Archive for the ‘leisure’ tag
What Video Games Can Teach You
Who would have ever thought that video games – a form of entertainment – could improve the minds of those that play them! The truth is that amid all the cool graphics, the fantastic music, and the intriguing plots, educational opportunities are abound – and to find them, one only needs to look at them a little closer.
1. Strategizing is one of the lessons you gain from video games. Almost any video game today demands the gamer to strategize in one or more parts of the game. As a result, gamers may later expand this way of thinking into reality.
2. Solving or breaking codes and other kinds of problem is another thing that may benefit gamers when applied in the real world. Most video games force the player to think deep to find the most logical solution since they won’t be able to progress into the game. A single game may produce up to a hundred problems before it can be finished.
3. Hand and eye coordination is also another beneficial lesson you get from video games. Working your way through your desktop’s layout using a mouse point is similar to controlling a character with a joystick.
4. Video games also improve faster output regarding random and unexpected problems. Players are required to make fast and correct decisions in order to win the game.
5. Video games feed the imagination. We don’t really understand the argument against things like television, videos, and gaming where people use the lack of imagination to support their part of the debate. Some people claim that video games take away from the imagination because games supply the mind with things instead of encouraging the mind to come up with these things on their own. Bear in mind that these are the same people who say a stack of blocks is sufficient to grow a child’s imagination. Of course we couldn’t disagree more. The imagery in video games only fuels the imagination and gives it a spring board to form new possibilities that might not have occurred otherwise.
6. Video games also help bring out the adventurous, risk-taking and carefree side of gamers. This may be seen in many MMORPGs where you are given an entire world to journey off to without even having the slightest clue as to where it will bring them.
7. Video games also improve the memorization capacity of the player. Due to its vast gameplay as well as options, video games force the player to recall information in order to progress to the next level of the game.
8. Video games also teach an important lesson of consequence. As with any real world situation, video games also have the action reaction theory. Whatever you do in the game has a corresponding reaction from the game itself thereby teaching the gamer what to do and what not to based on the consequences.
9. Lastly, video games develop the perseverance, persistence and commitment of the player since there isn’t a good video game that can be finished within an hour or two, right? Most video games on top of the list take at least weeks to complete
These are the lessons and benefits that await those who want to try out video games. When observed closely, many are surely going to discover more lessons from video games than the normal eye would spot.
The author is a multifaceted writer. She creates articles for a variety of subjects like marriage and relationship advices, great deals on women’s swimsuits and tankini swimwear, family and parenting concerns, fashion and beauty tips and a lot more.
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How Does Rakeback in Online Poker Work?
Sitting down at a real world casino in Las Vegas to play Texas Hold’em, you’ll often see more players re-depositing funds rather than cashing out. While differentials in skills explain some of the distribution issues, it’s also important to note the role of the rake. Rake is the percentage of a poker pot which is claimed by the house as a fee, and it can add up to significant amounts over time.
Most poker rooms take a fixed commission from each winning pot, as well as a sliding scale of rake up to a capped level – as the game continues around the table, the house take continues to increase. As a result, there is a gap between break even play and break even return at the poker table – closing this gap through a combination of rakeback and improved play can take you from a scratch player to a +EV player at the table.
Real world poker rooms offer traditional “comps” to their players. In a similar way on line poker sites offer rakeback as a loyalty bonus for their players. The system isn’t complicated. The site automatically tracks your contribution to the rack as you play, and these amounts can add up over time. When you sign up through a rakeback site, a portion of these fees are rebated regularly to your account or as a bonus. Usually you must sign up with a partner to be able to receive rakeback bonuses. Initially, while a player may not qualify for the highest deposit bonus,a variety of reload bonuses may be qualified for thereby reducing your rakerate as time goes on.
With automated tracking, you can generally check your rakeback on a daily or real-time basis, helping you to better understand your performance over time. Proper rake back structures can help you to become a profitable player in less time, shifting your earnings from poker into high gear.
How Do You Earn Rebates through Rakeback Programs
With the right signup structure the player can play the poker room and table of choice and still earn rakeback. While traditional bonuses tend to restrict play, rakeback rebates are based on the player’s monthly gross revenue (MGR) to the poker room. The result is players are able to play any type of game from stud to Omaha to Hold’em and in some cases even tournament play, all with strong returns.
Poker rooms provide rebates on the revenue you generate for their tables which instills loyalty and provides a win-win for players as well. Essentially, rakeback is offering you a discount on the cost of playing online poker. For players who rely upon online tables for income, rakeback programs allow you to benefit greatly in terms of overall returns.
Rakeback provides rebates on a set schedule, generally weekly or monthly, although some sites offer rebates on a more regular basis. For high volume players, special rakeback rates are available, further putting you in better position to become a +EV player and start bring home some real money from your poker experiences.
The author is a full time online poker player and makes the majority of his income from his online play and rakeback at Ultimate Bet. To sign up for a Rakeback account of your own visit Rakeback Solution.
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Make Sure Your Rakeback Provider is one that Works for You
There is a wide variety of choices in poker offers facing online poker players, and the issue of choosing which one is right for you is further complicated by rake sites proposing continuous rake rebates. All of these bonus and rakeback sites are involed in marketing in an attempt to sign you up as a new client. Before you decide it is important to pause and assess which rakeback site best suits your game.
There are countless rake back providers online today, all advertising their services aggressively. Before signing up based on impulse, consider the long run return from working with a given poker site partner, including your comfort with their business practices, communication and customer service. There are multiple factors when it comes to identifying the ideal rakeback solution for your needs:
1. Locate the poker site where you wish to play
The first step when selecting a rakeback provider is to identify which poker site you want to sign-up with. Keep in mind only sites where you don’t have existing accounts are eligible for rakeback, so limit your search to new sites. While rakeback will provide a rebate to help you move toward profitable play, make sure the site has the right selection of table games, competition, volume and software that meets you needs – rake rebates should be a bonus on top of enjoyable, profitable play at top sites such as Full Tilt, Absolute Poker, or Ultimate Bet.
2. Seek out a Reputable Rakeback Provider
Before signing up for a new rakeback offer, make sure that the site partner is reputable and offers regular payments according to terms. The largest rakeback partners have a track record of regular payouts, quality customer service and automated tracking. Generally, poker sites work with selected partners to offer the rebates, and you can identify reputable sites on the basis of online reviews, customer testimonials and by checking the offer with the site.
High offers which seem much different from traditional rakeback bonuses should set off alarm bells. Often these are tendered by rogue affiliates looking for hasty signups, but don’t deliver future payments to players. To limit the risk of the loss of rakeback confine your evaluations only to trusted sites. Getting feedback from players with positive rakeback experiences will help you select quality rebate offers that suite your needs.
3. Going for the Highest Rakeback Percentage
Once you have identified your ideal site and a set of providers, you can then compare offers on the basis of rebate percentage. Often times, sites will cap rebates to partners meaning you have a choice between identical monetary offers. In these cases, you should opt to work with the rakeback providers which offers you the most features, best communications and has the best reputation. A quick contact with customer service can help you identify their methods.
In other cases rakeback providers offer different levels of discounts so you have a real choice between them. Obviously selecting the provider offering the highest percentage means more rebates in your pocket, but, you also need to look at the frequency of payment of the rebates. Remember the more frequent issued rebates fattens your bankroll putting you in a much better position to be successful.
The author takes advantage of the highest Cake Rakeback. Please visit Rakeback Solution to also sign up for Cake Rakeback.
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You May Download Songs Online
For anybody who is a music freak, you ought to download tunes on the Internet. There are so many methods for getting the music that you love, but this one just seems to make sense. If you already spend a lot of time on the Internet, why couldn’t, shouldn’t you look first on the Internet?
If you love many different kinds of songs, there is nowhere else you will find such a great selection of quality entertainment choices than on the Internet. You may never again need to bother about buying multiple CDs in order to get all of your favored songs. Any time you download tunes on the Internet, you can pick and choose as you want.
Just how great is it that you can create your very own music soundtrack, out of millions of available songs? You are able to cross genres and artists, whatever you like. The best way to get started when you want to download songs online is to find a trusted source for your music. You need to find a web site providing you with music downloads that are licensed. You can get into a lot of trouble for downloading music that is copyrighted and hasn’t been freed up for downloading.
There have been some class action law suits against people who have been downloading music online, illegally. Piracy is a very serious offense and the music community has been fighting for years in an attempt to end the piracy of online downloads. It’s serious business that has landed some otherwise unknowing, unsuspecting and innocent people in prison for years and paying thousands of dollars in fines.
You can find legitimate, completely legal sources for music downloads. Do a search on your favorite search engine and learn who offers legal downloads. You’ll get a very long list. You are able to drill down and discover exactly what you are considering by getting more precise. If there is a particular artist that you are looking for, type their name in the search field.
There are various large companies who offer music downloads on the Internet. You Can pay per song, per album or oftentimes, monthly. When you subscribe to a per month subscription, you can generally download a certain number of tunes. Make sure that you divide the amount of the monthly service charge by the quantity of songs you are able to download online to make sure that you are a fantastic bargain.
You ought to be downloading lots of music, or you could be missing out. Check with the different artists’ websites as well as record label websites for the tunes you love and wish to download. If you’ve got varied musical tastes, you might opt for a legal subscription plan to download music online.
Find tunes from literally every genre available to download online. A few web sites specialize in particular eras and artists. Several major download sites provide you with very difficult to find songs that you may have been searching for, for quite a while. When you find a website that provides dependable service and also you have verified that the site is legal, you can start to download songs instantly.
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Learn To Spend Less By Way Of Downloading Films In Your House
All the way through the planet, the number 1 source of entertainment is most likely watching motion pictures. Motion pictures are appreciated by everyone and they have the power to affect our lives for the better and even for the worse. Movies based upon true tales are always interesting and they help us to translate life by watching the trials and tribulations of another person and their life. Fictional stories affect us the same way because they are typically based upon real life experiences.
The countless different genres of films attract all kinds of men and women. There are always those who love a excellent horror movie and detest a good chick flick but most often there are some movies that we like and others that we loathe no matter the genre. The good thing about the movie entertainment business is that they always offer up something that appeals to everyone.
The movie entertainment industry has been around now for almost a century. On the other hand, it has only been in the past 30 years that technology has developed so that we can watch our motion pictures right at home. There are now millions of DVD’s or videos that are rented or purchased every single month in America and now it is even better because now you can download a film right on your own computer from the security of your own residence.
Movies can actually be a tremendous advantage for our lives. When we sit down and lighten up to enjoy a wonderful movie it permits us to get away from our daily concerns, troubles and uncertainties. We tend to get caught up in the lives that are happening in the film and it permits us to forget about our own problems for a while.
Movies can also be very instructive. There are enticing true stories that teach us about people and the world we live in. “Erin Brockovich” starring Julia Roberts is an admirable example of a true story that tells about the world we live in. Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” is another wonderful example of an instructive film.
History is also oftentimes portrayed in the films. One of the most beloved motion pictures of all times actually teaches us a lot about a vital part of American history. “Gone With The Wind” seems like a love story about Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara but it actually teaches us quite a bit about the Civil War and that time in our history.
Everybody’s favorite motion picture, Ocean’s Twelve, three years ago Danny Ocean and his team of eleven had pulled of one of the most daring heists in recent times. Terry Benedict, the casino owner they swindled out of $160 million wants his money back, and knows who robbed him. This leads to another and more diabolical plot to deal with this new mess.
Our top film is Jarhead. This motion picture takes you from boot camp through a tour of duty in the Gulf War. As the soldiers poor into Iraq they meet little conflict. Many of the soldiers are eager to see some action. It’s what they have been preparing for.
Record-breaking motion picture Finding Nemo is a delightfully produced animated family adventure film. Nemo is a adolescent blowfish that has been scooped out of the sea by a diver. His dad Martin is besieged with guilt, and will swim the distance end to end of the ocean to find his young son. His journey takes him on an fantastic venture with his newfound friend Dory, a blue tang, that in time sees him reunited with his only son.
So do yourself a favor and sit down, loosen up and have the benefit of a good film today. You will take pleasure in some peaceful downtime while permitting yourself to relax and dream. You can take some time away from your own problems while you are learning more about other people and the world we live in. It is not a surprise that almost everyone’s desired source of entertainment is motion pictures.
And start learning about how you can do it the uncomplicated way. Look for a lawful movie download service and learn how you can get motion pictures right on your own computer from the security of your house.
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Three Main Stars That All Of Us Like With Regard To Their Off Screen Work
It’s fun to trade opinions on favorite movies and favorite actors. Each person has an opinion and none is more right or wrong but everyone has their own favorites that they enjoy. Some actors astound us with their immense talent, some actors are pretty to check out and then of course some are both of those things. Every so often we admire an actor more for what he does away from the movie set as for the things they’re doing on screen because some actors are just impressive people who use their fame and fortune to help others who are less fortunate throughout the world.
It’s pretty amazing to think that Tom Hanks started out on a little and kooky TV show known as “Bosom Buddies”. Would you have thought that he might have the talent to pull off such great roles as Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer that is infected with AIDS, who is fired from his conservative law firm because of the fear that they may also contract the disease. He received his very first Academy Award for that part in 1993 and yes it was well deserved.
After that in 1994, he became only the second actor in history to win back-to-back Oscars as he again took home the award, this time for “Forrest Gump”. Yes, there are also many other great movies from the funny and sweet like “Big” up to the more serious like “Castaway” where his co-star was truly a volleyball.
Brad Pitt has been recognized as a pretty boy since he first captivated us all in “Thelma and Louise” back in 1991. Then again, Brad hasn’t always played the pretty boy roles. Back in 1995 he played a few disturbing characters in both of the movies “Seven” and “Twelve Monkeys”. Even though his personal life sometimes seems to overshadow his movie roles probably the most impressive thing about Brad Pitt is his support to humanitarian causes throughout the world. He’s donated large sums of cash to help many causes.
When Hurricane Katrina practically wiped out the entire city of New Orleans, Brad Pitt started the “Make it Right Foundation”. The foundation was formed to aid in the redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans. They build affordable and sustainable homes that are accurate to the diverse culture of the city of New Orleans. The goal was to complete the building of the homes quickly so that the residents could return to their homes as soon as possible. These things have been Brad Pitt’s true achievements.
There is another great actor who is deeply admired for his generosity. Paul Newman passed away this past September 26, 2008 but he will long be remembered for great movies like “Road to Perdition” from 2002, “The Color of Money” from 1986 and “Absence of Malice” from 1981. He also played Butch in the well recognized and ever beloved “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” from the year 1969. And then of course, the list of great Paul Newman movies goes on and on.
But yet like Brad Pitt, Paul Newman was also known for his philanthropy. In 1982 with a colleague he created a line of food products known as “Newman’s Own’. The idea began with salad dressing and since then it’s grown to include pasta sauce, lemonade, popcorn, salsa, cookies along with other products. Newman established a policy that all the earnings from Newman’s Own, after taxes, would be given to charity. By early 2006, the company had contributed in excess of $250 million.
Our favorite movies and favorite actors and actresses may change from time to time. We may love them for their flair or for other reasons but now that we can download full length, high quality movies from the web instantaneously we don’t have to miss any a lot of movies that we desire to see.
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Download Several Famous Movies To View Today
So look into it. It is handy and simple, anytime and any movie in the privacy of your own home. This is the best solution we’ve had since it became possible to watch movies at at your house back in the 1980′s.
Documentaries are meant to make us ponder and to provide us with information in a way that we may not have thought about before. They are meant to inform us but they typically also succeed in entertaining us. Some documentaries are the best movies around.
There are a few documentaries that they say all ought to see. “An Inconvenient Truth” falls into that class. “An Inconvenient Truth” deals with a subject that affects each and every one of us and the lives or our children and grandchildren. It is an easier to make the option to be more environmentally friendly when you actually see the devastation of global warming.
You may also want to consider the TV series, “Planet Earth”. This is an astonishing series that will show you things about our planet that astound and amaze you. It is beautiful and at times it will take your breath away. Download it and watch it if you haven’t seen it yet.
Probably the most well-known and well-known documentary filmmaker around in our day is Michael Moore. You may not be of the same mind with his politics but you will have to concur that he makes you think about things. He received an academy award for “Fahrenheit 9/11″ and he has taken on the healthcare system in “Sicko”, guns and violence in “Bowling for Columbine” and you will be able to download his next movie for free as a thank you to his fans. It is coming soon and it is called “Slacker Uprising”.
Dramas are pretty admired with most persons. Some of the best drama’s from the past 20 years or so would take in “Slumdog Millionaire” from 2008, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” from 2004 from very recent, and “Schindler’s List” from 1993, “American Beauty” from 1999, “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Forrest Gump” both from 1994, and of course, several others that there is no room to bring up.
If you are addicted to horror movies there are many that are a have got to see. “The Exorcist” is a memorable along with “Silence of the Lambs” and “The Shining”. “30 days of Night” and “The Saw” franchise are some up to date hits that must be seen. Of course, there are always the “Friday, the 13th” and the “Halloween” movies. Many of Stephen King’s books have been made into some illustrious horror flicks because he has always been good at scaring the bejesus out of us all!
The comedy movies have a tendency to entertain all. Who doesn’t love to laugh? One movie that may only be appropriate for adults but will make you really, really laugh is “The 40 year old Virgin”. A pair of actors are really good at bringing us hilarious movies. Whatever thing by Adam Sandler or Jim Carrey is usually pretty hilarious. And the actor graduates from Saturday Night Live all make amusing movies. Check out Will Farrell in “Semi-Pro” or “Blades of Glory” or anything for that matter or Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in “Baby Mama” from 2008.
In a twinkle of an eye you can download any documentary you want to see right on your own computer. A great documentary will make you deliberate, it will present information in a new way, and it is each time pleasurable.
Assuming that you use a dependable site to download movies from the internet it can be one of the best ways to get the movies that you want when you want them. Learn about download movies for free. Downloading straight to your computer is a wonderful way to watch the best new films.
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Zygor Guides – World Of Warcraft Leveling Guide
World of Warcraft is believed to be the biggest massively multi-player online role playing game in the world. It is believed to capture about 60% of the total MMORG playing population, with over 11.5 million monthly subscriptions.
Released in 2004, it followed on the heels of Warcraft: The Frozen Throne, the third release in a series that began in 1994 as Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. It has had three expansions: The Burning Crusade in 2007; Wrath of the Lich King, 2008, and Cataclysm 2009. The game is absolutely captivating.
The game is performed in a world termed Azeroth, where the gamer creates a personality for himself to fight humans or orcs of the enemy race in the mode player versus player; battle monsters or conditions in the mode player versus environment; or a combination of the two as he wishes.
Attaining higher level is the objective of the game where greater skills or additional talents are obtained. This is done through ‘quests’, much like Sir Galahad’s for the Holy Grail, where the rewards are points, ‘money’ or items, like gold. There are many kinds of quests, or also called ‘tasks’ or ‘missions’, each quest starting from a previous one.
Attaining levels in World of Warcraft is identical to that used in Mario Brothers, in that when the particular tasks or quests set in one level are completed, one can proceed to the next higher level and face new challenges and adventures. The WoW levels are from 1 to 80, and getting from the first to the 80th level may take a player anywhere between a few days to several months, depending on how long he plays each time, and how fast he acquires the skills necessary to play it. A few ways, however, exist to truncate the trip, and the most used is leveling guides.
One of the best guide that many world of warcraft gamers praise is the Zygor’s leveling guide, which they say is very user-friendly even for WoW newbies and experts alike. Among the features they rave on is that Zygor’s have guides for both Alliance and Horde, the two combating races of Azeroth, something other guides do not have.
Regardless which race you have chosen, there is assistance for you that favors neither one, boosting characters equally well. Likewise, there is less grinding in the guides because the selected missions were the ones that give the best benefits.
Instructions are most often complete and easily understandable, even for a neophyte. Quests may be referred to a thottbot, a reference guide there to help. There is even a map add-on that can guide you to places of better performance or turning in every quest. The help data may appear as a dot which may serve as a point destination, and an arrow appears pointing to it when it is clicked on. Tips are also provided, that, though many are basic, can be very helpful nonetheless, certainly for newbies in the game.
Final conclusion is this is the best leveling guide for WoW at present, and you only need to play it once to appreciate its value. Unless, of course, you want to be frustrated at every turn and quest.
The Zygor Leveling Guide is one of the most highly rated and helpful in-game WoW guides on the Net. Check out the following link for more info about the Zygor Leveling Guide for World of Warcraft.
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8 Popular Flicks To Watch And Enjoy On Your Time Off
First-rate information about some of the greatest films that you may have never heard of is right here. Get a charge out of this list of movies that are “oldies but goodies”. Consider that you can download any of them you prefer directly to your own computer in the comfort of your own residence.
Internal Affairs, Young cop Raymond Avila works in the Internal Affairs Department of the LAPD. He and his partner see something suspect with Dennis Peck. His economic situation is much stronger than expected on a policeman’s salary. As soon as Peck is conscious of the investigation, he turns his attention away from his shady dealings to focus on Avila.
Christmas Vacation, The Griswalds have big plans for Christmas this year. Clark has invited a group of the relations over for the huge merriment. Clark’s labors go laughably wrong, par for the course for a Griswald vacation.
Our top motion picture, Unlawful Entry, Michael and Karen Carr have had a frightening experience. Someone broke into their home, and attempted to steal from them. When Police officer Pete Davis shows up to help, he appears to be a godsend. In the days to come they find police officer Davis might be their worst nightmare.
Big Trouble in Little China, Buddy Blowhard trucker Russell finds himself at large in Chinatown, while a friend’s fiance is abducted right in front of his eyes. High tech Indiana Jones fashion venture has large tongue-in-cheek demeanor, however everything else in reference to it is huge, too including Russell’s John Wayne swagger. Outstanding electric music score. The cast includes Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Champ Wong, and Kate Burton.
My favorite film, Happy Gilmore. Hockey player Happy Gilmore finds his slap shot power translates into 400 yard plus drives in golf. Needing money to help his grandma save her home, he is going to try pro golf. His putting is as awful as his driving is good, so he has a lot to learn. Overcoming all odds, Happy wins the tour championship and now can save grandma’s home.
Gordon’s War, While a Vietnam vet comes home to find his wife caught on medications, he trains a gentleman army to exterminate the pushers. Outstanding action, although gets lost toward the end. Cast includes Paul Winfield, Carl Lee, David Downing, and Tony Baron.
Deep in My Heart is a unforgettable film from the year 1954. Guest stars Walter Pidgeon, Paul Henreid, Rosemary Clooney, Gene and Fred Kelly, Jane Powell, Vic Damone, Ann Miller, Cyd Charisse, Howard Keel, Tony Martin. The life of composer Sigmund Romberg is not the material of high tirade, although film glitters in production numbers with MGM guest actors. Highlights contain Kelly brothers’ single film appearance jointly, Chatisse’s appealing and sensual dance number with James Mitchell, and a notable number characterizing Ferrer acting a whole show himself. Cast includes Jose Ferrer, Merle Oberon, Helen Traubel, Doe Avedon, Tamara Toumanova, Paul Stewart, Douglas Fowley, and Jim Backus.
Sensational film from the year 1986 “Good to Go”. Unremarkable fare in reference to reporter Garfunkel, who’s framed on a rape-slaughter charge. Highlighted are the behaviors of such go-go groups as Redds & the Boys, Trouble Funk, Get rid of Brown & the Mind Scavengers, amid others. Cast includes Art Garfunkel, Robert Doqui, Harris Yulin, Reginald Daughtry, Richard Brooks, Hattie Winston, and Anjelica Huston.
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NFL Preseason Handicapping Basics
Betting preseason NFL games never fails to elicit an irreconcilable difference of opinion among sports betting enthusiasts. Some consider it a very poor wagering opportunity, while others maintain that there’s no better moneymaking opportunity in sports than pro football’s preseason. The truth is probably somewhere between the two extremes–NFL preseason betting must be approached with caution and discipline, but offers the potential to make a tidy profit before the regular season kicks off.
First, let’s examine the case against preseason NFL wagering. Clearly the biggest argument against it is the simple fact that the games don’t count. Though spots will exist during regular season games when the motivation and preparation of individual teams may vary, in theory both teams want to win. That’s not always the case in preseason football, since different coaches have different goals. Some might want to just evaluate their personnel, others might want to establish a winning attitude, and all coaches want to keep their stars from getting injured. Factor in all of the variables and conflicting agendas, the preseason naysayer would argue, and there are just too many unknowns to consider taking a financial position on.
But like the old saying goes “every dark cloud has a silver lining”. And the divergent agendas at play in preseason football can be seen as precisely why it is a good wagering opportunity. For example, say the Superbowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers are set to play an ‘also ran’ team like the Houston Texans. By regular season standards, the Steelers would almost certainly be favored. In the preseason, however, they’ll often have a different agenda for the individual game. A “better” team has more concern about protecting key players. and usually has fewer personnel decisions to deal with. They don’t need to worry about implementing coaching changes, or creating ‘team chemistry’. As a result, ‘better’ teams frequently approach preseason games as a mere annoyance.
On the other hand, consider the ‘lesser’ team in a preseason matchup. They often have a number of key starting positions they need to fill, along with backup positions up for grabs. They may have new coaching staffs that players want to impress, new offensive or defensive schemes to implement. Most significantly, ‘lesser’ teams often view the preseason as an opportunity to build team chemistry or create a winning attitude. A team trying to rebuild can benefit from winning *any* games, regardless of whether or not they count in the standings. For a league doormat, a win over an elite level opponent can serve as a rare highlight of a losing season.
While some teams could care less about the result of preseason games, few want to enter the regular season having lost them all. In light of this fact, a successful preseason situation that has stood the test of time is to bet on teams that lost their first two exhibition games outright. This situation has produced a winning percentage right around 60%.
Perhaps nothing determines a team’s approach to the preseason more than the philosophy of the head coach. Some coaches simply hate to lose anytime they line ‘em up to play football, and as a result their teams are usually good preseason bets. Bill Parcells was famous for the preseason focus of his teams. Not surprisingly, many who worked with Parcells earlier in their careers are now carving out their own records of preseason success. This sort of dominance isn’t lost on the linesmaker and a coach like the Giants’ Tom Coughlin (a former Parcells assistant) will have his ATS success will definitely been factored into the pointspread. Still, a motivated team that wants to win is always worthy of consideration.
The Internet has become a very valuable weapon in the NFL preseason handicapper’s arsenal. Simply following the local media reports of NFL teams can often produce a wealth of ‘mission critical’ betting information. The combination of anxious beat writers, little in the way of ‘real’ news, and a less guarded approach by coaches to games that ‘don’t count’ can often reveal game strategies, playing time for key personnel, or even a team’s specific agenda for a particular game. Sometime coaches will come right out and say that evaluating a certain position, or working on a specific offensive scheme is their top priority for a game. It’s a great way to find not only good teams to bet on, but strong situations to go against teams that are focused on something other than outscoring their opponent.
In conclusion, there are certainly strong opportunities for profit in NFL preseason wagering but its essential to understand that it cannot be approached in the same manner as the regular season. And, as always, its important to remember that there will be more strong opportunities down the road and that discipline and rigor in handicapping is just as crucial in the preseason NFL as it is at any other time of the year.
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer who covers travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.
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