The Pros and Cons of Sports Betting... and a Look at the Alternatives

These days, gambling has become a mainstream activity. We don’t think twice about buying a lottery ticket or playing a quick game of bingo on our smartphone. It’s socially acceptable to gamble. Switch on the TV or open a magazine and it won’t be long before you see a well-known celebrity promoting an online betting website or app.

How Online Sports Betting Works

Sports betting is just one of many different types of online gambling. How it works is simple: instead of visiting a bookmakers or attending a live sporting event, you peruse an online book and place your bet according to predetermined odds. You can watch an event live on your screen, or walk away and wait for the results to pop up on screen or in your email inbox. Yes, it really is that easy. So what are the pros and cons of sports betting, and if you don’t enjoy it, what are the alternatives?

The Pros of Sports Betting

• Convenience – One of the main reasons why sports betting has become so popular is that it is very convenient. As long as you have an internet enabled device and a connection, you can place a bet anytime, anywhere. All of the big online betting websites have apps for smartphones and tablets, but you are also free to login to your account via a desktop if you prefer. So if you fancy placing a bet on the outcome of a football match in Poland, you don’t even have to leave your armchair.

• Easy transactions – Transactions are simple when you bet on sports fixtures online. All you have to do is create an account, link a debit or credit card and transfer money into your virtual wallet. It takes a few minutes to set up, but then you are good to go. Placing a bet only takes a few clicks of the mouse.

• Promotions – Most of the big online betting websites run promotions and special offers to attract new customers. You can double your money on your first bet, or even bet for free. This gives you a taste of how sports betting works, without risking too much of your hard-earned cash.

• Last-minute bets – Forgotten to place a bet on the Grand National and you’re stuck at the office doing overtime? No worries – you can log in to your online sports betting account and place a bet within seconds. And your boss will never know!

• Access your winnings online – If you are lucky enough to strike the jackpot, it is dead easy to access your winnings. Once your win is confirmed, you can withdraw the money electronically.

The Cons of Sports Betting

• Highly addictive – The biggest problem with online sports betting is that it is highly addictive. The fact these websites are so readily accessible makes it hard for people to walk away.

• Too easy to spend your winnings – Because winnings are deposited into your online account, it is all too easy to reinvest them in another bet.

• It’s a losing game – The odds are always stacked against the customer. Otherwise, there would be no profits to be made.

Fun Alternatives

Online betting is not for everyone. If you hate sports, the idea of betting on sporting fixtures is probably not appealing in any way, shape or form. Instead, why not look at other forms of online betting, for example bingo, poker or slots? You can try any or all of them for free, and if you enjoy playing, simply create an account on your preferred website and start playing for cash.

It is very easy to develop a gambling problem if you have an addictive personality. For this reason, always set a strict limit on how much you can afford to lose, and once you have reached your limit, quit playing.