Is The Life Of A Bookie All Skittles And Champagne?
To read the press and many online betting sites you might guess that life as a bookie is one long holiday, counting your money when you have the time. But is it really that straight forward? Is it really easy money?
Many independent bookmakers are being stung by the large companies who control the live event leads which we see in so many bookmakers on the high street. Gone are the days when people were happy to place a bet and just check the newspaper the next day, more and more gamblers want to see the greyhound races happening, the jockeys pushing their horses and live football action. This is one way in which the smaller bookmakers are being held to ransom, with live feeds becoming more and more costly.
While the larger bookmakers can afford to set up their own betting sites for online gamblers, the smaller operations do not have the resources or funding to arrange such services. Many of the smaller companies are suffering from a loss of business to the internet and slowly but surely we are seeing the number of bookies falling throughout the UK. But can this be turned around?
There seems little chance of the smaller players making a major comeback because of the ever increasing competition and expenses associated with the industry. Margins are also becoming smaller and smaller with many forced to take larger and larger gambles to make ends meet. The larger players have a strangle hold on the market and are looking to tighten their grip even more.
So while the large companies continue to do well, the smaller end of the market is a different matter. No more skittles and champagne for many of the independents with more and more being forced to close their doors. While gambling is a game of margins, the margins for the independent outfits are getting smaller and smaller.
