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When science met punting: the godfather of modern-day betting and his golden rules that remain valid to this day
Peter Thomas remembers the legendary Phil Bull, who was reputed to have won around £7.4m in today’s money in his heyday

In a five-part series, we have profiled the people who strike fear in bookmakers; the ones who all punters aspire to be. They are the Masters of Betting – Don Johnson, Steve Lewis Hamilton, Phil Bull, Alan Potts and Tony Bloom – and they are about to be put under the spotlight by the Racing Post like never before.
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Down the decades, Phil Bull has gained the status of an 'untouchable'. In what he liked to refer to as the "great triviality" of horseracing, he became known during his most productive period as one of the greatest gamblers of all time.
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Published on inMasters of Betting
Last updated
- These are the golden rules all serious punters can learn from the Masters of Betting
- 'He could hypnotise people' - how an Aussie 'scallywag' made the world believe he was a punting genius
- Poker genius, visionary football chairman and pioneering data-led punter - the many (profitable) faces of Tony Bloom
- What we can learn from the Masters of Betting about how to win on racing - and why they're a different breed from the rest of us
- 'I was down £11,000 but you can't let that alter what you do' - meet one of the giants of on-course betting
- These are the golden rules all serious punters can learn from the Masters of Betting
- 'He could hypnotise people' - how an Aussie 'scallywag' made the world believe he was a punting genius
- Poker genius, visionary football chairman and pioneering data-led punter - the many (profitable) faces of Tony Bloom
- What we can learn from the Masters of Betting about how to win on racing - and why they're a different breed from the rest of us
- 'I was down £11,000 but you can't let that alter what you do' - meet one of the giants of on-course betting
