SPORTS BETTING MISTAKES TO AVOID

Perhaps you are new to sports betting and want to avoid losing too much money initially. Or maybe you are an experienced sports bettor who is tired of losing your money regularly and not analyzing where your tactics may have gone wrong.

Either way, you should know that it's all good - sports betting is tricky. There's a lot to learn, and it's easy to try to follow the seemingly easy path. Lots of people lose their money on sports betting, and so do you. But you can try to limit some losses by learning which mistakes to avoid in the future.

Follow these tips below and you should feel better about your betting choices.

👉Not managing your bank account

First, you need to manage your expenses even if you are a recreational gambler. If you don't, you could quickly end up under water.

Make rules for yourself that are easy to follow. Think of it as a family budget, where you set aside money for this particular area of your life. In fact, you need to keep your bankroll in a separate account from your daily money to keep yourself on track.

👉Lazy doing research

While we encourage you to consider sports betting as a hobby rather than a second career, don't bet your money on a bet you haven't been trained in. This is really just throwing your money away. Researching is not just about watching projections on Sports Center. You should keep up with your favorite player or team's injury updates and check past matches to see how two teams have stacked up against each other before. You could also look at the weather forecast and see if wind or heat could affect players.

👉Betting on sports you don't know

Players should stick to sports where their knowledge base is strongest. Just because everyone in your office is all about football doesn't mean you should spend money on Sunday action if you don't know or really love the game. You make it even more difficult to win if you bet on a sport you don't know very well. You can better understand odds, handicaps and more if you are familiar with how the sport is played and how the different teams within that sport do.

Betting on any sport just for the fun of it almost certainly means failing. Do not do it.

👉Making too many bets

Even if you are disciplined enough to only bet on the sports you truly know, it is still tempting to take a gunshot approach to betting. Many people place too many bets hoping that something will eventually win instead of being selective and looking for the best odds.

Always remember that sports betting is a marathon, not a sprint. If anything, it's wise to monitor yourself so you don't waste your bankroll too quickly. Instead, take the time to really research your options and spend your money on what you think are sensible potential outcomes.

👉Betting with emotion instead of logic

There are many ways people let their emotions take over when it comes to sports betting, such as always cheering on their team or going wild and betting when drunk. But this is another time where you have to use your head and think about everything with the help of research.

Players who use their instincts rather than smart choices are bound to lose, especially over time. Emotions can rise a lot when you drink, so make sure you avoid spending money when you're drunk. Alcohol brings out our impulsive side, so we certainly don't make wise choices when we've had a few.

👉Always bet on favorites

This is not the same as betting on your favorite team; rather it is a question of betting on the favorites presented by the bookmaker.

Obviously the bookmaker gave that team such favorable odds for a reason, but just because one team is the favorite doesn't mean they will automatically win. Every team has a bad day and you too will have a bad day if you only bet on favorites. See how it went the last time these two teams played against each other. Check with the players if anyone is suffering from any nagging injuries during training earlier this week. You may see something others don't see and get a big payout by betting on the underdog.

👉Not double checking your bet slip

If you place your bets through a bookmaker, you should receive a slip or ticket with the details of your exact bet from the team you have selected for the odds and amounts. Always confirm every detail before exiting the checkout or clicking "confirm" on the site.

Maybe your finger slipped and you picked the wrong team. Either way, double-check your bet slip two or three times to make sure you aren't registered as a bet you didn't want. Otherwise you could lose your bet and get frustrated with yourself.

👉Chasing your losses

Most people probably know best, but it must be said, don't chase your losses. This means you shouldn't try to recoup your losses by doubling down on the next bet. Don't fall into the player's misconception. Instead, keep working within your predetermined bankroll limits and keep making small bets. This will add to your longevity and help minimize your losses as you are always betting wisely.

👉Blame bad luck for losses

It's easy to blame bad luck for a loss. Honestly, you might have lost because of your poor judgment. You are not the same and you have to be honest with yourself. If you lose in the short term, it could be bad luck. But if you lose in the long run, chances are you're solely to blame. If you always lose on every bet you make, then you are definitely doing something wrong. You have to accept when you made the mistake, so that you can look for ways to improve in the future. Change your system and do the work to fix what's broken.

✔💯Remember: Play smartly

Ultimately, the best way to avoid these sports betting mistakes is to take the time and do your research. You can't rush to do anything when it comes to betting, whether it's about how much to bet or picking a team. Research will be the basis of all your decisions, so never belittle yourself when it comes to reading everything you can.

Don't let it all become a chore - you should always treat sports betting as a source of pleasure and not a full-time job. If you're not comfortable having to analyze every team and every value, maybe take a step back and pause betting. Just indulge in the game for pure joy and stay in love with the sport. Hopefully, when you're ready to try betting again, you'll feel less stressed.