Punting pennies

I like to bet on sports. Usually $2 or $5 wagers. $10 at the most. Small-fry stuff that won't make any significant difference to my life either way. The appeal for me is the intellectual challenge: Can I review the available information and predict the victor? And are the odds worth the risk?

I'm not a bad judge. I opened a TAB account with $50 when I moved back to Newie in 2017 and haven't yet needed to deposit additional funds. Sometimes I bet several times over a few days. Then I lose interest and don't bet again for weeks. Am thinking this is probably a healthy thing. 

Since yesterday, I've won money on 3/3 punts: the Penrith Panthers in the NRL, UFC fighter Raquel Pennington, and Penn State in college football. I swear I didn't twig to the "pen" connection until all of the bets were placed. I'm not now and hopefully never will be superstitious [touches wood].

When I was in Year 10, we had to do two weeks' work experience. Mine were spent changing tapes, restocking printer paper, etc. in the computer departments of two big companies (a wire maker and a coal plant). It was at the latter I got my first taste of - no, not gambling - workplace relations.

A bloke there had scored a modest prize in the lottery. Apparently it was customary with such windfalls to shout the rest of the department drinks. But he'd made no offer and his colleagues were pretty sour. The lady mentoring me confided, "He's too mean to even buy us an ice-cream."

Whoever you are reading this ramble, it's not feasible for me to purchase ya an ice-cream across the internet to celebrate my funny trifecta. So I humbly offer this pic of the lovely Penelope Cruz draped over an MV Agusta as Valentina Valencia in "Zoolander 2". We should be so lucky.