What Are The Odds?

What Are The Odds? is the follow up to Alan Newman’s It’s Not What You Know (2016) and is co-written with Paul Jones, the author of the first 16 editions of the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide (2000-2015) and co-author of Fifty Years In The Betting Jungle (2025) by Gary Wiltshire. After over half a century as one of the most popular and recognised faces at London’s greyhound tracks as a bookmaker where he first met x12 Epsom Derby winning co-owner Michael Tabor with whom he became business partners, Alan takes readers back through the decades with stories from the thriving betting rings at the likes of Romford, Wembley, White City and Wimbledon in addition to tales from his retirement over the last ten years travelling the world as part of the Coolmore/Ballydoyle entourage and other betting-related tales. In addition, Alan has included a few betting yarns from some of his friends in this nostalgic look back at the halcyon days of greyhound racing where meetings regularly drew attendances of over 20,000 and also featuring some of the colourful characters who he came across along the way since taking over his father’s bookmaker’s pitch in 1958. Profits from sales of What Are The Odds? will be donated to the Injured Jockeys’ Fund. “I hope you enjoy Alan’s stories from a long and well-lived life as much as I have heard them on our very many travels. I have certainly heard plenty of them!” Ryan Moore “Alan has been in the greyhound bookmaking industry all his life. I am not quite sure how long I have known him, it’s at least 60 years. He is 85 now but if it’s in the veins, then it’s hard to stop. I can vouch for that!” Michael Tabor “Listening to Alan’s stories first hand down the years has been a pleasure so, now to read his book, even better.” William Buick