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

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.

Phil Smith Select, New Football Antepost Betting Service

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.

73% ROI Antepost Football Betting Strategy | Inside One of Football Betting’s Best Kept Secrets

Most profitable betting services are built around one simple idea.

Find value, place the bet and move on.

This month’s SBC Magazine looks at something very different.

In Issue 165, we take you inside one of football betting’s best kept secrets, a specialist antepost strategy that produced an outstanding 73% ROI during the 2025/26 season through high volume accumulators, active portfolio management and a level of planning unlike almost anything we’ve reviewed before.

Just as importantly, the results aren’t based on theoretical paper bets. They come from real bets placed by those behind it, all supported by an active community that continually shares ideas, market intelligence and practical advice.

Access Issue 165 and the entire 20 year back catalogue with a SBC Membership

The Feature Review: 73% ROI Antepost Football Betting Strategy

  • Inside one of football betting’s most distinctive strategies.
  • A real member case study turning £11,000 to £12,000 of stakes into around £43,000 in returns.
  • An exclusive Q&A covering the edge, bookmakers and practical realities.
  • Verified results from real bets, not paper profits.
  • Exclusive £20 SBC member discount.

ALSO IN SBC MAGAZINE ISSUE #165

Alongside our feature review of this specialist antepost football betting strategy, this month’s magazine also contains:

New Golf Betting Model Examined: We take a close look at a new golf value betting tool, designed to uncover mispriced golfers in the bookmaker place markets. Discover how its algorithms identify +EV opportunities and how the software can be tailored around the bookmaker accounts you actually use. Plus, SBC members can claim 50% off their first month with an exclusive introductory offer.

Benjamin Leanders Interview: One of Europe’s most respected professional bettors joins Rowan for the latest instalment in our How I Bet For Profit series. Benjamin reveals the mindset, routines and decision-making processes that have helped him build a long-term betting edge, along with the lessons serious bettors can apply to their own betting.

Bet Diary: Everything from Rowan this month on his tipster portfolio, the latest results and the ongoing realities of betting for profit.

Smart Punter Mailbag: More of your betting questions answered, covering subjects including increasing your turnover, new bookmakers to explore, and deciding when to call time on a service you follow.

Smart Bettor News: The latest stories from the world of profitable betting, together with analysis of the developments that matter most to serious bettors.

SIGN UP FOR INSTANT ACCESS

If you’re a member, log in to your SBC account to read Issue 165 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.

Phil Smith on Antepost Betting, Betfair Removal & Modern Betting Challenges | SBC Podcast Episode 101

In Episode 101 of the SBC Podcast, I’m joined by Phil Smith, a full time football bettor specialising in antepost (futures) markets and exchange trading.

Phil shares his journey from early losses and trial and error, through to building a profitable approach combining Betfair trading and more recently, antepost betting.

We go deep into how antepost betting works in practice, where the real edge comes from, and why volume, structure and discipline are key to long term success.

The conversation also explores the growing challenges facing bettors today, including Phil’s own experiences, from being permanently removed from Betfair after years of activity, to being locked out of funds and bets for months during an affordability check with Sky Bet.

This is a practical, honest discussion about modern betting, where theory often takes a back seat to execution, access and adaptability.

You can listen to Episode 101 FREE now via Apple / Spotify / YouTube and all other major podcast directories (search Smart Betting Club)

Look out for more on Phil and his service coming in the JUNE Smart Betting Club Magazine!

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

  • Phil’s journey from early losses to going full time in 2020
  • Transition into antepost betting and building a profitable edge
  • Turning a £3k bankroll into £12k through structured betting
  • Betfair trading as the foundation of his bankroll
  • Impact of affordability checks, account closures and restrictions
  • Being removed from Betfair after years of activity.
  • Being locked out of funds and bets for months with Sky Bet
  • Evolution of his antepost strategy and staking approach
  • Managing variance through diversification and structured betting
  • Combining short term income with long term ante post returns

Resources & Mentions

Key quotes

On early struggles
“There was a lot of going through bankrolls and going around in circles. It took me about 10 years before I went full time.”

On finding an edge in antepost betting
“I realised there was a lot more to learn and a lot more angles to cover.”

On building a bankroll
“I turned three grand into about twelve grand, that was a big bank builder.”

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

On going full time
“I wasn’t happy in my job, so I decided to take the risk and go for it.”

On Betfair challenges
“Betfair staff don’t really understand how people trade and operate. I never expected to get kicked off, it definitely caught me by surprise.”

On Sky Bet issues
“It was six months of no access to my funds, no access to my bets. You can’t even speak to the people actually dealing with your account.”

On long term success
“If you can combine day to day profit with long term systems, that’s the way to go.

New Hall of Fame Football Tipster Reviewed in SBC Magazine #153 – 14.87% ROI Antepost Strategy Revealed

The latest SBC Magazine (Issue #153) is now available — and it’s a big one.

We’ve just added a brand-new football tipster to our exclusive Hall of Fame, and if you’re looking for a simple, profitable way to beat the bookies this coming 2025/26 season, you’ll want to read this.

Access Issue 153 and the entire 19 year back catalogue with a SBC Membership

Here is why this service stands out:

✅ 14.87% ROI over several seasons of tipping

✅ Antepost-only strategy across Europe’s top leagues

✅ Low-effort, high-return – once the bets are placed, there’s nothing else to do.

✅ Great odds availability – with scope to beat official results

✅ All bets are advised in July & August – before the season kicks off

The first bets for the 2025/26 season will be out soon so you won’t want to miss out on this service if interested!

ALSO IN SBC MAGAZINE ISSUE #153

? Important updates on two key tipsters we rate and recommend

?’Mailbag’ questions from SBC Members alongside our answers to them

? Latest SBC news, insights, and articles

? New videos and podcasts to catch up on

? The Latest Sports betting Tipster Profit Report

SIGN UP FOR INSTANT ACCESS

To gain instant access SBC Magazine #153 and all of our back catalogue of reviews and reports, simply sign up as a full SBC member!