The best betters in the world are icons, legendary images, incredible success stories. They are used to illustrate that betting at a bookmaker's office can bring huge profits. But is everything so simple? Can famous sports betting millionaires be a good example for a novice bettor?
Sonny Reisner - the face of 20th century betting
American Sonny Reisner was born in 1921 and became a real embodiment of the 20th century bettor. He took over his passion for sports betting from his father and started playing from a young age.
In the world of sports betting, Sonny has quoted literally everything. Even during the Second World War, while at the front, he managed to jokingly give odds for the victory of one army or another.
In the 50s and 60s, Reisner, in parallel with the development of the antique business, constantly makes bets. He does not always manage to be in the black. Later in his books, he repeatedly admitted that he fell into terrible black streaks. Even lost the money set aside for the education of children.
Since 1970, Sonny Reisner began working for various bookmakers in Las Vegas, which brought him real success. He was responsible for the formation and quality of the line. His most famous project was the BC Hole-In-The-Wall, owned by Bill Friedman.
After the closure of this office in 1987, Reisner moves away from business, teaches, writes books. His career has shown that even the best forecasters often lose, and stability comes only when working for a bookmaker.
Sonny Reisner - the face of 20th century betting
American Sonny Reisner was born in 1921 and became a real embodiment of the 20th century bettor. He took over his passion for sports betting from his father and started playing from a young age.
In the world of sports betting, Sonny has quoted literally everything. Even during the Second World War, while at the front, he managed to jokingly give odds for the victory of one army or another.
In the 50s and 60s, Reisner, in parallel with the development of the antique business, constantly makes bets. He does not always manage to be in the black. Later in his books, he repeatedly admitted that he fell into terrible black streaks. Even lost the money set aside for the education of children.
Since 1970, Sonny Reisner began working for various bookmakers in Las Vegas, which brought him real success. He was responsible for the formation and quality of the line. His most famous project was the BC Hole-In-The-Wall, owned by Bill Friedman.
After the closure of this office in 1987, Reisner moves away from business, teaches, writes books. His career has shown that even the best forecasters often lose, and stability comes only when working for a bookmaker.
Lam Banker - the author of the famous rules of a successful better
Lam Banker became famous not because of his turbulent biography, but because of the formulated rules for successful betting. He advises sports bettors to follow these principles:
But it is important to understand that bookmakers are the most successful in playing with numbers. Especially in our time, when betting is fully automated.
Tony Bloom - the success story of a true professional
Tony Bloom has become perhaps the best example of success thanks to betting. A few facts about him:
Lam Banker became famous not because of his turbulent biography, but because of the formulated rules for successful betting. He advises sports bettors to follow these principles:
- bet against public opinion in order to enjoy good quotes;
- do not win back by catching up;
- follow clear rules for selecting events;
- adhere to strict financial discipline.
But it is important to understand that bookmakers are the most successful in playing with numbers. Especially in our time, when betting is fully automated.
Tony Bloom - the success story of a true professional
Tony Bloom has become perhaps the best example of success thanks to betting. A few facts about him:
- in his youth he became a real gamer, spending family savings;
- studied mathematics at the University of Manchester;
- worked in a large audit firm;
- embodied mathematical and financial knowledge in his betting strategy, which began to make a profit;
- was hired by the bookmaker Victor Chandler, in which he achieved great career heights and financial well-being.
Conclusion: Sports betting brought another player success when he defected to the bookies.
Bob Vulgaris - rise and fall
A good example is Bob Voulgaris. He really won big money exclusively on the game. But then he also lost them.
Bob was great at basketball. He took advantage of the fact that bookmakers put the same odds on the totals of all quarters. Voulgaris, on the other hand, understood that in the last segment, the teams more often break through the set total.
For a while, the bettor bet on “total over in the fourth quarter”, which brought him a huge amount of money. But the bookmakers quickly reacted to this and began to set odds for basketball quarters in a new way. Bob continued to play the strategy and lost almost all of his money.
Thus, he did not take advantage of his winnings. Later, with his friend, Voulgaris created a program that analyzed basketball statistics. But she didn't make a profit.
The story of Vulgaris once again showed that even brilliant insight does not insure against failures. But temporary success made him a legend.
Bob Vulgaris - rise and fall
A good example is Bob Voulgaris. He really won big money exclusively on the game. But then he also lost them.
Bob was great at basketball. He took advantage of the fact that bookmakers put the same odds on the totals of all quarters. Voulgaris, on the other hand, understood that in the last segment, the teams more often break through the set total.
For a while, the bettor bet on “total over in the fourth quarter”, which brought him a huge amount of money. But the bookmakers quickly reacted to this and began to set odds for basketball quarters in a new way. Bob continued to play the strategy and lost almost all of his money.
Thus, he did not take advantage of his winnings. Later, with his friend, Voulgaris created a program that analyzed basketball statistics. But she didn't make a profit.
The story of Vulgaris once again showed that even brilliant insight does not insure against failures. But temporary success made him a legend.
Joe Peta - stock analyst in the betting world
Peta's success story began with a life tragedy. Joe was hit by a car and ended up in a wheelchair forever.
Before that, he was not fond of betting. Peta was a stockbroker and just loved baseball. Caught in difficult life circumstances, he watched a lot of matches.
Over time, Joe came to the conclusion that it was easier to analyze baseball than the stock markets. Adhering to strict financial discipline, Peta became successful at betting and eventually became a capper. He accepted large investments, managing the money of his clients.
Joe Pet's success story is the basis of his book Trading the Bases: Wall Street, Gambling and Baseball. No wonder it became a bestseller.
Billy Walters - ruin, enrichment, imprisonment
Peta's success story began with a life tragedy. Joe was hit by a car and ended up in a wheelchair forever.
Before that, he was not fond of betting. Peta was a stockbroker and just loved baseball. Caught in difficult life circumstances, he watched a lot of matches.
Over time, Joe came to the conclusion that it was easier to analyze baseball than the stock markets. Adhering to strict financial discipline, Peta became successful at betting and eventually became a capper. He accepted large investments, managing the money of his clients.
Joe Pet's success story is the basis of his book Trading the Bases: Wall Street, Gambling and Baseball. No wonder it became a bestseller.
Billy Walters - ruin, enrichment, imprisonment
Walters is another proof that it is not individuals who make money on bets, but companies. From a young age, Billy was an avid gamer who drained the family budget. He was well versed in the mechanics of bookmaking, even organized an illegal betting shop. But that didn't help him get ahead.
Walters was just lucky to get into the successful Computer Group in the 80s. Its creators, mathematician Michael Kent and surgeon Ivan Mindlin, after meeting Billy, were amazed by his ability to carefully analyze the betting line.
The company made money on the development of betting algorithms, and Billy came to court. But very quickly, the company, and Walters himself, became the targets of numerous investigations by government agencies.
Walters ended up in jail, though not on gambling or money laundering charges. He was convicted of leaking insider information in 2015.
Patrick Veitch - horse racing legend
Veitch became an idol in the world of equestrian handicapping. Betting on horse racing began to bring him a profit even in his youth. He became rich on betting by the age of 25. Patrick had the gift to see the winner in the "dark horse".
Several large bets brought him financial success. Further career developed not only due to intuition and deep knowledge of the hippodrome business. Veitch showed himself as a brilliant organizer.
Horse sweepstakes organizers easily identify successful handicappers and prevent them from betting large sums of bets. Veitch organized a whole network of agents who set up according to his instructions. So he was able to bypass the tricks and restrictions of bookmakers.
The best betters in the world and their stories: conclusions
Many people think that making money on bets is easy. Search queries “the best betters in Russia, top betters, top betters in the world” remain trendy. Players expect to be able to repeat someone else's success.
But what do these stories really show us?
- successes of individual characters are extremely rare;
- financial well-being comes to bettors when they start working for bookmakers;
- successful players who have a serious educational and professional foundation: mathematicians, financiers;
- even betting legends have experienced bankruptcies and huge losses;
- real breakthroughs, finds in the world of betting, the weaknesses of bookmakers were used in the 20th century. Today it is almost impossible, because bookmakers use the best software for line formation and odds.