This is probably a dumb question. Do they have an inside line or do they do a lot of research?
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Just focus on your job, bro... this is not for you.Comment -
There are no sharps. They are a myth...like Bigfoot. There are those who think they are sharps...or they think they are on the sharp side. They refer to the other side as the public or the squares. This makes them feel special...and makes them stand out to the other boys in the forum. Make no mistake...there are some people who are very good at this. I am sure they are in there early every week, trying to get the best line. I am also certain that for every one of these "sharps" in line early, there are about 3 or 4 assclowns who think they are sharps in line as well betting the early spread. Even the best are just trying to hit around 65% or a little better.Comment -
Probably so. You can research stats all you want, but they don't account for injuries during the game, letdowns, extra motivation by the underdog, bad calls, etc. One thing's for certain. You're not going to make much money going with the majority in much more than half of the games. It seems like at least one game in 4 trips up the general public - usually one that makes a killing for the books.Comment -
IMHO: The biggest (but not sole) difference is game selection and approach to betting:
Two guys look at the 'big board' in a Vegas sportsbook. The first guy looks for Alabama and sees they are playing Ole Miss this week. "Well, that will be a helluva game!" he thinks to himself. "I've had good experiences the last few times I've bet on Alabama and I had a lot of fun winning some money. I want that experience again, so I'll bet $100 on Alabama. Oh is Florida State playing Wake Forest? Man that's gonna be a slaughter." The first man looks towards the counter, beer in one hand, wallet in the other and makes his first step.
The second man is still looking at the board. "Ole Miss has moved to +4.5 from 6. My research capped this game around a +3.5, so there isn't much value left there. Oh Southern Miss has gone to +18, the line is moving towards Middle Tennessee and I've capped this game favorably for Southern Miss. I knew the public would bet on the team they've heard of at home, I'm glad I waited and didn't place my bet Tuesday. What else has moved since then?" After looking at each game on the board the man begins to walk toward the counter. Just before purchasing his ticket he thinks, "It's a small wager this week, but I've always got next week."
**Disclaimer: I'm not claiming the 'sharp' status. I don't, truly, think it's humanly attainable. 'Sharp' or 'square' are more like qualities than a habitable state. I've known men that had good hearts and I've known men that had bad intentions, but I've never met a truly 'good' man or a truly 'evil' man, same with 'capping.Comment
