"Sharps" and "Squares"

[brucesmall]

Please can people stop using these terms? I think it doesn't matter what you pick as long as it wins. So please there is no such thing besides picking a winner.

[fecgp40]

Please can people stop using these terms? I think it doesn't matter what you pick as long as it wins. So please there is no such thing besides picking a winner.

Agreed, but I'm afraid people will be using these terms until the end of time.

[HumanCentipede]

yeah, i agree but the term "sharps" has been around forever to describe some mythical vegas insider gambling man

[fecgp40]

yeah, i agree but the term "sharps" has been around forever to describe some mythical vegas insider gambling man

Yup. I think the bottom line is to just ignore it.

[Believeland]

If I already like a side and someone calls me a square because they like the other side... I tend to love my square side even more

[sneakerhead]

Square side is heavy public side and public usually loses

[brucesmall]

Yes, but if you purely bet against the public than you will probably not win that much if any. It needs to based on who will cover, not betting trends on public. Now if that helps you along with an intelligent pick than so be it. But, to just bet on this imo is a bad idea.

Call me a Square, cause I'm doing well this season.

I just get tired of people on this forum acting as if they are a "sharp". Very few sharps are on this site.

[guy Fawkes]

Please can people stop using these terms? I think it doesn't matter what you pick as long as it wins. So please there is no such thing besides picking a winner.

I get where you're coming from on this, but the terms still apply. There are plays that have great positive EV and terrible EV. While that alone doesn't make someone a "good" gambler; research, effort and reliability all come together to make someone an "intelligent" gambler.

I have a friend that tried betting NCAAF football a couple years ago and still dabbles once in a blue moon. He will only bet -400 or more teams ML. He wins almost every time. He is also a terrible "square". If a team is going off at +2000 and I think they will win 1 game if the game was played 10 times I will take the bet every time knowing I will only win 10% of the time. My friend would bet the other side and look great 90% of the time. Over time the "sharp" play will still show profit.

To say it doesn't matter what you pick as long as it wins is contrary to any long-term strategy.

[boeing power]

Square side is heavy public side and public usually loses

i disagree, public usually hits around 50% and gets juiced to death

just check these overall numbers in BTP contest


WLT: 7768-7278-1133
Percent: 51.63 %
Units: -235.49

[brucesmall]

I just think it boils down to the teams, tendencies, strategy, athletes.... Not value. Now I look for value and the best bet I can get for the pick I came up with.

[suicidekings]

When talking about the "sharp"/"square" side of a particular game... bullshit.

But when we're talking about methodology, the terms have some credibility. It's not rocket science to tell that the guy regularly buying the -2.5 opener instead of the gameday -4 has a better chance of longterm profit.

The assumption that the current -4 has value because the other guy bought it at -2.5 is actually called something else... "Stupid"

[BettingWizard]

sharps are pros that do this for a living. So no, we won't stop using the terms

[zuluhead1``1]

Square side is heavy public side and public usually loses

That is incorrect. Sharps are people who study games and stats and cap the games for themselves. Squares are people who place bets based on ideas such as "Fade the public" and othe such non-sense.