Death to these foul machines
Ian Harrison rails against the damage done by roulette terminals
Iwent to Malta on March15 for a week which meant that I missed Cheltenham. My clients came in for the month on a reduced fee to compensate but I don’t like the Festival meeting at all because horses die there and everything is too competitive for me. I like to find my selections with possibly only one danger in the field and you could never say that about the Festival. My clients won’t be missing anything because I never give tips there.It is admittedly a wonderful spectacle but I will miss it this year.It’s the same with Royal Ascot,I miss that out too.
I have spent the last couple of years bemoaning the fact that the non-handicap races have disappeared thanks to the bookie’s reps on the BHA board.
Amazingly my Race Reading Method provides the best results from handicaps because of the higher prices. So a big thankyou is due to those self same bookies reps on the BHA.It has got to the state now where I place my bet and wait to be handed my winnings.
Mugs are still losing money on the roulette machines. People are really getting into a lot of trouble through them.It is all very sad. Here are some facts.
There are 500,000 known problem gamblers in the UK. That figure has increased by 50% in the last five years. The bookmakers make £1,000 a week from each machine. A Daily Mail reporter interviewed a troubled barrister who lost £3,000 in one session and there have been divorces,job losses and suicides because of these foul machines.
For centuries the best brains have failed to beat roulette. Why don’t these people listen? It’s a lot better to build a fortune slowly on the horses but the word ‘slowly’ puts these gamblers off. We sadly live in an age of instant gratification or,as in most cases,oops,that’s the housekeeping gone.
Ninety three councils have asked the government to reduce the maximum stake to £2 but have been ignored.
The Cabinet has now blocked a review of the situation after being wined and dined by the bookies with visits to Ascot and Cheltenham.The government will do absolutely nothing because it is raking in a 25% tax.
The market is worth £1.7 billion so the Treasury is getting £450 million in tax.
I have had some queries about the Race Reading Method. It covers jumps and the Flat and at the moment is going great guns on the All Weather. It takes 20 minutes to find that you have no bet today. If you find a qualifier it will take a further 20 minutes to check it out. You can find your selections the evening before.
That’s all.I wish you all the best of luck.
Ian Harrison has managed Goldcrest for 31 years.The ‘Race Reading Method’ is available by snail mail or e-mail. His first novel, is available on Amazon and is getting good reviews.