Alastair

Great work Alistair. To get even 20 winners is remarkable but to potentially beat the record is even better. Hope you do it.
 

Well done @Alastair 👍

Leopardstown 5.12
Ylang Ylang
Bet365   1/4

A very good summary.
For Lexia to get an appreciation of what it is realistic to hope to achieve, arguably the best UK racing punter of the last 30 years Patrick Veitch stated he achieved a profit on turnover of 16.6% in his book "Public Enemy". In every 10 bets that equates to two 100/30 winners, one 2/1 winner and 7 losers.

According to your opening post you are not doing very well at the moment punting with real money so it might be best to take a break from that and just do paper trading. Save up some money which you can set aside as your betting bank which is money earmarked solely for betting - you should have done this already - and return to real betting when you are satisfied from the results of your paper trading that you have a reasonable chance of being profitable.

According to your opening post you are not doing very well at the moment punting with real money so it might be best to take a break from that and just do paper trading. Save up some money which you can set aside as your betting bank which is money earmarked solely for betting - you should have done this already - and return to real betting when you are satisfied from the results of your paper trading that you have a reasonable chance of being profitable.

I am happy to make 5% over the course of a year but I will have losing months within that.
When I first started betting over 40 years ago I thought it was the way to make an easy fortune. 25 years of losses later I realised it wasn't !

I have nothing constructive to add to this thread, but I thank you for making this a 'Gold'thread for me.
Brilliant.

A very good summary.
For Lexia to get an appreciation of what it is realistic to hope to achieve, arguably the best UK racing punter of the last 30 years Patrick Veitch stated he achieved a profit on turnover of 16.6% in his book "Public Enemy". In every 10 bets that equates to two 100/30 winners, one 2/1 winner and 7 losers.

Recording the bets that you 'might have had' but didn't actually put any money down. Even over a week (or better still a month) will give you an idea as to whether or not it is worth doing. Believe me, I have had lots of 'ideas' over the years, but very few have been successful long term (over 3 months).
The biggest mistakes.. and reason for failure with punters are underfunding (too small a betting bank - a few losses cause a panic),... disillusionment ( it doesn't make money fast enough so other bets start to creep in.. instant failure), ... and greed (trying to win too much at once). Most professionals are more than happy to make slow and steady progress, there really is no quick fix solution.

2.25 Newmarket Jasour 25/1 Win Only Bet 365

But if you back any other horse the % of times the favourite or another horse wins will be even higher. @MCLARKE was simply suggesting to you (as someone who acknowledges that they haven't got much of an idea how to pick a horse) the best way to optimise your return from the PP offer. (The favourite is likely to either win or trigger the money back offer more than any other selection that you might select at random.)
 
No, there aren't. Put a lot of hard work and study in for a long time to improve your ability to identify horses that are on offer at a reasonable price as opposed to a poor one. The very best punters only make a relatively small profit as a % of turnover and still encounter losing runs. 3 of them could look at the same race and all come up with a different selection. Even then they won't always find the winner.
On the evidence of your posts you seem to have an unrealistic expectation of there being some sort of easy route to constant profit. My inclination is to suggest that betting isn't for you and you'd probably be better looking for another hobby. You're not enjoying it while you're losing (a reality that the vast majority of recreational punters have to accept) and seem to be aspiring to a quick fix that is unlikely to be attainable.

Fairyhouse 5.50
The Caribbean
Bet365  6/4    1/2pt each way

I don't think you can say that race was a total waste of money any more than you could say St Marks Basilica winning a 4 runner Eclipse or Pebbles beating Rainbow Quest in 1985 in a 4 runner Eclipse were. Paddington and Emily Upjohn are both absolutely top class and owners of lesser horses would rather run their horses at a slightly lower level than breaking their hearts taking them on. 

I don't think you can say that race was a total waste of money any more than you could say St Marks Basilica winning a 4 runner Eclipse or Pebbles beating Rainbow Quest in 1985 in a 4 runner Eclipse were. Paddington and Emily Upjohn are both absolutely top class and owners of lesser horses would rather run their horses at a slightly lower level than breaking their hearts taking them on. 

Team name : Cranleigh heroes
Alastair Blackburn

Windsor 5.05
Glamorous Breeze
Bet365  11/1   1/2pt each way

Windsor 5.05
Glamorous Breeze
Bet365  11/1   1/2pt each way

Windsor 5.05
Glamorous Breeze
Bet365  11/1   1/2pt each way

Pleased to see you on Glamorous Breeze.

Darran,
Thank you for this. I have to confess I haven't followed this aspect of racing for many years now although I remember the Mackenzie and Selby annuals and Hunterchase ratings. Hope this isn't a cheeky question but as a matter of interest have your tips been profitable this year ?

Hamilton 2.20
RefUGE
Betfair 10/1
 

Hamilton 2.20
RefUGE
Betfair 10/1
 

Brighton 3.10
Confils
Bet365   5/2

Catterick 5.12
Obee Jo
BetVictor 15/2