Month: August 2026

Phil Smith: How a Professional Bettor Made Over 100% ROI

Posted on by Peter Ling

What does it actually take to make a living from betting?

Not simply finding the occasional winner, but identifying a genuine edge, exploiting it consistently and – perhaps most importantly a adapting when things stop working.

That’s the subject of our latest How I Bet For Profit video interview, available exclusively to Smart Betting Club members.

My guest is Phil Smith, a professional bettor and antepost specialist with an outstanding long-term record – including an extraordinary 2025/26 season that ultimately produced around 100% ROI.

Exclusive Video Interview Now Available For SBC Members.

Inside the Mind of a Professional Bettor

Phil’s route into antepost betting actually began almost by accident.

Having initially concentrated on trading, he started exploring football antepost markets as something of a side interest. After turning an initial bankroll of around £3,000 into £12,000, and importantly tracking the bets along the way, he realised there appeared to be a significant edge worth pursuing.

That edge has since developed into his full-time profession.

In this exclusive interview, Phil explains:

  • How he identifies antepost markets where bookmaker prices haven’t caught up with changing circumstances.
  • Why predicting where a price is going can be as important as predicting the eventual winner.
  • How he researches teams, leagues and goalscorer markets.
  • Why knowing which markets not to bet is crucial.
  • How he constructs and manages a portfolio containing thousands of bets.
  • The role of hedging, staking and risk management in his approach

It’s a fascinating look at the work that goes on behind the headline profits.

From a Challenging Season to Over 100% ROI

Perhaps the most interesting part of Phil’s story, however, is what happened when things didn’t quite go according to plan.

Following a more challenging 2024/25 season, Phil analysed his performance and identified where he could improve in his choice of markets, staking and where he was placing his bets.

The changes were substantial – and what followed was an exceptional 2025/26 campaign that ultimately produced over 100% ROI.

Even more revealingly, Phil can still identify mistakes he made during that hugely profitable season and areas he believes can be improved further.

It’s a great example of something we repeatedly emphasise at SBC: long-term profitable betting isn’t just about finding an edge. It’s about continually testing, refining and adapting it.

SBC Members Can Also Join Phil Smith Select

There’s another reason why this interview is particularly timely.

We’ve recently teamed up with Phil to launch Phil Smith Select, a separate betting service available exclusively to SBC members, giving subscribers the opportunity to follow a more accessible version of his antepost approach throughout the season.

Note – Phil Smith Select requires its own subscription in addition to SBC membership. The full How I Bet For Profit video interview with Phil is included as part of your standard SBC membership.

The emphasis is particularly on goalscorer bets and accumulators, with modest stakes allowing followers to gradually build a portfolio across the football season.

As a member, you’ll also receive access to our independent, in-depth betting service reviews, exclusive interviews with successful bettors, strategy and educational content, practical betting advice, the monthly SBC Magazine and a growing range of member-only offers.

Join the Smart Betting Club today and you’ll gain immediate access to the full Phil Smith How I Bet For Profit interview, along with our latest SBC Magazine, independent betting service reviews, exclusive member content and offers.

You’ll also have the option to join Phil Smith Select and follow Phil’s bets throughout the season.

Why Betting Odds-On Can Be More Profitable Than You Think

Posted on by Peter Ling

There is a particular type of bet that many experienced bettors instinctively dislike.

A 1.30 shot.

A 1.20 shot.

Sometimes even shorter.

The usual reaction is that there cannot possibly be much value at those prices.

But what if that thinking is wrong?

And what if avoiding short priced bets means ignoring some of the best betting opportunities available?

That is something we have been highlighting at the Smart Betting Club for years.

And this week, independent tipster and betting analyst Craig Edwards provided a very interesting example of it.

“I Rarely Bet Odds On”

Craig has just published a detailed review of WinnerOdds, a service we have followed, reviewed and recommended at SBC for several years.

What makes his experience particularly interesting is that WinnerOdds goes against Craig’s normal betting instincts.

As he explains:

“Anyone who follows my stuff will know I rarely bet odds on, very rarely, but this service in general is the opposite.”

Craig originally subscribed after our recommendation at Smart Betting Club.

Nearly 30 months later, his verdict is pretty emphatic:

“I did and have never looked back!”

You can read Craig’s full independent WinnerOdds review here:

​https://craigedwards811131.substack.com/p/winner-odds-review​

Craig also explains that WinnerOdds concentrates on smaller edges combined with significant betting volume, meaning many of its selections are odds on.

It is a very different approach to hunting for big priced winners. But that does not mean the value is any smaller.

Why Betting Odds On Is So Misunderstood

Earlier this year we explored this exact subject at SBC.

One of the biggest misconceptions in betting is that a short price automatically means poor value.

It doesn’t.

A team offered at 1.30 that should actually be priced at 1.20 represents an edge of around 6.5%.

Find opportunities like that repeatedly and those relatively small advantages can add up.

Our analysis of more than 4,000 bets from one successful football service found that over a third of its 1,552 points of profit came from its short priced bets.

But I have also seen the same thing with my own money.

€37,000 Profit betting between 1.01 and 1.6

I personally followed WinnerOdds for several years.

Over that period my account generated just under €64,000 profit.

And here is the part that might surprise you.

More than €37,000 of that profit came from bets priced between just 1.01 and 1.60.

That is nearly 60% of the total profit coming from the sort of prices many bettors instinctively avoid.

They weren’t winning bets simply because they were short.

They were profitable because they were mispriced.

You can read our full article explaining the numbers and why short priced betting is so often misunderstood here:

​https://smartbettingclub.com/blog/betting-odds-on-is-misunderstood/​

This Is What SBC Is About

There are countless accepted ideas in betting that deserve to be questioned.

Never back odds on.

Always look for bigger prices.

A short priced winner was obvious.

A losing bet was a bad bet.

At the Smart Betting Club, we are interested in what the evidence actually tells us rather than anecdotes or assumptions.

That means independently testing betting services, analysing thousands of real bets, speaking with successful bettors and sharing the strategies and services we believe serious bettors should know about.

WinnerOdds is just one example.

SBC members get access to our monthly SBC Magazine, our archive of betting service reviews and reports stretching back 20 years, plus our latest research, interviews, analysis and member benefits.

​If you want to make better informed betting decisions and discover opportunities you may otherwise overlook, you can join Smart Betting Club today.

Cricket Betting Insights With Ed Hawkins, Finding Value in a Growing Market

Posted on by Peter Ling

Cricket betting has become one of the fastest growing betting markets in the world. In Episode 106, I talked with journalist, author and cricket betting expert Ed Hawkins to explore why more serious bettors are turning their attention to the sport.

Drawing on more than 20 years covering cricket and betting markets, Ed explains why bookmakers continue to make pricing mistakes, the betting markets he believes offer the biggest edge, and why understanding pitch conditions is often more important than following recent form.

We also discuss the rapid growth of franchise cricket around the world, how the CricStatz VIP service identifies value alongside Richard Mann and Paul Krishnamurty, and why discipline remains one of the most underrated skills in profitable betting.

If you’ve read our recent CricStatz review in SBC Magazine Issue 166, this conversation provides an excellent opportunity to hear directly from one of the people behind the service.

With an SBC membership, you can also save up to £200 on a CricStatz subscription.

Whether you’re an experienced cricket bettor or someone looking to explore a growing market, this episode offers plenty of practical insights into finding value cricket betting.

You can listen to Episode 106 FREE now via Apple / Spotify / YouTube and all other major podcast directories (search Smart Betting Club)

You can also support the SBC Podcast by visiting our podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get 150 days, commission free with them via this link.

Topics covered include

  • Ed Hawkins’ journey from Racing Post journalist to one of cricket betting’s most respected analysts
  • Why cricket continues to offer value despite the explosion in data and analytics
  • How bookmakers still make regular pricing mistakes in cricket markets
  • Why pitch reports and playing conditions are often the biggest edge for bettors
  • The balance between statistics, cricket knowledge and market pricing
  • Why Top Run Scorer, Player Performance and Sixes markets offer consistent opportunities
  • Why recent form can be overrated in T20 cricket betting
  • The importance of discipline and knowing when not to place a bet
  • How the CricStatz VIP team works together to identify value bets
  • Why the service only quotes realistic, widely available prices
  • The rapid growth of franchise cricket and what it means for bettors
  • Why some emerging cricket leagues are avoided because of integrity concerns
  • How Test cricket creates unique opportunities for in play betting
  • The future of cricket betting and where Ed believes the biggest opportunities still exist.

​

Key quotes

On Bookie Vulnerability​
“The bookmakers do not have the resources to spend enough time on cricket. I think you get plenty of mistakes in cricket prices.”

On Why Pitches Matter​
“The pitch report is absolutely vital. I wouldn’t be betting heavily on a game unless I was convinced I knew what the wicket was like.”

On Gauging The Right Time​
“Cricket is about failing the majority of the time. The trick is working out when someone is going to hit their sweet spot.”

On Its 365 Day Potential
​“The growth of franchise leagues means there are betting opportunities almost every day of the year.”

On Its Growth As A Sport
​“Years ago you could only really bet on match odds or Top Batsman. Now you’ve got player runs, player performances, wicket markets and total runs.”

On The Money Involved
​“The money swirling around cricket betting is still absolutely huge.” “The Indian betting market is so vast that it props up everything else.”

Phil Smith Select, New Football Antepost Betting Service

Posted on by Peter Ling

Today we’re pleased to introduce the newest addition to our SBC Premium range: Phil Smith Select.

It’s a new football antepost betting service we’ve developed with full time professional bettor Phil Smith, designed to provide a more accessible way to benefit from his specialist approach to betting on long term football markets.

If you enjoy football betting but want to look beyond the usual match markets, we think this is a particularly interesting service to consider for the season ahead.

Phil Smith Select is now live and available for £150 for the entire season.

Discover more and subscribe now via https://smartbettingclub.com/pss/​

Who Is Phil?

Many of you may already know Phil from Episode 101 of the SBC Podcast, where he joined me to discuss his career as a professional bettor and his specialism in football antepost markets and exchange trading.

Phil’s route into professional betting was far from instant.

He spent years learning from early losses, refining his approach and building his bankroll before eventually becoming a full time bettor in 2020.

Betfair trading initially formed an important part of that journey, but in recent years Phil has increasingly focused on football antepost betting.

His approach centres on identifying value well before markets are settled, building a portfolio across numerous positions and actively managing those bets as prices and circumstances change throughout the season.

As Phil explained to me on the podcast:

“Why did they bet now and not later, that’s the question you should be asking.”

That thinking is at the heart of how Phil approaches antepost betting.

The Results That Caught Our Attention

We’ve been following Phil’s betting for some time and first reviewed his Antepost service back in May 2024.

We returned to it again this summer, and the results were exceptional.

*At the time of our latest SBC review in mid May, Phil’s full Antepost service had advised 1,799 bets, generating £62,096.74 profit from £85,051.88 staked, an ROI of 72.99%.

And the season wasn’t finished.

By the time the final positions were settled in June, Phil’s eventual ROI had risen beyond 100%.

Those numbers naturally caught our attention, but just as important was the structured process behind them.

Phil combines detailed research and value identification with diversification, disciplined staking and active management of his positions throughout the season.

That led us to consider whether we could create a version of his approach that would be practical for a wider group of bettors to follow.

Discover more and subscribe now via Phil Smith Select​

Introducing Phil Smith Select

The biggest challenge with Phil’s full Antepost service is simply the commitment required to follow it properly.

There are a lot of bets, significant capital requirements and plenty of ongoing portfolio management.

Phil Smith Select has been created as a more streamlined alternative.

Rather than following every position from the full service, Select advises approximately 50 to 60% of the betting volume, with a greater emphasis on specialist goalscorer markets alongside selected long term football positions.

The same underlying approach remains.

The difference is that Select should require considerably less time, fewer bookmaker accounts and a smaller betting bank.

Members receive:

  • Football antepost bets throughout the season
  • Approximately 50 to 60% of the volume of Phil’s full service
  • A greater focus on specialist goalscorer markets
  • Access required to just four or five major bookmakers
  • A recommended betting bank starting from approximately £1,500
  • Active portfolio management, including cash out advice where appropriate
  • Two dedicated Telegram channels, one for official bets and another for discussion, updates and portfolio management

The cost is £150 for the entire season.

A Different Addition To Your Betting Portfolio

One reason we’re particularly interested in Phil’s approach is how different it is from most football betting services.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on matches taking place today or this weekend, Phil is looking much further ahead.

That might mean identifying value in a goalscorer market before a player’s prospects are fully reflected in the price, or taking a season long position that Phil believes could become considerably more valuable as the campaign develops.

There is also an active management element.

Positions can be traded, cashed out or adjusted as circumstances change.

For bettors accustomed to traditional match betting, it provides exposure to a very different type of football betting.

Specialist betting approaches from people whose methods and results we have researched closely, giving serious bettors access to opportunities they might otherwise struggle to find.

Phil Smith Select is now open for the new football season at £150.

You can read everything about the service and join below:

​Join Phil Smith Select Now​

We hope many of you will join us for what promises to be another fascinating football season.

 

Sample ScreenShots

The screenshots below provide just a flavour of the type of long-term antepost portfolios Phil constructs, combining goalscorer and season-long football markets into carefully balanced multiples.

​

SBC Magazine Issue 166: CricStatz Review, Is Cricket Betting the Next Big Opportunity for Smart Bettors?

Posted on by Peter Ling

For years, football and horse racing have dominated the attention of serious bettors.

But whilst some of those markets have become increasingly competitive, another has quietly been growing into one of the biggest betting opportunities in the world.

Cricket.

Driven by an explosion of domestic T20 competitions and increasing liquidity on betting exchanges, cricket betting has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the betting industry.

We believe that trend is only going one way and more and more smart bettors will start investing in the sport.

So this month, we take a close look at one of the sport’s most respected specialist betting services.

In SBC Magazine Issue 166, we put CricStatz under the microscope, a unique service that combines the expertise of three of cricket betting’s best known names, Richard Mann, Ed Hawkins and Paul Krishnamurty.

Together they’ve produced a fully proofed 7.3% ROI from their first 1,025 bets. Better still, SBC members can also save up to £200 with an exclusive CricStatz member discount.

Access Issue 166 and the entire 20 year back catalogue with a SBC Membership​

The Feature Review: CricStatz Under The Microscope

  • 3 proven cricket tipsters working together in one transparent portfolio.
    ​
  • Independently reviewed results showing a 7.3% ROI from the first 1,025 advised bets.
    ​
  • An in depth examination of how the service operates, tracks results and manages value.
    ​
  • Why cricket betting markets are becoming increasingly important for serious bettors.
    ​
  • Exclusive SBC member discount worth up to £200.


ALSO IN SBC MAGAZINE ISSUE #166

Alongside our in depth review of CricStatz, this month’s magazine also includes:

Football Service First Look: An early look at two new football betting strategies covering correct score and pre match betting, both of which have delivered encouraging early returns.

Sharp Betting Racing Explored: We analyse the Sharp Betting Racing model and interview one SBC member who has generated more than £8,000 profit at relatively modest stakes. Plus an exclusive 20% SBC member discount.

Bet Diary: Rowan updates readers on his latest betting results, portfolio performance and the realities of betting for long term profit.

Smart Punter Mailbag: This month’s questions include whether football tipsters can be followed using Pinnacle alone, together with ideas for getting more value from a combination of Bet365, Betfred shops and William Hill shops.

Smart Bettor News: We examine the rapid growth of eSoccer, ask whether AI can outperform Racing’s SP, and revisit the fascinating probability question, would you take £50,000 guaranteed or a 50% chance of winning £1 million?

SIGN UP FOR INSTANT ACCESS

If you’re a member, log in to your SBC account to read Issue 166 today.
​
If not, join SBC now and get instant access to this magazine, our full tipster ratings, betting insight and knowledge and hundreds of previous issues and reports!

​To sign up as a paid SBC member, just click here and follow the registration link.​