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TinMan
Why not join in the various weekly tipping competitions here? That’s showing off your judgment without having had a bet.
I bet on less than 5% of races I watch over the course of a (National Hunt) season. That’s because I know that I do not know enough to win at it, were I to bet more often. And when I do bet it’s low grade stakes for fun money, nothing that would affect the household budget in any way.
I think not having an online account helps me keep away from betting, as there is no shop for a few miles round where I am as those in neighbouring villages and small towns have closed now, so it’s a half-hour round trip to get a bet on. And I’m happy with that. as if I had a betting account I’d be losing money not only on horses but probably on more spontaneous football bets.
I do enjoy the puzzle, listen to plenty of podcasts and watch the televised racing (though often in the evenings if I am out at football on a Saturday). but without the need to bet. I realise that I’m a complete outlier and an aware that I probably disgust most of the readership in here, but who’s judging?
Thanks for starting the thread Tin Man
I’m in the yes camp.
Its been 2 years since I started getting restricted and decided to close my accounts and effectively give up gambling as a serious past time. I respect anyone who puts the time in to do the hours of research needed to make money at the game. Its a mental as well as a financial challenge.
I still enjoy the odd bet at the festivals but this requires a visit to the bookie shop in the village.
I still enjoy watching even when I don’t have a bet, I do find the media coverage of the sport a big turn off these days and the hideous attempts at promoting the sport through racing league/ shergar cup etc. Same as has happened with cricket and the hundred- a pointless addition to an already packed programme that not a single fan was calling for.The game is up as far as professional punters are concerned I think, can’t see how a living can be sustained in the short to medium term with affordability checks etc.
A downturn in the games fortunes could have the welcome benefit of fewer races and more competitive racing but I fear I’m being hopelessly optimistic there. Thank goodness Cheltenham festival didn’t go to 5 days, that would be horrific dilution.
The corporate greed principle of more is better only applies to a few sports and racing isn’t one of them.
I agree with QF the free comps on here are a good way to keep a competitive interest up without gambling.
No bet today and did I enjoy well yes and no. Picked four winners, three double priced on the York competition three of which I would have bet on
The more I know the less I understand.
I do often watch horse racing without betting but feel I must confess to doing so with learning about certain horses picked up upon as future investments.
One thing that shouldn’t need to be said is simply the money used for betting cannot be used to the detriment of your everyday living standards ……. if you bet you need a ‘betting bank’ solely for this purpose.
As pointed out by others I consider betting on horse racing as an intellectual pursuit made more enjoyable as I’ve progressively improved my selection methods and returns (making profits always makes it more enjoyable).
I don’t consider myself a professional punter as making sufficient funds to provide a living would require a big uplift in stakes.
For me horse racing needs more handicaps and less conditions events as in my opinion there are far too many class one contests and I mean everything from Group 1 to Listed enabling connections to dodge each other and go for soft targets with a small number of runners which in my view don’t appeal to the public.
Too much racing overall which needs a cull in courses.Competitive racing with reasonable size fields would be a step in the right direction.
Apologies if I’ve strayed too far from the thread theme but I do feel it’s all interconnected.
good luck to allThanks for all the responses on here guys and girls and apologies i didn’t respond I’ve been on my holibobs and forgot I’d posted until today.
Really pleased to see so many do enjoy it without the betting, I felt really guilty that I might not and I enjoy plenty of other sports and have never really bet on any of them. I’m not sure why but possibly a lot of the racing coverage is betting orientated that makes it that bit harder to disassociate?
Some good suggestions in here too Quelle Farce in particular I had considered the competitions on here as a way of staying interested and I may well do that when the NH season starts.
I think my struggles may be more flat related than NH and I may become one code going forwards, particularly as my locals are NH tracks if I want to see these marvellous animals in the flesh but we’ll see. Obviously the flat is more geared around creating the next stallion etc and I struggle to get excited by that side of it.
Thanks again for the responses
The competition are a great way and also it’s important to watch without betting if you enjoy it or not because it all helps for future bets and a race watcher can pick up more than reading a few form lines under a horses name… Do I enjoy watching replays for form study.. no
Do I enjoy watching a decent live race without a bet absolutely 😁Charles Darwin to conquer the World
I used to bet regularly on NH racing, but much less often now as the season has been diminished by the Cheltenham obsession; but I still enjoy the spectacle; it’s hard to beat a midweek jumps meeting where there is room to move.
Like many others I now bet mainly on football; 90 minutes of interest!
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