MARK

Regarding punting horses, which is all I can comment on, and must add it’s not every firm, but it’s got to be said chaps (bookies) it’s becoming like the Wild West re getting paid, youse are using a very thin line between compliance and out and out theft with people’s winnings, this is a classic saying but has stood the test of time “it takes two to make a bet” and can be called off if you both agree, but some bookies have taken welching to a new level. As many of you know I’ve been around a long time, and back in the day admittedly there was a few strokes pulled by punters ie slow count etc, but on the whole it was all done on massive trust, and it worked. But the stroke pulling has been flipped completely the other way, it is the bookies now pulling the strokes, being as I do speak to many in the industry on a daily basis I hear stories, sadly I’m simply not shocked anymore, it’s very sad that the industry I’ve grown up in is now letting itself down and I’m afraid to say in very embarrassing situations, the firms who I looked up to as a wet behind the ears young man with such envoy wishing I could have worked for them are basically stealing and even more sadder they appear to have no shame. I don’t want to mention names which was the reason my interview with @SimonNott was massively edited, due to me naming and shaming. But it needs to change chaps, senior members of staff who understand the facts of a bet need to speak with the people running these firms, who appear to have little knowledge of the integrity and trust you once had, that this is not how we should be doing it. Please don’t lose your honour, as an industry you’ve got enough to deal with, you/we don’t need it in the public domain court cases happening on a daily basis where you mainly settle on the steps of the court basically admitting your guilt. This game is unique in trust or it seems it was, it seems unbelievable that 20 yrs ago, that if you had a bet on the Monday and the horse got beat you’d get the bill two weeks later and you paid it or of course vice versa, now it seems if you should back a winner and you had the audacity to beat the SP which seems the ultimate cardinal sin, there will then be an investigation into your family tree, going over your election roll, looking through your Facebook account, or maybe you bought a dog from someone who had some puppies and someone who bought a puppy was once a winning customer whose been sacked, so you obviously put the bet on for them (not the puppy) so you then ask for their bank statements ( not the puppy of course) in the hope you can link them up thus giving you an excuse not to pay. You get my drift chaps. Don’t let yourselves down, believe me I know what I’m talking about it looks terrible on your part. Also I’m not talking from a personal experience , I’ve written this as a lad I know as been done for a few quid, the amount that won’t change either of the parties lives, and if anyone in one of these departments wants to justify these decisions then be my guest to reply, I doubt very much anyone will