Betting on the bad guys

Should sports fans bet against their favourite team?

It's an intriguing question that piqued my interest when I happened upon a working paper by South African economics student Bart Stemmet, titled Hedging one's happiness — Should a sports fan bet on the opponent?

Hardcore sports fans know that it can be painful when your favourite team loses a big game. But what if you could buy insurance against the pain? As Stemmet points out, you can: just bet on the opposition. If the good guys win, you'll lose your bet, but it's a small price to pay for the sweet taste of victory. And if the bad guys win, the money you'll pocket from winning the bet will at least make you feel better.