Watching Games That You Bet On

[gauchojake]

Somewhere along the way, the notion that watching games was more interesting and compelling because we had a little action, became the way we collectively consumed sports. That's penetrating dumb. I would argue that unless I am actively live betting or hedging there's no reason to watch a game I have money on. Maybe if I am a fan, but in that case I shouldn't have money on the game anyways.

It's make me agitated. I get angry at people/places/things that are out of my control. When I start to feel like I am going to lose a close game, I start blaming refs and players for shit. I might make stupid comments to people I actually like. It's a lot of stress for not a lifechanging amount of money. It's an all around lose lose proposition.

In most cases I don't give a shit about the teams playing anyways. I bet a number that I think has value and hope it wins so I can make a little side scratch.

I would argue that you should watch most games without having money on them if you want to win. Let's say it's getting to the end of the college basketball season and I want to do some research on a team. If I have money on it, I cannot be unbiased and objectively rate the performance of the team/coach/refs. I am better off just watching the game and taking some notes.

Last night while Nate was melting down I was thinking about this as I was taking personal inventory of my mood and attitude. I was super grumpy not only because I was losing but because the crappy IPTV announcer track was off from the game. I could hear what was happening before I could see it and was on major tilt. I knew the ML was toast but the spread was still in play but watching was just making me even more pissed. So I turned it off and decided ok I will take the L(s) and clear my head.

I woke up with a cover and didn't have to sweat the nonsense around it. My head was right and I was in a better mood. I know I have mentioned this before as has laker and a few others, but just thought I would write a little bit more than a one liner.

TL/DR

/End transmission

[lakerboy]

I've been watching a few games tonight. My suspicion that NBA players aren't smart was confirmed.

[gauchojake]

I've been watching a few games tonight. My suspicion that NBA players aren't smart was confirmed.

I was yelling at the TV last night and some college kid made an awful decision and had this goofy ass look on his face. I muttered something like that guy is probably half tarded and my son is kind of laughing but I am thinking man, this is not my best moment.

[Waterstpub87]

Its bad luck. I almost never do it. I hate it when I am out somewhere and they have a game I bet. I write it off as soon as that happens.

[Optional]

I think you just described the difference between a recreational bettor and a pro or degen.

Most pro bettors are smart enough to make more money per hour doing other things than betting and would probably be happier if they could get back to the mindset of a little action makes the sport you like watching more interesting.

15 odd years of betting on car racing, winning almost every year, and betting on it still makes it better to watch for me. If I had been betting larger to the point it pissed me off when luck went against me I don't think I would still be here loving the motorsport every week.

[5918mike]

I love watching the games I bet, more exciting for me.

[BeatTheJerk]

I think you just described the difference between a recreational bettor and a pro or degen.

Most pro bettors are smart enough to make more money per hour doing other things than betting and would probably be happier if they could get back to the mindset of a little action makes the sport you like watching more interesting.

15 odd years of betting on car racing, winning almost every year, and betting on it still makes it better to watch for me. If I had been betting larger to the point it pissed me off when luck went against me I don't think I would still be here loving the motorsport every week.

This.

[captrobey]

I watch or try to watch the games i bet. I know they know i am watching them . When it is college football or NFL i know when they get in the huddle they are talking about me mostly saying mean things and how they will throw the game to screw me over. The refs are the worse thats why there are so many bad calls.

[DiggityDaggityDo]

1. Bet games
2. watch porno
3. Eat
4. Check scores after porno and meal

[bigtymer56]

Dont watch 95% of time.

Too many times instead of enjoying myself, end up annoyed over something dumb that happened in garbage time.

[franklee168]

I only check scores on my pager.

[Bigbill365]

Its bad luck. I almost never do it. I hate it when I am out somewhere and they have a game I bet. I write it off as soon as that happens.

I agree it always loses when I watch

[flyingillini]

I bet so many games daily. I can't watch them all. Most of my action I am sound asleep during the games.

[JIBBBY]

Real time tested sports gamblers don't watch the games they bet on. They only get scoring updates..

I'm guilty of that for all sports I bet on except for the NFL. I enjoy watching football games especially come playoff time.

[texhooper]

1. Bet games
2. watch porno
3. Eat
4. Check scores after porno and meal

I tried this but turns out games take longer than 4 minutes to complete

[Nate rasta]

Great post Jake. We had a new family member move in with us. And I found myself getting angry that they were around while I'm watching the game. I'm sure if my teams came through last weekend, I would be feeling the opposite way. I like watching the games but I have to lock myself in a room by myself . Oh yeah the sound being off with the timing is always a recipe for a loss LOL

[gauchojake]

I think you just described the difference between a recreational bettor and a pro or degen.

Most pro bettors are smart enough to make more money per hour doing other things than betting and would probably be happier if they could get back to the mindset of a little action makes the sport you like watching more interesting.

15 odd years of betting on car racing, winning almost every year, and betting on it still makes it better to watch for me. If I had been betting larger to the point it pissed me off when luck went against me I don't think I would still be here loving the motorsport every week.

Funny enough, auto racing was the one sport I was going to exclude but explaining it was going to dilute the whole point of the post. I still am new at it though so there is the possibility that I just like having some action and watching the races. I'm too ignorant to know all the nuances so there's nothing to really get mad at except maybe somebody wrecking my pick. We'll see if I feel this way in a year.

[KVB]

I usually have games up on some screens but spend far more time watching the markets, whether LIVE or pre game.

Understanding the flow of the game and the flow of the money can be important, especially for what I consider short term trading, like during March Madness.

But very often, depending on the approach you are taking, a bettor can get away without watching games or scores. Generally a mix is ideal, it helps to have a pulse on the current news, which can come out during games.

One mistake even I make is that I can get caught watching the game when I should be watching the screens. It sometimes happens.

[DiggityDaggityDo]

I like watching people get punched in the face, so I bet AND watch MMA.

[KVB]

I like watching people get punched in the face, so I bet AND watch MMA.

There's a little bit of Larry in all of us.

[mjsuax13]

I bet many games and go to sleep or avoid watching at all. I can’t get emotionally invested in every bet.
These clowns will let you down with their jackass fouls, misses, penalties, etc… I especially hate a puck line bet where the net is empty for 2-3 minutes and they get nothing.

[gauchojake]

I like watching people get punched in the face, so I bet AND watch MMA.

I want to punch people in the face when I lose my bets watching the wrong person winning the face punching contest.

[mjsuax13]

I want to punch people in the face when I lose my bets watching the wrong person winning the face punching contest.

“Face punching contest” Bahahahah

[KVB]

No role for emotions in the business.

They must be kept in check as emotions can short circuit rational thinking.

[edawg]

If you get really upset watching a bad beat you probably are betting too much or other things in your life are not going good. Try to remember everytime that happens some fellow bettor somewhere needed that on the other side. If you can't laugh to yourself it is probably time for a break.

[Hugh Madbrough]

I like to watch the games to see the reason I lost. I'm mostly a baseball and soccer bettor, mostly. They'll be occasions where there will be a missed penalty an offside goal that was reversed, that won't show up in the game box. For baseball they'll be that 0-2 count, man on second wild pitch, next pitch is a hit, that brings in a run and changes momentum. So I like to keep track if I was on track with my pick or completely off. For example last night Celtics at Kings. Kings were dominating the 1st quarter but then got comfortable shooting 3s and ended up losing big in the second half. That's why I only bet games that I'm interested in watching. I don't bet at random or just to have action.

[Auto Donk]

serious money bets, no way..... takes years off my life..... I don't want to see the back door cover that buries me in the last second, or the horrible calls (both officiating and coaching) that crush me.....

much better off just seeing the score post game....

bullshit bets/contests, I can handle without affecting my own longevity....

[goduke]

i do watch some games, not from beginning to end but if its close there are little tidbits of information that can help you decide whether or not to mitigate your risk or to double down live on your bet. You cant get that info from a score update.
That being said theres probably 5 games a year across all sports that I actually enjoy watching. I would say for the most part I dont even like sports anymore, i only like the money that comes with it

[pavyracer]

If it's a good game I will watch. Like the World Cup Final Argentina-France. It wouldn't matter how much money I had bet on it. Would still watch because it was a good game.

[Optional]

Funny enough, auto racing was the one sport I was going to exclude but explaining it was going to dilute the whole point of the post. I still am new at it though so there is the possibility that I just like having some action and watching the races. I'm too ignorant to know all the nuances so there's nothing to really get mad at except maybe somebody wrecking my pick. We'll see if I feel this way in a year.

I win less than 25% of my bets, so you do have to have a different mindset to enjoy that. Long term I have made about 20 cents for every dollar I have turned over though.

Downswings can last a month or more though, so need to make a sensible unit size. 1% of the maximum downswing loss you can tolerate is what I think. So $50 units if being down $5000 would be your cutoff number. Bearing in mind you are often playing 3 or 4 units per race and some weekends there are 5 or 6 races.

[Otters27]

If it's a huge bet I watch every play

[Auto Donk]

I win less than 25% of my bets, so you do have to have a different mindset to enjoy that. Long term I have made about 20 cents for every dollar I have turned over though.

Downswings can last a month or more though, so need to make a sensible unit size. 1% of the maximum downswing loss you can tolerate is what I think. So $50 units if being down $5000 would be your cutoff number. Bearing in mind you are often playing 3 or 4 units per race and some weekends there are 5 or 6 races.

hmmm..... there's a simple solution that will flip your win rate, Opti..... follow this genius' advice: