Julian looked at Andrew, who was busy with his phone. "Uncle Andrew, I want to buy a football lottery ticket, too."
Julian was pretending a bit, as he wasn't very knowledgeable about the gambling software of this era. In his previous life, he had spent his time preparing for exams rather than dabbling in such matters.
Andrew set down the newspaper and grinned, "You want to bet on football? That's what we call 'spinach' in our lingo. It's something you've learned!" He spoke candidly, "I've been playing since I was a teenager. The money from my part-time jobs was all for spinach!"
Julian chuckled internally, thinking, 'Uncle, you've been playing for over 30 years, and you still only have 1,000 pounds saved up?'
Andrew went on, "Spinach is serious business. You've got to understand the game, study the history, analyze the stats of both teams, the star players, their tactics, injuries... It's a professional thing! If you want to bet, you should follow someone with experience."
Julian nodded, "Okay, let me see the odds."
Andrew proudly said, "I studied the line-ups and data of these two teams two weeks ago. So, if you're going to bet, bet on Southampton to win. It's a sure thing! If I win £1,000, I'll at least get £1800!"
The odds were surprisingly high, but Julian knew they were due to everyone expecting Southampton to win. To hit the jackpot, you had to bet the opposite way.
Andrew downloaded the betting software for Julian and helped him bind his bank account. Julian took his phone and examined the odds.
"Uncle Andrew," Julian said, "I'm not an expert, but it seems like betting on Northampton to win would make more money."
Andrew burst into laughter, "Bet on Northampton? You must be joking! Northampton's team is a mess!"
Julian replied calmly, "Uncle, I just have a feeling about this game."
The odds for a 0:3 score were 86 times the bet. Julian felt a thrill; this was the exact unpopular result he remembered from his past life. He placed £1,000 on the bet, his entire rent and expenses for next month.
Andrew was shocked. "What the hell, boy? You actually bet 1,000 pounds on a 0:3 score? If you knew better, I would have collected next month's rent early!"
Julian remained confident, "Don't worry, Uncle Andrew, I trust my gut."
Andrew scoffed, "If you can win like this, I'll call you 'big brother.'"
Julian mused internally, 'Father and daughter both love to gamble. If I win by some fluke, what will Sophie call me?'
In the opening 5 minutes, Southampton's star striker, David Connolly, received a cross from a teammate, executed a beautiful arcing volley, and scored easily!
Andrew, thrilled, raised his arms and exclaimed, "Aha! Long live the saints! It's 1:0! Julian, what on earth am I saying? It's only 5 minutes into the game, and your £1000 bet is toast! Your final score prediction of Southampton 0:3 Northampton is wrong! Even if Northampton manages to come back later, you've already lost! And your confidence was misplaced! You need to learn from your uncle and me! Betting requires stability! You can't rely solely on gut feelings!"
Julian smiled imperceptibly, "Oh, it seems to be the case."
In reality, Julian was ecstatic!
This match was unfolding exactly as he recalled from his previous life!
Both goals were indeed scored by Connolly in the first 5 minutes of the match!
According to his memory, the first-half score was 1:0. However, the true turning point would occur in the second half!
It would be an astonishing reversal, sufficient to alter the first half's outcome and leave every spectator utterly stunned!