"How Do You Become a Professional Punter?"

Kingsley on SEN radio with racing.com. Segment courtesy of SEN x racing.com.

People ask me how someone becomes a professional punter. The honest answer is that it is a gradual process, not a decision you make one morning. The opportunities are still there, but the way in is not to quit everything and dive in cold. It is to start small, keep money coming in from somewhere else, and slowly build a bank that can carry you through the rough patches. That is how I did it, and I would not tell anyone to do it differently.

Do not jump in

The biggest mistake is deciding you want to be a professional punter and then acting like you already are one. Nobody becomes one overnight. If you want to have a go at it, start by punting on weekends. Maybe just Saturdays. Keep the job, keep the income, and let the punting sit alongside it rather than replace it.

That is exactly what I did. When I started, I always had an income. I worked at the races and I worked out at the greyhounds as well. I made sure money was coming in from somewhere while I was learning. That takes the pressure off every bet. You are not betting to pay rent, you are betting to get better, and those are two very different things.

The bank is the hard part

Belief matters, but a bank matters more. The hard part is not finding a bet you like. The hard part is keeping the bankroll going.

I do not care who you are or how good you are. You will go through bad runs. Everyone does. The question is whether you can manage them when they arrive. If your bank cannot absorb a bad run, the run ends you before your method ever gets a chance to show what it can do. So the work early on is about building something that can take a hit and keep operating.

And yes, people are still doing it. There are a lot of smart kids out there building really smart systems, automated betting, AI, all of those words. The tools have changed. The requirement has not. You still need belief in what you are doing and a bank to keep you in the game while you do it.

Know what you actually love

One thing worth being honest with yourself about is what drew you in. For me it was never purely the racing. It was the punt.

I love racing, but it is gambling for me. It was the thrill of backing a winner. It was doing the form. It was finding value, and later on it was developing systems. That is what hooked me and that is what has kept me at it.

That distinction matters more than people think. If you love the horses and the day out, that is a fine thing, but it is not the same as loving the process of finding a price that is wrong. The second one is what the job actually is, most days, sitting there doing form when nothing exciting is happening.

So if this is something you want, treat it as a slow build. Keep your income, punt your weekends, grow the bank, and see whether you still enjoy the work when the run goes against you.

Every race on the card, rated, with Kingsley's selections and the speed maps behind them. Your first day is free, no card needed.

More from Kingsley

• "Can a Great Form Judge Still Lose If They Can't Gamble?"
• "What Has Punting Taught You About Getting Through Bad Runs?"
• "How Do You Stop Chasing the Money You've Already Lost?"

Gamble responsibly. 18+. If gambling is a problem for you, call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au