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Inside the system

How We Determine Our Picks and Bet Sizes

By Ross Thornton, Co-Founder, Wise Guy Team

Clients often ask what numbers we use to decide where a game qualifies, or whether it is just confidence. The truth is yes, confidence plays a role, but this is not blind confidence. It is confidence rooted in data, decades of experience, sharp action, and the same real-time information the sportsbooks use to protect their own risk.

Official Plays: The Bookmaker Blueprint

These are our highest-trust plays, based on bookmaker liability. We identify games where the sportsbook has heavy exposure on one side, based on total handle and the percentage of money:

When books carry heavy liability and refuse to budge, that tells you everything. They are comfortable with their risk because they like their side. That is the side we bet.

Bet Size Logic

The more the sportsbook stands to lose, the more we bet. The more the book stands to win, the more we win. When we lose, it is almost always when they lose, and casinos do not lose long term. We align ourselves with the house. Every play is sized on a 1 to 10 unit scale, where 1 unit equals 1% of your bankroll.

Owner Selections: Coaching-Level Film Breakdown

Owner Selections are Ross's hand-picked plays as a coach and student of the game. They start with film breakdowns, matchup evaluations, and schematic analysis: team tendencies, pace and efficiency, and situational edges like back-to-backs, altitude, and travel. They are higher-risk and sold separately from the Official board.

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Frequently asked questions

How does the Wise Guy Team pick its games?

Every Official Play is based on bookmaker liability: where the sportsbook has heavy exposure, where the line holds or moves against the public, and where sharp action supports the contrarian side. We bet the side the book needs.

How do you decide bet size?

Bet size scales with the sportsbook's exposure on a 1 to 10 unit plan, where 1 unit is 1% of your bankroll. The more the book stands to lose, the more we bet.

21+. For entertainment and educational purposes, not financial advice. If gambling stops being fun, take a break. 1-800-GAMBLER.

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