Sport is made for betting

Hardly a surprise in this news , they were never going to be a serious bookmaker without advertising outside their own network. The French market, where the government forces them to bet to joke percentages making winning long-term inconceivable, was always going to suit them better. Mature markets don't fall for marketing glitz and poor odds when you're well back in the queue for brand awareness.

So the French National Assembly have passed the online gambling bill with the remaining procedures before it is implemented merely a formality. But what is actually going to achieve for French punters and foreign companies? It will be slow progress. Those French punters already playing with offshore firms will continue to bet where they do, simply because they will be able to get a better deal. Firms obtaining a French licence may be able to advertise locally, but if the proposed level of taxation and possible sports levies are passed, then firms will have to pass that cost onto consumers. If they don't, it will be a major cost against their bottom line. Firms such as Ladbrokes and William Hill are expected to take a patient approach, expecting the regulations to gradually become more competitive, as is the case in Italy. Companies entering the French market will not be allowed to cover horse racing, one of the most attractive parts of the French betting market, due to government p...

Really disappointed that Eurosport chose to run with Baghdatis v Fish instead of going to the advertised biathlon (why couldn't they have used Eurosport 2 then??), but it turned out ok in the end. The Biathlonworld website has a brilliant live data system, built in Silverlight, which keeps you up to date with everything - far better than what you can see on TV, especially with Eurosport always being at least SEVEN seconds behind on every sport. Good volume considering (realistically I'm probably one of five biathlon traders in the UK at most!), the Scandinavians no doubt had it live. Keep laying them all as they come into contention and never for a huge risk. The early guys set the pace, but then it was Emil Hegle Svendsen's turn and the super-smooth Norwegian justified favouritism (started around 3.5) as he shot clear and skied fast. Love the sport! Also, if you want bet matchups in biathlon, you'll find the tightest margins at Pinnacle Sports, my newest affiliate who ...

Sundays are usually a great day for lower profile events and being able to lay a book. It's the German MotoGP all day on Eurosport. I'm not interested in the big race, but the underclasses (125cc and 250cc) give you a great opportunity to lay riders at prices way too short. I won't give away all my secrets, but there are bookies out there trading live to give you a guide for prices, in motorcycling, passing is far more common, and especially if it's wet, then you've got to keep laying the short prices.