Stretch out and wait. Analyse when you're over-betting

If you think you're over-betting, then you probably are!

So this blog has pocketed almost £2,000 profit since it started its bet suggestions in August and that my friends, is a pretty good return. But you should always examine where you are going wrong in this betting game, because even when you're going right, you can be doing things wrong!

Like anything that is addictive and sets the pulse racing, sports betting is no different in that emotions must be kept in check. Careful analysis of risk must be given attention and that element of moderation is very important. In my experience, over-betting is a common problem amongst gamblers, from both novices and experts alike.

Does this scenario sound familiar?

You've had a good run, you've found value in a number of bets, played the patience game, and think you've cracked it. It's at this point that you are at your most vulnerable. On the back of this you may increase stakes, bet on more matches/events and are far more likely to go all in on a lumper to cash in on the good run. Would you call it greed? To a certain extent, yes. What you are doing in effect is ripping up all those carefully planned steps and bending those rules that got you in that position of profit and prominence in the first place.

If the game goes sour, you'll find yourself back to break even or even worse a loss. It's at this point where the problems can increase further as your self defence mechanism kicks in working the brain to go on the attack. You may bet even more recklessly with increased stakes trying to win those losses back. You may even be prone to more in play 'opportunities' on events that you know little about but gamble higher on safer 'certainties'. This nearly always ends in tears! We all know that are no certainties, right?!?

So, it's always a good time to sit down and reflect on what is going right, and what is going wrong. For me in the first few days of November, I have quite simply, bet on more events than I'd wish too. Far, far too many events. That in short, is very bad.

If we break it down, I have bet on a ludicrous amount already, which is probably an after effect of a superb October. A classic pitfall. As confidence grew so did the amount of events I bet and the variety of sports that I deal with.

You'll notice near the top (most recent) I delved into darts and lost two from two. Whilst there were a few unlucky ones, the inclination by myself was to be a little too greedy with too many matches I would class as being too close to confidently call. Livorno-Atalanta was based on more than a hunch, but was a risk which in hindsight wasn't worth taking.

I layed Arsenal (bad), although some did beggar belief (Newcastle-Chelsea BTTS No). But there is plenty here that you could pick holes in.

Whilst 'gambling' is the game you still want to have the risk in your favour and although I am profitable for November, there have been a couple of mistakes that need to be rectified and corrected going forward.

The good news is that Halep was on hand to dig us out of the shit once more, something of which I cannot rely on going forward as the tennis heads for a break.

The point of this article is just to highlight that you are at your most vulnerable after a successful run. It is therefore paramount that you stick to your routine of success and that you do not look to 'cash in' on good fortune or streaks by altering those rules that got you there in the first place. £35 was lost yesterday for example with two darts bets that should have just seen me enjoy the matches, look on, take some notes, but not bet on.

Even for experienced gamblers/traders you can always slide into bad habits. You should always therefore look to analyse yourself regularly and to stay clear of betting too much and on too many events and markets.