Trading on Betfair: My Progress

OK so this is Novembers update. The month started off quite badly and could have sent me into a downward spiral but fortunately with a well-timed phone call, a disaster was avoided.

November ended up being my fifth consecutive profitable month and finished of well in the end.

I’ll give my thoughts in the video at the bottom of this post where you can hear in more detail what happened this month.

As Bruce would say “Here are the all-important scores on the doors.”

The daily breakdown is here and there is a quick summary at the bottom but the Video contains more info and details on my plan of attack for December.

Daily Breakdown

1^st Nov

Starting Bank £1,627.97

Re-set the clock and go again! I was hoping this would be my first ever “No Red Day” month but I took the pressure off myself for later in the month by getting a red day first up! Not just any old red but my worst since May 6th.

I’ll have to re-watch the replay tomorrow to see where I went wrong because it all went wrong a bit quick.

Number of Races 8

Traded 4, 2 losses, 2 wins, Biggest loss £68.05, biggest win £12.76

Daily Total Minus – £52.56

Bank £1,575.41

2^nd Nov

Starting Bank £1,575.41

After the nightmare of yesterday I was a bit short of confidence at the start of play but fortunately I got a couple of easy ones.

Number of Races 6

Traded 2, 0 losses, 2 wins, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £12.35

Daily Total Plus £16.44

Bank £1,591.85

3^rd Nov

Starting Bank £1,591.85

One good one (decent price) and one not so good, but both very safe trades. Called it a day.

Number of Races 8

Traded 2, 0 losses, 2 wins, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £21.73

Daily Total Plus £26.17

Bank £1,618.02

4^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,618.02

Poor day. Others in the group got a trade on a Fav in the 12.20 at Muss but I was late in and didn’t get a good price and when it moved forward, I had to take a chunky loss. (£26.09)

Luck doesn’t come into trading very often, but a market leader fell in a later race just as I was about to get matched on my exit bets. If it had fell 10 seconds later, I would have avoided my 2^nd loss of the day (£9.49). Knew it wasn’t going to be my day so wisely switched off.

Number of Races 17

Traded 8, 2 losses, 6 wins, Biggest loss £26.09, biggest win £11.08

Daily Total Minus – £9.70

Bank £1,608.32

5^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,608.32

Andrew rang me this morning and I’m so glad he did. My mind was a bit scrambled after the terrible start I’d had to the month and he sorted my head out inside 10 minutes.

Without realizing it I’d been heaping enormous pressure on myself to win £20 + per day to get to £500 profit this month and he made me realize I don’t need to even try. I’ve been outperforming my original target quite comfortably, so the fact was I only needed to just tick over to maintain that.

I did 4 trades today but 2 of them were small. So only 2 really. 

Number of Races 12

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £10.73

Daily Total Plus £20.41

Bank £1,628.73

6^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,628.73

I was quite pleased with my patience today. Took a red on race one when a horse missed the break. I didn’t lay it then as it was 1m 1f but he got a couple of early slaps after a furlong or two so then I entered. It then finished well so I had to trade out. It didn’t win but better safe than sorry.

That red though meant I had to watch more races than I like to but I stayed calm and scrambled a few bits and pieces. No great trades but safe stuff.

Number of Races 18

Traded 5, 1 loss, 4 wins, Biggest loss £12.45, Biggest win £11.36

Daily Total Plus £9.81

Bank £1,638.54

7^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,638.54

Watched a few early races and got one very small trade in. Not a great price. Had to stop as my daughter is coming home for the weekend and I need to go shopping!

Number of Races 5

Traded 1, 0 losses, 1 win, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £2.00

Daily Total Plus £2.00

Bank £1,640.54

8^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,640.54

Well I’m finding it heavy going this month. I was “fastest finger first” and got a faller in the first race I traded, but I took a red in a later race on a horse where the jockey lost an iron. Unfortunately, he got it back and the price recovered before I was out. That was early in the race so rather than be in the red for over a circuit hoping it would drift, to be safe, I took a small red on it.

Number of Races 7

Traded 3, 1 loss, 2 wins, Biggest loss £7.85, biggest win £7.51

Daily Total Plus £2.65

Bank £1,643.19

9^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,643.19

Nothing exciting today and I missed the best trade of the day while I was on the phone! A fav (Vegas Blue 13.40 Kemp) that started at about 1.25 got beat and others in the group were all over it.

After missing that one I stuck around and got a few small trades and a couple of scratches, but I felt it wasn’t going to be my day so called it a day.

Number of Races 12

Traded 5, 1 loss, 2 wins, 2 scratches, Biggest loss £4.81, biggest win £7.53

Daily Total Plus £8.22

Bank £1,651.41

10^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,651.41

I still really enjoy trading, but this was about as close to having a “boring day” that I’ve ever had. Nothing exciting happened at all.

Number of Races 8

Traded 3, 0 losses, 3 wins, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £6.43

Daily Total Plus £11.90

Bank £1,663.31

11^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,663.31

Slightly frustrating day watched loads of races got one decent trade but just after I switched off a 1.5 Fav got turned over and some of those in the Telegram room still trading got on it!

Number of Races 12

Traded 1, 0 losses, 1 win, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £8.66

Daily Total Plus £8.66

Bank £1,671.97

12^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,671.97

Decent day. I’ve been struggling to get above £10 profit some days this month. It isn’t all about the money of course, I know that, but it was starting to worry me that I wasn’t trading as well lately.

Pleased with the £10.81 trade because it wasn’t blindingly obvious and the horse ultimately went on to win, but there was a period in the race when it didn’t look to be going so well. That was enough.

Number of Races 11

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £10.81

Daily Total Plus £21.05

Bank £1,693.02

13^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,693.02

Steady day, no drama, no real excitement which is how I like it.

Number of Races 14

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £7.45

Daily Total Plus £14.01

Bank £1,707.03

14^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,707.03

Best day of the month so far and Darver Star in the 12.15 at Punchestown was the trade of the day for me. Short priced Fav ran poorly.

Number of Races 9

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £16.66

Daily Total Plus £31.80

Bank £1,738.83

15^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,738.83

I’m supposed to take a day off once a week and normally that is Sat or Sun, but I’ve traded both days this weekend. I think because I’m not doing so well this month P&L wise I didn’t want to miss a day, but I do think I should take a day off.

If there is a poor looking day this week (Mon-Fri), I’ll maybe take a day off then.

One small red (approx. 10% of liability) which slightly spoilt the day, but no real damage done.

Number of Races 12

Traded 4, 1 loss, 3 wins, Biggest loss £8.84, biggest win £14.27

Daily Total Plus £17.57

Bank £1,756.40

16^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,756.40

Not a great day of racing with just Leicester over jumps on RTV but knicked a bit so quite happy with that.

Number of Races 14

Traded 5, 0 losses, 4 wins, 1 scratch, Biggest loss N/A, biggest win £9.24

Daily Total Plus £20.11

Bank £1,776.51

17^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,776.51

Only Limerick on RTV so pleased to get a decent day.

Number of Races 12

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £16.04

Daily Total Plus £25.25

Bank £1,801.76

18^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,801.76

Best day of the month so far. Got a great trade on “Blazing Port“ in the 13.55 at Hexham. It started odds on and was 15 lengths behind the leaders and being pushed along down the back straight when I entered. Got an average price of 2.52 on entry so a good price for me.

The other 3 trades were only tiddlers.

Number of Races 8

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £32.32

Daily Total Plus £43.17

Bank £1,844.93

19^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,844.93

A bit disappointing today. 3 good looking jumps meetings all on RTV so I was hoping for a good day but in the end had a scrappy sort of day really.

Traded 5 but two of them were tiny greens so I didn’t really want to count them!

Number of Races 15

Traded 5, 1 loss, 4 wins, Biggest loss £13.87, Biggest win £22.15

Daily Total Plus £15.03

Bank £1,859.96

20^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,859.96

Only watched the first 3 races today and had to dash out on a minor emergency for my brother. I checked in the Telegram room when I got back later and it didn’t look like I missed too much today, though there was an odds-on fav beaten literally 5 mins after I’d logged off.

Andrew traded it and put the video of the trade in the room for us all to see. I don’t think I’d have entered quite as early as him but I’m fairly confident I would have spotted some of the signals and got a decent trade on it though.

Number of Races 3

Traded 0, 0 losses, 0 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win N/A

Daily Total Zero

Bank £1,859.96

21^st Nov

Starting Bank £1,859.96

Daughter coming home for the weekend so just thought I’d trade the early races then get on with tidying up!

Number of Races 7

Traded 3, 0 losses, 3 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £17.27

Daily Total Plus £28.63

Bank £1,888.59

22^nd Nov

Starting Bank £1,888.59

Just watched the RTV races today, no need to risk any via Betfair video as 3 good jumps meetings on RTV.

Did a B2L today on “Monmiral” in the 12.03 at Exeter. B2L is the area of the B4P method that I’m weakest at but this one looked quite an easy one to me. Normally I just do L2B.

Number of Races 5

Traded 4, 0 losses, 4 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £10.36

Daily Total Plus £28.80

Bank £1,917.39

23^rd Nov

Starting Bank £1,917.39

Another good day. With the B4P method sometimes you have to watch race after race after race to finally get the type of opportunity we’re looking for. Today we got 2 in 2.

So I just traded the 11.35 and the 12.05 at Ludlow and that was me done!

Number of Races 2

Traded 2, 0 losses, 2 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £22.71

Daily Total Plus £37.29

Bank £1,954.68

24^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,954.68

Didn’t like the look of today, just one meeting on RTV. Considered having the day off but luckily the first race I watched was at Sedgefield (12.15) where “Hurricane Mitch” ran poorly and was an easy trade.

I didn’t get in at the best price (Lay av 4.10) but it was nice and safe so “double clicked” it.

Happy to immediately switch Bet Angel off and call it a day.

Number of Races 1

Traded 1, 0 losses, 1 win, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £17.68

Daily Total Plus £17.68

Bank £1,972.36

25^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,972.36

Not much about today for me. Managed to squeak out 2 small trades and call it a day. Didn’t want to carry on and force it as only one jumps meeting on RTV and the make up of the races was very poor.

Number of Races 10

Traded 2, 0 losses, 2 wins, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £9.64

Daily Total Plus £12.71

Bank £1,985.07

26^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,985.07

Watched a fair few races, but most were too competitive. Got one small trade in and called it a day after 2 hours of trading.

Number of Races 8

Traded 1, 0 losses, 1 win, Biggest loss N/A, Biggest win £4.02

Daily Total Plus £4.02

Bank £1,989.09

27^th Nov

Starting Bank £1,989.09

Quick day. Main thing of note was I past £2k in my bank!

Number of Races 6

Traded 3, 1 loss, 2 wins, Biggest loss £4.78, Biggest win £15.49

Daily Total Plus £20.78

Bank £2009.87

28^th Nov

Starting Bank £2009.87

After a late night I felt a bit tired early on today and probably missed the odd early trade. Luckily, I spotted a nice subtle one in the 12.55 “Ask a Honey Bee”.

Number of Races 7

Traded 1, 0 losses, 1 win, Biggest loss £N/A, Biggest win £18.85

Daily Total Plus £18.85

Bank £2028.72

29^th Nov

Day Off.

30^th Nov

Starting Bank £2028.72

Last day of the month so I was ultra-cautious. Did 2 trades and stopped.

With the amounts of the 2 greens I knew it meant I wasn’t going to beat last months total and set a new record. I could have tried to do “just one more trade” to beat last months, but after what happened on day one of November I decided to switch off Bet Angel and not try.

In many ways I don’t think I deserved to do a record month , the start of the month was pretty poor to be honest.

Number of Races 8

Traded 2, 0 losses, 2 wins, Biggest loss £N/A, Biggest win £9.78

Daily Total Plus £18.17

Bank £2046.89

Video Report on the Month

Edit

After reading through the post myself I see that Andrew rang me and gave me the pep talk on the morning of the 5th of November not around the 9th or 10th as I said on the video. (I really should proof read the post before I post it and do the video)

Plans for Next Month

Andrew (from Back for Profit) and I had a chat after racing on 30th Nov and we agreed a course of action for December. I was going to expand on my plans for next month here or in the video but I’ve decided not to!

So you’ll have to make sure you come back next month and see what they were and whether the plan worked.

Read: Next months update here.