BETTING ODDITIES: Taking A Break

BETTING ODDITIES: In his latest weekly blog, DAVID STEWART takes a sideways look at some of the stories making the news in the betting world and beyond.

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GIVING US A BREAK

It’s taken a global pandemic to stall the sporting treadmill and we keep getting told things will ‘never be the same again’ when sport does resume.

Whilst one pandemic is more than enough for one lifetime it got me thinking is a break in sport (preferably not enforced) necessarily a bad thing?

It’s not that long ago (I prefer that to saying ‘the old days’) that we DID have to wait.

We had to wait for the flat racing season to start, wait for a good football match on the box, wait for Major golf tournaments. They were events you looked forward to and counted down the days to.

Today (in normal times) it’s not unusual for over 20 football matches to be televised live on a single Sunday from around Europe.

Is it too much? Are we now immune from good sport because we get quantity over quality and are all punch-drunk?

Is having some time away from it good for all? The competitors, industry employees, fans, punters and their respective mental health?

Do we come back with recharged vigour and appreciate it much more for taking a break?

I don’t know the answers but the break has got me thinking.

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INDEPENPENCE

Really hard to know how the economic climate will lie when we finally emerge out of the lockdown. One theory on the news today would be that the pubs would be ‘packed out’. A theory from a brewery no doubt.

I’m much more sceptical and think the recovery will be at a painfully slow pace to begin with and only improve as confidence does. The country has been rocked and the enforced habits of spending more time in and less time (and money) out might take some time to break. Personally, I will try and support some of my local independent businesses much more on the basis I think they’ve taken the biggest hit of all.

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THE LIBRARY ROOM

I have plenty of books at home but sadly not a proper old fashioned bookshelf which seems to be the pre-requisite backdrop for Skype and Zoom interviews when broadcasting to the nation.

I’ve found the perfect solution. Library Books Wallpaper at £9.99 a roll.

I will get a roll pasted up as soon as possible – just in case the Beeb or Sky come calling. After all, I need to LOOK intellectual ….. if nothing else.

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SILENT PICTURES

So hard not to be moved by the pictures from around the world on Easter Sunday. Pope Francis giving his annual Easter address to an empty Vatican Basilica, Andrea Bocelli’s live concert streamed to millions from the deserted Duomo di Milano and Christ The Redeemer lit up as a doctor in Rio de Janeiro. All continued proof that pictures can not only convey a thousand words but provoke a thousand tears as well.

Stay safe.

David

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DAVID STEWART is a freelance digital betting producer and journalist. His CV includes: The Sun, The Sporting Life, Racing Post, At The Races, The Sportsman, lead feature writer for Sky’s Betview magazine and senior producer Timeform Radio.

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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