- Mar 22, 2010
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Every race preview thread ends up being dominated by predictions and counter predictions, often accompanied by "lively banter" and speculation as to the IQ and/or psychotropically altered condition of those with whom the disagreement is being exercised. So let's have something on the line, even if it is only an indicator of our pride levels.
Many like to enter into avatar bets, but those are only for asserting what one is fairly sure won't happen: this could allow us to "profit" from what we reckon will come to pass.
So what I'm suggesting is a betting market, consisting of pride points. Anyone who wants to join in has 1000 points on the day they start, and they can negotiate the stake and the odds perhaps on PM, and then record the fact of the bet here.
The way I would see it going is something like this: it might happen that Poster A has great confidence in Green Edge's readiness for the TDU, and has been talking up their chances for success on the relevant thread, while Poster B reckons he can name dozens of riders likely to do better. Eventually A gets fed up of his favourites being put down, so he sends a PM to B to start a bet here. A little bit of negotiation, and they end up agreeing (away from the board so as not to sidetrack that thread too much) on odds of 3-1 on a GE rider making the top 3 on GC, and evens on them getting a stage win. The stake on the GC podium bet is set at 30 points, and the stage win at 50 points. This "contract" is announced on this page, so when Goss wins stage 2, Poster A victoriously visits this board to proclaim that his balance has risen to 1050, and that Poster B now has only 950 points to his name. At the end of the race, Valverde, Ballan and Rogers fill the podium places, so Poster A has his balance reduced to 1020, while B now has 980 to his name. Poster A will be kicking himself: if only Hesjedal had been able to hold on to that late breakaway on Wilunga Hill, he would be able to boast of a total of 1140, and that halfwit B would be reduced to 860. (B got 30 points from A for GE missing out on the podium: a higher placing for Hesjedal would have seen A getting 90 points off B)
In short,
Step One: on the race preview thread, identify those who might be interested in sharing a wager.
Step Two: Negotiate the odds and the stakes on PM
Step Three: In this thread, state the terms of the bet so that there is a record that the deal has been struck
Step Four:, after the race/stage/hill/season in question, return to this board to update your score, for better or for worse.
I would think people should be able to simply keep their own score honourably: nothing but pride at stake.
Maybe no-one will bother, but there is the idea if people do want to try to put the points where their mouth is.
Many like to enter into avatar bets, but those are only for asserting what one is fairly sure won't happen: this could allow us to "profit" from what we reckon will come to pass.
So what I'm suggesting is a betting market, consisting of pride points. Anyone who wants to join in has 1000 points on the day they start, and they can negotiate the stake and the odds perhaps on PM, and then record the fact of the bet here.
The way I would see it going is something like this: it might happen that Poster A has great confidence in Green Edge's readiness for the TDU, and has been talking up their chances for success on the relevant thread, while Poster B reckons he can name dozens of riders likely to do better. Eventually A gets fed up of his favourites being put down, so he sends a PM to B to start a bet here. A little bit of negotiation, and they end up agreeing (away from the board so as not to sidetrack that thread too much) on odds of 3-1 on a GE rider making the top 3 on GC, and evens on them getting a stage win. The stake on the GC podium bet is set at 30 points, and the stage win at 50 points. This "contract" is announced on this page, so when Goss wins stage 2, Poster A victoriously visits this board to proclaim that his balance has risen to 1050, and that Poster B now has only 950 points to his name. At the end of the race, Valverde, Ballan and Rogers fill the podium places, so Poster A has his balance reduced to 1020, while B now has 980 to his name. Poster A will be kicking himself: if only Hesjedal had been able to hold on to that late breakaway on Wilunga Hill, he would be able to boast of a total of 1140, and that halfwit B would be reduced to 860. (B got 30 points from A for GE missing out on the podium: a higher placing for Hesjedal would have seen A getting 90 points off B)
In short,
Step One: on the race preview thread, identify those who might be interested in sharing a wager.
Step Two: Negotiate the odds and the stakes on PM
Step Three: In this thread, state the terms of the bet so that there is a record that the deal has been struck
Step Four:, after the race/stage/hill/season in question, return to this board to update your score, for better or for worse.
I would think people should be able to simply keep their own score honourably: nothing but pride at stake.
Maybe no-one will bother, but there is the idea if people do want to try to put the points where their mouth is.
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