Thursday 10 October 2024
How Did Betfair Get Started As A Bookmaker?
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Which Racecourse is your Nemesis to Bet?
Perhaps I should just run my fingernails up a rubber boot, or chalkboard or jump in a vat of fermenting horse shit.
In truth, I don't think I would take any of those options in favour of betting at my nemesis course.
Although, give me a year or two and you may find me standing on the edge of a highrise car park in Milton Keynes. I'll be babbling on about Brighton and holding a tuft of luscious, green grass in one hand and a losing betting slip in the other as I take flight plummeting like a stone.
I really do paint a rosy picture, hey. As dark as blood.
So, on a lighter more jovial thought, which racecourse do you just dread to bet?
Even if you have been following a horse, it's primed to win and even the trainer's wife gave you the wink as she breezed through the paddock in a flowing summer dress, you start to question the double gamble which you know is wrestling within the brain. Like a devil and angel on either shoulder, a tug-of-war where the rope enters your left ear and exits the right and the friction from all the pulling too and throw carves your grey matter like a pork cheese.
Betting on the said horse is a gamble but the fact it is running at your nemesis course is the kiss of death.
Now, for no particular reason, your despicable course may be different from mine. You may say Chester and I'm almost mocking you with the fact that I'm like a winning machine there.
Don't talk to me about Epsom Downs, I've never backed a loser.
It's so easy.
But Brighton...
I mean, I love the Royal Crescent.
But ask me to bet at Brighton racecourse and I go quiet. You can see my brain working overtime trying to resolve some crazy equation that even Isaac Newton would run from.
But you know what it's like...
I really fancy that horse today.
Trying not to think about the last twenty-five bets that went south. Trying to convince myself that some old, ghostly witch that had been following me around the course for years had finally died or given up the ghost (so to speak).
Let's face it, even the bubonic plague died off in the end.
So I chance my luck with a bet. I'm sure it will be ok. Just take a few deep breaths of the beautiful sea air and think pretty thoughts.
As soon as the stalls open I realise the old witch has climbed on my back, whispering words of death and pointing me in the direction of Milton Keynes.
I wonder, which course do you fear to bet?
Monday 23 September 2024
Professional Gamblers: The Secret Guide to Phil Bull's Betting Success
Golden Rules
1. The selection source is unimportant, but bet only on selections you consider value-for-money; avoid the temptation to bet in every race. (As a side-note, on the subject of value-for-money, Bull was not afraid to bet odds-on).
3. Bet according to your means and adjust your stake according to the chance of your selection, as you see it; a selection with a greater chance deserves a higher stake.
6. Do not bet ante-post unless you know your selection is a definite runner.
7. Do not buy systems; if you come across a profitable system, keep it to yourself.
9. Make wise, attentive betting decisions and adopt a patient, cautious approach to betting, but do not be afraid to be bold if circumstances dictate.
10. Bet only what you can afford to lose; increasing stakes beyond your means, even in the short-term, can lead to catastrophic losses.
Saturday 14 September 2024
Why Do Men Go to the Pub: To Talk Shit & Tell Lies
It was inspired by my actor friend, Simon Fowler, who does a daily live chat on Facebook. He talks about life and all the toils and tribulations. Also, all the love in the world which he says in his own kind of way.
He talks about mental health and issues especially true to men who have often suffered from the British stiff upper lip.
Simon quoted the comedians Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. When they used to sit across the table and chat about nothing (but at the same time everything).
I used to drink like a fish when I played rugby union for March Bear, based in the Fenland town of March in Cambridgeshire. As I have said about my experiences of playing rugby it is a sport you learn a lot about yourself and others. One thing you can guarantee is that if you play rugby long enough, you will suffer an injury or two. I noticed with the forwards and lot of dislocated shoulders, the odd broken leg, nose, and even jaw.
No wonder people used to like a good drink after the game - it was a pain killer.
I must admit I've never been too much of a drinker at the races because the combination of alcohol and betting isn't a good mix. Not even Del Trotter would have a Creme De La Menthe at Kempton Park. To be fair, people have outlandish stories about gambling before they get stuck into the amber nectar.
We'd go to Yarmouth races and then spend an evening at the Grosvenor casino. You don't need many pints an hour to slip under the table.
In fact, the last time we went, just before lockdown, my cousin, who I won't name, returned from the casino at 6am.
I concluded that he must have been winning at 4am because drink and tiredness must-have set in by stupid o'clock. I figured winning was the motivation to keep alert enough to play a few more hands of three-card poker (a game that really plays itself). I don't know what sort of conversation was going on but it was definitely pub talk. I'm sure there were a bit of swearing and pork pies too.
As the old TV advert used to say: ''It's good to talk.''
It is good that in recent years people have felt more open to express their concerns about mental health because we have all had our moments. Once upon a time, people were stigmatised by saying they were struggling. I'm not saying people are still not tarred with the same brush but I think the UK is more accepting (especially in times of lockdown) that people may be suffering.
And, you know, I'm pretty sure that's why so many men love to go to the pub and talk shit and tell lies.
If anyone is struggling with depression or mental health problems then it is good to talk.
So often in life, all we need is someone to stop for a few minutes to listen.
If I can help, I'm always here.
Monday 2 September 2024
Professional Gamblers: Patrick Veitch – Enemy Number One
Friday 16 August 2024
Harry Findlay: No Value in Betting Odds-on
Harry Findlay is a name synonymous with gambling.
To be fair, he's been a gambler who lives his life on a roller coaster. I always thought he was a touch too loud for his own good and me being an introvert far too much for my senses. But the losses he has suffered in recent years have tamed his enthusiasm, knocked the stuffing out of him.
I'm not surprised he is a slightly quieter version of himself. Time, life, problems can have that affect on the best of us.
For most of his gambling life he loved to bet short-priced favourites. It's no surprise as he detailed there was value in a 1/2f that should have been 2/9.
I've been trawling YouTube and see Star Sports have a series of 5 videos about the good man. They are well worth a look and he talks candidly about life, gambling and hopes for the future.
I wish him well. He's a decent bloke.
It's interesting what he said about betting short odds. The value has gone with bots placing bets via algorithms (no emotion) which have stripped away value to a point where he questions whether it is even possible to make any cash.
It's an interesting thought.
From watching two-year-old horse racing it always amazes me why punters back odds-ons even though they can take some beating. If they are short odds, I would much rather take them on and back a decent second favourite at 9/2. In fact, if you have a decent second or third favourite they can make a much better alternative. The bookies have a horse at 6/1 and the exchanges have them at 11. That's has to be viewed as value without much thought as the bookies are going almost half the odds for a laugh. It doesn't mean that all are value but when one wins at those magnified odds it has to tell a story.
Why would you bet odds on?
Each horse must be judged on their merits and I'm not saying there can't be value in any bet because there can.
However, if finding value in betting odds-on horses is a rare happening then it details there is value betting others.
Take a look at this series of five video and see what you think.
How Did Ladbrokes Get Started As A Bookmaker?
Tuesday 6 August 2024
The Millionaire Betting System
This can be specific to you, me, or the bustling crowd at the Cheltenham Festival.
I'm far from a natural gambler. In fact, I don't really like gambling. I don't bet for fun, the buzz, which is different from online casino usa real money or all those things many gamblers do from day to day.
If it makes you happy, doesn't lead to the wolf knocking on your door, or affects your life, family, or lead you to suicide you are onto a winner.
That probably sounds a bit flippant - but you know what I mean. You have to be responsible for your actions and if you can't you need to find an answer.
Anyway, you meet all sorts of people under the umbrella of the gambler. To be fair, you see some very sad sights, especially fixed to the betting terminals in the local bookmakers.
For many gamblers, betting gives a live hope of making a killing. That's winning cash not holding up a bookmaker's shop with a gun.
The good side of finding a winning betting angle is that you can easily outweigh the cost of living. You simply bet more money and win a grand a day! Well, you can if you know something the majority of the population doesn't.
Namely, you win money long term.
The holy grail is finding a system that gives a regular income. If you attach this to a bot that places your bets automatically, you have a passive income.
You could be sitting on the beach in the Bahamas, living the life most can only dream.
If you get to that level you are well and truly a winner. Because let's face it, very few people make their gambling pay. They simply don't know enough to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Is there a system, simple or complex, which guarantees you will make a profit? Better still, is there a system which shows hundreds if not thousands of points profit every season?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.
I'm saying no names because these things are private but I've heard something incredible.
There could be a Millionaire Betting System out there. What I mean by this, is a system that can take let's say £100 and in a year, two, three or four and turn that small sum of money into one million pounds profit.
Many of you reading this will be thinking it's pie in the sky. It can't be possible. How can it be possible?
In fact, by the end of this Flat turf season, I will be in a position to detail whether or not this is fact or fiction.
Unfortunately for me, and you, I don't understand how this system works. But I imagine it won't be sold for any amount of money. (Even two million pounds!)
It's interesting to consider what goes on behind the scene of the betting exchanges. You see a bet and you have no idea who is behind that transaction. It could be a little old lady down the road placing her first bet. It could be a trader looking to make an easy £5 here and there. Some may suggest you'd be better off playing best online pokies australia. It could be a professional gambler with his finger on the pulse. It may even be Harry Findlay recouping his losses lumping on the next odds-on shot. The stories behind each and every bet and gambler are unknown.
But consider for a moment the next bet you place could well be a plus or minus for this new gambler on the block as he puts the Millionaire Betting System through its paces.
This time next year, he'll be a millionaire.
Sunday 4 August 2024
How Did Mansion Bet Start As A Bookmaker?
Thursday 18 July 2024
Which Professional Darts Player Won The Bronze Bully on TV Programme Bullseye
I'm sure many readers can remember Bullseye a TV game show television programme based, not surprisingly, on a darts theme.
Originally made for ITV network by Associated Television in 1981. Later, by Central Television from 1982 - 1995. It was hosted by Jim Bowen, a stand-up comedian who was influenced by Ken Dodd and television personality.
Bowen was a straight-faced comic known for his bad jokes, who used to make fun of guests on the show.
The animated mascot named Bully wore a red/white striped shirt and blue trousers.
The show also featured Tony Green who helped with scoring the dart games and sideman for Bowen. Green was an amateur player who became BBC's lead commentator when showing the annual World Professional Darts Championships staged at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. While reading this post, check out australian online gambling sites. He worked alongside Sid Waddell, a talented Geordie entertainer and well respected within darting circles and known as ''The Voice of Darts''. He was also a gifted writer, comedian and nicknamed the ''Theif of Bad Gags''. Waddell wrote 11 published books including autobiographies of John Lowe, Jocky Wilson & Phil Taylor.
He also wrote a racy novel in 1973 named Bedroll Bella (about a Georgie groupie) that was banned by W. H. Smiths.
Back to Bullseye.
In total there was 16 series of Bullseye and an incredible 354 episodes. The run time for the programme was 30 minutes. The programme was created and owned by Andrew Wood and comedian Norman Vaughan who had a successful career in television and theatre.
The game show was based on three pairs of contestants with one person the darts player and the other answering questions. Unlike usa casino Prizes included a car, speedboat, holidays in addition to a tankard and silver goblet alongside a Bendy Bully (the show's mascot).
The show was originally on Monday evening before being moved to its popular spot on Sunday. Later it was to be shown on Saturday afternoon. The show was planned for 1996 but cancelled after the network pressured Wood to modernise the programme which he deemed unsuitable.
One part of the show saw a professional darts player throw nine darts and their total score would give a pound a point for the given charity chosen by the contestant. If the professional dart player scored over 301 the money would be doubled. Alongside this, the highest score of the series would win the Bronze Bully Trophy. This was based on series 5 - 13 (1985 - 1994).
Interesting that the highest charity points scorer was Alan Evans in 1984 with a score of 401. Truly fantastic darts from the Welshman. Those first six darts I couldn't believe my eyes.
However, the Bronze Bully Trophy started in 1985.
Here is a list of the winners:
1985 - 86 : John Lowe (380)
1986 - 87 : Lionel Smith (365)
1987 - 88 : Ray Farrell (340)
1988 - 89 : Mike Gregory (380)
1989 - 90 : Eric Bristow (380)
1990 - 91 : Bob Anderson (380)
1991 - 92 : Mandy Solomans (363)
1992 - 93: Mike Gregory (340)
1994 - : Kevin Painter (380)