THE Tenner Bet had a chat with a journalist colleague during the summer.
It was at a point when Italy looked sure things for Euro 2020 and I was telling him how I'd tipped them to win the tournament in these very pages.
“Did you used to write the Tenner Bet?” he asked, suggesting he was mildly impressed, to which I replied in the affirmative.
“My dad used to love it,” he added before pointing out that the thing that made it different from other betting columns was the running total at the bottom of the page.
I agreed fully before detailing my record of three winning seasons and two losers – for an overall profit that was a healthy three-figure sum – bringing to mind that insult often levelled in my direction about 'not being much fun at parties'.
Anyway, when Italy won the Euros, it seemed that the logical thing to do was ask the sports editor if he was interested in reviving the column. A mistake he now no doubt regrets.
Which brings us to last Saturday and the familiar parp of a Twitter message coming through on my phone. It was my journalist pal from the summer.
“James, sitting in the boozer with the old man - he’s cursing your Tenner Bet this week!”
And every other week since I returned to this slot, no doubt. I wish I knew the solution. In times past, when a run was this bad I would opt for a change in strategy and with that in mind I'm concentrating solely on (relative) bankers for a couple of weeks in an attempt to staunch the bleeding.
That means plumping for some odds-on favourites this weekend. First up was going to be Manchester City but they have shortened to 2/11 to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers and, at that price, I can't bring myself to select them. It's a similar story across the Premier League in England with each of the big guns pitted against teams they should beat but, frankly, they are at risible odds. The top flight in Scotland is similarly tough with plenty of out of form teams paired against each other this weekend. It's not much better in the lower leagues here, either, but a look at Leagues 1 and 2 in England could prove to be fruitful. The first pick is Forest Green Rovers to win at Oldham. The League 2 table toppers have not lost on their travels thus far this season and they take on a side that has the worst home form in the league. At 7/8, it's a generous price for a team that is outscoring opponents by an average of two goals to none in away matches. Meanwhile, Oldham have lost 13 of 20 at Boundary Park this season.
In the same division, Leyton Orient to see off injury hit Crawley Town appeals for similar reasons, albeit in a roundabout way. Orient have the third best home form in the league and Crawley haven't exactly been setting the heather ablaze on their away trips, even if they have rallied somewhat over their last six away matches following a five-game losing streak. Again, it's reflected in an odds-on price of 8/11 for the Londoners. The last selection comes from League 1 and concerns Rotherham United, the team out in front in the division, against Burton Albion down in 10th. The former have the fourth best home record in the league whilst the latter have the sixth worst and have lost their last three on the spin on their travels.
Selections: Forest Green Rovers (7/8), Leyton Orient (8/11), Rotherham United (1/2). Treble pays: 3.86/1
Season's total: -£100.00
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