Cashino! Cashino! Well of course there's a Cashino! On Albany Road. There has to be! It's on the…read moresection of street that is moving away from Wellfield Road and heading toward the less salubrious City Road part of town. There's one thing that you can guarantee in economically depressed areas, or less desirable residential areas that have a commercial section, you will always find a betting shop or a 'penny arcade'. These places trade on the desperate hopes and aspirations for a better life of the people in the areas where they are situated. It ensures that the poor stay poor, and the fat cats that own these rip-off chains get even fatter... who cares about the misery, I'm alright jack! Here's one I made earlier... Cashino: Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff. CF11 9ND Cashino! How naff is that? I often take objection to business names that play on words and ideas, ultimately mutilating our language like a blood-thirsty surgeon with a blunt blade, or, business owners, in their desperate effort to come up with something that they deem to be 'clever', who seem bent on following a dubious process that lures them ever further from what is sensible, finally spewing them out at a destination clearly signposted 'Beyond The Pale'. But these poor frazzled souls are so wrapt by their own intelligence and imagination, and are so exhausted by their cerebral odyssey, that they have no more mental faculty to realise that they have been blithely venturing firmly into the realms of bad taste. The worst example of this that I have ever come across is in Bristol; a card and gift shop named Cardiac! Nevertheless, Cashino really works... it even makes me smile. Who cares that you need to develop a speech impediment in order to say it right? Or that it doesn't actually reveal whose cash they are talking about... leaving it so open to interpretation that you could actually believe that it is 'their' cash that is about to enter your pocket should you opt to step inside to play the slots, with lady luck on your arm ... Well, I'm going to let you into a secret... it's actually your cash that they are talking about, and it's going to end up in their pocket! But, for your pains, you will have had an addiction-inducing rush of endorphins that will ensure that you come back before too long to feed the hungry one arm bandits again.

Coral like most bookmakers always wins, so why would you place bets, well it's about winning on the…read morelong odds especially when an interesting football games on, it makes it more watchable. Coral is never filled, the colour schemes blue and there are T.V. on the wall for multiple games played at the same time. Unless you are a professional gambler it's unlikely you will spend much time here, unless you are going to prove a prediction right.

absoloute joke of a bookies went to cash out my winnings half hour before the shop was ment to…read moreclose staff had the door locked and told me there systems where down when could see everything running more like the staff wanted an early finish making me have to wait till tommorw for my winnings

This William Hill is one of the more sanitary betting shops around Cardiff…read more If you've ever seen the episode of Black Books called "A Little Flutter", where Bernard becomes a gambling addict, you'll know exactly the kind of shop this place somehow avoids melting into. There's not a smart suited hustler in sight, and yardies need not apply. I think this is largely due to the population; being so close to studentland has the benefit of ensuring that most of the clientele are football loving student lads out to try their hand at getting some free money. And, what's more, the students are all booted off back home when their three years are up so they don't have the chance to become booze ravaged gambling addicts, desperate for that one big score. And, because the local population of the Cathays area is 75% student and 25% elderly people, the rest of the clientele are quiet old men and old ladies out for a little flutter. It's actually quite a charming little dichotomy this shop has.

The only time that I ever placed a bet or two on a horse at a betting shop I really messed it up. I…read moresimply chose the colours that I like, or the horses name that had a ring to it and handed over my money... easy! Then we returned home to watch the racing on the tele. It was all quite exciting really, as we'd got a load of mates round... and so when they started putting the horses in the stalls for the first race, we were already getting pretty vocal... by that I mean, everyone else was getting rather vocal. I was sat silently waiting for my horse to show up... it never did! In the next race it was the same story, as well as the one after that... In time, I began to protest audibly about having been swizzed... that's when someone explained that if a horse has the letters NR next to it in the newspaper it means that it's a none-runner! This outlet of Ladbrokes is better than many of the others. It is clean and reasonably well cared for, not that I suppose this matters too much to the men they regularly frequent it.

WlliamHill bookmakers competes with Coral on albany road for peoples gambling and betting…read morerequirements whether it be a £1 accumulator or a £1K on a football match. Like most betting establishments there are T.V. to watch the sport of interest and staff to take bets. Unless you are addicted to the atmosphere and company, most people are in and out within 5minutes so it's rarely busy. You should carry ID with you as you need to look older than 21 to enter unless you can prove your age.

As betting shops go this is a huge place and much bigger than the bookmakers on crwys and albany…read moreroad. With stiff competition from Betfred just up the road this place stands out. Betting on the odd game here and there won't cause you to lose your hair but you may lose your shirt. The easiest way to double your money is to fold it in half. William Hill on City road has a lot more seating more T.V. and more games on at any one time than the corresponding other William Hills. It's all about choice and whether you're feeling lucky, punk.

This'll be more of a boast than a review to be honest. now and again if I haven't got much planned…read moreon a saturdays (If only these days) I'll stick a cheeky bet on the football and slump infront of the tv allday. Being in Cardiff Bay, straight away stops the place being a bit intimidating and a much more chilled out experience. The staff add to this and are very helpful, don't worry if your not quite sure what your doing, they will help you and not make you feel stupid. So to the boasting. The three times I've used this place I have won money. Nothing life changing but enough to feed my lovely for the evening in celebration. Maybe worth visiting then. I want 20% cut if you do win here though.

It's another betting shop. If you live in cardiff bay this will accommodate the urge to believe you…read morecan predict the future, but in my case not! I've never won a single bet I've made and would rather go to a casino to at least have a more enjoyable time. Saying that if you want to become a professional gambler i.e. frequent the place weekly to put money on the football, like 14 corners in a match, you know the long odds and accumulators, then place your bets. I've never taken the time to understand the odds. The shop is located on a main street in cardiff bay its suitably furnished and the staff are helpful, place bets on any number of sports, what ever takes your fancy. It's not intimidating being located in the bay, you don't expect to find less savoury characters there who will offer you goods off the back of a lorry. Go if your feeling a sporting premonition but don't be to surprised if you get addicted and start placing piecemeal bets on long odds just for the thrill of winning something.