When to buy half points??

[frankb03]

Think about it! IMO It's a poor investment.

Let's assume you play 100 games at $100 in your 'buy 1/2 point' range. You win hit 60% of your selection. 60 winners! Of those 40 losers how often will the 1/2 come into play.

40 losing selections @ $100 10% extra Juice = -$400

You decide. Buying the 1/2 point you need to win 4 more games. Are 10% of the games decided by 1/2 point. I don't believe they are.

Last note! You can be certain if buying a 1/2 point was advantageos for the player Vegas would not offer it.

Please note the additional winners might be pushes instead of loses.

[savage1]

Frank-I haven't kept track, but I know there was a stretch recently where in games I played it did make a difference.
Over time you are probably right, but again I do it sparingly on games where my perception tells me line is right where it should be, and I need that extra half point to make me feel confident about playing the game.
You say Vegas and offshores wouldn't let you do it if it wasn't it in their best intersts.
For that matter there would be no betting at all and no offshores if the bettors as a whole won more than they lost over time.:D
ps I am sure Loser Lawrence can afford to buy the half points with any of proceeds that any sucker sends him.

[frankb03]

Clearly if Vegas lost money offering gambling on Sports they wouldn't offer it.

If they lost money on teasers they wouldn't offer teasers.

If they lost money on parlays they wouldn't offer parlays.

If they lost money offering purchasing points they wouldn't offer the option.

Does one really think Vegas offers any option to allow the gambler to WIN?

[savage1]

Frank-Well I guess the only way to win is to play faithfully the plays of Jack Price, Ty Gaston Stu Feiner, Joh nny Demarco, Jim Feist and Marc Lawrence,etc. so long as the plays don't conflict with one another.
With winning percentages like above have, we should never lose no matter what Vegas does.

[HUNGlikeabear]

When liking home dogs, esp in conference, that half point could be gold

[paulsam1]

Intraware1,
Well done, Beautifully said. 11/10 hard enough to overcome but 12/10 that's insane.. Unless it's the number 3 in football it's a waste of money. Just one thing to add in basketball if you think the game is going to be that close where you feel you need a 1/2pt why not pass the game.

[frankb03]

Originally posted by paulsam1

Just one thing to add in basketball if you think the game is going to be that close where you feel you need a 1/2pt why not pass the game.

Well said! I couldn't agree with that statement more.

[Bennojd]

the consensus.........

seems to think that buying half points (especially in basketball) is a waste of time and money.

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.........I APPRECIATED ALL POINTS OF VIEW!!

Since I know that buying a half point has "saved" me a few times already this college hoops season..............I will continue to buy them in those certain situations that I spelled out earlier in this thread. But I will need to start keeping better track of my "half point wagers" to see if it is really worth it in the long run.

In conclusion, I don't think this is a "cut and dry" issue. I think that a more indepth analysis of REAL TIME WAGERS is necessary..........The hypothetical examples on "buying half points" that Intraware, Frank and others posted are a good starting point but they really need to be proven.

Sincerely,
Bennojd

[Bennojd]

Question............

In skimming over this thread again..........I got the impression that some of you think that if you lose a game (where you bought a 1/2 point) that you lose more juice, vig ,etc.??

For me: a loss either way is the same since I risk the same amount on all wagers. Therefore, if I risk $100 on a regular wager at (-110) and then I risk $100 at (-120) after buying a half point; if the game loses.........I LOSE $100 EITHER WAY!!

LOSSES ARE ALWAYS THE SAME; IT'S THE WINS THAT ARE LESS AFTER BUYING A HALF POINT.

Bennojd

[frankb03]

Bennojd

Even though you risk $100 each and every game. You're vig is still 20%. You still need to win 54+% for break-even.

[savage1]

I think after reading all the posts, the following conclusion can be drawn.
There were certainly very cogent arguments showing that over time, buying 1/2 points can be a very expensive proposition indeed.
However, as all gamblers are individuals with distinct personalites and with differerent methods of capping and perceiving games, I think that as Bennojd pointed out each gambler has to keep careful records over a period of time to see whether it was cost effective for HIM to buy the 1/2 point.
Obviously, if over a significant period of time there were not enough instances to justify it, then the person buying the 1/2 points might want to reconsider and/or see in what instances and/or at which pointspread the buying of points seemed justifiable and then rethink when he should buy the 1/2 points and when he should not(sorry for the runon sentence).

[frankb03]

I think losing by 1/2 point is a psychological thing. It hurts!

I hardly ever buy 1/2 points. The only time I do so is with larger plays and only after the line has already moved on me. In other words, if I liked a game at -3. When I get around to betting it and the line has moved to -3.5. I might consider buying the 1/2. If the line opened at -3.5 and it's still at -3.5 I won't buy the 1/2. Many times I'll wait to see if the line moves. If the line moves to -3 GREAT! If it moves to -4 well I have a push instead of a win.

[porsche]

Got a push on E. Washington LN

How many of you can say that? Enough said.

[BettorsChat]

The really only time you should look at buying off a line is in football on the numbers 3 and 7.

[savage1]

Frank-I think that is a very reasonable way of considering when to buy the half point;my approach is similar.