Racing is by far the best chance a bettor has of winning, no other sport offers so many opportunities to be massively on the right side of the odds. In 2 team sports the odds are so low and the markets so efficient, its not impossible but you would struggle to find big margins consistently. Casino games are not worth a mention as everyone knows its mathematically impossible to win at them bar card counting in blackjack I think. I say bettor to differentiate from gambler, because the act of gambling as we all likely know, results inevitably in losing. There is a difference between making good bets in a controlled manner and gambling, which for me is betting race to race with little more than a couple of minutes spent picking, its blind guessing basically and immoral. The fact that its possible to win on horse racing with discipline makes it all the harder to stop betting, for me anyway, if you had no chance it would be easy to stop. Discipline and temperament is by far the most important thing, doesnt matter how good a judge you are, if you cant stay in control of your mentality you are only ever a minute away from self destruction. This is why bookies are very quick to shut safe racing bettors down, you never hear of football bettors getting acounts closed and there is a reason for that.
Yes, I already know that Ron. I think for most of us who are in retirement, the shekels would soon vanish if we indulged in 'man-size' (good description that) bets as we did when we were working? Have to thank my good lady for telling me a few home truths when I came home for good and quit working for a living. Believe it or not, she knows a bit about UK horseracing, and its pitfalls for the majority of punters. Thank goodness I listened to her; I am sure I would be stony-broke long ago, with no wife too!
The likes of Freddie Williams and Barry Dennis won’t be seen again. Though tbf, rails bookies are still a different breed. Getting almost impossible for those guys to make a living though, when the betting rings are full of punters tapping away on their phones.
A mate and I did a bet on the top team in 10 european leagues because hey they are top for a reason right? Once it came in. I do a treble which pays around 3/1. Tenner on pays 40 then bank half and put 20 on the next....keep going till you lose and start again. That can piss you off also when the banker draws or loses
I restrict betting most of the time to once a week and that is usually a Saturday as I don't have time in the week to watch it - obvious exceptions being big meetings like Cheltenham, Aintree, Royal Ascot. I pick out the race(s) I like the look of either Friday night or Saturday morning and usually have 1 or 2 bets. Don't do accumulators really as a rule as they hardly ever come in. I keep it simple to single bets wins or each ways. Sometimes small stakes sometimes bigger. I vary it depending on how I feel. I don't understand people who bet every day as it seems obvious you aren't going to win all the time so seems a pointless exercise to me. Everything in moderation as they say! Most of it is my own assessment, especially for the flat - I m not one to really study the form. Form does not always work out anyway..I have a contact at Cheltenham racecourse who works as a tipster but he is national hunt only but his tips are pretty good so I will follow him at times. Also get some good info from our fellas yard which I take on board and pass on on here.
