subject: Cracking the Horse Racing Betting and Handicapping Nut [print this page] Cracking the Horse Racing Betting and Handicapping Nut
Want to be a horse racing handicapper? Maybe you think that gambling for a living is easy, exciting, fun? That depends on your idea of fun and excitement, as for the easy, ain't nothing easy about handicapping horse races and picking winners that will make you a profit and pay your bills. There is a lot of truth in the old wheeze, "How do you make a small fortune betting on horses? Start with a big fortune."
Making enough money from your wagers to recoup the investment, as well as overcoming the vig. (the amount the track takes out), and then to pay yourself for your time and effort is what is called cracking the nut. Anyone who tells you that picking winners for a living isn't brain surgery is right, it's tougher. If you die on the operating table while the saw bones is working on your brain, the surgeon still gets paid. If your horse dies in the stretch and doesn't win, you don't get paid.
Tell your landlord that you don't have the money for the rent because Sparkplug got nipped at the wire and your next bet will be on Homeless Shelter in the 4th at Palooka Downs. That puts a lot of pressure on you as you look at your racing form and try to decide if that slight edge in speed that the 4 exhibited in its last race will overcome its lack of pace. Gee, Bill, you sure must have gotten out of bed on the wrong side or something. Who's a Mister Gloomy Gus this morning?
Okay, wise guy, don't believe me? Try it and see how long you have the opinion that betting on horses and making it pay is easy. I didn't say impossible, but I did say it isn't easy. Why does a guy who makes a living teaching people how to pick winners and who also runs a handicapping service start by trying to discourage potential customers?
For the same reason they tell you to look to your left and then your right on your first day of special forces training and then inform you that the guy you see on either side of you won't make it. If I had you all in a room I could do the same thing with my handicapping hopefuls, but I can't. I also don't want to teach you or sell you information and then have you tell me, you promised I could make a lot of money betting on horses. You might, but I didn't tell you that.
Cracking the nut is tough. It takes a special kind of person. If you don't make a fortune betting on horse races after giving it your best shot, don't feel bad. I can't play the cello and my dreams of being a rock star were quickly dashed when I picked up a guitar. I still sing in the shower and you can still be a recreational horse player.
I'll let you in on a little secret, being a recreational handicapper and horse player is a lot more fun than being a professional horse player. The latter is a high pressure situation. The suicide rate is very high for gamblers, so is the divorce rate and let's not even talk about the health issues most will face. Therefore, my recommendation for the people who subscribe to my service or buy my information is to start out with reasonable expectations. Tell yourself you are going to do it as long as it is fun and see how far you get with it. For a few people, it will mean going all the way and becoming pros, for others it will mean becoming a good handicapper and having fun on occasional outings to the local race track or OTB. Others may find they just don't want to put in the effort and will stick with playing their lucky numbers.
Whatever you decide, as long as you're honest with yourself and don't do anything destructive, you've made the right choice. As for cracking the nut, leave that to a few of us crazies and the squirrels.
