What are we worth?

[limit2]

I have calculated where the labor charges for cleaning the house or trimming the outside hedges come to $22 per hour per person. I have seen, 20 years ago, where the psychiatrist's rate was $270 an hour. Not too long ago a psychologist charged $85 for less than an hour consultation. What was common regarding all these occasions is they may have fixed things up a little, but they did not open any door of opportunity for amassing money. At this point I want to get some feedback on what we the race goer, myself included, are worth for the information we disseminate regarding handicapping techniques and money management strategies. We definitely are worth our weight in gold. Can we say, "X" dollars an hour or "Y" dollars a seminar per seminar of 2 days. One can say, " There are books out there by expert authors selling at $15 paperbacks that give all one needs to know on Thoroughbred Racing." Why spend more? I, for one, do not mind writing a book, but I am not enthusiastic about shelling out $2,000 to have it published and await meager royalties. Can anyone see the advantage of close contact instruction over reading a book?

[rastajenk]

No.

[Overlay]

At this point I want to get some feedback on what we the race goer, myself included, are worth for the information we disseminate regarding handicapping techniques and money management strategies. We definitely are worth our weight in gold. Can we say, "X" dollars an hour or "Y" dollars a seminar per seminar of 2 days. One can say, " There are books out there by expert authors selling at $15 paperbacks that give all one needs to know on Thoroughbred Racing." Why spend more? I, for one, do not mind writing a book, but I am not enthusiastic about shelling out $2,000 to have it published and await meager royalties. Can anyone see the advantage of close contact instruction over reading a book?
You can get around the royalties problem by self-publishing, where you get to keep a larger share of the price, but you would likely also then have to charge more per copy (which would adversely affect your sales) because of the smaller market that you reach; because of not wanting to undercut the price charged by other retail suppliers through whom you may be selling; and because of having to bear your own costs of promotion, printing, and mailing. I've been at it for seventeen years for nothing more than walking-around money (plus the ability to provide monetary and product support of contest prize packages here on PaceAdvantage), but that's fine with me because it's always been a "labor of love" that I wasn't depending on as a primary source of income; because I get satisfaction from positive customer feedback; and because I've also had the discretionary time available (especially since I've been retired from my "day job") to pursue it.

[Overlay]

I have calculated where the labor charges for cleaning the house or trimming the outside hedges come to $22 per hour per person. I have seen, 20 years ago, where the psychiatrist's rate was $270 an hour. Not too long ago a psychologist charged $85 for less than an hour consultation. What was common regarding all these occasions is they may have fixed things up a little, but they did not open any door of opportunity for amassing money. At this point I want to get some feedback on what we the race goer, myself included, are worth for the information we disseminate regarding handicapping techniques and money management strategies. We definitely are worth our weight in gold. Can we say, "X" dollars an hour or "Y" dollars a seminar per seminar of 2 days. One can say, " There are books out there by expert authors selling at $15 paperbacks that give all one needs to know on Thoroughbred Racing." Why spend more? I, for one, do not mind writing a book, but I am not enthusiastic about shelling out $2,000 to have it published and await meager royalties. Can anyone see the advantage of close contact instruction over reading a book?
One other thing that can contribute to both the intrinsic worth of a handicapping approach and its continuing value over time is avoiding the built-in obsolescence and loss of pari-mutuel value from overplay that eventually affects any tool or method (no matter how innovative and powerful it may initially be) that directs everyone who uses it to the same horse or selections.

[thaskalos]

I have calculated where the labor charges for cleaning the house or trimming the outside hedges come to $22 per hour per person. I have seen, 20 years ago, where the psychiatrist's rate was $270 an hour. Not too long ago a psychologist charged $85 for less than an hour consultation. What was common regarding all these occasions is they may have fixed things up a little, but they did not open any door of opportunity for amassing money. At this point I want to get some feedback on what we the race goer, myself included, are worth for the information we disseminate regarding handicapping techniques and money management strategies. We definitely are worth our weight in gold. Can we say, "X" dollars an hour or "Y" dollars a seminar per seminar of 2 days. One can say, " There are books out there by expert authors selling at $15 paperbacks that give all one needs to know on Thoroughbred Racing." Why spend more? I, for one, do not mind writing a book, but I am not enthusiastic about shelling out $2,000 to have it published and await meager royalties. Can anyone see the advantage of close contact instruction over reading a book?

Books may provide knowledge, but they don't provide understanding. The book leaves the understanding part up to the reader...and the reader is limited in his understanding of the book by his own development as a player. It is very easy for the reader to misunderstand the book...if he is not already skilled enough to comprehend what the book is trying to tell him.

I have never paid anyone to coach me in horseplaying, because I could never be persuaded that anyone of the "experts" whom I've met during my gambling life was really who he was pretending to be. There is so much deceit in this game...and many players are capable of TALKING a good game...even though they have ruined their own lives. But I did pay someone to coach me in POKER...even after I had read many poker books, had watched many poker videos, and had already taken my own poker game to a pretty advanced level. This poker coach had a profound effect on me...and my poker game improved immensely through my association with him. He was worth every penny that I paid him...and much more.

It's one thing to read a gambling book written by a professional gambler...but it's an altogether different thing to watch over this professional gambler's shoulder as he plies his trade -- while asking him questions on the things that you don't understand.

I unhesitatingly and wholeheartedly recommend that ALL serious gamblers seek the advice of a legitimate coach. It will save you years of time...and considerably more money than what you will need to pay him.