Gambling is for cool people

Here is proof that you can be profitable, online, without Betfair even

alan27nologo wrote: »

I dont believe this as iif your a winning gambler online they just clse you down.

I have multiple accounts, I use Betfair for all my Golf bets and most of the Rugby, PP have restricted my account and I am having problems getting GAA bets on although William Hill are allowing them at the minute, Clare minors will ensure this continues for a while :mad:

its like everything in life..if you put the work/effort in theres rewards.

alan27nologo wrote: »

Having worked in 3 different bookmakers for over 10 years I have realised that to take part in gambling on a daily basis you may as well be wizzing your money against the wall. The odds are completely packed against you and people will actually convince themselves that its worthwhile to gamble. These bookmakers make loads of money all off peoples losing bets. Think about it the next time your in a Paddy Power or A Boylesport who do you think is paying the rent the bills and the staff wages.

Like you I have worked in bookies myself for two summers while in in college. I have seen what people get up to and all that. I also fell into the trap of thinking its easy money when things go well. I was lucky in the fact that the place I worked the some punters had some great links to trainers and were doing well. I followed and won quite a bit, but it did not last forever. Things went downhill but I was lucky that I was still on profit.

What the bookies want is you to do their special bets like Lucky 15, Yankees and that awful Union Jack bet(whatever else you do stay well away from that one folks).

Now I bet on what I seem to have good knowledge in which is Golf, Football, GAA and Boxing. I keep a record of my bets and at end of every month or so I see where I might be going right or wrong. I will never be able to give up the day job thats for sure. I am not a big gambler anyway 5win/place be biggest bet I have on golf and 20quid on gaa or football..

The big thing for me though is value..I always make sure that the odds I am betting on are better then what I think they should be otherwise I stay well alone. In Golf I tend to have 2-3 players every year which I will follow and keep the belief that they will win soon enough which has done me great service over last few years. I have only had 2 bets on GAA this year.One was Kildare -2 points against Laois which I taught was unreal value(easy on hindsight) but came in and that's with me looking at odds for every GAA match this year.

Another big thing is never to back more then you can afford. I wont back on sport every week I dont feel like I need to bet

Lastly I never bet on anything more then double and 90% time when backing in football say, I will only do single(s) bet and stay well away from those accums which are bookies heaven.

premierstone wrote: »

Well what does ''many'' mean?, I guess I know what you mean, tbh I have no idea what % of gamblers would be in profit, most have no idea themselves becasue they dont keep detailed records if any at all and a large number also delude themselves into thinking they are winning punters, rememeber the big wins but selectivley forget all the times they walked out of the shop pennyless.

I guess from my own experience I know about 20 regular punters and I would say only 3, myself included, are in profit, I have nothing to back up my belief that the other two are in profit only basing this on dicussion groups we hold and info we share, but we are definitely the only 3 who actually put a bit of effort into it and see it as a second job rather than a passtime.

I think this is key if you back regularly is to keep records..I was amazed at where I was going wrong with bets till I stated doing it, like others I taught I was doing better then I was making out. I have kept records for past 4 years and you will really surprise yourself at what you do right and wrong..

jive wrote: »

Gambling isn't for fools but thinking that you can continue making money in the long term is for fools unless you have some insider information. The thing about bookies is as soon as you find a way to consistently win money they will limit your account. I have had my account limited on Stan James, Will Hill and Paddy Power. The only other bookie I've used is Bet365. I use Betfair more often than not.

Basically for the man hours I would have to put in to make money wouldn't make it worth while anymore because I can't bet online off my own card. I could use other peoples cards and give them money for it but that is simply too much effort setting up accounts and handing them cash, just too messy for it to work. Bookies only like taking your money and if you start winning that's the end of that. It's a pity that joe soap on the street doesn't know this and it's a pity that the bookies are allowed to do it.

I just surprised it's legal tbh - maybe if your laying the house on 100/1 horses once in a while that'd be pretty suspicious in fairness so that'd be a genuine concern but I assume most people here and in general who have accounts limited aren't getting races or sports events fixed...

CiaranC wrote: »

Are you suggesting that bookies should be forced to take on any wager anyone wants? You do realise this would bankrupt the industry overnight and cost tens of thousands of jobs?

if someone is good at picking winners of games of soccer or whatever don't let them bet at all :rolleyes:

but if your ****e let them bet every last penny they have


to save the industry and all that

CiaranC wrote: »

Are you suggesting that bookies should be forced to take on any wager anyone wants? You do realise this would bankrupt the industry overnight and cost tens of thousands of jobs?

No but why limit accounts to €7-€11 euro bets on everything and anything? I've had many accounts closed and it's probably due to taking the best industry prices. Why offer the prices if you're going to limit the account if the person keeps taking the best prices?

Are you suggesting it's fair that win or lose they will limit your account just because you aren't gambling like a moron? The odds are heavily in the bookies favour to begin with and that fact that they limit anyone who bets in a way they think may lose them money in the long run is stupid. Of course the bookies will always win if they only take money off losing accounts. What kind of service is that offering? You lose, welcome back. You win, you're barred.

They are long enough in the tooth to know that people aren't betting on fixed events when limiting most accounts. They do it because potentially they see this person may win money in the long run due to their choices.

CiaranC wrote: »

Why do you think it has to be "fair"? Bookmakers exist to make a profit, like any other business, not to be "fair".

Do you go on Betfair looking to lay punters with "fairness" in mind? Of course you dont.

Because they offer a service and they advertise a service. The terms and conditions are half a mile long and filled with mumbo jumbo. It is not common knowledge to average joe on the street that if he starts winning they won't take his bets. If you're winning that's it, no go. What is the point of gambling if there can only be one outcome? It's not gambling when it's clearly a certainty you will lose with bookies. You may as well be burning your money.

Betfair is an exchange so it isn't really comparable.

Healio wrote: »

Thats only a half truth, not all winners are restricted. I've seen people who threw shedloads away every week, and one day clicked a big accum that would have put them well ahead. They were not told to never comeback, like you seen to be perpetuating.

I back online. I imagine it's much harder to track in shops where you can go to multiple shops and you won't really be recognised unless you are making a killing. You can only go to one website unfortunately and it is all tracked on your account. And I wouldn't want to break the T's and C's by opening other accounts on other cards :P

CiaranC wrote: »

What does that mean?


What do you mean an exchange isnt comparable. Is a pro layer on betfair expected to be "fair" to you and let you win or not? Or is it just High Street bookies?

It's pretty simple to understand. They offer to take wagers on events. This is called gambling on said events. However, it isn't gambling if there can only be one outcome.

How is an exchange comparable? You are betting against each other and the exchange takes commission. You don't get limited or restricted. It's an exchange. How can a layer be fair? What does that even mean? If I give him odds and he takes them then great. If he wins then tough shít, I had the choice. Bookies don't give you a choice and therefore they cannot lose.

Those of you who worked in the industry, what did ye do? On the counter or traders or????

I'd love to work on the counter of a bookies, couldn't think of a better job actually, all that stops me is the hours. I would want all of Cheltenham off, all of Galway off, all weekends off, ha couldn't see that going down too well!

Would be a cool job though.