There may be good habits and bad vices, but athletes and bettors are not so different when it comes to what goes in their minds. These individuals, particularly seasoned sports bettors, display a passion that often goes beyond the love of the game.
The mind of the sports bettor goes two sides like the flip of the coin. One of them plays like an athlete, displaying that fire and passion with the right skills and mental fortitude to win with tactical precision and timing. The other plays with reckless abandon and falls on unfounded addiction that makes him lose not just his entire bankroll but perhaps his sanity.
Upcoming punters should pass through the proper sports betting psychology if they want to survive and establish longevity in the sports betting game. There should be the right balance of tactical smarts, timing and proper research and preparation to make the right moves and establish a winning bankroll and have fun at the same time.
Play To Win, Stick To Game Plan
Playing a game, from contact sports like basketball and American football to mind games like chess to sports in particular, should always be fun regardless of how high the stakes are. But don’t have too much fun, either.
If a bettor has employed a traditional scheme that has worked for him for a long time, from so-called pre-betting “rituals” to checking all the numbers and studying all the possibilities, then he has to stick with it and be flexible enough to make adjustments only if the need arises.
But like players, bettors should have the right mindset of playing hard and trying to go for the win and not play to lose. Some punters may handle losing some thousands of bucks and won’t get angry or disappointed, but missing out on chances for a big payroll by a reckless misstep causes a negative vibe that could hurt someone’s psyche in the long run.
Can Cause A Bettor’s Downfall
If there are three to four sportsbooks which believe that, for example, the Phoenix Suns are 12-point favorites to beat the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA finals. But these bookies miscalculated that newly acquired Ben Simmons has suddenly healed from his injuries and has quietly trained with the Nets for over a month now, chances are the lines will drastically move.
If a player has dominated the game enough to ensure his team’s victory as early as the third quarter and he still wants to go for personal glory — like trying to score 100 points before the game’s over — such a plan is a sign of disaster.
As the adage goes, a win by a point or 100 meant the same thing. For sports bettors, winning by placing the usual bet on a certain bet should be enough satisfaction because it develops good habits that would spell long-term investments.
Don’t be disappointed if you should’ve bet $1,000 instead of a mere $100 after winning a bet. Remember that there will be many chances to slightly raise your stakes, but do it in a calculated manner to sustain possible losses.
Do Not Chase Your Losses
After suffering a loss, the temptation to keep betting in the hopes of recouping your losses can be strong. Not only are you more prone to make hasty choices, but you are also more likely to lose even more money as a result of those hasty choices.
When people believe they have been too unfortunate, that greater forces are acting against them, and that luck is ready for a change, they are more likely to start chasing losses. You’ll see through this nonsense once you learn that sports betting is a numbers game and that any losses you incur are due to being on the wrong side of variance or making poor decisions.
If you want to make sports betting your major source of revenue and a full-time career, you need to learn to detach yourself emotionally from the process. It may be difficult, but if you want to maintain winning consistently, you need to learn to detach your feelings from the outcomes of your wagers.
Betting With A Clear Mind Goes A Long Way
The psychology of sports betting for a bettor should have a clear head and a positive mindset, just like many disciplined athletes. Any distractions – physical or mental – could ruin your strategy to raise a bigger payroll.
Some dedicated players practice for hours – more than beyond the three or four hours coaches ask from them. While the intention is noble, there should still be a balance of getting your body and mind in sync before going into the game. This could also bode well for sports bettors – mentally in particular – to avoid falling into reckless addiction before it’s too late.
Losing a lot of money can be managed by some punters, but some don’t, so know your proper mindset if you can psychologically handle major financial losses – just like players still getting sleep despite their team falling on a 10-15 game losing streak.
Don’t Let Sportsbook Make Your Final Call
The concept of bookmakers are like books or any other reading materials coaches and players use to feed their mental capacity and complement their physical strengths to improve their game. Sportsbooks are created only as a tool for bettors to place their money on their teams and guide them on which to choose, but the bettor should still make the final decision
If there are three to four sportsbooks which believe that, for example, the Phoenix Suns are 12-point favorites to beat the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA finals. But these bookies miscalculated that newly acquired Ben Simmons has suddenly healed from his injuries and has quietly trained with the Nets for over a month now, chances are the lines will drastically move.
The psychology behind sports betting includes not getting carried away by bookmakers’ trends so easily. On many counts the bookies may be right, but make an effort to still do your homework, study all the numbers and possibilities and check out recent team updates before deciding to finally place that bet. In the end, timing could still be everything to get that big payday.
