Handiman and HSH.... Update

[Handiman]

I posted a couple of weeks ago that I finally gave in to Dave and said I'd give it a try. I have in fact done so. And continue to do so. So here's what's been going on.

I have read all I could and watched all the videos I could get my hands on. With the help of a couple of HSH guys, I was able to cut the initial learning curve significantly. Two and a half weeks and I am playing live. For me, at Dave's suggestion, it's session play that is my method of play. That is I start with $100 and I play until I either lose it, or I win that same amount or a little more.. There is a money management system I really like that is part of it.

So far I have played 5 sessions. I won $135 first session, $112 second session. Third session I lost $23. That is a result of the money management and scraping small profits as you play. Resulting in banking money as you go along. Anyway, fourth session I won $101 and fifth session, I lost $79. I'm starting the sixth session tomorrow.

But what's been the most interesting, through my experience with this software, I am looking at the races, and even the horses differently than I have ever done before. I discovered that I can spot vulnerable low odds horses and make plays accordingly. Dave said this would happen and I didn't believe him to be honest.

One thing I have learned, and that is you have to take responsibility to make the software work for you. There is a textbook way to play as of late, but tweaking has always been in my blood. So some say I am not playing correctly (:lol:) I am quite satisfied in doing so. Results are what matters to me. I realize that not everyone has the price tag for the software, especially players who do it as a hobby or just for fun. Little plug here for Handifast for those players. I am working on a major upgrade. but that's for another day.

I will continue to play and see how things go. I am brand new and 5 sessions mean little in the grand scheme of things, But if I fall down and can't make it work for me in the long run I will report that too. I don't want to sound like a shill for HSH, but this has been my experience so far. I was playing a few races today, just for the fun of it and hit Belterra Park in the 4th I believe it was. I play two horses a race and I hit a $31 winner today. That doesn't happen every session for sure. I did hit a $25 winner in the fourth session.

Anyway, this is how things stand at the moment. And please understand, I don't get any thing from Dave other than advice. No money … No extra anything. I pay my own way.

Handiman :)

[Longshot6977]

Handiman, good post. And thanks for the honesty as well as the update.

Do you have any idea or time frame of when you would like to complete/release the Handifast major upgrade? 1 month? 3 months? Thanks.

[Handiman]

Hey buddy. It's going to be a while as my eyesight makes it tough to read the screen. I can only do it a short time before I get a roaring headache. So that takes a toll on how many hours or even minutes I can code and chase down bugs. Plus seeing the keyboard not easy and so I hit the wrong keys a lot and that takes time to correct.

Handi:)

[TexasDolly]

Hey buddy. It's going to be a while as my eyesight makes it tough to read the screen. I can only do it a short time before I get a roaring headache. So that takes a toll on how many hours or even minutes I can code and chase down bugs. Plus seeing the keyboard not easy and so I hit the wrong keys a lot and that takes time to correct.

Handi:)

Hey Handi,
I helped my vision problems by setting my screen to a black background with white text . For my desktop keyboard I use an AZIO keyboard with large letters that has a choice of background lighting for the keys (Amazon probably).For the laptop I found a sheet of large keyboard stickons (black with white letters etc) also on Amazon. I hope that one of these ideas will be of some help as typing errors etc are very tough to code with.

TD

[Handiman]

Thanks very much Tex. I will look into it. I am also about one or two injections away from getting prescription glasses.

Thanks again,
Handi:)

[PICSIX]

I posted a couple of weeks ago that I finally gave in to Dave and said I'd give it a try. I have in fact done so. And continue to do so. So here's what's been going on.

I have read all I could and watched all the videos I could get my hands on. With the help of a couple of HSH guys, I was able to cut the initial learning curve significantly. Two and a half weeks and I am playing live. For me, at Dave's suggestion, it's session play that is my method of play. That is I start with $100 and I play until I either lose it, or I win that same amount or a little more.. There is a money management system I really like that is part of it.

So far I have played 5 sessions. I won $135 first session, $112 second session. Third session I lost $23. That is a result of the money management and scraping small profits as you play. Resulting in banking money as you go along. Anyway, fourth session I won $101 and fifth session, I lost $79. I'm starting the sixth session tomorrow.

But what's been the most interesting, through my experience with this software, I am looking at the races, and even the horses differently than I have ever done before. I discovered that I can spot vulnerable low odds horses and make plays accordingly. Dave said this would happen and I didn't believe him to be honest.

One thing I have learned, and that is you have to take responsibility to make the software work for you. There is a textbook way to play as of late, but tweaking has always been in my blood. So some say I am not playing correctly (:lol:) I am quite satisfied in doing so. Results are what matters to me. I realize that not everyone has the price tag for the software, especially players who do it as a hobby or just for fun. Little plug here for Handifast for those players. I am working on a major upgrade. but that's for another day.

I will continue to play and see how things go. I am brand new and 5 sessions mean little in the grand scheme of things, But if I fall down and can't make it work for me in the long run I will report that too. I don't want to sound like a shill for HSH, but this has been my experience so far. I was playing a few races today, just for the fun of it and hit Belterra Park in the 4th I believe it was. I play two horses a race and I hit a $31 winner today. That doesn't happen every session for sure. I did hit a $25 winner in the fourth session.

Anyway, this is how things stand at the moment. And please understand, I don't get any thing from Dave other than advice. No money … No extra anything. I pay my own way.

Handiman :)

Congratulations on your early success! If allowed, could you elaborate on how you're betting your two contenders and what percentage of the session bankroll you are betting each race?

Thanks,

Mike

[Handiman]

I dutch my two horses and I start with a $100 session with base bet of $10. Then based on how the race goes, next bet is adjusted. That part I am not at liberty to divulge. Some races I have three horses but the fields are fairly big when I do.

I have written a lot of handicapping software and I have used a lot. But none so extensive and powerful as HSH. But as Dave says, it's just a tool. And I say a damn good one.

Handi:)

[Dave Schwartz]

I dutch my two horses and I start with a $100 session with base bet of $10. Then based on how the race goes, next bet is adjusted. That part I am not at liberty to divulge. Some races I have three horses but the fields are fairly big when I do.

I have written a lot of handicapping software and I have used a lot. But none so extensive and powerful as HSH. But as Dave says, it's just a tool. And I say a damn good one.

Handi:)

Divulge away.

Tell them everything about the wagering strategy. After all, I started with a strategy given to me by Dick Schmidt, and retooled for a little safety.

Dick used it for ForEx.

I added the scraping part, but I didn't invent that eather.

[lefty359]

I have Dave's HORSESTREET INVESTMENT method. Is that what you're using these days?

[Handiman]

Lefty. I'm not even sure what that is actually. What I am doing is starting with my base bet. The idea is to keep betting till you reach your base bet in profit, scrape that money to the side and start back at your base bet. If you lose that first bet you are -10. Next bet still at $10. If you win that race and after deducting the bet amount, you put what's left in your running total. So say your $10 bet returns $18 you then deduct the $10 you bet, which leaves $8 profit apply that to you running total and you have a -$2. Next bet would be base bet plus running total amount $2 plus 10% of your base bet (which in this case is $1) for every race you have played in game 1. So now next bet would be...$10 + $2 + $2 for the two races. So far we are in game 1. Now if this calc bet is more than last bet + base bet, then your next bet is Last bet amount + base bet. Right now that amount would be $20. But our calculated bet is only $14 so that's our next bet. Again the $14 is dutched among two horses. Say we win this $14 bet and it returns $29. Deduct the bet 29-14 = 15, Add that to running total 15 + (-2) = $13 profit at this stage. Now you have $13 profit which exceeds your base bet. You scrape that to the side and now start game 2 back at your base bet. Now if we had bet say $32 and lost, our next bet would be half of previous bet, so it would be $16. If you lost again the next bet would be half of that bet unless it would be lower than your base bet then you'd make next bet your base bet. The most you can bet in next race is last bet amount plus your base bet. As I said, if the calc bet is more than the last amount + base bet then you do the Last + Base. So any time your running total exceeds your base bet in profit, you scrape that money to the side, and then start a new game with base bet and 0 running total. It simpler said, is after a lost you cut bet in half but never below your base bet. After win you add base bet to running total + 10% of base bet for every race played in the present game. You continue to do that until you lose your session bank, which in this case is $100. But if you scraped profit and put to the side, you will only end up losing $100 minus your set aside profit you scraped, OR your scraped profits add up to equal or exceed your session bank. Every time you scrape profits, you start a new game and on and on till your running total reaches point where it reflects the loss of your session bankroll or your scraped profits exceed your session bankroll. Lord I hope that explains things...:lol:

[bruin95]

Lefty. I'm not even sure what that is actually. What I am doing is starting with my base bet. The idea is to keep betting till you reach your base bet in profit, scrape that money to the side and start back at your base bet. If you lose that first bet you are -10. Next bet still at $10. If you win that race and after deducting the bet amount, you put what's left in your running total. So say your $10 bet returns $18 you then deduct the $10 you bet, which leaves $8 profit apply that to you running total and you have a -$2. Next bet would be base bet plus running total amount $2 plus 10% of your base bet (which in this case is $1) for every race you have played in game 1. So now next bet would be...$10 + $2 + $2 for the two races. So far we are in game 1. Now if this calc bet is more than last bet + base bet, then your next bet is Last bet amount + base bet. Right now that amount would be $20. But our calculated bet is only $14 so that's our next bet. Again the $14 is dutched among two horses. Say we win this $14 bet and it returns $29. Deduct the bet 29-14 = 15, Add that to running total 15 + (-2) = $13 profit at this stage. Now you have $13 profit which exceeds your base bet. You scrape that to the side and now start game 2 back at your base bet. Now if we had bet say $32 and lost, our next bet would be half of previous bet, so it would be $16. If you lost again the next bet would be half of that bet unless it would be lower than your base bet then you'd make next bet your base bet. The most you can bet in next race is last bet amount plus your base bet. As I said, if the calc bet is more than the last amount + base bet then you do the Last + Base. So any time your running total exceeds your base bet in profit, you scrape that money to the side, and then start a new game with base bet and 0 running total. It simpler said, is after a lost you cut bet in half but never below your base bet. After win you add base bet to running total + 10% of base bet for every race played in the present game. You continue to do that until you lose your session bank, which in this case is $100. But if you scraped profit and put to the side, you will only end up losing $100 minus your set aside profit you scraped, OR your scraped profits add up to equal or exceed your session bank. Every time you scrape profits, you start a new game and on and on till your running total reaches point where it reflects the loss of your session bankroll or your scraped profits exceed your session bankroll. Lord I hope that explains things...:lol:

My head hurts.

[PICSIX]

I think I understand everything but the amount bet after a win...For example, if you’re in game 1 and haven’t scraped enough to move on to game 2 and your now on say your 4th bet after a successful 3rd bet; how does the 10% calculation work assuming your running count is + $8 and your last bet was $24?

Thanks,

Mike

[lefty359]

Handiman, thanks for your reply. Most interesting. HSH is a great prgm. Just wish I could afford the data costs. Keep winning!

[bruin95]

Handiman, thanks for your reply. Most interesting. HSH is a great prgm. Just wish I could afford the data costs. Keep winning!

I would think the data costs are no big deal to those that can actually afford to buy the software. It's really geared toward full time handicappers and not the occasional players.

[mikesal57]

My head hurts.

:lol:

[mikesal57]

I think I understand everything but the amount bet after a win...For example, if you’re in game 1 and haven’t scraped enough to move on to game 2 and your now on say your 4th bet after a successful 3rd bet; how does the 10% calculation work assuming your running count is + $8 and your last bet was $24?

Thanks,

Mike

You dont put extra money in if your up on that game....

Calculations come in when your only down in a game and you won money last race...

[lefty359]

HANDIMAN, how about another update on how you're doing with HSH?
Thanks.

[Handiman]

Hi guys. Journey continues. I am a little over handicapping 200 races and my hit rate on winners with mostly 2 horse per is between 56 - 65%. Due to my health I am only able to play between 10 and 15 races a day it seems. That's live play that is. I am profitable over the stretch also. Not huge profit cause I am betting such small amounts. But I have 5 winning sessions and 2 where I lost a little. In the middle of my 8th session. The first part of it was brutal. Took me about 12 races to get to a positive amount over my base bet so I could scrape some profit. That was game 101 in the session. Now in game 102 and am down $19, which is nothing. Remember my session bankroll is $100 right now till I really get comfortable. I am playing live Thurs thru Sunday. On the days I don't have to help my daughters and Grandkids.

Handi:)

[mikesal57]

HANDIMAN, how about another update on how you're doing with HSH?
Thanks.

I can hear lefty thinking.....wink wink

[thaskalos]

Due to my health I am only able to play between 10 and 15 races a day it seems.

Is this on an everyday basis? If you bet 15 races a day while sick...how many races a day do you bet on when you are healthy? :)

[Handiman]

Thask….. I will never be healthy. I have a bad heart and diabetes. Have had open heart surgery and an artificial Aorta valve put in, Plus have what's called a Cardioverter in my chest. It intercepts the signal from my brain and then sends it's own signal to both bottom chambers of my heart to make them beat in sync. I suffer from what is called Cardiomyopathy.

So I think I am at my limit. I'm 69 so everyday is a gift for me.


Handi:)

[thaskalos]

Thask….. I will never be healthy. I have a bad heart and diabetes. Have had open heart surgery and an artificial Aorta valve put in, Plus have what's called a Cardioverter in my chest. It intercepts the signal from my brain and then sends it's own signal to both bottom chambers of my heart to make them beat in sync. I suffer from what is called Cardiomyopathy.

So I think I am at my limit. I'm 69 so everyday is a gift for me.


Handi:)

Please accept my heartfelt apology, Handi...I had no idea that you were dealing with health issues of this extent. Had I known...I would have never made my lame attempt at humor. My best wishes go out to you.

[JimG]

Thask….. I will never be healthy. I have a bad heart and diabetes. Have had open heart surgery and an artificial Aorta valve put in, Plus have what's called a Cardioverter in my chest. It intercepts the signal from my brain and then sends it's own signal to both bottom chambers of my heart to make them beat in sync. I suffer from what is called Cardiomyopathy.

So I think I am at my limit. I'm 69 so everyday is a gift for me.


Handi:)




Hope you have many years ahead of you Handiman. I've always enjoyed reading your posts and you have been very helpful and sharing with the horse racing community. Will keep you in our prayers.


Jim


PS: Continued success with HSH. A fine program for sure.

[Handiman]

Thanks Guys. I am getting a bit better. And now I have been getting eye injections for about 6 months as I was going blind from Diabetic Retinopathy. It's been a struggle...LOL


Handi:)

[Vinnie]

Handi Sir:

Nothing but fantastic karma and well wishes to you. My wife and I will light a prayer candle for you at Mary Queen of the Universe in Orlando. I only hope that you get better and better as each day passes... :) You are one awesome guy Handi.

All the BEST, and only the BEST!!

[Dave Schwartz]

See why I love this guy?

Despite all these health issues, Handi comes over the hill once in a while and stays with us. Sometimes he even house sits while we're out of town, but usually it's just a pleasure trip.

The dogs and George (the cockatoo) always love the guy and I think Beth likes him better than me.

If there is a PA Saratoga Getaway next year, Milford & I are planning on going.

[Handiman]

I am finishing my most recent session. Cutting it short as I am going to switch betting systems, one that fits my psychological makeup better. Taking my $50 profit and starting a new $100 session.

Going to a flat bet dutch. The math is just about the same as the betting system I tried to explain earlier. Fits me better. If the results aren't as good, I'll just have to put my big boy panties on and get with it and switch back...:lol:


Handi:)

[lefty359]

Good luck, Handi and better health going forward.

[mikesal57]

I am finishing my most recent session. Cutting it short as I am going to switch betting systems, one that fits my psychological makeup better. Taking my $50 profit and starting a new $100 session.

Going to a flat bet dutch. The math is just about the same as the betting system I tried to explain earlier. Fits me better. If the results aren't as good, I'll just have to put my big boy panties on and get with it and switch back...:lol:


Handi:)

From my experience Handi.....the flat bet dutch wont get you too far

Letting HSH designate the bet size will be more profitable in the long run..

[lefty359]

Im wondering what HSH is using now? Back when I had it many moons ago it was using pickmaster, objects and then analyst.

[PaceAdvantage]

Im wondering what HSH is using now? Back when I had it many moons ago it was using pickmaster, objects and then analyst.pretty much the same tools are in use

The beauty is that you can use them in many different ways.

[mikesal57]

Im wondering what HSH is using now? Back when I had it many moons ago it was using pickmaster, objects and then analyst.

same

[Dave Schwartz]

Im wondering what HSH is using now? Back when I had it many moons ago it was using pickmaster, objects and then analyst.

Same tools, but in different ways. WAY different ways, actually.

About 16 months ago I found that I was not winning. Actually lost 3 "sessions" in a row. It's happened before but is pretty rare.

I decided to stop playing until I could figure things out.

Because of the late odds changes, anything that resembles "create a line and bet into it" is pretty much doomed to fail these days. That's because in the lane the good bets have become the bad bets due to late tote movement.

So, looking at those horrendous winners stats... like 75% of winners show as "bet down" after the gate opens... I decided it would be nice to know which horses those were likely to be.

That's not exactly what came out of it, but it's a major part.

But one thing has remained the same for several years now:

Handicapping a race needs to start with an accurate assessment of which low-odds horses are bad or good bets.

The days of just pretending that low odds horses aren't even there and betting higher-priced horses only is like signing up to automatically refill your account about once a month.

[lefty359]

hanks for the update. You are right about helate action. I've had oo many 4 and 5-1 shots go in the gate, win and pay as low as 7/5. Ouch!

[mikesal57]

hanks for the update. You are right about helate action. I've had oo many 4 and 5-1 shots go in the gate, win and pay as low as 7/5. Ouch!

thats the law of the land these days...( and the future)

[mikesal57]

hanks for the update. You are right about helate action. I've had oo many 4 and 5-1 shots go in the gate, win and pay as low as 7/5. Ouch!

By the way....check out your keyboard "T"..

did you spill coffee on it ...like I did a few times......:D

[lefty359]

no coffee. Just have to strike it really hard!

[mikesal57]

no coffee. Just have to strike it really hard!

use a knife and pop the key off....and clean with wet Q-TIP ( button & keyboard)

[lefty359]

Thanks for the tip, Mike.