I’ve posted many times that it’s not the information you use, but how you use it. Are those percentages you see useful, yes to experienced they can be useful. But this is very dangerous ground for most handicappers.
You ask why some don’t trust those posted percentages. I’m going to tell you. That information is blatantly wrong or at best misleading. There is no obligation by anyone to post correct information, so they don’t. The only harm is that some know it isn’t credible and won’t visit the site for that information. Some of us can use the information, but certainly not like most would think and it is complex.
Some of the credibility issues arise when the numbers actually are accurate. In these cases the problem is, even if it says it is money being reflected, it’s most often bets that are being shown. It doesn’t need to be truthful as those truths are well guarded.
For example, if there was a posted 70% on the home team, it could mean 70% percent of the bets taken are on the home team. That could mean seven $10 bets were taken on the home team. Of the three road bets taken, one of them could be $100.
So you see, the money isn’t really reflected accurately. Now, you could assume that if 70% of the bets were on the home team then they must have more money. But if understand the marketplace, you would now that a very small percentage bets the largest amount of money…a bit counter-intuitive.
There’s even a case where those posted numbers reflect speculation…but we won’t get into that.
There’s the oddsmaker, the bookmaker, and the player. It’s a three way street and most think it’s just a race for information. The truth is it’s not the information you have, we all have it; it’s how you use that information.
I’ve often found that it’s not that bettors, SBR included, don’t know things, it’s that so much they know is wrong.
Hopefully this will get some of you thinking and maybe even get you a few more winners or at least a few less losers.