Everyone loves a rivalry. Yankees vs. Red Sox, Blackhawks vs. Red Wings, U.S. vs. the world, I could go on for hours. They’re exciting, intense, physical, and for all involved and watching at home there just feels as though more is at stake.
There’s more hype and online sports betting for these games than a summer blockbuster movie sometimes, and more often than not, the games tend to live up to what they were billed as. Even better, depending on how a team’s schedule stacks up, we might even get to see them play that big rivalry game in the first part of their season.
So what’s the problem gamblers?
Well, as a gambler myself, here’s how I look at it. You don’t want that awesome fudge Sunday too early at the dinner table. It might taste great, but you end up not caring about the appetizers, main course and coffee afterward. That’s similar to getting the great game too early in the season. There’s no buildup, no pacing of excitement. So you’ll probably do some hardcore research on that game, bet your brains out, and then suffer from gambler’s hangover (win or lose) for the next few games, weeks or months. It happen subconsciously to most of us, there’s nothing you can do about it.
This especially hits home at the college level. Nobody wants to see Duke vs. North Carolina when they’re both 2-0. Sure, the same season might be at stake in November than it would be in February, but fans and the betting community don’t see it that way, and most of us aren’t looking that far down the road until we cross it. So the early matchup takes some of the luster out of the rivalry game, and also kills one team’s chances of getting to the title game (in football, at least).
You might not agree with me right now, but it’s just not as easy to get into college football betting Florida or USC if you know they’re not playing for the title. Same with a conference favorite – if they’re not even in bowl game contention, it takes away from the fun of betting them. Of course, if you like the line, there’s always a reason to bet, but that’s not the point.
So do all sports fans and gamblers a favor schedule-setters, and don’t jump the gun on the sweetest part of the season.