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I'm a new player too. The question posed here is refreshingly reasonable. Achieving a positive ROI is obviously a worthy goal. But how realistic is it? If only the top 5% of players sustain a profit, are we willing to do what it takes to be part of that 5%? If not, is it acceptable not to sustain a positive ROI? Or must the hapless losers play in shame whilst lining the pockets of the smarties?
This thread includes references to other sports, including golf. Are they not worth pursuing unless we aspire to turn pro and profit from them? I'm not a golfer, but I suspect that equipment and fees can run into the thousands per year for even a modestly avid player. To put it in extreme terms, you could wager $400 per month on random horses and reliably spend $1,200 per year on your pastime. That's a lot of action for a modest expense compared with many other pursuits that have absolutely no chance of yielding a profit.
I don't mean to make a gratuitous devil's argument for being a losing horseplayer, or make excuses for being one, and I'm certainly not recommending betting random horses as a fulfilling pastime. But I am trying to put the endeavor into perspective, especially after reading a lot of ultimately uninspiring threads about profit and playing at a professional level. I appreciate the wisdom of top-notch players and those that aspire to be among them, but sometimes the standard for success can seem a bit severe (a sentiment that's perhaps driven more by the latter group than the former). I mean, just beating the takeout on a sustainable basis is a worthy measure of success, and that milestone is still a way's off from profit.
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