When it comes to making money betting, the battle-lines are very clearly drawn. It’s a do or die battle between punter and bookmaker.

If we lose money, the bookie makes it and vice versa – we only triumph when they fail.

These battle lines can sometimes get blurred, what with the myriad of bookie PR reps sharing ‘helpful tips’ or TV adverts offering you free bets – it can seem they are looking to help you out.

Not so, they simply do this in the belief that the majority who go onto bet with the bookmaker they represent will lose money…and often they are right…but not always.

Vive La Betting Resistance!

Here at the Smart Betting Club we are part of the ‘resistance’ – fighting back to help those punters trying to win long-term as unlike many in the betting game – we don’t have our snout in the bookies pockets.

One way we fight back is by attempting to find out as much about our enemy as possible, which is why we secured a real coup this month by landing an exclusive interview with a former bookie trader.

Freshly published in our very latest SBC Magazine (SBC #81 released today), he was willing to spill the beans on all aspects of bookmaking, including everything we don’t see from our side of the fence. Continue reading →

One of the first websites we turn to each day is the ‘Portfolio Investor’, which details the ongoing progress of one man’s real-life quest to make money betting through tipsters.

Run by SBC member, Rowan, his entertaining blog openly shares on the tipsters he follows, the profits being made and just how he juggles his betting around the demands of modern life.

Curious to find out more, we recently interviewed Rowan to find out just what makes him tick. Below are a few excerpts from our recently published interview:

SBC: Why did you choose betting over other forms of investment such as the stock market?

Rowan: Well I did try the stock market for a while with an ISA or two, and quite frankly over eight years, the returns were pitiful.  In fact one of them was showing a loss. I couldn’t help but think that betting, although higher risk of course, had a lot more potential because of the ability to turn over your bank much more frequently.  I actually used the money from the ISAs to provide the funds for my betting bank. Inspired or foolish? Not too sure, but I have no regrets so far!

SBC: Describe your approach to betting, how do you decide upon the make-up of your portfolio and the services you join?

Rowan: I’ve learnt over time that I don’t do losing spells well. I have the sort of personality which dictates that I would rather make a long term 8% ROI with relatively few massive downs than a 15% that comes at the cost of having to ride a rollercoaster of huge highs and depressing lows.  Thus over time, I’ve learnt to go primarily with services that demonstrate higher strike rates and shorter losing runs.  I’ve learnt that the shrewd use of Asian Handicaps can make the path we tread smoother too, so perhaps I pay more attention to services that use this angle in their betting.

I simply look for services which display characteristics that the SBC have taught me to look for. Transparency of results, long term record, customer service, and of course value for money are all boxes I look to see ticked now before subscribing to a service. Of course the reports in the SBC mags have all this info to hand – I still think that even as the SBC has grown over the years, its core strength remains it’s tipster reports.

Continue reading →