Lessons Well Learned - Why Kids Should Be Exposed To Live Sports Betting

There's been a lot of kerfuffle in Australia recently about sports betting, and in particular it's infiltration into live coverage of games. But sports betting is an important and vital part of enjoying sport, especially for children.


What's been forgotten in the debate is that sports betting creates interest where there otherwise wouldn't be any (just ask any punter who's one match away from a perfect round), it teaches the value of money, helps brain development by encouraging the use of mathematics and science, educates regarding the importance of consistency in performance, and, perhaps most importantly, teaches the concept of risk. All valuable lessons that children need to grasp.

So if your kid is nagging you to let them have a bet, then let them. You'll need to place the bet on their behalf of course, though if you do choose to ignore the law and let them do it themselves then they'll learn valuable typing skills or where the closest TAB (betting agency outlet) is so they can run your bets there for you next time.

Whether they win or not isn't that important because they will eventually lose. In the unlikely event they don't lose straight away then make sure you take a commission - another valuable life lesson. That's the way sports betting works; if the punter was expected to win then betting agencies wouldn't exist.

Ultimately, one small successful punt will light the touch paper and make your child a convert for life.

So wait for your kid to lose, even if it means letting them gradually increase their stake or go for the big upsets. Indeed ideally they will look to back roughies because that never works. There's a good reason why it's called an upset when a less favoured team wins, because that's how the vast majority of punters will feel. Only the bookie isn't upset when that occurs.

Guaranteed your child will become kiddy-destitute in almost no time, ripping out teeth in the hope of a down-payment from the tooth fairy and begging the cousins for a loan up until the next installment of their allowance. If you're really lucky, they'll request to do more chores.

By that stage the you can consider that the lessons are learned. From that point on your child will most likely only bet within their means, making reasonable decisions based upon logic and research, minimising risk and maximising returns.

And that's why sports betting should be allowed during live coverage of sporting events.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Bravo - this is exactly what we need. Teach Kids maths as they work out what their return is on a 5:1 not to mention the positive effect on government revenue. In fact we should go further - the laptops in schools program should all come pre loaded with a Pokie app. We all know how pokies can subsidise beer prices - well imagine how they could top up the education budget. And if they lose their lunch money then its a win win, since they are all fat anyway (well thats according to Today Tonight and teh Terrograph)