The odds and error pays? 215.19 to 1.

A recent editing mistake happened in my living-room, that had to be re-told in this editing blog. 

This past weekend marked the start of the NFL season, and as always, there was a full lineup of games on to waste an entire homework-not-getting-done afternoon. It was hard to find a channel that wasn’t showing football, which was good, because the Banjo Bowl just wasn't cutting it.  As the morning sun began to rise, and footballs’ elite players went through their pre-game rituals,  my parents partook in a tradition of their own.

Every Sunday during the football season, my parents go out and buy a Pro Line ticket. They each take two dollars and buy a ticket for a handful of games, that neither of them knows anything about, despite what they'll assure you. This is one of those things that ‘they do’ to make a lazy Sunday afternoon just a little more interesting, and in the rare occasion that one of them actually wins, well– the entire house hears luck being misrepresented as knowledge for the next week or so.

But even in the world of low-stakes sports gambling, editing creeps in. Can you tell me what is wrong with this ticket– despite picking the Sea Hawks to tie?

Yes, that’s right.

Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion play a slightly different type of football, on a slightly different continent, in an entirely different league. English Premier League (EPL) as a matter of fact.

I’m really hoping this is an error in shading tiny boxes with miniature pencils, rather than a sampling of my parents understanding of the difference between soccer and football. (Though, looking at these picks, I’m not entirely sure)

This tiny mistake, which probably is the result of being in a hurry, could have actually cost some serious coin. Look at the odds on this ticket: 215.19 to 1. Whether that was from betting on four ties, or the fact that an EPL game was on the ticket instead of the Steelers, (which would have lost anyways) is not bad for a two dollar bet. I couldn't imagine what either of my folks would have done, if a simple editing error cost them $430,  but I can tell you, that I would have been there to remind them about it ever week for the next year. 

Oddly enough, Blackburn and West Bromwich actually tied despite 3.30 point spread,  and was the only winning game on the ticket. In this example, not editing actually paid off or potentially would have, had other mistakes also been made. 

Funny how these things work.