Tout

A tout is an individual or service that sells sports betting recommendations, commonly known as ‘picks,’ to bettors for a fee. These services often promise high win rates and insider knowledge, positioning themselves as experts who can provide a shortcut to profitability. While some touts may offer legitimate handicapping analysis, the industry is largely unregulated and has a reputation for deceptive marketing practices and a lack of transparency.

What is a Tout?

A tout, in the context of sports betting, is a person or organization that advises bettors on which teams or outcomes to wager on. They typically charge a fee for this advice, which can range from a small daily charge to expensive season-long packages. The term is often used interchangeably with ‘handicapper,’ but there is a subtle distinction. A handicapper is anyone who studies and wagers on sporting events, while a tout specifically refers to someone who sells their predictions to others.

The fundamental promise of a tout is to provide winning picks that give their clients an edge over the sportsbooks. They often cultivate an image of expertise, using persuasive language and showcasing (often selectively) past successes to attract customers. Touts can be found across various platforms, from dedicated websites and forums to social media channels, where they build a following and market their services.

How It Works

The business model of a tout service is straightforward: sell picks to as many people as possible. The methods for acquiring customers often involve aggressive marketing tactics, including bold claims of guaranteed winners, ‘locks of the century,’ and inside information. These claims are designed to appeal to the desire for easy money and to exploit the complexities of sports betting that can be intimidating to newcomers.

Touts will often present their records in a misleading way. For example, they might only highlight their winning picks while ignoring their losses, a practice known as ‘cherry-picking.’ Some may even engage in more deceptive practices, such as giving out different picks to different groups of clients to ensure that some of them will have a winning record to promote.

A common red flag is the emphasis on short-term results and the lack of a long-term, verifiable track record. Reputable handicappers will typically offer transparency in their records, allowing potential clients to assess their performance over a large sample size of bets. Touts, on the other hand, often operate in the shadows, making it difficult to verify their claims.

Example

Imagine a bettor named Alex, who is new to sports betting and is struggling to win consistently. While browsing social media, Alex comes across a tout service, ‘Guaranteed Winners Inc.,’ that is advertising a 90% win rate on NFL picks. Intrigued by the promise of easy profits, Alex signs up for a one-week package for $50.

The first pick Alex receives is a winner, and Alex is thrilled. The second and third picks, however, are losers. When Alex contacts the tout service to complain, they are offered a free week of picks as compensation, a common tactic to retain customers. Over the next week, Alex experiences a mix of wins and losses, ultimately ending up with a net loss after accounting for the cost of the service and the juice paid to the sportsbook.

This example illustrates the typical experience of many who use tout services. The initial excitement of a win can be quickly overshadowed by the reality of the tout’s actual performance, which is often no better than a coin flip. The tout, however, has already profited from the subscription fee.

Why It Matters

The prevalence of touts in the sports betting world is a significant issue for several reasons. First and foremost, it poses a financial risk to bettors, particularly those who are inexperienced and vulnerable to deceptive marketing. The fees for tout services can be substantial, and when combined with the losses from the bets themselves, can lead to significant financial harm.

Furthermore, the tout industry can promote a distorted and unhealthy view of sports betting. By emphasizing the idea of ‘guaranteed winners’ and ‘easy money,’ touts discourage the development of critical thinking and analytical skills that are essential for long-term success in sports betting. They foster a dependency on their picks, rather than empowering bettors to make their own informed decisions.

It is crucial for bettors to understand the difference between paying for picks and paying for valuable information, data, and tools. While some services provide legitimate resources that can help bettors in their own handicapping process, touts who simply sell picks without transparency or a verifiable track record should be approached with extreme caution. The old adage, ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,’ is particularly relevant in the world of sports betting touts.