There are two ways to measure the success of a formula. The first way is to track its straight-up record (SUR). The SUR is the percentage of winners a formula picks without considering the point spread. Over the course of a season, an SUR of 65-70% or higher is very good for either pro football or pro basketball. In college football, where one-sided games are common, many formulas will have an SUR of 70-75% . A high SUR (65-70% for pro football, 70-75% for college football) should make you competitive in nearly any contest you enter. Formulas with a high SUR are great for football contests, office pools, and parlay cards.

Of course, gamblers are more interested in a formula’s winning percentage against the spread (ATS). Often times, formulas with a high SUR don't do well ATS, and vice versa. The ATS rules are the same for football and basketball, and the same for sides or totals. A formula that picks 55% ATS is a good formula, and one that does 60% or higher is excellent. Remember, you'll break even with 52.4%, and you can get a nice return on your investment with 60%. Even the best formulas have bad weeks (and bad ones have good weeks), so don't get too depressed or excited about a bad or good week. Look for formulas that beat the line over long periods of time