What I Can't Understand!!!

[Hammerhead]

I have read many post about what program works the best,and have seen so far on this board that there is not One mentioned for more then a few weeks or months at a time. Every one is touted until the next can't miss program is invented. All require money costing downloads, contracts and other money making gimmicks.

Investing in a good spreadsheet and database program, plus taking advantage of free downloads will start you on the way to a much better way of learning how to handicap and win much more consistantly.

I get the same info everyone else gets with the exception I do not get the numbers that are generated into programs, which are numbers they feel are necessary to sell the program.

You can set up your own values and test them with a bit of patience and trial and error. There are many books that can teach or instruct on most all software relevent to speadsheets and databases. Plus the knowledge you learn on writing programs will influence your decisions because you know the capabilites of the program you made and the facts that are in it.

Filters can be easily made to test the facts. You can toy with any mathmatical combo you can dream of. I have been doing this for some time and normally post picks when I try a different theory.

When trying a new approach I invest $25.00. If the idea is good I should have $50.00 in 3 days. Find the relavent factor and apply it to the main program.

Everything changes day to day. Be careful. Todays winner is tomorrows loser.

Best of Luck
Hammerhead & Harry:cool:

[douglasw32]

:rolleyes:

Well I have to agree, I bought them all the 29 dollar ones the 500 dollar ones you name it, and in the end, my own database using the same DRF data exported from the free formulator works best, and consistently and can be tweaked at any time when situations change...I mean come on, theres streaks, both losing and winning, most people say ride out the losing ones, I SAY WHY? change the system, of course if it is someone elses math doing the job for you, you can't change it.

You may be able to apply different Values for IV or the like, but change there formula, never.

With your own work, nose to the grindstone, you can profit without lining someone elses pockets along the way.

Thats my 2 cents.

[JustRalph]

Originally posted by Hammerhead
I have read many post about what program works the best,and have seen so far on this board that there is not One mentioned for more then a few weeks or months at a time. Every one is touted until the next can't miss program is invented. All require money costing downloads, contracts and other money making gimmicks.

I don't find this to be the case on this board? I think there are only about 2-3 programs that are consistently discussed around here. There are others that are brought up from time to time....but only a few that seem to be used long term around here. Maybe I am getting used to ignoring the others........the program I use is a new version but has some very neat database utilities in it. Tons of filters etc. Keeps me from having to build my own databases and the producer of this program provides a daily update to my databases and with a couple of clicks via the web all of my tracks are updated on the fly. For less than $.60 a day I get this update that takes less than a minute. I don't know how the hell you can beat that with a stick? I bet many of the Database users here wouldn't mind a deal that for $.60 a day they could easily use 2-3 clicks to update their databases daily. They might re-evaluate the value of their time.

It all comes in the same program that prints my form, simulates the races for me (all with my own filters applied etc) and does about 20 other things. I don't have to load up 2 or three apps for all of this. I get it all from one package. I don't see how that can be a bad thing.........not to mention a great community of users who support each other better than any I have ever been involved with.

I think there is more than one way to skin a cat, maybe you don't understand that, but just like cars and toys....we all have our preferences.......

[douglasw32]

Hey no problem if it works for you thats great, my though is you get to apply the same filters that everyone else gets to, to the same data every one else has access to...if you can make a buck doing that then that is awesome. I prefer to go against the grain as the original poster hammerhead mentioned he does.

I like to know when I bet on one of my NUMBERS out of my Database, that Me, Myself and I are about the only three people taking a shot for that reason.

Many times it is a no brainer the crowd is onto, but at least "I did it my way" (singing) ;)

and with the right knowledge of ACCESS and/or EXCELL and some Macro Building, trust me we can beat you with a "few clicks a day" :)

[sjk]

I would also endorse the do-it-yourself approach. This is the time of year when I usually end up back-testing a few new ideas to improve my program. (The computer is back-testing races from late August or Early September right now; I am hopeful that an idea I am testing will improve my results in the new year.) I have found the whole process very rewarding.

It takes me more than a few clicks a day, but since the program does all of the work, there is no printing or reading of racing forms. That saves a lot of time and makes it possible to bet up to 10 or 12 tracks a day. Even though I do not get involved in making the selections (the program does it), I still take satisfaction in cashing a winner since I wrote the program that made it possible.

[cosmicway]

Hi

I know makers of gambling software like false coins.
Horseracing is one of the most difficult undertakings because not only is the work hard, but you can be easily caught out by the experienced punter.
When I started doing this, I used to talk with an old man who knew a lot about the sport. At first he hit me many times over the head, but subsequently less and less so ! This old man was my yardstick of progress !

Now there are two types in the business and this is how they
think:

1) Good guy

a - I have to include all the relevent scientifc parameters in my program.
b - I have to make accurate measurements to reach optimal performence.
c - I have to create fast algorithms.
d - I have to work with ease of use in mind and create a user friendly interface.

2) Bad guy

a - Are those folks falling for it ?
b - Considering I 'm doing this on my own how do I skip the
hard work and get away with it ?
c - How much do I have to spend on ads ?
d - Produce hype - hype and more hype.
e - The web is anonymous so I can be J.H. Bloggs today and
someone else tomorrow.

This sounds odd.
But it is a hit and miss science.
If you work in some other field, you the manager as well as the
end user have the benefit of justice and recourse to authority.
If you make a new type of electric kettle someone gives you a diploma for it (often the govt's commerce department).
And if the folks in the government don't like you or if you don't like them they still have to treat you and your work on merit !
There are n't many things that can be done, by way of injustice.

In gambling software nobody is interested.
The software maker and the program users at the same time are on their own.
Most magazine critics do not care or can be bought easily.
Of course trial and error will tell the difference after some time.

In U.S. horse racing the only one with a sound math approach I have seen browsing around in the web, was a guy with the neuronic network method.
I 'm not sure though he has advanced it to the point of making it really useful.

Merry Christmas

[JustRalph]

Douglas

just for giggles..........give me a parameter or filter you apply that you might think nobody else does....... I would like to see if I can dupe it in my program? just for fun......

[Hammerhead]

My point I guess is the satisfaction of picking winners knowing I done everything basicly myself.. My ideas and thoughts pick the winner. I do get help on setting up the program. I also know how my figures were arrived at and have the freedom to change them in anyway I can to improve the results.

As Doug said its the satisfaction of doing it myway. I am surprised at how few factors are involved, and how uncomplicated they are.

My goal is to win 34% of races I play on a consistant bases. No long loseing streaks just steady profits and be able to play a number of races a day, not a few.

:cool:

[Tom]

I can speak from first hand knowledge on HTR and ESROI, and from what I have read and seen sitting next to Dave Saratoga, HSH is the same thing.....let 5 of us do a race and you may get 5 different opinons and 5 different bets off the same data, same program. These are not black box programs that you push a button and up pops a winner. They are tools that handicappers use to make decisions.
Hey, noting wrong own programming - I have been doing that for years, all the way back to pencil and paper days with a From not available until you get to track. I still do it with my own pars and variants, and with my databases, using that same data and a canned export. But if you look at any random handicapping contest, you will find a dozen HTR guys, all using that same program, same data, and one or two will be near the lead, some will be in the middle, some will be packing up early to beat the crowd out. Next contest, same guys are there, the order reverersed because some are using the program better than others today.

[cosmicway]

Is the use of aluminum horse shoes compulsory in U.S.A. ?
Take a look at the site http://www.slypner.com
This is a company who manufacture shoes for horses. In the site it explains that aluminum is better for the horse, compared to iron and steel.
I made a comparison test that shows a rather definite advantage for aluminum, in terms of race winners.
Some people argue it's only a trend. Some trainers use aluminum on their good entries, but they may also get wise and do the opposite to take advantage of you.
Whatever the case may be have you ever tried this one ?

[Hosshead]

I did notice that the number of Olympic Athletes using Iron Nikes was down from the previous years.

[cosmicway]

Hosshead

If you don't listen to the experts of this forum you will end up
eating beans for the rest of your life.

[BarnieClockerbigal]

Originally posted by cosmicway
Is the use of aluminum horse shoes compulsory in U.S.A. ?


Compulsory No! Smart Yes.

Almost all shoes wore in USA races are aluminum.

You'll see an odd steel shoe now and than but basically shoes
are aluminum.

[cosmicway]

Then the horse-shoe angle is of no practical use to you
(basically they are more expensive and they don't last as long as steel - hence the issue).

[PaceAdvantage]

Moving this to the software forum.....

[andicap]

Hey, Cosmic, you guys going to have the Olympics ready in time? We keep reading how preps are way behind.....

[cosmicway]

Try http://www.sportsnet.gr to find out about the Olympics.
Hit the UK flag left-bottom for English.
cosmicway is about money-making (or losing) sports so my
connection with the Olympics is on a very broad basis indeed !
By the way the Olympics committee ordered the racecourse to be relocated, thus rendering my hard worked out statistics obsolete !

[Shacopate]

Ask a handicapping software designer to look at their watch and tell you what time it is.

The response will probably be "it's not a black box, nor is it intended to be."