There are scads of different ways to place a bet — point spreads, futures, money lines, propositions all tailored to one’s personal taste. It is seen less as an unsavory underworld operation. It has become more mainstream. Most people polled have no problem with legal gambling. It is too easy to be influenced by commentators. After adopting this tactic for a number of fights you will become as good a judge as any pundit.

 

When paddock watching before a race pay as much attention to the body language of the humans on display as the equines – trainers, jockeys and even stable lads/lasses can betray when they are really keen on a beast’s chances or, just as important, when they are not, via speech, gestures, appearance, etc. The following are preached by renowned gambling authority Stanford Wong in his Complete Idiot’s Guide to Gambling Like A Pro. Thou shalt not pray before spotted cubes of ivory.

 

Thou shalt not speak the name of the Lord until all else has failed. Thou shalt not kill third-base players who know not what they have done. Thou shalt not adulterate thy cards, cubes or coins. Thou shalt honor thy mother and father, and forgive them for gambling away thy inheritance. Thou shalt not steal thy gambling money from thy children’s college fund. Thou shalt not falsely accuse thy dealer of cheating. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s gambling machine.