I also don't have a credit card. Don't have any interest in making banks rich. I do however have a VISA debit card. Gives me access to all my own money with the advantages of it being "considered" a credit card. Basically lets me gamble to my hearts content....

Moving on, I have a story about a bookmaker, not so much the tabs, as I don't use them.
I occassionly see opportunities with trading, by backing something at fixed odds on the books and immediately laying off on BF for a straight out profit. Well did my eyes light up one day when Reid was offering $7 for a horse that was already into $3 on BF. A couple of hundred on the nose, laid it off at an average of $3.40, and watched it drop to $2.5 with the bookie.
A big smile on my face, until the phone call came telling me that they had cancelled my bet because they had offered the wrong odds. But they were prepared to take my bet at odds of $2.7, which was doing me a favor apparantly... So after a little arguing with them (and an ear out to the race that had just jumped, hearing my horse had missed the kick), I turned them down and let it ride.
The horse lost the race, and I won a couple of hundred dollars. But every time I see good odds now I am very tentative and generally miss alot due to fear of it later being rejected.

As far as the argument about betting with the tabs. I would personally get more satisfaction being able to make a profit out of the tabs, as it is so much harder. But I am not in this for personal satisfaction. I am in this for money. Simple fact is, the only reason I am in front now is because I choose not to bet with the tabs...