Is It a Good Idea To Bet On Favorite?
We've all been there. Finally, it's game day, and you're feeling lucky. The team you've bet on is winning, and you feel like you're going to win a few hundred dollars. Life's good now. But then, the unexpected happens. Your team starts playing lousy, and it's getting worse. Every second starts feeling slow. The lead changes; It doesn't chargeback as the ref blows the whistle. You've lost, and you can't believe it. Your team was the favorite. What happened? Sometimes, the underdog wins, of course. We, as people, love these stories. But is that something you should worry about? Today, we'll examine whether or not it's a good idea to bet on favorite.
How Do You Know Your Favorite?
Finding out who the underdog is in any game isn't that hard. Look at the odds. The underdogs have a plus sign beside them, and the favorites have a minus. The characters are the same whether you look at the spread or the money line. You also have fractional odds. Let's say that a team has 3/1 odds; you'll win three times the initial bet if they win. While underdogs have a better payout than favorites, many people opt for betting the favorites.
The Pros And Cons Of Betting On Favorites
Everything out there has its good and bad sides. Betting on favorites is the same. Here are some things to expect when betting on favorites:
- Better probability of winning: if someone's a favorite, they have a better chance of winning. Not really rocket science.
- Luck is a minor factor: You have to be aware that experts make odds, and if they think a team will win, there's a good chance they're right.
- More money in the long run: By constantly making bets on favorites, you will win a lot of money over a long period.
There are some drawbacks to this betting method, too:
- Higher odds: You can lose more money by betting on favorites than you can win by betting on underdogs.
- Surprises happen: From time to time, the underdog will win, so if you place a large bet, you can lose it all.
While betting on favorites requires less research, you can still do it with research. Here's what you need to know.
How To Research a Team Before Placing a Bet
Yes, you can always bet on favorite if you want. But you can't do it blindly. You need to know certain information to ensure you'll win. Here are things you need to check before putting a single dollar on a favorite:
- See how they've been playing: Is the team you want to bet on playing well lately? Consider betting on the underdog if they're on a losing streak.
- Check their roster: Have any players been on the injured list lately? The result won't favor the favorites if the star player isn't playing.
- How they play home/away: Check how the choice plays on the road vs. at home. If they tend to lose road games, it's not a good idea to bet on them.
Things Are Not As They Seem In Betting
For a casual bettor or a newb, putting money on favorites is the only way to go. Why should you risk your money by betting on the underdog? What sense does that make? Well, you can only know that after doing some research. Remember, the people who make the odds aren't perfect. They need to learn every detail; sometimes, they give better odds to a team that's been playing poorly lately. But it's up to you to discover this. No one will hold your hand. It would help if you researched both teams whenever you're looking at a bet. See if any of their players have recent injuries. Check how they play at home. When you recognize a trend, place a bet. That's the only way to win big in this game.
