Nick Mordin: Professional Gambler

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Nick Mordin: Professional GamblerNick Mordin is a name that resonates with horse racing enthusiasts, punters, and betting analysts alike. A unique voice in a noisy industry, Mordin carved out a legacy as one of the most influential minds in British horse racing. He wasn’t just a writer. He was a researcher, a thinker, a man obsessed with data before it became fashionable. Yet, for all his intellect and insight, Mordin’s journey into the world of professional gambling was ultimately one of isolation and exhaustion. He later vanished from public life entirely, leaving behind a trail of work that still gets referenced—but no sign of where he went or why he left.

Writing for Sporting Life Weekender and Beyond

Mordin first made his mark as a horse racing writer. For years, his work appeared in the Sporting Life Weekender, a must-read publication for serious punters in the UK. His articles were rigorous. He examined horses with a forensic lens, using data, time ratings, and form analysis long before these tools were widely adopted by the mainstream. He wasn’t just guessing winners—he was building models.

Mordin believed in objectivity. His writing was known for stripping away bias, hunches, and emotion. He focused on what the clock said. Speed figures. Sectional timings. Ground conditions. Draw bias. He brought a scientific approach to a sport dominated by folklore and “gut feelings.”

His work influenced a generation of bettors. If you were serious about betting in the 1990s or early 2000s, chances are you read Nick Mordin.

Author of Groundbreaking Horse Racing Books

Mordin’s talents weren’t confined to newspaper columns. He authored several books that are still considered essential reading for racing students and betting professionals. His most famous title, Betting For a Living, was a landmark publication. Released in the early 1990s, it provided a rare, detailed look into the mind and methods of someone trying to make a full-time living from betting.

He followed this up with Mordin On Time and Winning Without Thinking, both of which further explored his theories on speed ratings, pace angles, and how to find value in a market saturated with randomness and hype.

These books weren’t just practical guides—they were philosophical. Mordin made punters think differently. He showed that long-term success wasn’t about finding winners. It was about finding value.

Life as a Professional Gambler

But Nick Mordin wasn’t just a theorist. For a period, he walked the walk. He became a professional gambler. This was a time before Betfair. Before online bookmakers. Before the luxury of apps, instant deposits, and computer bots.

To get his bets on, Mordin had to go to the racecourses. He had to mix with on-course bookmakers. Often, he had to disguise his intent so prices wouldn’t collapse the moment he placed a bet. It was a physically and mentally demanding task.

The lifestyle took its toll. Unlike today’s digital punters who can work from a laptop anywhere in the world, Mordin had to chase prices with shoe leather and persistence. He often worked alone. There were no betting syndicates or data-sharing forums like there are now. Just one man, his stopwatch, and reams of handwritten notes.

Eventually, the grind wore him down. In interviews and later writings, he described professional gambling as a “tiring and lonely” endeavour. While he had the skills to win, the process of winning was not the fulfilling life he had hoped for.

A Mysterious Disappearance from Public Life

Then, something strange happened.

Nick Mordin disappeared from public view. His columns stopped. No new books. No interviews. No website updates. No social media presence—not even in today’s hyper-connected world.

Nobody knows where he went.

Some speculate he moved abroad. Others believe he left the racing game entirely, perhaps to find peace or pursue other interests. A few think he simply wanted anonymity after years in the spotlight. Whatever the reason, Mordin left no clues.

In an era where everyone documents their every move online, Mordin did the opposite. He vanished. Just like that.

Legacy of an Innovator

Despite his disappearance, Nick Mordin’s impact on horse racing remains. His books are still cited. His theories on speed, pace, and bias have become part of the mainstream. Betting analysts use tools he popularised decades ago.

He was ahead of his time. A data man before the data revolution. A pro gambler before the age of Betfair. A voice of reason in a game that often rewards chaos.

In the end, Nick Mordin didn’t just write about horse racing. He changed how people think about it.

Wherever he is now, his legacy gallops on.

Photo: Freepik

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