Place your bets please....
For those of you in the UK, Saturday is Grand National Day (I for one can't believe it truly is as it seems to have come so quickly).
Now I am in no way a gambler of any kind but the Grand National is different. Memories of me going into the betting shop in our local town with my dad when I was younger (it was right next door to the Chapel of Rest) in a portacabin and once a year all manner of people would be found there. We would be allowed to pick a horse each (normally by colour, later by name) and then my dad (after stopping at his mum's so she could give him her bet (something my grandad never knew about) would take us to the small desk and put on pound or two each way.
I have looked at this year's horses (names,not colours) and I fancy a bet on "Comply Or Die" (which may have to be my new work based motto - the buggers are annoying me!) but it seems that he may only get round in his own time. So, looking again at the list I also fancy "BecauseIcouldn'tsee" which is basically me when I have no glasses on. He is said to have good form (yeah, don't really know what that means but he's Irish so could be a good one!).
But the thing is, no one is doing a sweep stake - well not in work anyway (at least it means I won't get upset if I get a non-runner) so how do I go and place a bet. The betting shops in this town seem full of old men - dare I go in? And, can I ask for a pound each way (like my dad in the olden days?) . Also does it help that the two I've chosen have bad odds - Comply or Die is 50:1 (which if he won would mean I'd get £50 -I think?) and 25:1 for t'other. Even to me, the non gambler, I guess they're not favourites. Or do I not gamble at all and just get the paper on Saturday, let the girls pick a horse each and hope for the best?
Ideas on either much appreciated, or if you know what to do in a betting shop that would be handy too!!
BNM
Now I am in no way a gambler of any kind but the Grand National is different. Memories of me going into the betting shop in our local town with my dad when I was younger (it was right next door to the Chapel of Rest) in a portacabin and once a year all manner of people would be found there. We would be allowed to pick a horse each (normally by colour, later by name) and then my dad (after stopping at his mum's so she could give him her bet (something my grandad never knew about) would take us to the small desk and put on pound or two each way.
I have looked at this year's horses (names,not colours) and I fancy a bet on "Comply Or Die" (which may have to be my new work based motto - the buggers are annoying me!) but it seems that he may only get round in his own time. So, looking again at the list I also fancy "BecauseIcouldn'tsee" which is basically me when I have no glasses on. He is said to have good form (yeah, don't really know what that means but he's Irish so could be a good one!).
But the thing is, no one is doing a sweep stake - well not in work anyway (at least it means I won't get upset if I get a non-runner) so how do I go and place a bet. The betting shops in this town seem full of old men - dare I go in? And, can I ask for a pound each way (like my dad in the olden days?) . Also does it help that the two I've chosen have bad odds - Comply or Die is 50:1 (which if he won would mean I'd get £50 -I think?) and 25:1 for t'other. Even to me, the non gambler, I guess they're not favourites. Or do I not gamble at all and just get the paper on Saturday, let the girls pick a horse each and hope for the best?
Ideas on either much appreciated, or if you know what to do in a betting shop that would be handy too!!
BNM
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