[HedgeHog]

With their rating steadily falling, when do you exit MB? Personally, I'm lessening my exposure to just a few grand.

[MRK]

I still dont understand why their rating is falling. They have no slow-pay comlaints at all.
Also, they don't give out bonuses, and they are an exchange, so they down have those risks of losing large amounts of money.

At C level, I will definitely re-evaluate and lessen my exposure there, especially since football season is coming to an end. However, it seems to me at this point that their rating downgrade is based on little to no information, except their affiliation with WSEX.

[blix177]

I really want to understand why SBR are dropping their rating? Currently at B-; I mean depositing and withdrawls only take less than an hour. Currently they are still the best betting option out there, in terms of fees. Just the betting structure is a strong business plan. In the event they start failing, just the concept should lure additional investors. They only thing I wish they do, is be brought out by a stronger company like pinnaclesports.

[Fishhead]

I really want to understand why SBR are dropping their rating? Currently at B-; I mean depositing and withdrawls only take less than an hour. Currently they are still the best betting option out there, in terms of fees. Just the betting structure is a strong business plan. In the event they start failing, just the concept should lure additional investors. They only thing I wish they do, is be brought out by a stronger company like pinnaclesports.

They would be at A- if they still chose to advertise here.....................

Expect books in general to be graded one full grade lower because they do not advertise with SBR(see Heritage).

Secondly, Matchbook has to have tremendous value on the open market..........I would think they would have a slew of potential buyers.

[Chuck Sims]

I received a lightning fast payout(as always) from Matchbook 5 days ago. I have been posting here for many years. Its routine for SBR to downgrade a sportsbook for no other reason then the book discontinuing its advertising at SBR.

Matchbook blows away the competition for MLB lines. They are #2 rated sportsbook by the SBR posters.

Curious why Matchbook's A- rating stayed firm when it was reported they were broke and had to be taken over last summer. I hope the reason was not that they were paying to fly their banner here.

[MRK]

Curious why Matchbook's A- rating stayed firm when it was reported they were broke and had to be taken over last summer. I hope the reason was not that they were paying to fly their banner here.

When did this happen, I did not hear anything about this. Who took them over?

[trumpdown]

When did this happen, I did not hear anything about this. Who took them over?

A few threads written about this assumption, last year.

[Fishhead]

It was also reported they had little, if any, affilation with WSEX...........

[Chuck Sims]

No official announcement was made. A few posts were made saying MB was taken over by some of the major players in the offshore community.

[andywend]

Matchbook's rating is falling solely due to their affiliation with WSEX.

WSEX continuing to blame the long withdrawal delays on their processors is only making the situation worse.

If these long delays were solely due to processor problems as WSEX has consistently stated, they would be doing everything they can to provide their customers with other avenues to move around their money. Instead, they have done exactly the opposite by cutting off all book-to-book transfers with other sites. The only book they will transfer money to is Matchbook and they have reduced the limits from $10,000 down to $2,500 (once per week) and also implemented a $50 fee for each transfer.

The plain, simple truth is WSEX has financial problems that are probably pretty severe due to their inability to set accurate lines on the "live betting" portion of their site. They are getting absolutely killed because the market makers are putting up incorrect lines and the bettors are jumping all over them.

Setting accurate "live betting" lines is extremely tricky and requires the highest level of intelligence. Unfortunately, the people setting the lines at WSEX aren't up to the task. While this sounds like a gold mine to bettors (and it is to start), at some point these continued losses that WSEX is experiencing will put the entire book in financial jeopardy and that is what has happened at WSEX.

Either they need to stop offering live betting or they have to employ an individual who knows how to set accurate live betting lines.

For the record, I have made a tremendous amount of money on WSEX's live betting so writing this post feels kind of strange. The problem is if they continue with the status quo, WSEX is going to FAIL and I'm afraid they might bring Matchbook down with them.

[blix177]

The only downside to Matchbook is that it requires a HUGE handle, even with $1 Billion dollar annual handle they only make $80 million Rev, and you minus overhead, that shrinks the profit way down.

[Fishhead]

The only downside to Matchbook is that it requires a HUGE handle, even with $1 Billion dollar annual handle they only make $80 million Rev, and you minus overhead, that shrinks the profit way down.

[MRK]

AndyWend,

I agree with you that WSEX does offer bad lines frequently for live betting, the amount of money that they lose from is is pretty trivial I would imagine compared to how how much they make from regular betting. I highly doubt that this is the cause of their financial troubles.

[Doug]

Matchbook is critical for betting.

[andywend]

I agree with you that WSEX does offer bad lines frequently for live betting, the amount of money that they lose from is is pretty trivial I would imagine compared to how how much they make from regular betting. I highly doubt that this is the cause of their financial troubles.

MRK, I have to disagree with you.

The amount of money they are losing on the live betting is very substantial and has turned WSEX from a profitable sportsbook to a sportsbook on the brink of financial collapse.

[Thremp]

MRK, I have to disagree with you. The amount of money they are losing on the live betting is very substantial and has turned WSEX from a profitable sportsbook to a sportsbook on the brink of financial collapse.

How do you know this?

[MRK]

If you do the math on this, its clearly false.

Lets assume WSEX offers 700 live-betting events per year (an avg of about 2 per day), and loses $1,000 on avg per event. That means they lose 700k a year from live betting, which is pretty much chump change i think for a major bookmaker, and certainly not enough to put them on the brink of financial collapse.

Once you factor in that most people doing live-betting there who are any good get limits put on their account after a while, and the fact that there are probably plenty of squares who bet on live-betting, I would estimate that WSEX losing $1,000 per event is very high. In reality, they probably make break-even at least from live-betting, and may turn a small profit.

[Doug]

If you do the math on this, its clearly false.

Lets assume WSEX offers 700 live-betting events per year (an avg of about 2 per day), and loses $1,000 on avg per event. That means they lose 700k a year from live betting, which is pretty much chump change i think for a major bookmaker, and certainly not enough to put them on the brink of financial collapse.

Once you factor in that most people doing live-betting there who are any good get limits put on their account after a while, and the fact that there are probably plenty of squares who bet on live-betting, I would estimate that WSEX losing $1,000 per event is very high. In reality, they probably make break-even at least from live-betting, and may turn a small profit.

Does anybody still use WSEX ?

The URL is probably worth more than the book.

[Doug]

you mean 8 mil

I wouldn't be surprised if they are moving around way more than 1 bil though since the online gambling market rakes in about 30-40 bil a year, and that is just revenue. The amount actually moved around per year is around 500 bil and MB def has 1-5% of the market.

Do the math-MB is doing fine boys, play on, get the liquidity going.

sounds reasonable

[Dark Horse]

MB is high risk. It takes a high quality format PLUS high quality people to make this work. A high quality format plus below average quality people will make it a below average book. I wouldn't risk any exposure here at this time. Worst case scenario is that MB crashes. Why take that risk?

[tofuman]

MB is high risk. It takes a high quality format PLUS high quality people to make this work. A high quality format plus below average quality people will make it a below average book. I wouldn't risk any exposure here at this time. Worst case scenario is that MB crashes. Why take that risk?

are there any other exchange-style sportsbooks available for people living in the US?

[trumpdown]

The plain, simple truth is WSEX has financial problems that are probably pretty severe due to their inability to set accurate lines on the "live betting" portion of their site. They are getting absolutely killed because the market makers are putting up incorrect lines and the bettors are jumping all over them.

For the record, I have made a tremendous amount of money on WSEX's live betting so writing this post feels kind of strange.

Interesting concept, but don't you think if they were getting "absolutely killed" from this they wouldn't need the WSEX supporters to tell them to drop the interactives, and would be able to figure it out themselves? I mean unless it is foolish pride or something why would they carry on? And they do delay and any sharp rarely gets the best number there anyway.

How much you take em for before you were severely limited?

[Chuck Sims]

Been with WSEX for 9 years. Whenever they lose money on something they stop offering. The juice spread on the interactives is huge and would be very difficult to beat unless you were a sharp. Consider 97% of all sports bettors are losers, I can say confidently that WSEX's slow payouts has very little to do with their interactives.

[andywend]

The juice spread on the interactives is huge and would be very difficult to beat unless you were a sharp. Consider 97% of all sports bettors are losers, I can say confidently that WSEX's slow payouts has very little to do with their interactives.

The interactives are a WSEX staple product and proudly market them as a reason why they are better than the average sportsbook.

The juice spread on the interactives is huge

I agree with this.

would be very difficult to beat unless you were a sharp

You are 100% incorrect about this and clearly you don't do much betting on the interactive side.

WSEX continues to make the same type of mistake on all their interactive games. Anyone who does a lot of live in-game betting and is knowledgeable in this area knows exactly what I'm talking about.

I can say confidently that WSEX's slow payouts has very little to do with their interactives.

Since you don't do a lot of interactive trading, I find it comical that you're acting like an authority on the subject. I can say confidently you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to the interactives offered at WSEX.

[Fishhead]

[Dark Horse]

are there any other exchange-style sportsbooks available for people living in the US?

Betphoenix is said to be working on one. Last I heard the grand opening was planned for this summer. But you never know.

[Doug]

The interactives are a WSEX staple product and proudly market them as a reason why they are better than the average sportsbook.
I agree with this.You are 100% incorrect about this and clearly you don't do much betting on the interactive side.

WSEX continues to make the same type of mistake on all their interactive games. Anyone who does a lot of live in-game betting and is knowledgeable in this area knows exactly what I'm talking about.
Since you don't do a lot of interactive trading, I find it comical that you're acting like an authority on the subject. I can say confidently you don't know what you're talking about when it comes to the interactives offered at WSEX.

It should be easy for WSEX to figure out how they are getting beat on interactives, IMO !

then fix the mistake in making these lines.

it has to be the same guys beating them, just study the bet history.

I think they would kill it, if it was losing big money.

[Fishhead]

It should be easy for WSEX to figure out how they are getting beat on interactives, IMO !

then fix the mistake in making these lines.

it has to be the same guys beating them, just study the bet history.

I think they would kill it, if it was losing big money.

Doug, you always save me so much time............THANK YOU!

[sdtrader]

It seems to me that wsex is increasing the amount of live betting games recently, I wouldn't think they would do this if they are losing a lot of money on the live betting.

[HedgeHog]

If bad goes to worse, I would hope that WSEX sells off MB to a more financially stable Book. There is obviously a need for MB, and it can be run better than it is currently.

[Fishhead]

If bad goes to worse, I would hope that WSEX sells off MB to a more financially stable Book. There is obviously a need for MB, and it can be run better than it is currently.

Buy it