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
Chris Cook admires those who make a living from punting - but is mindful it's not for everyone
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Thirty-five years after I started losing money on horses, this week's Masters of Betting series has possibly come a bit late to turn things around for me. Still, there could be no resisting the chance to pore over the various wise words on offer, hoping for devastating insights – devastating for whoever is rash enough to match my next bet, I mean.
Some themes emerged. Steve Lewis Hamilton and Alan Potts clearly miss the pre-Betfair days, when the market for each race still had some freshness as the on-course layers chalked up their prices and you could hope to spot ricks. We got a sense of what fun it must have been to be part of a community of full-time racecourse gamblers.
Clearly, they all keep a record of their bets. And immediately we start to understand why some people make the game pay and others do not.
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