Is Anyone Old Enough To Remember....

BrianH

BrianH

At the Start
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May 3, 2003
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....the days when we had bookmakers?

A very good judge recommended a bet on Greece for the Eurovision Song Contest so I had the maximum that I could get on at 7/2 with an internet firm (the strange amount of £198!)

Then I saw that Victor Chandler - the firm that claims to lay millions to far eastern clients for bets on football matches - were even money Greece to be top Balkan country (out of nine). So I logged on to my account to have an even £500. I was a little surprised to be restricted to £100 but I took the advice that I have offered to others on here and phoned VC in Gibraltar (I have a credit account).

"I'd like £400 on Greece at evens to be top Balkan entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, please."

"Greece is 4/5."

"That's odd, I had evens about thirty seconds ago, but OK, I'll have £500 at 4/5."

"Just a moment please.................................................................................I've spoken to the taders and they said that you've already had £100 at evens and you can't have any more."

I resisted the temptation to take it out on the telephonist...
 
Why dont you get someone else to get the money on for you? I know its akward but if it means you get the bet you want on?
 
Brian, c'mon - you're a seasoned gambler. This isn't the sort of market that any trader would want large liabilities on and I'm sure that you are well aware of that fact. Not only is the Eurovision Song Contest a mickey mouse market (as again, I'm sure you're well aware) but a market like 'Top Balkan Entry' is even more mickey mouse - it's certainly not there as a charity handout. Contests like this are often snide too. Being the type of market it is, I expect that there was probably a slight arb to be had so no doubt plenty of filthy arbers will have tried to fill their boots to cream back their £2 profit on BF.

What surprises me most about your tale is that a man of such gambling experience was actually surprised that he was restricted on such a mickey mouse event!
 
Originally posted by Shadow Leader@Apr 1 2006, 08:58 AM
This isn't the sort of market that any trader would want large liabilities on
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Since when was £400 or £500 a large liability to an 'international' bookmaker?

It might sense to the company's number crunchers but it's hardly likely to have them running for cover, nor does it look good. Surely in situations like this they could turn such a bet to their advantage by getting their PR dept to publicise the fact that they've laid it. It would probably cost more for an ad in the RP.
 
If a bookmaker doesn't want to take bets because he considers it to be a "Mickey Mouse" event then he shouldn't advertise prices on it. Especially in this instance, when VC is the only firm betting on "Top Balkans entty."

For a firm that claims to take tens of thousands from "Asian gamblers" on football matches whose reputations according to certain sections of the press leave a lot to be desired, refusing £500 on a 4/5 chance, however "Mickey Mouse" it may be deemed, genuinely did surprise me.
 
Ah, you mean back in the good old days when they would have refused to even price up the Eurovision Song Contest, let alone the top Balkan entry....
 
I have to say, if I had priced something up as an even money chance, I would feel pretty ashamed of myself for knocking back a 400/500 - Mickey Mouse market or not.
 
Having taken some of the first bet, it surely makes trading sense to lay some more at the shorter price to reduce the overall odds that have been laid - unless you believe it to be bent and then you either close the market entirely and/or trade out your position elsewhere.
 
Actually I am looking forward to Eurovision this year in Athens.

Interestingly Serbia & Montenegro has withdrawn this year because it couldn't reach a decision as to whom to represent the region. A shame, I enjoyed their debut entrant in 2004, whom came 2nd or something?

I am going to stick with Moldova, Norway and Armenia in 2006.
 
Originally posted by Gearoid@Apr 1 2006, 01:43 AM
Why dont you get someone else to get the money on for you? I know its akward but if it means you get the bet you want on?
Click to expand...
I would have done just that, Gearoid, but the minute that I was knocked back for the £500 to £400 on they shortened the price again to 8/11!

We're never going to know, but I'd be interested in what bets other than mine they have laid on the Greeks to be top Balkans points scorer - if any...
 
I can quite understand why you are always ready to point out the cowardice of Stan James, Fred Done and others but in this instance want to defend the decision...
 
This tale certainly doesn't fit with the image of Victor Chandler, fearless rails bookmaker, standing bets that would make his colleagues blench.
 
Saint Victor of Gibralter. The man who never refuses a bet unless it's for money.
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