Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Tips For Football Betting

How depressingly gray would be a world where everything is governed by a set of universal rules rigorously shaping everything? Isn’t it better if we strike back with a chance to confound the tweed coated straight laced brigade and weave a little exotic odds into life that are not really approved of. It is precisely this change that inspires even the most sober of us to risk a couple of quid. But the art of a successful competition is to not only create a game that has a real chance of success for the entry stake, but allows us to lose that stake without significant damage to our ongoing lifestyle. Placing bets on football matches using various tips and tactics helps us achieve this motive.

In this article we shall thus discuss about the major tips and tactics that help us make the best of our money. Football betting is not like the other traditional casino games. Those games are games of chance where the house always has a built-in edge. Football betting is different in that you can choose which games to wager on and which games to pass on. By only betting on games that have a positive expected return and passing on games that have negative expected return, the football betting enthusiast can thus turn the tables on the sports book and put himself in the position to always have the edge.

Basic knowledge of sports handicapping is required

Football betting requires a basic knowledge of sports handicapping. You need to understand what goes into determining the spread and how to arrive at an educated guess at the game outcome. Football handicapping is part science and part art. The best football handicappers not only know how to analyze the statistics, they also have an instinct gained from years of experience. To acquire these skills and instincts the punter needs to do handicapping for him self using picks and recommendations from other bettors as simply a starting point.

Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information

Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information. You are attempting to predict the future. You do that by looking at what has happened in the past, which is where statistics are useful, and by looking at the current situation, which is where the latest news is critical.

However one should always remember that even the best handicappers are rarely right more than 58% of the time. Our goal should be to win more than 50% of the bets.

by: Rob Mellor

Poker Lingo For Amateurs

The World Series of Poker has sprouted many followers in the last couple of years. Amateur tables are popping up all over the world and friendly cash games are everywhere come Friday night. Whether it is for thrill or profit the so called sport of poker has the attention of many onlookers year round. While Amateurs know the basics of the game they usually get lost in all the poker lingo spoken at the casino poker tables. While some is lingo is made up by experienced players to throw off the amateurs, some are actually well known terms in the poker world that any amateur trying to make it big should know. Below is a guide to all the poker lingo you could ever want to impress your friends or intimidate an experienced opponent. Take a look.

Ante: The initial money thrown into the pot to induce betting. This is done before the flop.

All In: When a person decides to put all his chips in to bet on a certain hand. No Limit Hold’Em is the most popular game and All Ins are allowed as many times as a player wants. In Limit Hold’Em you cannot bet more then the pot itself.

Backdoor: Backdoor is a reference to when players are chasing a card that has not come up yet but has a good chance to. Having 4 cards of the same kind is a backdoor flush draw, having four cards in a row is a backdoor straight draw.

Bad Beat: A Bad Beat occurs when a player has a large advantage over the other and the last card beats the big hand by luck. Bad beat is usually used to imply that the player with the weak hand should not have been in the hand at all and it was by mere luck that he won his underdog hand.

Blind: In Texas Hold’Em, the game uses blinds instead of antes. The blinds are forced bets to induce some money in the pot by the two people sitting to the left of the dealer. The first person to the left of the dealer is the “small blind” and bets a smaller amount. The second person to the left of the dealer is the “big blind” and bets twice what the small blind has.

Bottom Pair: The lowest pair out of the cards out on the table.

Check: When a player decides to not bet he calls “Check”. This is the option of betting zero dollars.

Check Raise: When a player checks with a strong hand hoping another opponent will raise. The player then re-raises with his strong hand thus getting more money out of his opponent in the pot.

Drawing Dead: When a player is trying to make a hand that will still not win the pot.

Flop: The first three cards that are “flopped” onto the table. These are also called community cards.

Heads Up Play: When there are only two players playing a certain hand they are considered “heads up”.

Muck: A pile of unused cards usually in front of the dealer. These come from folded or burned cards. To “much your cards” is to fold them by throwing them into the muck pile.

The Nuts: Likely the favorite expression of any poker player. The Nuts indicates a hand that is mathematically unbeatable with the cards on the table.

Offsuit: When the two cards you are dealt are of different suits.

Pocket: The two cards dealt to you in Texas Hold’Em that only you can see.

Rake: The total amount of money that the casino’s dealer takes out of every pot.

The River: The last card to be flopped on the board. The 5th card to come out in a Texas Hold’Em game.

Short Stack: The short stack is referring to the player with the least amount of chips at the table.

Tell: A tell refers to a players action when he or she has a good or bad hand. Some players take off their sun glasses when they have a bad hand. Other players tend to itch their right hand when they have a good hand.

The Turn: The fourth card to be flopped onto the table in a Texas Hold’Em game.

These are the necessary terms in order to keep up with the pros. There are hundreds of other terms in the world of poker, yet they are much less needed or too experienced for the amateur. Learn this lingo and impress your friends or play at experienced tables and wow the crowd. Lastly, poker is a great game, but the greatest player in poker knows one this: When to know you’re beat. Everyone likes to hold’em, but sometimes you get that feeling and you just have to fold’em.

by: John Harding

Poker –A Social Thing

There is a very good reason why people enjoy a regular poker game with their friends and work colleagues. It is fun. It is relaxing. It is social. It is an excuse to eat sandwiches and chips and forget about trivial things like bills and pressures at work. Whether you bet with chocolates, peanuts, cat food coupons, your spare change or a bankroll, poker is a social thing.

The problem with the weekly poker game is that it is only weekly. Being able to escape into that alternate world where the only thing that matters is the game should happen more often than that, shouldn't it? Great news: it can. When you play online poker at Internet casinos, a great poker game is only a few clicks away, anytime of the day or night. And there are always real people out there playing with you, so you can maintain that same social feel in an Internet casino.

Online poker games are a great means of escape. Much cheaper than most trips to Las Vegas or Atlantic city, an Internet casino is an inexpensive way to enjoy something you usually have to wait for all week, or in the case of a real Las Vegas vacation –all year for. No more vying for that boring company conference in Las Vegas just so you can hit the tables. At an Internet casino you can play online poker and enjoy yourself without having to worry about making any meetings!

Meet new friends or get to know the regular players at your favorite Internet casino. Online poker is a great way to socialize from the comfort, privacy and safety of your own home; and hey –all your drinks are on the house! So, what are you waiting for? Get involved in an online poker game today!

by: Adel Awwad

A Winning Roulette System

Roulette is considered t be one of the most popular casino games in the world. It tends to draw players from all types of backgrounds. Being a relatively simple game to understand while offering a diverse range of betting options and payout outcomes is what makes Roulette such a big hit with the players. Roulette is also considered to be one of the casino's biggest money makers because it tends to place the odds in favor of the casino. Whether one is placing bets on an American Roulette Wheel which has 38 numbers (0, 00, 1-36), or on a European Roulette Wheel which has 37 numbers (0, 1-36), the odds are usually in favor of the casino, especially if one places bets such as a straight up bet (a bet covering one single number) or a split bet (a bet covering two numbers). Of course there are other types of bets which will increase the odds in the player's favor such as a dozen bet (a bet covering twelve numbers), or an odd or even bet (a bet covering eighteen numbers), but covering eighteen numbers out of a possible 37 or 38 still places the odds in favor of the casino.

Having tried many different betting systems, I finally found one that places the odds in favor of the player, is very simple to understand and does not carry a large degree of risk as far as losing one's money is concerned. If the aim of the player is to cover as many outcomes as possible while increasing the chances of winning, then this may be one Roulette system that is worth a try. Being a low risk system, the payout from a win is only 3 to 1, but the odds are 63.16% in favor of the player in an American Roulette game and 64.86% in favor of the player in a European Roulette game.

The logic of the system is as follows: By placing two Dozen bets of equal amounts, the player is essentially covering 24 numbers which is over 60% of the total numbers on the wheel. The chances of losing the bet are between 35.13 % and 36.84% which is far lower than a Column bet or Colored bet. If the winning number falls in one of the two Dozen bets, then the player will receive three credits for the two credits wagered.

For example, let us assume that you have placed a bet of $10 on the numbers 13 - 24 and another $10 bet on the numbers 25 - 36. Now you have covered over 60% of all the numbers and if you win, you will be ahead by $10. As mentioned earlier, the returns may not be high (depending on how much money is wagered), but the chances of winning each bet tend to be higher than usual.

by: Adel Awwad

Casino Games –Blackjack

Whether you're new to casino gaming or a casino veteran, blackjack is one of the simplest and most fun card games casinos have to offer. The objective in blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a hand as close to 21 as possible without going over. To play casino blackjack, you need only a basic understanding of the rules and a desire to have fun.

So how do you reach 21? In blackjack, the cards have values. Number cards two through ten are counted at face value, while all face cards (King, Queen and Jack) are worth ten points. The ace is a special card in blackjack: you decide whether it’s worth one or eleven points. Since casino players are dealt two cards to start, if you get an ace and a face card or ten, you have 21—an instant win, as long as the dealer doesn't get 21 as well. This two-card winning hand is called a “blackjack”; hence the name of the game!

Casino rules for blackjack are basically the same at all casinos. After you get your first two cards, your options are to hit, stand, double down, split, or sometimes surrender. Hit means to take another card; stand means to keep what you have. A double down means you will double your bet in exchange for taking only one more card (you can draw up to five cards in blackjack). If your first two cards are the same value, you can split, or separate them and play each card as a different hand. Not all casinos offer the option to surrender, which means you would withdraw from the hand and receive half your bet back.

When you play blackjack at a casino, be sure to know which table to choose. Most casinos have color coded blackjack tables according to the minimum bet the table accepts, usually $3, $5, $25 or $100. In any casino, it’s a given the $3 and $5 tables will be crowded, but they’re great for beginners at casino games because all of the cards are dealt face-up, as opposed to the one-up, one-down method at higher tables. So the next time—or the first time—you visit a casino, make a stop at the blackjack tables and aim for 21!

by: Adel Awwad

Poker –Know Your Limits

Whether you’re playing poker in a casino with your chips right in front of you or playing an online poker game in an internet casino, it’s easy to get carried away when you’re betting. If you’ve had to hitchhike home from Las Vegas because you broke the bank or if you are on the verge of getting a divorce due to the fact that you can’t afford to pay the internet bill because of your internet casino habit, take the problem seriously. There are meetings and support groups available for you. Ask your doctor for help.

However, if your problem is a little less serious than that: you tend to get a little overzealous with your betting when stakes are high and the heat of the online poker game is at a boiling point, then here are a few things for you to try. You can have fun playing online poker without losing your shirt –or having to worry about money at all. All you need to do is set a few guidelines for yourself!

-Set a limit. Just like you might hand your credit cards and ATM card over to your best friend and go to a brick and mortar casino with a specific amount of cash in your pocket, so too should you go to an online casino, use your credit card for one specific amount and then put it away.

-Enjoy a free amateur game. If you’ve bet your limit but still feel like playing online poker, play a few free amateur games. Most internet casinos have plenty to offer. If you enjoy yourself, maybe the next time around, you’ll throw your money onto their online poker table.

-Keep track. By all means, don’t lose track of how many deposits you’ve made into your internet casino account. Just because you might forget doesn’t mean it didn’t happen!

by: Adel Awwad

Finding The Right Poker Table

To be honest with you I spent months researching poker tables. I went to every on-line store known to man kind. I researched felt colors, quality, types, and even the different style legs. In this article I will cover a few of the things I spent countless hours researching to help you spend less time.

When purchasing a discount poker tables today, you are faced with a true problem. You can get a second mortgage on your house and buy a casino quality table. Or you can collect some cans and spend a few dollars and buy one these tables on a table.(typically called a table topper) These make your typical living room table into the hottest poker spot in your neighborhood. The only problem with these table toppers, is quality. How can you know you're getting a quality table at discount you ask? Check here for starters: http://www.the-poker-outlet.com/burgandy-poker-table-top.htm

Some of these answers depend who you buy it from. You can look for your tables at online sites, at your local novelty store, or even department stores. These places may or not be relatively safe depending on their return policy. Other less secure places include fly by night Web sites that are here today, gone tomorrow. Buy from one of these, and you may not be able to return a lemon table that breaks on the second deal.

Trusted online sites, though, offer the best product that you won't even need to worry about returning. Their selection of discount poker tables usually includes those really expensive full-sized tables, as well as the table over a table types.(table toppers)

In whatever kind of table you look for, check out the green (can vary in color) felt first. This is very important. This should be smooth to the touch, smoothed out, and secured on the table. Check for strange lumps or breaks in the felt that could interfere with all the chips coming your way. These lumps could interfere with dealing. There is nothing worse then a card being flipped over during a deal! Good models typically also come with inset trays for each player to hold drinks (beers!) and chips, the poker kind and the greasy kind.

Some fancier table in a table discount poker tables will also have black vinyl along the closing surface so it's easy to place on any table. All of them make it easy to fold up and store them between games. This is especially important if you're wife, or husband, does not allow you to play very often.

In conclusion, take your time. Believe me I know your anxious to find a table and have your buddies over. I was very happy with my table. I found a professional casino table with padded cushions to rest your arms on and it had sturdy folding legs so I can store it away when done. It was the best of both worlds. Good luck and remember you do not have to go all in!

by: Johnny Hand

What to Look for In Online Poker Sites

Online poker game websites have become more and more popular these days as a casino establishment alternative. They are a convenient way of playing a variety of poker games in the comfort of your own home. Online poker websites make virtual poker games readily available to the beginner and advanced poker player alike. However, there are a few things one should consider when trying to choose the perfect online poker website in which to play this entertaining game. Safety is one key thing to consider when looking to play poker games online and researching the site ahead of time may make your poker play a bit safer than if you were to simply jump right in without a second thought. Secondly, another thing that a prospective online poker player should look into with regard to an online poker website prior to beginning play is good odds as people who play this game online for money are looking to win. A third thing to search for within online poker websites relates to the type of poker games that the websites are offering. Lastly, it is always good to do some research with regard to what the betting limits will be prior to choosing an online poker website which you would like to utilize.

As internet safety is becoming a more serious concern these days, it is extremely important to know how your money will be exchanged before, during and after the poker games and what financial information you are going to have to give out in order to play poker online. In a world where internet scams are overly present, it is important to make sure that you are utilizing an online poker website that is a secure website. Therefore, it is important to know in advance that your financial information will not be transmitted in such a manner where there may be an opportunity for someone to get a hold of it and use it in a wrongful manner. Checking into all available safety features prior to starting to play online poker on a particular website is definitely a smart move and one which I highly recommend that you look into.

Another thing to look for when choosing a particular online poker website prior to playing this wonderful card game is what type of odds are going to be present in the online poker game. Online poker is a great way of having fun and maybe making a little bit of money in the process; however, it is important to know what your odds will be prior to sitting down at the virtual poker table. You will most likely be able to research odds by going onto the online poker website which you are thinking about using and seeing what they have to say on the subject. If that particular website does not post any odds information on it, then you might be better off moving on to another site that does publish that type of information.

As there are a variety of online poker games available to the beginner and advanced online poker player alike, it is important to know what online poker game websites offer with regard to particular types of poker games. It will not do you any good to start using a poker game website that only hosts a few types of poker games, especially if all of the ones which the website offers are ones in which you may be unfamiliar with. Therefore, it is best to research the online poker website prior to beginning a poker game so that you know what type of poker game will be played. If you are unfamiliar with the type of poker game being played but still want to give it a shot, why not try looking at a few other websites that describe the type of poker game which is being played on your chosen website. By doing a little research you will be able to brush up on the rules of that particular game thereby increasing your odds of winning.

Since many individuals have a set amount in mind that they wish to spend on entertainment such as online poker playing, it is important to look at different online poker game websites to see what their betting limits may be prior to utilizing a poker website. By searching different online poker websites you will be able to determine which website best fits your means. By doing a little research up front you are able to find out whether you want to use that particular website or if another poker gaming website is more your speed. Therefore, checking out the betting limits prior signing on with a particular online poker game website is highly advisable for poker players wishing to play online.

Because using the internet to peruse different online poker game websites will only tell you so much, you should also consider asking for recommendations from friends and family members. If you know any friends or family members that play poker online for fun, you should inquire whether or not they have any recommendations concerning the better online poker game websites. This will allow you to gain insight into what websites host the best odds, what ones have the lower betting limits and things of that sort. It is also a good way of finding out whether these individuals have had luck with a particular website or have been not so lucky with regards to winning on another online poker game website. Recommendations are a great way of retrieving some background information prior to getting settled with one particular online poker website. Always consider your options prior to choosing an online poker website because there will be ones that are better than other websites.

These are just a few things to consider when looking to find the perfect online poker website. If you take these tips into consideration, chances are that you will find the perfect online poker website that will make all of your gaming dreams come true.

by: Jeff Dragt

Casino Bonus –Fact or Fiction?

Casino bonuses –what is up with this? Is somebody actually nice enough to give you money for free? Sure, and pigs fly!

You see, the people running online casinos are actually quite clever (no, don’t laugh). They know that giving away an online casino bonus will not only attract more people to their casinos, but they will make money from it as well.

And don't think that this is a new idea. Land based casinos all over the world have been using "freebies" to attract people to play at their casinos. Think about the free drinks, rooms, etc that casinos offer.

How can online casinos make money from giving away money ? Casino bonus deals are structured in such a way that you can only withdraw it from the casino after you played a number of hands/rolls/spins. The casinos know that few people will have any of the bonus amount left by the end of these hands/rolls/spins, never mind the full amount. Plus, they probably lost their own deposit in the process!

Most people that play at online casinos are either fun players or they don’t have a strategy, or both! These people are the lifeblood of a casino, as they have no idea how to overcome the advantage the casino has over them.

Every casino game has a house edge (the average % of profit that a casino makes from a game). The only way to overcome the house edge is to enter the casino with a working strategy.

But let’s get back to our discussion about casino bonuses.

Actually, for all the bad press, casino bonuses are quite useful. You won’t get rich using them (unless you win the jackpot!), but armed with a bit of knowledge, it is an easy way to make some extra money.

Before you sign up with an online casino based on their newest casino bonus, you *must* read the terms and conditions regarding their promotions. Obviously all the terms and conditions are important, but you really want to check out the following 3 elements:

*Wagering requirements*

Simply put, this is the amount of money you have to wager before you can withdraw the bonus. This is normally expressed as a multiple of your deposit plus your bonus.

Example: The wagering requirement is 20x, you deposit $100 and get $100 bonus. Therefore, you have to wager a total of $4,000 before you can withdraw the $100 bonus. You can withdraw your deposit at any time.

*Excluded games*

Very important! Some games are excluded from fulfilling the wagering requirements. These are usually the games that have the lowest house edge, including Roulette, Craps and Blackjack and all their variants.

However, if you spend a little time and search around, you will find casinos that will include one or more of these games in the wagering requirements.

*Withdrawal conditions*

A few casinos have withdrawal conditions to withdraw the bonus. Even if you have fulfilled the wagering requirements, you still have to meet certain conditions. These might range from depositing a minimum amount of money to being able to withdraw your winnings only after you reached a certain amount.

These extra conditions mostly relate to free casino bonuses (where you do not have to deposit any money to get a casino bonus). But beware, there are some casinos where these conditions apply to the normal deposit match bonuses.

**Strategy**

In order to make a bit of money from online casino bonuses, you *have* to follow a proven strategy. Your goal is to get through the wagering requirements without losing too much of the bonus. That way you have your initial deposit plus a bonus amount which you can withdraw to make a nice profit.

Who knows, you might even have a very good system and make some profit on top of the casino bonus!

Good luck and start playing!

by: Hein Hayman

Learning How to Play Poker Online

Poker is not entirely a game of luck, but rather a game of skill and how you can take the cards you are dealt and make them win. This requires knowledge of odds, bluffing, and the general rules of the game not to mention the other cards opponents have showing. So, if you are interested in playing poker online you can really learn how to play well and win money. It's not just about what you are dealt, it's how you play the cards you are dealt so focus on learning rules and strategy before you begin playing poker online for money.

Learning how to play poker in a real casino or with other people can frequently be intimidating and your nervousness and anxiety will take over making it more difficult to think and play your hands efficiently. Of course, in time, this wears off as your confidence builds, however there is a way to avoid this situation altogether and that is with online poker. You can easily enter an online poker room and start practicing and learn how to play. Also, most of the top poker sites have poker rooms where you can practice and play for free, so take advantage of this situation and log some hours in the practice poker rooms. You will build your knowledge of the game as well as your confidence and once you have become good enough you can give a paying room a try. You wouldn't enter a marathon without training and you should not enter an online poker site without practicing if you do not want to lose your money.

Strategy Strategy is important and this is the key factor that will help you win many games even if the cards did not fall just as you were hoping. Also, many players lack strategy and are too cocky to think they need it, so simply do some research on the strategy for your preferred poker game and implement these as you are practicing. The more your practice the easier strategy will become and before you know it your brain will simply be thinking in a strategic way. This is important and it will train you to become a really great poker player.

Of course, the online free poker games seem silly to many and just a way to pass the time like Solitaire or any other computer game. However, if you are truly interested in becoming a better player all you have to do is really focus on the practice games as if they were real games and the money was real as well, implement the strategies you are learning, focus on mistakes and why certain moves did not work, and you will really become a better poker player. When you are a better poker player you may begin playing for money online and will be prepared to play against the many talented card players that are in the online poker rooms.

Keep in mind, however, that the play tables are not as well laid out as the money tables, so after a few hands you should be able to learn and start winning a few hands. However, if you are not winning with the play hands after a couple hours of playing then you either play poorly or are not implementing the strategies you have learned, and likely a combination of both. Remember, if you are losing on a regular basis in the play tables then there is no reason to enter the money tables because you will lose again and this time real money. So stay focused when you are learning how to play and understand that if you can't win at the free tables you will never win at the pay tables. Once you have played the free games for a while and start winning some, then you should move on to some of the cheap real games. There are games for one cent and two cents online, so you should consider playing those as your second step in the quest to become a good poker player. While the free games will help you learn how to play the game and the basics, you must take a step up every once in a while to challenge yourself and to learn more in order to become a better player. As long as you continue practicing and moving up a step at a time you will become a great poker player and win a lot of money. However, if you try and join the professional players when you still are learning the rules of the game you will simply lose money and your self esteem. Don't let this happen and take it one step at a time.

Becoming a Player Now that you know how to become a player you need to start practicing. Check out some of the top 10 poker room sites on the Internet and then start playing the practice hands. By doing this you will be able to learn a lot faster and save your embarrassment for a bad move because you are in front of your computer screen and nobody can see you. In the past, learning to play poker took a lot of time and guts because individuals had to endure playing with those better than themselves and individuals who would surely beat them for some time. However, you can avoid this situation altogether by simply playing the free games online and taking advantage of all that is made available to you. Then, when you finally do make it to the money games you will be able to hold your own and will likely win which is a ego booster and will only help you to continue playing well. Don't think the free online poker games are a waste of time, but rather utilize them and make them teach you the ins and outs of poker so you become a truly great player.

by: Jeff Dragt