Rating: 
Summary: Out of date and inaccurate
Review: "The Book on Bookies" is a manual on how to run a sports book in America. It must be noted that such an enterprise is illegal and carries various risk. The book constantly mentions large tax free income which adds tax evasion to your list of criminal activities.My biggest gripe with the book is its deviation from factual and useful content. The "basics" chapter is riddled with glaring deficiencies - here are a few that I noted (a) Book: there are no winning gamblers - truth: there are few winning gamblers, but the few winners can really hurt the bottom line
(b) Book: you cannot specify pitchers in baseball - truth: the standard way to book baseball is to offer listed pitchers
(c) Book: Dime line baseball is booked at -110 a side - truth: dime line baseball is booked at -105 a side
(d) Book: Soccer is booked without totals - truth: soccer is booked with totals, 2.5 being the most common number
(e) Book: Nascar is an easy money spinner - truth: Nascar is a sport where the lines are weak and the "wiseguys" can eat you alive
(f) Book: The "field" bet never wins in golf - truth: "No name" golfers are beginning to proliferate the winner's list at PGA and European golf tournaments Aside from the factual inaccuracies, the book simply doesn't mention many of the important developments that have taken place in the bookmaking world. Important terms such as "beard", "middle" and "steam" are only mentioned in the glossary. Each term quite possibly deserves a chapter of its own. Finally, there is no mention of the ubiquitous "Don Best" screen, which governs the betting line from Vegas to the Caribbean. The way the author describes grading the wagers manually is almost comical. The lack of professional writing skill is evident and the only thing that kept me reading to the end was the author's quirky sense of humour. My favourite line in the book is when he casually mentions "If you are going to be hiring someone to work with you in this business, you must...accept that at some time, he will probably steal from you". Although the author has a number of character flaws, this nonchalant attitude is something we could all use at times. In summary I really cannot recommend this book to gamblers and especially not to anyone thinking of becoming a bookmaker!
Rating: 
Summary: Good read that misses a few points...
Review: "The Book on Bookies" was very insightful for those curious about the gambling world and those who want to start their own outfit. It was written as a "How To" book on starting one's own operation detailing the types of action taken, how to not get caught, how to collect, and how to be very successful. There were a few points missing, namely how to deal with smart gamblers (something the author adamantly believes do not exist), and how the offshore and internet casinos have affected the bookie business. There is such as thing as a smart gambler, one who uses legitimate handicapping services, unloads a ton of action on one game every few weeks, bets the same dollar amount each time no matter what, and clears his account once the season is over. I could personally guarantee that I would have ALWAYS taken his money at the end of football season. The question remains: what should be done with a gambler who has control of his wagers and sees sports gambling as a way to consistently turn a profit at the end of a season? Should the bookie not take his action and direct him elsewhere? The author left this point out because he believes the winning gambler does not exist, but I assure him that they do even though they consist of less than 5% of the gambling population. Another question I had was "Should a bookie place a bet with another operation if he has too much action on one side of a game?" Reason dictates that if the same amount is wagered with someone else (preferably with a legit offshore casino) then no matter the outcome, the bookie will turn a profit from the juice. All in all, a good read (didn't much care for the jab at Philadelphia, but every Philadelphian would stick up for their city no matter what), and recommended to those interested in this underworld. I would like to speak with the author if he was available, but no information was given about his whereabouts (go figure).
Rating:
Summary: Out of date and inaccurate
Review: "The Book on Bookies" is a manual on how to run a sports book in America. It must be noted that such an enterprise is illegal and carries various risk. The book constantly mentions large tax free income which adds tax evasion to your list of criminal activities. My biggest gripe with the book is its deviation from factual and useful content. The "basics" chapter is riddled with glaring deficiencies - here are a few that I noted (a) Book: there are no winning gamblers - truth: there are few winning gamblers, but the few winners can really hurt the bottom line
(b) Book: you cannot specify pitchers in baseball - truth: the standard way to book baseball is to offer listed pitchers
(c) Book: Dime line baseball is booked at -110 a side - truth: dime line baseball is booked at -105 a side
(d) Book: Soccer is booked without totals - truth: soccer is booked with totals, 2.5 being the most common number
(e) Book: Nascar is an easy money spinner - truth: Nascar is a sport where the lines are weak and the "wiseguys" can eat you alive
(f) Book: The "field" bet never wins in golf - truth: "No name" golfers are beginning to proliferate the winner's list at PGA and European golf tournaments Aside from the factual inaccuracies, the book simply doesn't mention many of the important developments that have taken place in the bookmaking world. Important terms such as "beard", "middle" and "steam" are only mentioned in the glossary. Each term quite possibly deserves a chapter of its own. Finally, there is no mention of the ubiquitous "Don Best" screen, which governs the betting line from Vegas to the Caribbean. The way the author describes grading the wagers manually is almost comical. The lack of professional writing skill is evident and the only thing that kept me reading to the end was the author's quirky sense of humour. My favourite line in the book is when he casually mentions "If you are going to be hiring someone to work with you in this business, you must...accept that at some time, he will probably steal from you". Although the author has a number of character flaws, this nonchalant attitude is something we could all use at times. In summary I really cannot recommend this book to gamblers and especially not to anyone thinking of becoming a bookmaker!
Rating:
Summary: Out of date and inaccurate
Review: "The Book on Bookies" is a manual on how to run a sports book in America. It must be noted that such an enterprise is illegal and carries various risk. The book constantly mentions large tax free income which adds tax evasion to your list of criminal activities. My biggest gripe with the book is its deviation from factual and useful content. The "basics" chapter is riddled with glaring deficiencies - here are a few that I noted (a) Book: there are no winning gamblers - truth: there are few winning gamblers, but the few winners can really hurt the bottom line
(b) Book: you cannot specify pitchers in baseball - truth: the standard way to book baseball is to offer listed pitchers
(c) Book: Dime line baseball is booked at -110 a side - truth: dime line baseball is booked at -105 a side
(d) Book: Soccer is booked without totals - truth: soccer is booked with totals, 2.5 being the most common number
(e) Book: Nascar is an easy money spinner - truth: Nascar is a sport where the lines are weak and the "wiseguys" can eat you alive
(f) Book: The "field" bet never wins in golf - truth: "No name" golfers are beginning to proliferate the winner's list at PGA and European golf tournaments Aside from the factual inaccuracies, the book simply doesn't mention many of the important developments that have taken place in the bookmaking world. Important terms such as "beard", "middle" and "steam" are only mentioned in the glossary. Each term quite possibly deserves a chapter of its own. Finally, there is no mention of the ubiquitous "Don Best" screen, which governs the betting line from Vegas to the Caribbean. The way the author describes grading the wagers manually is almost comical. The lack of professional writing skill is evident and the only thing that kept me reading to the end was the author's quirky sense of humour. My favourite line in the book is when he casually mentions "If you are going to be hiring someone to work with you in this business, you must...accept that at some time, he will probably steal from you". Although the author has a number of character flaws, this nonchalant attitude is something we could all use at times. In summary I really cannot recommend this book to gamblers and especially not to anyone thinking of becoming a bookmaker!
Rating:
Summary: Good read that misses a few points...
Review: "The Book on Bookies" was very insightful for those curious about the gambling world and those who want to start their own outfit. It was written as a "How To" book on starting one's own operation detailing the types of action taken, how to not get caught, how to collect, and how to be very successful. There were a few points missing, namely how to deal with smart gamblers (something the author adamantly believes do not exist), and how the offshore and internet casinos have affected the bookie business. There is such as thing as a smart gambler, one who uses legitimate handicapping services, unloads a ton of action on one game every few weeks, bets the same dollar amount each time no matter what, and clears his account once the season is over. I could personally guarantee that I would have ALWAYS taken his money at the end of football season. The question remains: what should be done with a gambler who has control of his wagers and sees sports gambling as a way to consistently turn a profit at the end of a season? Should the bookie not take his action and direct him elsewhere? The author left this point out because he believes the winning gambler does not exist, but I assure him that they do even though they consist of less than 5% of the gambling population. Another question I had was "Should a bookie place a bet with another operation if he has too much action on one side of a game?" Reason dictates that if the same amount is wagered with someone else (preferably with a legit offshore casino) then no matter the outcome, the bookie will turn a profit from the juice. All in all, a good read (didn't much care for the jab at Philadelphia, but every Philadelphian would stick up for their city no matter what), and recommended to those interested in this underworld. I would like to speak with the author if he was available, but no information was given about his whereabouts (go figure).
Rating:
Summary: Good read that misses a few points...
Review: "The Book on Bookies" was very insightful for those curious about the gambling world and those who want to start their own outfit. It was written as a "How To" book on starting one's own operation detailing the types of action taken, how to not get caught, how to collect, and how to be very successful. There were a few points missing, namely how to deal with smart gamblers (something the author adamantly believes do not exist), and how the offshore and internet casinos have affected the bookie business. There is such as thing as a smart gambler, one who uses legitimate handicapping services, unloads a ton of action on one game every few weeks, bets the same dollar amount each time no matter what, and clears his account once the season is over. I could personally guarantee that I would have ALWAYS taken his money at the end of football season. The question remains: what should be done with a gambler who has control of his wagers and sees sports gambling as a way to consistently turn a profit at the end of a season? Should the bookie not take his action and direct him elsewhere? The author left this point out because he believes the winning gambler does not exist, but I assure him that they do even though they consist of less than 5% of the gambling population. Another question I had was "Should a bookie place a bet with another operation if he has too much action on one side of a game?" Reason dictates that if the same amount is wagered with someone else (preferably with a legit offshore casino) then no matter the outcome, the bookie will turn a profit from the juice. All in all, a good read (didn't much care for the jab at Philadelphia, but every Philadelphian would stick up for their city no matter what), and recommended to those interested in this underworld. I would like to speak with the author if he was available, but no information was given about his whereabouts (go figure).
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Investment
Review: ...I have already changed my playing habits based on the book so that I have FINALLY gotten up on my guy. Nothing like starting the season with HIS money. If you play, read the first chapter and the second chapter and then read the sixth chapter about 10 times and you will see how to begin winning instead of what normally happens. The entire book was a good read, but those chapters stand out in particular. THANK YOU JEFFRIES!
Rating: 
Summary: This book will NOT help you win!
Review: I am amazed to see so many reviews from gamblers stating how great a book this is. This book will not help you win at sports gambling! It will only help you lose your money more slowly. There are two simple reasons that the better always loses and they are stated on page two. The bookie makes the spread and when you lose you always pay the bookie more than when you win. Mathematically speaking you have to win 53% of the time just to break even. And that's with a juice (the amount extra you pay the bookie) of 10%. On props and parlays and teasers the juice is much higher. The reason I give this book two stars instead of one is for the pure entertainment value. I read this book cover to cover and this "James Jeffries" is a world class jerk. If anything, this book should make you want to stop betting because of the attitudes of the bookie. If you want to actually become a bookie then I would definitely recommend it. He does miss a few points though like how much of a bankroll you need to start. And I'm curious why one would pay out the day before he collects. I must point out that there are numerous errors in the book also. Mr. Jeffries states that he goes by Vegas odds but he has the 3 team parlay only paying out 5-1 when it should be 6-1. He also believes that half of all college basketball games are played on Sunday when in fact only a handful of televised games are played that day. If you want to know how a bookie acts and feels, read it. Otherwise, don't bother. It won't help you win.
Rating:
Summary: If you gamble, get the book
Review: I bought it and it totally changed the way I play and I have made money this season. If you play, get the book.
Rating:
Summary: I have been proven wrong
Review: I didn't think any book would help me stopping paying my man and actually help me collect for once, but this did it. This isn't about gambling systems or trying to sell a pick service or any of the other gambling bs most other books are like. This tells how the bookie works, how he changes the lines, WHEN he changes the lines, what bets i have the best chance to beat him on, what bets i have no chance on and stuff like that. This book is great for anybody who ever puts down a play on sports. I recommend it to anyone who needs help beating their man. This is really good.
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