Originally posted on 05/24/2022:

All betting involves gambling, but not all betting involves gambling.

The definition of gambling:
To take risky action in the hope of a desired result.

You walk up to the roulette wheel.
There's always a risk of losing, and you can win only by luck.
The last winning number has absolutely no effect on what the next winning number will be.
Random numbers are just that, random.

Betting however, can be coordinated in a way to minimize risk, while winning through data driven strategies.

Sports betting can be modeled and treated like a business, something which can't be done with gambling.

Sports bettors, the successful one spend a lot of time studying and researching historical data to create strategies.

Gambling, like my example on roulette is a game of chance purely built on personal desire to win.

Gamblers rely on luck.
Bettors make sure they have an edge.

That's the difference.