Professional Gambler: When To Break The Rules

Image by Freepik

Many years ago I enrolled on a writing course. It wasn’t really my thing, but, to be fair, I should have continued with it. I’m sure it would have improved the quality of this article. One submission, my tutor noted a schoolboy error.

He said: ‘You have to learn the rules of writing before you can break them.’

I don’t think he was trying to be nasty or knock the wind out of my sails but it's not easy to take constructive criticism although he was only doing his job and trying to help me to become a proficient writer.

Gamblers often break their rules. In fact, most gambler don’t have any rules. I say that part in humour but part carved in stone. Gambling without a plan, thought, guidelines or rules is really a bad idea. Soon you will be chasing your losses because you forgot the first rule of gambling. Discipline. Yes, that’s no easy beast to control either. Most gamblers simply have no rules. They have never got to a level of knowledge to realise they exist. Their scattergun approach achieves nothing and shows no results. 

Those sentences come across as being harsh but they are said to help you appreciate that rules and guidelines are important. 

You may have rules but you don’t realise how they play until you stop and think. We all have them. The more professional you are the more you will rely on them to keep you on the straight and narrow. They help you think and work productively. That can never be a bad thing when a layer is trying to win your money. 

My rules are answers to questions. Answers which help me decide a good or bad bet. I’m far from perfect. I make mistakes. I may find that one day I need a new rule or guideline because I have made a mistake which cost me money. The only value I can gain from a mistake is its correction for future opportunities. 

However, there are times a gambler needs to break the rules. This must be done with care else you will be making a foolish decision which will probably cost money. If you fear that is happening or may happen then you are best to paper trail a new understanding until you are happy with the outcome. 

For example, I want to bet on a horse at 7/1+. However, I get a feeling it will not exceed 6/1. I have to make a decision to break the rules. This will either be a good move and see me return a 6/1 winner or a losing bet which may prove I made a mistake. Sometimes a loser, on balance, is still a good bet if it runs its race. 

Whatever the decision, I have a rule which states I can break my own rules. It’s a bit like opening Pandora’s Box (but less daunting). When gambling, making the correct decision on any given day can result in a good or bad day. All we can do is make the best decision and be confident long term it is the right decision.

The next time I break the rules, I will be putting this to the test.

Gamblers need to have enough knowledge to appreciate the strength of having rules. Without them you will be easy pray to the layers. 

Photo: Freepik