Can you really make money in this game ?

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Six secrets..

1. Know the trainers

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this, but the trainer angle, at least for me, has been my worst enemy and my best friend.

I say worst because often times I'll add an extra horse into my bet because "it's the Pletcher" even though I don't really like the horse and I'm probably killing myself in the long run on profit vs. money bet. I'm probably better off just taking a stand against that entry? At the same time, I've included horses (especially in Claimers) because of the trainer involved and it was the right thing to do. Which makes things very confusing, besides the fact that for the beginner capper I think claimers are much harder to figure out.

Frankel - I never bet his first time starters from Europe in Stakes races. It seems they either run off the board or if they do win, they were very overbet.

Class hikes or drops is something I'm really bad at recognizing a positive move...which is where I really rely on the trainer information.

My thoughts on Jazil being entered on Thursday is he is a bet against. McLaughlin can bring a horse off from the layoff better than anyone...me thinks McLaughlin thinks Jazil needs another race (hooray for me )

[Kasept]

This thread is well on its' way to making it to the 'Charlie Hatton'... Endlessly entertaining and interesting...

I'll quickly add that I believe it's very possible to make a consistant profit at the track, but it does not involve any one specific set of requirements or procedures.

Each individual player must craft his or her own nuanced approach which utilizes their specific strengths and avoids making the same mistakes too often. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses as a player; capitalizing on those strengths and learning how and where the weaknesses resulted in beats; application of bankroll; and confidence in your own opinion and approach are more important to long term success than any one set of handicapping maxims...

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Kasept

This thread is well on its' way to making it to the 'Charlie Hatton'... Endlessly entertaining and interesting...

I'll quickly add that I believe it's very possible to make a consistant profit at the track, but it does not involve any one specific set of requirements or procedures.

Each individual player must craft his or her own nuanced approach which utilizes their specific strengths and avoids making the same mistakes too often. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses as a player; capitalizing on those strengths and learning how and where the weaknesses resulted in beats; application of bankroll; and confidence in your own opinion and approach are more important to long term success than any one set of handicapping maxims...

Excellent points, Steve. I've learned that if I want to pick a winner, I must never ever play that horse. Guaranteed that if I DON'T put a dime on the horse, that horse will cross the finish line first.

Originally Posted by Sightseek

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this, but the trainer angle, at least for me, has been my worst enemy and my best friend.

I say worst because often times I'll add an extra horse into my bet because "it's the Pletcher" even though I don't really like the horse and I'm probably killing myself in the long run on profit vs. money bet. I'm probably better off just taking a stand against that entry? At the same time, I've included horses (especially in Claimers) because of the trainer involved and it was the right thing to do. Which makes things very confusing, besides the fact that for the beginner capper I think claimers are much harder to figure out.

Frankel - I never bet his first time starters from Europe in Stakes races. It seems they either run off the board or if they do win, they were very overbet.

Class hikes or drops is something I'm really bad at recognizing a positive move...which is where I really rely on the trainer information.

My thoughts on Jazil being entered on Thursday is he is a bet against. McLaughlin can bring a horse off from the layoff better than anyone...me thinks McLaughlin thinks Jazil needs another race (hooray for me )

I agree with you, i sometimes dont punt on a horse because i dont like the trainer which is stupid because it's not the horses fault, also i never bet on my own horses because as a trainer i feel you need a impartial view of how your horse ran & money seems to cloud ones thinking.

[2MinsToPost]

At my home track, I would estimate that at least 50% of the people in attendance who are gambling are playing the tote board with no form. In the big picture, what % do these type bettors account for in the pools?