Does anyone here bet money on sports?

[LNS]

Been on the fence about betting online but I’ve never pulled the trigger. If anyone has any experience then let’s hear it.

[Robceltsfan]

I have a group of friends that do it with frequency. It seems easy enough to do....but I've never taken part in it.

[LNS]

I have a group of friends that do it with frequency. It seems easy enough to do....but I've never taken part in it.

Any particular reason why not?

[PhutureDynasty]

Assuming we're not including fantasy sports or stupid bets with friends, I do not.

[TheSaboteur]

Gmen/xxx is an expert

[Chooch]

I do not.

I have too high of morals to do so.

[Robceltsfan]

I have a group of friends that do it with frequency. It seems easy enough to do....but I've never taken part in it.

Any particular reason why not?

I don't know....just doesn't interest me for some reason. I love to play cards or go to a casino, but I "feel" like I have some control over that. I don't have any control over what a player or group of athletes are going to do in a particular game. Maybe, subconsciously, I don't like the feeling of zero control and don't want to wager real money on it.

That being said, I do partake in the occasional friendly bet, or fun things like SuperBowl grids and March Madness brackets.

[Thedictator]

I have though about it before

Too many things can happen with injuries and players sitting out, so if i did it would only be on games happening the same day. Some people bet like months out, which i always thought was dumb.

[kobeunderbite]

Rob is too beta to back up his weak sports takes with any conviction.

[Kingcarl24]

I'd feel cursed. Like the moment I put money down on something, would be the moment they lose.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I'd feel cursed. Like the moment I put money down on something, would be the moment they lose.

The rub with sports gambling... it doesn't always matter who wins or loses.

It's about the point spread.

I gambled a little bit, years ago. I don't anymore. But I have friends who are really into it... whether as an every week (everyday?) gambler or as a bookie.

[LNS]

I'd feel cursed. Like the moment I put money down on something, would be the moment they lose.

The rub with sports gambling... it doesn't always matter who wins or loses.

It's about the point spread.

I gambled a little bit, years ago. I don't anymore. But I have friends who are really into it... whether as an every week (everyday?) gambler or as a bookie.

Point spread wouldn’t matter in my case, I’d only bet on boxing. And I’d only be betting straight wins and losses, no prop bets like “so-and-so wins by TKO in the 7th round”.

But otherwise I get your point though. Betting on the NBA would be fun but that’s a rabbit hole I’d rather not go down.

[Buckets]

I'd feel cursed. Like the moment I put money down on something, would be the moment they lose.

The rub with sports gambling... it doesn't always matter who wins or loses.

It's about the point spread.

I gambled a little bit, years ago. I don't anymore. But I have friends who are really into it... whether as an every week (everyday?) gambler or as a bookie.

Point spread wouldn’t matter in my case, I’d only bet on boxing. And I’d only be betting straight wins and losses, no prop bets like “so-and-so wins by TKO in the 7th round”.

But otherwise I get your point though. Betting on the NBA would be fun but that’s a rabbit hole I’d rather not go down.

If you're only betting Win/Loss straight-up on boxing, unless you are wagering large amounts of money, then its not worth it. The odds are way too high straight-up to have much value on small sums of money.

[vcsgrizzfan]

I don't. Partly because the house's take is probably as much or higher as any alpha I could create with the amount of thought I would be willing to give it.

[Robceltsfan]

Rob is too beta to back up his weak sports takes with any conviction.

Though I know you're trolling, based on evidence we've seen in prediction contests on this board, I'm pretty sure I'd be profitable if I decided to bet on sports with regularity.

That being said, I do enough betting via poker and golf to ease whatever gambling itch I have.

[Chooch]

I don't. Partly because the house's take is probably as much or higher as any alpha I could create with the amount of thought I would be willing to give it.

It all depends ya schmuck.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I don't. Partly because the house's take is probably as much or higher as any alpha I could create with the amount of thought I would be willing to give it.

There are guys who've been able to beat the system. Allegedly.

For example, that Houranis Vogavboulis or whatever guy... Bill Simmons podcast buddy. Apparently, he had some carefully created tech-stuff algorithms for NBA games.

And I just heard a podcast today with the Memphis Grizzlies guy, Justin Vernon, where he kept winning by betting on the WNBA a few years ago. It was such a novelty league, especially with betting, that it made it easier.

[vcsgrizzfan]

I don't. Partly because the house's take is probably as much or higher as any alpha I could create with the amount of thought I would be willing to give it.

There are guys who've been able to beat the system. Allegedly.

For example, that Houranis Vogavboulis or whatever guy... Bill Simmons podcast buddy. Apparently, he had some carefully created tech-stuff algorithms for NBA games.

And I just heard a podcast today with the Memphis Grizzlies guy, Justin Vernon, where he kept winning by betting on the WNBA a few years ago. It was such a novelty league, especially with betting, that it made it easier.

I don't doubt there are guys who can do it, especially with effort and computing power available now to help things along. I'm just not one of them, especially since I'm not willing to put in the level of effort to get that little extra edge at the margin.

[Bush4Ever35]

I bet on MMA these days not entirely infrequently.

I have made money, but a somewhat trivial amount for the reasons others in this thread have said, primarily due to the amount of time and money I'm willing to put into analysis.

It's much closer in my mind to being a fun bonus to a card than being something central to my experience. I can make money much more easily in other ways.

[youtube]_lAEO07SISU[/youtube]

[Thedictator]

I don't. Partly because the house's take is probably as much or higher as any alpha I could create with the amount of thought I would be willing to give it.

Does the house have an edge. I always thought they just lined up 2 parties and took a small fee.

I know in poker the house takes the rake, so i am guessing in sports betting it's basically the same. So it comes down to skill.