I have so many topics in mind that I am dying to cover here in my Blog which deal with handicapping and professional sports betting...And because I was fortunate to be brought up in this game surrounded by the most successful and sharpest bettors to ever make a wager, I was able to learn first-hand all about handicapping. In fact, those early years had helped lay the foundation for everything that I do now. Although the way I handicapp games today is a based on years of tweaking that foundation, the bottom line will always be that without that early training, as well as the opportunity to ask 1,000s of questions to guys that have been able to beat this market for a very long time...I am sure that I would not have the kind of results that I do...

You see, the handicapping part of it is not the hard part...and although it has come to my attention since taking on this venture and getting the chance to see what so many of today's bettors do as far as capping goes, that unfortunately too many just have not been shown the most efficient ways to prognosticate a sporting event. And I have also come to realize that there just isn't hardly any instructional information out there for bettors to improve. I mean, I see books on handicapping and systems to use...but none that I have seen really help to lay a foundation to help someone go in the right direction. And what happens is that we are in the information era, where so much is available at our fingertips...but unless you are explained what is useful and what isn't...and more importantly how to use it to help determine the outcome of a sporting event based on creating a stronger line than is being offered, and an accurate probability estimation to determine if value exists...

Well, to be perfectly honest...that is the easy part. And to be blunt, I can easily show many of the things that I was taught to get guys started in the right direction if they are actually interested. Because even though as I stated, through the years I have had to keep up and improve my strategies...the fundimentals remain the same, over 15yrs later...And I'm not saying that I would just "give away the store"...but there are basic methods to creating a line and things like that which can easily be taught...But that is barely half the battle, because all the ammunition in the world won't help you win a war if you don't have the army to attack with...and when it comes to being a successful pro sports bettor...your army is your bankroll...

I use the words professional sports bettor and not professional handicapper because they are entirely 2 different things...for example, I know countless handicappers, but very few pro bettors. Because to be a pro-bettor, you really don't even need to be a handicapper...In fact, while working in the offices that we moved STEAM in...out of 20 of us there on an average day, maybe 4 were handicappers. So, what I am getting to is that anyone can become a professional sports bettor as long as they are able to locate winning information. And winning info, for the sake of argument when dealing with a point-spread sport...is info that WINS 54% + of the time...In short, I know so many excellent cappers who are capable of winning even Over 56-57% in a year's time, but still aren't considered professional sports bettors because that is the area where  you need  "capital"...but more importantly...you need proper "Money Management"...and let me tell you, it's that area of this game which is by far the biggest problem for most...

Now, over the next few months, if some are interested..I can pass along a few methods of money-management...but truth is...everything you need is already in you. You know what is right and you know what isn't...You know that applying proper money management will allow you to possibly make sports betting an excellent investment, and yet using it becomes another story all together. Well, I want to tell you that no matter how strong your info is, and no matter how proficient you may get at handicapping...without proper money management, you are wasting your time. Because in the end, those same mistakes that allowed the books to be ahead on you...will continue to give them that same power over you...

The biggest problem that I see is that too many bettors just aren't realistic when it comes to sports betting. Because the books and casino's want us to look at it as a form of gambling, too many times, sharp people allow all reason to fly out the window. I see it with bettors who use a particular capper and as soon as he has a bad week or month, they are looking for someone hotter...The problem with that is that because someone is hotter at the time, doesn't mean they are a winning capper. So if they aren't a long time winning capper, eventually we know what will happen to your roll for following. The key, just like with a good investment fund is to find information that you know is a capable of turning a profit long-term...because if you can do that, then the only one who can stop you from making money is yourself...

What sports bettors usually lack is realism...meaning they just aren't realistic with their goals. They work hard and are great people..and they do what it takes to put together a nice bankroll to begin investing in sports...but then all of a sudden, they lose sight that it is an investment and not a gamble. Too many times, a bettor will save a $5k bankroll to begin the football season. But for some strange reason, the thought of having $6k in January just isn't very appealing...even though that exact same person would be doing backflips over their broker for turning them on to a stock which returned 20% in an ENTIRE YEAR...but do that in 4 months of football and it don't seem like anything special...

I have never been able to comprehend that type of thinking...maybe it's because I was raised very modestly and valued profit...or maybe after being surrounded by nothing but successful and sharp pro sports bettors for so long, much of their reasoning rubbed off on me. Either way, it isn't what is important...Instead what is...is that I decided a long time ago that I have the resources and knowledge, as well as the experience to make an excellent living doing the one thing I love most. And that I can do that without needing to win every day, every week, or even every  month. Just the opposite, I have been able to organize my business like any other successful profit making, big corporation to endure a reccession (losing streak) or even a depression (losing year)...and still know that I will be there, working just like before the very next year...

Now, I didn't take my time to write this long post as a way to show that I am a winning sports bettor. Not to be cocky, but I have already established that through the years. But what I did write this for is to let so many of you good, hard working, and ambitious men here in this forum know...that I am no smarter than you. In fact, I'm almost positive that the majority of you have a much further scholastic education than I do. So there is no reason that you should ever not be able to beat this market over time with all the resources available...there is no reason that once you put together your bankroll, that you can't forever build your business to lengths never before imagined....and there is no reason that you should ever have to sweat any sporting results. Because you have the power to do all of that. In fact it takes very little except for having the "will" to do what so few actually do. I know just by being in this forum for 7 months that so many of you guys are sharp enough to do what I am writing about...but only you can make that choice of the way you want your sports betting to go and in turn, your lifestyle.

Finally, as I stated above...I am willing to try and teach many of you those same fundamentals about handicapping that I was...so that you can then take them and tweak them over the years and become a more efficient handicapper. I am willing to pass along some money management tips that you may also use. And, I know that even if you don't have the time to do all of the work that it takes to actually be a winning handicapper, that with all the resources available to you just at Pregame alone...that you can still turn a profit watching and wagering on something you obviously love also...Sports...But what I can't do, is take your money and do the right things with it for you. That is up to you. The best way to do this is to answer honestly, why you bet on sports ??? And that answer should be enough to show you exactly what to do next. I will end this by passing along the #1 Rule to Money Management...and that is, have realistic goals...and never stray from the ez path of achieving them...and I mean NEVER, not even for that one game that you know is a winner because once you allow yourself to do the wrong thing, then getting back to doing the right thing becomes so much tougher...

I want to wish you all the best of luck and let you know that I am here and willing to share with you a lot of what I know...with the hope that you will apply it and improve your life because as I said before...I have met so many here that really deserve it. Best of Luck, Vegas-Runner..