Gambling Books to read

valueman · Sep 15, 2005

No Losers - If you are a parlay player long-term you will LOSE long term - period.

Even if you have positive expectancy about each selection in a parlay this will get negated by you not getting the best lines if you were doing single bets.

I've been betting horses 17 years now and haven't done a parlay for 15 years now - it just make mathematical sense.

Reading books on gambling is important to see how people came to "winning" methods but the bottom line is you have to develop you own method for getting positive expectancy from your bets. Shopping for the best line is just common sense and anyone who doesn't is plain dumb.

drunkguy · Sep 16, 2005

valueman said:
No Losers - If you are a parlay player long-term you will LOSE long term - period.

:lolBIG:

one word. and it starts with a COR and ends with a TIONS

CardFather · Sep 16, 2005

" What if you're a parlay player?

In week 1, you played a $100 / five - teamer at 5 different books.

You went 5 for 5 and had a good day.

More importantly, each of your five teams covered the closing line by +10 ATS or greater.

In week 2, your handicapping method identifies five games which you believe will also cover the closing line by +10 or greater.

You increase your wager to $200 / five teamers at 5 different books.

You go 5 for 5 and have another good day.

More importantly, each of these five teams also cover the closing line by +10 or greater. "

I am thinking of 2 words after reading this....

fantasy island (Mr. Rourke & Tattoo could've fulfilled no losers dream).

Santo · Sep 17, 2005

Any comments on Iskoe's College football tome? I see O'Neill has two books at Gamblers Bookshop -- one dated 1996, one undated... which is the reccomended one?

Santo · Oct 18, 2005

I've now read (most of) Seigel's book and I think the comments above are a little misleading... he says his win rate is 60%, and on a limited number of plays (he made 45 or so in a whole season), you should hit 60% to justify it full time.

He also says only to bet a game if you percieve a big advantage (that's where the misconception comes in) but then goes on to tell the virtues of line shopping and getting the extra 1/2 point, even going so far as to show the improvements that would make to his season results.