The way that most people start betting on games is by betting on their favorite team.
Playing favorites is the first the obstacle that a sports bettor needs to overcome if he plans on being successful.
When you play with your emotions and bet out of love for a team you blind yourself to the fact that they might not be the favorite to win.
A recreational gambler will add fun to a game by betting on their favorite team.
Someone who wants to win consistently will quickly realize that their favorite team isn't going to always be the safest bet.
And playing it safe will be the path most traveled by the smart gambler.
How you decide what team is the safe bet is by doing research.
If you follow a sport religiously predicting a winner will almost become second nature.
Before you make a bet compare the statistics of the two teams competing.
The stats you will look at vary between the sports but usually are things like shots on goal, RBI's, completions, etc.
Of coarse the two most important elements will be wins vs.
losses, and points allowed vs.
points scored.
If you compare these factors you will quickly come to realize that sporting events aren't always a fair fight.
Now that you've got the winning picks how do you know how much to bet? If you're a recreational gambler you will probably bet whatever you can afford to lose.
When you decide to bet for profit you should set aside a bankroll.
This bankroll is an amount of money you use only for betting with the idea that it will grow.
There is an old saying "don't put your eggs all in one basket.
" This is extremely true for the professional gambler.
Sometimes upsets happen.
You need to have enough money to survive a loss, (or maybe a few losses) and have enough left over to keep you in the game.
This simple betting system will keep you from going broke in the preseason.
A good gambler has control on his emotions.
He is well informed, and most importantly he manages his money well.
You must do these things if you want to make money in the world of sports betting.