7/6/2002 edition

Media Tips
and
Betting Myths

Sky Racing's excellent host, and former leading racecaller John Tapp contributes plenty of betting myths.

1. Back a horse when the jockey sounds confident

After leading apprentice Michael Rodd won at Eagle Farm on Princess Clang, John Tapp said from the Sky Racing studio:

"Michael Rodd sounded very confident in his interview earlier with Larry Olsen."

The implication is that if a jockey sounds confident when interviewed the horse is a very good winning chance.

It would be an interesting exercise to also list the many losing horses that jockeys sounded very confident about when interviewed. That would give a very clear picture - and show that backing horses jockeys sound confident about will not make you money over the long term.

The saying "Jockeys are the worst tipsters," didn't come about because jockeys kept tipping winners.

2. Winning favourites mean winning tote punters

After yet another bolter won John Tapp made the following comment:

"What's going on here? Is some strange invisible force out to destroy punters today? Vicheno $53.00 .."

Due to legal restrictions Sky Racing can only make mention of tote prices. For tote punters though, it is a fallacy to say that longshots mean punters are losing, favourites mean punters are winning. The "strange invisible force" is the tote - it "defeats" punters as a group every race. The tote couldn't care less about the odds of a winner. It makes a profit every race. Punters as a group lose every race on the tote. That is not be the case when punters bet with bookmakers.

This edition of Punt to Win:
Betting tips after longshots win at Eagle Farm
Betting - wise words from "Uncle Freddy"
Betting myths
Betting fluctuations explained
Money talks - Rosehill and Sandown plunge horses
Future winners - unlucky horses
Punt to Win 31/5/2002
Punt to Win index

Betting packages

Back Tote Longshots?

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