Chrome,

I see your point, but a lot of punters don't punt on every opportunity [seen by someone else] that moves just because it's there, due to wrongly held beliefs [and sure there are those too as you point out]. Some punter avoid maidens [me] and there are some who bet on nothing else and then you have the wet track punters who specialize on wet tracks because they find it easier to select winners or we also have the black tie race players and those that avoid them like the plague. There are probably punters who also search out first or second uppers [or avoid them].

Then you get into betting: Exotics, win or place only, each way, or system specialists? Poison for one punter is sweet nectar for another. I've been trying to convince a punter here I know for years that there is a better way than 50/50 each way betting. I can explain the logic and maths until I'm blue in the face but he See's a different rationality he's happy with. In the end that's all that matters I guess. Comfort zone, even an irrational one.

What it comes down too is punting in an area and in a way you feel comfortable with and making the most of the opportunities present there and ignoring them elsewhere. I feel comfortable [mostly anyway] with certain class races on dry tracks over certain distances and win flat stakes betting. A small wedge from a very large punting pie. Sure opportunities elsewhere will be missed but how many women can you get into you bed at once?

No one can bet on every opportunity seen differently by individual punters in all areas, classes and condt. and ever do any good at the game. Becoming very familiar with a smallish area of punting rather than vaguely familiar with it all, certainly has a lot going for it. Specialization doesn't exclude a punter from profit. In fact it increases the chances of making one and that's a well known bit of advise any experienced punter would tell a newbie as a basic.

Try it all and then follow your nose to a comfortable area and get to know it well. Naturally it will mean ruling out a lot of circumstances that don't suit. It might give other punters the impression you are ruling things out for irrational reasons [especially things they rule in], rather than the simple fact that they just don't suit an individual's punting zone or style.