Online sports betting can be a great way to make large amounts of money fast. Placing several high stakes bets on a single sporting event can mean a lot of profit in a very short period of time if your team wins. However with the high risk of loss in these types of bets, the question is: Is it worth the risk?

My opinion is that it depends on three simple factors.

1.) How much can you afford to lose?

When most people gamble they think about how much they will make when they win, this is just human nature. It's also very important to consider exactly how much you can afford to lose. Remember that many sports bets are 50/50 gambles, even if you're sure your teams got the advantage, things can change quickly. Always consider how much you can lose in a bet before placing it.

2.) Are you really knowledgeable about a specific sport?

This one is simple, before laying down large sums of money in a bet, be sure that you know a lot about the sport you're betting. An occasional channel flip to an NFL game doesn't make anyone an expert.

3.) Do you have an advantage?

Let's face it, most people are going to put their money behind the team that has the best chance of winning. Therefore it's going to be difficult to place many bets against a team which will most probably be the victor.

So when you're betting with the underdog, make sure you have an advantage. Does this team have a secret strength that will give them a better chance of winning? Is there something you know about the match or game that others don't? etc. Identifying your team's strengths against the opponent is extremely important.