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 With the World Cup little more than a month away Springbok fans are understandably getting nervous.
On the one hand it is easy to downplay the recent Tri Nations defeats as the vast majority of our starting XV were safely tucked away in a conference room in the North West Province, but that being said though the current management team hardly inspires confidence and there is a growing fear that the core of our side might lack the hunger needed to bring home the Cup.
Rewind to last week Wednesday where I found myself relaxing in a Stellenbosch restaurant ahead of my flight back to Joburg. Joining me was Eugene a passionate Bok supporter and having concluded the day’s business the discussion inevitably turned to rugby.
Grasping his trusted glass of white Eugene shared his views on the forthcoming rugby showpiece. As much as he wanted the Boks to go well he had serious reservations about them and even the group matches were a concern to him. “What if Wales beat us first up? We never hammer them and then what about Samoa, they beat Australia for goodness sake?” His face red and his eyes showing signs of moistening Eugene continued “It would break me if we went out before the quarter finals but I don’t think it’s impossible, this coaching unit cannot be trusted!”
It was then that I popped the question “Have you thought about insurance?”
Eugene stared across at my coke zero perhaps wondering what had been added to it. “Insurance, what are you on about?” he asked. With that I pulled out my phone and logged onto local bookmaker World Sports Betting’s website. A couple of clicks later I was staring at the odds for the Boks to exit in the group stage and they were a very tasty 150/1*.
Eugene was with me now “Ok then so I put R100 on that and if the worst happens then I am devastated but R15000 richer?” Even as he spoke I was calling the bookmaker who sounded genuinely surprised with my request of R30000/R200 the Boks not to make the quarter finals.
Handing me the R100 note for his share of the bet I could sense that Eugene was more relaxed. Yes he was still worried about the Boks but at least he knew he was insured!
*Note the odds have since come into 50/1 with World Sports Betting.
This article was written for the CitiGaming supplement of the Citizen Newspaper and was first published on the 4th of August 2011.
Brent Graham is a blogger on www.goodforthegame.co.za and presents a sports betting radio show every Thursday night from 22h00 – 22h30 on 1485AM Radio Today or Channel 169 of the DSTV Audio Bouquet and to get on his free weekly e-mail list just send a message to brent@goodforthegame.co.za titled “Best Bets”.
You can follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/brentgraham or get on his mailing list by dropping him a line at brent@goodforthegame.co.za
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