It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Most of us don’t need a motive to gamble, but there are ample reasons to stake wagers over the holidays with a plethora of games from bowl season, to nba christmas day, to nfl thursday saturday and sunday.
1.Best to Receive than to Give
Covers.com -It’s always in the best interest of the bettor to receive than to give. This particularly holds true during the holidays when your frequented ATM is throwing up money like it has the swine flu.
That iPhone your significant other subtlety requested, the new 3-wood dad asked for and the latest version of Barbie’s Dream House don’t come cheap. So if you’re able to earn a few units over the holidays, the payout could offset some of your holiday tithing.
2.Gift of giving
Of course some of us don’t fall under the aforementioned category of fortunate bettors who can recoup holiday expenditures with winning picks. If you’re like me, you lose the majority of bets you make and are left convincing your wife why it would be better to make presents this year instead of buying them. Because they come from the heart, right?
I bet you left your local bookie off the Christmas list. Have you ever met a backroom bookie? These guys are lonely, pathetic human beings who need the most holiday cheer they can get, and that begins with your contributions.
Your generous donations will hopefully be recognized by your bookie and maybe the next time you have to pay the man, he’ll let you slide until next week.
3. Tune out the in-laws
Most of us are forced into the unfortunate situation of having to spend copious hours with the in-laws over the holidays. Devising a plan that involves watching and betting on sporting events during these trying times will allow you to tune out the annual family stories you’ve heard a thousand times.
The strategic scheme requires precise execution.
First, locate the optimal viewing position in the TV room and secure it by placing a beverage or plate of food near it. Second, before the family begins to gather for fellowship turn on the TV, find the game and hit the mute button. Muting the TV is an essential step in the process and cannot be skipped. Finally, attempt to position your in-laws with their backs to the TV so you are able to look through them and watch the game while it appears you are listening intently to every dull word that escapes their mouths.
This tactic has created bearable holiday seasons with in-laws for many years.
4. The more the merrier
Consumption of adult beverages goes hand-in-hand with gambling and the holidays. Whether eggnog, rum-spiced cider or mulled wine is your cup of choice, alcohol brings out the Christmas cheer in everyone. And from my perspective, it’s always more gratifying to win a wager and easier to lose a wager while inebriated.
Added bonus: You can be honest with your significant other when drinking and gambling over the holidays. This bonus ONLY applies if she is intoxicated as well. If this combination presents itself, go ahead and spill the beans about how much you lost because there’s a good chance she won’t remember it the next day. So when she’s scouring the bank statement next month and inquires about a $500 check made out to “Bull”, you can tell her the expense was already discussed.
5. Go all out before 2010
Every year my New Year’s resolution is spawned from sports betting. Some years it’s no betting on baseball, other times it’s sticking with my fixed wager no matter how much I like the bet (bankroll management problem) and some years it’s no more gambling (which usually lasts until March Madness). If you are planning on cutting back in 2010, you might as well get gambling out of your system now.
Go crazy with action on games, halfers, props, futures and maybe even a moneyline underdog with +500 odds. Go all out because once that ball drops, all those painful bad-beat memories from the past year disappear.