What are the traits of a successful bettor?

[Steve M]

The psychology of punting and the winnning punter interests me a bit and I suspect is under estimated.

Are there any things that people consider standout traits? I ask this because having done the form for the second weekend running I will have no bets.

DISCIPLINE.

Now I don't lie, I've have bets on metropolitan midweeks and had a bet on both the football and F1's last weekend.

But a couple of years back I'm sure I would have struggled to pass up a Saturday meeting without a single bet on the horses.

[Maurice]

I think being able to separate work and pleasure in gambling, I also like a bet on the sports, but i could not make a living at it (not so far). And on a Saturday when on holidays from work , i can meet with friends, have a few bets, without worry too much about the after ili the win/loss situation, just enjoying the fun and social aspect. not the ledger.

These bets are very different from bets i have at home alone, when its all work.
E. in re-reading my own post. i guess its still discipline. BUT i think keeping it fun at times is important.

[Maurice]

Traits...I thought about it a little more.

The few successful i have met.
Confident, persistent, 3est, elan, versatility, uniqueness( even to the point of eccentricity )

И There are a few seemingly negative traits of course.

[Brendon]

Sorry, I'd only be guessing.

[Brendon]

This is what I know:

1. The ability to put up with being bored !@#$less while waiting out 3 races for the next selected race, after the first one lost. Don't go near the bookies until your next pick is about to race.

2. Not having any friends nearby while you "at work". I tried it once: to bring somebody in. It was a disaster. We used my tips and we got out in the second last of the day and won only a small amount. He was both bored and also freaked out when finally our selection won in our last bet. We wondered about Caulfield most of the day just waiting. He asked me how I did it every week. He had a point. I never took anyone again after that.

3. The ability to soldier on and accumulate gradual winnings, getting bored with the whole process, but still going on.

4. Training yourself not to get too excited with a win so that when you lose you don't go on a roller coaster. Both emotions can eventually destroy betting plans.

5. The ability to wait over a week before you get a win: Say you have 6 bets in a week. They all lose. You got a week to think about that. How do you cope and stay on the plan?

5. Realizing its not the fun you thought it would be, but continuing.


I had a winning streak for about a year. About 3 bad losing days. I have already outlined the system elswhere here.

[luv2bet]

This is what I know:

1. The ability to put up with being bored !@#$less while waiting out 3 races for the next selected race, after the first one lost. Don't go near the bookies until your next pick is about to race.


This is probably the best thing i have read on this site,, people just say discipline, but there are many points of it and none truer than this one. I have learned this the hard way!

[Bhagwan]

Try & win 3.5% of bank & stop.
This is the magic percentage to go for & is achievable.

Do this everyday & bank should double within 21 Days compounding.
Using compounding rule of 72
e.g. 72 / 3.5 = 20.5 days.

[CosMos]

Have fun, enjoy the thrill of the chase.
Keep it simple, if it becomes hard work....forget about it.
Always back your own judgement.
Never chase losses.
Have fun.
Be ruthless in your analysis of your system or handicapping.
Accept the good luck with the bad.
Have fun.
Keep records.
Look for value.
Read everything you can on systems and handicapping in case you spot a 'jewel' you can incorporate.
Have fun.
Aim to make a certain profit (%) of the bank, bank the profit and start again.
Think outside the square.
Rather than chase more winners, back less losers.* Profit over strike rate any day.

*This last point I have found important. In a system that I developed many years ago, it had a certain winning strike rate and profit. By tweaking one of the rules, I lost 2 winners but also 5 or 6 losers thereby increasing my profit. From memory, the strike rate was lower. I am currently trialling this system once again. It works on maidens, 2yos and highweights.

Cheers, Rich

[crash]

The real secret to successful punting is simply winning more than you outlay. No easy task and there are various methods to go about it and several personal attributes required to achieve good results. Many of them are already mentioned here.

Being an Autistic savant in the areas of maths and exceptional memory for facts and details would be a great attribute for a serious punter. For the rest of us, lots of hard work is the starting point.