THERE are many roads that online betting can lead a punter down. It’s sometimes a fun ride exploring things like the bookmakers’ bonuses and hitting great odds, but it can also have some speed bumps along the way.
It is important before putting your foot down heavily on the accelerator to have a good grasp of what online betting entails.
Making the most out of online betting can be boiled down to a few things.
What do we mean about getting the most out of the betting experience?
Predominantly doing any form of betting safely.
First and foremost, it applies to choosing a reliable bookmaker that is honest and carries out its obligations.
You can find a list of licensed and trustworthy UK betting sites, their reviews, as well as description of their offers and promotions on https://match.center/.
But also it means betting responsibly so that you can remain in control of the action and not let it control you. Here are some useful guidelines to follow to make the most out of online betting.
Treat Betting As a Hobby
We all have pastimes that we like to partake in, be it reading, hiking, having a kickabout on Sunday or even scrolling through social media.
Online betting can be taken in the same light, as more of a hobby than something to stress over.
A hobby is something that should be relaxing, a rewarding and fulfilling escape from the rigours of the working week.
Taking a casual approach to betting will eliminate the stresses from it, stresses which could lead to problems like attempting to chase losses from wagering.
That doesn’t mean that online betting can’t be done without passion.
An aspiring artist picks up a brush with motivation and a passion to create something beautiful.
Betting in “hobby mode” can still involve getting deep into statistics and trying to creatively put together your strategy and plan.
When treated as a hobby, betting becomes less about money.
It removes unrealistic targets about winning every bet, chasing big risky wagers and trying to score huge windfalls to try and live off.
Winning a tenner can be hugely rewarding from a calculated, strategised bet.
It also, very importantly, eases the pressure when a loss happens, which it invariably will.
That leads us nicely to the next area of how to make the most of your betting hobby.
Responsible Gambling
You’ve probably seen variations of this phrase splashed around online bookmakers.
That is because it is so massively important. What is responsible gambling? The crux of it is being in control of your finances.
Responsible online betting can be summed up in one simple phrase – “never bet more than you can afford to lose”.
That’s a famous adage in betting circles, but it rings very, very true. If you only have £20 to spare that month for betting, don’t go out and stake £50!
Breaking that £20 down into four weekends in a month, carefully planning your bets, can still lead to success. It’s a calmer, more measured approach and that bankroll management is key.
Understand Your Sports
Another aspect of making the most of your passion for betting is understanding what you are betting on.
We have already made mention of strategising and looking through statistics, and that’s part and parcel of the whole experience.
If you only ever bet on Premier League football matches, then you will likely have a strong working knowledge of that league.
You will be able to quickly gauge the strengths and weaknesses of familiar teams and how that relates to the match odds.
Sticking to one or two sports that you naturally follow, and then only one competition in each is a good approach to betting.
If you concentrate on football and try and study the Premier League, La Liga, the German Bundesliga and Serie A for a midweek pick, then that’s an overwhelming amount of head-to-head data, current form and team news to assimilate.
Instead, again if it’s just the Premier League that’s the main focus, you will build up a workflow. You’ll likely be looking at results anyway, remembering bits of news about a star player getting injured or a red-hot scoring streak that a striker is on. That’s understanding the sport you are betting on.
It’s going to be far more approachable than suddenly switching to a Premiership Rugby match, and then having to start from scratch.
Having to try and understand the values of different markets like handicap and winning margins, because of no prior knowledge of rugby betting, isn’t going to afford the same experience.
Pick up a Reliable Bookmaker
Punters will have their favourite bookmakers, just as much as they will have their favourite betting market or sports team. The best bookmaker at the end of the day is the one that fits your personal needs.
If everyone is raving about betting exchanges and you look, find yourself overwhelmed, then don’t jump into the trend.
Stick to what you know, because the simpler that betting is made, then the more enjoyable and relaxing it is going to be.
With that in mind, find bookmakers that have a good website layout that you like, and also a good, functional app that works on your device.
Also, one of the biggest pieces of advice that you could ever take on board ahead, is to do your betting at operators that are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
It’s your money that you are playing with, do your due diligence to protect it.
Extend Your Value
Finding a reputable bookmaker will not only keep you safe, but it can also reward you in another way.
A further example of getting the most out of online betting is to scoop up free bet offers and other types of bonuses that bookies put out.
If you can find an enhanced odds offer on a selection that you had pre-planned to bet on, fantastic! Are you ready to put together a football Acca? Then look for an Acca win bonus.
Don’t go and play for bonuses just because they are there.
That will be placing bets that you hadn’t planned to do, or playing markets that you may not be familiar with.
But if you can find a betting offer that fits seamlessly into your betting, then make the most of it.
Just make sure you have carefully studied all terms and conditions of receiving the bonuses and you know all the requirements specified there like a minimum deposit, a qualifying bet amount, odds, an expiry period (for a Free bet), some wagering requirements and other important things.
So here are some of the best UK Free bet offers:
Betfair – Claim £30 in Free bets when you place a £10 bet on the sportsbook as a new customer.
Ladbrokes – Cash in with £20 in Free bets (4 x £5) when you place an initial £5 bet.
BetVictor – Bet £10 as a new BetVictor customer and receive £30 Free bets for sports.
Coral – Get up to £10 back as a Free bet if your horse is beaten by a length or less.
888Sport – Get a £5 Free bet for any sports bet placed at odds of 4/1 or greater.
BoyleSports – Receive a £5 Free Acca for every five Accas.
Betfred – Get a Free bet if your horse finishes second in a nominated race up to a max of £10.
Bet365 – Bet £10 and get £50 in Free bets if you are a new customer.
Virgin Bet – Bet £10 as a new customer and get 2 X £10 free bet credits back.
Fitzdares – Money back as a Free bet on Champions League match outright bets if the game ends 0-0.
