Man beats bookmakers by turning 100

[Bungleau]

From Yahoo Weird News...

A British man celebrated his 100th birthday with 25,000 pounds ($50,000) in winnings on Tuesday after he beat the bookmakers with a wager that he would live for a century. Alec Holden, from Epsom, south west of London, had placed a 100 pound bet with bookmaker William Hill almost 10 years ago that he would live to be 100 years old. The retired engineer said a daily diet of porridge and playing chess was the key to his longevity -- as was remembering to keep breathing. "When we started taking these bets, a 100 years old seemed to be an almost mythical landmark and we were prepared to offer massive odds," said Rupert Adams of William Hill. "But these age wagers are starting to cost us a fortune."

I like that last line... you think the bookmakers might try to increase their own odds?

[ZFR]

You know... compulsory social security retirement pensions are exactly the same thing. You pay every month a certain amount and if you win the gamble (reach a certain age), you get the money.

With the main difference of course. With bookmakers the rules are very clear: how much you have to pay and how much you gain if you win. With social security the rules are the following: "you give us how much we tell you to give us, and if you reach a certain age which we decide, you win and you get how much we think you should get."
No sane person would agree to such rules of course, that's why it has to be done by force.

Since social security funds are going bankrupt worldwide, and since it is also costing them a fortune, I raise the question bungleau has asked at the end of his post. Don't you think the social security "bookmakers" are trying to increase their own odds (like for example promoting euthanasia)?

[Kakero]

I don't know, I feel strange on betting how long someone can live.

"OMG he died! Yay I won! w00t!!!" [img]graemlins/1disgust.gif[/img]

[Sazerac]

Originally posted by Kakero: I don't know, I feel strange on betting how long someone can live. "OMG he died! Yay I won! w00t!!!" [img]graemlins/1disgust.gif[/img]

Yep...sounds just like beating the boss monster on a video game. Maybe that's how they feel about it, too.