None of my family
were gamblers- it was just simply frowned upon. But my parents once bought this
wonderful 'bureau' which, once the false top was removed, turned out to have the
most elegant backgammon board underneath. I soon learnt the rudimentary basics
to the game just by watching guests, who had come to stay for the weekend, play.
What is more, I discovered the thrill of both winning and losing for real money!
The thing was that it was a ‘win-win’ thing for me as if I won and
got paid out it was just an unbelievable cash injection into my paltry allowance-
and, even better, I was always let off by these guests if I lost too heavily.
Actually, the latter was an extremely bad lesson, folks- if you are a true
gambler, you always pay your debts on the spot with dignity and honor- and never,
ever complain. What is more- people should never know by looking at you whether
you have had a good or bad day. Anyway, back to my mispent childhood....I was
totally and utterly enamored by the buzz. Any of you who are gamblers know
what I am referring to; that gripping, never-ending nervous tension, the insatiable
appetite for more, the ecstasy of winning, the deflation and guilt of losing….all
just a passion like no other. And people who are not gamblers will just never
get it.
From these early years, I moved onto running my own ‘book’, joining
and winning backgammon tournaments, becoming a fairly well know ‘tipster”
for some UK newspapers in regards to all kinds of sports betting- in the 80s/90s,
horseracing and greyhounds- and then more recently with the more sophisticated
‘spread betting’ of UK sports like football, rugby and cricket.
In short- my skill is to identify a gap or overlook in the odds- and then exploit
it to the maximum. I have tended to live in casinos by night. The food is always
free and excellent. One develops good friends both with the staff and other players.
Problem is that girlfriends and “partners”, unless they are ‘into’
this life, will not tolerate it for long.
In summary, have I made money? Yes- a lot. And I’ve lost a lot too. Am
I a “pro”? No- I wouldn’t say that- I am certainly good at what
I do and when I gamble, I play to win. But to be a ‘pro’, you need
a discipline and tenacity that was just missing in my make-up as an all-around
gambler.
My best tip for you? Don’t chase your losses. Sounds easy, but it isn’t.
