Betting Basketball? These Books Will Help Find the Edge

29 November 2004

By Howard Schwartz

As the 2004-05 basketball season begins to kick into high gear it's important to know which books will help you be a sharper, more disciplined player. Thee colleges finish up in March, but the pros will go until June with playoffs. This mini-roundup of vital resources you may or may not know about -- with information, angles, background material on teams and players‹should give you what you need to succeed this season..

For colleges:

The Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook, edited by Chris Dortch (384 pages, $21.95). This 24th annual (paperbound) edition examines the strengths and weaknesses of more than 300 teams -- their coach, key players, backups, their offense and defense, the conference -- in depth with schedules, predictions. No spreads or betting information, but right on-target scouting stuff. Read by coaches, players, sportscasters, sports talk show hosts.

Investing in College Basketball by Larry Seidel (368, hardbound, $34.50). This is the Rookie of Year beyond a doubt for betting college hoops. Explains how to shop for prices, how to rate teams, bet Totals, how to adjust your betting from early in the season to late in the season, then to tournament time. Includes ideas on betting offshore, which box score statistics are worth comparing. Excellent for beginners or hard core veterans.

College Basketball Handicapping: A Professional Approach by Trace Fields (116 pages, paperbound, $32.00). Five solid chapters discussing how a computer group impacted oddsmaking; betting non-conference games; isolating conference games; post-season handicapping; using power ratings and revising them; what factors to consider when comparing teams.

The Odds (One Season, Three Gamblers and the Death of their Las Vegas) by Chad Millman (260 pages, paperbound, $16.00) An information-packed diary of three sharp players shopping for prices, betting with both fists and how they handicapped an entire season. Includes the color and excitement of betting in Las Vegas, plus excellent history of sports betting.

The Pros:

Betting to Win on Hoops by Robert Ross (216 pages, spiralbound, $29.95). Published in 2001, its focus is mostly on betting pro teams, but some college material included. Analyzes when to bet a side, how to bet Totals, keeping records, the importance of power ratings and how to adjust them, whether to bet early or late, playing streaks.

Killer Sports NBA Annual by Ed Meyer (227 pages, spiralbound, $29.95). Room to keep records, easily spot number of days rest a team has had, packed with thousands of angles (sides and Totals). Several angles have solid rationale (solid reasoning for a play to repeat), with workouts showing how the trend did in past years.

Trends Made Easy (NBA) for 2004-05 by Davler Sports (34 pages, spiralbound $27.95). This 14th annual edition has more than 700 angles and potential plays in two sections--by team, then by date of schedule. The Totals trends are hitting 80%. Many trends and angles go back to the 1980s. Should provide anyone desiring action with unlimited choices for the entire 2004-05 season. All angles based on whether a team covers the spread.