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Afternoon all.
Anyone on this forum who pines for the old days of betting shops?
That is to say, the betting shops of thirty years or so ago, the days just before the advent of the internet? The days when unless you were on-course, the only place you could bet (legally ) was at your local LBO.
No? Perhaps its just me. I’m a former betting shop manager who worked for Hills on and off between the late 80s and 90s; the days when on big racing occasions days such as the Cheltenham festival, the Royal Ascot meeting, the National – in fact even on most run of the mill Saturday’s – your local bookies was packed to the rafters with folks from all walks of life: labourers, bank clerks, old age pensioners, students, petty criminals, racing aficionados, young and old, out in force to enjoy our wonderful sport of racing, while trying to turn a few quid.
I left Hills in 1999, left Britain in fact, to set up a new life with my now wife in Sweden. On visits home I’ve found betting shops increasingly unrecognisable.
Long gone are the days when there used to be a betting shop on every high street in the country; as commonplace as the chemists, the supermarket and the pub. Yet despite there being so many, I recall that the general British public held a stigmatised view towards the people who frequented them.
During the mid-90s I had a rethink about my future. I moved to Nottingham where, continuing to work part time at Hills, I studied Photography at Nottingham Trent Uni.After graduating I went on to work as a racecourse photographer for the likes of Goodwood and Epsom. By 2006 I was undertaking photo work for around sixteen UK racecourses. It was while I lived in Nottingham that I also became interested in writing fiction and after attending a talk by a young Shane Meadows, the subject of my first novel struck me. I decided I was going to write a novel set in a betting shop. I kept notes, scribbled down ideas – but there was never the time to truly get started on it. Moving abroad was a big deal and in 2001 I became a dad. But in 2016, following a period of recuperation following an operation on my leg, I sat down in earnest and began writing.
Shouting The Odds was unleashed upon an unsuspecting public in August, 2021. And having gained approval from Dave Cormack, I have been given his permission to write about the book here on the Racing Forum.
Both books have been reviewed and endorsed by the Racing Post – and you can read more about Shouting The Odds and my stand-alone sequel, Manvers Road Star in the bio on my Instagram account:https://www.instagram.com/jonfranklinauthor/
Happy punting this weekend for any of you having a bet. I’m just off to take a look at the weekend cards now.
If there is enough interest over the coming weeks, I am happy to set up a ‘special price’ for Racing Forum members only on the kindle book – 1.99 instead of 3.99, limited period only.
I too worked for WH, but in the 1960’s not 80/90’s. I used to get there 30 minutes before the first race and leave at 6-30pm. In those days racing was always interesting and, as you say, betting shops were full from start to finish. There were no calculators; all we had to settle bets was a ready-reckoner. A carbon copy of all bets went to head office and if you accidentally overpaid a punter it came out of your wages,which were only £3 for a Saturday. When I complained I was told to get such losses back by underpaying another punter. I was told the 1% rule. If an underpaid punter complained, pretend to check the bet and confirm OK. 33% would shake their head and walk away. Next 33% would demand a futher check, but with the same result. The final 34% would say they were not happy, but under pressure from the queue behind 33% would give up. The remaining 1% would say there were staying put until the right amount was paid at which point you would apologise for the mistake and pay the full amount.
One day I was in a betting shop with my father who had just managed to have three winners in his 50p Round Robin. I knew that if you calculated the treble and doubled it you were close to the correct payout. I told him his luck was obviously in as the best was worth around £107. He came back telling me I was wrong – it only came to £62. So I worked the bet out line for line and got a very similar amount. So I sent my father back who returned convinced I was wrong. I got to the counter to be told assertively the bet had been checked several times and was correct. OK, I said, we will go through this bet line by line. We only got to the second X bet when the clerk gave in and paid the correct amount
Of course, those days have long gone – all bets are now computerised and paid correctly. But the atmosphere has evaporated – go into a betting shop now and you will see 1 or 2 people playing on the fruit machines; nobody is interested in racing.
Good luck with your book, but it’s not for me.
I really miss my visits to the local bookies ( which started with me taking my dad’s bets to our local ( then illegal bookie, Laura) in the fifties. Is the book available as a paperback?
I still bet in the betting shop , every Sunday I’ll go for opening and sit and read the RP , thankfully mine doesn’t have people welded to the fruit machines , I did have online account but I just find it soulless
Hi – yes, both are. Thanks for the interest. Shouting The Odds:
Manvers Road Star:
Best regards
JonPS: If you buy a copy, be sure to let me know what you think. And if you are having a bet tomorrow, good luck.
Hi,
Did all my learning on a ready-reckoner, which was used in the shops at the time. Went on a course up in Finsbury Park, North London.
My books aren’t for everyone, no problem. I wrote them because I thought it would be a good idea to redress some of the prejudice against the people who frequented betting shops. Sure, there were always a few bad eggs – but many of the places I worked in served unofficial as community centres for the elderly and disenfranchised.
Betting shops became judged by those who frowned upon horse racing and gambling but thought nothing of spending money on the National Lottery ….
I find it good to know that such places still exist. Sounds like the perfect Sunday! Which part of the country do you live in?
I’m in Ayrshire , work at Glasgow Airport so I either bet in Linwood on way home or Beith at the weekend , there’s still a place for betting shops , plenty old boys use them as a meeting point
Funny you mentioning airports. Used to fly home to the UK from Sweden a lot when I worked with racecourse photography. Fell into the habit of getting a few hours kip at Stanstead, before travelling various places north from the train station the next day. I used to kip on a matt under a concrete bollard between the Weatherspoons and a Coral bookies. Great spot for a nightcap followed by a quick bet before heading off. Happy Days.
I was in betting shops with my Dad from about 12 years old standing at the back , breathing in the free second hand smoke . The commentary relayed from oncourse , sounded likes horses appeared from nowhere to win. Then came SIS and it was oh thats what Sedgefield , Hexham , Bangor look like as non TV courses . Some real characters in bookies over the years and Tabs I visit nowdays . Still enjoy the very rare occasions a punter realises they have lost a winning ticket , first its check pockets , then wallets , then pockets and wallet but quicker , then its all on , ive seen the bins tipped out on floor in Ladbrokes Leyton once .
The panic overides the logic , go to cashier and explain , the original is with the settler and it would be sorted one way or another .I still remember the embarrassment of taking my son into a betting shop and the manager telling us that he had to leave even though he was just stood by the door. I felt such a bad mum. That must have been thirty years ago.
It’s odd how different betting shop managers had different approaches.
My dad used to work every other Saturday, so he’d write out his bets before leaving and I would go to place them for him. I was ten when I first started doing it. I suppose that they knew him, and me, so that helped. Wouldn’t be allowed now, of course.
I remember going on a family holiday to Devon , i would have been about 14 . Caravan park had onsite betting shop , and also one those games where you roll balls up and depending on hole ball drops in the wooden horse moves along in a race with others , it was great .
It poured down one day so i chanced my arm not getting kicked out of bookies and went in on my own and put my own bets on. It would only be 20 p win , 50 p win type of bets , i just could not stop backing winners , winner after winner , still recall one horse , Helen Street the name , was sad to see the sun out next day and having to go the beach .
On another holiday i sneaked in a caraxan site bookies and Dawns Delight gave me some holiday spending at onsite amusements .
My favorite caravan park as a kid was Haven at Yarmouth , our caravan was right on backstraight of the course . Good times .Helen Street was a good filly. I remember she won the Virginia Water Maiden Stakes, which was then a prestigious race for unraced fillies on the eve of the King George, and was second to Oh So Sharp in the Fillies’ Mile. She went on to win the Irish Oaks at three.
“I was ten when I first started doing it”
My mum would send me down the newsagents to pay and pick up her cigarettes at ten
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
Glad you mention the Helen Street win in a race for unraced fillies , i used to always look forward to the Wood Ditton Stakes and still scroll through entries each year when it comes round , I wouldnt have had a bet in it for 25 years but still try to record it overnight . No real idea why just a race that sticks in my mind .
Betting shop pens was another thing i recall as a kid , we had so many at home accumilated up . Nowdays id collect them up and put them all back in box at shop as its all about sustainability .
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