This week I invested $40 in our office Super Bowl pool. According to Fox News, this week is the second largest illegal betting week of the entire year. And even though many companies have policies that prohibit internal betting, everyone looks the other way for the Super Bowl. Well, if my company has such a policy, I know 100 people who are in hot water.
Now, I find myself in the unusual position of rooting for a score versus rooting for a team. Go, Pats, Go Giants, come on scoreboard. My numbers: Patriots 7, Giants 0 and Patriots 5, Giants 1. So here are some scores I can hope for. First quarter: Giants 10, Patriots 7 or Patriots 7, Giants 0. Sounds good, right? The problem is in the last 10 Super Bowl games; there has never been a first quarter score of 10-7 or 7-0. OK, I suddenly don’t feel so lucky.
How about halftime scores, Patriots 7, 17 or 27, Giants 0, 10, or 20. Hmmm, not feeling so good about halftime either. OK, what about the end of the game scores, Patriots 7, 17, or 27, Giants 0, 10, 20, or 30. The alternate score: Patriots 15, 35, 45, Giants 21, 31, or 41. I have just decided I’ve thrown my money away.
So it seems like my best shot is the first quarter. Tough, hard fought quarter where the Patriots squeak out a touchdown in the final moments of the quarter for a 7-0 lead. Or the defenses can’t stop the offenses, and both teams march up and down the field for a Giant lead of 10-7. Either way I cash my illegal check for 250 smackers.
After cashing in, I can enjoy the rest of the game knowing that there is little chance for me to win again. Unless, of course, the defenses stiffen and the score remains 10-7 or 7-0 for the rest of the game, and I run the table on all four quarters. But of course, that will never, ever happen.
So the odds are I won’t win any money. The odds are I’ll root for the Giants no matter the score. (Peyton’s little brother plays for the Giants. And I like Peyton.) And the odds are that I’ll play one of these pools again. In fact, the number one largest illegal betting week is right around the corner.
It’s called March Madness. And I have $20 ready to donate to somebody else.
2.4.12
From the desk of Rich Levy 
I am in a SB pool also. No $$ investment required. Only time and, if diligent, a little sweat.
Here’s how it works. The challenge: workout three days in one week at Curves, which I did. This made me eligible to pick out a square. I really didn’t pay much attention to what my numbers are and I didn’t work out at all last week. Incentive: Back to working out starting on Monday. After all I just might be the winner of a pair of Zumba socks.
I discovered your blog on the Facebook Edison High page. I graduated in 1965.
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