Dave Nevison said: ‘He is a Bloody Good Winner.’
In fact, it is the title of his book about years of punting on the horses as a professional gambler. It’s a great read and full of the truths of gambling, humour and the trials and tribulations that working at the rock face reveals.
For many, the ambition of being a professional gambler is a real ambition. But, in truth, it is a difficult although exciting life to live. I’ve read many gambling books and comparing and contrasting their findings. It begs the question: ‘Are all professional horse racing gamblers the same?’
It seems logical to think they are the same. They have found the key to success. But is it the same key? And if we found that secret, would we beat the bookies at their own game?
I’ve read the following professional gambler books from these well known punters:
Dave Nevison
Phil Bull
Alec Bird
Patrick Veitch
Jack Ramsden
Harry Findlay
Barney Curley
To detail one pro gambler let’s consider Phil Bull’s 10 Commandments on successful gambling.
Here are his golden rules:
1. Only bet on selections you consider value-for-money (for Bull this could have even been odds-on shots)
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.
Interesting points.
But are all pro gambler singing from the same hymn sheet or have the same gambling philosophy?
The quick answer is ‘No’.
In fact, the first thing you notice is that very few pro gamblers follow a similar approach. Obviously, there are a few foundational similarities but personally they are a contradictory group of people.
I’d love to gather a few of the biggest names in gambling and see where the conversation went and what was said. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take long before each looked at the other and muttering to themselves: ‘That bloke hasn’t got a clue what he’s talking about. How on earth did he make any money gambling?’
‘Loser!’
As a gambler myself, I have thought the same.
I think what we can take from such difference is that our nurturing as a gambler finds its own route via success or failure. In that sense, winners dictate your betting approach, process and method. It isn’t a bad thing. There is no proven route to gambling on the horses, your staking plan, bets and anything you can imagine.
Don’t limit others in the sense that they may have a very different approach to you. In reality you should only measure your success or failure compared with yourself. It is pointless comparing your self to others although it is human nature to do so but far from productive.
The thing about successful gambling is that all roads can lead to Rome. You don’t need to question others to the tenth degree. Someone is making their betting pay because they have taken the time to find answers to questions.
Winning at gambling is about finding answers to questions.
As Tony Bloom said: ‘We answer the most interesting questions in sport.’
And that is, basically, the answer to the question of being a successful gambler.
Knowledge.