People love sayings because they represent nuggets of wisdom passed through time and identified as something of value by society. They also, for the most part, convey ideas in an effective/concise way and are a simple method to communicate more broad concepts. Naturally, the world of sports betting has its phrases that get passed down from bettor to bettor, and in this article, we give you a few of our favorites, ones that may help you on your betting journeys.
The House Always Wins – Can’t Beat the Bookie
The first variation of this saying refers to casino gambling, to the fact that providers of games of chance always have a mathematical edge over gamblers, which is in place to ensure they turn a profit in the long haul. Every game one can find on a casino floor or gaming site does not favor players. It has been specifically created so that the winning chances are always on the side of the operator. For example, the standard form of blackjack has a 2% disadvantage that all players face by default, which can get lowered to 0.5% with proper strategy use.
While most people perceive sports betting as fairer than casino gambling, something that many bettors are not aware of is that bookmakers do not give them the true odds for something happening in a sporting event. They build in a margin that guarantees they earn a profit over time. That is in place to cover their costs and provide a profit. So, bettors never get odds that reflect actual probabilities. Hence, the bookmaker gets favored in the long term. It takes a great level of expertise, resources, and the utilization of various tools and systems for someone to be able to consistently win against professional bookies who have complex software to create their odds for them.
Fade the Public
In simple terms, this is going against the grain, betting differently than the public consensus regarding the most possible outcome. The rationale behind following this saying is that often, the public can wager based too much on hype and emotions rather than objective analysis. That can generate inflated odds, building quality value bet opportunities. Therefore, fading the public is not so much as employing a contrarian stance but spotting value where others cannot.
Bet with Your Head, Not Over It
This is essentially a reminder for bettors to gamble responsibly. We are not sure where it originated from, but it is a phrase that has gotten prominence via US public service announcements regarding problem gambling. The National Council on Problem Gambling in the United States has used this slogan, and the same goes for similar US organizations in their campaigns.
It emphasizes making rational (info-driven) decisions and not betting over one’s financial means. In a sense, this is a variation of – don’t chase losses. Responsible gamblers should try not to stray away from logic and their set budgets for wagering entertainment. Taking regular breaks is a must, as this helps stop frustration and fatigue, which can influence betting decisions. Lastly, betting with your head also entails accepting that losses are a part of this hobby, and trying to wager more to recoup incurred ones is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, as it will probably lead to an even more sizeable loss of funds.
The Point Spread Is the Great Equalizer.
If you are a veteran sports bettor, you probably know all about the point spread. That especially holds if you are into NBA or NFL betting. For those unfamiliar with this super standard sports wagering concept, it represents the expected margin of defeat/victory for a team in a game. The aim behind point spreads is to create a balanced market for bettors, giving them a roughly equal chance of winning a wager regardless of the involved teams’ strength difference. For instance, to win a bet on a favorite, that side must triumph with over eight points. Favorites get assigned negative values and underdog positives.
The reason why point spreads are a great equalizer and should be considered by most bettors is they make betting on mismatched teams more engaging, and they allow gamblers to spot opportunities for exploitations of discrepancies between their assessments and a bookie’s spread. The concept fosters a competitive betting environment where both sides of a wager hold appeal.
Scared Money Does Not Make Money
On the topic of risk, we also have – scared money doesn’t make money, which seeks to remind gamblers that being overly cautious can be detrimental sometimes. Excessive carefulness can hinder gamblers from taking calculated risks that may pay off. So, while practicing caution is wise, it is also vital that once in a while, a bettor has the courage and confidence to go with their gut and go for a substantial payout, even if that may not appear to be the wisest decision.
That said, this is not an advocating for reckless betting, only a reminder that much of the fun in sports betting comes from taking risks. No one should put in danger their financial stability for a fun hobby. Even risky bets should get made based on solid research and analysis. We may add the saying – that the juice is worth the squeeze, which implies that the potential reward is worth the effort or risk involved.
Parlays are the Lottery of Betting.
There are many controversies regarding the use of parlays in the world of sports wagering. Many casuals love making these bet types, but experienced gamblers shy away from them. Their appeal lies in the fact they supply higher payouts due to the number of sections included, but they also carry much higher levels of risk. For the uninformed, a parlay is multiple chosen markets linked together to create one wager, and if anyone does not pan out as predicted, the entire parlay goes down the drain.
Veterans will say that gamblers should not make parlay bets with more than two or three selections, and before selecting which ones will form their group wager, adequate research still must get done. The reason they get called lotteries by many is that they feed into the dream of achieving big wins through small investments. Overall, they are not a viable long-term strategy because they come with a significantly higher risk, and the risk-reward ratio, in most cases, is simply not worth it.
Pick Value Over Volume
We end with a phrase that stresses that it is more pivotal that everyone opts to make fewer high-quality bets than many low-quality ones with iffy odds of paying out. Volume is not what wins the race, but finding the best winning opportunities and pouncing on them.
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