If you receive money from a client base, then you have the money to reinvest in a monitoring service. It's just that simple. The owner of Pregame.com actually makes it easy on willing professionals to become the subject of an independent monitoring service, it should be noted that he has done whatever he can to make this site more transparent. With that being said........

Should a "service" be trusted with their own reporting methods?

I'm sure you can answer that for yourself. When money is involved, self-regulation is NOT an acceptable form of governance. 

Moving on:

The following complaints will occur, in terms of using a monitoring service.

1. "I like to buy points, and the 'monitor' won't let me."

2. "I use multiple books, and the 'monitor' uses a limited set of sources."

3. "I base a lot of my work on Teasers and the monitor doesn't accept them."

Those are valid points, but let's be honest. I don't have any solid numbers, but I believe 40% of the available client base works with a "local" source for their wagering transactions (Municipal or "Bookie"). These local sources are not as flexible as an "offshore book", so the "monitoring" guidelines are closer to reality. Teasers and large point "buys" are not accepted in those locales.

The dangers of "Forum Records":

When a record is kept in a forum, "typographical errors" become quite common. Some of those records are made out of honest human error, and some of them are outright mistakes of dubious origin. Either way, it's NOT a good way of doing business. At the end of each quarter, a corporation will release a detailed report on its balance sheet. As a money gathering entity with a performance based revenue structure, the "Service" is, or should be, bound by the same reporting methodology.

*The forum record can also be fluffed up by supporters of a given capper, or denigrated by hidden competitors of a given handicapper. The entire process of posting a forum record falls under a multitude of divergent agendas.

*TYPOS also occur in the transmission of a record from one forum to another, and the alteration of that record, in the hands of a competitor (or downright cheat) is entirely possible....AND INEVITABLE.

Forum records should be taken with a HUGE grain of salt for the above reasons.

It's taken me a while to figure out how to deal with a monitoring service, but I now believe that it's the only way to separate the touts from the legitimate handicappers. It's forced me to lean toward the needs of the clients that don't use offshore books (frankly, theses are the clients with the most at risk, by the way)

Wouldn't you be happier (as a client) if you could reference an independently monitored handicapper?

Should all "paid handicappers" be monitored by a 3rd party?

I'm open to every opinion on this matter, and would love to hear your opinions.....