1. #1
    tink
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    Betting 4 A Living

    Anyone here, or anyone know of someone who wagers on sports for a living? If so, how much time do you or they put into researching games? Thanks all. This is the best sports wagering chatroom out there.

  2. #2
    JoshW
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    Several players around here do it. It is all about finding different ways to earn money. Lot of players use everything they can to get it done. Handicapping and understanding the basic values for points is important, but in order to earn a living most also take advantage of any edge possible. That usually means taking a bonus whenever you can, find slow lines so can get good bets. Handicapping alone can be very tough, I have seen most of those players burn out eventually.

  3. #3
    Bill Dozer
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    Very few can actually bet for a living. When people ask me if it's possible to make a living betting on sports I ask them how much they need to live.

    Should you plan on supporting a family on gambling winnings? No. Are you one of those rare people that already have a big bankroll yet only require $1,500 a month to live? You may have a shot to make it.

    Like Lakerfan said, line shopping is important...probably the most important thing.

  4. #4
    magnavox
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    Quote Originally Posted by lakerfan
    Handicapping alone can be very tough, I have seen most of those players burn out eventually.
    I wonder how much time it will take for pags to burn out with his gut-feel-style handicapping.

  5. #5
    bigboydan
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    you need a big liquid bankroll to start out with. and alot of good info if you even want to attempt something like this.

  6. #6
    jumper
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    even if all the above is going for you i believe it is necessary to have a steady income so you can keep gambling seperate and not be desperate for a win.we all go on losing streaks.this needs to be long term and hopefully your wins will average out more than your losses.what angers me most is when some handicapper tells you to bet more than you can afford to lose as even the most solid plays can lose with bad luck,etc.how many people purchase a season from a respected handicapper then by overbetting(greed) wipe out their bankroll or exceed their loss limit and cant stay around when the plays start winning again.only time scalping really works is baseball season and books arnt as generous with bonuses as they once were.

  7. #7
    imgv94
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    Quote Originally Posted by jumper
    even if all the above is going for you i believe it is necessary to have a steady income so you can keep gambling seperate and not be desperate for a win.we all go on losing streaks.this needs to be long term and hopefully your wins will average out more than your losses.what angers me most is when some handicapper tells you to bet more than you can afford to lose as even the most solid plays can lose with bad luck,etc.how many people purchase a season from a respected handicapper then by overbetting(greed) wipe out their bankroll or exceed their loss limit and cant stay around when the plays start winning again.only time scalping really works is baseball season and books arnt as generous with bonuses as they once were.

    Jumper I agree with you so much. Especially with
    even the most solid plays can lose. You are a
    genius bro!! VERY GOOD POST!! hey what is scalping??
    can someone answer that? I think I know but tell me
    more?

  8. #8
    pags11
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    it's nights like these that would drive me crazy if I did this for a living...had Portland +11 (lost by 10)...USF +9 (lost by 9) and Boise St. +10 (lost by 11)...

  9. #9
    bigboydan
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    jumper and IMG, You guys are right. you need side action to keep your bankroll very healthy at times, just in case you do go into a slump or something comes up unexpected. it's kind of hard to explain what i mean on a public forum though.

  10. #10
    newb411breaker19
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    anyone here know any professionals who play a lot of parlays?

  11. #11
    bigboydan
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    i don't know any real pros that play those things. parlays are virtualy sucker bets IMO

  12. #12
    Ganchrow
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  13. #13
    raiders72001
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    ganchrow beat me too it. I put this up at other places.

    100 games $100 each

    Perc Winners.. Wins Str.. Losses.. Wins Parl.. Losses
    45% 45.. 55.. 9.1100.. 90.8900
    50% 50.. 50.. 12.5000.. 87.5000
    55% 55.. 45.. 16.6375.. 83.3625
    60% 60.. 40.. 21.6000.. 78.4000

    Straight -110 Wins Losses Profit/Loss ROI
    45% $4,090.95 -$5,500.00 -$1,409.05 -14.09%
    50% $4,545.50 -$5,000.00 -$454.50 -4.55%
    55% $5,000.05 -$4,500.00 $500.05 5.00%
    60% $5,454.60 -$4,000.00 $1,454.60 14.55%


    Straight -105 Wins Losses Profit/Loss ROI
    45% $4,285.90 -$5,500.00 -$1,214.10 -12.14%
    50% $4,762.00 -$5,000.00 -$238.00 -2.38%
    55% $5,238.20 -$4,500.00 $738.20 7.38%
    60% $5,714.40 -$4,000.00 $1,714.40 17.14%


    Parlay 6-1 Wins Losses Profit/Loss ROI
    45% $5,466.00 -$9,089.00 -$3,623.00 -36.23%
    50% $7,500.00 -$8,750.00 -$1,250.00 -12.50%
    55% $9,982.50 -$8,336.25 $1,646.25 16.46%
    60% $12,960.00 -$7,840.00 $5,120.00 51.20%


    Parlay 6.5-1 Wins Losses Profit/Loss ROI
    45% $5,921.50 -$9,089.00 -$3,167.50 -31.68%
    50% $8,125.00 -$8,750.00 -$625.00 -6.25%
    55% $10,814.38 -$8,336.25 $2,478.13 24.78%
    60% $14,040.00 -$7,840.00 $6,200.00 62.00%

  14. #14
    marc
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    When you consider the fact that sportsbooks, who are getting +110 as opposed to -110, have the advatanage of setting the line, can see whihc way the sharp players are betting, can still lose money, how much more difficult is it for someone who is lay -110 to make money.

    As lakerfan pointed out simple things like line shopping and bonuss can dramatically increase your bankroll.

    for instance lets say you are right 60% of the time. IF you are laying -110 than for every $110 wagered you would expect to make $16. But now lets say that instead of -110 you can get -105, instead of making $16 you would make $18. The $2 may not sound like much but its 12.5% more than what you were making before. Or lets say instead of just getting -110, you also got a 20% bonus witha 5x roll. So with each 110 wagered you are basically earning $4 in bonus money, whihc means instead of making $16 you're now making $20 which is a 25% increase.

    My personal opin on is, if you wnat to handicap, use your talents for the stock market. There is less luck involved

  15. #15
    newb411breaker19
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    thanks ganchrow and raiders

  16. #16
    Bill Dozer
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    My personal opin on is, if you wnat to handicap, use your talents for the stock market. There is less luck involved
    Do you tell day traders they should move to the sports betting market?

  17. #17
    imgv94
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    I made 8k in the stock market

  18. #18
    bigboydan
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    Quote Originally Posted by marc
    My personal opin on is, if you wnat to handicap, use your talents for the stock market. There is less luck involved

    i disagree with that statement marc. like i said above, it just depends on if you get the right info is all.

  19. #19
    tacomax
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigboydan
    i disagree with that statement marc. like i said above, it just depends on if you get the right info is all.
    Playing the stockmarket is pretty much like sportsbetting - it's all about getting the right information to enable to you get a positive edge. Unless you're daytrading, it's a lot more of a long-term proposition though.

    In fact, investing forums are quite similar to betting forums. People thinking they're the next Warren Buffett due to a single good deal, people trying to blame "the market" for their unprofitable picks, people jumping in on the recommendations of touts and tipsters etc.

    I'll never forget one guy on one of the boards I used to visit. It was during the dotcom boom where, in the UK at least, it was free money after free money for a relatively long period of time. Even a monkey could make money during this time. This guy bought 10,000 shares at £1.50 each in a firm which shot up to £9.50 pretty quickly - he said he would sell when they hit £10 and not before. As it happened, £9.50 was the peak and they slowly sank down over a period of a few months and he kept holding and holding.

    He eventually sold at about £1 per share, turning a £80,000 potential profit into a £5,000 loss.

  20. #20
    pags11
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    they are definitely very similiar...sports betting just keeps my interest more...

  21. #21
    wiseguyplay
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    i bet for a living i just recently quit my job and continue to wager on the winnings

  22. #22
    wiseguyplay
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    handicapping is a waste of time, i never even look at the stats only the lines

    when u learn that the lines are important and the stats are history u will become successful

  23. #23
    newb411breaker19
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    i would love for you to explain further on that wiseguy

  24. #24
    tacomax
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    Quote Originally Posted by wiseguyplay
    handicapping is a waste of time, i never even look at the stats only the lines

    when u learn that the lines are important and the stats are history u will become successful
    If you ignore the stats, then you're losing a big edge. Some statistics are irrelevant, some statistics are important - it's up to you to figure out which is which. Look at these two statistical scenarios.

    1) Pitcher X has a 4-1 season record with a 2.3 ERA (as opposed to a normal 4.8 ERA) when he plays on a Wednesday evening game in a month with 30 days in it and while wearing his lucky pants.

    2) Pitcher Y has a 2-5 season record (and x3 the number of average walks) with a 5.8 ERA (as opposed to a normal 2.1 ERA) when home plate umpire Z officiates who is notorious for squeezing the strike zone.

    Would knowledge of these two statistics (which have not been recognised by the market) give you an edge? Would one help you, would they both help you or would none help you?

  25. #25
    bigboydan
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    Quote Originally Posted by wiseguyplay

    when u learn that the lines are important and the stats are history u will become successful

    your right about line importance, because that is very important. but, you do need to factor "everything" in to your capping.

  26. #26
    raiders72001
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    wg- "i bet for a living i just recently quit my job and continue to wager on the winnings



    handicapping is a waste of time, i never even look at the stats only the lines

    when u learn that the lines are important and the stats are history u will become successful "

    ---------------------

    and I had Salma Hayek last night and Jessica Alba the night before. Jessica Alba really didn't know what she was doing so I went to a little more experience in Hayek.

    Why does anyone even answer guy like this?

  27. #27
    wiseguyplay
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    all of u guys are right there is more than one way to winning but im up 10,000 grand for the year with neteller withdrawals to prove it

    went 100 percent yesterday

    1/26/2006
    Balance
    Amount

    STRAIGHT BET
    FRANCINEC/2524
    Risk/Win : 65/59
    Result: WIN
    183.00
    59.00
    1/26/2006
    NBA
    [1701] 1H ORLANDO +2½-110
    WIN

    STRAIGHT BET
    CARLETHIA/2544
    Risk/Win : 90/81
    Result: WIN
    264.00
    81.00
    1/26/2006
    CBB
    [1743] 1H USC +1½-110
    WIN

    STRAIGHT BET
    DELROY/2541
    Risk/Win : 93/84
    Result: WIN
    348.00
    84.00
    1/26/2006
    NBA
    [2704] 2H MIAMI u104½-110
    WIN

    STRAIGHT BET
    AGNES/2522
    Risk/Win : 110/100
    Result: WIN
    448.00
    100.00
    1/26/2006
    NBA
    [1706] 1H SEATTLE +2½-110
    WIN

    STRAIGHT BET
    PADDY/2535
    Risk/Win : 110/100
    Result: WIN
    548.00
    100.00
    1/26/2006
    CBB
    [2763] 2H WASHINGTON U -3½-110
    WIN

    STRAIGHT BET
    MAIKOD/2523
    Risk/Win : 128/116
    Result: WIN
    664.00
    116.00
    1/26/2006
    NBA
    [2706] 2H SEATTLE u104½-110
    WIN
    End Balance: 664.00
    Win/Loss: 540.00
    1/27/2006
    Last edited by wiseguyplay; 01-27-06 at 06:59 AM. Reason: sensitive information

  28. #28
    raiders72001
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    wg
    i bet for a living
    you bet for a living, you make $65 bets and your up $10k for the year. Mommy must pay the bills if you only need $10k for the year. How about posting some plays before the games go off. Better yet I'll take your money. I say that you can't hit 54% over 100 plays for $1000. I love taking money from jokers like you. A professional gambler like yourself should have no problem coming up with a dime.

  29. #29
    magnavox
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    Funny stuff.

  30. #30
    onlooker
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    Quote Originally Posted by raiders72001
    only need $10k for the year.
    I wish I could survive off of 10k a year.

  31. #31
    Illusion
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    Quote Originally Posted by raiders72001
    wg you bet for a living, you make $65 bets and your up $10k for the year. Mommy must pay the bills if you only need $10k for the year. How about posting some plays before the games go off. Better yet I'll take your money. I say that you can't hit 54% over 100 plays for $1000. I love taking money from jokers like you. A professional gambler like yourself should have no problem coming up with a dime.
    I'm sure a pro like him should have no trouble hitting 54% lol.

  32. #32
    CA_Bettor06
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    What's a Wise Guy?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dozer
    Very few can actually bet for a living. When people ask me if it's possible to make a living betting on sports I ask them how much they need to live.

    Should you plan on supporting a family on gambling winnings? No. Are you one of those rare people that already have a big bankroll yet only require $1,500 a month to live? You may have a shot to make it.

    Like Lakerfan said, line shopping is important...probably the most important thing.
    Bill, can you explain what: 'wise guy' or 'steam' moves betting is?

    I read on a sportsbook website that said that if a professional bettor shows these kinds of activity they don't qualify for bonuses. I don't know what they are talking about.

    Are they referring to arbitrage? Placing bets on both sides to guarantee a profit? Like in Team 1 vs. Team 2, if bookie A is offerring +175 for team 1 and bookie B is offerring -170 on team 2, then betting on both sides will generate a profit of +5?

    If that's the case then why would either bookies care. They both get your action anyway. There shouldn't be any rules against it.

  33. #33
    willyback
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    Professional gambling can be a very lucrative career choice, if you know what you're doing. You'll have to live like a monk, learning everything there is to know about every sport (establishing quality systems).

  34. #34
    Louisvillekid1
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    I wouldn't quit my day job ever to gamble professionaly. You must have added income for stability, your hole life can not be a gamble. You commit to pay bills each month, without knowing how much your going to make each week. You need a seperate bankroll just for gambling. I guess if you were selling your picks also, then you could do it because that is your job also. Who wouldn't want to handicapp all day long for and watch games all day!

  35. #35
    BEANTOWNJIM
    I GRIN WHEN I WIN
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    Boys I Have Seen A Lot Of Smart Business Guys Try And Make A Living Gambling And Nobody Has Done It Yet.we Had A Guy At The Irish Social Club He Graduated From Harvard The Smartest Guy In The World He Would Read All The Angles And Study For Hours He Had All The Information And A Good Brain.and Guess What Fellas The Gambling Career Didnt Work Out For Him He Lost Everything And Is Now Driving A Cab.so If A Guy From Harvard Put His Heart And Soul Into Gambling And Couldnt Make It How Can An Average Guy Like Me And You Do It.its Just Pure Luck Boys Thats All It Is.

    How Else Do You Explain The Arizona Cardinals 1st And Goal From The 2 Yard Line Yesterday With 2 Minutes To Go In The Game And I Need A Touchdown To Get A Push On My Over 52 And You Guessed It Boys Cleveland Stops Edgerin James 3 Staright Times For No Gain Its All Luck.if Your Going Good Arizona Scores A Touchdown But If Your Going Bad They Settle For A Field Goal And The Game Goes Under.

    You Might As Well Guess When Gambling I Have Seen More Guys Go Broke Following Line Moves Look At The Line Move Yesterday In The New Orleans Game 4-6 Points At Game Time How Did That Work Out

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