This is the best definition...understanding of the "trap" a portion of a headline story from Covers....
Question: Is there such thing as a `trap line`? That is to say, do oddsmakers ever set lines they think will suck the public into one side when they feel the other side is going to win?
Answer: Wow, should I take this as a compliment? So you think we oddsmakers know the winners in advance?
I remember when I had the opportunity to have a few conversations with the legendary Bob Martin, and one thing comes to mind. Bob used to tell me he could never beat his own numbers. Even when he thought that he made a soft number, he would rarely be on the right side.
So perhaps a better way to look at this is that we normally shade a number towards a hot team or a team that has been getting the money consistently like the run the Chargers had last season when they covered 12 out of 13 weeks and pushed the other. You may find that we also shade towards other public teams like the Patriots, Colts and the Eagles.
As crazy as it may seem, we do put out a bad number occasionally and still get there. Thus that so called “trap” wasn’t intentional.
Professional bettors tend to agree with me on this one.
"All lines for the vast majority are based on public perception, first and foremost," says Covers Expert Tony George. "My advice on this: When it looks to good to be true, against your better judgment, bet the other way. You`ll hit 80 percent of those plays."
"The (trap line) is one of the bigger myths in sports betting," says Merril. "Oddsmakers theoretically want to create balanced action and a trap line would defeat this purpose as most people would line up on the same side.
"Oddsmakers are also forced to post an accurate line based on power ratings with adjustments for current form and injuries. Otherwise professional bettors would pick them apart. Over the years, I always find it humorous when a recreational player feels a game is a trap line, especially since I usually like the other side anyway and feel the line is exactly right based on power ratings and current situations."
Says Malinsky: "When we find someone that is actually smart enough to know who is going to win, we just might try that some day. Seriously, though, while we often hear bettors’ talk of such things as “traps”, it is only a reflection of their own take on a particular game. There is no such thing as a trap, and if a game appears that way to you it just means to take a closer look – perhaps you missed something in your analysis the first time around." Keith Glantz is a professional oddsmaker and handicapper. He`s been setting some of the sharpest lines in the sports betting industry for over 25 years.
Question: Is there such thing as a `trap line`? That is to say, do oddsmakers ever set lines they think will suck the public into one side when they feel the other side is going to win?
Answer: Wow, should I take this as a compliment? So you think we oddsmakers know the winners in advance?
I remember when I had the opportunity to have a few conversations with the legendary Bob Martin, and one thing comes to mind. Bob used to tell me he could never beat his own numbers. Even when he thought that he made a soft number, he would rarely be on the right side.
So perhaps a better way to look at this is that we normally shade a number towards a hot team or a team that has been getting the money consistently like the run the Chargers had last season when they covered 12 out of 13 weeks and pushed the other. You may find that we also shade towards other public teams like the Patriots, Colts and the Eagles.
As crazy as it may seem, we do put out a bad number occasionally and still get there. Thus that so called “trap” wasn’t intentional.
Professional bettors tend to agree with me on this one.
"All lines for the vast majority are based on public perception, first and foremost," says Covers Expert Tony George. "My advice on this: When it looks to good to be true, against your better judgment, bet the other way. You`ll hit 80 percent of those plays."
"The (trap line) is one of the bigger myths in sports betting," says Merril. "Oddsmakers theoretically want to create balanced action and a trap line would defeat this purpose as most people would line up on the same side.
"Oddsmakers are also forced to post an accurate line based on power ratings with adjustments for current form and injuries. Otherwise professional bettors would pick them apart. Over the years, I always find it humorous when a recreational player feels a game is a trap line, especially since I usually like the other side anyway and feel the line is exactly right based on power ratings and current situations."
Says Malinsky: "When we find someone that is actually smart enough to know who is going to win, we just might try that some day. Seriously, though, while we often hear bettors’ talk of such things as “traps”, it is only a reflection of their own take on a particular game. There is no such thing as a trap, and if a game appears that way to you it just means to take a closer look – perhaps you missed something in your analysis the first time around." Keith Glantz is a professional oddsmaker and handicapper. He`s been setting some of the sharpest lines in the sports betting industry for over 25 years.
