How many major styles of books exist ?

[Doug]

I see way too many overall books, but only a few distinct styles. There are:

A. Low Juice on about everything....pretty much only Pinny
B. Low Juice on many bets.... Cascade, Trojan styles which retain a 20-cent line on things like baseball RL
C. Exchanges
D. Traditional...CRIS, Greek, etc.
E. Traditional with tons of options.... mainly 5Dimes

Traditional to me means -110 on most stuff, and a 10 cent MLB line to maybe -150, or even a 20-cent line

I don't see much else stylewise, except perhaps credit, Nevada casino style, or local.

These new books better figure out where they want to fit. Tough to take on Pinny for low juice market. Tough to take on the old traditional shops, Pinny, and the exchanges with -110.

I'd think trying to challenge 5D might be doable with great linesman, or go for the exchange market. Every gimmick has been tried already.

Any styles I'm missing ?

[tacomax]

What about the deposit only books like No Juice - shall we call them the Fs?

[Doug]

What about the deposit only books like No Juice - shall we call them the Fs?

sure if you want to call it a style. The F's also make it harder for any new books trying to start. I really think 80% + of the books existing now will be gone in 10 years. An online sportsbook isn't like the Las Vegas strip which seems it can grow indefinetly. The amount bet can be handled efficiently by a very few books/ exchanges dealing cut-rate prices. I could even see medium size places like a Wagerweb losing volume and dropping out in time.

[BigDog]

I could even see medium size places like a Wagerweb losing volume and dropping out in time.

Dont think you have to worry about BetDon or Wagerweb going anywhere Doug......These guys have been around for a long time and offer some great promotions....Their teasers/parlays can't be beat offering up to 21pts in football and up to 16pts in basketball and they count ties as a push

[Doug]

Dont think you have to worry about BetDon or Wagerweb going anywhere Doug......These guys have been around for a long time and offer some great promotions....Their teasers/parlays can't be beat offering up to 21pts in football and up to 16pts in basketball and they count ties as a push

actually isn't Betdon the boxing arm of Casablanca ? If so didn't they defect to Pinny already ?

Nobody is safe unless they change with the times, even CRIS and Greek. It's going to be all exchanges and low juice in the future.

[Ganchrow]

Nobody is safe unless they change with the times, even CRIS and Greek. It's going to be all exchanges and low juice in the future.

I'd say especially Cris and Greek...

[Santo]

BetOdessa was the boxing arm. BetDon are still out there.

[Mudcat]

Yeah BetDon is a clone of WagerWeb.

[Doug]

I'd say especially Cris and Greek...

CRIS and Greek should open exchanges right now, copy what WSEX has achieved with Matchbook. They'd be instantly trusted.

Costa Rica International Exchange ( CRIE)
The Greek Exchange ( TGE)

I got Odessa mixed up with Don

I don't know why Casablanca needs so many names, how different can all their books be ? CBS is good, but I tend not to trust a place with too many names like BOS.

[Ganchrow]

CRIS and Greek should open exchanges right now, copy what WSEX has achieved with Matchbook. They'd be instantly trusted.

I think they're already quite trusted, they just provide a vastly overpriced product. I suspect they're hestitant to get in to the exchange business as it would be a quite obvious public acknowledgement that their full-juice business model is going the way of the dinosaur...

[Doug]

Might as well get in though. WSEX still operates as a book. I'd keep it seperate like WSEX does, not the Mansion style of an exchange and a useless book.

They could offer something a little different. Many don't like the MB deposit fee/ commission credit thing, Mansion has limited offerings. There is room to get in if done now.

[JenBird]

I think they're already quite trusted, they just provide a vastly overpriced product. I suspect they're hestitant to get in to the exchange business as it would be a quite obvious public acknowledgement that their full-juice business model is going the way of the dinosaur...

How do you determine a book's juice? I am no math maven like you, Ganchrow, so the simpler the explanation, the better. Thanks.

[Doug]

there is a calculator on Pinnacle's site ( multi-way calc) that figures it for you.

[JenBird]

Thanks, Doug. I just located the calculator and it's definitely a handy tool.

[Doug]

The sportsbook business looks like the early days of the automobile manufacturing business to me. Look how many companies made cars.

http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-defunct-automobile-manufacturers

[Mudcat]

Welcome to the forum JenBird. I am a lover of cats and I like your avatar.

[isetcap]

Welcome to the forum JenBird. I am a lover of cats and I like your avatar.

You never said that to Natrass!

Welcome aboard, JenBird. You need to watch out for the Mods around here. They're quite shady.

[Ganchrow]

The sportsbook business looks like the early days of the automobile manufacturing business to me. Look how many companies made cars.

http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of...-manufacturers

I always liked the early '90s NASDAQ market-maker comparison.

[JenBird]

Welcome to the forum JenBird. I am a lover of cats and I like your avatar.

Thanks. That's a photo of my 8-month old kitten, Chairman Meow. He's one cool cat, albeit a lousy bettor.

[Willie Bee]

Cool name for the cat He'd have fit in well with my old tom Dwight David Eisenmeower, aka Ike. Alas, Ike went to the great litter box in the sky a couple of years back at the ripe old age of 19. He was one blue jay killing fool.

And on that note, another welcome to SBR

[JenBird]

You never said that to Natrass!

Welcome aboard, JenBird. You need to watch out for the Mods around here. They're quite shady.

I appreciate the warning. However, if you're including Ganchrow in this mix, I have it on authority that his brain isn't the only large organ he boasts.

[isetcap]

Thanks. That's a photo of my 8-month old kitten, Chairman Meow. He's one cool cat, albeit a lousy bettor.

I have a friend who has a kitty like that one. Apparently his fiance once closed the cat in the refrigerator! The cat became very cold and could barely be revived so please be careful when you're going for your midnight snacks.

[isetcap]

I appreciate the warning. However, if you're including Ganchrow in this mix, I have it on authority that his brain isn't the only large organ he boasts.

I hope he has at least something larger than his puny mind.

[Ganchrow]

there is a calculator on Pinnacle's site ( multi-way calc) that figures it for you.

And here it is:
<iframe width=600 height=600 src=http://www.pinnaclesports.com/MWCalculator/MWML.asp><form name=CalcForm><table border=0><tr><td>Line# 1:</td><td><input type=text name=L1></td></tr><tr><td>Line# 2:</td><td><input type=text name=L2></td></tr><tr><td colspan=2><HR align=left></td></tr><tr><td>Theoretical Hold (Juice):</td><td><input type=text name=TH></td></tr><tr><td colspan=2><input type=button value="Calculate" onClick='doCalc();'></td></tr></table></form>
<script language=JavaScript>function doCalc() { var line1 = eval(document.CalcForm.L1.value); var line2 = eval(document.CalcForm.L2.value); if (line1 == 0 || line1 == 0) { return false; } if (line1 < 0) line1 = -10000/line1; if (line2 < 0) line2 = -10000/line2; document.CalcForm.TH.value = Math.round(10000*(1 - 1 / ( 100 / (100 + line1) + 100 /(100 + line2))))/100 + "%"; return true;}</script></iframe>

[Doug]

How dumb is this on the part of Wagerweb ? They are going to spend excessive shipping charges to Fed-ex a calendar !

FREE 12 month Cindy Margolis Calender
Cindy Margolis is the current Wagerweb.com spokeswoman
Calender will only be available to Wagerweb.com players
All rules/restrictions must be met before claiming calender
Calender will be available September 1st 2006
Calender will be sent via Fedex to registered account address

Who cares if a calendar comes on Sept 3rd or sept 5th ?

[Mudcat]

Thanks. That's a photo of my 8-month old kitten, Chairman Meow. He's one cool cat, albeit a lousy bettor.

Ah. Well I have a 13 year-old female tabby (named Mudcat). She probably doesn't have the energy of Chairman Meow but she can pick winners like nobody's business.

[BigDog]

Ah. Well I have a 13 year-old female tabby (named Mudcat). She probably doesn't have the energy of Chairman Meow but she can pick winners like nobody's business.

I have a cat(Viper) and the best purchase I have ever made was one of those cat doors.....He comes and goes as he pleases and most importantly NO LITTER BOX!

[Mudcat]

I have a cat(Viper) and the best purchase I have ever made was one of those cat doors.....He comes and goes as he pleases and most importantly NO LITTER BOX!

Interesting. Somehow how I would have guessed you for a dog man.

[BigDog]

Interesting. Somehow how I would have guessed you for a dog man.

Yes,I have 2 dogs also....1 of them is a lab/boxer mix and the other lab/sheppard mix.....They're both pretty big dogs and very smart(guess they take after their owner) .......The dogs and cat get along fine even though every once in awhile there is a friendly chase through the house.Not sure if the cat or dogs enjoy it more

[Bill Dozer]

Good topic and a tough topic. It's hard to label most books. If it tries to be a combination of some of these, they make up a another category... the "temporary" book. Here's my shot at it...

A. Reduced Juice
B. Bonus Books/Recreational
C. Exchange Style
D. Early market, relatively high limits
E. Varying promo book, bit of everything
F. Pinnacle

[Doug]

A,C,D, and F are pretty clear who is who. A book like Jamaica is tough to fit in with good bases lines, but full juice on other stuff.

[JenBird]

I hope he (Ganchrow) has at least something larger than his puny mind.

Yes, indeed he does- his skin.
As for that cat in the refidgerator story, I can assure that would never happen under my careful watch.