The 6 fundamental sports betting questions
On who, what, when, where, why, how much, these are the 6 questions I try to answer every time I bet. Each question must be answered as clearly as possible. Who (what event) do I bet on? What (exactly) am I betting on? When do I bet? Where do I bet? Why do I bet? How much do I bet? The answers to these questions help me to take a responsible approach to betting. And this responsibility concerns me directly, it helps me manage my time and my gambling budget.
Who (what event) am I betting on?
In this case, the choices are based on my sports knowledge, my inclination towards a certain sport, my attraction to certain sporting events. I like darts but I don’t bet on darts, I like chess but I don’t bet on chess. Because I don’t follow these sports constantly, I don’t have quality information about the players and specific events, and as far as I’ve noticed, the odds offered by bookmakers don’t justify betting on them either.
I bet on football and field tennis. Very rarely, I bet on (American) basketball, hockey or baseball but these are just fun and relaxing attempts.
Coming back to football, yes, it is the most loved, most known, most publicized and monetized sport. For me, the championships in Europe are of the greatest interest. However, Argentina, Brazil, the USA and (more recently) the Arab countries can be sources of attractive bets. Especially when it comes to a team I constantly monitor.
It is not easy (nor recommended) to bet on (as many) championships as possible. A certain specialisation gives confidence, control and accuracy. I can’t cover even a small part of the betting offer and I’m not in competition with bookmakers.
What am I betting?
The inclination towards a particular type of bet manifests itself in every gambler. Whether it’s final result, total goals under/over, both goals scored, double chance, PSF, CMR, etc. I’m drawn to a certain range of sports bets.
Some bets are easier to understand and use, others require more knowledge. Complex bets (betbuilder type) increase the final odds but require detailed analysis of an event. It seems simple to think that 1 & Over 2.5 goals & Over 9.5 corners & Over 5.5 yellow cards & Over 8.5 extra minutes at odds @18 will get you a profit. The reality “on the pitch” is totally different.
It is clear that final result and over/under 2.5 goals are among the most popular bets. Increased interest, hence valuable odds. For better control, I prefer CMR (wins minimum one half) over PsF (half-time or final). Both are bets I use, the difference being the value of the odds.
The important thing is: the bets I use I need to understand perfectly, both in terms of usage and game dynamics. When I bet (for example) over 2.5 goals, beyond statistics and game information, I try to be prepared for different scenarios. What happens and what do I do if they don’t score in the first half? What happens and what do I do if 2 goals are scored then the game stalls? What happens and what do I do if there are only 20 minutes left and it’s 0-1?
sports betting questions
When do I bet?
A question that can have multiple answers. When I have time, when I want, when I feel like it, when I think the odds are good. Seemingly every answer can be taken into account.
I bet when I find the matches and the odds I’m aiming for. However, I may be conditioned by time or other factors. Therefore, I look to place bets some time before the matches start. When it comes to live betting, the optimal time depends on the dynamics of the game and the odds.
The listing of odds (on many events) is done several days (sometimes weeks) before the match. There can be dramatic changes, very large percentage increases or decreases. Even if they are not easy to anticipate, these variations can be profitable.
Petrolul – Dinamo, odds on the hosts’ victory @2.10 2 days before the match. I expect it to drop to @1.90, @1.80 even. Thus, I find the betting time and odds suitable for my expectations.
Where do I bet?
There are plenty of bookmakers whose offer is attractive. However, in 2024, there are also bookmakers who limit the stakes, who impose restrictive conditions, who do not give me the competitive edge I am looking for.
I have not the slightest reason to bet with the bookmaker with the worst odds. Just as, I have no reason to bet at bookmakers who delay payouts, who do not offer good odds, who do not have a stable live platform, and so on.
I bet constantly where:
– I find all the events I’m looking for;
– I find the odds I expect and am used to;
– payouts and winnings are honoured quickly;
– I have easy access to the betting offer and place the bet instantly.
Why do you bet?
The simplest question, the most sensible answer. That is if I have a good enough one. One that is as subjective as possible, but one that I have to be honest and that I can relate to.
Personally, I bet for profit and for confirmation of my sports analysis. I try to have fun, to find satisfaction in many successful bets.
You can bet for immediate wins, you can bet for recognition of your skills, you can bet to leverage your information and knowledge, you can bet to have a common topic with friends and discuss it. There may be many other answers, I don’t pretend to know them. But I want to get to the fun.
Many claim to bet for fun and this view is strongly supported and encouraged. It would mean that punters have fun continuously, endlessly. And the fun flows from all sides with milk, honey, lollipops and bananas and candy. Although, the idea is very simple: I’m having fun, I’m betting, I’m not having fun, I’m not betting!
How much do I bet?
This question is strictly about moneymanagement. And moneymanagement is about my gambling knowledge and budget.
Fixed stakes, easy-money (low odds strategy), Martingale criterion, D`Alembert criterion, Fibonacci string, Poisson distribution, Kelly criterion, etc. are accepted and recognized betting strategies that can quickly provide the answer to the question “how much am I betting?”
This is also where personal responsibility comes in. How much do I bet? As much as I can afford to make a profit and without it affecting me.
I can’t say as much as I can afford to lose, because I can’t afford to lose and have fun at the same time. Losses occur inherently in any activity, in any system, they are part of the logic of the game.
There can be psychological motivations, there can be speculative motivations, I can say I bet for fun, but I can’t say I have fun losing.
I don’t claim to have the best answers to all the above questions. Every bettor has his own concepts, methods and strategies of play. However good and “lucky” they may be, sports betting requires organisation, moneymanagement, information and knowledge, and adherence to certain principles. Without these, it would just be a chaotic, misleading and unprofitable activity, even if it can bring some temporary satisfaction.
My advice to any punter can be succinctly summed up in two words: consistency and constancy.
