![]() Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! Recent Articles
Best of Howard Schwartz
|
Gaming Guru
Using the computer to beat the races -- book says can do25 February 2010
Using charts, formulas and tables with many examples, Pitlak discusses developing a jockey database, betting for value, the Sartin Method, velocity calculations, analyzing daily doubles, tracking your wagers, favorites and false favorites, jockey-trainer combinations, and quantifying class, among other areas. In the first chapter, for example, he explains how to use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to help determine odds and probabilities. Knowing that not everyone understands how to create formulas and charts, there's directions to a Web site to download the finished product. "The ultimately successful handicapper will be one who has access to a great deal of data and the ability to manage and convert their data into information," Pitlak says. That information comes in the form of concrete numbers, which can be derived from the tools provided in the book. Smartly, Pitlak, who hails from Vermont these days, references other important books that pertain to computers and handicapping. (Sadly, almost all are out of print.) For those who want to download the tools he describes in his highly readable book, he tells where to access them or how to contact him personally with questions. There's a handy vital discussion of the Kelly Criterion (Percentage of Bankroll Betting) for those who need help in understanding the value and importance of bankroll control versus flat betting. This too can be run through a spreadsheet to see how it will work with individual handicapping. Overall, this is an intelligent book, needed by anyone who understands the value of accurate, updated data and who wants to experiment or fine tune their skills with a computer to beat the races. Copyright Gambler's Book Shop. All books reviewed in this article are available from Gambler's Book Shop (Gambler's Book Club), located at 630 South 11th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 and online at www.gamblersbook.com. Recent Articles
Best of Howard Schwartz
Howard Schwartz |
Howard Schwartz |