Professional bettor?

[nikossf]

Can someone please explain to me the real definition of PROFESSIONAL BETTOR?
If websites can deem whoever they choose to be "Professional",..then what justifies this?
How is one seen has a recreational player or a professional player? What are the differences?
Besides money of course..

[thespeculator]

it is more of general term, but basically once you win beyond that particular books threshold you are a pro ,

[BigdaddyQH]

There really is no definition today. In the old days, a professional was a person who made his/her living gambling. Today, if you make one large wager and beat the books, especially the offshore books, they label you a "pro". It could be the only wager you made at that particular book, but if you beat them, you get the label.

[wrongturn]

Making large bets on great prices is an indication of pro action.

[Hareeba!]

Making large bets on great prices is an indication of pro action.

I agree it basically comes down to this
The book recognises that if you are regularly beating the closing line/odds your account won't be a profitable one for them, especially if you are betting in $100+ and you are thus not a "recreational player" (one whom they expect to be a long term loser)

[nikossf]

thanks everyone,..Much appreciated information.

[The Bet Master]

There really is no such thing.

[Hareeba!]

There really is no such thing.

then you must have a definition - what is it?

[nenad]

making money from bets or maybe losing

[Legions36]

Professional means making money off this for a living.
Semipro means making money off this as well as say a job or something else for a living.
Same concept for poker players.

[Hareeba!]

Professional means making money off this for a living.
Semipro means making money off this as well as say a job or something else for a living.
Same concept for poker players.

there are many variant ideas on this matter but The Bet Master must have a different definition as he says there is no such thing so I'd like to know what it may be as obviously there are people that fit both the definitions you have provided

[masontnk]

I am still yet to see what a Pro gambler is

[Hareeba!]

I am still yet to see what a Pro gambler is

I'm yet to see what The Bet Master says it means.

Seems he's just another guy who posts statements and isn't prepared to back them up with explanation and justification.

[goblue12]

Pro gambler = bookie
Rec gambler = clients

[Hareeba!]

Pro gambler = bookie
Rec gambler = clients

I wouldn't class most bookies as gamblers- few take enough risks with their own money to qualify for the label

[Optional]

For me, a professional knows when he has an edge, bets with a view to the long term and is confident he can make consistent profit year to year.

And the profit should add up to more than minimum hourly wage for the time spent. Say >10K annually if you spend 20 hours per week on it.

[Hareeba!]

For me, a professional knows when he has an edge, bets with a view to the long term and is confident he can make consistent profit year to year.

And the profit should add up to more than minimum hourly wage for the time spent. Say >10K annually if you spend 20 hours per week on it.

To me such a person is not a gambler.

A gambler relies on/hopes for luck.

A pro bettor relies on skill and/or maths to win.

[DukeJohn]

Can someone please explain to me the real definition of PROFESSIONAL BETTOR?
If websites can deem whoever they choose to be "Professional",..then what justifies this?
How is one seen has a recreational player or a professional player? What are the differences?
Besides money of course..

This is basically a books out clause. They can just label you as a professional for practically anything they feel like now-a-days. Some books feel they can confiscate your money because of it and some just drop you. You are not going to get any straight answer from a book on what the definition is.

Best of Luck,

[andywend]

In all cases, when a book claims they are for recreational players only, they are saying they only want to deal with losing gamblers.

[the_mathman]

for bet365.com i'm a Pro (sigh!) :P

[skrtelfan]

Its whatever the book wants it to be.

[HedgeHog]

Pro: Ambiguous term that Book uses to boot you and/or steal your money.

[Thremp]

Pro: Ambiguous term that Book uses to boot you and/or steal your money.

Winner. DSI/BetJ/5Dimes are "rec" books who do it right. Oddsmaker is doing it wrong.

[lukahh]

I agree it basically comes down to this
The book recognises that if you are regularly beating the closing line/odds your account won't be a profitable one for them, especially if you are betting in $100+ and you are thus not a "recreational player" (one whom they expect to be a long term loser)

this is suitable definition.
i am not sure about player line vs. closing line being the sole criterion though. unless you bet 10 min before the game, closing line might be lower or higher than yours no matter if you are pro or not.

[Santo]

Yes, but if you're a losing/random player over time you wouldn't be beating it by much if at all.

[Nicky Santoro]

for the big time books, winning has NOTHING to do with being considered a pro. if they see you are beating the # on a consistent basis, even if you are down money, they will limit you or close your acct and consider you a pro.

[Hareeba!]

for the big time books, winning has NOTHING to do with being considered a pro. if they see you are beating the # on a consistent basis, even if you are down money, they will limit you or close your acct and consider you a pro.

"big time books"?

with the exception of Pinnacle, SBO and 188 so far in my experience that's true of ALL books

[Nicky Santoro]

"big time books"?

with the exception of Pinnacle, SBO and 188 so far in my experience that's true of ALL books

i can name 1000 books where if you win your first 6 bets, they'll boot you no matter what.. and if you lose your first 6 bets, they'll love you, even though you gave them sharp plays only...they are clueless..

but there are only a handful of them that even if you start 0-6, they'll boot you. sharp books don't monitor your w-l record. they monitor your plays. winning or losing has nothing to do with if a sharp book wants your action.

[Hareeba!]

but there are only a handful of them that even if you start 0-6, they'll boot you. sharp books don't monitor your w-l record. they monitor your plays. winning or losing has nothing to do with if a sharp book wants your action.

this is precisely what I've found virtually across the board ... so you are saying I must only have dealt with "sharp" books?

perhaps that's because I've never gone chasing all those bonuses put up by the dodgy outfits which trap the unwitting into having to play out huge rollovers at excessive vig

and of course I have the advantage of playing at all the best books + Betfair which the Yanks can't use so don't need to mess with the low life books

[Thremp]

There are markets where there is really no "closing number". So it would be impossible to assess ability based on this metric.

[King_Suckerman]

Can someone please explain to me the real definition of PROFESSIONAL BETTOR?

Wears a green visor and smokes.

[GoIrish682]

i believe the difinition has more to do with HOW THE player makes money...chasing steam may be a big tell!