[No coincidences]

I've been doing this for nearly four years now. I wandered into sports gambling after being big on almost everything competitive my whole life, having played in high school and college. I had a ton of success in fantasy sports from the time I was a senior in high school up until a few years ago, when I basically left that world for this one (for a reason I still can't quite define).

I'm mostly writing this because I've been on a nice run lately. I've been doing well in baseball, and I've been able to make three decent payout requests in the past few months. I'm by no means a big-time gambler; I do this for fun, not to put food on the table. Disposable income gambler. Still, the money has come in handy recently.

How do I feel about it? I don't know. I think and hope I've "turned a corner," at least in how I'm capping games, but I still have very little control and can't seem to get the quantity over quality down pat. I honestly seem to have more energy and drive when I'm losing, if that makes any sense. Winning recently has kind of mellowed me out a little. Again, not sure why but hard to explain. I'm definitely not as "satisfied," or happy, as I thought I would be from being relatively successful.

I've also tried to grasp the "why" of betting on sports. It's not legal, and to be honest, not really +EV either for a guy like me with a family and other obligations. I know it doesn't really seem like it, but I do spend a lot of time away from this board doing other things. It's just that when I'm on a computer, really SBR is the only page I even visit anymore other than reading my e-mail.

There is a legitimate and fundamental reason successful cappers spend a ton of time researching the games they put money on. We're trying to predict the unpredictable; to find angles that most fans and even the athletes themselves maybe haven't even thought about or don't know about yet. We're attempting to say what will happen in a world of uncertainty. That isn't really rational if you think about it, and most ex-athletes would probably agree (unless you have some sort of "in" with a team or player beforehand).

Anyway, I know this is a long post that isn't necessarily saying anything or going anywhere. I don't really know how I feel about doing this into the future, or how long I will even continue. I don't have a local, and it seems like the off-shore industry is always on the verge of the apocalypse. Someday, I'll probably re-gain my sanity and return to fantasy sports to pass the time.

I love crunching numbers and looking at stats. Always have. Believe it or not, I rarely -- if ever -- watch games I bet on, or even many games in general. For some reason, this bug has bit me and I can't seem to shake it. I love the action and the instant results, win or lose (I would say gratification, yet that's only when we win). Yet there has to be a masochistic side to us that likes to lose and chase just a little, right?

Rant over.

[No coincidences]

One more thing: I think the answer to sports gambling is to be very selective, picking and choosing your spots and betting big. Grinding for a "profit" is kind of for suckers, and I'm a sucker. With that being said, I don't have the whatever -- balls, confidence, stupidity or all three -- to isolate and put large amounts of money on games. I don't think I've ever had more than $4-500 on a single bet, and when I have, it's been more stress and hassle than it's worth. Yet that's probably the best avenue to take once you know how, where and why to pick and choose your spots. Go figure.

[tony_come]

I bet big money

I have no money left

Bizness as usual

[Deuce]

Looking for lines moving 12 hours a day. SBS

[tony_come]

^too much work

[tony_come]

$20

That's crazy

[No coincidences]

$20

That's crazy

$20 per unit, yet I've made nearly 1,800 documented plays at SBR in the past nine months, which comes out to over $100,000 I've put in play. So when you look at it that way, it's insanity. Or crazy, as you say.

[tony_come]

$20 is money

[No coincidences]

$20 is money

So is $100,000. I've "spread it out" well and pretended like it's not a lot because I'm not going big on each game. Yet when you break it down that way, that's a lot of scratch -- at least for a small-timer like me.

If I play 10 MLB games in a night for a total of $300 then drop another $1-200 on a handful of NBA games, am I really being smarter or more disciplined than the guy who picks one or two games and goes bigger? I may be minimizing the damage of a loss or two, but I'm also bringing a lot more variance into the equation.

[GamblerSpirit]

$20 per unit, yet I've made nearly 1,800
documented plays at SBR in the past nine months, which comes out to over $100,000 I've put in play. So when you look at it that way, it's insanity. Or crazy, as you say.

The math comes out to 36000? How many units do you gamble on the average wager?

[No coincidences]

The math comes out to 36000? How many units do you gamble on the average wager?

I've made 1,800 plays, but they haven't all been for a unit each ($20). I've rarely gone as high as $4-500 on plays in the past, but on a daily basis a 5U one isn't out of the equation. I had 7.7 to win 7 on OKC last night.

[The Giant]

I don't understand what I just read.

Is the OP saying gambling is good, bad, or he's become indifferent?

What's going on?

[The Giant]

Oh, damn. Check out that sweet ace reporter badge I've got.

Maybe this will help me figure things out in this thread. Give me a minute to deduce things.

[tto827]

I know exactly what you feel like OP, its the same thing Louisvillekid and I have said many times, we don't gamble to make money, or with the intent of losing, we just do it for the ride. It's a challenge to beat the odds and win money, yet winning doesn't make you feel successful, and losing just makes you want to win it back.

It's a dead end road, no idea why we do it but we do. Personally I am trying to go on one more run, make some money, then wind it down and become a true spot bettor, because I agree that's the way to make $$.

[I/O]

Gambling and/or SBR is not filling some void you have in your life. You are, possibly unknowingly, realizing gambling only goes so far and has a time life and a certain level of importance.

Good for you

[I/O]

Oh, damn. Check out that sweet ace reporter badge I've got.

Maybe this will help me figure things out in this thread. Give me a minute to deduce things.

You know how I know you're gay?

[tto827]

You know how I know you're gay?

Cause you had to take his dick out of your hand to type that?

[The Giant]

You know how I know you're gay?

Of course I know. I know everything. I'm an ace reporter.

[iifold]

I'm an Ace Fukkin Reporter!!!

Royals should win on Monday...

[broadway6]

Gambling is an addiction and we love the ups and downs. Of course, we love the ups a lot more. Every few weeks I feel like "I've figured it out" but I have to start searching again a week or two later. It's like golf, I hate it but love it.

[JayLA]

Residual income gambler...good for you.

[No coincidences]

I don't understand what I just read.

Is the OP saying gambling is good, bad, or he's become indifferent?

What's going on?

A little bit of everything, Giant. It was late and I was buzzed.

[No coincidences]

I know exactly what you feel like OP, its the same thing Louisvillekid and I have said many times, we don't gamble to make money, or with the intent of losing, we just do it for the ride. It's a challenge to beat the odds and win money, yet winning doesn't make you feel successful, and losing just makes you want to win it back.

It's a dead end road, no idea why we do it but we do. Personally I am trying to go on one more run, make some money, then wind it down and become a true spot bettor, because I agree that's the way to make $$.

Cliffs Notes to my post right here.

[No coincidences]

It's like golf, I hate it but love it.

That's a great comparison. And what do you know -- I play golf too. Have for over 20 years.

[No coincidences]

Residual income gambler...good for you.

Thanks, Jay. I'm not ever putting "real" money into the equation. If that makes me an "SBS," so be it.

[KingJD31]

20 bucks for 1 gm doesn't do it for me unless it's a im bored type bet. Only reason i gamble is to hit that big parlay, i rarely bet su now

[No coincidences]

20 bucks for 1 gm doesn't do it for me unless it's a im bored type bet. Only reason i gamble is to hit that big parlay, i rarely bet su now

I'm the opposite. I used to bet a lot of parlays at first, and of course it's a thrill to hit them, but I started calculating how often I actually did win and just quit because it wasn't worth it. Do you hit a lot of parlays?

It's disposable income and it isn't much, but money is money and I'm not really interested in flushing any of it away on long shots. It's hard enough to get one game right, let alone four or five.

[actiondan]

This thread is gayer than a bag of dikks

[dodger33]

I know your feeling no coin. I like the reflection. Every once and awhile everyone should be asking themselves, as with anything in life, why the hell am I doing this. If your heart isn't in it or you are doing it for the wrong reasons then quit or take some time off. This business is one gigantic grind and you can get worn down from time to time.

[Louisvillekid1]

Love coiner...

Guey if you love it then why ask why? Just continue doing what you're doing.

also in need of a few cocktails and nice blow job ASAP.

[No coincidences]

also in need of a few cocktails and nice blow job ASAP.

Got both last night LK. Thanks pal.

[Louisvillekid1]

God bless' ya...

[No coincidences]

God bless' ya...

I was in a very mellow place last night. Winning, sex and booze -- in no particular order but concurrently -- will do that to you. LOL.

[lesterdymond]

You speak for the majority. A 50 spot winner feels good. But a 0-2 day with a chase bet gets you more geeked for action.

[Louisvillekid1]

Just don't make it a habit of posting drunken rants, that's my thing.