yomonte
10-20-2006, 02:34 PM
We have a new generation of bettors surfacing in this ever increasing world of easy access gambling online world*. As far back as five years ago, you could not log onto your favorite sports forum without seeing a new thread or post exclaiming "got team so and so, looking for a middle" Those days are long gone or very rare for many reasons. Todays bettor is more informed and most importantly, more conservative, although bettors that visit sports forums make up a very small percent of gamblers nation wide. This year is a prime example of why middling has been reduced to more of a last minute line move than looking ahead to the next week predicting a middle. This year has produced only 2 1/2 successful middles. In week 3, Jax @ Indy opened with Jax +9 1/2. In a blink of an eye, this line went to 7 leaving only the few early bettors that were lucky enough to grab this bad line a shot to get money on both sides. Even I knew it was bad. But I blinked. Also in week 3, we had Chi @ Min, that opened at 3 and closed at 3 1/2 giving the middler a push on one side for a split, hence the 1/2 in 2 1/2 middles this year. Week 5 presented yet another middle, paleing in comparison to Jax/Indy game. KC @ Ariz in which KC opened at -2 1/2 and closed at -3 1/2. The # had to land on 3 with a KC win. It did. Another thing that keeps middling to a minumum is the new generation that is playing all favs at an alarming rate, giving the book the advantage. This allows the book to throw up a bad # knowing that it will be grabbed hook, line and sinker. But the book has'nt forgot about the seasoned, more knowledgable bettor that just won't go away. Instead of moving the #, they juice the line, taking any chance of a middle away. This year the ATS winner has covered both opening and closing line with the exception of the above 2 1/2. The books love it when we middle. We become the juice loser that they look for in just us playing one side of the coin. Will we continue to middle. Of course we will, we're gamblers. Will we be successful. It ain't pretty
* Yes, still easy access.
* Yes, still easy access.