Sports betting is a nice pastime that allows you to root for your favorite while also standing a chance to make some money out of it. But more than just a hobby, wagering on NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and even soccer can also be a profitable side hustle. But for it work, you need a killer strategy that allows you to win consistently while minimizing losses.
It sounds pretty simple, but it’s easier said than done. The mistake many punters make is to view sports betting as purely analytical. While analytics still reign supreme in sports betting, most punters come undone by poor decision-making. That’s where literature can prove to be the difference.
Whether you are analyzing NFL betting odds or exploring Super Bowl props, reading fiction can help you make better decisions and give the sportsbooks a run for their money. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the ways literature can make you better at sports betting.
Anticipating the Emotional State of Players
It doesn’t take a beginner more than a few bets to know that favorites don’t always win. Every so often, the underdog does spring a surprise. Sometimes, it happens by pure luck, and other times, it can be predictable. Athletes are not just bundles of skill and physical prowess, and personalities, motivations, and emotional states influence performance. Literature can help you learn how to interpret the psychology of players and teams and predict the level of performance in betting.
Most great works of fiction tackle complex characters, drawing readers to the motivations that drive their actions. Just like a character in a novel can be driven by a desire for redemption, athletes may be fueled by rivalries and grudges.
For example, if a team narrowly misses the playoffs, you can expect them to put a more motivated performance in a similar position the following year. Understanding the psychological aspect of sports can help you anticipate the emotional states that may affect a team’s performance and make better betting choices.
Spot an Underdog Early
Literature is full of “Cinderella stories” where characters of low status end up achieving success and recognition. If you read a few novels, you can get pretty good at identifying these characters early on.
This can translate to sports events, giving you a unique edge in betting. It can help you recognize an underdog team or player on the brink of a remarkable journey before the odds catch up. Leicester City’s winning the Premier League in 2016 is a classic example. With odds of 5000-to-1 at the start of the season, not many believed the team could win the league, and many punters can be forgiven for not betting on them.
But as the campaign wore on and the team kept over-performing, a few eagle-eyed punters took the bet. The team continued to capitalize on the emotional investment of the country and went on to win the league, with the punters who took the gamble smiling all the way to the bank at the end of the season.
Evaluating Risk and Reward
Great works of literature often explore the theme of risk and reward, where characters face dilemmas that require them to take calculated risks. In sports betting, you must also navigate this same balance of risk and reward.
You should evaluate the odds and potential payouts to know when to take a risk and whether the payout justifies the risk. Whether it’s George R.R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire or Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, by tapping into literature, you can make more calculated wagers and eke out consistent profits in betting.
