Side bets looks fun, But what do they really cost?

[henmark]

I like to go on side bets with friends and I really haven’t experienced any serious costs, except for sometimes, some of friends, after they lose, may refuse to honor their own part of the agreement by giving you what won, because most of the times, the outside bets we do may not include making the money readily available at that time, it could just be a quick one that the loser would get to pay the winner later on.

I don't think what you are referring to is what is being discussed here, because we are discussing about side bets that we can make when we are playing casino games, such as Blackjack, or Baccaret, and many other games where making side bets is possible. They are interesting because they provide higher returns on a win, but the probability of winning is lower on them than normal bets, and so is the house edge, as explained by OP. What you are talking about are basically just making bets among friends on anything, like maybe you are watching a game, and you make a bet with each other on a team or a goal or anything like that.

Side bets are fun. It's not something that you will bet on 100 times in one sitting. You do it rarely and try your luck, and if it doesn't work out in maybe 3 to 4 rounds, then the gambler should probably walk away.

Some people might do such experiments where they decide they are going to have a fixed side bet and they won't make main bets to see if they can be profitable after a specific number of bets are made. For me, when I'm playing Baccarat, I just experiment with the side bets, like placing a bet in between my bets only to try my luck when my gut feelings say that it might be a tie this time. It works sometimes, but sometimes it doesn't. If you win a side bet, you get about 8x or more of your bet, after the house hedge, you will still get more than 7x.

[Sammye3]

Gambling is all about managing risk. While side bets might be another way to do this, it isn’t like every option a casino gives you is going to be profitable for you. For them it is about making money and giving you new ways to enjoy their games. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Having fun is the only way to really win long term.

It's safe to always have the right mindset in a game, that way it's easier to handle losses when they come. Seeing gambling as a job is where the problem of addiction starts, the little consistent and uncontrollable bets turn out to be the result of greed and expectations. My advise to anyone gambling is to have a sustainable source of income before going into gambling, there is only a slightest chance that one could become successful through gambling consistently.

[skarais]

~~~

It's safe to always have the right mindset in a game, that way it's easier to handle losses when they come. Seeing gambling as a job is where the problem of addiction starts, the little consistent and uncontrollable bets turn out to be the result of greed and expectations. My advise to anyone gambling is to have a sustainable source of income before going into gambling, there is only a slightest chance that one could become successful through gambling consistently.

When someone has made gambling as a source of income, then that's where the beginning of many problems arise. Gambling should be viewed as a game of chance, not a job or a source of income, so the approach should be appropriate without damaging other things in life. Many gamblers get various problems because they have forgotten what their main purpose is to gamble, they are actually addicted to it so badly that it is difficult to control themselves.

Losing most of that money on gambling is a natural thing. There is no way or strategy to consistently win at a game of chance, even if you have special skills at a particular game then your chances of losing also remain. Use money wisely on gambling, this is not a matter of addiction, but should not pseudo-pleasure in gambling undermine many of the financial foundations that have been built.

[sunsilk]

I usually ignore them at most times and only focuses on the bets that I am doing. As for the house edge, it's normal to check it before going first for any game that I may like.

But it's only about checking and other than that if I don't like to do some bets, I won't even push for it.

The curiosity is there about how much house edge the game has got but, it stays there if I have no reason to gamble at that time or not in mood.

Sude bets for me are for those more serious gamblers that want to take advantage and win by any means necessary, otherwise simple bettors or gamblers may see it as a waste of time or money. The worst I could think of is when someone is so serious about betting that they place normal bets after much analysis and do same for side bets too.
Side bets are separate from the normal table deal and the variance is huge but any one still willing to indulge in it should try to use tiny amount of their funds just Incase they get lucky and Incase they don't, it's just a loss that may not be worth much.

IMHO, there's no problem if someone does these side bets and are serious with each of it. What supposed to be a problem is if they're serious with it and yet, the money they are betting with it is what they cannot afford to lose.

As a gambler, this is a good thing that we've got other options too. If we want to these side bets then they're fine. But if we don't like it and we see it as something that's not inline with our gambling activities, it's not even a problem as well.

You do you as a gambler and as long as you think you're a responsible one, that's imo all that matters.

[Floxynice]

Bets are bets, whether they are side bets or the main bets. I was still going to say this until I read your post. Both bets involve risks, so if you did not make budgets for side bets in your original plan before using the casino, you have to control yourself not to get distracted. Really, side bets look attractive and they were kept there for a reason; definitely something to get your attention and make you spend more on gambling. If these side bets were made too easy to win, the casinos won't make it public for gamblers to easily bet on them. I always say that the casinos always make their decisions to favour themselves. Ignore the house edge that is written  and bear in mind that the the house has the higher edge.

That’s right. Gambling is generally risky, and gamblers should approach every single aspect of gambling with the same caution because whether it’s side bet or not, the general house edge rule applies to every single aspect of gambling. As attractive as side bets can be, if caution isn’t applied, one can easily lose focus and end up spending more in gambling, even though they already had an existing budget, making it difficult to stick to them.

Yea mate. At the end of the day, a side bet is still a bet and secretly carries the same risk. You may not notice it until you do not lose just one bet, but two, three, four and ten bets upwards. Then, you will realise that you should have been more cautious because those extra losses shouldn't have happened in the first place. Betting can be very interesting, but when you become greedy and gambling becomes addictive, it becomes dangerous also. Just be careful and don't let gambling control you.

[fredericktaylor]

Gambling is all about managing risk. While side bets might be another way to do this, it isn’t like every option a casino gives you is going to be profitable for you. For them it is about making money and giving you new ways to enjoy their games. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Having fun is the only way to really win long term.

It's safe to always have the right mindset in a game, that way it's easier to handle losses when they come. Seeing gambling as a job is where the problem of addiction starts, the little consistent and uncontrollable bets turn out to be the result of greed and expectations. My advise to anyone gambling is to have a sustainable source of income before going into gambling, there is only a slightest chance that one could become successful through gambling consistently.

Mindset plays a big role while gambling because gambling with an aggressive mindset increases the risk and leads to big financial losses, so it is good to gamble with a strong mindset, as a result of which you will be able to maintain self-control over yourself and control your emotions and greed and stay within your means, which will control you from big financial losses and protect yourself from terrible addiction. The risk of losing money through gambling is very high, so gamble wisely by being aware of the risks and gambling will never be a part of your life.

[leonair]

I literally ignore those side bets because I do feel it's just a way the casino wants to attract some players who will easily get fooled by the thought of a big payout. For someone that decides to take such bet occasionally with smaller amount, before they luckily win, they must have lost so much money and the amount they end up winning could be less than the amount they have lost. The house edge is already designed to favour the casino in all their games and offered options, so this side bet is even worse.

I think side bets have a lot of potential because there are really big winnings here, but when I place side bets, I use a strategy where I place double the amount I bet on side bets in normal bets. In this case, if I win side bets, it gives me a big winning, but if I lose side bets but win normal bets, then my loss is recovered and if I lose all of them, it actually depends on luck. And then I have to accept that. Without side bets, I could not come out of gambling with a good amount of winnings. So to be honest, I enjoy side bets a lot more, especially in Blackjack.

[Franklyn-wood]

Side bet are usually more interesting than the main game but they are more expensive with a higher house edge, but if a person gets lucky the payout is usually a massive profit. It is really fun but the cost a kind of affect it somehow because you will want to give it a try and then the house edge scares you plus how expensive some of it can be, but for someone who finds it very interesting and really want to give it a try you will overlook the house edge and just do it regardless, hopefully you get lucky and forget the risk you took, that is one of the fun part of the game.

Aside from the fact that someone can win massive amount if luck shines, but what eventually he or she didn't win and has already lost the money invested in the game. The truth is that not everybody will be lucky to enjoy from such games in real life.
Some can even use there life savings to play the game with strong believe that it will favour them. This can lead to frustration, suicide, or other forms of addiction if game was lost.

[AYOBA]

I don’t really expect big rewards, and I use things like side bets when I’m simply in the mood to play. However, this is not connected to any particular strategy, so I can’t say that it gives me better chances of winning. It simply adds more variety to the game, which is appealing, because similar processes can often become repetitive, while this adds something new.

What I think about the side bet is that it bring big rewards but at the same time make you lose easily, for an example you choose a specific player to score more than 2 goals by corner which is over 2.5 goals in the first half of the game, which we all know that is hardly to happen in some matches. But some match that person didn’t make all that kind of predictions we find it very easy to happen at times, that’s they said the entirely football is unpredictable. But to be honest the side bet payout is a very good one, because their payout always big if the prediction come out as him/she place in the bet.

[Tetu100]

For them it is about making money and giving you new ways to enjoy their games. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

You are on point, but this is when the person in question is ready to accept things this way otherwise there will definitely be a problem. However, not every gambler will take this as an additional way of catching fun. Maybe some will want to take advantage of it for more cash and when things didn't goes as planned it becomes a challenge. Furthermore, most of the reasons why we'll keep on having issues in gamble is that so many people see it as a way of making money and that is a bad perception that can get someone trapped. Gamble has no guarantee of winning and in other not to bring more lost to ourselves it's better will over look the side bet and pay more attention to the main bet, at least this will lessen our lost and will ease us up our stress in the long run.

[Versatile_choice]

It's safe to always have the right mindset in a game, that way it's easier to handle losses when they come. Seeing gambling as a job is where the problem of addiction starts, the little consistent and uncontrollable bets turn out to be the result of greed and expectations. My advise to anyone gambling is to have a sustainable source of income before going into gambling, there is only a slightest chance that one could become successful through gambling consistently.

I keep telling my friends about this that gambling is not a job or a source of income but they doubt that if they can make win from gamble then why can't they make it a source of income. So this feeling is really affecting most gamblers, because they believe that since they can make wining from gamble that they can actually make a source of income from it but that's not true.

For the fact that we are making wining from gamble doesn't mean we can make a source of income from it if we want to because there's no guarantee of wining from our bets.

[Botnake]

It's safe to always have the right mindset in a game, that way it's easier to handle losses when they come. Seeing gambling as a job is where the problem of addiction starts, the little consistent and uncontrollable bets turn out to be the result of greed and expectations. My advise to anyone gambling is to have a sustainable source of income before going into gambling, there is only a slightest chance that one could become successful through gambling consistently.

I keep telling my friends about this that gambling is not a job or a source of income but they doubt that if they can make win from gamble then why can't they make it a source of income. So this feeling is really affecting most gamblers, because they believe that since they can make wining from gamble that they can actually make a source of income from it but that's not true.

For the fact that we are making wining from gamble doesn't mean we can make a source of income from it if we want to because there's no guarantee of wining from our bets.

Winning is actually possible in gambling, but it will never be a reliable source of income. The chances to win is nothing compared to how consistently we lose from gambling, so that should reflect if gambling can be a good source of income, or just focus on gambling for entertainment using your spare money.

However, I understand those who are seeing gambling as their job, as their source of income, because they fail to secure a stable job that pays them regularly, that's why they are still hoping that gambling can make it happen, though no matter what angle we'll try to look at it, gambling losses are more often that winning.

[Aanuoluwatofunmi]

Side bets could bring more reward to gamblers if they are going to consider the aspect of winning their bets, but it is not often the case that applies to every side bet being played. Everything still falls under the same thing with gambling, when you can face the same chances of losing or winning as you gamble, irrespective of the kind of game you are placing a bet on.

[CryptoHeadlineNews]

To be honestly speaking, side bets are literally very tempting as hell when you see a 25:1 or 50:1 payout on a casino game. And I have definitely had several moments when I told myself it's just $5 right? So why not give it a try. But the only challenge Is always the low probability of the house edge, because of what benefits is it If the payout is huge, but the chances of winning it is always very low. And because of that I usually try side bets like a lottery ticket and then focus my bankroll on my main bets.

[Futurexxx]

Winning is actually possible in gambling, but it will never be a reliable source of income. The chances to win is nothing compared to how consistently we lose from gambling, so that should reflect if gambling can be a good source of income, or just focus on gambling for entertainment using your spare money.

However, I understand those who are seeing gambling as their job, as their source of income, because they fail to secure a stable job that pays them regularly, that's why they are still hoping that gambling can make it happen, though no matter what angle we'll try to look at it, gambling losses are more often that winning.

Their is no justification for anyone that has brain to take gambling as a job because it's one of the fastest way to self destruct. It's true that when you are not doing anything, you will want to engage in any activity that may pay you at the end of the day, but with gambling, it's very unreasonable at that point because you are gambling with expectations of making money from it, which is going to do you even more harm than good, mostly when you are not doing anything because you will be unable to bear the pain of the loss, since most of the money that you will be using to gamble is what you cannot afford to lose. So the concept of taking gambling as a full time job is entirely wrong.

[L E G E N D A R Y]

Approaching every single aspect of the game with only what you can easily afford to lose makes it easier for us to know when we are going above the limit, because gambling involves losses than wins. So it will definitely not make sense when you get carried away by any of the games and end up regretting it later.

Gambling is purely unpredictable, as anything is possible to happen at any time. So we should always try as much as possible to gamble for fun and entertainment, because this mindset always makes the game easier for us.

I find your thoughts on this to be very accurate. I go to understand that the most reason gamblers end up making the most stupid mistakes is because they focus more on what they stand to achieve and gain and then allow that push them into taking the risks, and sometimes this could be caused by ignorance, sometimes greed, but whichever it is, every gambler who goes down that lane is most definitely bound to  land themselves in some serious trouble, because it only shows how naive they are about house edge and the fact that losses is a most likely outcome in gambling than wins.

[rachael9385]

Side bets could bring more reward to gamblers if they are going to consider the aspect of winning their bets, but it is not often the case that applies to every side bet being played. Everything still falls under the same thing with gambling, when you can face the same chances of losing or winning as you gamble, irrespective of the kind of game you are placing a bet on.

You are right on that, side bets can even be more profitable than the main bet. There are gamblers that have won huge amounts of money unexpectedly from side bets, the basic factor is always luck, this is what determines everything about gambling. But like you said, this is not always the case and not every gambler has similar experience. There are some gamblers that have ended up losing more to side bets because they failed to apply risk management. A side bet should not be the same amount as your main bet, this is the understanding most people lack.

[YellowSwap]

Side bets for me is what I used to recover some of my losses from my main bets. As a matter of fact I tend to win more from my side bets than the main bet because it usually offers more chances to place bets  on a different outcome which are not always included on the main bets. Sometimes this outcome are usually generated by me when playing the side bets with a friend and one thing about most of this side bet is that even before the game ends or before full time one has already won or lost as the case may be. But the danger in this side bet is that it involves taking an additional risk that can lead to higher losses and most times it usually ends in a caos with friends who refuse to accept the outcome of the bet.

Them I must be doing something wrong.
All my side bets are very similar to what I get from my main bets, there is not a big difference between both to be honest.

I've been lost a bet on my main bet and still lost the side bet too, the thing is adding side bet to your gambling activities will expose you to even more risks, sometimes it's better to just stay with one way that you know.

At the end of it all this is still gambling, there is not going to be a big difference so safety strategy is better than trying to win strategy, be responsible while you gamble..

[Orpichukwu]

To be honestly speaking, side bets are literally very tempting as hell when you see a 25:1 or 50:1 payout on a casino game. And I have definitely had several moments when I told myself it's just $5 right? So why not give it a try. But the only challenge Is always the low probability of the house edge, because of what benefits is it If the payout is huge, but the chances of winning it is always very low. And because of that I usually try side bets like a lottery ticket and then focus my bankroll on my main bets.

Rating it as a lottery ticket is the best possible way to look at it; it’s nothing more since you are tempted by how much you could possibly tune that small $ into, while the probability of that happening is very slim. If you are unlucky, you can even end up spending over what you target to win over time before you will finally hit that jackpot.

[KiaKia]

I don't care, whichever the game might be it is still gambling, if you don't use your head you will end up losing what you shouldn't have used and you will keep running after your losses forever.

Either side bets or not, always risk what you can afford to lose, to even say the fact it's better you find money elsewhere and only risk few dollars on gambling, if you win small or big it would not matter.

If entertainment is all you care about it's even better, entertainment is all you are going to care about not the money and this will make you think twice before risking a lot of money on any gamble.