Before you go placing wagers, there are a few misconceptions and myths to discuss. As a matter of fact, these myths can wind up costing you big time if you ignore them.
Pick Services are Automatic
Whether it be Virginia sports betting or somewhere else, myths and misconceptions can be dangerous. For instance, you may think that following pick services will generate automatic wins. Maybe you have a few sports betting podcasts that you really believe in.
At the end of the day, pick services are run by people – granted, these people have better tools and more information. Having more information is never a bad thing but people are generally not making much money from these services. Even the best sports bettors on the planet are going to lose 30-40% of the time. By investing in a picks service, you are simply adding more into the loss column right up front.
Listening to Sports Announcers
Another misconception is that watching the majority or all of the games will give you a leg up. So, because they are calling every game, surely sports announcers have the inside scoop? While they might have more information and familiarity with the product on the field, it does not equate to an automatic win.
Sports betting takes strategy, but there is luck involved. You can feel like you have the most informed bet possible only for things to go awry. Take the contributions of sports announcers into play but consider that they may not necessarily be the most trusted source in the world.
You Have to Be a Stats Pro
Much like the world of sports, the belief is that you have to be able to really dig into the numbers in order to be successful at sports betting. But just because you did badly in statistics in college does not mean that you are automatically disqualified from being good at sports betting.
Stats and research can help when it comes to making a decision but it isn’t the end all be all. Sometimes it is about gut instinct and nothing more. Look for trends and try not to flip-flop on your bets too much. Being good with stats is fine but it isn’t a requirement to become a successful sports bettor.
Online Betting Isn’t Safe
There are some bettors who will swear by making their picks at retail locations. With every passing day, there are more online sportsbooks popping up from trusted operators. The misconception from some is that it isn’t safe to play in an online sportsbook. After all, the books will fix the odds. Your information will be unsafe. You will deal with all sorts of things that you would not have to deal with at a retail location.
Those are all patently false. The reality is that there’s no real difference between placing a bet at a retail location and doing so through a trusted online sportsbook. Use common sense when it comes to your banking information. Don’t go to just any sportsbook site, especially if they have no reputation. You can typically tell the reputable sites apart from the rest of the muck. When it comes to security, many of the top sportsbooks use SSL encryption technology to keep player information safe at all times, in addition to features like two-factor authentication.
