The end of an era: Is Scalping Gone Forever?

[Boomer]

This season since the Poker Players have stopped playing, there are absolutely no scalping opportunities available. There are other factors in play also making this a terrible year which unfortunately, seem to be permanent ones.

One of them is the Island Express feed which has added a large number of solid sportsbooks, but whose previously different numbers will now be hammered into line, thus making opportunity for scalps few and far between, if any.

Post Time was acquired by WWTS and as more consolidation occurs in the industry, the opportunity for scalps shall disappear even further. Post Time was a very good source for off numbers, now with them appearing on Island Express and their new ownership situation, I doubt there will be any oppotunity there at all.

It's enough to make a scalper/middler contemplate my three least favorite words: "Get A Job."

It was fun while it lasted...

[AussieVamp2]

Or, you mean, no baseball scalping opportunities available.......

[reno]

Boomer, there are plenty of scalping opportunities...for those who take leads. What this increasing market efficiency does is to drive out those who can only take scalps that already exist. A pro will take positions and wait for the line to move the way he predicts. If there is no line volatility, then scalping is impossible. However, even without the Pokers there is still sufficient line movement for a sharp scalper to make decent money. But without the Pokers, and with virtually every book now putting their numbers on the Don Best Grid, scalping has definitely become a much tougher, less lucrative gig.

[OLD MAN]

HOW ABOUT ATL/BAL-YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN BAL+19
AND LAID ATL -11....RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE
POST TIME AND WWTS ARE DEALING DIF LINES-
JUST LIKE ABC AND CRIS-PROBABLY SEE THAT
CHANGE WHEN FOOTBALL ROLLS AROUND.........

[Boomer]

Reno,

I believe every scalper but a few cannot ply his "trade" anymore. I never professed to have the talent nor knowledge to predict which way baseball lines were going to move on a regular basis.

To overcome both the ten point spread and successfully choose the right direction is too much for everyone except the sharpest of the sharp to overcome. I know you do it on a regular basis but most of us don't have a clue.

Scalping isn't "scalping" if you have to predict the future. It's the same as predicting whether a stock will go up or down, there is risk involved and you always have to beat the spread.

It seems to me that the days of "free money" are gone. If you are truly able to predict line movement consistently enough to eke out a living, its my opinion you deserve every cent you make.

Guys like me will just have to figure out another way or "get a job."

Like I said, it was fun while it lasted...

Well, some of the time.

[bucky]

Maybe some of the easy money is gone. Depends on how hard you are willing to work at it as far as survival. There might be some "balance of nature" here where the strongest or most creative will still do OK.
Less scalpers - less competition for the play - cold cruel world out there.

Perhaps, the whales will come back out and burn the books which would be good or maybe the cappers will go on a winning streak.

They say the pokers aren't playing, maybe the scalpers should stop playing for awhile and let the books hold a little once in awhile.

Too bad there isn't a scalpers union and annual convention held in Vegas. I'm sure each scalper has a few pet ideas he could hold a seminar on but who is willing to let go of his or her trade secrets.

[This message has been edited by bucky (edited 07-13-2000).]

[AussieVamp2]

Imagine having to pick some winners

oh, the horror

[Boomer]

Aussievamp2...

I gambled plenty. Before I started scalping and after the Pokers stopped this year. I always gamble for fun because I enjoy it so much.

But there's a big difference between doing something for fun and depending on it for a living. That's why I'm starting the McDonald's Management Training Program on Monday morning.

[Bette Midler]

Boomer..

Let me know if there are any openings on the evening shift. Post time has been so quiet these days that the thought of baggin burgers sounds stimulating.

Better yet, maybe Reno will post up some seed money for a Haagen Daaz franchise. I'm thinking we could offer him a free lifetime supply in exchange for a few leads each week.

"How 'bout some fries with that, sir?"

[thedevil]

Boomer,

Will your new posting name be McBoomer.

THE McDEVIL

[AussieVamp2]

Boomer is actually a name for a big-arse kangaroo by the way, so that would be a fairly tasty burger

[krackman]

Reno did you get my mail a few days ago ?

[chestrockwells]

McDonalds huh Boomer. Great! I'll assume that we'll all be able to stop by for free food by next week.......since you'll be manager by then or at least the assistant mgr.

[mikren]

"and that's when the big bucks start rollin' in!"

[Never_loose]

I don't think scalping is gone (their was a nice opportunity at Wimbelton last weekend, wsex, caribsports, intertops where offering +220, +215, +225 for Rafter while you could get Sampras at -200 at willhill and betzone) but I agree with Boomer that the easy money is slowly melting down.

This reminds me of when I used to work on the side of the beach at Key Biscayne down in Florida renting out windsurfers. At the end of the day I would go out with a mask and tuba, in only 4 or 5 feet of water I would spot folding 5, 10, 20 and once 50 dollar bills wogling around openning up and clossing with the wave motion. I was quite impressed, of course I took a little dive and picked up my findings. No use to say a few weeks later it was over, the good stuff was picked out (estimated at a max of $200 - $250). I think this little example describes well the discovery, the pleasure, the profit and the end of "exploiting an opportunity".

Of course their is money, but I think their is more pleasure and well-feeling in the discovery and the unexpected. A good day's work with a few private lessons could give me a good $150.00-$200.00, and it was fun. Even today I ask my self, "Was I going out their for the money - or more by curiosity?"

(leaning a bit off topic here - sorry)

I discovered "scalping" (I actualy learned the word here much later) by looking at lines from different books and noticed some good differences at times. At first I was a bit scared to go on both sides, wondering if it was maybe illegal or not ok. At some times I felt a bit sorry for the book that I would win, and ask my payout, but I was allways carefull to follow the rules, and did not hessitate to call the books when I saw a "bad" (typo) line.

To realy prevent scalping, the books would have to rely on one authority that would post the lines, and have an electronic hookup with them, so that changes would happen at the same time everywhere (I guess it's like this in the stock market - where you can buy something on different markets, but the price is always the same (say 0.1% diff max) where ever you go). But I feel this will not happen in the near future because the books are not regulated, si you will allways have the little new one who want's to be a bit different, and who will move the line.

In conclusion, I think online sportsbetting will tend to create bookmakers that gamble a bit more and gamblers that gamble a bit less.

Thanks to Bettorsworld for letting me share my thoughts, and thanks to all the others for sharing your experiences.