Bookmakers - Not Easy To Get A Bet On

Here at Angry Towers, I cannot quite decide who to direct my ire at today. Hills or Ladbrokes? Ladbrokes are ahead in terms of their misdemeanours but I’m going to save that for another day.

Hills are getting it, but it may as well be any of the bookies because much of this is a way of life now.

Prior to the start of the world snooker, they quoted over 86 centuries at evens. On a trip to a shop, I asked for a quote as it wasn’t available on their machines. Eventually a price of 3/10 was reported back to me, so no bet.

Today I checked their quotes for league 2 promotion. Salford City were showing at 8/1 last night online. This morning the price is 9/2, so no bet.

Why not place the bets online I hear you cry? Well, that’s easy. They have blocked the account. I use the word blocked but they would argue that is not the case at all. I am still free to trade. I haven’t used the word closed because it’s not been closed. What has happened is that gargantuan restrictions have been placed on the account, so instead of being offered an amount you ask for, big restrictions are in place. You want £100? You can have £2.

From a marketing perspective this must be wonderful. We at ………... do not close people’s accounts. We pride ourselves on not closing accounts. Imagine you want to bet at £100 and each time you’re offered £1 or £2. You would soon give up and that is exactly what it is designed to achieve.

How does one know it’s coming? As a rule, it will be because you are making money out of them. This is not allowed, and you might need to be sent back to school to be uneducated.

The forerunner will likely be an email from the bookie telling you that they have reviewed the account and all the generous bonuses that they once used to offer you have now been withdrawn.

Beware the next time you log in as severe stake restrictions will apply.

Now there can be some debate about whether they should allow winning accounts to ruin their profits. If I were running a business and somebody kept taking money away, I wouldn’t be too happy. This however is a unique style of business. I have said many times that the important thing from a bookie’s perspective is that you never get any wiser or better at this pastime.

That way they’ll keep taking your money. It also follows that the worse you are as a gambler the more popular you are likely to be with them. That is why there’s been such a hoo-ha about VIP treatment and encouraging people to bet.

This goes on all the time. Every offer to open an account, stake a certain amount and receive a free bet is an enticement. Offers in shops are generally on high margin events, so stake £10 and get a free £10 bet isn’t quite as marvellous as it seems especially when you won’t receive the free bet stake back with your winnings but they might have attracted you to a high margin trade.

If after a short while you turn out to be successful, then you will be disposed of. However, if you are shedding massive chunks then you are worth keeping on board and the amounts you’re allowed to bet will be more generous. When somebody says they have been allowed to play a big stake with a bookie it can tell a lot about the type of punter they are.

Things are not changing any time soon to assist the punter. Hills prices demonstrate that. Years ago, I would have stood a chance of benefitting from their first prices but not anymore. There’s too many algorithms and assessments in place and they can restrict the stakes oh so easily.

As punters we are playing on a sloping pitch. The important thing is to recognise this. My advice to anyone who is thinking of having a bet but has never done so before is not to do it. There’s massive downside and generally not a great deal of upside.

I don’t play the National Lottery but if I did, I would take a lucky dip each time. If I pick some numbers and stick with them then I am tied into them for as far as I can see. What if there’s a week I don’t play and the numbers come up? Lucky dip takes care of that and makes it easier to take a breather. It’s about finding ways to ensure you can always step away if you want to.

For regular punters, if the bookies are still happy to accommodate you, then it is a fair guess that you are contributing significantly to their pot. If the bookie offers you a particular market or suggests a certain type of bet, wonder why that may be and consider finding a different market to bet on.

Be as discerning as possible and if you ever want to know what a realistic price for an event is, head off to the exchanges to see the quotes. Maybe use the exchange to get the best value, always being mindful of the commission payable on your bets.

If going for an accumulator just multiply together the odds quoted on the exchange to arrive at a fairish price. That way you can tell what sort of margin the bookies are giving themselves.

The bookies won’t hesitate to ‘close’ our accounts when it’s not straightforward profit for them. As punters we have to give them a run for their money. If the end result is that they shut you out then regard it as an award - a badge of pride that the bookies acknowledge your capabilities - you understand what you are doing.