Happy New Year

Well here it is folks! The dawning of a new year, a new decade.

New year always brings about a time for reflection on the past. Unfortunately I find that people tend to focus on the negatives and hope to change themselves for the better. Perhaps if we all spent more time looking at our successes and achievements and trying to replicate them rather than trying to eradicate our weaknesses we would all benefit.

Unfortunately I too look at the negatives! LOL This year I have many ideas about what I want to achieve both personally and professionally. Some are improvements on my current characteristics, which are probably the ones I will be more likely to achieve, and some are trying to stop certain traits.

My main objective for New Year is to finally kick the habit and give up smoking. It won't be easy I know but I've at least got to try. I've been smoking for 18 of my 34 years now so it's a long time since my body wasn't reliant on the drug!

As for gambling well last year was quite a good year for me. Mostly since the Betfair thread but I was nicely in profit for the year before that and have ended up with a total of just under £35,000 profit from Betfair over the last 12 months.

Many people ask if I am full time and the answer is no. I am lucky enough to have my own business and can take as much or as little work on as I want within reason. Therefore I will balance my time between here and work depending on my withdrawals I make form here. If I can keep ahead of my hourly rate on here then the work, which I enjoy, will kind of become the hobby. Of course I am aware that betting full time has massive pit falls and can end in disaster. However approaching it on the hourly/daily pay rate in conjunction with my business means the impact can, in reality only be positive for as long as I continue to enjoy gambling. If it becomes a chore, I can just change the work hours around so it becomes a hobby again.

I also feel that I may have to look at my betting style somewhat! The all in punting is fine for the lower amounts but all in punting with £1,000's is somewhat exuberant! So regular withdrawals to pay the wage and a tad more conservative with the staking plan! Who knows I may even do some LAYS!!!! lol.

All in all it's been a good year. I wish all the happiness I wish for myself for the coming year.

Good Luck in 2010 and have a Happy Punting New Year!!

Robin Soderling v Stanislas Wawrinka

Second match of the season and already I'm chasing LOL. I was tempted to load up enough to lump on Soderling so that if he won I would be green for December. However I have thought better of it. Doing that is not only stupid for the risk of losing it but it is, in my opinion, falsifying the figures to try and get a green for the month when that would not be a fair reflection of my punting.

As such I've only reloaded £50. I have still lumped on Soderling from the off though!! LOL

1.33 odds by the way. Stan has had Christmas and a wedding in the last 2 weeks plus has a heavily pregnant wife. I'm not sure but I don't really think he is going to be that interested in this tournament for more than the appearance fee. Good luck if you're on and Happy Punting!

Soderling takes first blood! Breaking for a 3*-1 lead in the first set.
Soderling Breaks again for 5*-1
Hello is Chokerling back this season? Stan gets a break back for 5-2*
5*-3 0-30 and I'm ot at 1.20!! Even green of £5.17

Wawrinka breaks to love 5-4*!!

LOL Wawa breaks for 5-6* Serving for the set!

It's official the mugfest season has started! Soderling breaks and we have a tiebreak!!

Soderling finally takes the set winning the tiebreak 7-4!
It seems he has switched to his "plan B"...... HIT IT HARDER!!! Lol

Finally we have a break in the 2nd set as Soderling takes a 5*-4 lead. I'm back on for a great bet at 1.03!! LOL

Hmm 0-15 ... 0-30 here we go again!! 0-40!!! Will I never learn? LOL
If Rev is laying the short prices today he will have made a fortune! 15-40 ... And Break 5-5!!

0-15! Soderling has definitely reverted to form as Chokerling today ;-) 5*-6.
And we have another Tiebreak!!
1**-0 MB Soderling
3-0** another mb and that should hopefully be that!
3**-2 Oh well gonna have to work for it!
5-2** Now then Robin!!
6-2* MB brings up 4 MP's!!!

Soderling Wins 7-6 7-6
Profit: £6.75

David Ferrer v Nikolay Davydenko

I feel Davydenko should win this comfortably. However, odds around 1.31 in a pre season exhibition tournament don't exactly appeal. I'll watch the first few games to see how motivated Davy is before getting involved. Hopefully if Ferrer keeps it level I may be able to get on around 1.50.

Davydenko takes the first set 6-2 and, even though I know I probably shouldn't I have decided to get on at 1.08!!! I do hope he puts this match to bed rather than have a brain fart!!

Uh oh!!! 2-1* 3 BP's Ferrer!! Davy you muppet! (LOL 1st muppet call of the season!)
And break!! Need a quick break back please Nikolay!

Another factor that I totally forgot about as I'm out of the groove I guess is that both players could probably do with the court time so a 3rd set would suit them both! Doesn't matter as long as Davy wins in the end though I guess.

4*-2 Deuce! Now then Davy can he nick a break back? Deuce #2!! Holds for 5-2* Oh Well!

Hmmm Davy broken for the set 6-2 Ferrer. Need a break 1st game in the 3rd then please Nikolay!
There's the 1.50's I wanted before it started!

Now then 1*-1 Deuce can Davy put the pressure on here? erm ... NO!! 2-1*

Switched at 1.64 to Ferrer. Book now: £129.65 Fer -£206.45 Davy.

C'mon the break!!

2*-2 Don't let me down now please Ferrer. 0-15!! 0-30!! I don't believe this!! 15-30 c'mon Ferrer Hold you muppet! 30-30... 2 more!! 40-30.... Deuce ... BP!!! Ferrer what are you doing?? And Break!! What an awful time for the switch! Hold to love followed by a break! LOL

Now then David can we show a bit of fight and get back in this. These relatively high odds on Davy still would suggest you can as someone certainly thinks (or knows) he's going to lose!!!
BP!!! Take It!!!! Pffft Deuce! GP!! If Davy holds here I feel it may be over! Had a bit of a computer crash there but came back to another BP for Ferrer followed by Deuce! BP again! This time surely!!! Nope :-( Deuce! GP ... Holds for 4-2! What a missed opportunity from Ferrer but at least he gave it a go!

3-4* Ferrer running out of time to get level so now would be good please David!
0-15 ... Nice start! 0-30 .... Even better! 0-40!!! Hello!! Take one of them please!!! 15-40 ... this one then! 30-40 FFS TAKE IT!!!!!! Pfffffft!!! Deuce from 0-40!!! What a spanner! BP#4 This time David! Deuce :-( I guess it just isn't meant to be! BP#5!! Maybe 5 is his lucky number! YESSSSS! Now hold ffs!!

4*-4 I could still come out of this alive yet! A hold here will certainly make things interesting!
But no Ferrer starts with 0-15! ... 15-15 ... c'mon give us a hold and a flippety floppety please! 15-30 and a big chunk of money holding the price up on Davy! Should be 20 ticks lower now! 30-30 hmmm BP chunk still there and I've taken some back to almost my original position now! Deuce! C'mon Davy!!! GP ... LOL I have traded this completely wrong!! Oh well it's early doors and I guess I'm rusty! 5-4* Need a Davy hold please.

0-15 Oh dear god Davydenko!! 0-30 You couldn't make this up!! I should be green as green things right now!! A lesson to follow the chunks of money not oppose them and silly prices! 3 MP's GSM!

Well surprise surise Davydenko in an Exhibition with the biggest lump of cash coming right at the death and making a nice wedge! About £150,000 on that bet alone I reckon! That's not to mention the money that would have been made laying the low odds.

Loss: £206.82

Well December didn't stay in profit very long! I'm going to cheat and reload with £500 I think to lump on Soderling as I love a good chase!! LOL

Tennis is back!!

2009 is not quite finished in the real world! But in the world of tennis it seems like a distant memory!

It feels like welcoming back an old friend after a period of enforced absence. It must be true that absence makes the heart grow fonder.... gone are the frustrations, the thoughts of dodgy matches and the realisations that the player you backed just can't be bothered this week.

Maybe the fact that the tennis season follows the sun and therefore tricks the brain into thinking you are actually getting some feel good Vitamin D is why it appeals so much. On the other hand it may be the fact that you get to see sexy young ladies running around getting sweaty that draws a crowd ;-)

Anyway regardless of the attraction I am sure glad it's back! Just an exhibition tournament for the next couple of days but it is the "World Championship" or some other ridiculously self opinionated over inflated title! LOL

As for today's match ups it is difficult to look beyond the two favourites. Davy is too short though in my opinion and I'll be looking to get involved in running as it develops. As for Soderling I actually think he is going to have a disappointing season this year after his exploits last year. However Wawrinka should not pose any problems here as he has been pretty poor of late and added to that he got married two weeks ago and his wife is 7 or 8 months pregnant so not sure if he may have come for the appearance money.

Milwaukee Bucks @ Orlando Magic

Obviously I really fancy Orlando here. As, it would seem, does every other punter in the world!
1.16 is far too low even for me from the off. I feel that I could get 1.26 on Magic in play with a reasonable start from Buck so I'll put up a back and hope I get matched. If not then I'll just move on.

All matched mid way through the 1st quarter as Bucks have now opened up a 10 point lead!! Magic briefly went up to 1.33ish.

First Quarter has ended with Magic coming back but still trail 25-21. Need a strong quarter now so they can have the lead at half time. That shoul bring the odds nicely down as people will expect them to turn it on in the 2nd half.

Hmmm Magic trail by 8 at half time. 49-41. Really had the opportunity to make it level or even nick the lead but just not converting their chances as well as the Bucks. Still fancy them to win but it may be closer than the 8+ points I was expecting. They simply have to score when they have the opportunities and this game should turn around quickly. Odds of 1.65 are disturbing when you thought you were being clever getting 1.26!!

Finally they have started to show some Magic!! They lead 79-74 at the end of the 3rd. Gotta hold my position now they should ease this one home... I hope!!

With the score 91-76 and 8 mins to go I've greened out at 1.01. £39.46 on both.

Well that was some finish from Orlando!!

Orlando Win 117-92

Profit: £39.46

December is finally in the green and I only need to keep it that way for one more day!!