Wagering Choices. Pluses and Minuses.

[BigdaddyQH]

I'm new to this forum, but have extensive experience with wagering with every type of book you can imagine. Here are a few pluses and minuses. I hope this helps everyone in here.

The best and safest way to wager is thru a Casino's Sportsbook in Nevada. Everything is straight up, and right in front of you. Immediate payment upon winning. No hassles about how much is in your account. No hasssles about "unknown" house rules. The obvious disadvantage is that unless you live within a short distance of one of these Nevada Casinos, or know someone who can run your wagers, a Nevada Casino can be very difficult to get to week after week.

Offshore books are next. In most cases, if you do your homework and research these books, including financial statements, customer service problems, and customer satisfacion, you can feel safe playing these books. The biggest advantage is the fact that if you can open accounts at several offshore books, you may get up to 1 point difference in the odds, in your favor. How many games have you failed to cover by 1/2 or 1 point? One game a year can make a difference, if it is a big game. The biggest disadvantage is this. Your money is in their country, and you are playing by their rules. Trying to get a problem solved can be a very taxing experience. Unless you are talking about a large amount of money, in most cases it would cost too much money to legally pursue a disagreement.

The old neighborhood bookie is next. You know, that nice guy who will "loan" you a few bucks if you are on a losing streak.(At a small "handling" charge of 50%) The risks are obvious here, but here is another little tidbit that a lot of players do not know. Many street books now play "ties lose" on straight "totals" wagers as well as parlays and teasers. Some push it to the limit (excuse the pun) by playing "ties lose" with straight side wagers also.

No matter which way you go, remember to do your homework. Just like wagering itself, research is the key. Good Luck this year everyone.

[Rocky414]

I agree for the most part.

Vegas took a big nosedive though over the last several years. Especially for sharp players. It really turned into a joke.

But from what I understand, Vegas is making a little comeback. Which I'm glad to hear.

The local guys - are there any left that pay? LOL

I feel pretty safe with the major offshores like Pinnacle. It's the lesser known ones you still have to be leary of.

[BigdaddyQH]

Believe it or not, there are guys who still swear by their buddy, the local bookie. Even though they get the worst possible odds and the worst possible rules (ties lose on just about everything now), they like the fact that their "friend" will float them a few bucks when they are down. These are your bettors that generally lose, and bet with their heart, not their wallets or head.

I have open accounts at 10 different offshore books as well as an arrangement in Vegas. I use all of the books to one degree or another. As I previously stated, there can be a big difference in lines. BoDog always tacks on 1/2 to 1 point on the favorite. Other books like to shave 1/2 to 1 point off the favorite. Get a situation where BoDog has a team at -3 1/2 and someone else has them at -2 1/2, and you can cash in on a nice middle.
Last year this situation occured several times. Oakland was anywheres between -2 1/2 and -3 1/2 against Jacksonville in week 2. The Raiders won 13-10. Atlanta faced the same situation against Carolina Week 15 and won 34-31. Week 4 saw Denver in the same boat against Tampa Bay. Denver won 16-13. There were others. I have turned a nice profit "Middling" 3 point lines over the years. You may not make a fortune, but it is an excellent hedge against your other straight plays.

[Jeff]

You hit the nail on the head with the locals. They still exist for one reason. CREDIT.

The heyday for middling the 3's in the NFL was when Aces Gold was around. They used to let you buy off and on the 3 for 10 cents. Guys were going in and taking the 3 down to -2.5 and then buying the 3 up to +3.5....oh, and this was on NO JUICE friday. So you'd be laying 10 cents each way.

These days it's rare to see the books move on or off the 3. They all move the moneyline instead

[BigdaddyQH]

Many of the books use one service for their opening lines, the Las Vegas Sports Service. With so many hotels being run by so few companies now, the days of different spreads in the hotels are gone. I have been to Vegas well over 1000 times, for various reasons. Back in the old days you could see Team "A" at -4 at Caesars, then walk across the street and see them at -3 1/2 at the Flamingo, and cross another street to see them at -4 1/2 at Bally's (or the old MGM Grand, depending on how far back you want to go). Now, Caesars, the Flamingo, and Bally's are all owned by Harrah's, so the odds are going to be identical. Whatever the main computer spits out, is what you will get in any Harrah's casino. Ditto for the MGM-Mirage conglomerate.

This is why I use so many different offshore books. They do a much smaller volume than the big boys. Because of this, they must correct their lines more often to even out the betting pattern. I have told everyone I know this one simple truth about sportsbooks. Sportsbooks are in the business of making money, not gambling.

The advantages are easy to spot. If you see a book that has been overloaded on one team, and can not lay off all of their action, they will be forced to make the correction. If you are at the right place at the right time, the changes can be huge.