Every father wants the best for his children, but unless he’s completely blinded by mad adoration, even the most myopic dad would admit that there are some things that his beloved offspring just can’t do.
But what about the things that he can do? We acknowledge that people like Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters had parents who pushed them hard and believed in them, but what if your parent decides to place a bet on your future success?
Making Dad Proud, and Rich
One proud father recently had the dual pleasure of seeing his son achieve sporting success and also won a big payout after placing a wager on his child. Rory McIlroy, who won the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, also helped his father, Gerry, and Gerry’s friends to collect a total of almost £200,000 from a bet they made 10 years ago, when Rory showed himself to be a golf prodigy.
The bet, at odds of 500:1, meant that one online casino and bookmaker had a particularly bad weekend, but obviously a proud father should be allowed to share in his child’s success.
Playing for the Reds
This is, of course, not the first time that a parent has bet on his child and won. Mick Tunnicliffe won £10,000, at odds of 100:1, after his son, Ryan, debuted for Manchester United in 2012. Although Ryan Tunnicliffe is currently loaned to Wigan Athletic and stuck in the doldrums, Mick still has a bet on his son playing for the English senior side (although in their current state, that wouldn’t be a major achievement).
Not Every Bet Works Out, Though
Of course, the point of 100:1 odds is that it’s meant to be an unlikely payout. Not every talented child athlete will go on to become an international star, no matter how much his parents might wish otherwise.
And sometimes, even talented senior athletes don’t quite manage to live up to expectations, and thus cost their parents a bit of cash. One such example is Curtis Robb, a promising 800m runner in the late 1980s and early 1990s, whose father bet £500 at odds of 200:1 that Curtis would win a medal at the Barcelona Olympics.
Come 1992, Curtis’s form had faded, the odds had lengthened to 1000:1, and, as history shows, his father lost £500. His loss of form continued through to Atlanta in 1996, and Curtis retired from running and retrained as a surgeon. We’re not sure if he helped his dad out with the £500 he’d lost, but even if he didn’t, we’re sure that Mr Robb Sr was unbelievably proud of Curtis’s achievements, both on and off the track.
Why Do It at All, Though?
Well, it’s simple, really. Parents are proud, they want their children to do well, but more than anything else, it’s just good fun. It’s the same reason we play the slots, place bets on the outcome of the football, or participate in that most British of gambling traditions, placing a wager on the Grand National.
Regardless of whether your children actually achieve that success, it shows your support for their activities, your faith in them, and, heck, lets you have a bit of fun in the process.
So if your child shows some promise, or you’d like to have some fun with their achievements, why not place a wager? At worst, you’ll lose a few quid in exchange for showing your child you have faith in their abilities. At best, you could walk away a winner, but more importantly, you’ll be the proud parent of an elite athlete, who worked hard to get where they are, and whose achievements would have been impossible without your help.