Why People Bet on Sports for Fun.
For many, it’s the allure of a quick and easy payday. For others, it’s the thrill of putting something substantial on the line. Most, however, will tell you that it’s a way to put a bit more meaning into the game; a reason to have a rooting interest. No matter what you chalk it up to, if you’re like most people who bet on sports, you’re doing it for the fun of it all. Whether you’re betting on football, basketball, hockey or whatever your favourite sport is, there are as many different reasons to bet on sports as there are people betting on the game. Still, why people bet on sports can be grouped into a few general categories.
Go Jump in the Pool, Social Betting
It may sound a little bit childish, but the cry, “Last one in the pool is a dirty rotten egg!” can usually be heard throughout the office come playoff time or while the nachos are being served at the annual Superbowl party. There is something to be said about belonging to the office pool or putting a couple of bucks down with your friends on one team or another as you gather around the television to watch the big game. Being a part of a sports pool gives you something to talk about besides what’s been driving you nuts in your corner of cubicle-land, and trying to figure out who’s moved up and down in the office playoff pool can add some fun to an otherwise dreary day. Even people who have absolutely no interest in sports will be drawn in to placing a bet in the office pool just so they can be a part of the fun and excitement.
Adding Excitement to the Game by putting your money on the line
Unless you’re a diehard fan, like the shirtless guy in the endzone when it’s 10 degrees below zero or the scarf-totting, song-chanting mob at the soccer game, you will probably only have a passing interest in the game. Even if your team is playing in the championship game, you can only get involved on a certain level. Many bettors will tell you that wagering a few dollars on one team or another will bring watching an otherwise meaningless game to a whole other level; the intensity increasing with the amount bet. If the game is close and your team pulls out a last-minute upset, then the thrill will be even more gratifying. Even in defeat some fun can be pulled out of a sports bet loss, especially if the amounts between friends are kept reasonable.
The Love of Numbers “Sharps”
For the long-term sports bettors, as well as sports fans of a more intellectual bent, the fun of wagering on sports isn’t in cheering on their favourite team, but rather in finding a way to make the statistics sing. These are the betting enthusiasts who enjoy getting to know all the ins and outs of a sport, how teams match up historically and looking at recent trends (in the betting world they are referred as “Sharps”). For the Sharps, it’s all about figuring out not only what should happen, but find the edges and capitalize on it. These Sharp minds don’t gloat, they hardly make headlines, for some sports bettors bragging rights of being able to say “I told you so” is important but for Sharps it’s all about the payout as they collect their winnings silently without leaking their system. These are the alpha males who the rest of us have no chance against.
The Thrill of Victory
There’s nothing like having some cold, hard cash in your pocket, especially if it’s money you weren’t expecting to have. Collecting on a bet means more than having a few extra dollars to treat yourself with, it means you were right. You took a risk betting on your favourite team and it panned out. It’s this thrill of victory that keeps bringing sports bettors back to the bookmaker or the betting exchanges. Sure, win or lose betting on the game between friends can be fun, but anyone will tell you that it’s a lot more fun when you’re on the winning end of the wager.
Betting on sports is a dangerous way to make a living for most of us, so there must be a bit more to it than just collecting a payout at the end of the week. Having ‘found money’ burning a hole in your pocket is a great feeling, but it doesn’t happen every time you place a bet, even for the most seasoned of sports bettors. Win or lose, it’s the thrill and excitement that keeps most people coming back to the sportsbook, wagering a few dollars on their favourite team. Remember, however, that betting on sports is supposed to be just that: thrilling, exciting and fun. When the fun of betting on sports is replaced by the need to win to pay gambling debts it’s time to step back and take a long hard look at what sports and betting are all about: adding excitement to the game.
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