New Zealand Have No Hope in the IRB 2011 Rugby World Cup

Mark my words - the All Blacks have absolutely no chance of winning the IRB 2011 Rugby World Cup.  Why, I hear you ask? Let me explain.

New Zealand are hosting the World Cup.

New Zealand are the No. 1 ranked team playing rugby union.

New Zealand, being the hosts, have the most favourable fixture.

I picked New Zealand in the sweepstake at work today.

There you have it. No hope for the Kiwis. I was asked to run a sweepstake only three and a half hours before the opening match of the World Cup. I even had to ask when it started as I'm not into rugby too much. The only games I take any interest in are World Cup matches. So, I emailed my colleagues and managed to sell the 20 places in three hours. We like a bet, we do. I had two ladies conduct the draw, and they hadn't joined in and were therefore impartial, but as soon as my name and that of New Zealand was drawn out I knew fingers would be pointed at me.

And that has certainly put the mozz on the Kiwis. Anybody remember the FIFA World Cup sweepstake where I picked Brazil and got nothing?

IRB 2011 Rubgy World Cup Odds

Melbourne Cup Day

Everyone looks forward to the Melbourne Cup. Even those people who don't like horses. Or betting. Perhaps even the No Pokies party leader, Nick Xenophon secretly, deep down, enjoys the Melbourne Cup. But don't bet on it.

It's the race that stops a nation. Well, we all gawk at the TV for a while hoping that the horse we picked in the sweepstakes, because we have no idea about horse racing, will do well. Most people that would only have one bet per year would place that on the Melbourne Cup.

At work we had two sweepstakes - a five dollar one and a ten dollar one. I entered in both when, out of the 24 horses minus three scratchings, there were only four and five left respectively. For the five dollar sweepstake I was given Efficient and in the ten dollar sweepstake my pick was Blutigeroo. Didn't know if they were a pair of Clydesdale horses or not. I'm just like any other Melbourne Cup punter in that regard.

Well, blown me down. Efficient won the 2007 Melbourne Cup. And I collected $60 for my trouble, less the $15 in the first place, for a tidy 300% profit. Doesn't make up for all the years I haven't won a cracker. I sent a text to Miky and it turned out that she had won $30 at her workplace for a $2 entry. The boy said that he picked horse number 6, Efficient as it turns out, before the race.

I think I'll take my winnings and retire from punting.