Make sure that you know what the bet offered by the bookmaker means. How you can win, lose, if it's on a result what happens if it's a draw etc. Look upon it as the Terms and Conditions of betting.
2. Set a betting budget
Always set a budget for betting. Whether it is a daily or monthly one, always know what you can afford to lose. It's the worst case scenario that you lose it all but it can happen, so to avoid misery set that budget and stick to it!
3. Set a stopping loss point
Connected to number 2, if you have a monthly budget, have a daily limit so you know how much you can lose in one day.
4. Set a stopping win point
Likewise, have a daily limit on how much you can win. Odd though it sounds, this is important so you don't get carried away by a good run (see 9 also).
5. Don't bet what you can't afford to lose
Connected to number 2, this is obviously the most important rule about safe gambling. Heartbreak and misery follow people who bet what they can't afford to lose. But if you follow this rule, then you can have fun betting.
6. Research your bets thoroughly
Research, research and research. The more you know the more likely you are to win, it's that simple. Our article on Football Tips gives details of 13 things that you should consider before any football bet.
7. Don't bet at bad odds
If you do your research well enough, you will know what good odds are. And shop around, because you can get quite a variety of odds from different bookmakers. Check out our Latest Odds page for great deals.
8. Don't change your stake plan
So you've won a few bets eh? Think your on a run? No, not necessarily. Don't think like this. Because the temptation is to bet bigger and that's when you can run into trouble with an unexpected loss.
9. Don't be greedy
Betting on a three or four result accumulator is one thing, but betting on more than that is just being greedy. Yes the potential win is huge, but the odds are high for a reason. Be more grounded and you will win more often. Likewise, if you have a few wins in a row, don't think that you will necessarily win the next one. Always research your bets with a clear head, the same is true with odds. Don't be greedy and go for a 33-1 because it's not likely to come in. And don't go for a 4-9 becuase you will have to risk a lot to win a little, middle of the road is always safest.
10. Don't chase losses
Every gambler has a bad day at the office. The worst thing you can do on that day is chase the losses you've already incurred. This is because you won't be making informed decisions and are likely to take more risks. Just put it down to experience and come back afresh. If you have followed the rest of these tips such as a betting budget and stopping point you should be able to resist chasing losses.
