Saturday was my sickest day of sweats ever, with two $50k (everything seems bigger when you put it in dollars) bets. Combined with lots of smaller ones, I had over $150k wagered! Leinster and Barcelona were the big ones. So, when Leinster went down in the first game it was sweaty ball sack time. I watched the game with a load of poker lads. I estimate there was a minimum of $300k riding on Barca in the room. Needless to say, once Barca scooped the loot for us, things got loose very fast. So with the haze clearing sometime yesterday, I did a bit of reflecting. At the start of the betting season I was betting between $2-8k on bets depending on the strength. By the end of the season it was $5-30k. I suppose at heart I am a bit of a degen. So when the rugby season ends I used the off months to try and regenerate. I'm going to put a lot of effort in the off season into trying to get a much structured approach to my sports betting. There's no doubt I am good at it as every bookie has closed down my account and about three other people's accounts that I used to use place bets with. I remember some advice Ciaran Burke once gave on Boards a few years ago, he said, "I have seen a lot of good punters going broke never placing a bad beat" - well something to that effect. The point being, if you bet outside the limits you should for your bankroll sooner or later you go skint. Sports betting is a bit like poker, I kind of fell into it, found out I could beat it and went bald headed at it but that's not a strategy for long term success. I have had a few real good months betting the sports. There still a few bets outstanding on the basketball, super 15 rugby and French Rugby but I reckon I have made over $200k which is kind of needed considering I am a break even poker player in 2011.We had a semi-decent night in the Five-A-Side poker on Monday night. Dean was one exception and headed for his usual early shower. I got a stack going and was 4th in chips when I ran QQ into the chip leader's KK for another outside the final table finish of 16th. Adrian and Ken put in solid performances for teens finishes like myself. Andrew kept his 100% final table record intact with a 7th. It wasn't a spectacular night but enough to keep us in top spot.The first group of Irish poker players headed off to Vegas yesterday and it seems there will be a steady trickle between here and the Main Event. I'm not off myself for another two weeks. For the next 14 days or so, I'm focused on sorting out my finances and getting in shape for the triathlon/losing weight to make my second weigh-in with Nick Heather.
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