The Market vs. The Arena

You would have to be dead, literally dead, not to have heard about the so-called “Stock Market Bailout.” With that in mind, I have a question, Still think Stock Market Investing isn't gambling? I’m always quick to point that out to friends and family members who look down their noses when they find out that I “gamble" on sports. I explain that they gamble just as much because they all have money in the stock market in some shape or form.  Stock certificate, mutual funds, 401-Ks, and even bonds are gambles.  My opponents counter by saying, "No, those are investments."  In the spirit of a true smart-ass I use their words against them.

  I explain that I don’t “gamble" on sports but rather I “invest" in winning teams.  To be fair, I have money in the market as well. I’ve read Warren Buffet, Peter Lynch, Robert Kiyosaki and the like, and one thing I’ve learned is that regardless of “what the market is doing” there is always money to be made. Even in today’s economic times, there’s still money to be made. You say, “Fab, all of Wall Street is doing bad now, what are you saying?” I say, NOPE! You know who’s doing well right now, and rightfully so? Campbell’s as in the soup company. As a matter of fact, all producers of canned goods are doing well. In the midst of last week’s 2 historic crashes, when the dust settled Campbell’s was the only BIG winner left standing.

When this logic fails them, I simply point out the definition of both words which are damn near identical.
in·vest - To devote (one's time, effort, or money) to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result.
gam·ble - an enterprise attempted with a risk of loss and a chance of profit or success.

So when you go to your book to put down those hard earned dimes, think of your wagers as investments. Let’s be honest, if the Detroit Lions or the Oakland Raiders were being traded on the market, other than being a die hard fan, would you ever “invest” in either of those “companies.” I know I wouldn’t. This is just one of the many keys to becoming a Man Crippler.

Contrarian Sports Betting (or Value Investing)

There is a price to pay for everything. Sexy investments are fun to own but are rarely profitable. I like boring (un-sexy) investments. I bet on teams that put fans to sleep. I bet on teams that look like sure losers. I bet on teams that no crowd would ever unanimously agree to wager their money on. I bet mostly on "ugly" underdogs and the result is I get great odds just about every time.

With this strategy, I win consistently from week to week. Not 100%, not 80%, not even 70% (although for short periods of time I catch fire and hit streaks of high winning percentages like that -- see my recent picks at http://kinetiksports.wordpress.com/ats-records/). But all you need to have to win money betting on sports is a small edge. 53% makes you money. 55% makes you very successful. 58% makes you wealthy. Hit 58% consistently day in and day out and you will die a very happy man or woman!

Value investing is simply investing contrary to the popular opinion of the day (doing the opposite of what seems obvious, being illogical instead of logical, running away from the crowds). Crowds are losers! The masses are always going to the slaughter. They love to invest or bet on what's sexy and appealing. Crowds love sure things. We all know there are no sure things. Only Contrarian sports bettors, otherwise known as value investors, can achieve an edge on the bookmaker.

Caveat Emptor,
JoVerto

Get Your Money When You Bet Your Money

Is there anything worse than missing one game on a 7-team parlay with $100 riding on it at about 92 to 1 odds? As a matter of fact there is. Nothing could be worse than being one field goal, one free throw, or one goal from over $9000! Well imagine this… let’s imagine that because you were sipping your favorite cocktail at the time, you put down $200 instead of the intended $100. Nervously you finish-off several other cocktails after you realize that you just put a serious dent in your bankroll. You curse yourself until you realize that the first 6 contests have covered and low and behold the 7^th comes through on the last play of the game! Are you kidding me? 18 GRAND! You log on to your book to ensure you’re not dreaming. After hitting the refresh button repeatedly you see the words, “BALANCE: $18,827”. You can’t believe it! Your very next thought is, “GIVE ME THAT….NOW!” You call up your book and...

Do you know how to get paid by your book? Do you trust your book to pay you if you do indeed, “Break their backs” one Saturday or Sunday afternoon? Which books have a bad reputation when it comes to pay out and is your book one of them? Can you withdraw your entire balance at once? How long will it take to receive my loot after requested? What do independent sources say about the books that I do business with? These are all questions that any “dime-getter” should be able to answer without equivocation.

SBRForum.com, we find, is a great resource to inspect the literally HUNDREDS of sportsbooks out there vying for your business. They have a Sportsbook Review section that is unrivaled. Most so-called reviewers of sportsbooks, are very cursory in their critiques. SBR's reviews are complete with results of physical site visits including pictures of actual office spaces. They even provide a BLACK LIST of sportsbooks that you should absolutely stay away from. In addition, members of the forum provide continuous feedback on their experiences with their books. The result is a comprehensive volume of information to help you choose the right book(s) for you. To make it even easier, they provide a Sportsbook Selector which suggests the books you may be interested in based on your answer to some basic questions about what type of player of you are. Finally, opening a free account with SBR allows you to customize your very own “ODDS BOARD.” This is helpful for you professionals who have multiple books (like you all should). For example, let's assume that you have accounts with Legendz, Sportsbook.com, and Intertops. You can select these 3 books and view up-to-date live odds of all three side-by-side. What a tool! The information that SBR provides is priceless. Go check them out.

Once again, don’t let it happen to you. I’ve heard at least 5 stories in the last month of guys not being able to retrieve their winnings when it was time. Have more than one book and know all of their deposit/withdrawl rules. If you do not have more than one book, make it a goal to have at least two, preferably 3 or more by the New Year. Why? When you have 3 or more books you get better value in the marketplace. In addition, you can take advantage of arbitrages as it pertains to the Sports Market. What arbitrages? Stay Tuned...