Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Never. Ever. Rule Number One in the bull789 bible. But surely there are times when an outcome is so inevitable that you could bet a large sum of money and collect your guaranteed winnings within a day? Surely there must be exceptions to this golden rule? I would suggest that there are no exceptions. Consider the following tale of an unfortunate (or silly) punter from back in 2001. This is a true story and one that always sticks with me whenever I have an urge to gamble impulsively.
The date is Saturday September 29th 2001. The venue is White Hart Lane, North London, home of Tottenham Hotspur, or ‘Spurs’. The opponents are Manchester United who make the trip to London without key players Roy Keane (suspended) and Ryan Giggs (rested after midweek Champions League clash). There is a buzz in the air, a positive vibe amongst the home supporters who feel they can overcome the depleted United side. What followed was one of the most incredible days in Premier League history.
Tottenham Blow United Away Early – Cue the impulsive Gamble.
Spurs started the game at breakneck speed and before United had time to deal with the pressure, they found themselves two goals in arrears, thanks to Dean Richards and Les Ferdinand. The Red Devils were clearly shell-shocked and before they had time to regroup, the flying Christian Ziege made it 3-0 to Spurs before half time. One can only imagine the infamous ‘hairdryer’ routine dished out to the United players by fiery boss Alex Ferguson during the interval. Our story though, concerns a Tottenham fan who was at the game with his mates and girlfriend. With emotions running high, he convinced his girlfriend that it would be a sound investment to put their entire mortgage on a Tottenham win. With a 3-0 half-time lead the odds would have been ridiculously low, perhaps 1.03, but put enough money down, and 3% suddenly becomes a nice little earner. What could possibly go wrong? They had recently purchased a house together and with his girlfriend’s blessing, he contacted his finance broker and the bet was placed. Their house was now riding on the outcome of the game.
The Incredible Comeback.
One can only imagine the nervous tension and excitement that accompanied our soccer punting hero as the second half kicked off. He was probably planning what lavish holiday they could take or what spending spree they could enjoy. How rudely interrupted were his thoughts when Andy Cole pulled a goal back after 45 seconds of the second half. Less than quarter of an hour later French defender Laurent Blanc headed home a corner and, when Van Nistelrooy scored the equalising goal with over quarter of an hour left on the clock, hearts were in mouths for Spurs fans and emotional punters. Veron and Beckham made it 5-3 to the Red Devils by the end of what was a fascinating game and monumental comeback. It’s difficult not to feel some sympathy for the losing punter – he lost his house and in all probability his woman. However, the first piece of football betting advice and the most essential soccer betting tip you should learn is to never bet more than you can afford to lose, no matter how sure you are about the outcome. In soccer, as in sport, there are quite simply no guarantees.
