Essentially a break even week on the golf with each service managing to find at least one to finish in the pay out places.  For a while it looked like Weekly Golf Value’s Alexander Bjork sitting just behind the leader going into the final round but it wasn’t to be and indeed the Swede dropped out of the frame altogether.

The most success this week was achieved by PGA Profit who found two to place Stateside – one of which at the elevated odds of 150/1, coughed up a decent return.  Golf Insider squeaked a couple of points profit by tipping up the same player – Troy Merritt.

So all in all, another week where we weren’t far away from a winner.  Very happy to tread water week by week, just waiting for the next big win to land.

Golf Insider (200pt bank): Staked 157pts, -12.234pts, roi -7.79%, roc -6.11%, High 14.35pts, CDD: -26.584pts, Max DD: -60.715pts

 PGA Profit (500): Staked 402pts, +89.73pts, roi 22.32%, roc 17.94%, High +178.5pts, CDD: -88.77pts, Max DD: -115.77pts

 Weekly Golf Value (2,000): 3,447pts, +1,467.01pts, roi 42.55%, roc 73.35%, High 1,928.81pts, CDD: -461.8pts, Max DD: -461.8pts.

Golf Totals: ROI 31.47%, ROC 39.63%

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

The fine form of Precision Value continues as the ROI for the year to date broke the 10% mark for the first time.  It’s been a sustained run of good form for the service to drag it back and now press ahead from a position of loss over the first few months of the year.  What has been noticeable is the number of winners at 4/1, 9/2 and even 5/1 after a pre-race drift we’ve had recently.  For a service that concentrates on the shorter end of the market in terms of prices, these longer odds are significant.

Dreadful week for Bet Alchemist though with no winners and a -10 point loss.  Up to this point, the deepest drawdown we’d seen in 2021 for this tipster was a mere nine points which is quite remarkable.  So I guess in many ways we were due a bad week.  Hopefully that is all it will be, and we’ll be back amongst the profits soon.

Bet Alchemist (100pt bank): Staked 215pts, +32.58pts, roi 15.15%, roc 32.58%, High: 42.58pts, CDD: -10pts, Max DD: -10pts.

Northern Monkey (100): Staked 238.5pts, +34.659pts, roi 14.53%, roc 34.65%, High: 36.931pts, CDD: -2.272pts, Max DD: -27.028pts

Precision Value (200):  Staked 377pts, +39.32pts, roi 10.42%, roc 19.66%, High: 39.32pts, CDD: 0pts, Max DD: -24.834pts.

Racing Service 1 (50): Staked 29.5pts, +6.312pts, roi 21.39%, roc 12.62%, High: 12.312pts, CDD: -6pts, Max DD: -8pts.

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

Things have gotten pretty quiet over the past week.  No bets from Sports Service 1, and nothing from Scottish Football Income Booster as the regular season has finished.  The profit made from the two winning Sports Service 2 picks were more or less negated by The Poacher losing a point over the week, so all in all, not a lot to report on.

It got me wondering…any good cricket tipsters out there?

Cricket kinda runs my life at this time of year.  There is literally not a day of the week that I’m not either coaching or playing.  And yet, I have never had a cricket tipster to follow.  There must be some out there, surely?  I know Covid has had an impact on the sport but as we get back to normality, there will be Test Matches or one day domestic and international games being played all year round.  A good tipster would be a good addition to the portfolio.

Sports Service 1 (30pt bank): Staked 19.75pts, +6.295pts, roi 31.87%, roc 20.98%, High: 7.295pts, CDD: -1pts, Max DD: -1pts.

Sports Service 2 (40): Staked 45pts, -5.744pts, roi -12.76%, roc -14.36%, High 0pts, CDD: -5.744pts, Max DD: -6.734pts.

 Scottish Football Income Booster (100): Staked 88pts, -12.337pts, roi -14.04%, roc -12.33%, High: 4.394pts, CDD: -16.731pts, Max DD: -17.984pts.

 The Poacher (40): Staked 205pts, +12.306pts, roi 6%, roc 30.76%, High: 19.068pts, CDD: -6.762pts, Max DD: -9.645pts

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

I found myself whistling the ridiculously catchy tune of the song “I’m The King of the Swingers”, from that fab film ‘The Jungle Book’ through most of this last weekend.  Couldn’t stop myself.  Over and over again, a real ear worm.

Why?  Because the King of the Swingers was one King Louie, the orangutan who ran the mob in the crumbling lost city…and yup, thanks to Weekly Golf Value, I was on Louis Oosthuizen who spent the majority of the USPGA up near top spot.  If you have no idea of what I’m talking about, do yourself a favour. I’m telling you, I can’t get that darned song out of my head.

Anyway, Oosthuizen stayed close to the top of the leaderboard, without ever getting his nose in front, and WGV and I had to be content with a place return.  With Abraham Ancer finding himself in the frame too – and sharing it with nine other golfers – it was a break even week for WGV.

The same for Golf Insider who got Paul Casey placed.  For those who back the First Round leader and 3-ball bets in addition to those in the ‘Outright’ market, a decent profit was landed and very nearly a nice 50/1 winner on the opening day.

As for PGA Profit, they too had Ancer so a return there, but nothing elsewhere.

So, all in all, a very small loss on the week.  We move on.

Now, altogether now one, two, three…”Oh oobee doo, I wanna be like you-o-o…”

Golf Insider (200pt bank): Staked 147pts, -14.234pts, roi -9.68%, roc -7.11%, High 14.35pts, CDD: -28.584pts, Max DD: -60.715pts

 PGA Profit (500): Staked 383pts, +62.73pts, roi 16.37%, roc 12.54%, High +178.5pts, CDD: -115.77pts, Max DD: -115.77pts

 Weekly Golf Value (2,000): 3,314pts, +1,538.51pts, roi 46.42%, roc 76.92%, High 1,928.81pts, CDD: -390.3pts, Max DD: -390.3pts.

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

It’s been a busy time with the York Dante meeting on last week (a meeting that always makes me think that summer is nearly here, even if the weather suggests otherwise) and a busy weekend of racing action on both sides of the Irish Sea.  And Bet Alchemist made hay as it stormed to a new profit high for the year to date.

A steady stream of placed returns and a couple of winners at York were usurped when BA picked a 12/1 winner at Naas on Sunday.  It’s lovely to see such hot form from Bet Alchemist and long may it continue.  Not far off 50% bank growth for 2021 by mid-May.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

Despite a horrible start to the week which saw 13 consecutive losers, Precision Value turned things around to end in a good profit.  Three winners at 9/2 and another at 4s added more profit to another service currently in form and like Bet Alchemist, now stands at a new profit high for the year.

With a big meeting at York through the week we’d expect Northern Monkey to be busy, and so he was.  All told though, after a fair amount of betting action, we ended practically all square with this one.

So the racing portfolio now stands at a new high for bank growth.  Now please, can it stop being so wet so we can get some consistent ground conditions.  Please.

Racing portfolio: ROI 16.1%, ROC 26.9%.

Bet Alchemist (100pt bank): Staked 205pts, +42.58pts, roi 20.77%, roc 42.58%, High: 42.58pts, CDD: 0pts, Max DD: -9pts.

Northern Monkey (100pts): Staked 226.75pts, +36.903pts, roi 16.27%, roc 36.9%, High: 36.931pts, CDD: -0.028pts, Max DD: -27.028pts

Precision Value (200pts):  Staked 355pts, +30.987pts, roi 8.72%, roc 15.49%, High: 30.987pts, CDD: 0pts, Max DD: -24.834pts.

Racing Service 1 (50pts): Staked 29.5pts, +6.312pts, roi 21.39%, roc 12.62%, High: 12.312pts, CDD: -6pts, Max DD: -8pts.

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

It’s been a poor week for the sports portfolio, and that patience I was talking about last week is being sorely tested.  We’ve not quite reached the deepest drawdown previously suffered this year, and in fact the deficit from the previous high is less than 8% of the bank attributed to the four services collectively.  So it’s not as if we’re losing lots of money.

What is proving to be – if I’m being honest – a little disheartening, is the one step forward, two steps backward scenario that we’re seeing from Sports Service 1 and Scottish Football Income Booster.  As far as the former is concerned, it feels like we’ve spent the last two or three weeks slowly clawing back the losses we experienced in the first part of the year, but the prices taken have been so short, that the two losses from two bets last week have knocked us straight back to where we were.

For SFIB it’s been similar.  We had a tremendous weekend a couple of weeks back with all four or five bets winning and a big chunk of the overall loss being regained, but the last two poor weekends (four losses from four bets this weekend) has undone much of that good work.

But, this is all part and parcel of betting.  We will have frustrating periods, and this is one of them.  Perhaps the feeling of malaise has been heightened by the The Poacher only issuing three bets this week (all losers) due to ill health.  Get well soon, TP!

Sports Service 1 (30pt bank): Staked 19.75pts, +6.295pts, roi 31.87%, roc 20.98%, High: 7.295pts, CDD: -1pts, Max DD: -1pts.

Sport Service 2 (40pts): Staked 43pts, -6.734pts, roi -15.66%, roc -16.83%, High 0pts, CDD: -6.734pts, Max DD: -6.734pts.

 Scottish Football Income Booster (100pts): Staked 88pts, -12.337pts, roi -14.04%, roc -12.33%, High: 4.394pts, CDD: -16.731pts, Max DD: -17.984pts.

 The Poacher (40pts): Staked 197pts, +13.286pts, roi 6.74%, roc 33.21%, High: 19.068pts, CDD: -5.782pts, Max DD: -9.645pts

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

Well, I thought we were going to notch our next big winner over on the US Tour this weekend.  Sam Burns, the 33/1 pick of Weekly Golf Value led going into the final round and looking good.  He was out shot by a Tour rookie who won at I don’t know what price.  Bugger!  I suppose it’s a bit cheeky to expect 33/1 winners, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed.  Other than Burns’ performance, it was a disappointing week for WGV as no other golfer – on either side of the Atlantic – found it in them to place.

Better for Golf Insider who found two placers in the British Masters, one of which was backed at 80/1 and the other at 150/1, so a decent 14 points profit on the week all told.  Alas nothing this week for PGA Profit.

Big week coming up as we have the second Major tournament of the year, the USPGA Championship.  Bring it on!

Golf Insider (200pt bank): Staked 141pts, -14.734pts, roi -10.44%, roc -7.36%, High 14.35pts, CDD: -29.084pts, Max DD: -60.715pts

 PGA Profit (500pts): Staked 366pts, +71.73pts, roi 19.59%, roc 14.34%, High +178.5pts, CDD: -106.77pts, Max DD: -106.77pts

 Weekly Golf Value (2,000pts): 3,238pts, +1,535.51pts, roi 47.42%, roc 76.77%, High 1,928.81pts, CDD: -393.3pts, Max DD: -393.3pts.

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

Another good week for Northern Monkey and Precision Value pushes the racing portfolio to a new high, for the second consecutive week.  Not by much when we account for the losses of Bet Alchemist but any amount of movement in an upwards direction can only be a good thing.

What I would really like is some settled weather. Let’s face it, “spring” so far has been horrible.  Rain, hail, even snow.  Let’s have some sunshine, warmth, consistent good to firm ground…and I’m confident the results will get better still.  We are about to enter what is traditionally Northern Monkey’s strongest time of year, so I’m full of optimism anyway.

Fantastic to see Precision Value performing so well again.  The ROI is now getting close to it’s historic average.  Bearing in mind it was only a few short weeks ago it was struggling and significantly down for the year, it’s been quite the turnaround.

Bet Alchemist (100pt bank): Staked 191pts, +28.105pts, roi 14.71%, roc 28.1%, High: 33.355pts, CDD: -5.25pts, Max DD: -9pts.

Northern Monkey (100pts): Staked 208.875pts, +36.931pts, roi 17.68%, roc 36.93%, High: 36.931pts, CDD: 0pts, Max DD: -27.028pts

Precision Value (200pts):  Staked 335pts, +24.737pts, roi 7.38%, roc 12.36%, High: 24.737pts, CDD: 0pts, Max DD: -24.834pts.

Racing Service 1 (50pts): Staked 29.5pts, +6.312pts, roi 21.39%, roc 12.62%, High: 12.312pts, CDD: -6pts, Max DD: -8pts.

TOTAL ROI: 14.37%, ROC: 21.39%

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

Do you set yourself targets with your betting?  Do you say to yourself: “£X is how much profit I aim to make this year”?  I kinda do, and I kinda don’t.

I do in the sense that I have a certain amount of money, my betting bank, from which I set realistic targets in terms of how much growth from that bank I hope to make through the year (50%).  So I have an ambition – an annual ROC figure of 50%.

However, the trouble with betting is that once you have been careful and conscientious in terms of getting on, securing the best possible prices, etc., the actual outcome is completely beyond your control.  Over the long term we’re trusting that the tipsters we follow are identifying where the prices we’re taking on our bets hold value and should in fact be priced shorter than the bookmaker.  But within each individual bet there is no telling if a flukey last minute own goal, or a dart thrown by our player to win a match finishes 1mm to the outside of the wire instead of 1mm to the right before his opponent closes out the game.  We are helpless.  Which is why setting targets – as opposed to having ambition – is something I try not to do.

We’re talking subtle shades of grey here, aren’t we, between having targets and ambition?  My ambition is to have 50% bank growth over 12 months.  Is that not a target?  Possibly, but in my mind if I have a target then I’m saying that I have control over whether or not I hit it.  An ambition is more a real hope I achieve it, but at the same time accept that there are so many things out of my control that the ambition might not be realised.

Which brings me to the Sports portfolio.  Growth is slow at present.  We have Sports Service 2 and Scottish Football Income Booster steadily chipping away at the losses that have come from an initial poor start to the year.  Sports Service 1 is going through a slow phase in terms of turnover.  In other words, it’s a bit of a grind. It feels like if I set a target, then I’m adding to the pressure.  But when I look at the total ROC of these services to date (10.78%), then my ambition of 50% bank growth is still alive.  A couple of strong months, and I’d be right back on track.

Sports Service 1 (30pt bank): Staked 19.75pts, +6.295pts, roi 31.87%, roc 20.98%, High: 7.295pts, CDD: -1pts, Max DD: -1pts.

Sports Service 2 (40pts): Staked 41pts, -4.734pts, roi -11.54%, roc -11.83%, High 0pts, CDD: -4.734pts, Max DD: -6.564pts.

 Scottish Football Income Booster (100pts): Staked 82pts, -6.337pts, roi -7.72%, roc -6.33%, High: 4.394pts, CDD: -10.731pts, Max DD: -17.984pts.

 The Poacher (40pts): Staked 194pts, +16.286pts, roi 8.39%, roc 40.71%, High: 19.068pts, CDD: -2.782pts, Max DD: -9.645pts

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown

Good, is the answer.  Good.  Good.  Good.

I was chatting to a mate of mine last night who also likes to bet on the golf.  We were saying the same thing – if you can break even on the weeks you don’t win, essentially treading water whilst waiting for the next big win, then all is well.  The thing about golf betting of course, is that those weeks without a win can mount up.  We all know this is a long term game, especially so when wagering on golf.

The trouble is, after the absolutely blistering start to the year we’ve had, I’d kinda grown accustomed to not waiting for long before another winner hit.  So this week, I’ve taken a very deliberate mental adjustment, and am looking at a week in which each service essentially broke even as a good week.  Let’s not get carried away.  Let’s be patient.  Who knows when the next winner will come along.  It could be this week, it could be next month.  It could be in three months time.

Golf Insider (200pt bank): Staked 131pts, -28.734pts, roi -21.93%, roc -14.36%, High 14.35pts, CDD: -43.084pts, Max DD: -60.715pts

 PGA Profit (500): Staked 350pts, +87.73pts, roi 25.06%, roc 17.54%, High +178.5pts, CDD: -90.77pts, Max DD: -90.77pts

 Weekly Golf Value (2,000): 3,086pts, +1,635.01pts, roi 52.98%, roc 81.75%, High 1,928.81pts, CDD: -293.8pts, Max DD: -330.4pts.

Total ROI: 37.53%.  ROC: 41.67%.

*ROI – Return On investment, ROC – Return On Capital (ie. bank growth), CDD – Current Drawdown, Max DD – Maximum Drawdown