Printed in a recent edition of "The Intelligent Gambler." I am posting this column as a warning to anyone who might be considering a fee-based service for sports picks.

The sports pages of every major newspaper on the country are littered with the ads of sports handicapping services. The scammers and touts get more outlandish every year. Their dubious practices would be comical if they weren�t doing so much damage to our business and sports gambling's public image. For this reason, I take a very pro-active role in educating people and trying to run these scammers out of business, or at least trying to discourage the most vulnerable amongst us from sending them money.

Handicappers that "sell" selections at ridiculous prices to the public tarnish the reputation of what could be a respectable business made up of analysts and investors that would mirror stock forecasting. This is a particularly sore issue for me personally, because I believe the practices of these individuals and their companies impede attempts to legalize gambling and sports betting in jurisdictions outside the state of Nevada. It makes us a target. It gives ammunition to our opponents who want to outlaw Internet gambling. It makes us look bad.

Consider that the average citizen is never going to support legalized sports betting when the image of "a sports gambler" is a fast-talking hustler, dressed like a pimp, wearing a gold chain promising a "lock" game. These human degenerates are the cancer of the sports gambling industry.

I feel what I provide is very reasonable and very honest. You will never get my "game of the year" every week. I am here to help, not to take advantage. No guarantees are made here but let me tell you, you're a lot better off.