When and how is a "bet" considered a promise, and what exactly is a bet versus a promise?

[MayorQuimby]

Not sure what OP is trying to say. Where I live, a bet (which I think he means a bet on sports teams) is not considered a promise. This is not how we normally use the word promise. In the context of sports betting, a bet is like an agreement to pay a certain amount of money if one loses.

Anyway, I hardly see why this thread didn't get trashed. This matter does not deserve any sort of pondering. No offense to OP.