Engaging in live betting as an NFL fan can be fun, yet tricky. Don’t make these same mistakes that other bettors have done in the past. Be armed with knowledge and don’t feel the need to chase losses as it may not end in your favor.
1. Chasing A Loss
It’s not smart to make more wagers just because an NFL match went south out of your favor. Continuously doing so can cause a gambling addiction in attempting to make money back that just may never come to you if the bets don’t pan out. Instead, take the loss as a lesson in your betting journey and learn other strategies that you could implement to make a more informed betting decision going forward.
Let’s say on the Baltimore Ravens’ game on January 28, 2024, against the Kansas City Chiefs that you did an over/under bet in favor of the Ravens where they would win by 20 or more points. However, the real outcome was 17-10 in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs. You may have felt the need to recoup your losses by placing a wager on the 2024 Super Bowl after analyzing historical data from the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
The smartest thing to do would be to do as much research as possible before placing a bet on the Super Bowl rather than blindly make a futures bet that the Kansas City Chiefs would win the event because they won against the Baltimore Ravens in the prior match. Even though the Chiefs did win the Super Bowl, that wouldn’t have been known until after wagers were placed.
2. Ignoring Shifts In Momentum
Especially as a live NFL bettor, it is your job to recognize the in-game momentum and how it shifts early on in a match’s progression. Any turnovers in possession of the ball, player injuries, or sudden changes in the weather forecast are all examples of momentum shifts that could happen in an NFL game. Not recognizing these momentum shifts early enough to refine your wagers accordingly can be a big mistake.
If the defensive team takes possession of the ball from the offensive side, this can shift the game into their favor as they now have a chance to score that they otherwise would not have had if this turnover did not occur. Any star players that suffer an injury could directly impact the team’s overall performance, especially if that individual usually carries them through to a win according to historical data.
Even sunny weather conditions that turn into rain in the spring or snow in the winter can alter the status of the playing field. It could develop slippery conditions and mud puddles that could cause a player to make an uncalculated move if they lose their balance on the field. Even how wet or dry the field is influences how well the ball can be kicked during events such as penalty kicks.
3. Overanalyzing Early Game Events
It’s better to place over/under bets and other live bets in the middle to towards the end of a NFL game. By overanalyzing the events too early in the game and hastily making a bet based on them, this may be a possible downfall in your betting strategy. Even if the team you believe will win is getting off to a slow start, do not count them out just yet. Instead, analyze the game’s progression from all angles before making a final betting decision.
4. Poor Bankroll Management
One of the biggest mistakes as an NFL bettor is maintaining poor bankroll management. You don’t want to make too large of a wager on a single bet. You must take into consideration how much of a loss that your bankroll will take if your bet is too high. Instead, bet only what you can afford and split up your bankroll accordingly to be sure it can last a certain number of games before it’s time for you to refill it.
