SBR handicapping Contest Rules:

[mofome]

Kaps still has 4 left.

Well that stinks. I like Kapsman.

[diogee]

Yeah unfortunate time for an internet collapse for him.

[mofome]

Yeah unfortunate time for an internet collapse for him.

Is that what happened or are you just guessing? If that what happened we can make arrangements of his opponent is fine with it. If not, then thats just bad luck and I feel bad for someone losing that way.

[diogee]

He posted what happened in his thread.

[mofome]

He posted what happened in his thread.

Yeah i just read over it and spoke with them each privately. rake will move on and kaps understands that. Kaps was a very classy gentleman to speak with and i hope he'll be back for the next tourney.

[dwaechte]

I think we need some stronger rule on timing of the picks. For instance, in the match between BTJ and Marvel, they’re separated by just .03 units and each have a play left. Obviously the player who posts 2nd is going to have a huge advantage in knowing what odds they need. Could we get a rule that alternates who has the option of the last post? Something like the worse seed must post their pick before 5:00pm on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th days to allow the higher seed a couple of hours before the 7 oclock games to get their picks in. On the 2nd and 4th days the rule could reverse in favour of the worse seed. Obviously, if the guy with the last post rights didn’t feel there was an advantage to posting last on that day, he could post whenever he felt like it.

I just have a feeling we’re going to have a situation where both guys are waiting til 6:59 to get their posts in, or the guy who has more time to check the boards is always going to get an advantage because the other guy will be forced to pick early in the day if that’s the only time he’ll be on, and I wouldn’t mind having it slightly more structured. I know it makes it maybe more complicated than we want, but c’est la vie. Just a suggestion.

[Sportsgirl]

I think the only advantage in posting your play first is that you can't both post the same play, so if you have something you really want, you have to get it in first.

[Dark Horse]

I would like to see an increase to 3 bets per day. That way you don't have to post a pick every day, which, over a 30 day period. At the present rate, you couldn't even get away from your computer (or phone) for two days per round...

[Dark Horse]

tough not to be able to edit...

'which, over a 30 day period, is much too demanding for a friendly contest.'

[mofome]

well anyone can PM me a play if they don't want it on the board, but then if someone else took your play you guys would just be stuck with it. chances aren't like of that, however.

DH, we can talk about moving the max to 3 per day. Perhaps by the next round if people like.

[HedgeHog]

I've put a lot of insight into this contest,--but there is one more serious flaw--one which I tried to abuse myself. You limit the upside at -140 for favs, but you can bet any dog regardless of price. Dog bets should be limited, too. Pick a price, say +200 or less and stick to it, IMO.

[mofome]

I've put a lot of insight into this contest,--but there is one more serious flaw--one which I tried to abuse myself. You limit the upside at -140 for favs, but you can bet any dog regardless of price. Dog bets should be limited, too. Pick a price, say +200 or less and stick to it, IMO.

yeah that wasn't overlooked really, i just liked the idea of people not being eliminated necessarily before the last day. if someone hits a +600 match to win, i think its intriguing. This is something we will discuss/vote on before the round of 16.

[fearless]

yeah that wasn't overlooked really, i just liked the idea of people not being eliminated necessarily before the last day. if someone hits a +600 match to win, i think its intriguing. This is something we will discuss/vote on before the round of 16.

I don't see why this should be limited either way. If someone wants to bet 1 unit on a -500 favorite (1 unit to win .2 units), why not? It's their play, they should have control over it without arbitrary restrictions. I think the base for all plays should be set at 1 unit and you should be able to bet anything on the board. This way, a -140 favorite would pay off .71 units (1 unit @ -140 wins .71 units). This way, there's an equal level playing field where everyone is betting exactly 1 unit on every play.

Also, limiting the underdog plays doesn't make much sense, imho. No one can really say when an underdog has no shot and the odds certainly don't tell you always. Look at the dog I took on my last play, the Fever. They were +315 but they dominated the game and won by about 30. It's not fair to say, "You can't take that dog because the number is too big", it would have unnecessarily and arbitrarily changed the result of my competition and I wouldn't be advancing to the next round.

If you're concerned about calculations, you can use this parlay calculator to quickly and easily calculate any payout for a moneyline:

http://www.parlaycalculator.com/

If someone takes a -325 favorite, you can see their payout would be .31 units (all picks would be based on 1 unit, no matter what odds were involved).

I don't see any reason why dogs or favorites should be limited on either side. If everyone is staking one unit on every play, everybody's on an equal playing field the whole time and arbitrary limitations will not get in the way. That's one way to make this contest as realistic as possible and making it realistic is the only way to decide who the most skilled person really is, imho.