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UCLA Bruins Odds to Win the 2008 NCAA Tournament

The UCLA Bruins come into the final two weeks of the regular season as the #4 team in the country. They currently sit alone on top the Pac 10 Conference at 12-2, and have an overall record of 23-3. UCLA has only one real bad loss on the season when it lost to the Washington Huskies on Feb. 10. The other two have came against the #5 Texas Longhorns and the very tough and young USC Trojans. UCLA can argue that it was the second best team in the country the last two years, as it has ended its season... 

North Carolina Tar Heels Odds to Win the 2008 NCAA Tournament

The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently ranked #3 in the country and have rolled off 5 straight victories since the tough loss to the Duke Blue Devils at home. They are currently tied with Duke atop the ACC at 11-2, but the Blue Devils get the edge in the head to head battle. There is no doubt that North Carolina is sitting in great position to finish the season in the top 4 and have a great chance at getting a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Though it doesn’t seem that the Tar Heels have... 

Best Moments in NCAA Tournament History

The NCAA Tournament is fast approaching and before you know it everyone will be filling out their brackets. Each and every year the tournament is full of buzzer beaters, big upsets, and unforgettable plays. The tournament catches the nations attention for almost 4 weeks as 65 teams make their run at history. With all these last second shots and unpredictable outcomes come some of the best moments in college basketball history. What makes these moments so special is that so many fans love seeing... 

Is Video Poker Draw Poker?

If you think draw poker is the same as video poker, then there are purists out there that would look at you and scoff. However, if you look at it this way, video poker is just you playing against the machine. The machine displays the cards as graphic images on the screen and the player has to place a stake. Then they are dealt five cards from a standard 52-card deck with a chance to then discard any number of unwanted cards in order to draw an equal number of replacements from the cards the remain... 

Win Percentage in Blackjack

Everyone who reads the articles on this site knows that we love games in the casino with a small house edge. One of these games is blackjack. However, we were recently contacted by a player who had tracked all of their hands over the trip and found that they lost a fair amount more hands than they had won. Of course they were frustrated with us because they felt they were getting bad advice, but hold on. One, the house edge needs thousands of hands in order to approach the approximate odds, so... 

Best Casino Craps Advice

You would be surprised where you get advice for playing at the casinos, and you would be more surprised to hear that most of it is based on no real mathematical knowledge at all.  One time though a homeless guy approached me for a few coins so he could get something to eat.  Now in Las Vegas nobody has a few extra coins in their pocket since the slot machines are located so conveniently, but I gave him a nickel chip.  He was so grateful that he told me he was going to give me the best craps advice... 

Max Number of Players in Texas Hold Em

In Texas Hold’em, you do not discard the top card of the deck prior to dealing a round. So Texas Hold’em could be played by up to 22 players (44 player cards, 3 burn cards, and 5 community cards) sitting at the same table (you better have a big table). Since Hold’em is generally played among 2 to10 people, you’ll only see a spread larger than that late at night when the poker room is short a dealer, in tournaments when they occasionally combine two tables, or if you have some kind... 

House Edge on Roulette

For years I’ve been trying to convince my wife that playing on a single zero roulette table, which, by the way, our local casino offers, is a much better play than on a double zero wheel. She sort of believes me but it’s just that the 00 is her favorite number on the layout. Besides, she believes that splitting the 0/00 reduces the house edge to that of a single wheel game. I don’t believe she is correct and we have dinner in the casino buffet riding on your reply. Who wins? Eugene T. The... 

Pay Cycles on Slot Machines

We have gotten asked the question of what a pay cycle means on the slot machine so we figured we would take the time to answer it here. The term pay cycle is a theoretic expression used to describe the number of plays required for the machine to display all the possible winning and non-winning combinations. But, because each and every spin is a random event, a machine won’t hit all the possible combinations through any one specific cycle. We hope this helps clear up any confusion players might... 

What is Sea Gulling

One of the things we always recommend to players is to make sure that you check your machine for credits before you decide to get up and walk away.  However, do not think that you can go around the casino looking for machines that have credits in them.  Machines that were last used by players not as careful as you who left credits in them. This is called “sea gulling” in gambling lingo and it is illegal to specifically circle the casino looking for credits on a slot machine.  Not... 

House Edge on the Pass Line

If you want to make one of the best bets in the house, then play the pass line in craps.  The house edge on this wager is only 1.4%.  Now you may ask yourself, why does the casino offer such a great bet if they expect to make a lot of money?  Now that’s not a dumb question at all, but it’s a pretty simple one for us to answer. Don’t just take a look at who wins a single bet but who ends up with the money when the dust settles.  First off, the casino knows that there aren’t... 

Odds on the Big 6

There are some of you out there who love to play the Big 6. For those of you who don’t know what it is it’s the carnival type wheel game that you will find in most casinos. The reason you find it in most casinos is that the house odds are so against the player that it’s tough for them to pass up on the easy money. Here is a run down of the house edge: 11.1 percent on the $1 spot 16.6% on the $2 22.2% on the $5 18.5% on the $10 22.2% on the $20 24% on either joker If you like... 

Horse Racing Betting Tips

Horse racing is one of my favorite betting activities.  You don’t have to spend much and you can sit there for a long period of time watching simulcast races from across the country, all from the comfort of the air conditioned racebook. There are a lot of you out there who feel the same way as I do about betting on the ponies, so here are a few tips that I have for anyone looking to get started in this great form of gambling. Knowledge of Breeding Specs of the Race Track – surface,... 

Odds of Catching Four of a Kind on the Flop

If you are holding a pocket pair then you are already in fairly exclusive company at 72.7 to 1 odds. When you catch two more of the same on the flop, not only are you almost guaranteed to win the hand, but you are also catching 407 to 1 odds. This doesn’t seem to happen very often and now you know why.

History of Bingo

Bingo has a long history and has been called several different names over it’s history. Sometimes it was beano, the corn game, and even Housey-Housey. However it was first called “Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’ Italia” by the Italians. Then the French caught wind of the game in the late 1770’s and changed the name to just “Le Lotto.” Le Lotto was a game strictly played among the elite crowd of French aristocrats. The name Housey-Housey is though to originate... 

Advice on Picking Lottery Numbers

If you haven’t noticed, it seems like a high portion of the jackpots that get hit are split by more than one winner. This is especially true if the jackpot gets up there in the hundreds of millions. Now we can’t really give you much advice on how to beat the odds and pick out the lucky numbers, but we do have a few tips on how you can make sure you put yourself in the best spot to be the only player collecting when your numbers do get called. So how do you make sure you are the only... 

Hardway in Craps

If you are planning on hitting the craps tables during your next visit to the casino, then it may be helpful to know the difference between the two hardways in craps, specifically hopping and regular. The hardway (regular or normal) is when you are betting a matching pair of dice will make an appearance before a 7, or before two dice of the same value are rolled.  A 2 and 2 is considered a hard 4, a 3 and 3 is a hard 6, a 4 and 4 is a hard 8, and a 5 and 5 is a hard 10.  If you are betting the... 

2008 Dodge 400

Racing fans get strapped in as NASCAR is heading to the great city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Sunday March 02, 2008 the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be the site of the 10th annual Dodge 400. The drivers should be happy to get out of the soggy conditions of California where the Auto Club 500 had to be postponed to a Monday finish. Carl Edwards took home the victory over Hendrick’s teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Jimmie Johnson is the man to beat this week, as he is the three time defending... 

UFC 82

Saturday, March 1st UFC fans get to watch one of the best fighters the UFC has to offer when Anderson “The Spider” Silvia takes on Dan “Hollywood” Henderson. Silvia is considered by many as the best pound for pound fighter in the world. Before this fight fans will have the chance to watch two of the best heavyweights the sport has to offer when the “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring takes on the powerful Cheick Kongo. With these two big time fights set to take place, the Nationwide... 

2008 Honda Classic

This week the PGA Tour will head to Palm Beach Gardens, FL for the Honda Classic. The players will battle the tough PGA National Resort & Spa’s Champion course that has hosted over 20 major championship events. Last year Mark Wilson was the surprise winner of the event after being the last one standing of a 4-man playoff. The event is growing in popularity since moving to the historic Champion course. While the event lacks some of the bigger names of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, they are... 

2008 MLB Predictions

Last year the Red Sox swept the Colorado Rockies for their second World Series victory of the decade. While the Red Sox had to battle their way to the final series of the season, the Rockies came out of no where and won 21 times in 22 games on their way to their first World Series appearance. 2008 should be a very interesting season as there are at least two solid teams in every division that could win it all this year. With no true standout team to beat in 2008, picking who wins was a tough process.... 

2008 San Diego Padres

The Padres were so close to the playoffs last year, as they lost a one game playoff to the Rockies who went on to make it all the way to the World Series. The team looked as though they had the Rockies beat but they were unable to finish them off late in the game as the Rockies came back to win 9-8. Manager Bud Black who will have to get his team over the way the season ended in 2007 leads the team. The team lost OF Milton Bradley, but added veteran Jim Edmonds to the mix along with pitchers Randy... 

2008 San Francisco Giants

2008 is the start of a new era in San Francisco as they no longer have the superstar Barry Bonds and his distractions he brought to the team. The team has added many veteran players over the years to try and win big before Bonds was done. Even without Bonds the team will put out one of the oldest teams in the league on the field. They are young in the pitching department and look like they have a bright future there. The team was only able to win 71 games in Bonds last go around as a Giant. Manager... 

2008 Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are coming into 2008 with the mindset that they can do something this year that they have only done once since 1988, win a playoff game. The team is coming off a disappointing season in which they finished 4th in the NL West at 82-80. The team brought former Yankee manger Joe Torre to try and fix the feud that has been on going between the veterans and the young kids. They also think Torre will be the guy to bring them a World Series ring, but in his first year might be asking a little... 

2008 Colorado Rockies

The Rockies might not of won the World Series against the Boston Red Sox but their storybook finish took baseball by storm last fall. When all looked like another year and no playoffs the Rockies went on one of the scariest runs in baseball history. They finished the regular season winning 13 of 14 games with the last one coming in the one game playoff against the Padres for the NL wild card spot. They didn’t stop there as they swept the Phillies and Diamondbacks in the first two rounds to take... 

2008 Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2007 the Arizona Diamondbacks shocked everyone when they took a bunch of guys no one has heard of and won the NL West with a 90-72 record. They didn’t stop there as they went on to sweep the Cubs in the first round before eventually losing to the Rockies in the NLCS. Though the Diamond backs were probably ok bringing back the same team for 2008, as many of there players have yet to even hit their prime, they went out and got all-star pitcher Dan Haren in a big trade with Oakland. Manager Bob... 

2008 Philadelphia Phillies

While this team needed all the help it got from the Mets to make the playoffs last year, they were playing some of the best baseball out of every team in the league. While their first round match up with the eventual NL representative in the World Series didn’t go to well, the team is hoping that they can get back to the playoffs in 2008. The Phillies looked primed to have the edge over the Mets for division favorite, but that all changed when the Mets signed Johan Santana. Manager Charlie Manuel... 

2008 Washington Nationals

Last year’s Washington Nationals were more of a surprise than anything. Expected to finish at the bottom of the NL East they finished 4th with a 73-89 record. While the record isn’t anything special the team played much better than expected. The Nationals are known for bringing in troublesome players and getting the best they can out of them. Las year they took on troubled Dimitri Young and he would up being the NL comeback player of the year. This year will be no different as they traded for... 

2008 New York Mets

In 2007 the Mets had one of the biggest collapses in baseball history. The Mets were up 7 games with only 17 games remaining in the regular season. Next thing you know they lost their last game of the season to the lowly Florida Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies were all the sudden the division winners. While many believed manager Willie Randolph would be the scapegoat after seasons end, but he will be back in 2008 to lead a revamped Mets team. The main reason that the Mets believe that last... 

2008 Florida Marlins

The Marlins finished 2007 at the bottom of the NL East with a 71-91 record with a very young team. 2008 won’t be much different as they are full of young talent, but in order to get all this young talent fans have had to watch big name player after big name player get traded away. They didn’t stop this off-season as they made a big deal with the Detroit Tigers to send Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis for 6 prospects. The two best players that came the Marlins way are OF Cameron Maybin and... 

2008 Atlanta Braves

The Braves have now missed the playoffs two straight years after they completely dominated the NL East in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. While the window of opportunity seems to close as each year passes by the team needs to win and win now. They finished 2007 with a winning record of 84-78, but finished 3rd still finished third in the division. Manager Bobby Cox will try to lead the team to the playoffs once again in his 19th season as the Braves coach. The team will still have mid-season pick... 

Writing Bad Checks at the Casino

If you ever get into a squabble with a casino that you are at, then you probably will decide not to enter that casino anymore. If you get really mad at how you were treated then you might want to write a check for cash, then stop payment on it after you cash in your check. We strongly recommend you think twice about doing this kind of action, especially if you ever plan on entering another casino and look to get some sort of credit. In the industry’s eyes you will be seen as someone who... 

Getting Casino Comps

One of the easiest ways to get comped at the casino is to ask. Sometimes getting casino comps is as easy as seeing the pit boss walk over to your table, he’ll introduce himself and then ask if there is anything the players need. This is a great time to ask for something. Any time a pit boss or casino hosts puts that offer out on the table, they aren’t trying to be overly friendly but they think that your level of action warrants some kind of perk. Your cash play deserves a comp and... 

Gambling on Airplanes

Some people get so excited for their trip to Las Vegas that they inquire about gambling on airplanes. While this seems perfectly reasonable to assume since the plane is landing in Sin City, it is currently against the law for carriers on flights that take off or land in the United States to have gambling on their flights. The 1994 Gorton Amendment bans gambling even for international carriers that begin or end their flight in the United States of America. If you are traveling abroad between two... 

Fortune Pai Gow Side Bet

Fortune pai gow side bets pay a bonus based only on the player’s hand. For purposes of the bonus it does not matter how the player arranges his cards and whether or not he beats the dealer. A relatively unique feature of this bet is that if any player gets at least a four of a kind then all other players who placed the side bet get an envy bonus (because they envy the person who got the good hand). The side bet must be... 

2008 Oakland A’s

In 2007 the Oakland Athletics came into the season as defending AL West champions, and a playoff team five out of the last seven seasons. But in 2007 they fell all the way to third place in the division with a 76 – 86 record and were only one game ahead the last place Texas Rangers. The team traded away almost all of its veteran talent by the end of the season, and even more of them were traded this past off-season. The biggest names to go were P Dan Haren, OF Nick Swisher, and OF Mark Kotsay.... 

2008 Texas Rangers

At the end of last year the Texas Rangers showed great signs of improvement. At the end of May the Rangers were tied with Kansas City for the worst record in baseball at 19 – 35, but finished the season strong going 4 games over .500 for the remainder of the season. One of the big reasons for the turnaround was when the team traded away P Eric Gagne, 1B Mark Teixeira, and P Ron Mahay for eight prospects. A few of these prospects are expected to start and play big roles in 2008. Manager Ron Washington... 

2008 Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners were the leaders of the AL Wild Card on Aug. 27th, but they crumbled down the stretch to miss out on the playoffs. While the team had to deal with the departure of manager Mike Hargrove in the middle of the season, pitching was the main reason they team was unable to perform down the stretch. New manager John McLaren should have a much better chance of not letting that happen in 2008, as the Mariners have recently acquired Baltimore Orioles ace pitcher Erik Bedard. The team... 

2008 Los Angeles Angels

The Angels have turned into the power of the AL West winning the division three of the past four years. They have the third most wins in the AL over the past five years. While the team won the World Series back in 2002, fans are expecting the team to reach the World Series each year. The Angels have a great mix as they have a very productive offense, a solid rotation, and a reliable bullpen. The team will look a little different in 2008, as they signed big time free agent Tori Hunter and traded away... 

2008 WGC Accenture Match Play Championship

Golf’s version of March Madness, will take place this week at The Gallery Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Marana, AZ. 64 of golf’s best will be split up into 4 brackets just as the NCAA Tournament is. Each bracket is named in memory of a legend. The bracket names are, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Gary Player, and Bobby Jones. This event might be even more crazy and unpredictable than the hoops version that takes place in about a month. The overall number 1 seed will be none other than Tiger Woods. While... 

2008 Cincinnati Reds

The 2008 Cincinnati Reds will hope the addition of new manager Dusty Baker can bring the team back to its winning ways. The team capped off their seventh straight losing season last year when they finished fifth in the NL Central at 72 – 90. While the offense is loaded with great talent, the pitching staff isn’t much to speak of after the top two. So it might be tough for Baker to make an immediate impact the team is heading in the right direction. Pitching: Aaron Harang is one of the best-kept... 

2008 Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates have become so use to winning that it has been 15 seasons since the last time they had a winning year. The team will most likely tie the record of 16 straight losing seasons set by the Phillies back in the 30s and 40s. For a team that finished last in the NL with 68 -94 record didn’t do much at all to improve or shake up their roster. The team did bring in a Neal Huntington as the new GM and John Russell as the team’s new manager. The team does have a lot of young talent, and it... 

2008 Houston Astros

In 2007 the Houston Astros said good-bye to one of the greatest to put on an Astros uniform in Craig Biggio. Biggio’s last season wasn’t a storybook ending for the team as they finished with a 73-89 record for fourth in the NL Central, though he did reach the 3,000 hit milestone before he hung them up. The team will keep bench coach Cecil Cooper as the manager of the team, after he replaced the fired Phil Garner late last season. While the team seemed to address the needs on the offense end,... 

2008 Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers were one of the surprise teams of 2007 leading the National League Central for pretty much the whole year before letting the Cubs squeeze by late. The Brewers had their first winning season since 1992 going 83 -79. The team is full of young talent let by corner infielders 1B Prince Fielder and NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun. The team added some veteran leadership when they signed catcher Jason Kendall. The team also added some age in CF Mike Cameron. The addition in Cameron... 

House Edge on Tie Wagers in Baccarat

We received an interesting note from a player this week about how they had been stuck on a losing streak in the casino and were thinking about mini-baccarat. They wanted to know if there were any secrets to the game that would help them win a little money, and this player was especially curious about betting on the tie. This is one bet that we will tell you to avoid at all costs. The tie bet is the only proposition wager on the table, and it’s a lousy one for the player. Statistically,... 

Vigorish on 9/6 Video Poker Machines

9/6 Video Poker is a Jacks or better machine that pays 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush with one coin inserted. A lot of the posted house edges out there will show you the odds when the royal flush is included with maximum coin play. That’s because the odds up in favor of the player when you play this way. If you choose to not play maximum coins then it works in the house’s edge. The house edge on a Jacks or Better video poker machine with maximum coin play is 0.5%. Now if you... 

Playing the Maxium Amount of Coins in Slot Machines

The gambling experts may warn you to check the odds on the slot machines before sitting down and putting your money in, but they can almost always agree on one thing, when you step up to pull the lever make sure you are playing the maximum number of coins. This is usually five, and the reason isn’t that we all want you to risk more money on each throw, even though it would be easy to see why that misunderstanding could come into play. Actually, it’s because almost every single multiple-pay... 

Odds on Four Numbers in a Row in Roulette

It’s a rare occurrence but it is a possibility. The odds on a single number showing up four times in a row on a roulette table come in at about 2,085,136 spins for the American Roulette wheel, which has the double-zero. This is something that you are not going to see very often, but I have witnessed it one time. Out in Lake Tahoe I was playing roulette with my friends when a dealer spun the number 15 before paying off all of the bets and taking off on his break. Another dealer stepped up... 

6/5 Video Poker Machine v. 9/6

There have been some questions coming in from visitors on whether it is better to play a loose Jacks or better 6/5 video poker machine or a very tight full-pay Jacks or better 9/6 poker machines, but there is no real difference in reality. Every hand is dealt out randomly by the machine, so the tightness and looseness of any given video poker machine is based strictly on the paytables. A 6/5 paytable with 6 coins returned for a full houseand 5 for a flush with one coin inserted would be considered... 

Superstitions on Craps Dice Rolling

I have gotten plenty of emails in the past from people who will believe just about anything. For instance, I just got something in my email the other day from a person asking about shooting craps. They swear that a hot roll is always stopped when the house changes dealers, someone touches who is rolling the dice, someone starts crowding ths hooter, or the dealer giving out the dice on a seven, eleven, or craps. We don’t really want to offend any of our readers that fall into these same traps,... 

European Roulette

More and more online casinos are using European roulette odds to draw customers to their sites. You can enjoy the benefits of this variation by not having an added zero on the wheel, which will increase your chances of cashing. While starting as only a brick and mortar casino game, roulette has turned into an online casino classic. The game itself has divided into different versions with different odds, and when playing at online... 

Odds on Video Gambling Machines

There are some visitors who ask if the odds are the same on video games like blackjack and craps as their real-life counterparts. So let’s see if this is the case of the odds are altered to benefit the casino. It is a Nevada (and I’m sure most states follow suit) law that video representations of dice and cards follow the same odds as those in a real game with a human dealer. If the games are already profitable based... 

Easy Casino Games to Play

Some people want a challenge and some want easy casino games to play. Whatever your poison we want to get you aligned with the game that is the right fit for you. You most likely want the game that has the lowest house edge, so use that as your first hurdle to pass before getting your action. There are a lot of people who do not understand what the fascination is that people have... 

Drinking While Gambling

If you are drinking while gambling then you might be making some bad decisions that you wouldn’t make sober. Casinos call the free booze they give to patrons chip removers for a reason, so take their offerings in moderation. The casinos give out there comp drinks in order to speed up the process of you dumping your chips to them. If you are there gambling with your friends... 

Double Up Feature in Video Poker

Some casinos, allow you a double-or-nothing or double up feature of video poker with their machines if you had a winning hand. All you have to do is press the “Yes” button after a win, the game then deals one card face up for the dealer and four cards face-down for the player. You can then choose one of the face-down cards, if the card beats the dealers then you get double the amount you previously won, along with the option to try... 

Differences Between Casinos

We try to develop players into a better state where they can identify situations that are beneficial to their gaming experience and ones that will be immediately hazardous to their bankrolls. This includes finding the best online casinos and land-based casinos for the kind of action they want to bring to the table. No two casinos are alike as the rules at each are a little bit different. Let’s take a look at some of the most glaring differences you will be able to find.The best are... 

Difference Between Early and Late Surrender

If you play blackjack then you need to know the difference between early and late surrender. Then you need to know when you should take advantage of this opportunity to lessen the house edge by the casino. The option of surrendering seems like a good one when you have a 16 staring you in the face and the dealer is showing a face card. The casinos give you the option to give up half of... 

Craps Playing Strategy

Today’s guide to craps playing strategy will focus on hop bets and hardways. These are two bets that have a high disadvantage for the player, so keep that in mind when putting your chips into play. Even people who have been around the game for years, such as dealers or just frequent players, think that the casino advantage is higher on the 6 and 8 hardways than the 4 and 10 hardways since there... 

Craps Payouts

A lot of people who are interested in playing do not know the correct craps payouts on the bets they place. If you want to lower the house edge to as low of a number as possible then you need to make smart bets at the craps table and stay away from some of the sucker bets that really raise the house edge. Proposition bets are those located in the center of the craps table and are tempting to the average bettor because... 

Computing Comps

Everyone wants freebies from the casino, so here is how you go about computing comps. This is called “getting some goodies” and if you play long enough, then you should get as much as you can for free because mathematically, the casino owes you and it’s the least that they can do to compensate you. The first suggestion that we want to give you is to call a casino host and ask them what time of action was needed to warrant some sort of comps. ... 

Cold Decks in Cheating

Cold Decks in cheating means a lot more than just getting a bad run of cards. You can get a “cold deck” in a fair game in that you are having a real bad streak at the tables. What cold decks are for those involved in cheating however, means something quite different. Some cheaters use physical objects to get an edge over the other players in the game, and one of these tricks can be a “cold deck.” A cold deck is one that is pre-stacked, and... 

Casino Roulette Strategy

If you want some casino roulette strategy then let a casino expert detail what you need to know to maximize your experience. Roulette is not really a great game odds-wise, but make sure you get the best value by following these rules to ensure that you get the most enjoyment possible when playing the game. Some of you think that a great strategy at the casino when at the roulette table would be adding chips to your bet after the dealer calls no more... 

Casinos Hold in Blackjack

Even though there is a 1% or less house edge, the casino hold in blackjack is much higher. If you are interested to know what it is, or you don’t know what a casino hold is then keep reading this article so you understand more from the minute you walk through the casino doors or load up the software from your favorite place to play online. The average house edge for the game of blackjack is about half of 1%, yet the “hold”... 

Casino Basics

If you want the casino basics on how to play online, then we have came up with a detailed list to help ease your transition. Remember, we here at Betfirms only list the top online casinos as we want your experience to be an enjoyable one. After you find the right casino, good luck on your gambling! How do I deposit and withdraw from an online casino? All online casinos require you to make a deposit into your account before you can play... 

Caribbean 21

Caribbean 21 is a blackjack variant offered by Real Time Gaming casinos. The game offers the player the ability to split any two initial cards and to hit and redouble after doubling. Of course nothing is ever free and the player loses all ties. There are several other rule changes from blackjack so read carefully before playing. Following the basic strategy below the game offers a house edge lower than most blackjack games. Rules Following are the complete rules for Caribbean 21. The game is... 

Card Mechanic

When people talk about a card mechanic, they are talking about a form of cheating. There are a bunch of ways that someone can go about cheating at cards from colluding with other players, sleight of hand movements like stacking the deck on the bottom, or the use of something physical like marked cards, cold decks, or holdout devices. A card mechanic, which is also known as a card sharp, is a cheat who has a specialty in the sleight of hand movements used to manipulate the deck. Magicians... 

Card Counting Online

Is it worth it to do card counting when playing online blackjack? The short answer is no, because the cards are shuffled after each hand. This is probably the worst situation you could be in if you want to try and count cards in order to turn the house advantage over and give it to yourself, because you are the only one playing at the “table” so you don’t even have the advantage of seeing how the other players at the table... 

Card Counting in Blackjack & Baccarat

There are many questions on card counting in blackjack and baccarat. We take a look at if a casino can reshuffle a deck before it gets to the cut card, and if card counting in baccarat can earn you a better return on your money. Remember that if you have any other questions, comments, or suggestions then you can always shoot us a quick email to learn more. When you are playing blackjack a dealer will normally insert... 

Breaking the Bank

There are certain gamblers who try breaking the bank every time they walk into the casino, but where did this term come from? We here at BetFirms went looking for the answer so let us give you a little history lesson for those of you interesting in knowing more about casino terminology. There have been rumors that this term came from some misbehaving roulette wheel that paid out a ton of money to a person who figured out the malfunction and sat there to take advantage of it.... 

Blackjack Strategy Guide

A blackjack strategy guide is needed for all beginners who are interested in trying the game. We want to make sure that you have the best chance possible at winning at the tables and building your bankroll up and we are going to get started with the lessons with this article. Blackjack is one of the most popular table games in the United States and the rest of the world. You can be aggressive with your betting all the while making subtle... 

Odds on Continuous Shuffling Machines

In the game of blackjack, continuous shuffling odds are the same as when the dealer shuffles after the shoe has run out. However, there might be other disadvantages to both the player and the casino with this method that is growing in popularity around the country. These perpetual shufflers make it almost impossible for card counters, but the odds of the game are not affected... 

Binions Casino in Las Vegas

Binion’s Casino in Las Vegas was once one of the most popular destination spots in Sin City. In 2006, Harrah’s purchases the casino almost entirely based on the fact that Binion’s was the founder of the World Series of Poker. This event has gone crazy in terms of popularity with the recent growth in poker in general but more specifically with the amount of players that are now playing online. Harrah’s did not want to hold on to the casino property located in the... 

Importance of a Big Bankroll

Without big time bankrolls not even the casino could stay in business, and that’s with having the odds in their favor almost all of the time. If you plan on winning over the long run in games like blackjack and video poker that you can turn the edge around and statistically beat, then you are going to need to do the same. If you limit yourself to a small amount for a bankroll in comparison to your bet amounts then you probably have found that sometimes you break even, you win every... 

2008 St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals come in to 2008 with a roster that barely resembles that of the team that won the World Series just two year ago. While injuries didn’t help their chances of repeating in 2007, they still managed to finish third in the Central. The Cardinals are trying to ease into a transition of bringing in young talent to get rid of the old. They traded away CF Jim Edmonds to the Padres and 3B Scott Rolen to Toronto. The team also lost their spark plug in SS David Eckstein who will play... 

2008 Minnesota Twins

Last year Minnesota Twins fans were hoping for another division title after they took the Central title in 2006. That didn’t happen, as the Twins just couldn’t seem to get things rolling. They ended up finishing 4th in the division and only winning 79 games. Manager Ron Gardenhire will have a tough road ahead of him in 2008. The Twins lost the best pitcher in baseball in Johan Santana and one of their best offense and defensive players in Tori Hunter. What you have to remember is that the... 

2008 Chicago Cubs

The defending 2007 National League Central Division winners, have fans of Chicago saying that his will be the year they break the curse and finally win a World Series. This year will mark a 100 years of suffering for Cubs fans and hope that a century is enough punishment. Manager Lou Piniella has the team ready to make a great push to win back-to-back division titles for the first time in club history. While the story of the off-season was the addition of Kosuke Fukudome, whom many believe could... 

2008 Kansas City Royals

In 2007 the Royals didn’t lose a 100 games for the 4th straight season, but they did manage to finish in last place in the Central yet again. So even though the team showed improvements they didn’t look like a team ready to seriously compete in this division. They hired a new manager in Trey Hillman to come in and make this team a winner again. The Royals last winning season came back in 2003, when they finished third with an 83 -79 record. The last time the Royals made the playoffs was in 1985... 

Best Online Casinos

We have looked up some of the best online casinos and found a list that we think all of our visitors should take a look at. All of these casinos offer great odds, bonuses, and are ranked very highly for all casino games. Find which one is right for you and feel free to sign up and start with the winning. The first casino we recommend you take a look at is Bodog. This is one of the world’s largest betting companies that take care of their customers needs for sports betting,... 

Best Of Las Vegas

If you want a list of what’s the best of Las Vegas then this is the article for you. We are sure that you are going to have a great time in Sin City no matter what you do, but why do anything second rate. Make sure you hit up all of these hot spots for the activities that you are planning and you’ll have plenty of great stories to take home.Best Poker Room – Wynn Las Vegas A relative newcomer to the Vegas poker scene, Wynn offers 26... 

Basic Strategy

If you plan on playing blackjack in the casino, then you need to know basic strategy. This will ensure that you get the best odds available and you can make the most money to further the enjoyment of your casino experience. There are other games out there though that give you less than 2% of... 

When to Leave the Poker Table

Every sessions brings the inevitable question of when to leave the poker table, whether you are online or at a live game. If you want to make the correct choice then take a look at some of these tips and tricks below. That way you can do a better job of making sure you don’t stay at the tables longer than is profitable. Being a winning player isn’t only about playing good cards –... 

Todd Brunson

If Todd Brunson can have anywhere near the same success as his father Doyle, then he’ll be in for a great career. In 1989, Todd made the decision to forego his senior year at Texas Tech to play professional poker. At the early age of 20, his career as a poker pro had begun after playing for years at the table during his college days. It soon became clear... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hand: Suited Connectors

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in hold’em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. Before we discuss the strategies... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hand: Junk Hands

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in hold’em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. Before we look at how to play... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hand: Marginal Hands

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in hold’em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. Marginal... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hand: Small Pairs

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in hold’em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. The first... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hands AK, AQ, AJ

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in hold’em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. efore we discuss situations with these hands the first thing you need to know about these hands is... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hand: Middle Pairs

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in hold’em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. We will look at what you should do with these hands in the following 3 positions early, which is 1st... 

How to Play Hold em Starting Hands AA, KK, QQ

This article is in a series of articles that will look at various starting hands you can get in Texas Hold em and what to do with them. It will focus mainly on preflop play, and will cover a normal 9 handed No limit game were you have an average chip size and a reasonable read on other players. While these articles do focus on no limit play, the principles can be applied to limit and pot limit games. This first article will look at the 3 best starting hands you can get A, A, K, K and Q, Q. The... 

2008 Cleveland Indians

The defending American League Central Champs made it to game 7 of the American League Championship game before losing to the eventual World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. The Indians are led by last years American League Manager of the Year, Eric Wedge. The Indians return almost the exact same team from the year before. Management believed that it was a weak class of free agents and didn’t feel that any trade offers would better the team. While they do return an outstanding pitching staff, many... 

2008 Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are coming off a very disappointing season in which they finished 4th in the American League Central. The team won 72 games and only finished ahead of the Royals by 3 games. This isn’t the team that won the World Series in 2005, but they shouldn’t be as bad as there were last year. Manager Ozzie Guillen needs to get the team to show some sort of improvement or he could be looking for a new job. The team lost won of its better starting pitchers in Jon Garland, but did add... 

2008 Detroit Tigers

2007 was a disappointment for Tiger fans. After going all the way to the World Series in 2006, they failed to make the post season. The Tigers had the best record in baseball on July 21, but after an injury to OF Gary Sheffield the team finished the rest of the season seven games under .500. 2008 looks a lot better after they team went out and got SS Edgar Renteria, 3B Miguel Cabrera, OF Jacque Jones, and LHP Dontrelle Willis. They also have had a chance for players such as Sheffield and pitchers... 

2008 Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles were hoping to be a team over the past years to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox. But what has happened instead is they have continued to get worse. Last year they barely finished above Tampa Bay for 4th place in the AL East. This year won’t be any different with the trades of Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard. This is a team starting completely from scratch. While General Manager Andy MacPhail is hoping that by reloading the farm system by trading away high priced players... 

2008 Tampa Bay Rays

The team didn’t show much improvement last year winning just 66 games, but the future looks bright in Tampa Bay. While you might of thought it was a miss print when you read the Tampa Bay Rays, but the team decided to drop the “Devil” from their name and now are just known as the “Rays.” The Rays are coming off their 10th straight season of more than 90 plus losses. The team is moving in the right direction by keeping and developing their young talent. General Manager Andrew Friedman probably... 

2008 Toronto Blue Jays

What many people might not know is that the Toronto Blue Jays are coming off back-to-back winning seasons. When you are constantly up against the Yankees and Red Sox its hard to get noticed. What has Blue Jays fans looking up is how well they were able to perform last year with star player after star player heading to the DL. Some credit has to go to manager J.P. Ricciardi, and the young players who stepped up when needed. The Blue Jays made a couple big moves bringing in SS David Eckstein via free... 

2008 New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are heading into the 2008 season coming off a somewhat successful season. The Yankees started the season very slow, but found a way to claw back and almost win the division. They made the playoffs as a wild card, but didn’t make it out of the first round. The Yankees will have no trouble putting runs on the board as they pretty much keep the offense lineup in tact. Pitching will be a huge question on whether or not this team can get back to dominating the AL East. Long time... 

2008 Boston Red Sox

Bet Using Your Credit Card The Boston Red Sox are heading into 2008 defending another World Series title. After going 86 years without a title, they have now won two out of the last four championships. The Red Sox are entering this season with almost the exact same team as they did last season, when they won 96 games. The Red Sox have a mixture of veteran and young players that should keep this team winning for years to come. They will continue to be led by exceptional manager Terry Francona. While... 

2008 Northern Trust Open

Bet Using Your Credit Card This week golf’s best will take their game to Hollywood, for the newly named Northern Trust Open. The stage is set at one of golf’s greatest courses at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA. This is the first year the tournament will be sponsored by Northern Trust. It first started out as the Los Angles Open and most recently over the last 19 years the Nissan Open. With a total purse of $6,200,000, with the winning share of $1,116,000 going to best golfer... 

Oleg Maskaev vs. Samuel Peter

Bet Using Your Credit Card The fight for the undisputed WBC heavyweight world championship between world champion Oleg Maskaev and interim world champion Samuel “ The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter will be held in Cancun, Mexico at the Plaza de Torros on Saturday, March 8. This fight was originally set to place at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Oct. 6, 2007 but the fight was called off due to an injury to Maskaev. This then caused the WBC Board of Governors to vote Peter to be named interim... 

Tickets to the NCAA Tournament

Bet Using Your Credit Card The NCAA Tournament first and second rounds are set to kick off March 20 – March 23 at Birmingham’s Alltel Arena, N. Little Rock’s BJCC Arena, Anaheim’s Honda Center, Denver’s Pepsi Center, Omaha’s Qwest Center; Raleigh’s RBC Center, Tampa’s St. Pete Times Forum, and Washington, DC’s Verizon Center. The following week the tournament will invade Phoenix’s US Airways Center, Detroit’s Ford Field, Charlotte’s Charlotte... 

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