Horse Racing Systems – Stop Being a Butterfly

I have never made any secret of the fact that I believe that punters should have a system and staking plan if they are to have consistent success. Some punters who accept this fact fail because they have a butterfly type of mind.

They buy system after system often discarding them before they have given them any true test. Even if they find a system that works they will discard it if they have a run of a few bad results. In fact I have noticed when a new highly promoted system comes onto the market it can often effect the odds. This is particularly true in systems involving Betfair. However, usually after about a month or so the market goes back to normal as the majority a systems purchasers discard it to move on to the latest “good thing”.

For this reason I have got into the habit of not buying a system when it first come onto the market. This lets you avoid the initial odds fluctuations and gives you a chance to assess the feedback regarding the system. At the price that is charged for some of these systems it pays to find out as much as you can before parting with hard cash. I usually rely on the Darren Powers Betting School web site which reviews most of the new systems that come onto the market. They also have a very good forum where some knowledgeable contributors pass on their thoughts about current systems.

As a rule even if a system receives a favourable report I will carry out a paper test for at least a month to satisfy myself that it works and is suitable for my circumstances. For instance some systems may require you to be at your computer to bet during racing, for most people who have jobs this would not be possible. Also as I have said in other articles systems that involve doubling up of stakes or Stop At A Winner options would leave alone. I believe that if a system will not work using level stakes it is not worth pursuing.

Punters with butterfly minds will not spend time trialling a system. They go straight in, often not understanding all the restrictions and constraints of the system. This is crazy because there is no rush, if a system is good now, it is going to be good in 3 months time so why rush into it.

Whether operating a system purely on paper or using real money it is imperative to keep accurate records of your trading. This is the only way you can assess how it is doing. The trouble with any system no matter how good is that it will have poor spells. For that reason just as a Stockbroker has a portfolio of shares the serious punter should have a portfolio of systems that they operate at any one time. Currently I am using 4 systems so that if one is having a bad spell the others will carry me through.

At the same time I am looking for new systems to either add to my portfolio or to replace one I am already using.