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Ian, if I wanted to boost my ego on here (as you do with every post) I too would include the URL’s of the three web sites I own, the names of the four horses in training, the details of two other businesses I have stakes in.
I still stand by my substantive point that it should not be possible to establish and online betting site as easily as it is today.
I have been with Betfair virtually since day one but, nothing would please me more than for them to have a proper competitor.
Grasshopper, the list of failed online betting operations is the reason it should not be possible for a two bit setup to exist. Lots of people have lost money with these failures. It’s more difficult to setup a taxi business than a betting site.
Some people do strange things for an ego trip.
Ian, I know exactly how easy it is to obtain a Bookmakers Permit. I have one.
You don’t have to be bright to setup an exchange. I could have one next week if I wanted. This should not be allowed.
Nick, the point is do you think it is OK for anyone to setup an exchange and call themselves a betting exchange owner. I certainly do not.
I did not lose any money with the SO disaster but have lost out to other small online operations. I only trade with Betfair and have been in this game for over 30 years as a bookmaker, owner, punter and for four years a BF trader full time.
Ian, I have not implied anything defmatory or suggested you are doing anything illegal or are not properly registered. ÂÂÂ
I am raising awareness of the scale of your hobby site and how easy it is for anyone to setup as you have done.
I do not think it should be possible for people to setup a trading gambling site as a hobby without putting up a sensible bond.  £500k for starters would do.
The industry needs to be properly regulated to prevent small scale operations springing up.  If you cannot see the danger here your head is in the sand or somewhere else.
I’M AM NOT ACUSING YOU OR YOUR SITE OF ANY WRONG DOING.
(Edited by Bogside at 8:15 pm on Nov. 20, 2004)
I did not lose anything with SO. There is only one exchange.
I have to laugh at Ian considering himself a player in the market and feels qualified to comment as if he is.
It is very worrying that a two man operation can setup as an exchange on a shoe string. At least the stack of £1 bets shows there is no real business here. I would be amazied if this site is not losing money every day.
Let everyone put this into perspective and tell us how much matched business was done today. My estimate is less than £500.
Ian, no need to worry as you don’t have any competitors.
I watched you site for a spell this afternoon and could not believe the volume of business or to be more accurate the lack of volume. In one race at Huntingdon, I did not see ANY movement at all as the list of £1 seed bets on both sides at fantasy odds remained unchanged. The spread of odds was 118%/84%.
I would estimated the matched volume on the site today and a few hundred quid. Looks like an expensive hobby to me.
Ian, not so long ago you were holding up Sporting Options as a fine example of a small exchange from West Sussex.  Quick change of position now.
You must run your site as a hobby as I can see no way it can ever break even on the current levels of business.  Liquidity is the life-blood of exchanges and I would not be surprised if there is only one operating in a years time.
(Edited by Bogside at 10:21 pm on Nov. 15, 2004)
Ian, one question for you WHY?
There is no point in anyone trying to conduct exchange business with the likes of your operation. No liquidity = no business.
I can’t see how the level of business can justify the cost of running a wanabe exchange. I was under the impression that Sporting Options was a lost cost operation and they have now failed.
There is only ONE EXCHANGE thankfully for me.
Undercutting the market leader is not an option.
If I owned Best Mate he would be retired now.
He has achievd a great feat winning the Gold Cup three times but was hardly impressive today, half a length in front of a good handicapper.
Go out at the top instead of trailing in BEHIND the handicappers next year.
Regional Racing is a cut above Virtual Racing and provides betting shop gamblers and owners what they need, opportunities to gamble.
I think sand racing will only really take off in this country when a few grade one courses install Polytrack at a conventional type track like Newbury, Haydock, Doncaster and even Newmarket. Proper track layout with long straights and well graded bends to give all runners a decent chance in a race. Sectional timing would also help.
At present, the three tracks provide different challenges such as kickback, uneven/unpredictable going, tight bends and short run-ins. All these contribute to reduce the appeal of sand racing to turf racing fans. <br>
