Friendly Wager...

Doing Good in the Betting Business

    Cricket’s growth into a global game may be partly explained by the foraging expansion of the British Empire but it’s growth into a game at all was down to something else – gambling.

    Whatever it was that made cricket so attractive as a betting tool remains as infectious now as it was in the 17^th and 18^th centuries when the English, landed gentry owned their own teams and bet vast swathes of cash, sometimes even pieces of their estates, on their teams overcoming those of other members of the super-rich. It has a familiar ring to it even 300 years later.

    These days, betting on sports teams, particularly cricket teams, is pastime with a salty edge to it given the corruption the game has witnessed and been subjected to. But skulduggery was common in the earliest days, too, with Dukes and Earls employing ladies-of-the-night and dodgy cooks to compromise and nobble key opposition players before big matches.

    Bookmaking as an industry, however, has a far greater history of honest tradition than you might realise, especially if you are a non-gambler. And the odds they offer on sporting contests are often the best guide to form and public sentiment, whether they are based on analysis or emotion.

    I have always steered clear of betting on cricket, even before match-fixing became such a constant part of my journalism work a quarter of a century ago. There is no legislation to prevent journalists ‘having a punt’, and many of my colleagues do so regularly, but it always felt a bit too close to insider-trading for my comfort. Having said that, plenty of friends have bought me a coffee, or a beer, with some of their winnings from my tips over the years, so I’m probably being too precious.

    During the World Cup you may have noticed the Hollywoodbets logo on my daily diary. A couple of years ago it seemed obvious to me that they were a betting company with a difference, but still a betting company. It started with the massively needed overhaul of Kingsmead which now gleams with pride again after decades in the doldrums. No guess where the money came from.

    Dozens of club teams, across sporting codes and sexes, have prospered because of the hands-on support they receive from Hollywoodbets who do not simply hand out cash but take the time, and incur the additional cost, of buying kit, supervising clubhouse construction or refurbishment and making certain that the right people – often youth – are the ones who benefit.

    They maintain almost 100 offices, not because it gives them an exposure edge over the competition, but because they employ thousands of staff with over 26,000 direct dependants. Online betting is much simpler, more economical and therefore profitable. The name does not suggest it, but the company is a family-run enterprise with a history similar to those original bookmaking companies centuries ago.

    When the Brand & Communications manager, Devin Heffer, made contact with me I was still prevaricating over whether I could make the trip to India viable. He offered a significant contribution towards my costs “…because everyone in the office enjoys your column.” Too good to be true, I thought. What would they require from me in return? Nothing. They just wanted to share my experience at the World Cup.

    I would still require support from my generous paid-subscribers, but Hollywoodbets made it happen. Thank you, Devin. I hope you enjoyed the journey with me.

    And finally, my greatest concern about sports betting in a third-world country, given the addiction and subsequent socio-economic problems it creates in wealthy nations, is affordability. Can the majority of South Africans really justify betting from their meagre wages?

    The answer, I discovered, lies in the amounts they wager. Hollywoodbets accepts bets of just R1. Predicting 10 correct PSL results, as a multiplier, can offer returns of thousands. The odds are stacked against the punter, obviously, but with an element of skill, isn’t that as good as buying a Lotto ticket? It’s cheaper and offers a similar, life-changing pay-out.

    I’m not advocating gambling, and Devin was happy for me to say that. But if I was to bet, at least I would know who to give my money to.