POV: Wanted: Underestimaters (Ben Keith)

In this interview with a ladylike and fiercely determined Emily Wallis, Emily talks about being underestimated as a young person. But with wisdom, focus, and an early gravitas, she shrewdly describes this as a positive. writes BEN KEITH.

Being underestimated, as a young person in betting, is not just frustrating, but it also cuts.

You do not lower yourself when older, and revisit the ignorant with their ignorance. You carry no bitterness. You forgave during your rise. But it does not mean you did not know. Or that you forgot the comments. Or who made them.

What has played out, though, is that the Underestimaters are always the ones who have departed with pathetic excuses. Or are struggling on, at a declining pace, having not moved forward; full of blame, and excuses they have created; that “The Game is gone”. How wrong they are…

The winners, those who have grown as people and professionally, exponentially, over the previous decades, are enablers, those with the humility to give and take time to listen to and learn from the opinions of a younger person. And at other times, put an arm on their shoulder, out of nothing more than care, to protect them from misplaced trust or belief.

When you have been underestimated, it leaves you with a positivity that Emily Wallis already “gets”. The knowledge that you are definitely not the individual lacking maturity in that interaction.

Bookmakers, goliaths, legacy privileged operators, who underestimated threats of betting-exchanges and colleagues coming through with different identities and ideas, ended up running away to merge their mediocrity.

As a Punter, to be underestimated is a pleasure, a joy to be relished, and a time to make hay. If a bookmaker thinks they are bigger than where the market has moved on to, should you not take the money, as they hold on, with defiant pride, to their dated principles; someone else will. Tuck in. Heads will roll. And your name may be their juvenile figure of blame, but you taught the lesson. More fool them.

The most rough, arrogant, surly, bullying, threatening, pig-ignorant punters; are those I have beaten hardest. The more they mock, collude, and slag you off to their low IQ, free ticket in & lunch poncing sycophants, whilst boasting of their wealth; the harder they fall. “Yes, sir.” Translation; “You be right, I’ll have the money though”.

“This game tames lions.” And well done to Emily for being 20 years ahead of her time, accepting this, and taking it as a positive. THE APPLE CLEARLY HASN’T FALLEN FAR FROM THE TREE

In other news:

Super Kevin Keegan is not a well boy. But nothing beats the human spirit, even when it passes on. Strength of character, integrity, and a positive will to better oneself and one’s colleagues, never dies. It is remembered. And it is carried on. GOOD LUCK, SUPER-KEV

Over and out,
Ben x

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