The Wrong Game

One of the most frustrating elements of betting is that, despite trying to learn from mistakes, and despite analysing your shortcomings and errors, there always seems to be a new way to cock-up just around the corner.

Alistair at 'Betyourlife.blogspot.com' often chastises himself for his mental failings, and his latest post revolves around the ease with which he can lose focus.

My own evening began with a classic cock-up, and a first-time error to boot, caused by the fact that I was never 'in focus' to begin with.

Whilst driving home from work, I was aware of UEFA Cup 2nd leg games that were underway in Eastern Europe. Upon arrival at home, I immediately turned on my laptop to look for betting opportunities. This is a recipe for cock-up opportunities.

The matches underway were the all-Ukrainian clash at Kharkiv, the third Ukrainian participant, Shakhtar to home to CSKA Moscow, and the Zenit/Udinese game. I opened up Soccerway.com, my usual footy stats link, to check the 1st leg scores. Kharkiv were 3-2 up with 10 minutes to go, and I was interested in the overall score situation. I noted that CSKA Moscow won their first leg 1-0, and in my head saw a situation where CSKA would just hold the position for the last 10 minutes for an 'away-goals' win. Er, you may have spotted that CSKA weren't playing Kharkiv. I didn't.

So I placed a lay on CSKA. Then followed a comic-book 6 or 7 minutes where I counted down the minutes in the Kharkiv game on one screen, whilst also looking at the Betfair screen for the CSKA game. Only at that point did the slow rate of change in odds trigger the realisation that I had bet on the wrong game!

Fortunately, no goals had been scored in either match, and I escaped rapidly for a £3.00 gain.

Learning outcome - only place bets when you have prepared yourself for the session, and have an adequate level of concentration.

A Funny Old Game

In 'full-time' betting guise, my Saturday regime was generally to have a look around the day's odds from about 12.00, and then settle down for a long session at 2.00ish, only rising from my laptop around 7.00. I found this a difficult and tiring session, but an essential part of my week's profit generation.

In 'part-time' mode, I'm trying to increase the fun element of my betting, whilst maintaining a focus and discipline that will continue to improve my skills and strategy. My start to the day suggests I may have a little work to do on the focus element...

• Place a 'safe' lay - Man Utd v Liverpool score 'Any Unquoted'.
• Take a trip to Derby for a couple of hours shopping, in the knowledge I can always bail out if the score becomes uncomfortable.
• Realise I've left my I-Phone on charge at home, therefore losing my ability to offset my lay.
• Get back to my car at 2.40 just in time to hear the Five Live commentary describing Andrea Dossena's goal.
• Contemplate my £34 loss.

I suppose this would have been a £315 bet a couple of weeks ago, so maybe I'd have ended up with a similar loss anyway. But it makes me look a little 'Mickey Mouse' for someone who was supposed to be making a living via Betfair until a couple of weeks ago. I still think the original bet was valid - I doubt there are too many gamblers, full or part-time, who foresaw today's events at Old Trafford, but I would advise against the 'place bet, go shopping' technique.

Anyway, my new challenge is going ok, with 8 successive winning days, and today has been the first day I've been under my daily percentage target. I'm sure the challenge will become harder once my bank/target increases.