In 2019, around 15% of the adult American population said they were going to bet on NFL games. When you think about how many other sports Americans place wagers on, then that number is probably a lot bigger!
Are you interested in sports betting? Why not make a little money while cheering your favorite teams on?
Read on for 7 sports gambling tips you should know!
1. Set a Limit for How Much You Can Bet
Before you start learning how to bet or putting down money, you need to set a limit. Betting can be extremely fun, and all too often, people can get caught up in the exhilaration. Before you know it, you’ve put hundreds (maybe even thousands!) of dollars down, and you have nothing to show for it.
So you need to know what your limits are and stick to them. The best thing to do is think about this before placing wagers, as you’ll have a clearer head. Some debit/credit cards allow you to set daily limits, so if you don’t trust yourself, think about putting these limits in place so you can resist temptation better.
2. Don’t Play to Make a Profit
If you’re in it to make a killing, then you’re playing for all the wrong reasons. One of the best sports betting tips is to think of any profit you make as extra playtime. Otherwise, you’ll always be chasing losses.
Remember that in the end, no matter what type of betting you’re doing, the house always wins. The sooner you accept that, the more you can let loose and have fun, all without worrying about how much you’re going to make off your bets.
On that note, don’t chase losses. Don’t think that you can recoup your last loss by doubling down on the next sports wager you make. If you’re on a losing streak, then just walk away and try again some other day.
3. Make Moneyline Wagers
There are 2 types of sports betting lines: point spread and moneyline. Point spread is where you have to bet on how much a team wins by, which as you can guess, is more nuanced.
When you start off with sports gambling, you want to start simple. In that case, moneyline wagers are where it’s at. All you have to do is place your bet on the team you think will win, and that’s it! You won’t have to worry about much besides watching the game.
If you aren’t sure how to bet, make sure you try risk free offers, which many sports betting sites will offer. This gives you a chance to test things out without risking any of your real cash. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll then have more confidence to make real wagers!
4. Always Do Line Shopping
If you want the best outcomes possible, you need to do line shopping. Especially since everyone has the internet at their fingertips, there’s no excuse for not doing so.
You don’t even really need any skills to do line shopping. Simply check with different sports betting sites to see where you can get the best lines at. Once you find the best sites, then you can place your bets.
In this case, it pays to be patient and thorough. Don’t just place your bets somewhere because a site looks like it has great lines.
Do note that lines aren’t set in stone. They change all the time, so while one site might be the best right now, it won’t necessarily still be in a few hours. Again, it pays to be diligent in your research.
5. Never Bet Game Props
Of course, there will be times where it’s wise to bet on game props. But in the majority of cases, game prop bets are not profitable at all. You’ll just end up losing a good chunk of change.
But if you really want to, you can place a small game prop bet every once in a while. It can be fun to make a spontaneous bet and win some cash off of it!
6. Bet Player Props
On the other hand, you should bet player props. These are usually more of a sound bet. Do know that if a player becomes scratched from a game, then wagers are voided.
However, that’s not always a bad thing. In fact, if there are injuries, these improve player props. So keep a close eye on which players are scratched and bet accordingly.
7. Play It Safe
Not all sports are created equally. Because of this, there are some that are more easily fixed than others.
In general, sports where there are singular players are more dangerous to bet on since they’re easier to fix. For that reason, you should try and stick to betting on sports games, such as football or soccer. Where there’s a team involved, it’s a lot more difficult for people to fix games.
If you do want to bet on individual sports (such as golf or tennis), you always can. Just make sure your wagers aren’t as big because of potential fixing of games.
Try Out Sports Gambling Today
With these tips under your belt, you’re now ready to try sports gambling! Remember that any type of gambling is a form of entertainment and that you shouldn’t use it as a way to make money.
If you go into sports gambling with the right mindset and a firm limit on how much you spend, then you’re in for a good time. Take it slow, take advantage of risk-free bets, and see yourself grow into an expert sports better in no time!
Did these sports gambling tips intrigue you? Then browse the rest of our blog for more tips on betting!
