Joyfeed

Subject: Re: Booker Prize special
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 13:37:45 +0100 (BST)
From: care@ladbrokes.com <care@ladbrokes.com>
To: Peter Fletcher [email]

Dear Mr Fletcher,

Thank you for your e-mail.

I regret to inform you that this is a bet we will not be covering.

If we can be of any further assistance, please contact us again and
we will be more than happy to help you.

Yours sincerely,

[name]
Customer Services

Original Message Follows:
————————
Hello

You have odds for the Longlisted Booker titles both for outright winner
and to reach the shortlist.

Would it be possible to receive odds for the inverse, i.e. I would like to
bet that e.g. On Chesil Beach will NOT reach the shortlist (the current
odds make this tempting).

I have spoken to one of your helpful telephone consultants, who was
very informative and helpful. I am aware that this sort of bet is “negative”,
but he advised me to write and ask just in case.

Thanks

Peter

6 Responses to “Negative Betting”

1. Little Plum (your redskin chum) says:
   

   You could offer to “lay” a bet at betfair.com and see if anyone takes it. Their site says - “Want to lay a selection? To lay is to bet that something won’t happen. For example, to lay Man United to win a match is to bet on them NOT to win. If you were to lay them, you would win your bet if they either lost or drew their match. Switch to the Full view to place a lay bet.”

   Comment posted on 15th August 2007 at 5:04 pm
2. John Self says:
   

   Spoilsports!

   Comment posted on 15th August 2007 at 5:29 pm
3. alex fielding says:
   

   I think a bet should be made on that rather good debut novel what has been shortlisted. New talent deserves.

   Comment posted on 16th August 2007 at 6:45 pm
4. joyfeed says:
   

   Longlisted, Alex. Although, for domestic reasons, I was hoping to place a large bet on WWL not making it any further, like an insurance policy. Still, there’s always the Guardian First Book.

   Comment posted on 24th August 2007 at 8:04 am
5. Jim Hannay says:
   

   I don’t know why people like you have to mock such talent. I’ve read this book, and it wasn’t all that bad.

   I bet you haven’t even read it.

   People like you ought to be rounded up and shoved down a big hole.

   Comment posted on 29th August 2007 at 1:55 pm
6. joyfeed says:
   

   Mr Jim is of course a dear dear friend, and this is his way of showing that. Do not be alarmed.

   Comment posted on 29th August 2007 at 3:31 pm

Leave a Reply

This entry was posted on Wednesday 15th August 2007 at 3:32 pm and is filed under Notes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.