Professional Horse Bettor- is there such a thing?

[Illini]

I am curious if anyone makes their living strictly off horses, and not sports. I have read some of Bob McCune's books, and he says it's so rare, he almost says it's impossible. Thoughts?

 

[HiloBoy]

i knew quite a few that hung around the southern california circut. others were into bridge jumping, ten percenting, buying and selling live pick six tickets. 900 phone service releases. other ways to make a living besides just betting. all kinds you see on the front side and back side of the race track.

 

[phdinsports]

Virtually impossible, unless on the "inside" House hold such a hugh % impossible to beat! In sportsbetting house holds only 4.5% and very few making a living betting sports.

 

[Concorde]

I am curious if anyone makes their living strictly off horses, and not sports. I have read some of Bob McCune's books, and he says it's so rare, he almost says it's impossible. Thoughts?

Illini,

It is possibile to make a long term profit betting on horse racing. There are few handful of services in UK that have a profit year after year.
http://www.relayline.com/

I do not know American horseracing.

 

[HiloBoy]

i remember when bobby frankel first started trainig and had only one or two horses. he made his living betting. i use to see him leaving del mar after morning feeding around 10am and heading to caliente in tijuana to play the 6-10 in the days prior to the pick six or nine. he would be back at del mar before first post which was at 2pm in those days.

 

[TheGeneral+]

Think about the guys who work with horse owners, trainers, and jockeys having access to the track and stables all day long. I believe, yes, you can be a pro horse bettor. Having that info funneled to you from the stables would be very nice and some get it. There are some very good horse bettors, but if you make a living, you have inside info. I do not think Anyone can sit here at my desk reading a race form and be a pro and longterm winner.

 

[HiloBoy]

general remember one thing. in a 12 horse race you might find a word out on all 12 horses or 12 owners and trainers that are high on their own horse and eleven of them will be wrong.

 

[UWinSports]

yes.

 

[Rainbow]

general remember one thing. in a 12 horse race you might find a word out on all 12 horses or 12 owners and trainers that are high on their own horse and eleven of them will be wrong.

I agree with you at a track like Santa Anita, but small tracks where the purses are real small, you can defintely get info from trainers, jockeys, or people that know both. they have people that make alot of money betting horses. I can remember when Randy Romero was riding at Evangeline Downs in Lafayette Louisiana many years ago he was the leading jockey his brother Gerald Romero was 2nd in training his father inlaw was the leading trainer and his aunt was 3rd leading trainer. I use to follow his wife to the window and bet, a many of days she bet against Randy and back in those days I made alot of money. alot of ice cold exactas. you can beat horses with information, expecially at a mickey mouse racetrack.

 

[Dubpoet]

I have a friend that owns a few Pacers and Trotters and he knows all the jockey's and other owners and when he calls he is 80% right on Horses that pay more that 5.00 to win and that makes me happy.

 

[THE SHRINK]

I do know for a fact that we have ONE poster who I had the pleasure of talking with who does quite well betting on the horses...

And I also believe he makes a living out if it...

THE SHRINK

 

[valueman]

I'm sure there are many in the US too but there are certainly many in the UK. I wouldn't say I make a living from horses. I'm up about $60k since october but as my season finishes soon, it may get to $70k(maybe not) so not living standards yet.

Certainly interms of % profit to stake it's way easier on horses but the bad runs tend to be longer and cash flow is more unpredictable.

 

[Rainbow]

I'm sure there are many in the US too but there are certainly many in the UK. I wouldn't say I make a living from horses. I'm up about $60k since october but as my season finishes soon, it may get to $70k(maybe not) so not living standards yet.

Certainly interms of % profit to stake it's way easier on horses but the bad runs tend to be longer and cash flow is more unpredictable.

12 dimes a month profit. not too shabby of a living.

 

[kyhawk]

The hold is tough to beat. I have a book by a guy who has done for the past 20 years. Was a NY Lawyer. Great book.

http://www.itsdata.com/books/ITSPress/handicapping_magic.php

 

[valueman]

i'd say $100k is "making a living" so maybe next year - my season finishes in a few weeks so big rest till october.

 

[Thrillseeker]

yes, quite a few people are able to do it...lots of opportunities for life altering scores in the exotics with horses...

 

[gbm]

the name of the inside game is "not going with the 1st or 2nd odds choices(sometime more)".

it's a rare occasion when a trainor knows for sure he's is going to win. others think they will win.

when the owner trainor on the best horse says "he won't be 1,2,3 today take it to the bank. i've seen jocks or drivers loose the mount if they don't follow instruction.

in my (owner) youth i had a pacer win three in a row. the 4th try @ 3/5 I $20 exacta wheeled the 2nd choice for a hefty paycheck. the inside click did this on a regular basis. I wasn't privy to this info but tried to guess with them. they were smarter than me.

 

[cadillacman]

a lot of the responses deal w/ knowing jockey, trainer, owner inside info and so forth. So I guess the answer is no to being a winning horse player unless you have inside info, correct? Otherwise, an honest handicapper, doing this day in and day out, at multiple tracks via simulcast doesn't stand a chance in the long term to be successfull? I think the only way to win consistently at this sport is to have that type of knowledge. The inside stuff.

 

[beetman]

Considering that Pinnacle offers a lot of horse racing matchups with a 10c line, other books offer matchups at vig that isn't too unreasonable, and Pinnacle and 5d, among others, offer a rebate to horse players, it wouldn't surprise me if there are some professional or at least semi-professional horse players betting offshore.

 

[Horseshoe]

Rainbow, are you a big Dale Angelle fan?..native Louisianian?..so true are your comments of Evangeline Downs and fellow Mickey Mouse sized tracks.