There can be no underestimating the importance of Sky Sports in a young man's life. More and more live sporting events are now considered 'unmissable' (a much abused term invented by TV pundits!) and the modern man is never unaware of what is happening or about to happen on his favourite TV station.

It is a sign of the times when the monthly subscription to Sky TV is higher than other amenities on the pecking order of 'must pay' bills!

Not to worry, as Sky.com are now offer a great value bundles that combines three bills into just one - Sky TV (including Sky Sports!), 8Mb broadband and Sky Talk, their award-winning phone package. There are online only offers and if you join Sky online today you will also receive half price set up of only £15 instead of the usual £30.

So how did this situation come to pass and why it is that men (let's face it, most women would rather stick needles in their eyes than sit down to watch Sky Sports for an evening!) find everything about this TV station so utterly gripping.

Sky Sports is unique in that it can be an experience enjoyed as much with a bunch of friends as it can sitting on your own on a rainy Monday night. Indeed one of the ironies of Sky is that while no expense is spared having it installed in your residence, the option of watching it at home is often discarded in favour of sitting in the pub and watching it with your mates, adding beer and travel as extra spending. Women regularly point out that this practice is more moronic than ironic but then again, they have never shown an interest in getting to the bottom of our motivations when it comes to all things Sky related!

Sky has the capacity to be both a social and isolated experience and it is quite common for us guys to enjoy it in a crowded pub as well as slouched on the couch at 9am on a Saturday morning. Evening viewings are regularly accompanied with alcohol and if we decide to take the alcohol to excess (as we commonly do!), the pain of the following morning's inevitable hangover is considerably eased by spending it with Sky, our best friend! We will always find something to watch and it is comforting to know that it is always just a press of a button away, we are never alone when we have Sky!

Why has Sky Sports managed to successfully take a foothold in the lives of so many young men in Britain? It's really not that complicated, Sky understands our love of football and other sports and it continually makes an effort to bring these sports into our living room's in bigger, better and more exciting ways. It provides variety, viewing options, interactive fun and the comforting knowledge that we are not missing a thing in terms of witnessing the biggest sporting events in the world.

It is to Sky's credit that in an era of multichannel options and digital media they are still top of the list in terms of viewing figures and popularity. Sky currently has over 8.1 million subscribers and growing! They have grown so much that they dominate the televised sports market and are close to attaining cultural significance in Britain. While Match of the Day will remain iconic, Sky offer more and are clearly firm believers in the 'bigger is better' philosophy. Always popular, never ignored, when it comes to football, they are the first, and only port of call.

It's not like a man needs any new reason to flick on to Sky, he has plenty already: his favourite team, keeping up to date with the latest football news, checking results etc. Now there is a financial aspect to it also, the guilty pleasure that is betting!

If you still haven't got Sky and decide to give it a try, don't forget you can take a much improved free bet offer from Sky Bet. You can claim a £75 free bet (usually £20) by clicking here after you have subscribed, and submitting your claim. :)

Guys do not view betting as a downward spiral in already compulsive behaviour (ie constant watching of Sky!), oh no, this is a wonderful opportunity to add a little extra excitement to his viewing pleasure, an amalgamation of different skill sets - the ability to sit still and stare at a screen for hours on end while at the same time, making complex mathematical calculations in his head as to what the result of whatever game he is watching, means to his bank account!

In fact, he prides himself on his ability to make his team winning a cause for double celebration and to prove to the world (well, his mates anyway) that he was right about the outcome all along, so right that he did not hesitate to have a cheeky punt online or over the phone, and was always confident of the cash flowing to him.

And so it is not surprising that like Sky, online betting has grown and evolved to be an industry in its own right. Gone are the days of the local smoke filled bookies where torn up betting slips represent the remnants of crushed dreams! Now there is no need to leave the couch, your bookie is a personalized entity, he is your friend, available twenty-four seven and he is always coming up with new ways to please, excite and entertain you.

You can reach him with your remote control or even your mobile phone, he updates you with hot offers via text and any combination of punts you require are available at the touch of a button, the flick of a channel or the click of a dial tone! The word has changed, it is moving faster every day and online betting has proved most adept at tapping into what floats a young man's boat these days, and adapts and changes to suit its clientele's need and desires.

There are more sports based channels than ever before, dedicated horse racing journals readily available and websites customized to suit your betting needs, e.g. now you can even place bets as the live action takes place as opposed to getting your punt in days before, perfect for those who are prone to a last minute change of heart when they see their favourite player carried off in a stretcher after four minutes!

The public has responded with enthusiasm and now views Sky and betting as a perfectly natural and frankly, necessary evolution! Both are focused on meeting the customer's demands and ensuring that viewing sports and placing bets are as hassle free as possible. With football being the national preoccupation, there are millions out there willing to meet them half way, and thus, a beautiful friendship is born!

Where will all this lead? A new sporting season brings even more possibilities as rival TV stations and betting companies bid to increase their customer base with all kinds of special offers and customized betting options. The Sky Sports and cheeky punt lover does not yet know what these will be but he has come to expect a high standard and will not hesitate to jump ship should a be better offer come along, it's all about your options - the team you support stays the same, the sports you actually bet on are constantly growing as the chance to have a nice little earner is too hot to resist! Regardless of how easy it is to have a bet these days, the thrill of winning will always ensure there is a market for it and Sky have a canny knack of tapping into this thrill.

Now bookmaker's representatives feature regularly on their preview shows and sports fan seem keen to hear what they have to say and always want to know the odds. Betting and Sky Sports just seem to go hand in hand, they blend perfectly because they offer pure escapist entertainment and money making opportunities, cash to go with your bragging rights on Monday morning and that which we all seek after a hard working week - the perfect weekend!

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