10 tips for Responsible Gaming that all bettors should know

Editor’s note: Birches Health is a leading national provider of Responsible Gaming resources and Problem Gambling treatment, offering clinical care covered by insurance and state government funding.

As more and more states have legalized forms of regulated sports betting and online gaming, millions of Americans suddenly have gambling products at their fingertips. That increased accessibility makes it even more important for bettors to learn how to gamble responsibly. Just as one would go to Driver’s Ed and need to pass a driving test before getting their license, all new bettors should learn about sustainable betting habits before placing their first wager.

Let’s therefore run through 10 tips for Responsible Gaming, in no particular order, to help ensure that sports betting remains a form of casual entertainment.

10 tips for Responsible Gaming

1. Never chase losses

According to one specially-trained Problem Gambling therapist at Birches Health, the leading behavior that he’s seen most regularly result in developing a gambling addiction is “chasing” losses. This generally involves betting more (more bets and/or larger amounts than usual) in an attempt to win back what was lost previously. Some bettors will rationalize this unwise approach as feeling “due” for a win, saying things like, “there’s no way I can lose this many times in a row.” However, in lots of cases the bettors do, in fact, lose the additional wager(s) as well. As those losses compound, some bettors end up losing more than they can afford, resulting in financial difficulties such as an inability to pay bills.

2. Bankroll management is key

Before placing your first bets, it is important to determine how much you are able to budget toward sports betting or online gambling overall. This betting budget is known as a “bankroll” and needs to be an amount that you can afford to lose completely without any impact on your finances. Sports betting should be seen as a form of paid entertainment, as you are statistically likely to lose money in the long term. Therefore, the timeframe for your betting budget should be long, as in multiple months or a year, not just one day or a single weekend of gambling.

3. Don’t deviate from your unit size

Related to bankroll, choosing and sticking to a unit size is also incredibly important. A “unit” in sports betting is your usual wager amount. This figure should ideally be between 1-4% of your total bankroll. Cold streaks happen to everyone, so being disciplined with your unit size and never over-extending with larger wagers should allow you to continue betting without losing your entire bankroll. This connects directly with the term “sustainable play,” as maintaining a conservative unit size will allow you to sustain your gaming activities without needing to make the decision of either stopping betting or replenishing your account with a new deposit of funds.

4. Set limits in your betting apps and sites

Most of the country’s most popular sportsbooks allow you to set limits yourself that the app or site will then enforce if you try to surpass them. The main limits that you can set are deposit amounts, individual bet amounts (think “unit” size) and time spent per day on the platform. All three limit options should be utilized, as they can either block or force you to think twice about taking those actions.

5. Don’t bet while drinking alcohol

Avoid gambling while under the effects of alcohol or drugs. Both substances can alter your decision-making skills and negatively affect your risk assessment abilities. That could lead to wagering more than you’d have intended to bet originally. Betting while drinking is unfortunately very common, as both are activities that many fans take part in while watching sports. However, if you know beforehand that you’ll be drinking while watching an upcoming sporting event and will also want some betting action on it, place your bets beforehand with a clear and sober mind.

6. Don’t expect to win

Despite what you may see regularly from some betting personalities on social media, there is no such thing as a “lock” or “guarantee” in sports betting. The incredibly high number of variables that can impact outcomes of live sporting events makes it very difficult to predict them correctly. Plus, the odds are skewed significantly in the sportsbooks’ favor, so it’s much more likely that you will lose money than turn a profit from betting.

7. Learn the rules beforehand

There are two sets of rules to be aware of before betting on any event. First are the event’s rules. If betting on a PGA TOUR golf tournament, do you know if there is a cut? If so, what are the rules for determining how many players will make the cut and play the weekend? It should be viewed as a minimum requirement to know the rules of the sport and particular event before betting on them.

Secondly, It’s important to learn the “house rules” of your particular sportsbook(s). These can vary from platform to platform, so be sure to do research beforehand to avoid surprises when your bets are graded.

8. Never borrow to bet

If you don’t have the funds needed to bet, you should not be betting in the first place. Betting with credit or borrowing money to gamble is extremely risky and can often result in debts that you are unable to pay.

9. Don’t bet more on big events

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a big sporting event, like the TOUR Championship, the Masters or the Super Bowl. However, from a betting standpoint, it’s important to stay disciplined and not increase your overall exposure for these types of events. Increased risk can rapidly result in heavier losses than anticipated, so be sure to avoid wagering more than usual.

10. Avoid gambling in a highly emotional state

Feeling stressed? Upset? Anxious? Down? If the answer to any of these is “yes,” you should not be betting. Similar to how alcohol and drugs can impact your decision-making abilities, highly emotional states can make it difficult to evaluate risk clearly and properly.

Gambling addiction support and treatment

Following the 10 Responsible Gaming tips above can help reduce the chances of developing a gambling addiction or related issue. But even if you are betting responsibly, it doesn’t mean that someone else you know is too. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the specialized problem gambling resources available.

If you, a friend, a family member or a colleague may be dealing with a gambling issue, there are care options and programs specifically built to help combat the problem. Birches Health is a telehealth treatment provider with a large team of therapists who have been specially trained to help individuals dealing with problem gambling and related behavioral addictions. Their processes are quick, confidential and custom for each individual, with 90% of patients reporting an increase in quality of life after treatment.

If you or someone you know would like to speak with a Birches Health care specialist, please call (833) 483-3838 or send an email to hello@bircheshealth.com.