Professional gambler patrick Veitch.
A diminutive maths genius who detailed his astonishing winnings in his book published in 2010: Enemy Number One: Secrets of the UK’s Most Feared Professional Punter.
I’ve read this book from cover to cover and it’s been well received. I guess until Veitch found the publishing deal he was little known outside of racing circles. I can’t say I had ever heard of him. Books are a great vehicle for pro punters including: Dave Nevison, Harry Findlay and even bookmakers such as Stephen Little. All intriguing reads. If you like your gambling then its a subject matter that doesn’t disappoint.
But what are the main secrets about Patrick Veitch:
- Maths Genius
Veitch was accepted into Cambridge University at Trinity College at the age of 15. However, the interesting part is that he didn’t finish his degree and dropped out following his passion for horse racing. In fact, he had a racing tips telephone service which made him £10,000. He considered gambling offered rich pickings. A similar story to other gamblers such as Tony Bloom although he did complete his studies.
2) Death Threat
The man who had the world at his feet also had another problem. A ‘friend’ introduced him to a nasty piece of work who decided someone with so much money could easily afford to give it to a crook. However, Veitch showed some backbone and informed the police. It meant he had to keep a low profile which seriously affected his life and heightened his stress level.
3) Big Winner
As detailed in his book, Veitch recorded a nine year stint as a professional gambler. Over this period of time, he won £10M. He had about 10 phones to contact a lot of betting agents so he could get the money down. By all accounts it was a time to make hay while the sun shined. He detailed one bet on a horse he owned trained by Stuart Williams, a two-year-old winning debutant backed from odds of 100/1.
4) Bookmakers Feared Him
Unsurprisingly, bookmakers did fear him. However, with many agents helping place bets it was more about having the right process to make the money. In fact, Veitch kept ahead of the game and said even in the future, if he wished, he could bet without restriction. It is interesting that he said he won a given amount of money from rails bookmaker Stephen Little. However, Little detailed in his book that Veitch didn’t win money from him or if he did it was nowhere near the amount stated. Who knows the truth.
5) Horse Racing Tipster
Horse racing was always a passion of Veitch. I am not sure if he loved it simply as a vehicle to make big money or simply racing for what it is. It’s interesting to read that he followed in the footsteps of Dave Nevison and tipster service The Winning Line who reputedly paid colossal sums. I think Nevison detailed he was paid £100,000 per year although his relationship and performance didn’t seem as lofty as Veitch.
If you like a good read then I would recommend the books of all professional gamblers mentioned.
Photo: JC 2025
