How does one become a handicapper....

TheTribe · Dec 20, 2007

ive been on this site for a couple of years now and ive had the worst year i can ever remember im down about 5,000 this year and that is alot of money to me. i follow alot of cappers pick but it seems when i follow they have a bad night which then leads to me having a bad night like tonite i go 1-5 in college and 1-2 in pros. ive dropped by bets down to 50-100 a game and just cant catch a break but i want to know how to get better.how do some of you come up with your lines of what you think the spread should be i dont know the first thing about making a line for any sports yea i look at alot of stats especialy in football but i have never figured out what i really need to be looking for. i want to get better and maybe somebody else can get better also we are all here for the same reason and that is to make money and im tired of losing mine. so any help or tips would be appreciated.

thanks:toast:

ChalksR4Kids · Dec 20, 2007

You probably don't want to hear this, but, assuming you are still half way young the best thing you can do is put your money, time,
and effort into a more productive field than gaming. Medicine, engineering, even finance or real estate would be great. Anything to do with China, Viet Nam, or anything in Asia would be great. Basic commodities would be great.
Don't get me wrong, I really can't remember when I wasn't betting on something...money, marbles, or chalk. The truth is that sports betting, for many reasons, just isn't the candy store it used to be.
Yes, you can still make money betting sports... but probably you can make more as a doctor, engineer, or even a nurse. Just don't become a scumbag lawyer.
I love wagering, and have probably had 3 losing months in my career, but it just doesn't pay like it used to.
Any opinions on my post, either pro or con, are gladly welcome.

ChalksR4Kids · Dec 20, 2007

ok I may not know how to edit a post, but I know that paying juice
is a tremendous hurdle and I forgot to mention it above. Basically,
if you want to be a handicapper you will have to deal with some of
the finest minds in the betting world and toss them at least 5 cents on every bet you make. This is not a good bet, in general.

Betallsports · Dec 20, 2007

The Tribe said:
ive been on this site for a couple of years now and ive had the worst year i can ever remember im down about 5,000 this year and that is alot of money to me. i follow alot of cappers pick but it seems when i follow they have a bad night which then leads to me having a bad night like tonite i go 1-5 in college and 1-2 in pros. ive dropped by bets down to 50-100 a game and just cant catch a break but i want to know how to get better.how do some of you come up with your lines of what you think the spread should be i dont know the first thing about making a line for any sports yea i look at alot of stats especialy in football but i have never figured out what i really need to be looking for. i want to get better and maybe somebody else can get better also we are all here for the same reason and that is to make money and im tired of losing mine. so any help or tips would be appreciated.

thanks:toast:

You Really can't make Money just Following people.....You Need to Do your OWN work.....

Doing your Own Work Takes Time ! A Lot of It !
Capping is like a Job, Be it Part-Time or Full Time...Depends How much time You have ???

Now, Their are So Many ways to Cap a game.....Or You can be a
" Stats Guy " Not really a Handicapper....

To be a Good Capper ( my 2 cents ) You Need to know The sport...The Players in that Sport....Match-ups......Trends.......Stats.....Etc....

Baseball might be the hardest....Reason ( again, my 2 cents )
TOO MANY GAMES...

Football ( NFL ) Is really where you need to know your Players !
Key Injuries.....Weather......Finding the " Right " Number.....

I guess I can go on forever...lol

The Only thing I can tell you is...I Know One Real Handicapper who is a Pro.....But he is also a Sharp
He Works on Avg. 5 Hours a day...Everyday !!

So if You have the Time ??? It just might work....But it will take a lot of Time to Learn...and Earn !

MrJ · Dec 20, 2007

You Really can't make Money just Following people

Not true, just that the majority will fail miserably.

Railbird · Dec 20, 2007

In any sport this goes for Tennis, Football, baseball, Basketball and that is defense wins. Take the team who has the better defense and you will do pretty well.

JohnnyBGoode · Dec 20, 2007

If it was that easy we'd all be driving Mercs and have mansions, but sports betting is just too hard.

I'm well ahead over my punting career but I reached a massive peak at one stage, then lost half of that in the space of 2 weeks. Since then I've only bet recreationally.

Gambling can be a way to make money but only as a full-time job. And why bother then when you're venturing into the unknown?

Still, it is a fun hobby and that's the bottom line. As long as we don't lose too much it's all good.

TheTribe · Dec 20, 2007

i do have a full time job and 3 kids to think of. i do bet sports as a hobby but i dont really like to lose money in my hobby. i want to be able to use it as a hobby/part time job. i want to know in my mind when i place a bet on a team it has a very good shot at winning by my calculation and right now i dont know that. i know it going to take putting in alot of time to become better and im willing to try i just know where to start. i do agree you have to know the teams/players and what is a good matchup and what is not. what is a way to come up with a line for the game i know cruncher and ace always says what "there line" is and if its off but how do they or anybody else come up with "there line".

TheTribe · Dec 20, 2007

JohnnyBGoode said:
If it was that easy we'd all be driving Mercs and have mansions, but sports betting is just too hard.

I'm well ahead over my punting career but I reached a massive peak at one stage, then lost half of that in the space of 2 weeks. Since then I've only bet recreationally.

Gambling can be a way to make money but only as a full-time job. And why bother then when you're venturing into the unknown?

Still, it is a fun hobby and that's the bottom line. As long as we don't lose too much it's all good.

i might be diffrent but i dont like to lose at anything even if it is a hobby last night my hobby went 2-7 -367.50

hno:thats not a very fun hobby if you ask me.

Moon88 · Dec 20, 2007

The Tribe said:
i do have a full time job and 3 kids to think of. i do bet sports as a hobby but i dont really like to lose money in my hobby. i want to be able to use it as a hobby/part time job. i want to know in my mind when i place a bet on a team it has a very good shot at winning by my calculation and right now i dont know that. i know it going to take putting in alot of time to become better and im willing to try i just know where to start. i do agree you have to know the teams/players and what is a good matchup and what is not. what is a way to come up with a line for the game i know cruncher and ace always says what "there line" is and if its off but how do they or anybody else come up with "there line".

Tribe honestly speaking not many "sharps" will point in the right direction in regards to making a line that has an edge. It's takes plenty of time and research to find what works....then you're half way there. Key numbers in foots are big. Baskets....too volatile.....game time injury decisions. Tribe I'm assuming you're taking a loss in baskets. Correct? STAY AWAY IF YOU DON"T HAVE TIME TO STARE AT THE SCREEN ALL DAY! ALL THE BEST.

fivedoorsdown · Dec 20, 2007

for me. its getting the opening lines
ones thatgive you open and current

and watch what happens for a few weeks. also watch how everyone reponds to early line moves.
you'll need to take plenty of notes.
early line movement i think tells a big story.
but hey i'm honest, i lost the first 2 years big. well to me was big around 5k each of the first 2 kept getting smaller as i started to pay attention where money was flowing. now i'm profitable,
in any event the learning dont come easy and cheap.
one other big thing is
bet on the hot teams and never bet on a team due to win. and get rid of any heart teams. unless your a boston sport fan.
watch for unjustifiable money is heading and get away from it

onemwtheone · Dec 20, 2007

Steam. There are folks that know what they're doing, just follow them. But you have to move fast - after a minute or so it's too late.

HisIsTheHand · Dec 20, 2007

The Tribe said:
ive been on this site for a couple of years now and ive had the worst year i can ever remember im down about 5,000 this year and that is alot of money to me. i follow alot of cappers pick but it seems when i follow they have a bad night which then leads to me having a bad night like tonite i go 1-5 in college and 1-2 in pros. ive dropped by bets down to 50-100 a game and just cant catch a break but i want to know how to get better.how do some of you come up with your lines of what you think the spread should be i dont know the first thing about making a line for any sports yea i look at alot of stats especialy in football but i have never figured out what i really need to be looking for. i want to get better and maybe somebody else can get better also we are all here for the same reason and that is to make money and im tired of losing mine. so any help or tips would be appreciated.

thanks:toast:

Quit sports gambling now. Put down your ego and find another avenue for the rush.

doubledeuce22 · Dec 20, 2007

darts. dartboard. newspaper. blindfold.

bakinbaconwithMacon · Dec 20, 2007

I'd almost compare this to professional poker, it takes a lot of hours to get it right and the people who are at the top don't exactly what to take their time teaching you and saturating the market although it's kinda happening in poker a little bit. If someone has figured out a good bet in sports from say 2 weeks of data analysis don't expect them to just toss this at you and if you pay for this you are already at a price handicap and some plays won't cover the fee all the time. I would say the same thing if you were to rephrase this as "I love poker, I want to make money but I lost money the past year, what can I do?". I'd say it's possible to make it happen but it's going to take some serious work that you're probably not used to.

vote Ron Paul

MrJ · Dec 20, 2007

i might be diffrent but i dont like to lose at anything even if it is a hobby last night my hobby went 2-7 -367.50

If you can't put up with prolonged losing stretches then gambling isn't for you. Any successful bettor that takes positions (i.e. not arbitrage) experiences them.

Kornholio · Dec 20, 2007

Best advice I can give you is to not bother trying to learn to cap yourself. Most here will not admit it, but it takes a VERY special gift to be able to cap succesfully. For most, no matter the amount of work put in they will still lose. I tried for several years and broke even about everything I did. There are a lot of educated guessers at this site.

If you want to win at this you have to obviously have the money management and line shopping with several quality outs...no shit books.

Then you should put your energy into capping cappers...all over the net. I can tell you that I tail 100% of my bets now and I follow cappers from several different boards in several different sports. I found guys that are among the best of the best in their individual sports. There are none I tail here. Most here are square ass bitches. You have to never fall for the hype. Anyone wanting attention should automatically be excluded as a potential.

If you work at finding winners in a multitude of sports, you will be amazed at the gems you find. JMO

MrJ · Dec 20, 2007

but it takes a VERY special gift to be able to cap succesfully

Don't agree. There are different methods of handicapping and each requires people to think a certain way. Naturally the majority of people won't or can't approach it the right way, but it definitely isn't some "very special gift". The majority of successful cappers aren't some sort of sports betting genius, just people who have the right type of mind and work hard.

Kornholio · Dec 20, 2007

Mr J said:
but it takes a VERY special gift to be able to cap succesfully

Don't agree. There are different methods of handicapping and each requires people to think a certain way. Naturally the majority of people won't or can't approach it the right way, but it definitely isn't some "very special gift". The majority of successful cappers aren't some sort of sports betting genius, just people who have the right type of mind and work hard.

From what I've seen of your posts, I think you get it and don't doubt you are solid. In my post, I said, "For most, no matter the amount of work put in they will still lose." And that is true. I did not say "for all." Some can figure out an edge through hard work and I peg you as one of them.

I Know there are many ways to win, but I am just talking about picking sides/totals, etc, right now. IMO to win longterm picking sides hard work will only break you even at best...even with good money management. But some have a gift. For some they can visualize the way a game can play out. For others, they have an extrodinary mathmatical mind and can pick apart bad numbers routinely. For others it something else altogether. They all cap different but they all have gifts that most don't have. I could never be as sharp as the guys I tail, I know that. So I don't try.

I don't disagree with anything you just said. I just think what you call "the right mind", I call a rare gift.

MrJ · Dec 21, 2007

I just think what you call "the right mind", I call a rare gift.

We agree, as I was typing I had a feeling I was just disagreeing because of the term used.