I wrote the following thread on Thursday last week but only sharing now. I’ve used Twitter like a diary of my betting journey the last few years. This is the final chapter of my story.

Hard to know where to start with this thread really. My betting journey is at an end. It ended at 5pm on 9th June.

Been a really enjoyable ride (first online betting a/c opened in early 2008) and the last 3.5 years I have been betting/trading the racing have been well documented on this and my other Twitter accounts.

Before the racing in 2018, I had a great run betting on footie using my own ratings and systems although the ending took the gloss of the previous good work, still made me plenty of money and nice to show I had an edge (even if it evaporated by the end!)

I’ve met so many great people online over the last 13 years and too many to mention individually. Those who have interacted with me through either my real name Graeme Dand or my couple of non-de plumes (The Football Analyst and The Form Analyst) have hopefully enjoyed the journey

I’m about to become a Dad for a 3rd time next week and I was so looking forward to it. Already have two daughters (4,6) with my wonderful wife Denise (been with her since high school) and we are over the moon to be expecting a baby boy. Completes the family we always dreamt about

I’ve never been the luckiest in life generally with my health. Born with some medical issues, numerous operations when I was young but lived a pretty healthy life from a young boy.

That changed a few weeks ago. Started getting some pain in stomach but went to GP, got bloods took etc. and all came back clear. Everything good until Tuesday 8th June.

Started getting a pain in my right side, identical to a stitch is only way I can describe it. Sitting at my desk at home whilst working. Will skip the next 12hrs as all boring really as I’m admitted to hospital but initial diagnosis was it was likely a hernia.

Needed a CT scan to confirm and then I could go home. I’m a pretty bright guy (well I tell myself that!) and you know when you know something is wrong, you can’t miss the signs. Had a CT scan before.

You get one scan without dye in your arm, then a dye is input (makes you feel hot as it goes through your body) and then they scan. This was different. Took 2 scans, came out and said they needed another 3 scans.

Radiologist then came out (rather than his juniors I was dealing this) and asked how long I’d had pain (24hrs was my reply). Said they needed to take a few more scans. #theyknew

I was then wheeled back to the waiting area for a porter. Massive queue, I join back of queue. ‘Don’t worry Graeme, I’ll get someone to take you back first, give me a minute’ the nurse says. Porter appears to start wheeling me back. ‘You’ll be popular’ he joked. #sheknew

Get back to the ward. Waiting on doctors doing afternoon round to get results. Been in hospital many times. I know how the rounds work. Bay by bay, bed by bed. Gets to me in bay 1, bed 4. “I’ll speak to you at end of the round Graeme”, “no worries” I replied. #heknew

My phone going mad. Everyone texting, how did scan go, what did doctor say etc. Just had to put on brave face and say will be another hour so, doctors running late.

Then I got the dreaded question from the nurse. Do I want to contact my family to come in before I speak to the consultant. #Iknew

Easy decision to this was no. Wife is 38 weeks pregnant and she’s the only one I would want. I couldn’t put this on her. I had to do it myself and then I could control what happens next and how the news is shared.

Meeting went as badly as I expected. CT scan showed cancer in the bower, liver and lungs and very aggressive. Unfortunately, spread too much to operate and remove it all although Oncologists are working on a treatment plan.

Chemo a possibility and they’d do whatever they can to give me some quality of life and for as long as they can. Sitting here in tears writing this (lost a lot of tears!) but hard to really write down how I thought.

To have had no clue at all to suddenly being told I was going to die. It’s 0-100 in a short timescale for sure. I then had tricky decision, who do I phone first? Settled on my Mum.

I knew I wouldn’t get out any words and therefore, I couldn’t do this to Denise (my wife). I needed a trial run. Dad would be useless as shows no emotion. Phoned my mum and no surprise, I struggled to speak thru tears.

That started her off and somehow I managed to piece together a sentence as she let out the loudest crying scream I think I’ve ever heard. I’d broken her heart. Never felt so bad. Managed to get on top of it and suggested she goes to my sisters.

I’d then need to call Denise and my Dad and they all need to come up that night. Call with Denise was OK. Denise knows me so well, got together at school, only person I’ve ever loved and she knew as soon as I opened my mouth. She’s so strong.

Told me it would be OK, we’d come up with a plan and that I needn’t worry. She’d bring kids to her Mums and come up to hospital. Said I needed to speak to my Dad and although I tried to explain how the meeting went and I don’t have long I suspect, she wasn’t listening.

Then phoned my Dad. Went as expected. Not one to show his emotions. ‘No probs kid, stay strong and I’ll be up there as soon I can’.

I was then done. Lots more people to tell, lots of loose ends to tie up before I go and this is one. Will stay around on Twitter but the first decision I made after I heard was I am done with the racing/betting. Withdrew all balances and that’s the end of my betting journey

As well as getting lots of advice and help over the years online, I’d like to think I’ve passed on lots of knowledge and ways to win as well as thousands of bets and hopefully everyone who’s been on the ride with me at any point has enjoyed it and made some money along the way.

It’s been a blast and I was trying to think of a killer ending to this (apart from the fucking obvious of me popping my clogs!). I guess an obvious question is what’s the one piece of advice I’d give to anyone who was in my position 13 years ago?

Seems obvious and anyone who has followed me from the beginning knows I brought this with me from my career but tracking every bet you have is the best thing you can do. As well as showing if you have an edge or not overall, it will help you see what works and what doesn’t.

Discipline is the one thing I developed over the first 12 months and recording results forensically helped this to develop.

So many reading this won’t be recording bets (I check my account P&L son and that shows me how much I’ve won etc) but if you really want to make this sustainable, track your results.

Anyway, I think I’m done. Apologies for the length of this thread as usual. I can’t remember how to unroll it and get it on a single page but someone will do it when they read this I suspect!

Best of luck in the future and I know it’s a cliche but life is too short, treasure it with your family. Graeme