Pro punter Q&A: 'It was one of my biggest wins in terms of the difference it made to my life'

Over the next few weeks we will bring you a series of app-exclusive Q&As with pro punters, trainers and jockeys which will offer unrivalled insight to our sport. This series kicks off this week focused on pro punters. Today: Andy Gibson of thecheltenhamtrail.com

What was your biggest ever win?

I remember when I first left home I jumped on a bus and ended up in Bournemouth. I was working in a pub at night and a bookmakers during the day, really struggling to get by, so I placed a multiple bet: four 10p trebles and a 10p acca. All four won at decent odds and enabled me to pay four months' rent in advance in a posh hotel (at least it seemed posh to me at the time). This would still compete as being one of my biggest wins in terms of the difference it made to my life at the time.

What was your most painful ever defeat?

I was a teenager still living at home and too young to be in a betting shop legally, when I had a run of luck over an hour or so and found myself with £92 in my pocket. I remember thinking how many months' rent this would pay for our house and briefly considered keeping what I had and giving my dad a wonderful surprise when I got home. Unfortunately, I decided that if I'd managed to turn £2 into £92, I could turn £92 into about £5,000 by repeating the same process.

I remember the woman behind the counter telling me to go home with my pockets full, but I knew better. I walked home thoroughly ashamed of myself. I wish I could say that I learned my lesson at the first time of asking.

Which winner has given you the most satisfaction?

Although more than 95 per cent of my betting involves good quality jump racing, I have also enjoyed a fair amount of success in big football and snooker tournaments over the years. In 2006 I backed Miroslav Klose at 33-1 for the Golden Boot for the World Cup Finals and the winnings came to enough to pay for our wedding and honeymoon. I think this bet has given me as much satisfaction as any, given the wonderful memories that resulted from it.

How does your Flat betting differ from your jumps betting?

I only bet over jumps and have done since my first son was born in 1989. I decided to keep summers free for my children and more recently for travelling around with my wife now the kids have grown up. I have never felt comfortable with the idea of betting being the mainstay of my life the whole year round.

What's the best bit of advice you've ever received?

In terms of betting, the advice the woman in the bookies gave me to go home with £92 in my pocket is probably hard to beat. In terms of the much more important issue of life advice, my dad had prostate cancer and he only had a few days to live. We spent the afternoon in the garden of the hospice at Redcar, which is my home town, the sun was shining on our faces all afternoon, and before we had to go inside, he turned to me with a big smile on his face and said: "There is absolutely nothing to worry about."

What's the greatest misconception most punters have about racing?

In my experience, betting for profit is a full-time job and one that requires absolute dedication. I work about ten hours a day for seven days a week for six months a year during the winter. I don't think this is the only reason why I've done well enough to still be in the game after such a long time; however, I do believe it's a very important starting point.

Which horse are you most looking forward to running again?

I'll give you two from my notebook at Aintree's Grand National meeting: Shakem Up'Arry, who finished powerfully to take third and looks potentially very well handicapped off his 134 rating, and Beauport, who endured a terrible trip and put in a significantly better performance than his final position would suggest.

Read more pro punter Q&As:

David Gilbert: 'Oppose horses going up in grade and back those coming down in class' 

Steve Lewis Hamilton: 'Discipline is an essential ingredient to being a winner' 

Mark Holder: 'The bookmakers messed up and priced him at 25-1 - I got on what I could'