Betting successfully on cricket is something of an art that needs to be perfected over time. While countless millions put wagers down on their favourite match or series every year, only a fraction of them will be successful, and this is usually because that small fraction took the time to avoid some common mistakes that all amateur bettors make at one point or another.

Successful betting is about learning, about gathering experience and using that experience to make smarter decisions in the future. Luckily, it’s possible to jump ahead of the pack by always making sure to avoid the following mistakes as much as possible.

1. Betting on Bias

Bias is the single biggest mistake that a new bettor can make – and it’s the focus on a personal favourite rather than focussing on the numbers. When we start wagering for the first time, our initial inclination is to choose a team or player that we know on a personal level, regardless of how well they’ve been doing in the last few months. This kind of bias leads to frequent losses, where the wager is totally placed on probability and nothing more. It can be difficult, but it can be much more profitable to instead put energy into choosing the winning team rather than the favourite team.

2. Endlessly Chasing Losses

There is a fallacy that extends to all forms of betting, both casino and sports: if a bettor incurs enough losses over a period of time, their luck will eventually have to change. This fallacy is so deeply ingrained in beginner bettors that it often leaves them completely bankrupt as well as surprised – they can’t understand why their luck didn’t hold out. We know that solid research and avoiding bias is important, but knowing when to stop; when to call it quits and save the money for another day, is a lesson that every bettor needs to learn.

3. That One Big Win

Another common fallacy that perpetuates among betting circles is that there will come a time when a sports wager will make the bettor instantly rich, and they’ll be able to retire early. If this is how it really worked, then all the bookmakers in the world would be completely bankrupt and there’d be no sports betting industry. Making a tidy profit from betting takes time; small but frequent wins are the means to success rather than putting everything down on a single bet that may not play out well at all.

4. Finding The Wrong Bookie

Getting into sports betting inevitably means having to deal with a bookie, and there are thousands to choose from. But they make all the difference when it comes to success, especially when we want one that offers fair odds with a lower house edge, combined with decent policies that mean the bettor won’t be left in the dust if they win too often, which is something that happens frequently, whether it’s sports betting or online gaming Nigeria. Instead, find a bookie that treats its customers as actual customers, and the rest should be easy.