Like the other gambling sites online sports books work with the bonus system in order to entice new bettors to register and use their facilities for online sports betting. There are welcome bonuses, also referred to as first deposit bonuses and there are regular deposit bonuses, for the regular members.

Many online sports books run special offers on top of the bonus system that is in place, but overall they provide a convenient place to do your sports betting from within the comforts of your own home.

Online Sports books have rapidly increased in popularity since the introduction of the anti gambling laws in the US in 2006. While currently changes for sports betting are being made in the US by the individual states, most of them still outlaw the practice, so in turn the bulk of the American sports bettors has turned to online sports betting sites which are located overseas, mostly in Europe.

Besides the fact that the online sports book in many cases provides the outlet to those who cannot bet on sports in their own country, the matter of convenience to be able to place your bets from your pc, mobile phone or other handheld device capable of accessing the Internet also plays a large part in the increasing popularity of online sports books.

In fact the Internet made it possible to bet at several different sports books simultaneously, adding another dimension to the betting game.

Within the current economical climate, many voices are heard in the USA to legalize the practice and in fact there are states that already have done so, like Nevada, with other states not far behind working on their own versions of the changed gambling legislation. With the promise of gambling tax revenues many states believe this to be the answer to fill their budgetary gaps.

Whether or not this will have a large impact on sports betting online remains to be seen, as the fact of convenience remains, even when sports’ betting becomes legal in your area. Only time will tell if convenience alone is enough to keep the bettors betting online instead of using their favorite bookmakers for their betting habits.

Fact remains that betting on just about anything is as old as man itself, and will remain, no matter what laws or regulations are imposed on it, which means that sports betting as a whole will always continue to be as popular as ever, as it is a part of human nature to bet and gamble as a means of entertainment, and since the Internet has become a part of our day to day lives on an increasing scale, it is logical to assume that the usage of online sports books will continue to grow.
M.A.H.

Currently, Woods has a 12/1 or +1200 odds to win the 2010 PGA championship. This means that the payout will be $120 on a $10 bet; odds like this have never been seen before for Tiger Woods, this is due to Tiger’s absence from the game and his recent sub-par performance.

The newest favorite to win the 2010 PGA tournament now favors Phil Mickelson with odds of 10/1 or +1000. One analyst says that the odds for Woods should be even higher than it is based on his performance, but the odds makers are afraid that offering large odds for Woods would ultimately be too risky. Still, 12/1 is not normal for Woods. Still, it is likely that at least fifty percent of people placing bets will bet on him.

Despite the odds and his performance, it is difficult for many people to vote against him. In addition, despite the odds anything can happen. Woods was once thought of as the best golfer to ever live and it is quite possible that he could fair well in any tournament no matter what the odds are. This is often difficult for the bookmakers in the online gambling world and creates a larger possibility for payout.
M.A.H.

As the online sports books matured, so did the options offered to gamblers, as more and more options and features became available to them, like betting with their mobile phones, and special applications they can download for the IPhone, and Ipad platform. One of the most recent and most popular new features however is live betting, which is on its way to becoming the most popular betting method available.

As the name suggests, “Live betting” allows the player to bet during the game, as it plays out. To the bettor this can be an advantage as well as a disadvantage. The advantage is that the bettor can respond to game information immediately, the disadvantage can be having multiple bets on one game. This kind of betting can easily make or break a bettor in the long run, as it can turn out as having too many stakes in one game, but it can also be the exact opposite, depending on the skill of the player.

When betting live, odds are king. The player must find a sports book, or even several sports books that can provide the odds they need, while the game unfolds. For this reason the best strategy to engage in live betting is to use several online sports books, which offer this feature.

Finding them and those that offer the right odds can be a task of its own. Live betting is on the rise in terms of popularity, but not all sports books have the feature built in, so they have to be searched for and found before a game begins. Once this is accomplished and a bettor has a collection of sports books that do offer live betting, they can in turn shop around during the game in search of the best odds to wager on.

Generally a player can wager on almost anything, like the end score, but also a wide variety of specific aspects of the game, like who will score the most goals during the game, or other specific game facts.

Live betting is by far the most exciting feature to come out for online sports bettors in a long time, and one all players should familiarize themselves with, as they will most likely encounter it as it rises in popularity and it may very well replace the way we currently do our sports betting. To the gambler, that does their research and knows how to handle live betting, it can be a tremendous asset and valuable tool in their betting endeavors. In time they will be glad to have taken the time to master the art of live betting.
M.A.H.

In fact this system that peaked during the seventies and eighties was so popular and widespread, that it is still a well known system today and even players of the younger generations know about it or are even using this system to place their wagers.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and this holds especially true for sports betting in general, where everything runs in cycles and the cycle of the underdog has come to an end. Starting from 1985, the Monday underdogs show 67 to 57 against the point spread, which is still profitable although it is a very tiny profit. In fact these odds cannot even compare to the ones the system used to generate during its peak during the seventies.

When we analyze our historical data we will quickly find out that the bulk of the wins that come from the latter half of the eighties are at 20 to 28 averaged over the last ten seasons of that time period. When we take a look at the last five years it becomes worse with odds like 10 to 14, and finally looking at the last months, the odds have been 7 to 8. With this it is clearly showing a turn from a profit into a loss. At this point it is clear that the system no longer works and should be abandoned, but this is often easier said than done.

A problem many seasoned gamblers have to combat is getting set in their ways, and it is a fact that many still bet on the underdog automatically, even though the odds are no longer in their favor. Even though the odds are now stacked against them, they continue to bet on the underdog on autopilot, and continue to do so out of habit.

Smart players will look at the handicapping and bet on the favorite, whoever that may be, which is a proposition at far better odds as the system of betting on the Monday night home underdog has finally become a thing of the past.

So the advice for all sports betting veterans is to let go of the habit, and put the underdog betting system on ice. It no longer works, and has become a sure fire way to sustain losses.
M.A.H.

Creating a game plan before actually signing up is vital in order to bet intelligently and without problems. Before signing up, set yourself a goal which is doable. After determining this goal, have a look at the sports book you plan on placing the wager(s) at. How easy is it to make a deposit, and more important, how easy is it to get money out again? This is a factor most players tend to forget, only to find themselves wasting time trying to get their wins out of the account and in to their bank account.

Research matters, like what is the maximum limit of an account at that particular sports book, is it suitable for the goal you have set for yourself? If the answer to this is yes, it is time to move on to the next part of our game plan.

While betting we do not want to keep depositing, only to be forced to place last minute bets, because it took so long for the money to be transferred into the account. For that reason, it is best to place one initial deposit covering the money we plan on wagering in total. Once winnings come in, do not take it all out again, but limit yourself to a percentage, like 25% on a weekly basis. This way there will always be sufficient money in your account, without the need for making deposits, while you still have money going to your bank account each week.
What works for me is to set a fixed day to withdraw my winnings every week. That way I don’t forget to withdraw my money, but it also forces me to look at my account and go over the bets once more.

Placing the bets is another matter, do your research first, pick the game apart, follow the money line, and when the time is right, place the bet. Thanks to our game plan we have this luxury as we do not have to wait for deposits to arrive, and thanks to the research we are not giving away our advantage to the sports book, which increases our chances of winning.

Finally, keep track of your past wagers and the results. Personally I keep a log of all my previous bets and from that I can observe patterns that assist me in planning my future bets, and more importantly, it keeps me from repeating mistakes.

All of the above combined make up a well crafted game plan, which is solid, realistic and will increase your chances at winning and ensures you will not encounter any problems while betting on your favorite sports.
M.A.H.

Over the years offshore sports’ betting has turned into a professional business that is safe and secure, providing everything a gambler could want ranging from entire casinos to online sports books. The numbers of gamblers that are turning towards sports betting online are still increasing.

The advantages of offshore sports betting online are the main reason many gamblers are turning towards the online variant, instead of the traditional brick and mortar casinos and bookmakers. Unlike the traditional locations, the Internet is always open, allowing gamblers to bet whenever they want and wherever they want, which makes online betting more convenient, also the online gambling sites often offer a lot more features than their land based counterparts.

However, not all casinos online are the same, doing some research into the site you plan to use for your betting habits is invaluable, as there are still many con artists out there doing their best to take your money.

Finding the required information is easy these days thanks to the many review sites, which will allow you to check up on the gambling site in question. While doing so, make a note of the amount of complaints the site has received regarding withdrawals.

On the other hand, the number of reputable and well established online casinos and sports betting sites are increasing rapidly. These are the gambling sites, running a legitimate business, fully licensed, and in compliance with the laws of the country their operation is based.

With the arrival of the Internet, the gambler was suddenly presented with lots of choice. In the past, a trip to the bookmaker or casino would limit the player to whatever options the establishment offered. It was a type of “take it or leave it” situation, but online, that same gambler has hundreds of online gambling sites at their fingertips to choose from, which leads to some healthy competition amongst the online betting sites. It also enables the gambler to place his bets at the site providing the odds and features that are best suitable for that player’s needs.

This being said, it is really no surprise that online betting is on the rise, while the traditional sources suffer from a rapidly declining clientele. It is for that reason that many of the land based casinos now are establishing an online presence, that equals, and often surpasses the features they offer at their establishments, and due to this increase in healthy competition, the player wins in the shape of higher, more lucrative bonuses, that are given in order to attract the player to gamble at their online gambling site.

Any way you look at it, offshore sports betting is on the rise and will remain so for a long time to come, as more and more gamblers discover the advantages of placing their bets when they want, where they want, under conditions the way they want them to be.
M.A.H.

Upon noticing the often enormous amounts of money the famous players in sports rake in, people decided to come up with their own way of profiting from the success of these players. This was in fact the early form of the “sports bet”, leading up to the way sports betting is done today. In these early days, people would place a wager on their favorite player amongst themselves. With no proper system in place, unlike today, the rules of the bet could vary per wager that was made.

Obviously, without a proper gambling system in place the practice of sports betting was very susceptible to fraud, due to lack of rules on how to divide the winnings and losses. This resulted in the fact that the winner usually would be the one that could talk the smoothest, and was smart enough to run with the money in time.

The above was the cause for outlawing sports betting at the time, but currently systems are in place to ensure fair play and universal rules on dividing the wins and losses have been implemented, resulting in the fact that sports’ betting once again is a legal activity in many countries worldwide.

The system that emerged depends on a compromise. For example; when one looks at betting on horses, this compromise consists out of a betting pool for all gamblers to place their wagers.

The pay outs are derived from different calculations and subject to legislation regulated by the different states in the US. Other countries have similar set ups in place, or have banned sports betting completely. A fixed percentage is deducted from the winnings in the shape of a gambling tax, after which the winnings are distributed fairly amongst the winners. In general all pay outs are equal, but with the arrival of the Internet it is now also common to pay out different winnings individually.

Currently it is possible to bet on all kinds of sports, and all of them have their own set of rules, which is logical because different sports have different rules so bets are placed accordingly. There are different skills required for different sports and therefore there are different systems in place for each sport.

Gamblers betting on sports have to place their wagers on the winners, so in order to determine who will most likely be a winner in future games requires continuous research and monitoring of the games, and comparing these results with past results after each tournament, in order to calculate the performance scores which will give insight in to who will most likely win in the next one.

Sports bettors usually place their wagers on games of their favorite type of sports, and veteran bettors will have their own systems for coming up with the winners to bet on. New players should do some research and use some of the free systems that can be obtained online.

Betting on sports can be a lucrative opportunity, there are plenty of professional gamblers making a living from it, but until you have come up with your own successful system for betting on sports, use a free strategy and be careful what amount you are betting.
M.A.H.

Losing in sports bets is a given, it will occur and can stretch out for days, even months, there simply is no way around this. Losses are a simple fact of a gambling life and the way to become a successful bettor is to accept that fact and work with it and not against it.

Losses occur in life and in betting. Skeptical? Are you convinced there are ways to win every time? You better reconsider.

Let’s take a look at the regular stock market. If you would have bought shares in an index fund in august of 97 and held on to it for roughly a decade you would have had an ROI of 88 percent, but had you bought the share only 4 weeks later your loss would have been approximately 20 percent!

Let’s consider the above. From an entire period that consisted out of more than 3500 days, only 20 were any good, while the rest were a big loss. Like with sports betting the ROI on shares come in waves. They come up fast, get high and then just as fast they die out.

As we could see from the stock market, periods of wins do occur, and much to our dislike, if that is true, it means the opposite is also true: periods of loss occur as well. Even in the best of seasons where you could do as well as 60 percent winners (It does not get any better than that), you still will have days filled with losses, or worse, it could be a month.

Sports betting means betting consistently while taking the bad with the good. If losses upset you too much, emotion gets in the way and when confronted with your mind or emotions, the latter is not a good guide to follow. What you need to do is keep your cool and continue to bet, still going for the 55 to 60 percent winners.

Betting on sports needs to be treated like you would treat a regular business. In business, it is not about good or bad days, it is about the yearly end result and the same holds true for sports betting. Make sure you can sustain short term loss in other to turn a positive ROI at year’s end.
M.A.H.

When placing a wager on a football game there is such a thing as over thinking it. Calculating everything in great detail is not always the best approach when it comes to sports betting. A lot of the information available is statistics that involve a high level of chance, and past success is by no means a guarantee for the future success. Some of the best sports bettors out there that have been placing wagers on these types of games for years and years only need a few minutes in order to determine who to bet on, by simply calculating the points scored per team.

In general a period of 6 seasons are used to calculate the scores and a distinction is made between the top 5 teams with the highest amount of points and the 5 lowest scoring teams.

Though there is no guarantee that those teams will continue in the way the outcome of these calculations predict, it is an indicator and makes it possible to bet on or against a team predicting an outcome that is more likely to come true. In fact this is the closest thing to placing a calculated bet on a football game; everything else is unlikely to contribute anything to the betting chances of the player.

While these calculations are in no way fool proof, and as stated there are no guarantees, it is easier to place a bet based on these calculations rather than taking every little detail into account. The results of a team, like the bets itself, involve a relatively high amount of chance. Therefore it is rather pointless to calculate it all with the expectation to gain the advantage over the other gamblers placing a wager. It is better to keep it to the simple statistics and use figures that are most likely to come to pass.

In other words, use the K.I.S.S method: Keep It Simple Stupid!

M.A.H.

Fixed parlays

For example, let’s assume you placed a bet in a fixed 5 team parlay at 25 -1 odds. This means if you win you receive $25 for every dollar you have wagered, if all the games win. This is also the main reason this particular type of Parlay betting is highly popular among sports bettors.

Variable Parlays

Variable Parlays take the betted amount and put it on one team. Should this team win, the bet is recalculated and placed on the next, and so on, always putting the total amount on the next team until all have played and then your winnings are paid out if all the teams have won. If one team loses you lose all the money wagered.

To illustrate the above, let’s say you like one team that is rated + 100 and another at -120, and decide to place a $10 bet on them in a variable parlay bet. On the first game you would make $26 if you win, that $26 would then go on to team 2 and should you win again it would make a total of $46, compared to $36 you would have made in the case of a fixed parlay bet. This considerable difference is due to the bad odds team two was given which worked in your favor while doing a variable parlay bet.

Parlay bets are not the best sports bets one can make as the odds that are betted on differ from the real odds one would get in other types of sports bets, and as a rule the difference increases the more teams are betted on in parlay betting. In comparison to other types of sports bets, doing parlay bets puts you at a disadvantage. On the up side, parlay betting require much less minimum wagers to enter them which in turn still makes them one of the most popular types of sports bets around.

M.A.H.