Gambling

Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#70 – Akron Zips 7-6 SU; 7-6 ATS

Fargo’s Take Akron was the surprise of the MAC last season, winning three of its final four games to make it to the MAC Championship where it defeated Northern Illinois in a classic battle. A defeat to Memphis in the Motor City Bowl was disappointing but it was the first ever 1-A bowl game for the program so there was nothing to hang their heads about. Talk of repeat started as soon as that game against the Tigers ended but it’s not going to be easy as some might think. The Zips do return quarterback Luke Getsy, arguably the best in the MAC, but all of the other skill positions need to be replaced including leading rusher Brett Briggs, who rushed for 1,230 yards last season. The defense was a pleasant surprise, finishing 32nd in the country in total defense, and nine of those starters return. Akron returns the most starters of any team in the conference so a second straight MAC East title should happen but in this conference, anything can happen.

Returning Starters on Offense – 8 The offense is centered around Getsy, who shined in his first season with Akron, running the West Coast offense to perfection. The transfer from Pittsburgh threw for 3,455 yards and 23 touchdowns but the one negative was his 53 percent completion rate. He will be tossing to relatively new receivers this season as 188 of his 278 completions have graduated. The main candidate to take over for Domenik Hixon is junior Jabari Arthur, who closed last season with a brilliant game in the Motor City Bowl. The other side is wide open still. At running back, things aren’t as good as the leading returning rusher is Dennis Kennedy, who ran for 131 yards on just 2.9 ypc last season. Getsy does benefit from the return of all five of the offensive linemen, a smallish but very experienced unit. Akron averaged 23.6 ppg last season, a fairly low amount considering the talent that was on the team so reaching that average again could be a stretch.

Returning Starters on Defense – 9 This is where the Zips are going to have to shine if they are to make a second consecutive trip to the MAC Championship. Nine starters return to the mix and there are no glaring weaknesses anywhere. The defensive line will be stout as will the linebackers but if there is one area to improve in, it is stopping the run. Akron finished 71st in the country in rushing defense last season, allowing 159 ypg, and while that was a huge improvement from the last five years, it still needs to come down. Allowing a combined 596 yards on the ground in the final two games does not give the Zips a lot of momentum heading into this year. The secondary was excellent last season, finishing 16th in the nation in passing defense and brings back all five of its starters.

Schedule At first glance, the schedule looks pretty tough with seven road games but after looking further, it is very manageable. The Zips start out with two extremely tough non-conference road games at Penn St. and NC State before playing their MAC opener at Central Michigan. The home opener is a non-conference game against North Texas and then it’s back to the road for two more games against Kent St. and Cincinnati. Playing five of their first six games on the road is not an easy task but three of those games are winnable. Four of the final six games are at home including games against Miami and Bowling Green, both of which are in rebuilding seasons. The toughest game in that final stretch is a road game at MAC West contender Toledo. The final road game at Ohio could very well decide the division.

You can bet on… Akron definitely overachieved last year and it will likely take a similar effort to get back to a bowl game. Akron has had a winning record the last three seasons yet it did not receive bowl bids in those first two campaigns so winning the entire MAC might be the only way to make it to the postseason once again. Akron has been solid as a home dog, going 16-8 ATS since 1996 but it is unlikely to find itself in that role this season. The Zips made a name for themselves and with every home contest a likely win, they will be favored in all of them. They are just 5-9 ATS as a home favorite over the last five years and in order to shoot for a third straight profitable season against the number, that is going to have to improve.

The first set of Great Poker Quotes appears here =>http://ezinearticles.com/?id=176388

Let’s add to the collection.

We go first to the great comedian, W. C. Fields. Beware of anyone who looks over your shoulder and innocently asks, Oh, my goodness, is that a game of poker you are playing?

In Fields’ words:

“Poker. Is that a game where one receives five cards? And if there’s two alike that’s pretty good? And if there’s three alike that’s much better?”

Anthony Holden, biographer of the British Royals, and author of the book, Big Deal “Whether he likes it or not, a man’s character is stripped at the poker table; if the other players read him better than he does, he has only himself to blame. Unless he is both able and prepared to see himself as others do, flaws and all, he will be a loser in cards, as in life.”

This from Jack Binion, a member of the Poker Hall of Fame and son of Benny Binion who started the World Series of Poker: “I’ve often thought, if I got really hungry for a good milk shake, how much would I pay for one? People will pay a hundred dollars for a bottle of wine; to me that’s not worth it. But I’m not going to say it is foolish or wrong to spend that kind of money, if that’s what you want. So if a guy wants to bet twenty or thirty thousand dollars in a poker game, that is his privilege. “

From World Series of Poker champ and hotel/casino executive Bobby Baldwin: “You cannot survive without that intangible quality we call heart.”

“Limit poker is a science, but no-limit is an art. In limit, you are shooting at a target. In no-limit, the target comes alive and shoots back at you.” This is sometimes attributed to World Series of Poker champ, Jack Straus, sometimes to Crandell Addington, another top poker pro from Texas.

“It never hurts for potential opponents to think you’re more than a little stupid and can hardly count all the money in your hip pocket, much less hold on to it.” This from Amarillo Slim Preston, World Series of Poker winner and author of the book, Amarillo Slim in a World of Fat People.

And finally from author David Sklansky, who wrote The Theory of Poker and other great books: “When we play, we must realize, before anything else, that we are out to make money.”

(c) 2006 Murphy James

This is part 2 of a multipart series of articles regarding proposed anti-gambling legislation. In this article, I begin discussion of the quoted reasons for this legislation, and the actual facts that exist in the real world.

The legislators are trying to protect us from something, or are they? The whole thing seems a little confusing to say the least.

As mentioned in the previous article, the House, and the Senate, are once again considering the issue of “Online Gambling”. Bills have been submitted by Congressmen Goodlatte and Leach, and also by Senator Kyl.

The bill being put forward by Rep. Goodlatte, The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, has the stated intention of updating the Wire Act to outlaw all forms of online gambling, to make it illegal for a gambling business to accept credit and electronic transfers, and to force ISPs and Common Carriers to block access to gambling related sites at the request of law enforcement.

Just as does Rep. Goodlatte, Sen. Kyl, in his bill, Prohibition on Funding of Unlawful Internet Gambling, makes it illegal for gambling businesses to accept credit cards, electronic transfers, checks and other forms of payment for the purpose on placing illegal bets, but his bill does not address those that place bets.

The bill submitted by Rep. Leach, The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, is basically a copy of the bill submitted by Sen. Kyl. It focuses on preventing gambling businesses from accepting credit cards, electronic transfers, checks, and other payments, and like the Kyl bill makes no changes to what is currently legal, or illegal.

So, regardless of whether online gambling is currently legal or not, just what is it that the politicians are trying to protect us from? Why is it so important to make online gambling illegal?

One answer is contained in this quote from Rep. Goodlatte “will keep children from borrowing the family credit card, logging on to the family computer, and losing thousands of dollars all before their parents get home from work”.

I think a fair translation of that quote would be “American parents are incapable of raising their own children so Congress should step in and do it for them’. Because of course we are all aware that the politicians have a much better idea of what is best for us and our children than we do.

And in another quote “In short, the Internet is a challenge to the sovereignty of civilized communities, States, and nations to decide what is appropriate and decent behavior”.

A reasonable translation of this quote would seem to go something like “Individual Americans are not capable of deciding for themselves what behavior is appropriate and decent in their own homes. Fortunately Congress is here to protect them from themselves and legislate morality for them”.

Not only is Congress supposedly responsible for raising the children of America, but in order to do so, and to prevent us from unknowingly doing something indecent, they are going to legislate what we can do with our own money, on our own time, in our own homes. Does this sound like the very model of a free society, or the beginnings of a misguided totalitarian state?

Let’s delve a little deeper into these protections and see just how interested the politicians really are in making sure that our children are safe from the evils of gambling.

Remember, all of these following forms of gambling are either currently legal, or would be made specifically legal in the bill being put forward by Rep. Goodlatte.

First, we have casinos, and race tracks. These little money makers are proliferating all over the country and generate quite a bit of tax revenue for federal and state governments as well as profits for their operators. The people behind the anti-online gambling bills would have you believe that casinos are not an issue when it comes to underage individuals, since casino staff can see the individuals in person and assess their age.

Quite to the contrary however, we have this quote from The Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery “Casino kids have been left by themselves at the outer rim of casinos while their parents gamble, according to some casino security officers. In some extreme cases, children are left in the family car in the casino parking lot for hours at a time while their parents gamble inside. Less obviously, children may also spend several hours each week with babysitters while their parents gamble in casinos, bingo halls or card rooms.”

While I certainly wouldn’t try to claim that online gambling is good for the American family, clearly, to the extent that children can relax and play in their own homes, and sleep in their own beds, online gambling presents less of a problem than the current state supported alternative.

Another form of online gambling that the proposed legislation would exempt from illegal status is the sale of lottery tickets by the states over the internet. It is difficult to see how these legislators show deep concern for the children of America based on the following quote from Overcoming Life Digest (July/August, 1998 Issue) “Studies show that lotteries are the favorite legal gambling game for teenagers. Statistically, one of seven who play will become addicted.” And from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (6 June 2003), “Many regard lotteries as a relatively benign form of gambling. However, 31 percent of callers to the 1-800-GAMBLER national hotline (operated by the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey) indicated problems with lottery gambling.”

In yet another example of government raking in cash without regard for the children of America, we have Video Lottery Machines. Video Lottery Machines, or VLTs are nothing more than state sponsored electronic video poker machines. According to David Plotz in Slate.com on Friday December 17th, 1999 “These are the most addictive of any gambling instrument we have today. It is a cinch for kids to play video lottery machines, since they are often found in businesses that kids frequent.” These devices are being licensed for use in grocery stores, convenience stores, bars and markets around the country, where the children of America have easy access.

Clearly, the legislation proposed does not “keep children from borrowing the family credit card, logging on to the family computer, and losing thousands of dollars all before their parents get home from work”, They will be able to buy lottery tickets, bet on horse races, and head down to the local convenience store to play the VLTs.

In the next article, I will continue coverage of the issues raised by politicians who are against online gambling, and provide a different perspective to their rhetoric, covering the Abramoff card, and the affect of gambling on the family.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts have a 97% chance of Winning the Division Title The Colts have a margin of victory this season of 9.09 have scord an averaged of 28.25 points per game and have allowed an average of 19.16 points to be scored against them.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steeler have a 68.2% chance of Winning the Division Title The Steelers have a margin of victory this season of 7.77 have scord an averaged of 24.13 points per game and have allowed an average of 16.36 points to be scored against them.

AFC East

New England Patriots have a 90.4% chance of Winning the Division Title The Pats have a margin of victory this season of 7.15 have scord an averaged of 26.29 points per game and have allowed an average of 19.15 points to be scored against them.

NFC East

NY Giants have a 74.8% chance of Winning the Division Title The Giants have a margin of victory this season of 6.86 have scord an averaged of 27.37 points per game and have allowed an average of 20.51 points to be scored against them.

NFC South

Carloina Panthers have a 53.6% chance of Winning the Division Title The Panthers have a margin of victory this season of 5.1 have scord an averaged of 24.41 points per game and have allowed an average of 19.31 points to be scored against them.

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks have a 79.7% chance of Winning the Division Title The Seahawks have a margin of victory this season of 3.79 have scord an averaged of 24.18 points per game and have allowed an average of 20.38 points to be scored against them.

AFC West

Denver Broncos have a 70.1% chance of Winning the Division Title The Broncos have a margin of victory this season of 3 have scord an averaged of 23.52 points per game and have allowed an average of 20.52 points to be scored against them.

NFC North

Chicago Bears have a 55.6% chance of Winning the Division Title The Bears have a margin of victory this season of -3.36 have scord an averaged of 17.33 points per game and have allowed an average of 20.69 points to be scored against them.

Bingos’ growing popularity online has many fans flocking the virtual bingo halls in seek of some bingo fun. Even with this rapid growth online fact remains that bingo is the largest game in the world and the majority of bingo fans still play bingo the good old fashion way, in their church, schools clubs and even homes or just a general get together.

Here I will share with you a couple of things you will need if you decide to put on a bingo game for a large crowd or just a simple gathering.

1. Tubs of chips- You can find these in a wide assortment of colors and styles. A popular trend is to have these customized. Most tubs are reusable. It is always better to get these the ones with the gritty edge for easier handling. You can also get the popular magnetic chips for better handling.

2. Daubers- These can also be customized. Red is one of the more popular colors for daubers, however the variations in daubers have grown considerably and your choice are wide.

3. Double Roll Tickets-Most rolls contain up to two-thousand tickets per roll. Using various colors is always recommended with larger bingo gatherings.

4. Bingo Paper/Cards- The push out die paper is popular on those bingo cruises we often hear about. There is no need daubers or chips with these ones. You can simply push out the number as they are called with your finger. If you prefer the traditional bingo cards then you can have them custom ordered with customized themes or logos.

5. Cushions and Totes-Bingo suppliers who make cushions and totes have gotten more creative with the numerous patterns and styles. It is recommended that you get the ones with extra cushion padding for more bounce and softness, they also last longer. Get the ones with a Velcro pouch for a better grip on the chair. Totes with special compartments for specific bingo necessities such as your daubers and chips is always good deal. There are wide assortments of patterns and colors to choose from. Matching tote and cushions normally look better together.

6. Raffle Drums-Drums come in all shapes and sizes. The size is obviously the determining factor in getting a bingo raffle drum.

7. Ping Pong Cage-Stainless steel cages are recommended. These come with bingo balls.

8. Promotional Wheels- Most wheels are made of wood. It is highly recommended that if you decide to get a promotional wheel you get one made from plywood. Promotional wheels often become wobbly and discolored when made with regular wood. These have a very short life span. Get only the best promotional wheels. Wheels can be custom made base on promotion and target audience.

9. Electronic Equipment-These are much bigger investment. When you get electronic bingo equipment ensure that it is state of the art with a good warranty. These are more suited for bigger bingo establishments. Useful equipments include the Game pattern flashboards. They come in different sizes and show the amount to be won and last number called.

10. Bingo Starter Kits- Bingo Starter Kit is good for large and small bingo games. Most bingo kits have everything you need. These are a few things that your bingo starter kits should have, a cage set which includes the cage, bingo balls, a masterboard, bingo cards, chips, bingo paper that contains bingo sheets and bingo daubers.

These are just few of the things you will need for your bingo game. There is a wide variety of accessories available. Most bingo supplies can be customized to order specific to color, logo and themes.

Yes, it is possible to make a living right out of your home betting on sports. Like any successful business, recipe, or other venture, you have to have key ingredients. One of the most important ingredients in sports wagering is PATIENCE. Without patience, you will fail. Let’s say for example you win big on a particular Saturday in college football. You wake up early Sunday morning and your first instinct is that you feel that you are on a roll, unbeatable, and feeling lucky for the NFL. You bet all of your profits on the NFL and lose. Raise your hand if that has happened to you? I thought so. The lesson here is quantity is not quality. If you play more plays then the odds are against you. The Las Vegas and all of the sports books know this fact that the public does not.

I am sure you searched the internet for a reputable sports service (handicapper) that offers hundreds of picks. Most handicappers have no shot of winning because they play right into the sport book’s hands. The reason is that the 110 to 100 rule is made for suckers that bet the board. Again, QUALITY is not QUALITY.

Another key ingredient is MONEY MANAGEMENT. Without money management, you will fail. The reason is, you will have winning streaks but you will also have losing streaks. Before a season starts, I already have a set amount of what I am going to put on a game. This is called a budget and you have to stick with a budget. If you budget your money, you can wager on almost every sport all year long. This is one of the reasons I can make a living on sports wagering. I do it year round primarily on the NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and college basketball. One thing I can tell you is that time flies and the next thing you know it is football season, basketball season, etc.

This brings us to the third key ingredient – DISCIPLINE. I make a living on sports wagering and I am a professional. You have to be disciplined enough to stay away from teasers, parlays and other sucker bets that the sports books want you to bet. It can be difficult to win one game let alone three to win a parlay.

PATIENCE, MONEY MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE. If you combine these three key ingredients for sports betting, you will be a consistent winner.

About the Author: John E. Message is the Chief Handicapper at www.worldclasshandicapping.com. He makes a living on sports betting by being patient and waiting for odds makers’ mistakes. Feel free to e-mail him with any questions or visit his website.

The online gambling market in the UK has doubled in five years, with more than a million punters regularly betting via the internet. According to a research conducted by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, UK gamblers make up approximately one-third of Europe’s estimated total of 3.3 million online gamblers.

The average amount spent by each gambler is estimated at £1,000, with the European sector now worth £3.5bn annually.

Among the 70 online betting sites in UK, none are gaming sites promoting card games like poker and blackjack. A majority of the world’s 2,000+ online gambling sites are located in places with dubious online gambling regulations. Antigua and Costa Rica account for more than 1,000 sites between them.

Women now account for a growing percentage of gamblers, responsible for 30 percent of all online World Cup bets.

The Government in the United Kingdom is hoping to introduce regulations and a tax system to streamline the working of the online gambling industry. With such regulatory framework in place, online gambling activities would be monitored and the industry can hope to achieve even greater heights in near future.

There are many ways to try and make money on the Internet, but there’s only one that is both easy and fun. You can become an affiliate marketing associate. An affiliate marketing associate simply signs up with an existing Internet company to assist in marketing its goods or services. There is no cash investment required and much of the work is done for you.

As an affiliate marketing associate you will be provided with the tools you need to refer people to the website of the company with whom you are affiliated. These tools can include banner ads for your website and e-mail ads you can send to friends and family. If someone responses to an ad or an e-mail by clicking on the link to the company site and then makes a purchase, you get a commission on the sale.

These commissions are paid on a regular basis and can be very generous. No further effort is required on your part. An affiliate marketing associate does not have to close the sales or send an invoice to the company. The more effort you put into a program the more you can make, and as an affiliate marketing associate you have the chance to generate a significant recurring income.

It does not matter if you’re running your own business on your website. You can still affiliate with other companies to market their products and earn an additional income from them to supplement your existing one. There is no risk involved and everything to gain. Check out the opportunity.

Being a fairly regular gambler, I have noticed a few interesting differences between men and women over the many years I’ve spent on the casino floor. Although these observations are by no means scientific, the general results have more or less been consistent. The results of these observations are as follows:

Men

- More likely to gamble than women.

- Begin gambling in their late teens.

- Gamble more frequently than women.

- Place larger bets.

- More competitive and play to win.

- Enjoy games such as Blackjack and Poker.

Women

- Less likely to gamble than men.

- Begin gambling in their mid 20s and up.

- Gamble less frequently than men.

- Place smaller bets than men.

- Less competitive and play to have fun.

- Enjoy games such as Bingo and Slots.

While there are exceptions to every rule, the above mentioned set of observations seem to hold true for the most part. A simple and very plausible explanation may be found by taking into account the “risk taking” behavioural aspect of a typical male. Since a typical male is more likely to possess and display risk taking behavior than a typical female, so it stands to reason that a typical male is more likely to gamble competitively and for much higher stakes than a typical female.

The most effective way to familiarise yourself with Texas Hold’em tournaments is to locate and play in as many online poker freerolls as possible. You can’t beat playing in a real tournament to gain valuable experience and it’s even better when you don’t have to stump up any of your own cash to participate.

However, finding suitable freerolls can sometimes prove to be a difficult task as some poker rooms require you to have played a set number of raked hands before you are eligible to play in one of their freeroll tournaments.

The chore of locating available freerolls on a day to day basis has been lessened as PokerListings.com provides not only a comprehensive listing of freerolls but also a slew of eligibility information you need to know without aimlessly logging in and out of poker rooms trying to find a game.

When you visit the site, click the “Poker Freerolls” tab and search away. In addition to Hold’em freerolls, you will also find freeroll tournaments for other games you love. You can search by day, date, time, game, type, poker room, and prize pool. One unique, time saving feature is the listings of requirements you need to meet in order to join the tournament.

The best place online for multiple opportunities throughout the day to play in a $100 freeroll can be found at Poker.com where several freerolls are offered throughout the day to entice new players to their virtual poker room. The website also sports larger freeroll tournaments for players that meet their raked hand requirements. You can also visit Poker.Betbonus.co.uk for details on poker rooms specific to the UK.

Remember, freerolls offer a fantastic opportunity to not only hone your tournament skills, but to also try out different rooms and see which one suits you best.