CONCEPTS

Keeping a Betting Record That Actually Tells You Something

The seven fields worth logging, why the price you took matters more than the result, and how to review a month honestly.

Most people log the result and nothing else, which produces a record that can only tell them whether they are up or down. That is the least useful thing a record can say, because it is mostly determined by variance over any short period.

Log seven fields: date, selection, market, price taken, stake, result, and the closing price. That last one is the one everybody skips and the one that matters most, because it lets you separate good decisions from lucky ones.

Review monthly, not daily. Look at yield by market and by odds band rather than at the total. Almost everyone discovers they are profitable in one or two market types and losing in the rest, which is far more actionable than a single overall number.

Key points

Log the price you took and the closing price, always
Break results down by market and by odds band
Review monthly; daily review is just noise
Most bettors profit in a narrow band and lose everywhere else

Frequently asked

What is the single most valuable field to record?

The closing price. It is the only field that tells you whether the decision was good independently of whether the bet won.

How often should I review?

Monthly. Daily reviewing produces emotional decisions based on noise, which is exactly what a record is meant to prevent.

What do I do with the breakdown?

Cut what is losing and concentrate on what is working. The commonest profitable change is doing less, in fewer markets.

Put it to use

Value calculator →Odds converter →Our open record →Free daily tips →

Keeping a Betting Record That Actually Tells You Something

Key points

Frequently asked

Put it to use

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