What Are Realistic Goals and Expectations for a Sports Bettor?

When you are new to the world of sports betting, you probably have some pretty lofty goals—assuming that you are betting primarily for income and not for fun.  You might think to yourself, “I will become a sharp within a year, and after a few years of doing this, I could have hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe even more.  I could even become a millionaire.”

Ambition is a virtue to be sure, but only when it is reined in my realistic expectations.  Why?  Because if your expectations are unrealistic, you will make mistakes and you will get discouraged even when things are going well.  There is no faster killer of burgeoning careers in sports betting than disappointed expectations. 

So what are some realistic betting goals and expectations you could set?

• “I will make a living as a sports bettor someday, but it is going to take some time.  It is not going to happen in the first year, and that is okay.”

• “I probably am not going to be betting full-time for a long time either.  I will be betting part-time, and balancing that against my day job.”

• “I know that there is no such thing as a ‘lock,’ and that every wager has a significant chance of losing.  I will aim for a high win percentage, but I will never make the mistake of thinking that I can win all the time.”

• “I will make it my goal to avoid mistakes, but I will expect things to go wrong along the way.  If things are generally going my way, I will not condemn my performance because of a few losses.”

• “I will not expect to be wagering on a dozen different sports throughout the year.  I will make it my goal to select one or two to follow closely and develop expert knowledge around.  I will not overextend myself in my quest for profits.”

• “I will make my top goal at all times to become a better punter.  I know that the evidence of my progression will be in part in my account balance, but I also realize that sound practices are not always measured directly through short-term results.  They can be measured through long-term results, logic, and discipline.  I know that if I focus on my process and on making smart wagers, over time, my profits will take care of themselves.  My top goal is strong performance.”

Goals like these keep you focused and prevent you from misinterpreting your own results.  They also prevent you from getting discouraged.  If you set out knowing that it takes a long time and a lot of work to become a successful and profitable punter, you will be able to get through the struggle with grit and resolve.  It may take you longer to reach your goals than you would like, but someday, you will get there, and when you do, you will be grateful that you took the time to set realistic expectations and goals to begin with.

If you are interested to learn more about goal setting, read my other articles on what are SMART goals and the dangers of setting unrealistic goals and expectations.