Read our interview with Andre Gomes

INTERVIEW WITH ANDRE GOMES
To celebrate the launch of the special tie-up between the Secret Betting Club and Andre Gomes,
we asked him a series of questions to find out more about his expertise and past record betting
specifically on the NBA.
If you are keen to find out more on exactly how Andre works and his pathway from Portugese
Ecomonics graduate to NBA tipster, this interview should provide plenty of answers!
You can find more on the special SBC Premium Service with Andre starting on the 28th October
2014 by visiting: http://secretbettingclub.com/andre-gomes/
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SBC: You graduated in Economics. How did you get from there to making a living from betting
and tipping?
Andre: The main reason was my passion for sports. Since then, I used everything that I’ve learned
from my economics degree to set up a business and start a successful professional handicapping
career, with the right money management system, mathematical models and logical thinking.
How long have you now worked as a professional handicapper?
I’ve been a professional handicapper since 2006.
As a resident of Portugal, what led you to betting on US-based sports?
I’ve always been a fan of the NBA and I grew up in the peak of the NBA in terms of European
exposure. The 90’s also brought a lot of USA culture to Europe and I think that’s how I started
following the US Sports closer and closer until they became my favourite sports to watch and bet
(besides football).
You describe yourself as an “NBA Expert” but also tip on the NFL and MLB. Why is the NBA
your No.1 sport for betting?
As I said in the previous question, I grew up watching Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in
90’s. I’ve always been a fan of the NBA and watched the games religiously every week. My
passion for NFL and MLB came later, when I started working on this business. I believe that’s the
main reason why the NBA is my strongest sport: I’ve been watching NBA games for 25 years and
that experience counts a lot in the end.
The NBA betting markets are very strong and will be given a lot of attention by traders working
for the big bookmakers in both the States and Asia. Information on tactics and injuries are
largely public knowledge too, so what gives you your edge in these markets?
Information is widely available indeed, but the key is to know what to do with such information
and how do you think that an injury/tactical change is going to influence a specific game. This is
why I have built models and mathematical systems over the years to help me analyse that and I
believe that’s the main reason why I’ve been so successful.
You describe yourself as a “volume” tipster in the NBA. What do you mean by this?
It means that if I like a pick in every game played on a specific day, I’ll bet all of them. No matter
if it’s 15 picks on a day. I trust my work too much to decide against betting on plays simply
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because “I have already too many bets for that day”. I believe there’s no such thing as “too many
good bets”.
So followers can expect to place a lot of bets when following you. How many over the course
of a typical week?
It really depends. But if we’re talking about the NBA, the days with the highest amount of games
are normally Wednesdays and Fridays, so these will also be the days with the highest amount of
picks. It’s hard to tell you a number, but I would say in average 40 bets per NBA week.
On your website, you say that you follow a 3-4-5 unit money management system. Can you
explain what you mean to those unfamiliar with this concept?
Basically my Single Dime Plays have a stake of 3 units, Double Dime Plays have a stake of 4 units
and Triple Dime Plays have a stake of 5 units. The clear majority of my plays (around 75-80%) will
be Single Dime Plays. I chose that system, as I’m not a big fan of the typical 1-2-3 unit system,
where you really double/triple your stake on your best bets. It’s just too much risk, in my
opinion.
You record results using both a European-based money management system and a US-based
money management system. What are the differences between the two and which do you
personally prefer?
Looking at the typical -110 / 1.91 odds, on a European system you bet 100 to win 91, while on an
American system you bet 110 to win 100. I personally use the American system, but that really
depends from your own betting style. However, my records show that people betting the
American system got higher profits on the NBA than people betting in the European system
(+727.4 units vs. +690.5 units from 2006 to 2014)
Losing runs are an inevitable part of betting, no matter how good the handicapper. What sort
of drawdowns should subscribers to your NBA tips expect through the course of the season?
It’s hard to predict the future. However, I can say that losing days every week will be almost
inevitable, losing weeks will happen during the season, losing months may even happen, while
losing years won’t happen. That’s why following a good handicapper long-term is the way to go.
What size of betting bank do you therefore recommend?
The size of the betting bank is up to the bettor really. What’s really important is to choose a
personal money management system, where you won’t bet more than 2.5% of your bankroll on
a bet, even if it’s a Triple Dime Play. Of course the higher the betting bank, the higher your profits
will be, however never bet what you can’t afford to lose!
What time do you release your picks (in CET time)?
Picks are released throughout the day, with the final update being released no later than 11PM
(CET time).
Are all tips sent out in one email or do followers receive a number of emails throughout the
day/evening?
Picks are normally released throughout the day to immediately attack a weak line released by
the sportsbooks.
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What is included in the emails? Is it just the basic details of the bet or does the subscriber get
to read your thinking on the play?
All NBA picks are accompanied by an extensive write up, where you’ll completely understand
why I’m taking a specific bet on a game. Expect angles, spots and stats very well explained in
every bet.
The NBA betting markets are seen as being robust. Do subscribers need to be able to place the
bets as soon as they are sent out and before prices crash, or do the prices you recommend
taking stand up to your followers putting their bets on?
Even though the NBA betting markets are very robust, they aren’t still as super robust as the NFL
or the Champions League markets. I recommend you to bet as soon as the pick is released just to
avoid getting a worse line later in the evening. This is the main reason why I release plays
throughout the day and not just in a single update in the evening.
Do you set yourself targets for the NBA season and if so, what is your target for 2014/15?
My target is to win as much as I can possibly win. Work hard, analyse everything, learn from
mistakes and just keep winning like I always do.
Looking at your record of performance in the NBA, it is impressive that you have turned a
profit over each of the last eight seasons. The last two seasons however, have seen
exceptional performance figures achieved. What are the reasons for this improvement?
The main reason for the two excellent seasons over the last two years was a considerable
improvement on my advanced stats and mathematical models/systems. I found an amazing
winning formula and with the tweaks that I’ve made on it during this off-season, I expect this
upcoming season to be my best NBA season ever!
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