"It was boring...I got £50 out of it though"
This is how to make money out of gambling, you have to work the bookies systems.
For instance no-one can out research them on sports. so you have work with them. such as for an England match all the UK bookies will get far more bets on England than the foriegn team,
so they have to offer shorter odds on England and longer odds on the other team to balance thier books. that is where you make your money.