There has been much debate among sport bettors about betting on the favourite to win. There are many ways of looking at this, but everyone has their own opinion and reasons for betting in the way that they do.
The definition of favourite to win is the team, player, horse etc., that is the most popular and is expected to win. The odds that are given to favourites reflect the degree that they are expected to win. When it comes to sports betting, negative figures represent a higher chance of them winning.
Advantages of Favourite Betting
It has been said by many that betting on a favourite team means that bettors have formed an emotional attachment to the team, which means that they are unable to be objective.
When bettors are not objective it is said they tend to place bets with their emotions and not with their head, much like those who always wager on the same number when playing the online Roulette NZ has to offer as they once got lucky on that number!
This can be true in some cases, but professional bettors will make that decision based on good research. Betting on the favourite does have certain advantages. Betting on the favourite means the odds are usually in the favour of the bettor.
Because bettors take a special interest in the team they tend to know more about the team and having knowledge is always a good start to a profitable win. Bettors are more conscious of the players in the team for example and can detect a change in morale possibly by studying the team.
It also enables them to keep up to date with any injuries or players that are unable to play. By studying stats of previous games bettors are able to analyse the team and how they play, for example do they play better at home or away.
Having a favourite team also enables the bettor to focus on one team instead of trying to focus on too many teams. Sports betting can be hard work if bettors are serious and much research and keeping up to date is required and having a favourite team and rooting for them can be a great motivation when they feel it is too much work to analyse endless stats.
Disadvantages of Favourite Betting
Betting on the favourite could also be a big mistake especially for those new at sports betting. It is assumed that most wins will come from the favourite in most instances but betting on the favourite has been known to deplete the bankroll quickly.
This is because the bigger the favourite the more there is to risk so that a profitable return can be made. For bettors who consistently bet on favourites in the range of -200 they would need to bet $200 each time in order to win $100. If a bettor experiences one loss they will need to win twice after that to make back the money they had lost.
Betting on the favourite is also thought of many as being lazy as most people just blindly bet on the favourite and will pick the higher profile team the majority of times.
This means that linemakers will inflate the odds so that they can attract bettors to bet on the underdog for example. Betting on the underdog should never be underestimated, as there have been many success stories and surprises over the years.
Placing bets can be a challenge and it is important for bettors to think through their choices with a clear head and do research and put in the hard work.