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Sports Betting 101: Betting To Risk V.S. Betting To Win


Why do you wager money on sports? Most people would agree that they bet in an effort to win. After all, their goal is to turn a profit and, ideally, develop a lucrative career as a pro sports bettor. Others, though, are prepared to "bet to risk."


How do these two different kinds of betting operate? What distinguishes a bet to win from a bet to risk? The information you need is provided below.


Betting To Win


When you wager to win, you place a bet of a predetermined sum based on the game's odds with the primary goal of outsmarting the bookmakers and maximizing your possible earnings. In most cases, placing a wager with the goal of winning also entails placing a larger bet in order to maximize your possible payout.


To help you better understand how betting to win operates, take an NFL game with favored moneyline odds of -150. If you're betting to win, your best course of action here would be to place a $150 stake on the favorites, which would net you a $100 profit if they triumph. Conversely, losing would obviously result in the loss of your $150 wager.


Consider placing a wager on the Super Bowl in 2022. With odds of -500, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently the largest favorite among the bookmakers. This indicates that a $100 wager on them would result in a $500 profit. The potential earnings on this selection may make it appear like a no-brainer for those who bet to win because they are so alluring.


Betting To Risk 


Betting on risk is a bit different because the emphasis is more on risk management than on trying to ensure that every wager is as profitable as possible.


Those who engage in this activity frequently argue that taking a riskier approach to sports betting is preferable for long-term success. What distinguishes betting to risk from other forms of gambling is that participants don't place bets based on the odds offered by bookmakers; instead, they can place larger or smaller bets, depending on their risk tolerance and desired return.


Consider a favorite with odds of -110 and a $10 wager. Since people who bet to win usually try to handicap the bookmakers by taking the cost into consideration, they will need to wager a dollar more at $11.


On the other contrary, if a bettor were willing to take a risk, they would wager $10 even if the maximum profit was only $9.09. However, this would mean that should they miss the bet, they would lose a dollar less.


Betting To Win Pros & Cons


Below are the pros and cons of betting to win. 


Pros 


When betting on the underdog in a game, you'll often get paid out more. Consider once more a Cubs game when they are the dogs at +150 odds. You would only need to stake $66.67 if you wanted to earn a profit of $100. You only stand to lose nearly $200 if you wager $66.67 on each of the Cubs, Mets, and Red Sox games at +150 odds, but you stand to earn $300 if you win.


Cons 


Over time, betting to win becomes riskier since you incur the risk of suffering significant losses. Going the same approach for a favorite may not sound as desirable if betting to win in an upset pick sounds good. One of the factors why gamblers frequently lose is because they always support the underdogs.


Consider three baseball wagers, for instance. Take into account that the money lines for the Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox are all -150. If you wagered $100 on each one, you would have to stake a total of $450. You lose the entire $450 if they all lose.


Betting To Risk Pros & Cons


Here are the betting to risk pros & cons. 


Pros 


One of the main benefits of betting at risk is that, regardless of the odds and lines, you have control over the amount you bet. This generally means that you can maximize your money for a longer period of time.


As it is more effective in managing risks than going all in or focusing on obtaining greater earnings for a shorter period of time, betting on risk also results in longer gains and a consistent ROI over the long term.


Cons 


As previously noted, betting at risk results in a lower possible profit on each wager. This can be complicated because betting on the underdogs frequently promises a higher profit return if won, but it could also result in a big loss if the wager is unsuccessful.


Final Thoughts 


Regardless of whether you want to bet to win or wager to risk, always remember how to manage your bankroll effectively. Keep in mind that managing your bankroll is the key to determining how long you can continue playing or how quickly you will go out of business. Your budget is the life and soul of your betting job.

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