In my spare time I’ve started coaching running. Why am I telling you this? Well a runners training is completely determined by the goal they set themselves.

I think betting is the same. Before you start to decide which tipsters to follow, which bookmakers to sign up for, what your bankroll should be, how much you should stake per point, you need to decide what you hope to achieve by gambling online.

BETTING FOR FUN

This is the fundamental reason most of us gamble in the first place. We love watching sports and get a real buzz or thrill if we have a little flutter on the outcome. There is no denying it makes it more exciting.

If you simply want to enjoy gambling and are not worried about making a profit, then your approach will be relaxed. You still want to minimize your losses.

What you should be looking to do is gamble on the sports you enjoy watching. From there find a tipster who makes that process enjoyable. For example a tipster that backs BTTS No or Under 2.5 Goals might not bring you the same enjoyment as a tipster who creates 5/1 Bet Builders.

You can also keep your bets to a minimum. 1 or 2 bets per live match is all you’ll need. So look for tipsters that are selective and focus on the big matches. Platforms like SportingLife, Betting Odds and Betting Expert all have excellent free tipsters who produce picks on the big sporting events.

If making a profit isn’t important to you then there really isn’t the need to track. Just remember to gamble responsibly and keep those stakes down. As losing money isn’t fun.

ENJOYMENT & PROFIT

If you want to combine the pleasure of gambling with making a profit then you will need to make a few changes. Tracking your results is first and foremost to this approach. It’s essential.

Having multiple bookmaker accounts is also going to significantly increase your chances of achieving your goal. Getting the best odds available to you makes a big difference in the long run.

Finding tipsters for your favourite sport will still be the ideal scenario, but you might want to consider paying a small monthly fee to find the very best tipsters.

I would encourage a low volume approach. Watching a sporting event where you have 3 or 4 bets can be more frustrating than following just one selection.

PURELY PROFIT FOCUSED

If you goal is to simply win as much money as you can, your strategy will change significantly. Tracking bets is essential. You’ll need to be far more diligent and realise the enjoyment factor might be impacted. It’s almost like a part-time job.

The more tipsters you follow, the more admin there is involved. Checking odds, placing bets, tracking and settling results. It all takes time.

Tipsters can be sporadic when they post tips. You might be busy spending time with the family and Joe Bloggs put’s up a 3pt banker on the big match kicking off in 30 minutes. That creates a level of stress where you may feel the need to drop what you are doing and place the bet.

So be willing to commit more time to your gambling. Find tipsters that are suited to your betting habits and tip using the bookmakers you have accounts for.

At times this approach can be a grind, it’s not as fun, but ultimately if you can land a profit, it can also be worth the extra effort.