Published on August 19th, 2022 | by Dr. Jerry Doby

Does Being a Fan Help You Place Sports Bets?

Some people like to place their bets on the sport because it adds a little spice and excitement to the event they are watching, others like to study the form and simply place a bet because they are confident it is going to win. For most of us, it is a combination of both of these things. But is it a good thing to be a fan when it comes to placing sports bets, or is it a case that, as a fan, you shouldn’t get involved with betting?

Let’s say you’re a Ravens fan and you are looking to place Ravens prop bets, where you choose things such as number of wins or player awards. Does it help if you watch every Ravens game and know what the players are likely to do or will this actually hinder your gambling efforts?

Leave your emotions out of it

This is probably one of the biggest parts of betting if you want to improve your chances of success. In this recent New York City FC game, nobody would have predicted such a low-scoring affair, but is that because of form or is it because of emotion? People don’t tend to bet on things that they don’t want to happen, and this is when people let emotion get in the way.

For example, perhaps you worship a player and you are desperate for them to have a good season. If you let your emotion play a part, there is a chance you might bet on them, imagining it being doubly glorious if your bet actually comes off.

There is also a reason why people say that you should never bet when angry, as it is easier to let emotion get the better of you.

If you are going to use the extra information that comes from being a fan of the sport then it is important that you learn how to control your emotions and not let them cloud your betting. If you’re superstitious like these sports stars and feel that your betting will somehow influence things, this is another example of emotion that you need to be aware of.

Knowing the team and their form can be used to your advantage

There are undeniable plus points to being a fan when it comes to placing sports bets – the main one is that you probably watch every minute of every fixture. That means that, whether you know it or not, you are doing a huge amount of research.

It is likely that all this watching gives you a good idea of how matches are going to go and who is going to perform, and you likely know things that other gamblers might not. Nobody can possibly do the same level of research unless they too are a fan. For example, if a player gets injured, you will know what effect this is likely to have on the team.

There are those who take a Moneyball-style, statistics approach to their gambling, whereas others like to trust their intuition and feel they learn more by watching the sport. It is up to you which approach you take, but most people are in agreement that the more information and knowledge you have, the better, when it comes to gambling.

Gambling can add a bit of excitement to sports, if you are responsible

Responsible gambling means only betting what you can afford to lose. If you stick with that as a rule then you can have a lot of fun with gambling, and the chance of winning on your favorite team can help add a thrill while you are watching.

With more ways to gamble than ever before, you can also add interest in new ways. For instance, when betting on soccer, you can choose things like individual goal scorers, when the goals are going to be scored, number of fouls, throw-ins or even corners. There is a huge number of markets and more are being added all the time.

There are also new examples of sports that you can gamble on, and coverage of more and more teams, which means that you are more likely to find your favorite team on sportsbook gambling.

Summary – does being a fan help with sports betting?

Being a fan has the potential to help with sports betting – as long as you are able to control your emotions and bet on what you really think is going to happen, rather than just what you want to happen.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.