Start small.
You may have just heard about betting, how people win big by betting on luck and wit. Don't jump in right away and do anything crazy; it's best to test the waters first. It is not wise to place a large bet when you are just starting out. You can start with as little as £25 or even less and see the results. With small bets like this, you fine-tune your strategy and see how the game works.
Bet on your strengths.
The mistake many bettors make is to bet on games they know little about. For example, it's not a good idea to bet on a soccer game when you're a tennis fan. Sure, the stakes can be high and the offers hard to resist, but you'd be hanging on by a very thin thread. Start by betting on sports games you know. If you like sports racing, and you know the statistics and strengths of each horse, then you'll make a safer bet.
Focus on one.
Instead of scattering your "seeds" in many places, start with one area you know well and stay there until you know enough to move on to another. This will help you focus on studying the game and increase your bets. Betting on different games will only distract you when you really want to get your head in the game. So, rather than betting on Premier League games and horse racing at the same time, focus on one of them, and once you are strategic enough, venture into other sports.
Read the lines.
Betting is an investment of sorts, as your money is there to provide results (hopefully). The only difference is time. Betting gives instant results, which can be either big, average or insignificant. That's why it's best to read and follow the lines. These lines differ depending on the sport you are betting on; there are money lines and point lines.
When you bet on the money lines, the bet is placed according to the team you think will win. It's as simple as that. On the other hand, point spreads are more popular. Sports betting operators create a sheet for the game that gives them somewhat fair but unequal odds of winning. The top team is represented by a negative number and the underdog by a positive number.
Make it an investment opportunity, not a casual hobby.
Anyone can bet on a game, but not everyone knows how to make it a profitable business. To do that, you need to set a budget, which is the amount of money you are willing to spend on betting, and be disciplined enough not to exceed it. The next step is to track the results of the games you have bet on recently. This is where your strategy will be developed. Yes, you will sometimes make mistakes, but rather than complaining, learn from them and try to make more profitable decisions in the future.