Bandying Blogs

I'm back after a long weekend away. Batteries recharged and not too much missed, at least from a betting perspective. I was a little concerned that the team I've supported for over 40 years might go to the wall, but it appears that a dramatic eleventh hour deal was reached.

I had a quick look through some of the blogs on the blog roll, and see that Mudflaps at Betting For a Living handed in his intention to resign only to have his resignation refused, so now he's back. Good. The blogging world needs more forty-something bald and impatient old gits (his words, not mine) even if he is a Sheffield United fan! He's just completed his first month of full-time trading on the horses and has racked up a very impressive profit in excess of £3,000. Well, I'm impressed, as I'm sure Anonymous will be. 

When Mudflaps posed the question "Who really cares how much money I win or lose everyday?", and the post received 18 comments, I was a little shocked to see that not one was from Anonymous saying "Me". Not one! I guess he's not read the post yet.

John the Gambler appears to now require a Username and Password to view his stories, so I shall have to live out my life never knowing how much he won on last weekend's golf.

Rob at Gambling 'Cos Building's Up The Spout posted a screenshot as evidence that he is making 'bugger all', and initially the screenshot looks highly credible with not the slightest hint, anywhere, of any numbers being manually edited, (see above). However, note the parantheses around the Horse Racing and Total figures. Rob is clearly unaware that Betfair show negatives with a minus sign, not parentheses! But how could he know this when he just keeps on winning?

For the sharp minds out there who are wondering how I could possibly know how Betfair show negatives, that's a fair question. As with all traders, my success rate is, of course, 100%, and the explanation is that in September 2005, my Mum called me to say that she'd had a dream that SKA Neftyanik would beat Sandviken in the FIB (Bandy) Champions Cup final, and would I put a couple of quid on them for her because Ladbrokes were uncomfortable laying such a large sum. Being a good son, I obliged. Sadly they lost, but the silver lining was that I got to see what a loss looks like! Incidentally, have Betfair stopped offering these games or is it the off-season? Now that Great Britain is a Federation of International Bandy member, I have high hopes for trading this sport. Actually, an ante-post back of Sweden and Russia to win the World Championships would have given you the winner 29 out of 30 times, though probably not with a profit!

But I digress. The truth is that the more Rob attempts to show he's making 'bugger all', the more we know he is raking in consistent profits. I'm expecting his blog to soon require a Username and Password as it seems consistent winners don't like too much attention.

Foe what it's worth, and being serious for a moment, my own May was an average one as far as Mays go. May is still my second worst month, and the profits were down 12% on last year, but then I wasn't trading for four days so overall not too shabby.

Looking ahead to June, and if I am anywhere close to last year's total I will be very happy. June 2009 was my 4th best month ever by daily average, one of those months where everything I did seemed to work out. The NBA play-offs should go longer than the five games of last season, and the NRL is in mid-season with some close matches in prospect and no team losing fewer than three games to date. Looking at my numbers from last season, it appears the liquidity on baseball improved in June, (possibly on non-NBA days) and it would be nice if this was to repeat.

And then there's the small matter of the World Cup to enjoy, probably more from a spectator viewpoint than for any serious investing. Four years ago I lost all of £31.96 on the tournament. The tickets for the quarter-final cost me a little more!