To Bet Or Not To Bet? That Is The Question
Sports gambling today is not what it used to be. In the last 5 years sports gambling has become as American as apple pie. Even Pete Rose would tell you things have changed! The question I have is why have we changed our minds on gambling in general? How has the NFL become such a big sponsor for something that would seem taboo? The reason, and underlining factor is money; it has always been about money.
Today morals are a lot different from what they used to be. The fact that sports has become a business instead of a game. Our athletes have become movie stars, mostly in commercials that fill our television sets day in and day out. When was the last time you watched T.V. and didn’t see Peyton Manning telling you to buy something?
Let’s be real for a second, the difference today is we have this thing called fantasy. Fantasy has changed gambling from a shady walk down a dark alley to picking up your phone and downloading an app. Fantasy football in particular has broadened the picture. Not only has it broadened our minds but it has also made us realize this isn’t gambling; this is fun. But is it gambling? Or is fantasy a sport in its own right?
When I first played fantasy football I had no idea it was so difficult. I figured well I will just pick the best players, and then I will win some money. How hard could this be? I didn’t understand you could play different types of fantasy. Fan duel and Draft Kings are totally different leagues with different rules. I found that out the hard way. Depending on your knowledge, each league gives you different positional players which leads to different type of strategy. For instance, PPR league like Draft Kings you don’t have to pick a kicker, you get a point for catches, and you get to pick more offense then you would in a league like Fan Duel. I had no freaking idea of what the hell I was getting myself into. I deposited 100 dollars in my Fan Duel account which back then they said they would match it. Guess what happened? I lost nearly all my money before I had earned enough points to match my initial deposit. I had to bail out in which Fan Duel at that time allowed. This gave me a new respect for sports gambling. It also gave me a much different approach to fantasy football because I wanted to learn more. Not just because I was a beginner but because I wanted to win at least something. I started talking to a good friend, who showed me the ropes of fantasy football. I started tracking player’s statistics; but it’s not just statistics, no you have to go further into injury reports which can make or break you. We started watching games and not just the ones on television. I watched every game I could, tracked every player I could, and followed defensive trends. What happened next was I won my first 3 dollars! We continued to win each and every week. Getting a little bit better each week but steadily finishing in the middle of the money. When we looked back at how much time it took to win just a little bit of money, Holly crap that was some hard-earned cash. My point is if you want to win and really become good at betting, you need to do your homework. Sometimes you are going to lose, but for the most part if you do your homework you can find the right player or the right bet. The only problem is you have to know when to gamble, and when not to gamble. That’s why I had to take a break from Draft Kings. I started playing again first with the NFL league, and now I am back on Draft Kings but I am not gambling 100 dollars. Hell no! I am just using my winnings and gambling them slowly building a pot. Picking small leagues and trying to win in those first. Of course sometimes I throw a team in the million dollar maker but only if I have a team I feel can go all the way. Well that’s all I have for now tune in next time as I go over strategy for making a bet and picking a player. Always remember: never make a bet that you can’t pay and never ever make a bet that if you don’t win you don’t have food or a roof over your head.
