Who is Mr. Kruger?

We asked Jim a few questions regarding his gambling history, style and experiences.

Where are you based out of?

At the turn of the Millennium, I built a home on Black Mountain in Henderson, NV, overlooking the Las Vegas strip. It’s a great place to live, the most unique city in the country.

How man Years have you been handicapping?

Actually, I started handicapping as a kid growing up in Kansas City but didn’t realize that was what I was doing. I found myself trying to determine who would win a game and by how much through examination of statistics and personnel. I always loved math and numbers and had a lot of fun trying to improve on my “predictions”. I started betting on sports in 1988.

What are some of your Handicapping Achievements?

Making it to the quarter-finals in the invitation-only World Series of Handicapping this past year and winning the Ultimate Handicapping Challenge for the NBA rank high on my list, but the main achievement I am most proud of is of having very successful years in every sport that I have handicapped. I believe that being well-rounded is the mark of an excellent handicapper. In my opinion, the long-term successful capper has to realize that every sport has certain aspects of it that requires each sport to be handicapped differently.

Most recently, I was the #1 capper for net units won in 2006 in college football as monitored by the Sports Monitor of Oklahoma (TSM). I also finished #3 this previous season in net units won in the NBA as monitored by TSM and #12 in college hoops.

I tied for fourth place out of over 300 contestants in the Las Vegas Leroy’s College Football Contest in 2006.

Finishing in first place in the NBA by over a two to one margin in 2003-04 at TSM in net units won is something I am very proud of. Other first place finishes in capping the NBA and the NHL are on my resume.

Why did you decide to join Who2beton?

Who2beton has a very good reputation which is extremely important to me. In this industry, one’s reputation means so much. At W2BO, people can view a capper’s record, be it good or bad. How many sites do that?

Tell us about your Systems and methods you use for selections?

I am pretty anal when it comes to handicapping. I literally look at most every aspect of handicapping that you can. It depends upon what sport I am handicapping for how much each area is emphasized. I am big on fundamentals and match-ups. I also use situational handicapping and do look at trends and systems that I consider viable and logical.

Name something people tend to overlook or miss when handicapping a game?

I think something overlooked that spans all sports handicapped is looking at the teams’ frame of mind for a specific game. I try to determine what the coaches, players, and fans are thinking about the upcoming game.

What are the Sports you excel at?

College football has historically been my best sport for winning percentage. For units won, I would probably say the NBA or college basketball. I release more picks than most handicappers, especially in hoops, so my winning percentage isn’t quite as high as college football but the net units won is very comparable if not better

While I have had very good years in college basketball and the NBA, I feel those two sports have the most upside for me. Since there are so many games daily in each of those sports, there are more opportunities to be one step ahead of the linesmaker. Regardless of the sport, to be a successful capper you have to work year round on each sport gathering info and staying on top of every team and school.

Do you have any superstitions?

No, not for handicapping or betting. However, I still won’t step on a crack out of respect for my Mother’s back.

What is your Favorite movie of all time (doesn't have to be gambling related)?

This is a tough question. For comedy, Blazing Saddles, Animal House, the ORIGINAL Producers with Zero Mostel, and the Naked Gun movies still crack me up. A great dark comedy is Dr. Strangelove, Peter Sellers at his best. After Hours is a good quirky comedy. I enjoyed Casino and Goodfellas. In the Heat of the Night has two of the greatest performances by actors that I have ever seen. For sentimentality, you can’t beat It’s a Wonderful Life. For an epic, The Longest Day is one of the best as is The Right Stuff. For war movies, Saving Private Ryan is excellent. I really liked the way Pulp Fiction was made, very entertaining. Great books that I read before seeing the movie were One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Godfather, and the Ox-Box Incident.

Note from Prez: Jim you are seriously showing your age on these picks - how about a movie made in the last say 50 years.

Do you have one piece of advice to new gamblers?

Don’t double up on a game trying to break even. Be very careful when betting on credit and never bet more than you can afford to lose and that will not cause you problems financially or emotionally. There will be more games tomorrow!