Big Plans 1

Chapter 6

"I never knew New York could be this nice," I said, sipping juice and strolling through downtown Manhattan. My perspective on life had changed; I was honestly enjoying life and no longer feeling pressured.

I felt relaxed and more open to new opportunities. I went to the nearest restaurant and ordered a meal costing exactly $50. I hadn't eaten anything since waking up, so I was quite hungry.

I noticed a lot of stares, but I decided to ignore them. I kind of expected it because I was looking sharp with my new hairstyle, and my outfit only added to the attention.

Before leaving the restaurant, I did something daring. I wrote my new Instagram handle on a piece of paper and left it on the table along with the money I owed. Before exiting, I announced, "I've left my Instagram handle here; you can always reach me through it."

With that done, I hurried back home. It was noisy and didn't smell great, but nothing could dampen my spirits. I gave Uncle Ken a wave before rushing upstairs.

I noticed some ladies trying to get my attention, but no, I wasn't going to lose my virginity to just anyone at a bar. I had always reserved it for someone special, and I felt she was closer than I thought, yet still out of reach.

Once in my room, I took a bath, changed into comfortable clothes, and sat at my study table to brainstorm additional ways to make money.

Taking out a book, I began to draft some ideas for this money-making venture.

The first was betting, but I knew I couldn't always be spot-on. However, I was confident I could learn more strategies to increase my win rate. It's easy to come up with a few tricks; I could look online and learn from experienced sports analysts and understand how they devise winning strategies.

"Hmm, so I guess I now need to watch a lot of YouTube videos on sports analysis and read more about it. That's something I can even start tomorrow."

With that settled, I needed to explore another avenue for making money, and surprisingly, I found one: selling my betting odds. And the best part is that I'm a straight-A marketing student.

To kick off this marketing venture, I created a Facebook account. I chose Facebook because it's an easy way to reach a lot of people. I don't need a massive following on Instagram, Twitter, or other social media platforms. I just need to share a Facebook group link showing I'm selling sure betting tips, and that's the only lure I need.

With that plan in mind, I set up the Facebook account and group. Once that was complete, I joined several other Facebook groups and shared my group link there.

Afterward, I checked Instagram and was surprised to see I had gained a lot of followers—I was up to 123 and growing.

'I think I need to update my wardrobe,' I mused as I browsed through the DMs I had received. I pondered, 'Would these women be interested in me if I were still that nerdy guy from before?'

The answer was a resounding no, so I ignored them all and concentrated on my betting plans.

An hour after creating the group, I had attracted more than 100 members, which was fantastic. I informed the group that I would be posting free odds that evening to prove my legitimacy.

I had learned in school that trust is the most important value when dealing with people, and that's what I intended to leverage here. I planned to gain their trust by occasionally offering free odds to grow a larger fanbase, which would translate into more money.

It was around 8:30 p.m. now, so I had to focus on the South American matches.