Does anyone actually keep a journal?

[BuddyBear]

I know one of the things I've been told is to keep a journal so that you can record your plays, observations, money management stuff, and other notes. Does anyone actually do this and how meticulous are you with a journal? Do you do it online (i.e. word) or with a real journal? Do you review it daily? Yearly? Does it actually help long term? Just curious...b/c I've been thinking about doing it but am wondering if the costs (i.e. a lot of time spent with it) outweight the rewards (i.e. learning).

[why]

I still do! Habit I guess. I want to see whether I am falling into patterns, winning or losing!

[why]

I also keep track of other cappers pick's that I bet. I write down their name, the pick, date, number and amount bet.

[Illusion]

What cappers do you follow why.

[bookie]

This is an interesting topic. First let's distinquish between a journal and a ledger. A ledger is where you write amounts and odds in a spread sheet so you can be square with yourself about where you're at. Anyone who doesn't keep a ledger isn't a serious handicapper IMO.

A journal, sometimes also called a Why Book, where you record your reasoning for your bets is another animal. I've kept them at times and have learned from them but they tend to take a lot of time and if you make a line and it's a couple of points off what's offered you may well not know why. So I haven't decided where I'm at with journals and would be interested in others experiences using them.

[jjgold]

I just use a server based spreadsheet type product which is much faster than any spreadsheet and it records all my bet types, balances at books, ect and easy entry and has daily, weekly and yearly totals all automated

I do not know how anyone does not record every bet they make

[Mudcat]

Apart from my spreadsheet where I record all my financials, I do have a Word file where I keep some notes.

I have headings for all the different sports with notes about which books are doing notable things. I update it whenever I notice something significant.

It's good to refer to - particularly at the start of new seasons for the different sports. Like sometimes a certain book will post their props at a certain time and they're really good right when they're posted. It's got all the books grouped by the tennis rules they use. It's got which books default to "Action" on baseball bets.

All kinds of stuff like that.

Over the course of a season I'll get in a rythym and not need to be reminded but at the start of a season, it's good to review what was going on the previous year.

[EBone]

I've really never thought of keeping a journal before. Great info.....I'll keep that in mind for the football season. I always keep an Excel spreadsheet for the basics (date,amount, lines, sport, type). Type would mean road underdog, home underdog, road favorite, home favorite. Mine is certainly not automated. I keep financials on the same spreadsheet under a different tab. All manual pluggin and chuggin.

E

[why]

I don't follow any particular cappers, I try to find someone for college foots as I stink. For the bases I do all my own, that is my sport and my time of year. For the NFL I have a friend and we talk Saturday night and Sunday morning and compare notes. It has been working for 3 years, he is much better at the NFL but we help each other.

I write everything down so in most instances I don't have to check what I wrote because I wrote it down, its an old habit! Its still a grind to make money but at the same time its fun but I still look at it as a hobby and always will.

[GenosPicks]

i keep an actual journal where i record my thoughts and stuff... it doesn't help me keep track of bets so much as it does help me really get in touch with my feminine side. Sometimes i light a few candles, play a little Sarah McLachlan and have myself a real good cry. Of course given that i've been picking NFL at 40% ATS this year, i could keep a betting journal and do the exact same thing.
xoxo
-genospicks

[no1here]

Yes always work with paper and pencil. The mind plays tricks on you and what you think might not always be correct.

[Dutchie]

just a betting spreadsheet

[jjgold]

SBR Spreadsheet

[Iced]

This thread is almost seven years old

[ThaTopMoron]

[chingo]

date, play, odds, pick of team vs opp. profit/- margin.... etc.

Pen and pad

[Mr. Jones]

Yea, have kept a very detailed paper and pencil journal for more than 10 years now. Best thing I ever did for myself. Actually Mrs. Jones set it up for me. Very grateful for that. We've done well since then, especially in college baskets and MLB. Foots not so much...more like break even there.