Casino Cash Cow

Before you start betting on NFL games in the 2006/07, let’s do a pointspread postmortem of the 2005/06 season. So wash up, put on your scrubs, make like Kay Scarpetta or Temperence Brennan (or any other medical examiner on your fiction reading list) and get your scalpel ready.

The first cut reveals that of the 12 NFL teams that qualified for the post-season, the not-so-dirty dozen was a combined 112-74-6 (.602) against the spread (ATS) and not one of them had a losing record against the points.

Coincidence? Probably not.

In fact, forensics reveal that of the 16 NFL teams which posted winning straight up (SU) records during the regular season, 12 of them also had winning marks ATS. Two teams with winning records SU, the Patriots and Buccaneers, broke even against the number while just two others that were above .500 on the field, the Dolphins and Cowboys, had losing records, though barely, (7-9) ATS.

On the other cleat, of the 15 teams that posted losing records on the field, 13 of them also were losers ATS. Only the Lions had a winning record ATS while the Browns broke even at 8-8 ATS.

Only one team in the league, the Falcons, finished with .500 record both SU and ATS.

So what does it all mean?

It appears that the best way of betting on NFL games is to find a straight up winner first.

Easier said than done.

For example, at this time a year ago, Philadelphia was the hot team and it was Head Coach Andy Reid, not Pittsburgh’s Bill Cowher, who was expected to join New England’s Bill Belichick as the next NFL coaching “genius” (or, as Joe Theisman might say, a “Norman Einstein”).

Last February there was no indication that the Eagles, who began the season as +575 favorite (bet $100 to win $575) in Super Bowl futures at online sportsbooks would be anything but prime contenders for a second straight NFL title game appearance. The Falcons, Rams, Packers, Jets and Ravens also were expected to be formidable playoff threats again this season. Not one of those six teams even managed a winning record.

Given the failure of Philadelphia, Atlanta, St. Louis, Green Bay, the NY Jets and Baltimore, could bettors reasonably have latched their pointspread fortunes to the Giants, the Chiefs or the Seahawks, the three teams with the best records against the betting line last season?

Probably not because as the results indicate, it’s not just teams with winning records that beat the spread, it’s surprising teams, teams that play better than expected, that emerge as pointspread stalwarts.

So while this analysis may be intriguing, perhaps even interesting to some, sadly, an autopsy of last season’s pointspread results provides few clues as to which teams will flourish against the spread in this year’s NFL campaign.

After all the splicing and dicing, successful betting on NFL still comes down to a fundamental game-by-game analysis. No matter how you cut it, hard work, skill, talent, money management and a lot of luck will trump a postmortem trend, any time.

ACTUAL 2005 NFL SEASON RECORD VERSUS POINTSPREAD RECORD

Team W-L ATS PCT.
New York Giants 11-5 11-4-1 .733
Seattle Seahawks 13-3 11-5 .688
Kansas City Chiefs 10-6 11-5 .688
Denver Broncos 13-3 10-5-1 .667
Jacksonville Jaguars 12-4 10-5-1 .667
Chicago Bears 11-5 9-5-2 .642
Washington Redskins 10-6 10-6 .625
San Diego Chargers 9-7 9-6-1 .600
Indianapolis Colts 14-2 9-7 .563
Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5 9-7 .563
Carolina Panthers 11-5 9-7 .563
Minnesota Vikings 9-7 9-7 .563
Detroit Lions 5-11 9-7 .563
Cincinnati Bengals 11-5 8-7-1 .533
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-5 8-8 .500
New England Patriots 10-6 8-8 .500
Atlanta Falcons 8-8 8-8 .500
Cleveland Browns 6-10 8-8 .500
Dallas Cowboys 9-7 7-9 .438
Miami Dolphins 9-7 7-9 .438
Baltimore Ravens6-10 7-9 .438
Buffalo Bills 5-11 7-9 .438
San Francisco 49ers 4-12 7-9 .438
Tennessee Titans 4-12 7-9 .438
Arizona Cardinals 5-11 6-10 .375
Green Bay Packers 4-12 5-10-1 .333
Oakland Raiders 4-12 5-10-1 .333
New Orleans Saints 4-12 5-10-1 .333
Philadelphia Eagles 6-10 5-11 .313
St. Louis Rams 6-10 5-11 .313
New York Jets 4-12 5-11 .313

By Luken Karel for http://www.thegreek.com/. The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is host to one of the top online sportsbook where Betting on NFL: http://www.thegreek.com/ is easy with free membership. Please link to this site when using this article.

Remember when you’d saunter into a sportsbook, or contacted one on the Internet, because you wanted to do a little sports betting? You still can but increasingly sportsbooks are catering to a more varied wagering clientele that is demanding betting lines on topics that do not meet even the broadest definition of sports. Ambitious sportsbook operators, eager to please their customers (not to mention fearful that they’ll lose them to someone else) are obliging, often offering wagers designed specifically for just one bettor.

That was certainly the case when one proud father demanded that a British bookmaker give him a price on his newborn son scoring a goal for England in a World Cup event, two decades down the life line. The sportsbook quoted a price and the man took it.

No one knows for sure when sports betting emporiums began posting and accepting wagers on non sports related events but some trace it back to 1960 when the William Hill Agency, one of Britain’s most respected bet takers, offered 10,000/1 odds on a man landing on the moon before the end of the decade. Neil Armstrong’s one small step for man turned out to be one giant payoff for the lucky bloke who made the wager.

Nowadays, betting lines are provoked as much by the entertainment industry and current events as they are by traditional sports, such as football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, auto racing boxing, golf and horse racing.

Most sportsbooks now offer lines on a variety of reality TV shows, including “American Idol,” “Survivor,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “Project Runway,” “Amazing Race,” and several of the country’s versions of “Big Brother.” The options even go beyond who will win and to which contestant will be next to be ousted (or “auffed” by Heidi Klum in the case of “Project Runway”) to such obscurities as to how many times “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson will say “dog” during a particular broadcast.

As proof that the line between entertainment and sports betting hasn’t just been smudged but obliterated, many sportsbooks routinely offer odds on the gender of the offspring of celebrities, including Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie and Katie Holmes. In the case of the Tom Cruise/Holmes production, the choices were “boy,” “girl,” and “other.” OK, just kidding.

But celebrity foibles often are the stuff of betting lines including whether actress Winona Ryder would be convicted of shop lifting, as well as the ultimate resolution of court matters regarding OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson and Robert Blake. (If you had the “not guilty” trifecta then you’re probably set for life).

Oddly, although Elvis Presley left the building several decades ago, sportsbooks still offer bountiful odds on a documented sighting of the King of Rock ‘n Roll. The same holds true for the Loch Ness Monster. (If you happen to find the two of them having a beer in Memphis, ask for a really big price).

Some sportsbooks also offered odds on which Cardinal (Albert Pujols was not a choice) would replace Pope John Paul II, which canine would take the Best in Show ribbon at the Westminster Kennel Club and which woman would be named Miss World.

The old adage that everybody talks about the weather but no one ever does anything about it is no longer true now that several British books offer betting on whether there will be snow on Dec. 25. Bettors no longer have to dream about a white Christmas; they can wager whether the white stuff will make an appearance at specific locations that day.

Politics is another favorite provenance for intriguing betting lines. The Conservatives are favored to take over for the Labour Party the next time Brits go to the polls while the race for US President finds NY Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton an even money choice to get the nomination of the Democratic Party while Arizona Senator John McCain is the 3/2 choice to head the ticket for the Republicans. Should it pan out that way, most oddsmakers make Clinton a slight favorite over McCain to take up residency at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January of 2009.

Can’t wait for 2008? Bet the US midterm elections, including key senate races and which party will control Congress, now.

Perhaps the strangest of all wagering proposals was one that the world would come to an end on a certain date. Some people did bet that would happen, evidently banking on collecting once they got to the afterlife. Didn’t they realize, if gambling abolitionists are correct, that heaven doesn’t have a sportsbook?

By Luken Karel for http://www.thegreek.com The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is a top online sportsbook: http://www.thegreek.com/ offering betting on all major sports. Article reproductions must include a link pointing to http://www.thegreek.com.

Do you like to play poker? If so, you probably get together with your friends a couple times a week in order to compete. Even though this can be a lot of fun, it may not allow you to get your fill. If this sounds like a problem that you are having, the best thing you can do is look into online poker. This may seem a bit out of the ordinary, but the fact of the matter is that online poker has become quite popular. It may not be exactly the same as playing in person, but there are many benefits that you can take advantage of.

The most obvious reason to play online poker is that you will be able to take part in games whenever you want. Even if it is the middle of the night you can sign into your account and play a couple of hands. Since online poker has become so popular there are people from all over the world that play. This means that anytime you want to get in a game you can; no questions asked. This is something that definitely does not hold true if you are used to only playing with your friends.

Another huge benefit of online poker is that you can test your skills against the best of the best. When you play against your friends every week things can get easy because you know their habits and style. But when you play online poker you will always be matched up against new players that will be challenging you. This may be a bit intimidating at first, but over time you will grow to become used to it. In no time at all, the top notch competition will turn you into a better player. And of course this will turn into more money in your pocket.

And do not forget about the money that you can win with online poker. Even though you can win a lot of money playing at land based casinos, this is not a viable option for every poker player. When you play online poker you will be able to win in two different ways. You can simply join an online poker room and play a couple of hands. Or you can buy into a tournament; this is where the big money can be made. There are some online tournaments that offer payouts in the tens of thousands of dollars. Can you imagine winning that pot?

All of these benefits are for not if you do not know where to play. Luckily, there is a lot of help online. You can choose an online poker service by researching on your own, or you can get help from a third party site such as www.onlyprofitgambling.com. When you rely on a third party site you will be able to get a lot of information on different services, as well as their pros and cons.

If you like to play poker and have not taken advantage of the online version, you may want to do so today.

James Black

Are you winning your game?

Are you playing at peak performance?

Do you feel like you are sometimes on the court, but more often on the bench, in the bleachers, or (even worse) at the concession stands?

There is a concept called PATTERN LANGUAGE. “Pattern Language” means taking language and concepts that are already familiar to you and applying them in a new environment so as to quickly and effectively communicate a new concept or message. Coachville, LLC/YOUR WINNING SEASON Coaching Company is using the Pattern Language of sports in such a way that it will dramatically improve your results in business and in life.

Dave Buck, the CEO of YOUR WINNING SEASON, says:

“In my 10 years as a professional coach I have noticed that most people – even those who seem to be successful on the surface – have an awkward feeling that they are falling behind in reaching their goals. Every day, no matter how long or how hard you work, the to-do list just gets longer. It’s like being on a losing team in a season that never ends! By using sports pattern language and seeing yourself as the Player-Coach of a highly visible sports team, you can dramatically improve your results AND your level of fulfillment.”

When you approach life like you do the preparation for a winning season in sports, you are clearer, focused and prepared to win the games, and ultimately the season. Coachville/YOUR WINNING SEASON Coaching Company teaches 7 keys to have a winning season in your life and business so you can play your season with CLARITY, FOCUS and a STRATEGY to WIN!

To start thinking as the Player-Coach of your own game, ask yourself the following:

1) WHAT IS MY GAME? In life we do play a game. Your game is what you are focused on, what you want to win. Maybe your game is an aspiration to be a professional speaker, maybe it is earning a certain income, or maybe it is something else. When you know exactly what game you are playing, you have the CLARITY that is needed in order to really play full out, excel to the next level and win. Write down the game you are playing and intend to win this year. As Wilson Mizner said, “In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept destructive criticism. Without 100% dedication, you won’t be able to do this.”

2) WHY ARE YOU PLAYING? Answering this question gives you the focus you need to compel and motivate you to work hard. No athlete is going to spend the time and energy without a clear purpose! Why are you playing? What is it that you want to accomplish by playing this game?

3) ARE YOU WINNING? If yes, great! Keep doing what you are doing. If not, what is happening? Assess and design your strategy for a winning season. For example, an athlete might say “we are loosing because we don’t have enough players”, “we are weak”, or “we are not ask skilled as the competitor”. But, what is it for you? Write down 3 things that will be critical for you to start doing so that you can win the games and have a winning season. (i.e. more training, team development, networking, more focus/discipline, etc.) What will it take for you to be competitive in the game, playing hard and pushing for the win? How can you play full out?

This is just the beginning of designing your Winning Season, but it is an important beginning because every game starts with:

· CLARITY – the specific game that you are playing,

· FOCUS – the reason why you are playing, and

· STRATEGY – the things you need to do to stay in the game.

Wayne Gretzky said, “We miss 100% of the shots we don’t take.” Take your shot: if you pick a game, focus on what it takes and work your strategy, you will score. So, know your game, focus and plan and enjoy a winning season this year!

Copyright 2006 Synergy Strategies

Christy Geiger, owner of Synergy Strategies, offers coaching & training programs designed to build solid visions, goals and strategies that increase organizational and employee effectiveness, saving time, energy and money. Christy will work with you to design a program that will maximize your strengths and address your needs so that you and your people operate with passion, purpose and productivity. To get connected with the resources you need to drive, thrive, and play to win, visit Christy online at http://www.synergystrategies.com/ or through email at Christy@synergystrategies.com!

There are a number of online casinos where you can just log on to play the most exciting casino games. Here is a list of 10 Best Online casinos that you can play at any time and just anywhere!

1. Casino Circus- here is a casino that offers tremendously good gambling terms and different kinds of casino games. There are both types of rooms for the upper and lower limit casino players. It offers a pretty good amount of virtual games that you can play all from the ease of your home. Moreover, this casino offers a Cirrus Casino coupon, with which you can get extra bonuses too!

2. Freeware 50 Stars Casino- This casino games online can be easily downloaded from the internet and can be played at any time with fake money. You can even play with real money from the casino site itself.

3. Royal Vegas Casino- you do not need to own a fat purse if you are playing in this casino. The best Vegas casino is attracting more than 10,000 people every day. It is a paradise for people who love gambling and it offers high winning awards on initial bets.

4. Club dice Casino- it is one of the 10 Best Online casinos and here you can find some of the most interesting games and information on how to play the online games. This casino is one of the most spread out and reliable online casinos on the Internet.

5. River Belle Casino- this casino offers easy games for the beginners and even guides them how to play online casino. Learn all the pros and cons of online and offline casino and try your luck!

6. Cool Cat Online Casino- Would you like to entertain yourself at one of the 10 Best Online casinos? Then you should certainly try out Cool Cat online casino. We are sure that you will not be disappointed. You will be surprised by a wide variety of games available at Cool Cat online casino.

7. Roxy Casino- This place of leisure is considered to be one of the best gambling sites in the world. Therefore, you can try out this site and get to know more about one of the best casinos in the world. Look far and wide and you are unlikely to find a better casino than this one!

The other famous casinos among the 10 Best Online casinos are 888 Casino, Euphoria Casino and Sasino Casino.

Copyright (c) 2006 Steve Fransisco

Steve Fransisco is the author of this article. Find more information about the subject at http://www.reeonline-casinos.net and http://www.nodeposit-casinos.com.

When it comes to online casinos, the slot games are truly the tour de force of the graphic designers and game planners who get an opportunity to demonstrate originality, vision and also humor. Slots certainly provide fun, thrilling, and colorful experience, but what more can you do as a player to maximize your winnings?

At a glance slot machines seem to be a game of pure luck. Several casinos even install autoplay function for players to truly auto-pilot the game and leave it running on the screen while going to grab a snack or taking a bathroom break. However, good slot games will keep you hanging on, compelled to see what the next spin will bring about, and here enters our strategy.

Slots strategy is comprised of very basic, easy to follow rules that are more focused on human behavior than the mechanics of the game. The underlying idea is that in order to be a slots winner, one must know not only how to start, but when to stop.

Rule number one (that can and should be applied in all realms of life…) stick to what pleases you. First of all find a slot machine that you like: the visuals, the sound, the play buttons, you get the idea. Slots are based on repetitive images, so pick out a game with a nice color scheme that is easy on your eyes and drawings that suit your likings.

Multiline slots with bonus features are generally looser than one line slots, meaning that they yield more winnings. Bonus features can include wild cards that replace any other symbol to complete a line, scatter pay which multiplies your win, free rounds, or bonus games which are games within games where you gain more credits. The more rewarding features they are the more you are likely to reap. To learn more about multiline slots please visit http://www.money-casino.com/casino/Slots-125.htm which features 8, 9, and 15 line slots.

Prepare a larger bankroll than you intend to play with just to be on the safe side. While playing you’ll lose some and it’s important to have a chance to retrieve your money. When playing multi-line slots always bet the max. Otherwise you may not qualify for some of the bonus features. To keep your bankroll balance you can use the smallest coin denomination (as low as one cent in most casinos) while hitting Max Bet.

The final and most important rule is to quit while you’re ahead, and that’s usually when you have made a profit of about 30% of your deposit. (For example, if you deposited $300, quit when you reach to $400). You may get tempted to go ahead, but it is generally a good idea to let the game (and yourself) cool down. You can always go back later.

That’s all there is to it. As long as you stick to the guidelines you stand a pretty fair chance of becoming a consecutive slots winner.

Michael Green is an independent gambling writer working with http://Money-Casino.com