Low Tide:
Great news to hear you have reached the 1 unit = 1%. Continue your successful handicapping and you will surely watch that 1% grow in value right along with your bankroll.
As for the "Top Handicappers", you have been invited to participate because jcambert and others believe in your handicapping ability and rightly so. We have had a lot of dialogue about the idea today, some pro and some con, and I think the best thing to do is give it a try and see what happens. I don't think it will upset the balance of the forum. Hopefully, the invited group will be successful and many members of the forum and viewers can reap the benefits of their labor. If you are comfortable with the concept, then by all means post your plays and the best of luck to you.
As to how I arrive at my selections, that would require a lengthy discussion, which I wouldn't mind but let me try and give some brief key points. First and foremost, I am a fundamental handicapper. What I mean by that is that I evaluate a game based on player personnel and coaching match-ups. I particularly look at how I believe a game will unfold particularly on the defensive end and pace of the game. These key points control the way a game is played. Next, I look at situational relationships like being at home or on the road, rematches, emotional edges, rivalries, etc. Next, I will look at technical trends that may be worthy of note. I'm careful here as long past history has little to do with current form. Finally, I create a number on the side and total and compare it to the opening and current line looking for line value. These are a few, but important elements to my handicapping. I pride myself on being a big game handicapper. What I mean by that is the more important the games are, the better my success percentage becomes. This is why I usually fair better in the stretch drives and post seasons of both football and basketball. I tend to do my best work the more I know about particular teams and can envision how a particular game may unfold. The regular season, I tend to grind along until I see something that really strikes me. These are when I release my stronger plays. I hope this has given you some insight into my thought process. It would take me a great deal more writing to explain everything that I look at so please feel free to ask anything that you may particularly be interested in or that you might think I can help you with. I'm happy to do so.
