Five myths about football betting

Sports betting is a very popular way to increase the excitement surrounding the sports themselves, and a relatively safe way for professional punters to make a living. Outsiders – people like you and me – have several preconceptions about the world of sports betting, and believe things that we can only call (for lack of a better word) myths. Here are a few of them “busted”, as the popular documentary series does.

1. Bookmakers have inside information they use to “trap” punters

This is one of the most popular myths about sports betting, and – as many others – it is far from being true. Bookmakers might have occasional tips regarding injuries that happen in previous games and the weather forecast on match gay in case of football, but – due to the modern technology that offers instant access to information – this only offers them a few seconds of advantage. Not enough by far to have a significant importance. Actually it’s all about interpreting the information freely available online.

2. Professional punters bet just a couple of games in a week

This myth is also one that deserves a bit of busting. Actually, professional gamblers bet lots of games. Instead of risking major amounts on just a few major games, they place their bets on a variety of games each day. Imagine this: why risk loads of money on just one game, where a decision made by an official or a surprising performance by one of the competitors can make you an instant loser?

3. Professional gamblers bet more on sports they like

This is, again, a myth. From a professional punter’s point of view there is no difference between sports – if a game is worth betting on, it’s worth betting significantly. Professional punters usually bet the same amount on every game they play, believing that all their bets are good bets.

4. Rumors are not something you want to bet on

This is, again, a big fat myth, that needs busted. If, for example, a professional punter hears that one of the star players of a NFL team is sick, he will surely bet against that one. If the rumor proves to be correct, the punter has stolen the line on a game that will certainly change. If the rumor is false, he played the opposing team at a fair price. Either way, the risk taken by the punter when betting on a rumor is small, so the bet is a good one.

5. Statistical wagering trends are important

Nothing further from the truth from a professional punter’s point of view. Actually, these professional players never give too much importance to these trends often cited by “handicappers” – they dismiss them as irrelevant most of the times. They consider this a game of chance, just like the microgaming casino bonus that you might or might not get when you sign up.