NFL Betting: Dealing With a Big Losing Streak
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
If you haven’t been there, just know it will happen--the long losing streak. You’ll feel like King Midas in reverse, with everything you touch turning into coal. If we operate under the pretense that a bad losing streak is an inevitability, we can focus on the all-important element of how we will handle it.
That’s really what it’s all about in NFL betting--how you cope the challenging periods of the season. You could also say that about the actual athletes and teams in the NFL. Teams that stay cool and composed in bad times are the ones most likely to bounce back from it and recover. The teams that get down in the dumps, start taking bigger risks, and get away from their strengths are more likely to remain in a downward spiral.
A big losing streak can come in many forms. You might lose 10 straight bets, which is brutal. Or maybe you are 3-17 in your last 20 wagers. Or perhaps you’re just steadily losing over a long-haul. It’s not any fun. At the same time, look at it like a test. Those who eventually made it to the status of professional NFL bettor went through the same thing at different points during their rise up the ladder. One of the reasons they’re considered the pros in the business is because they were able to roll with the punches and endure a bad patch.
The “house” makes a big part of their profits in any form of betting or gambling by virtue of people not having what it takes to handle losing. People chase their losses and otherwise totally compromise their whole approach, leading to huge wins for the house. It takes place almost like clockwork.
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As NFL bettors, it is imperative to not unravel in the face of a losing streak. Winning is easy. It’s what you do when you lose that really matters. You don’t have to be a ranting lunatic to get affected by it, either. Many sound-minded betting men were unable to weather the storm. They either drained their bankroll chasing losses or their mind became poisoned and every move they made turned to doo-doo.
When in the throes of a losing streak, you may find yourself thinking that you’re “due.” You lose 10 straight bets and figure how many times could you possibly be wrong in a row? That’s not totally crazy, being that there will likely be an upturn. It’s just that you have no way of knowing exactly when that will take place. And when you’re in the middle of getting your butt kicked, you’re probably not in the best headspace to determine those kinds of things.
In the face of losing, commit yourself to a prudent road to recovery. Don’t think “Oh, I’m due” and make bets where you’re trying to recoup all your losses at once. Firstly, acting from desperation and NFL betting never seem to go well together. In addition, you need to keep your eyes on the big picture--the longterm.
Remain steadfast, slowly plugging away to get things back on the right track. Like a team down 21-7 in the third quarter, you don’t need to get away from your running game and start heaving big passes on every down. Becoming an capable NFL bettor is not a straight shot upwards all the time. There may be times where you need to spend a month unscrewing what you screwed up. Not everyone can do this. Only certain people have the vision to stick to their guns when every fiber in their body is telling them to seek more-instant retribution.
The best moves in all walks of life stem from confidence. When we act with self-assurance, the results are better in everything we do. It could be flipping an omelette. If you do it confidently, it will usually work out. If you’re not sure of yourself, it becomes scrambled eggs. When betting on NFL football, being shellshocked and disoriented by losing tends to lead to more losing.
If a guy loses 10 hands of blackjack in a row, he feels terrible. And that guy isn’t even making any real decisions, as blackjack strategy is pretty automatic. NFL betting is so much more expressive, as we call on our wits and decades-long grooming period as lifetime pigskin fans. Losing in NFL betting strikes on a more personal level. A loser in NFL betting will invariably feel more shaken than a guy who blew his bankroll on something like video poker. Staying grounded and not getting frazzled takes on even more importance when betting on the NFL. It might end up becoming the deciding factor of whether or not you can make it at this.
