What Makes People Bet on Their Home Team — Even When the Odds Are Bad?

We all love betting on our home teams. Not only do we hope our favorite teams will win, but we’re also often convinced that when our team plays at home they’re sure to be victorious.

Yet, a lot of bettors make the mistake of placing wagers on their favorite teams (while at home or away) without checking the odds.

Let’s look at why people bet on their home teams more often and why they do so even when the odds are against them.

Reasons People Bet On Their Home Teams

Here are just a few reasons why bettors love placing wagers on their home teams, regardless of whether their favorite teams are playing home or away games.

Home Teams Are Often Favored to Win at Home

Home teams have the home team advantage, meaning they could be more likely to win. This is based on several factors, including familiarity with the playing field, fans often root for the home team and removal of the stress of traveling.

People Feel Bad Betting Against Their Team

Some bettors simply feel bad betting against their team. They worry they might jinx their team if they bet against them or that their friends might find out and shame them.

Some Bettors Don’t Have a Firm Grasp on Odds

Many people bet on the favorite because they assume whoever is slated to win will actually win.

These bettors may lack the expertise to evaluate odds and make informed bets.

Odds Can Be Skewed Based on How the Public Bets

When a lot of players bet on one team, the odds can change. Bettors might simply believe a team will win simply because the odds are skewed in its favor.

Tips for Betting On or Against Your Team

Whether or not you believe your team has a good chance of winning, you can still place wagers on an event – as long as you do so logically.

Here are a few tips for betting on your team and how to make the most profitable wagers if you don’t believe your home team will win.

Don’t Bet Emotionally

It’s easy to let your emotions get in the way when you’re betting on your home team. Whether or not your team is playing at home, you should try to avoid placing wagers if you’re too emotionally invested in the outcome.

Do Some Research Before Betting

Just because your home team is playing at home doesn’t mean a guaranteed win. You should do some research to see how your team has played against other teams both home and away.

If your home team is playing an away game, you should research how the team has performed at that venue and in similar weather conditions previously.

Determine Whether the Odds Are in Your Favor

Familiarize yourself with sports odds and try to determine if the odds are skewed because a popular team is playing. Try to determine the actual odds of a game or a match before you place your bets.

Set a Betting Budget

Even if you believe a bet is a “sure thing”, you should always set a betting budget. There are no guarantees in sports wagering, so you shouldn’t bet more than your budget allows.