What about the odds?

I’m pretty sure that each of you did numerous bets in his life. In our early years they were about who can run faster around the jungle gym. Or who can hold his breath for one minute. Or maybe who dares to sniff at the trainers of your classmate after PE lesson.

What’s betting?

Per definition, a bet is nothing more than the statement that some event will produce a certain outcome; your opinion held against that of at least one contra-bettor. Further on it is important to distinguish between the content and the wager of the bet. The content is the thing the bet is about (e.g. who can burp the loudest) and the wager describes what has to be done or paid after the bet (e.g. who has to order the next beer). The wager does not always have to be money; it can be every kind of action agreed in advance. What’s also possible is that the only thing you want to achieve is honor.

Tackling Emotions

June 27, 2010; Germany vs. England; 39 min: The Reds, just having reduced their arrears to 1:2 one minute earlier, attack again. Friedrich duels Defoe down on the ground;  the ball is taken over by Lampard just at the edge of the box, Lampard shoots, no chance for Neuer to take action; the ball hits the crossbar and enters unexplored regions around the goal line. People in front of TV screens scream; showers of beer spill over your shoulder and finally the question arises: Was it a goal?