We all love to guess what’s going to happen in the big game. Who will score? Who will win? Will anyone do something out of the ordinary? These questions and the fact that we struggle to answer them make watching sports a lot of fun. But what about adding a little more spice to those questions? Yes, we’re talking about betting on sports and whether or not it actually does make sports more exciting.

Now, we already know all the ins and outs of betting here in Chandigarh so let’s just dive into the whole fun aspect.

What’s so great about betting anyway?

You mean aside from the possibility that you’ll win big and become rich beyond your wildest dreams? Seriously, if that’s why you’re getting into betting, then perhaps you want to try the lottery instead.

Betting is all about adding another layer of excitement to a game. You see, when we watch sports, sometimes it’s hard to get into the game when we’re not personally invested in the outcome. Win or lose, the result will have no bearing on a personal level. But if you have even the smallest sum of money riding on the outcome, suddenly you are 100% in the game.

It’s something that is incredibly hard to replicate unless you’re a massive fan of the team involved or you’re personally connected to the club. Take the soccer World Cup, for example. There are millions of people in India, Thailand, Canada, and many other countries that never see their nation play in the tournament. But once they place a small bet on a team, they suddenly have something to cheer about.

What kinds of betting are out there?

Right – so, the next thing we’re talking about is how specific types of bets can be more fun than others. Your first and simplest option is to bet on the outcome of a match. You pick a winner and hope for the best. All you need to do is watch and cheer on the side you backed.

Another option is to try parlay betting. This is when you take a look at the odds for a sport such as the NFL and then bet on the outcome of multiple games. In some countries, this is called an accumulator bet and it’s one of the most exciting bets of all. By betting on the outcome of several matches combined, you’re increasing the odds each time one of your results comes in. It’s a great way to bet on a series of games, but only invest a small amount of money.

Then there are the long-term bets that prove that you’re in it for the long haul. You might decide at the start of the season who you think will win the Indian Premier League or who will come bottom of the heap. These bets are great for keeping your interest throughout a season and could offer a decent return on a small bet depending on the odds. This was particularly true when Leicester won the English Premier League. One fan backed them at the start of the season at 5000/1. Can you believe that?

Finally, there are the weird and wacky bets which are quite possibly the most fun of all. Let’s take soccer as an example again. Some betting providers will let you bet on which team has the most throw-ins during the first half or who will get booked first. This adds a whole new layer to the game as you and your friends find yourself cheering when a player puts the ball out or commits a foul. It will certainly feel weird at first and, if you’re in a public place, you will get some strange looks. But it really is lots of fun. And yes, of course it’s better if you do it with a friend.

So to answer the initial question – does betting on sports make it more fun? We’d have to say that yes it does indeed. But only if you bet for fun and do so responsibly.