Tao of Poker

Tao of Hoops: Sweet 16 Thursday

By Pauly
Hollyweird, CA

I'm off to Las Vegas today for a couple of things, one of which is to gamble on March Madness games.

March Madness Sweet 16 - Thursday Games:

7:07pm ET Purdue (5) vs Connecticut (1) -7
7:27pm ET Xavier (4) vs Pittsburgh (1) -7
9:37pm ET Missouri (3) vs Memphis (2) -4.5
10:07m ET Villanova (3) vs Duke (2) -2

Pauly's Thursday Picks:
Memphis -4.5
UCONN - 6.5

Disclaimer: these picks are for entertainment purposes only. After all, gambling is illegal at Bushwood and in parts of rural America. The Tao of Poker is not a registered investment adviser or broker/dealer. Readers are advised that the material contained herein should be used solely for informational purposes. Tao of Poker does not purport to tell or suggest which games that readers should wager for themselves. True gamblers should always conduct their own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. Tao of Poker will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a reader's reliance on information obtained on Tao of Poker. Readers are solely responsible for their own investment decisions.

* * * * *
12:44pm... Half an Edge

I just got UCONN at -6.5. The line was 7 and 7+. I decided to pull the trigger on that game. I have a set goal on how much I want to win over the next four days. UCONN is just a small step in that direction.

Leaving for Bob Hope airport shortly. I also put in a small bet online for Memphis, just in case my flight is delayed and I miss the tip off in that game. Memphis had been shaving points like crazy during the first two rounds, keeping their opponents in the game but then quickly shutting the door in crunch time. It's time that they played quality hoops during the entire game.

* * * * *
4:20pm... "Smoke 'em if you got 'em!"

Today's smoke break is brought to you by....

* * * * *
5:20pm.... Waiting on a Plane

Sitting at Bob Hope airport in Burbank awaiting my flight to Las Vegas. I'm flying JetBlue which means they have TVs and I'll be able to sweat the first half of the UCONN game. I'll arrive in plenty of time for the Memphis game.

I had a moment of anxiousness when I left for the airport. I had not bet a significant amount on a game in a very long time. I forgot how mentally draining sweating those bets can be. I'm exhausted and it's not even tip off in any of the games. It might be better that I don't watch every play of the games.

Oh, and someone left a fax machine at security check in. Fax machine? Do those even exist anymore? And if so, who brings one on the road with them? Damn Hollywood writerly types having to fax in pages and pages of scripts, that's who.

* * * * *
9:18pm... Nice Sweat

I'm in Las Vegas. Chillin' at Friedman's house. He drove me over to Red Rock Casino so I can bet on Memphis. Gonna be able to chill out and relax and watch the late games.

UCONN? It was a tough sweat. The Huskies won by 12 and covered. They got out to a hot start due to a shitty shooting start from Purdue. Hummel kept them in the game early and scored the majority of their points in the first 10 minutes. Oh, and I caught Showcase's commercial while 30,000+ feet in the air.

I watched the first half on the short flight from Burbank to Las Vegas. Sweating bi bets on the plane? Not fun. I like to pace back and forth and you couldn't exactly do that in a constricted environment.

With UCONN's win, I'm guaranteed to at least break even today (minus a little juice).

Showcase Bud Light Commercial Count: 1

* * * * *
10:16pm... Suit Tilt

Without fail, bet big on one game and CBS will show you the other. I'm not at a casino, so the TV feed switched to Villanova/Duke.

After a slow start, Memphis got their collective shit together. Mizzo jumped out to a 5-0 lead. With the spread, I started the game 10 points int he hole. Stomach got a little queasy. Memphis slowly chipped away and took the lead.

* * * * *
11:50pm... Making a Run

Missouri has a habit of blowing double digit leads. That was my only hope. Memphis made a valiant run... and got within striking distance. Sort of surprised but relieved. Now they have to go on one final push and win the fuckin' thing.

Oh, and Duke sucks. So happy for Villanova right now.

My condolences to AlCantHang who stated, "9 minutes left and making the call. Bracket. Busted."

* * * * *
1:14am... 1-1 and the Vig Wins

I finally checked into my hotel room. I got the 13th floor. No shit. The front desk clerk sort of asked for my permission to give me the floor. I guess some folks are superstitious. I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't care. I just wanted a room.

I went 1-1 for the day and lost money. The juice. The vig. Fuckers. I wanted to bet against Duke out of sheer contempt, but advised myself to not bet with emotions. I should have gave into those gut instincts. Oh well. At least I had a sustained buzz for almost five hours.

My brain feels so fried and scored that I need to dump my head into a bucket of ice. Nothing hurts more than getting your testicle scooped out with a melon slicer. That's the best way to describe the Memphis debacle.

1-1 for the day. Still up for the tournament. Friday is another day. 4 games,, including a couple of tough ones. Holy shit... two games with -1 spreads? And can Louisville beat Arizona by 10 points?

Showcase Bud Light Commercial Count: 2


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