334 



CHAPTER XX. 



BETTING. 



Author's Object in Writing Tliis B )ok— A Parasite— Antithesis of Sport— Birth of Betting- 

 Early History— As Time Advanced— Bookmaking Born— The Upper Ten— Method 

 Changed— The Patricians— " The Betting Ring "—Gambling on Cocks ani Cards— 

 — The Professional Bookmaker— Crockford— Gully— Davies— The Derby— Greatest 

 Betting Race — Great Bettors— Leviathan Bets— Miserable Examples— Betting Lists— 

 Origin— Race Meetings Increased — So Did Backers and Bookies— Bett'ng in the 

 Abstract— Universality— Infatuated People— Unreliable Tips—" In the Know "—Odds 

 Against— Sure to Lose— Lofty Principles— Author Often Made a Book —Always Won 

 — A Trainer's OpinioQ— That of Shop Boys— T/ieiV Fancies !— Great Fun— " Romped 

 Home"— Criticism— A Knowing Shot's Opinion of the Hardwicke Stakes, 1887— 

 Pitiable Sight— Heads or Tails— Simpletons— Paying Bookmakers Beforehand— The 

 Bishop of Durham— Author's Enjoyment on a Racecourse— Bookmakers— Author 

 takesTheirPart— "The Noble Army " v. Other Communities— Insurance Companies 

 —A Simile — " Lloyd« " v. " Tattersall's "—Downs and Ups— Great Changes— Equality 

 — UltimateResult— Money —Betting the Socialist's Ally— Magnitude of Exchange- 

 Difficulty in Dealing with Betting — Certain Result— Impregnates other Branches of 

 Sport— How to Deal With It— Make it Lawful— Existing Laws— Stock Exchange v. 

 Tattersall's— Horses v. Bulls and Bears— A Gruesome Story, 



I HAVE striven through the various chapters of this book to deal 

 with sport, or what pertains thereto, as best as I could towards its 

 advancement. I now come to treat of a subject which partakes of the 

 nature of a parasite of sport ; in fact, betting must be looked upon as 

 the very antithesis of sport. 



Neither the birthplace of betting nor the date of its birth do I 

 know. Assuredly when horse racing was first introduced to England 

 it was uoboro, for in the early history of the Turf no mention is made of 

 it. After awhile, howe^^er, we d) find records of wagerS; but they 

 seem to have been confined to the owners of the horses and their 

 immediate friends or followers. Most of the races in olden times were 

 matches, the'efore the wagering had to be confined to backing one 

 horse against the other, so there could have been no bookmaking. 



As time advanced a change took place in racing, and consequently in 

 th3 wagering ; numbers of horses being started, bookmaking came into 

 creation, but the practice, as well as backing, was followed only by the 

 Upper Ten. 



It was the custom of these patricians of old to congregate on the 

 morning of the race meeting either in the town, near the course, or on 

 the course itself, and there make their Ijets among themselves. This 

 they did by forming a ring, to the centre of which he who wished to 

 wager advanced and proclaimed whatever bets he wished to offer or 

 to accept. Hence comes the word " Betting ring, " so very well known 

 at present. 



