June 15, 2009

NFL Loses Right to Moral Ground on Betting Issue

[An AP article By TIM DAHLBERG from May 23, 2009]

NFL loses right to moral ground on betting issue

By TIM DAHLBERG

Coming soon to a state lottery near you: NFL team logos you can save after blowing 20 bucks on yet another worthless batch of scratch-off tickets.

Coming soon to the Delaware state lottery: A legitimate chance to win some money with what you know about your favorite NFL team.

One game steals your money in the name of pro football. The other at least gives you a fighting chance to test your skills.

Guess which one the NFL likes.

Yes, the league that is so terrified of gambling that it refused to allow a Las Vegas commercial during the Super Bowl a few years back is now in the gambling business itself. Aware that it can sell only so many $300 tickets to its games, the NFL has figured out a way to get a cut of some of the biggest gambling operations around. Keep reading →

May 12, 2009

When Underdogs Break the Rules

Once again, briefly emerging from my cave.  Saw Malcolm Gladwell’s latest New Yorker piece, had to share.

How David Beats Goliath

When underdogs break the rules.

by Malcolm Gladwell

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/05/11/090511fa_fact_gladwell


March 13, 2009

Jon Stewart, Dangerfield Look-alike, Interviews Jim Cramer

I vowed to take off 2009 until the NFL season, but I had to comment on Jon Stewart’s Jim Cramer interview. Just three quick points for Jon and then I’m back to my cave.

1) The “We’re just a comedy show” claim is tired. You promote very serious ideas. Your show is important, and people look to it for something invaluable — satire. Stop claiming that you guys are only about fart jokes, we see through the self-deprecating false humility. We know you know that the show is influential. Influence, as you always point out, is not something to take lightly.

2) You’re 100% right in your critique of CNBC. They’re clowns. However, stop excusing the American public. I know you feel for the little guy, but the little guy needs to look himself in the mirror and ask why he isn’t busy educating himself about money. In the age of an Internet connection in every public library (not to mention… books in every public library) people need to take personal responsibility for believing things so easily and willingly. Investing is gambling. It’s incredibly risky. We expect our children to be educated.  Let’s start expecting that of our nation’s adults too.

3.) You’re starting to look just like Sir Rodney.

Jon Stewart Dangerfield

Jon Stewart Dangerfield

December 30, 2008

Season 16 Results


              2008           Season 16
              Underdog Theorem Results
- – - – - – UTV – - – - – - – - – - – - UTG – - – - – -
Bankroll Start – - >  1000 | Bankroll Start – - >  1000
Bankroll End – - – >  1674 | Bankroll End – - – >  2500
Percent Return – - >   48% | Percent Return – - >   69%


Weekly Results: UT WK 15, UT WK 14, UT WK 13, UT WK 12,
UT WK 11, UT WK 10, UT WK 9, UT WK 8, UT WK 7, UT WK 6,
UT WK 5, UT WK 4, UT WK 3, UT WK 2, UT WK 1

Available for Sale
US UK Worldwide
Buy at the Gamblers Book Shop Buy at the High Stakes Bookshop Buy on Amazon

Add to Technorati Favorites

December 29, 2008

Results: NFL Wk 17; UT Wk 15


               2008         NFL Week 17
               Underdog Theorem Week 15
- – - – - – UTV – - – - – - – - – - – - UTG – - – - – -
Bankroll Before Bets: 1464 | Bankroll Before Bets: 2290
Bet – - > (+11.0) DET  231 | Bet – - > (+11.0) DET  231
Bankroll After Bets:  1233 | Bankroll After Bets:  2059
Bet – - – - > ($) DET  441 | Bet – - – - > ($) DET  441
Bankroll After Games: 1674 | Bankroll After Games: 2500


Previous Results: UT WK 14, UT WK 13, UT WK 12, UT WK 11,
UT WK 10, UT WK 9, UT WK 8, UT WK 7, UT WK 6, UT WK 5,
UT WK 4, UT WK 3, UT WK 2, UT WK 1

Available for Sale
US UK Worldwide
Buy at the Gamblers Book Shop Buy at the High Stakes Bookshop Buy on Amazon

Add to Technorati Favorites

December 28, 2008

Picks: NFL Wk 17; UT Wk 15


               2008         NFL Week 17
               Underdog Theorem Week 15
- – - – - – UTV – - – - – - – - – - – - UTG – - – - – -
Bankroll Before Bets: 1464 | Bankroll Before Bets: 2290
Bet – - > (+11.0) DET  231 | Bet – - > (+11.0) DET  231
Bankroll After Bets:  1233 | Bankroll After Bets:  2059

Available for Sale
US UK Worldwide
Buy at the Gamblers Book Shop Buy at the High Stakes Bookshop Buy on Amazon

Add to Technorati Favorites

December 24, 2008

Simply Amazing

2007, June, a book is published. It focuses on two scenarios: 1) the undefeated NFL season, 2) the winless NFL season.

Weeks later, the 2007 NFL season kicks off and a team nearly goes undefeated. It wins every game of the season before losing its final game. The very next year, the 2008 NFL season begins… and a team loses every game of the season and is now one loss away from going winless. What are the odds that both scenarios would play out immediately after I published said book? Back to back years! Simply amazing, and so incredibly fun. I hope everyone enjoyed Season 16 of the Underdog Theorem. Rest assured, Santa is going to bring the Lions their W.

Here is how season 16 could finish:

SEASON 16 FINAL BANKROLL SCENARIOS
-UTV- -UTV%- -UTG- -UTG%-
1674   48    2500   69 < – - BEST CASE
1464   33    2290   56 < – - CURRENT
1233   17    2059   46 < – - WORST CASE

December 22, 2008

Results: NFL Wk 16; UT Wk 14


               2008         NFL Week 16
               Underdog Theorem Week 14
- – - – - – UTV – - – - – - – - – - – - UTG – - – - – -
Bankroll Before Bets: 1574 | Bankroll Before Bets: 2400
Bet – - > (+ 7.0) DET  110 | Bet – - > (+ 7.0) DET  110
Bankroll After Bets:  1464 | Bankroll After Bets:  2290
Bet – - – - > (x) DET    0 | Bet – - – - > (x) DET    0
Bankroll After Games: 1464 | Bankroll After Games: 2290


Previous Results: UT WK 13, UT WK 12, UT WK 11, UT WK 10,
UT WK 9, UT WK 8, UT WK 7, UT WK 6, UT WK 5, UT WK 4,
UT WK 3, UT WK 2, UT WK 1

Available for Sale
US UK Worldwide
Buy at the Gamblers Book Shop Buy at the High Stakes Bookshop Buy on Amazon

Add to Technorati Favorites

December 21, 2008

Picks: NFL Wk 16; UT Wk 14


               2008         NFL Week 16
               Underdog Theorem Week 14
- – - – - – UTV – - – - – - – - – - – - UTG – - – - – -
Bankroll Before Bets: 1574 | Bankroll Before Bets: 2400
Bet – - > (+ 7.0) DET  110 | Bet – - > (+ 7.0) DET  110
Bankroll After Bets:  1464 | Bankroll After Bets:  2290

Available for Sale
US UK Worldwide
Buy at the Gamblers Book Shop Buy at the High Stakes Bookshop Buy on Amazon

Add to Technorati Favorites

December 19, 2008

Wall Street Madoff Like Bandits

I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to Wall Street, so I will keep my comments to a minimum. The Bernie Madoff scandal is an appropriate ending to the craziest year on Wall Street in many generations.  Please read Paul Krugman’s New York Times article (link and excerpt below) and then ask yourself – if a person who has followed pro football for two decades looks at an upcoming NFL contest and thinks, “I know who’s going to win this; I’d like to put money on it, ” can the government really still view that situation as sinister given what we now know about Wall Street?  Can government officials really still tell us that we can’t bet our own money on sports while we watch them throw around billions?  Clowns. Anyhow, go Lions!

Full Paul Krugman New York Times Article

…Earning a million dollars was nothing special, and even incomes of $20 million or more were fairly common. The incomes of the richest Keep reading →