CNBC special - sports betting

[DJofSD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCBKQnt4ijs&feature=youtu.be

The dude's been featured on, I believe, 60 minutes. The tease on YT looks very interesting -- no holds barred.

[thaskalos]

The inside scoop on VIP Sports...and its founder, "ace" handicapper Steve Stevens...a.k.a Darin Notaro.

http://www.businessinsider.com/cnbc-betting-show-star-fraud-2013-7

[ManU918]

It amazes me how naive some people are on this earth. I remember when I first came across one of the early trailers... Thinking to myself who the **** is this guy. Like the Business Journal piece, I too looked at the domain info. Claiming hes been around for 13 years and the domain was only registered in November of 2012. I'll be honest... Even if Billy Walters opened up a tout service. I don't think he would need as many "reps/employees" as this guy claims to have working for him. It's a pretty simple business, if you win people buy if you lose they don't. In the trailer Stevens claims to be taking 50% of the big players money when he wins... That alone right there is enough for me to say this guy is a fraud.

[ManU918]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCBKQnt4ijs&feature=youtu.be

The dude's been featured on, I believe, 60 minutes. The tease on YT looks very interesting -- no holds barred.

Billy Walters... A real winning bettor who would never open up a tout service was featured on 60 minutes. If you get around to it read the book by Michael Konik titled The Smart Money.

[Valuist]

The inside scoop on VIP Sports...and its founder, "ace" handicapper Steve Stevens...a.k.a Darin Notaro.

http://www.businessinsider.com/cnbc-betting-show-star-fraud-2013-7

What a fraud. Anytime any sports bettor claims they can hit 70% over an extended period of time, they are lying. Check out some of the tracking sites. At the old wagerline site, there would be a few guys at 60%, but that was partly due to some stale lines, and outright line mistakes.

[burnsy]

I've never understood the "tout" business....if you think you are that good. Why would you sell your info/choices? The only reason I can see is you make money without gambling at all but you have to have a decent rate or customers won't be around long. So I have to think that his "staff" is actually a group of high pressure sales people. They are all making a killing off of volume...its like selling cars.

Which brings me to my second point. What kind of self respecting gambler seeks the advice of a "tout"? People are that bad, that they "admit" they can't pick their freaking nose? See, someone like me is too stubborn and arrogant to accept those terms.......that's the make up of a REAL gambler. Or they are so lazy that they don't want to learn a way to do well for themselves? Because the road to being a good gambler is full of "hard knocks" and "broken dreams"...learning how to lose...on your own...picking yourself up and moving on, is a huge factor in becoming any good at all. But people believe in "short cuts" and they will buy them for any aspect in life including gambling. " A sucker is born every minute"....in the gambling world truer words have never been spoken........if you can't learn for yourself....you are not cut out for it! I'm not saying that you may need a "mentor" or advice. I'm saying that buying your plays outright is never going teach you a damn thing but how to make money for other people.

[ManU918]

So I have to think that his "staff" is actually a group of high pressure sales people. They are all making a killing off of volume...its like selling cars.

Wrong... Their just really bad actors. These people don't actually work for that tout. Just television trying to create something that doesn't exist.

[lamboguy]

I've never understood the "tout" business....if you think you are that good. Why would you sell your info/choices? The only reason I can see is you make money without gambling at all but you have to have a decent rate or customers won't be around long. So I have to think that his "staff" is actually a group of high pressure sales people. They are all making a killing off of volume...its like selling cars.

Which brings me to my second point. What kind of self respecting gambler seeks the advice of a "tout"? People are that bad, that they "admit" they can't pick their freaking nose? See, someone like me is too stubborn and arrogant to accept those terms.......that's the make up of a REAL gambler. Or they are so lazy that they don't want to learn a way to do well for themselves? Because the road to being a good gambler is full of "hard knocks" and "broken dreams"...learning how to lose...on your own...picking yourself up and moving on, is a huge factor in becoming any good at all. But people believe in "short cuts" and they will buy them for any aspect in life including gambling. " A sucker is born every minute"....in the gambling world truer words have never been spoken........if you can't learn for yourself....you are not cut out for it! I'm not saying that you may need a "mentor" or advice. I'm saying that buying your plays outright is never going teach you a damn thing but how to make money for other people.there used to be a guy that ran around Sufolk Down's in the summer touting different horses to different people. they called him "tony the tout". he used to write down which horses he touted and to who. when the race was over he went to find the guy that he touted the winner to and had his hand out.

after the summer he went down to Gulfstream and went through the very same process.

i knew this guy for 30 years and he never worked a day in his life, when he went down to Florida he always stayed in a suite at the old Diplomat Hotel, and he drove a big Cadilac.

tony knew as much about horse racing as i know about nuclear physics.

[burnsy]

Yeah but Tony understood marketing and profit.........I didn't see the show but Manu is probably right that 60 minutes or this guy set the "staff" deal up for the shoot. But, then again, I would not under estimate the number of "suckers" out there that buy this service. My buddy ran one in the 80's and it did well for hoops and football. I used to "sit in" and answer his calls when he was on vacation. he paid me well and I could not believe how many "clients" with money he had.

[Robert Goren]

Yeah but Tony understood marketing and profit.........I didn't see the show but Manu is probably right that 60 minutes or this guy set the "staff" deal up for the shoot. But, then again, I would not under estimate the number of "suckers" out there that buy this service. My buddy ran one in the 80's and it did well for hoops and football. I used to "sit in" and answer his calls when he was on vacation. he paid me well and I could not believe how many "clients" with money he had.If CNBC does it usual type of piece, it will be about him marketing his services. The 60 Minutes piece was pretty much a "this guy exists and he is making money do this" piece. I expect more from CNBC, but who knows. Sometimes CNBC just re-edits a 60 minutes piece. I hope that is not the case here. It could be an interesting hour if they do it right.

[burnsy]

You are right, it could be interesting. I am always amazed at human behavior and get a kick out of it....if its tied to gaming, this is usually even more true for me. I just want to observe this spectacle.

[thaskalos]

Here is a rather long article on the man whom many consider to be the best sports bettor in the world.


http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/2935/meet-the-worlds-top-nba-gambler

[DJofSD]

bad link, Thaskalos.

[thaskalos]

bad link, Thaskalos.

Try again. I think I fixed it.

[lamboguy]

this guy was the best sports gambler that i have ever met http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8495823.html

[burnsy]

Yup, fast talkers that probably have been doing these "investment" jobs in other areas besides sports betting. They claim to be at 70%, he went 1-3, first show between two clients. One night does not make a sample but he had one guy doubling up after each loss. Then on the 3rd bet when he wins....you actually hear him say "fck percentages". Its the basic, if you lose keep doubling up deal....a real original? ;) .......that can get ugly quickly. Then his top "salesman" is bragging that you can bet the same unit for a year and be up 2,000 units. No you can't I just saw how your "boss" operates.....a minute ago? He then proceeds to puke all over the parking lot because one of their "picks" tanked for a client he was with earlier. It was a game I went to....Cinn. at Buff (NFL)....overtime, Cincy does not cover and they liked them. These two guys are scammers...total joke if there's guys actually trusting them with real money. Its actually hard for me to believe its real...are people this dumb to be separated from their money like that?....laughable!

[thaskalos]

Yup, fast talkers that probably have been doing these "investment" jobs in other areas besides sports betting. They claim to be at 70%, he went 1-3, first show between two clients. One night does not make a sample but he had one guy doubling up after each loss. Then on the 3rd bet when he wins....you actually hear him say "fck percentages". Its the basic, if you lose keep doubling up deal....a real original? ;) .......that can get ugly quickly. Then his top "salesman" is bragging that you can bet the same unit for a year and be up 2,000 units. No you can't I just saw how your "boss" operates.....a minute ago? He then proceeds to puke all over the parking lot because one of their "picks" tanked for a client he was with earlier. It was a game I went to....Cinn. at Buff (NFL)....overtime, Cincy does not cover and they liked them. These two guys are scammers...total joke if there's guys actually trusting them with real money. Its actually hard for me to believe its real...are people this dumb to be separated from their money like that?....laughable!

It can't be real. No one is dumb enough to hand 50% of his profit to a tout, without any protection against any losses.

[burnsy]

It can't be real. No one is dumb enough to hand 50% of his profit to a tout, without any protection against any losses.

Is that the "fee"? I might of missed that? My friend ran a legit one and the people paid for a time block subscription. Week, Month, season like that. I only bet pro football and I pick them myself. So I don't really pay attention to touts, same with horses. I can win or lose my money myself after betting for over 30 years. Here I thought it might be interesting and its another goofy unreal......."reality show"........should of stuck to Gilligan's Island.

[098poi]

I saw the second one the other day and a few observations. I owe the main guy an apology because during the show I kept thinking what an asshole and what losers he and the other young guy seemed to be. When I say loser I mean they think they have it going on and others look at them like WOW when I don't think anyone in the world would be impressed by these guys. BUT at the end of the show (SPOILER) the head guy's girlfriend or wife gives birth to his son. He is clearly moved and it was the first sign of a human I saw. So congratulations.

It's interesting how the guys on Horseplayers have much better personalities and seem like good people even if a few rub you the wrong way a little.

This is a more recent article on Money Talks, not a fluff piece

http://www.sportsgrid.com/gamblin/cnbcs-sports-betting-show-stars-floyd-mayweathers-friend-whos-so-full-of-shit-it-hurts/

[Jay Trotter]

Watched the latest episode last night......this is just a sad commentary on the state of television programming! I couldn't imagine being one of these guys making countless phone calls trying to solicit new clients. Steve Stevens and his crew are obvious charlatans.

The thing I find so funny is that the clients put their money on the line and take the full brunt of the losses but then have to pony up 50% of the wins without taking into account any money lost on previous bets. What!

[Rookies]

Try again. I think I fixed it.

GREAT Sports Betting article, Thaskalos. :ThmbUp:

Shows the distance between we Amateurs and the Analytics Pros.

[RaceBookJoe]

Finally had time to watch a couple episodes. Talk about a sleazy business, I never really paid much attention to it. The entire "I get 50% of your winnings" scam is a joke.