THE TEN SINS OF A PUNTER

Lately I have noticed that I am winning but I am losing. What I am doing is that I win but then lose it again because I am to greedy or doing something stupid like taking bets (chances) that I should not have taken.
There fore I have draw up these rules that I am going to play with in the future and if I break them I am committing a "sin" that is why I call it the ten sins of a punter. From now I am setting a goal of how much I want to win per day and once I reach that goal will stop for the day.

Rule 1
Play every race and try struck winning bets on each race.

I am one of those fools who try and win every race and by the 3 rd or 4th race have lost my whole caboodle. What i should do is select races that fits in my category of play and then struck a bet.

Rule 2
Play the exotics, PA P6, JKPT.

I personally like the P6 but if I look back then I realize the exotics are not a good bet in the long run. I wonder if i had taken all the money that I had played on exotics in the past and just struck normal bets with it I think that i would have been better off. Yes we do catch them sometimes and yes they pay out but I think it is better to win a smaller amount constantly than trying for a big payout once off. Furthermore it ties up you money for the whole day because by the time they payout the racing is over. We also get tagged a long with the hype around a carryover and I am one of the guys who invest more in carryovers as I foolishly believe today is the big payday and what happens I am always one leg out. I have lost hundreds of P6's over the years by one leg, if there was a consolation P6 I would have been the king of that..

Rule 3
Following claimed horses.

I am also one the fools who get involved in horses that are claimed but the reality is that 80% of horses claimed do not win, so from now one if a horse was claimed in a race I do not play in that race, there are many other races to play.

Rule 4

Playing trebles, quads, Yankees, Canadians etc
I am always having trebles quads etc running and then you sit and hope that they will come in like on Wednesday I had a four horse all to come of which the first 3 won and then the fourth got beat, I was going to win R120 OOO but I got nothing, but if i took doubles I would have walked a away with a profit, on Tuesday had the same thing took treble, first to won third one ran 2nd, not a cent if i stuck to the first it would have been pay pay, so from now one max play a double.

Rule 5
Playing maiden plates with a lot of first timers

No more playing maiden plates without exposed form. Maiden Plates is good races to play if the horses has exposed form and you can read the form right, but I can not understand why I get involved in races where there is a lot of first timers?

Rule 6
Playing trainers and jockeys that are not in form.

One of the things that amazes me in racing is when a stable is in form how even the "donkeys" in that stable runs good races. So from now on follow the stables in form not necessarily for a win bet but for places. the same time if a jockey is in form every horse he rides arrives but if a jockey is out of form it is astonishing how things can go from bad to worse. BUT at the same time look out for competent jockeys and trainers who are on a losing streak one or other time they will have a winner and normally it is a horse with a good price. Use form grids to check jockeys/trainers last 30/50 rides/runners.

Rule 6
Playing odds- on horses in a handicap.

Horses in a handicap are meant to finish in a dead heat, so for a horse to be odds on a handicap he must be a very good horse but if that is the case he should not be in that specific handicap race, but more often than not they do not arrive.

Rule 7
Playing 3 years old this time of the year that are top weighted in a handicap.

It has been proven over the years that 3 years old this time of the year who carries top weight in a handicap do not often win. There are the exceptions of the rule but more often than not they do not win.


Rule 8
Listen to other person’s advice.

Do not listen to other people especially the tipsters on Telytrack turn of the volume, i have lost count how many times I have lost bets because I change my mind from my original bet and then my original bet won and the tipster selections lost or sometimes comes in last, follow your own gut feel.

Rule 9

Not studying form

Sometimes I do not have time to study form and then I play and lose and when I go back and look at the card I realize that if I had studied the form I would have never made that play.

Rule 10
Not spending time with my family.

I think that this was actually to be Rule no 1
I spend hours and hours in front of the TV watching racing IN STEAD OF WITH MY FAMILY, from now on I am going to make time to spend time with the family. I will still play my one or two selections to win my daily target, but then it will be family time.


I would also like to thank ABC for this forum where we can air our opinions, share our thoughts and speak to other individuals.
In our household I have nobody to share my enthusiasm of the racing game as the wife and kids are not interested, so the forum is my way of communicating with fellow individuals who share the same passion. So thanks for that.
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Very very impressive JB, you pretty much summed it up for all the punters who commit those Sins on a regular basis.

@Jamesblond - I feel your pain mate. I have copied and pasted below my problem. As you can see my picks are half decent (well i think so anyway) yet my bet structuring is way off. I need advice on how to get teh eest oout of my bets.

TAKEN FROM KENILWORTH 05/09

My summary of the days racing, albeit it seems on a pretty easy race card looking at the payouts.

Race 1 - 1,10
Race 2 - 1,2,3
Race 3 - 1,8
Race 4 - 1,5,7
Race 5 - 4,5,8
Race 6 - 1.9
Race 7 - 3,8,9
Race 8 - 3,9


Race 1 - 1st, x
Race 2 - 2nd, 1st, x
Race 3 - 2nd, 3rd
Race 4 - 2nd, 1st, x
Race 5 - 2nd, x, x
Race 6 - 1st, 2nd
Race 7 - 2nd, x, scratched
Race 8 - 1st, x

So excluding my scratched horse i had 19 horses picked today, 5 winners (26%) and 12 places (63%). To me that is a decent strike rate.

With 1 point staked on each selection to win - 19 points staked - 13.7 points won
With 1 point staked each way on each selection - 38 points staked - 33.9 points won
With 1 point staked on each swinger selection - 14 points staked - 11.2 points won
If i played the PA - cost R432 - dividend R13.90 - winnings R222.40

As you can see even though i have had a relatively good day at picking horses, no matter how i structure my bets i am in a losing predicament. I was looking at the ATC (place) bet as an alternative but as far as i can see for the ATC you can only pick 1 horse per race.
Any help would be appreciated in turning my picks into actual money.

Excellent JB

Richie77 Wrote:

---

> @Jamesblond - I feel your pain mate. I have copied
> and pasted below my problem. As you can see my
> picks are half decent (well i think so anyway) yet
> my bet structuring is way off. I need advice on
> how to get teh eest oout of my bets.
>
> TAKEN FROM KENILWORTH 05/09
>
> My summary of the days racing, albeit it seems on
> a pretty easy race card looking at the payouts.
>
> Race 1 - 1,10
> Race 2 - 1,2,3
> Race 3 - 1,8
> Race 4 - 1,5,7
> Race 5 - 4,5,8
> Race 6 - 1.9
> Race 7 - 3,8,9
> Race 8 - 3,9
>
>
> Race 1 - 1st, x
> Race 2 - 2nd, 1st, x
> Race 3 - 2nd, 3rd
> Race 4 - 2nd, 1st, x
> Race 5 - 2nd, x, x
> Race 6 - 1st, 2nd
> Race 7 - 2nd, x, scratched
> Race 8 - 1st, x
>
> So excluding my scratched horse i had 19 horses
> picked today, 5 winners (26%) and 12 places (63%).
> To me that is a decent strike rate.
>
> With 1 point staked on each selection to win - 19
> points staked - 13.7 points won
> With 1 point staked each way on each selection -
> 38 points staked - 33.9 points won
> With 1 point staked on each swinger selection - 14
> points staked - 11.2 points won
> If i played the PA - cost R432 - dividend R13.90 -
> winnings R222.40
>
> As you can see even though i have had a relatively
> good day at picking horses, no matter how i
> structure my bets i am in a losing predicament. I
> was looking at the ATC (place) bet as an
> alternative but as far as i can see for the ATC
> you can only pick 1 horse per race.
> Any help would be appreciated in turning my picks
> into actual money.


Well done Richie77 so wats your pick today ?

Cheers James, do u want some of my t shirts (tu)

Very good JB - now if you sum up Rules 1 to 9, you will arrive at rule 10.

Without trying to sound to much like a Johnny B Good, when one gets involved with this game, it is very easy to get carried away and let it take over your life - the secret imo is to strive to have a 'balanced' life - 'too much of anything is not good'. Don't get too despondent if racing gets rained out, there will be another meeting tomorrow, or the day after.

Now having said all that, I REALLY hope this rain will go away, I want to take a PA tomorrow at Turffies - or maybe I should start looking at the Kenilworth card..... -

Richie77 Wrote:

---

> @Jamesblond - I feel your pain mate. I have copied
> and pasted below my problem. As you can see my
> picks are half decent (well i think so anyway) yet
> my bet structuring is way off. I need advice on
> how to get teh eest oout of my bets.
>
> TAKEN FROM KENILWORTH 05/09
>
> My summary of the days racing, albeit it seems on
> a pretty easy race card looking at the payouts.
>
> Race 1 - 1,10
> Race 2 - 1,2,3
> Race 3 - 1,8
> Race 4 - 1,5,7
> Race 5 - 4,5,8
> Race 6 - 1.9
> Race 7 - 3,8,9
> Race 8 - 3,9
>
>
> Race 1 - 1st, x
> Race 2 - 2nd, 1st, x
> Race 3 - 2nd, 3rd
> Race 4 - 2nd, 1st, x
> Race 5 - 2nd, x, x
> Race 6 - 1st, 2nd
> Race 7 - 2nd, x, scratched
> Race 8 - 1st, x
>
> So excluding my scratched horse i had 19 horses
> picked today, 5 winners (26%) and 12 places (63%).
> To me that is a decent strike rate.
>
> With 1 point staked on each selection to win - 19
> points staked - 13.7 points won
> With 1 point staked each way on each selection -
> 38 points staked - 33.9 points won
> With 1 point staked on each swinger selection - 14
> points staked - 11.2 points won
> If i played the PA - cost R432 - dividend R13.90 -
> winnings R222.40
>
> As you can see even though i have had a relatively
> good day at picking horses, no matter how i
> structure my bets i am in a losing predicament. I
> was looking at the ATC (place) bet as an
> alternative but as far as i can see for the ATC
> you can only pick 1 horse per race.
> Any help would be appreciated in turning my picks
> into actual money.

From one "sinner to another" decide how much you want to win for the day and use the Rules and decide which one in YOUR OPINION is the best do not ask other peoples advice , study the form, go to form grids study collateral form and then make your plays according to the rules I gave but remember what i said is my own experiences and some advise to maybe cut the "weed from the grass' and then make your selections.
decide if you want to go for high medium or low risk bet
High risk is like straight win 6 or niks
medium is like a each way and low risk is a place but remember that your return is linked to your risk and investment.

So if you decide that you want to win R500 for the day you can try to make it in one bet and find a 5/1 shot put your R100 on and if you win you are finished or you can take a few bets on place till you have made up the R500 you want to win

@JB:
'In our household I have nobody to share my enthusiasm of the racing game as the wife and kids are not interested, so the forum is my way of communicating with fellow individuals who share the same passion.'

You not alone!

The shit part is when you win, nobody cares..... they shout you if ever they hear you lose! Gambling is evil (haraam)!!! Blah! Blah!

But, when you win and splash out for the goodies, they don't bother to ask where to moola comes from!

Great Point on 3 year olds in a handicap
Can't understand why people get sucked in to back these horses as invaribly they very short price
Bookies make a fortune from these horses

Well summed up JB!!
Another rule: DO NOT replace a selection in the exotics!! leave it in and add the other selection.

I spend all winnings(which is very very rare) on myself and the wife,my last serious win was in writing in the gold cup

No use winning to give back imo