Tilt. The one thing every bettor don’t admit they suffer from. The emotional response where frustration and desperation take control. The thing that can instantly kill your game. You no longer decide. You react.
When it comes to sports betting, tilt usually appears after a bad beat, a losing streak or an “unfair” outcome. Instead of trying to keep the same strategy, emotions take control. Stake sizes increase and you chase losses, convincing yourself that the next bet fixes everything and you get your loss back. Big mistake.
Most bettors don’t lose because they lack knowledge. Most of the times these people are tremendously knowledgeable about the sport. They let emotions take control of them. And, of course, their strategy gets hijacked. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a casino or in betting websites accepting neteller as a deposit method. Once tilt appears, you have to get rid of it.
But how do top-tier bettors avoid tilt? Is there a way average joe’s can control their emotional responses?
What is Tilt and Why It’s Dangerous for Your Bankroll
As briefly explained before, Tilt is the emotional response, or mental state, of confusion or frustration in which a player adapts their strategy and becomes overly aggressive. Essentially, it’s making those decisions you would laugh at if someone else did them. You stop seeing the risk and only focus on getting your loss back.
Tilt also affects the speed at which you place your bets. The frequency goes through the moon. Your sole focus is to get the money back as fast as possible, making a rapid-fire approach where you are not being rational.
But one of the most dangerous aspects of tilt has to be frequency. If tilt becomes a routine you’re lost. At that point, your picks don’t matter. Once you lose it’s the same emotional response process again.
Luckily, there are many ways through which you can avoid triggering this emotional response, keeping yourself cool under pressure.
Identifying Triggers
One of the best ways to avoid tilt is identifying what emotional responses trigger your brain and make you take those decisions. Remember that avoiding tilt requires structure, not willpower. You need to build a system that makes those emotional responses disappear.
Before doing anything, think about the number of bets you will be placing. And do not exceed that number. Then, decide which sports (football, cricket…) or games you want to place your bets on and establish your minimum viable conditions. Make bets you’re comfortable with, not bets that are tempting.
Have a very careful look at streaks. Yes, whether you win or lose. Both can be dangerous. A losing streak can lead you into making frustrated decisions, letting go of your strategy and start second-guessing. You try to get your loss back and end up losing everything. Same applies to the winning streaks. You get overconfident, you start betting more and, suddenly, you’ve lost everything.
Also take other factors into consideration: alcohol, stress, distractions, fatigue can all affect your decision-making. It’s very important you break everything done, analyze your mental state, and only place bets when you’re comfortable.
How to Avoid Tilt
We already said it before, but avoiding tilt is all about strategy, not willpower. Make a fixed strategy and never break it. Establish a clear bankroll and only use 1-2%. Whether you win or lose, you minimize tilt.
Tracking bets is one good example of how you can avoid tilt. By analyzing the bets you placed, you can review your losses and track common patterns. You’ll see when tilt takes control and understand why the emotional response is triggered. It’s difficult, but it’s the best way to avoid the problem.
Another great way to avoid tilt is by forcing yourself out after losing. Step away, let emotions cool and, once you’re calm, play again. Most professionals use this same strategy. Not betting is sometimes the most profitable bet you can place.
Finally, use platforms where you reduce friction in your betting process. Places where you need to have a separate account and can only use a limited amount of money. That way you reduce the risks of suffering from tilt considerably.
