Scared Money

My friend, Fred E. Katt, is a real fraidy cat. Everything scares him. He's afraid if he makes a small wager, the bookie will laugh at him. He's afraid that if he bets small and wins, he didn’t take advantage of his good picking ability. He's afraid if bets high and loses, he can't come up with the money.

He's afraid if he bets on a Wednesday he'll probably lose because he only has a few days to recoup his losses, and since his unlucky day is Wednesday he won't wager on that day.

He's afraid that if he does bet, loses, and doesn't have the money, a gangster will come and break his kneecaps. As a result, he won't be able to work, he'll lose his job, his wife will leave him, and he’ll go broke with the divorce and lose his house. So he only bets if he says the Rosary 6 times. That way God won't hate him and make him lose his wife and house.

Fred E. Katt is betting with scared money money he is petrified of losing. When you bet scared, you bet stupid. When you bet stupid, you probably lose because you're making stupid decisions.

It ain't a sin to be broke and it ain't a sin to be short of cash. It that was the case, I wouldn't have reached my 25th birthday. I bet on sports just like many of you did and the only thing I was good at was losing, but that's because I did so much of it.

I bet on games I was positive couldn't lose, then wondered why I lost 13 2 after I was so sure I was right. That was supposed to be a sure fire wins. Then, because I was behind, I'd bet a long shot or underdog, hoping o recoup my losses. It was a combination of betting, cared, and betting without a decent Bankroll, chasing and lack of Money Management.

And it started getting worse when I fell behind and was betting scared, knowing I was in trouble. I'd drive to the highest hilltop in the surrounding town so the radio in my car could pick up the signal in North Carolina. This way I'd get the scores quicker.

In those days you only got sports scores once an hour and there was no sports phone. I'd make a $30 wager on a game and sweat out every pitch, cursing commercials, static, rain delays, and arguments with umpires. I needed the money. I was betting with scared money   I didn't have   and died every time a last inning home run or error would cause me to lose.

It seemed every loss came about on the last play of the game, or a shot at the buzzer or an error by some guy whose name I couldn't even pronounce.

Why did God hate me so much? Didn't I promise be good if he let me win?

It was lack of Bankroll that caused me to worry, to make stupid decisions. It was the dumb idea of betting higher than was logical, based on the money I had to operate with. If I lost a 5 timer on Monday, I'd bet two 10 mers and a parlay on Tuesday, never stopping to think 3f the consequences until after I fell in the hole.

Scared money is betting with a short Bankroll. You're scared of losing. You're probably related to Fred E. Katt --- he's scared of losing and well he should   it's a lousy feeling.

Stop betting!!! Don't bet again until you have a decent Bankroll set aside.

That's the whole chapter. What else do you want me to tell you? Do you think there's a secret remedy for curing your economic situation that will allow you to bet $1000 a game? Don't be silly.

© Copyright 2005 John Patrick's material. It may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.