Trying to Learn the Ropes, Need Advice Please!

[Bergy80]

Just variance dude. A goalie is almost close to a coin-flip to winning his game, so unless you are INSANE at coin-flipping, you're setting your goals too high. Did you cash? I was able to win a $100 ticket for tonight with a Buffalo stack on top of stacking Chad Johnson.

I broke even by winning my 50/50s. The kicker is that before I started actually picking my lineup I almost went with Varlamov, but decided I liked Montoya at home more. Oh well... it happens.

So I have my lineups set for tonight for the most part, still flip flopping on the goalies. I like Mason, but I'm very conflicted on going with him over Rask for a couple of reasons. One, after the winter classic I expect that the Bruins are going to try to redeem themselves for their poor excuse of an effort. With that said, Rask also struggles against Montreal and they're on the road, but then again they're a better road team this year and MTL is struggling too. It's also interesting to note that this morning driving to work I pulled up behind an SUV with TUUKKA on the plates. Haha! Could it be a sign that he's gonna have a killer night?! I don't really believe in that junk, but it's cool to think about. Either way, either goalie should be facing a good amount of shots so that would help.

So do you play one lineup a night or do you do multiples? Do you go with one goalie across the board?

[kytmagic]

I try to play multiple but the main consideration is your bankroll. I enter more lineups because I think the ones I enter are generally better than what people have.

Again, I play GPPs so all I do is try to avoid a high-owned goalie. I was happy to fade Montoya since so many people had him.

On whether I play different goalies... Sometimes? No hard rules on that.

[draftfuel]

I broke even by winning my 50/50s. The kicker is that before I started actually picking my lineup I almost went with Varlamov, but decided I liked Montoya at home more. Oh well... it happens.

So I have my lineups set for tonight for the most part, still flip flopping on the goalies. I like Mason, but I'm very conflicted on going with him over Rask for a couple of reasons. One, after the winter classic I expect that the Bruins are going to try to redeem themselves for their poor excuse of an effort. With that said, Rask also struggles against Montreal and they're on the road, but then again they're a better road team this year and MTL is struggling too. It's also interesting to note that this morning driving to work I pulled up behind an SUV with TUUKKA on the plates. Haha! Could it be a sign that he's gonna have a killer night?! I don't really believe in that junk, but it's cool to think about. Either way, either goalie should be facing a good amount of shots so that would help.

So do you play one lineup a night or do you do multiples? Do you go with one goalie across the board?

I usually play one lineup per night. PGA is the only sport I play for DFS where I enter more than one lineup since there's more days to put them together.

[Bergy80]

Sometimes you just have to laugh. Watching the scores tonight. As of right now there are 25 goals scored throughout the league and out of my three lineups, I'm only involved in two of them.... Kucherov's goal and Kane's assist. Haha... don't see my night going anywhere. Still time though.

[forumname]

Anybody care to share what their all time win/loss #'s are? I'm down about $30 and I think I've seen enough to stay away.

Does anybody have a positive return thus far? And don't be the guy who says he's up just to boost your ego. I'm really curious so if you don't want to admit being down I would really appreciate if you just said nothing

I do think it's possible to make money doing this, just wondering if anyone from Dobber is.

[dooley89]

Anybody care to share what their all time win/loss #'s are? I'm down about $30 and I think I've seen enough to stay away.

Does anybody have a positive return thus far? And don't be the guy who says he's up just to boost your ego. I'm really curious so if you don't want to admit being down I would really appreciate if you just said nothing

I do think it's possible to make money doing this, just wondering if anyone from Dobber is.

I deposited $100 before the season started and have withdrawn $1,550 so far.
I put another $100 in about two months ago and was up and down with it before losing it all, haven't played since.
Will honestly probably wait until the start of the next season, seemed way easier to win.

[Nikerato]

I deposited $100 before the season started and have withdrawn $1,550 so far.
I put another $100 in about two months ago and was up and down with it before losing it all, haven't played since.
Will honestly probably wait until the start of the next season, seemed way easier to win.

I agree that it was way easier at the beginning of the season.

I had the $10 from the Dobber pack, and at my highest point I was at just less than $150 about a month ago. I'm now at $110.

It was pretty steady for the first couple months. I figured DFS could be my "free coffee" for the day. It's gotten way more competitive though and despite an increasing amount of research, my lineups seem to be doing worse. Think I might just be done with it. I find normal hockey pools to be more fun too.

[Bergy80]

I'm about ready to call it quits myself. It doesn't matter what I try, what I research, or where I research, it just never works the way I think it will.

Last night I played a whopping $12 by entering 3 lineups into two contests each. Lost it all! I was very pleased and confident with my lineups going in, but my point totals were only 21.4, 17.9, and 24.4. Probably my worst night yet. I was having fun and have been trying really hard to improve, but in the end I'm always middle of the pack at best.

[Pengwin7]

Just curious.
Any of you guys in the US?

When you get your tax statements - I'd be curious how they are represented these days.

Back when I did some online gaming (2008? 2009?), the government required gaming WINS & LOSSES to be broken apart for tax reporting:
a) Winnings
b) Losings
I'm not sure if this has changed in the Tax Code.
I would guess not, as this separation of winnings from losings really benefits the government with regard to casual gaming/gambling.

Your "winnings" is income. You pay tax on this. Say you "win" $6000. You owe tax on that in the US.
Your "losings" can only be written off if you "itemize" expenses, which most young-single people do NOT do... UNLESS they have a steep mortgage with interest paid (& other things like charitable donations) to exceed the "standard deduction".

When people talk about "I started with ___$... now I'm at ___$"... that doesn't tell the story.
You could be in trouble if you've had a LOT of winnings countered by a LOT of losings.

If you are in a 15% tax bracket, in the US... somebody might owe $900 on $6000 worth of "winnings" (even if you had $6000 in losings for a NET ZERO).


This is what happened to me in 2008 (I was playing a site called WorldWinner - which had "Hockey Trivia" for a few months - which I dominated...):
-$100 start
+$6000 winnings
-$6000 losings
+$100 cash out.
--------------

Question 1) What did Pengwin think his net was when he cashed out?
Question 2) What was Pengwin's actual net?

[dooley89]

Just curious.
Any of you guys in the US?

Not sure how all that works in the US but as a Canadian, they asked me to sign some form OR deduct 30% off my winnings.
If I had not have been miraculously up close to $2000 I probably would have cared, on my last two withdraws I had to forfeit 30%.
HOWEVER, those funds are all also in USD so yes I gave some back, but I was converting at over 1.3 at the time!

[Pengwin7]

Not sure how all that works in the US but as a Canadian, they asked me to sign some form OR deduct 30% off my winnings.
If I had not have been miraculously up close to $2000 I probably would have cared, on my last two withdraws I had to forfeit 30%.
HOWEVER, those funds are all also in USD so yes I gave some back, but I was converting at over 1.3 at the time!

But... it's JUST winnings right?
(I'm guessing they don't compensate you 30% when you lose!!!)

Say you enter 4 contests @ $100.
You enter a game for $100. You lose. $100 gone.
You enter a game for $100. You lose. $100 gone.
You enter a game for $100. You win $400. You pay 30% tax on... $300... or $400. Regardless, $90 - $120 gone.
You enter a game for $100. You lose. $100 gone.

The quick math on your site balance is this:
$400 spent. $400 won.
Net zero. Right?

The actual math is this:
$400 spent. $400 won. $90 to $120 taken in tax.
Net -$90 to -$120.

*I don't know whether they take from the Win Total ($400) or the Win Profit on Entry ($300).
But either way, my point is that it seems in US or CAN... being "even" on one's site balance usually amounts to a net loss, when winnings & losings are separated and winnings tax is levied.

[dooley89]

*I don't know whether they take from the Win Total ($400) or the Win Profit on Entry ($300).
But either way, my point is that it seems in US or CAN... being "even" on one's site balance usually amounts to a net loss, when winnings & losings are separated and winnings tax is levied.

The 30% is taken off of the WITHDRAWN amount, which yes, could be ALL of your profits.
Assuming we are talking about large amounts here, that 30% could have you from even to -30% in net earnings.

[Pengwin7]

The 30% is taken off of the WITHDRAWN amount, which yes, could be ALL of your profits.
Assuming we are talking about large amounts here, that 30% could have you from even to -30% in net earnings.

Oh - that's actually not to bad. (You had said 30% of your "winnings".)
Better than USA rules on this item. (If you "win" a contest, whether you take it out or not, you'll end up paying taxes.)

[dooley89]

Oh - that's actually not to bad. (You had said 30% of your "winnings".)
Better than USA rules on this item. (If you "win" a contest, whether you take it out or not, you'll end up paying taxes.)

Ah, my bad - in my case withdrawals are always winnings lol
I am going to wait until start of season next year, get in early - profit and call it a year.
Tempted to try another $100 in the near future but I'm not feeling lucky!

[kytmagic]

Never despair! I used Rotogrinders's Bankroll Tracker and this includes every contest I've played since I deposited, even the ones I did while being a complete noob. My tag is kytmagic and I'm playing almost every night.

http://imgur.com/a/Y7xaw