You want to wager on sports, but you’re not confident enough to ask someone for a wager. Perhaps you’re afraid of losing, or perhaps you just want to have some fun and don’t want to ruin any chance of winning.
While you’re not wrong in wanting to have some fun, you shouldn’t be afraid to lose. The key to safe betting is by following a few simple rules, which we’ll discuss in this article. Let’s get started.
Create A Budget
One of the primary reasons why you should avoid betting money you don’t have is because you won’t be able to afford the extravagant losses that sometimes happen. When you create a budget and stick to it, you’ll be able to enjoy your sports betting while preventing unnecessary financial strain. Create a budget that’s reasonable and suitable for your earnings and savings. It’s also a good idea to consider how you’re going to pay for the wagers you make. Ask yourself questions like: Can I afford this wager? Will this affect my credit score? How much am I willing to risk?
Nowadays, there are many reputable online sportsbooks that operate from within the UK, and they’re available to anyone with a UK bank account. If you’re looking to place a bet on English Premier League Football, you might consider looking into one of these books as they offer better odds and the opportunity to place larger wagers. If you’re looking for a smaller book, you might consider looking at Australian rules football or rugby union fixtures, as they often have smaller turnouts and attract less attention from the authorities. Keep in mind that the more you bet, the more you stand to lose, especially if you’re not a professional gambler. It’s also a good idea to set a financial limit on yourself, especially if you’re placing high-stakes bets. Professional sportsbooks will often have limits in place to prevent people from placing huge bets without spending the money, as the financial stress that sometimes occurs when a large sum of money is lost can cause difficulties in other areas of people’s lives. Remember, the key to safe betting is by being smart about it. If you’re new to betting, it’s a good idea to start small and work your way up to bigger and better things.
Check The Score Before You Bet
The first thing you should do before you place a wager is to check the score. This will give you some idea of whether or not you’re going to win or lose. For example, if you’re looking to place a wager on the favourite in a horse race, you might want to know that they’re likely to win. On the other hand, if you’re planning on backing the underdog in a match, you might want to know that they have a good chance of winning.
As a general rule, it’s a good idea to stay away from very competitive sports like Formula One or NASCAR, unless you’re an expert in that sport and know exactly how the racing will play out. Most people get impatient and anxious when their team is behind in the score, so if you’re backing a team that’s doing better than you’re used to, you might find that the anticipation builds up to a point where you can’t handle it. If you’re looking for excitement, you might want to consider less competitive sports like Australian rules football or rugby union. It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that many sports offer draws where there’s no real winner or loser. For example, if you’re looking at a boxing match, you might want to consider whether or not you’ll be happier knowing that, in the event of a draw, you win neither money nor honour. Some people like the fact that they can’t really lose, as long as they don’t place any more money on the table!
Place Smaller Wagers
It is often said that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to wagers, and that’s definitely true when it comes to sports betting. The larger the wager, the greater the chance of losing. The key to having a good time while avoiding financial strain is by allocating smaller wagers. Consider playing with a maximum of £10 when you’re just getting started, and then, once you’ve got the hang of things, look at doubling or even tripling that amount. You might also want to consider placing larger wagers in events that you’re particularly confident about, like national holidays or festive seasons. If you want to make a profit, look at allocating smaller wagers to international sport fixtures, as the odds will be in your favour.
Be Careful With Free Sportsbooks
Many people like the fact that sportsbooks are offering free bets or rewards, as they think it’s an opportunity to win some money back. The problem is that many of these free bets or rewards are actually worthless, as the sportsbooks want to keep their customers engaged and coming back for more. You shouldn’t, therefore, be surprised if a lot of the free bets end up as losing wagers. Avoid getting suckered into playing with free money. If you want to place a bet, create a budget and then look for a reputable bookmaker that hasn’t abandoned the value of a UK bank account.
Look Into The Past Performances
It’s a good idea to look into the past performances of the teams or athletes you’re backing, as it gives you some indication of how good or bad they are. If you want to make a profit, you should back underdogs, as they often offer the best odds. If you’re looking for excitement, go for favourites, as they’re the ones most people are expecting to win. For example, if you’re backing Manchester United in the EPL, you might want to consider whether or not they’ve been performing well recently, as they are the clear favourite going into the 2019/20 football season. You can also use tools like free betting calculators to get an idea of what the likely outcome of a particular game or event might be. This can help you plan your wagers accordingly. For example, if you know that Manchester United are very strong at home and should, therefore, perform well against lower-league opposition, you might decide that it’s a good idea to back them for a cricket match where the opposition are weaker than usual. Something different altogether is if you’re backing a team that’s never been in the top flight of English football. If this is the case, you might want to consider backing the underdogs, as they’re the ones most likely to upset the apple cart. Similarly, if you’re looking for an EPL fixer, check out some of the matches that are fixed, as they often provide the best view of how the game should be played and, most importantly, how it should be won. The matches that are fixed are the ones where the outcome is already decided, either by bribery or technicalities.
The point of this article is not to put you off betting or to make you feel as though you’ll never be able to have fun again. The point is to make you aware of the fact that you’re risking money and, in some cases, your personal finances. It’s also important to make you aware of the fact that there’s a lot more to losing than you think, as sometimes your favourites can lose, too. This is why it’s important to put in the time to learn how to place a bet and how to do it right. While it’s sometimes tempting to just chuck your money on a favourite, the truth is that, sometimes, they can choke. Sometimes, the underdogs can pull off the upset. This is why, as a general rule, it’s a good idea to back the underdogs for sporting events and to stay away from the favourites, as they’re often the ones that end up losing. These little tips and tricks for betting without pushing will help you have fun while still keeping your bank account safe, and at the end of the day, that’s what matters most.