Any more ideas on why we're putting ourselves through the wringer then? I'll outline my own personal thoughts, although I realise that everyone will have their own reasons.
The motivation for my gambling is essentially to generate an additional income at a rate of return that is superior to other, more conventional means of income generation. I have little faith in the capability of my pension, into which I seem to contribute an increasing level of funds each month, to pay for my old age. Nor the second property from which we receive rent but on which we must make a monthly mortgage payment. I have no wish to launch into a diatribe of a social commentary that ends with the conclusion that this country and all who sail in her are completely screwed, but my humble opinion is that this country and all who sail in her are completely screwed. I hate to say it, but the years of being able to rely on the State to provide for the individual are over. No longer can somebody gain employment at 18 or 21, be secure in their employment, pay their NI contributions or equivalent for 40 years and then retire at the age of 60 with a carriage clock and a trip to the Post Office each Wednesday to look forward to, to pick up their reward for all those years of catching the No.16 into work every day - ie. a comfortable living via the state pension.
No. Personal opinion only here, but to me, the only way forward is for the individual to make their own living and to seek out ways of paying for a comfortable future. And I came across running a portfolio of tipster services in a professional way and recognised the concept as having the potential to generate a healthy rate of return. Convention has it that with the potential for a higher return comes higher risk. But I would question this. Does my exploitation of others' (the tipsters) skill in choosing a horse or football team to win really present a hugely bigger risk than some anonymous Fund Manager with no indivual accountability or sense of duty to the investor sticking my money into what he perceives to be the share stars of the future? Property has been a winning investment for years, but returns over the last year or two have tailed off somewhat and with economic conditions as they are, could possibly take decades to start producing the goods again. So is gambling higher risk than these more conventional saving methods? Yes, I'm sure it is, but perhaps there isn't as wide a gap as there once was.
So, that's the basic premise upon which I started my own 'serious' gambling. However, there is more to it than that. There are also lifestyle issues to consider. Done properly, gambling has huge potential to be able to change the way a life is led. I do genuinely believe that it can open up opportunities to enjoy a way of life that conventional, 8.30 - 6.00 PAYE work cannot, and I don't mean flashy cars and loose women, more's the pity! Hard work, yes. But gambling seems to me to be more time efficient than being stuck in an office all day.
Banaz and Mark have made some exceptionally insightful comments after last night's post. Please do take time to read them if you haven't done so already. I couldn't agree more with what Banaz said and there are themes I would like to explore further next week and see exactly why having a plan (short, medium and long term) is so important on a personal level. Also, reading Mark's comment has cemented some ideas that I was beginning to formulate that will effect how I go towards achieving certain ambitions. I'm hopeful that others, further down the gambling road than myself, might chip in as we go along. I think there are plenty of us that would learn a lot if those folks with more experience - like Paul R. who also left a comment last night - were to do so.
To be continued.
Today's Betting
A very quiet day again today, although The Market Examiner tried valiantly to liven it up a bit by wading in with six selections (one later declared a non-runner). A winner was found amongst them (Oh So Spicy - Yarmouth - 9/2...reduced to 3.825/1 after a rule 4 deduction) but a very small loss on the day.
Success for Northern Monkey (Midnight Rider - Yarmouth - 100/30) from their one tip, albeit to a small stake.
Winning Racing Tips went for two in the same race. One unplaced and the other second (Badea - Haydock - 8/1).
Thursday 4th August: Staked £137, -£10.63.
August to date: Staked £573, +£86.92, roi 15.16%.
Running total (inc. fees): -£221.88, roi -2.83%.
Bollocks! Forgot the lottery numbers. Someone remind me tomorrow, will you?
Hi mate just back from hols and been catching up on your superb blog and one or two points to raise
ReplyDeletefirstly i would like to give you a quick rundown of my gambling past.
First got into "serious" gambling when i joined the Henry rix service after reading his advert in the racing post. I guessed that if those amazing profits were being printed that some sort of law would mean that they had to be true. Well they sort of were true but i quickly learned that bookies restrictions, prices disapearing,enduring long losing runs etc etc meant that securing a profit were by no means sraight forward.
I had however "got the bug" and for 2 or 3 years i could do no wrong. Using many of the high profile tipsters i was making regular profits and i was revelling in the fact that all my, favourie backing friends, were spitting feathers at the fact that someone .....ME.... who knew not a thing about horseracing was profitting from a sport that only seemed to relieve them of their hard earned cash.
Unfortunately my naivety was exposed, when with my very inflated confidence decided that i would try other ways of making money from horseracing...should be easy enough... my ego told me,so i decided that, firstly laying and then systems were the way i would make my next profits.
Sadly my naievity was exposed and i gave back all my profits, and some, in a 3 year spell which just kept spiralling out of control and i have to say they were the worst 3 years of my life.
Being a determined bugger i managed to stop the rot and stabalise things and after joining sbc found some good services and tried to learn from people who have forgotten more, than i will ever know about gambling.
But getting to my main point....and in turn your point, " why do we do this" For me it was simply to make a bit of extra money to make life a little better for myself and the family.
Last year, i think for many of us was a fantastic year and i personally was in profit for the whole year and was pretty happy with my lot and it was great to do bits to the house and go on holiday all at the expense of the bookies. It was stress free ( well almost) and i couldnt wait for this year and what i would do with the money i would win this time.
Of course you know due to some of my comments that this year hasnt gone to plan but to be honest im not too bothered about any money lost as i do believe it is retreivable.
What isn t retrievable however, is the year of "living" i feel that has been lost whilst scouring various sources looking for potential services to replace failing old ones, the mornings set aside so that i can put bets on as tips come in, telling the kids theyl have to wait as i "have to" get this bet on etc
Basically when you arn t winning your "hobby" becomes all consuming, and the emotional time spent doing it, for me, is mentally draining. Add to that the bookies waging war against us and simply closing down any profitable punters (5 or 6 ive lost this year) has made it tough logistically
This year has made me remember those dark 3 years i had, which are so easy to forget when you are winning
I had a long good think about it whilst relaxed and clear of thought on hols and ive decide to make this my last year. Its stopped being fun and become a bit of a chore so its gotta go.
Hmm what can i do next Ha ha
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteFirst things first - I hope the holiday was a good one and certainly it seems you've used it to clarify a few things in your own mind.
Secondly - like I said to the guys who left comments the previous day, contributing to the blog like this really is appreciated. Folks being so open and up front about things is making this blog worthwhile - not just for me but for anyone who reads it. It's as simple as that. Thankyou.
You know, like Banaz's post, a huge amount of what you say chimes a bell with me. Especially the, "telling the kids they'll have to wait as I have to get this bet on". You're spot on - when this happens, the hobby stops being a hobby, and in effect it instead becomes a second job. And if that's the case, it has to pay the rewards, otherwise why do it?
I admire where you're going with this too. Making the decision you have...I'd like to think I could, but hand on heart, I think I might struggle. The test of that will come if at the end of next June a decent level of profit has not been made. That will be my crunch time. There's a comment on the SBC blog made by GMoloney that refers to this very point...I think I need to post on this! :)
Actually, thinking about it, I think there's enough material amongst the last couple of days' comments to last this blog for a week or two (lol!).
Thanks again, mate.
Rowan
unrelated but it looks like they are going to get rid of the paulbraidley thread on betsmarttrading . knew it was too good to last .
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