Betting is as old as humanity itself – or at least as old as competition among men. People have bet on the outcome of wars and duels, later on competitions among charioteers, athletes and archers. Today we still bet, but the object of our wagers has changed. Now we bet on the outcome of elections, on tomorrow’s weather, on the winner of whichever talent show is running on TV. And we bet on sports – basically any sport you can think of.
People love to gamble. And not just a few of us. According to Grizzly G, there are thousands, if not millions of people engaged in various forms of wagering, both in the real world or through the internet. Some of them prefer to place their bets on games of chance, others prefer to place their fate in the hands of the dealer at the poker table. But many of us prefer to wager on the outcome of sports we love and appreciate.
But why do we bet on sports? People have different motives to wager. Some of them are in it for the money, considering sports betting to be a great way to make a living. Professional punters build their lives around sports, they spend hours studying stats, trying to assess the chances of one team or another to win. Some of these pros will even go as far as offering their services to other punters – they are called tipsters, people who suggest which team has the higher chance to be successful on the field. And often these tipsters can help punters make a significant amount of cash.
But most average humans, like you and me, are betting on sports in order to boost the excitement of the game. We all have our favorites, no matter what sports we love. Basketball teams, boxers, MMA fighters and other athletes are on top of our list, and we cheer for them whenever they compete. But if we also place a bet – which also expresses our confidence in our favorite teams or athletes – we grow our excitement just a bit more. And this makes watching the game – and cheering for our favorite – a bit more entertaining.
Considering that the majority of punters are betting out of enthusiasm, I think it’s worth it. Most of us don’t wager huge amounts on sports anyway. The last bet I placed on a basketball game – I am a huge Pistons fan – didn’t exceed the cost of a couple of beers at the sports bar where I watched their last game. But the fun I had while watching them play was worth every cent.