A lot has been written about how to bet on sports and sports predictions. There are thousands of beginner's guides, advanced books and references for the real experts. What is more rare, is an overview providing tips that simply apply to anyone who wants to bet on sports recreationally, without too much hassle. In this article, Ladbrokes explains some golden rules that invariably benefit both the beginner and the advanced gambler.
Practice makes perfect; this also applies as a basic rule when betting on sports. Of course one will make progress faster than the other, but one thing is certain: it takes a while before you invariably outsmart the bookmakers. Because you may not have an unlimited budget, it’s always wise to start modestly. Betting too much money before you even fully understand the game, is rarely the smart way to go. You might find your resources depleted even before you start to enjoy yourself.
Many advanced sports bettors perfect their techniques in a constant learning curve. You will notice soon enough there are certain laws and as soon as you do, larger bets are justified.
It is important that you give yourself the margin to make mistakes. You have to find out for yourself which strategy works best for you. Everyone pays the price for learning, but you can decide whether this remains within acceptable limits.
Many people who start betting on sports immediately focus on their favorite teams, preferably in the largest possible competitions (Champions League, Real Madrid, Barça…). Understandable and not necessarily a bad choice. However, a very large number of real connoisseurs are active in these lobby’s, making it a less favorable place for the recreational gambler. For beginners, it might be a better idea to focus on sports predictions in smaller matches and competitions. What's more: those who perfect their skills in these niches have much more chance of gaining large profits.
Our sports betting tip? Aim for one small aspect of the game and master it: it will save and win you quite a few bucks!
In almost all competitive sports, the team that plays at home has an advantage. The full extent of this home advantage depends on several factors. It also differs from sport to sport and from season to season. This fact has a greater impact on the betting behavior of sports gamblers than one might expect. We can even safely speak of a prejudice that all too often intervenes with rational decision making. So watch out for this! Most sports bettors tend to let the home advantage weigh more heavily than necessary. Make sure you stay rational: the home advantage exists, but it certainly doesn't tell everything! Balance, cleverness and insight: that's what it's all about!
Statistically, there is a very good chance that the first sports bet someone places will be in some way related to a match of his or her favorite team. The pursuit? Double win: your team wins and so do you. Nothing wrong with that, but of course it is not the way the advanced gambler approaches his sports betting. A healthy ‘emotional distance’ often makes it a lot easier to keep a cool head and allow rational decisions. You have to be as objective as possible in your sports predictions.
In many sports, certain players in certain positions are more decisive than others. That's why it's always a good idea to focus on these positions when making your sports predictions. This means you have to pay enough attention and invest time to learn these key positions: it’s how you significantly increase your chances of winning!
In football, for example, the strength of the defenders and attackers greatly determines the goal difference. Midfielders are globally equally important for the global result, but with a super striker you can simply expect more goals.
Sometimes it's also about charisma. In the NBA there are plenty of examples of teams that owe half of their prestige, appearance and quality to one or two of absolute star players.
We can’t stress it enough; you should keep your sports betting rational and business-like. You simply have to approach it as a business and not as a hobby. It is different if you don't care about winning or losing money, but if you want to bet on sports efficiently, you must take it seriously.
The similarities with a real business are numerous: there is a budget, results are measured, there is learning from mistakes, you try to make profitable decisions at every level… Defining your budget is of utmost importance. You can always add some money later on, but make sure you keep everything neatly separated and clean. This way you won't get into trouble and it all remains what it should be: a pleasant pastime.
Sports betting serves two main purposes: fun and profit. If you only aim for the first one, you don't really have to worry much about the rules that were described here. Still: every sporting event receives an extra dimension of fun when you turn it into an exciting bet.
Those who are mainly after profit should realize: big profits do not come automatically. Gambling on sports is a nice pastime, but if you really want to make profit, you should take it all seriously enough. Decisions based on emotions are rarely successful. So make sure you stay rational and gain knowledge/insight in some important aspects of the games. Keep your emotions and favorites out, be aware of your prejudices and specialize in specific niches.
You don't need to know everything right away, the number of parameters is far too large. Your knowledge will grow automatically as soon as you experience what suits you and what doesn't. The good news is you will experience nice gains quite early in that learning process.