'I was making more from punting than my job - but that Lucky 15 let me quit'
Mark Boylan speaks to a man making a growing mark as an on-course bookmaker
At a time when many feared for the survival of Ireland's on-course bookmaking sector, Anthony Kaminskas pushed his chips to the centre of the table and made one of the biggest gambles of his career.
Declining ring turnover, falling attendances and a pandemic were enough to make some layers think twice about returning to the track post-Covid, but the former risk manager turned professional punter did virtually the opposite last year when embarking on a new on-course operation. AK Bets was born.
A native of Rochdale with a university degree in business and managerial economics, the 35-year-old has been immersed in the gambling industry for the whole of his adult life, starting in a Coral betting shop and head-office role with Betfred before spending just shy of a decade working for Paddy Power.
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Copy- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard
- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard