In the past, when he'd had six-figure sums at risk as the results were announced, Daniel had planned those bets carefully. This was different. If Cyprus won - which now seemed gut-wrenchingly likely - he'd have to sell his flat. He watched the slowly unfolding voting process in a daze. Eurovision aficionados among you will know how this story ends. Daniel got away with his mistake. Israel won. He could breathe again, and profited handsomely from his early call that viewers would like Netta's song. He could go off globetrotting, come back next year and do it all again.