Pargie’s betting philosophy and weekend
No contributor features in other columns more than me and our readers might think I am an addictive gambler. To draw an analogy I sometimes feel like the social drinker cast as an alcoholic – the type in denial that hides his booze around the home and talks of nothing else but getting drunk. What I am is a serial watcher of tv sport and having a flutter of no more than £ 10 enhances that enjoyment so today’s piece on my weekend is written with that in mind. Nor do I have systems or do exhaustive research. Principally I take advice from the Racing Post and Racing and Football Outlook and the knowledgeable footie fans like Alan, Stefano and Doug.
The Racing Post had recommended Sam Baldock as first goalscorer in Brighton ‘s home game against Reading. Ivan said this was a good call and indeed it was. On Sunday I lost laying against Spurs at home to Stoke again on the advice of the Racing Post recommendation. However I watched Jeremy Chapman’s pick George Coetzee have a stormer of a day in rainy Joburg moving to leader on the third and final round only to bogey the 15th and 16th to drop down to 7th. It was the sort of turn that would give Steve Palmer the golf analyst on the Racing Post apoplexy but did I care? No I only lost a tenner. The tourney was ruined by monsoon conditions which reduced it to three rounds, stalwart Darren Fichaardt emerging the soaked winner. The Racing Post had an interesting recommendation of Ibrahimovic as man of the match. He is a big time player,a serial winner and with his two goals won the award. Interestingly I had the score at 2-0 but it’s shows how Mourinho has weakened since his first Chelsea days as then once his team was two up the game was dead. Again on Racing Post advising I thought Olympique Marseilles wouda hold PSG but they were thrashed 5-1nand at half time I was only too happy to watch SSGB with the missus . In a successful weekend Gary Woodland another pick of Jeremy Chapman finished second to win my top- five bet. Here at the Honda event played in Palm Beach in the Florida swing Ricky Fowler came good. Football- ot at least it’s press- seems to rejoice in a public spat and confrontation on the pitch- cricket has its sledging so it was a joy to see Tyrell Hatton and Ricky Fowler chatting away as they played the final round together. In the era of Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods this was far less common and golf was the better for that. I did not like too some of the scenes we witnessed at Kiawah Island at the Ryder Cup. To return to my theme , I felt my enjoyment,appreciation and analysis of the sport I watched was not tarnished by any feelings of bad luck . I enjoyed my sport and made a few quid. I ask for little more from life.
