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What are you backing Today? Part 2

What am i backing today ? Nothing !! :)

But two things to say.
First of all, many years ago, this was the day that the homeless numbers in the UK used to go up dramatically. The reason ? The betting shops were closed. :) As many of the older generation will remember, the shops were closed for three days and the poor souls who used to spend all day in them had nowhere to go. Every shop had them. I had Johnny who used to be stood outside waiting for me to turn up. Then Billy would come along just as i put the key in the door. Then Garth, the taxi driver would pull into the car park as i opened the door quickly followed by Ralph. Fair enough Garth would go back in his cab after having had his tea and biscuits but the others would keep me company most of the day. And as time went by, they would be joined by a few others.
What on earth they did on the days i was closed i never found out. :)
But now those sad excuses for bookmakers are open every day except Xmas, so at least those people have somewhere warm to go.

Secondly, a laugh at my expense.
This goes back about 25 years ago. The final day of racing but it had been abandoned and it was only a French meeting and dogs. I knew it would be dead and would have been happy just to nick a few quid. But then this lad came in who did love his dog racing and started punting on them. He was a contractor and always had a pocket full of cash. So he started punting and quickly lost a ton. Then two hundred. Then three hundred. Then he upped his stakes and couldnt back a winner to save his life. He nipped out to the cash machine after about two hours and i had a quick count and he had done almost £700. Happy days i'm thinking.
He came back in, started punting again and still couldnt back a winner. And then he said to me that i had taken all his money off him and all he had left was £20. Yes i did feel a bit guilty but that is the game.
Anyway, he just stood there looking at the screens and then the 49'ers teatime draw came up. He stood looking at it with pen in hand and at the very last second came racing to the counter and had his £20 on 31 and 46. I remember it to this day. The first number out was 31 and i thought to myself no, this cant be happening. Nothing for the next few numbers and then the fifth ball out was 46. He screamed in delight and started dancing round the shop and i just stood there gutted. Well and truly gutted !!!!!
Two numbers paid 48/1, he picked up £980, told me that he had started with £940 and therefore had won £40 on the day.

At least he wished me Merry Christmas on the way out.

:confused:😢
 
Quixall Crossett said:
What am i backing today ? Nothing !! :)

But two things to say.
First of all, many years ago, this was the day that the homeless numbers in the UK used to go up dramatically. The reason ? The betting shops were closed. :) As many of the older generation will remember, the shops were closed for three days and the poor souls who used to spend all day in them had nowhere to go. Every shop had them. I had Johnny who used to be stood outside waiting for me to turn up. Then Billy would come along just as i put the key in the door. Then Garth, the taxi driver would pull into the car park as i opened the door quickly followed by Ralph. Fair enough Garth would go back in his cab after having had his tea and biscuits but the others would keep me company most of the day. And as time went by, they would be joined by a few others.
What on earth they did on the days i was closed i never found out. :)
But now those sad excuses for bookmakers are open every day except Xmas, so at least those people have somewhere warm to go.

Secondly, a laugh at my expense.
This goes back about 25 years ago. The final day of racing but it had been abandoned and it was only a French meeting and dogs. I knew it would be dead and would have been happy just to nick a few quid. But then this lad came in who did love his dog racing and started punting on them. He was a contractor and always had a pocket full of cash. So he started punting and quickly lost a ton. Then two hundred. Then three hundred. Then he upped his stakes and couldnt back a winner to save his life. He nipped out to the cash machine after about two hours and i had a quick count and he had done almost £700. Happy days i'm thinking.
He came back in, started punting again and still couldnt back a winner. And then he said to me that i had taken all his money off him and all he had left was £20. Yes i did feel a bit guilty but that is the game.
Anyway, he just stood there looking at the screens and then the 49'ers teatime draw came up. He stood looking at it with pen in hand and at the very last second came racing to the counter and had his £20 on 31 and 46. I remember it to this day. The first number out was 31 and i thought to myself no, this cant be happening. Nothing for the next few numbers and then the fifth ball out was 46. He screamed in delight and started dancing round the shop and i just stood there gutted. Well and truly gutted !!!!!
Two numbers paid 48/1, he picked up £980, told me that he had started with £940 and therefore had won £40 on the day.

At least he wished me Merry Christmas on the way out.

:confused:😢
Click to expand...
Great story - thanks, Quixall.
 
walsworth said:
He’s probably skint now.
Click to expand...
I have no doubt you are right mate.
The story didnt actually end there. He came in on Boxing day and the day after and dropped a couple of hundred. And then i never saw him in my shop again. I heard from one of his mates that he reckoned my shop was an "unlucky" shop and he wasnt coming in again.
Then i was talking to a friend who also had an independent shop just half a mile from me and i told him the tale. He knew the lad and said he had been in for a bet just now and again in the previous week or two.
Fast forward a few months when the night racing was on and my mate rang me after racing and said the lad had been in and done about £500 and had kicked a couple of chairs over on his way out screaming about what an effing unlucky shop it was.

Isnt it strange how its either bent jockeys, bent trainers, bent bookies or "unlucky shops" that some punters blame when they do their money, when in reality, the real cause stares at them every time they look in the mirror !!!!!
 
Couple of outsiders I like each way Boxing Day at Wincanton

3.13-Largy Poet, currently 14-1
3.45-Chicago Storm, currently 14-1 [4 places]

Have a nice Xmas everyone
 

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