Anyone interested in the Sportsbook911 scoop can go to the RX home page and read an interesting story by Stephen Nover. http://www.theprescription.com/
Stephen Nover,
I'm pissed
you didn't mention me...
I'm the one who opened that can of worms, read it here, my post pre-dates anyone else inquiring into SB911.
I'm pissed
I'm the one who opened that can of worms, read it here, my post pre-dates anyone else inquiring into SB911.
Jesus Louise...
Stephen actually made me look ok.
THE POWER OF POSTING FORUMS 09/05/03 - Stephen Nover
The bookmakers at Sportsbook911 may have had good intentions, but their brief time advertising on The Prescription was a primer on how NOT to market a product.
Weather it was placing an erroneous ad proclaiming 50 percent cash bonuses, or getting into verbal sparring battles on the posting forum with several gamblers - including notorious bulldog Lou Diamond - Sportsbook911 did everything wrong.
But the coup de grace occurred when TTinco, a sharp RX poster, pointed out Sportsbook911 had bought key words on the Google search engine. Therefore, Sportsbook911 had its name next to some of the more established and well-respected books despite being in business less than a month.
Sportsbook911 didn't do anything illegal with this maneuver, but attempting to steal away other book's clients is considered dirty pool.
At this point, Prescription owner Ken “Shrink” ******** had seen enough. He pulled the plug on Sportsbook911 advertising and refunded the $45,000 the company had paid him for six months of advertising. This wasn't easy, but Shrink felt he needed to stand by his readers. Credibility was more important than money.
Ironically, Sportsbook911 had a lot going, including deep pockets, aggressive bonus plans and signed deals with some of the biggest traffic providers in the gambling business. Sportsbook911 is owned by Metagalaxia, which also owns and operates www.bingohall.com and www.winwardcasino.com.
Sportsbook911's biggest strength, and as it turned out weakness, is its affiliation with Grand Central sports book. While Sportsbook911 has only been around about three weeks, Grand Central has been up and down the past couple of years. It even ran out of money before being rescued by Jazz sports book.
Unlike other books, such as Aces Gold and Camelot, Grand Central got back on its feet. Thanks to Jazz, which also went through some hard times, Grand Central was able to stabilize operations and expenses. Still, reputations take time to heal with some bettors. Unflattering things were said about them in the posting forum.
But while Sportsbook911 shares the same marketing people and oddsmakers with Grand Central, it has different owners. Sportsbook911's owner said his company has millions of dollars and is in no way tied to Grand Central as far as payouts.
Whatever you might think of Grand Central, it has one of the most aggressive marketing teams. This is the kind of relationship Sportsbook911 wanted to establish with Grand Central.
Targeting recreational bettors, Sportsbook911 advertised many promotions on its Web site. These included 20 percent bonuses to new members, 10 percent loyalty bonuses, 10 percent referral bonuses, 10 percent cash back on losses, free half-point on Internet accounts (not including pointspread of 2 1/2, 3 and 3 1/2) and reduced vigorish.
However, a banner ad ran on The Rx home page announcing a 50 percent cash bonus instead of 20 percent. Already battling posters on the Grand Central front, Sportsbook911's owner was placed even more on the defensive by this. While the 50 percent bonus ad obviously was an accidental mistake, the timing couldn't have been worse. It was an error the owner admitted he should have caught before it appeared on the site.
At this stage, Sportsbook911 still had the sympathy of Shrink and others that knew its money was good and felt bad that the new book was off to such a rocky beginning on the Prescription. Shrink had known Sportsbook911's owner since 1997, and felt he could vouch for him.
Sportsbook911's owner wasn't helping matters, though. Baited by the relentless Diamond, and some other posters about Grand Central stiffing people, he lost his cool and got into name-calling.
He later backpedaled, realizing this wasn't exactly good public relations. By now, Shrink was once again caught in the middle. Some posters were hollering for him to pull Sportsbook911's advertising. Others believed Sportsbook911 deserved a chance.
Everything probably would have blown over. The posters most likely would have moved on to a new and timelier topic in the next few days. But then the Google search undercutting tactic was discovered, and that was ballgame as far as Sportsbook911's advertising on the Prescription.
Preparation to launch a major ad campaign is one key lesson learned here for aspiring bookmakers. It sometimes can be a mistake to underestimate the power of a posting forum.
Stephen actually made me look ok.
THE POWER OF POSTING FORUMS 09/05/03 - Stephen Nover
The bookmakers at Sportsbook911 may have had good intentions, but their brief time advertising on The Prescription was a primer on how NOT to market a product.
Weather it was placing an erroneous ad proclaiming 50 percent cash bonuses, or getting into verbal sparring battles on the posting forum with several gamblers - including notorious bulldog Lou Diamond - Sportsbook911 did everything wrong.
But the coup de grace occurred when TTinco, a sharp RX poster, pointed out Sportsbook911 had bought key words on the Google search engine. Therefore, Sportsbook911 had its name next to some of the more established and well-respected books despite being in business less than a month.
Sportsbook911 didn't do anything illegal with this maneuver, but attempting to steal away other book's clients is considered dirty pool.
At this point, Prescription owner Ken “Shrink” ******** had seen enough. He pulled the plug on Sportsbook911 advertising and refunded the $45,000 the company had paid him for six months of advertising. This wasn't easy, but Shrink felt he needed to stand by his readers. Credibility was more important than money.
Ironically, Sportsbook911 had a lot going, including deep pockets, aggressive bonus plans and signed deals with some of the biggest traffic providers in the gambling business. Sportsbook911 is owned by Metagalaxia, which also owns and operates www.bingohall.com and www.winwardcasino.com.
Sportsbook911's biggest strength, and as it turned out weakness, is its affiliation with Grand Central sports book. While Sportsbook911 has only been around about three weeks, Grand Central has been up and down the past couple of years. It even ran out of money before being rescued by Jazz sports book.
Unlike other books, such as Aces Gold and Camelot, Grand Central got back on its feet. Thanks to Jazz, which also went through some hard times, Grand Central was able to stabilize operations and expenses. Still, reputations take time to heal with some bettors. Unflattering things were said about them in the posting forum.
But while Sportsbook911 shares the same marketing people and oddsmakers with Grand Central, it has different owners. Sportsbook911's owner said his company has millions of dollars and is in no way tied to Grand Central as far as payouts.
Whatever you might think of Grand Central, it has one of the most aggressive marketing teams. This is the kind of relationship Sportsbook911 wanted to establish with Grand Central.
Targeting recreational bettors, Sportsbook911 advertised many promotions on its Web site. These included 20 percent bonuses to new members, 10 percent loyalty bonuses, 10 percent referral bonuses, 10 percent cash back on losses, free half-point on Internet accounts (not including pointspread of 2 1/2, 3 and 3 1/2) and reduced vigorish.
However, a banner ad ran on The Rx home page announcing a 50 percent cash bonus instead of 20 percent. Already battling posters on the Grand Central front, Sportsbook911's owner was placed even more on the defensive by this. While the 50 percent bonus ad obviously was an accidental mistake, the timing couldn't have been worse. It was an error the owner admitted he should have caught before it appeared on the site.
At this stage, Sportsbook911 still had the sympathy of Shrink and others that knew its money was good and felt bad that the new book was off to such a rocky beginning on the Prescription. Shrink had known Sportsbook911's owner since 1997, and felt he could vouch for him.
Sportsbook911's owner wasn't helping matters, though. Baited by the relentless Diamond, and some other posters about Grand Central stiffing people, he lost his cool and got into name-calling.
He later backpedaled, realizing this wasn't exactly good public relations. By now, Shrink was once again caught in the middle. Some posters were hollering for him to pull Sportsbook911's advertising. Others believed Sportsbook911 deserved a chance.
Everything probably would have blown over. The posters most likely would have moved on to a new and timelier topic in the next few days. But then the Google search undercutting tactic was discovered, and that was ballgame as far as Sportsbook911's advertising on the Prescription.
Preparation to launch a major ad campaign is one key lesson learned here for aspiring bookmakers. It sometimes can be a mistake to underestimate the power of a posting forum.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FatFrank:
45 Dimes is chump change for Kenny - Just walking around money...
He carried more than that in his front right pants pocket while we were in Vegas.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
true frank I agree there.... but still to give it back and not take it is stand up and not that easy to do...
45 Dimes is chump change for Kenny - Just walking around money...
He carried more than that in his front right pants pocket while we were in Vegas.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
true frank I agree there.... but still to give it back and not take it is stand up and not that easy to do...
