Pick 3/4 Practice Betting?

[NormanTD]

You folks that are successfully betting Pick 3's and 4's...

Did you start by "practice betting" and seeing what your results were or did you "test the water with both feet" and start betting at the get go?

[Capper Al]

You folks that are successfully betting Pick 3's and 4's...

Did you start by "practice betting" and seeing what your results were or did you "test the water with both feet" and start betting at the get go?
That's what you are suppose to do. I don't know if anyone does it. Life is too short not to play.

[NormanTD]

That's what you are suppose to do. I don't know if anyone does it. Life is too short not to play.

And I just know that the second or third one I practice on will be a huge signer!

[Dahoss9698]

I never really got the whole "practice" thing. To me it seems like trying something and then learning from your mistakes is the way to go. How can you learn if you are not really doing something? I think you have a much better shot of learning something after you actually feel the pain of losing (in your pocket), rather than pretend.

[DeanT]

At the risk of getting called a shill........ ah, who cares...... I tried that software that is advertising on the PA site. What the heck is it called? Ezpicks I think.

I'd give that a try. It was an easy way to construct tickets. I am thinking about buying it for pick 4 and 6 play. If you want to "practice", methinks it is a good place to start.

JMO!

[srdnaty]

You folks that are successfully betting Pick 3's and 4's...

Did you start by "practice betting" and seeing what your results were or did you "test the water with both feet" and start betting at the get go?

I practice all the time with tvgfree.net... but mostly because I dont want an itchy trigger finger so to speak. This prevents me from betting too many races.

[Ron]

You can practice bet at youbet.net...I think they give you $1000 a day play money and have contests. I think mostly W/P/S bets are in the contests but I bet exotics the only day I did it just to build up my bank roll for fun.

[boomman]

You folks that are successfully betting Pick 3's and 4's...

Did you start by "practice betting" and seeing what your results were or did you "test the water with both feet" and start betting at the get go?

Even though I strongly recommend to my handicapping students that they do "practice" before using real money (and map out a method for them to do that), in all honesty it really depends on the individual. If you have the discipline to practice exactly in the vein that you would make a play with real money, then I think it's extremely productive to do so. But I have had some folks tell me they just can't focus that way, and if you can't, then practicing ahead of time probably won't do a lot of good. Some people have to just "dive in". If you're one of those folks, at least play small dollar amounts until your wagering statistics prove that you're ready.;)

Boomer

[DanG]

You folks that are successfully betting Pick 3's and 4's...

Did you start by "practice betting" and seeing what your results were or did you "test the water with both feet" and start betting at the get go?
Not trying to advocate the new player breaks open Larry’s college fund, but I don’t believe in practicing without money involved….to a degree of course.

We don’t like to admit it, but real money can change the process. There are more than a few great “laboratory” players who don’t handle live fire very well. Once a bankroll is established one of the greatest learning tools is to actually bet it. It just flat out changes things for many people. Many people also don’t internalize lessons very well when it’s only on paper imo.

Having said that…If you don’t have a reasonable gambling bankroll, paper is your only learning tool.

Of course…$1 increments when you’re talking about pick-4’s etc…

[njcurveball]

We don’t like to admit it, but real money can change the process. There are more than a few great “laboratory” players who don’t handle live fire very well.

And it is also funny how much people "would have" bet. I have heard $2 players biatching about not having a trifecta for $5 or even $10. And I am talking STRAUGHT!

Even testing a system with a database gives the Player absolutely no guarantee that they would have made EVERY play.

My example of this is a workout system I created while using HSH. It was showing a nice flat bet profit and I had a few plays to put in at ACRC.

Turf Paradise was NOT in the machines there. The horse was 30-1 ML and naturally I didn't take a trick to my next option (the casinos) to put in my "measly" $20 bet.

Naturally as I read the results, sharp objects seemed to be the only solution as the horse paid well over $100! :mad:

That is a nice "paper" profit, but in real time it takes a lot of $10 winners to make up for that missed $100 horse.


Jim

[Robert Fischer]

Practice is such an important part of my game.

[Tom Barrister]

Test whatever you're going to do on paper and be comfortable with it being profitable BEFORE making your first bet. That goes for a new method, new way of handicapping, new software, a bet you aren't experienced with (e.g. the pick 4), etc. Learn from your mistakes without investing anything more than your time. Don't bet until you're confident that what you're doing is going to show a positive return.

[DeanT]

Don't bet until you're confident that what you're doing is going to show a positive return.

With pick 4's at 27% rakes, that could be never :bang:

[point given]

I found that my own P3 ROI was much stronger than my P4, for obvious reasons. I'd suggest going that route, if playing horizontal wagers. I also played many years getting comfortable with my abilities of handicapping, before I went horizontal. While I was never a win bettor, I stuck to exacta and tri bets. Bet a little , make alot theory. I found that I am best at P3 and tri's, and worse at exacta and p4s, although you remember those few big p4 scores longer. but once I checked my ROI, it made me back off to the 50 cent variety p4, so I could spread more, unless I have a good single.

As far as paper bets vs real money bets, I used to bring little money with me to the parlor, and pay attention to good handicappers, and take the drf home and rehandicap the races ( pre internet). Its a continuous learning process, and one should feel very comfortable and confident in ones handicapping abilities before putting it on the line in a significant manner. Of course one also has to identify good opportunities in the horizontal race sequences to pick ones spots, I'm still working on this myself, as I stopped playing multiple tracks and get itchy waiting for the correct opportunities at a single track. so, then i look vertical, to see if the opportunities are better there.

[NormanTD]

These have all been excellent replies and as always, thank you very much.

[Si2see]

I say practice with money on the line...... the good old $8 pick three ticket. $1 pick three 2/2/2 = $8... you aren't spending anymore money than you would spend at lunch, but you have a chance to make some money. that seems like practice to me :ThmbUp: