Well how time flies when you are having fun eh? It's been just over 5 years since I started this blog and I thought that this might be an opportunity to look back over some of my posts and see exactly what I have and haven't achieved ...
OK, I didn't win £200K in one year but to be honest things changed quite bit during 2012 in relation to trading on Betfair. Making a decent profit became significantly harder with seemingly ever decreasing liquidity along with less opportunities, maybe down to the fact that there were more shrewd traders out there and a lot less 'mug' money about to scoop up.
The whole reasoning behind setting the target was so that I would have enough money to move to the coast. In my post of December 2011 I posted this picture ...
Well 5 years later this is the view from my apartment!!
So, albeit a bit later than expected, I made it down here!
I am in a much better place now, both physically and mentally. I've hurt people along the way, but life isn't a bunch of roses. I realised late in life that if there is something out there that you want then you sometimes have to be somewhat selfish, self centred and focused and grab opportunities with both hands. Trading can be a lonely game and sometimes you can lose contact with the outside world and become isolated in your own little bubble. I have found peaceful solitude, a new purpose, new friends, new local pubs and love.
I did struggle somewhat with my emotions towards the end of 2016 and I've experienced wild mood swings of being hyperactive one minute and crying my eyes out the next. Thankfully I now feel that I have moved on and the sadness has been replaced by a happiness and a sense on fulfillment.
I received quite a few supportive emails over the last few months and here are a few of the many that I received recently that meant quite a lot to me:
Dave, this is one of the best betting/trading blogs on the web — at it's best, it's among the very best.
My in-running methods aren't the same as your own — I only wish I could expand my skill set to include your race-reading ability.
It's been difficult to read about the massive challenges in your personal life, you really do have my sympathy.
I finally gave up women as a lost cause a few years ago. I now live on my own and I do what the fuck I want. That used to include drinking (almost) as much as you used to, but thankfully that's now (more or less) under control.
One suggestion that I could make is to really minimalise your life when you do move into your new property. Get rid of just about everything that you genuinely don't need, they'll only retain bad memories.
Of course, keep your bike — if you do make it down to the south coast, and I hope you do, then what better way to spend some spring and summer mornings before racing starts. The endorphins will help no end.
Downsize your life as much as possible, and keep your spending similarly low. Of course you'll have rent to pay, but hopefully you can invest your share of the proceeds from the sale of your London property, and the income from that investment can make a contribution towards your rent.
As I'm sure you'll know from trading days when you weren't doing so well, if you trade under financial pressure then you're trading with scared money and it'll show in your results.
Your results in the first part of 2016, before your personal problems came to a head, are quite simply superb. You're a master of your profession.
Even when PC2 kicks in (hopefully at 'only' 40%), if you're not spending money like an idiot then you should be able to live quite comfortably.
We're all different, but personally I found that the worst time I had when my life turned upside-down was in the immediate aftermath. Once I accepted that it was so, things really did improve. Now, at any given time I can choose to be social, I can choose solitude or I can mix and match. I think you'll enjoy that.
Please keep up this blog Dave. You might not fully realise it, but you've actually got a lot of friends out there who have been dropping in to see how you're getting on, whether they're occasional or regular visitors.
Best wishes for 2017, both in your personal life and in your trading.
And ...
Great to see you're around and still trading Dave.
Look forward to reading your blogging again - it keeps out spirits up to see a fellow trader slogging through this game. Hope things are as good as possible otherwise too, though I know you've been through some difficult things on the personal life front. Must be difficult to keep focused, but I'm sure you will let us know how things might have changed when you get the time/inclination again. Funny thing is I think in this game we're often a set of people who have slightly odd personal lives or backgrounds, and we end up with trading because of that. I know I am not a traditional lifestyle type of person (though I do have a woman and kids).
Anyway, chin up and keep us up to date with goings on when you can.
All the best christmas/new year cheers,
And ...
Great last few days mate considering what you are going through.
Keep going, stay profitable, keep blogging as I love reading it. Nowhere near the same level as you but maybe one day. If ever you are up in the grim North West, Blackpool, Cleveleys give me a shout and will will have a beer or two and put world to rights.
And ...
Fucking Hell mate, hope things pick up for you. This blog has made me laugh and learn over the years. If your head's not right then lay off the Hoegaarden cos booze just makes things worse. Having said that, I hope to read more of your drunken adventures when the good times return. All the best mate.
Thanks for the support guys! Now it's time to crack on and see what 2017 brings!
The GoPro is on charge and it's off to the beach at 11:00 to watch the local loonies do the New Years day dip where a load of kind hearted souls plunge into the icy sea water to rise money for charity! Videos to follow ...
01/01
+£82.74. The first day of the year and it was quite a strange one (apart from the fact that I was up at 06:00!). Yes there was plenty of racing but this severely affected the in-running liquidity, especially on the Irish races, which was pretty much non-existent as I found to my cost in one race.
I did however journey down to the beach this morning to watch a bunch of local brave souls raise money for a good cause by rushing into the freeing sea water for a New Years day dip!
02/01
-£140.10. I wanted to get my arse out of bed at 06:00 every day but my alarm didn't go off this morning to I had to settle for a 07:20 start. I fancied doing some long overdue cardio so I headed down to The Rainbow Steps and knocked out 13 times running up and walking back down!
And as for the trading ... well it was pants! I hate Southwell but actually got destroyed at Plumpton doh!
03/01
+£125.90. I was up at 05:55 and fucked about doing housework before driving to my new gym for a really good leg session. I managed to squat 4 deep reps of 90kg which although is quite light (I've done 15 reps of 140kg back in the day with max of 180kg) was also quite pleasing.
Not surprisingly my weight has ballooned up to 88.8kg from a low of 79.9kg in the Summer. However, I was 95.3 kg this time last year so I'm still happy. Plenty of people said that I looked well too skinny at sub 80kg so maybe a target of 82kg with a bit more muscle and less bodyfat should be this years goal?
And on to todays trading .... Well a quick check of my bank balance this morning had me gasping for breath so I really do need a decent couple of months to replenish the money that I have spunked moving down to the coast. Despite the fact that we only had 3 meetings the result wasn't too bad and if I could string a few winning days together I'll be slightly happier!
04/01
+£31.66. I was back down the gym at 08:30 for a good chest and tricep workout and today's trading was just as tough. It feels as though it might take me a few days to get back into the swing of things. I still have personal issues to deal with and my sleeping pattern is all over the place but hopefully I can get things sorted and then crack on!
05/01
-£16.19. I was up at 06:00 again and took a stroll along the beach. It's a completely different way of life down here by the sea and I even felt compelled to get the camera out and take some snaps. On the way back I snapped this image which I kinda like ...
06/01
I was out and about today so didn't trade ...
07/01
+£191.66. Saturday and at last a much better day!
08/01
+£472.58. Sunday and an even better day!
09/01
I popped back up to London today so didn't trade.
10/01
-£46.65. I was busy today and only traded few races but managed to knock out the best part of £50 doh!
11/01
-£25.23. A bit of a struggle today. I managed to lose over £100 in the space of 30 minutes midday so a loss of £25 wasn't too bad at the end of the day.
12/01
-£40.50. It's never nice to have 3 losing days in a row, no matter how small the losses.
13/01
+£175.97. A bit of respite from losing every day!
14/01
+£7.61. I was out during the day so I only traded a few of the evening races and won enough for a pint!
15/01
+£27.42. A boring Sunday with only 2 meetings.
16/01
-£0.19. I was seventy quid in front on a wanky Monday and then managed to throw it away in the last 2 races @ Wolves doh!
17/01
My Dad and his long time partner gave me a birthday visit and we went out for a nice meal which was much better than sitting in and trading on a Tuesday afternoon.
18/01
+£48.54. The winter months are always going to be skinny in terms of profit so it's just a case of holding on tight and waiting for the more lucrative months ahead.
19/01
+£64.09. I've managed to keep myself out of the pub for the last few days and I've had a couple of good morning sessions in the gym. So although profits are tiny my overheads are also relatively small.
20/01
+£17.85. I only managed to trade a few races today ...
21/01
+£36.99. It looks as if it's a case of 'sit tight and chip away' during January and look forward to the start of the flat and the increase in the number of races per day in the warmer months.
22/01
+£51.30. Only the one meeting today from Leopardstown so I'll take a quick £50!
23/01
+£68.88. I'm not exactly setting the world alight but these odd fifties and sixties are not too bad for the winter months.
24/01
+£31.80. I couldn't be bothered with Southwell today so only traded the 2 remaining meetings and they were pants ...
25/01
+£9.71. The gloomy winter struggle continues ...
26/01
+£7.59 ....
28/01
+£2.94 ...
29/01
+£105.05. At least I picked the right day to pledge 10% of my winnings to Cancer Research UK.
30/01
+£9.31 ...
31/01
+£10.16 ...