buying the hook in CBB

[stan_the_bear]

Was reading an article today about buying the half point in College Hoops. They focused on the opinion of a couple of touts who said they think its a waste.

Myself - I'd rather lay the -120 to get the even number. Figure you only need 1 push every 10 games to make it worth it. But their numbers make it look like it happens very rarely.

Is it a waste of money?

[allstr921]

won alot of games by buying the hook or a full pt. also lost a bunch by not buyin the hook

[new york knight]

i see both sides ..

i have bought the hook and won and also i have bought the hook and lost kickin myself for payin a little more

its all part of the game

[stan_the_bear]

I was shocked to hear the article and the touts coming out against it. I was always taught you should never lose by a half point if its an option.

I've pushed more games that would've been losers this way.

[MCP313]

If it was good for you they wouldn't offer it.

I will add if you do it very rarely or in a certain spot which you would only make a play at that line then it might be plausible.....if you do it religiously then you are hurting your own earning potential. $100 at -110 pays $91 & -120 pays $82 and so on.

[stan_the_bear]

Originally Posted by MtrCtyPimp

If it was good for you they wouldn't offer it.

I will add if you do it very rarely or in a certain spot which you would only make a play at that line then it might be plausible.....if you do it religiously then you are hurting your own earning potential. $100 at -110 pays $91 & -120 pays $82 and so on.

The earning potential was their point as well. Might be time to rethink it. I had 3 days out of the last 4 that only finished down juice. More than 1 was 2X for the hook. Thats coulda been 4 Up without it.

Thanks.

[Gobbler's Knob]

ALWAYS, period.

[MCP313]

Originally Posted by stan_the_bear

The earning potential was their point as well. Might be time to rethink it. I had 3 days out of the last 4 that only finished down juice. More than 1 was 2X for the hook. Thats coulda been 4 Up without it.

Thanks.

So because 3 out of the last 4 days you finished down only juice has made you decide that buying points is well worth it?

So you're saying that betting $12 to win 10 by gaining an extra .5 is a better prop than betting $12 to win $11 without it?

Do you buy off of the half every time? Do you buy the half regardless?

To break even assuming standard -110 lines is at 52.38%

When buying points that # increases to 54.55% just to beak even.

I wish books offered buying half points from so I can play at Even money on all my picks.

If you feel more comfortable buying points so be it but it just isn't a sustainable way to make money. GL

[FlyersFan]

i'll go a step further. College basketball teams win at home 69.8% of the time. I can't tell you how many times i felt a team would win but just wasn't sure on the margin and instead of laying -3, i played the ML at -165 or so and I can tell you from tracking it this year that I am WAY ahead by doing that. Now some may say that i should have then taken the points but there are times when you have teams that are awesome at home and almost never lose (like Notre Dame, Pitt, Ohio State, Wisconsin etc). I am having a fantastic CBB season and a good chunk of my winnings is on the ML home plays of teams -2 or -3 where i went ML and the game pushed or was a loss ATS wise. Im not saying always play it that way but you can kind of get a vibe on a game that will be tight and one that isn't so likely.

Good discussion point. Don't know as there is a right answer but I do agree with one of the above comments that if they let you do it, it's for a reason. Don't think Vegas has ever offered anything that the odds weren't in their favor

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by MtrCtyPimp

I wish books offered buying half points from so I can play at Even money on all my picks.

:

intersting point. i have also thought of that as there are definitely games you think it would be great to SELL 3 points and play it at like +160.

[FlyersFan]

and honestly, each game is different. I had Texas over Texas A/M 2 weeks ago and laid 7 1/2 and i wish i could have laid 11 at like +180 and didn't buy the half point.

[xxxFTWxxx]

worth more in football crossing key numbers. probably rarely a good idea in cbb

[prufessional119]

nothing worse than losing by the hook.
i say buy it always.

[RanPicks]

I don't always buy it... just go on feel sometimes... but I'm a little different I guess... I'd rather buy to the whole number as compared to buying to the 1/2

i.e. if it's 2.5... I'll sometimes buy to 3.