How much per bet is considered recreational versus professional ?

**dynamite140** · 12-26-10, 10:08 PM

How much per bet is considered recreational versus professional ?

The majority of books online are recreational such as 5dimes, BetJamaica, bodog , legends off of the top of my head. I know thegreek and bookmaker are considered books for professionals. Does a professional book mean just simply higher limits? My question is how much is the highest average wager one makes where they are still considered recreational? Obviously someone who bets $100 and under per game would clearly be a recreational player but what about $500? $1000? If someone's average bet is $1000, would they thus be betting a pretty high limit and thus professional? What if they are a loser? I heard betjamaica takes high limits but thats only if you lose. I consider a big bet $1000 and above but i think most books even like legends allows wagers max of $500 even though that is considered a small limit to most books.

I mean bodog allows $1000 wagers on an NBA side and $2000 wagers on an NFL side and i wouldn't consider those amounts recreational and these amounts are pretty big.

What would be the requirements for one person to say ditch all the recreational books and play only at the professional online sportsbooks? Like if they were betting minimum $2000 a wager?

**mtneer1212** · 12-26-10, 10:11 PM

I define rec vs. pro as whether you so this with expendable income for extra cash, or whether you do this to feed your family.

**GELATINOUS CUBE** · 12-26-10, 10:13 PM

i know guys who bet 3000 a game/half/total whatever..

but they are recreational.

Also, pro's might bet 500 to 1000 per side/total (and earn a decent 'paycheck'

**dynamite140** · 12-26-10, 10:22 PM

Yea mtneer that is how i would define it as well. However, when i check the sbr ratings, most of the books have an R which means recreational and the few other books like thegreek, bookmaker have P for Professional. Someone said that professional plainly just means higher limits and nothing else. I wanted to know is this true or not because i just think Professional is someone who does it for a living and thus wins a good amount of money where as recreational is even if you win, you win very small.

**dynamite140** · 12-26-10, 10:24 PM

Thanks but yea i know what you mean with guys who bet 3000 per game but they are recreational. But do these guys win or lose? I feel like if you lose and bet 3000 per game, you're recreational but if you win, you are professional.

However, when i check the sbr ratings, most of the books have an R which means recreational and the few other books like thegreek, bookmaker have P for Professional. Someone said that professional plainly just means higher limits and nothing else. I wanted to know is this true or not because i just think Professional is someone who does it for a living and thus wins a good amount of money where as recreational is even if you win, you win very small.

**Crash** · 12-26-10, 10:29 PM

iv seen someone lay 40k in vegas on the finals on 1 game

**tim0402** · 12-26-10, 10:29 PM

money isn't the determining factor. wager selection and timing is.

**unusialsusp5** · 12-26-10, 10:39 PM

just don't withdraw and you will be treated like a king with occasional bonuses and free plays etc. the key is not to withdraw. they are not that interested in catering to players recreational or professional who withdraw money from their coffers. if you leave it in they will grade you and treat you much nicer.

**emoney** · 12-26-10, 10:39 PM

Cube, did your - button break?

**protein** · 12-26-10, 10:42 PM

You have to look also the betting pattern not just the bet sizes.

**sharpcat** · 12-26-10, 10:42 PM

Originally posted by tim0402

money isn't the determining factor. wager selection and timing is.

This ^^^

Professional play has nothing to do with bet amounts it has to do with what kind of bets you are making.

**Actionbrett** · 12-26-10, 10:48 PM

I dont think the amount of money you wager per bet would define you as recreational or professional. I know one trust fund baby who bets $2,500 per game and is dumb as rocks on the other hand i know a group of guys who beat the books year in and year out and they each bet $700 a game.

I guess you can define a pro as someone who wins, can manage a bankroll and makes a large amount if not all of your income betting on sports. You can also make a case for a single person service as a pro regardless of how poorly they are at putting you on the right side.

**CanuckG** · 12-26-10, 10:52 PM

Many millionaires who have made their profits elsewhere probably wager in their spare time as a recreational hobby. Then there are many people all over the world grinding out games gambling less who could be deemed professional because that's what they do to make a living. The amount of money that is risked is not a factor to determine the difference. Differences are being able to tell line movements, having the patience and knowledge of certain edges and bankroll management.

**iQon** · 12-26-10, 10:56 PM

Having a big income to make big bets can not make you a pro. There are plenty of people who will only show up for big events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, big MMA/boxing fights, etc. and bet ridiculous amounts of money. They are not pros because they bet 10k, 50k, 1m. Hell, they can't handicap shit, they're simply betting with what they consider common sense. They're still recreational bettors.

**Birre** · 12-26-10, 11:11 PM

you are a pro if you do it for a living, no matter what the amount is

**dialup_king** · 12-27-10, 02:32 PM

it you bet the maximum, you draw more scrutiny

**Metanoia** · 12-27-10, 02:39 PM

A Pro lives from betting, that's the main difference, but there are more, a pro has to know what his doing or he won't make a living from betting. The value of stakes has not much to do with being a pro or not, it's not because you bet $100 or $1000 that makes someone a pro or not.

**Hareeba!** · 12-27-10, 02:48 PM

Books can tell from the style of a punter's action whether they can expect to beat him in the long run or not. Size of bets is only one factor in making such a determination. Many would welcome large bets from mugs regularly taking unders but be very wary of much smaller punters regularly beating the closing lines.

**scdavis0** · 12-27-10, 02:55 PM

If you make -EV bets then you are a recreational player

**king** · 12-27-10, 02:55 PM

A recreational is someone who places a bet and don't look at lines changes and when to bet best. We don't at most time know if certain players are going to play in a game; for example we see a nba game and the Heats are +300 vs The Magic and Lebron, Wade, and Bosh are not playing we might not know they are not playing and think its a steal and make the bet. Also some don't understand -6 +6 which is the spread which I had to right now look at the book for the name of this, or we might not understand what is a mline. People who are new to sports betting who just want to bet on a winning team and don't understand all this number, they want to place a bet Lakers win for $50.

Now for a pro player just do the opposite of what I wrote for recreational player. They like to know when the lines are moved and when best to play. They know who is playing and might know the match up of a game.

For me I am a recreational player who is making money that does not mean I am a pro. I just like to bet and don't have time to wait for lines to change to see if they are in my favor. So both recreational and pro's can make money either way.

**dynamite140** · 12-27-10, 05:14 PM

Would i be correct to assume most professionals in the US bet with thegreek, bookmaker and matchbook ONLY and just not play at any recreational books because its pointless for them?

**AribaAriba** · 12-27-10, 05:21 PM

Floyd Mayweather 40k bet http://twitpic.com/3jqk9w

his 110K bet on the steeles 1st half http://twitpic.com/358guj

**dynamite140** · 12-27-10, 11:11 PM

How much per bet is considered recreational versus professional ?

[COLOR=#000000 ! important] The majority of books online are recreational such as 5dimes, BetJamaica, bodog , legends off of the top of my head. I know thegreek and bookmaker are considered books for professionals. Does a professional book mean just simply higher limits? My question is how much is the highest average wager one makes where they are still considered recreational? Obviously someone who bets $100 and under per game would clearly be a recreational player but what about $500? $1000? If someone's average bet is $1000, would they thus be betting a pretty high limit and thus professional? What if they are a loser? I heard BetJamaica takes high limits but thats only if you lose. I consider a big bet $1000 and above but i think most books even like legends allows wagers max of $500 even though that is considered a small limit to most books.

I mean bodog allows $1000 wagers on an NBA side and $2000 wagers on an NFL side and i wouldn't consider those amounts recreational and these amounts are pretty big.

What would be the requirements for one person to say ditch all the recreational books and play only at the professional online sportsbooks? Like if they were betting minimum $2000 a wager?[/COLOR]

**THE PROFIT** · 12-27-10, 11:46 PM

Id say if you've never made a max wager you are a rec

**Hareeba!** · 12-28-10, 12:13 AM

Originally posted by dynamite140

[COLOR=#000000 ! important] The majority of books online are recreational such as 5dimes, BetJamaica, bodog , legends off of the top of my head. I know thegreek and bookmaker are considered books for professionals. Does a professional book mean just simply higher limits? My question is how much is the highest average wager one makes where they are still considered recreational? Obviously someone who bets $100 and under per game would clearly be a recreational player but what about $500? $1000? If someone's average bet is $1000, would they thus be betting a pretty high limit and thus professional? What if they are a loser? I heard BetJamaica takes high limits but thats only if you lose. I consider a big bet $1000 and above but i think most books even like legends allows wagers max of $500 even though that is considered a small limit to most books.

I mean bodog allows $1000 wagers on an NBA side and $2000 wagers on an NFL side and i wouldn't consider those amounts recreational and these amounts are pretty big.

What would be the requirements for one person to say ditch all the recreational books and play only at the professional online sportsbooks? Like if they were betting minimum $2000 a wager?[/color]

Refer post#19

and many pros would have a lot of <2k bets too

**Czu81** · 12-28-10, 02:12 AM

Originally posted by AribaAriba

Floyd Mayweather 40k bet http://twitpic.com/3jqk9w

his 110K bet on the steeles 1st half http://twitpic.com/358guj

nice tickets

**Frogger** · 12-28-10, 02:33 AM

Pro means lifetime winner (short of hitting miracle parlay) and rec player means lifetime loser.

That is how I would define

**Dark Horse** · 12-28-10, 01:02 PM

Different books have different standards for what they consider professional action. The only way to really find out is to get kicked out.

**Kindred** · 12-28-10, 01:22 PM

I think it's more about the bets you make and how much $ you win rather than how much you bet on a single game. If you're a big time loser and have a lot of money to piss away I don't see anyone cutting your limits. You lose enough money I bet you could call and have your limits raised.

**thegreen** · 12-28-10, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by dynamite140

The majority of books online are recreational such as 5dimes, BetJamaica, bodog , legends off of the top of my head. I know thegreek and bookmaker are considered books for professionals. Does a professional book mean just simply higher limits? My question is how much is the highest average wager one makes where they are still considered recreational? Obviously someone who bets $100 and under per game would clearly be a recreational player but what about $500? $1000? If someone's average bet is $1000, would they thus be betting a pretty high limit and thus professional? What if they are a loser? I heard betjamaica takes high limits but thats only if you lose. I consider a big bet $1000 and above but i think most books even like legends allows wagers max of $500 even though that is considered a small limit to most books.

I mean bodog allows $1000 wagers on an NBA side and $2000 wagers on an NFL side and i wouldn't consider those amounts recreational and these amounts are pretty big.

What would be the requirements for one person to say ditch all the recreational books and play only at the professional online sportsbooks? Like if they were betting minimum $2000 a wager?

Depends on the Bettor.....You might have a guy making 200K at his job wagering 5K on his teams weekend game and losing most of time versus guy betting 1K a week on various sports and angles that is considered sharp/pro...I know from playing mid stakes poker that just cause someone has a bankroll does not mean they are pro or any good...Most time the opposite they suck....ha

**Dark Horse** · 12-28-10, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by Kindred

I think it's more about the bets you make and how much $ you win rather than how much you bet on a single game. If you're a big time loser and have a lot of money to piss away I don't see anyone cutting your limits. You lose enough money I bet you could call and have your limits raised.

A large section of pros are not gamblers but scalpers. They lose at Pinny, because that's how Pinny is set up, and win somewhere else. Books have to protect themselves against that. Either with higher juice, or with lower limits.

Pinnacle is the only book with high limits as well as low juice. So that's the only truly professional book.

Books like DSI know they would increase their business many time over if they would offer low juice. But they don't. Why not? Because they know Pinnacle is sharper. (that's what the guy from Bookmaker is really saying when he's asked about low juice, and spins it into some ridiculous tale about being a full service book).

**Sawyer** · 12-28-10, 03:36 PM

Well, it depends on your point of view. I know people who are playing for fun/entertainment but laying 20k. High Rollers are recreational players in terms of "purpose of betting". On the other side, they lay large wagers like Professionals..but they're not Pro. Of course, every book welcomes a loser High Roller.

Pro-Friendly book means: They tolerance your action if you're winning over long haul. Majority of books will collar/limit you if you beat them over the long haul. As an example for Pro Friendly books, we can show TheGreek & Pinnacle. Betting Exchanges are also a good alternative since there's no limit. The only limit is liquidity.

**BetterBizness** · 12-30-10, 02:23 PM

What if a guy is the sharpest $10/Unit better out there and takes his $1000 and turns it into $2,000 by season end... Is he considered Pro?

**Dark Horse** · 12-30-10, 02:32 PM

Originally posted by BetterBizness

What if a guy is the sharpest $10/Unit better out there and takes his $1000 and turns it into $2,000 by season end... Is he considered Pro?

No.