Still aiming for profit in Sports Betting despite losses?

[HONDACD125]

I'm not a heavy sports bettor and just mainly bet on games like the NBA or our local basketball. So I don't consider it like making money for me, it's just all for fun watching the games and at the same time betting on it.

But I don't think that we should really consider gambling as a way to make money. Because it's not, it won't give us what we are looking for like a regular job does to us or a business. I even see gamblers says that they are in the negative so that proves my point. Just gamble for fun and entertainment for me. Yes, I do look to win, but in cases that I won't, then just go and bet on the next game or just stop if I feel that I'm unlucky.

You're actually right about gambling and that it shouldn't be considered a source of income, however, those who have enough knowledge and experience about sports and sports betting, they can actually make some money in the long run as long as they know what they are going, which means that they should know the games they are betting on, and this can be known by someone who watches those sports regularly, and you can also check the stats online for past games and see which team is actually stronger in general, and then you can compare them and decide which side you are going to go with.

A lot of people are making money from sports betting, but this doesn't mean I recommend everyone getting into sports betting because it is obviously not always going to work the same way for everyone. One thing that works for you doesn't necessarily have to work for me, and people don't understand this simple thing. Don't copy what others are doing, it's not always going to get you the same results, always do what you believe may work for you based on your knowledge and understanding.

[passwordnow]

How long have you been betting on sports already?
Roughly, how much do you think you’ve lost so far (if you’re okay sharing)?
And why are you still not giving up on the goal of becoming profitable someday?

I've lost a lot and then recovered some. But my thought on this is that as long as I am enjoying and happy with the outcome presently, I'll continue. I won't share how much I've lost so far but I am not giving up or means stopping for the others since I am a gambler. That's what I do whenever I want to bet for some games and usually, they're in the esports that I also watch. Having a bet on the side while watching is exciting for me.

[Don Saga]

With my past experiences, compared with the current, I think I have worked on better bank roll management and how to minimize my losses. I dont allow the game get the best of me, by having high hopes but rather prepare myself for a winn
 or a loss. These experiences are a product of my past mistakes and lessons were learnt.

[TheUltraElite]

I can make a blanket comment that majority of the people who have been in betting for a decent period of time are now in a negative profit and I would be right 99% of the time. This just shows how profitable the gambling business is for the casinos running them and no wonder new ones comes up everyday to get a hold of that share.

Also shows how losing money itself is the biggest impetus to push the gambler to repeat the same mistake, gamble again instead of shutting this habit down.

Whatever analysis you do, end of the day, it comes down to making bets and winning them, which depends on a luck no matter how good your analysis is.

[Jody.Drummer]

How long have you been betting on sports already?
Roughly, how much do you think you’ve lost so far (if you’re okay sharing)?
And why are you still not giving up on the goal of becoming profitable someday?

Most of us probably didn’t start winning right away. For many, it’s years of trial and error, blown bankrolls, bad decisions, and emotional betting before learning anything real.

So what keeps you going?

Is it discipline? Better bankroll management? Improved analysis? Or just believing that experience will pay off in the long run?

Or maybe you already accepted that this is more of a hobby than a business, and profit is just a bonus?

Of course, curiosity and the desire to win keep me gambling. I don't know exactly how much I've lost, but if I could remember everything in detail, I think the amount would be quite large and I might be surprised to find out. However, it never occurred to me to find out the total amount of my losses. Additionally, I don't believe that experience can help me achieve good results that last in the long term. Although there is a possibility, I don't have high hopes because, as far as I know, in gambling, players only have a lower chance of winning than the odds of winning.

[btc78]

I guess I can proudly say I’m one of the few who’s still aiming to be profitable, even after losing a lot of money in gambling already. And when I say a lot, it’s still within what I can afford to lose, so no big deal.

that is the best way to gamble in my opinion you are not really just gambling aimlessly but you also aren’t putting all your money in danger so when you lose it doesn’t hurt you as much it’s responsible gambling

[Ishicryptic]

So what keeps you going?

Is it discipline? Better bankroll management? Improved analysis? Or just believing that experience will pay off in the long run?

Or maybe you already accepted that this is more of a hobby than a business, and profit is just a bonus?

Discipline and bankroll management keeps me going but most importantly what has kept me from quitting gambling despite my loses being more than my wins is in your last sentence. I've accepted gambling more as an entertainment, a hobby whereby I stake small amounts to stand a chance to win and it's not a must that I will win. I think this should be the best mindset for gamblers so they won't be disappointed anytime they lose, if you take gambling as entertainment you will have a good reason to be coming back. If I still had the mindset of making big money from gambling I would have quit a long time ago.

[junder]

I rarely bet on sports because I more often gamble on slot machines, but the similarity here is the desire to win. I gamble with discipline, but in my heart, of course I want to win. However, I realize that it's not something I should pursue, especially since winning at slot machines depends entirely on luck. So even if I pursue it, it only causes me to lose money. so I just play casually and wait for luck to be on my side.

[iBaba]

How long have you been betting on sports already?
Roughly, how much do you think you’ve lost so far (if you’re okay sharing)?
And why are you still not giving up on the goal of becoming profitable someday?

I've lost a lot and then recovered some. But my thought on this is that as long as I am enjoying and happy with the outcome presently, I'll continue. I won't share how much I've lost so far but I am not giving up or means stopping for the others since I am a gambler. That's what I do whenever I want to bet for some games and usually, they're in the esports that I also watch. Having a bet on the side while watching is exciting for me.

Yes. It is good to do whatever brings you happiness and if it is sports betting that makes you happy, I will encourage you to continue with it. Where I always have reservations is when you cannot longer control your emotions and when you allow your emotions to temper with some decisions you could have made at your own comfort. Sports betting like any other gambling has its negative consequences and it is best to avoid anything that will lead to such stage.

To lose during gambling is as well as winning too, inasmuch as it does not temper with your happiness or your financial situation. If gambling makes you go broke, no matter how fun it is or you view it, it is best you quit. If gambling makes you share tears and gives your high blood pressure, no matter how sweet it is, avoid it. These are all the things you should put into consideration when gambling so you don’t cross the red line.

[Rashlyowl]

I rarely bet on sports because I more often gamble on slot machines, but the similarity here is the desire to win. I gamble with discipline, but in my heart, of course I want to win. However, I realize that it's not something I should pursue, especially since winning at slot machines depends entirely on luck. So even if I pursue it, it only causes me to lose money. so I just play casually and wait for luck to be on my side.

I'm the same as you bros, I rarely bet on sports because I can't really enjoy the real luck, only in slots & live casino can I feel that. Bros @OP brings up an interesting discussion about the desire to win & the considerations with the losses experienced. When I was a beginner at gambling, I made many mistakes, one of which was trying to recoup losses. It turns out that this was detrimental to future gameplay, as I was still dwelling on past losses.

[GiftedMAN]

I rarely bet on sports because I more often gamble on slot machines, but the similarity here is the desire to win. I gamble with discipline, but in my heart, of course I want to win. However, I realize that it's not something I should pursue, especially since winning at slot machines depends entirely on luck. So even if I pursue it, it only causes me to lose money. so I just play casually and wait for luck to be on my side.

Sports betting is the real deal for me because I do not get lucky when I gamble on slot as others do but the thing is the same gambling is based on luck you don't force the luck to be on your side all the time you just need to apply wisdom and discipline to be able to understand when things are not going well for you to walk away and come try another day. He end is usually bitter for those who thinks they are going to win before leaving the casinos it will cause you more money and waste more of your time.

[KTChampions]

I can make a blanket comment that majority of the people who have been in betting for a decent period of time are now in a negative profit and I would be right 99% of the time. This just shows how profitable the gambling business is for the casinos running them and no wonder new ones comes up everyday to get a hold of that share.

Also shows how losing money itself is the biggest impetus to push the gambler to repeat the same mistake, gamble again instead of shutting this habit down.

Whatever analysis you do, end of the day, it comes down to making bets and winning them, which depends on a luck no matter how good your analysis is.

This is true when you play against a casino/bookmaker, i.e. against someone who has a house edge. What about prediction markets? They also have a house edge (commissions), but where they're minimal, you're essentially competing against other bettors on fair terms. And it's clear to me that some bettors are worse than others, so there must be some who are profitable.
As for regular betting, it's not about profitability but about entertainment. Many people simply bet on their favorite team without considering the real odds.

[Peanutswar]

Well seems I started way back 2016 when it comes to e-sports betting and most of them are considering losses with the game I cannot say how much money do I lose already with the gambling. Well im not hoping to become a successful sports bettor and I just enjoy the sports where do I bet to support my favorite team at the same time earning extra some little cash and then if ever I won I make an immediate cashout and enjoy the gains. If ever I lose well its okay because its part of the game there are only 50% chance of winning in sports. To win or to lose.

[danherbias07]

Estimating it all, I can say I am still at a loss. I cannot get the right amount because I have been betting on sports for a long time, and I don't have any spreadsheet anymore to compute it.

Actually, it's better that way for me. I don't want to be stressed if I see an amount that I had lost, and I don't really want to know all of that because it will probably just make me chase my losses or force a bet that will try to win it all back in one sweep.  
IMO, I enjoyed every bet I made, and that's the most important thing.

[Yamifoud]

I can make a blanket comment that majority of the people who have been in betting for a decent period of time are now in a negative profit and I would be right 99% of the time. This just shows how profitable the gambling business is for the casinos running them and no wonder new ones comes up everyday to get a hold of that share.

Also shows how losing money itself is the biggest impetus to push the gambler to repeat the same mistake, gamble again instead of shutting this habit down.

Whatever analysis you do, end of the day, it comes down to making bets and winning them, which depends on a luck no matter how good your analysis is.

No question about it. That is why there is no point arguing about why we lost because we are gamblers. There’s also no reason to blame the casino for cheating, because the odds don’t lie. Gambling is designed to favor the casino, not the player. Not everyone is destined to succeed.

If we kept a record of all our bets, it would prove this easily. But most of us don’t bother, because doing so only ruins the day. There’s no way to change how the system works. So instead of aiming for profit, it is better to treat gambling as entertainment.

[Betwrong]

How long have you been betting on sports already?
Roughly, how much do you think you’ve lost so far (if you’re okay sharing)?
And why are you still not giving up on the goal of becoming profitable someday?

Most of us probably didn’t start winning right away. For many, it’s years of trial and error, blown bankrolls, bad decisions, and emotional betting before learning anything real.

So what keeps you going?

Is it discipline? Better bankroll management? Improved analysis? Or just believing that experience will pay off in the long run?

Or maybe you already accepted that this is more of a hobby than a business, and profit is just a bonus?

I've been betting on sports for around 10 years. I think I'm in profit overall, but what I've earned during these years is probably not more than $300 and so, obviously, $30 per year is not enough to live on that money and thus I can't see it as a source of income. Yes, for me it's more of a hobby than a business, and maybe in the next 10 years I will lose $300 or so, but I'm okay with that. Gaining or losing $300 over 10 years doesn’t make any difference.

[Anayochukwu]

To be honest a real gambler don't know if he is losing or not since we all know what is involved in the game. Sometimes we need to know that winning is like a bonus to the gamblers that is the main reason why we should always try to gamble responsibly without getting caught up in the game because when you are keeping track or want to be smart you are bringing more disaster to yourself and before you know it the casino would be the one in charge of you and then you wouldn't know when to stop. So gamblers needs to plan for themselves and start with a clear mindset.

[Ziskinberg]

To be honest a real gambler don't know if he is losing or not since we all know what is involved in the game.

He’s not really a “real gambler” in that sense, at least based on how I understand it. For me, real gamblers are the ones who are actually serious about what they’re doing, especially in sports betting, where you’re putting in a decent amount, tracking your wins and losses, and trying to see what you still need to improve, because you want to be profitable in the long run.

So I don’t think it’s fair to assume that just because most of us don’t always win, it means we’re only treating this as pure entertainment.

Some people really do try to approach it seriously, even if the results are not perfect yet.

[ralle14]

I've lost track of when I started doing sports betting, but it's probably around 7 years or so. The rough estimate of my losses should be around the 4 digits at the minimum, because I used to play a lot of casino games before I made the transition to sports betting.

What keeps me going at this point is the entertainment factor it brings, similar to how people would regularly play in arcades. And i've accepted the harsh truth before it gets worse because we've seen stories and cases about how gambling can destroy someone's life and possibly affect others as well.

[sompitonov]

I've lost track of when I started doing sports betting, but it's probably around 7 years or so. The rough estimate of my losses should be around the 4 digits at the minimum, because I used to play a lot of casino games before I made the transition to sports betting.

What keeps me going at this point is the entertainment factor it brings, similar to how people would regularly play in arcades. And i've accepted the harsh truth before it gets worse because we've seen stories and cases about how gambling can destroy someone's life and possibly affect others as well.

I also started betting a few years ago, and I'm almost certain I lose more than I win, but I still continue betting because I enjoy it and the satisfaction I get from analyzing. I understand that you have to be a professional to win more than you lose, and I'm certainly not one of them, but I'm still trying to improve my analysis skills, as well as my ability to choose the best odds for a particular match. If I find something I like, I'll definitely place that bet. But in any case, all my bets will have a minimal impact on my wallet, so it won't negatively impact my life. I've heard hundreds of stories of people who exceeded their bet limits, and I don't want to repeat that path.