Questions To Ask Yourself Before Betting On SportsPosted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010 I would speculate that more than 95 percent of all football bettors have never asked themselves the most important question before wagering. What do I want from betting on football? This question is largely ignored by sports bettors. It is a simple question with no hidden meaning or tricks, yet for most it is not realistically answered. This question usually goes unasked and unanswered for most sports bettors. When it does get asked, more often than not the first response will be, "I want to win." This is the obvious answer, but it is not exactly what I mean. Preparation is the key to having a profitable football season. Part of this preparation involves setting goals. In talking to hundreds of sports bettors every year, I amazed at the amount of people that have no idea what they are trying to accomplish in betting. Most people fail in sports betting because they fail to set realistic expectations and determine a plan for attaining those expectations. Here are a couple of things to consider when determining what you would like to accomplish for the season: Including the preseason, there are approximately 22 full weeks of football action. If you bet an average of about 10 games a week, you will have bet on about 220 college and pro games during the course of a season. The following chart is a breakdown of percentages and net winners based on betting 220 games. Also illustrated is the potential profits that can be earned. Win%RecordNet WinnersProfit @$100Profit @$500Profit @$1000 In looking at these figures, you can see that if you have a bankroll that supports $100 wagers, then you are not going to make enough money to buy that new Ford Expedition that you have set as your goal. Setting a realistic goal based on realistic expectations is something most handicappers do not do. If you set your realistic expectations and goals before the season, you will avoid a lot of frustration and disappointment throughout the season. It will be easier to avoid the week-to-week mentality that kills so many novice sports bettors. Approach the season as a long-term endeavor and expect tremendous deviation from week-to-week. Do not expect to make $35,000 with a bankroll of $1000. Avoid this pitfall by defining and allocating an appropriate bankroll. A bankroll is money that you have set aside for your sports betting. Like any investment, this should be money that you can afford to lose without affecting your lifestyle. A bankroll shouldn't be money that would use for something else. A fully funded bankroll should be at least 40 times your average unit of play. Having a funded bankroll of at least 40 units alleviates much of the pressure when the ball bounces the other way and you drop a few in a row or suffer through a losing streak. 1. Honestly explore the reasons as to why you bet on sports If you follow these suggestions the only thing left to do is to pick winners. Good luck throughout the upcoming football season. Like it? Share it!More by this author |