Hi all,
I thought I would share my profits for Matched Betting Extra Place Horse Racing for Jan 21. January 2021 has turned into my best month of Matched Betting since I started way back in Summer 2018. This months profits are roughly £4,707. A life changing figure for many and a great figure seeing this is achievable on top of a full time job. Matched Betting is the only decent side hustle I have actually found, compared to doing hundreds of boring online surveys...yuck! (Unless you are a good business person / have 5 lodgers / lots of family money etc.) To see some of my other Matched Betting profits you visit my site: https://cashontheside.co.uk/
I will be investing some of my profits this month in ETF/Shares and putting into house improvements like a new drive way. In addition with Cheltenham horse festival coming up in March, I will be increasing my bank to cover liabilities.
The bulk of my profits came from Extra Place racing, large underlayed winners and BOG (best offer garuntee). Variance was certainly on my side this month and I must have had at least 10 large winners which won upwards of £1600 pounds per bet. As I underlay my bets I made more profit than If I had fully layed of the bets. About 5% of these profits came from low risk casino. After you have completed all welcome offers...in Matched Betting. Ep's become a gold mine...and I truly recommend them to anyone.
Some more of my bets this month illustrating underlayed bets and ep:
https://cashonthesidecouk.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/winnings4.jpg
https://cashonthesidecouk.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/winnings.jpg
https://cashonthesidecouk.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/another-winner.jpg
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Images of one of my bets illustrative of Best offer guarantee: https://cashonthesidecouk.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/136707133_10159536662702922_8507610622687908137_o-1.jpg?w=544
For those who are starting out on their Match Betting journey in 2021 these sort of figures are achievable to you once you have experience….unfortunately this will not come overnight! I do put a lot of time into it..between 2-5 hours a day, 7 days a week sometimes. For the average person you could earn at least £500 a month.
To learn more about Match Betting please visit my article Boost Your Income with Matched Betting. Alternatively you can start an Odds Monkey free trial where they will teach you step by step and give you the calculators you need: odds monkey trial https://www.oddsmonkey.com/affiliates/affiliate.php?id=64754(affiliate) or www.oddsmonkey.com. (non affiliate)
To those with a little more experience who want to learn about Matched Betting Extra Places you can visit my guide here Extra Place Match Betting tips here or I have copied and pasted it all below.
For those with Matched Betting Experience - my guide and tips to Extra Places:
What is Extra Place Matched Betting?
Extra Places can be a very lucrative technique to learn. Extra Places are available for us to do pretty much every day, increasing the appeal. Extra Place Offers are available to all customers. This means that even if you get gubbed with a bookmaker, in most cases, you can still make money with them by Matched Betting on their Extra Place Offers.
Extra Places are considered an advanced reload offer, as they not risk-free. However once you have gained some experience on more basic horse racing offers, you can start to take advantage of the lucrative profits available. It may sound complicated but as soon as it ‘clicks’, it becomes simple. Essentially we are taking advantage of the bookies and exchanges paying out if the horse you have backed comes a certain ‘place’ in a race e.g. 4th.
Extra Places combined with additional offers such as BOG (Best Offer Guarantee) can mean additional profits. For example, you back a horse at odds of 15 and then the starting odds move up to 23. If that horse wins you win an extra x8 on your bet. You can see some real life scenarios I found of Extra Place combined with BOG below. Depending on the size of the underlay, profits below would range up to £3,000+

What is a ‘place’ in horse racing?

Quite simply a ‘place’ is the position the horse finishes a race in. For example if a horse wins a race it comes 1st, if a horse comes 2nd its 2nd. In some races with a large number of horses some bookies will pay out if a horse finishes the race in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th position. Horse Racing festivals such as Cheltenham or Ascot are particularly well known for this.

What is an ‘Extra Place’ in horse racing?

Now we’ve understood what a place is in horse racing you may have probably already guessed what an ‘extra place’ is going to be! An ‘extra place’ is where the bookies add one (or more) additional places to their standard place classification on a particular race. For example they may offer to ‘pay 7 places on a race’ instead of the standard 3 places. The ‘extra place’ in this instance cover 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th.
What are my Extra Place top tips?

1. Some of my biggest profits have come from big underlayed winners and BOG. I typically underlay most of my bets by about 20% sometimes more. If you are starting out I would underlay on the place only by about 10% to play it safe until you learn more.
2. Don’t bet on more places than a bookmaker is offering. E.g. If the bookmaker is offering 4 places don’t bet on more than that.
3. Whilst your learning, take horses on implied odds of at least 12 or more on a match of 80%+.
4. Look to keep qualifying losses down. E.g. for £100 profit, £5 ql.
5. Please note, the best odds are typically found between 10 minutes up and to race time. You have to be quick on your ‘toes’…learn to walk before you run etc. Start out on easy horse racing officers before doing extra places.
6. You will need a bank of at least £1000+ for your exchanges, ideally more. The more you have the more of the field you can cover. You can do EP with several hundred in your exchange but you won’t be able to make bigger profits.
7. Be consistent, don’t take risks, don’t chase your losses and learn from matched betting extra place forums.
8. Keep the Odds Monkey up throughout the day...and check for good matches.
9. Use Bookies Boosts to increase your odds and matches.
10. Do not give in to your fear of missing out on offers…Tomorrow is another day.
11. Have at least a dual monitoscreen setup. It is important to be able to see exchange, books and calcs.

How do I find Extra Places offers?
I use the the Odds Monkey Extra Place Matcher to find the best opportunities for profit. The Matcher is explained in the below video.
https://youtu.be/oOKAdiSJidg
I am also a regular visitor of the active Odds Monkey community forums. You can sign up for an Odds Monkey free trial today here today https://www.oddsmonkey.com/affiliates/affiliate.php?id=64754 www.oddsmonkey.com (non affiliate). Odds Monkey provide you with the all guides, calculators etc. I have been a member for over 2.4 years now.
Feel free to get in touch or ask below if any questions.

EDIT: If something is missing, check the edits first.
Hello all! I don't know about the rest of this town, but I sure do enjoy movies. In this post I'm going to share a list of movies that:
A.) Are watchable, possibly even entertaining.
B.) Take place in Los Angeles. Some may simply have just a scene or two in Los Angeles whereas others are fully written for a Los Angeles setting. Some may even be fictional locations that were neverless filmed in and highly resemble the Los Angeles area.
Most of these are mainstream movies so no real gems in this list, but I encourage others to contribute in the comments. I realize that not everyone has watched everything, so I'll provide insight that assumes you haven't seen the film yet.

Movies that take place in a non-fictional Los Angeles setting

• Double Indemnity (1944) - Takes place in DTLA, the golden standard of noir, required watching IMO. Also, a great film to reference to trick people into thinking you have in-depth knowledge of cinema; trust me, I do it all the time.
• Sunset Boulevard (1950) - Takes place in Hollywood (duh), another noir classic with some gallows humor, required watching.
• Rebel Without a Cause (1955) - Generally takes place and was filmed in Westside, the quintessential James Dean flick, required watching.
• Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - Film opens in Detroit, but Acts II and III of the plot largely takes place in Beverly Hills. Vintage Eddie Murphy movie, probably the only movie in this franchise worth watching IMO. Has a 4k release.
• The Terminator (1984) - Film takes place all over Los Angeles. Great James Cameron flick, probably his best. Has a great melding of horror, action, and scifi. Also has a very welcome lack of John Connor and plenty of naked muscle mens for the guys and gals who like that.
• Die Hard (1988) - Takes place in Century City at the Fox Plaza (has a fictional name in the movie). This and Die Hard 3 are the only ones worth watching IMO, especially since Die Hard 3 had McTiernan return to direct. Excellent action film, probably one of the more intelligently written films of that genre you'll find. Has a 4K release
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) - Takes place in San Dimas, in the San Gabriel Valley. Early Keanu vehicle, has a cameo by George Carlin, a sick ass montage with Extreme's Play With Me, and is a good time to watch. This is a fairly distilled 80s film with all the 80s tropes, but still holds up IMO. Good thing to watch if you're planning on catching the sequel later this year.
• Pretty Woman (1990) - Takes place in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. A classic romcom rags to ritches film, it was a indication of shifting attitude sin filmmaking due to the romantic female lead being a bona fide prostitute. Stars Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, and presumably, Richard Gere's hamster, although uncredited. Solid flick and features a badass chick ballad "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette.
• Boyz N The Hood (1991) - Takes place in South Central. John Singleton's (RIP) magnum opus. Themes are centered around fatherhood, institutional racism, and gang culture. A very early example of when Cuba Gooding Jr. was tolerated on screen and when rappers were starting to take prominent feature film roles. Great cast all around, including Laurence Fishbourne and the very lovely Angela Bassett. Required watching.
• Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. For better of for worse, this film changed cinema forever with its extensive and innovative use of CG. Another stellar cast, one of the most celebrated action films of all time, and that is in spite of the unfortunate presence of John Connor. I should tell you now, after you watch this one, you should know that the franchise ends here. There are no more films in the franchise, and there's no need to Google that, just take my word for it. Anything you see that suggests otherwise is just a deep state conspiracy designed to trick you. Has a 4K release that has a contentious reputation.
• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) - Takes place in San Dimas again. This film is honestly garbage. The plot is even more non sensical than before although Death is very funny. Has a cameo by hot Pam Grier and Primus performing Tommy the Cat. Worth a watch to prep for the sequel at least.
• Resevoir Dogs (1992) - Takes place in Eagle Rock. The breakout film of our Blessed Lord and Savior Quentin Tarantino, praise be to him. This is the movie with the scene that gets parodied a lot, the scene where MR. White tortures the cop to the tune of "Stuck in the Middle with You". It was ridiculously well cast and has the trademark Tarantino dialogue and semi non-linear storytelling. It has some misteps in the shooting and acting of some of the scenes, but was one of the most successful independent films of all time, and was able to briefly convince the world that Michael Madsen could act.
• South Central (1992) - Takes place in South Central, of course. Another afro-centric film set in South Central that has fatherhood as a central theme, along with gang, drug, and prison culture. Great film all around, with some complex character writing. An Olver Stone produced film that has Glenn Plummer starring. It actually holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although with only 6 reviews, albeit one of which is the main man Roger Ebert.
• Menace II Society (1993) - Takes place in South Central. The antithesis to Boyz N The Hood. If the central theme to Boyz N The Hood is to show the role a strong father figure plays in the upbringing of a boy in the hood (!), this film shows an outcome where said father figure is not present. It also portrays the protagonist as a morally grey character, which is refreshing. You pity him, but also don't make excuses for him. Stars a young Larenz Tate and Jada Pinkett-Smith, along with MC Eiht (Rapper, also voiced Ryder in GTA: San Andreas).
• Pulp Fiction (1994) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. The magnum opus of our Blessed Lord and Savior Quentin Tarantino, praise be to him. Simply put, you are not allowed to live in this town if you haven't seen this movie. A master class in neo-noir. I cannot sing its praises enough, and honestly, I don't have to. Y'all mtherfuckers undoubtedly already know what's up. Required watching. Has a 4K release.
• Friday (1995) - Takes place in South Central. This film is, arguably, one of the best comedies of all time in my opinion, and I will die on that hill. The humor ebbs and flows with a supreme organic quality. There is likely never a joke in this film that isn't going to make you laugh. Huge cult following, a breakout film for Chris Tucker back when he was worth a damn, and definitely Ice Cube's best work. Required watching.
• Clueless (1995) - Takes place in Beverly Hills. Stars Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash before she absolutely lost her fucking mind. Fellas take note, this is a good one to add to your repetoire to score some points, as well as broaden your horizons. Has a solid cult following as well.
• Heat (1995) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. This film was highly anticipated due to it being the first time Al Pacino and Robert De Niro appear on screen together and it didn't disappoint. Also has Val Kilmer and Jon Voight, as well as a young Natalie Portman. This film was criminally snubbed by the Academy, one of the more wretched sins they've committed. The action sequences are well choreographed and in particular, the sound editing and the gun choreography are superb (they actually use the sights when aiming). Heavy recommend if you have a home theater AV set up. Has a 4K release.
• Swingers (1996) - Takes place in Hollywood, although a large part of Act I goes to Vegas. Breakout film for Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, and Ron Livingston (main character of Office Space). A guy film if there ever was one. A great one to watch after a breakup or if you're jaded from dating in Los Angeles in general or if you're prepping for a weekend excursion to Vegas. Also a great Unintentional Period Piece for the 90s (yeah I linked to TV Tropes, fuck your schedule). Required watching for the fellas.
• Jerry Maguire (1996) - Takes place in both Los Angeles and Arizona although primarily L.A. A solemn reminder why Tom Cruise still has a net worth. I want to hate him so much, but I unfortunately can't, thanks to this film. Also stars Cuba Gooding Jr, Regina Kind, and Renee Zellweger. Solid flick despite some cliche.
• L.A. Confidential (1997) - Takes place in Los Angeles, promintently in Hollywood. A significant accomplishment, a ridiculous ensemble cast that included 90s Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, and more, this film got nominated for a ton of awards, although it lost most of them to gross ass Titanic. Required watching.
• Liar Liar (1997) - Takes place Los Angeles, mainly DTLA. Personally, I think this film is the best example of Jim Carrey's style of humor done RIGHT. In his other films, his over the top acting just comes off as grating after a while, but in this film it doesn't really get old. It's also one of the first films where he did more than just his usual slapstick and physical comedy and actually applied his acting ability with emotional depth. Film's humor still holds up and is a great and easy watch.
• Boggie Nights (1997) - Takes place in the San Fernando Valley, aka the Porn Capital, and is very fitting for the movie's subject matter. Another stellar 90s film that broke a ton of rules and has it's own style. Huge ensemble cast including Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Heather Graham (why is she so perfect?), Don Cheadle, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William Macy, John C. Reily, and MORE.
• Jackie Brown (1997) - Takes place all over Los Angeles, mostly South Bay. The first film made by our Blessed Lord and Savior Quentin Tarantino, praise be to him that features a linear storyline. Was conceived as an homage to blaxpoitation films of the 70s and very fittingly stars Pam Grier, the star of Foxy Brown. It has another ensemble cast of Samuel L Jackson, Robert De Niro (playing against type), Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and more. Not groundbreaking work, but very solid film.
• Rush Hour (1998) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. The first of the trilogy and the only one worth watching. This is back when Tucker still had something to offer on screen. Was a farily fresh take on the buddy cop dramedy formula that was undoubetedly stale by the time this movie came out. Has some good Jackie Chan stunts and good laughs. The scene where Chan and Tucker bridge their cultural gap is actually fairly endearing. Soundtrack was also fire, I had it on cassette back in the day. Franchise stops here though.
• American History X (1998) - Takes place in Los Angeles, mainly Venice Beach. If there was ever a film for required watching in these turbulent times, its this one. Story is about a reformed white supremacist and details the process of how misguided youths are indoctrinated to racist ideology as well as how institutional racism effects and stokes racial tensions. Also a story about the folly of vengeance. Superb acting by Edward Norton and I mean it, he's a real bastard in this one. Absolutely required watching.
• Memento (2000) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. Early Christopher Nolan film and as you can imagine, has been incredibly well received and has received widespread acclaim and an outstanding legacy. Go watch this shit if you haven't already. You will see the early markers of Nolan's cerebral signature style that went to make Inception.
• Baby Boy (2001) - Takes place in South Central. Another afro-centric film by John Singlteton, this film is a commentary on the negative aspects of contemporary black culture that are perceived to be limiting or holding back the development and betterment of black men. And before any reactionaries out there have something to say, it has nothing to do with racism. Stars Tyrese Gibson in the lead, although it was originally conceived for Tupac before he died. Also has Taraji P Henson, Snoop Dogg, and Monique, among others.
• Training Day (2001) - Takes place in South Central and Watts. The film that finally got Denezl Washington his Oscar after the Malcom X and Philadelphia snubs. Also stars Ethan Hawke, but who really cares? Has cameos by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre as well, and a few other names you'll recognize. Great film, largely based on the Rampart scandal of the 90s. Plot is ok, but Denzel absolutely nails this movie.
• The Italian Job (2003) - Takes place in Los Angeles, most prominently in Hollywood. This movie is honestly pretty dumb. The cast is not bad at all, with Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg, Mos Def, Jason Statham, Seth Greene, Edward Norton, and a couple other names. Theron and Norton put up the best performances, but it doesn't matter because the way the plot progresses is dumb as all hell. The most egregious of this is a split between Seth Greene's implausible hacking exploits and literally everything that has to do with that mechanic character. The reason why its even on this list is that despite the lackluster plot and acting, the film is pretty to look at and has some good shoots and action sequences. It's basically visual junk food.
• Crash (2004) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. Another drama with an ensemble cast with a uniqe style, great writing, well shot, well acted, and has a well deserved legacy, contentious as it is.
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) - Takes place in the San Fernando Valley, mainly Encino. Judd Apatow's breakout film, and IMO his best tied with Bridesmaids. Excellent humor that still holds up and features excellent acting by Steve Carrell. Manages to avoid some of the cliche of this style of comedy, such as in how Trish was written to be more than a typical love interest and how other characters were generally more complex and flawed. Also, a solid period piece for the mid 2000s.
• Knocked Up (2007) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. A very respectable followup to Judd Apatow's follow to The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Stars Seth Rogen as the lead with Katherine Heigl, it definitely still holds up. Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd are also brought back who later went on to star in a spin-off movie of their own that I haven't bothered to see because my sixth sense told me it was bad (I heard Megan Fox was in it). Very funny, although it being a romcom, we knew Rogen was getting the girl, so it suffers from being a bit formulaic.
• Superbad (2007) - Takes place in Westside. The quintessential teen movie of my generation and a perennial beloved favorite fo the genre. Stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill and introuced Christopher Mintz-Plasse to audiences at large. I loved how unlike the John Huges era of teen movies where teens where always a part of some watered down idyllic suburbia, Superbad managed to show exactly the kind of shit tons of teenagers were really getting up to. Partying, sex, substance consumption, hormones, and the like. Obviously teenage millennials aren't a monolith, but I stand by this perspective. Required watching.
• Iron Man (2008) - Act II and III takes place in Los Angeles, mainly Westside and South Bay. Yes, the first one was in Los Angeles, although the setting was not at a focal point of the plot. Anyway, this is the film we all know and love (or hate) for spawning the MCU. Surprsingly enough, it still holds up.
• Blood and Bone (2009) - Takes place in South Central I think. This is a direct-to-DVD movie that is a guilty pleasure of mine and a cult classic. It stars Michael Jai White and Eamonn Walker (Said from Oz). Also has some appearances by a handful of MMA fighters, most promintently Bob Sapp. It's basically an ego piece for Michael Jai White. The plot is dumb and formulaic, the acting is cheesy, the score sucks, and the dialogue shallow and stilted. So why do I like this movie? The fight scenes, plain and simple. Seeing that big MF Michael Jai White destroy MFs is pretty fun to watch. Again, it's visual junk food.
• Black Dynamite (2009) - Takes place in Los Angeles. A well known parody, homage, and love letter to 70s blaxpoitation films, this one also stars Michael Jai White although in a much better role and far better written movie. Has tons of cameos by tons of comedians, most notably Cedric Yarbough who upstages them all. This movie is like Arrested Development turned up to 11 in that there are so many inside jokes, easter eggs, and references that it will take several watches to catch them all. The word "parody" is thrown around these days with absolute reckless abandon, so if you're confused on the concept, this movie should clear things up for you. Required watching.
• End of Watch (2012) - Takes place in South Central. A gritty cop drama presented as a fictional documentary, this one stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena. It tackles the themes of gangs and cartel violence. It's notable in that it doesn't focus on police corruption at all and instead shows the honorable and upstanding side of the police. A solid police procedural if you're tired of the gritty corrupt cop drama.
• Stretch (2014) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. Stars Patrick Wilson as the lead, with supporting roles by Chris Pine, Jessica Alba, and Ed Helms. Also has hilarious cameos from Ray Liotta and David Hasselhoff. An underrated comedy that I'm sure will reach cult status someday, it's a distilled contemporary Los Angeles adventure in a noir presentation and is a good watch.
• Nightcrawler (2014) - Takes place all over Los Angeles. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal. Movie is a commentary on MSM sensationalism and is worth every minute to watch. Got tons of awards including an Academy nomination.
• Dope (2015) - Takes place in Inglewood and Ladera Heights. Despite the R rating, it can be considered a teen movie for the Gen Zs and is definitely a coming of age film. It's actually really well written and has a great style to it. Stars Shameik Moore as the lead and Forrest Whitaker as the narrator with some other names peppered in, the plot is about a high school senior finding his identity while navigating his way out of a situation involving drug dealers. Heavily features 90s rap culture and referneces, so A+ for me.
• The Nice Guys (2016) - Takes place in Los Angeles. A solid buddy cop dramedy, which avoids the cliches with great writing and acting, courtesy of Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. Guaranteed future cult classic.
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) - Takes place in Hollywood and parts of the Valley. Yet another solid offering from our Blessed Lord and Savior Quentin Tarantino, praise be to him. This is another one of his alternate history films, this time deling with the Manson family. The film is lead by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, with appearances from Kurt Russell, Al Pacino, Margot Robbie, and TONS of other names. Film has its controversies, no doubt levied by those who would rather walk in the shadow of our Blessed Lord and Savior Quentin Tarantino, praise be to him, than his light. A fun watch if you don't take the film too seriously.

Movies that partially take place in Los Angeles

• The Godfather (1972) - This film has a scene in the first act where Tom Hagen flies out to Hollywood in order to beseech Jack Woltz to give up the movie role for Johnny Fontane. The shots of old Hollywood are ddefinitely a treat to look at. I'm not even going to wast electricity singing this film's praises. I'm of the opinion that if you don't like this film, you are likely descended from a weak bloodline and actively holding the human race back with your undoubtedly meager existence. Don't @ me though.
• The Usual Suspects (1995) - Has the scene with the attempted assasination of Kobayashi set in L.A. and the raid on the boat in San Pedro. The film that beat out Heat in 1995, this film has 90s Kevin Spacey and is praised for it's writing, pacing, and famous twist, as well as several iconic scenes. Even manages to make a lesser Baldwin brother watchable.
• Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) - Act I takes place in Pasadena, where The Bride encounters Vernita Green. This is an film brought to us by our Blessed Lord and Savior Quentin Tarantino, praise be to him. Has significant amounts of trademark Tarantino style and pays homage to several genres, as Tarantino is wont to do. Has a dope ass anime sequence leading into Act III, which definitely helped further accelerate maintstream acceptance of anime in Western audiences. A fun watch.
• Sideways (2004) - The scene where Miles picks up Jack takes place in L.A. Sideways is an independent film that did very well and brought Paul Giamatti a solid leading role and much acclaim. The film itself has some undue prententiousness to it (it's about sommeliers so what do you expect?), but if you can look past that, it is a solid watch and also serves as a virtual tour of the California coastline.
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2009) - The vast majority of the film is actually in Hawaii, but it begins and ends in L.A., presumably Hollywood. Stars Jasaon Seigl, best bae Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Russell Brand, with a few other SNL appearances. This is definitely another guy romcom that is good to have for a breakup. Its humor also holds up very well.
• Get Him to the Greek (2010) - A film that goes to several locations, but begins and ends in Los Angeles. Stars Russell Brand and Jonah Hill as a loose spin-off to their Forgetting Sarah Marhsall characters, with Nicholas Stoller still directing. Despite a very regrettable portrayal of male rape and the almost equally regrettable casting of P. Diddy, it's a decent enough watch to get a few laughs out of it, especially if you like Russell Brand's brand of humor.
• Inception (2010) - The very first dream layer the team enters is in DTLA. Also, the plane they're all on is headed to Los Angeles. Considered by many to be the best of Nolan, this is a film that is cerebral representation of dealing with grief all in the guise of a sci-fi action thriller. Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, and a few others.

Movies that take place in a fictionalized Los Angeles

• Blade Runner (1982) - Takes place in a dystopian Los Angeles future. Movie is a sci fi classic directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford. The plot is centered around rogue synthetic humans and is a forerunner in the human vs. synths plotlines that we've seen time and again since. Has a huge legacy and got a bona fide sequel 35 years later.
• Back to the Future (1985) - Takes place in Hill Valley, a fictional city in California, but is filmed in and resembles San Gabriel Valley cities such as Glendale and Pasadena. Back to the Future is so popular that I'm not even going to bother typing more than that.
• Back to the Future Part II (1989) - Alnternates between a high technology future and a dystopian future in Hill Valley.
• Back to the Future Part III (1990) - Takes place in a frontier version of Hill Valley.
• Demolition Man (1993) - Takes place in a dystopian alternate timeline of Los Angeles, that become San Angeles in the future. This is another guilty pleasure of mine. Stars Sylvester Stallone, Sandra Bullock, and Wesley Snipes, among others, with a bit role for Robert Schneider. The movie is pretty bad, but still entertaining. The acting isn't bad at all, in fact Snipe's gave a great performance and the humor is really good. However, the films aesop is not very subtle, especially with Leary's little rant. They may as well just write "political correctness is bad, mkay" on a baseball bat and beat you over the head with it. Still, a fun watch.
• There Will Be Blood (2007) - Takes place in Little Boston, which is near Signal Hill and referenced in the film I believe. There Will Be Blood is, in my opinion, the best Revisionist Western we've had to date, and is renowned for it's superb writing, unconventional story telling, Daniel Day Lewis being Daniel Day Lewis, and the cinematography. Absolutely one of those movies you can watch several times and find something new to like.
• Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Takes place in a dystopian future in Los Angeles. Sequel to Blade Runner after 35 years, and was an excellent followup. I wonder if this is some kind of a record?

Thats it for my list. Don't feel like proofreading it, so I apologize for any grammatical errors. Be aware that I can't think of or remember EVERYTHING. Also this isn't meant to be an encyclopedic list, so there are some films I left off intentionalyl ebcause I didn't feel they were what I considered watchable. That being said, I'll edit in any film that's commented below, but don't blame me if you watch it and it sucks ass.
EDIT:
Swimming With Sharks (1994) - Another one I forgot. Stars 90s Kevin Spacey and Brett from Pulp Fiction. Decent watch, if not a bit over the top with the ending.
Up in Smoke (1978) - The original stoner comedy. Stars the comedy duo Cheech and Chong. Excellent watch and they do a good performance of Earache My Eye. In fact, the entire soundtrack is dope. Definitely worth a watch.
Car Wash (1976) - Solid comedy, stars Richard Pryor, and spawned the song of the same titled that charted heavily in the 70s. Had a really stupid remake that I think Aftermath records produced named The Wash that is not at all worth mentioning further.
Set It Off (1996) - A bank heist film on the surface, but really the black woman's answer to Thelma and Louise. Stars Jada Pinkett-Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Queen Latifah as a lesbian waaaaaaay before she officially came out.
u/Cribbit has further decreed that Bosch (Amazon Prime) and Barry (HBO) are further required watching for continued Los Angeles residency.
u/SoCaLABoy - L.A. Story (1991
u/south_butt - Chinatown (1974) - can't believe I forgot about this one
u/LaCienegaBoulevard - Drive (2011)
u/LaCienegaBoulevard - Encino Man (1992)
u/yungmisdreavus - The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)
u/illaparatzo - The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
u/Omaro1 - 500 Days of Summer (2009)
u/Westcork1916 - Falling Down (1993)
u/Westcork1916 - Fight Club (1999)
u/Westcork1916 - Swordfish (2001)
u/Westcork1916 - The Fast and the Furious (2001)
u/the_boy_who_lied - Speed (1994)
u/ItsAaronYo - Lethal Weapon 1-4 (1987-1998)
u/can_non - The Big Lebowski (1998)
u/CPL593 - Short Cuts (1993)
u/CPL593 - Repo Man (1984)
u/CPL593 - To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
u/CPL593 - Suburbia (1983)
u/CPL593 - The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
u/CPL593 - The Player (1992)
u/CPL593 - The Loved One (1965)
u/CPL593 - Body Double (1984)
u/CPL593 - Ed Wood (1994)
u/CPL593 - The Long Goodbye (1973)
u/CPL593 - Busting (1974)
u/CPL593 - Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
u/CPL593 - Massacre Mafia Style (1974)
u/CPL593 - The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
u/ZanderSchwab - Go (1999)
u/torpedobonzer - Blood In Blood Out (1993)
u/torpedobonzer - American Me (1992)
u/torpedobonzer - Real Women Have Curves (2002)
u/torpedobonzer - Born In East L.A. (1987)
u/torpedobonzer - My Family (1995)
u/mkgarcia - Magnolia (1999)
u/thatmattg - Under the Silver Lake (2019)
u/dookoo - Volcano (1997)
u/fujiiiiiiiiii - La La Land (2016)
u/aaf14 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
u/evilr2 - Escape from LA (1996)
u/evilr2 - Tango & Cash (1989)
u/evilr2 - They Live (1988)
u/evilr2 - Last Action Hero (1993)
u/evilr2 - This is the End (2013)
u/Articulate_Silence - Collateral (2004)
u/Mattisthe1 - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
u/eaglebtc - Stand and Deliver (1988)
​

Nigel McGuinness: Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Saturday Night in Sin City, we’re in for an action packed night tonight, and we’re getting underway with one of the World Championship Semi Finalists, Samoa Joe.
Samoa Joe: You are looking at the biggest sole threat to any man, woman or team on this roster, you are looking at the Samoan Submission Machine… You are looking at the inaugural SSPW World Heavyweight champion. Now, next week, I will be tasked with dismembering the man known as Finn Balor, something I have succeeded in doing multiple times across our careers. Finn, you better know what you’re walking into boy, as there’s no Demon bullshit to help you here. It’s just me, and you in the squared circle, going toe to toe until one of us can’t fight anymore, and I’m ready to go all night. And once I’ve finished pulling Finn Balor limb from limb, I’ve got the challenge of either Shinsuke Nakamura or Seth Rollins. Now Shinsuke take no offence to this, but I hope Rollins beats you next week. I’ve been counting down the days until I could get just me and Seth in the ring for a long time now. As we have unfinished business. I hope you’re the one I make tap the fuck out to become SSPW world champion. See you a week from tomorrow.
Excalibur: Powerful words from Samoa Joe, and you gotta say he’s got to be one of the favourites to become world champion at Full Ignition. Now earlier this week on Social Media, you may have seen our general manager Shawn Michaels announced that Taynara Conti and Tegan Nox would face off this week, with the winner facing Bianca Belair next week to announce the next challenger for the champion who will be crowned the next night at Full Ignition.
Nigel McGuinness: Yes I’m really looking forward to this match. The women’s division at SSPW has been competitive right for the word go. I can tell the champion, whether that is Kay Lee Ray or Asuka is not going to be able to afford any days off if they want to keep hold of their championship.
Excalibur: I agree, now it's time to get underway with the action tonight, its Tegan Nox vs Taynara Conti, next!
The match starts off quickly paced, with Tegan Nox hitting Taynara Conti unaware as soon as the bell sounded, Tegan then proceeds to work down the legs of Conti, trying to take away the kicks from her arsenal. Tegan thinks she has the match won early on and goes for the shiniest wizard. However, Conti is able to duck out of the way and take Nox down. The match then swings back and forth, with neither woman managing to truly take control of the match. However, it later becomes apparent that the missed shiniest wizard slightly hurt the braced leg of Tegan Nox, Taynara Conti realises that it's hindering Nox within the match and starts to work the leg. Eventually she’s able to lock in the figure 4 leglock and forces Nox to submit.
Excalibur: Wow, what a match! And we’ll see Bianca Belair vs Taynara Conti next week, what a match that will be.
Nigel McGuinness: Yes I agree, now we’re heading backstage, where Charly Caruso is standing by with Chris Hero.
Charly Caruso: Thank you Nigel, now I’m here with one of the competitors of the SSPW National Title fatal fourway at Full Ignition. Chris, many people here see you as a real outlier in this match. With the other men having a much higher chance of winning the match according to the bookies, how are you preparing for the title shot?
Chris Hero: When I look at the other competitors who are in the match a week from sunday. I see a bluechip prospect who doesn't know what it's like to compete in a title match. I see a man who although may have the skillset to become champion, does not have the aptitude or desire, and at full ignition he’s going to be face to face with that reality. And then we got Kenta. A man who always seems second best. Whether it’s Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor or Samoa Joe. Well in SSPW that’s no different. Only you’ll be second to me Chris Hero, and I’m perfectly happy to introduce you to that fact tonight.
Nigel McGuiness: Wow, so Chris Hero laying down the challenge tonight for Kenta! We’ll have to see if he responds. Before this match becomes official. Now, next up we have a chance for two tag teams who didn’t have the best starts to their careers in SSPW, we have the Usos vs the Viking Raiders.
Excalibur: Yes, last week we saw the Viking Raiders lose what looked to be a win already in the bag vs moustache mountain. But rash decisions made late in the match ended up losing their space in the title match at Full Ignition.
Nigel McGuinness: Yes, and the Usos were in a losing effort against Moustache Mountains opposition at Full Ignition, the Lucha Bros. Tonight we see the Viking Raiders take on the Usos to try and determine who may be the contenders for the tag team titles after full Ignition.
The match starts off with Ivar charging at Jey Uso, clearly still enraged by last week's performance. Ivar then proceeds to throw Jey round the ring, until Jimmy manages to tag himself in when Jey flies past him. Jimmy then tries to fight back into the match, but Erik and Ivar utilize the ring as Jey Uso is still recovering on the apron. The Viking Raiders look to finish the match with a double powerbomb, but as they bring Jimmy Uso up, the lights go out, and an R appears on the screen. Once again, video footage is seen of a house on a street, however this time the camera is much closer to the house, looking through the window Jey Usos wife and two kids can be seen. Jey screams, What the fuck, thats my kids, thats my kids what the fuck. The lights come back on and Jey and Jimmy are surrounded by the three masked men who attacked Jeff Cobb. The Usos try to take it to the men before they can strike, but the numbers game becomes too much. The men knock Jimmy Uso to the floor and then grab Jey and handcuff him to the ropes. They then make him watch as they slam Jimmy into the steps. Suddenly Jeff Cobb runs down to the ring. But the lights flicker and turn off, when they turn back on the assailants are gone.
The camera comes backstage, where Ric Flair is seen leaving one of the private locker rooms, “Good luck next week kid, I’ll be taking a front row seat at commentary to watch. I hope you rethink my offer, after all, it is best for business.” As Flair walks off, it is shown that the locker room belonged to Seth Rollins, as indicated by a sign by the door.
Nigel McGuinness: Wow, this episode of Saturday Night In Sin City gets more intense by the minute. Next we have a sit down interview between Charly Caruso and one of the competitors in the women's title match at full ignition. Charly Caruso is with Kay Lee Ray, next!
Charly Caruso: Cheers Nigel, so yes I am here with Kay Lee Ray, so Kay, I have to ask, many are considering Asuka to have the advantage in the match at Full Ignition due to her advantage from an in ring perspective. How are you planning to counter this?
Kay Lee Ray: Charly, Sin City Pro Wrestling is the land of opportunity, the next generation of wrestling. This division is not going to be built on the stars of yester-year, such as Asuka. Next Sunday, Asuka is going to find out that this division belongs to Kay Lee Ray, just as Paige did last week.
Charly Caruso: Ok, what do you believe of the rumours that a major competitor for the women's division is going to be unveiled at Full Ignition.
Kay Lee Ray: Irrelevant, everyone in the women's division is going to have to learn to bow down to Kay Lee Ray, whether they like it or not.
Kay Lee Ray stands up to walk off but comes face to face with Asuka. The two lock eyes, but don’t come to blows. Both walk away from the stand-off.
Nigel McGuinness: Wow, things are really heating up for the women's title match at Full Ignition. Now in the ring we have Big E, who I believe has something to say.
Big E: I am the future of Sin City. I am it’s end, I’m here to destroy and I challenge anyone in the back to fight me to prove that they can indeed stop the inevitable end.
A couple seconds pass as Big E looks directly at the ramp. Apollo Crews theme hits and he comes down to the ring, not breaking eye contact with Big E the entire way.
The ring sounds and Crews launches himself at Big E, but Big E just slams him to the ground. Crews does a kip up but just gets flattened by a lariat from E. Big E then lands a big splash but instead of going for the pinfall, deadlifts Crews onto his shoulders and hits the Big Ending. He then orders the ref to count a five count, which Crews cannot kick out from. Big E walks around the ring with a maniacal look in his eye as Taz grabs a mic and runs into the ring to interview him.
Taz: Wow, what a performance dude, what do you have to say about it?
Big E: I told the roster now one could stop the inevitable end, and tonight I proved that. This ending is Inevitable.
Taz: Definitely, now dude, if you need help making your way in sin city, just give me a call. I’ll be in touch.
Taz hands Big E his business card and leaves the ring. Big E looks at it for a second and then takes it to the back.
Sometimes to get to your final destination you must go back to where it all began. While the Invisible Man is everyone and everywhere, he always has an origin. And mine is away from the shining lights of Sin City. But next week, I will return to the place where my career, my life started, I will return home. Darby Allin skates off into the distance.
Bobby Roode is sitting in catering, looking dejected. Ric Flair sees him and sits at his table. “Bobby, I feel like this hasn’t been the best start for you in SSPW, and maybe I’m partly to blame for that. I got to be honest within you, I see someone who could be the face of this country. As I was back in the day. And I’m willing to help you to get there, now you don’t have to answer now but just think about it, we’ll be in touch.”
Excalibur: Wow, we have to wonder what the intentions are between Ric Flair, Bobby Roode and Seth Rollins at the moment.
Nigel McGuinness: Yes definitely, but now we shift back to the National title picture, obviously earlier tonight we had Chris Hero lay down the challenge to face Kenta, one of the other competitors within the National Title match at Full Ignition, now we haven’t heard from Kenta all night, so Chris Hero is now in the ring, to challenge him again.
Chris Hero: Kenta, come out here now you coward, come face me in the ring.
Chris Hero looks around, waiting for Kenta to come down to the ring.
Chris Hero: COME ON YOU COWARD
Chris Hero is suddenly hit from the back of the head, it's Kenta, he picks up Hero for the GTS but before he manages it he’s hit with a diving dropkick from El Hijo Del Fantasma. Kenta and El Hijo then start brawling ringside as Hero recovers from the blow to the back of the head. He see’s Kenta and El Hijo ringside and goes to jump over the top rope, midway through the run-up he’s joined by Murphy and the two jump over the top rope onto Kenta and El Hijo. Hero and Murphy then get up and start brawling themselves, with Murphy throwing Hero into the ring steps. Michaels runs out with members of security and the roster to try and break up the brawl. Some members of security manage to contain Murphy within the ring but he breaks free and launches himself onto a large group trying to contain a large brawl between Hero and Kenta. Michaels grabs a mic “If you guys wanna fight so much before your title match a week from sunday, fine, you can do it in a tornado tag team match next saturday. But you cannot lay a hand on each other before then. Am I understood?”
All 4 men nod, and then walk backstage, Lucha Bros and Moustache Mountain stay in the ring, as the main event match up between Tyler Bate and Rey Fenix is next.
The match starts with a feeling out process between Bate and Fenix. However, Fenix soon realises that he would not beat Bate on the mat so chooses to use his superior speed and agility to start striking Bate. Bate rolls to the outside to re-strategise with Trent Seven but is quickly hit with a Topei Suicida from Rey Fenix. The ref starts the 10 count but both Bate and Rey Fenix are back in the ring before a six count. Fenix goes for a running hurricanrana but Bate manages to dodge it and Rey crashes to the floor. Bate then takes control of the match and tries to disrupt the speed and agility of Rey Fenix by working down the legs. Bate manages to lock the Boston Crab on Rey Fenix and he looks close to tapping, but Pentagon Jr jumps up onto the ring apron and distracts the ref while Fenix taps out and Bate lets go. Trent Seven runs up behind Pentagon Jr and attempts to hit him with a german suplex. Pentagon reads it however, and counters into a reverse frankensteiner onto the outside. Tyler Bate goes to get out the ring to check on Trent but Rey Fenix rolls him up and covers him for the 3 count. Lucha Bros celebrate within the ring while Bate checks on the unconscious Trent Seven. Taz goes into the ring to ask the Lucha Bros what stipulation they are choosing for their title match at Full Ignition.
Taz: Fenix, congratulations on the big singles win. Obviously this now means that you can choose the stipulation for your tag team title match at Full Ignition, so are you ready to disclose the stipulation at this time.
Fenix: Moustache Mountain, en Full Ignition nos enfrentarás a los Hermanos Lucha, en un partido de Escaleras y Sillas
Taz: Am I right in thinking that is a Tables Ladders and Chairs match?
Pentagon Jr: Sí, y estamos listos para destruir la Montaña Moustache
Lucha Bros stare down at Tyler Bate, who’s in the midst of carrying Trent Seven to the back.

Episode HERE
This Week:
The Miami Dolphins will soon have less players. That is because cut down day is coming! Yay! While Chris and Sam may find the news that comes out that day to be exciting, lots of soon to be former) players do not. Regardless, we take a look at who is 100% safe from being cut this weekend, where Miami might look for help from other teams’ cut players, and whether or not any major surprises are in store for the team.
Speaking of surprises, Miami continues to chrun their roster as they trade away starting linebacker Raekwon McMillan to The Raiders, get Kalen Ballage BACK from The Jets after a failed physical and field calls for offers on Josh Rosen. As we always say, Miami may not be the best team in football, but they may be the most interesting.
Plus, we talk all things Buffalo Bills. Are they the team to beat this year in the AFC East? Is Josh Allen the right QB to get them to the promised land? Is the addition of Stefon Diggs a good thing? Why is their logo a buffalo when their mascot is a bill?
Oh, plus Chris Cullen gives us the inside scoop as to how the conversation went with Bob Griese when Miami told him he was being replaced with Jason Taylor.
And last but not least, THE OKAY-IST FANTASY LEAGUE EVER is drafting LIVE throughout the show. Yay football! Yay Fantasy Football! Yay Perfectville!
This episode of Welcome To Perfectville is brought to you in part by MyBookie. Sign up today and use promo code PERFECTVILLE https://www.mybookie.ag/sportsbook/live/
Enjoy and Welcome To Perfectville!

My name is Mark and I am a compulsive gambler. My last bet was April 2nd 2019. I have a lot of things on my mind right now, although the urge or thought to gamble isn’t one of them, and I feel like I have a lot to say but just need time to figure it out. I think my head is a bit all over the place and I want to tackle various issues at once instead of taking a step back and approaching it one at a time. So I thought that an A-Z of my journey so far, life, gambling and recovery, might give me an opportunity to touch on various things just a little and maybe allow some of the thoughts I have to escape.
A is for Abstinence - There is a huge difference in my mind between abstinence and recovery as abstinence simply involves stopping gambling. Now, for some that may be enough to stay away for the rest of their lives and that is fantastic, but for me, I knew through experience it wouldn’t be enough. I have tried to stop on my own in the past and eventually my “will power” ended and I went right back. I was never actually trying to become a better person or trying to learn a better way to live, I was simply stopping gambling in the hope that everything would fix itself which was never going to be enough. Now, abstinence is vital for my recovery because I need to stop gambling but I have done, and continue to do, so much more than just stopping gambling because I need to do it. I’ve come into recovery not knowing who or what I am or should have been. I’ve been gambling since I was 18 years old, dabbling before that as well, and I never “grew” into the adult I was supposed to be or could have been. So I really have to start from the beginning with a blank canvas, which I honestly feel has massive potential for me, and get to write my own story of how my life goes from here on out, but I can’t do that simply by abstaining from gambling.
“We can't just hope that something will happen. We must put in the work.
If we simply wait for our life to improve without putting in the necessary work then we aren't going anywhere.”
B is for Blog - I read a fellow Problem Gambler Support Group members blog not long after I joined and it was all about his gambling journey. I thought “that’s a good idea, I’m going to steal that” and set up my own website. It didn’t quite go like what but I thought there would be a benefit from writing my story out, for me at the very least. Turns out people liked it and said it was good and well written and they got something from it. So I wrote more and I kept getting the same feedback then decided to share my step work and tackle other topics to do with my recovery. I’ll be honest, I’m still unsure if my writing is any good, but people like it and tell me it is, so I’ll just accept that and be very happy with the compliments and keep on writing. I get so much from writing my blogs, it allows me to formulate my thoughts so much better than I do when I am speaking, cause i’m Irish and I use fuck like a comma when talking, less so when writing. I also find it allows me to dig down really deep when reflecting back in my gambling past or thinking about any topic to be honest. I have found out so much about myself from my writing that it’s been a huge benefit to my recovery. It’s also amazing when someone tells me that they could relate to something I’ve written or that something in my blog has helped them with their recovery. That sort of feedback is priceless for me and I’m just happy I have an opportunity to give back because at the end of the day you have to give it away to keep it.
“I’m usually terrified people will hate my writing.
My only saving grace is how I direct that fear. I use it to motivate me to find better ideas and share more useful examples rather than allowing it to prevent me from sharing at all.
Fear is the gas pedal, not the brake.” James Clear
C is for Choice - “You aren’t responsible for your first thought but you are responsible for your first action”. That is one of my favourite quotes and probably one of the first things I will tell a newcomer or someone who is struggling with urges (people are probably bored of it by now but sometimes boring is good). I am a firm believer that if I want to gamble I can, yes I have blocks in place, but if I really want to do it I can choose to do it. At the same time, I also have the choice not to gamble and that is what I choose to do. Now, I understand that people suffer from urges and these can get to a point where it feels like there is no choice so they gamble. For me, it’s all about knowing what to do in those situations and what I have learned it recovery. I know if I am struggling to reach out and talk to someone (more on that later I am sure) as that is the most important tool for me. We also have the choice to break the triangle that compulsive gamblers require to gamble, money, time and opportunity. Anyone can choose to break that triangle if they want to. It all comes back to the initial quote for me though, I am responsible for my first action, it’s all about making the right choice.
“The 3 C's in life: Choice, Chance, Change. You must make the Choice, to take the Chance, if you want anything in life to Change.”
D is for Desire - The only membership requirement for Gamblers Anonymous is a desire to stop gambling. April 2nd 2019 is the first time I have truly had that desire. Up until that point the only desire I had was to hide my secret life from those closest to me and to be able to gamble as much and as long as I wanted. The definition of desire is “a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen”. I feel like where I am now in recovery, I have no desire to gamble which has given me an opportunity to focus on my recovery.
Gala - “Freed from desire, mind and senses purified”.
E is for Excitement - That excitement or buzz that I used to get from gambling was something else and I’ll be honest, I haven’t found anything that can match it on a consistent level since entering recovery. Sometimes meetings will come close, I will leave one buzzing after what I have just heard or shared, but in general, for me, recovery as a whole is a lot more relaxed. This is perfectly fine as I feel that I have accepted that I no longer need the buzz or excitement in my life all the time and that I can lead a perfectly enjoyable and fulfilling life without those high highs, because, as I know too well from experience, eventually the highs run out and they are followed by low lows.
“Take a break and chill out. We are always on the go, doing this or that. Sometimes we just need to sit back and relax or else the world will simply pass us by.”
F is for Family & Friends - I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if it wasn’t for my family standing by me. I fully expected to be kicked out by my partner when I told her and I wouldn’t be able to see my two kids everyday. I was terrified, so I am aware of how big a step it is to tell your loved ones, but it was a step I had to take. I would rather have been a part time Dad in recovery than a “full time” Dad in active addiction. Plus, over the last few months I have been talking to more partners of gambling addicts and I really appreciate learning how they feel and are affected by compulsive gambling. The money isn’t the main issue, it’s the lies, the broken trust and the fact we put them in a position of enablers. I know I manipulated those closest to me to get what I wanted and I didn’t once care how they would feel about it. They are also affected and some may need support and for me hearing their experiences are a vital cog in my recovery wheel. I also wouldn’t be where I am without the understanding and support of my friends. I owed a lot of my friends money which I lied to get and I broke their trust, but they all stood by me and told me how proud they were of me for admitting I had a gambling problem. That support, along with the support of my family gave me a strong foothold when I entered recovery. The best thing I can do to repay my family and friends is to remain in recovery and work towards becoming a better person each day.
“Living a double life of addiction can be exhausting. Pretending everything is okay to our family and friends when we know it isn't. Once we surrender to our addiction we open up the possibility of Recovery.”
G is for GamCare - This is only been a place I have been fully utilising over the last few months because before then, I’ll be honest, I didn’t get it. I would go onto chat regularly but usually just sit there and read what other people were saying, I rarely got involved. I feel like part of it was my ego, I didn’t understand how people could just use a chat and recover. Then I started to learn that there is not a one size fits all recovery program and around November 2019 I started to get more involved. I not only used the chat room but started to post on the forum. I had a place where I could talk to other compulsive gamblers and not only help myself but help them by passing on the message. I have met some wonderful people via GamCare and some I have a great connection with, one which I hope to maintain. It was simply a case of me getting out of GamCare what I put in at the start, which wasn’t much. Now I absolutely love the place and totally see what a great tool it is for people looking for support with their recovery.
“If all we do is take and never give, we will surely be weighed down by our loot.
Recovery is as much about giving as it is receiving. We must give it away to keep it.”
H is for Honesty - One of the mantras I constantly say to newcomers is that you need three things for a chance at a successful recovery, HOW; Honesty, Open Mindedness and Willingness. For me being honest with those closest to me was a vital first step and it lifted a huge weight of my shoulders. Then each day in recovery I have been trying to be as honest as I possibly can. It’s so much easier if you tell the truth because you only have to tell it once. Looking back to when I was gambling it was crazy the amount of lies and bullshit I was telling people, by the end I wasn’t sure what was true and what was a lie. It’s not like that today though, I can look myself in the mirror and know that I am an honest person. I feel like I am honest in my meetings and through my writing. I share things that I probably do not need to share but it helps me not only get my thoughts out but at some point someone else may hear or read it and realise they aren’t alone.
French Proverb: “There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.”
I is for Intention - The subject of intent was briefly discussed at one of my Skype meetings and I feel quite strongly about this. I fully accept responsibility for my actions when gambling because when I break it all down, I was the person who chose to gamble in the first place. Each time I gambled it was my choice. The best example I have is if I went to a bar and had 5 or 6 pints and got in my car to drive home but on the way crash and kill 4 people. My intention was just to drive home, I didn’t intend to cause pain and suffering but I knew the risks when I got in the car. For me it’s the same as gambling. I may not have intended to cause pain and suffering to my kids and partner and those closest to me, but I did. These were consequences of my actions. I may not even have been fully aware of the pain I was causing or didn’t want to be aware, either way the intent was in my initial action which was gambling. Were there other outside forces at work, such as advertising and offers encouraging me to keep gambling? Yes there were but again I do not want to waste my energy blaming the industry for what has happened to me. The responsibility of what I have done lands firmly at my feet. Does that mean the industry should continue to get away with what they do? Absolutely not. Are people groomed by the industry and bled dry of all their money? 100% and it is a disgrace. There needs to be accountability of the gambling industry but for me personally, with what I went through when gambling and for my own recovery, the focus of responsibility needs to be on me and me alone. I’ve been in recovery for over ten months now and the person who has changed is me, not the gambling industry. That’s what I focus on because it’s the one thing I can control and that I can really change to make a difference.
“It’s not intentions that matter. It’s actions.
We are what we do and say, not what we intend to.”
J is for Jeff - If I said I owe this man a lot it would be an understatement as he was instrumental in helping me from when I got into recovery. Jeff is the man behind the Problem Gambling Support Group and I had messaged him on Wednesday 3rd April 2019 asking to join the group as I had seen a post on Reddit about it. This wasn’t my first time speaking to Jeff though, that was November 2018 when I had been on Reddit under a different name and was trying to stop casino gambling online but wanted to continue sports betting...yea, didn’t work out well. Jeff contacted me around that time and we messaged back and forth one afternoon, with Jeff telling me the benefits of recovery and me trying to tell him how I could still gamble responsibly. Bottom line, I wasn’t ready for recovery then but when I was Jeff could not have been more welcoming. Jeff took me under his wing and spoke to me often in the early days and I asked him to be my Sponsor. He has helped me work the steps and has been a part of my recovery journey the whole time. I feel like I have someone who I can reach out to at any time and he’ll be there for me. It’s hard to really do justice for the impact Jeff has made on my recovery, but I honestly believe things would be a lot different if it wasn’t for his support and guidance. Sponsorship has been so important to me and up until recently I didn’t believe I had what it takes to be one but I have been given an opportunity to be a Sponsor now and I am loving it. If I can be half the Sponsor that Jeff has been to me I know I’ll be a success.
“Fellowship is so important to Recovery
What we can't do on our own, we can do together. From Friendship to Sponsorship to Relationships we need people in our life to help us with our Recovery.”
K is for Kids - My kids are my life but I have not hidden the fact that I had gambling above them when I was practicing my addiction. I don’t say that lightly as it really does upset me to think about it but that is how it was. I gambled without a single thought about them and I needed gambling in my life more than I thought I needed them. Now, my kids were always looked after, mainly by my partner, but I also spent time with them, only they had me there in body but my mind was escaping into the world of online gambling. Since entering recovery I have realised how much I actually love my kids (even though they can be wee bastards at times) and they are my Higher Power. When I am struggling with a choice to make I think how my actions will impact my kids. I’ve spent so much more quality time with them and I love spending that time together. It’s easy to sit here now and say that I have made it up to my kids or that they were too young to understand, but when they have experienced their Dad shouting at them for no reason because I was losing bets or they were interrupting my gambling that leaves emotional scars for them. I’ll never be able to remove those scars, all I can do is continue on my recovery journey and become someone they are proud to say is their Dad.
“If we hold onto the past it is bound to weigh us down. The past made us the people we are today but holding onto shame and guilt will inevitably lead us back down the rabbit hole. Don't forget the past, but don't let it prevent you from living for today.”
L is for Life - There’s so many different ways I could take this but where I will go first is that I truly believe that I will be a compulsive gambler for the rest of my life. Now, that sounds quite scary, I’ll be going to meetings for life, I’ll be unable to gamble for the rest of my life, I’ll potentially have an element of fear for the rest of my life. The good news is I just have to worry about arresting the addiction a day at a time, it’s a lifelong journey with a daily program is how I look at it. I also want to briefly mention how I got a life back, not my life but a life. That’s because I have grown into an adult with my addiction, I have met my partner with my addiction and I have had kids with my addiction. I have no idea what my life is supposed to look like without gambling in it or what it should have looked like as I grew into an adult. So I have been given a clean slate to make a new life for myself, to become the person that I want to be. That is exciting and of course a little scary but it is an opportunity I am grateful to receive.
“Entering Recovery represents the start of a new Life
A life where we don't have to worry about how to get the next one or if we remember the mess we got ourselves into last night. Recovery is the start of a good life.”
M is for Meetings - Many meetings make it easy was a saying I heard at my G.A meetings and I have to say I agree with it. I do one in person G.A. meeting a week (#MondayNightCrew4Life) and I also do three Skype meetings a week with my Problem Gambling Support Group which involves gamblers from all around the world. Both are different which I like but I still get so much from both groups. It helps the people in both are brilliant and I feel I have gotten really lucky in that regard. Looking back to my first G.A. meeting, I assumed I would be sat with a bunch of old men trying to convert me to religion or else desperate for a bet and I thought it wouldn’t be for me, but up until that point the decisions I had made weren’t exactly the best so I thought fuck it, what’s the worst that can happen, I waste a couple of hours. My first meeting was amazing, I left absolutely buzzing. I found a group of people who could relate to me and who understood what I was going through, but more than that, they had actually been in my shoes and knew how to walk this journey. So I said to myself I’m going to share in meetings but the most important thing for me was to actually listen and take on board what was said. It was the same for my Skype meetings, although a different format, it was full of people who once were in my position. Many meetings not only make it easy in my opinion, but they make recovery.
“We take solace in the rooms of Recovery
There is comfort and love in this place. We feel safe.
Just For Today I am grateful for all the rooms of recovery which house those in need.”
N is for Neglect - Where do I even begin with this one. I neglected everything in my life when I was gambling, my health from hardly eating and hardly sleeping to my job where I didn’t do any work to my friendships that I allowed to drift away because I didn’t put any effort into them as they got in the way of my gambling to relationships which I allowed to turn to shit right before my eyes. I think the relationships with those closest to me is what hurts the most and it’s because of the hurt I have caused them. They’ll have to live with those scars for the rest of their life. It’s all good me being in recovery and wanting to become a better person, but I wasn’t the only one being harmed for 14 years, those closest to me were also harmed and I don’t even know how much hurt I inflicted. I’ll probably never know. My kids are what kills me when I look back, as they had to deal with me shouting at them for no reason because I was having a shit time. I was taking the consequences of my choices and my actions out on them and I wasn’t a nice person to be around. Although I was never violent I also know that words hurt and the fact is I wasn’t the sort of Dad I wanted to be, but more importantly, that they deserved to have.
“A little neglect may breed great mischief.” Benjamin Franklin
O is for Open Mindedness - The second part of “HOW” and something that was alien to me coming into recovery. To me being open minded meant listening to other people's opinions, which if I didn’t already know and agreed with, meant I thought they were shit. There was no winning me round with facts, I’d just try to convince you that I was right and my way was the best way. Well, once I got into meetings I sat on my chair (or virtual chair for Skype) and closed my mouth and opened my ears. The best story I can relate to this in my recovery is from my G.A. meetings. There was one member the first few times I listened to him share I thought “fuck me he goes on a bit and I don’t get it” then a few weeks later he shared a story and I was like “that’s me, that guy is me and if I go back out there I’ll be living his life story”. From that point, I’ve listened to everything he says and he’s one of my favourite speakers but it also taught me to listen to each person because you never know what they will say that just hits you. Another part of open mindedness for me is listening to what everyone suggests to me and trying it because if it’s worked for them it might work for me. Not everything has worked for me but I’ve yet to get a suggestion that harmed me or my recovery in any way.
“Our best thinking got us here... We must remain open-minded to new ideas in Recovery. They may not all work for us, but we should at least be willing to hear what they are about.”
P is for Present - Not Xmas presents but present as in today. I really struggle to recognise the progress I have made in my recovery so this feels like a good way to take this word, comparing me today vs me when I came into recovery. Honesty is a big one which I have obviously covered earlier but I do find myself being much more honest than I was. Do I always get it right? Not at all, either withholding thoughts or feelings or only telling part of a story has got me into bother on occasion but I am trying to be as honest as I can. I’ve spent most of my life lying about everything so it’s hard to be so honest, but if you tell the truth you only have to tell it once. How I feel about other people has also changed massively as I used to fucking hate the world. I hated everyone in it and assumed they were going out of their way to make my life miserable. Turns out the only person going out of their way to do that was me. Now I really, genuinely care for other people, in recovery, outside of recovery, I have empathy, I’m willing to reach out and let people know they aren’t alone. My mental health has also definitely improved and although I struggle with low self-esteem, I am generally in a good place whereas when I came into recovery I was broken. Relationships with those closest to me are something that have improved but there is still a lot of work to do in one of them. That’s something that hopefully will continue to improve over time. I’ll finish with this, I have a voice now, a voice that I can use for myself but also for good. When I came into recovery I was used to just telling people what I thought they wanted to hear as I was trying to hide my secret life, now I can just be me and feel comfortable using my voice.
“The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence.”
Q is for Quitting - Quitting is something that has come so easy to me in other aspects of my life, quitting hockey, friends, hobbies whatever it is, but I couldn’t quit when I was gambling. I would always tell myself if I got ahead I’d quit and withdraw but rarely did I manage it, and if I did it was deposited straight back into the bookies once it hit my account. After a while there was no quitting when I was ahead because I was so far behind I was never going to be able to get ahead. I even tried quitting the casino side of things after it became a problem (I only started playing the casino side the last 18 months of my active addiction) to focus on sports betting because in my head I wasn’t addicted to sports. That was a lie of course, but I still went back to the casino side of things when I had money because I just could not quit that buzz and excitement.
“I honestly thought I would use until I died. The thought of quitting gambling wasn't plausible, impossible actually.
Just For Today I will believe in the impossible because at one time this current existence was impossible.”
R is for Recovery - I’ll be the first to admit that I have thrown myself head first into my recovery and fully embraced it. I get so much out of it and I put a lot of work into it. This is what my recovery looks like, and while all of it isn’t for everyone, I feel it shows the difference between abstinence and recovery. I attend one in person G.A. meeting a week, three Skype meetings with my Problem Gambling Support Group, I have a Sponsor, I Sponsor someone, I work the Steps, I write my blog and post it on the Reddit Problem Gambling Sub and GamCare forum, I use the GamCare chat rooms twice a day most days, I reach out and offer help and support if I can, I listen to podcasts about addiction, I have been on two podcasts sharing my story, I do my own research on addiction and I am going to start and learn about SMART Recovery. Think that’s it all, and while it looks like a lot, it’s nothing compared to the time I spent gambling and it all fits around my life. I feel like recovery is the thing that has been missing from my life, that place where I am accepted for being me, a place where I can make a difference. Recovery is so important to me and my life and without it there is no way I would have stopped gambling.
“Recovery is a transformation of self. From the ashes of defeat in the battle of Addiction to a renewed sense of purpose in the triumph of Recovery. We strive to become better and better with each passing day.”
S is for Springsteen - I love Bruce Springsteen and listening to his music really resonates with me and can help me think and process my emotions and thoughts. Music really does have that sort of power and it has been a vital tool during my recovery. I can get lost in music, almost like an escape, but for me it’s a healthy escape. My personality needs some alone time to be able to recharge and that’s when I turn to music. I find lyrics jumping out at me and meaning different things at various stages of my recovery. A lyric will transport me back to a time or place and make me remember, good or bad, what had happened. Music can also just help me go from feeling down to feeling happy and realise that things aren’t as bad as I thought there were.
“Bruce Springsteen is the direct line to all that is true in this shitty world”.
T is for Talking - This was something I have come to find is one of my most useful tools I have developed and used in recovery. In the past I would never have opened up and spoken about my feelings but now I am in recovery I feel more confident to talk to at least one person about what is going on in my head. I’ve found talking has been an amazing way for me to solve problems that have been bothering me and eating away at me. Even just to vent is such a powerful tool, it can make me realise that I am making a big deal out of something that really isn’t. It also allows me to ask for advice and to get used to the fact that I do not possess all the answers. It was about swallowing my pride and realises that the main benefit of a support network is to rely on it when you need it. Sometimes I have asked questions that have made me feel stupid, but I have never been judged. Talking is one of the most important tools I have and it is something I always say to anyone I talk to in recovery, if you are ever struggling then reach out to me or to someone else, even if it’s just to say what is on your mind.
“Asking for help is hard. It certainly didn't come naturally to me and can still be a struggle.
Just For Today I will ask for help when I need it.”
U is for Understood - Recovery is the first place I have really felt that people have understood me and what I have put myself through with my gambling addiction. “Put myself through” sounds like I am a victim, they have understood what I did when gambling. The longer I have been in recovery the more I feel people understand this new me that I have become, even more so than those in my life outside of recovery because they see me “in action” so to speak, in meetings, through my writing, helping others etc. There is something about going into a meeting and knowing, that no matter what you say or feel, you can feel safe sharing it and will not be judged.
“I am not a perfect person, I make a lot of mistakes.. but still, I love those people who stay with me after knowing how I really am.”
V is for Vicious - The vicious cycle that I was in when gambling broke me mentally, it was insanity when I look back on it. I would get paid and the first thing I would do is stay up until my pay hit my bank account around 1am and deposit and gamble. I would then pay back any money I had borrowed from friends or family and pay bounced direct debits from the previous month. I would then gamble more than I intended, have to bounce more direct debits, had to borrow more money from friends and family by lying to them. My phone bill was around £275 a month because of my insanity on top of all this. I was borrowing more money from people and from companies (although luckily I had wrecked my credit rating early on in my gambling career or it could have been far worse) and it was just getting worse and worse each month. One of my friends asked me before, “how the fuck did you sleep at night?” and looking back I have no idea.
“We are grateful to be in Recovery today. To think the pain of active addiction is in the rear view mirror, but we must remain vigilant. If we let up in our program for too long our addiction will surely catch up to us.
Just For Today I will commit myself to my program.”
W is for Willingness - The final part of “HOW” and without it, for me, recovery would have been impossible. I threw myself head first into my recovery and was open to whatever people suggested to me and was willing to try. Someone once told me I was very teachable when it came to recovery and I think that proves the willingness I had. I knew if I was going to come out about my gambling, if I was going to admit I had a problem and needed help, I would lose the one thing I loved at that point and that was gambling. If I was going to lose gambling I was going to make sure it was worth it. Quickly in recovery I realised that my kids were the most important thing to me and that if I went back to gambling I would lose them. I am not willing for that to happen. I want to become a better person, I want to become a better Dad and I want to improve myself in all possible aspects. Recovery has given me a new lease of life and a willingness to succeed. I have even started a Diploma in Counselling Skills - Level 2 online which is something I would never have done if I was still gambling.
“At some point there is no excuse, either you want to do everything it takes to make it happen, or you don’t.”
X is for X Roads - Or crossroads, yeah I cheated a little, big deal. I feel like I have had two massive crossroads in my life regarding my gambling and recovery. The first is obviously when I decided that I was going to come clean to my partner. I have written before about the weekend prior to entering recovery and that was the pivotal moment. Without going into the details I’ll just say it was an up and down roller coaster of emotions and money that ended up with me at zero. It was at that point something in my head clicked and realised I was never going to be able to win my way out of this mess, it was only going to get worse. The question was did I want to own up and face the consequences or did I want to keep digging? For me the consequences of telling my partner was her kicking me out and me not being able to see my kids every day, that scared me to death. I can still remember the day I told my partner vividly. She had gone to the gym with her friend and I was pacing around the living room with a notebook in my hand. Earlier that day a friend of mine at work realised I wasn’t my “usual” self and asked if I wanted to go for a drink at lunch. So I did and told him what was going on. He was great and listened and said he reckons I should tell my partner and get the help I needed. So I wrote out all my debts, my budget going forward and my closest G.A. meeting, just in case I would forget anything when I was telling her. So her friend's car pulls up after the gym and she comes in and sits down. At this point I am still 50/50 in my head if I am going to tell her or not and my head is spinning. Then she starts telling me about the gym and how she got on and I was thinking to myself, “WHO THE F**K CARES ABOUT THE F**KING GYM! I’M TRYING TO DECIDE IF I SHOULD TELL YOU ABOUT MY GAMBLING ADDICTION!” My heart is beating so fast at this point like it’s going to jump out of my chest and I am panicking. So she finally stops talking and I just spit it out that I have a gambling problem and need help. I was crying, not for sympathy but because of the relief of finally admitting it, not only to her, but to myself, for the first time. I handed her the notebook and I was just waiting for her to throw me out but she didn’t, she stood by me. Got me to call round my parents and tell them and that’s when I officially entered recovery. The other crossroad was fairly recently in recovery, and I would say it wasn’t long after I was ten months gamble free. I basically had a real crisis of confidence, my low self-esteem came to the fore and I was debating if this new me was the real me or was I actually just a fraud. I think this came from a perfect storm of things. I always struggled with low self-esteem but I hadn’t really addressed it in recovery and I did my therapy reading at my Skype group and the feedback I got was overwhelmingly positive. People were saying really good things about me and I don’t think I was expecting it. Then around the same time I also had some other people telling me how much I had helped them, how good my writing was and how good a person I was and I think I just panicked. That voice inside my head telling me I wasn’t good enough was getting louder and louder and I was afraid that I was a fraud. I was afraid my recovery was a lie. I reached out and talked to people close to me and after several pretty intense hours I realised that it was down to me, I had to believe in myself. I had to take that leap of faith. I was also told to “remember that someone believes in you...me”, and that will stick with me forever. So, in my head I was standing on the top of a cliff and I just had to take a leap of faith and embrace this person I had become, waiting for me on the cliff top was the old me, my old behaviours and I didn’t want any part of that. So that’s what I did, I took that leap of faith and believed in myself.
“Feeling our Emotions again after we stop using can be very difficult. After suppressing what we felt for so long it is completely foreign to feel so much. Learning to process these feeling is important to maintain our Recovery”
Y is for You Know Who You Are - If I tried to name everyone who has had an impact on my recovery I would easily miss people out, so instead I am going to list what people have done for me or how they have made me feel and as the name suggests, you know who you are. You are the person who made me feel welcome, who made me smile, who made me laugh when I thought it was impossible, who stood by me, who looked after my finances, who gave me time to pay money back, who helped me up when I was down, who celebrated the good times with me, who talked to me when I needed someone, who listened to me when I needed to vent, who called me out on my bullshit, who gave me opportunities to improve myself, who made me believe in myself, who told me I was good enough, who told me I deserve this, who told me they were proud of me, who appreciated my help, who asked me for advice, who was honest with me, who made me see clearly, who inspires me by their commitment to life, who inspires me by their commitment to recovery, who read my blogs, who wanted me to succeed and who told me I could achieve my dreams.
“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. Don't miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”
Z is for Zombification - Is an instance or process of turning into a zombie. The process of zombification involves poisoning an individual with toxin from a puffer fish. So, I guess gambling is the puffer fish in this case because I could literally feel myself dying inside as I gambled at times. Time just slipped away while I said I would gamble for an hour, I was transfixed by the world of online gambling, it sucked me in and slowly sucked the life out of me. I would sit until the wee hours of the morning with no idea what was going on around me. I’d barely eat when gambling, I didn’t need to, there was no feeling of hunger. The longer I gambled the more numb I became to my emotions until the point I literally could feel emotion. I didn’t get angry or sad or happy, I was just meh. I went to my Granda’s funeral in January 2019 and couldn’t understand why people were upset. I felt nothing. Gambling had turned me into a zombie. Recovery is the process of de-zombification.
“At your very core, you are energy.
Stop killing it by killing yourself.
By slowly poisoning yourself.
By destroying your mind.
By chasing negativity.
Nurture your energy.
Let it grow & thrive.”
That was a long one but well worth the effort. I hope there’s something relatable there for anyone who reads it. I got a lot out of hitting on different topics in a shorter form and some stuff may not have made it into a “regular” blog.
Mark

With Cheltenham Festival coming up, I thought I’d put together a comprehensive guide and overview for what is THE most profitable time for matched bettors.
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So whether you have been doing matched betting for a while or you’re completely new to the concept, with a bit of luck this post should be interesting/useful.
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Just a quick disclaimer. Throughout this guide I will be referencing Heads&Heads, however, this is not a promotional piece. The advice below can be used and applied to whichever service you happen to be with. There will be an offer at the bottom of this guide. Ignore it if you are not interested, I won’t be offended – the important thing is we all smash Cheltenham while it is still so profitable.
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Firstly, why exactly is this such a profitable time for Matched Bettors? Well, simply put, the Cheltenham Festival is one of the world’s biggest horse racing events. As such, all the bookmakers will be falling over themselves to ensure punters place their bets with them rather than their competitors.
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Why Cheltenham is a Big Deal
Cheltenham Festival is one of the busiest times of the year for bookmakers with projections of around £500 million to be placed in bets over the 4 days of racing. There are a total of 28 races to bet on giving an average of around £17,850,000 bet on each race. Punters at the Festival and around the country betting online jump on early ante-post markets and last minute bets. The rise of mobile betting in recently years has given bookmakers a new way to connect with customers and now it’s easier than ever to place a bet wherever you are.
With so much money involved in betting on races at Cheltenham, bookies fight for customers in the run-up and during the festival. One way bookies entice customers to bet with them over a competitor is to run special promotions for the races. These can be in the form of free bet offers, money back specials, extra places, best odds guaranteed and more. Punters looking for the best value in their bets should take advantage of these enhanced offers while they are around as they can result in increased returns and minimised losses. All of this plays into the hands of matched bettors like us, who can take advantage of the value without incurring risk.
If you are holding back on completing welcome offers before Cheltenham, then you should know that several bookmakers run enhanced offers throughout Cheltenham. Some of the more popular ones being Betfair, SkyBet, Ladbrokes, Coral and Betfred.
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6 Steps For Tackling Cheltenham
With all the offers and potential profit flying around it can become a little overwhelming. The best place to start is by simply practicing the basics - and that is our first of six steps for getting ready to tackle Cheltenham.
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Note: I will update this post with the key offers closer to the time.
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1. Practice Makes Perfect
When it comes to matched betting you can never get enough practice! You may think you understand every reload strategy there is. However, when the offers come as quickly as they do during Cheltenham, practice can be the difference between getting into breaking the £1,000 profit mark and missing out.
So, make sure that you have familiarised yourself with and practiced the popular horse racing offers before Cheltenham. These include 2nd to SP Fav, 2nd place refund, 4/1 winner, fallers insurance. Simply doing a Saturday’s worth of horse racing reload offers will tick a lot of these boxes.
If you would like to understand the concept a little more, we recommend going to the Training Section of Heads&Heads and looking at the guides under the sub-heading, ‘Offer Strategies’.
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2. Be Organised
This can be best summed up as - make sure that your money is where it needs to be before the end of the weekend prior to Cheltenham (7th & 8th March).
Additionally, try to have completed the majority of the welcome offers for the major bookmakers. The key bookmaker to have ready is Bet365 – their Horse racing offer during the festival is massively profitable.
Set up a separate PayPal for faster withdrawals.
If you've not got a massive exchange balance, then on this rare occasion we recommend boosting its size using your own funds. Of course, because you’re matched betting the only risk is the tiny qualifying loss per offer, which you should be used to by now. The last thing you want is to be missing out on offers and not making the most of the available profit.
Try to get some bets on the night before if the odds matches are strong. Know which offers are available on which races and know what offers you want to go for on each race.
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3. Go Easy Early
Do easy low stake reloads (Free bet on a loss, 2nd place, 2nd to SP favourite, etc) the night before if possible or early morning. The Exchanges will have a lot of liquidity, even hours before the races – meaning that you will not need to worry about unmatched bets when laying.
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4. Odds Boosts & VIP
Look out for the boosts and make a note to check the Heads&Heads forums facebook group hourly for any updates on potential boosts. These will come thick and fast, but if you are quick, you can create some pretty incredible profit margins.
Additionally, make sure you check your email over the 4 days. There will be plenty of bookmakers handing out ‘tailored’ offers to their VIP members. VIP has a loose definition in the eyes of the bookmaker, so you’re likely to get a lot more of these than you think and they are often very lucrative.
If you want Heads&Heads to check a VIP offer before you attempt it, just post on the forum or message us on Live Chat.
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5. Enjoy It
Sounds cliché but don’t let it stress you out. Making money is great but taking the week off work and then running yourself into the ground all week isn't worth it. Matched betting is a side earner – something to enjoy and be done in your spare time to earn you some extra cash. It should not feel like a job.
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6. A Small Exchange Balance Is No Excuse!
Is it worth taking part with a really small bank like £500'ish?
Even if you just did the offers that guaranteed a profit, you’d still make around £250 and this would not require a massive exchange balance. So yes, it is absolutely still worth it.
What If I Am Gubbed by Most Bookmakers?
This is a very common question and not an unreasonable one either. After all it is incredibly frustrating to have your account with a bookie gubbed. This is even worse when a huge event like Cheltenham is coming up.
Honestly, it will restrict your ability to make money, but it is still possible to make a profit from Cheltenham.
Extra place strategies are worth looking at. This is made possible because Extra place betting doesn’t rely on you using free offers. So, if the bookie has only restricted your use of free offers then this is your best option. Furthermore, if you are restricted from getting reload offers by a bookmaker, you should still be able to take advantage of odds boosts. So, keep an eye out for these on the Heads&Heads Forum.
Anything I Should Be Looking Out For?
One issue to be aware of is that of the smaller bookmakers offering very generous odds. If an offer looks too good to be true then you should be careful. This was particularly true a couple of years ago, when a lot of smaller bookies offered really good odds and then refused to pay out people’s winnings.
This problem is unlikely to occur again (happened in 2017), with bookmakers under the spotlight by legislators like never before. In addition, if you have an account with the bookmaker prior to Cheltenham starting, then you’ll be slightly more trusted by the bookie and thus they will honour your pay-out.
Should You Book Time Off Work?
Are you planning to take time off work during Cheltenham? This could be a great idea. As well as watching the races on TV, you can stay up to date with all of the offers during the day. However, we want to stress that taking time off work is by no means 'required' to make money during this week.
That said, speed will be key for so many of the opportunities during the festival. You may only have a small amount of time to place your bet or lose the opportunity. Being at home will, of course, make this a lot easier.
However, not everyone can take all 4 days off. So which days should you prioritise?
Simple answer really. The first day – Tuesday (10th March).
The reason for this is that the first day sees more offers available than any other single day. The bookies tend to start off strong and tail off towards the end.
Cheltenham Schedule
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Day 1 (Tuesday 10th March 2020)
13:30 -The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
14:10 - The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase
14:50 -The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
15:30 - The Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
16:10 - The Mares’ Hurdle
16:50 - The Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase
17:30 - The National Hunt Challenge Cup
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Day 2 (Wednesday 11th March 2020)
13:30 - The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
14:10 - The RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase
14:50 - The Coral Cup
15:30 - The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
16:10 - The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
16:50 - The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
17:30 - The Weatherbys Champion Bumper
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Day 3 (Thursday 12th March 2020)
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13:30 - The Marsh Novices’ Chase
14:10 - The Pertemps Network Final
14:50 - The Ryanair Chase
15:30 - The Stayers’ Hurdle
16:10 - The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate
16:50 - Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
17:30 - The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
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Day 4 (Friday 13th March 2020)
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13:30 - The JCB Triumph Hurdle
14:10 - The Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle
14:50 - The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
15:30 - The Cheltenham Gold Cup
16:10 - The St. James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup
16:50 - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase
17:30 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
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Our Predictions
Now, predictions may seem a bit useless as we are matched betting. However, knowing who the experts favour to win can help you pick a horse. So, for example, if an offer was triggered if your horse lost, you'd want to be sure you were avoiding those favoured to do well. So, use the below to help inform some of your decisions when completing Cheltenham reload offers.
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Epatante
Epatante has caught the eye of punters during the early betting for the Champion Hurdle and, at the time of writing, rates as one of the strongest race favourites of the week. We likely have not seen the best of this horse.
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Benie Des Dieux
Benie Des Dieux is quoted for a few Cheltenham races this spring but traders at major bookmakers are confident she will run in the Mares Hurdle. If she does, bookies expect her to win the race with a bit to spare.
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Envoi Allen
Envoi Allen is priced as the standout horse in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle and traders believe he will take all the beating. A loss here will rate as one of the biggest upsets of the week. He won each of his first seven starts.
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Defi Du Seuil
Defi Du Seuil can be found quoted in the Champion Chase antepost betting and the early money has been promising. He has won 13 of his first 18 and those stats aren’t to be taken lightly, certainly not by backers.
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Tiger Roll
Tiger Roll is a fans favourite but have we already seen the best of Tiger Roll? As it stands Tiger Roll is the antepost favourite to win the Cross Country Chase and is a short price at that.
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Every Cheltenham offer will be posted on the Reload section. It is also worth keeping up to date with the Cheltenham Forum thread – here the best offers of the day will be discussed.
If you are interested in giving matched betting a go or Heads&Heads a go I’ve posted a discount code below. As I mentioned at the start of the guide, you can either use it or not. The main thing for me will be people find one or two useful bits of info in this guide.
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Discount:
£2 for 60 days of Premium membership to Heads&Heads.
Discount code: BUILDUP
Click the link to have the code automatically applied:
https://headsandheads.co.uk/sign-up?discount=BUILDUP
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Timetable template for Cheltenham: https://headsandheads.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Cheltenham+Timetable+-+template.xlsx
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The most important thing is to get involved!
Best of luck and happy profit hunting!