All I'm going to say is that when you next try and explain to a mate about how spread betting is different to fixed odds, just put into words how this client must've felt when, on Wednesday, he watched Michael Owen pick the ball up from the half-way line, turn and race towards goal. If he puts it away then it's going to be worth another £3,600 to the punter (who bought £40 of his Goal Minutes at 19). It's the last minutes of the game, he's got over 50 yards between him and he's no spring chicken anymore. Hang on though, his touch is good and he's flying as he cuts inside the chasing defender, drawing the keeper out - classic Owen. He missed one like this about ten minutes ago so prepare to be disappointed. Actually, he might do this...there's the dink and it pitches over the goal line into the net. Sex has never felt this good! Owen wheels away in celebration and the punter works out the figures. Goals in the 44th, 83rd and the 90th minute mean he's won £7,920 and Owen might well be writing fresh chapters in his career for club and country.

It must happen 95% of the time. A game that goes into extra-time nearly always goes to penalties doesn't it? It's usually a predictable 30 minutes, where the two tired teams happily settle for the tie to go to pens. But not the one that this client choose to get involved in. The replay between Leeds and Kettering had been your classic cup-tie. The giant outclassing their minnow opponent for much of the game, only for the underdog to spring a killer surprise. So when you've sold Total Goal Minutes in extra-time at 122 for £5 and got through the first half unscathed, the last thing you want is for Simon Grayson to throw on some world beating yank who goes and scores three minutes into the second half! Kettering then kick-off, give possession away and Tresor Kandol goes back up the other end and scores. Does it finish there? Does it b******s. The American Pele gets another and the person who once said this finishes the ET rout which means the punter does £1,650.

Football Ipswich, highly fancied at the start of the season, opened on our Total Points market at 71.5-73.5. But a disastrous start to the season has seen Keano attack a few journos and leave the Tractor Boys rooted to the foot of the table. They're currently trading at 52.5-54.5 after a renaissance but can they get out of trouble?

In stark contrast to Ipswich many thought Newcastle would 'do a Leeds' following relegation from the Premier League and we saw plenty of sellers on the points market. To the surprise of many Newcastle now top the table and their points spread has risen from 67-69 at the start of the season to 88.5-90.5.

Politics Gordon Brown might crack out one of those disturbing smiles when he sees that our price for Labour seats at the next General Election has risen. From a price of 224-230 in March, our spread has plummeted over 2009. However recent polls and talk of a hung parliament have seen the first significant rise of 2009. Our current price is 210-215.


Mildly interesting / useless sporting fact

Listen here Nadal. The way you beat Roger Federer at tennis is to speak Spanish to him, he finds it hilarious and it'll definitely put him off his game. Then, when you've stopped laughing, click here and you'll wonder why we make such a fuss when someone throws a plastic bottle top in this country.