Top 5 Reasons Sports Betting Isn't That Addictive

So some people say sports betting is addictive. I say we examine those ‘some people’ and see what they’re addicted too – or should I say, thoroughly enjoy doing. I bet those ‘some people’ indulge in Hannah Montana or chocolate quite a bit -- does that mean they’re addicts too? Very few people are really addicts, but everyone’s got their go-to pleasures that they overuse.

Here’s the top 5 reasons why sports betting isn’t really that addictive:

5. Addictive is like hate – too strong of a word

Do you really hate Paris Hilton? Or cilantro? Or male camel toe? No. It’s more of a ‘dislike/loathe’ type of relationship. ‘Hate,’ like ‘addictive,’ is too strong of a word. So what if some people are obsessive compulsive gamblers? I’ve seen chicks that can’t stop shopping for shoes, or people that pound Chinese food buffets like they are going out of style, or couch potatoes pound a season’s worth of DVDs in one sitting.

‘Addictive’ or ‘obsessive compulsive’ is another way of saying that we do things a lot that we really like. Forgive me for not mixing in things that I don’t like. If I like chocolate ice cream, I’m going to order it. I’m not going to take fliers on Rocky Road or Heavenly Hash. I order – and do – what I like. If that’s what ‘addictive’ means, call me an addict.

4. Losing Money Kills the Ad... [More]

Sports Betting Glossary

Sports betting may seem as simple as picking one team or the other but with plenty of numbers and vocabulary involved, it takes a little bit of learning to understand the vernacular.

Here's a quick reference for some definitions to acclimate yourself to some of the terms:

Action - A sports bet.
ATS - An acronym for 'against the spread'
Bet - To risk money on the outcome of an event
Buy Points - A bettor can pay an additional price to receive points in his favor on a point spread game. This is called buying points.
Chalk - The favorite in the sporting event
Chalk Player - Someone who bets favorites
Cover - A pointspread win for the bettor
Dime Lines - This is when the juice is 10%
Dog - Short for underdog; the team not expected to win
Even Money - When there is no juice on the bet and the payout is 1-1
Exotic - Proposition bets or bets that are more creative than just betting on one team to win
Favorite - The team expected to win the event
First Half Bet - This is a bet for half of the game; you would bet on a team to win just the first half of the game
Future - A bet on a team to win something long term; I.E. betting on a team to win the World Series/Super Bowl prior to the start of the season
Halftime Bet - This is a bet for half of the game; you would bet on a team to win just the second ha... [More]

Top 5 Favorite Parlay Bets

Parlays are everyone's favorite type of sports betting wager because they are a microcosm of how most humans like to invest money: put down very little, win a lot. Whether you throw two games into a ticket or go all the way up to 25, there are few things more fun than hitting every game in a parlay and cashing in.

On that note, here's my list of my top 5 favorite parlays.

2-Game Parlay
Simple, clean and simple -- I think I'm repeating myself. 2-game parlays are simple because you take your two best games and put them together. Although "best" is supposed to be your top tier pick, nobody has just one "best" anything anymore. We all have several best friends (save Screech) and we all have several best outfits (save Katie Holmes) so take your two best games and parlay them together.
Payout: 13-to-5

3-Game Parlay
If two is company, three's a crowd. But three has so much more cache than two. Threesomes are so taboo compared to couples and the three R's are better than the two R's. In sports betting parlay speak, adding the third game is worth it. Two game parlays pay 2.6-to-1 but three-gamers pay 6.5-to-1. Think about that, in case one, you are getting paid 1.3-to-1 per game but for a three-gamer, you are earning 2.2-to-1. Take the value.
Payout: 6.5-to-1

7-Game Parlay
Isn't seven supposed to b... [More]

Sports Betting Basics

Placing a bet:

When you first take a look at all of the lines available for the first time, you'll feel like a four-year-old at Toys 'R Us. You can bet sides, total, parlays, exotics, props, money lines, point spreads, elections, reality shows and anything else that moves. But before you start making it rain, you have to understand what you are doing and the different types of bets. Here are some examples of the basics.

Betting the Money Line:

Betting the money line is one of the simpler bets to understand. When you bet the money line, you are predicting on a team to win a game. Sounds simple, doesn't it? It pretty much is, except for the numbers games. Not all money lines are equal and most payouts don't pay back the exact same amount that you bet.

For example, if the New England Patriots are playing a feeble opponent like the Miami Dolphins, they might be favored by -400. -400 means that if you were to bet the Patriots, you would have to bet four times the amount you want to receive if... [More]