Having run a tips page for almost 10 years, I know how important it is to stay in control when gambling. 

Here’s some key points that I’ve learned over the years:

Firstly, set yourself a budget. I set mine weekly, but yours could be an amount allocated to the weekend – it’s a personal preference. Your budget should be set at an amount you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable losing.

If you feel the need to chase a loss, the chances are you’ve set a budget too high, and you’re bothered about losing it. If this is the case, either take a break or reduce your budget. There’s also deposit limits in place to help you stick to these.

Another is taking a break. It sometimes feels like there’s football on every night, which can then encourage you to feel the need to bet. For me, international breaks and midweek cup games are a good time to properly strip back and take a break from gambling.

With everything I do, I try my best to make sure I’m leading by example when it comes to safer gambling. My average stake for the year is less than £10, and you’ll never see me chasing losses or encouraging that behaviour.

On my website, Andy’s Bet Club, I have put an enormous emphasis on providing quality betting content and tools to help people bet smarter.

However, with the vast information and tools available, it’s even more important you stay in control and keep it fun.

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Here are some useful tips and advice from me, the owner of the biggest betting club in the UK:

1. Only bet what you can afford to lose

First thing’s first, don’t ever bet more than you can comfortably afford to lose. If you’re angry after a losing bet the chances are you’re angry at yourself for risking more money than you should’ve.

There will occasionally be times you’re angry because of how the bet lost, e.g. the referee has missed a blatant penalty or the striker has missed an open goal. However, more often than not the anger is because deep down you know you shouldn’t have bet that extra fiver or tenner.

2. Don’t ever chase a losing bet

Staking more than you should’ve usually leads to immediately wanting to chase your losses.

It’s basic psychology. You’ve lost an amount of money you didn’t want to lose, you want to immediately get it back. Your brain starts to rationalise it, ‘if I put another tenner on then at least if I win I’ll have my original money back’.

Great logic apart from if that bet also loses, you’ve lost even more money. The downward spiral begins.

If you do find yourself in a situation where you’ve lost more than you should have, just take a break. Come off the betting app or website and walk away, occupy yourself with something else and just come to terms with the fact the money’s gone but a lesson has been learned.

3. Never consider gambling as a way out of financial difficulties

If you’re struggling financially, don’t bet. It’s that simple.

It’s concerning how many people turn to betting as a ‘way out’. Gambling should be fun, it’s a recreational hobby for me, I would never use it as a second income.

If you have a set budget which you can afford to lose, a winning bet is nothing more than a bonus.

4. Explore safer gambling controls & tools

Betting sites have a really strong range of betting tools to help you moderate your betting.

Tools like setting deposit limits and loss limits are a good way to stay in control.

For me gambling is fun, I like getting into the research or finding a great value bet for my community but if I ever felt like I was betting too much I can lean on these tools for help.

Even if you are in control of your betting, why not set a deposit or loss limit anyway, it’s better to find consistency in your betting rather than reacting to something if it does become a problem.

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Summary

Hopefully that covers everything. If you have any other ideas for tips on responsible gambling, feel free to DM me on Twitter.

I just wanted to take an hour to write a blog post about safe gambling because I have a responsibility to make sure I’m promoting it.

If you feel like you have a problem and you need someone to speak to please visit BeGambleAware or GamCare for professional help and advice.

There are also other tools available like self-excluding from every bookmaker in the UK with GamStop.

Andy.