Who Wants to be a Bookie?
“What should I do to become a bookie?” - Believe it or not, this is a question that lately we hear very often at the call center of Payperhead.com Common sense suggests that probably not many people give thought to the idea of becoming an agent, but the fact is that quite many people feel curious about this profession. Is it the recession, perhaps, that has increased the number of calls that we receive inquiring about how to get started in the business? I don’t know, but I can’t blame people for feeling attracted to being a bookie. Bookmaking is an activity that reminds you that you can make money AND have fun at the same time. There is glamour in that and it’s certainly more interesting than watching the days go by from an office cubicle.
But the truth is that not everybody has what it takes to be a bookie. The most common misconception is that if you love sports and wagering then you are 90% done in terms of being a bookie. In order to be an agent you need to be a people-person. You definitely have to be street smart and it helps if you’re technology smart. You have to view sports with cold, objective professionalism, not with the blind love of a fan. Additionally, you have to love numbers, and talking about numbers, this profession is not for the faint of heart, either: You have to have enough courage to take financial hits every now and then.
Bookies don’t win all the time; they take hits, and when that happens a good agent should better have a strategy. Again, common sense would tell us that having a really sharp line will keep any agent safe, but that’s only part of the solution and in fact, it’s the wrong strategy in the long term. The good news is that you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to solve this problem because the guys of Las Vegas’ casinos have already solved this issue for you: They don’t make a living with killer lines, but with good advertising among many other things. You see, at the end of the day the income from being an agent doesn’t come from beating you’re players more often. The betting numbers take care of themselves, or in the case of the pay per head services, we take care of that part. The income growth comes from you having more players betting with you all the time. That’s when you will balance the book, make money and become a successful agent. Essentially, you have to have the mindset of a RECRUITER, a salesman, an advertiser. Most of what you should do is sit in bars, stadiums, anywhere in general and talk to recruit new business all the time.
Trust me on this: One or two new customers every other day will make you a lot of extra money at the end of the season, year after year. Here at Payperhead.com we have several agents who understood this business rule from the beginning and now are making a lot of money (six and even seven figures per year). It takes time, but this is a strategy that pays off in the long run. You have to recruit, every day if possible. This is not easy to do; it requires a lot of energy and an innate ability to touch the right buttons when you talk to a potential player.
Do you still think that you have what it takes to become a bookie? Then give us a call or visit us here. We’ll give you the betting software and bookie call center access so that your players can bet with you.
