Win like the pro handicappers do and rake in the cash!!

via static.nfl.com

Yeah, so it's that time again. When one of the biggest games of the year brings out the compulsive gambler in people. And as it's kind of slow around here and probably will be til free agency/the draft, thought I'd offer this side note. It is betting time again; they're even betting on what Madonna will wear and such for the half time show.

Now in my workplace, I'm the only football fan. We got my boss who kind of follows the Bears (being a former Chicago native), and when the Super Bowl comes, what it really means to him is going to an annual fancy party with a 7 course meal (literally) and do some real drinkin'. Yeah, football is kind of an interest to him, but not really even the main draw. If they were serving just basic pizza or burgers, he wouldn't even go. The main thing the Super Bowl means in this context is that he'll be leaving early on Sunday while a couple of us remain behind to mind the shop. But before he leaves, he'll insist on making a whopping $5 bet, just for the sake of betting. He'll ask what the spread is, tell me to pick a team, and then we'll make the bet. Happens every year like that. Truth is he doesn't care who wins, unless the Bears are in there. For that matter neither do I. But he never fails to want to make the bet.

Except, that this year, a new "player" has entered the scene. A guy who knows absolutely nothing about football, could care less, and used to only watch the Super Bowl for the extravagant commercials they show during that particular game. The new player, not to be outdone by the boss, also insisted on making a bet. In similar cheap @$$ fashion, has informed me he's taking the Patriots (without the points because he doesn't understand the concept of point spreads) for a cup of coffee (hopefully Starbucks, not McDonalds). In both cases it's the same thing. It's the Super Bowl, and it's apparently to get your Sam Rothstein on. BTW, Patriots are 3 point favorites as of now.

Nobody is willing to bet big money around here because we're all cheap bastards, but yet they insist on betting anyway for some reason. Me, I don't particularly care who wins the game, or at least didn't until I was informed I would be rooting for the Giants. Nor am I one to be aggressive about making bets (almost never do), but here it is Friday night, and I've got two of them already.

So let me ask you people, is this how it happens for you, especially around the workplace? Or are you on the phone as soon as the conference championship games are over with your bookie? When these bets happen on the job, are your people equally insistent upon it AND cheap, or do you have high rollers where you are?

via media.tumblr.com

And just for the hell of it: