Recently, a friend of mine got in touch with me to let me know that she had placed a bet on the Eurovision Song Contest. I had no idea what this was about so I inquired and found out that she took the bet on Dutch singer Jodie van den Berg. Naturally, I was curious and asked her for more details.
Here’s what she told me:
“Jodie van den Berg is representing the Netherlands this year with her song ‘My Name Is Jodie’. She is a singer-songwriter based in the Netherlands. She previously took part in the third series of the Dutch talent show, ‘The Voice’. In the show she performed a blues-based cover of ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson. The theme of van den Berg’s song is identity, specifically the idea that ‘we are all strangers in this world’, and it touches on social media and how people can be fooled by fake accounts and misleading information. It’s a really interesting topic and I think it will make for an interesting debate.”
This got me thinking – what is DFS betting, exactly? And what is the Netherlands’ representative doing at Eurovision this year?
To find out, I delved into betting history and learned that France’s Denise Farkas was not at all where I would have guessed she would be. Back in 2003, Farkas placed a bet on German DJ Sasha to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Sadly for Farkas, Germany’s DMA winner Kool Shen landed the job of representing Europe that year. But Farkas’ fondest wish was realized in 2014 when her favorite DJ Cashmere (a.k.a. Christopher Coleman) went on to win the contest for Great Britain and consequently, her beloved UK won the Eurovision crown. (Denise Farkas later revealed that she placed the bet a year early and would have been satisfied with second place.)
This year the Dutch had their own DJ – Willem “Django” Dijkstra – who is also representing them at the Eurovision Song Contest. So between the two of them, they will be bringing their own version of “We Are Family” to the island of Aruba. Let’s examine Djangos’s track record: he won the Dutch X Factor in 2018, unseating former queen Rihanna. However, he didn’t make it to the final of the competition, which ultimately led to his selection. When it comes to Eurovision, the Dutch always put their all-time favorite, Ariana Grande, in the running. This year, she is once again representing the country, which makes her the most decorated singer in the history of Eurovision. (She previously won the contest in 2016 and 2017.)
The Netherlands Has Won The Most Consecutive Years In The Eurovision
As mentioned above, France’s favorite DFS betty was not at all happy that Germany’s Sasha won the Eurovision in 2003. Since then, however, she has been on a winning streak and currently holds the record for most consecutive years won by any country in the contest. This year, they are going for a perfect ending to their championship run by placing a bet on the Netherlands to win the Eurovision Song Contest. It will be their fifth time bringing home the gold and it’s still uncertain if Djangos’ won’t be their last. So let’s take a look at some of the other countries who have also bet on the Netherlands to win the competition:
- Spain : 6 years in a row
- Ireland : 4 years in a row
- Portugal : 3 years in a row
- Sweden : 2 years in a row
- Italy : 2 years in a row
- Denmark : 2 years in a row
- Greece : 1 year in a row
What Is DFS (Down For Stat)?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what is DFS betting, it’s important to establish some context. In the early 2000s, a group of Dutch punters came up with the idea of placing bets on sports and music events to earn extra cash. The organization was initially called “Down for Stat” (“Loser” in Dutch) but was later changed to “DFS”, short for “Down For Stat”. (Wikipedia) This should not be confused with “Down For Skool”, which is an educational betting company. (DFS is not a school.)
Unlike traditional bookmakers who only offer betting on certain sports and competitions, DFS allows people to place bets on most major events and competitions. This means that if you’re interested in sports betting, you can do so with complete confidence that they will have all the relevant odds and information. (Not all bookmakers do this, leading to situations where you have to search for the information yourself.)
Furthermore, DFS offers daily, weekly, and monthly promotions, providing customers with the opportunity to earn extra cash without having to spend much time doing so. Additionally, the platform’s designers have built in many different ways for customers to manage their funds and make deposits and withdrawals easily. (Some other online betting firms do not offer these features, making them less appealing to casual customers who might want to try their service out for a while.)
Taking all of this into consideration, it’s clear that DFS is a reputable and trustworthy sports betting platform. (A 2018 review from GameReview.com sums it up nicely.)
What Is DFS Betting All About?
So what exactly is DFS betting about? Well, let’s begin with the name itself, which stands for “down for stat” in Dutch. This essentially means that DFS is willing to lose money as long as it means that they make some. The concept behind this is that you as a gambler are contributing to the pot, which helps those who are losing make up for occasional bad bets. You are essentially “sponsoring” a losing team so that they can continue to participate in the game.
As a gambler, this might sound like a bad idea at first, but you should really think about whether or not you want to bet on something you don’t necessarily care about. For example, if you’re a bookmaker and you get a large order of football bets, you’re going to have to make up for occasional losses. If you’re afraid that one or two unlucky bets are going to put you out of business, then you might want to consider dfs betting. You’re essentially trading your bets for money, which as we know, isn’t a bad idea.
However, it’s not all about making money. The whole point of DFS betting is to have fun and enjoy yourself while participating in the game. That’s why the organization exists, and that’s why most of its customers are also fun-loving individuals who want to have a good time. (In fact, DFS is so serious about this that they actually have a tattoo pertaining to this concept.)
If you’re looking for a new and exciting way to bet, give DFS a try. You can’t go wrong. (And if you do, well, you’ll just have to deal with the fact that you had fun while gambling, but now you have to pay up.)