Weather reports and sports handicapping

How Much of An Element is Weather in Handicapping? Even those few football fans who don’t gamble surely are aware of Brett Favre’s remarkable winning streak in sub 34 degree weather or Tampa’s ineptitude when the kickoff temperature is below 40 on the archaic fahrenheit scale. It though is not just fair but imperative for handicappers to note most of those Favre games were at home where he was rarely beaten and Tampa’s incompetence was compiled when they were a doormat playing on the road. As far as weather benefitting one team or the other, more times than not the old adage of both teams having to play in the same conditions bodes true. This is not to say though weather won’t decide the spread or SU outcome. Many teams are built for their home field and extreme weather in a battle of dichotomous styles will without question be a factor. Come playoff time and even late in the regular season we will hear pundits and handicappers question the ability of dome teams to win or even make it to the Super Bowl. Atlanta making it in 1999 and the Rams winning it all in 2000 did take some steam out of those convinced of a dome field disadvantage but both teams were able to avoid having to play in nasty outdoor conditions. There is one major factor missing from the aforesaid critics. We would actually agree that dome teams clearly built for dome play are at a huge disadvantage in nasty outdoor conditions. We certainly don’t disagree that the Colts horrible defense needs to be improved and nobody can question the genius of Bill Belichick. But the Colts offense is much more high powered than they are great and we question the Colts ability to beat any team in northern winter weather. The same was true for Minnesota in the Randy Moss era. The exception to the "both teams play in the same conditions” rule would be high powered offenses. Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Ike Reese said. "Sloppy-weather games are tailor-made for running teams. When you have to put the ball up, you're going to have to worry about sloppy passes, balls getting fumbled." The famed Dolphins of the early 70s which went to the Super Bowl three straight years, winning two including the perfect season are a perfect example of a team that could win in any conditions. In fact un-Miami like conditions fit perfectly into their smash mouth ball control style. Teams custom built for their climate or stadium of course will be most effected by conditions that deviate from their comfort zone. But a road team’s style is more quantifying than their city of origin or whether or not there is a roof on their stadium insofar as handicapping weather conditions. The single biggest mistake handicappers make is thinking potential weather advantages benefit mostly warm climate teams playing in northern cities. No less of an authority on the subject would be Dan Marino. He played his high school and college ball in Pittsburgh and spent a Hall-of-Fame career in Miami, but with many a road game in New York, Foxborough, Buffalo and many other cold-weather cities. Marino states emphatically that is tougher for a cold weather team to play in a hot weather city than visa versa. Ask any chad hanging seasoned citizen New York transplant in south Florida and they will tell you there is an acclimation period adjusting to the much warmer weather. But eventually one gets quite used to it. Fans of international soccer will note how for example the USA soccer team admits the brutal conditions of Guatemala and the Central American countries is a huge disadvantage for the Yankees and adaptation is difficult. As a point of fact, it’s easier for the heavily padded American football players to compensate for cold conditions than it is for the blistering heat of Florida, Texas or Arizona. Yet the handicapper seems to concern himself more so with the December frozen tundra. This is not the case at the Center of the Handicapping Universe.

Mobile casino games. part one

Nowadays hardly anybody will be surprised at online games. But the technology forges ahead, now you can play not only at home, but almost in any point of the world. I am talking about mobile casino games. Everybody has a mobile phone (smartphone, PDA, Palmtop Computers), the coverage is increasing, so the possibilities for playing are impressive. Let us have a look what mobile casinos and mobile poker rooms offer us. Mobile casinos entered the market of mobile games earlier, therefore, there is much more variety here now. Mobile casino games are offered by gambling technology specialists Spin3 (a company that is associated with major casino games software provider "Microgaming"), as well as "Play Tech". So far only a limited number of online casinos with the software of these companies offer mobile casino games, but their number is gradually growing. There are a number of mobile casinos with their proprietary software affiliated to large online gaming companies, as well as independent mobile casinos. It should be stated at once that it is better to play in mobile casinos, which are represented by famous and well known online casinos: it is more reputable, more convenient, more depositing and winning withdrawal options, reliable customer support etc. Starting to play mobile casino games a player has to open an account in a corresponding online casino. Sometimes it is possible to do it through a mobile phone, but it is more convenient to do it through a computer, the internet and mobile account are the same as a rule. The majority of deposit methods, in particular, all the electronic payment systems, will also work only through a computer client, though, the player can make a deposit from a card directly by means of a mobile phone. Downloading your favourite casino games on a mobile it is also convenient to have a computer at hand - complete a special registration form on the casino web site, enter your phone number, select a country and a game and receive an SMS - message on your phone with the direct link for downloading. Again, in principle, it is possible to open a WAP version of the casino using the mobile and download games directly from there, but it is less convenient. In contrast to an online casino where you can download the whole package of games, games are downloaded here one by one, and the choice is not so wide, approximately ten games: black jack, baccarat, roulette, video poker, keno and various slots. The games are not very big, about 200-300 Kb. It is not difficult to guess that there are certain requirements for your mobile phone. As a matter of fact the majority of contemporary phones meet the mobile casinos requirements. On the sites of mobile casinos it is possible to check whether they will work on your phone. The game is downloaded, you have a login and a password, the money is on the account and you can start playing. I will only make a remark that for safety purposes in contrast to online casino in mobile phones it is impossible to record the password, therefore, if you lose a phone, casino money will not be lost.

Live online poker games guide to having responsible fun

Live Online poker has truly exploded lately. There is an increasing number of websites everywhere where you can take a dive into the world of online poker. However, with playing comes the common and unavoidable world of addiction. That is when the world of live online poker can be a danger for many people. There are more people every year that get addicted to gambling. They can become addicted to offline gambling or it can be online gambling that they become addicted to. Whichever one it is they can be looking at a tough time. It’s not too hard to see why people can become addicted to gambling either. This is due to the fact that most people find an adrenaline rush when they play. The tentacles of live online poker do not discriminate. You could be a professional at the game or just a newbie; however since we are human we are prone to weaknesses. And once you have tasted the forbidden fruit of online poker you might find that you are hooked. The addiction creeps up on you once you have won a game or two. Regardless of the amount, you might find that you want more and more. That is when people should be aware that the live online poker rush has gone from being a simple game into a serious addiction. The reality, however, is that when you are addicted, you are often in serious denial. Then it only takes something serious like ending up in financial distress to actually make you realize that you have the addiction devil on your shoulder. The main problem for people who play live online poker is that they will see the flashing signs on the websites and get drawn in that way. Like moths to a flame. The human eye is prone to the lure of something new and interesting. The worse part for most people is that they see the promise of huge cash payouts, slogans that say “We will pay out $10,000 to the winner of our tournament.” These kinds of banners and advertisements can pull an addict further in to the world of online poker. Then the big cash payout promises become merely you forking out more money from your pocket and ending up with a mountain of debt. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom for live online poker players, many people that have signed up for the online poker websites have had a very good time. They haven’t become addicted and they are only online playing occasionally just to kill some time. The main reason that these kinds of people don’t get addicted to live online poker, is because they don’t play for real money. There are websites that will let you play for real money whereas others are just for fake poker chips. But if you think that you could be addicted then the best thing is to seek help. The best telltale signs of online poker addiction are debt and lack of social interaction. If you look at your bank statements and the bills piling up in the corner, then there is something wrong. Get the addiction problem solved before it further erodes your life. Overall online poker is a great game to play, but you have to make the decision if you would like to play some serious poker and bet real money. Or if you would like to just play for fun. Many online poker websites will offer you money when you sign up that you can use for gambling. The choice is entirely yours, but the main thing to remember is to have fun.

Best casino movies

Las Vegas and its casinos have always been an inspiration for filmmakers looking to inject excitement and intrigue into their movies. One of the most famous movies with a Las Vegas backdrop is 1960’s ‘Ocean’s Eleven’, which sees the members of the original ‘Rat Pack’ – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis – planning to rob five of the top casinos in Vegas in just one night. Things go according to plan – at least until after the heists. ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ was remade successfully in 2001 by Steven Soderburgh, who cast George Clooney in the leading role of Danny Ocean and Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Elliott Gould as gang members, amongst others. The 2001 version updated the storyline while still putting across the same glamorous image of Vegas as in the first movie. Nicolas Cage visited Las Vegas in 1992 for his film ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’. This comedy tells the story of Jack Singer (played by Cage) who decides to wed his long-time partner Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) in Vegas. However, when they arrive, Betsy is spotted by a high-stakes gambler who decides he wants to spend a weekend with her. He engages Singer in poker games in an attempt to wrestle her from him. With Cage acting his best as the love-struck bridegroom, James Caan as the sinister gambler, and a number of parachuting Elvis impersonators, ‘Honeymoon in Vegas’ offers plenty of laughs. Matt Damon is Mike McDermott, one of the world’s best poker players in the 1998 film ‘Rounders’, who has given up the game in order to concentrate on finishing law school. When his old friend Worm (Edward Norton) is released from prison, he persuades McDermott to return to the game in order to pay off some bad debts he’s accrued. McDermott consequently finds himself playing in a series of poker games where the stakes are forever increasing and the tension is forever building. Finally, a list of casino movies is incomplete without a mention of the 1995 Martin Scorcese movie ‘Casino’, which is considered by many to be the definitive casino film. This tells the true story of Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein, a mobster who moves to Las Vegas and becomes the operator of the Tangiers casino. Robert De Niro makes the lead role his own, as Rothstein copes with marriage to a drug addict (played by Sharon Stone) and friendship with Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), a fellow mobster slowly spiralling into a world of violence.

Premiership betting review 23 april 2006

Tottenham had one foot in fourth place until Thierry Henry equalised in the North London derby. Robbie Keane gave Spurs the lead after 66 minutes which left Arsenal outraged as their opponents did not play for an injury. However, substitute Henry secured a share of the spoils at odds of 5/2 six minutes before the end. Newcastle remain on course for an UEFA Cup berth after a convincing 3-0 win against West Brom. Nolberto Solano gave the 4/5 Magpies the lead after half an hour and Shola Ameobi showed there was life after Alan Shearer with a penalty five minutes before the break and a second goal just before the final whistle. Bolton remain hot on Newcastle’s tail after a 4-1 demolition of Charlton. Vaz Te scored for the 5/6 Trotters after 14 minutes, Kevin Davies on 21 and Jared Borgetti 10 minutes later gave Sam Allardyce’s team a commanding lead. Darren Bent struck a penalty for the Addicks on 76 but Davies netted his second a minute from time to ensure Bolton won by three goals. Portsmouth left it late to beat relegated Sunderland to edge out of the bottom three. Sunderland, a speculative punt at 8/1 took the lead through Tommy Miller after 70 minutes but Svetoslav Todorov equalised three minutes later. With two minutes remaining, Kevin Kyle gave away a ridiculous hand-ball and Matthew Taylor converted the resultant penalty to ensure a 2/5 home win. Birmingham gave their survival hopes a boost with a goalless draw at Everton. A dour match with few chances for either side was played out to a 9/4 stalemate. Being six points away from Portsmouth, West Brom are now 1/100 for relegation while Birmingham City, two points behind Portsmouth, are 3/10. Harry Redknapp’s side are 5/2 outsiders to face the drop, although they have two tough matches remaining in Wigan Athletic and Liverpool. The FA Cup semi finals were both all-Premiership affairs with Liverpool meeting West Ham in the final on Saturday 13 May. Liverpool were 16/5 outsiders in their match at Old Trafford but stunned Chelsea by racing into a 2-0 lead. John Arne Riise stuck a free kick after 20 minutes and Luis Garcia fired in a second seven minutes after the break. Didier Drogba took full advantage of a defensive mix-up on 69 but the Reds held firm.. West Ham left it late to dump Middlesbrough out of the cup at Villa Park. Marlon Harewood struck the decisive goal with 12 minutes left for Alan Pardew’s 9/5 outsiders and secured a place in next season’s UEFA Cup as a result.