HELP - am i stupid for expecting to profit from sports gambling?

**xBreatheout** · 11-18-10, 12:06 AM

I feel you, I also lost about 500 - 600 dollars within a month. Money management is crucial in betting and I also would like to hear some tips from pro betters.

**AribaAriba** · 11-18-10, 12:08 AM

u wont profit in gambling PERIOD! quit while u can

**Stinger** · 11-18-10, 12:09 AM

There's your problem - too much action; stick to 2-4 games a day, and try to flat bet.

**Gonad** · 11-18-10, 12:37 AM

Long term? Probably... And yeah, try to cut down on the daily action...

**Automat** · 11-18-10, 01:43 AM

i follow 4-5 good service,but i bet only on soccer.....
i follow them...dun second guess their picks and then just bet on them.
and also flat betting...all bets are the same , do this and u can come out on top

**WorkHorse** · 11-18-10, 02:27 AM

First welcome to SBR Mr. A.

My best advice would be establish a bankroll for whatever sport you want action in. If you win...great. If you lose set bankroll....quit. (move to the next sport)

ALWAYS PLAY THE SAME ON EVERY BET!!! NO UNIT BULLSHIT. MOST PROFESSIONALS WHO DO THIS STUFF FOR A LIVING NEVER BET MORE THAN 2 PERCENT OF THEIR BANKROLL ON ANY ONE GAME.

GL

**ejfel01** · 11-18-10, 05:07 AM

Hello and welcome to the forum. This is a tought one. You should notice that the events are more or less random... So is the outcome of said event. You should not be sad if you lose, only if you play badly

**LarryF** · 11-18-10, 05:53 AM

Originally posted by WorkHorse

First welcome to SBR Mr. A.

My best advice would be establish a bankroll for whatever sport you want action in. If you win...great. If you lose set bankroll....quit. (move to the next sport)

ALWAYS PLAY THE SAME ON EVERY BET!!! NO UNIT BULLSHIT. MOST PROFESSIONALS WHO DO THIS STUFF FOR A LIVING NEVER BET MORE THAN 2 PERCENT OF THEIR BANKROLL ON ANY ONE GAME.

GL

Your best advice........

**riskyProps** · 11-22-10, 01:19 AM

It's called gambling for a reason. Although, I'm hoping to try to make a profit at it I started betting sportsbooks online about a month ago. In that time, I made 2 refill deposits. I just recently changed my strategy. I don't bet on everything I possibly can. I now take a few picks I feel good about and just bet those. My losing trend seems to be reversing but it will be a long time before I can even begin trying to support my self doing this.

**slimpickins** · 11-23-10, 01:00 PM

I don't think anyone can or should try to support themselves sports gambling.
You will only win once the money you are betting is money you can lose!

Get a job and do this as a hobby for some extra spending cash.
No other way to do it, everyone needs steady income and there is no one that can guarantee they will win every single month enough to live comfortably.

**dbDan** · 11-23-10, 08:12 PM

play the SBR book until you start winning. cheap way to build bankroll (if you win) or limit losses if you lose.

db

**CaptainPrice** · 11-23-10, 08:14 PM

do what dan says he sounds smart

or fade yourself

but sportsbettingis great entertainment!

**vassman86** · 11-24-10, 12:37 AM

Ok, I'm going to start to do some advising in these "newbie" forums. Like most bettors, I was once new. Lost a lot good chunk of money betting and chasing before I learned my lesson, and I hate to see amateurs make the same mistake. I have a friend that collects money for a bookie, and I learned a lot through him.

The one tip that he gave me that made complete sense is: most bettors are here to make a quick buck. Ultimately, that's their downfall, and this is what drives the bookies' business. If you're a rookie, believe it or not, you don't know what you're getting yourself into until it's too late. To elaborate, rookie bettors that are here to make a quick buck end up losing more often than winning. For instance, like you thread admin mentioned in Post #1: he lost three days worth of wages in a couple of nights. That is no way to make a living. You need to think about how to structure your bets. Money management. All rookies here about it. None of them do it. Not every play has to be a homerun play. String together 10 singles, and you'll be better off. Maintain control of your betting sizes or prepare to watch your money get sucked out of your pockets.

Think about it this way: the linesmaker's job is to make you want to place a bet. It doesn't matter what the line is. It doesn't matter if the Lakers will actually win by 8 points. To the linesmaker, action = money. The more action he gets on any night, the more likely it is for him to make money.

Watch for my threads in this forum. I'll be posting more advice that helped me learn, helped me save money, and helped me stay in control.

Oh yes, and your answer: yes you can make a living betting on sports. It's not for everyone though. You need to be smart. I have a friend that's been betting on sports since he was 16. He's almost 40 now, and hasn't worked a day ever since. This is my second year betting on sports. I'm still learning, but I'm not losing, and that's the important part.

**ok now what** · 11-24-10, 01:10 AM

Good points, vassman.

**Obelisk** · 11-24-10, 10:26 AM

This is a very helpful thread and thanks to you guys for posting. I don't ever think I could do this full time, but I know one guy who does this for his job basically. I don't know how, but he has never worked a day in his life. I'm happy with making a few bucks a night

**slimpickins** · 11-24-10, 10:56 AM

I am skeptical of anyone who says they don't work and only bet.
90% of those folks live in mom's basement.

This is not a get rich quick scheme, get a real job build up a sizable bankroll in the thousands and then play for extra spending money with money you can afford to lose. Don't depend on this for income.

**bjn7671** · 11-25-10, 02:18 PM

I've got a question... Where is the liquidity in sports investing?

**Zak** · 11-25-10, 04:00 PM

In my opinion about 60% of gamblers lose money and know it; at least 39% think they are winners but either can't add up or are in denial and refuse to. A maximum of 1% make money and most of those who do make hobby money. A tiny fraction make decent money which can be genuine skill or short to medium term luck.

Just my honest opinion, but be very wary when a good proportion of gamblers claim to be in the 1%.

Best advice for making money....get a good job! Then allocate (and stick to) a small gambling budget each month. Finally, the most important bit is to manage the loss making days. The good days take care of themselves.

**colchonero10** · 11-28-10, 05:58 PM

Even though I am down long-term, I have learned a lot by recognizing my problems and making the climb back. I can pick games with enough research and end up in profit, but my problem is controlling the bets, bet size, and not acting too rashly. It's all about control and recognizing you can be down at the end of the day, and come back tomorrow - something I am still struggling to cope with. My overall record ends up being good, but my bet sizes end up spiraling, or my bets become irrational as I start losing.

The deal is admitting defeat for the day/week/month, while being in a position where a losing run won't ruin you totally.

**julio_cat** · 11-28-10, 08:20 PM

Some advice, put stages and phases in your beting.
For the first phase, you put into your betting account ANY amount you can afford to lose in a given week.
Let's say: Go as little as $90
Split them into 45 units of $2 each
First stage is finished when you have $150. If after week one you are not there, keep playing. If you are there, increase unit size to $30 and you will have 50 units. Play
Second stage is finished when you have $220. Increase unit size to 4 and ypu will have 55 units
Third stage's end will see you with $300. That's 60 units of $5.
To type less
4th stage ends with $390. 65 units of $6
5th stage ends with $490. 70 units of $7
Thus, ends the 1rst phase. Time to call bookie and retire $200.
Your new bamkroll should be $270. That's 45 units of $6 and the starting point for stage 1. But now you can have a goal of $2 by stage.
1st 50 units of $8
2nd 55 units of $10
3rd 60 units of $12
4th 65 units of $14
5th 70 units of $16
Call bookie again.
You could spend long months arriving at a phase's end, but in the meantime you are playing without reloading, and that should keep you out of any trouble.
NEVER bet a day greater than 40% of your BR

**Tuna Fish Riot** · 11-28-10, 10:00 PM

You are smart for thinking so. Very smart.

**azgrabi1** · 11-28-10, 11:10 PM

Find a system and stick to it. Otherwise you are bound to keep losing continously.

**Miser** · 11-29-10, 12:24 AM

Most lose

**brettels** · 11-29-10, 04:33 AM

just do your research. never bet on a team just because they are your favourite team or in non team sports dont bet on a player because they are your favourite player. good luck and yes it is profitable

**noober** · 11-29-10, 06:04 AM

very hard to make money in the long run

**Tomahawk** · 11-29-10, 06:41 AM

Yes, it's really hard to make money. I made 700 bets so far with a -5% profit betting 1%/bet.

My tactic is always bet the best odds on the market, you can find the best using this site:

http://odds.sbrforum.com/#/odds/nba/game/pointspread.html

My goal is to make +20% after 1000 bets placed.

If you are a starter at this 1-2 bets daily are perfect if you know where's the edge. You can bet more as you learn more about the market.

I heard that the real pros, who don't have time to sell picks or post on forums, place 100 bet a day.

I real pro bets as much in 1 week as I bet in 1 year. But this is only for pros. If you make 100 bets a day and have no idea where is the edge, you'll start losing money really fast even with a 1% bet unit.

I used to adjust my unit after every +/-20% change of my bankroll.

I was up +38% after my 1st 400 bets, but I had a big downfall and now I'm at -5% and this is absolutely accepted if I'm correct of my edge.

**JOHON8** · 11-29-10, 07:20 AM

There's a world of information out there on the internet to help you understand what gambling is all about. YOU HAVE TO know the negative sides of something before you get into, otherwise you will learn the hard way.

**pdx107** · 11-29-10, 07:35 AM

Originally posted by LarryF

Your best advice........

agreed, more people need to express some control

**Tomahawk** · 11-29-10, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by AribaAriba

u wont profit in gambling PERIOD! quit while u can

Sportsbooks are also gambling and they can make profit from gambling.

Lets see an example from today:
at Pinnacle Washington Wizards +11.5 is +100

If you bet 10 dollars on this that means the sportsbook has made a bet on Miami Heat -11.5 +100 with 10 dollars.

If you bet $10 on Miami Heat -11.5 -110.

That means the sportsbook made a bet on Washington Wizards +11.5 +110 and they are risking 9 dollars and 9 cents to win your $10 bet.

If you are starting a new sportsbook with only 100 daily playing costumers, it's really hard couse in the beginning you have to take money out of your own pocket to pay the winnings. Of course after a while you'll be making money from the juice, but there will always be some professional gamblers who can kick your ass.

**lcscanada** · 03-21-11, 06:16 AM

I started making all my money when I realized that you DON'T have to bet every night. Some nights the lines or games just are not good. It's all about the long term. Think of it like a marathon. You can't win it in hour but your sure can lose it by pushing yourself.

Also, increase your sample size. I used to stick to hockey, but I educated myself in all major sports. Now I have about 25+ games a night to bet on. The key is to only bet on games your very confident in. I usually take a game from the NBA, 2 from the NHL, and maybe an MLB spring training game. Some days I bet on 10 games, others 2, some none. It all depends on where you find the edge. Do your home work.

For MLB, check the pitchers. Check the teams records against each other. NHL check goalies, etc... Each sport has position strengths and weaknesses. Some team collapse when they miss key players. The whole point is to research and handicap hard. Pick the best games out of a whole sample size in all sports, and bet on those. I average 5 a night, and I usually win 3-4/5. I have been doing this for 2 years now and so far so good.

So in summary:
-check for starters (pitchers, goalies) make sure it's not Joe backups night
-check travel schedule, did they play the night before in Dallas, and now are on the east coast 24 hours later? Was it snowing and they sat on the runways for 2 hours? Etc...
-check injuries
-check records vs each other
-have they just come off a big win? Are they pumped? Or lose 3 in a row? And down? What is their MENTAL state?
-LINE SHOP, have books at 10+ accounts, find the best line
-Try to book your bet asap, the lines usually change, and if you find a line you know will go down, lock it up before it does, makes a big difference in the long run
-HAVE FUN, I always play 2x parlays a day, one for $50, and one for $5. $50 on 3 way, $5 on 12 way. This is my crack. It's nice knowing you can always hit that long shot. Know that it's just for fun. I don't drink much so that's my beer money. Just don't fool yourself into thinking parlays will keep you running.
-straight individual flat bets are the way to go, pick your spots and bet 2% of your roll that day.
-check your stats once a week, not daily, as others have said
-BR Management, have a separate roll for betting, and a fund for bills, food, etc.. DON'T USE YOUR BILL FUND for gambling.
-If you deplete you BR, get a job like Mike McD and drive trucks till you can get some more scratch and fund a bankroll for gambling.
-CHECK your emotions at the door. If you lose, it's part of the game. That's the difference between a gambler and a PROFESSIONAL gambler
-Don't watch the scoreboard. Once the bet is made there is no point putting yourself thru all those swings. I love the Maple Leafs and I just don't bet on them. Even if it's EV. I keep that game gamble free so i can enjoy it. Enjoy your night, don't torture yourself

NOW...finally, the most important thing....more important than money....it's called TIME INVESTMENT

I spend 2 hours doing my research, picks, etc.. then I am DONE. I take advantage of the fact I have a lot of free time. I work out. I watch movies, I have fun! I PLAY sports. I have sex with my girlfriend. I enjoy LIFE! Treat is as a job. Treat it with respect. There is nothing better then waking up at 8AM, taking a leak, and going RIGHT BACK TO BED. I think about all those suckers on the highway stuck in traffic. Then I close my eyes and sleep in. DISCIPLINE. BE SMART, and you WILL SUCCEED!!! GOOD LUCK!

**skankflakez** · 03-21-11, 12:26 PM

9/10 people lose

**wiffle** · 03-21-11, 01:08 PM

not sure why this was bumped, all the advice is turrble

**actionjunkee** · 03-22-11, 04:02 AM

lcscanada, that was rad. thank u.

i havent had a job in over 3 years, so no way to fund a bankroll; i guess thats the first step. and i dont have the patience or will for that much 'homework'. every angle i've tried ended up losing... oh well. at least i've got enough SBR points for like 5 pizzas!

**LLXC** · 03-22-11, 04:32 AM

Making money sports wagering requires A LOT of work - not simply searching through the forums and trying to follow some cappers...GL.