Punters no longer need to wait until all matches end before
they can get some cash. With the emergence of smartphones and mobile devices,
bookmakers have come up with the cash out, the opportunity for punters to call
time on their bets by accepting the amount offered to them instead of waiting
till all matches on their bets end.
There are usually two scenarios where punters are tempted to
cash their bets out: when things aren’t going well or when things are going
well. Let us look at examples of both scenarios.
(a) Things aren’t
going well
Let us assume you placed your bet on the match Manchester
United v Everton using Ksh 10,000 at odds 1.80, meaning you expect Ksh 18,000
as a return. Then unfortunately, Everton scores an early goal and takes
Manchester United to half time leading 1-0. Now at half time, the bookmaker
decides to offer Ksh 6000 cash so you can pick this, cut your losses and run.
This means you have a dilemma of either waiting for Manchester United to
equalize and then win the game or just give up on them winning and pick the cash
on offer.
(b) Things are
going well
The other scenario is when the team you placed your money on
is already ahead and the bookmaker offers you some money so the tie is settled
quicker. For example, if you placed a Ksh 1000 bet on Manchester United to beat
Chelsea at odds 2.20 and then fortunately it is half time and Manchester United
are already leading by 1-0, you would be earning Ksh 2200 if you wait till the
end and Manchester United wins. But what if at half time the bookmaker offers
Ksh 1500 so you can cash out on your bet? Many will take the offer by the
bookmaker because in the vast majority of cases, waiting for Manchester United
to hold on to win will fail and the bookmaker will make more money as a result.
Cashing out on a multiple bet
Multiple bet can be greatly rewarding when successful.
Because of this reason, bookmakers offer huge cash out profits on multiple
bets. For example, if you have a six-fold accumulator and four selections are
already in, then the bookmaker may want you out of the way by offering you
cash. The cash out in this case will be generously rewarding. As a clever
punter who does not want to lose money if the two remaining teams fail, you
will cash your bet out at a profit and move on to other things. While some punters may not fancy cashing out
on their multiple bets, it is worth remembering that most multiple bets often
fail and bookmakers make money as a consequence. So if you are offered a good
profit to cash out on your bet, it is more prudent to cash out than to wait for
all the matches to finish.
Making the right cash out decision
Wise punters use statistics to help them make cash out
decisions, but for gamblers with very little at stake this may be quite a huge ask.
However, if you want to maximize your profits consistently then application of
statistics is necessary. For example, if Manchester United have never won a
game against Chelsea for 7 years after taking the lead in the first half, then
you may be tempted to cash out instead of waiting for the match to end. On the
contrary, if Manchester United has won 80% of all matches against Chelsea after
taking a lead of 1-0, then you may choose to wait for the match to end.
Secondly, you need to consider whether the leading team has
been conceding late goals recently. For example, if Manchester United has been
scoring most of its goals between the 60th and 90th minute and conceding most
goals between the 10th and 40th minute, taking an early lead against Chelsea
may be a bonus for you and you may not need to cash out as Manchester United may
even score more goals.
Cashing out is a great way to minimize the effects of a bad
betting day and to boost a good one. But when you make cash out decisions:
(a) Be
philosophical, remembering that a cash out offers a good profit on your stake.
(b) Remember the
reason why you placed your bet. If the reason is not yet achieved, then keep
the bet out there till all matches finish.
(c) Use statistics
to improve your decision-making.
(d) Remember that
most goals are scored in the last 30 minutes of football matches. So if your
team is leading but you are not sure if it can hold out then a cashing out is
ideal.