Some Rules to Bet By

Well with the Patriots down 25-3 I was about ready to shut this blog down for good. My first ever pick on the site was getting blown out of the water and there didn't seemed to be any sign of stopping.

Then Tom Brady happened. Bill Bellichick happened. That insanely bizarre catch by Julian Edelman in the 4th quarter happened.

To be completely honest, I'm not sure what happened, but the Falcons blew an imposing lead for the most heartbreaking super bowl loss I've ever seen. Stay strong Atlanta fans. That was brutal.

However an important lesson must be taken from that game. Sports are 100% unpredictable. Sure I ended up cashing my $20 on the Patriots -3 but it took three or four miracles for that to happen.

So while I catch up on basketball season and try to give you guys some picks actually worth betting on, I'm going to leave you with a few general and concrete rules to keep you sharp and safe as a bettor.

1) Don't Bet What You Couldn't Lose and Live Without

This is commandment number one because it is paramount. Betting is all fun and games until someone bets their rent money on a sour pick. Remember when I said I cashed in $20 on that super bowl pick. That's because I only bet $10. I'm a broke college student living paycheck-paycheck. I don't have the luxury to bet big money like I'm Floyd Mayweather. Instead, I start with $10-20 each time and build from there. You can setup parlays to increase your profits with small wages. This is the only way to keep sports gambling a healthy hobby and not a damaging bad habit.

2) Don't Bet On or Against Your Favorite Team

When we analyze our favorite team we tend to wear rose-colored shades. That, or we over-analyze every aspect of the team until we become objectively critical. In my early years I loved to bet on my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes. However as the years wore on I realized that it ruined my viewing experience and I hardly ever got the picks right. These days I just scream at the TV when OSU is on like a lunatic out of love, not because I'm worried about my bet.

3) If the Home Team is Getting Points, Tread Lightly

It's the classic trap game. A much better team visits an inferior team and the line is favorable to the away side. Amateur bettors see these lines and assume the superior team will cover the small amount of points no problem. Think again. Generally a bettor wants to keep points rather than give them to the house and this is especially the case when the favored team is on the road. These bets are classic parlay-busters and should be reviewed extensively before including them on your ticket.

4) Gut 1st, Research 2nd, But Respect Both

There's a tricky balance when it comes to sports gambling. The majority of people interested in it genuinely feel like they have a knack for picking games and this may be true. However, some of these people will make hunch picks and refuse to adjust no matter what data they find during their research. Others will turn on a gut pick the instant they find a piece of disparaging information in their research. Neither of these approaches are effective. The key is to balance the two and learn to base your gut picks on predetermined parameters you've established. Then use your research to ensure your reasoning. However I have found that in a tiebreaker go woth your hunch because you will be miserable if you betray it and lose your money in return.