Phew, what happened to September? That's the trouble with my line of work, once the new term starts there's too much to do and not enough time to do it! Still, hopefully it will start to settle down now and I can have a bit of my life back.
Although it's been a bit quiet on the fifty firsts front, there are a few that I haven't blogged about yet and I've been planning some more things, so it's not all bad. Back in August I ventured into the bookies for the first time. Well technically I ventured in for the first and second time, because the first time there were no odds available for the match I wanted to place a bet on.
Visit number 1
Bookmakers are decidedly male domains, mainly populated by hardcore horse racing gamblers from what I could see as I went in the door. Not really sure what to do, I approached the solitary man behind the counter to explain my plight. He looked up and I spluttered out a few words about wanting to place a bet on the outcome of the Community Shield. When's that take place he asks. Next Sunday I think, a week tomorrow I reply, suddenly doubting my facts because I think it's safe to assume that his knowledge of sporting events is greater than mine, given that that's how he makes a living. Anyway, he looks it up on his computer and confirms that it is indeed the following weekend, but alas he has no odds available as yet and suggests I come back around the middle of the following week. I leave with mixed thoughts - wow, I just went into a bookies and survived; bugger I didn't get to place a bet and I've got to go back in there again. Now a lot of people might think I'm making a fuss about nothing and to be fair, it was the middle of the morning, so the place was hardly heaving, but I was the only one present with higher levels of oestrogen and progesterone than testosterone.
Visit number 2
One week on I retrace my steps, having had no time for a midweek trip. I have to say going in the second time was much easier. For starters I had the benefit of the previous week's reconnaissance trip, so the lay of the land was familiar and I made my way to the counter with ease. Once again it was not too busy, with just a few diehard punters. Once at the counter I explain that I wish to place a bet on Wigan to win the Community Shield but that I've never done this before so I have no idea what to do. There's no sign of recognition or remembrance of my previous visit, so I guess he gets a lot of women coming in to place bets on the outcome of said football match. Anyway, back to the action, if you can call it that! He passes me a betting slip and tells me to write on it what I've just told him, which I duly do, scrawling it across the middle of the page, adding the date of the match, how much I want to bet and the odds that he gives me: 7/2. As I hand it back I realise the page has a separate section for the odds and my stake at the bottom, but too late, it's changed hands. I hand over my £5 stake and get a copy of my betting slip in return. That's it, job done, I have just placed a bet! Ok, so £5 wasn't exactly going to make me a mint, but let's be honest the chances of Wigan beating Man United were slim to say the least, in fact I think the odds should have been way higher. United could probably beat Wigan from the dressing room to be fair! As I'm leaving he wishes me good luck with my bet and says the hatred of Man United has started earlier this year - is that why the odds are so short, has there been a rush of bets since the previous weekend? I reply that I have always hated Man United but that I fully expect them to win and I'm only betting against them on principle. He looks confused - well, I can see his point, most people don't go in for betting against the team, dog, horse, person they think will win, do they? I mean what kind of sense would that make!
