Ohio at Buffalo (11/10/2009)

One of these days, we the public, are going to realize that the public betting percentages given out are not accurate.  If you think the majority of joe pubs out there are not going to bet on Ohio, I want what you are smoking.  Don't worry about the percentages.

If you cap the game, I think you will find that Buffalo has a decent shot to win this game.  I plan to do a write up on this game later day when I get the chance.  This will be only the fourth weekday game I've bet all year (2-1 on first 3). The homers win by a TD.

Let me be the first to say ('cause you know it's coming)... 

Cjack, please, please, please tell us what Billy Walters bet!!  (pant, pant)

And, 'cause you know it's coming from people who never heard of Google...

Who's Billy Walters?

I know, I'm just busting on the Billy-mania on these threads recently.  A couple of points on Billy Walters

First, Billy became famous as part of the Computer Group in the '80s.  This group placed bets based on a computer program written by a geek named Michael Kent.  Billy never made his own picks.  He just moved the money and ran the organization which placed the bets.  In fact, Billy was so bad at making his own picks that, before moving to Vegas, he lost $500,000 in profits from a used-car dealership that he owned in Kentucky.  Rumor was that he owed thousands before joining the Computer Group.

There were several arrests from 1985 to 1987 for bookmaking and tax evasion, but no conveictions (that I could find) of Billy Walters.  Billy left the computer group in 1986, claiming that he was cheated by Dr. Ivan Mindlin, another pinciple in the organization.  Billy continued to make a gambling living from his name - he could still swing a line one way by placing a bet, and then re-bet the other side.

In the last decade I haven't heard much about Billy.  I thought that he had retired (like you said, golf and real estate are better bets).  I wouldn't doubt that he still throws down a few bucks, just for the kicks.  But certainly not the number of games that are reported here (actually, most professional bettors don't bet that many games - they cherry pick).  And even if he was still active, everyone uses a computer now and he'd have no advantage. 

Finally, do you really think that a guy with his experience would be using the same runner and the same place every time?  Not unless he wanted the word out that "Billy Walters" made a bet (so the line would be effected).

All in all, have fun with the Billy-said stuff, but be forewarned that you gonna lose if you just follow blindly what-Billy-did.  Just my take on Billy-mania.