There may be no such concept as a "sure thing" when it comes to gambling but there are a few bets which com pretty close.
Before I explain what I mean above, I want to make sure you are aware of two things. Firstly, be aware that the vast majority of people who set foot in a betting shop do not really want to win money. Yes, they'd like to win money but they do not really, really want it. If they desired to win money with all their heart they would not be in a betting shop to start with, they'd be at home gaming online. Instead of mucking about with Lucky 15s and Yankees they'd be minimizing their risk as much as possible.
Secondly, people in the UK do not really understand odds. We look at the lottery and feel fine about flushing pounds down the toilet in the vain hope of hitting the jackpot but would never consider risking £ 100 to win £ 1 on Manchester United winning when they are already two-nil up against Sunderland at home in the Premiership – and it's in the 85th minute!
In the second situation here I hint towards the secret of my success in the world of gambling. Like the stock market, the first rule of gambling is "never lose". This means betting in-running on an almost certain situation. This is certainly not for everyone and takes a complete mindshift. Take Saturday 27th September 2008. I backed 5 goals or less between Manchester United and Bolton when it was nil-nil well into the second half, and the same for Chelsea against Stoke. There was really no point when my money was in danger whateverever. I made a 3% return on my money and it was only on risk for all of about 25 minutes. It would only take about 20 sessions such as this for me to double my money. In fact I've managed to take a £ 10 starting bank to over £ 1000 on three occasions now.
To conclude, if you want to make money through gambling it is necessary to pack in the seven horse accumulators and start thinking smartly.