Aussie Open and running hard to stand still.

The Australian Open tennis championships start in the early hours of this morning, and for us serious tennis traders (cough!), it's obviously a big thing. To make it sound like I know what I'm talking about...I've been told that we need to check the liquidity of the markets carefully in the early stage games before getting involved. In fact, I get the impression that selecting the right games is going to be the biggest challenge in the early part of the week.

It's probably high time though, that I should start talking about the trading a little more on here. I don't want to give any secrets away in terms of what strategies are employed because after all, they are not mine to give. Suffice to say that entries into the market are reliant on a situation arising in a match that provides a sufficient risk:reward ratio, ie. very little downside to a potentially significant upside. We rely on swings, have to accept that it is common to go through a series of small losing trades before hitting one or two big winning trades, and are dependant upon being able to read the market and predict where it will go given constantly changing match circumstances.

Am I at this stage yet? Absolutely not. Am I getting there? I think so, yes.

Something I have realised though, is that despite the common perception being that there are two distinct mindsets - that of the gambler and that of the trader - I think in fact the two are inextricably linked. Discipline is essential to both. That is, the dedication the successful gambler must give to consistent staking, to not stopping betting when things aren't going well, and various other aspects that have been discussed at great length elsewhere. When trading, one must resist the temptation to enter the market when the price is very close to the one you know you are looking for (maybe just one or two ticks away) without quite reaching it, to realise that a lot of the trades you enter into aren't going to be winning ones, to block out the messages you're brain is receiving if watching a player during a match cocking everything up and yet knowing that if you enter into the trade you are relying on that player coming back into the match - if perhaps only briefly - for you to make money.

I'll leave it at that for now, but more shortly.


Saturday's Betting

The whole day was rescued somewhat by a touch of inspiration from Skeeve. Wrexham beating Tamworth was a good pick but the type that good football tipsters often go for. A double of Farnborough and Cheltenham was inspired though (Skeeve himself called it perhaps the best double he's ever advised, and who am I to argue?). Anyway, two bets, two wins and a 15 point profit - great stuff!

Skeeve's efforts though, like Winning Racing Tips' on Friday, rather disguised an overall poor return from the majority of tipsters. Again the racing was awful and looking at the last two days combined - the WRT winner removed - it's been a shocking run. No winners on the horses on Saturday.

Football Elite found a very good winner (Ajaccio) from their two selections and The Sportsman gave a good shout for goals in the Berwick/Stranraer match, but had two other losing tips. Two draws from three matches scuppered The Football Analyst's 7/22 picks and all in, the day turned a profit which in the circumstances represents a great result.

Northern Monkey: Staked 1.25pts, -1.25pts.
On The Nose: Staked 2.25pts, -2.25pts.
The Market Examiner: Staked 3pts, -3pts.
Chasemaster: Staked 0.25pts, -0.25pts.
Winning Racing Tips: Staked 0.8pts, -0.325pts.

TFA 7/22: Staked 3pts, -3pts.
Football Elite: Staked 2pts, +0.907pts.
The Sportsman: Staked 0.45pts, -0.074pts.
Skeeve: Staked 8pts, +15pts.

Saturday 14th January: Staked £800.50, +£70.85.
Month to date: Staked £3,444.50, +£442.74, roi 12.85%.