How Do the Football Pools Differ From Fixed Odds Betting?

Consider conventional betting on a horse race or the outcome of a single football match. A punter (someone placing a bet) is quoted odds by a bookmaker ('bookie', turf accountant and so on) either face to face, over the telephone or online. Now, the odds that are quoted when the price is first set are based on the bookie's initial perception of the odds of a given result.

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