Gambling is a massive industry and even in times of a worldwide economic recession, bookmakers continue to prosper. The reason for this is because the majority of gamblers do not follow simple rules, lack discipline and are unable to control their emotions. Its not easy but by following some simple guidelines you can turn yourself from a loser funding the bookmakers into a successful gambler.
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1 - Create a sensibly funded separate betting bank
Gambling is a pastime which, if not treated seriously can lead to massive debts and losses. So the first rule is to ensure you bet with what you can afford. If you initially set aside an amount, which if lost is not going to cause any major concern, you are immediately removing the stress. You can treat this bank in the same manner you would money you had set aside for social activities or personal treats - there is one key difference though, you may well see a return!
Also as part of this step break your bank into betting points. As an example if you had a bank of 500 you could create 500 points and state 1 point will be placed on bronze confidence bets, 3 on silver and 5 on gold. Alternatively you may prefer a percentage of the bank. Both ways are fine, once you have a clear, sensible and controlled banking structure which will only run out if you fail over a long period of time.
Finally as part of this step you must know realistically what you define as successful. If you have a betting bank of 500, it is not going to grow into a million overnight. Realism and sensible goals are vital.
2 - Keep records
If you are going to take gambling seriously, you must act in an efficient and controlled manner. The first key element in doing so is to ensure you keep full records of every single bet you place. A simple spreadsheet will do the job perfectly. Excel is of course ideal for this type of activity and offers massive ways of breaking down your data for you to see where you are going right or wrong. You can create headings and columns as you see fit but its recommended you have at least the following -
3 - Study
Unless you are lucky enough to be friends with someone on the inside then relying on other peoples word or a so called tip is basically just guessing. The rule of study means every time you go to type in a bet to your spreadsheet you have justification and a sure sense of why the bet is being placed. If you are unable to study บาคาร่า the statistics/conditions and categorically know you are placing a bet for the right reasons, you should not be betting in the first place.
It is not acceptable and will lead to failure if your bets are not being based on thorough study of the betting event you are investigating. The rule of study is absolutely and categorically vital - it means sourcing appropriate materials, ensuring you understand the results and allowing enough time to really get to grips with your findings. To summarise, without studying you are guessing and will lose in the long-term.
4 - Know your odds and get the value
No matter what gambling selection you make, there must be a price associated with it you consider to be worthwhile. This is no different to going shopping - you know what you want to buy and what its worth, if the item is not as good value as you believe it should be, you wont buy it. The same rule applies here, if you are not able to get the odds you have set out for, then you do not back it. Ever!
Deciding on what the correct odds should be is of course an art in itself but something you must master in order to be successful at gambling. To summarise the rule - if you do not know if the odds are good or not how can you possibly add it to your betting spreadsheet with confidence?
5 - Hunt for the best odds
Call it penny-pinching if you wish, but the difference between 1/2 and 4/9 is massive in the context of a successful gambler. There are now plenty of resources to compare all prices available and the laziness of just backing with the same firm or your local betting shop for ease will not do if you wish to succeed at gambling. Now that you have identified a bet to place and seen you like the odds available, you must see the benefits of taking this extra time to get the best price available.
Check betting exchanges, online bookmakers and as many places you can possibly think of. There is no harm opening up several bookmakers accounts if needs be, plenty of them will give you free bets as an incentive and in the process create an extra way of funding your betting account!
6 - Trust your study
It is human nature to doubt ourselves, but if you have successfully followed rule 3 (study) then you should be extremely confident your betting selection is sound and justified. There are so many seeds of doubt happy to creep into your thoughts - providing you have studied correctly then ignore them. Just because your newspaper tipster discounts the selections chances or the odds are far higher than you expected does not mean your study was wrong. In fact it is at times like these when you will prosper most. As everyone else follows the crowd you will know, win or lose, your strategy is superior and in the long-term you will succeed at gambling whereas the majority of others will fail.
7 - Keep your discipline
Without this rule you are back to square one and will lose. Therefore keeping your discipline means accepting all of the following points and never changing your strategy.
8 - Learn from your mistakes
The massive benefits of your Excel record of all bets placed is the manipulation you now have over your gambling spreadsheet. Not every strategy you follow will be successful, none will last forever and some will just not be worth the time involved. Get rid of them, learn where you went wrong and do not do it again. Never be too proud or stubborn to accept you have gone wrong somewhere along the line. If you are you will lose.
9 - Keep your mouth shut
Let me make one thing clear first, this rule only applies to followers of all the other rules. If you are gambling like a madman and losing money you can not afford to then i suggest the opposite, shout it as loud as you can and seek immediate help. Gamblers anonymous is surely a good place to start.
For rule followers - nobody likes a bighead is the first thing to say, however more importantly if you are in any way successful others are going to follow what you say. By shouting out from the rooftops what you are gambling on, others are going to follow suit and this will lead to reduced prices. Additionally complications can arise from waffling on about your betting portfolio, basically most people do not understand gambling can be the work of an intelligent, studied and controlled process.
If your successfully gambling and moving in the right direction be content to yourself at how things are working out. Your ego should not need further boosting.
Summary
It is difficult to be successful at gambling but it can be done by following a controlled and structured strategy. With the internet at our fingertips there are so many fantastic resources available to assist us in our studies and providing you follow a basic set of rules and guidelines there is absolutely no reason why can not be successful with your gambling.
The casino is a world onto itself. There are no windows, no clock, but there are flashing lights, and the din of clacking coins and whirring slot machines. Beyond the slots, figures are mesmerized at the crap table. Interest in poker hit new heights with televised Texas Hold 'Em tournaments. For the majority of gamblers, this is excitement, recreation, a fun diversion or escape from the ordinary and a chance to beat the odds. For others, an estimated three percent of the adult population, it's an addiction, an endless roller coaster of excitement and despair.
A pervasive characteristic of addiction of any kind is that the repeated behaviors have led to a range of negative consequences. This may be putting it mildly in the case of pathological gambling, because someone in the grips of compulsive gambling usually suffers severe blows to finances and relationships before seeking help. His or her life may be in shambles.
Often the compulsive gambler's denial leads him to believe that the next round will save the day. Of course, if the numbers come up right, the cash or credit won is then "invested" again. Gambling addiction is hardly a recent development, but the advent of electronic poker and the break-neck speed of today's slot machines, as well as Internet gambling have actually sped up the time it takes to gamble for fun and when it slips into problematic, then compulsive behavior.
Pathological gambling, like other addictions, is both a biological and a behavioral disease. While we don't know all the factors leading to gambling addiction, they often include social, family and psychological elements. We do know that the brain neuropathways involving the brain's mechanisms are affected in an individual's perception of rewarding experiences. The emotional escape that an individual finds in gambling may become entrenched.
We have seen from 15-20 percent of patients who suffer from cross-addictive disorders, such as alcoholism or drug dependency with problem gambling. Some estimates state that 35 percent of those with substance abuse or dependence also have met the diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling at some point in their lives. The SOGS (South Oaks Gambling Screen) is the accepted psychosocial diagnostic tool to identify a gambling problem and its progression.
Both substance and gambling addiction are progressive diseases, and may be characterized by inability to control impulses (to use or to gamble) denial, anxiety mood swings and depression and the need for instant gratification. Gambling, like chemical dependency, offers euphoric highs, which are inevitably followed by emotional valleys and usually remorse and shame. A major difference in gambling versus substance addiction is that the alcoholic or drug addict doesn't believe the substance is the answer to recovery and to his problems, while the compulsive gambler believes the Big Win will be the answer to all his problems.
Gambling addictions can also result in symptoms such as blackouts and sleep disorders and hopelessness. Divorce, relationship and work problems, even arrests are some devastating consequences of compulsive gambling. A person's general health is often neglected, including medical conditions that have been ignored. Gambling addiction is certainly a family disease, creating a dysfunctional family system that revolves around the individual's addiction. Children may be emotionally stranded as well as physically neglected. Kids are affected long term too, with studies estimating 35 to 50 percent of children of pathological gamblers eventually experiencing gambling problems of their own.
It is important that when chemical and gambling addictions co-occur, they are treated at the same time. Like chemical dependency, gambling addiction is addressed in holistic treatment based on the Twelve Step Philosophy. Treatment is individualized and takes into account issues of gender and age.
Gambling: is it the money?
Some experts, including Dr. Henry Lesieur, St. John's University, NY, who co-authored the SOGS screening assessment, believe it isn't really about the money, even though money becomes a looming issue. Seeking action seems to be the major impetus for many. Being in action may be similar to the high of taking cocaine. "Chasing losses" is term use by habitual gamblers to describe attempting to recoup the gambling losses by winning. The action gambler usually likes to gamble on site, at a casino, racetrack, or other "live" venue. Often they are identified by casinos as "high rollers" and received comped rooms and meals. Others, though, don't gamble for action so much as numb their feelings with compulsive gambling, so it becomes the ultimate, albeit temporary escape.
Age and gender as factors
A study by University of Connecticut Health Center psychiatrists published in 2002 evaluated gamblers seeking treatment and found significant differences by age and gender in pathological gamblers. Middle aged (aged 36-55) and older gamblers tended to include more women, at 45-55 percent, than younger gamblers (aged 18-35) at 23 percent. Middle aged and older women didn't begin gambling regularly until the age of 55, while older men reported a habit of lifelong gambling. Perhaps surprisingly, the women also wagered greatest amounts in the month prior to treatment. Younger gamblers reported most problems with substance abuse, social and legal problems, while older gamblers found more employment-related problems.
There is hope for recovery
Pathological gamblers, like others who suffer from addiction can and do recover. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, can change unhealthy behaviors and thoughts, including false beliefs, rationalizations, and self-destructive feelings. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy also helps individuals to meet life on its own terms rather than escape painful emotions with compulsive addictions.
A holistic treatment program that addresses the root issues of addiction as well as any co-occurring disorders is an effective approach that treats the whole person. Continuing care may be essential, especially for impulse control, as well as ongoing participation in support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous. The recovering gambler may also need professional financial advise, and family therapy can help to develop a supportive, healthy family structure for sustained recovery.