the mind of the handicapper....

[Downthestretch55]

Originally Posted by pgardn

2)solving a puzzle

Its all this for me. And its a puzzle that does not play fair. When you hit a horse that wins easily, and is a long shot, you found something few others did. That is very satisfying. But the patience required to allow those few moments to rise up are few and far between. So good luck to those that actually try to make money at this.

This is entertainment that you actually participate in. This not sitting back and watching a movie or reading a book. This sport involves predicting outcomes. And its an art and science mixture. The game is elusive and that makes it that much more interesting than other forms of entertainment. We have all seen the compulsives... but this is actually an intellectual game that does not play fairly. You can solve a problem in some other activity and you are done. This game does not end.

Pat,
I couldn't agree more. It really IS an art and a science.
Predicting outcomes, now there's the puzzle.
To me, it comes from something deeper than anything that is quantifiable, much more "human".
It's called hope.
It's exactly the same psychological motivation as to why people show up in church every Sunday.
The thing that intrigues me is that so many quest the same answers, despite different venues.

"Do I want to go to heaven? Or can I avoid going to Hell?"

To me, it continues to be very interesting.
When I find the answer to the puzzle, I'll let you know, but I don't expect that I'll find it in this life.
I also hope.
On a very basic level, that's what most of this is about. (HOPE)

DTS

[Togacapper]

Great posts GTS,PG..

[Thunder Gulch]

The joy of handicapping is the intellectual challenge picking winners for me. Though I follow racing consistently, I don't play more than 15 days a year, so the money is somewhat secondary, though I like winning as much as the next guy. I do expect to win, but being brutally realistic, the days I go are often the toughest cards of the year and breaking even is a challenge. I'm confident in my handicapping and feel like I am as good as any intermediate player on most days. However, I have a family and a nice career, so having the time to watch races and put the work that it takes into winning daily isn't feasible. Build a pile of money, retire at 50, and then see what I can do with racing down the road...on the other hand, I play sports betting to win money. Don't confuse that with being a handicapper. Much like racing, I know I can't put in 60 hours a week on that, but I am not ashamed to admit that I purchase selections from pros that I have been with for 10 years. Before some of you rush to condemn me, consider that I am a winning gambler while 99.9% of the guys who are too proud to pay for information are losing on their own picks..