The long-awaited report into in-running betting has been published by the Gambling Commission. Although I wasn’t expecting any dramatic changes, it was something of a relief to read that essentially their investigation shows no reason why this betting option should be changed or even banned completely.
A couple of things caught my eye. One was these lines “One betting operator mentioned that they had conducted their own research into in-running betting. They interviewed a significant number of customers and the data collected indicated that there was no evidence that would support the suggestion that in-running betting poses a greater risk of harm to vulnerable people than any other forms of betting.
The same betting operator also stated that when their survey data was segregated into groups of those customers who were profitable and unprofitable, based over a six month period, the responses were indistinguishable. They suggested that whether winning or losing, their in-running betting customers felt that in-running betting was fairer than most forms of gambling.”
This rather validates my own views, which have been expressed on here ad nauseam. I’ll say it again. In-running betting offers investors the fairest opportunity to win that is available anywhere. The stock market may be more respectable, (although recent events may make that statement less true than a few years ago), but financial institutions as well as horse racing are rife with inside knowledge, a polite word for cheats.
In-running sports betting is transparent. The players, the tactics, the flow of the game are all there for everyone to see. Any cheating would be apparent to everyone. Betting becomes a game of chess, but rather than taking place on a board, it unfolds on a level playing field.
I am quite happy to have the chance of getting out of a trade during "in play" running on the horses. It has paid off for me on a few occasions where I had gone somewhat awry in my pre-race trading.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are dangers for beginners and the unwary, (such as I). For example, the other day I had backed a horse at 8 but had been unable to lay it back before the off. During running my horse was running well and the price shortened considerably in the last furlong. When the "lay" price was down to around 2 I hit the lay button and to my horror the lay price I got was 17! SEVENTEEN! I was bricking it as the race suspended. Thankfully it had been beaten, but in that split second I thought I'd been hit with a real land-mine!
I now tend to place my in-running lays via the ladder option - as you never know what hides behind the normal back and lay buttons.
Sounds like this is more a problem with the method in which you are laying rather than with in-running betting itself.
ReplyDeleteI was using BetAngel for Betdaq and this is usually very fast, but I must have been unlucky in that as soon as I'd clicked on the lay price during running the horse was beaten and by the time the "click" had hit the system the odds had zoomed out. Still, no worries, it lost.
ReplyDeletePhil
the doubts about in-running came down to a vendetta from Henry Spurway, failed owner of the first exchange shop..
ReplyDeletehttp://sportismadeforbetting.blogspot.com/2009/04/gambling-commission-says-no-to-banning.html
cheers
Scott