Rob Miech - Sports Betting for Winners: Tips and Tales from the New World of Sports Betting

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Since moving to Las Vegas in October 2002, with increasing curiosity I pondered how professional bettors operate, how they navigate and manipulate those tricky lines to pay the bills, what the nerves are like with the mortgage in the balance on the outcome of the SoonersMountaineers football game, and how the rest of the punting public just tries to turn a buck into two with anything remotely close to consistency? Finally, a hefty project provided entre into that world. Fortunately, I had compiled enough credible contacts to begin that deep dive, which led to other insiders and experts, on both sides of the counter. At Kensington Publishing Corp., editor Michaela Hamilton championed this production, her support was unwavering, her enthusiasm and affinity for books relentlessly contagious, her colleagues model professionals. Every author should be so fortunate. Frank Sca-toni, at Venture Literary, is an ace shepherd. In one fell swoop, he provided a rugged rudder, context that dissolved a threatening cyclone into barely a drizzle. (Frank, I hope you have indeed discovered that, in fact, the old manhis laughter and adviceis always with you.) Matt Youmans is a finer facilitator than John Stockton. How that Purdue IM hoops team failed to win the campus title with him feeding the Big Dog, Ill never fathom. This tome simply does not materialize without his key assist. I thank several insiders and experts, who chose not to talk about their gambling exploits, for indulging my repeated inquiries. To those who added insights and perspective, anonymously, you made this better. Van Smith, the opening of those private and prized records was extraordinary. Gratias maximas . To those who spoke for the record, Im in your debt for your candor, and for tending to my repeated follow-up calls and emails. Too few people are as blunt as Lem Banker, as classy as Roxy Roxborough, as gracious as Jay Kornegay, as forthright as Ron Boyles, as unabashed as Kelly Stewart. Finally, to Tommy Fleetwood (18-to-1 winner in Abu Dhabi), Bubba Watson (401, at Riviera), and Bruce Koepka (201, at the PGA), my wallet thanks you for expanding it nicely-nicely in 2018.

Also by Rob Miech

Phenom: The Making of Bryce Harper

The Last Natural: Bryce Harpers
Big Gamble in Sin City and
the Greatest Amateur Season Ever

Eleventh Heaven: Ed OBannon and the 1995 National
Basketball Champion UCLA Bruins

Of Cowards and True Men: Irrepressible, Unabashed Boxing
Trainer Kenny Adams and a Bittersweet Science

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R OB M IECH (pronounced Mish) has been a sportswriter for more than thirty years, having mostly written for the Pasadena Star-News , CBS SportsLine , and Las Vegas Sun . His work has also appeared in USA Today, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and Basketball Times, among other publications. The Best American Sports Writing (2014 edition) highlighted his profile of former UCLA basketball player J.R. Hendersons longtime immersion into the culture of Japan and its pro hoops league.

Miech is the author of The Last Natural a behind-the-scenes account of the 2010 junior-college baseball season that launched Bryce Harper to fame and fortunewhich the magazine Spitball short-listed as a top baseball book of 2012. He also authored Eleventh Heaven the story of UCLAs national hoops-title season of 199495, twenty years after the Bruins glory runand Of Cowards and True Men, the adventurous and dramatic life of controversial boxing trainer Kenny Adams.

A longtime resident of Las Vegas, Miech is intimate with the sports-betting arena, its characters and colors, its lexicon and nuances, and the various ways in which punters capitalize on their action. Visit him at on Twitter @robmiech or on Facebook.

DIRECTORY

Optimal contactswith Twitter handles, unless otherwise notedand resources sure to enhance the sports-betting experience, starting points that could lead to other more nuanced or specific destinations, per taste or areas of interest.

Andrews, Chris. @andrewssports Veteran oddsmaker now at the South Point who imparts that wisdom to his feed and interacts, daily, with followers.

Barton, Tom. @TomBartonSports New York-based handicapper whose specialty, at TomBartonSports.com, is under-the-radar value, like Ivy League hoops.

Baseball-Reference.com. Invaluable for researching the histories of players and teams. How has Tampa starter Blake Snell fared in Yankee Stadium? Its here. How many winning streaks of at least six games did the Dodgers have in 2017? Right here. Clayton Kershaw in the last third of a game (innings seven, eight, and nine?) over his career? Yup. Here. All the major sports are under the -reference.com address. Vital.

BloodHorse. @BloodHorse Blanket coverage of the thoroughbred racing industry.

Cokin, Dave. @davecokin Longtime handicapper offers regular advice and opinions, and he updates his blog, at smokincokin. com, daily.

Dewey, Todd. @tdewey33 Review-Journal betting scribe who knows the pulse of both sides of the counter, where the money is flowing, and whos profiting.

Dye, Dave. @Dyedave The former sportswriter logged time behind the counter, writing tickets, and taps that wealth of experience for Gaming Today .

Everson, Patrick. @Covers_Vegas Tirelessly provides a wealth of information, videos, and line movements, in real time, for Covers.com.

Fezzik, Steve. @FezzikSports An accomplished punter who can also be found on national radio spots and at pregame.com.

Fitz, Doug. @fitz_doug The Sheriff, a retired police officer, doles out information and plays for free on Twitter and at Systemplays.com.

FootballOutsiders.com. A thorough compilation of unique analytics, from Bill Connelly, to analyze the best, and worst, of collegiate and professional teams.

Fratto, Bernie. @BernieFratto Concise, no-b.s. insights and suggestions laced with quality, and just as sharp with his movie reviews.

Ginsbach, Jay. @FairwayJay He writes for various publications and offers regular information on every angle of the betting scene.

Holt, Matthew. @MatthewHoltVP The Prez of U. S. Integrity, LLC, is a rich source of insights, especially on the fight games and college hoops.

Kornegay, Jay. @JayKornegay Stellar nuggets and opinions from the leader of the industry, the executive veep of the Westgate SuperBook.

Michaels, Ralph. @CalSportsLV The consistency of line information and historical context is beyond impressive for this WagerTalk.com operative.

Miller, Tony. @Gollumlv The sports-book director of the Golden Nugget is a Dallas Cowboys fan, but, please, do not hold that against him.

OddsShark. @OddsShark For trend breakdowns and tips, and a rotation of projections, at oddsshark.com, on the major games of the day.

OSGA. @OffShoreGaming For breaking news and betting insights, with a global view on the trends, games, and matches.

PropSwap. @PropSwap Ian Epstein and Luke Pergandes secondary-ticket market offers an additional hedging outlet that can lead to profits.

Purdum, David. @DavidPurdum ESPNs resident sports-gambling scribe covers that gamut of the business.

Roberts, Micah. @MicahRoberts7 The former Vegas book director gives betting spins to all sports, but his forte might be NASCAR.