It can be hard for the average punter to accept, but bookmakers have all sides of the industry covered. Professionals are employed to look at every aspect of the business - I was once an odds compiler for Coral, and can testify that people study television clips all day to make themselves aware of every scenario that they are laying odds for, on behalf of the company.

They have statisticians at their disposal and any number of other experts, egg-heads and boffins who have been studying individual sporting events, every goal scored, every wicket taken and every sporting scenario you can possibly imagine.