Three slips, one derby, and a challenge that went beyond the pitch

Some people watch football, others live it.

And then there are those who decide to get fully involved in the game—to feel every kick, every crossbar, every lost ball—because behind them are not just emotions, but real money.

That’s how it all started.
The Bulgaria-Turkey qualifier wasn’t just another game on the calendar – for me and my friend Svetlio, it was an opportunity to test not only our predictions but also our courage, while admiring our national team, which has only the support of the “entire nation” left.

The challenge was simple:

Whoever won the smaller amount had to hide a valuable item around the Vasil Levski National Stadium and leave it there until the next day.

The rules were simple: three bets for a total of GBP2,000 per person and one live bet during the match for GBP100.

Betting: strategy versus intuition

I decided to play it safe. My risks are calculated because I have good information about the match, and my bets looked like this:
GBP1,000 on Over 2.5 goals – odds 1.73
GBP500 on Turkey -1.5 Asian handicap – odds 1.73
GBP500 on Turkey -2.5 shots on target – odds 1.68

A total of GBP2,000, placed with confidence that the Turks would dictate the pace and the goals would come.
Svetlio, however, took a different, slightly more patriotic approach:

GBP900 on Bulgaria +1.5 Asian handicap – odds 2.00
GBP600 on Over 4.5 cards in the match – odds 1.59
GBP500 on Half-time draw – odds 2.62

First half: euphoria and the first cold shower

The Vasil Levski National Stadium was alive—10,000 fans, flags, songs, and cheers that gave you goosebumps, even after the national anthem.
In the first few seconds, Turkey showed that they would not underestimate us – a quick cross, a shot off the crossbar, and the first sigh from the stands for the evening.

Mine too.

The minutes passed, and Real Madrid star Arda Güler did what everyone expected – he scored to make it 0-1.
Svetlio pursed his lips, I nodded—a logical start.
But just a few minutes later, Kiril Despodov passed to Radi Kirilov and the ball ended up in the net—1:1!

The crowd erupted, people were jumping, and my bet on goals came to life. Svetlio also lit up because a draw at halftime seemed possible, and the game was wide open.

Two yellow cards were given, which helped Svetlio’s bet on over 4.5 cards, but he was clearly more dissatisfied than expected because of all the official warnings saved in the first half.

We also made a live bet. Mine was on Arda Güler to score the third goal, and Svetlio’s was on under 7 corners in the match.

The half ended, and Svetlio made his first serious profit – at odds of 2.62 with a $500 bet ($810 net profit) and was already seriously ahead of me.

Second half: storm on the pitch

After the break, the pace picked up. Bulgaria tried to surprise, but the Turks simply shifted into a higher gear.

Yildiz, Guler, and their entire attack turned every mistake we made into a penalty.
The match slowly turned into a lesson. 1:2… 1:3…
And I already knew that my bets were going to be successful because I caught up with Svetlio and we were tied 1:1 in terms of winning bets, thanks to my bet on over 2.75 goals in the match.

Svetlio, however, was staring at his phone screen like a man watching his own downfall.

The Turks scored two more goals and the score was now 1:5.

This was not even a surprise to me because everything that has been happening with our national team lately seems like a pale reflection of what it once was. Gonzo at the helm of the Bulgarian Football Union, a coach with almost no experience in men’s football at the helm of the national team, a dozen new players, and that’s without even looking at the statistics…

Over 365 days without a win on home soil, over two goals conceded per game, 0 points in the qualifiers… we have become a football dwarf. This gives you a clear reason for my bets, as much as I didn’t like what they would result in – another resounding defeat for the “Tricolors.”

Returning to the match… there were fewer cards than expected, and Bulgaria’s Asian handicap of +1.5 goals seemed long gone. Svetlio was on his way to a resounding defeat.
The final score was merciless – 1:6 for Turkey.
Everything was quiet, only the sighs of the Bulgarian fans leaving the National Stadium before the final whistle and the joyful cheers from the visitors’ section after a well-deserved victory could be heard.

For me – 3 out of 4 bets won and a profit of BGN 1,338.
For Svetlio – a single win and a loss of BGN 783.

The punishment after the game

After the final whistle, the bets were over, but the real part was just beginning.
“Well, brother, a promise is a promise,” said Svetlio and laughed, but it wasn’t a laugh of joy.
He took out his betting phone—the iPhone that never left his pocket, except when he needed it.

He didn’t think long about where to hide it and put it in its original box under the stairs of the National Stadium.
The night was cold, the empty streets echoed, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or tell him he was a man of his word because he kept his promise.

The next day: the tension mounts

In the morning, Svetlio couldn’t take it anymore. He woke up and returned to the stadium in the early afternoon.

He approached the stairs, bent down, looked underneath them…
and froze.

The iPhone was still there!

Untouched. It was as if no one had been there all night.
Not even a speck of dust was missing from the box, and Svetlio, despite his heavy losses from yesterday’s bets, seemed more than satisfied that he hadn’t lost the phone that had served him for many years to generate profits… and would continue to do so!