NFL Betting: Common Mistakes Football Bettors Must Avoid

Author: Priyanka Saxena on Jul 30,2020

Betting requires some level of control and you have to know what you are doing, and why. Mistakes are obviously a part of the journey, and you’ll never be good enough not to make mistakes at all. Let’s take a look at some common mistakes that people make while betting on sports online, with a specific focus on NFL related mistakes.

Don’t be all about the money 

Of course, you shouldn’t place bets to lose money. But don’t go in with the expectation of gaining from every bet you make. Even if you have the calmest mind, you can still lose a bet or two. But don’t ever get into betting hoping to make a specific profit, or worse, to recoup losses from your previous bets. This can south so fast that you’ll lose more money before you know it. You know how it is, greed never really helps you win. You’ll become more reckless with your strategy and bets, and you might even dig yourself into debt. This is why self-control is very important. 

Even if you opt to play almost risk-free and bet only on near-certain outcomes, you aren’t going to win every bet you place. It is statistically impossible and people would have caught onto it earlier if it really was possible. You have to accept that losing is a part of gambling and have a safe and healthy outlook to it. The most important tip here: know when to stop betting. That will save you a lot more than you stand to gain. 

Bet only when your heart is in it

Betting is a lot of fun, especially when you do it with your friends, and the thrill of getting it right is always up there. But you can get carried away, especially when you’re on a roll with winning bets. That is the troublesome part that you should avoid. It’s easy to just bet because it is easily accessible, and most of the process happens with a couple of taps on the screen. 

But you need to exercise caution and be disciplined in the way you bet, otherwise, you will never go far. Bet only when it makes sense to your strategy. Be selective and choose when to take risks, and when not to. If you are more careful about the way you place bets, you’re less likely to make random decisions. Therefore, you’re less likely to lose money. 

Don’t put money in without research

Do your research before you bet on anything. It’s your home team that you know everything about? Still, read up a bit before you go and put money in. Laziness when it comes to betting is worse than pretty much any other kind. As your elders would say, knowledge is power. With betting, you really can’t wing it. You need to base your decision on key stats, and many other things specific to the match you’re betting on. 

Another important thing is to know everything about the type of bet you’re placing. There are quite complex kinds and even things like parlays that many newcomers might not fully understand. Don’t bet on something you don’t understand fully. Take the time to learn about it. More importantly, don’t blindly follow your friend who tells you to place a specific bet. Your actions should be based on what you know. 

The biggest No-No: emotional betting

Not as easy to avoid as it seems, because many bettors are also huge sports fans. Sports fans are bound to have their favorite teams, such as their home team. Betting with emotions is more prevalent than you’d imagine. Even worse is when they make last-minute calls which leads to more losses. Don’t bet on your favorite team or home team just because you can. Treat it like any other neutral match and do your research before you put your money in. 

Also, don’t bet when you’re overly happy or sad. This goes both ways because you can make snap decisions off any emotion. Anger and frustration are also ones to avoid because logic and reason go out of the window when you experience this. The outcomes of the bets are likely to make you more frustrated than less. 

Your personal bias concerning a favorite player or even perceptions that are formed because you heard someone say something about a player can cause issues. Don’t bet just because you want a team to win or lose, or because you think the player is the best there can be. What you think doesn’t matter if the stats don’t back you up.

 


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