Take a Risk? – Why Not, You Only Live Once…

Risk Taking. We all do it. From crossing the road to bungee jumping, everyone takes risks all day long, everyday. The word ‘Risk’ is defined as something with an unknown ending – meaning that you can undertake something but there is always an element of doubt as to whether or not it will all work itself out in the end.

From the moment we are born risks are everywhere, and as we grow we seem to be more aware of the risks around us.

A recent study of risks people were willing to choose to take are:-

·         Parachuting

·         Base Jumping

·         Jumping over the Snake River on a motorcycle (Evil Knievel – Say No More!)

·         Asking your boss for a payrise

·         Getting toast out of a toaster with a knife (we’ve done it and been electrocuted – its not nice!)

·         Not washing hands before eating (that’s you, you know it is!)

Personally, we think that is what keeps things exciting.

Take this morning. We were driving along the road and our petrol light came on. So after saying ‘I’ll get to the next petrol station’ we kept driving. And then we passed the next one, and so on. If we are honest, it was a tiny bit exciting, wondering whether we would make it – sad we know!

Thrills keep you young, and the excitement of not knowing the outcome is what keeps life interesting.

It is true that there are some people who do everything to avoid risks, and play safe all the time. If you are one of those people ask yourself, when was the last time you took a risk? Whatever the word ‘risk’ means to you, you probably play it safe a bit too much. Life is supposed to be fun, exhilarating, lived to the max and most of all exciting – or what’s the point?

The point of this Risk blog is to address what we know people worry about in the betting world, especially in the Sports Arbitrage area.  Check online and you will get people posting questions over how risky it is. Gambling, they say, is too risky to invest in. The real trust is that this scares them. However, its not scary at all - we know its not. But then you probably think we are paid to tell you that.

The thing with risks is that all risks can be counterbalanced. A bit like a see saw (and they are fun, right)

The main question people have is how can we win as we are gambling. Well, here goes in terms of a counterbalance - we don’t gamble! All of the transactions we make are mathematical certainties, checked by traders so that you cannot lose.

Not only do we grab margins from horses, but we also are hugely successful at grabbing margins on football matches too!

Check out our video for more information on this:

If you are still not convinced then we suggest you stay in bed!

Let’s talk about the countries unemployment

Thankfully, as of today, the level of people in employment in the UK is rising.  Meaning the level of unemployment is dropping (look at the pretty picture below)…

 This is good news for everyone.

But have you ever wondered what makes these changes, and what is included in the figures? No? Well shame on you for not being interested.

Thank you to the BBC for the following information, in that interestingly it is people who are looking for work that are classed as unemployed, and if someone does not claim JSA then they also are not counted as unemployed.

·         A person is classed as unemployed if not only out of work, but also actively looking for work and available to start work within a fortnight

·         The unemployment figure is higher than the claimant count as many jobseekers do not or cannot claim JSA

People are become more resourceful – that’s a fact. And people who were unemployed are looking for new ways to make money, not necessarily ‘self- employed’ but using their initiative and trying to carve their own path in life, being in control of their own futures.

We know many people who now freelance, working for themselves and being in control of what they earn and when they earn it.

Recent reports stated that more people than ever are using Multi-Level Marketing to take this control, such examples are a recent article in a daily newspaper about a lady who, with the aid of Avon (yes, Avon!) has made £250,000. Now we know that sounds a bit like a pipe dream but you know, the article is genuine and she is now the company's most successful saleswoman in the UK!

The reason why she has been so successful is that, after being part of the nations unemployment statistics, she decided to take control of her life and do something different. The reason that Avon is so successful is that it operates under the model of Multi-Level Marketing.

Now Multi Level Marketing is also known as Word-Of-Mouth Marketing and is something that we operate here at Winning Express. If you wanted to become part of our network, then standard fees apply however as soon as you refer, via word of mouth, a friend or colleague to us then it makes your fees cheaper, and then if that person refers someone .. well, the world is your oyster!

So if you are looking for a change in direction, or alternatively an income that can be relied upon, look us up today. Whilst we cannot guarantee to beat the Avon Lady you will find the rewards of working with us every bit as lucrative (but we don’t provide mascara!!)

How To Live Longer by Having a Hobby…. (Really!)

Everyone has a hobby. Whether you know it or not, hobbies are, well, what we do when we are not working, cooking, cleaning up baby sick, out with our mates…

The Oxford Dictionary definition of a hobby is

‘an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure’

We have done some research on Hobbies, and can tell you that some people have particularly exciting hobbies, such as: -

·         Lego building (you cant beat a good Lego sculpture!)

·         Taxidermy

·         Base Jumping

·         Rock Climbing

·         Motor Sports

….. whilst other people have some ‘not so very interesting’ hobbies: -

·         Stamp Collecting

·         Metal Detecting

·         Crocheting

·         Fossil Hunting

·         Leaf Collecting (really!)

Hobbies are good for you. Surprising yes, but lots of research has been done over the years and in general those people with hobbies live longer as a result of keeping active.

Furthermore, hobbies can help in all kinds of ways that you wouldn’t even think of, such as: -

1)        Allowing you to spend time doing something for yourself

2)        Giving you an independent ‘thing’ to do that is not dependant on anyone else

3)        Challenges you and keeps your mind active

4)        Gives you the opportunity to meet others within the same hobby field, and make new friends

5)        Gives you an alternative career, if you have gotten really good at it (not sure about Taxidermy as a career but each to their own!)

Interestingly enough, a recent survey showed that on average people spend 5% of their annual income on hobbies, which we thought seemed a lot. On an average UK salary of £26,500, the average UK person can and does therefore spend £1325 per year on their hobby.

Looking at what that gets you, it’s a season ticket at Old Trafford (plus travel to and from, food and drink), its 4 skydives, and it’s a fraction of the most expensive stamp ever sold (12 million, just in case you were wondering – an 1856 British Guiana 1-cent Magenta no less!)

We know you are waiting for us to get to the point. And here it comes….

Sports’ betting is a hobby. Oh yes it is. We are not just making that up, look it up on the Internet and you will see it listed on hundreds of sites as a hobby. So if we were to apply the

5% rule, those of you who love nothing but a good bet have £1325 per year to spend on your ‘Hobby’. Our packages start at £99 per quarter, meaning you have the rest of your Hobby allowance to invest in what we do best … the guarantee of winning bets and a happier future.

You will just have to find yourself a new hobby then (Taxidermy anyone….)

Did You Say The Word Tax?

There are many different types of tax. We will try not to bore you but to explain what we mean it can be any of the following: -

1.        Income Tax – you know, the type that comes out your salary every month and always seem such alot!
2.        Inheritance Tax – payable on property that may be left to you in the unfortunate case of someone dying
3.        VAT  -  ‘value added tax’ which is payable on certain goods and services
4.        Road Tax – payable when you have car and want to drive on public roads
5.        Customs – the type of tax you have to pay when you bring in too many bottles of gin in duty free
6.        Taxidermy (well, not officially a tax but we left it in to see if you were paying attention, and you are. Well done.)

…. and until 2001 there was betting tax.

You may ask why we are bringing this up now, but for some of our clients, who are new to Arbitrage and are only ever used to betting on the Grand National every blue moon (we wonder if there ever has been a blue moon, will Google it later….) then they think that Arbitrage cannot possibly be the way forward as the betting tax will cause problems.

There are also other clients of ours who are worried that betting tax will come back, ending their good run whilst using our services.

For the first of you mentioned above, betting tax was abolished on the 6^th October 2001. After the tax was abolished the number of gamblers increased tremendously and those who had never betted before went crazy and were able to bet, tax free, on anything and everything (such as the recent Eurovision, really L).

The losers in the abolishment of betting tax were the bookmakers, who had to pay 15% in tax for, well, basically being a bookie!

The rules have remained the same since 2001 however at the end of 2014 new rules are to come in to play, meaning that not only do UK land based bookmakers have to still pay 15% but so do all those bookmakers from overseas who use the internet to supply remote gambling to the UK population.

We can therefore pretty much say that there will be no change back to the old rules, as currently the government is receiving much more money from betting than it ever has done.

So, with all the betting tax you save what can you do?

Well, why not take a look at our Executive Membership for our Sports Arbitrage service? From £325 per quarter, it means that not only do you save on tax but you a guaranteed a return on your money.

Furthermore, if you refer just two of your friends or colleagues to us then you could get the equivalent of £25,000 in commissions just for passing on their names, now that’s the kind of tax return that you do want to fill in. Thank you Mr. Tax Inspector!!