Spring is in the air. Endeavour Hills bookmaker Norm Oke is looking forward to the Cranbourne Cup and said this year’s Spring Racing Carnival will be a cracker. Picture: Stewart Chambers.Glen Atwell
BOOKMAKER Norm Oke will be the under the pump at this year’s Cranbourne Cup.
The Endeavour Hills ‘bookie’ will be juggling numbers, assessing liabilities and taking bets, but all with a smile.
Norm has been a bookmaker for 10 years and has a real passion for the industry and the punters that make his job enjoyable.
“It’s all about the people that get down to the course and into the betting ring, so it’s important to be courteous and friendly, regardless of the stress,” he said.
Norm said he loved his job and that every day told a different tale.
“I just love it, this job takes me across Victoria and even across Australia,” he said. “Every day is different, every race is unique.”
In an industry where no outcome is certain, there is high highs and even lower lows, but Norm said part of the game was to trust the percentages.
“Bookmakers have a mathematical advantage, but that doesn’t mean every day’ a winning one,” he said.
“You have to look at the results over the course of the year and not adjust the way you work because of one bad day.”
With the number of Victorian bookmakers dwindling, or scaling back the size of their operation, Norm said the coming Spring Racing Carnival offered bookmakers a chance to boost morale.
“When you’re laying every horse in a race, it’s hard to lose and during the carnival you take bets on every horse in every race,” he said.
Good weather is the most important thing to a frontlawn bookmaker at Flemington during November, according to Norm.
“Last year the weather was terrible, numbers and turnover was down, it really does dampen the overall atmosphere,” he said.
Norm operates five days a week and is a regular at local tracks such as Sandown, Cranbourne and Pakenham, but admits the going can get tough.
“Sometimes attendances can be down, but on a nice day, punters can’t help themselves,” he said.
After his father was a keen punter, Norm decided to up the odds and take on the punters himself.
“The odds are stacked in your favour when you’re a bookmaker, it’s not about taking a punt,” he said.
“The key lies in balancing your liabilities and working to a strict percentage.”
Norm’s favourite race day is Oaks Day, but said the local cups were just as good.
“At the local events, you can get right up against the track and watch horses you have been following,” he said.
“The Cranbourne Cup is always a very busy day and being so close to home, it’s my favourite local cup.”
Norm said he would happily look after readers of the News and might just turn out the odds.
“I’ll give them a roll or two over, as long as they’re not backing too many winners,” he laughed. “Only joking, winners are more than welcome.”
