Concept

Public Money


The dollar volume coming from recreational bettors. Distinct from "ticket count"; one whale's bet beats 1,000 squares.

Public money is the dollar-weighted version of the public’s betting volume. It’s the better signal than ticket count.

Why dollars matter more than tickets:

  • 90% of tickets on the Cowboys but 60% of money on the Bears → sharp money is on the underdog
  • Books move lines based on money, not bettor count
  • Ticket-count splits are public-friendly stats; money percentages are what books actually react to

Look for splits where ticket % and money % disagree; that’s where the sharp signal lives.