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I am curious on how the shutdowns might be affecting professional gamblers. Obviously there is a range of APs from making a livelihood to strictly a hobby. For someone that makes their living at gambling I am sure there would be no unemployment insurance available. Dipping into the bankroll seems like the only option for those that may not have other sources of cash available.
Excellent question. We put it to several APs (advantage players) and here's what they had to say.
Blair Rodman, co-author of Kill Phil and our upcoming All About Sports Betting: "I’ve made some kind of bet every day for almost 40 years, but not one in over a week. You know what? I don’t really miss it. Good to take a break from the lows and highs.
"For poker players, there are tons of private invitation-only online games. Agents trying to drive players to them are everywhere -- for a piece of the action, of course. The problem is, many have really high rakes. I heard of one that had a $10 rake and thought that was absurd, until I heard of another taking $30/hand. In those games, no one wins but the house. But there may be reasonable ones out there. Or use the sites in the few states where it’s legal.
"For sharp sports bettors, there aren’t many edges to be found. For addicted sports bettors, offshore books are being very creative in finding bets to offer, like on the weather, esports, and some political stuff."
Bob Dancer: "I'm preparing to get back to work. I've composed four or five weekly blogs, so that when I can go back into the casinos, those are already prepared. Same with pre-taping Gambling With An Edge podcasts."
Frank B: "Most I have spoken with are preparing for the opportunities expected to present themselves once things get going again.
"Reacquiring players should be a priority for casinos and sports books in more progressive states like New Jersey. I plan on going to New Jersey immediately after sports start back up. The offers should be as good as ever. Goodwill toward players will be in force early, but that will be temporary, only as long as the casinos decide it's worth giving some action to get players back. Competition will be the most important factor. If one casino or sports book is offering a good enticement, the others will follow. Just like we saw from the airlines earlier this month.