Tales from a sports betting grinder

Poker players who eke out a living on a limited bankroll by maximizing small edges and making sure they stay within their financial means often are referred to as “grinders.”

That’s a fairly apt description to my relationship with sports betting. I don’t bet on sports for a living – I don’t have the bankroll to pay the bills with it, and I’m not sure I’d want to if I did -- but it is a significant part of my income, in more ways than one.

I make a good part of my income writing about sports betting and the gaming industry, and then use some of this money as my betting bankroll. For years, this “second job” stemming from this symbiotic relationship has worked out pretty well for me.

I know when I put my mind to it and stay disciplined, I’ve proven I can be a winning player over the long haul.

I also know that I like to gamble, and sometimes I’ll put a decent-size bet on the Monday Night Football total or the pass line for no other reason than to have action. But the good news is, I no longer rationalize this behavior as some sort of smart play. It’s gambling for gambling’s sake, and I’m prepared to live with the consequences.

But most of the time, I’m pretty good. Like any other business, there’s simply no substitute for experience, and I feel like I’ve paid some dues. These days, I’m focused on eliminating the white noise – the “experts” you run into at every turn who can make you second-guess yourself – and staying within my means, while ... [More]

Eagles take a risky bet on Michael Vick

If Michael Vick’s new contract were the equivalent of a pass-line bet in craps, I’d put my chips on the “don’t.”

As in, don’t give him bank-breaking, Brady-Manning-like money when you don’t have to, and when I’m not sure he’s proven to be worth the investment.

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly signed Vick on Monday to a 6-year, $100 million contract with $40 million guaranteed. That’s an awfully big check to write if something goes wrong, and it just might.

The Eagles might have felt as if they had no other choice, seeing as they have inked several stars to big deals while amassing this “Dream Team” roster, and it would be hard to explain why you left your franchise quarterback out of cash-piling parade.

But Vick was due to make $16 million this year as their franchise-tagged player anyway. I say pay him this hefty sum for the year, watch and make sure he’s a guy you want to be tied to for the long haul.

I’m not so sure. This is not an indictment of his past transgressions. Regardless of anyone’s feelings toward his past behavior, you can’t dispute he has paid his debt to society and has a right to earn a living in the NFL.

Even so, I’m not convinced his potential for off-field transgressions  no longer are an issue. In the past year alone, there was a shooting incident at a birthday for Vick in which he charged admission to guests. No charges were filed, though the victim was one of his co-defendants in the dog-torture cas... [More]

Tim Tebow will have the last laugh

After listening to much debate about – and mostly criticism of – Tim Tebow, here is my shrewd analysis of the Denver Broncos second-year quarterback:

Cut the guy a break. Seriously, people.

Upon watching countless talking heads use Tebow as their verbal punching bag, you’d think this guy was the second coming of Ryan Leaf.

He might not be the next John Elway, either, but the bottom line is he hasn’t played enough for any fair conclusion to be reached and, what’s gone unnoticed amid the media’s feeding frenzy, is that Tebow has played well when given the chance.

I couldn’t help shake my head a little in disbelief as two ESPN studio analysts broke down everything Tebow did wrong on a pass he short-hopped to his intended receiver in Denver’s 24-23 exhibition loss Thursday to the Dallas Cowboys. It was his only incompletion, for Pete’s sake, in a performance in which he went 6-for-7 for 91 yards and added two rushes for 15 yards. The guy he is trying to beat out, Kyle Orton, went 2-for-6 for 37 yards.


To say criticism of Tebow is unwarranted is an understatement, and it’s also somewhat of a moot point. It’s clear that he is the target of jealousy-inspired resentment from many who cover the game, particularly former players who are now in the media, and the reasons seem pretty clear-cut.

For one, they resent the adulation that was heaped on Tebow at Florida, where he was an icon before he ever played a down, and a two-time national... [More]

Did Plaxico Burress get a raw deal?

Watching Plaxico Burress leave prison a free man into the waiting arms of his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, immediately brought a couple thoughts to mind:

Damn, time flies. It’s evident in the growing number of distinct gray patches I see in the mirror every day, sprouting from my scalp and chin. It also seems like just yesterday when Burress shot himself in a nightclub and his case was in the news on a regular basis.

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two full years since he went to prison for felony criminal possession of a hand gun and reckless endangerment.

The other thought was one that popped up consistently as I followed the Burress case: Did the punishment really fit the crime?

This is a tough one. I understand that laws are different everywhere, and the offense he committed came with some automatic minimum penalties.

Arguing the validity of the law is almost a moot point. In other words, if it’s illegal to spit on the sidewalk in Tinbucktwo, Wyoming, you had better be prepared for the consequences if you choose to hock a loogie in broad daylight.

I get that. But that doesn’t change the disturbing imbalance with which justice is meted out for similar crimes. Moreover, you see charges dropped or reduced all the time, whether due to lack of evidence or because the actions don’t merit the charges.

Sure, someone else could have been hurt, but nothing was worse for the wear other than Plaxico’s unfortunate foot.

Base... [More]