Unlike playing in a casino or even the lottery, where winning is based on luck and chance, sports betting relies on skills, knowledge, and strategic wagering. But if you’re not careful, it can be easy to make mistakes that will derail your profits. Profitable sports betting requires discipline, a long-term mindset, and good bankroll management. Here are some of the most common sports betting mistakes to avoid:

Using personal feelings and biases when making bets

The excitement of supporting your favorite team or player can easily override your objective research and analysis. While this isn’t always a bad thing, it can lead to poor decisions that will have long-term consequences. To be successful in sports betting, you must be able to separate your emotions from your gambling decisions.

A big mistake that many new sports bettors make is placing their bets based on emotion instead of facts and statistics. This is particularly problematic when it comes to a specific game or event, as there are numerous factors that can affect the outcome of a contest. This can include everything from point shaving (players affecting the score by missing shots) to overall match-fixing (where the result of an entire event is fixed).

Another error that sports bettors often make is not understanding the basic rules and terminology of a sport. For example, the term “moneyline” is a type of bet where you bet on the winner of a particular game or event, while the term “spread bet” refers to a bet that is placed against the spread, or the expected margin of victory.

If you’re a novice sports bettor, it’s best to stick to the sports and markets that you know the most about. This will reduce your risk and increase your chances of winning. In addition, a good rule of thumb is to never risk more than 1% to 5% of your total bankroll on each bet. This will allow you to survive losing streaks while still giving you a decent chance of winning. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t try your hand at new sports and markets. Just remember to start small and work your way up with experience.