There are fearless gamblers and then there is Benny Scarf, the horse racing enthusiast who has built a cult following on Instagram in recent months by placing bets that have to be seen to be believed.
Scarf, 23, from Sydney, is the son of a former professional gambler, with the sport of kings in his blood.
His meteoric rise from relative online novice to must-watch race day Instagram expert is inspired by New Zealand dairy farmer Tim Myers – better known as Tim Naki on social media.
Scarf initially watched with fascination as the Kiwi gambled 10 cents for every Instagram follower he had.
At one point, Myers — who quickly went viral — bet nearly $200,000 on a single blackjack hand, and Scarf saw an opportunity.
“If my content is a fraction as good as Tim’s, I think that’s pretty good,” Scarf told Ny Breaking Australia.
“My plan was to revive racing and get younger people into the sport, and based on the feedback I have, I’m making an impact.”
He’s not wrong.
Scarf started out betting 50 cents for each Instagram follower on the favorite of the last race at a chosen meeting, but as his influence quickly increased he wisely dropped that number to five cents.
Considering Scarf now has over 197,000 Instagram followers, it was a smart decision, but it means he’s still risking almost $10,000 on every bet.
Some of his big wins in recent months include Tavros at Gunnedah in May, In Flight at Rosehill in June and Fangirl at Royal Randwick last month.
Fangirl’s triumph was all the more memorable after Scarf told his legion of followers that if the mare saluted, he would generously put $5,000 behind the bar for thirsty drinkers at the Doncaster Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Kensington.
Incredibly, not everyone was impressed by Scarf’s scream.
‘There was a man who complained about that [advertising guru] John Singleton put $100,000 behind the bar and said I was cheap,” he said.
“You could save the world and someone will still nag, so you might as well embrace it.”
Scarf further confirmed what many fellow gamblers and followers want to know: is his gambling money handed over to him by online bookmaker Dabble because he has a relationship with the company?
There are intrepid gamblers – and then there’s Benny Scarf (pictured), the horse racing enthusiast who has built a cult following with his crazy punting behavior on Instagram
Scarf bets five cents on a horse for every Instagram follower he has – meaning he’s risking almost $10,000 with each point (pictured)
“It’s 100 percent my money,” he said. ‘If you ever think differently, just look at the veins in my neck.
‘But I like the controversy. The mystery adds to the theater of it.”
The gambler with nerves of steel confirmed that despite his reckless habit, he has the support of his girlfriend and parents, but they like to bury their heads in the sand.
Followers love Scarf’s many catchphrases, particularly “be gritty” when his horse wants to gallop home and “one for the good guys” after a win.
If his chosen nag is not the first to pass the winning post, this is of course a ‘victory for the bad guys’, namely the TAB.
Scarf also has one notable “enemy” on Instagram: a so-called fan who has taken the time to create his own Instagram page called Benny Scarf Punt History, where he wants to “track” his successes and failures.
‘I think it’s hilarious. Good job,” Scarf said when asked if the man who calls himself “Dave” was sulky in his eyes.
“He should be selling an accounting service or something. He’s built a following and might as well make some money.”
Scarf is pictured taking a bet at his local TAB in Sydney – and he says his girlfriend and family would rather ‘bury their heads in the sand’ than take his wild gamble
As Scarf approaches day 100 of betting on his Instagram page – the Melbourne Cup on November 5 – he revealed the maximum amount of money he is willing to risk on one race, be it a Group One or a maiden race.
“I think at about $11,000 I would have to say guys, I have to lower it, this is insane,” the real estate economics graduate said.
“Maybe I’ll hit the lottery and start betting $100,000 per race, who knows?”
When it comes to his future, Scarf is undecided.
“I can’t give too much away, but I have big plans,” he said.
“I’ve really enjoyed the social media ride… [for me] it is the best vehicle of modern times to attract attention and get in front of people’s eyes.
“It’s just so dynamic.”