http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_210428.html

-- Anonymous, February 16, 2001

Answers

Very good and this one's a bit strange too!

A punter wanting to back an England rugby win would have been out of pocket even if he won the bet.

The gambler was told by bookmaker William Hill that his £250 telephone bet would have lost him £20 after betting tax deductions.

With odds of 150 to one on, few people backing England against Italy on Saturday are likely to show a profit.

One Italian fan who has put a 2,500 lira bet on England via the tax- free internet site will win the equivalent of half a penny if he is correct.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "With England quoted at odds of 150/1 on, one Italian client has staked 2,500 lira on England to win the game, via the internet where all bets are deduction free. The profit from the bet will be seventeen lira - or one half-penny. Possibly the punter will be able to buy a strand of spaghetti with the winnings, but I doubt it.

"Another punter tried to stake £250 with Hills on England winning the match, but did so via his telephone betting account - on which deductions are charged at 9%. If this bet had been accepted, the punter would have won a total of £1.67, but his deductions would have been £22.65, so in theory he would have owed us £20.98."

-- Anonymous, February 16, 2001

Are the Italian Rugby team that bad?

The England players could earn a fortune if they put money on Italy and then threw the game, but things like that don't happen in sport do they?

-- Anonymous, February 17, 2001