Is sports betting considered gambling or nah?

Question

ok so my girlfriend keeps saying im gambling when i bet on games but i keep telling her its different because i actually watch sports and know stuff about the teams. like im not just pressing buttons on slots ya know? she thinks im in denial but i genuinely think theres skill involved. anyone else deal with this argument lol

Accepted Answer

i mean technically yes its gambling by definition because youre risking money on an uncertain outcome. BUT youre also right that theres a skill component that slots dont have. the difference is you can actually improve your edge over time if you study matchups, injuries, line movements etc. i mostly use My Bookie for my bets and ive definitely gotten better at finding value over the past year. doesnt mean i win every time obviously but its not pure luck either. your gf isnt wrong but youre not wrong either if that makes sense

Answer

Yeah this is pretty much it. its still gambling in the sense that you can lose money but anyone who says theres no skill hasnt actually tried to beat the books consistently. i went from losing like 60% of my bets to actually being slightly profitable after a year of tracking everything and learning how to read odds. still gambling tho lmao

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Fwiw the legal definition classifies it as gambling in most states which is why its regulated by gaming commissions not sports leagues. Whether skill is involved or not doesnt really change the legal classification. Same with poker technically.

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wait so if its a skill thing does that mean professional sports bettors exist? like people who actually make a living off this?

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They do exist but theyre extremely rare. Most of them work with huge bankrolls and only get like 2-3% edge on the books. Its not like you see in movies where some dude is getting rich quick. Its a grind and most people who think theyre skilled are actually just on a lucky streak.

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does anyone know if theres like actual data on what percentage of sports bettors are profitable long term? always wondered this

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Most studies say somewhere around 3-5% of bettors are profitable over a year or more. The vig makes it really hard to overcome mathematically. You basically need to win like 52.4% of standard -110 bets just to break even.

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idk man this whole 'its skill based' argument sounds like cope tbh. i bet half the people saying this are down overall and just dont want to admit it. the house always wins for a reason

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nah bro i get the skepticism but youre painting with too broad a brush. i track literally every bet in a spreadsheet and im up 8% over 2 years. not huge but its proof that you CAN beat it if youre disciplined. most people just bet on their favorite teams with their emotions which yeah thats basically gambling

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Something to consider is that sportsbooks will limit or ban winning players which kind of proves there is a skill element. If it was pure chance they wouldnt care who was winning. The fact that sharps get restricted tells you everything.

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honestly i hate these threads because everyone acts like theyre some genius. i thought i was skilled too until i lost 4k in two months chasing. call it whatever you want skill or luck but it can destroy you just the same as any other gambling

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That sucks and sorry that happened to you but thats kind of a bankroll management issue more than anything. Chasing losses is a problem whether youre betting sports or playing poker or doing anything else. Doesnt mean the activity itself cant be done responsibly by people who set limits

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agree with what dave said at the top. both things can be true at once. its gambling AND theres skill. tell your gf to look up poker and ask if thats gambling too because same logic applies. nobodys saying you cant lose money

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