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This article will not provide you with a clutter of birds, trees & jewellery to add to the unwanted Christmas jumper and the double decker that's always the last to go from the selection box. Instead in the aftermath of Christmas Day come 12 days, 12 sporting fixtures and this writer's suggestions for how to turn a US$10 bill into one million pounds sterling (though don't blame us if you're still only left with the Christmas jumper! - ed).
On the first day of Christmas (26th of December) the sporting gods gave to me
Kauto Star in the King George VI chase {current odds 8/13}
On the second day of Christmas the sporting gods gave to me
India to beat Sri Lanka in the 5th One-Day International {5/6}
On the third day of Christmas...
Fulham to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge {12/1} (gotta love the value in a two-horse race)
On the fourth day of Christmas
Minnesota Vikings* to triumph @ Chicago Bears {1/3 but still value in this bet - there will only be one outcome (surely!)}
On the fifth day of Christmas
England to win the 2nd Test on day 5, presumably down to the performances of their South African exiles {7/2}
On the sixth day of Christmas
Scarlets to beat Dragons in the Magners League (that's Rugby Union for the uninitiated)
At this point our investment of US$10 should (notionally) be nearing the $5,000 mark, which would be a much better reason to crack open the bubbly than the passing of an arbitrary date on a calendar.
On the seventh day of Christmas
Harlequins to beat Sale in the English Premiership
On the eighth day of Christmas
Luton to win away at Southampton in the FA Cup
On the ninth day of Christmas
Celtic to beat Rangers in the first Old Firm tussle of 2010
On the tenth day of Christmas
Sri Lanka to beat Bangladesh in cricket ODI. (Think long and hard about the value afforded by Bangladesh in this fixture... then back Sri Lanka anyway)
On the 11th day of Christmas
Boston Bruins* to beat the New York Rangers in the NHL
and finally... on the 12th day of Christmas the sporting gods gave to me
Parma to beat Juventus.
* The pedants amongst you may have noticed that the hockey and American football games are actually taking place a day earlier than I have put them but I am basing this on when the game finishes and the money appears in my UK betting account (same logic used for the Test match). I think my dates are correct for anybody living East of Galway and West of Mumbai - to readers outside this area I offer my sincere apologies but assume that the million quid will soften the blow.
The Christmas jumper it is then.
Posted by: Dupin | January 9, 2010 at 20:13
With the current odds (some of which I guesstimated) a £6 bet gives £1,010k return so in round terms US$10 would give 1 million pounds sterling. Current exchange rate £1 = $1.60
Posted by: Ceann Mor | December 24, 2009 at 11:27
I'll be giving it a go!
Just for completeness, what is the final $ - £?
Posted by: Dupin | December 24, 2009 at 10:12