Tipster
Encyclopedia
The term tipster refers to someone who on a regular basis provides information (tips) on likely winners in sporting events. In the past tips were bartered for and traded but in modern times, thanks largely to the Internet and premium rate telephone lines, it's increasingly likely that a tip will be sold.
A tip in gambling
terms is a bet suggested by a third party who is perceived to be more knowledgeable about that subject than the bookmaker
who sets the prices. An individual following such tips would be "beating the bookie" by winning a greater number of times than the odds for each bet would suggest was likely, however, many tipping services are scam operations that play on the addictive
nature of betting.
Tipsters are often insiders of a particular sport able to provide bettors with information not publicly available. There are other tipsters who provide equally respectable results through analysis of commonly accessible information.
Tipster is also a UK slang
term for a person who gives information regarding potential news stories, particularly those involving celebrities, to journalist
s.
Good tipsters use statistical based estimations and extensive research about the outcome of a game, and compare this estimation with the bookmaker odds. If there is a gap between the estimate odds and the bookmakers odds, the tipster is said to identify "value." When value is found, the tipster is recommending the bettor to place a bet on this match.
but can apply to any sport that has odds offered on it. The relaxed cultural attitude towards gambling in the UK is increasingly resulting in a gambling element being promoted alongside sport coverage in the media.
Nap (derived from the card game Napoleon
) indicates this is the tipster's most confident selection of the day.
nb = "Next best" and indicates another selection that the tipster rates highly.
Both types of selections would be counted in calculating the tipsters running profit/loss figure which states how far in profit or loss an individual would be if they had backed every tip with a level stake (£1).
television program The Morning Line previews weekend horse racing on a Saturday morning culminating in the panel of experts and guests providing their selections for the day. Sky Sports News
runs a similar preview segment including expert analysis of the teams and betting odds relating to Premiership football fixtures on a Saturday.
are increasingly being used as a means to share ideas and information within web communities and many such forums exist in the gambling arena as a means of discussing views on events or simply offering advice and tips. While many in the gambling community view this as a way in which they can earn respect from their peers in an otherwise isolated profession, tipping services also use these areas to attract users to their premium schemes.
but the commonly referred to term for the activity of Footy tipping now also covers Soccer, Rugby League
and Rugby Union
. In the UK there are a growing number of such competitions but most relate to the Horse Racing
industry.
In theory, tipping for prizes in a free competition provides a viable alternative to gambling for real. However, many will take the opposite view that it makes gambling more accessible to a wider audience by creating what is perceived to be a safe route in. There is also a lot of scope for gamblers looking to identify good tips using such competitions as an information resource given some competitions publish current tips entered and historical records for the tipsters involved.
Derren Brown
's The System Channel 4 program exposed one such method by which tipping services operate. In effect by giving out different tips to different people in a race of a set number of horses one person is guaranteed to win. The bettor who won could then assume that they received real insight into the race outcome from the tipster and may then return and pay for subsequent tips.
A tip in gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
terms is a bet suggested by a third party who is perceived to be more knowledgeable about that subject than the bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
who sets the prices. An individual following such tips would be "beating the bookie" by winning a greater number of times than the odds for each bet would suggest was likely, however, many tipping services are scam operations that play on the addictive
Behavioral addiction
Behavioral addiction is a form of addiction which does not rely on drugs or alcohol. Increasingly referred to as process addiction or non-substance-related addiction ) behavioral addiction includes a compulsion to repeatedly engage in an action until said action causes serious negative consequences...
nature of betting.
Tipsters are often insiders of a particular sport able to provide bettors with information not publicly available. There are other tipsters who provide equally respectable results through analysis of commonly accessible information.
Tipster is also a UK slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term for a person who gives information regarding potential news stories, particularly those involving celebrities, to journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s.
Good tipsters use statistical based estimations and extensive research about the outcome of a game, and compare this estimation with the bookmaker odds. If there is a gap between the estimate odds and the bookmakers odds, the tipster is said to identify "value." When value is found, the tipster is recommending the bettor to place a bet on this match.
Sports
Tipping in the betting arena is mostly associated with horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
but can apply to any sport that has odds offered on it. The relaxed cultural attitude towards gambling in the UK is increasingly resulting in a gambling element being promoted alongside sport coverage in the media.
Stocks and shares
While the term gambling is often considered to be confined to sports betting or at least the services offered by a bookmaker, the classification can also be applied to investing in stocks where the gamble relates to a share or commodity price moving in a certain direction. Stock tips, as publicised in the financial sections of the media, are largely directed at the casual investor but their interrelation and interest to the business sector has proven to be controversial.Newspaper
Most National newspapers in the UK employ a tipster or columnist who provides horse racing tips. Rather than pick a tip for each race that occurs on a given day the normal protocol is to provide a Nap and nb selection.Nap (derived from the card game Napoleon
Napoleon (card game)
Napoleon or Nap is a straightforward trick taking game in which players receive five cards each; whoever bids the highest number of tricks chooses trumps and tries to win at least that many. It is a simplified relative of Euchre, and with many variations throughout Northern Europe...
) indicates this is the tipster's most confident selection of the day.
nb = "Next best" and indicates another selection that the tipster rates highly.
Both types of selections would be counted in calculating the tipsters running profit/loss figure which states how far in profit or loss an individual would be if they had backed every tip with a level stake (£1).
Television
The popular Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television program The Morning Line previews weekend horse racing on a Saturday morning culminating in the panel of experts and guests providing their selections for the day. Sky Sports News
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
runs a similar preview segment including expert analysis of the teams and betting odds relating to Premiership football fixtures on a Saturday.
Community
ForumsInternet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
are increasingly being used as a means to share ideas and information within web communities and many such forums exist in the gambling arena as a means of discussing views on events or simply offering advice and tips. While many in the gambling community view this as a way in which they can earn respect from their peers in an otherwise isolated profession, tipping services also use these areas to attract users to their premium schemes.
Tipping Competitions
Australia has led the way in the emergence of tipping competitions where the object is to win prizes for registering virtual bets. The focus of the majority of these competitions has been Australian rules footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
but the commonly referred to term for the activity of Footy tipping now also covers Soccer, Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. In the UK there are a growing number of such competitions but most relate to the Horse Racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
industry.
In theory, tipping for prizes in a free competition provides a viable alternative to gambling for real. However, many will take the opposite view that it makes gambling more accessible to a wider audience by creating what is perceived to be a safe route in. There is also a lot of scope for gamblers looking to identify good tips using such competitions as an information resource given some competitions publish current tips entered and historical records for the tipsters involved.
Tipping scams exposed
Premium tipping services charge a fee for accessing a tip or tips by phone/internet or post. The more reputable companies will keep an accurate record of their tipping activities enabling a prospective client to assess their past form and so anticipate potential future performance. There is a lot of scope for less reputable operations to massage these figures or even to fabricate figures in order to attract new customers. The scale of the issue is considerable given recent estimates from the OFT state the figure lost to tipster scams each year is between £1 million and £4 million in the UK alone.Derren Brown
Derren Brown
Derren Victor Brown is a British illusionist, mentalist, painter, writer and sceptic. He is known for his appearances in television specials, stage productions and British television series such as Trick of the Mind and Trick or Treat...
's The System Channel 4 program exposed one such method by which tipping services operate. In effect by giving out different tips to different people in a race of a set number of horses one person is guaranteed to win. The bettor who won could then assume that they received real insight into the race outcome from the tipster and may then return and pay for subsequent tips.