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Why Do People Gamble? (With Professional Gambler Notes)

Why do people do people gamble? 

My snap answer is the thrill of the unknown and chance at instant monetary gain. 

But there is more to it and in this article we will explore the depths of the question. 

Why? 

If we learn why people gamble then we can understand how to help those who need to quit. 

We can also help ourselves to know when to stop. 

We certainly never gamble as a solution to financial problems. If we gamble to try to solve a financial problem then we are very stupid indeed. Would you jump into the deep sea to learn to swim? 

Not likely! 

We are never going to say this is a reason to gamble. So what happens inside a gambler's head and what emotions flood the brain? Lets just mention that the industry is growing and there are more people starting to gamble than ever. The industry is worth 460 Billion in 2020. This comes from a gambling population of 4.2 Billion. 460 divided by 4.2 is $109 per person. It’s interesting to think about those numbers. It’s growing too. 

Putting your money on the line for fun or other reasons can lead to addiction and ruin your life.

So a deep personal analysis of your gambling should be undertaken regularly. So with the ever increasing number of gamblers the question is even more relevant. 

Reasons Why People Gamble: It’s More Than The Money

We have said that trying to solve financial problems by gambling is *ridiculous, but if you have a solid income you can play for money because you can afford to lose. You should never gamble with more than you can afford to lose. 

* It is important to remember that many people make vast sums of money gambling. However, the difference between those who do make money and those who don't is based solely on their skill, knowledge, and experience. The naive gambler [which is pretty much all gamblers even though they think they have skill] is that they have no chance of beating the informed, skilled, layer whether bookmaker or individual. It is important to appreciate this distinction between the naive and informed because it would, in my opinion, be foolish not to accept this point. Even bookmakers go out of business do to poor judgement. John McCririck is one example from failed bookie to successful racing pundit.    

Some Reasons Why You Might Gamble: 

Winning money to have a flashier lifestyle 
To feel the winning feeling is a thrill 
Improving social skills and passing some time 
Using it as a way to cope with a problem 
Entertainment 
Showing off skills 

There is a clear feeling involved with gambling. This comes because you risk something. If you play with fake money it feels completely different. The hormone dopamine gives us a feel good feeling that is addictive and momentarily a good thing. When we win levels increase dramatically, but losing does the opposite. There is always the next bet which could lead to a good feeling- we kid ourselves. As a gambler you need to realise what is happening if you are to control it. 

Gambling can be a release, a way of coping with some other problems. A reason people may gamble but it’s not a good reason to play. If you lose the negative feelings will compound and you are even further away from solving your problems. 

Note: From my years of gambling I have realised many gamblers struggle with discipline, whether they bet large or small stakes. This is why many never progress from the basic, naive, perspective rather than wishing to learn from valuable experience. Without a willful endeavour to learn and hone your skills you just repeat the same mistakes and lose. It is the same as a student going to college for 30-years and not learning anything. All gamblers need reflexivity, self awareness, and self assessment. If you don't consider gambling with the seriousness of a business you are wasting your time, money and life.  

Pros and Cons of Gambling 

Non gamblers have a negative connotation associated with it. It does have many negative points enough to stop many from even partaking in a gamble. 

Note: In my opinion people who are anti-gambling are as naive as those they watch lose. Why? Because understanding the truth of what gambling involves is actually a skill which can benefit many in life. It is truly naive to think you don't gamble on a day to day basis. These skills can help individuals appreciate risk and opportunity. However, you need the skill to appreciate it's worth. Once again, the naive punter doesn't come close to understanding anything and why for many it is a road to destruction.   

We will look at both sides: 

Pros: 

Monetary Gain (possibly) 
Winning Feeling Dopamine Release
Study Form Learn About Odds and Improving Maths Skills 
Meet New People 
Entertainment & Casinos Environment 
Free Food and Drink 

Cons:

Losing Money (likely) 
Depression feeling bad with a big loss 
Destroying Relationships 
Getting into Debt 
Losing Investments (e.g. Property) 
Addiction 

Forget what you see at the movies, there are no James Bond moments in your future (this is true, but not impossible because there are people who make millions from gambling). 

One day you could potentially turn into a professional gambler but it’s not for most. Even the pros lose big getting to where they are. And there are many who lose a great deal and don’t recover. They lose homes and their marriages fall apart. It quite literally ruins their own life. They lose control of their ability to stop and they are addicted. 

They need professional help. 

Casino Gambling Vs Online 

Visiting a land based casino comes with some perks like free food and drinks give or take. You meet others and can have a fun evening if you play within your rules and don’t deviate. The ambiance is also a reason to visit, casinos are clean and comfortable. You will also feel the vibe of seeing others win and lose. It’s an entirely different experience playing roulette at a proper table than an online game. Online gambling has taken off allowing people to play and place bets on their mobile phones. It has allowed the industry to grow beyond the land based model. Choose your platforms wisely as there are many scammers out there. 

Ways To Avoid Gambling Addiction 

Understanding why you gamble is a big part of preventing addiction when you understand how you work and what is making you play when you shouldn’t. 

Note: Gambling isn't a bad decision if you work on your skills to be a winner. Buying stocks and shares, Bit Coins, Property...everything is a financial risk without skill. Even with vast knowledge there are no guarantees. However, this is a fact about life itself. 

Here are some proven tips you should look into and practise to avoid becoming addicted:

Stick to limits: only gamble that which you can afford to lose (no one can afford to lose money). Leave when you are all out. Do not imagine the next deal is a winner (it could be, but I understand the thought process). Find other activities to replace gambling, this can be very refreshing. You can tell yourself you can always return that can help entice you away. Look at seeing other gamblers less or at all. Start a new hobby. Talk to your family about your gambling no matter what stage you are at. Try not to dwell on the past instead see a new future. Don’t repeat negative behaviour by ignoring your mistakes- learn from them. There is a gambling addiction hotline- use it if you need to. 

Note: If you don't learn the skills to be an accomplished gambler you shouldn't bet at all. The trouble is that most people do not understand the pros and cons of gambling until it is all consuming. That's why if you have an interest in gambling paper trail or just play with matchsticks. You will learn more from this approach than actually betting money. The mistake most gamblers make is that they think winning and losing is about money. It is all about knowledge, skill and experience.  

Can You Get Rich From Gambling?

For the vast majority of punters it's impossible.

Better advice is to see your losses as paying for your entertainment (or paying for your education if you wish to learn). 

There are extreme cases whereby professional gamblers like Bill Benter and Edward E Thorpe have come up tops- by a long way. Bill Benter has amassed a Billion from his endeavours on horse racing. But he is a very talented mathematician who was able to create an algorithm to give him better odds on the outcome of a horse race. Anyone who has made money as a professional will tell you you need a game of skill where the odds are not fixed. (Note: fixed odds make life very difficult to win unless you are an expert card counter, which is easy to spot, or a cheat, which is almost impossible in this day and age). 

Games like Blackjack and Sports betting or Poker where you play to a great deal on skill offer some hope to the informed gambler.

How good is your poker face? 

So the quick answer is no. 

Gambling is not just casinos sports and online.  You can look at stocks and shares as an alternative way of gambling. Starting a business is also a gamble. You can make a big difference on the outcome compared to the terrible odds of roulette. (Note: and amazingly roulette in the UK is one of the better gambles in most casinos). 

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Who Is Bill Benter?

Who is Bill Benter? Born in 1957 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania was a baby boy named William Benter. Little is known and written about his life prior to his university days but it was known that he was smart and had a very mathematical brain. He graduated with a Physics degree in 1977, a difficult mathematical subject. 


First Gambling Experience

Little is known about what or why William started to gamble. But it is known that Blackjack was his game of choice in local venues in Pittsburgh. He liked the idea that mathematical prowess increases the chances that you can win in this popular Casino Game. It’s not known if Bill discovered the book Beat The Dealer (by Edward O Thorp) or Blackjack first. But it was a deadly combination that saw Bill Benter banned from Casinos in Las Vegas some 7 years after his arrival in the desert gambling mecca. 

Card Counting Blackjack 

It is a known fact that you can count cards in BlackJack to gain an edge over the house. The book Beat The Dealer in the right hands teaches you how to do just that. Bill’s mathematical head allowed him to count cards in his head. Even with the knowledge few people can count cards. Even then the profits can be small but the losses big. It isn’t illegal to do it using your own brain. It’s impressive that Bill got so much success that they banned him. It’s likely many card counters have lost as much as they have won. Bill was that bit better than most counters. 

Horses For Courses

With no way to play BlackJack Bill was undeterred and possibly also felt that his skills deserved a better edge. It wasn’t until he met Alan Woods that he found his next game, or rather sport in this case horse racing. Wikipedia mentions that Bill was also somewhat into computers; the two combined notes and started to discuss elements and statistical patterns. Bill was the brains and Woods had been the creative investor. But as Bill earned Woods wasn’t needed as much. 

The year is now 1985, Alan was interested more in the Asian horse racing and gambling scene- it is said due to the smaller pool of horses. Hong Kong to be precise was where he started to study the vocation. 

The Bill Benter Horse Racing Algorithm 

Bill created a computer algorithm which crunched data and came up with likely winners. It took 9 months to feed 5-10 years of Alan's research on horse racing results and data into the computer. There were big losses of around $150,000 in the first year which generated friction between the pair and led to discussions on direction. 

In 1987 they made $100,000.00 but after the initial losses; a year later they dissolved the relationship. Woods moved onto Manila and had a lot of success with what he took from the project. 

The Hong Kong Jockey Club 

Bill didn’t give up after the net losses (as winnings had started to come in) using the system over 30 years later he amassed around a Billion. It had worked very well for both of them, but Bill moved on with a forked version that he would develop further himself. It started to predict winners so well the Hong Kong Jockey Club became interested and offered to ‘help’ Bill. Without a doubt getting close to a customer spending so much but winning wasn’t going to come without offering him a treat. They organised him a system to be able to place more bets using a direct terminal. Also they started publishing statistical data not previously shared. The result was more volume of bets and a better algorithm. But the computer algorithm just made Bill even more money. It was even better than before. Eventually the Jockey club had to end the arrangement after Bill was reportedly making 5 to 10 Million per day! 

Bill also became the president of the Hong Kong Rotary Club and met Vivian Fung. 

William Benter Personal Life 

Bill married Vivian Fung in 2012, a Hong Kong national, so in another way this city had a big impact on his life. They settled in Pittsburgh, Vivians apple falling much further than his! Bill’s religion is not mentioned online.

Bill Benter Modern Life and Today 

Bill has used his wealth providing funding to many organisations, usually political (Bill and Vivian are Democrats). He created the Benter Foundation in 2007 and has been a benefactor to Israel and Arabic charities among many others: 

University of Pittsburgh 
Democratic Party of Virginia 
Rabbis for Human Rights 
A New Voice for Maryland 

He is often invited to give talks and lectures on statistical modelling and mathematics at universities across the world including Harvard and Stanford. City University of Hong Kong created a scholarship in his name. 

Today as of 2021 he is said to be worth 1Billion dollars even having given a lot away as a philanthropist. 

There are many videos about Bill online, here he has an interview discussing how horse racing is a great basis for statistical modelling and the problems that the betting public can cause with some of their strange behaviour. 

Interesting that twice he refers to ‘rolling up the sleeves’ being essential for success in predicting outcomes and that many just can’t do that aspect. 

The 9 months of hard work crunching 10 years of 200 horses and umpteen races is something he hasn’t lost sight of being a vital ingredient. 

He also mentions that the bookmakers are very capable of looking out for themselves and they have nothing to fear from his algorithm.

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10 Professional Footballers Who Had Gambling Addictions

10 Professional Footballers Who Had Gambling Addictions
Professional football players are among the best paid sportsmen today. They live a life of training, big games and luxury. They all opt for the best sports cars, biggest brand clothing and palatial mansions. There are few downsides to their unique lives. Namely social media abuse, the media intrusion into their ‘private’ lives and often sports betting, we look at 10 who have had gambling problems. 

1 Matthew Etherington 

Fans of the Irons (West Ham) and of the EPL English Premier League will know this player from his play down the wing. He liked to bet on poker and horse racing. He accumulated debts at one point to £800,000 which saw the club help him out, his football wages not being enough. Thanks to Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance, Matthew is now assistant manager at EFL league club Peterborough. The Sporting Chance clinic was founded in 2000 for pro athletes battling addictions. 

 

2 Michael Chopra 

Another player who ended up needing the support from the Sporting Chance clinic is Michael Chopra. A striker who moved clubs and divisions never quite reaching the higher ranks doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. He has said he racked up debts of 2 million. It was bantered around that with other players he would place bets on the way to the game; up to an insane £30,000 bet! Charges were also brought against him by the British Horseracing Authority for suspicious betting activity. He fully retired in 2016 after playing lower and lower standard football in India. 


3 Wayne Rooney 

Always a character on the field with an enviable talent the world class Rooney didn’t do so well at picking a winner. Reputably spending half a million at a Manchester casino in one evening. That’s a lot even for someone earning 55,000 per week. As an 18 year old playing away for England and Manchester United boredom was a reason he gave for getting into it. His wages increased to 300,000 per week and amazingly he quit gambling on his own. He really is made of some special sauce.. He went across to the MLS leagues in America but from a football position we had seen the best. He moved into management with Derby County first as a player manager with the irony that they have a sports betting sponsor 32Red. 


4 Eidur Gudjohnsen 

Unlike Rooney, Eidur is also said to have lost half a million gambling but this was over a few months instead of an evening. He played roulette and blackjack during times of no action due to injury. He had a very good career with Chelsea Football Club over a long time giving him access to lots of money. A common denominator among the list here. He has also like Wayne and others moved into a management role at Iceland FH in his homeland of Iceland. 


5. Kyle Lafferty 

Currently still playing for his native Northern Ireland and a cypriot club Αnorthosis Famagusta FC as of publish time. It’s not often that a player admits gambling addiction whilst still in a good place professionally. Perhaps it is partly due to the spotlight being shone on activity that brought him a 23k fine. He was betting on football. At his height he played for Rangers and Burnley but couldn’t quite help Kilmarnock escape relegation despite bagging 14 goals. He still features well for the national team. 

 

6. Joey Barton 

Joey Barton is certainly a character and never far from the origin of a story. He was a player who got into many scrapes on and off the pitch. He was charged twice for assault and spent 74 days in prison. A journeyman that you might not always play- but someone you’d want to take into battle. In 2017 his football betting antics resulted in a charge and ban, after a decade of gambling. He also turned into a manager but had to wait for the ban to end. He is currently manager of Fleetwood town. 

 

7. David Bentley 

Born in Peterborough David found himself a youth player for Arsenal where at 14 he started to gamble. He went on in football to make a very good player indeed appearing 7 times for England. Blackburn Rovers and Spurs were his main contracts of note. He went on to other smaller clubs as his fitness ebbed like every footballer and the only other notable placement a loan spell at FC Rostov. He self confessed his gambling problems and at the peak was placing 100 bets per day. He got clear in 2005 when at Blackburn Rovers. 


8. Andros Townsend 

A bad gambling habit certainly affected this player's career. A 4 month ban in 2013 and he admitted to gambling in bed one night losing £46,000. Again we hear how a player has cited boredom as a contributing factor. Waiting for an away game in a hotel room the day after he saw an advert online for a free bet. He now plays for Everton and still scores exceptional goals on occasion. 13 caps for England don’t lie he certainly has lots of footballing ability. But the player moved a lot on loan early on in his career. It is when he said the gambling became really bad. He took counseling in the end and it saved him and his footballing career. 

 

9 Dietmar Hamann 

The once German midfielder turned to gambling at low points throughout his career. He didn’t enjoy being away from his children and the breakdown of his marriage were low points in particular. In one night he gambled away £200,000. He was also well known for his contributions on the pitch for Liverpool football club where he retired. He attempted getting into management however he seems to be on TV as a pundit and writes column inches for different media outlets. 


10. Paul Merson 

Mostly known as an Arsenal playmaker in the late 80’s he also represented England in the 1992 euros and the world cup in 1998. He is now a pundit with sky sports no longer managing where he tried it out without success. Between those England performances when he was in his prime for Arsenal too he admitted he was addicted to alcohol, cocaine and gambling. This may account for why he said he preferred his football the most for Aston Villa where he signed late in his career. His gambling debts truly ruined him financially at one point owing 7 Million and losing the house. The addictions also left him battling mental health. Merson said once that he kidds himself he would drink another day instead and just get through today to keep going and so on. His betting was mostly sports based and very varied; it must have been based on little knowledge. For example he would be betting on obscure clubs in leagues you never heard of. Merson, who used to play with Tony Adams, booked himself into his clinic The Sporting Chance. He said later that he beat alcohol and drugs but the gambling he couldn’t stop. (It's a touch disappointing to see an advert for gambling before this podcast. Nothing to do with the podcaster channel, just the way advertising placements work so even trying to promote and find answers to gambling addiction someone is trying to get someone hooked). 

 

My thoughts go out to all battling gambling addiction. 


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Professional Gamblers: Levels of Hypochondria

If there has ever been an occupation where hypochondria and melancholy reside it's professional gambling. 

Unless you have the constitution of an ox, the thickened skull of Neanderthal man and psychiatrist on speed dial you may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

If you are a heavy hitter (big bettor) I'm pretty sure you have woken up in a muck sweat in those eerie hours of the night muttering like you've lost one of your marbles as the depressive darkness infiltrates your mind as you recall the time when a,b or c went desperately wrong. 

It shouldn't be a lifestyle of choice unless you have climbed a mountain or two.

If you look in the bathroom cabinet of any professional gambler you will find a selection of jars, containers, vials and sachets, remedies for bunions to having the shits. 

In the darkness you hear a low buzzing sound coming from the cabinet, neon lights of pinks and purples and a thin trail of smoke with an acrid chemical smell makes you wonder if you have awoken from a futuristic dream. 

In fact, you will find everything and anything except a strawberry scented condom. 

A few winners, the bathroom cabinet is locked up but a run of losers and the doors are off their hinges. 

If things go sadly awry, and the anxiety level reach the point where you see witches and goblins out of the corner of your eye, you take the novel action of mixing a few ''substances'' together to clean out the pipes (so to speak). 

Anyway, I think I've painted a picture of the forlorn gambler who is down on his/her luck and the mattress isn't quite so plump as it was a month or two back.

I remember reading a passage from Dave Nevison's Bloody Good Winner about a professional gambler who used to bet big odds on. 

If anything is going to make you anxious it's betting big odds on, especially on the National Hunt. 

Anyway, this character was known for betting at the end of his rope (in the style of Harry Findlay) the shorter the price the better. If this bloke saw a horse at 1/5f, he'd take 1/6 because he thought it increased his chances of winning. 

The big odds on gambler had a permanent ashen face, bordering on albino. 

He'd placed a bet of £10,000 to win £1,000. 

I mean, you can do a lot with a grand. 

The race had started in earnest... 

Like these new toothpastes, his face, rather than his teeth, turned ten shades whiter. If he'd been standing in front of a white-washed wall he'd have been the invisible man. You would see ragged clothes hanging on a stick-like frame, a betting ticket in the hand and a trail of diarrhea.

The state of anxiety rose with every jump, stumble, yard, even breath of horse, jockey and punter with hopes and ambitions of taking money from the bookies' satchel. 

This gambler couldn't even watch the race. If he didn't like what he was hearing, he'd stick his fingers in his ears and hope beyond hope that when the commentator uttered his next words it was good news. 

When the race was over and it revealed a lovely winner, the blood rushed back to his cheeks and the pins and needles in his fingers and toes subsided enough to walk to the bookie and enjoy the sensation of folding on his palm.

If it was a loser, he literally looked like the grim reaper had entered the room and there wasn't an exit or a bathroom cabinet to find a much-needed fix. 

God help us all.

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given

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Most Reckless, Mad, Wildest Professional Gambler 'H'

Professional gamblers come in all shapes and sizes.

That could be with regard to their stature, physical and mental, bets small or large or even reputation. 

In the melting pot of gamblers - from all walks of life - you hear some amazing stories. I love the extremes you see in people. Some bet big money and as disciplined as they come while others are mad, reckless, wild and destined to lose every last penny.

I guess it's simply part of their character. 

It's a certain type of personality, character trait, that captures the attention of the everyday punter.

Harry Findlay always reminded me of a gambler who was pretty much on the edge. 

I think he loved the thrill to push his skill and luck to the limit. 

Anyway, there are other gamblers who exemplify this thought.

You may have heard about an East End gangster called 'H'. 

He had a reputation as a hard man and reckless gambler. If you've been around London long enough you will know who I am talking about, said his friend. 

''H is a couple of years older than me. He's flat broke living on benefits in Loughton, waiting for a liver transplant. He looks after the gardens of the flat he lives.''

It's a sobering thought to think he lost millions on the horses and dogs.

One bet stuck in the mind. ''I placed £50,000 in one and two-thousand a time, the last few grand placed at a shop in Canning Town. I watched the race to see Admiral's Cup beaten by a short head.''

''He never turned a hair.''

''Another memorable story about H came when he and his wife and me and my wife went to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot. I looked posh in my mourning suit and top hat and the ladies looked gorgeous. However, H looking similarly formal wore his lucky black bootlace tie with its solid gold steer head fastener.'' 

One of the stewards on the Royal Enclosure spotted him and wouldn't let him in so he went berserk and stormed off to the Tattersall's betting ring.

He tried to wipe out every bookie in the enclosure with massive ''stupid'' bets. 

He must have been half a million pounds down by the last race. He managed to persuade one of the major bookmakers to take a bet of £250,000 on a horse called Kris, priced even money. 

This time, his horse won by a short head, after a 5-minute wait as they magnified the photo finish. 

Once again, he didn't turn a hair. There was no sign of emotion. 

Now he cuts the grass and prunes the rose bushes for the old ladies for a cup of tea and biscuit. 

Note: I have no evidence this story is true. 

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given 

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Professional Gamblers: Who Is Jack Ramsden?

Professional gamblers come from varied backgrounds - including horse trainers. Considering this line of work, it would seem to be a very good way to make money. 

However, let's get back to the start of the story. Jack Ramsden was a stockbroker until 1980, then decided to turn his hand to being a professional gambler. He had thirteen consecutive winning years (probably many more). 

He said of stock brokering: ''I was working in the city, but the city wasn't working for me. I was a pretty useless stockbroker.'' 

Very much in the mold of Phil Bull, he based his success on speed figures. 

In fact he stated: ''I cannot stress too strongly the importance of the race times. They bind the whole approach together. A good horse can do a bad time, but a bad horse cannot do a good time.''

Ramsden detailed the good times on the national hunt are few and far between but everyone seems to know about them and the prices are too short to back. 

He said: ''Even cutting out the endless research of form, it takes me two  to three hours a day to work out my bets.''

Giving us an insight to his approach he continues: ''I'm constantly on the look out for the 3/1 chance that starts at 8/1. There are 30 - 40 such bets a year (there to be seen by all).''  

Clearly looking for value he says: ''At those odds, you don't need to be right all the time!''

What was even more intriguing with Ramsden is that he collaborated with ''his own bookmaker'' Colin Webster. In fact, the bookmaker (this must be a first) paid Ramsden £5,000 a year for his information. In addition, he had to place Ramsden's bets with other bookmakers. 

What struck me as being unusual with Ramsden was his liking for multibets (trebles, yankees, lucky 15). He liked to bet on big priced horses and it seemed to be a very lucrative addition because on four occasions he reported winning over £200,000 at time on multiple bets.  

However, he advised punters to forget about each-way bets This insight came from researching his bets that he would have made much more doubling his win bet rather opting for the ''safer'' method. 

He said: ''I think all punters would benefit from cutting out all each-way bets and sticking to singles.''

Jack met his wife, Lynda, when she works at the horse racing stables of John Sutcliffe Snr, where Jack, one of Barry Hills' first owners, had horses. The couple married in 1977. Originally, training horses in the Isle Of Man, they moved to North Yorkshire, England, where they trained for many years.

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given 

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Professional Gamblers: The Shadow

Anonymous said: 

''I've known many great gamblers over the years. Some pro gamblers I've known casually while others have been personal friends.''

The biggest gambler I have met is J P McManus. I know him on nodding terms. I've seen him scaring the pants off bookmakers and he walks around the betting ring. 

One of my favourites was Alec Bird who loved place bets. Supposedly, his favourite bet was £200,000 place only on a red-hot favourite. He's be quite happy to bet 1/10, to get a nice return on his investment. 

Without question, one of the shrewdest gamblers I ever met was Phil Bull. You may remember him as the founder of Timeform. Using his time rating system, he would be quite happy to bet on every race on the card while smoking a cigar, sipping a glass of champagne and have time for a chat. To Bull, it was simply about solving a puzzle. In fact, the money he won seemed to be of little interest to him. 

Barney Curley often gets a bad press but he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. These days, he is showing his age but he is approachable and friendly. Over the years he has landed some major betting coupes including Yellow Sam in 1975. 

Definitely the maddest gambler I ever met is my friend and once East End gangster ''H''. These days he is flat broke living in a housing association, passing the time looking after the gardens as he waits for a liver transplant. 

However, he has lost millions over the years betting on the dogs and horse racing. 

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given 

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Reasons why you should play at online casinos

When it comes to gambling it's just up to you to choose where you feel comfortable playing. some people feel much better playing t land-based casinos. here are a couple of reasons why you should consider playing at an online casino. 

Flexibility 

This is one of the best things that you can get for playing at leroi johnny casino en ligne. you don't have to constantly worry about tik that you can play. online casinos are available for you any time of the day. their hours are very flexible. you are not limited to play for a few hours. as long as money allows you can play as long as you want. 

Casino options

It doesn't matter if you are new to online gambling or you are used to it. there are so many options available for you. Un, one with a land-based casino you are limited to specific locations and in some cases you might not like the services there. With online casinos you can change anytime you want to choose the one that best suits your need. 

Online casinos are fast 

Comparing them to best AU online casino venues this one is very fast. In terms of the process of the payment and deposit you are assured that it won't take long. also you have many options when you pay. Another reason why online casinos faster are that you don't have to queue for you to play a game. 

Comfortable 

Playing with n online casino is just amazing. you will be paying in the comfort of your own space. also, they are available on your mobile phone meaning you can play anywhere you want at any time. 

Conclusion 

There ate just so many amazing reasons why you should play at online casinos. Especially in the times that we are loving now. keep yourself safe by avoiding the crowd. play at home and stay covid-19 free.

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How To Deal With Gambling Addiction

As much as gambling I one way to make money real quickly you ought to be very careful. A lot of gamblers end up getting addicted to gambling which poses a lot of problems for them. How then do you avoid and deal with the addiction? 

Stop Gambling 

There is nothing that you can stop. Make up your mind that you want to stop playing online casino Canada games. This is a wise step to take before things get worse for you. Get rid of all the things that will remind you of gambling. For you to make progress at this you should find a new hobby so that you don’t end up getting tempted to gamble. 

Know More About The Problem 

Gamblers should always keep in mind and that what they are doing is taking a risk with their mental wellness. Understand the online casinos Australia gambling problem so that you can know how best to handle it. 

It's not always the case that everyone who gambles ends up having an addiction to it, you can avoid this. Make it a point that you do gambling a lot of money at once. 

This will land you in life debts. At the same time, you start slipping away from your social life. If you understand all of this you will know better. 

Get support 

Joining a support group will help you with your addiction. Get to learn how others have managed to overcome the problem. you get to talk about your challenges openly and get the help that you need. 

Conclusion 

It's better to know about the problem earlier so that you can deal with it. There are just a lot of consequences involved with having an addiction to gambling. You can choose the result if you are willing.

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Things that you should take note of at a casino

Gambling is so much exciting if you play following the rules. you should always be mindful of how you present and handle yourself at online casinos south africa. You do not want to have a bad reputation as a player. 

Dos 

Dresscode The way you dress gives the impression of the kind of person you are. You should make sure that you are well dressed. Don’t overdress though. 

Take note of the type of dressing that the best CA online casino you want to play with accept. most casinos however prefer casual dressing. your dressing also depends on the gambling occasion that you are attending. It could be a fancy night so you out to dress in such a way. 

Casino Signals

There are a couple of casino games that make use of hand signals as you pay. one such game is blackjack. you need to take caution with your hand signals and avoid being misinterpreted. 

In such a case that you are playing a game with signals make sure you have mastered them. this will help you not disrupt the game by asking for the meaning. 

Tip the dealer 

This a known custom that you need t top your service provider to show your gratitude. At the end of the game, it's just a good manner that you leave something for your dealer. 

Don'ts 

Don’t get drunk 

Atch how much you drink while paying. you wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of other players. drinking too much will also cloud your judgement. 

Messing with your phone 

Make sure that once you start playing you avoid texting .its a distraction to the game not only you but other players as well. 

Conclusion 

Getting into a casino you need to be careful how you handle yourself. try by all means to follow the rules.
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Tips on how you can win an online casino

There is a difference in how you play your ace pokies online pokies at an online casino compared to land-based casino the good thing about playing at an online casino you get to do all you want in the comfort of your own space. come up with your str5ategy without looking over your shoulder to see with other players are doing. 

Find the best casino 

It's wise that you do a proper survey of online casinos available. pick the best that best suits your needs. also, verify I the casino is legal or not. 

Bonuses 

Alert proper research on the casinos that you want to ply with. check if they offer any rewards. most casinos do give bonuses to their players. these include beginners bonuses and promotional ones amongst many others. these will help you boost your game and coming up with better strategies. once you discover this make sure that you take all the bonuses that you are offered. at the same time don’t forget the bonus requirements. 

Games 

Not every casino has the same games. choose the south african gambling site that offers the games that you are good at. also, some of these casinos offer free games to their clients. it's wise that you also take time to play these free games. it will help you with your game plans and experience. also, make sure that you play games that have low house edges. 

Payments 

When it comes to playing online all your transactions will be done online as wee. Choose the casino that offers different options for banking . that way you will be able to pick the option that you are comfortable with. 

Limits 

Knowing your clients is the best strategy for any gambler. a good gambler knows that they stop playing whilst they are still winning. also by acquiring alcohol you will be able to avoi7d any problems with your limits. 

Conclusion There is just an easy step that you can follow for you to win sales almost every game. what you need to keep in mind how you behave while you are playing and also still to your strategy.

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Tips on How to Make Money at Online Casinos

Online casinos Online casino is the best thing that has ever happened to players. Different online casino games are available which consist of roulette, blackjack, poker, and many others. You can have access to online casino sa games anywhere and anytime as long as you have an internet connection. However, in this article, we are going to give you tips on how to make money with online casinos. 

You Have to Take the Least 

Possible Risk If you want to earn more money at online casinos, then it is good to take the least possible risk of games. Make sure you play games with the correct strategy to obtain more money. Taking the least possible risk is important if you want to earn money at an online casino. 

Don’t Try to Win Big at an Online Casino

Moreover, you should not expect to win big at an online casino. This can result in you losing a lot of money instead of winning bonuses and rewards. Therefore, australian online casinos gamblers should enhance their skills for playing casino games at gambling platforms than targeting to win. 

Try Earning More Bonuses and Being Consistent 

Furthermore, online casino gamblers should try to stay consistent with a single strategy to win more money at online casinos. You should also try to earn more bonuses when playing online casino games. 

Play Games Using Your Skills 

In addition, if you want to earn money at an online casino gambling platform, the playing of the games should be through your skills. You must not be in a position where you depend on luck while playing online casino games. 

In conclusion, these are some of the tips on how you can make money at online casinos. These tips will help you on how you can properly make money at online casinos.

Photo Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution
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Professional Gamblers: Who Is Eddie 'The Shoe' Fremantle

Eddie 'The Shoe' Fremantle is a freelance journalist, horse racing analyst and professional punter, probably best known, nowadays, for his punditry on the 'Racing TV' television channel. Fremantle developed an interest in horse racing at an early age and, in an interview with Star Sports in 2018, recalled backing Balliol in the King's Stand Stakes and Lassalle in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 1973 although, by his own admission, he could not 'really remember much about it'.
 
Nevertheless, his interest in the 'Sport of Kings' developed throughout his teenage years. He was offered his first job in journalism largely as the result of a chance meeting with Ian Davies, who was, at the time, deputy editor of the 'Racing & Football Outlook', whom he met on a train journey to Ludlow. Some months later, Davies, who was by now editor of the aforementioned publication, contacted Fremantle and offered him a position as a sports tipster. Fremantle subsequently spent four years as a youthful 'Man on the Spot' in the now-defunct 'Sporting Life' newspaper, before devoting his time solely to backing horses for a living. However, after eight years he did return to journalism, as racing correspondent to 'The Observer', a position that allowed him access to the press facilities at racecourses.

Fremantle remains one of a dying breed of professional punters, insofar as he still goes racing four or five days a week. He is a modest punter, by professional standards, but he believes that, by keeping his turnover high – or, in other words, by betting as often as possible – but keeping his stakes relatively low, he eliminates long losing runs, at least in terms of time. As he put it, 'If you only bet rarely, but have a big bet when you do, you really have to get it right.'He also has an interesting take on chasing losses; of course, he does not advocate poor decision-making based on desperation, frustration or any other negative emotion but, by the same token, he does not view losing money as a reason to give up betting altogether. After all, he says, if you never chase your losses you'll never get them back.

Fremantle takes a entirely pragmatic approach to horse racing and subscribes to the unfashionable philosophy that there is no substitute for hard work. In the absence of any 'golden goose', he relies on studying form, on video and in print, as much as possible. As a matter of personal preference, he specialises in Flat racing, including all-weather racing during the winter months, but his best advice to anyone looking to make horse racing pay is to do something 'different'. Of course, horse racing form is in the public domain but, by examining the performance of every horse in every race, keen-eyed punters may spot something that has been overlooked by the rank and file of the betting public.

Instead of looking for the winner of each race, Fremantle recommends preparing your own betting forecast, or 'tissue', for each race and comparing your estimated odds with those commercially available to identify which horses, if any, are under- or over-priced. His own tissue prices factor in elements such as luck in running, or lack of it, which is a common cause of over-reaction by bookmakers.




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How to Cheat the Slots

How to Cheat the Slots
Tommy Glenn Charmichael might have gotten away with cheating casinos and other establishments that house slot machines. However like most criminals ambitions and ego get them in the end. Tommy was a master slot machine thief good enough to perhaps never get caught. If he had stayed at a level and not aimed for the stars he may not have been caught.

The story goes like this 

Tommy from Tulsa USA was a TV repairman with a shop. The skills in repairing TV’s it’s 1980. His friend Ray Ming from Las Vegas came in one day with something to show Tommy. 

Ming had brought a Bally’s slot machine in and a device called a top-bottom joint. A top bottom joint is a device that would trick the slot machine into paying out. A small piece of guitar wire is fed up through the bottom hopper and must reach part of the circuit affecting the hopper control. This is step 1. Then whilst the bottom part is in place, Step 2; the top part a thicker gauge 9 shaped piece of wire is placed in the coin slot. A circuit is completed enough to trigger the hopper to dispense coins. 

Ming was doing well and Tommy reeling from his third divorce and his shop was struggling decided to close the shop and start cheating for himself. This he did. 

There was no video surveillance in the 1980’s. Still you had to have a good sleight of hand and be well practiced to not arouse suspicion. He was good at it. For 20 years he stole from Casinos across the USA and the Caribbean. But the first time he cheated is more interesting. He chose a nickel slot in a casino off the strip, and walked out with bulging pockets full of nickels- 35 dollars worth. Carmichael thought pockets bulging "You are thinking you are going to have yachts and cars. You know, the American Dream." You might say the house advantage was 0. 

Casinos monitor patterns and the losses on slots which would be way out of their predictable payouts noted. They started to learn about such tools as the top bottom joint. In retaliation the machines got better and so Tommy had to move to the lesser establishments who still ran old machines. This was a risk as they were smaller and you were more obvious. It led to his first being spotted cheating. He was slammed with the joint in his possession. He got 5 years (aged 35) for his offence. 

The top bottom joint was now old news. He realised this game was about innovation. In the prison he met Mike Balsamo who was also in this line of ‘work’ they agreed to meet on the outside and work together. It didn’t take the full term and Tommy released in 1987 set to renewing his knowledge. Slots had moved on. Microprocessors and less reliance on mechanicals changed the game. But TGC was at his best learning from the machine and adapting. Also he left prison broke and again (but final time) divorced. He took minimum wage jobs and saved up over 3 years for a new machine. The International Game Technology (IGT) Video Poker Machine. It was 1990. It took a year of tinkering to come up with a new device nicknamed the monkey paw. Again a device that went up the money chute could be bent once in place tripping a microswitch. 

It allowed Carmichael to bank $1000 in an hour. IGT of course was trying to stay a step ahead. It made some changes to new machines that stopped the monkey paw from working.

A cheeky move saw Tommy visit an IGT showroom where the sales rep was only too happy to open up one of the newer machines. Carmichael was posing as a customer. It was a risky move, it paid off as he knew he could beat it. Still needing the machine he bought one and got to work. The Light Wand was the new tool to beat this latest machine. It tricked the light sensors into not knowing how much was being paid out. It essentially shone so bright inside the machine was blinded. 

High Point 

It was now 1992 and Carmicheal was not only cheating he was also selling light wands to others. The criminal word of mouth got around. 

IGT countered with an actuator arm but within an hour Tommy knew how to beat it with a device called the hangar. It was reported Tommy was now making around $10,000 per day if he chose to. He was nondescript, average and had good technique. You couldn’t see he was cheating. You could just see he was winning. 

Carmichael bought 2 houses and invested in a pawn shop. He had a top Jaguar for a ride and was living a very good lifestyle. 

Tommy went on a 6 month tour of Caribbean casinos and also visited Atlantic city where he was ‘making’ a lot of money. 

The Group 

On Carmichaels return to the strip he teamed up with Mike Balsamo and a certain Ramon David Pereira. Casinos were now operating with cameras and it was too tricky to operate alone. You needed people to block cameras and divert attention. 

Tommy met a topless dancer at the very height of his cheating escapades, her name was Lisa Luxem. After his 4th divorce Carmicheal always had a girl by his side.

End game 

It was on the night of October 4th 1996 that a security camera spotted and dispatched security to the machine where Carmichael was playing. He attempted to run and dropped a light wand. Proving he was cheating was hard and the charges were dropped- surprisingly. 

It was the first of a couple of lapses for Tommy, again in 1998 and 1999 he was caught cheating. The 1999 time was in Atlantic city. "I've been looking for you," a certain detective Pflaumer said- "Me and you have a lot to talk about." 

It led to the group being arrested federally, via wire taps and informants. All 7 members pleaded guilty to running an illegal gambling enterprise. Incredibly the sentence passed was extremely light on Sept 7, 2001, was 326 days prison and given three years' probation. He lost his two homes. He was ordered to stay away from Casinos. 

Tommy now looks after his elderly mother back home in Tulsa. He is trying to right a wrong by developing an anti cheating device called “The Protector”. His record however has not been forgotten and the industry is not about to allow him to profit from his skills and knowledge. He has been committed to a Black Book of known people in the Nevada state and banned from ever entering a casino again.

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How much money do you need to be a professional gambler?

There are lots of would-be pro gamblers.

Good luck to each and everyone of you. I say that sincerely because if you don't have a plan or ambition you are unlikely to get to your final destination. So it is wise to have a plan. Or at least an idea. 

So what are your chances of being a professional gambler?

It's not impossible. 

When betting via skill you can be the best in the world. Remember, to make money gambling, you need to be better than most. You're facing competition but you're not trying to win an Olympic Gold Medal. 

However, the better you can be the more money you can win. 

Never bad news.

However, there is a problem. I am a person who believes from little acorns giant oaks may grow. 

But here's the problem. Many professional gamblers make a return of just 1% on their investment. 

£1 in every £100. 

It doesn't seem a great deal of money, hey? In fact, it even makes some of these dodgy investment scheme look attractive. The incentive is to make your betting more profitable. If you are at the 1% level you will need to bet a lot of money and if you are selective you are going to run into problems. 

It's not a problem but if you rely on your winnings to get by as your only source of earnings you will be feeling under pressure to earn more cash. 

You cannot force bets. 

It is the same as chasing losses. 

So if you are considering becoming a professional gambler you will do well to make your profits as big as possible and that is down to skill. 

Some professional gamblers have a return on their investment of 20%. There are some who have more. 

It is something to think about. 

Photo: Pixabay free for commercial use and no attribution but given

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