Originally Posted by
Elite_Pie
Sorry to say it, but your dad sounds like a mug punter, and I think you are the one missing the point. Going into the bookies and betting with them over the phone is a sure fire way to lose money. The bookies make a guaranteed profit because they build in a margin to cover their costs and a bit more. For every £100 staked, they pay around £90 back. In the old days of 10% betting tax on top of the bookies margins, it was almost impossible to beat them. That only changed when betting went online, and what they make from the mug punters allows them to make some pretty spectacular offers. The advent of things like 'best odds guaranteed' and 'money back if your selection finishes second to the favourite' means that if you are selective it's really not that difficult to make a few quid.