racingmeridian.com

Gambling is part of the culture in Britain and Ireland, with many successful punters waging their trade via the abundant bookies and betting shops. Very little thrills me as much as a session with a real live gambler, the type so successful that they no longer punch the clock. If they are amenable, I’ll take notes when enquiring about their philosophies and specialties. If not, I scribble furiously when the chat ends. Here are my brief notes on two wildly successful Irish professional gamblers;

Patrick, “there is no shortcut. The only way to win is through sheer hard work”. “I don’t do tips” (throws you off your game if you’re concerned about those tailing you) “If you follow a strategy that coincides with what is being used across the broad spectrum of punters, you won’t win”. Keys are “strategic thinking and experience”. Events must be watched on the TV, not live. You need replays and the benefits of technology (Patrick, despite a keen intelligence, never finished his degree, dropping out of university to gamble. It’s a trait I notice time and time again, for whatever reason, in successful gamblers, beginning, of course, with the greatest of them all, Andrew Beyer).

Bill, “there’s only one winner, the bookie”. Uses Betfair exclusively to “lay” bets (acting as the bookie, he uses the site to take bets from other members - you can set limits on the amount you are liable for). Key, in any sport, is honing in on “false favourites”. The ability to consistently identify an event where the general public is betting inappropriately is the beginning of “sharp” gambling. You don’t need “inside” information. With hard work, you become the “insider”. “Regular gambling is a mug’s game”. “Stick to your personal approach”.

I’d add two of my favourite maxims, Never Force a Bet and Scared Money Never Wins to the short list of ideas above.

GRID IRON..San Francisco 49er Safety Michael Lewis has suffered three concussions in the past two months but has been cleared to play against the Indianapolis Colts this weekend (a boxer cannot, in many jurisdictions, enter a ring for thirty days after a concussion). The issue is the NFL’s dirty little secret. The brain injuries suffered by active players are still categorized as an obstacle a macho player can and should overcome. The ferocious damage done to the brain after a hard blow necessitates an extended recovery period. Once you have been concussed, you are much more susceptible to another “event” and, eventually, basic motor and memory skills can be impaired. It would be most interesting to allow neutral medical practitioners to examine Lewis and hear their verdict on whether he should be allowed to start…Terrell Owens has 18 catches for 242 yards this season. He has hit pay dirt only one time for the Buffalo Bills…legendary left tackle Walter Jones, a seven time all pro, is likely finished as a player. The Seattle Times reports Jones, currently on injured reserve, is facing long term rehabilitation on his knees. Jones was instrumental in getting the Seahawks to the 2006 Superbowl and was subsequently labelled the best player in all of football by the Sporting News. And, oh yeah, Shaun Alexander really wasn’t much of a runner when galloping behind anyone other than Mr Jones…Matt Hasselbeck is battered but will start Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. The Seahawks are missing both their starting tackles and are going to have a difficult time in Big D. The Cowboys are in a “look ahead” situation, with the Eagles on deck, but betting against teams with shattered lines never gets old (the Cowboys have 14 sacks in there last four games)…Tampa Bay Buccaneers are thisclose to descending to buffoonery. The team will start the bloated Josh Freeman, already touted as the next JaMarcus Russell due to his inability to condition his corpulent mass, after their bye week. Raheem Morris seems determined to make a bad situation worse…couple of things to monitor as the season unfolds. Firstly, despite consecutive blowouts I still have doubts about Tom Brady’s confidence in the face of a ferocious pass rush. Since the Titans and the Bucs have no moxy on the line whatsoever, the results of the last two games have not addressed the issue. Secondly, the Cincinnati Bengals will not be able to replace Antwan Odom. And could suffer a serious decline in the pressure their defence puts on opponents. Yeah, that sounds strange after their emphatic whupping of the Chicago Bears. But players can play out of their skin after the loss of a superstar for a limited period. I’ll be watching the Bengals closely…ICE..Simon Gagne is facing an extensive layoff if he opts for surgery to repair his tattered groin. Gagne has only one goal this year but had been a consideration for Team Canada at the Vancouver Olympics. The sniper can get hot and score in bushels. Unfortunately it looks like the Olympic dream is over for the Philadelphia Flyer…Marian Hossa skated with the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday. He is targeting Nov 25^th as his debut for the Windy City warriors…some big name goalies are struggling…despite Miikka Kiprusoff facing only fourteen shots last night, the Calgary Flames lost 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche…in Florida Tomas Vokoun has only one win in eight starts…Cam Ward has lost seven straight starts backstopping the Carolina Hurricanes…Steve Mason has allowed twenty goals in his last four starts for the Columbus Blue Jackets…MEDIA..disgraced ref Tim Donaghy’s book, “Blowing the Whistle: The Culture of Fraud in the NBA” has reportedly been shelved by publishers afraid of the legal ramifications if the inmate’s words hit the street. I would love it if the book somehow surfaced. Donaghy apparently wrote that referee’s in the NBA “routinely” rigged results by manipulating their foul calls…is there anyone else left who believes Andre Agassi’s drug use should be a personal, private matter? I don’t for one second believe he used crystal meth. Do believe, however, he’ll say anything to move some books…PUG LIFE..David Tua returned to the ring last month with a smashing second round knockout of fellow New Zealander Shane Cameron. There are now rumours Tua may be matched with Cristobal Arreola, a bout which might permanently derail (we can hope) the career of the bloated American. Tua, unbelievably, could be right back in the thick of the division if he so desires. His power is still electrifying and it’s difficult to imagine many heavyweights, outside of the Brothers Klitschko, against whom he would be an underdog. Of course the desire and fitness level is always a question with the Tua Man…it’s been nine years since Tua was decisively beaten by Lennox Lewis in Las Vegas…