The betting is so frenetic that they’re called upon to subjectively assess “dangerous situations.” In soccer, that might start with a forward speeding past the center line with the ball. If the scout concludes that the player is likely to score, they must rapidly advise headquarters to stop taking bets on a goal before others can lay money on one in that brief sliver of time. A premature recommendation can be as bad as a delayed one; the longer the bet stays open, Koerl says, the more the gambler thinks, “I have an edge. I can bet right.”