A betting man

Tut. Tut. Tut. Betting along with boozing and drugs are the destroyers of man (que the dramatic biblical music). On a more serious note; I must admit that gambling has always baffled me. I don't gamble much at all. I wouldn't reallly consider the National Lottery to be gambling in the context of my world. I put in a pound not expecting to win. If it comes up, it comes up. I don't even belong to a syndicate. I am nnot about to look down at people who gamble in the way some people may do at drug addicts and alchoholics. I find the whole concept of gambling on horses, the dogs, football, fruit machines, cards etc baffling because all my life I have never ever one a penny from any kind of gambling. I don't play sports for money (if you consider darts and pool a sport) because I think it kills the spirit of friendship. I would never play a stranger for money either. I've seen friends of mine playing a friendly game of pool and lose ridiculous amounts of money for one small mistake. There's no fun in that.

My old boss and one time friend invited me to a pool hall where he and his mate had been on the sauce for most of the afternoon. I was playing catch up (drink) once I had arrived. Clearly my old boss had more than plenty to drink and decided to play for money. Now I didn't really know his friend very well but I noted that he seemed a little more sober for the part. Money was on the table at five pounds per game. I stood back as I saw money changing hands a few times. My old boss won a game and his friend decided to take a breather and sit out for a little while. I clearly stated that I wouldn't play for money although he convinced me to play for a pound. Fair enough I did and I won. So I played his friend. Same deal. One pound. I won. My old bosss' turn. This time two pounds. I lost. I stopped playing for money after that as I knew that even though I could probably get that money back I would not get trapped in this cycle of winning and losing money off my friend. It was good that I stopped as they started upping the stakes. Ten pound notes started exchanging hands, then twenties, and finally playing for fifty pounds a game. I didn't stay for much longer except to see my old boss lose fifty pounds on a break where the black went down. Oh dear. Loser.

I am a fan of Formula One and watch all the races religiously and although the sport has taken a downward turn, I still enjoy the most regal of motorsports. I am tempted to place a bet or two on this years season. The problem I have is, how on earth do I place a bet a the betting shop? I have only set foot in one of those places and that was because an old friend of mine wanted to spend the last of his student grant on a flutter! Bloody students. Anyway. My money this season is Fernando Alonso for the drivers title and Ferrari for the constructors. Its all in the form you see :-)