This past weekend's action from a bookmaker's point-of-view
By Jimmy Mason, Director of Sportsbook Operations, www.betcom.com
This weekend was all about Saturday and the NCAA semi finals. Surprisingly, after losing both games we were able to break even on the day. We were not hit as hard as most shops as our bookmaker offers such an array of betting options that we do not live and die by the pointspread. Simple facts, the more diversity and juice you have working for you the tougher it is to lose.
In the early game we needed Louisville for our lungs! If you watched the game the Cardinals had a complete and total meltdown in the second half after trading blows in the first. The good news for the house was that #1 ranked Illinois not only won and covered 72-57, but did so by 15 points killing many a teaser. Since our computer system does not grade these teasers as a loss until the second part becomes final, we knew that most likely there were a pile of ?dead? teasers waiting to be scored after the next game. That was about the only light at the end of a tunnel that had cost us almost six figures!
In the late game, we again needed the underdog. Michigan St., like Louisville teased us by hanging around until the second half then faded hard before losing 87-71. Again we got creamed, but after adding in the ?dead? teasers from the previous game, all of our ? lines, ? time lines, reverse point spreads, parlays, teasers and the hundreds of props we offered as well as the NBA, and pre-season baseball we came out a wash for the day. While a break even day may be a bit like kissing your sister, it beats the heck out of losing!
Now onto the Championship game tonight, where as it stands right now we will be rooting for Illinois. I am surprised by what I am seeing. I would have thought the lure of getting the number one team in the nation, plus a couple of points would have been too strong to pass on, but we have been getting a ticket ratio of nearly 3:1 on North Carolina so what do I know? Enjoy the game!
Until next week, when we?ll take another look back??
Jimmy Mason
Get in on the action: www.betcom.com
By Jimmy Mason, Director of Sportsbook Operations, www.betcom.com
This weekend was all about Saturday and the NCAA semi finals. Surprisingly, after losing both games we were able to break even on the day. We were not hit as hard as most shops as our bookmaker offers such an array of betting options that we do not live and die by the pointspread. Simple facts, the more diversity and juice you have working for you the tougher it is to lose.
In the early game we needed Louisville for our lungs! If you watched the game the Cardinals had a complete and total meltdown in the second half after trading blows in the first. The good news for the house was that #1 ranked Illinois not only won and covered 72-57, but did so by 15 points killing many a teaser. Since our computer system does not grade these teasers as a loss until the second part becomes final, we knew that most likely there were a pile of ?dead? teasers waiting to be scored after the next game. That was about the only light at the end of a tunnel that had cost us almost six figures!
In the late game, we again needed the underdog. Michigan St., like Louisville teased us by hanging around until the second half then faded hard before losing 87-71. Again we got creamed, but after adding in the ?dead? teasers from the previous game, all of our ? lines, ? time lines, reverse point spreads, parlays, teasers and the hundreds of props we offered as well as the NBA, and pre-season baseball we came out a wash for the day. While a break even day may be a bit like kissing your sister, it beats the heck out of losing!
Now onto the Championship game tonight, where as it stands right now we will be rooting for Illinois. I am surprised by what I am seeing. I would have thought the lure of getting the number one team in the nation, plus a couple of points would have been too strong to pass on, but we have been getting a ticket ratio of nearly 3:1 on North Carolina so what do I know? Enjoy the game!
Until next week, when we?ll take another look back??
Jimmy Mason
Get in on the action: www.betcom.com
