Watching any sports can already make you feel excited and thrilled, but if you want to take sports entertainment into the next level, sports betting may be for you. Sports betting allows you to wager on an athlete or team that you think will win.

If you haven’t done this yet, don’t worry as playing this game doesn’t require many skills. You’re in an advantage if you follow a specific or even multiple sports like horse racing, football, basketball, and hockey, to name a few.

Basically, sports betting could be applied to a lot of sports and if you are just starting out, keep on reading as we will let you know more about it.

History of Sports Betting

Historians find it hard to determine when sports betting really began, but the earliest that they could see a record of this is as early as 2000 years ago from the Greeks. The Greeks are known for their love of sports and it’s not hard to believe that they might have started the act of betting for an athlete in their competitions.

The popularity of sports betting also reached Rome. Romans are fond of gladiator games, and placing bets for such competitions are completely legal back then. Gambling didn’t really thrive well during the early times as religious groups and leader would push for laws to forbid it.

However, this really did not stop gambling in general. Sports betting, particularly, still continued underground. More and more people got into it. People saw this as a form of entertainment or pastime.

This pastime surely continued and was passed on to this generation. Today, sports betting can be played in different countries where it is legal. The UK is where sports betting really is popular and gambling games like lotteries and sports betting are now even considered traditional for British people.

Currently, sports betting is known as a multi-billion-dollar industry. In the earlier days, punters can only place their bets in actual sportsbooks that are typically located outside stadiums. Nowadays, you can simply do this online and even in casinos.

How to Become a Sports Bettor

The internet is a good place for you to start placing your bets. You need to find reputable sportsbooks that will allow you to wager on an athlete or team of any sports. Whether you want to bet on sports like international football or even cricket, it’s up to you.

What’s recommended for beginners is that you stick to the sports that you know well. If you do follow a lot of sports, try to minimize your following because this will help you make better decisions when it comes to placing your bets.
While you can simply place a bet on your favorite team, it’s still best to be strategic about this. After all, this already concerns your money and even if this is just considered as a pastime or is something that could make you enjoy sports better, nothing beats the feeling of getting more than the amount you’ve placed.

For you to have better chances of winning, here are a few tips that you should know:

– Make sure that the online sportsbook you’re on is licensed. Check the reviews of this website and know how you can deposit money into your account and also how you can get your winnings. The last thing you want is to get scammed

– Avoid placing bets when you’re drunk. Just like how it is when you’re playing in a casino, placing a bet on sports while you’re drunk won’t do you any good. You’re most likely placing impulsive bets rather than smart ones.

– Speaking of smart bets, avoid placing bets based on your guts. You need to be logical and critical about your decisions. This is why it’s important that you actually follow the game or a sports’ season. It’s for you to get a more solid grasp of the game you are watching.

– Placing a smart bet could also mean that you need to get information about the teams or athletes in the game. Always check the numbers and statistics. It’s still fine to stick with your gut feeling from time to time, but always be realistic about your bets.

– You should know how to set a limit. It’s best to have a specific amount of money allocated for your bets and to plan how often you’ll be placing your bets. At the end of the day, sports betting is still a form of gambling. If you don’t set a limit and you lose control of the money you spend, this could still lead to gambling addiction. Never think of sports betting as the only way for you to get an income.