The Sports Truth

Sometimes, it’s just not your day.

Sometimes, if you’re a gambler associated with the Sports Truth, it’s just not your year. But there is often a silver lining, even in the deepest of slumps.

Take this past weekend for example. Sure, our staff was swept in four NFL wagers (for fun, using Monopoly money, of course), the greatest culprit being the previously unbeaten Chicago Bears.

Seriously, who gets crushed by the Dolphins? At home! That right there was a sign that it was not to be this weekend, but things deteriorated futher. U.S currency was also placed in the hands of San Diego, Green Bay and Tennessee, all of which failed — demonstratively — to meet the expectations of our experts.

Why anyone would bet money on a game involving the Jacksonville Jaguars, we may never know. Can anyone figure that team out? With Vince Young and the Titans coming off some good games, we figured they could get it done with 9.5 points. Alas, they needed 30.5. Tennessee was annihilated, 37-7.

All was not lost, however, thanks to an impromptu NHL wager on Saturday. Yes, you read that correctly. And it gets better. Drawing upon a dearth of hockey wisdom (i.e., a complete guess), we were certain that more than 72.5 goals would be tallied in the evening’s 12 tilts. Victory was certain… and would taste sweet.

Actually, it was a bit stressful. The Islanders’ Rick DePietro did his thing, allowing four goals on 19 shots, but New York could only score one of its own. New Jersey and Montreal engaged in a typical 2-1 snoozefest. We were well off the pace early, but things turned in our favor when the Bruins and Lightning exploded for seven goals in the second period alone en route to a 6-5 overtime thriller.

Not sure who won, but that’s inconsequential, of course. Coming down the home stretch, our teams — all of them — lit the lamp 64 times with two 10:30 games (does anyone watch these?) to go. It was gut-check time.

With just one goal scored by the Canucks, Avalanche, Sharks and Penguins in their respective first periods, our prospects looked only slightly less grim than the NHL’s future. But things picked up in the second period, and 33 seconds into the final frame, San Jose’s Joe Thornton (left) fed Mike Grier for the decisive 73rd goal. Pandemonium ensued at a New York sports bar.

Pittsburgh’s Dominic Moore added an insurance goal a minute later, but by that point, our staff members were too busy drenching each other in champagne and spending our newfound riches to care. It was one for the ages — and proof that you never know when the gambling gods may smile down upon you.

This weekend’s compulsive gambling lesson learned: Always take the over when it comes to betting on 12 NHL games aggregately. Always.

Posted in NHL, Sports Betting