A soccer betting nightmare

The golden rule of football betting.
Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Never. Ever. Rule number one in the bible of the sports player. 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 in a day. Surely there must be exceptions to this golden rule? I would suggest that there are no exceptions. Consider the following story of an unlucky (or foolish) gambler from 2001. This is a true story and it always sticks with me whenever I have the urge to gamble impulsively.

The date is Saturday September 29, 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’s a buzz in the air, a positive vibe among the home fans who feel they can get past a weary United. 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 down, thanks to Dean Richards and Les Ferdinand. The Red Devils were clearly in shock and before they had time to regroup, midfielder Christian Ziege made it 3-0 for Spurs before half-time. One can only imagine the infamous ‘hair dryer’ routine dished out to United players by fiery boss Alex Ferguson during the interval. However, our story is about a Tottenham fan who was at the game with his teammates and his girlfriend. Emotions running high, he convinced his girlfriend that it would be a good investment to put his entire mortgage on a Tottenham win. With a 3-0 halftime lead, the odds would have been ridiculously low, maybe 1.03, but invest enough money and the 3% suddenly becomes a good source of income. What could go wrong? They had recently bought a house together and with the blessing of his girlfriend, he contacted his finance agent and the bet was made. His house now depended on the outcome of the game.

Incredible comeback.
One can only imagine the nervous tension and excitement that accompanied our soccer clearance hero as the second half began. He was probably planning what luxurious vacation they could take or what spending spree they could enjoy. How rudely his thoughts were interrupted when Andy Cole saved a goal 45 seconds into the second half. Less than a quarter of an hour later, French defender Laurent Blanc headed in a corner and, when Van Nistelrooy scored the equalizer with more than a quarter of an hour left, Spurs fans and emotional kickers were thrilled. Veron and Beckham made it 5-3 for the Red Devils at the end of what was a fascinating game and a monumental comeback. It’s hard not to sympathize with the losing gambler: he lost his house and, in all likelihood, his wife. However, the first soccer betting tip and the most essential soccer betting tip to learn is to never bet more than you can afford to lose, no matter how sure you are of the outcome. In football, as in sport, there are simply no guarantees.

Granted, this was an unusual scenario and a comeback of this magnitude probably only happens once every few years. The point is that it CAN happen and for this reason it is paramount to place bets within your means. Our professional soccer tipster has a wealth of experience, tips, advice and insights on the best methods for successful soccer betting. Visit http://www.soccertips365.com for more information and FREE weekly soccer tips, picks and predictions.