profitable betting

Football Betting Service With a 10.65% ROI | SBC 167

Posted on by Peter Ling

What does a genuinely profitable football betting service need to look like?

It doesn’t necessarily need obscure markets, hundreds of weekly bets or prices that disappear seconds after they’re advised.

Sometimes, the numbers come from something much simpler.

870 bets. A 53% strike rate. And a 10.65% ROI.

That’s the record behind the headline service reviewed in the brand new SBC Magazine Issue 167.

It’s a conventional prematch football tipping service, generally advising around one bet per day across larger, accessible markets.

Our review found good bet availability, with little evidence that followers need to act immediately to secure worthwhile prices.

We’ve also reviewed a second service from the same stable, offering a very different Correct Score approach. It’s naturally more volatile, but has considerably more evidence behind it, returning an 8.29% ROI across 2,520 bets so far.

Two different approaches to finding an edge in football betting, and two impressive sets of results.

SBC members can claim an exclusive 25% discount on both services, worth up to £50 for three months’ access.

Access Issue 167 and the entire 20 year back catalogue with a SBC Membership​

ALSO IN SBC MAGAZINE ISSUE #167

Racing Tipster First Look
​We take our first look at a racing service which has got off to a flying start since April. Most encouragingly, there is evidence of an edge not only at the advised prices, but also at Betfair SP.

How I Bet For Profit: Phil Smith
​Our latest expert video interview features professional football bettor Phil Smith.

Phil explains how he finds his edge, how his approach has changed over time and what life actually looks like when betting is your profession.

A Bumper SBC Mailbag
​We return to Bet Hero, the software reviewed in Issue 164, including which bookmakers work best with it and how it can be used in betting shops.

We also look at how to get more from the growing collection of Bookie Bashing tools, including its Racing Tracker, Early Payout Tracker, Darts x180 tool, plus Shots on Target and Bookings opportunities.

Smart Bettor News
​A huge golf double lands for £200,000, why you should always demand the full record when assessing social media tipsters, and why we think betting shops are being unfairly targeted by politicians.

Rowan’s Bet Diary
​This month Rowan looks at the beauty of what he calls “mundane success”, alongside the latest results from his tipster portfolio and the continuing challenge of dealing with account restrictions.

SIGN UP FOR INSTANT ACCESS

If you’re a member, log in to your SBC account to read Issue 167 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: 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.

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.

​

David Hipkin of SharpBetting on Profitable Betting, Restrictions & Long Term Success

Posted on by Peter Ling

We’ve just released a new interview on the SBC YouTube Channel as part of our How I Bet For Profit series – and this one is a fascinating watch.

​Watch it here​

Rowan sat down with David Hipkin, co-founder of SharpBetting, to discuss what profitable betting really looks like behind the scenes.

(Note – this video was originally only for SBC members only but I felt it was a great example of the type of content we provide to give you a sample!)

David brings a very different perspective to betting.

Rather than portraying himself as a “professional gambler”, he approaches betting as a structured, analytical side income opportunity – something that can fit around normal life while still generating meaningful long-term profit.

Access to this interview series is available now with an SBC membership​

What is David’s Approach?

During the interview, David talks openly about:

  • How SharpBetting was built from real bookmaker and trading experience
  • Why most bettors should focus on steady long-term gains rather than unrealistic expectations
  • How one Sharp Betting football approach generated nearly £200,000 profit before bookmaker restrictions became a major issue
  • Why volume and patience matter far more than short-term variance
  • How multiples can be used intelligently to compound value
  • The importance of discipline, bankroll management, and starting slowly
  • How bookmaker restrictions can be managed more effectively
  • Why boxing betting presents very different opportunities from football
  • How human judgement and intuition still matter – even in an increasingly AI-driven world

It’s one of the most honest and insightful betting conversations we’ve published in a long time.

You can watch the full interview free on the SBC YouTube channel now​

But it also gives a very good example of the type of thinking, analysis, and betting education SBC members get access to regularly.

WHAT YOU GET WITH SBC:

Alongside interviews like this, SBC members also receive:

  • Detailed betting service reviews
  • Strategy guides and educational content
  • Ongoing industry insight
  • Practical betting advice
  • And access to a range of genuinely valuable member-only discounts

One of those discounts is with SharpBetting itself.

SBC members can currently access an exclusive 20% lifetime discount on an annual Sharp Betting membership – reducing the yearly cost by £45.60 every year.

Considering SBC membership starts from just £24.99 per month, many members effectively recover a large part of their subscription cost through offers like this alone – before even considering the value of the reviews, content, and ongoing support available inside the members area.

And SharpBetting is just one example.

Members also receive access to additional discounts across carefully selected betting services, tools, and software we genuinely believe provide value.

So even if you start by watching the interview for free, if you want deeper insight into profitable betting – and access to the wider SBC community – becoming a member is the next step.

Join the Smart Betting Club today

18 Years, 2,875 Bets, 12% ROI – Inside the Darts Tipster Still Beating the Bookies

Posted on by Peter Ling

The latest Smart Betting Club Magazine (Issue #154) is out now — and it features a tipster with one of the most impressive long-term records in betting.

This expert darts service has been active since 2007, generating a 12% ROI from 2,875 bets across 18 years.

It has quietly built a reputation as one of the most effective and easy-to-follow betting services in operation today — and we’ve just released a comprehensive, long-overdue re-review in SBC Issue #154 to fully assess its evolution and ongoing edge.

Access Issue 154 and the entire 19 year back catalogue with a SBC Membership​

Inside This Review:

✅ Exploring their 12% ROI across 2,875 official bets since 2007
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✅ Performance matched against both Bet365 & Pinnacle closing lines
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✅ Odds movement and availability study at soft and sharp books
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✅ Full bank/staking analysis and Monte Carlo risk simulations
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✅ Edge suited for progressive reinvestment strategies
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✅ Easy-to-follow, low workload service
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✅ Exclusive 30-day free trial for SBC members only

ALSO IN SBC MAGAZINE ISSUE #154

? Latest eSoccer Edge update: +256.99 points in just 7 weeks
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? In-depth look at the Gambling Commission’s new restrictions data — and why it matters
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?️ Exclusive SBC Podcast with lawyer Harry Stewart-Moore on multi-accounting, payouts & punter protection
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? Member Q&A covering profitable betting strategies, navigating account closures, and understanding odds moves

SIGN UP FOR INSTANT ACCESS

To gain instant access SBC Magazine #154 and all of our back catalogue of reviews and reports, you will require SBC Membership.

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

ACCESS THE ENTIRE BACK CATALOGUE!

With your SBC membership, you’ll also unlock full access to our 19-year archive of expert reports, tipster reviews, betting strategy breakdowns, and intelligence built to help serious bettors win.

Check out some of the most recently released SBC Magazines & Special Reports below…

Read more about SBC Magazines and how they can help your betting.

How to improve your betting success rate from 2% to 77.9%

Posted on by Mike

I imagine that most of you will have heard the well worn stat that suggests only around 2% of people who place a regular bet actually make money from their betting.

This 2% figure is commonly accepted sum these days with even less than that actually making anything resolving even a second income.

So why exactly are so few people making money betting you may ask?

Well the simple answer is that its tough, especially if you are betting independently and without help or experts to help guide you along the way.

Which is where the Smart Betting Club comes in as a recent survey of our members proved with as many as 77.9% of all respondents claiming to have made a profit betting in 2013.

Yes that’s right – 77.9%. Nearly as many as 4 out of 5 voting members which compares very nicely to the 2% or 1 out of 50 in the non-SBC world.

All of which is proof I like to think of our service’s genuine ability to help your betting.

Evidence SBC Can Substantially Help Your Betting

This is a fairly straightforward and blunt email as I think these figures deserve your attention if serious about improving your betting.

Some of you might ask why is it not 100% of all SBC members?

Well, this is because its realistic as even with the best will in the world, not everyone will follow the right instructions and guidance. Would you really believe me if I said 100% of all SBC members made a profit last year? No and nor should you!

How much money did these 77.9% of members make you might ask? After all, even if they made £5 profit this would count!

Well we grouped answers into 4 categories and the most popular was the 29.5% who made between £1000 and £4999 profit.

Second most popular were the 22.1% that made over £10,000 profit with a further 13.7% a profit of between £5000 and £9,999. Only 12.6% made a profit up to £999 in 2013.

We also think this breakdown is quite impressive too as it means 1 in 5 members who voted made over 5 figure sums of money in 2013 and over 35% over £5000.

Not bad for the effective daily cost of just 21p to be a member of the Smart Betting Club.

A Genuine Honest Poll

And before you ask, all these results were based on a straight-forward poll where we asked SBC members to honestly answer just how their betting fared last year. Each member could only vote once to be 100% fair and accurate.

The full results of this poll will be published in our upcoming 2014 Betting & Tipsters Award Report,where as a service we took the pulse of just how last year fared for our members.

Allow Us To Help You Betting

If you are keen to follow in the footsteps of some of our members and join the majority who win, then its a great time to join us at the Smart Betting Club.

This is because we have a special dual report release coming up this weekend featuring our 2014 Betting & Tipsters Report, which reveals the best tipsters, experts and resources as voted for by our members.

Not only this but we will also be releasing our very latest SBC magazine this weekend, including new reviews of 1 fantastic football and 1 racing tipster we have uncovered.

All of which is covered by our 100% risk-free money back guarantee if not satisfied after you join – now you can’t say fairer than that. Why not try us today and chance your arm at making 2014 a successful year betting with our help.

Join the Smart Betting Club today