The way we make some decisions more likely than others, the rationality of our decisions, and the vagaries of our mental processes that lead to less than favourable decisions at times have become a major concern surrounding soccer bettors nowadays.

REPRESENTATIVENESS

This is an informal decision rule that applies when we judge the likelihood that an uncertain event is one of a specific category. To what degree is this case a match to that category? With a lot of past diverse experience, this is useful for meaningful evaluation of information before punters decide on the appropriate course of action.

AVAILABILITY

Events that are readily available in memory, or easily brought to mind, are judged as more likely. Uncommon events that are highly vivid tend to be judged mistakenly as more likely to happen. The emphasis and extent of discussion of an uncommon event make it more memorable. Availiability can affect risk perception in judgement, the likelihood of a vivid but uncommon event is overestimated, whereas that of an uneventful but common one is downplayed.

For instance, Arsenal thrashed West Brom last season. So you took Arsenal thinking that they are going to produce same or similar results this time?

DISCOUNTING AND AUGMENTATION

How many alternative explanations do we explore when we explain a case? How many signs, or cues, do you rely on to confirm a soccer outcome or prediction?

The process of discounting refers to the tendency to stop looking for other causes of explanations once a plausible cause for a situation is found.

Did you took the team because the top goal scorer is playing? Without taking into consideration that some first team players are missing due to injuries or suspensions?

MISLEADING ARTICLES

Are you a regular visitor of some soccer forums? Do you often read up postings from other users that claim to have valuable information about their friends, bosses or insiders?

Chances are they are bookmakers revealing wrong details to make you confused and ended up with a bad decision.