Master Magician user's

[Joe L.]

Anyone using this particular ITS software?
I spoke to Mike Pizolla via email and he was kind of vague and noncommittal as to win rate of top pick.... roi ...etc... can anyone that uses this software enlighten me as to some %'s as to hit rate of top pick, roi of top pick, itm% of top pick.... etc. I would appreciate any input.

Joe L.

[Bob Harris]

Hi Joe,

There are quite a few posts on this board regarding Handicapping Magic and the software you might find helpful.

The only person I can think of who would have some of the stats you're interested in would be Eric Langjahr...I'm sure test runs were performed thruout development. You would have to define "top pick" for him though...are you talking about top horse on the betting line, top overlay on the betting line, top PBS or PPF rating when a race is biased, top rating in races with "gaps" (method discussed on the tapes), etc. It's a pretty open ended question...the program can be used several ways. You'd also need to decide if you wanted info from all races or wanted high risk races with first-timers, races taken off the turf, etc, to be left out of the sample.

A conventional "value" player will have a win % in the mid to high teens over any decent sample size. A player who is selection oriented with a minimum odds requirement will hit a few points higher (one horse).

ROI will vary but it's really not the most important thing when betting: it's much more meaningful to have good bankroll turnover (providing you have an advantage, of course). I first heard about this from Dick Schmidt during a Sartin seminar and it clicked with me immediately. A player with a high ROI but few plays will very likely end up with less money in his pocket at the end of the month than a player with a modest ROI who's method allows him to turn his bankroll over several times. With good turnover, very modest wagers can lead to some nice "walking around" money.

Bob

[Joe L.]

Bob,
Thanks for the reply. I reviewed some of the past postings, and noticed you had one around March in re to a new program Pizolla had coming out. I was wondering if that was Master Magician software you were talking about? If so what are your thoughts on it, and do you think it is worth the investment? I am considering purchasing the software. Your input would be helpful and appreciated.

Joe L.

[Zaf]

Originally posted by Joe L.
Bob,
Thanks for the reply. I reviewed some of the past postings, and noticed you had one around March in re to a new program Pizolla had coming out. I was wondering if that was Master Magician software you were talking about? If so what are your thoughts on it, and do you think it is worth the investment? I am considering purchasing the software. Your input would be helpful and appreciated.

Joe L.

Joe,

You could start by purchasing the book "Handicapping Magic". It is the basis for Pizzolla's methods. He has added many bells and whistles since the book. But the book may give you an idea if you want to move ahead to the Master Magician. The book sells for about $39.

I have read the book, and have been using the methods for about 2 months now. So far I am pleased with the results. It as at least as good as any method that I have tried in the past.
I am going to keep experimenting with it. At this point I do all the calculations on my racing form with a pen. The calculations are quite simple, and can be done very quickly. For handicapping multiple cards the computer program would be a huge time saver.
Good Luck!

ZAFONIC

[Bob Harris]

Joe,

Yes, the Master Magician was the program I was referring to. Sometime in the future Eric is planning to rewrite the Master Handicapper program for Windows (currently DOS) and my guess would be that the two programs will be combined for ease of use.

I personally use the Master Magician 5-6 days a week. In my opinion, it has a very small learning curve and allows the user to whip thru cards of races as quickly as anything I've seen. It's not a "black box"...you can't turn your brain off. I do find it however an excellent tool for getting to the "heart" of a race.

I don't like to "shill" for ITS...Michael is a good friend but I try to keep business and friendship separate. There are some excellent handicapping tools on the market and I think it's much more important to find one which you're comfortable with and which meets your handicapping style.

Should you decide to try the Master Magician, I'm more than happy to lend users any support I can.

Best,

Bob

[Doug]

I have been using the Master Magician for about 3 weeks. With this tool I have been doing pretty well. Lot more to learn.

I suggest buying the book first so you can get familiar with the terminology and how the figures are arrived at.

If you purchase the Master Magician listen to the tapes they are very helpful.

Doug

[Joe L.]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a copy of the book on the way as we speak. I will keep in touch if I have any more questions. Thanks again
Joe l.