In a complex, dynamic soccer
betting environment, human error remains an inescapable threat.
It can manifest anywhere anytime. Judgement and decision making
is one of many fallible influences to success in soccer betting.
We shall discuss decision making
strategies and the role of habit in dangerous decision making
that may result in serious loss.
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.