Punting is far less risky than having an affair or a secret second.
Any married dude having an affair must have some fear of a jilted mistress coming knocking at the door he's at home with wife and the kids.
Yes, punting is safer as you're not being too emotionally attached, or risking being found out by a jilted lover.
Thing is - from a woman's point of view punting is worse than any amount of affairs.
discovery of punting = instant divorce, lose kids and she'll tell all family and friends - and you'll be ostracised, and people will always whisper.
discovery of affair(s) = very often relationship survives, and even if family/friends told etc, its still generally forgiven, people even side with you.
A friend has recently gone though this (my punting is secret!) - and his soon-to-be ex wife is often chatting to my gf:
"I wish he'd just had an affair, I could've dealt with that", and her friends saying something like "seeing prossies is calculating - an affair is something he can't control"
- women thinking with emotions again