[NicksPicks]

Anyone use Covers.com for stats when making handicapping decisions?
I have recently started using their Consensus and Trends stats. Are they accurate?

[NicksPicks]

Furthermore, is using the consensus from other gamblers on sites like that the way to go, or should I fade their opinions?

[jgilmartin]

Definitely wouldn't blindly follow consensus picks, that's for sure. http://www.sportsbookspy.com has more detailed info on how people are betting. Not sure what books they get it from, though. Doesn't Covers use their handicapping contests for the consensus numbers?

[w3coyote]

Originally Posted by jgilmartin

Doesn't Covers use their handicapping contests for the consensus numbers?

yes they do. there are quite many cappers in their contests, so the consensus numbers are often very close to those in sportsbookspy, vegasinsider or sportsinsights (etc), but still those numbers do not represent actual bets or money involved.

[Busterflywheel]

I do some...I find bodog offers alot of the same info covers does as well as SBR...I like cover for their articles..I dont follow any of their picks though..

[arwar]

they have a very comprehensive database of past data. i am not sure whose lines they use. one of their best and least known features is the sheets they put out on every sport at http://www.covers.com/faxsheets/index.aspx?t=0. attached is today's NBA sheet.

[thespeculator]

i wouldn't follow the consensus, but they tend to have the most accurate injury updates, also all of the stats are on one page, and you don't have to open a new window

[Bsims]

About a year ago I took a pretty in depth look at the consensus picks which came from wagerline.com contests. I looked at college and pro football and basketball picks over previous four years. This was a lot of work and I finally concluded that there wasn't any real value here. The majority tended to pick the favorites and overs (which mirrors the general public). I looked at a variety of ways of utilizing what I found. For instance, only going with their picks when they went against favorites and overs. This also wasn't promising.

I separated all consensus picks from those of the top 10%. The top 10% did very well, but that's why they were in the top 10%. While I don't remember a lot of the details, but the fact that I finally abandoned the project is indicative of the futility of using these picks.

A bit later, I implemented making picks based on the selections made by the top pickers. I even weighted the picks based on the pickers past records. The results were not impressive (lost money) and I also dropped this project. Admittedly I did not run this process long (maybe a hundred wagers). However, again the fact that I dropped the approach is indicative that I didn't feel there was any value here.

Looking at contests (including those here at SBR) will show some guys doing very well. Naturally one would conclude that they were good handicappers. But that is not necessarily so. If you asked 256 people to pick winners against the pointspread in 8 games, one would likely get all 8 correct. That doesn't make him any better than the guy who got all 8 wrong.

[Wrecktangle]

Bsims,

I have done this also, and used a number of weighting schemes. A few of the schemes showed a little above average but mostly not enough to overcome the vig and could easily have been the result of random variation.

My conclusion: consensus is not worth the effort.

[NicksPicks]

Good info guys. I don't think I'll use consensus anymore. Do you trust their stats and trends? I like the layout as mentioned above.

[Wrecktangle]

I've found covers to be good on their lines and boxscores. As accurate as anyone else, i.e. some errors, but not more than say NBA.com or NFL.com

[NicksPicks]

Thanks. However I'm more intested in trends like:
New Orleans is 4-0 ATS in last 4 games
etc

[THEGREAT30]

sure someone does

[rookie116]

The consensus means nothing to me... the stats and trends are definitely helpful

[halftimeshow777]

Originally Posted by NicksPicks

Thanks. However I'm more intested in trends like:
New Orleans is 4-0 ATS in last 4 games
etc

becareful with those....the bigger the streak ATS, the more inflation there is involved with the spread

[PayUpSukka]

Originally Posted by halftimeshow777

becareful with those....the bigger the streak ATS, the more inflation there is involved with the spread

[tltaylor89]

COvers has great data info telling alot about public trends

[THEGREAT30]

they have helpful info

[Phillth]

nope

[chaseman]

bet against the trends

[cinaj05]

I the trends and facts about the teams but not with the consensus.

[iceminers26]

I use covers to cap all my games, its the only part of that site that I use is the match-up section off the scoreboard of whatever sport you pick. I can get all the info I need just from that section on the game I am capping, good info available there. I'm sure there are better ones out there, but I am just so use to using it over the years, it saves time and I know where shit is at.

However, that is the only function and time I am on that site, this site here is far superior than Covers.

[Bones402]

Originally Posted by iceminers26

I use covers to cap all my games, its the only part of that site that I use is the match-up section off the scoreboard of whatever sport you pick. I can get all the info I need just from that section on the game I am capping, good info available there. I'm sure there are better ones out there, but I am just so use to using it over the years, it saves time and I know where shit is at.

However, that is the only function and time I am on that site, this site here is far superior than Covers.

Having all the info in one spot is def a plus of covers in my opinion.

[mminkovski]

pregame.com has good analysis in its free picks session

[Jaug]

Covers consensus is the consensus from covers account, picking a side. That means no money involved and therefore totally worthless consensus numbers. For real bet consensus go to sportsinsights.com.

[thespeculator]

Originally Posted by iceminers26

I use covers to cap all my games, its the only part of that site that I use is the match-up section off the scoreboard of whatever sport you pick. I can get all the info I need just from that section on the game I am capping, good info available there. I'm sure there are better ones out there, but I am just so use to using it over the years, it saves time and I know where shit is at.

However, that is the only function and time I am on that site, this site here is far superior than Covers.

agree, the matchup section is the best , one page has number you can think of, don't rely on covers for which sportsbook to use, i think they have BetEd, ahead of pinnacle and sportsbook.com is in the top 5, but i guess they have to make money too

[The fiddler]

test

[bigbank]

I also tried using the consensus and gave up that quest. I do use covers for the stats, etc.

[lazyj432]

I dont, I prefer using my own knowledge. If you have none do a little homework.