Kampala's craze over world cup predictions
Jun 29, 2006
Walk along the streets or hang out in pubs around Kampala and you will not fail to catch them - rival soccer fans engaged in heated shouting matches.
By Titus Serunjogi
Walk along the streets or hang out in pubs around Kampala and you will not fail to catch them - rival soccer fans engaged in heated shouting matches. Label them hooligans if you wish, but remember it is the World Cup season. And they just cannot help throwing themselves over the biggest lifestyle extravaganza of this year. Swearing and throwing bets to foretell which team will win the next match is only part of the game. But are predictions anything to live by?
Super FM has been overwhelmed by over 9,000 SMS that come in everyday, predicting the outcome of the next match. Seems like everybody knew ahead of time that Argentina would whack Montenegro with six goals to two! Those who predicted right walked away with new mobile phones and lots of airtime.
It really hurt to see Togo and Ivory Coast being kicked out of the World Cup. But having knocked out Czech Republic, Ghana had become the toast of the prediction craze all over the world. The predictions mania seems to be getting more bizarre with each passing day. And the fanatics have taken it to new extremes. Some football freaks have already predicted the country that will win.
“Brazil, after trouncing Italy 2: 1 at the finals.†Well, we are yet to see that.
Seems like soccer freaks really have a fetish for Brazil. They always predict that the boys from the land of samba will take the trophy. But with only two wins in 20 years, they may not really be worth the hype.
Other people are predicting that Germany will sweep the World Cup glory this year. The country has a fantastic record of always qualifying for the final; but is not so good at winning it. Brazil? Maybe, but Ronaldinho has been their ‘biggest flop, with the extra weight often letting him down.’
There have also been gambling sessions in Kabalagala pubs. However, gamblers should make sure the cops do not catch them — gambling is illegal. (Anyway the cops have not arrested anyone for sports betting yet.)
World Cup predictions are not a waste of time. You would be amazed by what a precise prediction on the final could do for your wallet. You could win sh1m from Crane Bank! Abudu Kabanda, a stationery broker on Nkrumah Road, recounts a night when he won a goat after redeeming his sh50,000 stake when he predicted that France would draw with South Korea.
MTN has also thrown its weight into the search for that most accurate prediction. Hurry up and make a prediction about the final match now; sh4.8m is up for grabs! Capital FM is also flying a person who will predict right to the United Arab Emirates.
But always remember; take the predictions for what they are, just a bit of fun. “You have to leave room for a surprise. That is what we love about the World Cup; anything can happen,†says a marketeer for one of the predict and win promotions.
Walk along the streets or hang out in pubs around Kampala and you will not fail to catch them - rival soccer fans engaged in heated shouting matches. Label them hooligans if you wish, but remember it is the World Cup season. And they just cannot help throwing themselves over the biggest lifestyle extravaganza of this year. Swearing and throwing bets to foretell which team will win the next match is only part of the game. But are predictions anything to live by?
Super FM has been overwhelmed by over 9,000 SMS that come in everyday, predicting the outcome of the next match. Seems like everybody knew ahead of time that Argentina would whack Montenegro with six goals to two! Those who predicted right walked away with new mobile phones and lots of airtime.
It really hurt to see Togo and Ivory Coast being kicked out of the World Cup. But having knocked out Czech Republic, Ghana had become the toast of the prediction craze all over the world. The predictions mania seems to be getting more bizarre with each passing day. And the fanatics have taken it to new extremes. Some football freaks have already predicted the country that will win.
“Brazil, after trouncing Italy 2: 1 at the finals.†Well, we are yet to see that.
Seems like soccer freaks really have a fetish for Brazil. They always predict that the boys from the land of samba will take the trophy. But with only two wins in 20 years, they may not really be worth the hype.
Other people are predicting that Germany will sweep the World Cup glory this year. The country has a fantastic record of always qualifying for the final; but is not so good at winning it. Brazil? Maybe, but Ronaldinho has been their ‘biggest flop, with the extra weight often letting him down.’
There have also been gambling sessions in Kabalagala pubs. However, gamblers should make sure the cops do not catch them — gambling is illegal. (Anyway the cops have not arrested anyone for sports betting yet.)
World Cup predictions are not a waste of time. You would be amazed by what a precise prediction on the final could do for your wallet. You could win sh1m from Crane Bank! Abudu Kabanda, a stationery broker on Nkrumah Road, recounts a night when he won a goat after redeeming his sh50,000 stake when he predicted that France would draw with South Korea.
MTN has also thrown its weight into the search for that most accurate prediction. Hurry up and make a prediction about the final match now; sh4.8m is up for grabs! Capital FM is also flying a person who will predict right to the United Arab Emirates.
But always remember; take the predictions for what they are, just a bit of fun. “You have to leave room for a surprise. That is what we love about the World Cup; anything can happen,†says a marketeer for one of the predict and win promotions.