Gambling With an Edge

Our guest this week is legendary bridge player Bob Hamman. Bob also runs a company called SCA that basically insures large unlikely events. One example would be the Pepsi promotion where someone could win a billion dollars.We welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.Show Notes[00:00] Introduction bridge player and businessman, Bob Hamman[00:30] Bob's background in bridge[01:43] The Italian Blue Team[03:42] Bobby Wolff[04:16] What other games did Bob play?[05:27] Playing in major tournaments with various partners[06:54] Maintaining skill and alertness at an advanced age[08:15] Getting paid to play as a partner[09:10] The Dallas Aces[12:09] Does Bob still study bridge, review hands?[12:43] Online bridge, cheating[14:28] http://SouthPointCasino.com[15:56] http://BlackjackApprenticeship.com[16:26] http://VideoPoker.com/gwae[18:24] SCA, a company that insures unique promotions[21:00] Lance Armstrong promotion[22:54] Founding SCA[24:14] The Promise[25:47] Memorable contract negotiations[28:26] Kelly criterion[29:24] Pepsi $1B promotion[30:58] Illegal and/or immoral promotions[31:45] The most unusual thing that SCA has insured[35:36] Fraudulent winners[40:06] Do SCA representatives attend events?[43:45] Does SCA help to develop promotions?[45:45] Bridge as a game of skill, variance in games and promotions[51:25] Contacting SCA[52:04] Recommended: The Sicilian Ristorante, Patrick Veitch on YouTubeSponsored Links:http://SouthPointCasino.comhttp://BlackjackApprenticeship.comhttp://VideoPoker.com/gwaeGuest Links:http://Scapromotions.comRecommended:The Sicilian Ristorante - http://Sicilianristorante.wordpress.comPatrick Veitch on YouTube - http://Youtube.com/watch?v=WHnQhuug0J4

Our guests this week are Tommy Hyland, and John Chang, on to talk about blackjack teams. Tommy runs the Hyland team, one of the longest running and most successful teams of all time. You can read about him in Gambling Wizards. (Shameless plug) John ran the MIT team and you can read more about him in my interview here. https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/interview-with-johnny-c/

Our guest this week is Shane Sigsbee. Shane started a company called "I am a Whale" that backed professional poker players, and then moved into sports arbitrage, and getting down for other pros.We welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.Show Notes[00:00] Introduction of sports better Shane Sigsbee[00:30] Shane's background in golf[01:20] Betting on golf[01:56] Does being a skilled golfer help Shane handicap golf?[03:07] Betting on golf[05:19] Billy Walters[06:45] Transitioning from financing to gambling, backing poker players[11:47] Pricing staking deals,[16:01] Finding winning players, backing low stakes[17:28] Getting stiffed by winning players[20:10] Player contracts[21:55] Transitioning into sports, moving to Las Vegas[25:40] Getting action down without getting limited[29:00] http://SouthPointCasino.com[29:46] http://BlackjackApprenticeship.com[30:15] http://VideoPoker.com/gwae[31:10] Arbitrage, line manipulation, off-shore outs[33:56] Betting for clients, beards[34:47] Client characteristics[36:29] What sports does Shane bet on?[37:37] Company size and structure[38:23] Super Bowl props[39:31] In-game and half-time bets[40:29] Buying real estate, Airbnb[45:01] Diversification, real estate business[51:21] Networking[52:17] Bet BashSponsored Links:http://SouthPointCasino.comhttp://BlackjackApprenticeship.comhttp://VideoPoker.com/gwaeGuest Links:http://Twitter.com/imawhalesports

This is a throwback episode from April of 2013. Our guest was Cat Hulbert. Cat was a professional blackjack player 30+ years ago. She played with the Czechs, and on the Ken Uston team in Atlantic City. She then turned to professional poker. She is the author of Outplaying the Boys, https://amzn.to/3p8tTjP and is featured in Gambling Wizards. https://amzn.to/3p8tTjP

No guest this week as we answer questions from our mail bag. We welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.Show Notes[00:00] Introduction[00:30] Bill Benter's published material[02:02] Risk of ruin for 8/5 and 8/6 Jack or Better[03:47] Getting flat-bet at a Strip casino[05:06] Intermittent fasting[17:00] Getting cut off from comps at a small locals casino[19:39] Backed off aggressively for counting at a Native American casino[22:26] Relationship between net worth and bankroll[26:55] Gambling advice, blackjack on Vice[30:16] https://SouthPointCasino.com[31:06] https://BlackjackApprenticeship.com[31:38] https://VideoPoker.com/gwae[33:05] Average daily theoretical calculations across properties[34:18] Dating tips for a single professional gambler[37:11] Speed of shuffling on video poker games[38:20] Paying off markers with a credit card[40:05] Video poker training software, Win Poker[41:43] Does a property care about the use of video poker strategy cards[43:01] Calculating the edge on a video poker loss rebate[49:11] Video poker progressives[50:57] Recommended: The Bear on Hulu, Official Secrets on NetflixSponsored Links:https://SouthPointCasino.comhttps://BlackjackApprenticeship.comhttps://VideoPoker.com/gwaeSites Referenced:https://WizardofOdds.comhttps://Vpfree2.comVice episode https://youtu.be/PsZpnoELOusBill Benter's 1994 paper:https://www.gwern.net/docs/statistics/decision/1994-benter.pdfBloomberg article:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-05-03/the-gambler-who-cracked-the-horse-racing-code?utm_content=business&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialRecommended:"The Bear" https://Hulu.com/series/the-bear"Official Secrets" https://Netflix.com/title/81052553

This is a throwback episode from 2012, and the guest was BJ Traveller. BJT is Chinese and at the time of the recording had played blackjack in 66 countries around the world, and written 10 books about his exploits. You can read my print interview with him here:https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/gambling-with-an-edge/my-interview-with-bj-traveller/

Our guest this week is tax expert Russell Fox on to talk about tax stuff for gamblers. He provided updates for the latest edition of Tax Help For GamblersWe welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.Show Notes[00:00] Introduction of Russel Fox from Clayton Tax Services[00:37] Tax implications of sports betting in different states[03:14] Splitting a large DFS jackpot[04:17] Reporting recreational horse player income[07:40] Shared sports betting at online sites[08:47] FBAR[11:13] Crypto and FBAR[12:15] RV expenses[14:46] Paypal reporting transactions, 1099-K[17:08] Group slot pulls[20:03] W-2 G from a Native American casino[23:23] Gambling partnerships[25:22] Cherokee North Carolina winnings[27:08] https://SouthPointCasino.com[28:00] https://BlackjackApprenticeship.com[28:31] https://VideoPoker.com/gwae[29:21] Withholding SSN on W-2 G[31:40] Tax liability for WSOP Main Event[34:54] Deducting gambling losses[36:29] Filing as a professional for part of the year[37:15] S-corp for professional gamblers[42:12] Frequently overlooked tax deductions[43:15] Constructive receipt[45:00] Taxes and beard accounts[49:56] Recommended: Blood and Treasure by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin, Something Missing by Matthew Dicks, For Good and Evil by Charles AdamsSponsored Links:https://SouthPointCasino.comhttps://BlackjackApprenticeship.comhttps://VideoPoker.com/gwaeGuest Links:Claytontax.comTax Help For Gamblers - https://amzn.to/3P1sSEMRecommended:Blood and Treasure by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin - https://amzn.to/3zWFkkASomething Missing by Matthew Dicks - https://amzn.to/3P1cjsvFor Good and Evil by Charles Adams - https://amzn.to/3zTV5Jc

This episode originally aired in April of 2012. The guest this week is blackjack expert, and author Don Schlesinger. His book is Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pro's Way which you can find here. https://amzn.to/3cRCHaA

No guest this week as we answer questions from our mail bag. We welcome your questions - send them to us at gamblingwithanedge@gmail.com, or you can find me at @RWM21 on Twitter or https://www.facebook.com/GamblingWithAnEdge.Show Notes[00:00] Introduction[00:26] The impact of recessions on casinos[01:07] Calculating the value of video poker progressives[02:20] Expensive mistakes[07:19] Hitting hard 14 versus 6 [08:44] Legal name change and SSN[10:53] Playing under someone else's players card[13:04] Princess cruise casino[15:38] Group slot pulls[18:17] Are markers still owed if a player is 86'd?[18:55] Ultimate Texas Hold'em[21:01] Is it possible to get a players' club card without scanning ID?[25:08] http://SouthPointCasino.com[25:55] http://BlackjackApprenticeship.com[26:24] http://VideoPoker.com/gwae[26:59] Richard's experience playing in Warsaw[37:31] Sports handicapping advice, books, publications[38:52] WinPoker app[41:50] Sharing secrets[43:11] CTRs for non-Americans[44:08] Scalping James Grosjean's book[46:32] Video poker ROI[47:40] Estimating error video poker error rate[49:40] W2Gs on Native American casinos[50:36] Baccarat dealer errors[52:14] AP diversity[55:27] Recommended: Alone on Netflix, Lifespan by David SinclairSponsored Links:http://SouthPointCasino.comhttp://BlackjackApprenticeship.comhttp://VideoPoker.com/gwaeBooks Referenced:Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford Wong https://amzn.to/3Ja6UOuThe Logic of Sports Betting by Ed Miller and Matthew Davidow https://amzn.to/3PFQkbN20/20 Sports Betting by Logan Fields https://amzn.to/3oxYLdcRecommended:"Alone" http://Netflix.com/title/81271131Lifespan by David Sinclair https://amzn.to/3Jf83UI

This is another throwback episode, which originally aired in January of 2012. Our guest is Laurie C. long-time member of the MIT Blackjack team, and wife of Johnny C. who ran the MIT team. We talk about counting cards, the movie 21, and the advantages of being a Chinese woman in the casinos.