My Story

.
Last Updated 16th February 2011:
------------------------------------------------------------------

My history with gambling started a long time ago. When I was very young I had a condition with my hip that stopped me from going to school. The only person available to look after me was my Grandfather so every afternoon he’d push my wheelchair to the betting shop where we’d end up fighting the smoke to try and pick some winners. My parents didn’t mind this daily routine until I started back at school when every morning I’d scan the daily paper to read the horses form and give my tips for the day. They stopped the paper soon after, but that was it – I was hooked.
.
In August 2006, I started trading sports markets instead of punting on them with an initial trading bank of just £250. I've only added my monthly profits to this trading bank since, which has helped me to increase my leverage substantially over the years.
.
In May 2008 I was given the opportunity by my employer to reduce my working hours and after a little deliberation I decided to try and address the life/work balance. I worked 3 days a week as a Project Manager until January 2011 when I decided to take a sabbatical from the day job and concentrate on gambling on the betting exchanges full time.
.
Where did I get the idea for my site?
I’ve run my own website (aptly named markiverson.com) for sometime and my blog has become an extension of that as it’s much easier to publish anything I want to say.
.
Do I have any other sites? Was/is this your first?
Back in 2003 I started a website called whisperexchange.com. The idea was to put people with inside horse racing information in touch with each other quickly. The truth was it became too big to quick. I had over 500 subscribers to my daily newsletter in no time and I didn’t have the time or technology to take it further.
.
What was my reason for starting a blog/website?
I had two main aims – the first was to diarise what I was doing so that I could learn from my mistakes and the second was to try and be an inspiration to the people out there who feel you need money to make money. Matt from Punt.com left a comment on my blog at the start of 2007 which I’ve remembered ever since – he said “big things are possible from small beginnings".
.
What's my background in the markets I try and make a profit in?
Cricket is my most successful sport – I’m a position taker and try not to rely too much on the speed of my Internet connection so it ticks all the required boxes. All of my knowledge has come from studying the sport which is something I think most punters fail to do.
.
Do you use trading software to place your bets?
Oh yes! I’d recommend anybody serious about trading to use Trading Software. Not using software allows others a huge advantage but you’ve got to take time to learn how to use it.
.
Any favourite trades? Why?
West Indies v Bangladesh in the 2007 Twenty20 Cricket World Cup stands out. I love trading Twenty20 and this match ended with my biggest individual win since I started trading - £652.99. I have beaten this total since but that was a very sweet moment.
.
What would you say to anyone who is just starting to bet or trade?
Be patient, specialise in a handful of sports to begin with and learn about risk and money management. For me, managing risk is the key.
. .
.