Why Bet on Sports?

It wasn’t that long ago that gambling in North America was primarily limited to the state of Nevada and later New Jersey.  That has changed dramatically.  Today, almost every US state has some form of gambling available ranging from state lotteries to Tribal bingo to ‘land based’ Las Vegas style casinos.  The explosion of the Internet also transformed the availability of gambling including sports betting.  The Internet brought the action to the world and remains the best betting option for most players.

With so many different types of gambling available what is it about sports betting that is so unique and appealing?  There are a number of factors but one of the most significant is that sports betting is one of the few forms of wagering that is ‘beatable’.  This means that the player has a mathematical chance of turning a profit over the long haul.  This isn’t the case in most types of gambling such as slot machines or lotteries.  

Let’s run down some of the major reasons that sports betting is booming in popularity starting with a more complete explanation of the concept discussed above:

SPORTS BETTING IS BEATABLE

It isn’t easy to make money over the longterm betting on sports though it is definitely possible.  Unlike many forms of gambling there is no arbitrary ‘house edge’ that provides no option than losing money in the long term.  Sports bets have a small commission paid to the ‘house’ on losing bets.  This ‘commission’ means that a player’s break even point is a bit higher than 50%.  At the most common price point for straight bets of -110 the player’s theoretical break even is 52.38%.  Although it isn’t easy to be a long term winner at sports betting it is well within the realm of possibility to go on a short term ‘hot streak’ and win a nice profit—even for a novice better.  Look for more detailed information about the math of sports betting elsewhere on this site.

SPORTS BETTING IS CONVENIENT FOR EVERY LIFESTYLE

There’s nothing like watching a game you’ve bet on in a busy Las Vegas sportsbook but the reality is that you’ll never have to go into a casino if you don’t want to.  You can place bets online and via mobile apps—in fact, that’s where the majority of sports bets are made.  This isn’t the case for other types of gambling.  For example, if you’re a poker player or slots player you’ll have to spend a lot of time sitting in a smoky casino or card room.  Sports betting allows you to bet from anywhere and doesn’t require you to spend hours trying to grind out a profit.  You can put as much time into it as you want.

SPORTS BETTING IS EASY TO LEARN BUT ALWAYS CHALLENGING

You’ll often hear it said about Texas Hold’em poker that it ‘takes a minute to learn but a lifetime to master’.  Sports betting has that exact same dynamic.  Anyone can quickly learn how to place a sports bet.  It takes just a few minutes to learn the basics of odds and pointspreads.  Once you know this, you can start placing bets.  At the same time, sports betting never ceases to be challenging even for the most experienced professional ‘wise guy’.

SPORTS BETTING IS INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGING AND NEVER BORING

Many types of gambling are repetitive at best and downright monotonous at worst.  If you want to play video poker seriously you’ll spend countless hours in front of a machine playing hands based on a predetermined mathematical criteria.  If you’re a Texas Hold’em player, you’ll sit at a table for hours and throw away most of your hands based on their ‘rank’.  Sports betting doesn’t limit you to one type of strategy.  There’s always something new to learn and both betting and the sports themselves are always changing and evolving. 

SPORTS BETTING IS A LOT OF FUN

Whether you’re a novice bettor or a seasoned pro, the challenge of beating the bookmaker can be indescribably fun.  At the very least, it makes watching sports much more entertaining.  For a sports bettor, there are no meaningless games.  Even preseason games create newfound interest when you view them as a money making opportunity.