Sports betting is a serious business involving money, hopes and ambitions. When stakes are this high, a rational approach to betting becomes indispensable. However, it is only human to fall prey to emotions that can override actions and outcomes and lead to the bettor’s undoing. After all, we are born with certain emotions and it is hard to keep them from interfering with our betting decisions. Betting also has an intuitive ability to stir up emotions, the thrill of a win gives you a sense of elation and invincibility while loses can make way for despair and anxiety. When any of these emotions overpower rationality, your stakes are the collateral damage.
Restricting your emotions is a tall task but not an impossible one. It can be achieved with awareness of your emotional outlook and self-discipline. Allow us to run you through proven ways to keep emotions in check and help you attain the realisation of your wagering objectives.
Fear:
Fear is counter-intuitive to the very spirit of betting. Except for a casual bettor with a low loss threshold and sizeable bankroll, every bettor is taking a risk to multiply his/her stakes. Fear of losing can be the front of many negative emotions, such as uncertainty, hesitancy, panic and even paranoia. As these emotions pile up to deter your confidence and logical thinking, you either hesitate to capitalise on easy opportunities when they present themselves or go on a betting overdrive placing wagers on just about anything without any forethought. As devastating as fear is to betting gains, overcome it before it ruins your strategies, inclination and bankrolls. This is achieved by cultivating the traits of patience, positivity and perseverance. A fiscally responsible behaviour is also recommended to keep the fear from gaining criticality.
Anger:
Anger is one emotion that feeds on loses. Imagine, you are going through a prolonged losing streak, having tried as hard as possible, the downward spiral continues unabatedly. In such a despicable situation, the first emotion that comes to the fore is anger. The emotion manifests itself in more ways than one, depending on your disposition and other related factors. It can incite bitterness, annoyance, frustration or even aggression and spite. Acting to your rage has consequences, leaving you financially depleted and distraught. The instances where punters in a fit of anger increase their bets to unprecedented levels are not uncommon. To deal with anger, convince yourself that you are good enough to tide over the lean phase.
Complacency:
Anger and complacency are two contrasting emotions but both uncalled for and unruly. If anger is a result of loses, complacency springs from wins. When you turn on a profit from the potentially gone bets, the feeling of invincibility often overpowers you. When it happens, your judgement is affected and you are vulnerable to unworthy decisions. As such, a sincere effort on your part is required to prevent the feeling creep in. An effective remedy is to stay focused and keep your feet on the ground. You can revel in your gains but don’t get carried away.