There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
These 91 comments are related to the topic:
What's Happened To Our Betting Rings
What's Happened To Our Betting Rings
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 91
|
By:
What you bookies have experienced on-course is nothing more than an industry dying in much the same way that the heavy industries, mining and manufacturing have disappeared, to be replaced by new technologies, new consumers, new markets. It's painful for those involved and being nostalgic is all that you will be left with.
Funnily enough, what is happening on the exchanges now is a version of what you are have experienced but on a faster timescale. The exchanges came along at the right time for many backers like me who couldn't get on anymore with off-course firms, and even some on-course layers who closed accounts when credit was still the thing. Even on-line betting became a no-go area as accounts were closed by the big firms the moment that any punter was recognised as being even halfway clued up. Now on the exchanges, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the straight backer has his card marked. The commission and PC charge penalises that player far more than the trader who has no especial love of any particular sport, especially not horses. The big money now and probably in the future is being won by traders in price, whether automated or not,not backers of outcomes of events. First pass the price not first pass the post is the new motto. Getting reasonable size bets on BF must be left until the very last seconds pre-off ; spoofers abound, IR specialists with time and tech advantages cream off the money there. As a backer I have had to change my ways to take on board these changes. When I go to the races now I see how difficult it is to be just a backer of one or two horses and to be successful. I'm too ancient now to become IT savvy enough to compete so I guess in a few years there will be people like me saying much the same as you guys say now. Ah, yesterday was better. |
|
By:
i was under the impression you had to hold money to win wee eck? i do now edge on the exchanges as got fed up of people earning out of me although still do hedge in the ring as well but i can't be bothered approaching most of them for a bet nowadays as they either don't understand or think you atre shafting them.
a friend rang me last sat at chester and asked if i could get him 1k e.w on something,not schnide either but i said basically impossible as nearly the whole ring is either 1/6 or just wouldn't lay me,before anyone pipes up there are obviously exceptions but basically it would have been a lot more effort than it was worth. |
|
By:
no worries that's me paulbu but i wasn't there yesterday,it would be paul who you spoke to who like me used to work for leslie steele in the distant past.
|
|
By:
I don't think on-course bookmaking is dying. I think it is changing. We have just got to get used to the fact that we have to deal with a lot of small bets now rather than the larger bets of old. Racing is now a day out for groups at the weekend as the racecourses have done an excellent job of driving away the racing enthusiasts and previously die-hard fans.
|
|
By:
spot on sandown and you can include the car game as well,my best pal was in it in a big way getting plenty and is now reduced to flogging a few on the internet.
|
|
By:
ribero, I have been led to believe that a good living can be made by
laying and then having it back on the exchanges, is that incorrect? |
|
By:
ribero1, it's a small world as they say.
|
|
By:
Betfair has messed it up for the ring , thats a fact. But speaking as a punter it has vastly improved my chances of winning .
|
|
By:
indeed paulbu,wee eck,plenty do,one prominent firm have everything back and are obviously pretty good at it but in general not enough money about for that practice imo.
|
|
By:
One of the major problems re racing is, the for the ordinary punter, the
horrendous costs of attending, as you know recently I have been going quite often and last month my costs in actually attending were over £900 a crippling amount.For me Exes up by 50% betting down by 90%, no brainer. |
|
By:
With Petrol and trainfares taking hikes in the last few years along with the price in attending its no wonder that the £20-£50 punter doesnt get out there so much
|
|
By:
zilzal, rising costs, unemployment, exchanges, lack of interest by the younger generation
are sounding the death knell for many racecourses the big ones on big days will thrive, the smaller ones in time will become housing estates. |
|
By:
Myself and three mates are looking at going over to the UK for an extended racing weekend (Friday to Sunday), can any bookies on this thread, tell me what are the realistic chances of getting a bet on the course, 2k range regardless of price, or are we going to be restricted to certain lower priced bookies.
|
|
By:
Gandalf if you are form book men you will still get substantial bets on
with many firms especially if they can have it back on the exchange.  |
|
By:
i was at goodwood in the summer friday 15 april to be exact , evening meeting , there was a very old guy , jewish looking , he was very tall , and not very nimble , stood at the end of the line ...he was calling the odds all night , i had a word with him during racing a lovely man and a real old fashioned bookie , cloth cap and all....he was at brighton on the monday night as well i'd say he'd be near 80 ...anyone know him...
|
|
By:
PAULBU,U SOUND LIKE SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN GOING TO THE RACES FOR YEARS,WHY ON EARTH ARE U STOOD NEAR PICK NUMBER ONE WHEN IN MOST CASES THERE IS NO VALUE TO BE HAD WITH FRONT LINE BOOKMAKER,SHOP AROUND MY FRIEND,SHOP AROUND,PUNTERS HAVE NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD,BIGGER THAN THE MACHINE AGAIN ALL DAY AGAIN TODAY NO COMMISSION,NO PREMIUM CHARGE
 .PS OH AND U CAN BE ON. |
|
By:
that should read 15th june...
|
|
By:
workrider, there was a bookie in the North, Ralph Harris betting when he was a 100.
|
|
By:
Workrider - Probably Steve Gibbs -
|
|
By:
Should have given the game up years ago.....
|
|
By:
thats him racecourse regular thanks...
|
|
By:
feck me miprixabloater thats some age to be out and about , never mind standing all day at the racetrack....
|
|
By:
old school, he is hoping the times he knew will return
|
|
By:
Mrprix, its always been older people, i remember a show in the States where Christ and Watchmaker were discussing this and how in the 60s, people were saying, where are all the younger fans going to come from?
|
|
By:
very old school alright , i'd say he loves the game to be still working at his age though...
|
|
By:
factmachine, I do shop around the ring, the only reason that I had a word with the guys on pitch 1 was that they looked the most intelligent. In fact, the only bet that I had yesterday was with a layer in the row further down from the rails. He was going 11-4 when everybody else was 9-4, 5-2, SP was 3-1 although I never saw it. So I collected from a bet that in the long run would see me in the poor house.
|
|
By:
Two good points from yesterday were the £6.50 entry fee into Tatts and Reg Hollinshead winning the last.
|
|
By:
 PAULBU,WITH YOUR WINNINGS GO TO SPECSAVERS,AND A HEARING AID MIGHT NOT GO AMISS,AS FOR THE WINNER U BACKED I WAS THE FIRST ON THE PLANET TO GO 11/4,FINISHED 3/1 WITH ME. |
|
By:
factmachine
You're a punter's dream. |
|
By:
In answer to original question,bookmaker's access to exchanges should never have been allowed on the racecourse.With so much new blood in the rings now,with pitches having been sold freely,95% of "layers" could not price a race up.
In addition,bookmakers are scared to stretch a price for fear of the trade wanting layed.A ludicrous situation. |
|
By:
anyone would think this factmachine guy was some sort of king of the ring reading the rubbish on here,only one who lays a bet etc,walos.
|
|
By:
re ralph being 100,bit of exagerration there miprix.
|
|
By:
having had the pleasure of betting next to Mr Factmachine, whichever poster suggested shouting louder should be sent to the stocks
thats me done, back Thurs |
|
By:
ribero1 he's added the vat to his age
|
|
By:
ribero, I was under the impression that he was in his 100th year when he done it
the telegram from her Majesty was to be handed to him by Lord Zetland at Redcar races where he, Ralph, was something of a fixture. |
|
By:
ribero I was also under the impression that Ralph was making a book when Morry Peters was
at elementary school. |
|
By:
tbh miprix i'm not sure but would have thought mid 90's,the family were unlucky as he died about a year before the buying & selling,even if he had dived in and sold straight away as he obviously would and paid about 15% commission they would have been sure to cop for at least half a million.
|
|
By:
ribero so you do agree that at the very worst he was betting into his mid 90s
which in itself is no mean feat, I am sure he told me he 1st stood on the stool just after the 1st World War. How long do you think he has been gone? |
|
By:
97/98 he died for sure.
|
|
By:
ribero, frightening how time flies. Do you not bet at Haydock?
|