Funny Memories from Racings Past

Do you punt at all anymore Baghdad ?

I remember an old guy telling me about his days of betting on the photo finishes, which he did well out of, over several years, until as I mentioned, it was stopped. He only bet at one track, where he lined up the mirror with a post along the outside running rail, he adjudged that line to be the actual finish line, that then ran through to the judge's box, perched high atop a skeletal framework. His mistakes were very rare, but I recall him saying he got it twice wrong, in one day, probably two of a handfull over several years. This was circa 1950, and he would sometimes stake 200 quid on a photo, which was a lot of money in those days, but the bookies would bet, albeit sometimes very slender odds. They tended to trust the race caller of the day, and if he was confident, you might be taking 1-10 or shorter. How did he make the costly mistake twice in one day ? He was convinced a gale-force wind blowing parallel to the finish straight, had changed the line, by the judge's box tower bending like a tree in a strong breeze. Rightly or wrongly, he never bet again when those same conditions applied.

oneonesit wrote: Do you punt at all anymore Baghdad ?

There are still plenty of opportunities to profit, you just need to look harder. Just today I came across a market on an MMA fight that occurred this afternoon and between the different books you could arb the result. One was betting $2.80 while another had the other fighter at $1.60. I was happy to empty a couple of accounts for a small profit. 

Unless Auntie red is right, and we wake up to President Pence

Happens often enough to be able to make a little cream. I was playing a Ladbrokes promo during the football season that allowed an easy arb. Probably the most profitable promotion I’ve played to date. Hoping they bring it back next season.

Second Chance wrote: We appear to have segued from the Topic somewhat here, however guess that's entirely normal around here.

ExceedAndExcel wrote: There are still plenty of opportunities to profit, you just need to look harder. Just today I came across a market on an MMA fight that occurred this afternoon and between the different books you could arb the result. One was betting $2.80 while another had the other fighter at $1.60. I was happy to empty a couple of accounts for a small profit.

Been to very few racecourses and the MC only once in 1996 .Terrible experience on the lawns, so crowded, couldn't get a bet on, and all I saw of the race was the horses legs as they flashed by towards the finishing post 

That is funny Free - but hardly surprising 

oneonesit wrote: The NSW TAB started in 1964. Betting shops typically had upto 10 staff behind the counter taking bets / manually collating tickets / & forwarding to a central source for final dividend determination. This central source employed hundreds. Turnover then would be miniscule compared to now. And yet the take-out rates have almost doubled since then (primarily exotics). Hard to believe.

max manewer wrote: oneonesit wrote: The NSW TAB started in 1964. Betting shops typically had upto 10 staff behind the counter taking bets / manually collating tickets / & forwarding to a central source for final dividend determination. This central source employed hundreds. Turnover then would be miniscule compared to now. And yet the take-out rates have almost doubled since then (primarily exotics). Hard to believe. yes it was a major employer, high running costs, and the take-outs were less than today, a real contradiction.

oneonesit wrote: Bob - did you just stop all of a sudden or did you just gradually back off ? And even with the mathematical edge you must have had bad spells. Did you ever chase ?

And by the by.  Have we worked out what happened to Mother/Daughter act,,,and did we all see the same pair ???