People lose a lot of money every day betting on sports. Just because you’re a huge sports fan doesn’t mean you’ll have success betting on sports. It can even hurt your bets to know the sport very well and have favorite teams and players. This bias is what derails many bettors.
The key to being a successful bettor is to do your homework and look at each game and player objectively. That is why being a fan of a team can harm you in the world of betting. You have to place your bet after studying a variety of factors. The best bettors are great number-crunchers and do a lot of research, not the ones who know the players best.
Keys to betting success
Do your homework – there are tons of factors and trends to consider before placing a bet. Injury reports are obvious to check. It is also vital to look at the team schedule prior to the game. The previous nights play a big factor in the performance of a team. If they have played 3 games in the last 4 nights, they may be a bit tired and not playing to their full potential. Take a look at how the teams have fared against each other in recent seasons. It is not uncommon for teams to have another team’s number and constantly outperform them. For example, Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Boston Celtics 18 times in a row. That is the kind of information you should know before placing a bet.
Avoid your bias – Your bias towards teams and even players can affect the success of your bets. Just because you like a certain player doesn’t mean you should put your money into his team. I’ve done this many times with Tracy McGrady. I love her soft play style, but the guy just doesn’t win the big games. He has never won a playoff series in his glittering career.
Last word
My final words of advice are pretty much the same things I’ve said throughout this article. You must do your homework and don’t bet with your heart, bet with your brain.