General

With online gambling taking preference for many gamblers, the sight of brick-and-mortar bookmakers is becoming less common compared to the heyday of the 1960s when off course gambling was legalised. In fact by the 1970s there were over 15,000 bookmakers in the UK. In recent years, the number of bookmakers has fallen and independent shops have diminished due too buyouts and closures.

In the 1980s we had an independent bookmakers at the top of our road. It was owned by one of the Scotney brothers. A small prefabricated building. I can’t say I ever went inside as I was underage. And by the time I reached eighteen (and the legal age to bet) it has gone by the way. There was no televised racing, just a tannoy which blasted out race commentary and results. Dad used to place a few bets each week. His favourite bet an each-way Yankee. With Dad’s betting slip in hand, we’d eagerly await the results on the radio and tell him the news.

He had a number of big wins.

He wasn’t a favourites man.

In this day of bookmaker restrictions and the Gambling Commission White paper to be announced at any time, it seems those heady days of gambling without complication have disappeared. We didn’t realise we had it so good.

All bookmakers are the same, limiting bets, restricting or closing accounts if someone looks like winning.

However, out of the two, which bookmaker is best: chain or independent?

Here are a few reasons why it might pay to bet with the independents:

• Personalised Service: Independent bookmakers often give a more personalised customer-centric experience. A long-standing relationship allowed for a more tailored betting and attention.

• You may get increased betting limits, odds, and payment methods.

• You may get better value as independent bookmakers have more competitive odds.

• Often greater emphasis and knowledge which sometimes relates to value in niche markets.

• They often rely on greater trust and reputation than chains to attract and retain clients.

• Face-to-Face Interactions: Punters often appreciate the personal interaction that comes with dealing with a local bookmaker.

• Credit Betting: Independent bookmakers are more likely to offer credit with trusted customers, settle accounts later, and build long-term relationships.

• Reduced Red Tape: Often have fewer bureaucratic procedures and regulations.

• Niche Markets: Independent bookmakers have the flexibility to cater for niche markets that may not be viable for larger chains.

• Community Involvement: Independent bookmakers often have a better relationships and deeply connected with local communities and may sponsor local sports clubs or events.

In the old days, the arrival of bookmaker chains seemed to offer more but in truth the independent bookmakers are sadly missed. You can’t beat the feel, trust and enjoyment of the old-style community interaction. In a world of ultimate manipulation the days of bookmakers taking a bet have sadly disappeared.

Thank the Lord for betting exchanges.

It’s interesting how we assume something as a fact. We don’t question it and that is a mistake. I have a feeling so many racing fans do the same when it comes to draw bias when betting or not on a given horse.

I had a conversation with my brother about this very subject. And I am sure to some extent I have fallen foul of this point. For example, when betting on two-year-old horse racing from a wide draw at Kempton, a turning course, perhaps stall 12 would put me off betting. In fact, horses with wide draws are likely to be much bigger price because they are drawn on the extreme. It seems natural that a horse drawn lower has an advantage. Logically that seems the case and it goes unquestioned. To a point this is correct and data would most likely prove it too. The problem with a wide draw on a turning course, where the turn comes after a couple of furlongs, is that the horse may struggle to get to the lead and worse still if it doesn’t get to the lead it will have to run perhaps four or five horses wide. This is a terrible position to find a horse you have backed and it really is a near hopeless position. The chances of winning are negligible.

But is a wide draw quite the death knell is sounds?

It might not be. Is their a positive to a wide draw? On the face of it there doesn’t seem to be one.

However, both a good and bad draw are two sides to the same coin.

You may be thinking what does that mean.

It is important to consider that winning or losing is much to do with intention. That is the intention of the trainer to win a race. This brings hope even from a wide draw. Because if a horse has a wide draw the trainer knows they will be able to negate the draw and turn it into a positive by getting to the lead. So the wide ‘negative’ may help influence the style of running for a given horse.

I’ve seen horses with wide draws do exactly this, they get to the lead as fast as possible.

With two-year-old horse racing there is a proviso that few debutantes are going to have the experience to achieve this. However, if the horse is on its second start it is a possibility. So the next time you look at a horse you fancy and put off by a wide draw consider this. Could it get to the lead?

Quite often the horse can and does because the trainer and jockey know what they have to do to win.

This can turn what seems to be a negative into a positive.

In addition, it often bring much more value to your bet with regard to increased betting odds. Quite often these horses drift markedly in the betting.

This is sometimes viewed as an additional negative.

Watch a few races and make your own mind up. If anything, it will help you appreciate it isn’t a good idea to just accept general opinion as being true.

Quite often what we consider a fact it is false.

The history of the word ‘furlong’ dates back to the Early Middle Ages. In the predominant European agricultural system of the day, known as the open-field system, the Anglo-Saxon acre was defined as a strip of land 40 rods, or 660 feet, long and four rods, or 66 feet, wide. When the land was ploughed, each furrow ran the length of the strip, such that ‘furlang’, derived from the Old English ‘furh’, meaning ‘furrow’, and ‘lang’, meaning ‘long’, came to mean ‘length of a furrow’. In Middle English, ‘furlang’ became ‘furlong’ and, in the Late Middle Ages, the term was used to describe a standard unit of length measuring 660 feet or, in other words, 220 yards or one-eighth of a mile.

Indeed, in the United Kingdom, the furlong remained an official measurement until it was excluded from commercial use, along with many other imperial units, by the Weights and Measures Act 1985. Nowadays, the furlong is used almost exclusively to specify the distances of horse races, traditionally to the nearest half furlong, or to indicate, in in-running comments, how far from the winning post a specific event, or events, took place; a typical in-running comment might include something along the lines of ‘…ridden and good headway to chase clear leader over 3f out, closing 2f out, led over 1f out…’ and so on.

By the time organised horse racing began, under the auspices of King Charles II, a.k.a. ‘Old Rowley’, in the second half of the seventeenth century, the furlong was a long-established unit of distance which, along with miles and yards, was particularly applicable on the racecourse. Certainly, for shorter races, the furlong provides a clear, unambiguous method of specifying fractions of a mile and, although not strictly necessary in modern horse racing, the tradition continues.

I’ve always admired Dave Nevison.

In fact, he was one of the first modern-day professional gamblers I found interesting. That was much to do with his publications which told of incredible stories of gambling illustrated with wisdom, humour and living life on the edge.

Nevison, originally from Halifax, West Yorkshire, got the gambling bug from his grandfather.

If you haven’t read any of his books then you will be delighted at the stories told.

A Bloody Good Winner: Life as a Professional Gambler was published by Highdown in June 2008. It was written in association with award winning writer David Ashworth who helped crafted a touch of magic within these prose.

It tells the story of Nevison taking the plunge as a professional gambler in 1993. In fact, it was his wife who encouraged him to follow his dream after becoming disillusioned working in the City specialising in foreign exchange and futures trading. With a redundancy package and savings, he had a betting bank of £50,000 to take on the bookmakers. His journey of backing horses for a living was ultimately a roller-coaster ride full of highs and lows. This book is a delightful mix of gambling, humour and a frank account of a betting man who beat the bookies at their own game.

His second book No Easy Money: A Gambler’s Diary published later that year by the Racing Post (2008) detailed a contrasting story of gambling with a no holds barred account of his life on the road travelling to racecourses around the country. The story begins at the start of the 2008 Cheltenham Festival and concludes with the final Flat meeting of the year, the St Leger. His aim was to make 1 million. But did he win or lose? It’s a story of high emotion and ups and downs. A gritty read.

After almost two decades of professional gambling, Nevison started work with Racing TV in 2005 as a Horseracing Television Presenter, Pundit & Columnist. His expert knowledge, relaxed approach and humour, has made him one of the leading hosts on the show.

In recent years, he has suffered from ill health related to diabetes which has seen him wheelchair bound.

He continues his work and very much a punter’s pal.

Other gambling books worth a read include:

Alex Bird: The Life and Secrets of a Professional Punter (1986)

Be A Successful Punter: With Fineform as Your Guide (1988)

Bull: The Biography (1995)

Against The Crowd: The Methods of a Modern Backer (1995)

Enemy Number One: The Secret of the UK’s Most Feared Professional Punter (2010)

The Sure Thing: The Greatest Coup in Horse Racing History (2015)

Gambling for Life: Harry Findlay (2017)

Dave’s twitter account: https://twitter.com/nevisondave