Sports gambling - do you do it?

I do a ton and easily take fools' money.  My name is Jimmy Serrano and I own a betting house called The Tropicana.  The easiest fools to work are the ones who think they know something.  My secret is that I set a line on each game that changes with the betting, so that, in the end, half the betting is on one side and half on the other, with a 10% commission on losses.  So, I make 5% on all that sports betting inventory, every single day.  That's right, 5% a day on fools who think they're going to come out ahead in the long run.  I pit human egos against an A.I.  I love it!  I roll in cash and get my toenails clipped by lingerie models and I don't have to know anything.  I just have to adjust the line according to human psychology.  I'm what's called a "winner". 

Back in the day, a bunch of guys in the neighborhood would play "just for fun" poker with a $20 entrance fee.  Betting with dimes and quarters so the games would last longer.  I would drop my entrance fee and head over to the bar/TV to enjoy the evening chatting with my buddies (we worth $20 for what I drank).  I have no interest in sitting there with losing hands watching my cash slip away.

Dont do it. I learned my lesson during college.

A buddy of mine who I grew up with who was a few years older than me was a huge gambler (still is) introduced me to sports gambling.

My first ever bet was for $50 and it was the Braves -1.5 runs. They won. I was instantly hooked.

Long story short, I ended up making a lot of bets for a lot of money that I didnt have. Ended up losing about 4-5K which is a very large amount for a poor college student.

Also, the team that cost me the most money was Sparty hoops. They were like 4 point favorites against a mid major...forgot who the team was but ended up being a line that was too good to be true.

But my bookie made a trip to see me at college. Was one of the scariest times of my life. Luckily things didnt get out of hand and I was able to work things out. 

He has been in jail for the last 7 years, so this wasnt a guy to mess around with.

Havent made a bet with a bookie since then and only made a couple online bets and that was a few years ago.

It is fun, but I wouldnt recommend it. lol

I have confidence those buildings and fat bottom lines didn't happen by themselves.

Almost every gambler I've talked to says they win.

Which, given the first statement means; either these gamblers are lying to me or themselves.

There is no such thing as "gambling ability."  You need to win 55% of the time picking point spreads to be profitable, and if you're just taking whatever the book gives you you're really at about a 50% probability to win, so you will eventually lose.  The only way to be profitable is to consistently beat the closing line by either getting a few points here and there or better odds on the same line from a book that is mispriced relative to the rest of the market.  This basically necessitates paying for software/services that can find these for you to be able to do it on a consistent basis, because mispriced markets don't last long, sometimes 30 seconds or less.

I'm currently up low 5 figures since I started for the SuperBowl this year.  The vast majority of that is taking advantage of promotions (sign up, deposits, daily boosts, earning free bets) offered by the books and using the tools I mentioned above to maximize their return.  On straight bets where I am beating closing line 68% of the time I'm barely up at all, which shows how difficult that is even with a clear edge.  When "gambling" this way, it's probably closer to coupon shopping than actual sports wagering, because you don't bet what you think is going to happen, you bet where the best value is.

So in other words you are kind of a big deal.

Yup, you definitely don’t sound like a gambler at all.

At game 11 you arent hedging a $20k bet going all the way to game 15. Youd have to bet an astronomical amount.

I considered helping an orphaned classmate of my son's through college.  Then I did it.  Meanwhile,  I watch and enjoy football games without any vanity of my own.  

You’re having a good run. Keep it up. We appreciate you.

Don't forget hookers and blow

Username kinda checks out. 

Agree. I saw it yesterday at 4 and now see it at 7.5 across multiple sites. Guess I should have jumped on it. I get the feeling Sparty's going to outperform though. If I were going to bet on this one I'd take the flier on MSU moneyline. I realize that's gross, but if they actually do get their shit together it may just be enough to win.

OP got a jump on an early line and that is one hell of a find.  Sounds like he's been thinking about joining the degenerates club for a while, did so, now he's asking if he did the right thing.  Haha.  I kid but that's what it sounds like.  My advice to the OP -- if you win then cash out and go buy yourself/family a nice dinner, or pay a bill, or give to charity, or whatever.  Enjoy the money and be thankful that luck worked out positively for you.  Run away.  Don't bet again.