Sports betting is said to be one of the most exciting and rapid growing ways to enjoy football, and other sports events.

Formerly something you needed to show up in person for, these days the number of bettors have significantly increased due to the internet which makes it easy for players to effectively research their picks, and enjoy placing bets more without leaving their homes.

Although it's becoming rampant, sports betting can be a real gamble, but no matter how high the risks are, or how much money is lost on it, the losses haven't deterred most bettors from engaging in it.

Their commitment to this activity could be because on the upside, risky as it is, sports betting if done right can yield a lot of money as long as you play smartly, tactically, and know how to beat the betting system.

If you must bet, keep betting, then you will need accurate tips to win, and also know how to get free football betting tips.

Football betting is the act of predicting football match results, and placing a wager on the outcome. As a football bettor, you can place your bet either through a bookmaker, sports book, private enterprises, or on official betting websites.

To understand why most Nigerian fans are drawn to football betting, you first need to understand the Nigerian sports industry, which is the soul of all sports bets placed in Nigeria.

A look at the Nigerian sports industry shows that most of its revenue comes from bets placed by dedicated football fans, who continue to demand for avenues for football betting. This industry makes almost N2 billion spent on sports betting daily in Nigeria, which racks up to nearly N730 billion in a year.

About 60 million Nigerians aged 18 and 40 are actively involved in sports betting. This number is pioneered by the use of mobile phones which makes it easier to pay, play and win or lose bets.

Nigerians' love sports have fuelled betting, making this industry about entertainment and making money. Additionally, betting outlets flooding almost every street in Nigeria's major cities has broadened bettors' options.

What non-bettors might see as a blight on society, Nigerian sports bettors claim that this business creates employment and fast money for ordinary people, including tax revenue for the government and economic growth.

If sports betting is so negative and costs most people thousands of money, then why do people bet on sports? Believe it or not, people bet on sports for a number of reasons like:

No matter how small of a bet you make, you could win more money for yourself.

And since there is no limitation to the number of bets you can place, once you have mastered this act and can make the right picks, the more you play, the more money you win.

Watching sports is more entertaining, when you've put money on the line. Betting on your football club or another sports, sets the right mood to sports.

Sports betting gets you really involved in sports and can make you learn more about how a game you're interested in is played.

The more you learn the inner workings of the game, the better you become at placing the best bets.

The satisfaction gotten from gambling, especially when you keep predicting matches correctly and winning is a type of thrill your mundane 9 to 5 job can't give you.

The maneuvering of risks and manipulating statistics to work in your favour everytime is why you keep playing.

Want to retain this power? Then read the next segment.

Here's how to win a bet every time you place one:

To win football betting, follow predictions made by professional tipsters. Copying professional bettors who have the experience in placing profitable bets makes your betting easier and more profitable.

In matched betting, you utilize bookmakers' free bets and promotions, offering lots of gain to new and interesting customers.

Big football games like Premier and Champions League is a great game to place matched bets on as it provides lots of betting scopes.

Keep a record of bets you won or lost, money you stake on bets, total profits or loss from each bet, and bookmakers used for each bet.

Use an Excel sheet to record bets, this helps you analyse your betting strategy.

You can have several bookmakers you place bets with if you wish no need to put all your eggs in one basket. Having several bookmakers helps you explore broader better opportunities, and you can take advantage of several promotions and incentives offered by them.

Placing bets based on sentiments, leads to bad decisions and heart break especially if your favourite team loses the football game. Better to place bets on a team you are sure will win the match.

To bet on football, you need to know the sports. Know details about a team like their current form in attack and defence, results, their wins in matches, injuries and team selections.

Know markets you can bet on like which club will win both halves, number of goals scored, corner kicks, yellow cards, and penalties in the match. These markets have more scope and are more profitable than wins, losses, and draws.

Always take your win in a bet no matter how small it is. Don’t be discouraged by small wins, a win is a win and the smaller bets are more likely to be won, making your betting strategy more profitable.

As a parting gift before this article is concluded, here are the top football betting sites to try your luck in:

Most people like to speak negatively about betting on football and other sports, but the truth is, it's not a do or die affair for you to bet and is not an activity that can be imposed on you. You can decide to stop visiting your bookie anytime you wish, and also stop betting on websites. Here are list of other soccer prediction site in Nigeria you can check out for winning tips.

If football betting is how you like to enjoy sports, then you should keep your hobby going. Just bet responsibly and make smart wagers.

*This is a featured post.