Wizard Interview -- Post number 10,000

1. You may not have won the WoV Picks Game this year, but you won it last year, and you have the best record for two years combined...and it's not close...so what is the secret to your ability to pick NFL Games so well?
   
   Same as how I do the Half-Point Parlay Cards. I take advantage of weak lines. I just compare the point spread in the contest, or off the card, to the current point spreads. I use Internet casinos for what I consider the fair point spread, because Vegas point spreads are influenced by irrationally heavy betting on the favorites.
   
   
2. What was the first gambling game you learned and how old were you when you learnt it?
   
   I think it was poker. It was so long ago I don't remember exactly.
   
   
3. It seems that you lost some popularity points in the AP community (Previous BJ Ball Champion and not invited back), as well as pulled back on your consulting business when you went to Venetian. We all know that Venetian did not end as well as it could have, so here is a dual question:
   
   A.) Do you regret having ever gone and worked for them?
   
   I was pretty angry about how things went down at first, but I'm long since over it. It was a cushy job that paid well and I got a chance to learn a few things. Unlike somebody invents a time machine that lets me undo bad decisions, I'm not big on regrets. I've made much worse decisions than working for the Venetian but I don't sit around kicking myself over them.
   
   and
   
   Have you regained some of your popularity points amongst the AP crowd?
   
   I don't think so. If anything they are even angrier at me over writing about Revel's "You Can't Lose" promotion. However, I don't really care that much.
   
   
4. Would you suggest that you are more famous for being one of the world's foremost gambling mathematicians, or for the baby names list, and which do you consider the greater accomplishment?
   
   I seem to have made a bigger single splash with the baby names. However, that was easy. I'd rather be remembered for the years of work I've been into writing about casino games and saving players millions of dollars at the tables.
   
   
5. Would the Social Security Administration be better off to continue to run as they do now, or to take everything they have and put it on the Pass Line for a hand if they can find a casino willing to take the bet?
   
   In 2012, that latest year with available data, the Social Security trust funds had 2.7 trillion dollars. In 2012 the interest earned on that money was 109 billion dollars. If they were to bet the 2.7 trillion on the pass line the expected loss, due to the house edge, would be 38 billion. That doesn't seem like a good use of taxpayer money. Not that any casino could or would accept a bet that big. The way that question is usually phrased is whether that money would be better invested in the stock market.
   
   Source: http://ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4a3.html.
   
   
6. Living or dead, who in the world of gambling would you most like to meet and why?
   
   Stu Unger. Somehow I seem to attract mad genius kind of characters into my life. Although he was a born natural at cards, he was also a drug addict and degenerate gambler. I would like to have had the chance to straighten him out, but I'm sure I would have failed.
   
   
7. If you owned a casino, what would it be called?
   
   Funny you should ask. I have wanted to open to my Internet casino for years. I was getting close in early 2013 before my bank in Cyprus collapsed. Contrary to what was said in the media, account holders in the Laiki bank, where I was, lost everything over 100,000 Euros, not a 47% haircut. Before then I gave thought to a name but never found one I really liked.
   
   
   
   
8. Going back to when you were in college, what did you dream of doing when you grew up? How about High School?
   
   As I kid I didn't have a particular career goal. Some short-lived dreams I recall were being a farmer, architect, and running a rental car business. In high school I wanted to study computers, which I what I originally majored in.
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Other than gambling and hiking, what would you say the top 10 things that you do for fun are?
   
   Bicycling
   Juggling
   Unicycling
   Trying to learn Spanish
   Swimming
   Traveling
   License plate collecting
   Skiing
   Playing the piano
   Board games
   
   
   
10. What is the best (now dead) advantage play that you personally had the opportunity to exploit?
    
    I found an Internet casino that sold a half point in basketball for an extra ten basis points. Normally that wouldn't be a good bet, but they let you do it up to five total point. In other words, I could buy five points if I laid 210. As long as you don't cross a point spread of zero, for example, moving from a spread of +3 to -2, laying 210 is a steal. The fair price is 233. I made about $80,000 flatting betting that before I was backed off.
    
    
11. What is the first gambling book you ever read, and which one is your favorite?
    
    I think was John Scarne's Complete Guide to Gambling. I read it cover to cover at about the age of 10.
    
    
12. Prior to having knowledge of higher Math, did you ever try a gambling system?
    
    I must admit that before I got into card counting I played a system where I started with a $2 bet in blackjack, which wasn't hard to find in the early eighties, and added another dollar after each win. When I lost, I dropped down to $2. I knew it didn't improved my odds but it made playing more fun. It got exciting getting up to $10 or more. However, you paid for those winning hot streaks in choppy games.
    
    
    
13. Have you ever been permanently barred from a casino, if so, what were the circumstances behind same?
    
    I've been backed off from blackjack several times, and all casino games from other casinos, but I've never been trespassed in the United States.
    
    However, I might have been in Costa Rica. Last February me and several other guys went to the Cocal casino in Jaco. This was a rowdy casino that was more of a purpose of prostitution than gambling. One guy I was with was getting into it with a rude dealer. At one point temperatures got really hot so the dealer pushed his bet back, put a cover on top of the tray and told us all to get out. Security escorted us to the door to make sure we left. I didn't hear everything that was said between my buddy and security but he told me that we were all banned from the property.
    
    So, we went to another casino for a few hours and then some of us returned to the Cocal without the troublemaker that caused all the trouble. I figured the worst that would happen would be that they make us leave again. The dealer recognized us and gave me quite the stink eye but otherwise didn't do anything.
    
    
14. What would you say your worst year was, in terms of gambling, and was there any one big play (even if an elongated play) that caused that result?
    
    My worst year was 2012. The Super Bowl safeties of 2009, 2012, and 2013 were all devastating, as I laid a lot of money at about 8 to 1 against one. Still, I'm sure I'll be betting the "no safety" again soon. As I say in my tagline, it isn't whether you win or lose but whether you had a good bet.
    
    
15. What would you say your best gambling year was, and what contributed to that year?
    
    I'd have to look at old tax returns, but my best years were from 2004 to 2008, when I was still new to Vegas and welcome to play everywhere. Now I'm on the DNI (do not invite) list at most casinos.
    

Quote: Wizard

If anything they are even angrier at me over writing about Revel's "You Can't Lose" promotion. However, I don't really care that much.

Quote: Wizard

For my 10,000th post Mission was kind enough to interview me.

Quote: Wizard

I encourage all forum members to do something special for any post evenly divisible by 5,000. This is a time you may put your ego to the side and write something about yourself.

Quote: odiousgambit

So, I guess I am saying you don't seem like someone who doesn't "really care" about such things as how people feel about you. Is this "not caring" something you are intellectually forcing in this case versus what digs at you emotionally, or is it just that when it comes to gambling, all subjects become 'strictly business' no problem?

Quote: midwestgb

There are a couple of other Forum members I'd like to see Mission interview in similar manner.

Quote: Wizard

So would I. Is anybody close to a post evenly divisible by 5,000?

Quote: midwestgb

Awesome interview, Mission and Wiz.

There are a couple of other Forum members I'd like to see Mission interview in similar manner.

Quote: Wizard

So would I. Is anybody close to a post evenly divisible by 5,000?

Quote: EvenBob

What is DNI, do not invite. What does this mean.

Quote: Wizard

Do Not Invite.

Quote: EvenBob

What does that mean? Do not invite, who invites
you to a casino. You just go. Does it mean you
aren't welcome?

Quote: mickeycrimm

I think he is talking about mailers with offers from the casinos

Quote: EvenBob

What does that mean? Do not invite, who invites
you to a casino. You just go. Does it mean you
aren't welcome?

Quote: EvenBob

I don't get those, never had a players card.

Quote: AxiomOfChoice

They invite me all the time. Comped suites, food, parties and tournaments. But I'm a big sucker so it makes sense.

Quote: JohnnyQ

A free room in Vegas is certainly nice to get

Quote: EvenBob

Anything they want you to have so badly that they
practically beg you to do, can't be in your favor.

Quote: Beethoven9th

It's funny how mad some of the floors get whenever I decline their s2pid card. I don't need those idiots tracking my play and writing notes about me in their system. They can shove it.

Quote: Beethoven9th

It's funny how mad some of the floors get whenever I decline their s2pid card. I don't need those idiots tracking my play and writing notes about me in their system. They can shove it.

Quote: Wizard

For my 10,000th post Mission was kind enough to interview me. I encourage all forum members to do something special for any post evenly divisible by 5,000. This is a time you may put your ego to the side and write something about yourself. Here is the interview. My thanks to Mission for the questions.

1. You may not have won the WoV Picks Game this year, but you won it last year, and you have the best record for two years combined...and it's not close...so what is the secret to your ability to pick NFL Games so well?
   
   Same as how I do the Half-Point Parlay Cards. I take advantage of weak lines. I just compare the point spread in the contest, or off the card, to the current point spreads. I use Internet casinos for what I consider the fair point spread, because Vegas point spreads are influenced by irrationally heavy betting on the favorites.
   
   
2. What was the first gambling game you learned and how old were you when you learnt it?
   
   I think it was poker. It was so long ago I don't remember exactly.
   
   
3. It seems that you lost some popularity points in the AP community (Previous BJ Ball Champion and not invited back), as well as pulled back on your consulting business when you went to Venetian. We all know that Venetian did not end as well as it could have, so here is a dual question:
   
   A.) Do you regret having ever gone and worked for them?
   
   I was pretty angry about how things went down at first, but I'm long since over it. It was a cushy job that paid well and I got a chance to learn a few things. Unlike somebody invents a time machine that lets me undo bad decisions, I'm not big on regrets. I've made much worse decisions than working for the Venetian but I don't sit around kicking myself over them.
   
   and
   
   Have you regained some of your popularity points amongst the AP crowd?
   
   I don't think so. If anything they are even angrier at me over writing about Revel's "You Can't Lose" promotion. However, I don't really care that much.
   
   
4. Would you suggest that you are more famous for being one of the world's foremost gambling mathematicians, or for the baby names list, and which do you consider the greater accomplishment?
   
   I seem to have made a bigger single splash with the baby names. However, that was easy. I'd rather be remembered for the years of work I've been into writing about casino games and saving players millions of dollars at the tables.
   
   
5. Would the Social Security Administration be better off to continue to run as they do now, or to take everything they have and put it on the Pass Line for a hand if they can find a casino willing to take the bet?
   
   In 2012, that latest year with available data, the Social Security trust funds had 2.7 trillion dollars. In 2012 the interest earned on that money was 109 billion dollars. If they were to bet the 2.7 trillion on the pass line the expected loss, due to the house edge, would be 38 billion. That doesn't seem like a good use of taxpayer money. Not that any casino could or would accept a bet that big. The way that question is usually phrased is whether that money would be better invested in the stock market.
   
   Source: http://ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4a3.html.
   
   
6. Living or dead, who in the world of gambling would you most like to meet and why?
   
   Stu Unger. Somehow I seem to attract mad genius kind of characters into my life. Although he was a born natural at cards, he was also a drug addict and degenerate gambler. I would like to have had the chance to straighten him out, but I'm sure I would have failed.
   
   
7. If you owned a casino, what would it be called?
   
   Funny you should ask. I have wanted to open to my Internet casino for years. I was getting close in early 2013 before my bank in Cyprus collapsed. Contrary to what was said in the media, account holders in the Laiki bank, where I was, lost everything over 100,000 Euros, not a 47% haircut. Before then I gave thought to a name but never found one I really liked.
   
   
   
   
8. Going back to when you were in college, what did you dream of doing when you grew up? How about High School?
   
   As I kid I didn't have a particular career goal. Some short-lived dreams I recall were being a farmer, architect, and running a rental car business. In high school I wanted to study computers, which I what I originally majored in.
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Other than gambling and hiking, what would you say the top 10 things that you do for fun are?
   
   Bicycling
   Juggling
   Unicycling
   Trying to learn Spanish
   Swimming
   Traveling
   License plate collecting
   Skiing
   Playing the piano
   Board games
   
   
   
10. What is the best (now dead) advantage play that you personally had the opportunity to exploit?
    
    I found an Internet casino that sold a half point in basketball for an extra ten basis points. Normally that wouldn't be a good bet, but they let you do it up to five total point. In other words, I could buy five points if I laid 210. As long as you don't cross a point spread of zero, for example, moving from a spread of +3 to -2, laying 210 is a steal. The fair price is 233. I made about $80,000 flatting betting that before I was backed off.
    
    
11. What is the first gambling book you ever read, and which one is your favorite?
    
    I think was John Scarne's Complete Guide to Gambling. I read it cover to cover at about the age of 10.
    
    
12. Prior to having knowledge of higher Math, did you ever try a gambling system?
    
    I must admit that before I got into card counting I played a system where I started with a $2 bet in blackjack, which wasn't hard to find in the early eighties, and added another dollar after each win. When I lost, I dropped down to $2. I knew it didn't improved my odds but it made playing more fun. It got exciting getting up to $10 or more. However, you paid for those winning hot streaks in choppy games.
    
    
    
13. Have you ever been permanently barred from a casino, if so, what were the circumstances behind same?
    
    I've been backed off from blackjack several times, and all casino games from other casinos, but I've never been trespassed in the United States.
    
    However, I might have been in Costa Rica. Last February me and several other guys went to the Cocal casino in Jaco. This was a rowdy casino that was more of a purpose of prostitution than gambling. One guy I was with was getting into it with a rude dealer. At one point temperatures got really hot so the dealer pushed his bet back, put a cover on top of the tray and told us all to get out. Security escorted us to the door to make sure we left. I didn't hear everything that was said between my buddy and security but he told me that we were all banned from the property.
    
    So, we went to another casino for a few hours and then some of us returned to the Cocal without the troublemaker that caused all the trouble. I figured the worst that would happen would be that they make us leave again. The dealer recognized us and gave me quite the stink eye but otherwise didn't do anything.
    
    
14. What would you say your worst year was, in terms of gambling, and was there any one big play (even if an elongated play) that caused that result?
    
    My worst year was 2012. The Super Bowl safeties of 2009, 2012, and 2013 were all devastating, as I laid a lot of money at about 8 to 1 against one. Still, I'm sure I'll be betting the "no safety" again soon. As I say in my tagline, it isn't whether you win or lose but whether you had a good bet.
    
    
15. What would you say your best gambling year was, and what contributed to that year?
    
    I'd have to look at old tax returns, but my best years were from 2004 to 2008, when I was still new to Vegas and welcome to play everywhere. Now I'm on the DNI (do not invite) list at most casinos.
    

Quote:

Besides chess and backgammon, what board games do you like? How interested are you in Poker?

Quote: beachbumbabs

Are you registered for the Jeopardy online test next week so you can live the dream and get on the show? They only try out one week a year with that....

Quote: aceofspades

Excellent interview - I will have to alert Mission to work on some questions if I ever get close to 5k
Unless you count 2500 as being evenly divisible by 5000?

Quote: Mission146

Actually, someone (PM Confidentiality, but he can say so if he likes) has requested for interviews to become a regular thing, here, and for me to be the regular conductor of interviews. He also provided me with a list of people he'd like to see interviewed in order of preference...

...Interestingly enough, you're first.

Are you good with that?

Quote: Mission146

Cool!

I'll probably PM you some questions either tomorrow or the next day. I'm a bit backed up at the moment, like that Ultimate System chapter that was supposed to be by the end of the year...

Either way, tomorrow night should be a decent night for getting stuff done, or at least farther away from, "Not done," I think.

Anyway, the way I usually do this is that you can't outwardly pick your questions, but you have veto power. Since you (as with KewlJ) are predominantly a BJ player, you'll have 21 questions.

Quote: Face

thecesspit and Doc are close, but it'll be a long while for anyone else.

Why not just ask anyone whatever you want? Worst they can say is "no" =)

Quote: thecesspit

Only 49 to go, it seems. Wow.

Quote: aceofspades

Congrats cesspit!

Quote: wizard

Other than gambling and hiking, what would you say the top 10 things that you do for fun are?

Trying to learn Spanish

Quote: lildevilLucy

Why spanish? And wondering why you asked me what is the differene between cobija and manta ? :)
It was nice finally meeting you in person :)

Quote: Wizard

Of course Spanish! Living in Vegas you get the opportunity to use it often. How often does one get the chance to practice German or French? I wouldn't fault anybody for taking up Mandarin who had plans to relocate to China, but that is the only other language I would consider spending time on.

A few days before the challenge I came across the word cobija and used it for the Spanish Word of the Day. Nareed said the difference between that and manta was $8, so I still didn't know the difference in the actual blanket. I'm still not sure.

It was very nice to meet you too. Please feel free to visit the Spanish Word of the Day thread anytime you wish.

Quote: lildevilLucy

Cobija is to cover yourself or a larger piece of cloths manta is lighter not like a poncho and is also smaller ... I thought I was clear that day :( it really depends if you are in Mexico , Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua or Costa Rica.

Quote:

I also used to speak German since I was 3 years old but stop speaking it since I move to California and I didn't know anyone who I can practice with but I would like to keep learning and I'm sure it will be easy since I used to before.

Quote: Wizard

If I ever master Spanish, and I'm sure I won't live long enough, I'll take up German next. I'd love to go to Germany and talk to my relatives there without a translator.

Quote: kubikulann

@Mission: Interviews are very welcome, but beware of not making it a too frequent feature, as this would quickly decrease interest.