For bettor or worse?

[iono1]

Legalized sports betting has come to New York in time for the football season.  There are now 13 states that you can bet on sports.  With the NFL season starting today, what are your feelings about sports betting?   I never really dealt with bookies, except one time a guy at work was running parlay sheets for his bookie brother that I tried for maybe 4 weeks and 1 game I bet through a guy at work 41 years ago. I prefer only wagering legally.  

I'm a big Buffalo Bills fan & I expect a breakout season, I'm expecting between 9-11 wins. I bet various combinations of over on their win totals this year (they offered odds at over 6.5 wins, over 7.5 wins & over 8.5 wins and odds higher than over 8.5 wins to make the playoffs).   I structured the bets so I break even if they finish 8-8 and win money if they win 9 games & more if they make the playoffs.  I didn't bet the less attainable division champs, conference champs or Super Bowl champs because the odds are too much against them other than possible division champs if New England falters. Those type of bets are sucker bets trying to get fans to bet their team to win the Super Bowl

I haven't bet any individual games yet & this week's game is too much of a tossup to pick, but I might bet the Bills/NY Giants game next week.  I might also bet a few games every now & then, but I know a lot more about the Bills than any other team because I listen to Buffalo sports radio and the print/internet media.  I don't follow the other teams that closely.   

[steph08]

I have never bet on individual games. 

We are big into fantasy football - I have one regular league where we draft every year and one dynasty league where we have to sign players to contracts, etc. We also each do a team on draftkings each week.

Besides that, we are in several games throughout the season - a 33 board, a Last Man Standing (each week you pick a team to win, can only choose each team once), and a Winner Take All (pick which team will win the Super Bowl). 

And Super Bowl blocks, if we can find them.

[tractor]

For me, betting takes the fun out of the game.? I prefer just to watch and enjoy without worrying about how much I won or lost.

[Deleted]

I can’t get into sports gambling or fantasy sports, I only care about my team and any other games that impact my team in the standings.

[Happy prose]

Sept 5, 2019 13:53:58 GMT -5 steph08 said:

I have never bet on individual games. 

We are big into fantasy football - I have one regular league where we draft every year and one dynasty league where we have to sign players to contracts, etc. We also each do a team on draftkings each week.

Besides that, we are in several games throughout the season - a 33 board, a Last Man Standing (each week you pick a team to win, can only choose each team once), and a Winner Take All (pick which team will win the Super Bowl). 

And Super Bowl blocks, if we can find them.

I play and love fantasy football! I also play in a free knock-out pool online (what you're calling last man standing). What is a 33 board?

[steph08]

For 33, there are 32 people participating and each is assigned an NFL team. There are at least two and potentially three winners each week. The team(s) with the lowest score, the team(s) with the highest score, and the team(s) that hit exactly 33 points that week. If no team hits exactly 33, the pot rolls over to the next week, so it is a potentially lucrative win. High/low teams each win $40 and the team that hits 33 gets $80. (That's how our board is, with a buy-in of $85).

[iono1]

Update:  The Bills won their 10th game last night & clinched a playoff spot with 2 games to go.  I have to wait until January to cash my win total & attaining the playoff bets but I'll cash them all for about 2.5 times what I bet in total.  

For the season I ended up betting 4 Bills games and won 3 of them.  My only loss came on a game they were favored by 6 against what turned out to be the NFL's worst team (Cincinnati), but they only won by 4.  I bet 2 other NFL games & split them (at much lower $ amounts than the 4 Bills games) .  

Basically I specialized & kept most of my wagers on the team I intensely follow.  I was pretty conservative choosing the games to bet and I won't be betting on the team the rest of this year.  This year was the year the Bills snuck up on people and I was prepared to profit from my knowledge of this team.  I doubt the opportunity will present itself again for some time.  

[hoops902]

Man I am so glad I refrained from posting what I thought about these bets when I first read the thread!  I don't remember the exact words, but I think it rhymed with "honey down the brain".  Congratulations!

[formerroomate99]

I guess the state is going to allow casinos to be built, they might as well go ahead and allow betting on everything else.

One nice thing about leaving the Midwest is the fact that I don’t have to listen to some coworker having a six hour conversation about fantasy football league. Parking on the couch and watching sports just isn’t as big of a deal as it was in the Midwest. Out here, you’re much more likely to hear guys talking about their latest home improvement project or some adventure that they had with their kids.

[steph08]

After this thread was started, online sports betting was legalized in PA, so we have been doing that for about 3 or 4 weeks. A variety of over/under points, individual players to score touchdowns, under/over passing yards, etc. 

We just bet $2-5 here and there. We aren't trying to get rich, it's just a fun way to keep involved with all the games Thursday-Monday. We are up about double our money right now. 

[TheOtherMe]

I have no idea of how to do online sports betting, nor any interest.

I do know it's legal here and that the state is hoping online sports betting will save the casinos.

[alabamagal]

We do free online contests through fox sports and nbc sports. One is six games, you pick winner plus points won by. Other one is six things from single (leading rusher, passer, etc.). Top players win some money, depending on how many get it right.

We enjoy watching football, so this makes it more interesting. I came close one week, if last play of game was a TD instead of tackle on 5 yd line, I would have got 5 of 6 right and won $5!

[iono1]

Dec 17, 2019 11:35:10 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

I have no idea of how to do online sports betting, nor any interest.

I do know it's legal here and that the state is hoping online sports betting will save the casinos.

They don't allow online sports betting in NY.  I have to drive to the casino & put the bets in in person.  I live 22 miles from the casino.  The sports betting is only a small percentage of their wagering.  They have poker tables & slot machines. I don't do any betting at the casino besides the sports & I only bet NFL football.  I go in, put my bets in & leave.  I'm pretty conservative in picking my spots, but I wager a decent amount when I bet Bills games (at least $1,000).  I'd probably bet more games at smaller amounts if I could do it online, but I'm better off not having that option and having it take an hour to get there & back home each time I want to bet.   

[TheOtherMe]

I think here you have to register in person and than can bet online.

However, I'm never going to do it, so I don't know the rules.  

We have two casinos.  One got in to sports betting when the money in greyhound racing thankfully dropped.  The state gave that casino so much money a year, but it's running out either this year or next year.  This casino needed sports betting to exist and that means their competitor does also.