The Melbourne Cup: The Race That Stops a Nation

If you're looking for the best example of gambling for fun the Melbourne Cup is it.

For the uninitiated, the Melbourne Cup is an Australian horse race that has been run since 1861. It has established itself as arguably the most important national day in Australia and transcends horse racing and sport. Unlike the Kentucky Derby, or even the Superbowl or the FA Cup Final, everybody in the country watches the Melbourne Cup and almost everybody has a bet on it.

For a short period around 3pm on the first Tuesday in November if you looked at the main street of every Australian city, town and suburb it would be empty. Except if you were there you wouldn't be looking at the streets, you, like the rest of the nation would be around a tv with a large group of people cheering on the horse you had backed.

A sense of conviviality, good humour and great happiness is everywhere. No one really cares who wins the race, the champagne and laughter are flowing and it represents the best example I know of, of where punting just for pleasure adds immeasurably to everyone's day.

For those who would argue that the above is written through rose-coloured glasses, I am unapologetic. Obviously nothing in this world is perfect, but in a sometimes troubled and hard world, Melbourne Cup day is as close to perfection as I can find.

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