When people think of the most successful gamblers in sports, there tends to be this idea that it involves treating sports betting like a full-time job. Some of the most successful gamblers indeed spend 70 to 80 hours a week grinding away to give themselves an edge in their mind, which can lead to some huge winnings.
Chances are, anyone reading this article is not falling in that extreme category. The truth is, most are just looking to have a little bit of fun with the sports they follow in the first place. This might not be the path to huge wins, but people can still have success while also having fun.
Feel like the fun aspect is straying away from gambling on sports? Here are some tips from our experts at Sports Information Traders on how to increase enjoyment and winnings simultaneously.
Table of Contents
Keep the sports circle small
One of the keys to keeping sports gambling enjoyable is not to try to step out of the comfort zone. There might be an intriguing contest in a different sport here and there, but stick with sports that are enjoyable anyway. This adds some extra incentive to watching these games, and most people find that to be pretty enjoyable.
Sign up for a FREE Consultation to start working with Legendary Sports Bettor Jon Price
Off-seasons might be difficult to stay with this strategy, but there is no reason to feel the stress of gambling unless a person really wants to. Otherwise, it evolves into a job instead of a hobby.
Shrinking the sports circle within a sport makes sense for those with limited time as well. Say a person is a fan of the New England Patriots. Focusing on the AFC East means really knowing a lot about the Patriots and their three divisional opponents. Becoming an expert on those four teams is a lot easier and enjoyable than learning about every AFC team, or the entire NFL for that matter.
Do not stray into unfamiliar sports
It is one thing to bet on sports dominating the television at home already, but a lot of professionals will start following other sports just because they want to make money. It is true that individual sports like boxing, Tennis, and others provide some great value picks, but if it is not fun, why pour a lot of effort into gaining knowledge?
This becomes a job tuning into obscure matchups and trying to build up a solid winning percentage. There is a very good chance of failing early on as well, which will lead to even more frustration.
There is such a thing as gamblers stretching themselves too thin, and that is why it makes more sense to focus on sports people enjoy. Every new sport requires that much more effort.
Need variety? Try different types of betting on favorite sports
There are so many different variations when it comes to betting these days that there is no excuse not to try a few options here and there. For example, everyone knows about picking against the spread, looking at money lines, and even over/unders. What some should try out if those opportunities are not doing it for them any longer include prop bets, live betting, parlays, and more.
It can get a bit monotonous to bet on the same games all the time, and placing the same wagers on the same type of bet. There is already a lot of research done on this game anyway, so looking at some prop bets could help bring in some additional cash.
Diversify
As stated above, no one wants to feel too stretched out paying attention to too many sports. However, no one likes stressing out over one particular game either. It is better to pick a few games in a sport and keep wagers low. This might not seem like the craziest strategy to win real money, but a lot of people have success doing this and still having fun.
By diversifying, a person is not going to run the risk of losing too much money on a single wager. That does not mean there needs to be 20 or more bets placed, but having a few to look over during a slate of games helps.
Very rarely do seasoned gamblers put a ton of money on one contest. If there is a full slate of games, they will identify a few that look particularly enticing, and go from there. Do not fall in the trap of trying to win big and hoping for a strike-it-rich scenario.
Increasing entertainment value
At the end of the day, those who deal with losing money or winning money in sports gambling understand that it is entertainment first and foremost. Sure, there are ways to make some significant money by placing the right bet, but there are never any guarantees.
Those betting for fun are not trying to quit their day job with winnings. However, earning a bit more spending money throughout the year is entirely possible with sound strategy and discipline. It also does not require gambling to feel like a full-time job.