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This should not come as a surprise to anyone, people love football. They love to watch it, talk about it, become agitated by it, and be engulfed in a state of euphoria by it.
All those same elements also apply to football bettors who cannot wait for the start of college football and NFL football. Their thirst for action is almost overwhelming, they can taste victory and have no idea how they could possibly lose. Yet they still do.
Experienced bettors who focus on winning share many of those same feelings and emotions, but they strive to win for the season and not chase the big score from the start of a new year. This somewhat detached approach is not only smart but mentally healthy.
Take the Road Less Traveled
Let’s face it, we sometimes get too excited about doing fun things. Maybe it is going to a concert, sporting event, a movie we wanted to see, or just a great meal at a new restaurant. We create an unrealistic viewpoint that could lead us to disappointment because we set the bar impossibly high.
Football bettors at the beginning of a new season will frequently do the same exact thing.
They will study the board for the opening weekend of college and pro football and see a field of betting opportunities they cannot imagine is possible in Week 1. They’ll follow that by wagering 50% or more of their betting budget to start the season.
That imaginary field of nothing but flowing green (money), backing favorites that “have to cover” turns into a day-long disappointment or worse, a sea of red (money lost).
Instead of following the masses on a journey off the cliff, pick three or four college games, looking for underdogs that can cover. In the NFL, make three bets, with at least two dogs. This will put you on the road less traveled and help you focus on mental and physical discipline. Plus, these pooches give you two chances to win both outright or against the oddsmakers‘ number.
Why Betting Less Can Mean More
The NFL preseason was never a good barometer about how a team might play in September. That is even less so today, with so many starting players either not playing in the preseason or some not at all, making offensive and defensive continuity a potential problem.
For example, you have a team whose betting odds are a Super Bowl contender. Nevertheless, that squad had to replace three offensive linemen (because of free agency) and lost two starters in the secondary in August because of injury, along with a middle linebacker.
Those circumstances don’t mean this is not a title contender, however, there is uncertainty to begin a new season and there are questions that require answers that only playing real football can answer.
College football is just as treacherous with no preseason contests to get a feel for. And, as opposed to the NFL, college teams don’t scrimmage against those that might be in their region but in a different conference.
Every college football coach willing to tell the truth will acknowledge they are as nervous for the season opener as they are for any matchup on the schedule because they “think” they know what they have, but until that is proven on the gridiron, even over just four quarters, they truly do not know for certain.
Being conservative with wagers and your cash bet is great money management.
Never Be in a Hurry
Some will point to there being only 15 college football weekends and 18 weeks in the regular season for the NFL. That is true compared to the other major sports that are played daily.
Nonetheless, college football offers betting opportunities at least three days a week and the same is true for the NFL. The collegiate schedule offers at least 50 contests each week and the NFL 13 to 16 chances over their 18 weeks, leaving plenty of chances to find quality betting spots.
Thus, those having the patience to let a new season develop, which leads to more betting intel on every team, provide a better chance of making a good read on a team. Having this info can help for specific situations on sides, totals and props. Often, those who profit long-term, understand digging an early hole can lead to a frustrating season by not showing enough patience.
