http://www.betpool.com/index.htmlRonin's Online Gambling Newsenalbertbetteridge@yahoo.comCopyright 2007, BetPool.com2007-09-02T13:38:29-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Sat, 29 Sep 2007 20:43:22 -0700albertbetteridge@yahoo.comPoker Rooms2007-09-02T13:38:29-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Poker_101.html#unique-entry-id-8http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Poker_101.html#unique-entry-id-8
If you scan through the first five pages of most newspapers today, you will see an article about the "groundbreaking ideas" of Harvard Law professor, Charles Nesson, who announced that "Poker should be seen as an educational tool that can build strategic thinking skills" at an Internet conference in Singapore yesterday.

And I quote: "It teaches life skills, it teaches numeracy, risk assessment, resource management, and it teaches a lot about psychology... [Poker] teaches you to rely on yourself, assess the situation yourself and make the play," Nesson said.

Nesson is building a "global poker strategic thinking society" that will offer poker workshops to schools and sponsor inter-collegiate poker tournaments.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the idea of using poker as a tool to teach Americans the importance of probability theory its impact on risk analysis. Hopefully, by making meth more fun, American students will stop placing just below Latvia in standardized math tests. Moreover, I love the fact that Nesson took the daring step of promoting this idea at a school that is academically conservative.

What I do not like is the fact that the media is touting the idea itself as groundbreaking. Nesson is merely giving a voice to something that anybody who knows the game already recognizes. While online poker may be illegal in the US, every probability text book that I ever read, used poker scenarios to help demonstrate the utility of probability theory. What was newsworthy is that a Harvard Law Professor was willing to give voice to the fact that poker is a useful teaching tool, not Nesson's idea itself.

The media should give kudos to Nesson for the rights reasons: for being a risk taker, a non-conformist, a professor who was willing to state an obvious truth, although it might be politically incorrect.

Words of wisdom from Harvard U's Poker 101:
"Poker teaches the importance of not making the first bet in a game, a lesson that can be extrapolated to the advantages of not making the first offer in business negotiations."
"If I had to weigh the relative merits of different poker games with respect to teaching players how to think strategically, I believe that Texas Holdem would be at the top of the list."

While I do not think that you Nesson's ideas are revolutionary, I hope that they start a revolution.

Live life well,

Ronin





Play Online Poker]]>albertbetteridge@yahoo.comPoker Rooms2007-08-26T20:11:46-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Poker_Domain_Sale.html#unique-entry-id-5http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Poker_Domain_Sale.html#unique-entry-id-5
While the price tag may seem steep, PartyPoker regularly pays out between $75-$150 CPA to affiliates per registered sign-up, and it says that Poker.de already generates more than 1,000 uniques per month. Assuming relatively conservative conversion rates, it should recoup its investment over the next five to six years, in terms of dodged affiliate commissions per registered sign-up.

This is also a smart play on PartyPoker's behalf from another perspective: it stands to reason that Poker.de generates the vast majority of its hits from European poker players, as opposed to Americans. Now that PartyPoker has vacated the American market, which at one point accounted for over 65% of its revenues, it needs to find ways to increase its market share in Europe, the second-largest online poker market.

Live life well,

Ronin





Play Online Poker]]>albertbetteridge@yahoo.comPoker Rooms2007-08-15T21:46:30-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Cuban_Cigars_By_Fedex.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Cuban_Cigars_By_Fedex.html#unique-entry-id-0Our staff visited Argentina this past week. For anyone who is into duck or dove hunting, Cordoba, Argentina cannot be beaten.

After a long day of shooting (two of us shot over a thousand shells in an afternoon!), we smoked some fine Cuban cigars with an American hunter. I asked him where he purchased the cigars, noting that they were of very fine quality for an airport duty-free shop, and he told me that he bought them from StrictlyCuban.com, a Kiwi firm that ships Cubans to Americans.

Intrigued by the conversation, I did a little more research: StrictlyCuban offers a wide variety of the highest end Cuban cigars. For shipments to the US, they package the cigars as board games, so as to avoid international customs detection. If the package is nabbed by customs, then their customers receive a polite message that their credit card will be recharged, and StrictlyCuban reships the order automatically. The service claims that 80% of their shipments avoid detection, so that customers infrequently have to pay for their cigars twice.

Is this not text book macroeconomics? Supply follows demand. Where there is a government imposed supply restriction, black markets will grow to correct for the imbalance.

StrictlyCuban seemed worthy of a post, given the fact that its growth, similar to many online gambling establishments (e.g., Bodog), is in many ways a direct response to the US government's prohibition of a product desired by many Americans. Food for thought...

Live life well,

Ronin

Disclaimer:
This site is for informational purposes only. We do not endorse importing Cuban cigars illegally through StrictlyCuban.com. Admittedly, we are not big fans of the US trade embargo on Cuba; it seems like an anachronistic law from a different age. However, we ask our readers to respect international trade laws. If you are an American, please recognize that if you import Cuban-made cigars from StrictlyCuban.com, you are breaking the law.






]]>albertbetteridge@yahoo.comSkill Gaming Sites2007-08-14T10:15:27-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Legality_of_Cash_Skill_Gaming.html#unique-entry-id-1http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Legality_of_Cash_Skill_Gaming.html#unique-entry-id-1Skill gaming, namely the staking of cash on a game of skill, is an issue of hot contention in state legislatures across the US. Following the passage of last Fall's Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 2007, skill gaming was recognized to be exempt from federal prohibition. However, gambling is an issue that is regulated at a state level, so states too can outlaw skill gaming, as many have done. According to WorldWinner, the largest provider of skill gaming services, its services are, currently, illegal in fourteen states: Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Vermont.

According to our research, WorldWinner (and many other skill gaming companies) take an extremely liberal view of state laws barring online gambling. If there is any ambiguity with respect to the legality of their services in any particular state, then they operate freely there. Two years ago, WorldWinner operated in 44 states; today, it operates in 36 states, reflecting the increasingly restrictive state, legal environment for skill gaming operators.

Under cover of anonymity, we received the following legal opinion, written this past February, from a start-up company seeking to enter the skill gaming space. This legal opinion was prepared by one of the biggest law firms in the world, which has one of the largest and most conservative legal practices.

"...An entity that has structured its website to be used as a platform for U.S.-based persons to place online monetary wagers against one another on player-to-player video games of skill, and that collects a fee in connection with each such wagering matchup facilitated through the website, has a substantial risk of being in violation of the Wire Act, 18 U.S.C. §1084, and other federal criminal laws triggered by a violation of the federal Wire Act, such as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006. The Wire Act prohibits any person or entity engaged in the business of betting or wagering from knowingly transmitting wagers or information assisting in the placing of wagers in interstate or foreign commerce using a wire communication facility. In view of the U.S. Department of Justice’s interpretation of the Wire Act, an entity violates the Wire Act even though the wagers placed through its website are not placed on sporting events. See, e.g., Letter from David M. Nissman, US Attorney, DOJ, to Eileen R. Petersen, Chair, Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission (Jan. 2, 2004). Further, there is nothing to suggest that the entity is not violating the Wire Act simply because the wagers placed through its website are placed on games of skill rather than on games involving chance. To the contrary, at least one federal appellate court has indicated that the “wagers” contemplated by the Wire Act are not limited to wagers placed on games of chance. See United States v. Bergland, 318 F.2d 159 (7th Cir. 1963). If the entity is likely violating the Wire Act, it is also likely violating each of several other federal criminal laws the violation of which is contingent upon, among other things, a violation of the Wire Act or a violation of a state statute. These additional statutes include the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) and the Travel Act, and may also include the newly-enacted Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006...

All states, in one form or another, prohibit at least some gambling activities, although certain states appear to exempt skill game wagering from the prohibitions of the states' gambling-related laws. The exemption does not expressly legalize skill game wagering but limits the scope of a state’s gambling-related laws by excluding wagers on skill games...

Assuming that the wagering contemplated by the business plan does not violate the federal Wire Act, there are, at a minimum, twenty-eight states (and the District of Columbia) that present a moderate to high degree of risk that skill game wagering will violate the state’s gambling-related laws: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, South Dakota, Alaska, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming...

In the states that legalize certain gambling activities, such as state lotteries, horse race wagering and bricks and mortar casinos, players are typically subject to age limitations. The minimum age to participate in legal gambling varies depending upon the jurisdiction and type of gambling activity. See 10 P.S. §320(e) (For small games of chance operated by charities, "no person under 18 years of age" shall be permitted to play.); but see 4 Pa.C.S. §1207 (Each gaming entity must "prohibit persons under 21 years of age from operating or using slot machines."); Ariz. Rev. Stat. 13-3301 (No person under the age of 21 may participate in social gambling); La. Rev. Stat. §90.5 ("No person under the age of twenty-one shall enter, or be permitted to enter, the designated gaming area of a riverboat, the official gaming establishment, or the designated slot machine gaming area of a pari-mutuel wagering facility,"); Miss. Code §97-33-23 ("Any person of full age who shall bet any money … with a minor, knowing such minor to be under the age of twenty-one years, or allowing any such minor to bet at any game or games …shall be punished by imprisonment.")..."

In short, this legal opinion suggests that skill gaming may in fact be illegal in far more states than WorldWinner, MoneyGaming, and similar companies, currently choose to admit. Moreover, we would caution our readers to expect that many skill gaming companies, at least the more legitimate ones, will pull back from more US states. GameAccount, a site that offers many of the same games as WorldWinner, has already vacated the US market entirely, given the "ambiguity" of the legal environment for its services. Play65 now only accepts users from 28 states.

We will keep you apprised of further developments in this space.

Live life well,

Ronin





]]>albertbetteridge@yahoo.comOffice Pools2007-07-14T11:08:03-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/SuperBowl_Squares.html#unique-entry-id-4http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/SuperBowl_Squares.html#unique-entry-id-4Super Bowl Squares is a great variation on the typical Super Bowl office pool, which we recommend that you and your coworkers try this season.

The pool is structured as follows. Participants fill out their names on a 10 x 10 grid and win based on the score at the end of each quarter. The grid has 100 empty squares, and a player buys an empty square by placing their name in it. Generally, participants pick a number out of a hat to decide who picks first. Each empty square costs an amount determined by the participants prior to the beginning of the game. When all the squares are filled, a number between 0 and 9 are assigned to the top and on the side of the grid. The top of the grid represents one team, and the side of the grid represents the other team.

The numbers in each row and column represents the last digit of the score at the end each quarter. For example, if the score is Team A 14-Team B 3 at the end of the 1st quarter, the person who has the square 4 and 3 wins the money

With 100 squares available, the total amount that can be won is 100 times the cost of each square. In most pools, the pot is divided in equally in 4 parts, for each quarter. In some pools, the pot may be divided into 5 parts, with the final score as the fifth winner. Unless the game goes into overtime, the winner of the 4th quarter and final score are the same.

Live life well,

Ronin





]]>albertbetteridge@yahoo.comOffice Pools2007-07-14T10:57:01-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/March_Madness_Pools.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/March_Madness_Pools.html#unique-entry-id-2Are you sick of having a coworker becoming known as the resident sports expert, after taking down the annual March Madness office pool? It's time to take matters into your own hands. The following tips will help to give you an edge...

In order to win your office pool, the most important thing that you need to do is to understand the tournament rules. Some pools require picking the winners in every bracket; others go by the point spread, and some require you to find that elusive cinderella story.

According to ESPN's analysts, you should start by choosing winners bracket by bracket and avoid the temptation to start with the National Champion or the Final Four teams. By choosing finalists when you first look at your bracket, it may cause you to overlook some strong early-round picks.

How do you find the next cinderella story? Consult the Sagarin ratings in "USA Today" or the rating percentage index at CBS SportsLine (cbs.sportsline.com) to see how teams compare with one another. Always pick teams from stronger leagues, if you are torn between two picks. You can find a great list of conference power rankings at espn.com. Moreover, look for upsets when teams have a regional home court advantage and try to pick teams that have not just competed in a grueling conference tournament (e.g., the Big 10, Big East, or SEC tourneys), because these teams may be worn out by the time they get to the dance.

Historically, teams that have made it to the Final Four or the Finals in the prior year's tournament, have had a strong chance of winning it all (a little extra motivation!). One final tip from your friends at BetPool.com: always pick a 12th round seed to win in the first round-- it happens almost every year.

Live life well,

Ronin






]]>albertbetteridge@yahoo.comOffice Pools2007-06-14T11:02:38-04:00http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Create_a_March_Madness_Pool.html#unique-entry-id-3http://www.betpool.com/Blog/files/Create_a_March_Madness_Pool.html#unique-entry-id-3Starting a March Madness Pool is a great way to stir things up at the office and to better network with your coworkers. Whether you are a college basketball fan or not, as soon as a little bit of money or simply bragging rights are on the line, everyone seems to become interested in the tournament.

First things first, decide whether or not you want to be responsible for managing the pool manually (downloading the bracket, distributing it to your friends, as well as calculating results and payouts) or having the pool managed online (e.g., Yahoo! Sports, AOL Sports, and CBS Sportsline all offer great tournament software that will take the hassle out of managing your pool).

If you plan to manage your pool the old fashioned way, then find and download the bracket from a site such as espn.com. Now, you need to assign point values for teams winning in each round. There are three commonly used scoring options:

Straight Pick 'Em
» 1 point for each correct pick

Progressive Pick 'Em
» 1 point for each correct pick in Round 1
» 2 points for each correct pick in Round 2
» 3 points for each correct pick in Round 3
» 4 points for each correct pick in Round 4
» 5 points for each correct pick in Round 5
» 6 points for the correct Champion

Extreme Progressive Pick 'Em
» 1 point for each correct pick in Round 1
» 2 points for each correct pick in Round 2
» 4 points for each correct pick in Round 3
» 8 points for each correct pick in Round 4
» 16 points for each correct pick in Round 5
» 32 points for the correct Champion

A quick suggestion: Do not simply double the points awarded for each round... Picking the Champion should not be relatively as important as picking all of the first round winners. We use the "Progressive Pick 'Em" strategy for our office pool.

Next step: distribute two copies of the bracket to anyone who is interested in playing and instruct them to fill out both copies with the same picks (in pen) and to return them to you prior to the first tip off. The participants should also denote their guess as to what the combined score of the two teams in the Championship Game will be. When players return the bracket, they should pay an entry fee associated with the pool ($5, $20, $100...), if your office is playing for more than simply bragging rights.

Buy some snacks, beers, and get ready to camp out to watch some b-ball! After the Champion is known, the participant with the most points, generally, wins the sum of the entry fees (of course, there are a number of potential pay out structures- e.g., 75% to the winner and 25% to the runner up).

In case of a tie for points, choose the winner based on which of the participants had the closer guess to the total point score for the Championship Game.

Live life well,

Ronin






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