Betting books worth reading
Well written books by betting pro’s that are must-reads
I often get asked by members what betting-related books I would recommend.
Books which add a little depth and colour to what we do, either as a pastime or a full-time job.
Because whilst we all like to follow horseracing tips or golf bets to make money (this goes without saying), we also like to enjoy the process. And learn a little along the way.
I’ve been in this business for 30 years now, and having worked with some of the game’s sharpest minds and shrewdest operators, I full appreciate that “every day’s a school day”.
So what I’ve done is highlight a range of books, all of which have some connection to me, and my time in the betting business.
At one time or another I’ve worked with all the authors below or, in the case of Alex Bird, one of their most ardent followers.
The thing is, there’s a whole lot more to betting than putting your money down. Especially if you have aspirations to treat this as more than a hobby, and more of a genuine secondary (or even primary) cash generator.
All the authors I’ve highlighted worked in their own unique way, located their own bets, staked their own money. And won, overall.
Why? Because they all possess the qualities that time and again I highlight in my correspondence to members, and in the various articles I write…
Patience. Discipline. Insight. Control. Balls (excuse my French).
And by using these skills or qualities, to various degrees, depending on the circumstances, they were all able to achieve something we all want to copy… winning enough money to consider it a profession. A job.
So I would encourage you to read around the subject. Maybe take a book or two off this list as your jumping off point(s)… and if you have any other suggestions, by all means drop me a line (click here).
As for the books, here’s a quick rundown of the “Book Club” recommendations…
Betting For A Living – Nick Mordin
Find this book on Amazon – click here
I first worked with Nick back in the 1990’s. At the time he was a regular contributor to the Weekender, where he wrote about all manner of statistical and system-orientated betting strategies.
A very intelligent operator, and if a little offbest for some… history tells us that we only make great strides when people are prepared to think outside the box, which Mordin certainly did!
He wrote a few books in his time, but this is a good place to start.
Alex Bird: the Life and Secrets of a Professional Punter
Find this book on Amazon – click here
Bird, for those of a more senior vintage, was someone rightly regarded as a “legendary punter”. A backer who operated in a different time, when betting was conducted along much different lines (arguably for the better some might say).
This book tells many stories, and details several infamous gambles landed by Bird during a time when the war between bettor and bookie was a vastly removed from what we witness today. Well worth checking out.
100 Hints for Better Betting – Mark Coton
Find this book on Amazon – click here
Marks was a well-established writer, columnist and backer before I first met him during the early 1990’s. At the time, he was also involved with NAPP (the National Association for the Protection of Punters) – how we need such an organisation today!!
Mark worked with us at The Winning Line, and he was another who possessed a shrewd mind that was able to dissect betting and find the edge.
Enemy Number One: The Secrets of the UK’s Most Feared Professional Punter – Patrick Veitch
Find this book on Amazon – click here
If players such as Alex Bird and Phil Bull are only recognised by older hands, then Veitch should be much more familiar to a contemporary crowd.
I got to work with him in the late 1990’s by which time “The Professional” – as he was known at the time – had already created a name for himself in betting circles.
All I can say is that in terms of work ethic and single-mindedness, few came close to way in which Veitch approached the business… and have any matched it since? Not many.
A well-regarded book about one of betting’s most successful and respected operators.
A Bloody Good Winner – Dave Nevison
Find this bok on Amazon – click here
Dave will be instantly recognised to those who watch racing on TV. A well-known face on our screens and a grafter when it comes to betting.
I first came in contact with Dave in the early ’00’s, and have always found him an engaging and entertaining character. But as the book would suggest, there is more to Nevison than his punditry, and as a backer in his own right he certainly has earned his spurs from years on the front line.
There are links above to all these books on Amazon, but do check out Ebay and various specialist book sellers.
Some of these titles are well over 20 years old… so they might take a little finding. But regardless of their vintage, they still contain some real nuggets of information that will make you a better bettor!
And by all means drop me a line with some suggestions of your own.
OPINION: You’re never to old to learn. And when it comes to betting, like playing a musical instrument, it’s something which can always be adapted and improved. There are infinite ways to go about it, and by seeing how others do it successfully, you can understand the ways in which you too can become a winning professional gambler.
