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Two men betting
I have always loved betting. I remember when I was younger, I used to play funny betting games with my friends, like who was going to eat the biggest amount of candies or drink 20 cans of soda, etc.
As I got older, this drive for challenges turned into sports betting. I still casually make silly bets with friends when we meet. I recently won a bet of eating 5 large-size Domino’s pizzas.
For me, betting has always been about the fun and social atmosphere around it. However, a friend of mine confessed that he had money issues because he made a deal with a shady moneylender for one of his bets. That made me realize that my love of betting could lead to serious troubles if I pour my head into the game and lose sight of reality.
1.There are more losers than winners
My life-long journey of betting has taught me that there are always more losers than winners. The larger the group of betters, the more likely are my chances of losing. When I place a bet, I always try to remind myself of that.
I love betting because of the challenges, not because I am driven by the idea of winning. If you’re fortunate enough to win a couple of times in a row, you’ll become more confident in your betting skills, which could cause you to wager a larger amount of money. The risk is you could end up losing and get yourself into serious financial troubles, especially if you bet bigger than what you have. Thus, I always try to remind myself that winning is not the reason why I am doing this.
2. It’s not about the money
I have had many conversations with strangers about betting. There is such a social stigma around it—everyone thinks that it’s all about the money.
Betting has always been a way of socializing for me. From eating pizza to shaving my head, I have built awesome memories with my friends out of silly bets.
I like betting forums like this one because we all share the same passion for strategy and challenges.
Friends hanging out in a bar
3. “Loving the process” of betting
The process of betting requires strategy, intuition and, community rather than money. Of course, winning a bet is always a cause for celebration, but it's also about enjoying the process of making your bet that will make you proud.
Fatima Moreira de Melo, a professional poker player, thinks that it's "loving the process" that explains why players spend so much time and energy in the game. Betting is the same, but it’s the strategy behind your bet that makes it so rewarding when you win.
Given that we have greater chances to lose, why else would we spend so much time betting?
4. Bet what you can afford
Some people like to put money on the side to buy a house, do some shopping, or travel. I choose to spend my money on betting. Every month, I sit down and make a budget; I pay my bills and my rent, plan for my grocery expenses and see what I have left for betting and my personal spending.
Once, I made a greater bet of what I could afford, lost, and had to borrow money from my parents. It was humiliating, and I promised myself that I would never do that again.
Betting is my hobby, but it should never jeopardize my financial security or reputation. Plus, I could get into real trouble and end up not being able to bet at all. It’s not worth it.
Now, if I have spent all my budget dedicated to betting half-way through the month, I go on free betting sites like Oddschecker. I still get similar excitement without taking any financial risk.
Betting for free is still betting; the challenge, community and fun are still there.
After all this talk, I want to hear about your story with betting. Why do you like betting and what are your strategies to be a “responsible better”?
