Goal.com Book Review: The Premier Football Betting Handbook 2010/11
We run the rule over the latest addition to the Goal.com bookshelf...
Betting on football is big business with the recent World Cup turning over more than $1.5 billion (£900,000) in the UK alone. Most fans indulge in a flutter during the season but the vast majority end up losing far more than they win.
Why?
Step forward professional sports traders Matt Finnigan and Pete Nordsted who have penned 'The Premier Football Betting Handbook 2010/11' and aim to help punters beat the bookies.
The writers started off as regular punters who made the weekly pilgrimage to the bookmakers and ended up with less cash than they came in with.
Now they are specialist traders who make a full-time living by speculating on sports. The transformation occurred when they both identified a system that rewarded hard research and statistical analysis instead of hunches and what their mates down the pub told them.
Aimed at casual fans and hardcore punters alike the book is written in an engaging fashion combining stats and expert tips which should benefit the rookie and the seasoned pro.
Early on the authors identify the two main types of football gambler - Your casual punter and the short-term investor.
You may be surprised to know that the casual punter doesn't even expect to win! They are likely to be easily led and don't keep a record of their bets. Easy prey for the bookies in other words.
Your short-term investor is a smarter cookie who will only place bets that offer value and a decent risk V reward ratio. A bigger threat to the bookmakers fat profits is another way of putting it.
"The average football punter will know the game inside out and we wanted to respect this knowledge by writing a book that will allow them to pinpoint better opportunities from the bookmakers markets," author Pete Nordsted told Goal.com.
Specialising in England's elite league the book has an abundance of statistical information to aid you with your bets. Here's a few:
* Sunderland striker Darren Bent scored 13 of his 24 league goals first in the game last season.
Verdict: Back Bent to be first scorer any price over 5.0
* 71.42% of Fernando Torres' goals in the EPL have come at Anfield.
Verdict: Back Torres anytime scorer when playing at home
Along with providing a wealth of information on the various betting markets on the Premier League the book provides detailed stats on each of the 20 clubs and all of the referees. Whether you just like betting on the outcome or want to learn how to profit from the corners market the authors have the answers..well most of them.
"Do we have all the answers or will this book enable you to give up your day job? NO! Our objective with the book was to stimulate the reader to look at football betting in a different way, whilst providing a reference tool they could use every week of the season," added Pete Nordsted.
If you intend on spending any of your hard earned money on betting this book is certainly worthy of an investment for the new Premier League season.
Best Quote
"Bookmaking is one business where it does not pay to be a loyal customer; opening one account and blindly taking whatever odds are available is, to be honest, pointless. If you are to take your Premier League betting seriously it is essential that you open numerous accounts, giving yourself the best advantage possible."
David Mole, Goal.com's Betting & Odds Expert
"I found the section on creating your own odds simple and creative. This is a real skill that punters can use to find out whether they have found a hidden gem or they are simply falling into line with the majority of the bookmakers.
"For me, it?s not the type of book to read cover to cover, it?s more the type to sit on your shelf as a creased-spine reference guide to dive into when you have found, or think you have found, a bet during the course of the season.
"For me the book is a worthy 7/10 and should form part of a good punters armoury for the coming season."
