Have You Ever Tried "Playing Bookie"?

BAGIANT · Feb 4, 2012

Since I really don't follow college baskets until March Madness, but still would like some action on the games, I try "playing bookie" to make my selections.

By "playing bookie" I mean that I go to a few of the sites that shows a % of what side the public is betting and look to take the opposite side of what the public is on that is 75% or higher. So this is like I'm sitting in my office and taking bets from the public like I used to do in real life. Since a bookie is "forced" to take the opposite side of what the public is betting, it's like "playing bookie".

I've had pretty decent results over the years that I've done this, and I don't do it on a consistent basis, usually like when I'm bored but want some action.....like today.

So I'm going to start to bet these games starting at 12 pm PST. Let's see what happens.

BAGIANT · Feb 4, 2012

These are the games I'm going to bet starting at noon and ending at 3 pm PST. I'll add the latter games in a while.

ARIZ +3.5
PENN ST. +6
S. iLL +2
SMU +4
CLEMSON +3
A+M + 11.5
RUTGERS +11
AUBURN +11.5
MIAMI OH +7
OLD DOM +5
AIR FORCE +8
DAYTON +12.5
ARIZ ST +18.5
UTAH +12
IA. STATE +2.5
S. CAROL +12
MID TENN ST. +2.5
N. ILL +15

ProPokerPlayer · Feb 4, 2012

Ive tried a thing where i went to SIA and looked at the public numbers then bet the other side where the line hadnt moved much with the public all over 1 side. Supposedly this is smart money making big bets so it keeps the lines from moving....all i know is like every other system i ever tried i wound up about 50/50....

$tinky · Feb 4, 2012

I know a lot of folks that like "playing bookie"

fig · Feb 4, 2012

I'm not the sharpest guy in the world, but my thinking is that siding with the non-public side is the first step. The second step a book takes is to take at +110 vs. lay the -110 which is seemingly overlooked with this strategy. MB helps cut most of the juice out of the equation but getting +10 is an awfully nice cushion.

BAGIANT · Feb 4, 2012

Later Games 4 pm on

Toledo +5.5
nc wilm -7
towson +17
depaul +13
santa clara +6
geo. Wash +2
no.east +12.5
s. Alabama +3.5
ul monroe +12
bradley +12
houston +7.5
wright st. +9
san jose st. +3.5
oregon +6
uab +4
cal sb +2.5
la. Tech +13
uc davis +1.5
utah st. +2.5
tcu +10.5
ind st. +14
portland +13
pepperdine +14
usc +11.5

BAGIANT · Feb 4, 2012

One time change game:

EAST. MICH +14

midman2161 · Feb 4, 2012

It will probably even out in the long run, but like anything else, you would be on the losing side unless you ARE the bookie, because rather than collecting the juice, you are paying it. Oddsmakers definitely take sides- look at the games where the %s are 65% or higher and lines do not move or, even better, move in the opposite direction. Not a guarantee to win, but you definitely want to be on their side more often than not