Read this before you bet

We do not guarantee anything

Nothing on this site is a prediction of what will happen to your money. The calculators do arithmetic on numbers you type in. The tracker is a log of past picks. Past results do not predict future results, and a handicapper who hit 55% last season can hit 48% next season.

For the large majority of people who bet on sports, the long-run outcome is losing money. The most likely outcome of betting over time is losing everything you put into the account. If you set your bankroll correctly, that outcome is survivable. If you did not, stop now.

Rules that protect you

1. Only play with money you can lose completely.

   Not rent, not savings you will need, not borrowed money, not credit.

2. One account, one deposit, no top-ups.

   If the bankroll goes to zero, you are done. That was the deal you made with yourself.

3. Set a daily and weekly stop before you bet.

   Write it down. Most sportsbooks let you set deposit, wager and time limits in your account settings. Use them.

4. Never chase.

   A loss does not make the next bet more likely to win and it does not justify a bigger stake.

5. Do not bet when upset, tired or drinking.

   Every pro says it. Every losing bettor ignores it.

6. Treat it as entertainment with a cost.

   If you are counting on betting income to pay for anything, your bet size is zero.

If it has stopped being fun

Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). It is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day across the United States. You can also use the self-exclusion tools offered by your state regulator and by every licensed sportsbook.

What this site is and is not

First Principles Plays is an educational site about bankroll discipline and decision making in sports betting. It is not a sportsbook and does not take bets. The plays membership is an opinion service for entertainment, sold and billed through Whop, with no refunds and no guarantee of any result. First Principles Plays is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, accountant or law firm, and nothing here is financial, investment, tax or legal advice. You must be 21 or older and located where sports betting is legal to bet; check your local laws.

The athletes referenced on this site are not affiliated with it and do not endorse it. The murals are original stylized artwork inspired by their jersey numbers and work ethic.