While fans may be stressed to back their team no matter what, this does not always translate as well when placing a wager for an upcoming sporting event featuring their dearly beloved club, with fans often placing bewildering stakes on their side which can lead to even greater regret in the inevitable post-game breakdown.
Sports betting has grown to become a major commodity throughout the US in recent years that has seen various betting markets skyrocket to monumental aspects of various sporting broadcasts and commercialism.
More active sportsbooks are now fully operational at various venues across the nation that enable more sporting fanatics than ever to get involved with a variety of bets from numerous sporting leagues and competitions.
With sports betting becoming such a major part of all active sporting events throughout America, it’s only natural that many fans often clamor to fully back their favorite teams. Unfortunately, for those who have limited incomes – or simply wish to maintain a strict household budget – that can produce mixed financial outcomes that result in money being wagered in favor of teams that have continuously underwhelmed and underachieved in recent years. So it’s important to note when the time is right to fully back your team before heading to a local sportsbook.
With that in mind, let’s look at some key tips every bettor should consider before placing any wagers on their favorite team:
Understand what the expectations are for your team
No matter how much history and accolades your team has accumulated since its establishment, it’s vitally important to focus on the present and even the future before looking back on the past. After all, just because your team was a major contender a few years back doesn’t always mean that will be competing at similar level years later – so it’s important to keep that in mind before overlooking a bet in your teams favor.
It is also important to recognize the direction that your team is going for the remainder of the season, as teams that are in the ‘rebuilding/tanking’ phase will likely play for higher draft positions than a playoff spot. A particularly good example being the NBA’s Orlando Magic, who have since traded a number of their top stars for draft picks with the proposal to build a younger team for the future.
Focus on the on-court product, not the size of the market
You could be a fan of a team that operates in a major US sports market like New York City or Los Angeles, or you could be a fan of a team that is known for being in a much smaller market than most other teams such as, say, Wisconsin or Utah. However, always remember that no matter which market you team operates out of, this does not always guarantee success which can leave even the country’s biggest market teams in a poorly run state of constant post season disappointment and underwhelming management from the front office.
A prime example includes the New York Knicks who may have one of the NBA’s biggest and most passionate fanbases, but have not won a world championship since 1973, with the organization being a constant disappointment throughout a large part of their recent history.
The Knicks maybe one of the countries most valuable teams and a major favorite amongst fans in some of the latest NBA betting, but that does not mean that they will become a major contender just for these facts alone, compared to a team such as the Milwaukee Bucks who play out of a much smaller sports market yet are now the reigning NBA Champions.
Consider the quality and depth of your team’s roster
Betting fans should also remain aware of the star names that each team has within the ranks of their active roster with most teams relying on key players and even superstar caliber names to be the figurehead of their franchise.
If you’re planning on placing a wager on your favorite team, then it may also be wise to signify which names can heavily dictate the overall flow of the game in your teams favor and if there are any significant absences due to injuries or suspensions that could prove to a major blow to the outcome of the game and your bet.
Most franchises often prioritize different commodities of their teams with some rosters often being frequently featured with a bulk of younger stars or determined veterans that have years of experience competing at the top level of the sport.
The Bottom Line
It is always a thrill to back your team with a responsible wager or two. However, you must always be sure that betting on your team is the correct option for the game itself, depending on the opponent and the expectations heading into the contest.
Photo Credit: John Martinez Pavliga
I won $1,000 on the Super Bowl last night. I want to thank the Rams holder for botching the extra point to make it all possible!
That missed point really screwed everything up since the Rams won by 3 and the spread was 3.5 points! I’m sure there are at least a million people out there who are either thankful or ticked off about it.
I want my favorite team to be my pallbearers so that they can let me down one last time.
Dare I say … that pun was dead on arrival, Bill.