How does a bookmaker sees pros? Here's my two cents...
Some of you may recall that I've been at the helm of a sportsbook before starting the TOW venture.
My friends across the street accused me in the past of being keen in taking the side of the operator in disputes, which isn't necessarily true. However I do look at disputes from both sides, bookmaker and player.
Players often ask me how does a bookie sees wiseguys (professional players).
Here is my two cents based on my experience behind the counter.
I would first say that there are two main categories, honest pros and dishonest pros.
An honest wiseguy comes in telling the book who he is thus failing to qualify for perks and bonuses (which we should all remember they are offered to recreational players to compensate their lack of betting knowledge).
He doesn't mind having additional collars and restrictions (wagering limits, time within which he is allowed to bet on an event).
In exchange he gets preferential payout timeframes and, most important, he is allowed to bet (remember, books are privately owned business that can refuse taking action at their choice).
Honest wiseguys are usually allowed to wager higher amounts well ahead of time, from a day or two before the event up to several hours.
Linesmakers often use their action to sharpen their lines. It's a fair give and take that substantially rewards both sides.
Dishonest pros can be further devided into two sub-categories;
The greedy and stupid one;
The smart and sneaky one.
The two common factors between the sub-categories is that both are bonus abusers (pros aren't entitled to bonuses and perks) and both usually bet within minutes of the event going off the board.
The "greedy and stupid" is very easy to spot; he usually bets higher amounts and when confronted with the truth denies and threatens to go public.
"I'm going to rip you a new asshole with TheRX and SBR" a dude once told me.
"Why should you?" I asked. "I'm not revoking the bonus, not cancelling your bets, not confiscating your winnings...so why should I fear you?"
"Either you allow me to keep getting my bonus or I will blast your book on all posting forums!" he contended.
I told him to go ahead and be my guest. He eventually didn't.
The confrontation arose because I used to handle these cases personally. Once risk management identified the account I would personally call the player and congratulate him twice; once for being such a good bettor and the second time for being able to circumvent our bonus policies.
I would then go on informing the player that his past action would be validated and paid however if he wanted to continue to wager the wiseguys rules would apply to his account: no bonus whatsoever, betting collars, time within which we would accept his action and possible not acceptance of bets at our sole discretion.
The second sub-category, the smart and sneaky is much harder to spot, especially when you run an operation with anywhere between 7,000 and 8,000 weekly actives.
The smart and sneaky rarely bets over $200 a pop. Once in a while he throws in some losing bets intentionally just to keep below the radar. He also never allows his balance to run too high, thus remaining invisible.
The smart and sneaky usually takes two or more payouts per month and keeps his balance tenfold his average bet size.
Books eventually identify these kind of players yet they rarely put them under the wiseguys rules because of the limited betsize. However the accounts get flagged and kept under review at all times.
Books like SportsInteraction would allow these guys to hit a certain amount of winnings and then boot them.
VIP used to squeeze their limits to $20 or $30 and so on.
My advice to season players is to always disclose what kind of player you are with your sportsbook. You will be treated fairly and never get in trouble.
If you go the opposite route and abuse the book's bonus policy you may get lucky and be shown the door with your winnings intact or end up in a dispute that could lead to confiscation of your winnings at best.
Remember: greed doesn't pay, honesty and disclipline do.
GL with your plays.
TOW
Difference between sharps and blood sucking bonus whore/scalpers. Great post by TOW
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Originally Posted by acw
