• Buy Sports Picks
• Free Sports Picks
• Sports Betting Forum

• Article Archives
• Resources

New York Jets 2008 NFL Mock Draft

The New York Jets are coming off a pretty disappointing 2008 season, where they went 4-12. While the team struggled to win games, they might not be that far from a break out year as 9 of their losses came by 10-points or less. A good off-season and some quality draft picks could be all this team needs. While the draft is still about a month away, the Jets have been pretty busy so far in free agency. The biggest signing came in G Alan Faneca, but they also landed the likes of T Damien Woody, DT... 

Miami Dolphins 2008 NFL Draft Needs

The Dolphins were not much to watch last year as the team started out the season 0-13, before getting their only victory of the year against Baltimore, and would up finishing the season at 1-15. The team is in need of change and a lot of it. The Dolphins have had a very busy off-season so far as they have seen 14 guys leave the team, and 12 new faces join the team. The team got rid of both backup quarterbacks and look to be giving John Beck the starting job as of now. The team parted ways with... 

Buffalo Bills 2008 NFL Draft Needs

The Buffalo Bills were up and down last year at 7-9, as they started of the season 0-3 before winning 7 of the their next 10, then losing 3 in a row to end the season. The Bills really struggled on the offensive end of things finishing the season only averaging 15.8 PPG. With off-season additions mainly coming on the defensive side of things so far, with most notably being star DT Marcus Stroud and LB Kawika Mitchell. The team did lose CB Jason Webster, but have been able to bring in William James... 

Memphis Michigan State Picks, Predictions, & Odds

The action out of the South Region is moving to Houston, TX. Here lies #1 Memphis and #5 Michigan State. The Spartans will try and prove they are for real as they try and be only the second team to beat Memphis this season, on the other hand the Memphis doubters are back in full force after a close call to make it to the Sweet 16.#1 Memphis comes into the Sweet 16 as a real threat to win the National Championship, but they will need to play more like they did when they beat #16 Texas Arlington,... 

Kansas Villanova Predictions, Picks, & Odds

The NCAA Tournament is ready for week 2 of breath taking action, and we are going to take a look at one of the big games out of the Midwest Region. Here we see a Sweet 16 matchup of #1 Kansas and upset minded #12 Villanova. Here we will take a look at both teams and give you our predictions on the game and it’s total.#1 Kansas has looked great so far in the tournament. They easily took care of #16 by 24-points, and then sent #8 UNLV packing with a 19-point victory in round 2. Kansas has not... 

Wisconsin Davidson Odds, Picks, & Predictions

The action is heading to Detroit this weekend for some Sweet 16 excitement out of the Midwest. With the first two rounds all wrapped up, this is where you start to get an idea on who has what it takes to win it all. Getting things underway will be #3 Wisconsin and #10 Davidson. While Davidson has had to upset teams for both its wins, Wisconsin has yet to face a team above a #11 seed.#3 Wisconsin had a pretty routine road to the Sweet 16. With a big win over #14 Cal State Fullerton, and another... 

Texas Stanford Picks, Predictions, & Odds

The NCAA Tournament is set to get back underway this week on Thursday and Friday to find out who moves on to the Elite 8, and who is packing their bags and heading home for the season. One of the big time matchups on Friday is #2 Texas vs. #3 Stanford. While all four of the #3 seeds advanced to the Sweet 16, Texas is one of only two #2 seeds that made it. Lets take a quick look at each team and we will give you our picks on the game. #2 Texas looked impressive in the first round against #15 Austin... 

Xavier West Virginia Odds, Picks, & Predictions

We are just a couple days away from some more exciting NCAA Tournament action as the field has been trimmed from 65 to 16. We are just one weekend of action away from our Final Four teams of the year. This Thursday action is set to move to Phoenix, AZ in the West Region, with #3 Xavier taking on #7 West Virginia.#3 Xavier has taken care of business so far in the tournament, after many people believed they were the weakest # 3 team of them all. They beat #14 Georgia in round one by 12 and then took... 

2008 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

The PGA Tour finished up its time in Florida for the time being and will travel to the wonderful state of Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The tournament is set to take place on the TPC Louisiana golf course in Avondale, LA on March 27 – March 30. Last week golf fans witnessed something unusual as of late, as Tiger Woods was unable to win at the CA Championship. Geoff Ogilvy was able to weather the conditions for the win. While the field isn’t as strong as the last two... 

Odds on All Things MLB in 2008

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IS SET TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK AND FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE READY FOR ACTION! BetUS Posts Early Odds On All things MLB NEW YORK March 22, 2008 – With MLB’s regular season set to begin fans across the country are already speculating as to how their teams will perform. Will they win it all this year? How long until our coach gets fired? Will our clean-up hitter outperform the rest? Fans are looking for answers and the biggest most successful sportsbook on... 

North Carolina Washington State Odds, Picks, & Predictions

We are almost to round 3 of the NCAA tournament and this is the time where championship teams take form. This Thursday we are set to see #1 North Carolina take on #4 Washington State for the chance to move on to the Elite 8, and just one step closer to a birth in the Final Four.#1 North Carolina has looked unstoppable so far in the NCAA Tournament, as they have won both games by more than 30-points. The Tar Heels came into the tournament as the #1 overall seed, but it was hard to tell when the brackets... 

Tennessee Louisville Odds, Picks, & Predictions

With the first two rounds in the books, we are only a couple days away from the action starting back up. On Thursday one of the most anticipated Sweet 16 matchups is set to get underway in #2 Tennessee vs. #3 Louisville. This should be one of the most entertaining games of the weekend, as both teams will play up tempo and put a lot of points on the board.Louisville is coming into the game after two very impressive wins last weekend. They first took care of #14 Boise St. by 18-points, then #6 Oklahoma... 

2008 Sweet 16 Predictions

What a first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. All four #1 seeds avoided a major upset and were all able to advance to the Sweet 16. The #2 seeds weren’t so lucky as #2 Duke went down to #7 West Virginia, and #2 Georgetown went down to #10 Davidson. All #3 seeds took care of business and looked much better than the #2 seeds. The two Cinderella teams that will be looking for another big win are #12 Western Kentucky and #12 Villanova. While both of the #12 seeds that won in the first round caught... 

2008 Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Odds, Picks, & Predictions

NASCAR is heading to Martinsville, Virginia for the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway. This will mark the 6th race of the 2008 season and will be the second short-track event of the season, after we had the first short-track race last week at Bristol. While many thought that Hendrick Motorsports and Roush racing would dominate last week it was Richard Childress Racing that took over the track when they finished 1-2-3. Jeff Burton was able to take home the victory with teammates... 

2008 Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft Needs

The Eagles are coming a disappointing season where they finished the season at 8-8, but last in the NFC East. The Eagles might not have been as bad as it seemed as they lost 5 games by 4-points or less, and were only one game out of the playoffs. This should be a good sign for Eagle fans in 2008, as they could easily make the move back to one of the top teams in the NFC with some good off-season transactions. They have already made a big splash in landing Patriots Pro Bowl CB Asante Samuel. The... 

New England Patriots 2008 NFL Draft Needs

The New England Patriots are coming off one of the best seasons in NFL history, but it ended in more disappointment then satisfaction. After storming through the regular season at 16-0 and winning its first two playoff games, the Patriots were just one step away from a season of perfection. But we all know that Eli Manning and the New York Giants put an end to their storybook season and the Patriots were left empty-handed. The Patriots will enter the 2008 season without their Pro Bowl corner Asante... 

2008 NCAA Tournament Bracket Contest

I just got done filling out my BetUS $1,000,000 March Madness Bracket Contest and want to make sure that all of our readers know just how great this contest is.  Guys and girls, there is absolutely no reason not to jump on this thing right now and take your chance at winning some great prizes!  It’s a great contest that will not only give you a chance to win $1,000,000 bucks but to also get your hands on some referral money by turning your friends on to BetUS. If you play the lottery, remember... 

2008 Doral World Golf Championship – CA Championship

The PGA is gearing up for its 4th and final stop on the early Florida swing at Doral for the World Golf Championship-CA Championship. This is the 2nd tournament of the World Golf Championship with Tiger Woods winning the first at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Last week golf fans got almost everything they could ask for with the Arnold Palmer Invitational coming down to the wire with one of the best finishes you will see all year. While its no surprise that Tiger won the tournament, it was... 

2008 NCAA Expert Bracket Picks

Now take a look at the 2009 expert bracket picks offered by one of our handicappers! We think we know NCAA basketball, but getting a second opinion is always worth the effort. Jeff Alexander has been kind enough to give us his bracket, and our readers should benefit from having this expert in their corner. You can pick up his NCAA basketball picks against the spread here. East 1st Round North Carolina Indiana Notre Dame Washington State St. Joseph’s Louisville Butler Tennessee 2nd Round North... 

2008 NCAA Tournament Upset Predictions

Its finally time to sit down and fill out your bracket and decide who you think will be crowned National Champion when it is all said and done. Everyone knows that you can’t just pick the higher seeds, as there will be plenty of upsets to go around. While you can expect to see two of college basketballs best square off in the final game, there will be at least one #1 seed to fall and plenty of #2 and #3 seeds biting the dust. What makes it difficult is that you know there will be upsets, its... 

2008 Final Four Predictions

Our picks are in and the scene is set for San Antonio, TX for the Final Four with #2 Tennessee vs. #2 Georgetown and #1 Memphis vs. #1 UCLA. All four of these teams spent time in the top 5 and most as the best team in the nation and should set up for one of the best Final Four’s in recent history if our picks come true. This will also see two teams for last year making repeat trips to the Final Four as UCLA and Georgetown both made it this far last year. The two games will be the first time... 

2008 NCAA Tournament Predictions – Midwest Region

In our final bracket breakdown we are going to check the bracket from the Midwest. The Midwest Region will see two of its very own as the #1 seed Kansas is set to do battle in this region along with #3 Wisconsin. Georgetown landed the #2 seed and stay out east in Raleigh, NC before heading to Detroit, MI for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Overall this bracket isn’t very high on the caliber of teams we think can make it to the Final Four. Brackets such as the East and the South had at least 4 teams,... 

2008 NCAA Tournament Predictions – South Region

The South Region of the NCAA Tournament isn’t far behind the East when it comes to toughest brackets to make your way to the Final Four. With teams from big time conferences lined up throughout the bracket it’s going to be a difficult task for any team to make it to San Antonio, TX for the Final Four. Memphis will come in as the #1 seed in bracket that has the likes of a surging Pittsburgh team, Marquette, Stanford, and a very tough Texas team as the #2 seed. Here is out breakdown of... 

2008 NCAA Tournament Predictions – West Region

Need some help filling out your bracket? Well here is our in-depth look at the West Region and who we think will be dancing all the way to the Final Four. The bracket is headed by two powerhouses in #1 seed UCLA Bruins and the #2 seeded Duke Blue Devils. The region has some other very interesting teams, as no one knows how Drake will play as the #5 seed, and can UCONN and Purdue bounce back off some tough conference tournament losses. Xavier landed the #3 seed and its unclear how their play in... 

2008 NCAA Tournament Predictions – East Region

The East Region just might be the toughest bracket out of them all, with tough teams spread throughout the bracket. So when you sit down to fill out you bracket you might want to take a quick look at our picks before North Carolina has to be asking how it can be the best #1 seed and have the toughest road to the Final Four. The one factor that will play to the Tar Heels favor is that they will pretty much have home games all the way to the Final Four, as they are set to play the first two in Raleigh,... 

2008 NCAA Bracket Contest

With the NCAA Tournament starting up next week we have been on the lookout for bracket contests for our readers to get in. There is oen that we are really excited about and it ’s over at Bodoglife. Bodog has a lot of great prizes that they are offering their contestants, and one of the handicapping services that we closely partner with, Jimmy Boyd’s Locksmith Sports is offering a bonus league that will give you a great chance at additional prizes. A perfect bracket gets you $1,000,000... 

House Edge When Blackjack Pushes Go To House

Generally, charity blackjack events turn pushes into wins for the casino. Real casinos do not offer such a hard-line rule, because players would never belly up to the table when the odds are so stacked against them. There is an exception: Double Exposure blackjack. Here, as compensation for losing in pushes, all dealer’s cards are dealt face up, However, (there’s always an “however”) because you get to view both of the dealer’s up-cards, the playing rules are adjusted... 

Odds on Craps Hardways

In Craps, hard-way bets are very enticing to players. To win this bet, your number not only has to appear before the seven, it has to emerge with two dice showing the same number. For example, if you are betting a hard six, it must be a pair only (3-3) in order for you to win your wager. If it shows as a 4-2, 2-4, 5-1, 1-5, or if the seven rolls, you lose. Sticking with the six as an example, the correct odds on making the six is 10 to 1, calculated as four easy ways of making the six (4-2, 2-4,... 

2008 Food City 500

This week NASCAR is heading to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500. The race is set to get under way on Sunday March 16. This will be the first of two races held at Bristol as the will head back to the track for the Sharpie 500 later in the season. Bristol is a short track unlike any others and the history at this place runs back nearly 50 years, with the first race of this event took place back in 1961 when it was named the Southeastern 500. While Kurt Busch has dominated this event since... 

11 against an Ace in Blackjack

What to do with an 11 against an ace? Do you double down or just hit? This is a question that even most pros disagree upon, but our recommendation is to play the hand differently depending on the number of decks in play. If you are in a multi-deck game then you should just hit the 11, but if you are in a single deck game then you would double down. The reason is that you are more likely to get a decent card on a single deck game than one using multiple decks. Let’s take a look at the number.... 

Don’t Pass Wagers in Craps

Before a point is establish in craps, most players will typically have a pass line wager. You can also bet on the “wrong” bettor and place your wager on the don’t pass line, which may not be a popular bet since you are rooting against everyone at the table. The don’t pass bet is an-even money wager that the shooter will either roll a seven before a point number repeats itself or crap-out on the come-out roll by rolling either a two or a three. Although a two, three, and... 

Split Bets in Roulette

If you are at the roulette table and distance prevents you from reaching one side of the table, then just ask the dealer to kindly place your wager there for you. If you want a 0/00 split then most of the time you will be able to put it between the 2ND and 3RD section of 12, but make sure you ask the dealer if this is ok to prevent you from getting worked over in the case you actually hit. A split bet is a two number wager that allows you to cover two numbers with one bet. If either of these two... 

Washington Redskins 2008 NFL Draft Needs

The Washington Redskins are coming off a season of sorrow and a season of triumph all at the same time. With the unexpected tragic loss of S Sean Taylor, the Redskins were forced to play the final 4 games with out their pro bowler. At the time the team was 5-7, but was able to finished strong and end the season in the playoffs at 9-7. In one of footballs toughest divisions the Redskins will have to make improvements this off-season if they want to compete with the Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles. The... 

Banker in Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is a casino game that is played with up to six players and the banker, each of which is dealt seven cards.  There are no draws.  Each player arranges cards into two poker hands, one of five and the other of two cards.  To win, both your five-card hand and your two-card hand must beat the banker’s corresponding hands.  Winning one and losing the other is a push. Normally it’s the dealer who is the banker, but in Pai Gow Poker any player can be the banker.  A small plastic... 

2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational

The PGA Tour is getting ready to hit the 3rd event in Florida this week at the legendary Bay Hill Club and Lounge in Orlando, Florida. The tournament is named after one of the greatest golfers to ever step foot on the golf course. Arnold Palmer paved the way for many of the golfers today, and there is no better way to acknowledge him than have a weekend dedicated to the man himself. Last year the trophy went to Vijay Singh who was finally able to get a victory at Bay Hill, after trying since he was... 

2008 Mountain West Basketball Tournament Predictions

The 2008 Mountain West Conference Tournament will take place at UNLV’s Thomas and Mark Center from March12th-15th. The 9 teams in the conference have a much more unusual bracket because of the low number of teams. While many other conferences only award the top 4 teams with byes in the first round, all but the bottom two get the first day off in the MWC Conference. While Wyoming only finished a game out of the top 8, but should have no problem against Colorado St in the first round as the... 

2008 Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament Predictions

The Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament is fast approaching and will get under way on March 12th and finish up on March 15th. The tournament is set to do battle in Atlantic City at the Boardwalk Hall arena. The conference is made up of 12 teams and just like other 12 team conferences they award the top 4 teams a bye and the bottom 8 are stuck trying to do the difficult task of winning 4 games in 4 days. Xavier will come in as the top seed with an impressive 14-2 conference record. Temple will take... 

2008 Pac 10 Basketball Tournament Predictions

The Pac 10 is considered one of the toughest conferences in the country and they are set to get their conference tournament underway on March 12th and finish up by crowning a champion on March 15th. The Pac 10 tournament will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angels, California. The 10-team league will award its top 6 teams with a bye on the first day of games and the bottom 4 will have to win 4 games in 4 days if they want the coveted automatic bid into the tournament. UCLA, Stanford, USC,... 

2008 MAC Basketball Tournament Predictions

The 2008 MAC Tournament is set to get underway March 12th and wind up on March 15th. The MAC Tournament is set to take place at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The 12 team league will adopt the similar 12 team bracket, and give the best 4 regular season teams a bye in the first round and leave the rest of the league to win 4 games in 4 days. The team is unlike the SEC in that even though their conference is split into two divisions the East and the West the top 4 records get the bye and... 

2008 Conference USA Basketball Tournament Predictions

The Conference USA Tournament is set to take place March 12-15. The tournament will be held at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, which is the home of the NBA Memphis Grizzlies. The 12-team conference will not be bringing to much NBA talent outside of the hometown favorite Memphis Tigers. Conference USA is a 12-team conference that like many other conferences awards its top 4 regular season finishers a free pass on the first day of play, and forcing the rest of the league to win 4 games in 4 days. Memphis... 

Wheel of Fortune Slot Machines

If you have ever seen the slot machine Wheel of Fortune at your local casino then you probably know just how popular it is. I have seen players waiting nearly an hour just to get a sit for the chance to take a few pulls and a chance to win grand prizes. Since the game is so popular we figured we would take a look at the payback percentages on these machines, the frequency of payoffs, and how often a bonus spin appears for the play. The game is produced by International Game Technologies and is... 

Tic Tac Toe Chicken Challenge

Maybe you have heard the rumor of the Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken Challenge that has been played at the Tropicana in Atlantic City and Trump 29 in Palm Springs. Sure enough, this is a real game that you can play at both of these fine establishments, but before you go jumping into the mix you might want to read the rest of this article by Mark Pilarski. Ginger, the chicken extraordinaire is the name that two casinos have given the animal that I know of have used to cook the goose of many intrepids who wanted... 

How Do Casinos Make Money

It seems pretty obvious that casinos make money. I mean how else would they build the fancy hotels and spend so much money luring the player into their pits. There are some of you out there though who look at this and still don’t understand how it is done, so this article focuses on how casinos make their money. Casinos make money on their games because of the mathematics behind the games. The house has a well-calculated advantage on each and every bet wagered. If they didn’t have... 

Baseball Method for Playing Slots

The essence of the baseball method for playing slots is the philosophy of three strikes and you’re out.  If you pull the handle three straight times, and if lose on every single pull then it’s time to move to another machine. What this method does is prevent you from losing oodles of money to any one specific machine that is in a losing cycle. When you move along after three pulls with no winning results, you never become a prisoner to one machine-which has a huge built-in mathematical... 

Rake on Three Card Poker Hands

There are some Indian casinos out there who offer 3-card poker but make you pay 50 cents per hand just to get in on the action.  They sometimes try to get away with this tactic by telling players that the odds on three-card poker are so good that this is the only way for them to make any money.  Our casino expert Mark Pilarski says this is a bunch of hogwash.In poker, the fifty cent juice per hand is called the rake; money that the casino charges for each hand of poker. It is usually a percentage... 

Good Books for Learning Poker

If you are a newbie to poker and want to learn the rules and some general strategies then you should check out the book for dummies, called Poker for Dummies. Because one of its authors is Lou Kreiger (I am a longtime fan of his witticism and knowledge), I give it an enthusiastic thumb’s up. Poker for Dummies will show you systematically how to bet, bluff, and play your way to the top, from seven-card stud, to Omaha, to Texas Hold’em. Read it, and you’ll be a dummy no more.Now... 

Man Bets Life Saving on One Roulette Spin

Back in 2006 there was a man who on live television walked into a casino in Las Vegas, and bet his entire life savings. This caught a lot of attention in the news, because it was such a large wager and that it was so odd for someone to risk it all. Mark Pilarski weighs in on his thoughts. The person who did this was Ashley Revell, who put up his entire net worth of $135,300 on red at the roulette table while a British film crew recorded the event. However, it was not live as your question suggests,... 

What is a String Raise?

At our newly formed Thursday night poker club, I was informed that I couldn’t call a bet, and then raise. I used these words; “I’ll call your $20, and raise you another $20.” Someone objected and said that I couldn’t do that. I have seen this form of betting many times before, so enlighten me, am I wrong? Jeb S. Where you have seen “I’ll call your twenty, partner, then after a swig of JD, the gambler utters, I’ll raise you another twenty” is... 

Table Games Etiquette

For those who have never played a table game before, this section is for you. It will benefit everybody if you know the basics of gambling protocol before you sit down for the first time. Few things are more annoying than a beginner at a table who doesn’t know what to do and has to be told everything several times by the dealer. Before your first time at a table game ask if your casino offers gaming instructions. Many will give a tour of all the major games, explaining the rules and how to... 

Single Deck Blackjack – Common Rules & House Edge

It seems like single deck blackjack games are becoming more common once again, but the trend in some casinos is to make the payoffs for blackjack 6:5 instead of the customary 3:2. Keep reading to see how this affects the overall dealer advantage. We advice players to play single deck blackjack games because if you play using perfect basic strategy on a single deck game the house edge shrinks to a meager 0.15%. Most casinos used to have single deck 3:2 games. But today, they are rarities, replaced... 

Basic Strategy When Can’t Double Down with Aces

There are some casinos out there who do not allow doubling down on soft hands. Your basic strategy cards probably don’t factor this in, so we wanted to make sure to clear a few things up in order to make sure that you are still getting the most out of your play. Some specific questions we received are for for playing an A, 7 against a 6 or an A, 6 against a 4 in these circumstances. Also, if your casino does not offer surrender on blackjack, but does offer insurance then we will offer some... 

Skill in Throwing Craps Dice

I was at the casino recently playing craps in a game where a guy threw the number seven about a dozen times without the point ever being made. Of course I was happy to be enjoying his luck until he starting telling us that he had the skill of willing the number seven. Of course, two hours later, he was broke. Now I don’t think there is such a thing as willing the numbers, but it got me wondering if there was any skill involved in throwing dice? The dice though have no idea who is throwing... 

Difference Between Bluffing & Semi-Bluffing

I’m sure if you have ever watched any poker on television then you have heard the terms bluff and semi-bluff.  A lot of beginners do not know the difference and I’ve even hear them make the mistake of thinking that a semi-bluff is just a bluff for less money. In reality bluff and a semi-bluff are only very distant cousins and not distinguished by the amount of money at risk. In poker, there are generally two ways to win a hand. One is for your opponent to fold, conceding the pot; and... 

Simple Basic Strategy for Blackjack

When people head out to Vegas they often want a crash course in how to play blackjack. Well it’s not quite that simple but we can make sure that you play as good as possible given your time constraints on learning the game. So here is the basic strategy that you are going to want to learn: If dealer shows 2 or 3 take cards until you have 13 or more. If dealer shows 4 5 or 6 take cards until you have 12 or more. If dealer shows 7 8 9 10 or Ace take cards until you have 17 or more. If you... 

Doubling Down After You Lose in Blackjack

Have you ever heard someone say that they have a foolproof way of winning at blackjack? The best part is that you don’t have to be very smart, good at math, understand probabilities, count cards, or even really know basic strategy. It’s one of the one of the oldest and obviously fallacious ones around, simply doubling your bet every time you lose. When you win, just go back to your basic betting unit, $10.00. Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is. The system described... 

What is Faro?

Faro is an even-money game you can set up on your kitchen table and learn in less than a month; in fact, two minutes should do it. So, Peter and other readers, go fetch yourselves two decks of cards and learn by doing. Lay out in neat rank order‹ace through king‹the thirteen cards of a single suit (traditionally spades) face up on the table top (or on an enameled green cloth if one happens along). It is on this spread that you do your betting. The other deck is for the game itself. As the bettor,... 

How Continuous Shuffling Affects the Odds

A common question asked is how big of a disadvantage does the blackjack player have who counts cards have against continuous shuffle machines? And a related question of how often do online casinos shuffle their cards? We turned to casino expert Mark Pilarski to allow him to help assist us with these questions and more. Casinos thwart card counters by using different countermeasures. They can use more decks, which decrease the player’s advantage, or they can shuffle prematurely. The downside... 

Odds on Natural Royal Flush in Video Poker

You could almost bet someone a large amount that they would never be dealt a natural royal flush on a video poker machine and feel pretty safe that you are never going to have to pay up. With a 52-card deck there are 2,598,960 possible hands, and what you’re asking for is that one of them to be dealt straight away. Those are long, tall odds. And what about all that time and money spent chasing down a natural Royal flush in hearts? Well, here’s the barnyard math. At a buck and a quarter... 

Video Poker Odds Royal Flush

Doesn’t it seem that every time you are dealt one card short of the royal flush, when you draw you never get the card that you need? It can lead you to believe that the casino controls who and when someone hits the jackpot and takes home the cash. However, casino expert Mark Pilarski is here to deal with this nasty rumor and set you down the right path: I could bore you to tears by trying to explain how the pseudo-random number generator determines the cards you will get, but instead, I’ll... 

Video Poker

In video poker, only 21% of the hands dealt are winning hands of Jacks or better and 79% are downright dogs. Herein lies the difference between the winning and losing player: what you do with those 79% of the hands that need to be groomed into winning greyhounds. The best way to give yourself the greatest chance of victory at video is to read, absorb, embrace and pledge allegiance to these playing tips. o Seek out Jacks or better machines that pay 9 coins for a full house and six coins for a flush. o... 

Video Blackjack Odds

If you want the video blackjack odds then take a look at the house edge and different strategies to help you win. We have frequently been asked about the house edge on Video Blackjack and how different rules and playing perfect strategy affect the odds against you. Many players like the smaller wager limits with the video version and the fact that they can play at my own slower pace.These visitors are right in that there are plenty of advantages to video blackjack with the low minimum bankroll... 

Two Year Olds Gambling

Today Mark Pilarski is giong to prove that two-year-olds gamble. Seems like an outlandish statement right? Well keep reading. First, let me give you two examples of children gambling casino style. On the Boardwalk in Atlantic City children can freely walk into an arcade and play true slot machines by exchanging quarters for tokens. They win crummy prizes in exchange for the tickets the slot spits out. Another example is at the children’s arcade at the Circus Circus in Reno. A child can play... 

Three Card Poker

Three card poker is two games in one where the player may bet on either one, both, and in different amounts. Both games are based on hands consisting of three cards. Before I go on here are the possible hands in three card poker, the number of combinations of each hand, and the probability of forming. Note that a straight is harder to form than a flush. Probabilities in Three Card Poker PairplusThis is a simple game in which you get three cards and are paid according to their value. The... 

Things to Do in Las Vegas

With the Bodog.com Marketing Conference set to take place on July 23-25 we thought you might want to be prepared to get the most out of your trip to Sin City by giving you a list of things to do in Las Vegas. Yeah, we know – we here at BodogNation love drinking and gambling too – but what do you do if you need more from your Vegas experience? Perhaps, you’ve been to Vegas a thousand times, stayed at the MGM, swam at Mandalay Bay, ate at Nobu and got loaded at Rum Jungle, and now,... 

Things for Kids to Do in Las Vegas

If you are deciding on whether to take a family trip to Las Vegas or Disneyland, then the age of your children is important.  If you have the younger crowd then Disneyland is more appearling, while if they are old enough to gamble then you could have a good time in Sin City.  Mark Pilarski gives his recommendations here. If you’re looking for total family entertainment, choose the latter and take your family to Disneyland. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Las Vegas-just not as a family destination.... 

Super Fun 21

Super Fun 21 is a blackjack variation found at lots of casinos in Las Vegas. There are lots of liberal rules offset by most blackjacks paying only even money. The Rules Blackjack rules are followed with these specifics and changes: The game is played with a single deck of cards. Dealer hits a soft 17. Player may double after a split. Player may resplit to up to four hands, including aces. Player may hit and double down to split aces. Player may double on any number of cards. Player may take late... 

Splitting Eights in Blackjack

If you have ever taken a look at a basic strategy card, book on blackjack, or an experts column online then you will always see they recommend splitting eights against a dealer 10. However, many players realize that they are going to end up losing even with two different 8’s going against the dealer 10, so they depart from optimal play and just hit instead of splitting. While this is a hand that hurts most players, you have to realize that the perfect strategy tries to minimize losses at... 

Pass Line Odds Compared to Hardway Sixes & Eights

When it comes to casinos, there aren’t many people out there who know more about the odds than Mark Pilarski. This week a reader asks Mark to help her show her brother how much more he is going to lose over the long run by betting hardway sixes and eights at the craps table over the pass line. Always remember, the pass line is one of the best bets you can make in the casino since it has such a low house advantage.By using a simple mathematical formula Mark proves that by playing smart you... 

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is a variation of blackjack that is one of the best bets in a casino. In locations where the dealer stands on a soft 17 or redoubling is allowed, Spanish 21 is probably a better bet than blackjack, depending on the specific blackjack rules. If you are looking for a change of pace from traditional blackjack but insist on a game with a low house edge you may find new excitement in Spanish 21. The Rules Spanish 21 uses six or eight Spanish decks, each deck consisting of 48 cards —... 

Roulette Rules in Atlantic City & Las Vegas

Many of you would be surprised to find out that the Roulette rules in Atlantic City are different than they are in Las Vegas. That is good news if you are in AC but bad news if you are in Sin City. When you make an even-money bet (red/black, odd/even, 1-18/9-36) in Atlantic City, you lose only half your wager if the roulette ball lands on 0 or 00. These outside wagers cut the house edge down from 5.26 to 2.63%. Keep in mind that this advantage is only in effect for even-money bets. For even better... 

Best Casinos

Everyone has their favorite casino, but what really makes the best casinos so great? Some people think it’s a single deck blackjack game, while others prefer a good buffet with cocktail waitresses that make frequent rounds. Mark Pilarski worked in more than his fair share of casinos and has his own take on what make the best casinos so great. Even with his love of buffets that line up on the American casino landscape, a great lineup of food isn’t going to equal the best casino. It... 

2008 Big Ten Conference Tournament Preview & Predictions

The 2008 Big Ten Tournament is set to get under way on March 13th and finish up on March 16th. The tournament is set to take place at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 11 team conference awards the top 5 teams with a bye during the first day of play and the bottom 6 teams are forced to complete the hard task of winning 4 games in 4 days to earn an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Wisconsin Badgers are currently in great position to finish atop the league, as they sit one... 

2008 SEC Tournament Preview and Predictions

The SEC is composed of 12 teams split up into two divisions, the East and the West. The SEC Tournament will feature all 12 of these teams when the tournament gets under way March 13th until a champion is crowned on March 16th. The tournament takes place in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The top two teams of each division will get a free pass to day two of the tournament, while the other 8 teams will be required to make a difficult 4 game run in 4 days. Tennessee and Mississippi State both have a bye... 

Sic Bo Casino

We have done the work to find a Sic Bo casino that you can rely on. The top choice that gamblers from across the world rely on for their online Sic Bo casino is Bodog. They also provide a detailed knowledge base so you can fully understand all of the bets you can place on the game at their casino. Playing the game online is just as enjoyable as when playing at a land-based casino and you can even get started by playing for free. By playing in their free casino you can quickly become an expert... 

Sic Bo

Sic Bo, meaning “dice pair” is an ancient Chinese gambling game. Today it is one of the lesser known casino games and is often confined to designated rooms for Asian games. The game uses three dice and a table with a variety of betting options on the roll of those dice. The odds and table layout may also vary from place to place. If you must play Sic Bo I would suggest sticking to only the ‘low’ and ‘high’ bets. Following is a list of the best available. This... 

Roulette Odds

We want to stress the fact that you are going to need to do the math on roulette odds before the dealer spins the wheel. You are going to want to stick to what works and not superstitious schemes. This article was written by the Wizard of Odds The first thing to be clear about: past spins does not help predict future spins. This is true if you are betting in either land or online casinos. The reason I emphasize this is because roulette seems to be a magnet for con men selling get-rich-quick betting... 

Roulette History

We take a look at roulette history from it’s inception all the way through the revolution of online roulette. If you love to play roulette then you should enjoy reading where the game got it’s start. Roulette got it’s start in France in the 17th century when a French mathematician called Blaise Pascal, inspired by perpetual motion mechanisms invented the roulette wheel for gambling. Roulette got it’s name because it means little wheel in French.Two fellow Frenchmen Francois... 

Roulette Glossary

If you are going to play in the casino, you need to keep up on the roulette glossary so you will be more comfortable from the start. We have put together this basic list of roulette terms: American Wheel – This refers to the 00 wheel commonly used in North America giving a total of 38 slots as opposed to the European wheel with 37 slots. Column Bet – This involves betting on one of the 12 number columns. Combination Bet – Betting on more than one possible outcome. Corner Bet –... 

Roulette

Roulette is a very popular casino and gambling game that involves a round wheel which has 36 numbers and either a 0 or a 0 and 00. There are pockets in which the ball rolls into and bettors bet on which pocket the ball will land in. It starts with 1 and goes to 36, with odds being red numbers and even being black. The zeros are green and is the house edge. The payout on single numbers are 35 to 1, with the bet amount itself also returned. You can also bet on combinations of numbers, ranges,... 

What is Pyramid Poker

Mark Pilarski was recently asked if he had ever heard of an abbreviated game of Pai Gow poker that uses less than the traditional seven cards?  Below was Mark’s reply: Pai Gow Poker is a seven-card poker game played with a standard 52-card deck and a joker. The art of the game is to skillfully arrange your cards into two poker hands, one of five cards and the other of two. To win, both your five-card hand and your two-card hand must beat the banker’s corresponding hands. When setting... 

Pyramid Poker Strategy

For those of you who don’t know, Pyramid Poker is a simplified version of Pai Gow poker, where, instead of seven cards, three cards are dealt to each player. Once both the dealer and players are dealt their three cards, the players arrange their hands so each has a two-card hand and a one-card hand. As in Pai Gow Poker, the one-card hand must have a lower value than the two-card hand. The hand rankings are just the same as in poker except there are no straights or flushes with the two-card... 

How Progressive Jackpots Rise in Slots & Video Poker

Progressive jackpots are a favorite of the casino patron. The desire to leave the casino after a few hours of playing with riches beyond your wildest dreams is an urge that few of us can control. Have you ever wondered how the progressive jackpots rise in both slots and video poker. Well we brought on Mark Pilarski to give us the details. The rate at which the meter progresses upward is based on a pre-set percentage of all the money cycled through the machine. The meter rates will vary from machine... 

Streaks on the Roulette Table

There are some players out there who are convinced that roulette tables operate on streaks. These players use a strategy that allows them to wager only on numbers that have previously appeared. Mark Pilarski is here today to try and convince you that this is not a good strategy. A streak is nothing more than a backward glimpse at probability and should not be taken into consideration in most, if not all, gaming situations. Roulette wheels do not operate with artificial intelligence nor do they... 

Why Aces and Face Cards Help the Player

Card counters and even rookie players all seem to know that in blackjack, the more aces and face cards that are in the deck the better it is going to be for the player. If the deck is loaded with small cards, then most people know that the dealer has the edge. Many people change their bets according to how the deck is running, but do you know why it’s so advantageous to the player? Mark Pilarski dives in and explains. There are two reasons aces and face cards help the player: First, blackjacks... 

Odds on Hitting the Caribbean Stud Progressive

One of the casinos favorite tricks is to offer progressive jackpots that lure players into hoping that they are going to walk out that night rich and live happily ever after. Caribbean Stud is one of those games that offers this exciting option. Let’s say you walk into your local casino and see the progressive total is at $55,200 for a royal flush. How good a wager, and when is it mathematically in your favor and what is a good Caribbean Stud poker strategy? Casino expert Mark Pilarski... 

Most Popular Slot Machines in Las Vegas

What are the most popular slot machines in the casino? This was a question recently poised to casino expert Mark Pilarski, and like normal he has the answer. The bulk of the lucrative slot business has been the exclusive territory of one manufacturer, International Game Technology (IGT). Their bread-and-butter comes from the most popular machine in America: the Red, White and Blue reel slot. And what makes the Red, White and Blue so popular? Player appeal. People flock to the colors that represent... 

Do Casinos Pump Oxygen?

There is a popular myth out there that the casinos in Las Vegas pump oxygen through the air conditioning system to enrich the air. The theory behind this is that the oxygen keeps you from sleeping as long and therefore you will be more inclined to gamble your money away. However, this is an old urban legend that doesn’t have any real fact behind it. What comes to mind every time I hear this rumor are the three Apollo astronauts who died when a small spark combined with oxygen ignited their... 

Pontoon

Pontoon is sometimes said to be an early version of blackjack. Today Pontoon is offered by Real Time Gaming casinos. In Pontoon any five-card hand or a pontoon (same thing as a blackjack) pay 2 to 1, including after splitting. However there is no dealer up card and the dealer wins on ties. There are several other rule changes from blackjack so read carefully before playing. If played according the basic strategy below the game offers a low house edge of 0.17%. Rules Following are the complete rules... 

Pai Gow Poker

The Americanized version of Pai Gow is called Pai Gow Poker. In this game you play with cards and poker hand rankings instead of Chinese dominoes. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck plus a single joker. Each player is playing against the banker, which may be the casino dealer or one of the other players at the table. The goal is to create a five-card poker hand and a two-card poker hand out of the seven cards in you receive. The five-card hand must rank higher than your two-card... 

Online Sic Bo

You can enjoy online Sic Bo from the comfort of your own home when using the internet. One of the best online casinos to do this at is Bodog. Sic Bo is a game with eastern oriental roots and bears a close resemblance to Grand Hazard and Big Six. New to the internet gambling world, you can play online Sic Bo now from the comforts of your own home. This is a simple dice game in which bets are placed on the board and a small cage containing three dice are spun and rolled onto the table. In the... 

2008 Big East Conference Tournament Preview & Predictions

The Big East tournament is set to take place March 12-15 at the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Big East is the biggest conference team wise in college basketball with 16 teams. Out of those 16 teams only 12 can earn spots in the Big East Tournament. Where the top 4 seeds will earn first round byes and the rest of the teams have the difficult task of winning 4 games in 4 days. This will be the last year that the Big East excludes the bottom 4 teams from tournament play, as next... 

Online Casinos

Online casinos are the cure for the bettor who lives too far away from Las Vegas or the many other legal land based casinos. The odds and payback percentages for online casinos can also be higher than the same games played at land based casinos because of the lower costs in maintaining the operation. You can find a number of online casinos that will post their payout percentages for slot machines. Now, slot machines at casinos are basically mechanical so you might be asking how an online casino... 

Online Casino Guide

We want you to feel comfortable making the move to online casinos from land-based locations. As online gambling games are growing in popularity over the last few years, the amount of internet casinos has been increasing. Casinos first appeared in the card game literature at the end of the eighteenth century in London, and shortly afterwards in Germany. In the late nineteenth century it became fashionable in America and a number of new variations were developed. Many can have just as much or sometimes... 

Online Blackjack

Betfirms is your one stop shop for online blackjack strategy. Our site is built for more than just online casino reviews, we want to help you beat the casinos that are the best ones on the internet. Blackjack is a fun game that gets played by more high rollers than any other casino game. You can and will get the odds over to your side if you use the tips and tricks on this site. The house does not need to have the edge if you take advantage of our blackjack tips and use them to your advantage.... 

Odds on Deal or No Deal

We frequently get asked if the banker is setting the true odds on Deal or No Deal or is this game show still showing a game show edge? It isn’t normally giving players the average, but then again there are other factors involved.  Mark Pilarski gives his thoughts on the game. If you haven’t seen Deal or No Deal then this is how it works. The participant selects a brief case containing anywhere from 1 cent to 1 million dollars, and there are 26 cases to choose from. Then, all non-selected... 

2008 Big 12 Conference Tournament Preview and Predictions

The Big 12 tournament is set to take place March 13-16 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. This is the first year the tournament will play in the Sprint Center that opened back in the fall of 2007. The tournament will include each team in the Big 12, with the top 4 teams after regular season play getting a first round bye, meaning if the bottom 8 want to win the tournament they will have to win 4 games in 4 days. The top 2 seeds are set with Texas likely to get the #1 seed and Kansas to get... 

2008 ACC Conference Tournament Preview and Predictions

Conference tournaments are just a week away and the NCAA Tournament is almost here. While we have a good idea of who is going to make it and who isn’t there is still a lot that is up for grabs. Lets take a look at the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) Tournament that is set to take place March 13-16. The tournament is set to take place at the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The ACC is composed of 12 teams, and the tournament rewards the top 4 regular season teams a bye on opening day of... 

New York Giants 2008 NFL Draft Needs

The New York Giants are coming off an unbelievable Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots, but its now time for the team to start looking towards next year and their attempt to defend their title. The Giants had one of the best defensive front lines in the game last year, but could take a hit if DE Michael Strahan decides to hang it up. The team has only suffered a couple big losses this off-season in FS Gabriel Wilson, LB Kawika Mitchell, and LB Reggie Torbor, but brought in veteran... 

Dallas Cowboys 2008 NFL Draft Needs

The Cowboys fell short again in 2007, as they lost in the playoffs to eventual Super Bowl Champions the New York Giants. The Cowboys made sure that T Flozell Adams and S Ken Hamlin would return to the team in 2008, as they re-signed Adams and stuck the franchise tag on Hamlin. The Cowboys have signed veteran pro bowl linebacker Zach Thomas to help out the defense. So what do the Cowboys need to get this team to the Super Bowl in 2008? It could all start in the NFL draft. While there is talks that... 

How Long to Claim Mega Millions Jackpot Winners

There are some people out there who seem to misplace their Mega Millions lottery tickets for quite some time. This is not a practice recommended by casino expert Mark Pilarski, as he explains to a reader who noticed while cleaning an old purse the she had $10 worth of Mega Millions lottery tickets she purchased last year in California. After checking out a web site and finding out they were not winners, she was still curious about how long she had to redeem them had she won anything, and what... 

Copyright © 2003 - 2009 BetFirms.com - Free Sports Picks and Predictions Web Site! -