SANDRACER.COM - Tic Tac - Bookies Secret Betting Language

Tic Tac, or Tick Tack Betting Language Explained

"Tic Tac" is the language once used by rails bookmakers and bookies runners(staff) to secretly communicate between each other quickly, without the punter hearing and understanding what is going on between the odds compilers. A horses odds price movement in the betting ring can be valuable information to a gambler, especially trackside, if one can get the information early.

A quite difficult language to learn, especially the hand signals I gather. I can't say I have ever donned the white gloves atop a wooden box to try tic tacking myself though. The tic tac hand signals are further encoded by the use of a twist card, which individual bookmakers & layers used to use to mix up the racehorse runners and racecards, to keep their information secret from other betting firms.

Tic Tac is very rarely used by betting shops or rails bookies these days, the technological age of hendheld computers and mobile phones has diminished the use of tic tacking dramatically. I guess the main proponent of tic tac that most punters will be aware of is John McCririck, seen live on Channel 4 racing. Rails Bookie Barry Dennis (rip) still tic tacs, but even he utilises computers more and more, as evidenced by the fact Dennis runs a website.

You may be looking for information regarding a "tic tac betting system" you've heard a whisper about, more commonly known as, or similar to Martingale.

The tic tac betting system is simply following favourites at any given meeting. You bet more and more on each race on the favourite, adjusting stakes accordingly, dependent on the odds, every time trying to win a set amount, say £100, including previous losses.

Don't bother. There is no system to beat the house edge. You'll win for a bit, then you'll do your money when no favourite wins, or you can't get a bet on for stupid stakes in the last race on a 1/4 shot in a maiden.