Off Shore Gaming Association

Confessions of a Small-time Gambler

Well, it happened to me this week. I got caught up in the Thanksgiving NFL games and my betting error cost me a few bucks. I have taken to shopping the early line over the last few weeks, especially with national televised games like Thanksgiving, MNF, etc. and teams like the Saints, Patriots and Jets. And, this tactic has been making me feel smart, if not helping to cash a ticket or two.

You see, I always like to have a bit of fun with the games on Thanksgiving. This year was no exception. I had a pretty strong opinion on all three games on the board after watching last Sunday’s action. So, on Monday, I went into my account and took a look at the sports betting lines for the three games. I snapped up the Saints at -3 (-115) and the Patriots at -7. Both plays were for $44, ’cause I am still up this season. I also liked the Jets and figured with all that NY money on a holiday, that number would go up. So, I decided to wait ‘till it got to 10 or more and then I planned to take the Bengals.

At the time I was unable to place any parlays, due to a note on the website that said I had to wait until Tuesday. So I waited, and forgot about the Jets play. Until yesterday morning. And that forgetfulness, cost me a few bucks.

I placed a two-team NFL parlay on the Saints and the under in the Jets game that I loved since the number came out. But, I waited until Thursday morning to put it in. I was so hot on the Saints, that I did not even really notice that the number had risen. I did notice that the Jets total had come down from the 43.5 that I saw and was now at 42.5. I loved this play and hastily put it in for $25. I also took the Jets, who were still at -9 for another $33 (the number never moved much if at all).

I then sat back and watched the Patriots cash, even though I was sweating at the half. Then I ate some turkey and watched the Cowboys play a hell of a game. They were not distraught after the first quarter shellacking and about midway through the second half, I started to pace. And believe me, that was a bit uncomfortable after the turkey, stuffing, soufflé, sweet potatoes and pie. But pace I did. Back and forth, as the game went back and forth. Oh No, I thought. This is going to kill two plays.

The game progressed and I was almost boo-hooing when Roy Williams was sprinting down the field. Cowboys up by four and Williams is running like a gazelle. But then hope arose, as Williams was stripped of the ball! I begin to think, “Well at least I have a shot to push.” And with the Saints in control of the ball, I knew that I had a very good chance. Brees drove down the field and almost made it look easy, scoring a go-ahead touchdown with 1:55 left. I am a pretty happy guy. Even when the Cowboys drove down the field and tied a last-change field goal, I felt that the play was not going to lose. The ‘Boys, as expected, missed the field goal, and the play pushed.

I got up, relieved about the push, and went over to the computer to check my account. That’s when I saw it. In the parlay from the morning wagering session, I had taken the Saints at -5 in the parlay! I did not take the time to notice the line change (especially a 2 point change from Monday!) and just blindly took the play. Had I spent the time to look I might not have wagered the full $25, which for me is a little more than my usual twenty dollar, 2-teamer. But I just blindly took the game assuming that the line was still similar. Another mistake made, “These are starting to add up for me.” This one only cost me $25, but it should not have been made.

Generally, I have found that over the last few weeks the line has been going up on the Pats, Jets, Giants and Saints. That is specifically why I went in on Monday and checked. The Saints push was a lucky one, but the mistake made later in the week could easily have been avoided by placing the wager sooner, the parlay would have paid more than $20, had I just placed it at the same time as the straight bet. That’s a turnaround of nearly fifty bucks. Still, after kicking myself and a big Jets win, I ended up 3-1-1 on the day with a profit of $85. Luckily, betting that early NFL line saved me from a very small day, profit-wise. Full and up a few dollars is a pretty good way for me to spend the Holiday.

Check back for next week’s Confessions. Good Luck to all of us throughout this Holiday weekend!

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The state of gambling in this country is incredibly screwed up. The fact that laws are in place to make it very difficult to wager online, while new slots parlors and casinos seem to pop up every other week, is absurd. I did my best to play within current U.S. law on the horses over the weekend, but would up nothing but frustrated and mad at the current system.

I live close enough to Philadelphia Park, and thus for many years I have only been allowed to bet on the phone or Internet at PhoneBet, the online/phone betting shop for the Philadelphia Park (now Parx) wagering system. However, recent changes made it so that here, outside of Philly, we could bet with other providers, like TVG. Proof via a giant electronic billboard on I-95 for TVG! We now get races from TVG on cable and finally are out of the stone ages with both the archaic website and terrible PhoneBetTV happily in the rear-view mirror.

The Breeders Cup was run on Friday and Saturday and though I could have just played offshore, I was hoping for a huge score, ones like the Breeders Cup has produced before. So, I wanted to bet into the pool and not get capped at my offshore joint. I have a PhoneBet account, but their system has caused me nothing but grief on big race days. Two years ago, it was so bad that I drove to the OTB (about 12 miles) to get in my Kentucky Derby plays. But this year, these races were going to be different. Welcome to the 21^st century and welcome to TVG.

I started on Friday night. I went to tvg.com looking to sign up for an account. After going through all of the steps, I clicked the final button. However, the computer screen came back saying there was a problem setting up the account and I had to call in. Well it was pretty late so I figured that I could call in before the races, in the morning, and get everything squared away. Unless I was wrong and I really couldn’t open a TVG account. So, I checked the regulations to see if I could determine my eligibility and maybe save a phone call.

I had to dig because under the states that are ‘allowed’ to have TVG accounts, Pennsylvania has an asterisk (*Specific state regulations apply to eligibility). So , I kept clicking, determined to find out if I really needed to call in. I found their FAQ section and in it was something really strange. “Pennsylvania customers are limited to online wagering.” What? Well I use the Internet almost exclusively for wagering so this news was no big deal, outside of getting me angry at the system again. This tidbit also let me know that I was eligible open a TVG account.

On Saturday morning, I started kind of early for me. I was on the phone with TVG at 1030 AM. The woman spoke English, was located in the U.S. and was extremely helpful. She said that based on my zipcode, I could have an Internet wagering account with TVG. I gave her all of my info again, since the application blew up the previous night and within a couple of minutes, I had an account number. I then asked her if I could use my credit card to fund my account. She told me, “Yes, but some banks do not allow them to be used for Internet wagering.” I had to laugh on that one. I told her I understood and thanked her for being so nice (of course she did not know my previous horrors of trying to understand broken English or phone lines that sound like you are on the moon or that attitude that some offshore places have). I hung up the phone and went to the PC.

I typed in the username, pin (that I created) and my zipcode. Error! I tried again. Error! I started thinking that maybe I wrote the login information down wrong.

I called back in to TVG and got another woman, equally nice, who looked and said “ No Sir, it looks like you are putting everything in right.” She then asked, are you in Pennsylvania right now. I said, “Yes”. She said that it looked like I was logging in from New Jersey and that is why the system blocked me. I was very frustrated, but not at her or TVG, but at the crap that has gone on with online wagering in this country.

Still, not to be denied, I called my Internet provider and asked them about the whole New Jersey login. After wading through the menus, I finally got a guy who said he would look into it. It was now approaching noon. He got back on the phone and told me that yes I was picking up a New Jersey IP address (the address of you computer on the Internet). I even went so far as to explain my dilemma and this guy understood. He understood because his brother plays the horses and ran into the exact same problem! However, he also could not fix the IP issue. He did say that I could unplug my Internet modem and try to get a new Pennsylvania IP address, but that I could just be stuck with the NJ one until it magically changes back to PA. I also remebered that I was, for some stange reason, not allowed to wager with TVG on the phone. Again making me angrier. At this point I was so mad at the system that this country had forced on me, I made a command decision.

“Fine,” I said to myself, I’ll just play in my offshore account. I won’t play the Pick 4 or Pick 6, I’ll just play the races. So I did. And halfway through the day I hit a trifecta, so it was all worth it.

The real shame is that I did everything in my power to NOT play offshore, and I still had to look outside of legal U.S. wagering outlets. Due the archaic rules governing horse wagering, as well as the opposition that online wagering in general has, the government here forced me to go outside the U.S. to place my wager. I guess I could have gotten stuck using the inferior product that PhoneBet offers. But, I spent over 2 hours trying to play within the rules. What good are the laws and rules if they only hurt both the consumer and the best companies? In a free market society, the best products and best companies should prevail. But unfortunately, the horse player and online bettor are both just a step above lepers in the U.S. and cannot get a fair shake no matter how hard they try. So, players like myself will continue to go offshore, where companies compete for your business and, as with any free marketplace, the consumer wins.

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I gotta say that for the past few weeks I have been on a bit of a roll. I just need to avoid doing stupid things, like betting on College Football or playing the Saints. This is the first week I stayed away from any wagering on Saturday. And it was kinda nice because I have lost for several straight weeks betting NCAA football.

Last week I stayed off of New Orleans, and of course, they won and covered. I again avoided them on Sunday and again they win BIG. However, they can go 7-0 the rest of the way and I will not bet them again. Luckily they are off this week. I guess that the biggest thing I notice, and the Saints make it really hit home for me, is that there have been no ‘go to’ teams for me; Teams that I know are going to give me a win week after week; hopefully, cashing 9 or so times a season. There is no more 16-0 Patriots or ‘09 Saints. And that is why I feel kind of lucky to still be ahead this far into the season. I have no ace in the hole this year.

Case in point. When I have reviewed my plays from this year, outside of the Saints, I have not played a single team side more than three times. I think that this may be why I am doing so well. I the past I have gotten sunk with the Farve-led Packers too many times, destroyed by various Denver squads and  victimized by the Vikings. But this year I have spread around the love and the wagers, and for a change, it is working.

I started out the day with a solid $44 play on the Baltimore Ravens. They had been playing well and I just don’t believe in Miami. This one turned out to be an easy winner. The tough game in the early set was the damn Jets. I absolutely loved this game and since I am up a bit so far this season, I put $55 on them. And sweated almost from the kickoff.  At the half, the Jets are not looking too good and are up by just three. Of course I have them at -4.  In the 3^rd quarter, the Lions recovered a fumble near midfield and I started to feel light headed. This can’t be – I loved this game. Then I watch as the Lions drive down the field with little resistance and score the go ahead touchdown. I am felling a bit woozy when the kicker who was hurt, can’t come on. And the biggest kicker ever, MISSES THE EXTRA POINT. Never have seen a giant kicer come in cold and boom – off the right upright. Yes! However, it is at this same moment of euphoria and hope that I realize that I am screwed. A Jets TD and it’s a push. But the game is getting quite good and I still can’t believe the score. Then it gets worse.  The Lions put up 7, yes they made the extra point, to go up by 10. Now all hope IS lost. Two touchdowns just to get a push. But, the Jets begin to play for a tie and at this point I actually hope they lose, because there is no way I can win the play. Sanchez does a fantastic job and brings the Jets back to tie. Whatever!?! Hope is again alive . . . somewhat.

Overtime is funny, because it gives some optimism. But the chances are very slim that a TD gets scored and anything more than 2.5 covers. But, at least I am again alive. And I am thinking of Playstation, Throw the bomb, they’ll never see it coming! Naturally Ryan is playing to win, not cover. But then, the impossible becomes possible! Santonio Holmes gets a short pass and is heading for the end zone! GO, GO GOOOO, GO, NO NO No no. No, because he got tackled at the 15 or so and I knew it was all about getting the field goal unit on. Jets win, but don’t cover and I am down $15 to start the day.

Once again this week I cashed a nice 3-team teaser. I needed the points in two of the games too. I love it when that happens because I feel like I know something more than I do. I teased Atlanta down to -3 from nine and that would have lost otherwise. I teased the Bears to +3 ( across the zero from -3), and they would have pushed. I also had the Giants in the play down to -1, so for me they covered by 33! Another $20 to win $36. I think that this week I am definitely going to up the ticket for the teaser play. This little experiment has won four out of five tries.

I had a two team parlay with Green Bay and New England that I would rather not discuss. It’s hard to believe that I could be so right on one  game and so wrong on another, in the same play!

Finally, I took the Over in the Eagles/Colts game. This one seemed like low hanging fruit and with 33 points in the first half, I was cruising. However, the Philly defense really showed up and going into the 4^th quarter, I was a little worried about ending up with a losing, rather than winning day. I had over 46.5! But, when The Eagles scored a TD in the fourth quarter, I knew this was a winner. Another $40 to add to the bankroll.

I am now up just under 300 bucks for the season. I am having a good time and have so far resisted to commit some of the mistakes of previous years. As for this week, no college football again, as I quest for that ‘go to’ NFL team.

Check back with next week’s Confessions mid-week. Good Luck to all of us this weekend!

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Week 8 of the NFL season was another successful one as I continue to roll. But this week was a bit different. There were no last minute sweats, there was nothing that forced me to head an extra time or two to the fridge and absolutely nothing that forced an errant hat to be thrown at the flatscreen.

One thing did become evident before the NFL on Sunday . . . I suck at picking college football games. Just terrible. Michigan State goes into Iowa as a 6.5 point dog. I loved this game. Iowa won 37-6, No Contest. I did fare a little better with a $20 3-team parlay. I had the over in the Auburn/Mississippi barnburner and Penn state getting 3. Both plays were easy winners. But, I had to add in that 3rd team and took USC at home, where they are usually tough. Oregon was on fire but I am a non-believer in the Ducks. Instead USC got crushed, my play went down the tubes and I now believe in the Ducks. Rated #1, they are giving 35.5 this week and who knows, could fall trap to the curse of being #1 in 2010. Either way, I am done betting NCAA football having lost some dough every week I have played the college game. This week the NCAA cost me a cool $53

Still, none of my plays went down to the wire and that trend continued on Sunday.

My favorite play of the day was the Pack heading into NY to face the Jets. I think that the Jets flap their gums a little too much to ever be as good as the class of the league and the Packers have been playing very solid ball. The line of +6.5 was just too much to give Aaron Rogers and a solid Packer defense. The game was real yawner, yet it still kept me engaged for most of the contest as it was way too close to celebrate for the fist 45 minutes of action. Only up by 3 points heading into the 4th quarter, I did think in the back of my head that a TD would put the Jets ahead, but not cover. In the 4th quarter, the Jets drove the ball down the field having started at their own 5. It’s OK. They still won’t cover here. Then Sanchez tosses one right to Charles Woodson and I feel that victory is mine. It gets sealed on the ensuing drive as the Pack kick a field goal to go up 6-0. At this point the Jets need two touchdowns to beat me and I cannot see that happening. This one is in the bag! I get off of the couch and check my balance. That is when I noticed that my St. Louis -3 play is going to cash too. And, after the early games I will be up $60 and back in the black for the weekend. And no sweating!

I fired up another 3-team teaser this week with Jacksonville (+12.5) as an easy winner not needing the points, but the other two games were the exact opposite. Over 39 in the Kansas City/Buffalo game, in which I still can’t figure out whether the Bills D was great of the KC offense anemic. It did kill my roll when the game went into OT offering no chance that either team had a 19 point play in thier back pocket. Oh yeah, the third play was a late game that pushed. I teased Arizona to +3. I do think that there is great value in going from -3 to +3 and will continue to explore that strategy in the coming weeks.

The plays round out with a win on a two-team, $20 parlay on the Raiders and the Vikings, both of which were again, easy winners. I wish that all of my weeks could show these profits with such a little amount of agony, hand-wringing and verbal abuse to my flatscreen. In all, Sunday yields I tidy profit of almost $100. But, coupled with Saturday’s defeats, I end up the weekend ahead $29.89. Still, a profit again this week and as I head to Week 9, knowing that there is no NCAA betting this week, I hope I can expand the bankroll. Halfway through the season, I am up pretty big for me – $236 and change. Sweet!

Check back with next week’s Confessions mid-week. Good Luck to all of us this weekend!

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