Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world and it’s loved by millions of fans and punters alike. However, placing a bet to win a couple of bucks isn’t as easy as rooting for your favourite team.
Traditional and online gambling might appear like a game with Lady Luck, but it isn’t. Even placing a bet for over 2.5 goals predictions requires serious preparation.
It’s your money on the line. So when you make a bet, you need to cover all bases to make an informed decision. Luckily, we made a short checklist for you to check off.
Team News
First, on the checklist, be updated on the latest sports news. Instead of speculating the exit plans of a sports manager or the injury of a key player, check out the latest news. You can either religiously watch out for the news updates or just head over to the news sites online before you place a bet. The important thing is that you know the situation of the team you’re placing your bet on.
Latest Team Form
We all have our favourites. In the realm of soccer, preferences are unmistakable and visually apparent. In short, it’s simply unavoidable to form a bias towards a specific team. But for online gambling, bias shouldn’t dictate your decision. You should know the latest form of the team you’re betting on. Check out the performance of every player and the team’s previous performance for the last six (6) matches at least.
History Between Teams
It’s important to know both teams before you place a bet. This includes the rival team’s recent performance, team form, and, more importantly, the history between the two teams.
It’s an awesome feeling to see the key player of your favourite team take that winning shot. Moreso, if your they win over their rival team. But when it’s your money at stake, you need to see the bigger picture. Between the team you’re betting on and their rival, which one won more matches?
How’s The Weather?
Now you know the teams’ form, performance, and history but did you check the weather? It’s an external factor that can easily be overlooked. But it easily influences how teams perform during a match. So before you place your bet, check the weather first!
Learn How Bookies Make The Odds
A bookie is short for a bookmaker. They are individuals or an organisation that develop odds and facilitate betting. It’s based on actual probabilities and the people’s general opinion of a match’s outcome. But there’s a chance that the result of a match is different from the odds designed by a bookie.
This is where your research comes in, you should know your strengths and weaknesses. You can do this by keeping a journal that records all the bets you’ve placed. The data you collected over time gives you an insight into what works for you and what to avoid.
How Much Should You Bet
How much are you willing to bet? While you have the decision on how much risk you’re willing to take, it’s still important to be careful with your money regardless of a team’s reputation. While it’s a wonderful feeling to win a bet and a couple of bucks, trying to earn back what you lost is its complete opposite. As a general rule, only gamble what you can afford. You can set aside a fund that you can bet with, this can either be for a season or even for the next three months and only use one (1) or five (5) percent of the fund.
Bet Twice, Lose Once
Not all bets go two-ways. That said, betting twice can increase your chances of winning without practically giving money away for free. Just remember to only bet what you can afford to lose.
Sports betting, is a long-term play, not a sprint, so remember to always check your research before making a decision:
- Latest and relevant sports news
- A teams’ form for the past six (6) matches
- The history between the teams
- Weather situation on the day of the match
- Your strengths and weaknesses
- Bet only what you can afford to lose
