Riddle me this, Batman..............

[SingleMalt]

I really do not see any debate on this issue...Books are not in business like priceline.com where I can go to them and say "I want the Lakers over the Clippers and I want 14 points" and then see if anyone will take the bet. By posting a line, the book is accepting that wager regardless of the circumstances until the book decides to change the line or go off the board.

Don't confuse this with give a cashier a $10 bill and getting change for a $20. That is a moral or ethical question to be debated elsewhere.

Just my humble opinion...

[Kiss of Death]

SingleMalt is right......Once a point spread is put up, it is public property.

If you made an error as a bookmaker, haul the number down and repost a new one.

But, assume the risk of what was bet into the previous number.

[Alexander]

Let's say I decide to be a bookie.

I hand out printouts of all my lines to prospective bettors. After finishing my rounds, I review all the wagers placed. For some reason, a particular game takes a disproportionate amount of action. To my shock, I figure out that I had erred in posting one of my lines. Chances are I will probably lose a lot of money.

Well, I could decide to not honour those wagers placed on my mistake. This would definitely upset a lot of people, but at least I would save myself a lot of money. Are these people really thieves? They didn't post the lines, I did. Was it their fault that I made a mistake? Do these "thieves" not have a right to be mad at me if I choose not to honour their bets?

Well, I believe in the principle of "a bet accepted should be a bet honoured." So, I would rather take my losses like a man, learn from my mistake, and I'd bet you I'd probably never make a mistake like that again. I would also gain the respect of those bettors who bet on my mistake because they would know that I will always honour all bets placed with me. If I decided not to honour those wagers, that would be the end of my life as a bookie, I guarantee it.

Is there not a principle that should be adhered to when an offshore sportsbook posts their lines and starts accepting wagers on them? Why are sportsbooks allowed to break this principle when they decide to cancel wagers?

If Vegas sportsbooks made these kind of mistakes with the frequency that offshore sportsbooks did, and chose not to honour their mistakes, I seriously doubt they would still be in business, not to mention the possible rioting that would probably take place. But because these offshore books are "out of reach", I believe that bettors are either willing to or resigned to accept standards of service and satisfaction that are well below what they would want or expect.

Before we place all the blame on those "crooks and thieves" that many people here call those that take advantage of bad lines, let's not forget that the offshore sportsbooks are guilty of breaking a most important principle that a bet accepted should be a bet honoured.

[barty]

buyer beware....it go's both ways for the rest of the world..it should go for a book also...if you buy something for a wrong price somewhere...its yours...


end of story

[Dot Mix]

Regarding injury games. If a bookie is privvy to injury info or "inside info" like Bob Huggins un-announced benching of key player Pete Mickeal last night do you think he wouldn't take a shot to suck in all the Cincinatti play that he could at an unadjusted line. I don't think he would drop his line or take the game off the board unless or until the occurence became full blown public knowledge. Cinci coach Huggins knew the player wasn't going to see any action and I don't believe announced it to any media. ****ey V. was shocked to find he was a "no play". I can't help but think that someone outside of that Cinci locker room must have known about that benching. I also can't help but think a bookie privvy to this info would look upon this as a great edge especially with mostly Cinci money pouring in. Do you think he'd have any concience problems or find it difficult to sleep knowing something was put over on John Q Public? I don't. I also believe Mikeals benching probably had a big impact upon the money exchange after that game.

I find it very difficult to lose sleep if I can find any edge with a bookmaker. If I know something sooner than he does it's my good fortune whether it be injury or otherwise. I certainly know he's looking for every edge with me whether its different sets of lines or his ability to cancel a bet if he decides a weak or "wrong number" has been hung up.

Dot