Re: why cant you win at gambling?
First question the premise of this all. Ask most bettors what their real goal is. The 90% not really trying to win will say things like win this next bet, to have action on the game, because my buddy wanted to bet on it, because I'm stuck and doubling up...etc etc. They aren't saying something like I want to hit 53+% winners so I can be a long term winner. Most people have no concept of this.
If you don't set a proper goal, you probably won't reach the only relevant goal we are discussing here. If the goal is to be a long term winner, one doesn't even need to say hit 53% winners. Just say you want to be a long term winner and things change. You shop lines. You become selective. You reduce the times you chase. You stop throwing money away on bets because the game is on TV. You set a proper target and you get better results.
My assertion is a lot of people actually win money betting on sports. Sure its not half of those who bet or anything close to it, but its quite a few. Lots of them just don't bet much. They have a 55% winning method, but they only use it when they go to Vegas twice a year. They might use it a lot, but think you know if I start betting "real" money I'll fail. There are countless ways you could see things where someone is a winner, but isn't winning the kind of money people in here talk about. What if I told you follow this method and I guarantee you win $100 a month? Tons of people would say that means nothing to me, I'd rather lose and be a gambler than win a small amount following your method.
So once again just focus on what the real goal should be and see if you are targeted towards that. If you are I agree with Fishhead's quote up there, in a couple of years you should be able to beat sports. Beat it, not necessarily make a living off of it.