How much do advertising dollars influence the forums?

TTinCO · Jun 15, 2003

Everyone knows that these forums live by the advertising dollar-which obviously creates at least somewhat of a conflict of interest when dealing with criticism of an advertiser(and also a very good "access point to the book" to help resolve issues).

I've seen tendencies toward blatant defense of an advertiser here & at MW. I guess that it should be expected since they pay the bills-but does this qualify as "being bought"?

SHRINK'S take on SIRBET before advertising began LINK
<< posted September 12, 2002 11:05 AM

My sources tell me the people behind this are not Charlie and his gang, but almost as bad...
They are the scammers who ran "LONESTAR!"
THE SHRINK >>

SHRINK'S take on SIRBET after advertising began WELCOME ABOARD SIRBET!!!
<< THE SHRINK posted March 16, 2003 09:14 AM
Sirbet is one of the newer sports books to open its doors in CURACAO...

In my opinion, CURACAO is one of the safest jurisdictions when it comes to online gambling. SIRBET currently offers gamblers a 20% sign up bonus for the first 2500 dollars that are deposited, then 10% thereafter.

I happen to know the main marketing guy behind SIRBET. He is one of the most honorable guys in this indusry. SIRBET can be reached by clicking on the link at the top of this page or by phoning this number...1-800-753-3140...

Welcome aboard SIRBET!!!
THE SHRINK >>

BettingProphets · Jun 16, 2003

Ttin I brought this same thing up in regards to Sirbet and Shrink called me a liar and twisted it around that he didnt say anything bad about them.

to answer your question though it seems like the answer is "if the cheque is good fu ck it put em up"

Peep · Jun 16, 2003

Only site I have seen that "has got it right" is Sharpsportsbetting.

From their Q & A section.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Q: Does SSB stand behind its advertisers?
A No, SSB (SharpSportsBetting.com) does not stand behind its advertisers. SSB needs advertising revenues, and offshore sportsbooks seem to be the only businesses wanting to advertise here. We accept ads if the advertiser pays us on time, and do not stand behind them whatsoever.
You are taking a risk when you send your money to an offshore sportsbook. You are taking less risk when you send money to sportsbooks that put all customer deposits into escrow accounts at banks. You are taking less risk when you send money to sportsbooks located in England or Australia, because those jurisdictions have better laws controlling bookmaking. You are taking less risk when you send money to a sportsbook that publishes quarterly income statements and balance sheets, provided the business is making a profit and has more tangible assets than liabilities.
If you send money to a sportsbook that does not put customer deposits into escrow, then your deposit is a short-term loan to that sportsbook. The book uses your deposit to pay bills and to cover withdrawals by other customers. If you withdraw money, the book will pay you out of new deposits being made by other customers. This system is fine as long as the book is making a profit; but if it is operating at a loss, the business is indistinguishable from a Ponzi scheme. When a Ponzi scheme does not attract enough new deposits to cover withdrawal requests, it implodes, leaving little in the way of assets to distribute to customers. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

max1234 · Jun 16, 2003

Peep,

Great post!

Dante · Jun 16, 2003

IMO. I think this site TRIES to do its best to stay neutral. I know that I would not defend a book whether advertised or not that is in the WRONG and it can be proved they are in the wrong. but as TTINCO says it is not easy

RPM · Jun 16, 2003

im not completely sure about the sirbet comments by shrink, but it could have been something as simple as he recieved bad information initially, and upon further investigation found them to be ok.

everything in life involves risks, including wagering offshore. we can only do the best we can to make sure therx chooses good advertisers, and then be here to help the best we can if any problems do arise.

myself and the other moderators here are not "controlled" as to what we do and dont say. we are encouraged to speak our minds freely and give our honest opinions.

just look at the generals handling and comments regarding the CASCADE/BEANTOWNJIM issue. general sided with jim on that and posted as much, even though cascade is an advertiser here.

NO SINGLE ADVERTISER IS GOING TO MAKE OR BREAK THIS SITE, therefore just because a book advertises here, does not mean that any of us will sacrafice our integrity to appease a sponsor.

TTinCO · Jun 16, 2003

Peep, that's a classic from SSB.....painfully honest.

lakerfan · Jun 16, 2003

Good thread

lander · Jun 16, 2003

BP :

TTinCo :

Don't you girls have anything productive to do? or is bashing theRX every other day the extent of your lives?

I don't understand why if you're soooooo miserable here that you continue to stay/complain, stay/complain, stay/complain in this infinite *tiresome* circle ...

.. really girls, there must be something on the net somewhere that makes you 2 happy? Have you tried gay porn? It worked for Joe & it seems right up your alley

GL in your quests for happiness

RPM · Jun 16, 2003

LANDER,

i dont think this is a bad topic at all. and i didnt see ttin as "bashing the rx" so much as asking a legitamate question about "watchdog type sites". hell, he even included majorwager in his original post.

besides, im kind of interested to see ttins response to my post...

lakerfan · Jun 16, 2003

One should point out that while SSB is very honest on their site, they as a rule haven't been around long enough or have a base of poster that are of sufficient size to have much weight in resolving issues.

I have directed a number of posters at SSB to here, MW, Covers, and MJ, to get situations resolved.

Contests, Mods, and good software create forum that are big enough to have clout and weight. That all cost money.

That advertising cause a change in attitudes is almost a given. But unlike lander, I don't think it hurts to bring up obvious issues sometimes for further discussion. When I first came to this site, I assumed that "top books" where really the best, now I know better.

go2guy · Jun 16, 2003

Great subject and thread IMO.

Dante · Jun 16, 2003

contrary to what some of you believe The Mods try to walk the "fine line" of being there for the posters and Representing the site. I know all the Mods very well and they ALL try to do this most of the time we can, sometimes it falls short. but we TRY. and we enjoy doing it.

TTinCO · Jun 16, 2003

RPM & Dante...thanks for the honest answers-especially Dante's "fine line" comment.

Lander, I have a tough time beliving that you weren't the pouter that used to be your avatar.

PatrickMcIrish · Jun 16, 2003

As others said I think it is a good thread. Not because in some cases people spend hours and hours poring over old posts trying to "catch" someone but because people can exchange rational ideas off things like this. One thing I have learned is these forums aren't like the real world. You post something and there is a permanent record of it. In life the world constantly changes, it's always evolving and you are changing as well. If everything I said 6 months to two years ago could be posted here I would be caught in what would look like "lies" all the time. For instance I could easily post today that Olympic is a favorite book of mine. Over the course of a few months or a year I could have several beefs with them and have stuff come up that slowly makes me reconsider my previous position. I might hate them in a year. If someone wants to prove a point it would be easy for them to "catch me" in an alleged lie over it if I now talk poorly of Olympic.

In reality folks have a change of heart, happens all the time. Information is updated or new information has been presented, or sometimes a personal preference is different than it was not long ago. On these forums there is always a written record of how you feel at that moment, easy to see how things may not always stay the same. BTW I am speaking just generally here so no one need call me out on this. These are really my thoughts on the subject, the world changes all the time and so do the people in it. Some of the people I respected the most I see another side of them now and some I couldn't stand are like my best buddies these days. Things change so don't get caught up in the past, try and improve the future.....

VG789 · Jun 16, 2003

Pat,you got a point,but would you trust a book-owner that had scammed its customers at once,but has been "good-bookie" recently?-I wouldn't! (the talking is not about SIRBET,have no idea about who these guys are).

PatrickMcIrish · Jun 16, 2003

If I personally know of a book that had scammed players out of their money than no I wouldn't trust them either. You won't see me playing at a book like this.

jjgold · Jun 16, 2003

Kenny is a straight up guy as is McIrish and advertising does not influence their views on books. They call it as they see it.

PatrickMcIrish · Jun 16, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jjgold:
Kenny is a straight up guy as is McIrish and advertising does not influence their views on books. They call it as they see it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL - exactly JJ. I see those threats of having a bullet with your name on it have finally done you in....

ericdixon · Jun 16, 2003

I think you have a very touchy subject matter here and I don't think we will ever know but on the same hand we don't deserve to know, its not our business!