Well onto the new year 2012

I already made resolutions- changes a few months back, I dont need to make any big new ones, I knew what needed to be done then and although I havent achieved all the drastic changes I aimed for, good progress has been made and now these drastic changes have to be completed 100%

My main goal for this year is to get a good body, I dont want to be some gym head, just want a body that makes me feel good about myself and more confident.. plus it sucks not being able to wear your own clothes because as soon as you eat something, youre belly shows off massively! Very frustrating.

Money wise I want to earn £200 000, thats the target, thats everything included, doesnt have to be poker where I make £200 000. Ive had four consecutive £100k earning years, hitting £200k for the year would be a real achievement, I just need to retain a lot of the money though because it breeds more.

2012 is going to be the year I get my life into shape 100%, organisation/routine/not being a degen, other things too that i have been unhappy with, all these bad habits are not going to exist 2013+

Progress month by month and at some point this year everything I wrote down in notepad is going to be true, it wont make me the worlds happiest person but it will definitely be a massive positive.

Nothing new really here, im going to go America again for 30 days and im gonna stay in Vegas for longer, im not going to play the WSOP I dont think, just going to have a great time again, I think 2013 is the year ill start playing the WSOP.

This year to me is my last partying year, not that Ill never go out again afterwards, I just wont do things like this week where im out 4 nights a week getting ridiculously smashed. Or holidays that are basically just a month long booze up.

Im going to buy some nice things, im going to live in a better place, a house with tons of space, or a sick apartment, probably the last year Im still splashing money around.

Ive not played poker for about 10-12 days, probably not going to play for the next few weeks either, got a few trips planned around the UK visiting different people and my poker mate from scotland is coming down to visit also.

Doesnt really feel like a new fresh start to me, everythings ticking along alright.

Definitely a big year though, ive got a feeling quite a few regs are going to drop from poker too, the games getting harder, there is no way Ill be one of them.

Everybody gets down

First off just saying I can't tell everything on this blog, I know it sometimes seems like i spill my guts but it only covers at most 20% of whats going through my head/my life, no guts spilling at all.

I think some of my family read this so I have to bare that in mind

Ive had massive trouble sleeping lately, ive always been a bad sleeper and its been a constant issue in my life, but right now its a very very bad, possibly the worst its been, Im lay there for hours at the moment just thinking and thinking, stressing and anxious, I thought I might do a post here to see if it helps, maybe my head will clear a little

Everything is still on schedule, all my plans are in tact, ive done what I set out to do, there is no chance of me ever degening on blackjack again, ive found out I had more will power than I thought. Its not extremely strong yet, but its not on the floor where I left it.

For a long time I wanted everything so fast, its counter-productive of course and the only direction you go at any pace is backwards.

Every year I say the same thing, im more wise, im gradually understanding myself better. I dont particularly like who I am, although I like who I am really, who am I to me and how I see myself, I wouldnt swap places with anyone, I dont think many people would swap who they are either.

I just dont like the way I conduct myself I guess, my vocabulary is pretty limited because ive been out of education since I was 16 so I cant always use the best words to make my point! Illustrate my point! better

I think there is a lot of different me's floating about my head, not because I think im so deep and complex, I think everyone has it the same.. I just think the confident people, the assured people and basically happiest are the ones who are so sure of who they are, they dont think about it, they dont doubt themselves. I see confident people and im like how do they do that?

If youre a shy guy with girls, its bizzare to see a really confident guy and the way he talks with no self doubt, no real care and no fear of rejection, thats another word to throw in there, the confident people just dont have real fears either.

I dont think you can grow confidence too much, maybe I dont know what im talking about.

I figure if youre shy, you are shy, you can change it to an extent, but wont that self doubt always be there, isnt it all natural instinct

Im shy a lot of the time but not all of the time, I have this blog for one, but im self conscious about people reading it for sure, im constantly thinking about how I come accross, I definitely do it for the attention and I want people to know im successful.

I think my ultimate dreams are impossible, just not possible now, at all, thats a bit sad, because I still have the same dreams but I cant reach them.

This isnt backtracking on all the progress ive made, not at all. Ive actually pulled it out of the bag and sorted my life out, I have a personal trainer ffs! And I dont eat chocolate! I had one packet of crisp on christmas day and realised this isnt for me! Thats progress

Im always a little inclined to sadness, I think I almost enjoy it in a way, its all a bit fucked up. On the whole im in a very good place, one thing I love at the moment is time spent with my family, its great how you get older and realise how important family is, my sister once said to me at the end of a sentence, in no great conviction, surround yourself with people who love you.. its always stuck with me that, I keep thinking about it and thats why we all come to realise how family is almost everything.

Im feeling a little lonely I guess, but I think everyone does at some point

Ive never been in love with a girl and im almost 25, I think this contributes, ive told girls I loved them but never meant it, I never felt it.

Thats something to look forward to and I always make a point of takind advice from people older than me, with life experience that I just dont have. Experience is everything in everything.

Thats one thing they say, meeting a good woman changes everything.

I suppose its just how natural it is.

Going to try and sleep.

Little post

Hey, I got a comment on my last post asking for an EV graph so here it is, Im pretty sure he and some others were probably expecting some sick luckbox 10k above ev, but there are many ways to be a luckbox without ev! Ive been pretty bang on most of the time which is good for the mind, and am in fact below ev so maybe entitled to a moan!

SPORTS BETTING

A bit of history to this. For two years before I took poker on very seriously I was very enthusiastic with my football betting. I was a member of a few "punting" websites where people discuss views and tips, then eventually towards the latter stages I was invited to a few private forums for "elite" tipping. Eventually even though winning I lost some interest because I was so fixated on poker and the money i could make from that, there was a lot more potential, faster too!

I started off like your average noob, betting on 15 team accumulators, correct scores, score casts all the mug punter crap, eventually through speaking to the right people got it drummed into me that Singles are the only way to make a serious buck out of it, long term.

Eventually I grasped the concept of value and the odds made more sense in my head, I started to distinguish what value bets were, it doesn't matter if I think Newcastle are going to win, if they are 1/3 on there isn't enough value. Its all about %, every team has a given % to win a match, the bookmakers have there opinion, and I have my own.

If I think a team have a 33% (2/1) chance of winning a match and they are 4/1 (20%) I'm going to snap that up, even though 2/3 times they wont win. Its all about the long term.

Its a very basic concept which many will be familiar with but its still sup rising how many people fail to grasp or just plain ignore it. Its very similar to poker, the variance is likewise quite huge.

In terms of football itself variance is massive, its all results oriented which poker theory teaches is not quite the right approach! Although to a certain extent it's enough. I suppose any premiership teams will deviate at most 15pts from what they should really achieve over 38 games, although its hard to nail down a figure.

Anyway I used to bet mainly long prices and even had my own very profitable 2/1 system going (which was more of a strategy really).. had a few followers and when it was retired through neglect it was pretty much at its peak.

Once I got settled with poker I started to dabble back into it, by this point I was quite out of touch so my bets were few and far between. I got to a point two seasons ago in the last half where I was bang in the game again, my knowledge was as high as it had been, and I was doing more bets, successfully too.. (ante post bets were where i found some sick value) The following season, last season, in the first 6 months I lost touch again, I did the odd bet here and there when I thought it was on, but my knowledge wasn't enough to do as many as I would have liked.

Also I was a massive degen during these years and the less money I retained the less money I had to indulge myself into sports betting, even though I knew how +ev it was. Towards the end of last season I was on fire again, I was up to date with everything lower league, and I made a decent sum. During the summer would have liked to place a huge ton of ante post bets because I know there was a lot of good value out there, but through degen sessions again I didn't want to tie up money for a season, the opportunity cost of playing blackjack is huge! But that's not even a problem anymore, just a mistake from the past.

So onto this season and I decided ok sit back first month or so, keep bang on it with all the lower leagues and then go really serious this season and keep records of how im doing, basically a recorded season of profitability from my football betting to build the confidence and drive on into future years, its never going away!

If I can add this to my repertoire it would be amazing, the more money I retain from poker the more I can invest in a way into a profitable strategy of football betting. If it has a positive ROI then the returns could be potentially huge

Now before I list my bets from this season so far, I appreciate its all after eventing and its useless saying oh I bet on this, this and that. Anyone can do that.

But im an honest person and right at the start of this blog there were comments I recall about how my poker profession was a lie..It was another load of shite, online poker player with a big ego making stuff up, but obviously 3 years and a million graphs of proof of earnings later its not a problem! Its like when I first started playing poker professionally, 95% of people instantly think "youll lose in the end" "but how much do you lose" or that im even lying, again fast forward years later its been proven otherwise, everyone grasps that pro poker player is actually a legitimate way to make a living, for quite a lot of people too.. unless you come ac cross someone you meet first time! Then the stereo types kick in.

My point being; yes this is all worthless right now but im gonna keep a record of my season bets just like I do with poker on here. What im going to do is keep a separate log of bets made after this post, which ill put up before the event so then its 100% beyond doubt that the bet was made before the outcome, even though I have no reason to lie in the first place!

I have a 1-6pt system, 6pts obviously being a huge value bet, this will come up very rarely.

You can put whatever £ figure you like to represent 1pt, you can bet £5 a point or £5000 per point. Its all about long term profit.

Mainly my bets are longer odds so I have more losers than winners, but when they do come in they are nice big returns, not always the case, there are some short prices thrown in there!



BET TYPE.................. ODDS......STAKE....RESULT.RETURN

HUDDERSFIELD TO WIN.......(8/11)..... 3.5.... WON... 6.045
BRENTFORD TO WIN..........(9/4)...... 1.5.... LOST.. 0
CHARLTON WIN TO NIL.......(7/4)...... 1...... LOST.. 0
BURTON TO WIN.............(3/1)...... 2...... WON... 4
WIMBLEDON TO WIN..........(10/3)..... 2...... WON... 8.666
COLCHESTER TO WIN.........(5/6)...... 2...... LOST.. 0
SHEFF WED TO WIN..........(8/11)..... 3...... WON... 5.182
SHRESWBURY TO WIN.........(4/6)...... 2.5.... WON... 4.165
SOUTHEND TO WIN...........(6/4)...... 6...... WON... 15

IPSWICH TO WIN............(11/4)..... 1.25... LOST.. 0
M'BORO WIN TO NIL.........(2/1)...... 2.25... LOST.. 0
NOTTS C TO WIN............(7/4)...... 3.5.... WON... 9.625
NOTTS C -1 TO WIN.........(19/4)..... 1...... WON... 5.75
WIMBLEDON TO WIN..........(1/1)...... 2...... LOST.. 0
SOUTHEND TO WIN...........(20/21).... 1...... LOST.. 0
CRYSTAL P TO WIN..........(10/11).... 2...... WON... 3.818

LEEDS TO WIN..............(19/10).... 1.5.... WON... 4.35
BARLSLEY +1 TO WIN........(6/5)...... 0.5.... LOST.. 0
HULL WIN TO NIL...........(15/8)..... 1.5.... LOST.. 0
LEICESTER WIN TO NIL......(15/8)..... 1.5.... LOST.. 0
CARLISLE DRAW NO BET......(5/2)...... 1.25... LOST.. 0
CARLISLE +1 TO WIN........(11/10).... 1.25... LOST.. 0
HUDDERSFIELD TO WIN.......(10/11).... 1...... WON... 1.909
CREWE -1 TO WIN...........(7/2)...... 0.5.... LOST.. 0
DAG VS ALD OVER 2.5 GOALS.(11/10).... 0.75... WON... 1.575
SHREWSBURY TO WIN.........(2/1)...... 4 ..... LOST.. 0
SHREWSBURY -1 TO WIN......(5/1)...... 0.75... LOST.. 0
SHREWSBURY -2 TO WIN......(14/1)..... 0.25... LOST.. 0
SOUTHEND -1 TO WIN........(9/4)...... 1.25... WON... 4.063
CHELTENHAM TO WIN.........(19/10).... 1.5.... WON... 4.35
MAN CITY TO WIN...........(3/1)...... 2...... WON... 8

BRENTFORD TO WIN..........(11/8)..... 0.5.... LOST.. 0
SHEFF WEDS DRAW NO BET....(1/1)...... 2...... LOST.. 0
COLCHESTER TO WIN.........(1/1)...... 1.25... LOST.. 0
TRANMERE DRAW NO BET......(6/5)...... 1.75....WON... 3.85
SOUTHEND -1 TO WIN........(7/2)...... 2.25... WON... 10.125
SOUTHEND TO WIN...........(23/20).... 1.25... WON... 2.687
B ROV V PV OVER 2.5 GOALS.(8/11)..... 1...... WON... 1.727
B ROV V PV OVER 3.5 GOALS.(2/1)...... 1...... LOST.. 0
HEREFORD DOUBLE CHANCE....(10/11).... 2.5.... WON... 4.773
HEREFORD TO WIN...........(3/1)...... 1...... WON... 4
WIMBLEDON TO WIN..........(2/1)...... 3.5.... LOST.. 0
WIMBLEDON -1 TO WIN......(11/2)..... 0.75... LOST.. 0
WIMBLEDON -2 TO WIN.......(14/1)..... 0.25... LOST.. 0
BURY TO WIN...............(11/4)..... 2...... LOST.. 0
PLYMOUTH TO WIN...........(18/5)..... 1...... LOST.. 0
CREWE TO WIN..............(14/5)..... 1.5.... LOST.. 0
ARSENAL V EVERTON 0-1GOALS(3/1)...... 1.5.... WON... 6
NAPOLI TO WIN.............(5/6)...... 3...... WON... 5.5
CHELSEA TO WIN............(4/5)...... 3.5.... WON... 6.3
OLYMPIAKOS TO WIN.........(1/1)...... 3.5.... WON... 7
BARCELONA TO WIN..........(2/1)...... 2...... WON... 6
COLCHESTER TO WIN.........(19/10).... 2.5.... WON... 7.25
BOLTON TO WIN.............(11/4)..... 1...... WON... 4.75

ANTE POST BETS (1-15PT SCALE)

DAVID SILVA PFA PLAYER OF THE SEASON 12PTS 15/2
NORWICH TO BE RELEGATED 8PTS 5/6
WEST HAM TO BE PROMOTED 14PTS 2/1
NORWICH CONCEDE MOST GOALS 3PTS 7/1
PORT VALE TO FINISH TOP 7 7PTS 5/2
DARRYL DUFFY TOP L2 SCORER (E/W) 1PT 50/1


STAKED: 96.5PTS

RETURN: 156.46PTS

PROFIT: 59.96PTS

So basically if you were backing everything I did £500 per 1 pt, you would be up £30 000

I wish I was backing £500 per 1pt! I started off smaller like £50 per point, and obviously as Ive been crushing Ive been backing larger and larger amounts per pnt, not quite £500 though! The more I retain through poker the higher I can go, and im convinced im mega +ev

Anyway now ill keep a new log of my bets with a timeline proof on here. Ive also had 15-20 other bets that arent logged on the spreadsheet on this PC, im in profit there also! So when they re added its even more impressive, they should be in the middle of all them bets somewhere.

With sports betting I can take my current sources of income to four, poker being the main number one. Through staking players and through another source Im bringing in £25k-£30k per year lately which looks increasingly likely to increase close to £40-45k for 2012..then if I can add some good profitable sportsbetting, looking at a huge income outside of even poker! Which is obviously the dream for every poker player.

progress

£17 603 won so far from 42 days.. ive not actually played every day though so technically its better than the £420 per day average

Not even a hint of any degening on blackjack, not a sniff that I ever will again, just not eve tempted in the slightest, I really did turn the corner this time

I havent even eaten a pcket of crisps for one month! Was like 3-4 a day now just zero, same with chocolate, I mean its not backpage headliens but im proving to myself I have decent self control.

Work with my personal trainer looks encouraging, I might have a decent body in time for next summer so i actually wont be afraid to go to the beach/pool, although I will definitely burn.

My money making is improving month on month outside of poker, basically because im retaining so much of what im winning here, "investing" in other money making opportunities and the way I feel, have the world at my feet. . couple of years late possibly but its never really to late

update

DAYS: 34
PROFIT: £15 076

Over the £15 000 mark now with rakeback included, which I actually havent until this point, added an extra £1k to the £14k won at the tables

Also nice that im winning at over $1 per hand with quite a bit of room to spare! Pretty sick

Not been able to play much lately at all, everythings been a bit busy relative to my usual non-busy life

I also just hired a personal trainer for myself, ive been doing well getting into shape on my own but I dont really know what im doing and having someone who knows what theyre doing is going to be a massive help! Im not expecting miracles and I dont care if its value for money, its just going to be better for me to get into shape with a personal trainer than without one. Apparentley you can be shown loads of stats, week by week of your progress which is great, im in love with numbers/figures and improving them week by week will be great motivation, ive basically hired holdem manager for my life!

Going to City tommorrow, I dont expect us to go through :( but I do think we'll beat Bayern, it really does take some getting used to atm, the winning mentality, im so used to disappointment with City, that 6-1 win really was a special day!

I think ill make £100k in less than 250 days, im going to be moving up stakes along the way too

goat love

26 DAYS
£12 337

30 minutes from a new calendar month so thought id recap my results

Ive took a few days off lately, and for a whole month the volume is not a lot, ill struggle to put a lot of hrs next month too because its December but im not forcing anything

26 Days ive stuck rigidly to my new life plan, things could not be going any better than they are at this point, but its going to get a whole lot better next year too

£100 000 COUNTDOWN

The next step I'm going to take is a £100 000 challenge

I've got strong momentum going right now and I need to make the most of this blistering start I've had.

I don't have to play a certain number of hands, a certain number of days or hours, the basic Idea is " lets see how many days it takes to make £100k" I'm going to put a maximum 365 day limit to it though, as it just wont be impressive or notable to take over a year to do it

Its going to include the 20 days it took to make the £10 000 as I need the graph to stay the same, I've learnt from my mistakes in the past. Id achieve great success then start again at point zero and if I had a bad restart there was a chance id go off the rails. I just need to keep this momentum and this feeling going, its my best chance of success.

I was thinking before about how successful I want to be, there is only so many times I can keep repeating myself but its been a massive waste of potential these last few years, I don't think I've ever achieved my potential in anything, this applies to a ton of people though, its not just me and I suppose you only ever fulfill potential or Ir seems like you have, when you rise to the top of your field, and even then you can over achieve and basically outstrip your potential through luck, variance etc..

Thinking about it; at what point would I talk about being a success? I think having £1Million would be enough to start to say that.

Becoming a self made millionaire from a £10 deposit (or something like that) would be impressive and definitely successful.

Now obviously all this money is worthless without being happy in your personal life, but for me at least I don't think I could achieve one without the other. What Ive talked about and realised is that everything needs to be going right, I cant achieve what I want if my life is a mess, or if im unhappy. So if I do become "successful" then its a given that i will have been happy all round anyway; earning the money wont bring me happiness, the happiness will be a huge factor in me earning the money.

Ill share it all with the people I Like/Love anyway and make there lives better if I can, it is worthless without being able to share it. Im a very realistic person and the more money you have the more freedom you have, and there are more opportunities you are able to take. My summer trip cos me £14 000 and it was amazing and im going to do something similar next year. Im going to continue to give my family money to help them like they helped me.

Im basically trying to prove im not money obsessed, when maybe I actually am.. but like I said im a realist and it all ties into ambition, drive and motivation. I refuse to accept that wanting success really badly makes me a bad person. Not that anyone is actually saying that to me lol, but for some reason at the back of my mind I keep thinking it though!

Anyway the next poker chapter for me, is a long one

£100 000 COUNTDOWN

Im going to keep playing 1/2 til the year runs out then im going to make new bankroll plans

Poker is an ever changing game, and im going to make month to month plans on what games/stakes to play. You never know in 6 months time I could have turned into an MTT Pro! Ill just use the best judgement I have as to what time I should move up limits to maximise my earnings and minimise Tilt/Carelessness