Local vs. Imported LineMovers

This is taken from another thread by CHIPS:

"We all know moving offshore can be hazardous for some books, but the biggest and most overlooked reason books fail is the lack of quality help. Expenses can be very high for an offshore sportsbook and many books look for ways to keep cost down, the problem is they cut cost in the wrong places, experienced help! Too many books today are going with local help($4 per hour workers) instead of quality workers, too many owners are under the impression you can open up and make money with no effort, after all didnt we hear somewhere 98% of all gamblers lose?? Todays "cyber" bookies put a $4 an hour clerk in front of Don Best and tell them to copy every 1 penny move at Pinnacle, and think the cash will just roll in, but guess what guys, you dont have the same customers that Pinnacle has!!!! Many times, they will copy Pinnacles(or whatever book the boss says) lines and lose a game when Pinnacle probably won that same game, simple reason is Pinnacle doesnt have the same customers as everyone else. The next step is to just boot winners blindly, anyone who wins(lucky or not) is gone, without doing any research on the players work(because nobody is smart enough to even know what to look for). Some books will even boot the wrong customer for a winning week when he could be the one "whale" you can retire on. I have seen it so many times inside offshore books in South and Central America, clueless people behind the main desk because he is making $4-$6 an hour, to keep costs down. A good and experienced lineman can correct mistakes before it costs the shop $10,000-$20,000 on a single game, paying someone qualified will pay off 10 fold in the long run, too many book owners are "penny wise and dollar foolish" I decided to go on this rant because a good friend of mine(who I consider one of the sharpest people I know), was seeking a job in an offshore book after a 2 year layoff and nobody was hiring because they couldnt "afford" him, at least 6 books he spoke to had a guy who couldnt tie his own shoes, much less run a sportsbook. Remeber, "you get what you pay for" and it couldnt be more true when looking for quality help!"

JUDGE WAPNER

Chips,there are some very sharp locals.

CHIPS

Judge I understand that, but there are just some things that you cant "teach" someone, you either have it or you dont. These games these wiseguys will play with fake plays, beards, circumventing limits, scams, bonus whores, past posters, etc... You just dont save money woth your top guy, point well taken about sharp locals though its just not the same.

As a tico I feel you guys are coming down heavy on the "local" thing. Many local line movers are smart, young, college educated people with 4-5 years experience in the gaming industry. Sharp shops, such as JAZZ, have ticos in top positions, and they are NOT making $6 per hour. The reason is simple: the level of talent and loyalty they can get from the "natives" is better than anything being offered by gringo ex-patriots. Ticos accross the industry make schedules, hire and fire clerks, move lines and basically do all the things necesary to run an off-shore operation.

Looking down on somebody just because they are not from the US is beyond racist, it is stupid. In a competitive industry such as ours anything that will give you an edge over other companies is valuable. You must take the best people for the job at a competitive price.

And yes, some gringo line-movers are over paid. The industry changed when it went off-shore, the days of the handicapper-linemover/maker are gone. Don Best made the playing field more level, you no longer have to be a sports expert to know what a sharp line is, you don't have to be a junkie to move with the money.

So CHIPS, put up your lines vs. mine, let's see who is sharper. Are you afraid of the young upcoming competition?

Jazz has the weakest line in the business. Every real sharp I know beats jazz to death. So there goes your theory on hiring the locals as line movers. You have to be like Delmar and do it yourself. Now there is one sharp man my friend.

Shops are sharp at different things, just look at DB and see who gets followed:

Jazz and Tradewinds rule the board on Basketball.

CRIS flows baseball totals.

Pinnacle has a sharp baseball side and is solid overall.

etc.


Jazz makes money, if not they wouldn't be expanding.