sports betting vs poker

sportypicks.com · #1 03-29-2005, 04:21 PM

Just wondering what all of your feelings are on this?

I find myself to be mostly satisfied with my sports handicapping ability yet completely frustrated when it comes to playing poker. I feel that I'm better than your "average" poker player, but that's only because I know the odds/probabilities. However, my goal is to not be average.

I'm not sure if it's similar to Actors vs Musicians where one seems to always want to be the other, but poker is what I do to unwind from sports. I also feel that poker gives one the opportunity to grind out small edges much more often because there's always a poker hand, whereas there's not always game to play on.

I find poker much more "fun". For some of the better poker players out there, do you feel the same way about sports? Any hints to help transition between the 2? I'm much more of a "math" guy than a "feel" guy which is why I feel I'm not as successul at poker.

tech · #2 03-29-2005, 04:44 PM

What games/limits are you playing? You might simply be playing too high. If you have even a minimal knowledge of the mathematics involved, you should be able to beat low limits without much difficulty.

I will tell you though that you are not alone. Some of the best sports bettors are terrible poker players, and some of the best poker players are terrible sports bettors. I never had a problem making the transition. It is all the same stuff to me (and I would include the stock market in this group as well). Pick any event you want. As long as you are getting greater odds on a bet than the actual odds of that event happening, you will win in the long run, regardless of whether you are betting on cards, people, stocks, or whatever.

sportypicks.com · #3 03-29-2005, 08:26 PM

Hey Tech,

I usually just play the NL $20 sit-n-go's on the Party. I'll play 1-2 a day because any more than that and my wife will have my ass.

It's not that I get killed, it's just my poker bankroll is seeing some seriously slow growth.

sublime · #4 03-29-2005, 08:52 PM

i get the same amount of grays from both. although i was in good shape when i strictly bet sports.

sportypicks.com · #5 03-29-2005, 08:56 PM

I do agree that the 2 are very similar. I mean I don't get to upset when I catch a bad beat because there can be some vicious swings in sports sometimes, and if you can survive those with a level head you can survive anything.

ctv1116 · #6 03-29-2005, 09:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'll play 1-2 a day because any more than that and my wife will have my ass.

[/ QUOTE ]

And she doesn't mind you betting on 20 baseball games a day???

sportypicks.com · #7 03-29-2005, 09:30 PM

It's not the money aspect, it's the time aspect. I spend almost all day on the computer. Working is one thing, playing poker when she doesn't see any money out of it is another thing.

tech · #8 03-30-2005, 05:53 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I usually just play the NL $20 sit-n-go's on the Party. I'll play 1-2 a day because any more than that and my wife will have my ass.

It's not that I get killed, it's just my poker bankroll is seeing some seriously slow growth.

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the STT forum and post some hands. It should help a lot.

20Five · #9 03-30-2005, 06:49 PM

The similarities between poker and sports betting are many..
I often find myself comparing something about one to something about the other..

Here are two things I find the most important to make the distinction between the two..

1. Poker has a learning curve as the stakes increase for the most part, while sports betting doesnt.. Its as easy winning a $1000 bet as it is winning a $10 bet.. although play in a $1000 sit n go or a $10 sit n go, and you'll notice a profound difference. (Finding people to take your action can become difficult in both as the stakes increase)

2. Serious sports bettors aim for the %60 win rate or what have you.. While in poker there are many more situations to get your money in with much better odds then that to win. At any rate, the key to success varies from one to the other.. in poker get the most money you can in while you have the best of it, while in sports betting its a gradual grind it out approach. (Granted almost all winning poker players find themselves in a similar grind)

All in all the skills that are required in both are fairly similar.. patience is rewarded.. mathematical and stastical concepts.. aggressiveness.. and money management. For me, this is why both are interesting and fun, but at the same time can produce varying profit levels.

-twenty