Matched Bet Responsibly – Why You Should Avoid Gambling

Winning money from the bookies is all well and good. In fact, this is something that can make life so much better. Matched betting can give you a hefty second income when you stick to the right approach.

Yet, might you end up being tempted to gamble money? Maybe you will end up taking unnecessary risks with your cash. This is something that could creep up on you little by little. But what would it mean for your betting and for your life?

It is important to start off by understanding that matched betting isn’t gambling. This isn’t a way of putting your own money at risk. It is all about beating the bookies with an unfair advantage. You never truly put your own money at risk in this way.

On the other hand, gambling is all about taking chances. You might win big. More likely, you will lose a lot of money. It is important that you understand what you want. Do you want to win money regularly? Or do you want the highs and lows of winning and losing?

So, switching to gambling is a bad move for most people. Suddenly, you open up yourself to the possibility of losing money. But what is it that you most need to avoid? And how can you make sure that you don’t slip into the temptation to gamble?

How to Reduce the Temptation of Gambling

Maybe you have never bet real money before. If you haven’t then you might be surprised by the temptation to gamble. It can be something incredibly strong once you have a look at the options.

Once you start matched betting you will see a whole new world open up. It becomes very easy to gamble on any sport or on casino games. You might never have realised before how simple the betting process is.

Perhaps you will win some money and feel the urge to try and win more. This is more common than you might think. We can all get greedy and try to win more than is realistic. Or you might get too confident in your own ability.

Matched betting is a safe and steady approach. But what if you feel the urge to try and win more quickly by gambling? How can you avoid this becoming an irresistible temptation?

The first point is to be clear about your goals. Are you hoping to get a reliable second income? To give up your main job eventually? We all have different goals that we want to achieve from matched betting. Having yours clear in your head will help you to stick to what works best for you.

It is also worth looking in detail at the detail for casino games. This is an especially tempting area that deserves to be considered very carefully.

The Temptation to Gamble on Casino games

Casino bonuses offer a great way of making money. This is only true if you use free spins and other casino offers, though. These useful deals let you win cash over a large enough sample of offers. This means that they are fantastic for matched betting purposes.

However, these machines are also very addictive. It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the likes of slots. You might find that you start feeling the urge to put in your own money.

This is clearly a bad move. These machines are designed to make you lose your money. Each one has a strict RTP (return to player) percentage. This guarantees the casino a return. Try and take it on with your own cash and you will probably lose.

How can you avoid this happening to you? You certainly don’t want to fall into the trap of spending your own money on these games. What should you do to lower the temptation levels when using online casinos?

A good first move is to turn off the sound. You should also look to minimise the screen. Also, use an auto clicker. Then, you don’t even need to check the screen. It sounds very simple but these little tweaks can be vital in helping you to play sensibly. By doing this, it removes all the emotion from the game.

There is no risk of you putting your own money on the line. That is one of the keys to matched betting, after all. If you keep on winning without any risk you should eventually lose the temptation to gamble.

You have to understand where the value of what you’re doing comes from. There is no value in betting or spinning the reels with your own money. Once you see this, it becomes totally unattractive to gamble. It is far better to win money without any fear of losing.

Gambling Can Be Very Addictive

Everyone thinks that they can beat the bookies and casinos at their own game. But how many of them actually manage to do it? The bookmakers earn a fortune and most punters lose far more than they win. This is a simple but unavoidable fact of life.

Don’t think that you can beat the system betting with your own money. Betting on sports or playing casino games like this doesn’t work. Plenty of people have tried to do this and failed miserably.

It’s a slippery slope once you start trying to win with your own money. In particular, it is with casino games where people tend to lose. Very few people walk away with a bigger bank balance than before they started.

This needs to be out in the open to help people avoid going down this road. You almost certainly won’t win with your own money.

Don’t Do Extra Spins on Casino Games, It’s Not Profitable

What happens after you use up your bonus and have a few pounds left in the account? Will you play some extra spins on the same game? Maybe you will feel that you are on a roll or that a big win is overdue. Is it worth sticking around a bit longer and playing some more?

The simple truth is that you’ll lose far more than you win over the long term. They are designed to draw you in and get you to lose more money. Casino games are very addictive and not everyone can resist some extra spins.

You might enjoy the game when you win using a bonus. It is great fun to watch your winnings grow. But don’t forget that they grow because you are using a bonus to make it profitable over the long term. This isn’t the case with your own money.

Just stick to doing offers with a positive estimated value. Once you’ve completed the requirements, stop. If you keep going with extra spins your profits will drop. Doing extra spins is a slippery slope downhill.

You should be able to do this by switching casinos and games regularly. There are enough offers around to keep you busy. In fact, you might find that this is even more enjoyable. You get to experience new games and sites by constantly looking for new offers.

Even better, the profits keep on rolling in. There is no need to risk your money on extra spins. Just take advantage of the deals that are out there.

Don’t Do Any Matched Betting When You’ve Been Drinking, Leave the Computer Switched Off

Carrying out matched betting is pretty good fun. It might end up being one of your favourite parts of the day. Who doesn’t like to win money this easily? You might even be tempted to relax and have a few drinks while you enjoy it. Or do it when you get home from a night out. However, this is a bad mistake.

If you play after drinking it can lead to poor decisions. You might start gambling recklessly or do something else silly. Wait until your hangover is gone and you’ve got a clear head. Then you can do it smartly and without making mistakes.

Everyone who is new to matched betting needs to find the time to do it that suits them. You might also want to avoid the times when you are really tired. You could make errors if you are half-asleep at the computer. The same applies to when you are in a rush and might make mistakes.

Finding the perfect moment to do this in peace is key. You need to be able to concentrate and make good decisions. It isn’t particularly difficult to do matched betting but you need to make sure you do it right.

If You’ve Had Any Bad News Such As a Family Member Passing Away, Keep the Computer Turned Off

Any strong emotions can affect your betting decisions. Perhaps the biggest example is when you are grieving for a loved one. This isn’t the time to do any betting.

You should keep the computer firmly switched off at a time like this. You are in no fit state to be making decisions. If you are looking for something to distract your mind then don’t make it something that involves money.

This same approach applies to other difficult moments in your life. If you are worried or upset about something then it is the wrong time to do this. Wait until the strong emotions pass and you are ready to start up again.

You should only bet when you are relaxed and focussed. This will ensure that you think your decisions through properly.

Do Not Chase Losses Under Any Circumstances

One of the biggest errors made by bettors is chasing losses. This is a slippery slope that can lead to big problems. It will almost certainly lead to bigger and bigger losses. Very few punters ever recover their losses.

If you’ve made a mistake and lost some money, don’t panic. If you do this you might end up chasing the loss. What happens then? Well, you could end up losing your full bank.

Instead calmly attempt the next offer. After a while this will be easier to do. This is because you know that you will win if you follow the right system. So you’ll make the money you lost back in no time. Without having to take any risks to do it.

Chasing losses can lead to you getting increasingly desperate. You might start raising the stake or looking at bets with bigger odds. All your earlier good work can rapidly become undone in this way.

What if you make a mistake when you place a bet? This can happen to anyone but is it a total disaster or can it be rectified? Well, you should still remember to hedge the bet correctly on Betfair. Don’t leave it there without a lay bet, just hoping it will win.

What If You’ve Got a Problem

Do you feel that you have a gambling problem? The worst thing you can do is try to ignore it. It won’t just go away on its own. Like most problems in life, the first step is to admit that it exists.

Tell somebody about what is going on. It takes a far stronger person to admit they’ve done something wrong. Hiding your issues isn’t going to help you at all. Indeed, this could lead to them getting steadily worse over time.

There is no shame in self-excluding for 6 months. You can do while you get your head in the right place again. This will let you sort out your life and come back feeling good again.

You can also get support from various gambling charities. The GamCare site is one of the places where you can get started. Carry out a self-assessment here and then find out what to do next.

This is a problem that is taken very seriously these days. The easy access to gambling online means that the risk of becoming addicted is greater than ever before.

How will you know when the right is right to start up again? The truth is that it is different in each case. However, you need to trust your instinct about when the time is right.

The same sort of advice applies if someone close to you has a gambling problem. Try and help them to come to terms with it. Sometimes, a helping hand and someone to talk to is exactly what is needed.

I’ve Blown My Bank, What Should I Do?

Ok, so what if you get drawn into gambling after all? Maybe you have been chasing losses? Playing some extra spins with your own money? Or making some poor decisions in some other way?

This might seem like the end of the road for you. You probably bitterly regret throwing away your money like this. Yet, you can still carry on matched betting if you are smart about it.

The first thing to do is exclude yourself from the Betfair casino section. Do the same on any other websites where you keep a large balance. Take a few weeks off to get your head straight.

Try and forget all about betting for this time. If you feel up to it after the time off then come back. You might find that you are ready to go again. This time, you will want to do everything as perfectly as possible, though.

You need to remember the pain you felt from losing that money. This will help you to stop you from doing it again in future. When you get the urge to gamble, ask yourself what’s it going to achieve? The end result is almost certainly going to be the same as the last time.

How will it affect you? Do you want to lose all your money again? If it happened once then it can happen again. Many gamblers repeatedly lose big sums but keep coming back for more.

Will more big losses strain your relationship with your family? They probably feel resentful about you wasting money on gambling. Will it leave you with that sick feeling in your stomach for days afterwards? You now know what it feels like and should be desperate to avoid it.

If you do come back and end up turning back to gambling a second time then what happens? You need to stop and self-exclude from all sites before you do real, long term damage.

If you have lost a lot of cash twice then it is something to take very seriously. Don’t let it ruin your life by carrying on regardless.

Conclusion

Most people enjoy matched betting without any gambling problems at all. If you go about it in the right way then this is a sensible way to earn money. As we have seen, it isn’t really gambling anyway. There is no risk if you do it right.

However, if you suffer from gambling problems that you need to act. Don’t try and just ignore it, as it won’t disappear like magic. Make the right moves and you can either continue to profit from matched betting or else take a step back from it.

Each person is different. This means that we each need to make the right choices for our life and well-being. Avoiding gambling is one smart way of looking after yourself.