Domain Apraisal – Picks.org

[pokerprop]

To state upfront I own this domain, so we're not "talking about someone elses site".

The domain (Picks.org) has unbroken registration since March 2001. It was parked from 2001 to 2005 and then offline until recently.

The term is a little ambiguous could be guitar picks, picks disease, stock picks - but the largest niche for this site is Sports Betting Picks. I don't think anyone not familiar with the industry will find how massive of an industry sports betting picks is with just a simple keyword tool. I've gotten 600 hits in a day on another site for terms like "Week 13 Picks" while ranking #7-#10. Also all the specific games, matches ups other words etc. I did a blog and pulled over 60,000 uniques for NFL alone on a fresh registered site. The market is huge. I made around $10K over a few years period just off working for 4 months on a football block where I covered which games had the best value and where I placed my bets. Outside that though there is HUGE money in selling picks.

I guess right now I'm really undecided what to do with this domain. I feel i could make a ton with it if I worked - but not sure i have energy for a main site because I have several casino sites in the works and picked up some good domains (not as short an exact as this one but still decent) I was looking to build.

I might sell this domain I might use it. I'm not really sure. I'm curious first on hearing from others what they'd value this domain at. I know it has a ton of value to me because I know sports betting well and can build a big following (have had one before on popular forum). What I don't know is how much value this domain has on the aftermarket.

Any honest opinions greatly appreciated.

[CK]

Thats a really nice domain - and instantly I thought of people searching for hockey picks, sports picks, baseball picks etc. idk if you wanted to do gaming or not but that domain could really cover a pretty broad range of betting topics and could keep you earning from one season to the next. But I'm sure you already know that Jim - just couldn't help posting

If you have the time I would build it and really reap the rewards from it than sell it if you like to one of the big betting companies.

[MJ]

This is such a great domain, definately build it to sell for a massive buyout later. If you do want to get rid of it, I know a very serious and interested buyer.

[pokerprop]

Thanks guys for feedback. Anyone have a guess though as to what a domain like this would sell for on open market, how long might need to hold out to get max value etc. I'm really clueless on that kind of thing. I lean on building it and am even more excited about that idea after the first two responses (which I appreciated btw) but have that part missing in making my decision which direction to go.

thanks for feedback so far. Any other greatly appreciated.

[pokerprop]

Bump

[simoneaton]

Nice domain name for sure. The search term NFL Picks is a huge traffic driver and this domain would be a great little community meeting place. Unsure how the TD .org competes with .com but with the right content, look/feel it would be an easy domain to market as a community.

PM me for some ideas.

[HBKKH]

great Domain. I'll take it off your hands if you want....

All kidding aside. i think you should build it up and sell it for a nice chunk.

[imteaz]

i believe price would be around $5,000 to $8,000 USD
Good luck.

[pokerprop]

To update where I'm at. I've had a few people contact about partnerships, one contact looking to purchase it. This led me to do some research on what maybe the domain is worth (would sell for) so I can make a more accurate decision on partnerships or possibly selling it.

I started with PM a few members here. Nothing definitive, one guessed asking $10K seemed about right but was a weak guess. Another wasn't sure but felt it would sell for big money if built out first as there are a few big buyers for this type of "established site". This led me to go research more.

My next step was talking to a big domainer I got referred to. This guy is making huge money on parking has like 7000 posts on a domain forum and I could tell just reading his old stuff that he is legit. Not some faker. Anyways he offered me $5K instant to take it off my hands or said he would sell it for me at 30% commission and was fairly confident with in a year it would sell for $10K or more. He then MSN me a couple times on MSN when I was sleeping and away. When I came back he said he wants the gamble and would take it right now for $7K if I wanted to now. This conversation didn't go so well because he was pitching me like he was doing me a favor offering to purchase it, in the back of my mind I feel he likely has a buyer lined up but also I didn't want to let go of it because at $7K i'd keep it before selling it even if there is never a buyer at a price over that and the domain to everyone else is only worth a dollar, because to me I know can make more than $7K extra working a plan on this domain as opposed to using something like freesportpicks.net because i'm familiar with the industry and believe a site that people return to via manually typing it in can be created with this domain.

Where this leaves me. I can't see myself building a site only to sell it quick. I'm back and forth and an hour from now I might lean a different than I do at the moment - however I spend most of my time thinking sell the domain. Then this part of me says ugh I'm going to regret that.

Currently I know I can sell for $7K which seemed too easy. I have multiple parties in that range - and it seems the real benchmark probably is about $10K for the sale. I think to tilt me over the edge I'd need $12,500 with terms being split of the escrow fee to make me say okay sell it, and even at that point I'd like to hold on to it for 7 additional days to see if a higher offer came in with other parties knowing if not it would be sold for the $12,500 at the end of that period.

There are probably those who think I'm dreaming and should just take the $7K - plus those who think I am making a mistake selling it at all. I think now though i have a better idea where I'm at and am okay with holding on to this for even a year or two to do something with later if there is not a buyer as I estimate the real expected value (EV) is probably $35K or so to me if I keep it. This is because I know the industry really well, have had a following before in sports betting, have high post counts on most sports betting forums and am sure about the market. The flip side to that is I feel to maximize the value and shoot for over expectation (which can be way over or under - I'm just going on EV) I'd need to invest like $50K worth of work or paying for work in order for that to be the real EV. Having other irons in the fire and ideas probably less profitable that I can be much more passionate about. I see cashing in at $12,500 or greater and leveraging that to be the smartest pick (pun intended) and while I'm sure there would be many times I regret I do believe that's the correct decision.

So with all that said - I guess this domain is officially open to a minimum $12,500 offer under the terms it can be accepted or declined within x number of days. I'm fully okay with keeping it and getting to it later. If I do get a $12,500 offer that is serious at some point then where I stand right now the domain will sell. I'll just wait to this point to make sure there isn't some crazy buyer out there willing to pay much more - and of course to get that I'd also have to find two at the same time so it's probably not likely lol.

[Hazo]

Hey Jim,

This is right up your alley, and you have a great domain to accompany your knowledge. You have a real opportunity here to have another authority site to your portfolio.

Despite the quick money available I think you should build. If there's that amount of quick money available now, it'll still be available should you choose to sell IMO.

Either way, good luck.