Let us first of all take the bull by the horns.
I raised the question the other day of whether it would be a good idea to make Guess the Score a self-financing sweep with a cash prize each time.
Now I realise I can do just that without the need to set anything up. Or at least I thought I could until Eric (see first comment) made me wonder …
The plan was for it to work like this:
* you enter your scoreline prediction, starting with Sunderland v Man City, exactly as in the past, by adding a comment to this posting. Even if your reply is held for moderation, Salut! Sunderland will know when you attempted to post and that will be the valid time of entry
* if you wish to play merely for fun, that’s fine. No further action is required and rewards will be distributed in heaven for those who make it there
* if you wish to qualify for the prize, pay £2 to colinrandall1@gmail.com at Paypal – https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/send-money-online. My understanding is that if you do not have a Paypal account, you can still make payments using your debut or credit card
* the reader who is first to post the correct scoreline, before kickoff, wins the proceeds in their entirety. Salut! Sunderland will deduct nothing for “admin”.
* and if no one bothers to enter the prize-winning part of the competition, we’ll quietly abandon it and revert to “just for fun” for everyone, with the occasional incentive of a mug
But Eric’s doubts caused me to look up the relevant rules. It reeks of nitpicking, bureaucratic nonsense but the upshot if that I fear an entirely innocent, non-profit spot of fun as proposed meets only some of the criteria that must be met for the competition to be free of licensing obligations. For all I now, it may even be illegal to offer a mug! Perhaps a friendly, non-charging lawyer can advise.
In the meantime, over to you. Strictly for fun. Can Sunderland win a fourth home game against Man City on the trot? Do you feel a draw is more likely? Or are we in for a hammering a la Norwich? You decide …
SEE ALSO: the Man City ‘Who are You?’ at
https://safc.blog/2013/11/the-manchester-city-who-are-you-surely-we-wont-play-like-norwich/
Sample:
Q: Agüero, Kompany, Dzeko, Toure .. the list of talented players is a long one. Who do you see as your key players and where are the weak links?
A: The key player is Aguero, eight goals in six games and playing the best stuff I’ve seen of him at City. Kompany is the best centre-back in the league in my biased opinion, and you can tell when he’s out for us. Silva is also someone you’ll have to watch as he’s been playing some scintillating stuff recently.
Weaknesses? Get at Gael Clichy. Hope Javi Garcia is playing and take as many shots as possible on our clown of a goalkeeper.
Join the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group – click anywhere along this line
And follow us on Twitter: @salutsunderland … click along this line
Fancy leaving a comment? Not sure what you have to say fits this post? Go to the new feature – https://safc.blog/2013/07/salut-sunderland-the-way-it-is/ – and say it there.
As we seem to have tightened up at the back, I think we may nick a point. 1-1
Erm, just for fun,2-2……. to us!
Now that I’ve done myself out of a possible shedload of dosh, I must sadly predict a 1-3 reverse. City are in devastating goalscoring form at the moment and I fear even our ex Man Utd stalwarts will be unable to stem the flow. Could even be worse.
I’m not sure if you are allowed to do this Colin. Might be more trouble than it’s worth. Keep it for fun.
You made me investigate further, and you may be right if I read this heavy piece of bureaucratic meddling properly: http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/pdf/Organising%20small%20lotteries%20-%20November%202009.pdf
My ruse would meet many of the terms allowing such a non-profit competition to exist without need for licensing, but perhaps not all.
So! Ignore the detail of the piece above. It was merely a fantasy Guess the Score posting. We revert to Enter for Fun unless it emerges later there was no reason for my caution or Eric’s.
The last thing you need is the Betting Gestapo beating a path to your door, or your website.