Lifes one long gamble.......

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By Gambling Man
July 24 2002

With the rugby season still in the distance Gambling Man looks forward to the RWC in 2003 and advises you where else you can be placing your hard earned cash over the summer months......

Cheer up, punters!

In a few short weeks, we will be engrossed in the Zurich Premiership statistics, seeking the clues that will help us outwit the bookies.

Who is on a roll? Who is just hitting form? Where are the surprise results lurking?

But all that is for September. Today, it’s ice creams, candy floss and suntan oil.

Nevertheless, the dedicated and wily punter should always be on the alert for an opportunity to make a killing. So today, let’s have some summer fun and see if we can win enough to pay for those two weeks in Ibiza.

We’ll start with something familiar – who is going to win the Rugby World Cup? Here’s how they bet:

Australia 7/4
New Zealand 2/1
England 7/2
South Africa 6/1
France 7/1
Ireland 25/1
Scotland 66/1
Wales 100/1

If you are a Celt who believes in miracles, it’s worth shopping around. William Hill will give you 33/1 against Ireland and 125/1 against Scotland.


For Cricket fans, the test series against India is just beginning. The bookies like England at 12/5 with 8/11 on the draw. No Trescothick, no Caddick, no Gough, no Tudor? Take India at 3/1!


The football season is almost on us and the Premiership is too predictable for my taste. There’s more fun to be had by skipping the top of the table. At the other end, there’s no hope for newly promoted West Brom and Birmingham City. They are 2/5 and 5/6 to make the drop, with Bolton joining them.

Top goal scorers go like this:

Ruud van Nistelroy 9/2
Thierry Henry 5/1
Jimmy Hasselbaink 6/1

If you fancy Manchester United to do the Golden Treble of Premiership, FA Cup and European Champions, you’ll get 40/1 against their chances. Arsenal are quoted at 66/1. Save your money!

And finally, why not have a punt on Rio Ferdinand. You can get 14/1 against him being sent off when the Red Devils play Leeds!


We are all Big Brother fans and as the programme boils to a climax, here’s who the bookies think will pocket the £70,000 prize:

Kate evens
Alex 2/1
Jade 4/1
Jonny 8/1

And they are offering 5/1 against Alex appearing in a Gap advert before the end of the year.


After Sir Elton, Sir Paul and Sir Mick, who will be the next wrinkly old popster to be ennobled?

Here are the odds:

Sir Ringo Starr 3/1
Sir Sting 3/1
Sir Eric Clapton 7/2
Sir David Bowie 5/1

For all you Happy Mondays fans, Sir Shaun Ryder is a handy 250/1.


After the World Cup, I’m following Sven’s love life with interest. By the end of 2002, here’s what might happen:

Sven will marry Nancy 3/1
Sven will resign 6/1
Sven will marry Ulrika 200/1

While we are on my favourite subject of weddings by the end of the year, here are some more opportunities for you to win big:

Anna Kournikova to wed Enrique Iglesias 10/1
Calista Flockhart to wed Harrison Ford 12/1
Anna Kournikova to wed Julio Iglesias 100/1


Happy gambling!