Gambling...

About ten times in my life I have walked into a bookies and placed a bet, usually when a scoreline has popped into my mind before a big game. But what I’ve never yet done is to return to the shop, with my ticket, to claim my winnings. That must mean I’m about £50 down on the deal, though that seems like a small price to pay. Imagine if I’d won a few quid during that time; I might now be offering unsolicited donations to the Bookmakers’ Benevolent Fund, like so many other old guys of my acquaintance. What I've also learned is that my sudden intuitions - about the result of a football match, or anything else - are not to be trusted.

Pic of the marketplace, Thirsk, licensed today...