#BettingPeople

Interview: BRIAN TOOMEY Brian Toomey is sadly best-known for the horror fall he survived at Perth when a jockey on the up. He was given a 3% chance of survival but after 157 days in hospital the 33/1 chance defied the odds. Incredibly, just two years after his accident he was back in the saddle. He has now set his sights on a training career for which he is now fully qualified. In this two-part Interview Brian lays bare how it really is to suffer and survive a brain injury, his beginnings brought up in an Irish dairy farm and his ambition for the future. Meeting Brian Toomey. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: PATRICK MASTERSON Patrick served almost a decade in the army before becoming managing director of independent racecourse and Britain’s most southernly, Newton Abbot. In this single interview he talks about the problems facing courses like his, including media rights, betting, abandonments and funding. Meeting Patrick Masterson. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: PARIS SMITH CEO, Pinnacle Bookmakers. Paris Smith is the American born, Caribbean-based Globe-Trotting CEO of Pinnacle Bookmakers. Started from humble beginnings over two decades ago, the company now take bets from over 100 countries in 19 different languages. Their policy of betting to tight margins to attract customers rather than offer bonuses to lure them in has proven spectacularly successful. Meeting Paris Smith. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: MATT BARKER UK born but now Australia based Matt Barker is a professional punter who specialises solely in betting on Cricket. In this series of three videos he talks about how it all started, how he’s kept winning for over a decade and why cricket is his preferred betting medium. Meeting Matt Barker. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: ADAM NORMAN Adam Norman is a professional punter that uses the edge he gets on course to bet for a living. Adam combines writing his free blog notes-from-the-north.co.uk with his betting. In this four part interview he explains how he went from working for an on-course bookie (with leopard skin car seats) to professional punting. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: SIMON WALTON Simon Walton left school devoid of qualifications after generally squandering his school days gambling. He soon saw the error of his ways and embarked on a Government YTS (Youth Training Scheme) where he learned computing skills. It wasn’t long before he started to amalgamate what he found was a natural aptitude for programming with his love of horse racing. Fast forward to now and he’s the creator and owner of the powerful Proform ratings system and form book. In this three-part interview Simon talks about his background, the origins of Proform, the ever evolving battle with the bookies and how the lazy punter can win without (too much) work. Meeting Simon Walton. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: PETER PHILLIPS Peter Phillips, CEO of City Racing (and the Queen’s eldest grandson) explains how his dream of staging horse racing in cities around the world is fast becoming reality. (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: RICK TRIGG Rick Trigg has been a professional poker player for 13 years. He’s earned the nickname ‘The Grinder’ for his work ethic, often working the on-line tables 7 days a week for weeks on end in his early days. In 2014 he was ranked #4 on-line player on the planet. He’s also successful backing horses. Wonder how he does it? (interview by Simon Nott)

Interview: JOHN HARTSON John Hartson left home at 16 to join Luton Town FC. From there, he enjoyed an immensely successful football career at some of the biggest clubs in the UK and also won 51 caps for Wales. Away from football, John has led an eventful personal life, not least because of his addiction to gambling and a battle with cancer which thankfully he is still winning. Now a father of 5, happily married and enjoying a successful career as a tv pundit, John is aiming to raise awareness about testicular cancer and gambling as well as reminisce about his life in football, in this, his most frank interview ever. (interview by Julie Collier)

Interview: NOEL HAYES Noel Hayes is a successful businessman with experience in finance and risk management before moving into the world of online gambling. He has worked with Tote Ireland, Boylesports, Bet Bright and PaddyPower. He now has embarked on a new venture with his new website, SUNDAY. (interview by Sarah Kinsella).