When I started betting in high school, my first bookie used USA Today Thursday edition lines. So you could bet into stale lines, even though I had no concept of what that was back then. What I wouldn't give for a local like that these days.
Then when cell phones became more common, I would call or text most of my locals and ask him for the line on a particular game. He would look it up (I assume online somewhere), and give it to me, and then I'd bet that line.
Me: "what's the line on Ohio State/Virginia Tech?"
Him: "OSU -13.5/53
Me: "OK I'll take OSU -13.5 and over 53 for $X each
With the advent of the internet, most of my locals starting in the early 2000's - we would have a website that we agreed upon for the lines. Like "always use lines from usatoday.com" or whatever. Then I would text my bet WITH the line I saw at the moment I bet it. Of course that meant he would have to check to make sure I wasn't screwing him.
Most locals nowadays use a pph, a website where you go place your bets. It's my understanding that most of these sites mirror lines from a widely-available clone sportsbook.
If no pph I'm assuming locals tell their players a website they should get lines from. Something like scoresandodds.com. Or I'm sure you can still probably call your local and ask him for a line or a bunch of lines.
