The Gambler - My Secret Life In TV Betting... And Taking The Biggest Chance Of All

The weird, wacky and wonderful betting exploits of an unconventional gambler who takes the biggest risk of his life to give up his day job and try to make a living on chance. The Gambler reveals the highs and lows, the joy and despair, and the sheer lunacy of someone willing to risk it all on the most outlandish outcomes, from betting on the winner of Eurovision and Strictly to whether a pair of pandas might mate. As a pioneer in the field of TV betting, Rob thinks he has uncovered the path to untold riches, winning big on Strictly Come Dancing, X Factor, Eurovision – you name it. While millions sat on their sofas watching and wondering who might win or who’d be evicted from their favourite shows that week, Rob would be working out the odds, checking his formulas and gambling big. With similarities to international bestseller Moneyball and Harry Findlay’s Gambling For Life: The Man Who Won Millions And Spent Every Penny, Rob’s book takes readers into the fascinating world of TV gambling and beyond. Surviving the nerve-jangling moments waiting and watching to see if his luck was in or if he’d be on the breadline that week, Rob honed his skills over years to seem almost psychic. And he didn’t stop at TV, branching out to take a chance gambling on everything from the mating habits of pandas in a zoo to whether a superstar will sing with their top off on stage. But he soon discovers that cleaning up with the bookies comes at a huge cost. With his trading exploits taking over his every waking thought, and creating a life of desolate solitude Robinson Crusoe would be proud of, he fears his obsessive pursuit of the golden ticket is poised to end unhappily, in lonely bachelorhood. So he decides to take his longest shot yet – heading off into the wilds of provincial Russia, with dreams of a James Bond-style tryst with a mystery woman who could yet turn out to be a vodka-drinking scammer aiming to fleece him out of house and home. Detailing the often weird and downright wacky investments Rob makes over two decades of betting, The Gambler reveals the roller coaster world of someone willing to risk it all on the most outlandish outcomes, including when it comes to seeking romance. Quirky, irreverent and authentic, this is a deeper tale about adventure, taking a leap of faith, and seeking to beat the odds.