Secrets of success: the pro punters with their top tips to beat the bookies
Racing writer of the year Lee Mottershead concludes his three-part series
The people who make a living out of betting do not win by accident.
Like the rest of us, professional punters have ups and downs. They have the mental fortitude to deal with losing periods but they also possess sufficient skill to ensure they win more than they lose. Only by staying in profit over a significant period can they make a living.
Just like great sportspeople or artists, the finest punters can sometimes boast a knack and know-how that cannot be explained. There are, though, lessons to be learned. They do not all agree about how to find the path to riches, and on certain subjects they actively disagree, but there are pieces of advice that can be passed on. These are their golden rules.
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- We believed Dancing Brave could fly - and then he took off to prove it
- 'Don't wind up bookmakers - you might feel clever but your accounts won't last'
- 'There wouldn't be a day I don't think about those boys and their families'
- 'You want a bit of noise, a bit of life - and you have to be fair to punters'
- 'I take flak and it frustrates me - but I'm not going to wreck another horse'