Spot The Fraud

    By  Brian Mac

Every year at this time the serious sports player finds himself deluged with sports service advertisements promising the world on a silver platter. How do you, the gambler, weed out the scamsters from the honest handicappers? Well, it’s damn hard if you don’t know what to look for. In my 22 years of gambling, I’ve learned a few things “the hard way” and I’d like to share with you some of my methods of “Spotting the Fraud”. My theory works on a simple principal. If a company is willing to lie to you in their print advertisements, then they’ll lie to you in person. You cannot trust them. Avoid any service that does any of the following.

Any service that advertises a winning percentage of over 64%, long term is LYING TO YOU, stay away.

Whenever you see an add for a 900 number selling Wise-guy Games, Syndicate  Plays, or Late Money Moves, quickly go to the bottom of the page, look for the small print that tells you what time the 900 number is updated. If they post their selections before 12 noon, and most of these greedy bastards will be up and running by 9AM, then you’ve caught them. Gotcha! Anybody with real “hotside” information would never post that early, because the smart money usually comes in late.

Any Sports Service that claims to have a network of scouts is full of giant globs of Weasel Vomit.

Any selector who claims to have information on a “fixed,” “control,” or “black satchel” game is yanking your chain. History tells us that fixed games do happen. We’ve all read about people who have gone to jail for shaving points. Never in history has any sports service ever been implicated in any such scam. What does that tell you? If the fix is really in, the people who arranged it are busy betting and keeping their mouths shut. A service selling a fix would be committing a serious federal crime. Any sports service operator legitimately selling fixed games would find himself wearing an orange jumpsuit with silver arm bracelets in no time flat.  Be smart, avoid like the plague anyone who offers you a dirty game. You’re about to get hosed.

If you see the words “documented” in an ad, but nothing about who, if anyone, did the documentation, be afraid, be very afraid.

Without exception avoid those who claiming to offer “The Full Season Package ABSOLUTELY FREE.” These are blatantly false ads. Don’t bother calling. It’s all bullshit. Nothing is free. You’re just gonna get aggravated. In fact, avoid any service that uses the phrase “absolutely free” it’s generally big lie number one.

If you respond to a big game promo from a printed ad, and no-one will talk you unless you give them your phone number and or address, for god sakes hang up. If you don’t you’ll be sorry. Boiler room scam artists will hound you by phone until you are forced to change your number. Your mailbox will be stuffed with garbage for years to come. Your mailman will start to eyeball you in a peculiar way.

Then there’s the postage test. Be wary of any selector offering game of the year selections in a monthly or weekly schedule or flyer. Use your head. Look at the postmark. Now add a minimum of 4-5 days needed to compose and get the flyer printed. Write down the date. If the scamdicapper is selling big game selections in the Big Dance before the match-ups are even known, or a baseball “game of the month” before anyone knows who’s pitching, you’ve done it. You’ve just spotted the fraud. I like to go all the way to the last few pages of my bogus schedule to see who’s selling his game of the century a month in advance. The entire team could die in a plane crash or be suspended. How about weather? What about injuries? No-one even has a clue what the line will be. Only one thing is certain. These people are sure that you are very stupid.  You are an idiot and you will give them your money. That’s what they think of you. They call you a fish. Surprise them, spot the fraud, be a shark and don’t call.

Avoid any service that is just a little too anxious to recommend a particular off shore bookmaker. Chances are he’s got his hand in two pockets. The bookmaker is your enemy. He’s not supposed to know what you’re going to play.

Trust your instincts. If it smells like a rat, crawls like a rat, and looks like a rat, then it’s probably not an elephant. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you purchase a season package from a tout service, they should be willing give a guarantee, in writing, that no salesman will ever call to sell special or additional games for more money. If they won’t do it…run for the hills and keep your wallet in your pocket.

The guys that call you up and say…”How have you been doing with your games” are generally Boiler Room salesmen with holes in their shoes, usually operating from Florida, while claiming to be out west. Unless you are a fond of snake oil…stay away.

Any Service claiming to be owned and operated by a has-been coach or athlete is generally a front for a boiler room. This “Shill” took his money, usually between 50 and 100 grand, and ran. The leaches in the basement trade off “the name” so you, “the mark” will believe you’ll be getting information from an NFL or college insider. What you’re really getting is the shaft. Believe me.

I think you should give anyone who says to you “How much can you move on a game” a piece of your mind. As if we’re not talking about hard earned money here. If they try to get you to bet over your head, they’re trying to hurt you. Protect yourself. Don’t be afraid to tell these assholes off. The single most important factor in  learning to play smart, is wagering within your means. If some evil bastard tries to talk you into making some huge bet on one of his flea bag games, don’t be afraid, let the prick have it. Both barrels. Any game can lose. 

And finally, let’s face it. The reason the bottom feeders of this industry continue to prosper is greed. John Q Public wants to believe in fairy tales. He doesn’t want to hear about winning results over time. He wants mortal locks. He wants Cigar games. He wants a sure thing. And it doesn’t exist. Don’t buy dreams. Dreams die hard. You’ll wind up living a nightmare you can’t wake up from. Be smart. Watch your back, and don’t fall prey again this year.