Archive for May, 2010

Discipline Is The Key To Sports Betting Profits

May 19th, 2010 Posted in entertainment | no comment »

Books on other ‘winnable’ gambling pursuits like horse racing and poker are good resources of theoretical information for the sports gambler. While for some reason there hasn’t been much written specific to the sports handicapper that deals with the discipline from a serious theoretical level, there are countless books devoted to a thoughtful discussion of horse racing and poker.

Poker–like sports betting–can be a profitable endeavor, and one in which knowledge and skill can counteract the theoretical odds against him. Legendary poker theorist Bob Caro once noted that while there are some professional poker players, sports bettors or blackjack players there’s not a single professional roulette player.

The reason for that is that the house advantage in roulette is too high to overcome by any combination of skill, money management, strategy or discipline. To throw in another Caro concept, its a case where the decisions made by the roulette player simply don’t have a role in overcoming the house advantage. Over the long haul whether you choose red or black, even or odd the house edge remains the same.

Caro argues that one of the poker players most valuable weapons is discipline at the table. The reason for this is that the average person goes into a casino for precisely the opposite reason”he wants to have some downtime away from the discipline and order that circumscribes the rest of his life. He wants to down a few cocktails, leer at some cocktail waitresses, and throw some money around for awhile. Hes not worried about theoretical return on investment, pot odds or other concepts of serious play. Casinos exist for the sole reason of providing him all of the escapism he wants while they slowly use their house advantage to make a profit off of him. Granted, poker operates differently in terms of the house advantage but the motivation that drives the recreational gambler to the poker table is no different than that which drives him to the slot machines or blackjack layout.

Caro’s emphasis on discipline in poker is also true for the serious sports gambler. The foundation of a professional sports bettor’s long term success is to approach it with the same discipline, rigor and professionalism that he would any other job. If you continue to think about it in the same terms as the recreational gambler does, you’re in for a difficult road. The more seriousness that you bring to your sports betting, the higher the likelihood that you’ll be successful.

Now, I have no problem with recreational sports gamblers”or any other recreational gamblers for that matter. Recreational sports gamblers are, in fact, crucial to the survival of those of us who do this for a living. Theyre not our prey”like they are for the poker professional”but a thriving recreational sports gambling industry keeps the sportsbooks in business, and what I do is utterly useless if my book doesnt pay me.

The life of a professional sports bettor isn’t for everyone, and if you just want to bet recreationally and have fun with it that’s great. While a few theoretical tips here and there won’t hurt, the only discipline that really matters for a recreational player is the same thing for any other hobby–don’t spend more on it than you can afford to. After that, you’re on your own to have fun with it.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and World Cup betting sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

#1 Florida Routs Hapless Troy State

May 19th, 2010 Posted in hobbies | no comment »

The 2009 college football season is already two weeks old and so far its looked almost too easy for defending national champions Florida. That was expected last week, as they destroyed overmatched FCS opponent Charleston Southern 62-3, but it wasn’t much harder today against a better class of opposition. QB Tim Tebow threw for four touchdowns and ran for a fifth as the Gators demolished Troy State 56-6.

Despite a generous head start from the pointspread, Troy State lost against the money as well. Florida covered as -37 home favorites”their third straight ATS cover as a favorite of 31 or more. The Gators also won and covered the last time the two teams met, cashing tickets for college football betting enthusiasts as a -26 favorite in 2007. The 65 points scored just barely made it OVER the generous total of 61.

After the contest, Florida coach Urban Meyer gave most of the praise to a defense that limited Troy to 139 yards of total offense and took the ball away three times (2 fumble recoveries, 1 interception):

“Defense is the name of the game today, and that defense was dominating.

Troy State played tough against Ohio State and LSU last season, but this time coach Larry Blakney was just glad the game was over:

“We just close our eyes and pretend we never came here. But hopefully since we’ve seen the biggest, seen the best, we will learn from this experience.”

The Gators now turn their attention to their SEC opener next week against Tennessee. As if the rebuilding Vols didnt have enough problems facing the best team in college football next week, theyve gone and made Florida mad. Specifically, a quote by new Vols coach Lane Kiffin which was is now taped to the Gators locker room wall. In the incendiary quote, Kiffin talked about Tennessee tradition as follows:

“I’m really looking forward to embracing some of the great traditions at the University of Tennessee, for instance the Vol Walk, running through the T, singing Rocky Top all night long after we beat Florida next year. It will be a blast.”

So having lost the past two games by a combined 89-26 margin, the Vols have managed to make it a game that Florida will ‘circle’ on their schedule.

After hosting Tennessee next weekend in The Swamp, Florida will hit the SEC road the following week against the University of Kentucky. Troy State will host UAB next weekend and play at Arkansas State on Saturday, September 26.

Ross Everett is a respected freelance writer experienced in travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

Matthew Stafford Handed Reins As Lions Starting Quarterback

May 19th, 2010 Posted in business | no comment »

Matthew Stafford has yet to play a regular season NFL game and hes already the Detroit Lions starting quarterback. Detroit coach Jim Schwartz named Stafford as his starter for the teams opening game of the NFL regular season against the New Orleans Saints. Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper for the spot, though Schwartz went out of his way to stress that the rookie won the job.

Schwartz made clear that hes very confident with his personnel at the position including third stringer Drew Stanton:

“I’ve had a lot of very tough decisions in the last few days — guys making the 53-man roster or not making it — but none more difficult than at quarterback. We announced to our team this morning that Matt Stafford is going to be our starting quarterback.”

“I’m very, very comfortable with the quarterback position here, not just one and two, but also three. What made this decision difficult was that I think we can win with Daunte Culpepper, I think we can with Matt Stafford, and I think we can win with Drew Stanton.

Stafford indicated that he didnt know he’d be the starter until Schwartz gave him the word:

“I definitely thought I was going to be the guy, but as competitive as Daunte is, I’m sure he thought he was going to be the guy, too. Coach Schwartz called me in this morning and told me, and I went out and practiced with the first team. That was exciting.”

Despite the Lions dismal 0-16 record a year ago, Stafford stressed that he wants to win:

“I’m going to try to win football games. I think, just like everyone else on this team, that we can go out on Sunday and be competitive against the Saints and give ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s our job.”

Schwartz said that he plans to give his quarterback the opportunity to work through rookie mistakes:

“This isn’t an internship. This isn’t a trial basis. He’s our starting quarterback. We said that, to win the job, he had to be ready, and he had to be our best quarterback, and that’s what he has shown.”

He continued with praise for Culpepper:

“Daunte Culpepper is back — there’s no doubt in my mind and there’s no doubt around this league. He’s going to be back as a starting quarterback in this league, and with a high level of success.”

Stafford had some props for Culpepper as well:

“I’m sure it is tough for him, but Daunte’s been great for me and he will continue to be. I can’t think of a better guy to learn from and to have in my corner.”

The Lions will look for their first regular season win in over a year as they start the NFL regular season at New Orleans on Sunday. Theyll play the following two games at home against the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins.

Ross Everett is a well known freelance writer who covers travel, poker and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, falconry and deep sea diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.

Las Vegas Poker Superstar Stu Ungar

May 19th, 2010 Posted in entertainment | no comment »

One of the cruel ironies of human existence is that bountiful gifts are often given to those who cannot handle them. Beauty and money come immediately to mind, but talent in a particular discipline is often bestowed upon those who cannot maximize it to its greatest potential. Still others are unwittingly destroyed by some trait or characteristic that makes them exceptional. That’s what makes an athlete like Michael Jordan so exceptional-seldom are awesome talent, desire, discipline and dedication found in the same package in such prodigious abundance. The mass of humanity often reaps the benefits of their talents despite their external flaws. Such was the case with poker great Stu Ungar, who was found dead in his room at the Oasis Motel in Las Vegas on November 22,’98.

The only way to accurately describe Ungar’s poker skills is to evoke a sports metaphor–Ungar’s skills at the card table were like those of Michael Jordan or LeBron James on the basketball court. Ungar’s greatest accomplishment was his three World Series of Poker victories, an accomplishment not far removed from Michael Jordan’s six NBA titles. While countless volumes have been written on poker strategy, Ungar’s understanding of the game was almost instinctive. Although he won millions playing poker, the amazing reality was that it was essentially a ‘plan C’ for him as a professional card player. He started as a Gin Rummy prodigy, but quickly ran out of willing opponents in his native New York. He then moved to Nevada, and cleaned out the gin players in the Silver State. He turned to blackjack out of necessity and was almost instantly successful, only to be barred as a card counter at a number of Las Vegas casinos. Needing a new way to earn money as a card player, he took up poker.

The cruel irony of Ungar’s life, however, was that masterful as he was at the poker table he was equally as inept at life beyond the casino walls. He was addicted to drugs for most of his life, and gambled away millions betting on sports and golf (a game he played despite being horrible at it). After his WSOP win in’97, he was nearly broke and wasted away from drug use by the time the’98 tournament rolled around. Vegas casino owner Bob Stupak bankrolled him, but as the games began Ungar cowered in his darkened hotel suite at Binion’s unable to pull himself together enough to play.

Other stories of Ungar’s troubled life away from the poker tables evoke the same theme: buying a new Mercedes with cash after a WSOP victory and driving it until it fell apart from lack of maintenance; signing mortgage papers as he played in the Dunes poker room; losing 1.5 million dollars betting on sports in the course of a weekend.

Ungar’s death came as something of a shock as he’d shown signs of cleaning up his act. Longtime friend Bob Stupak and helped pay off his debts and staked him in the major poker tournaments. Ungar was found dead two days after the two had drawn up a formal contract. Ungar also left behind an ex-wife and a teenage daughter, who still live in Las Vegas. Though the official cause of death was listed as a ‘heart attack’, there were a mixture of drugs found in his system including cocaine and methadone.

Most of the famous gamblers of Las Vegas legend-guys like Puggy Person and Doyle Brunson– have been tough, larger than life individuals with a healthier than normal dose of self-preservation skills. In this respect, Ungar was an anomaly among gambling greats-he was physically frail and almost completely helpless away from the poker table. With a handful of cards and a pile of chips, however, he became a ruthless and indomitable warrior. His story is certainly not one that the modern day, publicity conscious Las Vegas will celebrate. He will be remembered, however, as part of the tradition that gives the city its unique character. From the mobsters that pioneered the city, to the Rat Pack that civilized it, to the corporations that cleaned it up, characters like Stu Ungar have provided the spice that makes Las Vegas America’s ‘Paris in the desert’. Ungar may never have a statue on Fremont Street, but his spirit will live on.

Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer experienced in travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

Discover How Tax Credits In The United States Work

May 19th, 2010 Posted in finance | no comment »

The United States (US) has a very intricately detailed tax system, that involves collecting from many, by many different methods, in order to pay different levels of government. Continue and you will be learning about how tax credits in the United States work.

Taxes are never voluntary, and they come in two forms, either they are paid directly or indirectly. One of several descriptions for taxes is that they are responsibilities put upon people or property owners in order to provide for the government.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is part of the Department of the Treasury. A code know as a Federal Tax Code, is controlled by the IRS. The code is also know as the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, title 26 of the United States Code.

The main goal of the law is to provide finances for the federal government. Another, is to accomplish goals on social, economical and political levels. An example would be the tax credit given to homeowners, and not provided to those who rent homes and apartments.

Employers in the US collect federal payroll tax for the IRS from their employees paychecks, and self employed people are required to make their own payment to the government. Deductions do not perfectly match, however, they come fairly close, and some people choose to have more deducted than is necessary in order to receive a refund at the end of the year. Other people choose to deduct as little as they can. Most people fall somewhere in between. Federal income tax is what is known as progressive tax because the more you earn, the more you are taxed. It reduces the tax incidence on people that have less income and moves it to people with high incomes.

The US has a poverty reducing program known as the EITC. It was created to improve life for low income workers and shift the load of US payroll taxes to higher income workers. Economists have a technical formula for its success, but basically they state that for every dollar a low income family gets, it multiplies between as much as two times its original figure in the towns and cities where they live. The credit began in 1975, and continued to be extended in legislation.

Often we may feel we have too much taxation with too much representation, but it appears they have our best interest at heart. There are other countries with programs similar to the EITC. Now you have an explanation on how tax credits in the United States work.

Learn more on Missouri Legislature on Tax Credit Reform and Oakwood Senior Apartments.

Make Your Family Night More Affordable, Use Movie Downloads

May 19th, 2010 Posted in entertainment | no comment »

The media storage world just keeps changing and sometimes it’s a bit hard to keep up with. Your family movie night at home used to require a special machine and special media storage, now has all changed, now movie downloads through the Internet are available.

The original family movie night started with a machine called a VCR or a Beta player, you could purchase movies, rent them, and even create your own library. In fact, movie rental stores were popping up all over. Watching movies on TV caused almost as much time in commercials as the movie time itself, and this too has changed. These movies allowed you to have your popcorn, your pop, and allowed a large family to enjoy a night’s entertainment in their own home watching one of the newest releases without theater fees.

Of course, you could pause to take a family break with the older style movies, and if you bought the movie, the kids watched it over and over again

Of course, the home movies and the home entertainment systems required storing movies, and also, these media system were changing so fast that you had to purchase a new media player in order to see the latest releases. This too has changed.

Today’s technology is the fastest way to see the newest movies, you can download movies from the Internet quickly and easily using your home computer. Not only can you get the latest releases, but the downloaded movies from the Internet are a lot easier to store than the older VHS or disks

You’ll also be able to find your favorite old movies available such as classic movie downloads and others. And of course, this media system isn’t going to change. Your storage of movies may change a bit as external drives are now available that hold over 5G’s of data giving you the opportunity to store several movie downloads on something not much bigger than a lighter.

The home computer is now the latest media system, downloads are quicker, media storage and retrieval is quicker, and the best part, you don’t have to buy separate machine.

Nowadays, you can explore at home in your spare time the newest ways to rent movies downloads, purchase movie downloads, and store them. You’ll be able to find complete full versions of the newest releases, your favorite classics, and other entertainment such as documentaries all available on the Internet.

Movie nights at home haven’t changed, the family can still enjoy an inexpensive night at home watching a movie they have downloaded on the Internet. It’s just that you no longer have to get to the movie rental place before it closes, return the movie paying late fees because you forgot it for a few days, or store book sized or CD sized movies somewhere in your home.

While the world changes, your family entertainment at home doesn’t have to, set up a home theater system using your home computer, and then browse movies any time of day. Then download those movies from the Internet, store them on the latest media storage unit, and allow the family to enjoy these movies over and over again, just like they used to.

New technology means that you’ll never be purchasing another machine for your family movie night at home, also, you won’t have to have several different machines to play your old favorites and the newest releases. The digital era and digital storage has arrived, which allows you to download movies for your home movie night.

3-Download limits: There should be no download limits what so ever. Watch Movies Tv Shows For None of my collection of wannabees even attempted to try to reach the standard set by ‘There’s More Where That Came From” In addition to her new career, Toula gets a total makeover to go with her new life.

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