The Scourge of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

This is gambling on crack cocaine, and the consequences can be just as destructive.

Rochdale is home to the most deprived estate in the country, with four out of five children growing up in poverty. But such hardship did not stop residents of the Lancashire former mill town from gambling £72million on high stakes betting machines last year, chasing jackpots of up to £500. The total, the equivalent of £340 for every man, woman and child in the town, will fuel the claim that casino-style fixed odd betting terminals (FOBTs), described as the ‘crack cocaine’ of gambling, risk causing serious addiction among the poor.

Read the full story at Mail Online

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Gaining an Edge Over the Bookie

This is a prickly subject.

If the bookmaker’s odds are unfair, how can a punter ever win? Given the disadvantage the overround imposes, it is no surprise that as many as 95% of gamblers fail to win at fixed odds sports betting over the long term. There is no denying that most bookmakers, particularly the well-established firms, are very good at setting prices, estimating the true chance of sporting results and locking in a profit margin.

Read the full story at HighClassEquine

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Betting Bank And Bankroll Management

Did you know that it’s possible to have an edge in every bet you make, yet still lose money?

Declan Meagher at LearnBetWin has produced an outstanding article to explain.

Read the full story at LearnBetWin.com

Image via Inc.com

These are all examples of cases where having an edge is not enough to guarantee a profit. If your stakes are too high your bank will fluctuate wildly and the inevitable bad run, when it comes, will undo all your hard work and your profits. That is not to say you should be ultra conservative, gambling at all is probably not for you if you’re unwilling to take some risks. Your risks should be calculated though, and it’s vital to understand that a long term successful strategy will have many periods of short to medium term loses. It is important that your betting bank can withstand these bad periods.

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The Hidden Cost Of Being A Professional Gambler

Today I’ve got another gem from the Horseracing Pro for you, and it’s a great piece about betting temperament.

I feel I cannot stress the importance of temperament enough in these pieces. We can all find our own method of working, and of course, if we do not deliver the necessary quota of winners we will fail. But the reverse and perverse side of the coin is that it is possible to even exceed the required amount of winners selected but still lose owing to a basic character fault. Such a fault is not something to be ashamed of, it may mean some adjustment or it may mean you have to face facts and accept you are not cut out to be a professional gambler, in the same way as some people will never be actors or salesmen. One of life’s important lessons is to be comfortable in your chosen profession. If you are not you cannot expect to perform to your best and it is preferable to turn your attention to something that suits.

Read the full story at HighClassEquine.com

Image via DeltaSociety.blogspot.com

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Top Tips For The All-Weather Horse Racing Season

With National Hunt jumps fixtures falling victim to the current cold snap, all-weather racing has come to the fore.

Can we profit from all-weather racing? Yes.

Lead writer Lee Greenhill at HorseSpy has penned a superb article about the use of speed figures to handicap races.

Read the full story at HorseSpy.co.uk

Image via eHarmony.com

Hopefully this has provided a simple method to calculating track variants to form a comparable speed figure for each animal. Everyone has their own method that suits their style, but in my opinion I would always favour a simple and quick method so as not to spend too much time in calculating figures and compiling the day’s ratings.

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Compiling A Tissue

To make your betting profitable, it’s essential to make sure you get the best value from your selections. Compiling your own tissue prices is one way to ensure that the odds you take about a horse represent enough value for you to be successful over the long haul.

Chris Worrell has put together an excellent piece over at GeeGeez which shows you how he goes about analysing a race, and coming up with his own tissue odds.

Read the full story at GeeGeez.co.uk

Image via theSun.co.uk

Backing 2/1 horses at 4/1 is the way forward where possible, of course! But by not knowing the “true” price of a horse, you may well end up doing the exact opposite.

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Betting Banks: Why You Need One for Backing And Another For Laying

How's this for one of the most patronizing intros to a blog post you'll read today.... If you want to take betting seriously effective money-management is essential. The first place to start is by setting up a betting bank.

 

Of course, we all know this. So what can I tell you that'll stop you simply closing this post, and moving onto something new?

 

Betfair accredited trainer Jonathan Burgess has expanded on the topic of betting banks, and discusses the benefits of using more than one betting bank.

Read the full story on False-Favourites.co.uk

I wanted to share this article with you because Jonathan speaks a great deal of sense when explaining how the use of more than one betting bank is the best way of monitoring the profit and loss from various betting systems and tipsters.

Image courtesy of False-Favourites.co.uk

Having a dedicated betting bank separate from other expenses allows you to bet objectively, and without the distraction of emotion. Jonathan's article also includes a couple of neat instructional videos.

Laying to maximum liability has shown to not only reduce the overall risk but it does not significantly reduce the bankroll growth. The only problem is that you have to be able to bet to a minimum stake of £2 on Betfair.

 

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You'll find a number of articles on risk and money-management over at SkyBlueKangaroo. My blog is dedicated to helping you make your betting pay. Hop on over to read about the horse racing systems that work and to browse the library of betting articles and tutorials.

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