On Thursday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills kicked off Week 8 of the season. The Bills came into the game as 9/10 points favorites. The Bills clearly overmatched the Bucs for nearly the entire game, and were up 24-10 as the clock was ticking down in the 4th quarter. The Bucs managed to convert twice on 4th down via penalties, and then on another 4th down, QB Baker Mayfield chucked a pass to Mike Evans in the endzone. It bounced off a defender’s helmet and went right into the waiting arms of the big-bodied wide receiver. The Bucs went for 2, and all of a sudden, it was a 6 point game with just a couple of minutes left. The Bills were more just trying to run the clock out as opposed to scoring more at that point.
This is what would be categorized as a bad beat for Bills bettors. The Bills had it all wrapped up, until they didn’t. This is something sports bettors have to be aware of when it comes to sports betting. It’s no different than being a fan of a team. Some wins and losses are different than others. We all have a game where our favorite team somehow blew a lead in the worst way, or came back to win in the bottom of the 9th inning.
The key is to just know it’s going to happen. As sports bettors, it’s our job to be as unemotional as possible. Wins and losses happen. Especially when you make bets over a period of months or even years.
Removing emotion is one of the biggest keys to being a successful sports bettor over time. Coming to terms that bad beats are part of the game will only make you better suited to handle tough losses. Just remember, you’re never as good as you think you are and never as bad as you think you are.