SBC News Tipster Profile: John Sills

Tipster Profile: John Sills

John Sills, a horseracing tipping specialist on Bet Advisor, takes us through how he became a professional tipster.

tipster-john-sillsHow did you first get into sports betting?

It all started from working within the betting industry, getting my first job a few months after my 18th birthday (I started young). I went on to work at various levels that included trading roles at two of the biggest online and high-street bookmakers in the United Kingdom. I also have hands-on experience in the sport I specialize in (Horse Racing), working within racing yards, riding out, and this is still something I do from time to time, and gives me an edge when it comes to reading races and spotting future winners for my clients.

At what point did you realise that you can make some real money from sports betting?

I remember reading a statistic many years ago that less than 2% of people make money backing horses in the long term, and this initially scared me off risking my hard earned money, but working alongside some of the finest form experts and traders in the land, I soon realized that with dedication, discipline and my own knowledge from working with racehorses, I could successfully be in that less than 2%.

How did you come to select horse racing as your chosen sport?

Oddly, I find spending my day watching horses run around in circles enjoyable, plus from riding ponies at a very young age, I think horse racing was always going to be my sport. From a betting perspective, you’ll find sticking to what you know best and as a result having an edge over the odds compilers is what pays, and that’s certainly the case with me and my clients.

Are there any particular events that you look forward to throughout the year?

Admittedly, I do have a preference for national hunt racing over the flat, so obvious highlights in the calendar include the Cheltenham Festival, Punchestown and the Aintree meeting. The Grand National is a major spectacle, although not of interest when it comes to betting. On the flat, The Derby and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe come out on top for me.

What was your best ever bet?

Financially, OSCAR PRAIRIE winning a jumpers’ bumper at Kempton back in 2012 stands out. The then seven-year-old was available at 33/1 in the morning, and following hefty support throughout the day from myself and seemingly everyone and their dog that surrounded Warren Greatrex’s upper Lambourn yard, he was sent off third choice of the punters at 7/1 and made all under a typically brilliant ride from Noel Fehily to score comfortably by three and a half lengths.

SBC News Tipster Profile: John SillsSBC News Tipster Profile: John SillsWhat kind of factors do you evaluate before making a selection?

Just like many professional punters, the price is the biggest factor, betting the value is massive in this game, but unlike some, I can see value in a 5/4 selection just as much as a 20/1 outsider.

What has been the biggest influence on your betting career?

As previously mentioned, working alongside an array of form experts and odds compilers during my spell as a trader was a massive help, and them allowing me to pick their brains and take the best from each has allowed me to be in this position.

Do you have any future plans in regards to your service?

I have only ever had one goal at Bet Advisor, and that’s to make my clients as much profit as possible on a consistent basis. At the time of writing, me and my clients have had five profitable months in succession, gaining over 6,200 units of profit in that time. I have a team of horses I’m already looking forward to seeing and following throughout the upcoming national hunt season, so this would be an ideal time to join my service.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your betting career?

Mentally, betting professionally is very tough, and bad days can be a very lonely and hard to take, and I like many fell through all the pitfalls you could imagine, from betting every race to chasing losses, but despite not thinking so at the time, it was a valuable experience and helped shape the successful career I have today. In terms of challenges I face in my betting career today, like many professionals, getting on has become increasingly difficult, and inventing new ways of getting my bets on has become a way of life.

How do you balance your betting time and family life?

It’s very important to be able to switch off, because you can spend too much time thinking about a particular race or horse that will only negatively affect your decision making and give you a massive headache. Betting allows me to have more spare time than I would have stuck behind a desk, so it would be foolish on my behalf to not take advantage of that.

Do you have a horse or horses that you follow regularly?

Hundreds, approaching thousands. Before the start of every national hunt season, months of research goes into spotting horses from point-to-point’s that I will follow in bumpers, bumper winners from the previous season that I will follow novice hurdling and so on. I also have a fantastic set of contacts in the game that have helped me build this season’s lengthy list, and I’m very positive both myself and my clients will benefit from this during the forthcoming season.

winningpostHow do you keep calm when you hit a run of losing bets?

Tricky question to answer because it depends on what type of losing run you’re having (and everyone has them). For example, a run of five losing bets, however frustrating wouldn’t concern me too much if they were beaten by narrow margins or all finished second, as that happens, but this shows me that my selections are consistently there or thereabouts and soon enough, those narrow defeats will become narrow victories. Essentially, keep calm and carry on, it’s when you have a run of 10 losing bets that were all beaten out of sight that you start to get concerned and evaluate what you’re doing.

How do you organise your bank management?

My betting strategy largely revolves around consistency, as my performance during my time at Bet Advisor will demonstrate, so I have a simple approach to bank management for my clients. 5% (100 units to win or 50 units each-way) per selection, and I seldom have more than one bet per day for my clients to back. This strategy has proved to be very successful for my clients.

What is the best reason you could give to anyone who was thinking about following your service?

A significant return on your investment. Since becoming a tipster on Bet Advisor, I have provided almost 8,000 units of profit for my clients from 549 selections, with a yield of 19.96% and a win rate of 34%. If consistent profit is what you’re after, I urge you to try my service as I guarantee you won’t be left disappointed.

Follow John Sills’ progress on Bet Advisor here.

Check Also

SBC News BHA reveals Porter-Mackrell as 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee

BHA reveals Porter-Mackrell as 2024 Thoroughbred Industry Employee

David Porter-Mackrell of Newsells Park Stud has been named the Employee of the Year at …

SBC News Virgin Bet inspires next gen of women in horse racing via new initiative

Virgin Bet inspires next gen of women in horse racing via new initiative

Virgin Bet has announced its first-ever Women’s Day event – the latest social impact initiative …

SBC News BoyleSports: A refined horse racing relationship and navigating Irish regulatory change

BoyleSports: A refined horse racing relationship and navigating Irish regulatory change

Vlad Kaltenieks, CEO of BoyleSports, outlines the operator’s strategic vision to enhance fan engagement in …