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- @skillable
Gamblers vs. Handicappers
Sports Betting
There are Two Kinds of People in the World
There are two kinds of people in the sports betting world: Gamblers and Handicappers.
I will broaden the Gambler category to include the Guessers, but they are all the same people. Gamblers and Guessers don’t bother much with statistics or even basic information. They believe what they hear from the talking heads, touts and entertainment providers on the television and radio talk shows. They don’t know if a stadium roof is fixed or retractable, and don’t care if a game is played on grass or turf. They hear meaningless stats on ESPN and Fox Sports and parrot that stuff to whomever will listen.
I am reminded of a meaningless stat thrown out for the Gamblers to run away with: the 2017-18 Texas Southern Men’s Basketball team was the first team to ever make the NCAA Tournament after losing all of their first 13 games. Man, every gambler in the sports book was blindly parroting that line, even some of the ticket writers were repeating that meaningless statistic.
Go back and look at the non-conference schedule Texas Southern played that season. Don’t tell me they wouldn’t be ready or weren’t qualified to play in The Madness. After all, they did win their conference.
And that’s the difference. Handicappers know the schedules, what’s more, we know the Strength of Schedule of every team. And we know the Strength of Schedule of their opponents.
What I am saying is, there is a world of difference between Gambling and Guessing and Handicapping. And never the twain shall meet.
Handicapping is a funny thing. It is always the same, but it is never the same. Different matchups every day, different travel schedules and game times, different trends, some important, others absolutely meaningless. There is even a phenomenon called the Sandwich Game and it has nothing to do with eating.
If you are reading this page, then you are probably interested in Handicapping; how to get started, what is important, how to read and analyze information and statistics. I can help you.
You gotta start somewhere, right? Well, start where the oddsmakers start: Power Ratings. There are lots of power ratings out there, you need to find some, understand them and make them part of your everyday breakdown of sports matchups. Over on the paid section of this site, I can assist you with this.
Use the Power Ratings to analyze the betting lines. Then go dig up some more information. Get the Phil Steele Bible, preferably before the college football season starts, and read up on the make up of the teams. Are there returning starters, if yes, how many and at what positions? Has the quarterback ever thrown a single pass in a college game? Is there a new head coach?
Yes, it can be overwhelming at first. But it is a worthwhile pursuit, making gold out of information. Pure alchemy.
Remember, we do not gamble!
Education
