I see a lot of talk ... does anyone make any money?

[ODB72]

Simply, if you believe the sports betting market is efficient, then it is not beatable. If you believe that irrationality pervades in the sports betting market, then it is beatable.

Those that believe in the former accept that all possible information comes together through the masses of sports bettors to create an efficient line. A line that is truly a 50/50 proposition.

Those that believe in the latter assume that masses sometimes act irrationally, whether it be because of lack of information or misapplication of information. The irrationality creates an inefficient line where a small edge can be gained. The problem recently, as Ed Miller mentioned, is that the in the age of technology we live in, information is widely available. The wealth of accessible information ( I use "information" as a catchall for any type of sports betting knowledge) creates a truer line than ever before.

I, too, have been on both sides, that of the bettor and of the bookie. I have yet to come to any conclusion whether it is beatable. Although I have been successful to date at sports betting, I hesitate to attribute any success to anything but sheer luck.

[TimTimSalabim]

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Those that believe in the latter assume that masses sometimes act irrationally, whether it be because of lack of information or misapplication of information.

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Wasn't that proven in the last election? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]