X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

My RotoBaller Story - Spencer Aguiar

All of our paths are unique, but if you have ever wanted to take the next step into the DFS/betting world for writing, here is my story of how I got started.

My entrance into the writing industry is different than most.

Life can be comical in that aspect because 21-year-old me, who was playing poker and sports betting professionally to pay my way through college at UNLV, would never have envisioned that life as I knew it would end up in the arena of someone writing about golf betting for a living.

Now, I don't think the trajectory shift into the writing world is an unexpected return since I did find myself minoring in Journalism at UNLV while majoring in Gaming Management. However, the exact way things occurred, such as my repositioning into a golf-centric role at RotoBaller, Action Network, and various other locations, is the twist to the story that I could have never projected in any model of mine.

 

My Friendship With Chip Reese

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, I grew up with the great David "Chip" Reese as a mentor. Many in the poker world consider Chip the greatest cash-game player in history because of his ability to play his A-game when any amount of money was on the line. 

I got close to Chip and his family because my dad was his personal trainer. Trips to Montana with our families, baseball outings with top coaches throughout the country that Chip would take me on with his son Casey to improve our skills and other life-changing adventures became a way of life for me at a young age. 

There are three Chip stories that ring in my head from time to time when I reflect on my experiences with him. 

  1. I'll never forget how he used to call me "good ol' number 13" during each passing moment over the years when we would reconnect. In retrospect, it was a weird number for a gambler to give one of his star players. Still, I have always considered it an endearing answer since not even an "unlucky" number could stop me from performing. 
  2. The first bet I ever placed was against his son Casey, who tragically passed away in 2009. Casey made a wager that I couldn't eat an entire plate of marshmallows at their cabin in Montana. One thing led to the next (most notably me puking in the backwoods at the age of six), although a winning bet was made on my part that night when 50-pound me devoured the entire plate and caused Casey to run to Chip to retrieve 20 dollars. I can't say I fully grasped the impact of going on trips that would include Doyle Brunson, Huck Seed and other poker legends, but who else can say they won their first bet and got paid out by the greatest poker player of all time?
  3. Fast forward to eighth grade. I was a student aide for the front office. Most of my time was spent playing blackjack or poker since the gambling bug hit me at a very young age. Some of my relationship with Chip had drifted at that time since I didn't see him quite as frequently as I once did. However, I got a tap on my shoulder one day during class, turned around to see Chip's imposing figure, and heard, "Good ol' number 13! Are you winning?" Presumably, this is not a great question to ask a middle schooler who is gambling during class. I can't say that with factual-based reasoning because I have never run into a middle school kid in the midst of facing a bet on the river. That said, very few would say Vegas has ever provided the expected outcome that you get in other cities. Chip sat there for a few minutes, teaching me some deeper nuances of Texas Hold'em, before eventually leaving with his frequent tagline, "See you around, 13."

Unfortunately, Chip's life was cut short in December of 2007, right before my 18th birthday.

It is one of those things that didn't make sense at the time (and still doesn't 17 years later), but the lessons I took away from my time with him over the years molded me into the gambler I am today. For that, I am forever indebted to Chip's beautiful mind and kind heart. 

 

Life As A Professional Gambler

I spent most of my years between 18 and 27 modeling for sports betting or playing poker. You learn so many life lessons at a young age when you decide to make an industry like that your primary source of income. 

I've always said that those with a deep poker background are some of the best critical thinkers in the world. Not only do you have to try to problem-solve and fine-tune your strategy along the way, but there is also a particular form of adaptability and flexibility that poker instills for everyday life situations. 

Black Friday on April 15th, 2011, was a challenging moment for me since it made online gambling illegal throughout the United States and greatly affected my expected value in poker. I never loved playing face-to-face and watching people lose money they needed for everyday life. It was one thing when faces and real-life stories were behind a computer screen, shown as a Full Tilt dog avatar as your only point of reference; it was another when people would leave visibly distraught and unable to pay for their next meal because of a gambling addiction. 

America's commercial casinos won $66.5 billion from gamblers in 2023. That dollar amount won't stem primarily from sports betting, but it was another opportunity to blend my lifelong love of math, numbers, and strategy into one all-encompassing perspective since who wouldn't want to beat those who live in the high-rise buildings over the alternative of taking money from the ones who pay for the structures. 

In my opinion, you need a combination of several things to be a good sports bettor. 

  1. An understanding of numbers and how to create statistical models to attack those edges. There is a genuine science in long-term data and how it can be used to extrapolate information into future results. 
  2. Connections with people you trust. I had always considered myself someone who specialized in NCAA basketball, boxing, NFL, and tennis. I did have an edge in MLB and NBA because of relationships I formed with people who modeled those sports far better than I ever could, but those relations can take you a long way when trying to find every little edge possible. 
  3. This is perhaps the most critical aspect because I have seen quality gamblers go broke in all walks of life by not adhering to this answer, but you need a firm grasp of bankroll management and an ability to not chase losses when things go south. That was one of the concepts I learned from Chip at a young age. He once told me that what separated him from all other gamblers was how he never played worse than his A-game. No matter how much money he was up or down, every decision was formed with a concrete and critical-thinking strategy. Some players may have been better with the top-end level of their game, but the range of performance would adjust far too wide between a losing session and a winning one, giving Chip the ultimate edge in those moments. 

 

Getting Into The Writing Industry

I got lucky to sign up for Twitter at the beginning of 2018 and stumbled across a post from Pat Mayo within the first few days, who was talking about the fantastic opportunity to land a gig at a premier business like RotoBaller for their start-up golf company that would be starting during the Masters in April.

To be honest, I didn't know anything about RotoBaller. I didn't have a sample article to submit when I applied for the site. Hell, I was more of a college basketball or NFL person than someone who wanted to land in an area covering the PGA Tour.

Golf was a sport I had modeled successfully over the years. It certainly wasn't my number one interest in where I wanted to land as a writer, but getting in the door was a way to propel myself into the hard-hitting NFL world, which had just started to pique my curiosity when it came to writing about it from a data-driven perspective.

I quickly put together some research for that week's golf tournament from my betting model. Compiled an article that felt award-winning when it was written and then submitted it to RotoBaller, assuming I would quickly hear back that I had received the job.

Unfortunately, that is not always how life always works. RotoBaller hired five people for the team, including our current captain, Joe Nicely, but my name was missing from the original list of newly hired writers.

I've never gotten the full story of what happened or who pulled out of the job to re-open the door for me. Nonetheless, somewhere between that initial job denial and the week before the Masters was going to start, I got a second message from RotoBaller that they had one of their five team members quit and could use me as the replacement to start this grand undertaking for their first week of covering content.

The rest is now history.

 

Perseverance In The Industry

I have always lived under the belief that the butterfly effect massively alters our trajectory without us even knowing it. Something small and inconsequential at the time has a non-linear impact on our lives.

Despite the highest of highs while covering golf over the past seven years, it hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows. Nights of writing are long. Relationships are hard to maintain. It is a tough industry to move from point A to point B when everyone is vying for the same outcome.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to know who left RotoBaller seven years ago to open up my job and the reason behind their departure because it is unlikely I would have ended up in the golf sector without that outcome. Then again, some stories in this world are better left untold when that one lucky break ends up landing you in a position to do your dream job, even when you don't realize it at the time.

As a gambler, you never question the aftermath of the moments you run above expected value.

 

*** If you have ever wanted to get into the space, I am more than happy to help! You can reach out to me on Twitter @TeeOffSports

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF