This is my (very competitive) wife's first year playing FF.We bet on everything: what's the dollar value of items in our shopping cart? Winner gets to drink from the good beer stein. What date is the first snowfall of the year going to be? Winner gets radio control during holiday travel.So now that the stakes are beyond silly bets and on to serious matters like FF --- what should we wager?Minor squabbles over this and that happen all the time. In the end, you often hear, “Wanna bet!?” The bet may be over a fact, something that happened in the past, what someone said, or any number of other things. People settle the immediate dispute by placing a wager on who is right, with the ante usually being a certain amount of money. With couples that have been together for even a little while, money very often loses its appeal as something to bet with. One of the reasons may be that people throw their lot together and then usually switch from keeping score to not really caring all that much.

Money loses the zing that it commonly has with others.Not that I’m trying to promote gambling, but I think it’s really lost opportunity that sporting betting between couples isn’t very common, because a good bet makes matters playful and intriguing. Well, here’s an incentive you can use instead of money, a way of betting between mates that works out much better, better even than almost any other conceivable wager.The two best “prizes” for winning a bet I’ve heard of are a surprise and a favor. Let’s look at a surprise bet first. You’re betting that whoever turns out to be wrong will have to surprise the other person, usually before the week is out. I’m talking about a good surprise and not something spiteful or bitter! With money, the amount of dollars indicates the confidence and consequence. This element can be simulated with the surprise wager as well. Use the qualifier of a little, medium, or huge surprise. Betting for a surprise also serves to fulfill the need for predictability (the rules are known and agreed upon) and novelty (the surprise is unknown).

Both people usually have fun with it no matter who wins or loses, so the betting becomes fun almost regardless of which end of the stick you’re on.The favor bet works a little differently. Instead of being surprised by the loser, the winner chooses what the loser will do for them. I use the word favor rather loosely, because a forced favor does not fit the definition. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining wager. If you use this bet, let me suggest a few parameters. The “favor” must not get you into trouble. It should have a time limit (like 10 minutes), which can vary depending on the gravity of the wager. If it isn’t requested or used within a set period of time (1 week, for example), it expires. If you make this kind of betting system part of your couple rituals, stipulate that the winner must agree to place a bet under reasonable circumstances again. This last point is important, because otherwise someone could ask for some killer favor and then refuse to bet again. No hostilities, just playfulness!

Otherwise it’s not the right couple ritual for you.Build the relationship culture and historyCommunicate values and beliefsHelp to accomplish tasksEmotional money in the bankFulfills the need for predictability and noveltySolve arguments and spice up your romantic life by implementing a few romantic wagers. There are some great ways to solve bets as a couple while keeping things fun. Bet on a sports game, flip a coin, or draw straws and let the loser do something romantic for their partner.Let’s face it – there’s only one winner every Fantasy Football season, and the other 11 people are doomed to be called losers for the rest of the year, with oodles of self-doubt and jealousy. So how can we turn that fantasy frown, upside-down? Make a small side bet with the person you happen to be going up against in the first week of the Fantasy playoffs!There are plenty of evil bets you could do, but to be honest, you have to see these people again next season, and some of them even sooner.

So try to be a little evil in a fun way! Plus, if you lose, you don’t want to end up on the bad side of one of these bets.A Side Bet Versus a FriendFacebook Takeover: For a 24-hour period, the winner gets to take over the loser’s Facebook status posts (maybe a 5-post limit?). The key here is that the loser just has to post the status updates, and that he never gives up complete control/password to the winner.A Side Bet Versus Someone You’d Like To See Naked SomedayLoser buys dinner – and obviously, you’re a winner either way in this bet and it’s an easy way to ask a girl out. If he/she immediately says, “Screw that!” then maybe you should set your sights a little lower. Then crush them in Fantasy.Hopefully, some of these fun side bets will help ease the fact that you’re likely not going to win your Fantasy Football championship. But if you do, then that means you are also the winner of a few awesome side bets!If the night is going well, and there’s a foozball table around, why not make the date a bit more interesting and challenge your date to a little friendly competition?

Make it even better by putting a wager on the outcome. Try one of these:The Loser Has to Eat Something Spicy. If you’re in New York City, we recommend the Phaal Curry Challenge (but if your date looks like he’s about to pass out, abort, abort!)The Loser Has to Drink Something Crazy. Make her drink (ew) Ass Juice. Make him drink a big old girly Sex on the Beach or Apple-tini. Or maybe a classic Sake Bomb.The Loser Has to Sing Time Of My Life Karaoke. Or some other embarrassing song. This could be scheduled for ten minutes from now…or the next date (look at you, lining up the next date already!).The Loser Has to Draw a Mustache On His Face. That will make it a date to remember, at least tomorrow, when his co-workers are like, “what’s on your face?”The Loser Has to Get Up and Do The Running Man. In fact, if you are reading this, I’d start practicing your Running Man now because I have this feeling that all these people are going to read this and think, “that is a great idea!” and it will turn into a widespread thing.

When it hits the Today Show, you’ll know I’m right.The Loser Has to Call His Mom and Ask Her What Her Bra Size Is. That’s pretty weird, right? If it’s a girl, have her call her dad and tell him she thinks it’s time to schedule a colonoscopy, and would he like her to accompany him?The Loser Has to Hit The Floor for 50 Push-Ups. This sucks enough when you’re not in a bar, after a few drinks. No getting up until they’re done. If it’s too easy for them, sit on their back.The Loser Has to Ask Someone in the Bar to Slow Dance. To whatever song is playing. Even if it’s Jay-Z’s “Give It To Me.” Especially if it’s Jay-Z’s “Give It To Me”. God, I love this song! I hope this happens to someone in a bar I’m frequenting.The Loser Has to Tell a Really, Really Embarrassing Story. In a British accent. If they’re British, American. If it’s something fake embarrassing like “I got caught singing in my car”, make them tell a new one. In fact, before you start, you might want to give the disclaimer that getting caught singing in your car is not that embarrassing.