First bore draw of the tournament, didn't watch the game so can't say if it was a different affair on the pitch, anyone lost money on that trap? Argentina won me this nice acca, but I lost much, much more I can't bear to admit adding them to another acca (odds at the time were over 12/10 so I thought it was a nice 20% boost to winnings). Serves me right.




They sure did... And yes they played well in the first half in general, but they really fell for every offside trap, too easily, all the time, I'm with you here, disappointed they weren't more wise in that way. Teams usually defend deep against them, Saudi went brave and high line, and did it so well. Don't think I saw so many offsides in one half since watching Pippo Inzaghi 20 years ago...

Well, that did not go as planned for Messi captains like me heh heh -- 7 offsides and 3 disallowed goals in first half could have meant so much in points. Oh well.

And to cap my FML off? I subbed Saka out of my team... and I lost all 15 points from him. Did NOT realise you would lose points after benching people in the same Matchday. I know the rules say players on the bench don't earn points, but I thought this was only if you kept them benched. Made such a good choice to have him in my team, and then of course fantasy inexperience gets in the way. Normally don't even bother with subs but thought I'd be smart in this FIFA format.

Fantasy experts: so subs should just stay on the bench and let auto do the job unless you know players don't play, right?

39'

I think the quiz is already a success guys, I'm now watching and hoping for outcomes based on it... right now Lautaro's cancelled goal, man I still can't get used to VAR. Was already counting my bets (and the point from the quiz about him getting assist/goal) and then ref makes us wait again.

Edit: AGAIN offside goal, come on..!

Done sneaking my watching of the game, Saudi can't keep doing offside trap like this, should still be a comfortable 3-0... hate not being able to watch properly =)

Bale saved me on pool prediction as I was doing really badly up until then, and also saved my sole acca so far. Just need Argentina to score 3 goals and I bring home my first World Cup acca


Not only that, the match seems to end more than 1 minute more than allocated. Last night 9 mins injury time given, whistle only blown at 10:34.

But I'm not unaccustomed to seeing 10' after 90... it's the first half injury time that's really taken me by surprise. They're giving 5 minutes now per game I see.


+100 I find more and more my discussions and what I look up are the pools and superbru, almost flicking through it all the time, and at half time, and game end. 52 is definitely a lot more than I would have guessed!

Sigh, Senegal could have nicked a goal if they took advantage of indecisive Dutch players last night, but I think you're right, it's less clear to me anyway that the team is still strong missing their star player. Two other games still winnable, for sure, but they need to get right into the face of opponents, I did think Sarr was bright, maybe need to switch him to the middle a bit?

Liverpool still do okay (Jota and Diaz are worthy Mane replacements IMO) but maybe the Terangas have to get even braver up front now.

29', USA

@KTChampions Netherlands, seriously disappointing for me. No one dared to win most of the match, I thought. Even Gakpo didn't realise he'd scored, and that last one from Klaasen was because Senegal just threw it on. Anyway, phew for me and my ticket lives on. A draw would be pointless for me anyway as I'd hedged on Senegal win.


Team that will score the fastest goal in the 1st round of the World Cup might still be affected by US/Wales. Ecuador's still got the lead with 16' though they would have comfortable been the winning pick for this one had their first goal stood.



Funny enough, no one picked England to score the most goals in 1st round, I'd take a 6 goal option any day! Guess this whole group doesn't trust Southgate's defensive brain.

I hope this isn't veering way too far from Boracay but 3 years ago I hooked up this person Kylie with Bitcoin accepting networks in Iran -- also to do pretty much the same (travel, airport, local debit card, with Bitcoin, as Visa and banking are sanctioned for use in Iran). Since you connoiseurs seem to enjoy these kinds of videos.

Need to poke her to do another Bitcoin video series now.

Bet there are so many others, in different languages. Sadly, no time for this now.

Ah man thanks cryptofrka for that spreadsheet, like Trofo, I thought a lot of people would be going for Qatar to concede over 2.5 goals, but I guess we already have a tough set of quiz takers, hmm!

Thankfully, did not go with Benzema though I was really in 2 minds about it. Other just seemed safer. Also didn't imagine 6 people wouldn't pick Sterling to start. Not the best guy but Southgate loves him.

I also definitely need to talk smack about teams, as soon as I complained about England 0-0 they scored, and added 2 more before HT. Shaw and Maguire assists, by the way, so I guess I won't see Trent coming in (sobs).

Man, you guys with Ecuador, and then slam with Qatar in his defence HAHAHA (sorry man). I know you have to be weird to win Fantasy but you went too weird, my friend

Pickford my sub and I wanted to test that if it worked and it does, as he's automatically gone in now and shows 0 points (live). Kane is my 12th man boost, also showing 0 points so it seems like the live is working for FIFA.

Sterling started also, so I got that part right in my Quiz (but I can't imagine anyone else not picking him to do so)... just need Southgate to sub him off and get Trent on late when they're still nil-nil like this as I expect will happen when 2nd half resumes. 25 minutes and not one attempt on target, typical England.

Useless trivia: They're playing at the same stadium I was at in 2019 =D

Interesting, I'm seeing quite a lot of 12k estimates for bottom buying. Personally, don't think it's possible without another major item of negative news, but also feel that if we do see 12k from current estimates, then it might just trigger further downsides given just how jittery the entire market even outside of crypto is -- the bounce from there should be just as spectacular though?

It seems different now because "crypto" has never been farther from Bitcoin at this stage. Sure, we had the 2017 ICO era with thousands of shitcoins spewing out of Ethereum but you now have scores of Ethereum lookalikes, spewing out dozens more of crypto we'll never see or hear about. Exchanges creating money out of thin air, newcomers to crypto never actually knowing how to use crypto, wallets, much less own a single satoshi.

Bitcoin doesn't just survive these things, it thrives. Price reflects that only later on.

Even if he does end up serving some kind of jail time, it will be with the maximum comfort, maximum freedom to do things remotely, that money and influence has already bought and paid for. He might even prefer the security it'll afford him from vengeful creditors...


Probably quite fair summary of what needs to be legally determined, but there is also the non-philosophical question of whether he carried out all activities with his company's money above board. As CEO, did he actually have full power to use budgets and finances as he did, or were the entire board complicit, etc.

He may (will) get away with what he did with customers, or end up paying a trifle for their suffering. It's the big suits and whether he also lost their money is what will be his worry (as pointed out above what Holmes also found out).

Probably explains why ETH looked a bit sickly today despite Bitcoin more or less trading in the same range. Think people are already hedging on this outcome, regardless of who really is behind that bag.

Definitely nice to think a state makes these calculations but the choice to not just sit on it suggests someone knowing what they are doing (or calculating a gamble).

Right, so just a handful of us went for a host win, what were we thinking about, haha. Valencia should have had a hattrick too. Not the entertainment of Russia's opening game, but many of you guys happy with the win, well done Ecuador!

Anyway, just sharing a silly bet here for Gav (from Clubtalk TV) to visit Qatar during the World Cup. Think it's live for the next 24 hours in the Sports Special tab (time shows 10pm 21 Nov my time which is in 27 hours).


We can all bet the kitchen sink on it, pool some money to kidnap and send him there anyway and profit

I had to put up with my kid wanting to watch the performance because of a certain pretty boy performing, thought it was slightly underwhelming if I say so myself? Think Shakira pulled out and I could barely hear Morgan Freeman but yeah, finally can get going to the business end of things on the pitch.

Casper the friendly mascot haha

HT on Qatar... why they played 2nd choice keeper, never know, he's a bag of nerves...

Anyway, casino boost active. And that's 5 minutes of my halftime rewarded haha

^ Yeah I'm not even competing for that one, it's just something I know I'm not capable of without actually really committing time -- which is the one thing I have less and less of.

It does say about that 10000 points to get a guaranteed prize (the VIP status) but the wording feels vague (and also doesn't account for what if the top leaderboard doesn't have all of them reach this minimum) but all of these are moot points for me.

Would be really cool to see you both there in the prize spots at the very least, and there are intangible status awards anyway

Had no idea Binance was responsible for fee spike the last couple of days (though I've been getting by still with very low fees and waiting and it is a far cry from 100 sat estimates of years past).

Not sure I understand why that causes panic and fear? Won't people be happier if Binance does batch txs for withdrawals from larger inputs? More txs in a batch, less space taken up when the Binance bank run happens if it does?

Don't know enough or can look at data far back enough to say this is deliberate or just periodic or intermittent. Still feel like it's posts like that that do more to spread FUD (since people wouldn't otherwise be aware anyway), which is a shame as they're really quite informative.

As pointed out above, exchanges don't really care about fee overestimation either since the cost is passed on to the consumer (not to mention majority of fees for the past 3 years at least are pure profit).

Then I'm rooting for you, besides, impossible for me to get 4th spot, I'll just pray for bad luck to everyone in between you and me, for something to happen.

Every season has an end and a guy who makes the biggest leap. Let that be me today heh heh.


Somehow it doesn't feel like the end of an era for me, so much as a farewell to the type of personality that I feel we see less and less in this particular sport... nice that all drivers have dinner together to see him off (isn't that just typical?) but only because I'm a casual follower?


Or the guys in front get greedy and make ill-timed gambles. It's the final race. Time for all kinds of reckless behaviours and using up damage budget quotas