to be synonymous with a risk-ridden path that has the power to either take you high or to a point where you hit rock bottom, fast and hard. All things aside, it’s an exciting and fun way to blow off some steam.
However, there’s a way to playing it safely. It’s the way of the prudent masters. Yes, gambling is not just about money, it’s about knowing when it is safe to bet and what bookies’ tricks you need to know in order to make it successfully through their doors. No amount is small or big because you need to aim at getting a premium value for whatever you “invest” in gambling. If you are sport betting, there are several categories you can invest in but these rules apply to all of them.
Here are six tips we have collected from the experts on how to ensure that you are playing it safe when betting:
1. Research Your Sports
Before betting on any sports, are you sure you know everything about it? Don’t pick a sport just because you like it, pick one that you know you have a better understanding of:
- Who were the last players?
- Who replaced who?
- What are their defense techniques?
- Which player recently had an injury?
- Which player is at odds with his coach?
These are the details that you should be familiar with. This will allow you to choose a sport wisely, one that you will be able to handle. The more information you have, the better you will bet.
2. Shop Around for a Bookmaker
Just like in every business, bookmakers also try to maintain a loyal flow of customers. For this, they provide offers and rewards, so that you stick with them till the end. It is better to shop around and then settle on one bookie that offers the best rates. However, this does not mean that you place all your bets with them. Keep a close eye on the market and change gears when you find a better offer. Look at the offers in the ‘first goal scorer market’ because each bookmaker offers a different reward.
3. Don’t Always Bet on the Favourite
The favourite doesn’t always win! Your favourite might have had a bad score in a local tournament, which you didn’t know about. This is why, as mentioned earlier, keep up with your sport news and the players you are betting on. Focus on the present and not the past. A player might have won in the past three months consecutively but failed before that. There’s a chance that betting on this player will be more beneficial than betting on your favorite who has won more than ten tournaments.
4. Bet on Fewer Selections
Don’t sink your fingers in too many sports. Yes, higher bets can be attractive but do you really want to be lost in la la land and find out you are down to your last penny with no odds in your favour. If you are that sure that you are going to win, bet on a maximum of four selections and keep the amount low.
5. Understand the Market
This is the trickiest part. In betting, there are two ways you can bet: One is half time or full time bet and the other is both halves bet. In the former, your money will be doubled if your chosen team leads in the first half and then wins the game with same score. In the latter, your chosen team must win both halves separately. Make sure your bookie knows the way you are betting or else you will lose part of your bet.
6. Consider the Less Popular Sports
Today, mixed martial arts is just one of the sports that has entered the betting game. The job of a bookie is to lure you into placing bets on as many sports as possible. The list is never-ending and after every few months, another sports is added to it. In a situation like this, odds are in your favour because you can easily research on this sport and gain more knowledge than your bookie. Since, a bookie is more concerned with making money, chances are she/he doesn’t know much about the game. This gives you the opportunity to bet on players that are stronger and have high chances of winning.
There’s no formula to beat the odds in gambling. There are bad days and then there are good days. I would say that your gambling does not just depend on luck; it depends on how smartly you play. This is a game that requires you to bet with your brain, not your heart. Losing is a part of this game but when the fun stops, it’s time for you to stop too.
