TL's Blog

[F Angelos]

Come on Tony! You know why the Steelers are 3.5 pt favorites. They get more money bet on them than any team in the league. That's all point spread's are about. Equal money bet on both sides. As someone from Vegas told me years ago, you can live to be 100 and you will never see the Stealers or the Cowgirls as double digit underdogs. This has nothing to do with "Respect" it has everything to do with gamblers always betting more on the Stealers than the Ravens. So can we please stop having this subject brought up everytime the Ravens are "Disrespected"?

[Rochardrik]

Come on Tony! You know why the Steelers are 3.5 pt favorites. They get more money bet on them than any team in the league. That's all point spread's are about. Equal money bet on both sides. As someone from Vegas told me years ago, you can live to be 100 and you will never see the Stealers or the Cowgirls as double digit underdogs. This has nothing to do with "Respect" it has everything to do with gamblers always betting more on the Stealers than the Ravens. So can we please stop having this subject brought up everytime the Ravens are "Disrespected"?

And they call US Baltimorons!
Bet on pitisburgh? NEVER, NEVER, No matter what.That would be like betting on your own demise... CREEPY!!!!

[TL24x7]

Come on Tony! You know why the Steelers are 3.5 pt favorites. They get more money bet on them than any team in the league. That's all point spread's are about. Equal money bet on both sides. As someone from Vegas told me years ago, you can live to be 100 and you will never see the Stealers or the Cowgirls as double digit underdogs. This has nothing to do with "Respect" it has everything to do with gamblers always betting more on the Stealers than the Ravens. So can we please stop having this subject brought up everytime the Ravens are "Disrespected"?

I don't think I said anything about disrespect in that blog. What I attempted to convey is that I am surprised by the line given that the Ravens just destroyed Pittsburgh 4 weeks ago.

If we subscribe completely to F Angelos' logic, the line is being set more by the volume of money bet on the Steelers throughout the season and not on this particular game. So by tipping the scale towards a line that doesn't seem so logical is that purely to move money away from the Steelers? Would establishing this line to lure wagerers to bet on the Ravens balance things out for the book makers if the Ravens win? Isn't each game mutually exclusive?

I don't know, maybe I'm missing something here but why would the line be set in such a way that could cost the book more money just to sway people away from betting on Pittsburgh? Pitt is 2-6-1 ATS in their last 9 vs. AFC.

Therefore one would think that if wagerers bet heavily on Pittsburgh the house should be doing well right now given Pitts' lack of success v. AFC opponents. So why change things up to get people to take the Ravens and the three?

Help me out here if you think I'm overlooking something... I can see where a line can move if a heavy amount is bet on one team in a given matchup. But why would previous betting habits on a team influence today's line?

I'll be the dumb student here F Angelos. Take it away professor!

[Greg]

The bookies set lines to get equal betting on both sides, the line will move a bit if money is too heavy on one side. Your note about the Stealers poor record vs. the line makes the point. The Stealers have a larger fan base, they bet more money on their team than most so the bookies skew the line a bit to draw more action on their opponent to even the betting out. Since the loser pays a 10% premium as long as the get the money bet evenly they are guaranteed 5% of all the money played.

In other words, the bookies don't gamble. There isn't a single bet in a casino they can lose on over time. There is only one bet in a casino that pays even money and the better craps players can tell you what that is.

Back to the point, the lines are a reflections of the bettors, not the bookies. The bookies just want an even split of action to guarantee their juice.

[WxKevin]

There is only one bet in a casino that pays even money and the better craps players can tell you what that is.

Finally!! Something I know about

[TL24x7]

Greg....THAT was an outstanding explanation....or should I say Dr. Greg!

I now feel more confident than ever that the Ravens will sweep the Stillers this year!

[Greg]

Pass line odds, baby. Also, Don't Pass line odds, but I dislike wrong bettors at my table. Nothing like a Don't bettor to throw cold water on hot dice thrower.

I would have loved to have gotten in on some of these: http://www.goldentouchcraps.com/WeeklyArticles/82.shtml

The greatest "verified" roll of all time was one Stanley Fujitake, the famous "Golden Arm" from Hawaii, who rolled for over three hours at the California Club in Las Vegas in the 1980s.
If you shoot craps you know a good 10-15 minute roll can make you some good money. This guy has a golden hand statue in The California Club dedicated to him.

Sorry, I like to talk gambling and craps.

[Admin Steve]

I have to go with Greg to a casino. I've played craps on my PC for years and know it inside out but when I approach the table, all the lingo and yelling intimidates me :)

I think you still pay 5% on Pass/Don't Pass Odds though don't you??

[Greg]

I think you still pay 5% on Pass/Don't Pass Odds though don't you??

Not in Vegas or AC. You can buy true odds on the numbers but on the Pass and Come and their Don't you get true odds. You can reduce the house edge to .2% or so with 2X odds and many casinos allow 5 and even 10X odds.

Maybe we can organize a trip to Vegas during our bye next season and get you on a table, nothing to be intimidated by.