The buzz of a winning streak, the sting of a bad beat – the roller coaster of emotions that comes with sports betting is a ride many of us know all too well. As the season unfolds, managing your expectations and developing your own winning sports betting mindset is just as critical as analyzing stats or trends.
Even seasoned bettors like me, with years of experience under my belt, must regularly remind themselves that betting is a marathon, not a sprint. Treat this page as a psychological guide to your betting, and just like going to the gym, revisit it often to keep your mind in top shape.
Even the Best Face Defeats
First and foremost, it’s essential to understand that losses are a part of the game. I’ve been in the sports betting arena for nearly a decade. In seven years, I’ve had just one losing season. That might sound impressive (and don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of it), but it also serves as a testament to the fact that even the most skilled bettors can face challenging times. The key is not to be deterred by these downturns but to use them as learning experiences. I could have just as easily blown up my process during that losing season, but then made sure to relax and read that even the best in the world will lose about 1 every 10 seasons. The variance is truly that great.
Embrace the Long-Term Perspective – It’s all one long session
Rather than focusing on daily or weekly wins and losses, shift your perspective to the broader picture. The ultimate goal is profitability over an entire season or year, not necessarily each individual game or week. This viewpoint can help curb impulsive decisions, reduce the chase for immediate returns, and foster a more disciplined and strategic approach.
Professional poker players are great at this, since many will go days and weeks losing money before they hit their next big cash. It’s all one long lifetime session, so chasing daily or weekly losses is irrelevant and arbitrary if you keep the mindset that you’re looking to win over your lifetime.
Discipline is Your North Star
Speaking of discipline, it’s the foundation upon which successful betting is built. More often than not, if you stay disciplined in your betting approach – setting limits, avoiding emotional bets, and consistently doing thorough research – you’ll find yourself on the profitable side of things.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Lastly, remain adaptable. The world of sports is ever-evolving, and what worked in one season might not be as effective in the next. It’s a game of continuous learning and adaptation. Always be on the lookout for new strategies, trends, or information that can give you an edge. Don’t stray away from what works if it has a bad week, but remember that it’s us versus the books, and you want to be a “first-mover” to any advantage you can possibly get. Especially with betting just becoming legal in many states in the US, there are going to be a lot of opportunities to capitalize on.
Finally, Enjoy the Process
I rarely meet a successful sports bettor who doesn’t love settling down in front of an odds screen and a spreadsheet, cup of coffee in hand, ready to take on the day’s challenge of finding a profitable market opportunity. You need to genuinely enjoy putting in the work just as much (ok maybe not quite as much) as you enjoy a winning weekend. If your idea of sports betting is to quickly find some free picks on twitter and then spend all your time watching the games, then it might be helpful to re-evaluate your expectations of what you’re trying to get out of this hobby.
However, for those of you that love the process, you will be successful if you employ all the mental strategies mentioned in this post.
Helpful Resources
Here are some resources I find particularly helpful when discussing mindset and mentality going into sports betting:
Sports Betting to Win by Steve Harriman
How to Be a Professional Gambler
Thinking Differently: Mindset and Approach of the Betting Master
