Friday, January 6, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Sun

It's not a prerequisite to have competed in sports at a high level before becoming a professional handicapper.

But sometimes it helps.

Before going on to attend the University of Alabama, Brent Crow played basketball in junior college and recalls facing opponents who advanced to the NBA.

What he remembers most, though, were the bus rides.

"Those long bus rides were absolutely horrible," said Crow, now a handicapper with his company, Alatex Sports. "And some small conferences still take long bus rides, which can be a factor in handicapping."

Tonight at the Riviera, Crow will go up against Las Vegas professional gambler Alan Boston in the first round of a new college basketball handicapping contest sponsored by Leroy's sports books.

For each of the next eight weeks, Crow and Boston will make six selections against the point spread from the Saturday college basketball card, competing head-to-head for a $50,000 prize.

Crow, with backing from an online sports book, put up $20,000 when he accepted the invitation from Leroy's to participate.

Boston and Leroy's put up the other $30,000, effectively making Boston a 3-2 favorite to win -- which is appropriate because the contest is called "Beat Boston."

Although Boston is widely considered one of the top college basketball handicappers in the nation, Crow also brings impressive credentials into the contest.

"I spend the same amount of time and energy on every sport, but the knack, or the feel, I have for college basketball really works," said Crow, who is online at sportsmemo.com.

Crow doesn't know his opponent except by reputation.

"Obviously he's very respected," Crow said. "Sometimes people think these professional gamblers win every game. (In reality) they might hit 54 percent -- but if you're making 2,000 plays a year, you can make a very nice living doing that."

The difference between Boston and himself, Crow said, is that as a pro gambler, Boston might have action on half of the college basketball games on a given day. In the handicapping business, you have to choose your spots more selectively, Crow said.

"With a service, you can't do that (bet half the card)," Crow said. "I give out fewer games because (customers) don't want to be betting half the card.

"I don't think (Boston) is invincible. I'll take 3-2 odds on myself against anybody out there."

By necessity, Crow has adjusted the way he analyzes college basketball lines over the past several years because the game itself has changed.

Fewer star players stick around for four years anymore, instead leaving for the professional ranks after a season or two. That makes it crucial to spot teams that are overrated, or underrated, according to the point spread before oddsmakers and other gamblers do, Crow said.

"More than anything else, you start over each season now," he said. "With rare exceptions, teams don't return four starters anymore, much less five."

With no fear of tipping his hand for tonight's opening round -- "I think Alan Boston could care less about what I say," he said -- Crow mentioned a couple of teams he believes could be primed to make a hot run against the point spread: Kansas and North Carolina.

They're not exactly small-conference teams dealing with long bus rides, but rather prominent programs that made fresh starts with new-look lineups this season.

"Everybody thinks they're just a bunch of freshmen or that they're not any good, but they are players," Crow said. "So you get a situation where Kansas is favored by only four points against Cal (last month). You're going to see that (value in the point spread) a lot in the next couple of weeks."