Hey there Discipline, this thread is right up my alley. I was a bookmaker here in the states since 1989 and worked as a sheet writer before that for a few years during college. Obviously, I was on the other side but I can probably offer some advice. In the US, bookmaking(on sports) is illegal except in Nevada. It is widely accepted and disregarded as not very serious, unless the cops got it out for ya or you unluckily/unkknowingly get caught up in something and get drug into it. This happened to a partner of mine. Anyway, it takes steely nerve and focus to be a succesfull and professional sports bettor, but it can be done. I know a guy who is regarded as the best sports (college football mostly) bettor around. The guy does not lose. here's the rub on him and guys like him. They are known as wise guys. They shop as many books as possible for weak lines and take advantage early in the week, buying it back if they have to later in the week. All kinds of neat tricks these guys have. Did you see the movie "Casino" with DeNiro and Joe Pesci? I'm sure you did. Remember DeNiro's character and what he was in the beginning and the end of the movie? He was a sports handicapper for the mob and he was good at it. What they do is spread their money on games they like all around the country after consulting with their own DeNiro's. First, they call all the offshore books and get the lines, under special arrangement these books hold these lines for a while. Then they get the word out to all their associates throughout the US on who is the play and what the acceptable point spread to take. Now, in return for these Golden Plays, each associate is asked to get the guy above him down for a certain amount, say $5K on the eagles -6(no higher). Associate now calls his local book (Me) to get line for the eagles. i look at my cmputer to check if there are any changes and say, eagles minus 6. Associate says"6 dimes($6k) on the eagles minus 6". I accept. 2 minutes later, after this same process has occurred throughout the whole country, the lines on the off shore books(and probably aussie too) for the eagles starts to go crazy. the eagles go up to 7,8,9.... The book has taken the worst of it, the wise guys have the eagles -6 when it should be 9 and this is why they win--Soft lines and cooperation from the off shore books to hold the lines long enough for the wise guys to get down on soft lines all around the country before the off shore have to cxhange the line so they don't get hammered by these same soft lines they have helped create, but without the knwledge of who the wise guy plays are, you don't know which lines are soft.

I was lucky enough to not get beat by these guys too long because JI could get them down as an associate and tack a little on to each one of their plays.

This can benefit you as a player by subscribing to a line service that has real time odds. I don't know how Aussie sports betting works, but the NFL here is huge gambling market and there are all kinds of line services. i don't know if it's ok to post them here but if it is, i'll do it or e-mail ya or pm ya. Watch the lines moving like crazy on saturday;s around 1:45 am sun morn your time, 15 minutes before kick off at 12 noon here and start playing these games (mostly totals on big ten and ACC games at this time) You won't believe it until you see it. The whole thing is still based on hcping, but remember DeNiro. If you have an AUSSIE site to bet at, they might not change their lines accordingly. I'm talking 6 or 7 point moves sometimes on college totals. A nice edge, no? Heck, you can even bet middles if you want.

This is my first year since 1989 not taking football. It is a bittersweet feeling but I'm glad that part of my life is over. The game (sports betting) has changed too much and now almost favors the player instead of the bookie. I saw this gradual change coming about mid 1990's. Last year was the worst season the bookies ever had and I had to stop the bleeding, but I had already decided it was going to be my last year anyway as my daughter is now almost 3 and it would not be fair to spend every fall weekend tied to a phone and constantly working. IT IS THE HARDEST JOB I"VE EVER HAD. very time consuming and the phone is always ringing. Even when you are not manning the phone , you are out collecting and paying customers. The money made it worth it. I still always had a job and used the book as my second job(noticed I didn't say part time job.) I learned a lot of do's and dont's from taking all types of sports punters and I'm sure I can help somehow.