Captain Hook

In the jargon of sports gambling if you win or lose by the hook, you won by a half a point.

The tide may be turning for Herr Prognosticator as in today's afternoon games I have been victorious in both games, and both times by the hook. This brings my august record for the weekend, as of 549 eastern time, to  8-26, or if one is generous with the from the heart picks, 9 wins 24 losses and 1 push.

Here is how "by the hook" works.

Today I picked Maryland and got 2 1/2 points.  With a little more than one second to go, LSU broke the 67-67 tie with a layup and won 69-67.  This makes me a winner since I get 2 1/2 points and win 69 1/2 to 69, winning by the hook.

In the second game this afternoon I was giving 5 1/2 to Wofford taking Kentucky. Kentucky was up by 4 with about five seconds to go. Kentucky was inbounding and was fouled. They made both foul shots winning the game 62-56 or for someone with a wager, 62 to 61 1/2.

So, two for two on 3/23 both by the hook.  This softens the blow of not being able to pick who Massachusetts will vote for in the next presidential election. (MA always goes Democratic. Only state to vote for McGovern in 72 including South Dakota, McGovern's home state).

An interesting phenomenon, I guarantee, occurred at the end of the LSU game. LSU fans who bet on the game had mixed emotions when the ball went in.  It meant a victory for their team, but a loss for their bets. I am certain, certain, certain, that they would have preferred that the player instead of driving to the basket and winning the game, had stopped and attempted a 3.  If the ball went in the score would have been 70-67 and LSU would have won and the bettors would have won 70-69 1/2.  If the ball had not gone in, LSU would have had a chance to win in overtime by more than 2 1/2. As strange as it may seem to those who do not wager, I absolutely guarantee that fans who bet on LSU would have preferred a tie than that layup at the end. And this, is another example, of how teams and coaches are unaware of the spread during the game