Betting guide

Wondering why you still are getting a really low win percentage as a sports bettor?  If you do not have a betting system, that could very well be why.  In order to profit reliably enough to achieve even a seemingly modest win percentage like 55%, you need to have a system in place. 

If you are going to become a serious sports bettor, you have a lot of work ahead of you.  This is a job which requires you to do ongoing research, analysis, and development of betting techniques and to keep up with sports teams and athletes on a continuous basis.  It can chew up a lot of hours, and if you are doing it on top of a day job, you have your work cut out for you. 

The life of a sports bettor can be profitable, thrilling, and rewarding in every way—but make no mistake, it is not an easy path.  In fact, just trying to keep up with everything you need to do each day can be a real challenge.  You will constantly find yourself striving to find ways to become more productive.  To that end, I have written before about productivity secrets for sports bettors.  Some of my suggestions have included setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, prioritising your to-do list, and knowing when to take a break.

If you are going to become a profitable sports bettor, one thing you need to succeed is a betting system!  The vast majority of punters have no system whatsoever, or if they do, they apply it pell-mell with no real plan and may barely understand how it works.  Still others rely on picks from punters who do have systems, and simply hope that those picks will perform.  The only bettors who win with enough consistency to turn it into a living are those who have a method of their own in place.

Not all that long ago, the idea of wagering significant money on a video game tournament with a major betting site like William Hill would have seemed odd.  Nowadays it is business as usual, and a growing one at that.  Within a few years, gaming research firms estimate that billions of dollars will be wagered on various pro gaming tournaments each year. 

Thinking of getting into eSports betting for the first time?  It may seem odd to wager on the outcome of video gaming competitions if you are used to betting on athletic sports, but you will find it a fun and accessible pastime—one which may become profitable as well.  Hundreds of millions of dollars are being wagered on games like League of Legends and Dota 2 each year now, and those numbers are expected to climb into the billions within the next few years.

Usually when you bet on sports, you probably stick with the classics: football, cricket, rugby, tennis, the NFL, basketball, ice hockey, and so on.  But these days sports encompass a lot more than just athletics!  The definition of “sports” is being expanded to include virtual competitions as well.  Now, tens of millions of spectators around the world are tuning into streaming tournaments in games like Quake, Call of Duty, Starcraft II, Dota 2, and League of Legends. 

When you think about sports betting, most of the games you think of are probably pretty traditional.  You think of football, tennis, rugby, cricket, basketball, and the NFL.  These are all games which are played in the real world by athletes who have dedicated their careers to reaching the height of physical ability. 

You probably don’t think of League of Legends or Dota 2. 

But did you know that the definition of sports betting is being expanded?  In fact, the very definition of “sports” is starting to transform. 

Right now Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is 39 years old, and probably in his last year as a professional NFL football player.  But did you know that many athletes continue on in their sports for long after that?  The oldest NFL player ever was George Blanda, who retired when he was nearly 49.  The oldest association football player is Kazuyoshi Miura, who is still playing today at 48 years of age.

If you follow any professional sport, you know that most of the players are going to be up to their mid-30s or younger.  It is comparatively rare (though not entirely uncommon) to see a player continue into his late 30s, or even into his 40s.  Still, there have been more than 40 professional NFL footballers who have continued to play into their 40s as well as more than a few association football players who have done the same.