In this episode, SBC Editor, Peter Ling is joined by the CEO of the Gambling Commission, Andrew Rhodes for an exclusive interview on some of the crucial issues facing the UK betting market.

With so many important topics on the agenda from affordability checks to open banking through to bookmaker behaviour and the black market, there was lots to discuss.

Andrew sought to set out the Gambling Commission's stance on each of these topics - many of which have been the focus of extensive criticism across the betting sector, including from us here at SBC. 

All told it's a fascinating chat and provides insight into his organisations approach to regulating the very challenging UK betting market in 2024.

(00:00) Introduction
(01:34) What does the Gambling Commission do?
(04:15) Andrew's personal betting
(06:17) Affordability Checks and the current state of play
(08:59) Checks - are they frictionless or not? Who will be affected?
(12:55) Public criticism of the Affordability Checks and Andrew's reaction to it
(16:42) Horse racing and the impact that checks could have on it
(18:50) Why is clarity on Affordability Checks taking so long?
(22:10) Can bookmakers be trusted? Didn't they get us here?
(25:35) Open Banking and more obtrusive checks
(29:34) Why Andrew thinks Affordability Checks are a viable solution
(34:37) ADVERT Event announcement - SmartBash!
(37:12) Open banking and its place in the industry
(39:00) The black market, its scale and the Gambling Commission's plan to tackle it
(47:35) China and international lessons that we can learn about the unregulated market
(50:44) Bookmaker behaviour in the regulated market
(54:54) Licence conditions and operators' transparency
(59:11) Social media criticism of The Gambling Commission
(01:02:28) Restrictions and why it's not in the Gambling Commission's remit
(01:03:16) The 2020 survey results
(01:03:55) A shift in dialogue from the Gambling Commission moving forward?

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Gambling Commission: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/
• Podcast feedback and media enquiries - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo or info@smartbettingclub.com
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

A short announcement about Smart Bash 2024 — an exclusive one-day gathering crafted by and for betting enthusiasts, set to take place at Chelsea Football Club on Friday, July 19th.

Learn more about this special event and how you can secure your tickets now in this short announcement podcast.

Get your tickets now at www.smart-bash.com

With Cheltenham being centre stage at the time of recording, we discuss horse racing as a betting medium, with our personal experiences and recent ‘Black Market hullabaloo’ around the sport being touched upon. This feeds nicely into our latest Horse Racing Tipster Profit report, with Andy Holding, Sys Analyst and many more providing different angles into the market. 

Next, we look at Oddschecker’s new ‘unlimited’ service and try to work out what’s going on at the UK’s leading odds comparison site. The introduction of a charge may also alter expectations on the detail expected when it comes to tipster records – we explain why. 

Geoff Banks and a mysterious email take up the next portion of the show before we discuss Chasing Steamers and some very worrying reports around exchange balances disappearing from customers’ accounts. 

To finish up, exchanges are on the agenda as we talk about BETDAQ, their offering and why it is worth shopping around, with some concerns about other operators’ practices raised on the back of a previous podcast. 

We also managed to squeeze in a listener question as we thought that our response would be beneficial for everyone!

(00:00) Intro
(00:50) Horse Racing – still viable as a betting medium?
(02:50) Bungling Black Market Bookies
(08:42) Horse Racing Tipster Profit Report: The very best evolving with the times
(14:30) Recent Podcasts – Pete ‘Michael Parkinson’ Ling
(15:45) Andy Holding Speed Figures – clocking the winners?
(18:08) Oddschecker Unlimited – what’s going on?
(21:30) What about Oddschecker’s tipster records?
(26:55) Geoff Banks
(32:58) Chasing Steamers
(34:55) Missing: what is going on with exchange balances?
(38:45) BETDAQ, introductory offers and tips on unique markets
(42:56) Exchanges and sustainable ecosystems
(46:20) Answering a listener question

Discover More

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

Andy Holding is a genuine racing expert having operated at the sharp end of the racing world for over 2 decades. Starting out working in a bookmakers, he made the leap to being a professional punter at the age of 30 and in more recent years has become best known through his work tipping on the Oddschecker website and on William Hill Radio.

He also oversees his own Andy Holding Speed Figures website with colleagues Sam Turner and Andy Bate, which was the focal point of a recent in-depth SBC tipster review in February 2024 as we explored the service and tips on offer.

Using the data from his speed figures to highlight value bets for members of his service and via his Oddschecker column, Andy outlines how speed figures work, how he uses them and just why they are so useful to accurately pinpoint the relative strengths and weaknesses of a horse and when you should back it.

Alongside that, Andy also openly discusses his own betting, the issues facing the racing industry and most revealing of all - names the 4 major bookmakers that still use him as a 'mark' and allow him to get bets down with them. There are some names that might surprise you here!

We also get into his Oddschecker column, how he picks these bets and their performance, plus how he copes with the pressures of being a prominent tipster, especially during a bad run.

And for those of you listening to this ahead of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, he picks out a trio of big value bets to follow and back.

Andy was a fascinating guest, full of insight on his specialist subject and with a long track record of beating the bookmaker.

(00:00) Intro
(02:12) Andy's grounding in racing (and betting)
(03:50) A mentor who changed everything
(04:28) Time!
(06:00) Going professional and how Andy 'got in' at the right time
(07:10) Opportunities that have arrived along the way
(10:35) Speed Figures and how they can provide an objective view
(14:30) Market reactions to speed figures and sectionals and how they are still underestimated
(17:00) The work that goes behind the scenes at Andy Holding Speed Figures
(20:10) Irish Racing and Andy's daily podcast
(22:10) Tipping for Andy Holding Speed Figures and Oddschecker (and the differences between the selections)
(26:25) Price contractions
(28:30) Dealing with losing runs as a tipster
(31:00) Andy's betting activity and how he gets on!
(33:00) The firms that Andy has a relationship with and restrictions that turn punters away
(37:40) Affordability Checks and Andy's thoughts on the future of horse racing
(40:55) Some tips from Andy for betting at Cheltenham (with some early selections!)
(44:40) General advice for betting on horse racing
(47:35) Andy's football allegiances!
(49:40) How to find Andy and a special SBC discount

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Andy Holding Speed Figures: https://andyholdingspeedfigures.co.uk/
• Andy Holding Speed Figures Twitter: https://twitter.com/figuresAndy
• Andy Holding Twitter: https://twitter.com/Holding_Andy
• Andy's Oddschecker page: https://www.oddschecker.com/tips/andy-holding

Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo

Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

I have a very special guest for Episode 70 in the form of lawyer, Harry Stewart-Moore, who is a partner at the law firm Gardner Leader, with a speciality in cases in the betting industry. Harry regularly acts for some of the leading names in the gambling world in both High Court proceedings and before various sports regulatory panels.

With a preference to represent those on the punting side of things including many professional bettors in the past, Harry explained the type of cases he takes on and some of the issues and grievances brought before him.

Many of them do focus on bookmaker behaviour alongside issues created by the industry and its regulator, the Gambling Commission, about whom he has very many concerns as to the way they operate.

We also expand on the black market, its growth and the legal challenges that creates as well as why frictionless affordability checks just wont work and the problems with many bookmakers terms and conditions.

Nothing was off the agenda in this wide-reaching chat and Harry was a fascinating guest, happy to share his thoughts and experiences on all things betting from a legal perspective.

(00:00) Introducing Harry
(01:20) Harry's father's impact on his career choice (& love of gambling!)
(02:44) Gambling and what Harry has learnt working with successful gamblers
(03:45) Cases, clients and the life of a gambling lawyer
(06:30) The increase in punter vs. bookmaker cases and the possible reasons for this
(07:32) The most common disputes that Harry deals with
(09:40) The lengths that bookmakers will go to to avoid paying liabilities
(12:55) The anatomy of a gambling dispute case
(13:47) AML and other regulatory checks and how bookmakers weaponise them
(19:15) The Gambling Commission
(22:50) The National Lottery & the Gambling Commission's attitude towards it
(25:50)The regulatory future in the UK & the growth of the black market
(30:50) Criminal elements' hold on certain gambling jurisdictions
(32:15) The law and how it relates to black market betting
(34:50) The White Paper and Harry's take on 'frictionless' affordability checks
(40:45) How issues with law and regulation keep reappearing
(41:12) The competitive advantage that major firms have when dealing with onerous checks and regulation
(44:00) IBAS, eCogra and how dispute resolution services just aren't working
(46:30) Bookmaker Terms and Conditions and how some are drafted to shaft punters
(48:30) How treating 'skilled' and casino/fixed odds betting differently could well help with regulation and dealing with problem gambling
(55:50) How to access Harry's legal expertise!

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Harry at Gardner Leader: https://www.gardner-leader.co.uk/team_members/harry-stewart-moore-2/
• Harry on Twitter @HarryStewartMo1
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

Betting Clever ep 69 features both Pete and Josh from SBC and is split into two parts, with 'gambling chat' making up Part 1 and a Q & A with the Head of Exchange at Matchbook, Ronan McDonagh, making up Part 2.

Part 1 starts with Pete and Josh discussing our gambling plans for 2024, before we move on to explore the perils of betting social media after being alerted to some strange goings on with some of Flutter's affiliates. Andy Robson Tips is one of many affiliate tipsters who likes to present himself as a regular guy looking to make his followers a few quid. The reality it seems is quite different.

We also touch on our brand new SBC Free Tipster, Account Agent. This service is designed to prolong bookmaker accounts using a three-pronged approach. It doesn't guarantee 'immortal' betting accounts, but these strategies are proven to keep you away from the 'eye in the sky' at bookmakers' HQs!

In 'Part 2' we are joined by Ronan McDonagh, Head of Exchange at Matchbook.

Matchbook are looking to expand and wrestle market share away from the dominant exchange. We talk about how they are doing this, their plans for the future and how they are targeting specific markets.

We also quiz Ronan on the topics that we feel that you, as smart bettors, will want answered. How they treat winners; commission rates; prices; liquidity; additional features not traditionally found on exchanges - we talk about all of them!

To top our chat with Matchbook off, we also have an exclusive offer - 150 days on the Matchbook platform, commission free!

(00:00) Intro
(01:30) Pete and Josh's plans for 2024: slight alterations or major changes?
(03:40) SM Affiliates: a murky world with questionable vested interests
(13:10) SM Tipsters: BOOM! A bit of fun or predatory?
(17:20) Account Agent: SBC's new free service that helps maintain bookmaker accounts
(23:10) Golf Betting: our second place curse in 2024!
(25:20) Golf Betting Club: SBC's new Premium Service with an excellent in-play edge
(27:10) New Magazine Format: Monthly updates with everything all in one place
(29:25) BetInAsia & Broker Options: Pete's experiences getting the best prices from across the major exchanges

Part 2
(31:35) Introducing Ronan McDonagh from Matchbook and recent developments at the Matchbook Exchange: Building products bit-by-bit
(34:40) Matchbook's focus on the 'personal touch' and how they have looked to grow market share
(36:50) Horse Racing: Liquidity, pricing & what the data tells us (& scandalous Industry SPs!)
(41:25) Established players trading on Matchbook: Why big fish are swimming in the Matchbook pond
(45:25) Football; liquidity, secondary markets, growth areas and multiples
(48:27) American Sports: Matchbook's 'bread and butter' and how they compete in the market
(49:28) Golf Betting: Liquidity differentials across tours, popular products and massive bets (on Denny McCarthy!)
(52:45) The Regulatory Environment: AML, SOW & affordability checks and how Matchbook want to balance customer service with their licensing requirements
(57:24) Winners: How Matchbook negotiate with customers individually rather than apply arbitrary commission rates on winning punters' action
(59:50) 150-days on Matchbook commission free for SBC Podcast listeners!

 Discover More:

• Matchbook Data & SBC Analysis (with sign up offer info)
• Account Agent's SBC page
• Sign up for a SBC Membership 
• Podcast feedback on twitter @SBCInfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode

In Episode 68, I welcomed back to the podcast, brothers Duncan and Neil Campbell to talk about their continued ability to make a profit from betting on golf.

Operating together as 'Golf Betting Club', they talk me through how they use their extensive experience, nous and ability to find profitable edges not just from pre-tournament bets but also crucially - in play betting.

It is this unique and often overlooked in play angle - betting during the 4 days of a tournament (or 3 for Liv Golf) that sets them apart from many other golf punters and tipsters and they share plenty of insight into how exactly they use it to turn a profit.

We also get into the operation of their successful service, from tipping late into strong markets on a Wednesday, betting with exchanges and using and settling to fair odds and terms that everyone can obtain at scalable stakes.

Neil and Duncan also outline their take on the changes in the golf world at the moment following Jon Rahm's move to Liv golf and why all this uncertainty can ultimately be a long-term positive from a betting perspective.

(00:00) Introducing the Golf Betting Club
(01:55) About Duncan & Neil - their dynamic, how they balance betting & tipping with other work and balancing work and life with a time consuming business
(04:48) Watching tournaments to find value and keep abreast of player performance
(07:54)  Getting on, exchanges and the challenges of backing value once you have found it
(08:40) Place terms, the timing of bets and balancing value with attainability for members
(11:10) Tipsters betting on Mondays and how GBC's approach is different with 'Best', 'Tracked' and 'Minimum' prices all provided for their subscribers
(13:30) Betting in-play and why the Campbells often prefer it over pre-tournament action
(14:39) Exotic markets, 3-balls and the edges available outside of the core markets
(15:53) How player profiling can help with in-play betting, especially for those players consistently disrespected by the markets
(22:47) Reflecting on performance, planned improvements and changes in the golf betting markets
(24:35) LIV, The PGA Tour, The DPWT and how the politics of golf may well offer up betting opportunities
(28:51) Statistics, popular metrics and how the Campbells have their own approaches to assessing players, especially when they play on different tours
(31:08) Pre-event vs. in play & using the first round to gauge whether a player makes the shortlist
(33:39) Variance, losing runs and dealing with this (as both tipsters and punters)
(35:48) Where to find GBC and how to access their content (much of which is free!)
(37:25) Predictions for 2024 and beyond

Discover More:

• Join Golf Betting Club via SBC and save up to £50 on membership https://smartbettingclub.com/golf-betting-club/
• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/
• Watch a video of this interview on the SBC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartBettingClub

Episode 67 is a Golf Betting Special, where SBC Editor Pete, was joined by 3 guests in the form of Rowan and Josh from SBC alongside Tom Brownlee from Bookie Bashing to explore his service's exceptional Golf Tracker Tool.

With a track record of success dating back several years - the Golf Tracker provides edges for those of you able to bet with bookmakers each way and as we explore for the first time in this podcast - also betting win only via the exchanges.

The logic being that it will appeal to all of you - whether able to bet unrestricted via soft bookmakers, where it has a ROI in excess of 30% OR if limited and closed down, you can try it out betting win only with the exchanges. The record to date for that is quite ridiculous at over 50% ROI since 2019.

As all 4 of us on this podcast bet extensively on golf, we also outline our own strategies, what we do, how we do it, when and where we bet and tips to maximise your edge.

Even if you don't like the sport of golf, the reality is golf betting is where many top punters invest their time and this special hour long pod will help to explain  how you can too.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN

• 'Cliff golfers' - those who have cost us the most but who we dare not leave off our shortlists!
• How we bet on golf, including shops, online soft bookmakers, exchanges and even Fantasy Golf
• How the Bookie Bashing Golf Tracker works
• Odds ranges, 'sweet spots' and which bands of odds can deliver massive profits from places
• Timing, bookmaker profiling and when we bet to balance every consideration
• Lesser known bookmakers and exploring firms not on the Oddschecker grid
• Win only betting - why the tracker finds value (if it does!)
• Quirks in the data between different tours
• Drawdowns, tempering expectations and finding strategies that match individual risk appetites

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Bookie Bashing Golf Tracker: https://www.bookiebashing.net/how-it-works/golf-tracker/
• Weekly Golf Value: https://smartbettingclub.com/weekly-golf-value/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In episode 66 I was joined by Chris Poole, currently the Director of Trading for Bet Victor and someone with a vast amount of experience working in the betting industry.

Rising up the ranks from betting shop cashier to his current role, he spoke candidly about the reality of trading in the modern betting world and dealing with issues like affordability checks and his dislike of concessions like Best Odds Guaranteed.

He also expanded on what happened with the Guaranteed Bet market that Bet Victor tried out a few years back, why it was introduced and the issues it attracted for Bet Victor, specifically with large scale betting syndicates who took advantage of it and ruined it for others. For those of you frustrated by account restrictions and closures, it provides rare insight from a bookmaking perspective on why such ventures can be a real struggle and why as yet, a Minimum Bet Guarantee has not been a workable concept.

As an experienced trader on horse racing, Chris discussed the role of inside information, including the very big coup 2 years ago, which nearly claimed a huge win at Bet Victor's expense and saw him front and centre discussing it with the national media.

Chris is perhaps best known by many of you for his amusing Tweets, including his Trumpet Emoji calling out those who 'Aftertime' and put up winners after the event. He also was happy to talk about one quite famous 'Aftertiming' Twitter account he was involved in and which caused quite a stir a few years back.

Chris was a fantastic, talkative and insightful guest - happy to discuss frankly the reality of bookmaking in 2023 and its ups and downs. My thanks go to him for speaking so openly and frankly! Make sure you follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisPoole___

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Chris Poole on Twitter: @ChrisPoole__
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this new Betting Clever episode, Pete and Josh from the Smart Betting Club unpack a whole host of topics of note for those of us who enjoy betting, kicking off with the latest on the affordability nonsense that is dominating matters currently. The knock on effect of that has been growth in the black market, which we explore and just how betting is going further underground at the moment.

They also unpack the motivations and flaws from many popular free tipsters and betting experts such as Tony Calvin from Betfair, who has come in for criticism recently about his form, yet for them the issues with him and others of his ilk lie elsewhere.

With the launch of a new bookmaker in BetMGM recently, they also discuss just why they have opened in the UK, who's behind it all and how to take advantage of some of the profit boosts they are offering to customers. They are ideal for bankroll growth for those of you looking to generate some easy wins.

They also tackle the crazy profit figures they have seen first-hand from a tipster purporting to have inside information. An ROI of 88% from 700 bets backs that up and despite both Pete and Josh being entirely cynical on this concept of such insider bets, they have had to put their hands up and say - there could be something here. Alongside that they also outline the more straightforward profits being made by service such as Chasing Steamers, Winner Odds and the free expert, HeadStart Racing.

The goal of this podcast is to help you with your betting and provide opinions, insight and expertise you might not get elsewhere.

(00:00) Intro - the return of the Betting Clever podcast
(01:40) Josh goes too far after golf wins & we discuss our betting routines?
(04:05) Politics & Betting - Affordability & The Gambling Commission
(11:56) Pete's experience of the Black Market
(16:05) Industry Big Wigs, Naive Regulations & Useless Beaureaucrats
(19:80) Bet MGM
(23:42) Tony Calvin, tipping early & free tipsters
(29:00) Making money on European Basketball on Pinnacle
(33:20) Inside Information- Pete & Josh's cynicism & being pleasantly surprised
(39:47) Chasing Steamers - the perfect bank builder
(48:45) Getting ahead of the bookies with a new Free Tipster

Discover More:

• Gamblers Consumer Forum: https://gamblersconsumerforum.com/
• BetMGM Profit Boosts: https://www.betmgm.co.uk/promotions
• Chasing Steamers: https://smartbettingclub.com/blog/chasing-steamers-review/
• Winner Odds: https://smartbettingclub.com/blog/winner-odds-sbc-betting-record-and-guide/
• Headstart Racing: https://smartbettingclub.com/headstart-racing/
• To sign up for a SBC Membership click here: https://smartbettingclub.com/subscribe/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

I have a fascinating guest in Episode 64 in the form of Nick Goff who has been a professional football bettor for the past 7 years. Nick works as part of a football betting syndicate and is one of a group of experts who bet and win extensively on the beautiful game.

Now it's really rare to get the kind of insight that Nick reveals in today's pod as big football bettors and groups tend to be quite secretive in their nature - Think Tony Bloom's Starlizard syndicate as just one example of this.

So what Nick shares is really insightful and a rare peek behind the curtain of what it's like to be in the top echelon of football punting including the leagues and markets they target, when they bet, how often and just how they get on.

Nick also explains his own angle as regards Antepost betting and just how he maximises value and manages his bankroll throughout a football season to find very big edges to exploit.

As someone with a extensive history in the industry - Nick previously was the head of Football Trading at Coral, he also shares plenty on other topics of note from the current state of betting such as affordability checks, the Black market & the Minimum Bet Law concept.

I really enjoyed chatting with Nick and learning about his work at the sharp end of the betting world and I think you will too. My thanks to Nick for being so candid and for sharing his time with me.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Nick Goff on Twitter: @nickgoff79
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking to Stephen Harris, a vastly experienced bettor and bookmaker with a speciality on both greyhounds and jumps racing.

Starting out life as a bookmaker at the age of 20 taking bets on dogs, Stephen walks me through his early years on track, through to his time working at Sporting Index with some of the sharpest minds going, before his current role providing content and tips for Betting Expert.

Along the way Stephen has learnt plenty on how the betting world works including who makes it pay and how, whether it be punting on course or online with both bookies and exchanges. Its through the latter where Stephen bets exclusively these days and he has plenty to share on how the betting markets now operate and the importance of adapting and evolving as a punter to survive.

He also has some strong thoughts on the current mess surrounding affordability, the motivations of those at the Gambling Commission, through to how easy it is these days to bet into the black market.

We also touch on his work at Betting Expert and his superb Free Value Angle column and its edge and educational approach.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Betting Expert Horse Racing: https://www.bettingexpert.com/news/horse-racing
• Stephen Harris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stephenh61
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

Jason Trost is the founder and CEO of both the Betting Exchange, Smarkets and the up-and-coming bookmaker, SBK and he joined me in Episode 62 to talk about his time running both companies and the many challenges in the industry right now.

Jason talks candidly throughout about his work first of all in setting up Smarkets, including taking on Betfair, the challenges of attracting customers and their goal to be different in terms of simplifying and improving the exchange experience.

He also explains their approach to commission rates and liquidity, including the setup and usage of their own trading arm to provide betting volume across the range of markets on Smarkets.

Not one to rest on his laurels, in 2019, Jason setup the bookmaker, SBK as a way of appealing to those who prefer a more traditional bookmaking setup, but with the advantage of better odds based on those available from the Smarkets exchange.

He explains the challenges of this including advertising restrictions and their quest to replicate many of the more exotic bets that many regular punters look for such as multiples, yankees & lucky 15s.

Jason also tackles the thorny topic of affordability limits and the various checks and balances forced upon all operators at the moment to comply with current rules. He has some strong opinions on why gambling is being singled out when other 'sin industries' are not and why banks should be more involved when it comes to these checks. He also rails against the double standards that has seen some bookmakers benefit from operating in offshore jurisdictions where betting is not legal and the unfair financial advantage that gives them elsewhere, including in regulated markets such as the UK.

I really enjoyed my chat with Jason as someone happy to speak openly and honestly about not only running both an exchange and a sportsbook, but also the various challenges facing the betting industry as a whole.

And for those of you on the fence, we do recommend checking out both Smarkets as a Betfair alternative and also SBK for the often best-value odds you can find in several markets.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Smarkets: https://smarkets.com/
• SBK: https://getsbk.com/
• Contact Jason: jason.trost@smarkets.com
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

Due to the popularity of SBC Podcast Episode #59, we decided to follow up with another special podcast to answer questions from listeners on the '5 Stages Of Profitable Betting'. 

Dozens of you got in touch and after replying to some more specific questions directly, we settled down to answer everything else that came in. 

In this podcast, Rowan, Josh and I answer questions relating to:

• Our past year of punting – highs, lows and what is working best
• How to start out following tipsters or using +EV strategies
• Bet Brokers – logistics, limits, recommendations and accessibility in different jurisdictions
• Bankroll management at different stages of the betting journey
• Tracking bets in a varied portfolio
• How to get the best of the wide range of non-Oddschecker bookmakers

As you will gather from this chat, we all got something positive from it by discussing angles and resources that haven’t come up in our conversations before – we hope that you find it just as useful! 

The previous podcast which I referenced at the start is Episode #59; that is available to listen to in all podcast libraries and we would advise starting there if you haven’t heard it yet.

 Many of the resources that we discuss are available on our website at www.smartbettingclub.com, with extra detail and various other benefits offered to our members. 

Discover More:

• Explore our new 5 Stages of Profitable Betting resource here: https://smartbettingclub.com/5-stages-of-profitable-betting/
• We now have a specific resource for Exchange & Sharp Bookmaker services; that is available here: https://smartbettingclub.com/betting-exchange-sharp-bookmakers-tipsters/
• To sign up for a SBC Membership and access Part 2, click here: https://smartbettingclub.com/subscribe/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

My guest in episode 60 is football bettor and trader, Jon Roberts, who balances his own work betting professionally with running the Predictology football data website and is also an innovator when it comes to embracing AI and Automation for bet selection and placement.

Jon explains to me his methodology and strategies for both football betting and trading, the leagues and markets he bets in alongside how he gets on via Bet Brokers and Exchanges.

One of his angles is to bet odds-on and often heavily so, an approach many punters shy away from, but one that Jon has found to be lucrative and which comes with many additional benefits.

His love of football betting also shines through via his development of the Predictology football data and betting system website, which has grown to be a very popular resource and for good reason.

Jon also explains how he utilises AI and machine learning when it comes to his football betting and his usage of automation and bots to get lots more bets down than he can do practically.

It's a great chat for anyone interested in the world of football betting and looking to learn from someone at the sharp end of making it pay for several years.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Predictology: www.Predictology.co
• Predictology Twitter @PredictologyBet
• AI Football: https://smartbettingclub.com/ai-football-tips/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this week’s podcast, instead of interviewing a ‘traditional’ guest, I had the pleasure of being joined by two of my colleagues at The SBC, Rowan and Josh. 

All three of us bet extensively and with the launch of our new 5 Stages of Betting resource, we thought that discussing our own betting journeys (and what we have learnt along the way) would be helpful for our listeners.

Different starting points, varying schedules to work around and risk appetite are all factors to consider and we discuss the realities of what any bettor has to think about when choosing a sport to bet on or a tipster to follow.

We talk about the ‘dos and dont's’ for betting beginners, how to adapt as bookmaker account restrictions bite and why diversifying is so essential. 

Later in the pod, we provide content for more advanced bettors, why they will most likely need different services and how they can continue to make money from their betting, despite not having the luxury of ‘soft’ bookmaker accounts. 

It was great to have a chat with both Rowan and Josh as we (hopefully!) provided practical advice for all bettors and learning from each other is central to becoming successful.

For ‘Part 2’, where we discuss the stages in more detail and link them to specific services, you will need a Smart Betting Club membership – a link for that is available below!

Discover More:

• Explore our new 5 Stages of Profitable Betting resource here: https://smartbettingclub.com/5-stages-of-profitable-betting/
• We now have a specific resource for Exchange & Sharp Bookmaker services; that is available here: https://smartbettingclub.com/betting-exchange-sharp-bookmakers-tipsters/
• To sign up for a SBC Membership and access Part 2, click here: https://smartbettingclub.com/subscribe/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

The Gamblers Consumers Forum (GCF) is a new organisation set up to represent the interests of those that enjoy betting and to raise the many concerns that punters have as regards the proposals put forward by the recent gambling white paper in the UK.

I was joined by both Abbie McGregor and Andrew Woodman in this episode to discuss just why they have setup the GCF, including what it stands for, what it is against and their plans to help better represent the many people that bet in the UK , who until now have been overlooked.

Starting with their opposition to the planned affordability checks mooted in the White Paper, which they describe as  'unnecessary, unworkable, unpractical and ineffective', Andrew and Abbie also outline why such measures will only serve to increase the usage of the black market, a precursor of which was seen during the 2022 World Cup with a 3-fold increase in visits to it.

The very real prospect of a growing black market is also a concern for those dealing with gambling addiction and Abbie also outlines GCF's issues with what has been proposed in the White Paper and why such measures are not rooted in science and might ultimately do more harm than good.

Through the chat, we also discuss what they would like to see change as per regulation and the Gambling Commission's role, alongside that of a better dispute resolution service, plus the importance of pushing back against those who make up the anti-gambling lobby.

The vast majority of people who bet, have up to now not been represented when it comes to the debate around new gambling legislation and the GCF are here to fill that void and finally represent the average punter's interests and concerns.

Please visit https://gamblersconsumerforum.com/ to find out more about their work.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Gamblers Consumers Forum: https://gamblersconsumerforum.com/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this latest episode I had the pleasure of being joined by Johnny Dineen, one half of the popular Upping The Ante show from the Racing Post.

Originally a bookmaker by trade and one with quite the reputation for doing things differently, Johnny is now a professional punter and he talks with me about what the reality of that is like, both in terms of getting on and how the work/life balance of this suits him.

Johnny also speaks candidly about his time bookmaking, the highs and lows, why it appealed to him and ultimately why the growth of Betfair alongside the recession in Ireland saw him shift to being a professional punter.

He also has plenty to say on other topics that many bettors will nod in agreement about, from affordability limits to the black market and the terrible way bookies treat many of their customers these days.

We also round things off with a chat about his media work, including his very popular stint on Upping The Ante - which won Silver in the Best Betting Podcast category in the 2023 SBC Awards. Johnny also won Silver in the Best Betting Expert category too - just being pipped by his Racing Post, stablemate, Steve Palmer.

All told its a fascinating chat with a man working at the heart of betting and bookmaking for many years and someone always willing to do things differently. 

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Watch Upping The Ante on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiwkrPXPGzgnAxAV3zYJWGrRZMB45sfSm
• Johnny on Twitter: @johnnydineen
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

My guest in today's episode is Stanley, the man behind the golf stats, data and betting advice website tour-tips.com

Betting on golf is a very popular market for many a smart punter and Stanley's website provides an exceptional amount of data and information to inform and educate shrewd bettors.

In our chat he outlines the variety of data on offer, those of most importance when it comes to finding value golf bets prior to the event and the growth of golf stats and data over the years.

We also talk about the different tours, the pros and cons of each from a betting perspective, including how his site's stats and tips can help guide as to value away from the main competitions.

For those of you wanting access to just quality golf tips, Stanley also outlines how they work, why he only tips into liquid markets and the excellent record of performance over the years, including the 35% ROI made on the PGA Tour. The Smart Betting Club reviewed their performance a few years ago and many members of our service have been following them in profitably for sometime now.

As someone who's day job involves work helping out on the bookmaking side, he is very well placed to advise, guide and also tip on golf so sit back and listen to my chat with Stanley on Tour-Tips.com

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Visit Tour-Tips: https://tour-tips.com/
• The Tour Tips betting record: https://www.tour-tips.com/record.htm
• Stanley on Twitter: @Golf_Stats
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

My guest in this latest episode is Andrew Mount, a man very familiar to those in racing betting circles thanks to his popular Trend Horses series of books and his years as a tipster and columnist for the likes of GG.co.uk and the Racing Post.

Andrew has experienced it all when it comes to betting, including working for both online and on-course bookmakers, extensive work as a broadcaster and author alongside several years making a living from punting alone. This includes some really big wins betting on the Tote Scoop 6, so it is little wonder he is now an ambassador for the Tote and in our chat, he explains just why it might appeal to modern day bettors.

Andrew also explains more on his process in terms of finding winners, his usage of systems and software such as ProForm and how that helps especially given his high volume approach to racing betting these days. He also shares his take on the industry at present, getting bets on with bookmakers and everything else in between.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Andrew on SportLens: https://sportslens.com/uk/news/author/andrewmount/
• Andrew on GG.co.uk https://gg.co.uk/author/andrew-mount/
• Andrew on Twitter: @TrendHorses
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this latest episode I was joined by James, one half of the team behind the very interesting Tennis Pilot tipping service.

The focal point of a recent SBC Tipster review, I was keen to find out more on how James and his business partner, Nicholas work and the edge that they have been able to develop betting on Tennis.

Having made a profit for over 7 years and nearly 7000 bets at around 17% ROI, James talked me through all aspects of his edge and how he finds value.

Having a deep understanding of Tennis and many of the players and their relative strengths and weaknesses, James and Nicholas have been able to identify vulnerabilities in how bookmakers price up certain markets and have taken full advantage.

We also talk about their background at Oxford university, the development of a Tennis AI program they also use to find value, plus of course how bookmakers approach tennis and those who bet on it.

All told, its a fascinating exploration of how this duo have manifested a very strong edge for several years in the tennis betting markets. There is also a 25% discount available on all Tennis Pilot subscriptions for members of the Smart Betting Club.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Visit Tennis Pilot: https://tennispilottips.com/
• Tennis Pilot's Twitter account: @TennisPilot
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this special episode, I am joined by friend of the show, Anthony Kaminskas (AK) to talk about his new online bookmaking website - akbets.bet and his shift from being a high staking, winning punter to that of bookie.

AKbets was launched in early March 2023 and has attracted a lot of interest from punters due to AK's desire to do things differently to the large 'corporate' bookmakers and to offer better, more personal customer service and to accept bets they might otherwise refuse.

In this chat we explore all aspects of how AK deals with smart punters, with some specific examples of when and where he is happy to lay bets, especially when the information is useful to him and the market is liquid enough to take it on.

We also discuss his disdain for 'arbers' and why he can't and won't accommodate people who are in his words 'taking the mick' and why he does his best to engage and explain his decisions on what he will and wont take to customers. That in itself is a mightily refreshing take on bookmaking and he speaks with honesty and transparency about not only this, but his business, why he decided to be a bookie, including the decisions he made on skins, licenses, technology and more.

Starting out as a licensed bookmaker, especially online is a intense, costly business but if anyone can, AK can and my thanks go to him for being so open and honest about the reality of betting and bookmaking. If you are interested in learning about bookmaking and more on whether you should open an account with him, this podcast will tell you all you need to know.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Visit AKBets and open an account: https://akbets.bet/
• AKBets Twitter account: @AKBets87
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

In this latest episode I was joined by David Lovell, one of the brothers behind the Welsh based bookmaker, DragonBet on the reality of running both an online and on course bookmaking operation.

With a long established on course bookmaking presence as begun by their father, John Lovell, David and his brother James recently launched their own website - DragonBet to take bets online.

Dragonbet is one of a growing number of smaller, independent firms branching out into online offerings and David talks frankly about all aspects of this, from using a white label solution, to the intense work involved to maintain it all and how its an all encompassing job.

We also get into how they approach sharp money and laying bets from smart punters and their desire to be an approachable firm that does things differently, both online and on course.

With a strong presence in Wales and the promise of top of the market odds on Welsh sport, they are also hoping to appeal to punters both based in Wales and with an interest in betting on teams and events based in the country.

All told, its a fascinating insight into the reality of running a bookmakers and the challenges it poses operators in 2023.  My thanks go to both David and James Lovell for sharing their story in this podcast episode.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Visit DragonBet: https://dragonbet.co.uk/
• DragonBet's Twitter account: @DragonBetWales
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

My guest on today's episode is Ryan Bruno - also known as the 'Smart Sports Trader' and someone who has made a 6 figure profit betting and trading over the past 5 years.

Starting out with matched betting, bonuses and arbing, he evolved his betting into using tipsters and more recently onto the betting exchanges as he lost his final 'soft' bookmaker account in 2022.

His is a story of dedication, patience and the nous to build up a bankroll and develop what he bets on and how he bets based on the challenges faced as he built up profit.

Combining his betting with a full-time job, he was able to make almost £40,000 from his punting in 2022 alone and with a renewed focus on pre match and value trading, is gunning for more of the same via the exchanges in 2023.

Ryan is a source of inspiration for those of you looking for an example of how to make money betting in today's restrictions-heavy climate.

So sit back and enjoy my interview with Ryan Bruno.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Find Ryan on Twitter @SmSportstrader
• Smart Sports Trader website: https://smartsportstrader.com/
• His 2022 review: https://smartsportstrader.com/making-a-million-from-sports-betting-2022-review/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/

Episode 50's podcast guest is Craig Edwards, a former professional snooker player turned winning punter and someone with a very clear edge over the bookmaker.

Growing up playing in snooker halls where betting was never far from discussion, Craig developed a keen interest in punting and was able to carve out a good profit for himself betting after he retired from professional sport.

With a unique understanding of some of the psychological challenges of elite sport, plus the right approach and attitude to seeking out betting value, Craig has been the scourge of many a bookmaker, especially on his 2 chosen sports - snooker and golf.

This was proven when employees from one major bookmaking firm joined his tipster service, in order to get priority access and to slash their own odds on the tips he put forward and takes himself.

That is just one story Craig shares in today's episode, alongside more on his edge in the betting markets, why he often works backwards in order to find value and the huge amount of research he puts in.

Craig's tipster service was also the focus of a recent detailed SBC review, which we also discuss in this interview, alongside the discounts available for SBC members, where up to 20% can be saved on the cost of a subscription to his service.

Discover More:

• Learn more on the Smart Betting Club and how we help winning bettors at https://smartbettingclub.com/ 
• Find Craig on Twitter @EdwardsTips_
• Edwards Tips: https://edwards-tips.co.uk/
• Podcast feedback - contact SBC on twitter @sbcinfo
• Read more about each SBC Podcast episode: https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/