Sports betting and roulette share characteristics

If you’re a sports betting enthusiast, you may enjoy a little diversion at the roulette table.  Roulette aficionados are often the most enthusiastic sports betting fans. What are the similarities between the two types of gambling entertainment when you play at the online casino South Africa

Odds

One commonality between sports betting and roulette involves betting odds. In any sporting event there are set odds which have been established by the sportsbook that you’re using. The odds vary but they can be “fixed,” depending on the sport. There’s also an option for ‘pari-mutuel betting which  a system in which wagers on a specific outcome are pooled – odds are calculated based on the quantities of bets received for that outcome.

When betting on roulette, there are ‘fixed’ odds. They are expressed slightly differently than sportsbook odds but the idea is similar.

For example, if you’re betting on a sporting event, the odds might look like:  

  • Team A is the favorite and pays $1.40 for a win
  • Team B is the underdog and pays $2.95 to win
  • A draw pays out $34.

That means, for every $10 amount you place on Team B to win and Team B does, in fact win, you receive 2.95 times that amount and get paid out $29.95.

In roulette, winning a straight-up bet pays 35:1. For every $1 you place on that outcome, if you win you get 35 times that amount. Deposit $10 on a winning number and you get $350.

Fixed odds are expressed slightly differently in roulette and sports gambling but the concept is similar, making it comfortable for someone who is familiar with one kind of gaming to move to the other type.

Skill

Both sports betting and roulette play involve an element of skill in the betting. Punters need to have some prior knowledge of the factors that could impact on the results of the event before they place their bets.

In sports betting, the bettor needs to know something about the event – who are the teams?, who are the players?, how have they been performing recently?, what’s the weather and how might weather impact on the game?, are there injuries?, etc. In roulette the player needs to assess the odds of the different types of bets, and the odds in the different types of roulette games (European, American, French) in order to decide how to place the best bet.

All of these wagering events require the right assessments in order to boost odds of success.

Psychology

To succeed at either roulette or in a sports bet, you need to be aware of the odds vs. the payouts. You need to understand spread bets, understand how the odds should be read, etc.  

Both types of gambling involve a bit of psychology. Athletes have to be up for their game mentally as well as physically. While you don’t have to be physically fit to play a game of roulette or make a sports bet, you do have to be mentally and emotionally ready – if the dealer or sportsbook intimidate you or you’re not clear about your options, you can easily make the wrong choices and pay for it in losses.

This is truer at on-site betting than when betting online because when you’re playing online you probably won’t feel the same kind of stresses as you would when you have everyone’s eyes on you.  But it’s still something to be aware of and factor into your gaming event.

Of course, regardless of whether you’re betting online or on-site, everything ultimately depends on the type of roulette that you play and the sporting events on which you wager.  But in general, if you’re a fan of sports betting or roulette and want a bit of a break, check out the companion type of gambling entertainment.