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Thursday 10 October 2024

How Did Betfair Get Started As A Bookmaker?

Betfair is a leading online bookmaker that was established in 2000. Based in the United Kingdom, the company is well known for its innovative approach to sports betting, which includes a wide range of betting options and a strong online presence. Over the years, Betfair has become one of the most recognizable names in the industry and is one of the largest bookmakers in the world.

One of the key strengths of Betfair is its exchange model, which allows customers to bet against each other instead of betting against the bookmaker. This model offers customers greater control over their betting experience and provides more opportunities for them to win. In addition to this, Betfair offers a wide range of betting options, including sports betting, live betting, casino games, and more. The company's sports betting offering is particularly extensive, with a wide range of sports and events covered, including football, basketball, tennis, golf, and more.

Another key feature of Betfair is its user-friendly website, which makes it easy for customers to place bets, manage their accounts, and access the wide range of betting options that the company offers. The site is available in multiple languages and offers 24/7 customer support, ensuring that customers can get help and support whenever they need it. Betfair also offers a mobile betting app, which allows customers to place bets on the go, making it even easier and more convenient to enjoy the company's betting services.

In addition to its innovative exchange model and extensive range of betting options, Betfair is known for its commitment to responsible gambling. The company has implemented a number of measures to help prevent gambling addiction and promote responsible gambling, including setting deposit limits, providing information on the risks of gambling, and offering self-exclusion options. This commitment to responsible gambling is one of the reasons why Betfair has become such a trusted and respected brand in the industry. 

Betfair is also known for its competitive odds and high-quality customer service. The company's experienced team of professionals are available 24/7 to provide customers with support and assistance, ensuring that they have the best possible betting experience. This high level of customer service is a major factor in Betfair's success and has helped the company to establish a strong and loyal customer base.

In conclusion, Betfair is a leading online bookmaker that offers a unique exchange model, a wide range of betting options, and a commitment to responsible gambling. With competitive odds, high-quality customer service, and a user-friendly platform, Betfair is a bookmaker that is definitely worth considering for anyone looking to place bets online. Whether you are a seasoned bettor or a newcomer to the world of sports betting, Betfair is a bookmaker that is sure to provide you with an enjoyable and rewarding betting experience.

Tuesday 1 October 2024

Which Racecourse is your Nemesis to Bet?

I am coming out in a cold sweat just thinking about this question. 

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

Background

Ironically, for a devout, lifelong atheist, Phil Bull (not pictured) once said, ‘I was bred to be a saint, you know’. Born on April 9, 1910, in the small town of Hemsworth, West Yorkshire, Bull was the son of William Osborne Bull, who began his career in the Salvation Army, but later worked as a coal miner and as a sanitation engineer, and Lizzie Jessop Watson, who was a Sunday school teacher. He was educated at Hemsworth Grammar School and at Leeds University, graduating with a modest degree in mathematics in 1931. Bull subsequently taught mathematics in London and did not abandon the teaching profession, at least, not entirely, when he embarked on a career as a professional gambler, which would make him a familiar figure on British racecourses for decades afterward.

Interest in Gambling

Later in life, Phil Bull recounted almost certainly apocryphal stories of how he was taught the rudiments of odds and betting parlance by his mother in early childhood. Nevertheless, Bull started betting, to small stakes, as a schoolboy and, during his studies at Leeds University, his mathematical and research skills, coupled with his abiding interest in horse racing, naturally led to the statistical analysis of race times. Following graduation, Bull continued to develop a unique technique for evaluating horse racing form, based not only on relative finishing positions, as was commonplace, but also on race times. Bull bet on the conclusions of what became ‘Temple Racetime Analysis’ with no little success and, in 1938, starting selling information, by mail order, to the general public. Initially, his teaching job precluded using his own name, so the ‘Temple Time Test’, as the service known, was sold under the pseudonym ‘William K. Temple’. The Temple Time Test proved highly successful, so successful, in fact, that Bull gave up his teaching job to concentrate on gambling for a living.

Golden Rules

In 1970, Phil Bull published his ‘Ten Commandments’, which, paraphrased in less ‘Biblical’ language, read more or less as follows: 

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).

2. Luck, the law of averages and staking plans are delusional, so place no faith in any of them.

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.

4. Do not bet each-way in large fields, unless you are satisfied that the place portion of the bet represents value-for-money.

5. Shop around with bookmakers and the Tote to find the best prices, according to your judgment.

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.

8. Bet in doubles and trebles if you want to, but not on objections.

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.

Successes 

Thankfully, from a historical perspective, Phil Bull kept meticulous accounts, just over three decades’ worth, of his ‘serious’ betting activity between 1943 and 1974. However, it is worth noting that, even before the start of that period, Bull had won enough money by backing Pont L’Eveque, winning of the so-called ‘New Derby’ – a wartime substitute for the Derby, run at Newmarket, rather than Epsom – in 1940 to buy a five-bedroom, detached house in Putney, South-West London. In 1944, the year in which he was bombed out of his London home, prompting a return to Yorkshire, Bull had a ‘serious bet’ on Dante, beaten favourite in the 2,000 Guineas and, always one to stand by his judgment invested heavily at 5/1 and again, at 10/1, on the same horse to win the New Derby. At Newmarket, Dante was sent off at 100/30 favourite and won by two lengths; Bull collected £22,000, or in excess of £958,000 in modern terms. In 1952, Bull enjoyed his most profitable season ever, collecting £10,500 for an investment of £1,700, in various bets, on 1,000 Guineas-winner Zabara and £8,000 on Middle Park Stakes-winner Nearula; all told, that season he collected nearly £38,000. Another notable success came in 1963, when, after a series of unfavourable results, Bull staked £1,000 at 20/1 on Ebor-winner Partholon, thereby recouping all his previous losses. According to his own accounts, between 1943 and 1974, Bull made a total profit of just under £296,000 which, even at the most a conservative estimate, is the equivalent of over £3 million in modern terms.

Publications

Aside from his early work under the pseudonym William K. Temple, in 1942, Bull published his treatise on betting, entitled ‘The Mathematics of Betting’, under his own name. The following year he published ‘Best Horses of 1942’, the first in a series of annual volumes that would ultimately evolve into the ‘Racehorses’ annual under the ‘Timeform’ banner. Indeed, the first Timeform annual ‘Racehorses of 1947’ followed in 1948, and included an essay and numerical rating for each horse that ran on the Flat in the 1947 season. Remarkably, the four highest-rated horses, according to Timeform, filled the first four places in 2,000 Guineas, in the correct order, and were led home by My Babu, whose entry read ‘should win 2,000 Guineas’. In 1975/76, Bull published the first edition of the Timeform ‘Chasers & Hurdlers’ annual, which extended coverage to the sphere of National Hunt racing.

Summary

In promotional material for ‘Bull: The Biography’, published in 1995, Phil Bull was billed, justifiably, as ‘racing’s most celebrated and successful punter’. Certainly, Bull was one of the most influential figures in the history of horse racing, developing an innovative technique for analysing form by awarding a performance figure to each individual performance by a horse. Nowadays, that practice is part of the official handicappers’ methodology for handicapping horses. However, although he won, and lost, thousands of pounds, Bull was by no means an inveterate gambler. In fact, he once said, ‘I’m not a gambler. Betting as such doesn’t interest me’, although he added, ‘Racing is different; it’s a continuing play with a fresh set of individual characters every year. Not a who-done-it, but a who’ll do it.’

Saturday 14 September 2024

Why Do Men Go to the Pub: To Talk Shit & Tell Lies

Unfortunately, we can't go to the pub with the lockdown but I'm sure we can all associate with this blog title. 

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

Who is Patrick Veitch? 

A professional gambler once dubbed 'The Baby-Faced Assassin of the Betting Ring' by the tabloid press, Patrick Veitch is one of the most successful punters of modern times. As detailed in his autobiography, 'Enemy Number One: The Secrets of the UK's Most Feared Professional Punter', first published in 2009, in an eight-year period from 1999 he recorded profits in excess of £10 million. 

Notoriously reticent to reveal any details of his personal life, Veitch was a mathematics prodigy and not only applied to, but was accepted by, Cambridge University at the age of just 15. Unsurprisingly, he read mathematics at Trinity College, but soon launched a premium-rate telephone tipping service, operating under the moniker of 'The Professional', and recruited from the student body to man the telephones. Heading into his third year, his service was realising over £10,000 and, eventually, he abandoned his studies altogether. 

Veitch attracted the attention of leading owner Michael Tabor, one of the richest men in the country and a shrewd, unflinching punter, who paid him a seasonal retainer for his tips. Once, and only once, in a three-year period did Veitch tip what he considered a 'certainty' and, unafraid of 'putting his money with mouth was', invested £20,000 of his own cash. His selection, Blue Goblin, in the Coral Sprint Handicap at Newmarket on May 31, 1997, was sent off a heavily-backed 11/10 favourite and duly quickened clear to win, easily, by two-and-a-half lengths. 

Everything appeared to be set fair for Veitch, but the following June his association with Tabor, his career and his life, as he knew it, was brought to a shuddering halt. Faced by a disgruntled local businessman demanding money with menaces, Veitch refused to pay the stipulated £70,000, but contacted the police and, on their advice, immediately went into hiding for a period of nine months.

Veitch eventually testified against his would-be extortionist, Calvin Hall, an infamous and, as time would tell, highly dangerous criminal in open court, wearing a bulletproof vest. Hall was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in November, 1998 and subsequently received a much longer jail term after being convicted of the attempted murder of a police officer. The extortion episode took its toll, emotionally and financially, and by late 1998 Veitch was, by his own admission, 'at rock bottom'. However, in typically industrious, single-minded and self-confident fashion, he set about redressing the balance. 

In 'Enemy Number One', Veitch writes that his success essentially boils down to 'finding a bet where the odds are greater than the true chance of that event happening.' However, he does concede that any successful punter must possess the characteristics of a 'brain surgeon', when studying form and assessing odds, and of a 'mad axeman', when actually placing a bet. Nevertheless, such is his belief in his own ability, he once said, 'The chance of me having a losing year is basically zero.' Indeed, the main inconvenience that Veitch faces is placing bets with bookmakers; such is his notoriety that he cannot do so himself, so he employs a network of associates to wager money on his behalf. 

Veitch apparently makes most of his profits from his own hard work, rather than being 'privy' to inside information. However, Veitch and his partners, collectively known as 'The Exponential Partnership', did pull off a major betting coup with their own horse, Exponential, in the Wright Brothers Maiden Auction Stakes at Nottingham on August 16, 2004. 

The two-year-old son of Namid, a good source of useful juveniles, had made an unispiring debut for trainer Stuart Williams when last of 13, beaten 17 lengths, in a slightly better maiden race at Beverley the previous month, having weakened just after halfway. At Nottingham, Exponential opened at 100/1 but, having shown improved form at home, was backed into 8/1 joint-fourth favourite. Once underway, Exponential raced prominently and, once ridden into the lead a furlong-and-a-half from home, kept on to win by a length; Veitch landed winning bets worth in excess of £235,000. The racecourse stewards understandably questioned Williams regarding the improved form shown by Exponential, but accepted his explanation that the gelding had strengthened physically since his debut and benefited from the experience of his previous outing.

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. 


#BettingPeople

How Did Ladbrokes Get Started As A Bookmaker?

Ladbrokes is one of the largest and most well-known bookmakers in the world, with a rich history dating back to 1886. The company was founded by Scholes and Duggan, two commission agents who specialized in horse racing and started offering fixed odds on horse races. Over the years, Ladbrokes has expanded its operations to include a wide range of sports betting and gambling products, including casino games, poker, and bingo.

The early years of Ladbrokes were characterized by rapid growth and expansion, as the company quickly established itself as one of the leading bookmakers in the UK. As an aside, I have no idea if they have australian online casino sites but I'd love to know. The company was known for its innovative approach to sports betting, and was one of the first bookmakers to offer fixed odds on football matches.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Ladbrokes continued to expand its operations and grew into one of the largest and most successful bookmakers in the UK. The company was also one of the first bookmakers to embrace new technologies, such as computerized betting systems, which helped to improve the speed and accuracy of betting transactions.

Over the years, Ladbrokes has continued to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of the sports betting and gambling industry including top online slots. The company has been at the forefront of the digital revolution in the betting industry and has invested heavily in technology to provide customers with a seamless and user-friendly betting experience.

Today, Ladbrokes is a multinational company with a strong presence in several countries, including the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, and Australia. The company's online platform offers a wide range of sports betting and gambling products, and its mobile app allows customers to place bets and manage their accounts from anywhere, at any time.

One of the key factors behind Ladbrokes' success is its commitment to innovation and its focus on providing the best possible customer experience. The company has a strong focus on customer service and offers a range of tools and resources to help customers manage their betting activities and stay in control of their spending.

Ladbrokes is also known for its corporate social responsibility and has been actively involved in several initiatives to support local communities and charitable causes. The company has a strong commitment to promoting responsible gambling and has implemented a range of measures to help prevent problem gambling and to promote responsible gambling practices.

In conclusion, Ladbrokes is a true success story and a testament to the company's rich history and its commitment to innovation and customer service. The company's journey from a small commission agent to a multinational bookmaker is a testament to its ability to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of the betting industry. Ladbrokes' commitment to responsible gambling and its focus on providing the best possible customer experience has helped to make it one of the most trusted and respected names in the sports betting and gambling industry.

Tuesday 6 August 2024

The Millionaire Betting System

I'm surprised more people don't ask this question: ''Why do you bet on the horses?''

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. 

Each to their own. 

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.

Update: 'Unsurprisingly, the system I was told about didn't work. But that doesn't mean someone, somewhere, doesn't hold the key to the kingdom.'

Sunday 4 August 2024

How Did Mansion Bet Start As A Bookmaker?

Mansion Bet is a bookmaker that has been in business for over two decades. The company was founded in 2003 by the Mansion Group, a company that was already established as a leading online casino operator. The goal of Mansion Bet was to provide sports betting fans with a safe and secure environment in which to place bets on their favorite sports and events.

The early days of Mansion Bet were marked by rapid growth and expansion. The company quickly established itself as one of the leading online bookmakers in the UK, and it soon expanded into other countries in Europe. Mansion Bet’s success was driven by its commitment to providing customers with a high-quality betting experience. The company was one of the first to offer live streaming of sports events, and it was also an early adopter of mobile betting, which allowed customers to place bets from anywhere, at any time.

One of the key factors that has contributed to Mansion Bet’s success is its commitment to responsible gambling. The company has always placed a strong emphasis on promoting safe and responsible betting practices, and it has invested heavily in developing tools and resources to help its customers manage their betting behavior. For example, Mansion Bet offers a range of deposit limits and self-exclusion options, and it provides its customers with access to resources such as gamblers anonymous and other support groups.

Over the years, Mansion Bet has continued to expand and diversify its business. The company has acquired several other online betting companies, and it has also launched a number of new products, including a casino, live casino, and poker platform. Today, Mansion Bet is one of the largest and most successful online bookmakers in the UK, and it is widely regarded as a leader in the industry. 

Despite its success, Mansion Bet has faced several challenges along the way. One of the biggest challenges was navigating the complex regulatory landscape in different countries. In some countries, online betting is heavily regulated, while in others it is virtually unregulated. Mansion Bet has had to work hard to ensure that it complies with all relevant regulations in the markets in which it operates, while also ensuring that it is able to offer its customers a high-quality betting experience.

Another challenge has been maintaining its position as a leader in the industry. The online betting market is highly competitive, and new entrants are constantly entering the market. Mansion Bet has had to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology and innovation, while also ensuring that it is able to offer its customers a wide range of betting options and competitive odds.

In conclusion, Mansion Bet is a true success story in the world of online betting. The company was founded by a visionary entrepreneur who saw the potential for an online platform that would provide a safe and secure environment for sports betting fans. Over the years, Mansion Bet has continued to grow and evolve, and it is now one of the largest and most successful online bookmakers in the UK. Despite the challenges it has faced along the way, Mansion Bet has always remained committed to providing its customers with a high-quality betting experience and promoting responsible gambling practices.

Thursday 18 July 2024

Which Professional Darts Player Won The Bronze Bully on TV Programme Bullseye

Darts is popular. 

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)