I have discovered that too, Barton. For various reasons the exchange doesn't operate as well as it used to. Yet another reason to walk away from spending time on here.

Thanks again for that very lucid opening post.

A most interesting read Barton Bank, thanks for taking the time to post it. Been old school myself and having never got to grips with technology I never really fully understood what went on here. I have been betting for a vast number of years, several on here.
I go racing most days in Ireland and visit the U.K. several times a year. My thing is the paddock and watching horses and how they look and act minutes before they go to post. I'm stilling going strong thank God, something you mentioned around putting so many hours in per day, having studied form paper wise for years and the time it consumed still shocks me. What I did learn and it applies to this day if after burning the candle for hours or even spending a little less time watching them in the paddock , it matters not a jot if the trainer utters these words . Not today....
Best of luck to you enjoy your time away from here and every success in the future...

Nice post and good luck Barton Bank. Can I ask, what if anything would make you want to continue? And a question to everyone else, what do you think the future is for the exchange? There has always been talk of diminishing liquidity, empty markets, BF sports book stealing the new potential 'mugs' etc, but despite the doom and gloom many of us are still here and surviving. (By the way I haven't had a day off for 10 years, mad I know haha). Do any of you dabble with the other exchanges too? Personally I still believe that the exchange concept surely must be the future of betting, such a fantastic idea, but somehow it has never quite made it, in terms of killing off the bookies. By now BF exchange should be as huge as facebook, it should be the go to place for a bet. I still think if not BF, then another operator will emerge to dominate. How can this not happen? I think the BF sports book was wrong to use the same name. The BF brand should be dedicated to exchange betting, they do still advertise as I'm sure you've all seen, so I don't think they're trying to implode. I find it frustrating as it's a revolution still waiting to happen, just can't quite get there, and directing customers to BF sports book may be why. Did anyone notice the amounts matched on the cricket this week? £100 million just on the match odds. So much potential still. Interested to hear other's predictions on the future of the exchange over the next few years?

Hi folks. Thanks for all the good wishes. Trev, I think the future of exchange betting on racing is one of gradual decline. Bookmakers can take the bets of customers they can win from and Betfair has chosen to do the same with the Sportsbook. The exchange is not promoted much really. Exchange betting clearly has a future when it comes to major markets on sports like football and cricket and I think a lot of my points about the state of the exchange/liqudity are essentially more racing issues than Betfair issues.

Stewarts - Some good questions there. I'm not a businessman of any type. I've made my living from betting. Betting to my stakes requires strong markets and they don't exist any more. Am doing a fair bit of travelling (been to Scotland and Germany in last month and off to Costa Rica in the autumn) and have one or two other hobbies. Golf isn't my thing but I play a fair bit of squash (not particulary well but I very much enjoy it, it certainly doesn't bore me!). You can get mental stimulation from many things in life. At the moment I don't feel inclined to spend my time poring through the form only to find I can wait all day for a price and then watch it disappear before I can get a worthwhile bet on. Maybe one day that wll change again. I still have several horses in training in sole/part ownership and am very much involved with placing them to best advantage which provides an ongoing interest.

I'm not sure you can get a flat 500GBP on the horses early prices any more. Not on an ordinary race.

Enjoy your retirement Barton Bank. My brain chemistry is fried and I'm not sure I could stop. I'm not even a full-timer or a large winner.

Good luck bb you've been around a long time, i myself dont use betfair no where near as much for horse racing i prefer cash and the thrill of chatting talking rubbish in the bookies about it, my bettings changed, normal now to just deal in the major race days big meetings or something sticks out at kilarney as yesterday  and just been a week of no bets before betting yesterday. Having to back 4 5 6 sometimes to net the winner by the clever trainers at the big meetings has seen me change this last few years but highly profitable. Football never really done it until last season and took it seriously and was surprised how easy it was with cashout its rare i lost on a weekly basis as i do know a bit about football but have no thoughts or allegiance to any given teams so i look at it at a different angle to most. the only experience needed was to take the 400 offered when youve got 3 teams left all odds on to win an a sunday and 2 get beaten, i soon learnt and cashout the way to go with multiple teams selections and not be so greedy. So this year its full steam on the footie and major meetings. It given me a new lease of life really and enjoying it more as i used to watch every race every day live for years so i didnt miss anything but happier to not watch any unless its on normal tv, it sure has changed they have seriously fk the flat up with all these meetings low grade fodder. good luck

Well done BB and enjoy your retirement. It's hard to make a living on here and it's only going to get harder. Being able to retire while ahead is a supreme skill.

Lack of liquidity and mug money is the issue

Trader PJ's rather succint post covers a big chunk of what I typed in far fewer words!
Posy, not really punting in any serious way. Doing a lot of travelling. Certainly backing the horses I have involvement with when I think they are good value. Which is less often than not, tbh.

The liquidity is finished on the exchange now.Just bots with zero value.

A bit late to the thread but wishing you well Barton. You lasted a decade longer than I did !
Betfair became a job for me, it's as simple as that. The constant pursuit of money becomes less attractive as one ages. That in no way is a criticism of those who devote the major part of their lives to betting. I did just that for a very long time. Betfair was a phenomenal boost to us tired old moaners. Laying horses was manna from heaven to those of us too lazy to pick up the formbook and really study. It worked though and it was sheer boredom that got to me eventually. You stating that the markets are somewhat non existent these days I find incredible. Yes most of the action was round the market leaders back then, but I never would have imagined the fluctuations you speak of and the paucity of liquidity. Manipulation was fairly mild ten years ago, now it must be rife.
Of course Betfair changed too. The Sportsbook really is an admission of defeat for the original concept. "The death of bookmakers" Andrew Black announced and many of us believed that possible. So now the once revered 'sharp minds' cannot back or lay at value and also get restricted on the Sportsbook. Astonishing that some still try...or have most become traders ?
The bigger bonus for us retirees of course is that we rediscover that there is an interesting world out there. A lunch date is not ended at 1.30 so we can get in front of the computer for the 2.00 daily dross first race.
Hope you are enjoying your retirement BB, this virus has illustrated the fragility of life...and good luck to all on the thread who are making their living solely from gambling. I reckon I'd be good odds against to be one of you with the obstacles BB has so articulately described.

BB,
I missed this thread when you did it but mirroring your reasons, I retired on exactly the same day! I haven't bothered since and don't miss it at all. Reading a few threads here for the first time in ages and it seems like things haven't got any better.

The only thing I'd add to your list is the appalling IR camera angles we started having back then. Despite technology improving we started seeing less of a race, winners were regularly dropping off screen with close-ups appearing to be designed to assist on track players. I never got caught out but continuing to bet blind didn't appeal. I have no idea if that's still the same. 

I hope you are doing OK and good luck.

interesting read

im enjoying it thanks DG12 be better when the winter ends

Really nice and poignant thread.

Someone at Betfair,needs to plough through the forums posts,might take a team,and a few years.
They need to record,publish all the great threads,from,funny,serious,interesting,amazing unbelievable.

History needs to record what happened,an opus catalogue of all,the most interesting.

Obviously all the silly,agressive,etc etc stuff can be edited.

But before it’s potentially lost ,it needs to be catalogued.

Posters could be contacted to see if they want to be included or not.

I think it would be a great read,picking the best of the best.but irrelevant of that,it should be done as a matter of record.

divent hold ye breath, on hold for livechat for 45 mins, apparently v busy at 11am on a monday morn.