Readers of last week’s column will know that things hadn’t been going my way with a few bad bets followed by a few bad beats. I was certainly not alone though and a good punting mate of mine Brendan has every reason to feel bitter after this past weekend. 

He was on the Stormers -1.5 points (meaning the Stormers must win by 2 points or more) against the Bulls and in the same game he was also betting there would be 45 points or less in the match.  The Stormers led by 8 points going into the final minute and there had been 40 points scored in total when Pollard lined up a penalty which would have reduced the deficit to 5 and given the Bulls a bonus point. That would have meant a total of 43 points in the game and the veteran punter would have landed both of his bets. 

The kick missed and 99 times out of a 100, the Stormers players would have hoofed it deep into the stands and celebrated the victory.  Not this time though and they ran the ball from behind their own line, eventually turning it over. They were trying for an unlikely bonus point but now gave the Bulls a chance to get theirs.

As if some greater force was at work a wicked bounce fell right into a Bulls substitutes path and he galloped under the post celebrating the try as though he had won the match for the Bulls.  This was rather ironic as he had a shocking game indeed butchering a certain try on one occasion when he chose to go alone instead of passing. 

Back to the betting though and I can only imagine my portly friend with his head in his hands as he contemplated how both of those bets could have lost after the hooter and in such bizarre circumstances.  He messaged me straight after the game as he knew I was one of the few people out there who could truly understand his pain. 

Of course there are always two sides to a story and another good punting mate Alan had backed the Bulls +2.5 points (meaning the Bulls could lose by 2 points or less) and he had given up on his bet when Pollard lined up the kick only to be celebrating the most unlikely of victories just seconds later.

Twitter: @BrentGraham

 
This article was written for the CitiGaming supplement of the Citizen Newspaper and was published on the 2nd of May 2019.

Brent Graham is a blogger on www.goodforthegame.co.za and sends a  free weekly e-mail list just CLICK HERE to register