Bookmakers

SBC Punter Support: Help With Issues Around Bookie Disputes, Banking & More

Posted on by Josh P

Here at the SBC we are frequently contacted by members and non-members alike asking for advice around things like banking, missing balances, incorrect bet settlement and general bad bookmaker practice when it comes to things like ridiculous requests for documents and frustrated withdrawals.

With that in mind, we are going to create some resources that will be freely available to everyone to help with this. Those resources will be available soon but in the meantime, here are two examples of issues raised by our members this year, with our responses below.

 

Follow Or Sign Up For More Information

We often highlight issues that punters have with bookmakers, banks or adjudication services on Twitter/X and in our member and non-member emails. Following us at @SBCInfo and registering as either a free or paid member (here) will ensure that you never miss any of that.

We regularly publish these ‘Q & As’ in our SBC Magazines so that awareness of possible issues (and solutions) can be shared far and wide.

If you would like to see more (alongside several examples of other things we have published since January) then please click on this link – Free Smart Betting Club Magazine.pdf – to see a bumper sample magazine that also includes examples of:

  • Our Latest SBC News posts over the last 10 months
  • Our Intelligence pieces where we discuss tips and tricks, new developments and wider news from the gambling world
  • Tweets and our commentary on some of the most strident gambling opinions
  • Podcasts with major guests, all with practical gambling at their heart
  • SBC Video Guides where we take a look at specific strategies or services
  • Reviews – we include three full reviews in this sample, with horse racing, golf and football all covered

We will be back with news of our new punter resources soon. In the meantime, if you would like to sign up to full SBC Membership, you can find out more here or sign up here!

If you would like to discuss any issues in private that you think we can help with then please drop us a DM or email in to pete@smartbettingclub.com or josh@smartbettingclub.com and we will do our best to help!

Independent Bookmakers Guide

Posted on by Peter Ling

SBC Guide to Smaller, Independent Bookmakers

Bookmakers who will lay a bet and more options for you as a punter

Account restrictions and limits are more common than ever. Beat a price or profit enough and the well-advertised ‘Oddschecker firms’ will often reduce maximum stakes to pennies or stop you betting altogether.

This can be disheartening, but there are alternatives to the big bookmakers and exchanges in the form of smaller, independent bookmakers, many of whom are run by licensed operators who operate on-course and have now expanded to take online bets too.

All of these organisations are licensed by the Gambling Commission and welcome new customers.

Although you may not get all of the frills that are widely advertised by the big Oddschecker bookmakers, many independents offer concessions and special offers such as sign up offers, extra place races, Best Odds Guaranteed, fallers insurance, daily boosts and cashback on any monthly losses.

Despite all of these positives, please be aware that independent bookmakers are not a silver bullet! Bets of thousands of pounds on a 20/1 shot at 9am are likely to be knocked back and purely betting each-way on second favourites in 8 runner races is likely to be met with resistance! 

You might not also get the best price out there compared to some of the bigger firms either. Instead of 11/4, you might get 5/2 for example. Some firms will be worse than others on this front.

Equally, some of the same issues experienced with better known bookmakers may still take place on everything from account limits to affordability checks and at times restrictions. So again, its not a silver bullet but further options to guide you as to places to bet.

A guide & advice from a professional punter

This was a primary topic of conversation in SBC Podcast #49 with professional punter and SBC Premium tipster, Quentin Franks (the discussion about Independent Bookmakers starts at 21:10):

Quentin frequently uses independent books to get his bets down and so to help our members, the SBC have collected a group of those firms below with their:

  • Key digital information
  • History
  • Lay-to-lose policies
  • Sign-up offers
  • Covered markets
  • Additional information & concessions

Where applicable, we have also included comments from Quentin if he has any experience of betting with the bookmaker.

An interview with the co-owner of one of these firms

To get a fuller understanding of this growing part of the industry, we also interviewed the co-founder of DragonBet, David Lovell. in SBC Podcast #52.

This interview provides smart bettors with an insight into how independent firms such as DragonBet differentiate themselves from the bigger corporate bookmakers alongside an introduction to ‘White Label’ bookmaking.

Explore Our List Of Independent Bookies

Below you can explore a summary of some of the smaller, independent firms that are currently out there and a snapshot of what they offer including Twitter and website links.

AK Bets

Website: https://akbets.bet/

Twitter: @AKBets87

About: Founded by former industry employee and professional gambler Anthony Kaminskas, AK Bets started life as a racecourse bookmaker, operating at all of the major Irish venues since 2021. AKBets.bet launched in mid-March 2023 (just in time for the Cheltenham Festival!) and Anthony has big plans for his firm. He has discussed his ideas at length on various podcasts (including here) and if you would like to hear more from him, he is also a previous SBC Podcast guest (that episode can be found here).

Markets covered: all sporting events.

Macbet

Website: https://macbetbookmakers.com/EN/

Twitter: @Macbet1972

About: Established in 1972, Macbet have been licensed bookmakers ever since. They have racecourse pitches all over the UK and specialise in horse racing betting.

Markets covered: All UK & Irish horse racing.

Ostlers Racing

Website: https://www.ostlersracing.com/

Twitter: @ostlersracing

About: A racecourse bookmaker operating in the Midlands, North-East and North-West of England, Ostlers Racing have established themselves as a well respected independent firm. Since opening for business in 2010, Ostlers have expanded their operation to take remote bets away from the ring.

Markets covered: all UK & Irish horse racing.

McCartanbet

Website: https://mccartanbet.com/

Twitter: @McCartanBet

About: An independent bookmaker with racecourse pitches across the UK & Ireland (and shops in Northern Ireland), McCartanbet have expanded over recent years to offer a wider range of markets. Remote betting is now available with numerous offers and concessions to benefit customers.

Markets covered: all UK & Irish horse racing, football & various other sports.

Star Sports

Website: https://starsports.bet/

Twitter: @StarSports_Bet

About: Based in Brighton, Star Sports was established in 1999 under the stewardship of an industry stalwart, Ben Keith. The company has grown, offering bets on course, in shops over the telephone and online, catering for most customers from the very small to the ‘high rollers’.

Markets covered: all sports covered.

Joe Jennings

Website: https://joejennings.co.uk/

Twitter: N/A.

About: A family run business established in 1961, Joe Jennings Bookmakers is one of the largest independent firms in the UK, trading from over 100 branches nationwide. A business that constantly changes with the times, Joe Jennings have various remote ways to get bets down.

Markets covered: all sporting events.

Goodwin Racing

Website: https://betgoodwin.co.uk/sportsbook/

Twitter: @Goodwin_Racing

About: Goodwin Racing started as a retail operation over 25 years ago and has developed into one of the biggest telephone betting organisations in the UK. This expansion can also be seen in their range of markets with everything from football and floorball to baseball and basketball included in their online offering.

Markets covered: all sports covered.

Kalooki Sportsbook

Website: https://www.kalookisportsbook.co.uk/

Twitter: @KalookiR

About: A ‘bricks and mortar’ bookmaker based in Kent, Kalooki have a unique offering for remote customers. Well regarded by professional punters, their special offers and promotions make them an excellent alternative for those unable to place bets with the larger firms.

Markets covered: all sports covered.

DragonBet

Website: https://dragonbet.co.uk/

Twitter: @DragonBetWales

About: DragonBet are a family run business with over 50 years of experience from laying bets on course. They focus on Welsh sport (pricing up some local and regional events that no other bookmakers do) alongside offering odds on most sporting events from around the world.

Markets covered: all sports covered.

Fafabet

Website: https://www.fafabet.co.uk/

Twitter: N/A

About: A relatively new bookmaker (opened in 2021), Fafabet offer a comprehensive range of sports for customers to bet on. Odds are sourced from the FSB Tech Platform, meaning that prices are often similar to some of those on the Oddschecker grid. Not technically a true ‘independent’ but one for this list nevertheless!

Markets covered: all sports covered.

Jem Racing

Website: https://betjem.com/

Twitter: @2021_jem

About: Jem Racing are a Dorset based firm who run a remote service alongside their four betting shops. Established in 1986, they pride themselves on providing a personal service for clients and provide numerous promotions and concessions.

Markets covered: all sports covered.

Fitzdares

Website: https://www.fitzdares.com/

Twitter: @Fitzdares

About: A bookmaker that has been taking bets since 1882, Fitzdares offer markets on sporting events from all over the world. Well regarded by both recreational and professional punters alike, they offer services that are in line with most of the Oddschecker firms whilst maintaining a personal touch with their customer service.

Markets covered: all sports covered.

Geoff Banks

Website: https://geoffbanks.bet/

Twitter: @geoffbanksbet

About: An established independent bookmaker, Geoff Banks Bet offer markets on a wide range of markets and have concessions that are similar to those offered by the major ‘Oddschecker’ bookmakers. More information about Geoff Banks’ attitude towards letting customers get bets on is discussed in the SBC Members section and somewhat contradict his public statements about laying money.

Markets covered: all sporting events.

More Available With A SBC Membership

For even more on these independent bookmakers including some of the special offers they provide, concessions and markets to be aware of, we also have now created a dedicated section of the Smart Betting Club members area to this topic.

Subscribe to the SBC today to gain full access

SBC Podcast #45: Bookmaker profiling and data collection / What you need to know as a smart bettor

Posted on by Peter Ling

This week’s SBC podcast episode is the first of a two-part series that focuses on how bookmakers collect data and profile customers.

You can listen to episode 45 now via Apple / Spotify / Google / YouTube and all other major podcast directories (search Smart Betting Club)

With stories of withheld winnings, altered odds, intrusive personal checks, closed accounts and voided ante post bets all being reported by punters in the last few weeks alone, it is fair to say that trust and goodwill towards bookmakers is at an all time low.

Unfortunately, we may be at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their use of your data.

In episode 45, I am joined by Neel Shah, an experienced bettor to talk about:

  • Neel’s research into the extensive information that bookmakers collect as soon as you visit their website
  • How bookmakers track your credit history, social media accounts and even whether you prefer Netflix or Disney+
  • Evidence of personal and financial data being shared with third parties
  • How disguising your activity using basic browser technology has limited benefits
  • Suggestions on the banking, deposit and withdrawal options with less ‘friction’

All told it was a fascinating chat that should help to provide some insight into how bookmakers operate and what you need to know as a smart bettor.

​Check out all the episodes of the Smart Betting Club Podcast

10bet voiding Mullinax 175/1 and paying out at 100/1 – Statement from the Smart Betting Club & Bookie Bashing

Posted on by Peter Ling

14th July Update: After speaking with the owner of 10Bet, we understand they have now decided to settle ALL bets at the original 175/1 odds. If you are one of those impacted be sure to check your accounts – we expect this to be resolved within the next 48 hours.

13th July Update: We have since discovered that several other bookmakers offered similar prices and in some cases better odds than 10bet, yet paid out in full on Trey Mullinax. They are as follows:

  • VirginBet offered 200/1 – paid out
  • Netbet offered 175/1 – paid out (including on bets taken on Thursday the 7th July at 175/1)
  • Sportnation offered 175/1 – paid out
  • Redzonesports offered 175/1 – paid out

This only calls further into question the stance taken by 10Bet, with early signs suggesting at least £40,000 has been removed from balances from those in contact with us already on this issue.

Why 10Bet Slashed The Odds Of A Winning Bet 48 Hours Later!

Last week, Bookiebashing and the Smart Betting Club’s Weekly Golf Value service both highlighted Trey Mullinax as a value bet with the bookmaker, 10bet on the Barbasol Championship on Wednesday the 6th July. He won the event with a birdie on the last hole on Sunday the 10th July.

Two days after the event completed (12th July) we received reports from our members that 10bet had zero-ed their accounts – in that (1) limits were zero on all bets and (2) their balances had been removed.

When they went on live chat they were told that the 175/1 was an error, and they were to be paid out at 100/1.

Bookiebashing & the Smart Betting Club deem this to be predatory and unacceptable behaviour. We understand mistakes happen on occasions and we are not in the business of betting on genuine mistakes or taking advantage of them. If a bookmaker misprices a 10/1 bet as 100/1 then we would sympathise and expect the bet to be paid out at 10/1.

There are three reasons why we deem 10bets behaviour in settling Trey Mullinax at 100/1 rather than 175/1 as unacceptable:

1. The price was reasonable when compared with the rest of the market. Mullinax was 200/1 with VirginBet, 175/1 with Netbet, 150/1 at sportnation, redzonesports and bet365 and 125/1 at betway (all same terms, 5 places 1/4) at the time that 10bet were offering 175/1. Both Sportnation and redzonesports also offered 175/1 earlier in the week on this bet.

2. The bet was voided 48 hours after it had won. Had this been a genuine mistake 10bet could have voided the bet before the event, or even on Day 1 through to Day 4. All evidence points to 10bet taking on too much liability and penalising the customer through changing the terms 48 hours after Mullinax won.

3.  A price of 270.0 was available on the exchange for Trey Mullinax to win at the time the 175/1 bet was advised. If 10bet had reached their liability they could have easily hedged this bet to assure themselves profit or adjusted the price downwards. The 270.0 available on the exchange shows that a price of 175/1 cannot be an “error” and that it was also not an ‘arb’.

Bookiebashing & the Smart Betting Club intend on raising awareness to this issue and demanding that 10bet settle this bet at the original 175/1 price. If you have been affected by this please email us at tom@bookiebashing.net or pete@smartbettingclub.com and let us know:

1. How much you had on

2. When you placed the bet

3. The communication you have had from 10bet

We will add you to an email list to keep you updated on the exposure we will be giving to this issue and what we recommend the next steps are. For now we recommend that you tell 10bet that you will not be accepting a payout at 100/1 and that you will be escalating this issue unless they payout at the full odds by the 19th July.

Special new SBC podcast on the increase in bookmaker disputes & complaints

Posted on by Peter Ling

In the very latest Smart Betting Club podcast, I tackle the growing number of complaints being made about bookmakers, specifically when it comes to issues of account suspensions, delays processing withdrawals and some of the extra ‘security’ and ‘ID’ checks that are increasingly becoming commonplace.

The allegations some are making is that bookmakers are adding unnecessary and unreasonable financial and account security checks to make life as difficult as possible for a proportion of customers.

This coupled with significant concerns over the effectiveness of the complaints options currently available via ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution’ providers has left many punters relying on small claims court for a solution to problems with bookmakers.

The fear is that there are likely a sizeable number of customers who are unaware of their rights or put off by the work involved to get a resolution and who might be giving up on the funds held inside their accounts.

To discover more on this topic – in this podcast episode you can hear my interviews with 2 different punters on the experiences they have had when it comes to dealing with bookmakers and alternative dispute resolution providers.

This includes one customer who took a major UK high street firm to small claims court to successfully access the funds in his suspended account and pro-punter, turned licensed bookmaker, Anthony Kaminskas of AK Bets.

You can listen to this episode now via Apple / Spotify / Google and all other major podcast directories (search Smart Betting Club)

Over the past few months, I have become increasingly aware of more punters complaining about this issue and the feeling that the current system for dealing with bookmaker disputes is not fit for purpose.

Why this needs tackling in the UK gambling review

Hence why I wanted to put together this special podcast episode to help raise awareness so it can be discussed as part of the upcoming gambling review in the UK.

Many of the extra checks bookmakers are requesting are coming solely at the withdrawal stage or if and when a customer wins money – something that seemingly goes against both the rules set by both the Gambling Commission and the CMA. It is also currently unclear how or if these rules are being enforced by these organisations.

This coupled with poor bookmaker customer service and lengthy delays to seek answers and resolutions when an issue arises has created this growing issue for many punters.

Given the upcoming gambling law changes in the UK – this is an opportune time to raise awareness of these issues and to demand they be tackled as part of a new suite of measures to make betting fairer for all.

Its also a vitally important topic given the current debate on how the betting black market might grow if affordability and deposit limits are introduced. Surely if punters also feel they are being treated unfairly by licensed bookmakers who might not pay them out if they win, what incentive do they have to not try out the black market in its place?

Resources and help if you have a dispute

In this email I also wanted to share details on the brilliant new resource available at the Justice For Punters website if you have a bookmaker dispute.

The team at JFP have put together a series of self-help guides that take you through the whole process such as at this ‘any other dispute’ page.

This walks you through all the options on how to tackle a dispute – starting with dealing with the bookmaker, through to dispute resolution services and even small claims court.

It is a brilliant resource and one that is essential for any punter that might have an issue with a bookmaker, now or in the future! https://justiceforpunters.org/​

Proof of this comes in the podcast episode itself as it was Justice For Punters who helped instruct one of my guests, Andrew on how he should succesfully handle the dispute he held with one bookmaking firm.

If interested in this story on bookmaking disputes and the gambling law changes, you can also follow updates on the SBC Twitter account @sbcinfo 

3 months in – how exactly has my football coupons strategy fared? 📈 📈 📈

Posted on by Peter Ling

Back in August this year, I penned a very detailed SBC review exploring a uniquely profitable strategy for betting on football in bookmaker shops.

The strategy was put forward by a 3rd party betting service, which offered a unique tool to help quickly identify the best football bets to back each week – those which had ‘smart money’ following them in.

Alongside my review of the service in question and the strategy itself, I also explored their own record since 2017, where they had made over £60k at 25% ROI following it in person.

All told it was a very detailed review – more of which you can read about here.

Fast Forward 3 Months…

So impressed and convinced was I by this strategy that I upped my following of it this season with the small team that I work with – placing real money bets in real bookmaker shops on the football sides it identified as value.

Including with bookmakers I am unable to get more than 50p down online.

The great news is that performance has been excellent so far with a profit of £12,615.32 at 45% ROI from 143 bets placed since the end of April at mainly 2 different bookmakers. £12,382.34 of that profit has come in 136 bets placed since August 2021 alone.”

And this is backed up up by the results of those from the service offering this strategy themselves, which over the course of 114 bets since August is up 28% ROI and an actual profit of £5152.78.

Our results are different as it very much depends on how often and exactly when you visit the bookmakers to place the bets.

The good news is that both of us are in profit, although being honest, there is every likelihood that my own results are over-performing a little and that in time my 47% ROI might reduce to closer to between 25% and 30% ROI.

Not that I am complaining about over performance!

Yet what is clear is that this strategy continues to deliver and if yet to check it out and intrigued by the idea of betting in person in bookmaker shops, then I urge you to do so.

It is also needless to say a wonderful solution for those of you who like me are banned or restricted from betting online for winning.

Read The Article In Full.

You can read my full article on this strategy and the service behind it in SBC Issue 124, which is available the instant you become a paid-up member of the Smart Betting Club.
​
Inside this article you can find everything you need to make it work including advice on bet placement, the bookies to use, how and when to bet and even tactics for getting bookmaker shop staff onside!

​Subscribe Now To The Smart Betting Club

July 2021 Update: How ‘safe’ is the money you deposit with bookmakers? Essential advice and information

Posted on by Peter Ling

July 26th Update: Shortly after I published this article, Ladbrokes also notified customers that they had upgraded their fund security from Medium to High – a very welcome development.

 

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Today, I have a very important update to share with you on the topic of bookmaker fund security – or indeed the lack of it from many of the firms that we all bet with.

It’s safe to say its of critical importance to anyone that bets regularly and especially so if you hold large sums of money in any of your bookmaker accounts.

This is a topic I have regularly discussed over the years and what follows is an excerpt from an updated article recently published for members of the Smart Betting Club on this topic.

Whilst not the ‘sexiest’ of topics – it certainly is an essential one for anyone that bets, so please do take the time to read it and understand more on how safe the funds you deposit with bookmakers actually are.

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Listen To More On This Topic In The SBC Podcast

Pete & Rowan from SBC discuss the issue of bookmaker fund security, affordability limits and how and when to withdraw in the first edition of the ‘Betting Clever’ podcast series.

Listen and subscribe now via these links: / /

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Why So Many Bookmakers Fail To Protect The Funds You Deposit

I imagine when most people open a bookmaker account and deposit money into it, the question of ‘how secure is this money?’ doesn’t likely cross their mind.

Instead it is likely filled of ideas of what to bet on or the free bets and offers to take advantage of.

Perhaps though if we were to ask them this question of ‘fund security’, most might reasonably assume that this money deposited is in some way ringfenced or protected, so that if the bookmaker went bust, these funds would be returned without issue.

After all, if a bookmaker can’t afford to pay out a balance when requested, should they even hold a licence to take bets?

Well that reasonable assumption of complete fund security is sadly very wrong as there is no current obligation for a UK licensed bookmaker to ringfence customers funds and ensure that if as a firm they became insolvent, all customer balances would be returned in full.

This is the current stance as overseen by The Gambling Commission who oversee licensing requirements for bookmakers in the UK. They explain as much on their website, where they state that

“Money staked or deposited with a gambling business is not protected by the government the way that personal bank accounts are.

Any company you make a bet with must tell you whether your money is protected in case they were to go bust. This information should help you decide who to gamble with and how much money to leave in your account.”

So, rather than make it a prerequisite for licensing to ensure funds are protected, instead they simply rate each bookmaker and the level of protection or not, given as per the description below:

The level itself is self-declared by each bookmaker but the Gambling Commission is able to check the accuracy – although no outline is given how often this is done.

Ultimately, they leave it up to you – the individual bettor to check on how safe your money is or not.

And the sad reality is for the majority of bookmakers it is not safe.

How To Check Each Bookmaker’s Protection of Funds Rating

Although the onus is on us as punters to check on this issue – help is at hand thanks to the excellent Register of Protection of Funds as put together by the Horseracing Bettors Forum (HBF).

The HBF have done the hard work and trawled through each set of terms and conditions to discover how safe your funds are with all the main bookmakers currently operating. It is exceptional work and the HBF need to be congratulated for it.

This was last updated back in early 2020 although does include the high ratings recently obtained by both Betway and Matchbook in 2021.

Of particular concern are those 20 firms offering No Protection whatsoever. This includes big name firms such as Betfred, Marathon Bet and Star Sports.

Questions need to be put to all these firms to ask why they don’t protect funds and offer no protection.

After all, Marathon Bet can afford to sponsor the likes of Man City, whilst Betfred sponsor everything from the World Snooker Championships through to the British Masters, yet they can’t find the wherewithal to protect customers funds!

15 of the firms audited fall into the Medium Protection bracket which outlines that money is separate (or that there are arrangements in case of insolvency such as insurance) yet there are a further 19 bookmakers that are deemed a ‘Lower Medium’ ranking by HBF where they state they cannot ‘guarantee’ that all funds will be repaid.

Just 9 firms take this seriously enough to offer High Protection and well done to Betfair Exchange & Sportsbook, Betstars, Bet Victor, Betway, Coral, Matchbook, Paddy Power and Smarkets for taking the lead here.

Ultimately, it has to be of concern that of the 63 firms audited by the HBF, only 14.28% of them offer this high rating, whilst 31.74% offer no protection at all.

You can view a breakdown of each firm in the table below (copied from HBF with permission):

How Likely Is A Bookmaker To Go Bust?

The next question you might well be asking is – how likely is it for a bookmaker to go to the wall?

Well, we have seen a few such examples of this in recent years, with firms such as MoPlay, Sunbets, Stan James and BetBright all no longer in existence.

When MoPlay went bust in early 2020, we had the nightmare scenario unfold whereby they were unable to settle open bets and unable to pay out the funds owed to customers.

Thankfully for UK and Irish customers at least, there was value in some of the assets that MoPlay had – specifically their customer database and Betfred took over this and transferred all balances from MoPlay over to them. All 180,000 of them – EXCEPT for those customers previously closed down by Betfred as The Guardian’s Greg Wood reported.

Tellingly, Betfred did not explicitly deny they had not transferred profitable accounts (note the usage of the term ‘eligible customer accounts’) and this story didn’t go any further. Many punters impacted were at the mercy of getting their balance from the liquidator of MoPlay – which likely would result in at best receiving a very small proportion of their funds back.

Effectively, many winning punters got screwed over here.

It’s also worth pointing out that this only covers UK and Irish MoPlay customers and those with accounts from other countries had to hope for similar deals to be struck as to the Betfred one for where they live.

In recent months we have also had the debacle with Football Index as well – not something I know a huge amount about, yet from what I have read, again it goes to the heart of the licensing of this firm and the lack of protection provided to customers funds.

Antepost Caution & Regular Withdrawals

Armed with the information above, you would therefore be very wise to proceed with caution leaving sizeable sums of money in any account with a bookmaker only offering less than a High level of protection.

If such a bookmaker went bust, in theory you wouldn’t likely see much, if any of that money again with a bookmaker offering No protection. Unless of course deals are cut and other bookmakers step in – although as we saw with Betfred, that is no guarantee for everyone.

Those offering Medium Protection might well cover you (depending confusingly what level of ‘Medium’ protection they offer), yet there are all kinds of terms and conditions at play here.

Its notable that even with a High level of protection, the Gambling Commission still hedge their bets and say that “You have the highest level of protection and the best chance of getting your money back.”

“Having the best chance of getting your money back” isn’t a phrase that inspires confidence. If I read that on a bank’s website, I would never put my money in!

The likelihood is that for those bigger name bookmakers, they won’t easily go to the wall, but for the smaller outfits such as we saw with MoPlay, it might be more of a concern. After all the bookmaking world is extremely competitive and hard to profit from if not established as a ‘big name’.

Don’t be fooled either by the fact that bookmaker firms appear on websites like Oddschecker as some kind of guarantee they are well run. MoPlay were featured on the Oddschecker matrix (presumably because they paid enough) and look what happened there!

It might be that we also see further examples as per Betbright, whereby upon their closure, unsettled Ante-post bets held were not initially paid up until a major PR storm compelled them into eventually doing so.

Therefore – one simple bit of advice is to be very careful where you place your Ante-post bets – and focus on placing them with more established names or those with at least a Medium or High rating.

Keep Your Balances Low & Money In YOUR Bank Account

It is also sensible advice to keep your balances with those firms with no protection to a relative minimum, because quite simply your money is not safe.

Maintain a balance required for you to place your regular wagers only and deposit and withdraw regularly if needed.

You simply don’t want the headache as caused by the closure of a bookmaker like MoPlay and the alleged refusal by Betfred to transfer over certain customers they didn’t want.

All told it was an incredibly frustrating situation for those impacted by MoPlay and I want to make sure no-one else suffers the same issue in the future should other bookmakers declare insolvency.

This is likely given the increasingly cutthroat and competitive bookmaking world where margins are tighter and increasing focus on topics like problem gambling (and rightly so) are eating into many firms profits. I expect more to go to the wall in the future.

Without a doubt, ensuring that ALL firms offer full protection of funds deposited should 100% be a requirement of obtaining and maintaining a bookmakers license. I hope that the various government reviews into gambling look into this as a matter of urgency.

Until they do, my sincere advice is to never leave large amounts sitting dormant in any account as it’s far better to have such money securely tucked away in your bank account earning you interest.

Don’t risk it – withdraw all but the funds you need for your regular betting activity from bookmaker accounts, especially those with no protection.

Non-UK Punters: Although this article concerns the UK Gambling Commission, each country has its own rules and regulations as per licensing and I urge those of you outside the UK to explore this based on where you live. If in doubt – follow the same advice as above and withdraw regularly, never leaving large sums of money in your account!

Peter Ling

SBC Editor

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions or feedback? Email me via pete@smartbettingclub.com

When exactly should you place your racing bets & why Betfair SP isn’t always the answer. New report reveals all.

Posted on by Peter Ling

As part of our recent focus on exchange betting, today we have published a special report exploring the Betfair racing market and exactly when you should bet to get the best value odds.

Examining the live market odds for 30,861 horses that have run so far in 2020, we have compared the best prices at several time points before the race starts and Betfair SP itself.

This analysis has identified several trends and patterns that can help you time the placement of your bets for the greatest possible profit. Ensuring you get the highest odds possible.

For example, one clear pattern was found at short prices, whereby a 9.3% increase in odds could be obtained simply by betting early.

Another trend came at larger odds where there is a clear edge simply by taking Betfair SP above a certain threshold. Yet it was also clear that Betfair SP is not always the optimal way to bet and knowing when and where can make a difference to your bet returns.

This report also threw up several other findings of note and if you bet on horse racing on the exchanges, whether it be at Betfair SP or in the pre-race Betfair market, this guide is for you

Part of our Exchange Betting Racing Special

This special report forms part of our recent focus on exchange betting, specifically surrounding horse racing tipsters who make a profit on Betfair or at Betfair SP.

Tipsters such as this extremely popular racing tipster with a 16.51% ROI on the betting exchanges or this Betfair SP tipster with a 10.10% ROI since 2012.

You can gain full access to this special Betfair racing report AND all of the tipsters we recommend for usage on the exchanges with a Smart Betting Club membership.

Sign-up now and get started immediately!

Racing Not Your Thing??
If you are not interested in horse racing – don’t worry. In the next SBC Magazine, we are beginning a very special series focusing on golf betting including 2 fantastic tipsters we fully recommend! Keep your eyes peeled for information on this coming soon.

Best regards,

Peter Ling
Smart Betting Club Editor

If you have any questions on this email or a Smart Betting Club membership in general, you can contact me directly via pete@smartbettingclub.com. I respond to all emails as quickly as I can!

The Oddschecker Dilemma – A Great Resource For Punters, Yet A Site You Should Use Wisely. Important Advice Inside

Posted on by Peter Ling

Last Friday saw the release of a special new SBC report on the topic of bookmaker restrictions – specifically in relation to the tracking that bookmakers undertake on their customers and what you need to know to combat this.

Now whilst this report is for SBC members eyes only, I did want to talk about one point raised within it connected to the profiling of customers by bookmakers and the use of odds comparison websites.

One very simple way in which bookmakers can profile you is in relation to the links you click on that direct them to their website.

Sometimes this is a bookmakers way of paying those referral websites and social media accounts a percentage share of the losses you might make if you open an account (an article for another day!) or simply as a way of tracking the type of punter you are.

This is important because as we learnt from the leaked document referenced in this article from 2019, when one bookmaker got wind of customers using the odds comparison website – Oddschecker, then such betting accounts were stake factored by 55%.

Effectively ensuring these customers would only be able to get on 45% of the maximum stake allowed on any bet.

Why restrict customers who use Oddschecker?

Oddschecker are a major player in the odds comparison world. It is a free website which compares the very latest odds from a large number of bookmakers so as to highlight where best to place your bet.

Bookmakers dislike this though as the simple fact you are using an odds comparison service immediately sets you out as shrewder than most and someone who understands the need for value when betting.

I.e. You won’t just take the first odds you see as you want the best price for your bet.

You want 4/1 instead of 7/2 or 10/1 instead of 8/1…differences in odds that matter if your bet wins.

Bookies also hate it as it means you are not a ‘brand loyal’ customer – AKA the type of punter who is too lazy or short-sighted to bet with anyone but the same firm.

The type of bad bettor all bookies love and as this article revealed – those that might be termed VIPs and able to get up to 5X max stakes on any bet they want.

Don’t Show Your Hand

What this means in practical terms is that you have to be very wary of showing your hand as an Oddschecker user.

This means avoiding clicking any links that take you directly from Oddschecker to a bookmaker as that is one very simple way your usage of their website could be tracked.

Oddschecker make it very easy to click on a bet you want and to either be taken straight to the bookmakers website OR to place it through Oddschecker’s own bet slip functionality (which allows you to stay on the Oddschecker site and place your bets in seconds).

As convenient as this might well be (and it is very convenient) the downsides are that you immediately are showing your hand to a bookmaker that you are shrewder than most!

It also might mean your bookmaker account is then stake factored down as a consequence.

A Conflict of Interest?

It isn’t Oddschecker’s fault that customers who use their website are tagged as shrewd, as this is more a function of the advantage it offers bettors who use their odds comparison service.

I am sure if SBC used bookmaker direct affiliate links (which we don’t) then it could be something you might find yourself restricted by.

“Hey Dave, this customer joined us via the Smart Betting Club – we need to watch out for him. Restrict him to 0.05% of max stakes straight away!”

Yet it is worth being aware of the fact that Oddschecker are now part of the Flutter Entertainment group, which following a series of mergers and acquisitions now includes the likes of Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook/Exchange & Skybet in its midst.

It is a veritable behemoth of a company and Flutter effectively owns a group of bookmakers and betting companies that simply put – have no vestige in hosting profitable bettors if at all possible.

Why would they?

The more winning customers they have, the less a bookmaker makes. You win, they lose and its something that are at pains to avoid.

Because as they never tire of telling us – all bookmakers reserve the right to choose which customers can bet with them. If they find a customer to be unprofitable (i.e. a winner), it is within their current rights to close your account or limit the size stakes you can get on.

Skybet’s ex-CEO Richard Flint made the policy of restrictions abundantly clear in this interview he undertook in October 2018 and to quote directly “We restrict customers if we think that we are going to lose money to them in the long-run”.

So, whilst Oddschecker are offering to compare the odds free or charge and to in turn help shrewd bettors take better prices – this seems to be in conflict with the goals of other bookmakers within the Flutter Entertainment Group such as Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook & Skybet. All of whom restrict and close winning bettors – no doubt a group including many of the shrewd bettors who themselves use Oddschecker.

Is Information Being Shared?

It also begs the question – Is information on the profile of customers shared amongst the bookmaking companies within Flutter such as Paddy Power, Betfair & Skybet?

If so, this might be one simple way to profile customers and to weed out those more profitable than not.

I might be barking up the wrong tree entirely and I welcome feedback from Oddschecker or Flutter to clarify these points, yet from my point of view, it does look like there is a potential issue here.

Oddschecker state on their homepage that “We give you, the user, the power and control to find the best bet for you.”

Yet at the same time they are part of a bigger company with reasons and incentives to limit shrewd bettors – those who do take the time to find the best price for a bet.

Hence why it would be good to know if and how information is being shared amongst those companies within the Flutter group.

Use Them Wisely!

It seems clear that as they have grown – Oddschecker, just like Betfair, have veered from their initial humble punter-focused origins as they have been swallowed up by bigger companies putting profit front and centre.

Betfair, lest we forget were once first and foremost a betting exchange, yet these days they are keener to push their sportsbook offering as presumably it is this side of their business that offers more profit potential. The betting exchange invariably appears more of an afterthought these days.

So whilst Oddschecker remains a great resource (as does the Betfair exchange) and I thoroughly recommend utilising their service, it is one I suggest you need to use with care.

To that end, I would advocate not clicking any direct referral links to bookmakers and certainly not using the bet placement facility they offer. By all means use their odds comparison matrix, but do so with caution and mindful of the points raised in this email.

Ladbrokes, Coral Exit Oddschecker

As I wrote this article earlier this week, Oddschecker hit the betting news following the announcement that GVC Holdings – the company that owns Ladbrokes, Coral & Betdaq had failed to agree a deal to continue to be listed on the Oddschecker site.

Whether this is down to the fees Oddschecker charge to feature in their odds matrix, price negotiating tactics or simply the fact that GVC find too many customers who come via Oddschecker are unprofitable remains to be seen. Certainly it is a blow for Oddschecker and for those (few) shrewd punters that can still use either or Ladbrokes or Coral to place their bets.

Whatever the reasons, it is an interesting development and only time will tell how this all pans out. Will we see more firms leave Oddschecker? Or might Ladbrokes/Coral come crawling back in the future?

Learn More On Bookmakers

To learn more on how bookmakers operate, including access to SBC’s latest report on bookmaker profiling and our dedicated section to bookmaker restrictions you might like to consider a Smart Betting Club membership.

Available from just £27.99 per quarter and with up to a 90-day money back guarantee, an SBC membership is here to help you maximise your betting profits and educate and inform you on the betting and tipster world from a shrewd punters perspective.

Learn more via these links…

How we can help your betting /

About us – our independent stance and why we are on the punters side /

The difference our expert tipster reviews can make /

See you on the inside!
Peter Ling
Smart Betting Club Editor

If you have any questions on this article or a Smart Betting Club membership in general, you can contact me directly via pete@smartbettingclub.com. I respond to all emails as quickly as I can!