Betting Too Many TV Games
There are a large number of sports bettors who feel if a game is televised, it’s their duty to have a wager on the contest. While this didn’t create much of a problem years ago, there are so many games televised now, that bettors can easily have seven or eight wagers on a single night, and even more on the weekend.
Typically, the lines are the sharpest on televised games, as the oddsmakers and sportsbooks realize that those games will be bet the heaviest.
If you have to have a wager on every televised game, those bets should be much smaller than your typical bets, somewhere around one-fourth of the amount. I’ve seen a number of solid handicappers lose money over time by betting the same amount, if not more, on games that are televised than they do on games they honestly believe are good bets.
Casino Betting
This is a relatively new one for sports bettors to deal with, as many online sportsbooks now have casino-style gaming, which is too much for some sports bettors, including some very good sports bettors, to walk away from. I’ve known of more than one solid sports bettor who will generally show a profit each week, but give that money back, plus a little extra, playing the casino games their sportsbooks offer.
There’s always the legitimacy of online casinos to worry about, as well. It’s one thing to be at a blackjack table and see the dealer draw a 5 to their 16 to beat your 20, but it’s a bit different when it takes place online.
It’s easy to see the allure, as why try to grind out a small profit betting sports, when you can hit a Royal Flush playing video poker and quickly win $1,000 or $4,000?
If this is a problem for you try e-mailing the sportsbook and ask them to block you from their casino. Believe me, they understand, and I have heard of quite a few of them that will actually do it.
There isn’t any one key to becoming a winning sports bettor, but those who practice money management, put in some time, and practice discipline, are generally a step above the majority of bettors.