The Smart Betting Club Podcast

In this episode, I’m joined by Jeevan Jeyaratnam, Chief Betting Officer at Abelson Info—an industry leader in player market pricing and home to the settlement feeds behind many of today’s major betting markets. Jeev shares insights from two decades in the betting world, including the evolution of player-focused markets like anytime goal scorers, shots, cards, and more. With Abelson pricing over 17,000 football matches annually, Jeev offers an expert deep dive into the nuts and bolts of compiling odds, managing data accuracy, and servicing leading firms like Flutter, Entain, William Hill, and Betway. You can also support the SBC Podcast by visiting our podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get 150 days, commission free with them via this link. Key topics include: shots on targetfouls committedgoalkeeper savesedge casesHenrikh MkhitaryanBet Builder product launch(00:00) Intro & Jeevan’s Role (02:00) Career Beginnings & Super Soccer Origins (05:30) Rise of Goal Scorer Market (08:30) Abelson’s Reach & Bookmaker Clients (11:30) Custom Pricing & Bookmaker Strategies (13:30) Data Collection and the Human Edge (15:30) Adding New Markets & Role of Modelling (18:30) Player Expectancies & Real-World Examples (21:30) In-Play Pricing Adjustments (24:30) Value in Pre-Match Windows (27:30) The Penalty Taker Dilemma (30:30) Goal Scorer Profiles & Outliers (34:30) Pricing Successes and Mistakes (38:30) Player Markets vs. Match Odds (43:00) Punters & Perceptions (47:00) Bet Builders & Market Evolution (51:00) Brazilian Booking Loophole (54:30) What’s Next at Abelson It’s a fascinating episode for bettors interested in the mechanics behind player props and the value spots to target in today's dynamic markets.

In the latest SBC Podcast I am joined by Kieran Ward, an experienced bettor and tipster who has been finding value for over 25 years! Value is central to what Kieran does and his tipping services, including​The Value Machine​ and his newly formed The Value Machine Exchange Profits are both laser-focused on finding selections that are overpriced, whether that be with soft bookmakers or exchanges. In this chat, Kieran and I walk through his history in the betting world, how his approach to gambling has changed over time and how he balances his own betting with running numerous successful services. ​SBC Magazine Issue #150​ also came up as Kieran and I discuss a new project where he and a fellow 'SBC Hall of Famer', Allan Darke, have married their approaches to create a superb new system that is accessible to all as it is exchange based. Adapting, finding sustainable solutions and providing services that customers want is central to why Kieran is so popular - this chat showcases that perfectly! For a limited time only, you can save 20% on the ​Value Machine​ by using the code SBCPOD20 during checkout You can also support the SBC Podcast by visiting our podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get​150 days, commission free with them via this link​. (00:00) Introduction (00:45) A life in betting - what does Kieran do - what is his history in the betting world? (04:40) Bottom-up vs. top-down betting and issues with Betfair's reliability (06:18) Getting on, tipping vs. betting and Kieran's high-volume betting strategy (08:00) Kieran Ward: a day in the life! (11:20) Just racing or does Kieran dabble elsewhere? (12:10) 'The Value Machine' and Kieran's other tipping services - developing, maintaining and innovating (18:30) Attainable returns using Kieran's software & dealing with volatility (23:13) The Value Machine Exchange Profits: teaming up with Allan Darke (25:00) Betting into exchanges late - a different challenge to take on (29:24) Adapting to the markets and liquidity (30:35) Affordability and bureaucratic issues with operators (33:00) Kieran's expansion plans (34:05) Where to find Kieran

In the latest SBC Podcast I am joined by Varun Sudhakar, the Co-Founder and CEO of the crypto-exchange, BetDEX. Varun is an experienced operator within the betting industry, with various roles across several continents and plenty of punting (as he calls it!) making him an intriguing guest with lots of insight. The growth era during regulatory relaxations in the US defined his earlier career experiences and progression has left him where he is today - at the cutting edge of a new era, with technology and cultural trends helping to pool liquidity across the world. This innovation requires investment, vision and the ability to seize opportunities - something that Varun and BetDEX pride themselves on. This chat covers all of that, with the 'big ideas', challenges and key considerations all topics of conversation as Varun sets out where he thinks betting (and in particular BetDEX) can get to over the next few years and decades. In addition, Varun has a very special offer for SBC Podcast listeners who reside within countries where BetDEX are licensed. You can get 0% commission for the first 120 days of your use of the site here: https://promos.betdex.com/sbc All of the relevant details are included on the sign up page and visiting the site is the quickest way to find out if BetDEX operate where you are (e.g. they do in Ireland but not in the UK). For those of you who would like to follow or interact with Varun, there are numerous ways to do so. He can be followed/contacted on Twitter/X @svarun91, his email is varun@betdex.com and his Telegram ID is @varunsudhakar. (00:40) An introduction to Varun (02:00) Varun's work at FanDuel (03:50) Hypergrowth in US betting: regulation, marketing wars and a Flutter takeover (06:10) Co-founding BetDEX - a different vision for a betting operator (08:20) What makes BetDEX different from other bookmakers and exchanges? (10:38) Growth areas, where customers are coming from and why (13:40) BetDEX's markets and the 'chicken and egg' of customers and liquidity (17:13) The challenges of hosting horse racing on the platform (18:50) BetDEX's brokerage service and meeting the demands of larger-staking bettors (20:35) The types of bigger bets that BetDEX are facilitating (24:30) Cryptocurrencies, their growing prevalence and challenges/opportunities vs. fiat money (27:50) Regulators and choosing which jurisdictions to operate in (30:00) Plans to improve the BetDEX platform and broadening the customer offering (32:05) Varun's vision for BetDEX in both the medium and long-term (33:25) How to find Varun and a special 0% commission offer for SBC Podcast listeners! You can support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get 150 days commission free with them via https://www.matchbook.com/promo/sbc-150 To find out everything you need to know about the Smart Betting Club, please visit www.smartbettingclub.com. For up-to-date news, commentary and direct contact links, our Twitter/X handle is @SBCInfo - if you have any questions about what we do, please get in touch!

In the latest SBC Podcast I am joined by Josh to talk about a project that we have launched in February to help punters everywhere. Bookmaker disputes are the most common complaint that we receive here at the SBC and Gambling Commission in the UK have highlighted it as a major frustration for punters too (they haven't done anything about it but that's another story!). To help, we have created a brand-new guide that can help walk you through what to do in spots where bookmakers create friction at withdrawal. You can get your FREE SBC Bookmaker Dispute Document here: https://smartbettingclub.com/bookmaker-dispute-guidance/. In this podcast we discuss the whats and whys of the guide, with some of our personal experiences and opinions intertwined into the chat. Please feel free to share the guide with anyone you feel could benefit from what is inside - it's free for everyone and despite being 'UK-centric' - many of these firms are international companies and apply similar policies in different jurisdictions. You can support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get 150 days, commission free with them via this link. (00:00) Introduction (01:31) Why Are We Here? (04:03) Just A UK Problem? (07:09) Withdrawal Woes & Loose T & Cs (13:21) Big Brother Is Watching You! (19:51) Prevention (27:34) Disputes - How To Handle Them (37:45) Showing You Know What You're Doing (39:15) ADRs - Are They Worthwhile? (42:42) Considering Court Action (47:25) Court Claims For Larger Amounts (51:20) Other Tips & Tricks (52:20) The Guide & Final Thoughts

In the latest Smart Betting Club podcast, SBC Editor, Pete was joined by Rowan Day for a new 'Betting Clever' episode with plenty of talking points on the agenda. First of all, we discussed the news that the dates for Smart Bash 2025 have been announced - the 3rd and 4th July 2025 and once again it will be held at Chelsea FC in London. We discuss the additional plans for the 2025 event based on feedback received including a new 'Workshop' Day. Next, it was time for betting chat with both Racing and Golf explored, starting with the former and the excellent results achieved by Rowan using various SBC golf strategies and tipsters so far this year. We also then unpacked the large review of Tilt The Odds as published in SBC 148 and just who this busy racing strategy service would be suitable for and the challenges of betting on the sport of kings these days. We also discussed the rise of crypto as a currency for betting and why we expect more and more betting websites and bookmakers to adopt it and the new 'simple guide to betting using crypto' now available on the SBC website. One firm exclusively using crypto and welcoming customers from countries like the UK is Bet105 and we also discussed what they offer, why they welcome winners and why more bettors are being attracted to sites like this. All of which followed nicely onto the story of Phil Smith and the viral tweets we put out regarding his Skybet betting account which was suspended without explanation for 8 weeks before a complete closure. This dreadful case sums up so many of the issues we continue to hear about as regards the increase in bookmaker disputes, as punters suffer due to a lack of a proper ombudsman and a regulator that refuses to take action. Finally we also explored the new Syndicate Edge service from SBC, what it was inspired by and why its actually providing genuine Syndicate-level goalscoring bets for people to follow in. You can also support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get 150 days, commission free with them via this link: https://www.matchbook.com/promo/sbc-150 RESOURCES Smart BashSBC 148 Tilt The OddsIntro Guide To Using Crypto For BettingSyndicate EdgeBet105Phil Smith vs Skybet Story Update 1Update 2Update 3

After an ​intriguing first part​ of SBC Podcast #83 this is part two, where I quiz the betting expert Jose and get some answers to bettor FAQs. After discussing technical betting topics in part 1, this segment covers more 'practical' subjects as we start by touching upon issues such as barriers to profitable betting, cryptocurrencies and how the betting ecosystem is changing around the world. Jose and I then go on to discuss questions that are regularly fired our way here at the SBC around betting with soft bookmakers, sharp bookmakers and exchanges in the most efficient ways possible. Jose's personality and wisdom shine through even more in the second half of Episode 83 as he talks us through some 'dos and don'ts' that many of us wish we had learnt sooner! You can support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get ​​150 days, commission free with them via this link​. Timestamps (00:49) The barriers to profitable betting (02:35) Cryptocurrencies & consumer preferences: a changing ecosystem (06:50) The future of the global betting markets (11:25) Which sports markets are on the rise? Which sports are declining? (14:30) Originator or mover? Which is better? (16:13) Who does Jose work with? (19:13) Listener questions: using soft bookmakers & sharps/exchanges (29:32) The ideal betting location in 2025 (32:15) Networking: talk to Jose!

In the first part of a 'double header' for SBC Podcast Episode #83 I was joined by Jose, one of the most informed and well-connected betting people that I know of. Jose has a wealth of experience working with bettors from all over the world and instead of modelling or originating his own bets, he concentrates on networking and meeting people who can. Getting on, masking sharp activity and sustainable betting are all hallmarks of Jose's work and he has strong opinions about everything from the most efficient market makers, the best types of edges and CLV. In part 1, we discuss all of this as Jose shares wisdom that can benefit bettors of all levels from beginners right through to hardened pros. Part 2 will be with you soon as we will answer some very common questions that bettors have! Enjoy! You can support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get ​150 days, commission free with them via this link.​ To find out everything you need to know about the Smart Betting Club, please visit www.smartbettingclub.com. For up-to-date news, commentary and direct contact links, our Twitter/X handle is @SBCInfo - if you have any questions about what we do, please get in touch! Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:27) A long chat: a two-parter (01:35) Introducing Jose (04:20) Betting, edges & scaling operations with others (10:45) Betting in practice: sustainability (15:20) Bet execution & the variance that comes with multiples (21:20) Pinnacle: is it still the same barometer it once was? (28:10) CLV (36:32) Good & bad practice in betting groups (44:16) End of part 1!

In the latest Smart Betting Club podcast I am joined by Josh for our latest 'Betting Clever' episode. We had lots to talk about in this show with some Safer Gambling Week messaging madness first up on the agenda. Next, we got stuck into good, bad and ugly tipster services and practices, with our latest review subject providing the 'good' and the Betting Professor and some other Oddschecker associates providing the other two! Away from our work, Josh and I talked about the ASA and a complaint he has raised against a social media based affiliate operation. This story may rumble on for a while, so we get stuck into what is going on. To finish, we talked about upcoming plans including some reviews that are in the pipeline, a secretive service in the works and our plans to provide resources to help punters! You can support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get ​150 days, commission free with them via this link.​ To find out everything you need to know about the Smart Betting Club, please visit www.smartbettingclub.com. For up-to-date news, commentary and direct contact links, our Twitter/X handle is @SBCInfo - if you have any questions about what we do, please get in touch! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:45) Safer Gambling Week (04:55) Betfair SP: A new tipster review (14:25) The Oddschecker Professor's tenure ends (20:25) The Tipster Exposer league! (22:53) An ASA complaint: the whats and whys - the story so far (32:20) Snapshot reviews (36:45) Upcoming reviews: adapt or die! (37:50) A mystery service with lots of promise: building things sustainably (41:28) A brand new suite of resources to help punters

In the latest SBC Podcast I am joined by Alex Piskopos (AKA 'Pisky'), a serial betting winner and entrepreneur with some amazing stories to share - including details of the very successful betting operation he was a key part of and what lessons we can take from it. Pisky is a man with many strings to his bow, with extensive industry experience, podcasting and working with some of the sharpest betting groups all being part of his background. First off though, he walked me through a quite remarkable story about his time at the Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation (OLG) and how he took serious advantage of an edge he spotted whilst working there. After leaving OLG, he teamed up with his betting partner 'The Fulldog' and scaled up a very impressive betting operation that truly maximised the edge available to him. Its a story that gets to the heart of the logistics involved in running a larger betting operation with a team of runners, handling large sums of cash, arranging deals with shop owners and much more besides! We also touch upon Pisky's more current work as he diversifies away from betting 24/7 and grinding away for profit. Part of this relates to continued work with betting groups whilst he also has more experience than most in using cryptocurrencies alongside co-hosting his own podcast - Always Betting. Here is a man always looking for an edge and who knows how to take full advantage of them when they appear. His story is a true inspiration for those of us looking to make a profit betting.You can also support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get 150 days commission free with them via this link.

In the latest SBC Podcast I am joined by a guest who is perfectly placed to talk about the biggest betting market of all time: the US Election of 2024! Zeus O'Dea is a professional bettor and trader at the crypto-book Shuffle, one of the newer entrants into the global betting markets (and a relatively big one at that!). As a guest, Zeus brings plenty to the table as he specialises in several markets and we dig into two of them - politics and cricket. With November 5th just weeks away, it is the former that makes up the majority of our chat as Zeus talks us through some of the stranger market moves of recent times and how things like polling and commentators like Nate Silver can impact upon odds. This chat was like no other as alongside our betting talk, crypto deals in Montenegro and evictions from the Oval both made it into our conversation too! For those of you who would like to follow Zeus on social media, you can do so on X/Twitter​@ZeusODea​. You can also support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get ​150 days, commission free with them via this link​. To find out everything you need to know about the Smart Betting Club, please visit www.smartbettingclub.com. For up-to-date news, commentary and direct contact links, our Twitter/X handle is @SBCInfo - if you have any questions about what we do, please get in touch! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:10) Zeus's Travels (03:20) How Zeus got into the betting world (04:09) Moving into employment with Shuffle (06:00) Crypto & how it is different from traditional betting (08:03) Controversial weather betting & pricing up obscure markets (11:13) Political betting & BIG bets (13:08) Taking risks as a bookmaker (16:43) 2024 - different from previous elections? (20:43) Polling and its impact on odds (28:53) Submarkets providing betting opportunities and edges (30:36) Nate Silver & his opinions on betting markets (34:03) Useful resources to inform betting choices (40:28) Cricket betting (44:33) Zeus being forcibly removed from a Test Match (50:31) Predictions for the US Election 2024 (53:53) How to find Zeus

In the latest SBC Podcast I am joined by a fascinating guest who's service was the at the centre of the ​latest SBC Magazine. Thomas Pearson is the owner/operator of the service that bears his name and he has built up a very impressive record since he started his horse racing tipping in this format at the start of 2023. Big prices, big winners and 20%+ returns to BSP have made him popular with a wide ranging audience and in this chat we discuss all aspects of his service alongside his journey to get here and possible future plans (he is your man for pool betting if you are interested in that niche!). Thomas's Fair Odds Policy was also a big part of our chat as we went through what he does, why he does it and how this compares to the rest of the tipster market (who have no qualms in taking the best prices before markets have even formed!). This was a brilliant chat and one that I got a lot from - I'm sure that you will too. You can support the SBC Podcast by visiting our brand-new podcast sponsor, Matchbook. You can get​ 150 days, commission free with them via this link​. In this chat, Thomas and I talk about: (00:00) An introduction to Thomas Pearson (02:15) Thomas's punting - is he a full-time punter? (04:30) How 'TP' got here (07:25) Switching from being 'degenerate' to betting more selectively (11:16) Horse racing only? What else does TP bet on? (13:12) Thomas's favourite types of races for betting & tipping (14:55) Tissue pricing & other ways to determine price (17:35) What makes a horse value? How does a race set up help? (21:30) Thomas's favourite code & race types (25:25) TP Racing Tips & what came before (30:42) Data, drawdowns & tempering expectations (33:05) Fair odds, attainable prices & bad tipster practices discussed (40:10) An edge at BSP (46:48) How Thomas bets his tips (48:28) A very affordable price point (52:20) Betting on pool - a possible future service?

For the very first time I have a guest returning for his 2nd podcast interview with me, yet with plenty to talk about, its an absolute honour to have top racing judge, Quentin Franks back on. One of the main discussion points is Quentin's very popular racing tipster service, which has a 16% ROI over nearly 10000 bets since 2014. The great news is that from 2023, Quentin is bringing his service over to us at the Smart Betting Club and we discuss why, including some of the major adjustments we are making to ensure the service is easier to follow. Perhaps most crucially are the changes to improve odds availability with a membership cap, bookmaker-only focus and fair odds quotation policy being put in place. For those of you interested in racing tipsters, its the chance to explore some of the many talking points about getting on, how and when to use exchanges and adapting to the betting market. We also explore the figures from the recent analysis SBC performed on his service including why he has no edge at Betfair SP, what to expect in terms of losing runs and drawdowns and how and when to increase stakes. Finally we also spend a good amount of time discussing independent bookmaker options and just why Quentin uses them and why other punters who have been chased away by major firms should consider them too. Whilst you won't find them on sites like Oddschecker, many of these independents are run by on-course layers who are used to operating a proper book and will lay you bets at fair odds, even if a winner. We explore several firms that are fully licensed and currently go under the radar but who offer everything from online betting through to Whatsapp, Telegram and even app options to get your bets. Discover More: https://smartbettingclub.com/https://smartbettingclub.com/sbcracinghttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tm_1alZfLNyaBBdCfujVXCqwx9WQb2i6Tzy5-lB9A9U/edit#gid=0https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/ Independent Bookmaker Links Macbet https://macbetbookmakers.com/EN/ Goodwin Racing https://goodwinracing.co.uk/ Ostlers Racing £1000 LTL from 11:00 https://www.ostlersracing.com/ McCartenbet (Telegram) https://mccartanbet.com/ Joe Jennings (Telegram) https://joejennings.co.uk/ Kalooki Sportsbook https://www.kalookisportsbook.co.uk/

A chat with racing expert, Quentin Franks on his 10 years working as a full time professional punter on the sport. Working 15 hour days and up at the crack of drawn each day, Quentin was good enough to share about what goes on behind the scenes as a pro punter and the reality of betting for a living. As well as some of the things he looks for in a value bet and the tools he used to study horses, Quentin also discussed some of the smaller, independent bookmakers he often uses to get bets on and why more punters need to consider them. Quentin names a couple of them he uses and why they welcome his business plus also his thoughts on the racing scene in general and his fears for it in the long-term. We also explore his long-running tipping service which is now in its 8th year and which has generated a 15% long-term ROI from several thousands of bets. Discover More: https://smartbettingclub.com/https://bettinggods.com/betting-gods-tipsters/quentin-franks-racing/https://smartbettingclub.com/the-smart-betting-club-podcast/