RAS College Basketball Service FAQ
We cover everything from release times to bet sizing to opting out of plays
The RAS college basketball service begins on Monday, Nov. 7. Here are answers to 11 of the most commonly asked questions we receive to help you use the service this season.
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When do bets get released and how often?
There are daily releases during the college hoops season. Sides are sent first at approximately 6:30 am PST, and totals are sent out at 7:30 am PST. These times are subject to change due to evolving market conditions, but we continuously work to find the best balance for all subscribers.
How do I get the releases?
Releases are delivered via the RASPicks website. Subscribers can access the service from mobile or desktop. A release warning will be sent out via text message and email to notify subscribers of an upcoming play. We give 3-5 minute warnings before full game releases; and 1-2 minutes for 2nd half plays. Subscribers can log in and get the bets live in real-time as they are released.
What is set up and go, and why do you do it?
Releases are sent out in our live chat using our setup-and-go procedure. Subscribers will get a message to “set up” a game. This is a cue to add the game to the bet slip — but not to click submit. Everyone will get roughly 45 seconds to prepare to make the bet.
Once everyone is ready, one of two things will happen.
Go, or Cancel.
Go means make the bet immediately! The line will move, and there is a very limited window to get the release odds.
Cancel means remove the bet from the bet slip; this will not be a RAS release.
The reason for the cancels is to keep everyone honest and to prevent people from betting before the go. People who bet before go are at risk of betting a random side, or even opposite an eventual release. This is why we strongly advise you do not ever make a bet before Go. We have used this set-up-and-go method for many seasons with fantastic user feedback and believe it is the best way to release picks.
How much should I bet per game before subscribing?
The RAS service targets serious and professional bettors. We recommend weekday service subscribers bet at least $1,000 per game, combo service subscribers $800 per game and weekend subscribers $500 per game.
Why do you say not to bet at certain sportsbooks?
We do not allow bets at Bookmaker (CRIS), Pinnacle, BetOnline and affiliated sites, Sports411, Bet487, Lowvig.
The reason is simple. Allowing bets at these sportsbooks would only serve one bettor at each site as these books move automatically off a single bet. It wouldn’t be a sustainable solution whether we permitted using these books or not. Since these are market-making sportsbooks, other sportsbooks openly copy and move their odds to stay in line with them. The longer that we can keep these three sportsbooks from moving their lines, the easier it is for everyone using the service to make bets at other sportsbooks in the market. Even a few extra seconds makes a big difference for getting the release odds.
What happens if I miss the number, should I still bet it?
Our edge in November and December college basketball is significant and during this time we are comfortable suggesting to make the bets within 0.5 points of the release line for sides, and 1 point of the release line for totals. Never pay extra juice to get the release line as it is rarely good value. If you subscribe to the service and are consistently missing the release line, contact us for help. Finding the best solution can sometimes take a few tries and experimentation. We will always try our best to work with you. We also offer a no-questions refund for the unused portion of the service at any time.
The line has moved multiple points, should I bet the other side to middle or fade?
Unless there is new info, or a line move was extreme, we do not recommend playing against RAS releases. Most games will close with a line that is not profitable on either side at -110. The release side of the line will rarely move so much that the other side becomes +EV. It can happen, but it is challenging to identify which ones are worth betting on the other side. Betting against RAS releases at the closing line has not been profitable long-term.
What line do you use for sending out and grading releases?
We look at a large set of widely used sportsbooks to devise a fair consensus line for each release. This choice is always made conservatively. We give more weight to sharp, market-leading sportsbooks such as CRIS, Circa, BetOnline and Pinnacle. Because of this, subscribers are sometimes able to find lines that are better than the release line.
If I can get the release line, should I overbet the release and middle a portion of my bet?
Some subscribers take advantage of the line moves from the service to go for profitable middles. There are pros and cons to this strategy. The biggest pro is that variance will not impact the ROI as much. The biggest con is that it requires an ability to get down much larger amounts consistently, which is difficult for many to sustain over time. Bettors trying to middle releases will also need several accounts to bet both sides effectively.
Can I pause my service without being charged?
Yes. You can pause and unpause your service at any time and not get charged for missed releases. This can all be done within your user dashboard.
Can I opt out of certain play types?
Yes. Some users have a hard time betting Extra board games. If you don’t want those play types to be included in your service, you can opt out of them. Other users don’t always have evening availability and therefore don’t want second half plays. They can opt out of those as well. Bottom line: We don’t want to charge you for plays you can’t use or don’t want, regardless of the reason. You can DM our customer service team at any time to opt out.