I thought I would share this with others here at the Rx who may wonder what a normal day is like for someone who bets on sports. Not sure how much different this is from many other fulltime sportsbettors but it's my version of a normal day in February. Nothing earth shattering obviously but hopefully something some here may feel is interesting to them. If anything hopefully it shows how much time and effort I put into this to win. This is my from my daily blog.
If anyone needs to get ahold of me for anything I still check my PM's here at the Rx everyday. I hope everyone is doing well here at the Rx
.
Had a big night last night. I really needed that one to get this month back on track. Ended up a little over $1,300 ahead for the night, so that took a big chunk out of what I was down for February. I ended up going 6-0 in the NBA. I have really been hitting on all cylinders with that of late. I have plays in the book for tonight that have peaked and are already looking like good plays (unless injuries are announced). I have Sacramento +12.5, Minnesota +3.5, NJ +5.5, and just grabbed Indiana +6.5 at the open this morning and under 201.5 Atlanta.
I thought for today I would do a day in the life blog. This is my February version and as you will see from time to time my life is quite normal. I really try and make this as close to a real job as possible and other then the pay structure I think it sort of is. Here is a breakdown of a normal Tuesday in the middle of the hoops season.
6:45am- I wake up. Most wonder why so early but like I have said since the beginning of this whole west coast thing, that the 3 hours behind the rest of the world makes me feel behind, especially in the morning. I just don't like the feeling of being rushed and so this is about the latest I can sleep to before I feel like I need to get up and going. After I get up the first thing I do is fire up the computer and log into my line service (sports options) to see if my late night plays have hopefully moved in my favor. I shared with everyone my NBA plays so far today, here is what I played yesterday in CBB for tonight, under 131.5 UNLV, under 148 Villanova, over 134 N. Illinois, over 127.5 Minnesota. Many of these are stable right now but I expect all to move later today in my direction and the goal for me to hopefully beat the closing line with each of them.
7am-8am- After doing the same morning ritual that many people do of checking a few websites and my personal e-mail, I then go to a few of the gambling forums I like to read to see if anything is interesting to me. There is usually a few things I like to add my two cents in with, so I do. My finacee leaves around 7:35am for work for the day. Around 7;30ish I wait for bookmaker.com to post it's remaining NBA openers that they didn't post last night. I usually find a play or two that I feel is worthy at that number that I pull the trigger on it. I have my numbers next to me with the exact prices I expect the games to be at and I bet when I see obvious value but at this point of the day I look for extreme value before I make my bet. I usually look for an NBA side that is 3 or more points off or a total think that is 4 pts off or more. These can be tricky betting this early but also very rewarding. Like I said I only play them if I really like what the number it is at. There is no perfect way for me to go about this in the morning, it is just how I feel on a game by game basis. I think experience plays a huge factor in making the right decision if to play a game at this time of the day or wait it out for a better number later on. The NBA limits also rise at this time of the morning so a lot of the totals really bounce around as the big bettors move the numbers with their huge plays they can now make. I love this time of the morning for this exact reason. The books are very volatile and volatility is my best friend when it comes to betting. It creates opportunities for me. After this 30-60 minute rush ends, things really settle down for a while with the line moves. I also slow down quite a bit betting wise at this time.
8am-9:30am- I spend this time crunching my numbers for TOMORROW'S CARD. That is the key to be very well organized and one step ahead of others. I have preached that forever with betting sports, staying one step ahead is probably one of the big reasons I have won in the past. I have a math model I developed that puts a number on every game. So I input all the data and with big cards like tomorrows it takes me quite a bit of time to get this done. I don't worry so much about putting a number on a side of the game, it is strictly totals I am worrying about now.
9:30am- I take my dog(s) for a solid 30 minute walk. I feel this important to get outside and get some fresh air a few times a day. I usually make a phone calls while walking to whomever, mostly my mother or fiancee and talk to them about whatever seems important at the time. I have really tried to stay in touch as much as possible with my mom since the move. I call her around 4-5 times a week. Other then not seeing her I want her to feel like I am right around the corner and the best way to do that is to call her and talk about to day to day stuff.
10am-noon- The first thing I do when I get back from my walk is look at the numbers on the screen and see if anything has moved enough to now create enough value for me to make a bet. A lot of times this isn't a big steam move that has happened but more slow moving stuff that has now moved enough to hit my strike price on a game. I usually find a play or two during this time. After that I surf around the forums and sports websites for any news that might be out there that may effect my numbers. I also tighten up everything with my numbers for CBB totals that are coming out later that day. About the last 30 minutes during this time span I work on my NBA numbers for the openers that come out around 12-1pm. This don't take very long and is not nearly as important as the CBB openers that come out 4-5 hours later in the day because of the fact the mistakes are much less by the linesmaker with these, IMO. I also have added my daily blog in around this time. It is something I have really enjoyed doing and I feel has helped me become a better gambler.
12-1- I wait for the NBA openers and play anything I really like. Some days I stay completely away from these and let them settle in before I even look at them. I have found it is better for me to not rush into an NBA play as the line movement is sometimes really difficult to forecast and I could have had a better number later in the day. As soon as these are done I head on out the door to take a lunch type break.
12:30-2- I try and knock a few things out during this time. Sometimes it is gambling related and others it may be something as simple as going to the bookstore or buying stamps, etc. There are a lot of times during this time I am moving money to and from books. Bottom line I try and get out of the house for a short time and feel like a normal person. Sometimes I head to casinos in town to place a wager or two but not as much this time of the year because of the daily grind of hoops. I just can get so much more done online. If (and I may one day) I had a partner then I would probably go about things in a different way. I have access to 4 Vegas books on my line service and If I see a number I really love I will jump in the car and go get it but it takes a really good number for me to get involved in that hassle.
2-2:30- I go on another dog walk. This one is more for the dog's sake. I know I am pathetic, LOL but they are all we have and we treat them like children and want them to be very happy. They are a big part of our lives. The fresh air is great but I really enjoy these for a variety of reasons (man I am getting old, LOL). Probably the main one is in a way it helps me clear my head a little. During this walk I try and just think. I also use this time to more or less catch my breath and re-charge my batteries for the big stretch drive ahead the rest of the day, the time where I find out if all my hard work has paid off.
2:30-4:00- Now it is crunch time. The pace really picks up all around me. I basically wait for any numbers that come across the screen that I like and play them if I see them. Around this time I am looking for CBB and NBA totals around 4 pts or more off my projections and NBA sides 3 pts or so off my numbers (may go as low as 2.5). I have access to 15 different sportsbooks at my fingertips so I search high and low for the best number when a game pops up that I may like. A lot of times I am fading (betting the opposite) of what some of the big players are playing. This isn't the smartest thing to be doing as the big bettors didn't become big bettors by losing more then they are winning, so I am extremely careful to grab the best number I can find and I hope that number will bounce back a little, giving me a peak number at closing time. I also have a handful of games I keep a very close on eye that are very close to the number I am looking for. I try to stay disciplined and not reach for anything until it hits my minimum number I am looking for. I think this is so important, to have discipline with this and not reach for anything as my edge just isn't big enough to play loosely. There are also times where my number hits it's strike price and I decide to wait even longer as I think it may be not done moving to an even better number for me. This isn't easy and experience is huge with this. I have this happen a lot with NBA sides late in the day and I end up catching some great prices right before tipoff at some books that move the number a tad too much, IMO. Sure throughout the day I miss some stuff and it can get very frustrating but you try and shrug it off and forget about it, nobody is perfect. You just try and block it out of your mind and realize there will be many more opportunities out there. I just try and be as consistent as I can be and make as many good bets as I can at great prices.
4::00-6:00- A lot of different things going on around me during this time. I try not to pay any attention to the scores of the games that are being played.. Sure sometimes I glance and figure out in my head what the pace of the game looks like and where it might land but overall I have learned it is a lot easier on myself to block this completely out of mind. Not that it is overly stressful or anything like that but it makes for a lot more relaxing evening for me when I do things this way. When the games pop up with the final scores I then look and mark a win or a loss next to each bet. At all times I am keeping a final daily tally in my head throughout the evening. I know this is a very basic approach for record keeping but it works for me. I may do some different things in the future with this but I am a pen and calculator type guy right now. I do break down my bets into categories and also keep track how I am doing with each one of these so I can make some adjustments if necessary. I also keep my eye on any late line moves that feel have now opened up some value. Things really slow down from a betting standpoint after the first wave of games have started but there are still good bets out there popping up. During this time the CBB totals come out and I have both of my monitors up and ready to go as it is a race to get the best number. I feel there is extreme value for me during this time so this 3-5 minute stretch is probably the most important 3-5 minute stretch during the day for me. Sometimes I come out of this with a handful of bets, other times it is just 1 or 2, it just depends how others are thinking and how fast I am getting them in.
6pm-9pm- I get away from the computer and spend some time with my fiancee. We eat dinner and talk, some nights we watch a movie. I am not much of a TV guy. All the while I do stroll in from time to check the scores as they come in. I am sure this is the same routine in millions of people's homes across the United States. You guys know what i am talking about, LOL. Some nights I spend a lot of time in front of the computer, others I walk away completely, it just depends. I will admit that how my night is going betting wise can effect my mood a little. I try not to let it but it happens. Overall me and the GF have learned not to talk about this much. I think more because I have been doing this long enough now that it probably isn't a big deal to either one of us on a night by night basis. I do tell her how I am doing quite a bit over stretches but I think I do it just to get it off my chest more then anything. She tells me all the time how much more calm and at peace I am since I decided to quit my last job and do this fulltime. I think in a way it has really helped our relationship become much stronger. She is very supportive of all this and without her 100% support I would never be able to even attempt this. There are very few women who could handle this lifestyle and not complain about it. She has never 2nd guessed me with any of this and that means everything to me. It makes this 10x easier when your partner is fully in your corner. I want to succeed at sportsbetting for many reasons but by far the biggest one is so I can give her the perfect life that she truly deserves.
9pm- Around this time the GF usually calls it a night so I finish off all my paperwork/record keeping. Usually everything is close to done for the night at this time. I also dig a little deeper and add things to my notebook that I keep my random gambling thoughts in, things I may have felt or thought of during the day. I have kept this notebook for 3 years now and it has helped me out tremendously along the way. I read it every few days just to stay sharp in a lot of areas. It also gives me a confidence boost from time to time.
11pm- I try and head to bed but before I do I take one good look around at anything I think might be a good bet for tomorrow. I make sure that if I am going to make a play at this time that the line is a little better at one place that the consensus line. This gives me a little cushion if the number moves back against me during the night. I then grab a book or magazine and after about 20 minutes of that I can barely keep my eyes open so it's light's out for me. Ironically ,I sleep the same win or lose, it seems to have no effect on me, thank goodness for that.
That pretty much sums it up. Not sure if that is what you thought. I honestly don't take naps or lay around or anything like that throughout the day, I don't really have the extra time. I feel like my day is a very full one. I try and make it as normal as a person who maybe works out of their home. I take breaks and lunches but I also work all day at this. The big thing is I don't have to motivate myself to do this. I think that is because I really love it. I love numbers, sports and statistics, I always have. The one big thing to me is how much happier I am with this lifestyle then my last one. I know that because of one big reason, it is the fact that I can't wait to get out of bed in the morning. It is very rewarding to me. I enjoy making a living this way. I like the idea that I am being judged everyday on how well I work. It pushes me to be the best I can be.
If anyone needs to get ahold of me for anything I still check my PM's here at the Rx everyday. I hope everyone is doing well here at the Rx
. Had a big night last night. I really needed that one to get this month back on track. Ended up a little over $1,300 ahead for the night, so that took a big chunk out of what I was down for February. I ended up going 6-0 in the NBA. I have really been hitting on all cylinders with that of late. I have plays in the book for tonight that have peaked and are already looking like good plays (unless injuries are announced). I have Sacramento +12.5, Minnesota +3.5, NJ +5.5, and just grabbed Indiana +6.5 at the open this morning and under 201.5 Atlanta.
I thought for today I would do a day in the life blog. This is my February version and as you will see from time to time my life is quite normal. I really try and make this as close to a real job as possible and other then the pay structure I think it sort of is. Here is a breakdown of a normal Tuesday in the middle of the hoops season.
6:45am- I wake up. Most wonder why so early but like I have said since the beginning of this whole west coast thing, that the 3 hours behind the rest of the world makes me feel behind, especially in the morning. I just don't like the feeling of being rushed and so this is about the latest I can sleep to before I feel like I need to get up and going. After I get up the first thing I do is fire up the computer and log into my line service (sports options) to see if my late night plays have hopefully moved in my favor. I shared with everyone my NBA plays so far today, here is what I played yesterday in CBB for tonight, under 131.5 UNLV, under 148 Villanova, over 134 N. Illinois, over 127.5 Minnesota. Many of these are stable right now but I expect all to move later today in my direction and the goal for me to hopefully beat the closing line with each of them.
7am-8am- After doing the same morning ritual that many people do of checking a few websites and my personal e-mail, I then go to a few of the gambling forums I like to read to see if anything is interesting to me. There is usually a few things I like to add my two cents in with, so I do. My finacee leaves around 7:35am for work for the day. Around 7;30ish I wait for bookmaker.com to post it's remaining NBA openers that they didn't post last night. I usually find a play or two that I feel is worthy at that number that I pull the trigger on it. I have my numbers next to me with the exact prices I expect the games to be at and I bet when I see obvious value but at this point of the day I look for extreme value before I make my bet. I usually look for an NBA side that is 3 or more points off or a total think that is 4 pts off or more. These can be tricky betting this early but also very rewarding. Like I said I only play them if I really like what the number it is at. There is no perfect way for me to go about this in the morning, it is just how I feel on a game by game basis. I think experience plays a huge factor in making the right decision if to play a game at this time of the day or wait it out for a better number later on. The NBA limits also rise at this time of the morning so a lot of the totals really bounce around as the big bettors move the numbers with their huge plays they can now make. I love this time of the morning for this exact reason. The books are very volatile and volatility is my best friend when it comes to betting. It creates opportunities for me. After this 30-60 minute rush ends, things really settle down for a while with the line moves. I also slow down quite a bit betting wise at this time.
8am-9:30am- I spend this time crunching my numbers for TOMORROW'S CARD. That is the key to be very well organized and one step ahead of others. I have preached that forever with betting sports, staying one step ahead is probably one of the big reasons I have won in the past. I have a math model I developed that puts a number on every game. So I input all the data and with big cards like tomorrows it takes me quite a bit of time to get this done. I don't worry so much about putting a number on a side of the game, it is strictly totals I am worrying about now.
9:30am- I take my dog(s) for a solid 30 minute walk. I feel this important to get outside and get some fresh air a few times a day. I usually make a phone calls while walking to whomever, mostly my mother or fiancee and talk to them about whatever seems important at the time. I have really tried to stay in touch as much as possible with my mom since the move. I call her around 4-5 times a week. Other then not seeing her I want her to feel like I am right around the corner and the best way to do that is to call her and talk about to day to day stuff.
10am-noon- The first thing I do when I get back from my walk is look at the numbers on the screen and see if anything has moved enough to now create enough value for me to make a bet. A lot of times this isn't a big steam move that has happened but more slow moving stuff that has now moved enough to hit my strike price on a game. I usually find a play or two during this time. After that I surf around the forums and sports websites for any news that might be out there that may effect my numbers. I also tighten up everything with my numbers for CBB totals that are coming out later that day. About the last 30 minutes during this time span I work on my NBA numbers for the openers that come out around 12-1pm. This don't take very long and is not nearly as important as the CBB openers that come out 4-5 hours later in the day because of the fact the mistakes are much less by the linesmaker with these, IMO. I also have added my daily blog in around this time. It is something I have really enjoyed doing and I feel has helped me become a better gambler.
12-1- I wait for the NBA openers and play anything I really like. Some days I stay completely away from these and let them settle in before I even look at them. I have found it is better for me to not rush into an NBA play as the line movement is sometimes really difficult to forecast and I could have had a better number later in the day. As soon as these are done I head on out the door to take a lunch type break.
12:30-2- I try and knock a few things out during this time. Sometimes it is gambling related and others it may be something as simple as going to the bookstore or buying stamps, etc. There are a lot of times during this time I am moving money to and from books. Bottom line I try and get out of the house for a short time and feel like a normal person. Sometimes I head to casinos in town to place a wager or two but not as much this time of the year because of the daily grind of hoops. I just can get so much more done online. If (and I may one day) I had a partner then I would probably go about things in a different way. I have access to 4 Vegas books on my line service and If I see a number I really love I will jump in the car and go get it but it takes a really good number for me to get involved in that hassle.
2-2:30- I go on another dog walk. This one is more for the dog's sake. I know I am pathetic, LOL but they are all we have and we treat them like children and want them to be very happy. They are a big part of our lives. The fresh air is great but I really enjoy these for a variety of reasons (man I am getting old, LOL). Probably the main one is in a way it helps me clear my head a little. During this walk I try and just think. I also use this time to more or less catch my breath and re-charge my batteries for the big stretch drive ahead the rest of the day, the time where I find out if all my hard work has paid off.
2:30-4:00- Now it is crunch time. The pace really picks up all around me. I basically wait for any numbers that come across the screen that I like and play them if I see them. Around this time I am looking for CBB and NBA totals around 4 pts or more off my projections and NBA sides 3 pts or so off my numbers (may go as low as 2.5). I have access to 15 different sportsbooks at my fingertips so I search high and low for the best number when a game pops up that I may like. A lot of times I am fading (betting the opposite) of what some of the big players are playing. This isn't the smartest thing to be doing as the big bettors didn't become big bettors by losing more then they are winning, so I am extremely careful to grab the best number I can find and I hope that number will bounce back a little, giving me a peak number at closing time. I also have a handful of games I keep a very close on eye that are very close to the number I am looking for. I try to stay disciplined and not reach for anything until it hits my minimum number I am looking for. I think this is so important, to have discipline with this and not reach for anything as my edge just isn't big enough to play loosely. There are also times where my number hits it's strike price and I decide to wait even longer as I think it may be not done moving to an even better number for me. This isn't easy and experience is huge with this. I have this happen a lot with NBA sides late in the day and I end up catching some great prices right before tipoff at some books that move the number a tad too much, IMO. Sure throughout the day I miss some stuff and it can get very frustrating but you try and shrug it off and forget about it, nobody is perfect. You just try and block it out of your mind and realize there will be many more opportunities out there. I just try and be as consistent as I can be and make as many good bets as I can at great prices.
4::00-6:00- A lot of different things going on around me during this time. I try not to pay any attention to the scores of the games that are being played.. Sure sometimes I glance and figure out in my head what the pace of the game looks like and where it might land but overall I have learned it is a lot easier on myself to block this completely out of mind. Not that it is overly stressful or anything like that but it makes for a lot more relaxing evening for me when I do things this way. When the games pop up with the final scores I then look and mark a win or a loss next to each bet. At all times I am keeping a final daily tally in my head throughout the evening. I know this is a very basic approach for record keeping but it works for me. I may do some different things in the future with this but I am a pen and calculator type guy right now. I do break down my bets into categories and also keep track how I am doing with each one of these so I can make some adjustments if necessary. I also keep my eye on any late line moves that feel have now opened up some value. Things really slow down from a betting standpoint after the first wave of games have started but there are still good bets out there popping up. During this time the CBB totals come out and I have both of my monitors up and ready to go as it is a race to get the best number. I feel there is extreme value for me during this time so this 3-5 minute stretch is probably the most important 3-5 minute stretch during the day for me. Sometimes I come out of this with a handful of bets, other times it is just 1 or 2, it just depends how others are thinking and how fast I am getting them in.
6pm-9pm- I get away from the computer and spend some time with my fiancee. We eat dinner and talk, some nights we watch a movie. I am not much of a TV guy. All the while I do stroll in from time to check the scores as they come in. I am sure this is the same routine in millions of people's homes across the United States. You guys know what i am talking about, LOL. Some nights I spend a lot of time in front of the computer, others I walk away completely, it just depends. I will admit that how my night is going betting wise can effect my mood a little. I try not to let it but it happens. Overall me and the GF have learned not to talk about this much. I think more because I have been doing this long enough now that it probably isn't a big deal to either one of us on a night by night basis. I do tell her how I am doing quite a bit over stretches but I think I do it just to get it off my chest more then anything. She tells me all the time how much more calm and at peace I am since I decided to quit my last job and do this fulltime. I think in a way it has really helped our relationship become much stronger. She is very supportive of all this and without her 100% support I would never be able to even attempt this. There are very few women who could handle this lifestyle and not complain about it. She has never 2nd guessed me with any of this and that means everything to me. It makes this 10x easier when your partner is fully in your corner. I want to succeed at sportsbetting for many reasons but by far the biggest one is so I can give her the perfect life that she truly deserves.
9pm- Around this time the GF usually calls it a night so I finish off all my paperwork/record keeping. Usually everything is close to done for the night at this time. I also dig a little deeper and add things to my notebook that I keep my random gambling thoughts in, things I may have felt or thought of during the day. I have kept this notebook for 3 years now and it has helped me out tremendously along the way. I read it every few days just to stay sharp in a lot of areas. It also gives me a confidence boost from time to time.
11pm- I try and head to bed but before I do I take one good look around at anything I think might be a good bet for tomorrow. I make sure that if I am going to make a play at this time that the line is a little better at one place that the consensus line. This gives me a little cushion if the number moves back against me during the night. I then grab a book or magazine and after about 20 minutes of that I can barely keep my eyes open so it's light's out for me. Ironically ,I sleep the same win or lose, it seems to have no effect on me, thank goodness for that.
That pretty much sums it up. Not sure if that is what you thought. I honestly don't take naps or lay around or anything like that throughout the day, I don't really have the extra time. I feel like my day is a very full one. I try and make it as normal as a person who maybe works out of their home. I take breaks and lunches but I also work all day at this. The big thing is I don't have to motivate myself to do this. I think that is because I really love it. I love numbers, sports and statistics, I always have. The one big thing to me is how much happier I am with this lifestyle then my last one. I know that because of one big reason, it is the fact that I can't wait to get out of bed in the morning. It is very rewarding to me. I enjoy making a living this way. I like the idea that I am being judged everyday on how well I work. It pushes me to be the best I can be.
