Intro to maximizing freeplays at sportsbooks

donjuan · 10-19-09, 09:40 PM

Just FYI, this isn't really maximizing freeplays, although it's better than betting ATS for a freeplay.

poker_dummy101 · 10-19-09, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by donjuan

Just FYI, this isn't really maximizing freeplays, although it's better than betting ATS for a freeplay.

Before I started on all the options, I was just saying about building a bankroll at the new book.

Are you implying the same as LT about betting huge underdogs vs the favs at other books with cash so your ROI can reach above 80%? If not and there is some better way, help me

donjuan · 10-19-09, 10:19 PM

I would look to the Kelly criterion for whether or not to hedge at all. It's the lower EV option to hedge so without knowing your bankroll size to maximize bankroll growth, your highest EV play is going to be to take large ML dogs straight up with no hedge on the other side.

poker_dummy101 · 10-19-09, 10:20 PM

Thanks, I always appreciate your posts.

konck · 10-19-09, 10:29 PM

Any free play you get is just that ...A FREE PLAY....stupid!!!!!!! Why chop it down to cok.
Use the free play in a parlay if they let you it's the best way to go. Look it's free your not putting anything up go bust them.
If you get a 100 free play and bet it on a game an win you end up with 90....If you bet 100 free play on a parlay you win 250 and you end up with 250. Now say we got 3 free plays each at 100 you bet str an hit 3 of 3 100% you ended up with 270 for hitting 100% ...I bet 100 dollar parlays and hit 1 of 3 I hit 33% and ended up with 250. If they give you "FREE MONEY" use it like free money parlay it.

sportscash · 10-20-09, 02:08 AM

yeah wish i read this i ended up with $30 out of my freeplay now im all in on fognini.I didnt think you were allowed to do this at betphoenix though as it says nothing over +200

ryanspeer2001 · 10-20-09, 02:11 AM

The OP has said what has been written many times but a big thank you for it again.

Will def help out some guys looking to optimize.

GELATINOUS CUBE · 10-20-09, 03:24 AM

False. If you went 7-3 with your freeplay $100, you would have $140 in real money.
You're 3-teamer box, would pay $63 in real money.
Well 7-3= 7 x 19 = $133.
So you get juiced or you get juiced. I'll just bet it straight and ....

Wait you only keep the winnings.
Yeah you are right you get $63 or $63-$105.

It's all a learning process here.

GELATINOUS CUBE · 10-20-09, 03:27 AM

But a 3-teamer for $10 pays .... Or wins at least $59. Good scam.

RickySteve · 10-20-09, 03:40 AM

Nothing gets past you.

Ace_of_Spades · 10-20-09, 03:41 AM

Is there any limit to how much you can win from a Free Play?

GELATINOUS CUBE · 10-20-09, 04:29 AM

I'm airtight, waterproof, and flame-resistant, Rickydicky.

curinator · 10-20-09, 01:16 PM

If you are a consistent winner, betting on 3 team parlays (assuming you are able to get good lines on them, whether that be a reduced juice set, openers, or stale lines depending on the kind of book you are playing at) will net you above a 100% return on the freeplay. Anything above a three teamer will either mean one or some of the lines you are betting on will be too sharp (it's hard to find 3 three events with a sizeable advantage at one book on any given day) and/or many books don't allow anything above a 3 team parlay to be used with their freeplay anyways. I know I don't personally care whether I am getting cash or freeplay sign-up bonuses for these very reasons. Pokerdummy does give good advice for anyone who just wants to convert their freeplay to cash asap with the highest possible return. I think justin7 made a video on the exact same topic a long time ago.

Alvisar · 10-21-09, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by firedawg

go bet in the points book. thats what i do. adds up fast

What is the points book? Sorry for my ignorance, I've looked around but can't find it on SBR.

calm · 10-21-09, 02:48 PM

depth charge imo

poker_dummy101 · 10-21-09, 02:51 PM

And just fyi, a 3 team parlay that night with the same amt bet on each combo wouldve yielded around $88 in a $100 parlay.

Almost the same as winning a game with no risk.

patswin · 10-21-09, 03:40 PM

Good thread

I tend not to do the 3 team parlays. I will take a big ML dog like +400 or +500 try for the big score or bet the opposite side somewhere else and hope the FP loses. Doesn't always happen though and you can end up with nothing if the big ML dog hits. Another approach with this is if you use the FP you improve your odds on a small ML dog

Example tonight if you like LA Dodgers you can get them at +135. If you bet $100 from your account on LA its $100/$135 return. If you throw in another $100 free play on LAD then its still risking $100 but you are getting back $270 if they win, $135 reg bet +$135 free play winnings. So actually you are getting LAD at +270 instead of +135. Not saying this is a better way to go just another option to improve your odds.

LT Profits · 10-21-09, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by patswin

Good thread

I tend not to do the 3 team parlays. I will take a big ML dog like +400 or +500 try for the big score or bet the opposite side somewhere else and hope the FP loses. Doesn't always happen though and you can end up with nothing if the big ML dog hits. Another approach with this is if you use the FP you improve your odds on a small ML dog

Example tonight if you like LA Dodgers you can get them at +135. If you bet $100 from your account on LA its $100/$135 return. If you throw in another $100 free play on LAD then its still risking $100 but you are getting back $270 if they win, $135 reg bet +$135 free play winnings. So actually you are getting LAD at +270 instead of +135. Not saying this is a better way to go just another option to improve your odds.

I wouldn't say "nothing". You end up with a big balance at a book where you may not want it.

StarPicks · 10-24-09, 03:56 AM

I know that Bookmaker does not allow Option 4 at all. I tried this with them a year ago and they gave me a warning that if I was to do this again, I would not get freeplays again. Lesson learned.

For those that claim other books do this, I wouldn't suggest posting as you want each bettor to ask for themselves and not assume its alright and then get blindsided by the book. Just my 2cents as I don't want to see others hurt if they want to maximize their return.

Czu81 · 10-25-09, 12:00 PM

Great thread. Thanks.

Johnpoints · 10-25-09, 12:02 PM

If allowed, this is definitely a great idea.

shantystar · 10-26-09, 03:45 AM

Originally posted by donjuan

Just FYI, this isn't really maximizing freeplays, although it's better than betting ATS for a freeplay.

right!

StarPicks · 10-28-09, 12:29 AM

It is better than ATS but freeplays are meant to parlay. Just make alot of $10 3-5 teamers. If I had $200 in freeplays, I would make as many $10-15 3-5 teamers as possible without overlapping too many picks. But at the end of all of them, I use a night game or a Sunday game for the last leg, then I would take into account how many parlays are alive. If there is 5 alive, I would see what the win would amount to and if I wanted to cash in something, I would hedge the other way for 1/4 of it. Worked for me, but make your parlays loose as its free to begin with.

Augustus · 10-28-09, 12:55 AM

Originally posted by StarPicks

I know that Bookmaker does not allow Option 4 at all. I tried this with them a year ago and they gave me a warning that if I was to do this again, I would not get freeplays again. Lesson learned.

For those that claim other books do this, I wouldn't suggest posting as you want each bettor to ask for themselves and not assume its alright and then get blindsided by the book. Just my 2cents as I don't want to see others hurt if they want to maximize their return.

Bookmaker does not allow you to use freeplay to bet on the same game twice.

CNega · 11-09-09, 08:26 PM

thanks for the info..actually I tried something similar to this. In NFL week 7, I had a 10 team parlay going. I was so confident that I knew at least four teams were locks, that I decided to do a parlay within my parlay of the six remaining games and get every single combination of those six teams and just add them to my four "locks". My thinking was, if I truly believe that these teams will win outright, all I have to do is bet the total amt of outcomes of the other 6 games for an easier 10 team parlay. I think the total combination of picks I had was well over 60(only using all combinations of six games). Boy what a stupid move because I think I had the Giants going over the Cardinals hahaha. Luckily, each bet cost me $1.00 on sportsbookDOTcom (which they have paid me for my winnings within one week of withdrawing in the past but they were all below $1000).

And ya, I'm a first year better, and it's a helluva lot of fun! And in the end of that 10 team parlay, I was only one team away from winning. I'm sure this can be repeated with alot less teams and more precision, I'm going to try #4 next Sunday.

Dark Horse · 11-11-09, 12:44 AM

What is so different about a free play and a regular bet?

The best way to 'use' a free play is to lose it, on a bet with a very high winning expectation. That has two advantages. One, the loss is out of the way, for free. And two, you won't have to deal with related rollover.

Rayray23 · 11-11-09, 02:51 AM

nice read TY!

aggieshawn · 11-11-09, 04:25 AM

free play - bet big and never lose

Ian · 11-11-09, 06:31 AM

Why not just make +EV bets?

I know that's easier said than done, but if the purpose of a freeplay is to build a bankroll you're better off trying to make good bets from the start rather than trying to preserve the freeplay money through a -EV arb or whatever and then attempting to make good bets after the freeplay has been used.

btraband · 11-11-09, 07:14 AM

this is a good post, will read later

Arilou · 11-11-09, 05:17 PM

Ian, you don't keep the freeroll money after the bet (and can't lose anything), so the important thing is how much EV you get out of the wager not how +EV the wager would have been if you were risking money.

However, my recommendation on freerolls is that you're not under any obligation to do a pure ATS bet but I wouldn't try anything too creative. You need to think long term. If you use advanced methods to maximize the e.v. from the freeroll, you are showing your hand as an advantage gambler and generally getting very little out of it. You can easily get 75%+ of your maximum value without showing your hand, and you're more likely to get more freerolls... and more everything else. If the freerolls are periodic rewards for your action that they cancel if they think you are sharp (example: Bookmaker) I might even play them straight and accept 50% value.

poker_dummy101 · 08-06-10, 10:41 AM

bump.

this is again assuming you are broke.

if you have money in books, scalp them out earlier than requesting a freeplay and take into account a better return rate than 70%

nes84 · 08-06-10, 11:29 AM

i think i`ll try the 2^3 sure win system

10x poker_dummy101

arwar · 08-07-10, 03:45 AM

i lost a freeplay on a rainout.