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I always remember watching Carry On At Your Convenience (1971) when Sid Plummer got a tip from his pet budgie, Joey, and it won. In fact, the winners kept coming and coming until his bookie, Benny, barred him.
Sid Plummer said: ‘What sort of sportsman are you?’
The bookie replied: ‘If I was a sportsman, I’d be riding the horse!’
True.
Modern-day bookmakers are often criticised, for very good reason. They have turned into accountants who knock any liability on the head. Meaning, any punter who looks to have the slightest chance of winning cash will have their account closed.
Well, it probably won’t be closed, just limited to a point where you will be lucky to place a bet of a couple of quid, best odds guarantee will be removed, all in the hope that you, the punter, will just withdraw your cash and leave the bookmaker too it. I guess from a data point of view it means they don’t have to show they’ve closed thousands of accounts!
A limited account is worse than a closed account.
It really is a poor state of affairs.
It’s cynical the way bookmakers keep the losing punters and make record profits.
You have to question what is happening when a bookmaker won’t even take a few quid on an each-way accumulator.
And the way they pretend to care about welfare issues. I honestly think all these ‘tools’ are simply about protecting the bookmaker. I don’t want anyone to have a gambling problem and it’s good reason why individuals need to be responsible and don’t just bet for fun.
I’ve heard of so many punters struggling to open accounts, having accounts closed or limited, even punters who have lost money (not addicted) have had their accounts closed.
None of this makes much sense.
I think bookmakers are creating a problem for themselves and for punters alike.
I had one bookmaker close my account before I’d even placed a bet. They said: ‘Because of the nature of your business we don’t think it’s in our interest…’
‘Blah, blah, blah.’
You can’t make it up, hey.
I think to keep your account open you have to be conscious of what makes a bookie want to close it. It doesn’t take much have them on your back. I don’t have lots of information to guarantee you won’t have problems.
I would open an account with four or five hundred pounds.
I think it’s best to have routine bets of similar monetary value. The worst problem is trying to trade from one account to another as using the bookmaker account and exchange. If you try to be too clever betting, cashing out you can guarantee you will receive an email detailing your account have been limited. They won’t give you a warning, just the bad news. It’s a real annoyance but you kind of reap what you sow. Although I do think it is a pain.
I’d look to keeping your account pretty level. In that sense, if you are winning a fair amount of money you may want to bet on a loser or two. Ideally, place a bet you think will lose and see if you can lay the bet to lose on the exchanges, hopefully at a similar price. You will need to do this because if you keep winning your account will be limited if not worse.
To be honest, you are better off using exchanges compared to bookmakers because they don’t care whether you win, lose or draw.
I know, at times, it is better or preferable to have a bookmaker’s accounts. And if you do, then make sure you are betting with the mind set that your account will be scrutinised. If you’re a winner, you will need to level it out with a few losers.
Good luck.
