Betting: Avoiding Mistakes.

WINNING SPORTS BETS, like most forms of gambling there is a certain element of luck that goes with them. And just like other casino games, be that video poker, roulette, slot machines, craps, blackjack or baccarat...you have to follow some fundamental rules if you do not want to keep making the same, expensive, errors, which are in actual fact very easy to avoid and which many regular sporting gamblers make. Below you will find a list of "must nots" that you should watch for and which people commonly succumb to. Read them, learn them and avoid them:

Wagering more money than you can afford to lose:
One of the most fundamental errors that punters can make is to bet more money than they are prepared to lose. We can only insist to you that such betting tactics can be financially fatal, not only for the person betting, but sometimes for their families too. The truth about this point is that bookmakers would prefer that you do not make such fatal mistakes. The most experienced bookmakers would actually prefer for you to win from time to time in order that you keep coming back, obviously if you are financially unable to continue to play, they too lose out. A punter without any money has no value to for the bookmaker.

All the methods that have supposedly been proven to fill the pockets of a gambler in the long-term are based on a universal rule about adopting the right strategies after having tested and verified them. For example, a well known strategy consists of betting a certain portion of your money each time that you bet, say 5% to 7%. If you win, your next bet will be equivalent to 5% to 7% of the new amount of money. This rule also applies when you lose, so your new bet will be 5% to 7% of your newly diminished money pile.

Wager in a way that focuses too much on psychology:
It is true that a team which is more psyched up towards winning is more likely to win over a less enthusiastic team. But in itself the motivation the team has is not enough to guarantee a victory for them. Effort rarely triumphs talent. It is certain that a team that has won their last five matches will be a lot more motivated to win in their next match. However, it should also be noted that the other team will also be highly motivated, even if it is nothing more than the team benefiting from luck. Thus a team that is strongly motivated can then become over confident and push their players into taking ill-considered risks, such as giving away penalties, and this can ultimately end in a loss.

To have the capacity to recognise the good odds in a sport related bet proves to be vital. However, it is also necessary to know how to master certain betting theories and methods. The real reason for the fact that many people lose their bets is simply because they do not know how to bet correctly.

As long as there will be casinos and that their punters are losing money, there will exist bad strategies, bad moods and bad conduct. Although at the time they seem like good ideas you can be assured that they have been tested over and over...with generally bad results.

Player errors:
This psychological phenomenon is the classic mistake where a player uses their betting history to determine the way in which they place their future bets. Ok, let me explain: you are playing a game of heads and tales with one coin and tales comes up ten times in a row. You might think either that the next time it has to come up as a face or that it has come up tales so many times it must happen again, you are just about to commit the classic error. These two different situations cannot actually co-exist, both of them are false. Never bet on someone or something because it is obliged. A coin that has a 50% chance of landing on tales always has a 50% chance of landing on tales, it is of no importance what has happened previously, unless of course the coin has been tampered with, but in this example it is just a straightforward coin. Many gamblers thought that the Buffalo Bills were due a win after having lost three times in a row at the Super Bowl. Nobody ever said that of the Dallas Cowboys.

Betting with your heart instead of your head; say that you grew up to be a big fan of sport in Chicago, you watched the Bulls win 6 titles in 8 years with Michael Jordon and they were proud of their first attempt at the NBA finals. They had a heavy handicap against them to lose, but you really want to phone your bookmaker and place a $1000 bet that they win. Would it not be great to see your favourite team re-live their past glories...should you bet on them? BEWARE OF BLUNDERS! If you want to win the bet, you really should not place it on a team with such a big handicap to lose. Too often players bet using their emotions and not their intelligence, this is a fun game to play, but it is not financially rewarding. If your goal is for excitement and taking risks, then you should bet on your favourite team. But if you want to bet intelligently use your head.

Playing while drinking:
"This waitress is really cute. I think she really likes me, she keeps giving me free beer!" when you have been at a casino, this has run through your mind hasn't it? If the answer is yes, rest assured you are not the only one. There is a reason why casinos serve free alcohol, the longer they can keep you amused, the longer they can use you. And this mistake does not only present itself in Las Vegas...it also works for online casinos. If you are not clear-sighted you will not be able to wager in a lucid way. And you need all your scruples alert in order to take decisions that will allow you to beat the house. I had a friend who finished a six pack and then called his bookmaker to change his bet for the World Series; he ended up losing in excess of £300!!! Beware!!!