I want to put the following line on my resume:
Thoughts? Opinions?
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Edited.
How did you place the bet
What job field are you targeting
I placed the bet on an online sportsbook and am currently pursuing a full-time IB (preferably Restructuring) position out of undergrad.
I'm really not sure about the legality currently, but I know as of last year that was illegal. As in feds wiretapping people, making RICO arrests, real deal crime.
I would not list it at all, it does not show really any skill, you just got lucky one time.
I had a applicant list a entrepreneurial business on his resume, he claimed was netting around 100k, that's pretty cool right... Except after some probing, he admitted he pays zero taxes, pays his "employees" under the table and has made efforts to hide his earnings etc.... thats illegal and the fact that he didn't understand or think about this got him unconsidered.
If you did some sort of complex analysis that drove your decision on how to place the bet, then it could potentially be a fun/interesting talking point for the interviewer to glean knowledge about your analytical thought processes; either that, or they’ll just laugh at it.
I'm torn tbh. Part of me says that using the phrase "fun fact" on a resume is informal and inappropriate, but the other half thinks that your fact is interesting and lightens the tone. Sorry not much help here.
I'll say this...anything that could potentially go either way like this might be better to be left off. Personally I don't put 'interests' on my resume at all.
I think there are risks to this that you should consider.
Would you also list a time you bought a lotto ticket that paid out 1000:1? Sure, sports betting can be an intellectual exercise, but any reasonable person knows winning a single bet requires infinitely more luck than brains. It seems like you get this, because you call it a fun fact instead of an accomplishment. But who knows how a random employer will interpret this on your resume? Some might think you overestimate yourself. Some might ask why you think a "fun fact" is appropriate for a resume. And while it may be less true in finance, there's still a notion out there that employees who gamble are risky hires because it might lead to an addiction.
I wouldn't list it because I'm risk-averse with this stuff. If you want to roll the dice then there's always a chance someone reads it and thinks "I'm glad he's got outside interests and a cool story to tell." But there's plenty of room for this to go against you, so you should weight the pros and cons.
HighlyClevered, thank you for the insightful response.
Although luck definitely plays a role, I do think that my continued success in sports betting would prove that there can be a skill in the process. Although a 12-team parlay is my highest, I have hit numerous other large parlays and am significantly in the green. In regards to calling it a fun fact, I just viewed it as more of an interesting fact (most people can't say the same) than an accomplishment. I would definitely consider it an accomplishment though and should've considered renaming the line item. However, with all that aside, I think it is best that I don't add it to the resume for the reason that some employers might view me as a risky hire or don't approve of the action. Your perspective was very helpful.
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