Platinum Sports Investing Comp Play 9/1/13

Sports Investors,


I know a lot of you are getting the football shakes waiting for the NFL to start.   I can't blame you because as much as everyone seems to like NCAA sports....I have to admit...I'm not a big fan.  I want to see professionals play.  I don't want to see Sisters of the Poor get beat 72-0 in some NCAA game.  Nor do I want to see a guy like Clowney who's been over-hyped to the max because of one big hit in a bowl game.   He's a physical talent but the guy showed up to their opening game completely out of shape.  What's he going to do when he gets millions from the NFL.  Don't think that every NFL scout didn't take notice there.

Anyway, NFL starts this week and I couldn't be happier about that.  You know what else starts soon?  NHL!  That's right, they'll drop the pre-season puck in just 2 weeks so get ready for that.

Ok, let's get to todays freebie.  Tough loss with San Diego last night.

PLATINUM SPORTS INVESTING COMP PLAY 8/30/13 (+3.9%)

Bet to RISK 1% on: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES +100 ....  Ass clown nation (Cubs Fans) will probably be out in numbers at Wrigley on Sunday.  Hopefully it will be to see the Cubs get paddled like a red headed step child.  It's not very often this year that the Cubs have been able to put back to back wins together and I think the value is all on the Phillies in this spot.


Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sports Investing Comp Selection 8/31/13

Sports Investors,


A nice free play winner yesterday.   As much as I'd like to give you something in NCAA football, there isn't a game even close to qualifying for a play.

We'll go back to the diamond for the free play on Saturday.


PLATINUM SPORTS INVESTING COMP PLAY 8/30/13 (+4.9%)

Bet to RISK 1% on: SAN DIEGO +145 ....  I don't often make habit of betting against the best teams but in this case we have an opportunity.   Capuano is clearly the Dodgers worst starter and Cashner is good overall and been solid in his last 3.  It represents an acceptable risk


Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

PLATINUM SPORTS INVESTING COMP SELECTION 8/30

Sports Investors,


A very nice way to start off the NCAA football season.  We had a nice free play winner with Rutgers +11 who really should have won outright and PSIC members enjoyed 2 easy winners in Minnesota -13.5 and Bowling Green -4.

2 Announcements.  First, PSIC is now offering Financing on our All Sports Annual Membership with 6 months no interest thru  'Bill Me Later'   In a nutshell, you have 6 months to pay that company back with no interest which gives you plenty of time to use your winnings to pay for the membership.  Second announcement:  I've been going with 8 and 9 members in our Horse racing profits program and I'm going to make the 10th spot available.  Current PSIC members will have the first opportunity, however, those of you who are not current members and may be interested send me an email with 'horse racing' as the subject.  I will interview for that spot in the order that the emails come in.  I am very protective of that program as it's a big money maker and everyone in it understands that is we do the right things as a team we can maximize our profits.

Ok, announcements done, on to the Comp Play

PLATINUM SPORTS INVESTING COMP PLAY 8/30/13 (+3.9%)

Bet to WIN 1% on: MINNESOTA  / TEXAS UNDER 8


Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sports investing blog come play 8/29

Sports investors,

Rule of thumb, when you have a basketball total, overtime is never a good thing.  so today marks the start of the college football season so let's get right to the comp selection for today

PSIC comp selection for August 29th, 2013. (+2.9 %)

Bet to win one percent on Rutgers + 11

Good luck everyone,

Tod wilkinson

Platinum Sports Investing Free Comp Play 8/28

Sports Investors,


Football is almost upon us as tomorrow night marks the start of the NCAA football season.  Everyone has loaded their account and is ready to WAY OVER BET!

Just relax as it is a long season.  For now, just enjoy the Freebie


PSIC Comp Selection (+4%)

WNBA: Bet to WIN 1% on .. Washington / Atlanta UNDER 151:  Hopefully you won't actually have to watch the game but rather just check the box score later on in the night.



Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

So, You Wanna Be a Sports Investor Part 2

Sports Investors,


So, after hopefully gaining an understanding of the most difficult part of becoming a successful sports investor, we can move on to part 2.

I know that most people think that if you can handle losing, then the only other thing to master is winning?   EHHHHH! (Buzzer Sound)  No, the 1A to the #1 factor of handing losses is MONEY MANAGEMENT!

Money management can make a very average handicapper a force to be reckoned with.  Again, I go back to Billy Walters or R.A.S.  Both will have win% in the upper 50's%.  To some people that doesn't seem so well because there are a lot of touts out there claiming to win 80% of their games.  Any time you see that just call bullshit and move on.  Anyway, what Billy Walters does probably better than anyone is manage his bankroll.  He may hit 57% overall, but when he steps up to a larger bet size say 2 units or 5 units...he hits say 63% of those.  So his highest winning % is on his BIGGEST PLAYS. THAT'S why books are scared.  

For most bettors, it is literally a how to guide on how NOT TO manage your money.  You lose a few bets and then CHASE. Blow out the bankroll.  You spend 6 months discovering and perfecting the latest underdog method and the minute you start playing it you lose a few games and panic....then double up on the favorite.....then watch the underdog you should have played win....then finally, blow out the bankroll.   Or maybe you follow a chase system online that has lost for the first time all year and you think.."now is the time to strike...it has NEVER lost 2 in a row"  Of course, if you've ever listened to a single word I've said you know that as soon as those words leave your lips....it's over.  For the first time ever the unbeatable chase loses 2 in a row....you blow out your bankroll.

In the casino business and sportsbook, I've seen just about everything.  I saw a guy sit down at my table with $500 on night and leave with $100,000 playing $10 blackjack to start.  I've also seen a person signing a quit claim deed to his house because he was down $230,000 in the high limit blackjack pit and had no way to pay his marker.   Let me tell you so you can be crystal clear.  For every 1 GUY OR GIRL WHO TOOK A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY AND HIT IT BIG, I HAVE 50 STORIES OF TRAGEDY.  Guys who lost their rent, car payments, mortgage payments, and just about anything else of value.  

The odds are not in your favor, but you CAN WIN.  YES, YOU CAN WIN.  It takes amazing discipline and a consistent plan of action.  Now that you understand you cant freak out when you lose, step 2 is knowing how to manage your money.  Money Management is the ONLY way to win long term.  
Did you ever notice how it takes weeks to build your bankroll, but just 1 bad run can wipe out months of winning?  That's money management.  

For my clients, I have 2 purposes.  #1. Make my clients as much money as possible.  #2.  Fiercely protect my clients money when we are in a bad streak.  Bad streaks happen.  They happen to me and they'll happen to you.  Sometimes it means pulling all your bets DOWN to half of your minimum and ride it out.  I'll give you an example.  This MLB season,  my clients were up 70% in late June so we were on pace to nearly double our bankroll by the All Star break.  Guess what, we hit a tough patch and lost back about 22% over a 2 week period.  I had a few options, I could panic and raise the bet thinking we are "DUE" to win.   I didn't do that.  I looked at the situation and said, we're still up 50% (find the positive) and I felt the best thing I could do for my clients is to keep that 50%, drop the bet size back to the beginning to ensure we would keep those profits and move forward.  We have.

So, how should you manage your money?  There are a lot of ways.  I'll cover a few and offer my help.

1. Chasing:  Not my favorite because I've seen it ruin more people than help and i don't know any REAL pro's who do.  However, I know a lot of people who read this are chasers so here's what I'd recommend.  If you're playing a 4 game chase, cut it down to 2 games.  Throw out game 1 and play games 2 and 3.  Where chasers get so F'd up is they are obsessed with their RECORDS.  "my chase is 52-0 on a four game chase"  Who gives a shit because when you go 52-1, you'll lose all your winnings from the first 52 wins.  KILL YOUR EGO, STOP WITH THE MEANINGLESS RECORD SHIT AND THINK ABOUT MAKING MONEY.  So what if you play games 2 and 3 and it turns out you're 22-2.  Guess what, a loss on a two game chase won't destroy your bankroll like a 4 game loss.  You give me any chase system and I can show you a way to reduce it to no more than 2 games and how to play it safely.

Records can be so over rated.  Let me show you, if I told you I had a guy who's record is 26-20 and a guy who's 21-22 which would you choose?  95% would just jump to the guy who's 26-20 because it's a winning record.  Can I tell you that records, for the most part don't mean shit?  What matters, your record or how much money you have in your account.

In the above example, the last 30 days for PSIC sports we are 26-20  in MLB +3.5 units....in Soccer we are 21-22 (49%) but up just about 8 units.  So what would you rather have?  I know, you'd rather have someone who was 27-10 and up 100 units....but let's be real.    speaking of records, in horse racing, we are 79-200 in the last 90 days.  If I told that record to the average sports bettor they'd laugh in my face and ask me how I live with myself...oh but I forgot to mention that the 22% win % also comes with +300 units.....so what's more important, your record or how much money you make.  If your honest answer is record, sports investing is going to be tough for you.  

You don't often hear a stock broker talk about his record do you?  The only thing a broker talks about is HOW MUCH MONEY he's made his clients.  THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT SPORTS.  The games are only a vehicle.

Back on track...

2. Kelly Criterion:  A solid method of determining how much money you should wager per bet.  To use this, it requires a decent amount of data and some solid discipline.  For many people, however, it does lead to bet sizes that can get pretty substantial.


The Labourchere:  Almost 7 years ago now, I went on to a covers forum in an effort to help sports bettors.  I had been using the labourchere for my clients but I shared it with the world and now, it has changed a lot of peoples idea about how they can manage their money.   Then covers quietly banned me for being "competition" to the "Covers Experts"  Even so, Many services have also adopted labourchere as it's way to manage money.  I still use it every day for my clients, even though in my daily email I convert that labourchere number to a % of bankroll to wager on each play.

PLEASE READ OVER AND OVER UNTIL IT SINKS IN:  NO MATTER WHAT MONEY MANAGEMENT YOU USE, ITS ALL JUST A GUIDELINE! 

The labourchere is far from perfect and I've seen many people destroy their bankroll using it because of 1 reason.  Everyone is looking for a mechanical way to beat sports and IT DOESN'T EXIST.  IT DOESN'T EXIST.  IT DOESN'T EXIST!    Below is an explanation of how the labourchere works.  After that I have some thoughts to help you.

===============

THE LABOURCHERE

The principle is used by Roulette players as it only requires  39% winning to break even and since we hit WAY better than that it is a natural fit with our program.   Each day I will provide you with exactly how many units to play and I'll calculate the Labourchere for you, however it's a good idea to have a basic understanding of how it works.

1.    We start with a four number line.  Lets say you're a $50 player.  The line would be

25-25-25-25

Your wager is always the sum of the two outside numbers. (highlighted)  As you see above your base bet would be $50.   Now lets suppose that we lose our first wager.  A losing wager is placed at the end of the line and our new line would be

25-25-25-25-50

Therefore your next wager would be $75 (25+50) as highligted above.  Let's suppose that we win our next wager.  You cross out those two numbers and create  your new line:

X-25-25-25-X

Thus your next wager would be back down to $50.  Understand?   Your goal is no longer so much to win every game or to focus on the daily ups and downs but our goal it to clear lines.  Each 2 times we clear a line we raise our bet which means growing bankrolls and faster profits.  After we clear the line above 2 times our next line would be: 30-30-30-30 with a base bet of $60.

The best part about the Labourchere is that you get back all of your losses without doubling and quadroupling your bets.   It is a safe and efficent way to maximize our bankrolls while minimizing risk.  Please be sure to start small.  On the daily email at the start of each season I'll be using a line with a $50 base bet.  If your bankroll is small and you are a 20 or 25 player just cut the bet amount listed in the email by half.  On the other end....if you have a larger bankroll and are a $100 player or more just take the amount listed in the email and multiply it accordingly.

***OPTIONAL USES***

I've found an equally efficient way to play with the Labourchere.   For both MLB and NBA work each game on its

own line:

Game 1 line: 25-25-25-25

Game 2 line:  25-25-25-25

By doing this, you prevent one bad team or back to back bad teams from getting you in an uncomfortable position.

So if you lose game 1 your new line would be: 25-25-25-25-50 but your next wager would only be $50 as

you would move to your game 2 line.

If you have more than one game 1 going at the same time...you play them all at the current wager and adjust your line.

Lets say you have 2 new plays today and your current game 1 line is: 25-25-25-25-50.   Play them both for $75 and then adjust your line after the games are completed.   So lets say one wins and one loses.  Your winner would make the line: 

X -25-25-25-X  

Then  you would add your 75 loser to the end of the line so at the end of the day your game 1 line would be 

X-25-25-25-75 or just 25-25-25-75.   

Understand?

================

The labourchere represents a way for you to recover your losses more safely than chasing, and at the same time you can more safely raise your bet when winning because you don't have to worry about one chase loss wiping you out. However, it's still fairly aggressive and you have to know when to stop adding numbers to the line, and start over to protect your bankroll.

Remember my example from earlier. When my clients and I were enduring a rough spot in July, my labourchere was calling for bets the size of 5% of the bankroll or even 6%. However, it was at a point where I just decide to keep my profits, throw out the line and start back over at 1%. You can't let the METHOD take you down like the titanic. If you're looking at sports investing from a long term investment strategy, then you must know when to take whatever money management method you're using and start over at square 1.

THAT MY FRIENDS IS THE SECOND STEP IN BECOMING A WINNER.

You've had a great 2 weeks and you're up 20 units. The next week starts and you lose your first 2 bets, then using the labourchere you lose 2 more. You've given back 10 units of your 20...what do you do? 95% of you will follow the labourchere or chase or whatever you're doing until you bust your bankroll. BE BETTER THAN THAT! HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY:

I'M STILL UP 10 UNITS OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS, AND LOWER YOUR BET...NOT RAISE BUT LOWER YOUR BET TO PROTECT YOUR PROFITS.

I know for many of you that seems ultra conservative, but when you can lower your bet in the face of adversity, you'll finally start to understand how great it feels to come OUT OF a losing streak and still be money ahead.

That's when you'll really understand the power of money management! Professionals always know when to pull their bet back or just don't play for a few days.

To your success,

Tod Wilkinson

No comp play today.

Platinum Sports Investing Free Play 8/20/13

Sports Investors,


Hello boys and girls.  When we last met, I gave you a very nice +150 1st 5 innings winner with the Houston Astros.   I do try to get to the blog every day, however, horses have been ON FIRE!!! and I'm having some serious computer issues so unfortunately I haven't had a chance to post.  In cases like that in the future I may just tweet out our comp play so go ahead and follow  @teampsic  on twitter.

Tomorrow, part 2 of our series "So, you wanna be a sports investor"

I've received some emails about including money management on the blog and I agree, picks are nothing without money management.  This will also be a good way for those of you considering making a wise decision and joining on as a PSIC member, you'll already have a feel for how things go. For our members, all plays are given in a corresponding % of bankroll.

PSIC COMP PLAY  (+5%)  8/7/13 thru 8/19/13

8/20/2013: RISK 1% ON SAN DIEGO +110 - The Padres are just good enough to be annoying.  I know Pittsburgh needs every win but this is the time of the year where not all the slippers fit on Cinderella teams foot.   San Diego's Ross has been solid lately and in a "dead" park like PetCo.....I'll take my chances with the home doggie.


Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sports Investing Comp Play for 8/16/2013

Sports Investors,

I'll get straight to the point.

1. Pre season american sports pricing ends in 1 more week.

2.  We are taking people on waiting list for the horses.  Send an email to:  PSIC.support@gmail.com with the subject "horse waiting list" to ensure you get your place in line.

PSIC FREE PLAY FOR 8/16/13

Houston Astros 1st 5 innings +150

Good luck everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

So, You wanna be a sports investor....Part 1

Hello Sports Investors,

So, you wanna be a sports investor?  Do you think you have what it takes?

We've already examined the key question at the core of your investing life....Are you in it for the MONEY or for the ACTION?

Over the next couple of weeks I'll share with you guys some of the traits that I've examined both in the casino business AND in the sports investing business that will help you to move toward being a professional sports investor instead of a gambler.  These are the traits that separate the Pro's from the Joe's.

LESSON #1 - LOSING

No B.S.  The number 1 thing that separates the professionals from the armatures is HOW YOU HANDLE LOSING!   

It's not a question of IF but WHEN.  As a sports investor you will lose.  You will endure losing streaks.  How will you handle it?  If you're like most, you'll freak out and plow through your whole bankroll in a weekend.   You can deny it all you want but Vegas wasn't built on winners.

How well you handle losing is actually more important than your ability to pick winners.  Believe it or not, it's true.  I met a lot of guys, when I was on the inside, that could pick winners.  55%, 60%, and some even 61% or slightly higher.  Most of them had NO IDEA how to manage their bankroll and no matter how many winners they picked, they busted out EVERY time......why?   They couldn't handle losing.   It' is a very tough thing to manage from a psychological standpoint.   It's one of the reasons that as profitable as horse racing is for us, some guys just can't deal with winning 1 race in 10 at times and making a profit.  Those 9 losses make them insane.  It doesn't matter how much they're making.....they can't take losing.  

Other than the obvious psychological aspect, why is it so hard to deal with losing?

First off, our idea of what is WINNING is COMPLETELY F'D up!   One reason it's tough to deal with losing is that most people don't have a realistic idea of what a good winning percentage is.   How many of you got an email yesterday from one of a million sports "scamdicappers" who is in the middle of a 20-2 run?  Right...I know your inbox is filled with that.  The problem is that newbies and many other people really start to think that these people can win at that level.  Short term...maybe.  Long term...NEVER.

Billy Walters is the most feared man in Vegas and he hits about 56% of his bets year in and year out so let's use that as a BIG FAT REALITY CHECK.  Are there legit guys who have hit over 60%?  Sure.  Are there guys that are hitting 80%.  Um, that's a big HELL NO!  Maybe for a week or two.  I know, Bob Akmens hit 70% in football last year.  YES he did...that's a documented fact.  One of the best seasons I've ever heard of in football.  Don't think for a second Vegas will allow that to happen again.  Yes,  I said that...they WONT ALLOW that to happen.  Now you'll ask, how can they control that?

Last year was a very very CHALK year in football, which is rare.  But back to how they'll control Akmens. They'll control him the same way the control Right Angle Sports totals plays.  With RAS they "stage" people who are in with the groups that make lines for a lot of the books and they have these guys sign up for the RAS service.  Then the second RAS releases an NCAA Football or Basketball total, they push the line up 3-5 points.  Thus they are completely removing your edge.   The forums are full of people who bitch that they can never get the same lines as what's released from Right Angle Sports.  You watch what happens this year with Bob Akmens.  He hasn't always had that level of success but he's been around for years and has a big big database of potential clients.  It may not happen initially, but if he opens the season winning again, they'll push all his games OVER the key numbers...If he recommends team A at -6, you can bet you'll get -7.5...they'll ZAP all the value out of the picks.  The thing about football, the books don't have to move a line HUGE to control the wagering action.  3 and 7 are such huge numbers in the NFL that all it takes is to make a -7 favorite, -7.5.....take a -3 and make it -3.5.

Let's get back on track here...the first obstacle to overcome in learning how to lose is to understand what to expect as far as winning goes.

There is a totally separate element to that....THE CHASE SYSTEMS.  Chase losses can ruin you mentally and I've never met a single professional player that chases.  The closest I've ever seen is my friend John in Vegas who has a methodology where he may do a near full chase from game 1 to game 2 but game 3 is just a small bet to recover some money if he even plays the game 3.  He's been making money for years.   The thing about chasing is that your system will lose at some point.  How will you handle it?  MLB is a hot bed for chasing and I really want to clear up a few things for people who are new to sports betting.   I'm going to say 95% of the people you read who post these chase systems could never afford to play them.  In addition, there are 3 words that should never be allowed to be paired together in the English language or any other language......4 GAME CHASE SYSTEM.

Please don't get sucked into these.  If you want to play a system like that, use a labourchere or ANY other money management method but a chase.  That guy on covers who says his 4 game chase hasn't lost in 10 years....he's probably living in his moms basement.  Do you realize the bankroll requirement for playing a 4 game chase?  The Baltimore / Texas disaster a few years back, that was part of everyone's chase systems.  Washington has been swept at home 3 times this year.   The LA Angels have been swept at home 3 times this year.....Let's do that math on a 4 game chase at -150 odds.  I'm being very very generous because most of these chases have way higher odds.  If you're just trying to win $100.  You bet $150 to win 100.  Game 2 you bet $375 to win $250 (your 150 loss from game 1 plus your 100 profit).  On that loss you are now down $525.  You have to bet $935 to win $625.  So now you're out $1460.  Game 4 is a cool $2300 to win your  $1560.......So you're going to tell me that these guys posting these systems have $50,000 bankrolls and are only trying to win $100 per chase?  Not on your life.  That 4 game chase just cost $3800....now you have to win 38 chases in a row just to get back to where you were before that loss.  On the mental side that is devastating.

Now, I will say that some of those chases created can be a viable play selection option but weed out the bullshit.  Take your 4 game chase, sit out game 1 and just play games 2 and 3 in a mini chase or labourchere or whatever.   Yes the guy online posting the system wants to do a 4 game chase so he can say he's 50-0 this year....hooray!   He's not going to pay you back when you dump your whole bankroll when he's 50-1 and that 1 loss cost you 80 units because all the games were -200.

I'm not saying there aren't smart guys out there who find things....just YOU NEED TO BE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT MENTALLY YOU CAN'T SURVIVE GAMBLING......CHASING.

And please save the email about how you've got a system that's never lost....I'm happy for you.  I've just taken too many phone calls and received too many emails and even had to call the suicide hotline for people a few times and it's all been over chasing.   If you've created or found a chase system you like, I promise you with about an hour worth of work you can break it down into the best 2 games of that method to play.  Who cares if you can't say your system is 1,000,000-0.  You'll actually have money in your sports bettting account.  However, that opens up a whole other can of worms for people.  It's hard for them to lose and it's worse for them to create a system, sit out the "A" game, and watch it win.  Right?  I know you all know what I'm talking about.  As soon as you decide to sit out whatever game it is...you know that system will run 10 wins in a row, of that game and put it right in your face.....daring you to chase.  Resist.

Guys and gals this article isn't meant as a rant against chasing....I just want to open your eyes to the task at hand.  Beating the books is very very difficult.  You're going to lose.  You're going to have losing streaks.  If you're a person who tries something for 2 days or flip flops every week depending on if you're up or down then the reality is, stop betting.  Well you don't have to stop betting, but just don't expect to win.  If you want to do it recreational to have some action on a game....that's fine.  Just don't spend more than you can afford to lose.  If you're serious about sports investing.  You have to:

1. Understand that you're going to lose some games and have some tough streaks
2. Understand that 56%, 60%, 62%...those are REAL win %
3. The difference between the pro's and you is money management.  

It's not easy to lose.  how do the pro's do it?   I can tell you this, the pro's have no emotion about the games.  These games are nothing more than a vehicle to make money.  Could be stocks or it could be mutual funds.  When you invest in a mutual fund, do you cry every day when you check and it goes down 50 cents?  Of course not.  That's the same way you have to be when betting sports.  Being able to lose goes hand in hand with having the confidence in your method to WIN.

When you have years of research behind you and you KNOW that in the LONG RUN....yes I said the LONG RUN......  By the way, long run is not next week.  But when you know your methodology is solid in the long run, it allows you to relax and take losses more "in stride" because you know that in the end you can win enough to make some money...if you stay the course.

That is your food for thought on this Thursday.

Ok Tod, shut up and give me my free play already.....lol

PSIC FREE PLAY FOR 8/15/2013

CINCINNATI REDS -135....The logic here is fairly simple.  Milwaukee is terrible.  Problem is that they don't quite realize it yet.  They have been playing WAY over their head.  Like all bad teams the glass slipper will break and reality will set in at some point.  The REDS are in a dog fight in that division and winners of 8 of their last 10.  The value that you get in the Reds at -135 makes it worth the risk.   Personally, I'd probably split this game between the money line and the runline and bring my overall odds down to about -110.


Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sports Investing Club Free Play for 8/13/13

Sports Investors,

I took Monday off but we are back at it today.  There is nothing to draw on in MLB as any team with a pulse is -185 or worse and none of them are worth -130 so we'll pass there and head to beautiful Fort Erie Racetrack for todays Freebie....


PSIC Free play for 8/13/2013

6:30PM  FORT ERIE RACETRACK RACE 6

#2 ARC EN CIEL 12/1 - At first glance one might say...Tod, have you lost your mind?  This horse lost a maiden 5k claimer last time out and now he's stepping up to Maiden Special Weights.  Normally that is a significant jump, however if you look at the field, to be honest they're all losers.  They've all just come out of cheapie maiden claimers and actually I love the fact that he's lost LESS than the others.  Most maiden races are not won by a horse trying for the 15th time.  There are other things to like in addition to being the better option in a race of proven losers.  First off, he has a good trainer and that means everything in maidens.  Second, the trainer has chosen his "go to" jockey for this race.  As a Jockey / Trainer combo they win NEARLY 30% together and at todays price that makes it an automatic look anyway.  The last thing I like is that his running style fits well in this race with this field.  He's got a good late kick and he will be relatively close to the front. If the race unfolds for him, he'll sit about 4th most of the way and take on the leaders at the top of the stretch and draw off for an easy winner at a nice price!!   At 12/1 on the morning line, it's certainly value enough to warrant a play.

Good luck everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sports Investing Free Play Sunday

Hello Sports Investors,

Back about 6 weeks ago, I took the advise of a few of my long time clients who recommended that in addition to having our picks listed every day on the website, I should go to handicappers watchdog so that people can see that our positive results on the site are confirmed by an independent monitor.  Good idea so I did it.   We will never have the best WIN% because in soccer many of our plays are DUTCHED which means you're betting 2 of the 3 possible outcomes of a game and of course 1 of those 2 will lose so that "technically" drags down our win%.  But WIN% is very very deceiving.  The only thing, and I mean only thing, that matters to me is that my members make $$.   If I told you I'd hit 50% of my bets but you'd make 200 units a year would you do it?  Or would you simply pass because I don't post some non existent win% like in all the junk email you get every day?   

Again....are you in it to MAKE MONEY?   or for the action.

Anyway, my point is that I'm proud to share that the TEAMPSIC soccer program got a little love from Handicappers Watchdog last month......so congrats to my members on that.  It's tough for Teampsic to get awards because I actually assign the proper unit sizes to my wagers and don't put them in for like 10 units each to pad the stats.  I want people who go there to get a REALITY of what to expect.  For those of you who like to follow along, our goal at Platinum Sports Investing is to double our money twice per year so that will equate at a 1% of bankroll base wager to about 200 units per year.

Ok, I know...Tod where's the free play........Boston was nice yesterday and you all want more winners...I get it.

PSIC Free Play for 8/11/2013

St Louis cardinals -1.5 +110 - I hear Tom Petty in the background singing..."and I'm freeeeeee...free fallin..."  when I think of the Cards, they can't get out of their own way lately but if they are any shred of a playoff hopeful they can't let Pittsburgh struggle in Colorado and  then get swept on their own home field by the pitiful Cubs.   Having said that, I wouldn't give a bucket of balls to get even -150 let alone -190.  Take your chances on the runline here.  If they win by one, so be it.

Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sports Investing Free Play for Saturday

Sports Investors,

Well even the best laid plans have the potential to blow up and yesterday was exactly that.  It's funny, as white hot as Francisco Liriano was in recent starts, during his career you always know immediately if he's got it or not. When he was with Minnesota, he was just like last night in that when he didn't have it that night he will get drilled from the first hitter on.   Time to turn the page.

I've got one question a few times lately so I'll take the liberty to answer.  That question is:

TOD, HOW DO YOU DETERMINE YOUR FREE PLAY?  SHOULD I PLAY IT?

First off, I never ever put out a play free or otherwise that I don't think can win.  If you go through this blog history, you'll see that a few years ago we actually made over 100 units during an MLB season when I was testing a value program on the blog.    How I determine what I'll put on here is simple. The free play is the NEXT play on my sheet that just missed qualifying for my paying clients.

For example, here was what went to my clients yesterday....

======================

PSIC QUALIFYING PLAYS (+71.7%)

Bet to WIN 1% on:  Baltimore -110
Bet to WIN 1% on:  Seattle -120

Bet to WIN 1% on: Czech Republic [Dulka Praga / Slavia Praga UNDER 2.5]

======================

When I evaluated the plays for the day here was what my sheet looked like....

1. Baltimore -110

2. Seattle

3. Czech Republic [Dulka Praga / Slavia Praga UNDER 2.5]

-----------

4. Pittsburgh Pirates -135

5.Atlanta -180

The top 3 qualified under my criteria for my clients and Pittsburgh was just under the line for a few reasons and Atlanta missed the cut because their odds were too high AND Miami has played a lot of tight games so I didn't feel that the Atlanta runline was worth the risk for last night.  So the Free play was the first play that just missed qualifying for my paying clients.   On some days there are NO GAMES in sports even close to qualifying other than what we play so on those days I'll go to horse races and do the same thing.  I'll take the list of qualifying races and the NEXT ONE UNDER THE LINE of what qualifies for the horse racing profits program, that is what I'll give out as the free race.

So yes, I am trying to win the games and races but NO I'm not giving out plays that my paying members are getting.

Let's look at today's FREE PLAY

PSIC FREE PLAY for 8/10/2013

Boston Red Sox -125 - There is NO DOUBT Kansas City is one of the hottest teams in MLB.  For that reason, it's tough to play Boston, however, the other side of this equasion is that the Sox can NOT AFFORD to get swept this weekend and win or lose, you'll likely get a top effort tonight.  Boston is hanging on for dear life in the division up just 2 games over Tampa Bay.

Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

NFL PRE-SEASON ...can you make money?

Hello sports investors,

The NFL preseason is upon us and for a lot of people that means they can't get their money out of their pocket fast enough to bet on preseason games. It's not a question of if you can, but more a question of should you?  I'm not going to say that you can't make money betting the NFL preseason, because you can, however for 95 percent of the people you should run is far and fast away from pre season as you possibly can.

Handicapping NFL preseason games is not at all like handicapping a regular game. I mean let's be honest, in preseason games, the starting lineup plays for one or two series maybe late into the first quarter if you're lucky. After that, you better have amazing knowledge of the depth chart for every team your betting because it's going to come down to 2nd string vs 2nd string... Or 3rd string vs 2nd string and that's where can get real tricky real fast.

So even though I would recommend that generally you steer very clear of the NFL preseason and just watched an enjoy, I know some of you are going to bet and in my experience there are just a couple of things you can look for to may be get an edge.

1.  THE VERY EXPERIENCED BACKUP QB - there is one situation that I've seen over the years that seems to pan out very good for bettors in the NFL preseason. When you have a younger starting quarterback, who has a very experienced backup that can provide a real good situation in early preseason betting. Most of the time that starter will play just one or two series in the first game maybe a quarter in the second game and that leaves a full two quarters usually for that second string quarterback.  So for the bulk of the game the matchup becomes the very experienced second string quarterback verses the other teams never- played-in- the- NFL type: second string quarterback which is usually a huge mismatch. 

2. COACHES - there was a time, yes it's true, there was a time when I used to also bet preseason NFL and did very well. My phone philosophy was very simple. I never looked it anyone's roster, I didn't stay up late hours studying the match ups, I simply handicapped coaches.  For years Dennis Greene was about a 70% preseason cover machine.  Certain coaches like to instill a "winning" mentality and look at preseason games as a real game. 

Now that there are rule changes making training camp more like country club life, the coach intensity has really changed.  So even though I don't recommended betting the preseason, at least now you have a few situations where you might stand a chance.

Let's talk FREE play.  Yesterday we did make some profit on our race and should have made a lot more as our horse was pinched and mauled down the stretch.  But still profitable.  Today we are back to MLB.

PSIC FREE PLAY 8/9/13

Pittsburgh Pirates -135 -  I'm not a fan of minus money mlb  bets but liriano has been flat out nasty lately so I'll take my chances.

To your success,

Tod Wilkinson

Platinum Sport Investing Thursday Free Play

Hello everyone,


PSIC FREE PLAY THURSDAY 8/8/13

There isn't much happening in MLB on Thursday so we are going back to the track for our complementary play for Thursday


4:25 pm  SANTA ROSA COUNTY FAIR RACE #7

#10 LOVEINTHESHADOWS (8/1) - I love the way this race sets up for this horse.  The Turf Course at Santa Rosa is playing very even with no bias for the mile and longer races so I'm looking at the pace.  #10 has the best last fraction AND he likes to stalk the pace.  With not much speed in the race that puts the best closer up toward the front of the pack which is a great situation to have.  With a morning line of 8/1 and the public most likely to bet the #6 and #9.....the price will be more than right for us to spring the upset here.

Recommended Bet: #10 LOVEINTHESHADOWS (8/1) WIN and PLACE


Good Luck Everyone,

Tod Wilkinson

PSIC Blog Free Play 8/7/2013

Hello Sports Investors,


No luck on comp play at Fort Erie but that's the great thing about the horses....you can lose 4,5,8 in a row and when you hit one it all comes back to you and then some if the prices are right.

Today, we are going to MLB for the comp selection today.


PLATINUM SPORTS INVESTING BLOG FREE PLAY 8/7/2013

CLEVELAND INDIANS +110 - There are a lot of things I don't like about this game but it was once said, I think, that desperation was the mother of invention.  If Cleveland has ANY thoughts of contending for the division you can not get swept at home by the team you're chasing.  You've already dropped the first two and you don't want to go down 3 heading into the series finale tomorrow.  The Indians pitcher is a little bit of an unknown which can be good or bad.  However, overall since we're talking about sports INVESTING, right guys and gals,  the VALUE of Cleveland at home +110 out weighs the risk of the unknowns so that is my FREE PLAY recommendation for today.

To your success,

Tod Wilkinson

Sometimes You Have To Ask Yourself The MOST Important Question....

Hello Everyone,

What is the most important question?


Are you in it for the ACTION?   or   Are you in it to REALLY make money?

So I'm asking you to look in the mirror and I hear a lot of you saying "I'm in it to make money Tod!!!"  but in the same breath you've bet nearly every game on the board AND  you're following six "Cant Miss" systems.

Wanting to make money and having a plan that will actually make you money are two very different things.  Everyone WANTS to make money, of course, and unfortunately in this industry their are so many con-men that it's tough for the average sports investor to know which way is up.

Let's do some math.  Let's say you start with just $500.  If you double that money just 2 times a year for just 5 years how much does that equal?

Year 1 = $500 turns to $1000, then $1000 turns to $2000
Year 2 = $2000 turns to $4000, then $4000 turns to $8000
Year 3 = $8000 turns to $16,000, then $16,000 turns to $32,000
Year 4 = $32,000 turns to $64,000, then $64,000 turns to $128,000
Year 5 = $128,000 turns to $256,000 then $256,000 turns to $512,000

Pretty amazing right?  Everyone loves the $500,000 and loves the idea of starting with just $500 but executing that plan is where everyone fails in the first 6 months.

Why?

1. GREED

After a few weeks of rolling along and your $500 is now $700 and then you get that email from superscam sports that says they have inside information into todays game.  You can DOUBLE your bankroll on this one.....right?  Taking a few months to double that bankroll doesn't sound so attractive when here is a guy promising you to double it in one night.  There is no shortcut and Vegas is actually COUNTING on your greed.


2. EMOTION

This probably could have been number 1 but our emotional investment in the games is what kills us.  You literally have to play the games like a robot and not care at all from night to night.  If you have some kind of system or person you're following, hopefully it wins enough and you can just put in your bets each day and adjust your money management based on the results.  

THE GAMES ARE ONLY A VEHICLE.

If you're a poker player, that's your investment vehicle of choice, maybe you invest in stocks or whatever....Sports is no different.  If you want long term success you need a plan and you have to stick with it.  Take the emotion out of it. 

3. MICROMANAGING

This is another biggie.  When you're investing in sports you have to think of it as a long term investment.  You can't panic every time you have a tough day, or week, or even month...that will happen.   

The reason that many of my subscribers have been with me 7+ years is that they realize that the way to win in the end is patience and a slow-steady approach.  Look, I've been doing this now 11 years and I've made my share of mistakes too but I've learned from them.  I've refined my programs to only the best plays and best situations in each sport.   As an example, last April I told my members that we were going to double our money 2 times per year and all retire in about 5 years....4 months after that promise we are +70% on our bankroll well on our way to our first double and right on schedule.  However, in mid june we had a bad 2 weeks that took away 20% of our winnings at that time.    THAT IS THE POINT WHERE MOST PEOPLE FAIL!!!  We lost 20% and most people then double up their base wager, and push it...trying to get that 20% back asap..right?   We didn't do that at all.  I LOWERED our base wager back to our base bet of 1% and over a 4-5 week period we have grinded back our profits and now we move forward.   No one was in panic mode.  None of my guys MICROMANAGE.....bad weeks, bad months..they happen occasionally but you have to deal with it, dust yourself off and get back rolling.

STAY THE COURSE

4.  WHAT WE PLAY

There is a reason I took 4 years to develop a solid soccer program or 5 years to hone in in certain criteria to use horse racing as one of the best INVESTING vehicles.  It's not that I hate sleep or that I'm just a research buff and can't get enough of numbers.  There are probably 100 soccer matches played every day and there are at least 100 horse races run every day.  

So let me ask you this...

Do you think it's easier to find just ONE OR TWO soccer matches out of 100 or horse races out of 100 races run with a good opportunity?   Or do you think it's easier to find 1 out of 16 NFL football games where EVERYONE and their brother are playing and the lines are sharp as razors?

Do I like watching football?  Hell yes I do!  Is football the best investment vehicle?  Nope, probably THE WORST OF ALL SPORTS.   Why?

In MLB there are 162 games and teams get in a rhythm or a groove from time to time because they CAN'T possibly give a top effort every night.  In NBA there are 82 games and long road trips and it's easier to find weak spots as again teams play at one level during the season and another level completely during the playoffs.  NHL, same story as the previous 2.  Even English Premier soccer will have 40 matches in their league play PLUS a variety of Euro Cup matches.

NFL has 16 high emotion, MAXIMUM EFFORT games.  There is no groove, there is no flow.  It's an all out battle 16 times per season.  EMOTION IS THE ONE FACTOR THAT CAN DE-RAIL YOUR BANKROLL AND THE ONE FACTOR YOU REALLY CAN'T HANDICAP OR ACCOUNT FOR.  NCAA Football is slightly easier to find soft spots because of the volume of games but it's still a NO FLOW type sport.

So what am I suggesting?  Well, if year after year you continue to make money in NBA, NHL, or MLB and you keep pissing away your bankroll in Football...

STOP BETTING FOOTBALL!!

That's right, I'm a professional sports investor and I said it.  Now, maybe you ONLY make money during football and lose betting all the other sports......my answer would be the same....STOP BETTING THE OTHER SPORTS!  or find someone you can trust to provide you with selections and money management for the sports you're weak in.

So, are you in it for the ACTION?   OR  Are you in it to seriously make money?

I can tell you this....for my guys and gals, with Soccer going year round and NHL starting in 6 weeks or so....we will play football but the games we play better fit what I'm looking for.  We have a goal at Platinum Sports INVESTING and that's to double our money twice per year and NO SPORT will de-rail us from that goal EVEN IF IT MEANT NOT BETTING FOOTBALL.  We're in it for the long term money....and trust me, it's taken me personally a long time to get there.  It's not easy but emotional investing will take you down fast.

Find where your good and stick with it.


PSIC COMPLEMENTARY SELECTION

For our comp play today we are going NORTH OF THE BORDER to the track

FORT ERIE RACETRACK
RACE 10: #11 TITANIUM JANE 12/1
RECOMMENDED BET:  WIN AND PLACE

This horse loves the Fort Erie track and has shown steady improvement in the first 3 races back after a layoff.  This is the 4th race back and should be a top effort.  In a race where it is total CHAOS and there is a lot of front end speed, this should set up nice for this closer.


To your success,

Tod Wilkinson