Sports Gambling Psychology: Bad Beats Explained
It seems like if someone loses a game, they are more likely to blame the gambler Gods instead of their own handicapping. This is where the term “bad beat” comes in. It’s basic sports gambling psychology 101; losing a game by simply 1 point does not meet the criteria for a bad beat, but losing by a last 2nd pick does. I’ll explain further.
When you have been gambling on sports for as long as me, you will lose every way possible. 10 point underdogs losing by 11 in double OT, half court shots with no time when the shot doesn’t even affect the final score, I have been through it all.
Do not make the mistake of awakening the gambling gods by saying things like “the only way I could lose this one is if….” These are what we call bad beats, and they will keep you up at night.
Is it hard to take these terrible burdens with a grain of salt? Of course it is. Might they all even out in your favor in the end? Possibly! I’m not about to tell you that I’m the least lucky sports bettor in the world.
Actually, I am telling you the contrary. I could sit here writing on and on about sports gambling psychology and list my own bad beats up and down, even naming you the players and sports teams they involved, the time and date I was watching the sport, and likely even what I was eating at the time! Sad, but true.
Even though I’ve had my fair share of good fortune also, I probably couldn’t name more than a couple of times where luck was on my side and had a miracle occur to my benefit. Although I do make a prominent living by betting, just like most gamblers, I never feel more alive than when the chips are being raked away from me. The feeling is so distinguishable and hard to forget that they stick in our minds for years.
You can distinguish a new sports bettor from a professional one by paying attention to the way that they accept their fate and bad beats. A newbie will still email me weeks later still hurt over a botched field goal as time ran out, and how he lost a big wager due to this.
Here is a basic sports gambling psychology example: a seasoned gambler will have stored this loss in the back of his mind and moved on. Sure it may hurt both of them equally, but it does no good to dwell on it and sooner or later you’ll get triple overtime to hit your over and make that money back.
Rich Allen is an expert in Sports Gambling Psychology. His Sports Betting Professor Systems have sold over 250,000 units and cover all major sports including horse racing. Download a FREE copy of The Sports Betting Insider’s Guide at: http://richallensports.com/sports-gambling-psychology
