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Socrates
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Joined: February 19th, 2002, 10:43 pm

The Generous Bookmaker

December 27th, 2002, 8:08 pm

A bookmaker attempts to attract new customers by offering '1/3 cashback on all cumulative settled stakes minus returns' for a single month only. The maximum cashback amount is £1,000. How would you exploit this unwonted generosity? A few non-exhaustive pointers on 'the market' for those who have no taste for gambling.1. It is now possible to short a selection via an internet betting exchange (e.g. www.betfair.com). The cost of this transaction is typically 5% of winnings. Horse racing is the most popular market i.e. your short is most likely to find a buyer here.2. This season, for the first time, all bookmakers are offering fixed odds on individual soccer matches e.g. 4/9 home win, 13/5 draw and 11/2 away win. The over-round for an individual match from one firm is a fairly constant 112%. The 'best book' across all firms is typically 106% per match, occassionally lower.3. The trading limits for investments are: maximum 'win single' stake £1000, maximum win per combination bet (more than one team in doubles, trebles, ..., and other accumulators) £50,000. Attempts to exceed these limits may result in the bet being refused.The 'prize' for good answers? The name of the bookmaker!Cheers,Soc.