[Korchnoi]

I was curious what it'd be like to be on the other side. Have any of you guys worked for sport books (either in LV on online)? What's the pay structure like? How does one get jobs in these fields (without opening up your own book)? I would think Vegas would need some pretty smart people to be linesmen, are these guys just all ex gamblers or do they recruit smart young guys? How about the firms that sell their lines to books, where do those firms hire from?

[Bill Dozer]

A lot of the lines come from offshores. Pinnacle might be the place to look to get baseball openers and Olympic might be the source for foots and so on. They might just use a lines screen and watch the lines shape into form before opening their own.

Many times the players are the real linemen and the ones sharpening the odds. Pros might bet into them before they are offered to the public. It's a tradeoff for the books.

[Arilou]

What I wonder about, like Korchnoi, is whether the books offer enough compensation to be competitive with normal gambling. If you're good enough to play defense and set a line yourself, or manage one over a day or week, then that's a lot harder than what the player has to do. How do they make up for that, and how much gambling are you supposed/allowed to do if you're working for a book?

[Bill Dozer]

There are quite a few BMs who are BMs because they couldn't get enough down as a pro. Some of the higher paid guys get a % of profit on the lines they move and do quite well. Most get a salary that is small by American standards. To work for the big boys you need to be numbers guru. MIT degree would help.

[Bill Dozer]

How do they make up for that, and how much gambling are you supposed/allowed to do if you're working for a book?

Some books have lines guys who bet stuff out to other shops with personal accounts. It depends on what kind of ship the boss is running.

[Korchnoi]

Is getting a license to be an independent sportsbook in Vegas something that is possible? Or are all legal books done through casinos?

[Bill Dozer]

Good question. Assuming you have unlimited capital, anyone know what the procedure is? I know WagerFree was in Nevada and showed us what happened when you don't have a license.

[jjgold]

Most books have no linesmakers, they just copy lines all day and night. A few sharp places like Pinnacle have Tech Geeks that are real smart and do have input in the line. A few places have a few old school washed up bookmakers that try and make lines based on ego and not skill. Also like Donald Dozer said some books make lines of sharp bettors.

[Bill Dozer]

at least you didn't call me Dozier...not that there is anything wrong with being French.