Help me narrow it to 1 based on your experiences.

[reno]

Landmark95, if for nothing more than super-high online and phone limits--I was quoted up to 20 dimes--Legal Book/5Card Charlie's deserves kudos. Naturally, I will continue to check your lines on a regular basis in the hopes of finding occasional numbers at least a penny ot two different from elsewhere.

[reno]

I just want to state that Legal Book/5 Card Charlie's does have some different lines and that they definitely aren't cloning the Don Best screen. For example, as I write this, they have Oakland -121, while no offshore book on the Don Best screen is lower than
-125. And they have Seattle -131, while no 10-cent line Don Best offshore book is higher than -127.

[Chillin-the-Most]

Sportshobby,
I was told by Blake that their lines are on both Sportstracker and Island Express. If that isn't true, I am sure it will be.

Edit...This is in reference to Game Day.


[This message has been edited by Chillin-the-Most (edited 07-23-2000).]

[sportshobby]

CTM, thanks for the info. I don't see them on IX, but hopefully they are coming soon. I know Dana said that he thought there would be several books added soon.

[freak]

Any info on any of the Curaco books like 7 palms etc etc.....

Anyone using the Curaco books solely ???

[BIGUN]

Reno, please e-mail me at rick@goldmedalsports.com. I have been wanting to talk to you, but did'nt know how to get in touch with you. Thanks and Good Luck

[freak]

top any responses thanks in advance

[Chillin-the-Most]

Freak,
5cardcharlies, VIPSports, FairDeal, GameDay, WSSBSPORT - all use the same software from IGW. I think it is pretty nice for the player and all of these shops are solid. Gold Medal and Seven Palms use soft tech or whatever it is called now. As a BM on Curacao, there is not a single book here that I would not post up with. In my opinion, Curacao is by far the safest place for your sportsbook to be located. Royal, Sports-Market, Top of the World, Pinnacle, Oasis - these shops just read like the cream of the crop.

[Landmark95]

Way to Go, Chill!! Thanks for the compliment, I know first hand also all of these guys run solid books. -Larry.

[freak]

CTM

Can you reveal where you are a BM or no?

If not fully understand....

Charlie what time are baseball lines usually up for wagering?

Any other info on the books in curaco is appreciated by all who post

[sportshobby]

I spent a little time last year looking at lines and testing several other books in Curacao. Mostly I found their lines to be what Reno calls "tweeners", meaning you won't find many bargains there if you are a shopper.

Sports-Market is an exception, of course, being one of the best in the business.

I've been told that VIP really hates being beat to the number, so may not be your best choice if you are a wise guy.

[Landmark95]

Our lines are posted at 12 noon Eastern daily, For the Football weekend, Tuesdays at 12 Eastern. We are considering having overnight baseball - but it won't start until mid-August at the earliest.

I think everyone in Curacao is on-line now, (except for Top of the World). You can check out the links I posted above plus www.goldmedalsports.com www.7palms.com www.fairdealcasino.com www.gamedaysportsbook.com

I'm not sure how many are offering overnight lines though, you'll have to look into it at the websites.

[Max the Knife]

Have you guys looked into neteller for payouts and deposits.

[freak]

Charlie,

Quick question since you operate a book there, what is the benefit to you by naming and giving links to the other spots you have mentioned.

Do you co-op there in Curaco or no...

Also can you tell me what you have to offer in Curaco that perhaps a player cannot get elsewhere.....

Thanks for your replies.....

[Landmark95]

Because of many of the posts that I have seen, (and I have seen only a fraction of what's been going on here), it seems like places like Costa Rica and other islands get the bulk of the comments. When you started this thread Freak, I just wanted to remind you to take a look at Curacao when thinking over a place to play.

Of course, We at Five Card would like to have every player who's in action (and watch every other place bubble under like the Titanic), but in the real world, players have a number of accounts at one time, and every player has their own needs. For the shoppers, we can't provide golden numbers every day for them to move on, but you can find values here at times. Other players find a book, like them and just settle in with them and that's it. Someone else might play at a place and not feel comfortable with the writers or the service, or just feel plain unlucky. In any business when you deal with the public it is very difficult to please EVERYBODY, but we try like everyone else to do that.

There is no co-op agreement or anything else among us here in Curacao, we are all independent businesses. If I come on here and tell everyone, "Yeah, play with Legalbook/Five Card Charlie's we're the greatest!" That would sound exactly like what it was...a press release. But if someone asks (or posts) "Where can I find a good book that won't stiff me and has good service?", and I see people mention books in other places, then I want to say to them that yes we're good and reliable, and so is everyone else on the Curacao island.

I been thankful for those recent posts that have had said good things about the books down here. This s--t is work, no vacation let me tell you. There's a lot of guys busting their humps to do a good job. Many of us socialize together, some of us have known each other for years down here, there is very little animosity among us here. It is no sweat off my back to tell you, "yeah, this place is good, that place is good, etc." I repeat - all of the names I have mention in this thread are solid, reliable places. If you should drop some cash with them, we don't make a cent. (I could be real honest with you about places I like on other islands, but that would be a real conflict of interest, 'cause I be turning my back on my straight-up homies.)

Freak, there are a zillion places out there, and all I want to say to you or anyone is please don't look past Curacao when making a choice. If someone doesn't play with me, they're gonna play somewhere else, and I have no problem if you look at these books here, someone here has got to have something you're interested in.

Now, all I wanted to do was to get a good word in for us and these books down here. There are a lot of people who visit this forum and don't post. What percentage of people who visit actually post? 5%? 7%? If that many. I didn't post until a few days ago, after reading the posts for over a year. People are going to come here and read copy about "Five Card Charlie's" and the other Curacao books, and that can only be good for business. Freak, I really didn't intend for your thread to become the Charlie show, but this thing seems to be taking on a life on its own.

As for things we do, that others don't do, that's difficult for any book to answer in this day and age. So many places are falling over each other to get your business that punters are making whores out of the shops. We do allow bets up to $5,000 on sides (on the INTERNET) and not too many places do that. We started last year with a bet that matches teams playing on Sunday Night with teams playing on Monday Night. So, if Green Bay is at Minnesota on Sunday Night and Atlanta is at Dallas on Monday Night, you would have a pointspread on G.B vs. Atl, and Minn. vs. Atl., and you would have a pointspread on Minn.vs. Atl, and Minn. vs. Dallas (with totals included).

It is difficult for shops to come up with stuff that no one else does (dunes did it this year). We have one shop down here that sends their best customers frozen turkeys for thanksgiving!! Can you imagine? Now, that's different! When you look at Curacao, anything is possible!

OK, Freak, here it comes... Please visit all of the Curacao websites named here in this thread...and then forget them all and call FIVE CARD CHARLIE'S! satisfied now?