Dear Santa… What to Buy a Gambler for Christmas

It’s usually at this time of year that Mrs Selectabet asks what I want for Christmas. Naturally I’d like a 7-timer coupon up this Saturday but there’s more chance of Rafa Benitez being the next Man Utd manager than that happening.

So, in pursuit of the never-ending quest to beat the bookies I normally turn to Amazon to see what kind of betting books I can get my hands on. In previous years I’ve opted for Winning on Betfair for Dummies (a decent starting point if you’ve never ventured into the world of Betfair but the title is misleading, there’s no magic bullet that reveals the secret of actually ‘winning’ there), Fixed Odds Sports Betting: Statistical Forecasting and Risk Management (an interesting read that unearths a few underling football betting trends but if you’re not into stats then it can be a bit heavy) and Profitable Football Betting (if you’re keen to develop your own betting system then this is worth investing in. It’s a few years old now but the methodolgy remains the same).

This year I’ve opted for another couple of tomes;

• The Definitive Guide to Betting on Football (“Racing Post” Expert Series) (“Racing Post” Expert Series) by Kevin Pullein, £5.57 – I’ve read a few good things about the Author, who regularly has a column in the Racing Post on a Saturday. Most of the Reviews on Amazon look pretty decent too so I’m looking forward to getting my hands on this one.
• Taking Chances: Winning with Probability by John Haigh £6.44 – I’m no statistician but I do have a thing for probability. I’d never bet on the lottery, for example, the odds just don’t stack up so I’m hoping that this book can help me sharpen up my statistical analysis and make the odds work in my favour.

Are there any books out there that you’d recommend to fellow punters? Post em in the comments below.

Selectabet Offers:

• Open an account at Bet365 and claim £100 in free bets
• Open an account at Betfair and claim £25 in free bets
• Open an account at Paddy Power and claim £25 in free bets