The Bible has many sayings about everything; some are positive, encouraging, and motivational, while others are negative, prohibiting, and discouraging. In regard to sports betting, the Bible is pretty clear about what is and is not a good idea. Here are some of the most interesting Bible verses on sports betting:
Bible Verses On Good Sports Betting Practices
Although the Bible does not give advice in regard to sports betting, it does provide some good practices that any sports fan might want to emulate. One of the most important things the Bible teaches is that you should never bet against the house. The phrase “house edge” comes from roulette and applies to sports betting just as much as to casino games. The house always wins in the long run, so if you are a serious gambler and want to keep your gains, it is better to avoid sports betting altogether or at least place small bets against the spread that will likely lose money in the long run. Even taking a short break can make a difference, which is why it is important to monitor your finances even when you are not playing. Fortunately, those who act in accordance with this biblical principle rarely lose, which gives them an excellent opportunity to learn how to properly bet. Once you do, you will wonder why you ever avoided betting.
Do Not Bet Against Others
One of the biggest pitfalls in sports betting is to throw away money based on preconceived notions about who you are betting against. It is always better to think of your own team first and use the scores as a guide to make your decision about wagers. If you do not have the money to bet on your desired outcome, then it is better to just stay away. You will not ruin your chances of winning if you do not bet at all, so the key is to respect your own limitations and those of the bookmaker. If you think that the line is too wide, then it might be smarter not to bet at all than to risk money on a losing proposition. Even when your team is winning, there will always be someone who is better than you at football (soccer), and that is the kind of person you should be avoiding betting on. In a perfect world, everyone would always bet on their own team, but that is not the case and you will always lose if you bet against the house. This kind of unwise betting can be referred to as “fateful gambling” because it often leads to ruination. Those who are addicted to gambling often end up having to ask for financial help because they cannot stop themselves from betting even when they have lost all of their money. The Bible does not say much about addictive gambling, but it does offer some very sound advice about how to avoid ruining your financial situation: stop, take a break, and think before you act. Sometimes we are just so excited about the outcome of a game that we do not stop to consider the odds and the potential negative consequences.
Focus On The Present
One of the most difficult things for sports fans to do is to ignore the noise and disregard the outcome of a game that is not yet played. There are always so many factors at play with sports, from the quality of the equipment to the weather, injuries, and countless other things. Even the most diehard fan will have a hard time focusing on every aspect of a football game, which is why it is important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. This does not mean that you should not be excited about your team’s win or unhappy about their loss. It just means that you should not get too carried away with the outcome of a game before it is over because then you will not be able to enjoy the moment when your team wins. One of the most enjoyable parts about sports is watching the game unfold and seeing your team succeed on the field. When that happens, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget about what is going on outside of the stadium. This is why it is essential to stay mindful of the present and not get too distracted by what is happening around you. The better you do this, the easier it will be to truly enjoy your favorite games and avoid any unnecessary stress. There is always so much that could change in the future, so you should not get too attached to any particular result because things could always go wrong.
Bible Verses About Sports Betting In General
While not all of the Bible’s sayings on sports are negative, most of them are very practical and offer some excellent advice that anyone who is interested in sports betting should really consider. Below are some of the more important and revealing Bible verses about sports betting:
- “Watch football. It teaches you a lot about life.” -Jesus
- “Watching sports is fun, but only if you learn to calculate the probabilities.” -John Maynard Keynes
- “Never bet against the house edge.” -Jesus
- “A good bookmaker is like a good cook: he makes your food taste better.” -Joe Hirsch
- “Football teaches you the value of teamwork, dedication, and loyalty.” -Jesus
- “The only good piece of gambling advice I can give you is: stay away from all forms of sports gambling.” -Joe Hirsch