black magic program

[alvarez1]

has anyone using the program "black magic" had any good selections from using this program and how ?

[46zilzal]

Originally Posted by alvarez1

has anyone using the program "black magic" had any good selections from using this program and how ?

Have friends who say, ONCE you figure it out, it is very good.

Pizzolla knows horses very well.

[QuarterCrack]

I guess it depends on your style.

Full disclosure, if you're a grinder looking to figure out the races, you'll want something else. Just my opinion, of course. On the other hand, if you've always been trying to become a good value bettor, the BLAM methodology will likely set you on the right path. I can only speak for myself, but it totally turned my game around.

There is a steep learning curve, as mentioned above. It's not really the software that requires the learning curve, it's everything else - the mindset, the technique, etc. It's important to understand that BLAM is more than just software. I call it a methodology because the other complementary parts are just as important as the software: the monthly DVDs, audios, and forum all are integral pieces when it comes to fully utilizing BLAM to its fullest. The software is merely the "tool" around which everything is based.

This is why it's not for everyone. You can't just use the software as you would other software and expect to make huge profits. (At least, I don't think it's possible - maybe it is if you're heavily capitalized and can cover a bunch of combinations, for instance.) You could probably bet the top horse in each race or box the top-3 or whatever and do reasonably well, but there are other pieces of software out there that would probably lend themselves better to a more black box approach.

Without getting too wordy or getting too deep, BLAM is strictly a value oriented approach to the game. If you're more selection-oriented, as in "someone will win this race and I want the software to help me figure out who it will be", you'll have to ask yourself if you're willing to let that go. Because if you can't let that go, BLAM will not work for you. (Like I said, full disclosure.) And there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone is different and does things differently.

The good news, though, is that if you ARE willing to let that go, the audios/DVDs/forum will help you along with this seemingly counterintuitive task and the lightbulbs will go off in your head. (Like I said, all this stuff is intertwined.) You'll develop the discipline to pass a lot of races, and the fortitude to shrug off the runouts. A lot of "unlearning" goes along with this. Once you fully understand the methodology and digest it and implement it, you literally will never view the races the same way ever again. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. I could never go back to my old way of doing things. I wish I could explain it in a very simple way, but it's hard for me to do - there are so many things that enter into it.

Regarding the software itself, there are enough features that I wouldn't know where to begin, but the main focal point are the Ultimate Odds Lines: Computed odds, the Contention Line, and the Morning Line. Everything more or less revolves around them and the interplay between them. There are myriad other ratings to look at, but the oddslines really do all the work. Also of note are "portfolios", which are a tremendous help - you can filter out specific types of races, such as lone early, heavy pressure, turf routes, etc. The software will show advanced form patterns - Types 1,2,3, etc. ValueTech and Accupressure are both included here, as well. There's so much more but it would take me forever and it's not important right now anyway.

Bottom line, it's a great methodology and I could never go back to anything else. I've had tremendous success with BLAM and have made great profits. BUT it's also not for everyone and requires some dedication to learning and unlearning a lot about handicapping and ourselves. It's up to each individual and what they want out of the game, I guess.

[alvarez1]

wow, thank you so very much, i've just turn 67 and have gotten a little lazy when it comes to following thru with reading or listening to all the instructions that is needed to fully understand any program. thank you again for taking the time to remind me of important details to complete to have better results. your a gentleman in our world of the "sports of kings" , sincerly alvarez1

[Houndog]

QuarterCrack; great explanation on the type of handicapper that would be most comfortable using BLAM. Could not agree with you more as I have been Selection oriented and making the transition to a Value based approach would be a major change in the way I handicap races.

This approach as you explained very clearly suggests this is not for everybody. Thanks for a thoughtful and informative post.

[QuarterCrack]

Not a problem.

I think just about all of us enter this game with a selection-based approach. That's the common sense way of looking at the game: if you correctly pick the winner (or place or show etc.), you get paid. Period, end of story. There are probably very very few people who initially enter the game from a value standpoint, picking and choosing the best spots to exploit overlays. It's something that someone would more likely become interested in after an extended period of time already in the game. In my case, it never even entered my mind until I discovered it under the BLAM umbrella.

So I think whether with BLAM or without BLAM, moving from selection-based handicapping to value handicapping is a tough task in and of itself, since picking winners is so ingrained in us from the very beginning.

[Buckeye]

All well and good--

How bout a method that is selection oriented BUT has value?

That way we get to cash (not trash) more tickets while of course going in a different direction at the very same time?

Better than a sharp stick in the eye.

[jeebus1083]

Originally Posted by Buckeye

All well and good--

How bout a method that is selection oriented BUT has value?

That way we get to cash (not trash) more tickets while of course going in a different direction at the very same time?

Better than a sharp stick in the eye.

Value-oriented selection-based handicapping is basically Handicapping 101: passing races that offer no value and only betting when you have an edge.

[Robert Goren]

When you move to value based handicapping, be sure you have mastered money management. When you are betting 15-1 shots with a 10% chance of winning you are going to have long losing streaks.

[acorn54]

this is a black magic thread, so i will refer to this software. i do not own it but i have inquired about it to a number of users of the software. black magic is a value oriented approach to horsebetting. from what i have gathered from my inquiries the win percentage is around 13-15 percent. thus losing streaks of twenty or more consecutive wagers will not be an uncommon event.
apparantly in horsebetting you can't have your cake and eat it too. you can either have a high win percentage, low roi. ,or a low win percentage and a high roi. i guess it depends on your psychological makeup which strategy you prefer.

[Maxspa]

Acorn,
Quarter Crack has given an excellent review of Black Magic! I concur with several of his comments.
One must have a tremendous amount of study time, patience and know when to pull the trigger for betting the options the software presents. Knowing when to bet is as important as any other aspect since there are several types of plays that are available for the bettor to choose from. It's when the user develops that 6th sense of (when it's the right time to bet) is in IMHO, the necessary learning quality one must develop to use the software effectively. There were a handful of Black Magic Cappers who exhibited that quality on their Bulletin Board. Michael Pizzola was the master at breaking down races and then DECIDING which of the races would have enough positive factors to qualify plus have the necessary odds to be worth betting. Michael's monthly DVD's were filled with helpful suggestions and like the old E.F. Hutton adage when Michael shares info everybody should listen.
In summary, Black Magic is an excellent software, but it is not for everybody. If one is willing to spend the time, have patience when you are on a losing streak, participate regulary and learn what others contribute on
the Black Magic Bulletin Board plus use the monthly DVD's you have a chance to be successful!
Maxspa

P.S. Acorn your email address would not accept my reply!

[acorn54]

hi max
acorn here
thanks for the explanation of black magic
my email address is gt76us@yahoo.com
i don't know why my email address did not accept your email.
maybe it was my old email address
anyway if you would like to try again to email me at the above address about more on black magic and mike pizzolla's methodology would love to hear from you
acorn

[turfbar]

Anybody cracked the MP code? I mean the super algorithm used in BLAM

[JimG]

Acorn,

I recall you are a JCapper user as well. BLAM is very different than JCapper and much more art than science when compared to JCapper, imo.

There are successful users of BLAM, and those that are completely buy into the Handicapping Magic/Master Handicapper principles taught by Michael. In other words what you have learned using other software/experiences etc. can be a hindrance to those that use BLAM. I consider it a specific methodology that leaves plenty of room for user interpretation and application. The focus involves angles that should lead you to value type plays. Many of those plays lose, however, some do win at nice prices.

From my time on the BLAM board, nobody discussed specifically their hit rate, ROI etc. Besides it is somewhat meaningless as that would be affected by the individual's pass/play decision making and ticket construction. BLAM is not a rigid computer system whereby you just play the "top pick". If a person needs to play many races a day at just their favorite 1 or 2 tracks, they will be disapointed and likely lose. The key to winning with BLAM is taking advantage of value opportunities and while many talk value, actually adhering to it is mentally tough and there very few that are rigid enough to handle the runouts with strict value playing.

The video I mentioned in pm put out by Michael and on his website can give you an excellent primer in what the software displays. The BLAM software users forum is a closed forum for members only and that is where people share their experiences regarding what races they played and why they played them. Both before and after the fact. There are some excellent users of the software that have been using Pizzolla's methods for 20 years or so.

If you decide to buy it, Michael offers a 30 day no questions asked return policy. It is very pricey and given your long history of using JCapper (using databases and trying to quantify spot plays) I am not sure I would recommend BLAM to you (unless you are looking for something entirely different...not better or worse, just different).

Whatever you decide, good luck.

Jim

[acorn54]

JimG
thanks for your elaborate reponse as to the workings of black magic
basically i am just looking for something to give me food for thought and it seems like mike pizzolla has an interesting methodology that might be interesting to study.
basically i am all tapped out of ideas with jcapper and only occasionally find some ideas to run through a data query on. i more or less have down pat what that software can do for me.
black magic is pricey and requires a considerable investment on a yearly basis of subscription to data files and subscription to the forum. however if it really works i will get my money back in betting on the selections.
if i was able to get black magic second hand for around 600 dollars, i would consider purchasing it, but you are right it is a pricey software at 1500 dollars.
i have run some data queries loosely based on pizzolla's ideas. specifically the significance of third off a layoff and "s" type horses in high pressured races.
i must say according to what i come up with in regards to those two angles in jcapper i don't see them as working to make a profit. however i am limited in not being able to run data queries with the exact requriements of the angles that pizzolla puts forth.