The Prediction Game – How do you do?
Most football fans like to predict scores and results, especially those involving their own team. I usually make a score prediction in my match previews, which I have been writing for over 20 years now. I haven’t got time to look back over previous seasons, and it would probably bore you to tears anyway, but I thought I would show you how I’ve done so far this season. I do participate in a league where we are awarded one point for a correct result and three points for an accurate score prediction:-
1. Everton (H) – We lost 1-0, but of course I confidently predicted a 2-0 win.
2. Lokomotiv Plovdiv (A) – We won this one 2-1. I went for a 3-0, score one point.
3. Southampton (A) – This was a dramatic 5-2 win. If I had predicted this score, you’d want me to choose your lottery numbers. I did score a point for my 2-0 win prediction.
4. Shkendija (A) – A 3-1 win. I said 2-0 or 3-1. Let’s be generous and take three points for this game.
5. Newcastle (H) was a disappointing draw and without checking I can tell you I wrongly said we’d win 3-0. What a laugh!
6. Chelsea (Carabao Cup – H) – We won on penalties, but I pessimistically foresaw defeat. Nil points!
7. Maccabi Haifa (H) – I said we’d win but didn’t see the 7-2 coming.
8. Manchester United (A) – My preview headline was “Dare we be confident”? I said we’d win, but nobody saw a 6-1 coming. Least of all Ole Gunnar Solskjaer!
9. West Ham (H) – Did I say we would draw? Of course not.
10.LASK (H) – My prediction did not quite match the 3-0, but I did offer 3-1 so scored one point.
11.Burnley (A) – Another correct win prediction, but I said 2-1 and not 1-0.
12.Antwerp (A) – Of course I didn’t see defeat coming here!
13.Brighton (H) – We won 2-1. I was correct, but one goal out.
14.Ludogorets (A) – My winning prediction was right, but not the scoreline, so one point again.
15.West Brom (A) – Of course I predicted a win. I did correctly say that Harry Kane would get his 150th Premier league goal and that we would win, but not by 1-0.
16.Man City (H) – Draw I said. Another failure, although I was happy to be wrong.
17.Ludogorets (H) – Three-goal win I said. It was 4-0.
18.Chelsea (A) – I was silly to say 2-2, but I did get the draw right.
So, in 18 games I scored 12 points with 12 correct results but not one correct score. I can tell you that in my weekly prediction league game, which I play just for fun, I scored just two points last week, getting only Man City’s win over Burnley and our draw with Chelsea correct. It’s why I don’t personally gamble, although I have done occasionally in the past.
This is also why games such as the Sky Sports super 6 offer massive jackpots if you can correctly predict 6 scores – not simply the results. Of course, there is no reason why such prediction games as are available at casinosuden.com should not be played, but surely for small stakes and essentially for fun.
For the record, I’ve predicted Spurs to win by two goals tonight in Austria. (Wrong again!) I didn’t even have the confidence to suggest a scoreline. I’ll also share with you my score predictions for this weekend’s Premier league games, but the moral here is follow your own instincts and not mine!
Burnley v Everton 1-2
Man City v Fulham 4-0
West Ham v Man Utd 2-2
Chelsea v Leeds 3-1
West Brom v C. Palace 1-1
Sheff Utd v Leicester 1-2
Spurs v Arsenal 2-0
Liverpool v Wolves 3-0 (Jota to score!)
Brighton v S'hampton 1-2
Well, this week I've managed four correct scores and 14 points in total. That's a very good week for me. I am especially happy that I got our 2-0 correct!
