How to check a tipster before you pay
Check that every tip was published before the event, that the full record including losers is public, that the price basis is stated, and that there are enough settled bets to mean something. Of the 102 tipsters we rate, 76 publish a full ledger including losers and 64 publish enough for a Performance score; 54 of those are kept by an independent third party.
The six checks
Was every tip published before the event?
Look for a timestamp on each pick, ideally lodged with an independent party. The ASA says tipsters claiming past winners or profits should proof every tip with a demonstrably independent body before the race.
Is every result kept, including losers?
A list of winners proves nothing. You need the full ledger for the whole period, with no gaps or deleted months.
At what prices?
Records at starting price (SP) or Betfair SP are easiest to match. Advised or early prices often shorten quickly, and the ASA expects tipped odds to have been available for a reasonable time.
How many bets, over what period?
A few dozen bets can show almost anything. Look for hundreds of settled bets, the period stated, and level stakes (the same stake each time) so ROI means something.
Who keeps the record?
Independent proofing (for example the Racing Post Press Challenge or Tipstrr) is stronger than the tipster's own spreadsheet. A proofing service that also sells the tips isn't independent.
What will it cost you?
Subscription fees come off any profit. A small edge on paper can disappear once you pay for the service. And no tipster can guarantee profit.
Based on our Transparency score criteria and the ASA's guidance on betting tipsters (see also the ASA/CAP advice for publishers, PDF).
How many pass each check
Each check is one of our six Transparency score criteria. Share of entries where we verified it, as of 5 Nov 2026.
| Criterion | Points | Tipsters | AI tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tips published before the off, timestamped | 25 | 89 of 102 (87%) | 41 of 122 (34%) |
| Full record including losers (public ledger or independent tally) | 25 | 76 of 102 (75%) | 66 of 122 (54%) |
| Price basis stated (SP, BSP, advised odds) | 15 | 74 of 102 (73%) | 46 of 122 (38%) |
| 500+ settled selections | 15 | 58 of 102 (57%) | 45 of 122 (37%) |
| Approach and staking explained | 10 | 4 of 102 (4%) | 51 of 122 (42%) |
| Results downloadable (CSV/API) | 10 | 7 of 102 (7%) | 17 of 122 (14%) |
Red flags
- “Guaranteed”, “sure win”, “fixed match” or “risk-free” claims. UK rules don't allow tipsters to imply success is guaranteed.
- Profit shown in money with no total stakes or bet count.
- Only recent winners shown; no losers.
- Stakes that change from tip to tip, which makes ROI impossible to check.
- Pressure to pay quickly, or to bet more to “win back” losses.
- Presenting tips as a way to earn an income.
Related reading
- Verified football tipsters ranked by their records · who passes these checks in football
- UK horse racing tipsters ranked by their records · the same checks applied to racing
- What is closing line value (CLV)? · a check that works even on small samples
- Every tipster we rate, with both scores
- AI tipping transparency report 2026 · how many records pass these checks
Questions and answers
Are tipsters legit?
Some publish records that can be checked; many don't. Of the 102 tipsters we rate, 76 publish a full ledger including losers and 89 timestamp tips before the event.
Are paid tipsters worth it?
Only you can judge, and no tipster can guarantee profit. At minimum, the published record should be independently proofed, at prices you could have got, over hundreds of bets, and still be ahead after the subscription fee.
Where can I see tipster reviews based on real records?
Every tipster we rate has an entry with both scores, the evidence behind them and the date we checked. See all tipster ratings or the proofed horse racing tipsters.
How we check the records
The transparency checklist sets out what counts as evidence for each Transparency criterion, the same for every listing. The AI tipping transparency report 2026 shows how many of the AI tools and tipsters we rate meet each criterion.