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Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Q & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.
Dalton Wagner, Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A. has recently found himself in the middle of a controversy between Revenue Sharing Sportsbooks and his Price Per Head Agency Concept. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner and discuss the issue on his last visit to Curacao.
Vegas Offshore: We hear that the Price Per Head offering you launched several months ago has landed you in some hot water?
Wagner: Yes, it appears that my Price Per Head Software offering has been a little too popular with onshore bookmakers and it is making my competition a little upset.
Vegas Offshore: Can you be a little more explicit?
Wagner: Several offshore bookmakers have lost relationships with their agents because my Price Per Head offering has lured them away and toward my offering. Specifically, several of the largest credit sportsbooks in Costa Rica have lost packages to me in the range of 500-1000 head apiece. And, they are not happy about it.
Vegas Offshore: Why are so many people leaving their agency relationships with credit sportsbooks?
Wagner: Well, in the old days an offshore sportsbook might partner with an onshore bookmaker. The deal was based on the onshore bookmaker finding the business and the offshore operator writing it and doing the accounting for a fee. The deal was typically 50%/50%. However, with my Price Per Head offering, I can offer the same offerings, but only charge the onshore bookmaker a nominal fee for using my service. The fact is that 50% is simply too much to charge an onshore bookmaker. I charge bookmakers a flat fee based on the number of head I am writing and let the bookmaker keep the rest of the money.
Vegas Offshore: Wait a minute. How can you afford to write the business for a simple fee when it historically cost 50%.
Wagner: The simple fact is that 50% of the revenue is ridiculous. I can charge a fee as little as $25 per head, per week and allow a client to have access to sports wagering, casino wagering and horse wagering – and, make a profit. Furthermore, we have written a software interface that allows agents onshore to manage their clients limits, run reports, etc. from any computer in the world. The offering is robust, efficient and simple to use. And, unfortunately for offshore sportsbooks that share in revenue, agents and bookmakers simply love it.
Vegas Offshore: Is the PPH product only based on sports wagering?
Wagner: No. We actually have the ability to offer clients two (2) casino products including blackjack, baccarat, slots, 3 card poker, roulette, etc. And, clients may also bet on horses at over 350 tracks worldwide.
Vegas Offshore: How many bookmakers do you currently work with?
Wagner: We are writing business for over 250 bookmakers now. Some represent groups as small as 2 or 3; and others represent groups as large as 500. Again, remember the key is finding as many clients as possible. If you get to where you are writing 15 clients or more, it is almost impossible to lose for an extended period of time.
Vegas Offshore: Anything else you would like to add?
Wagner: Sure. If you’re a bookmaker onshore, call us or visit us online to learn how to save money and/or grow your business beyond your wildest dreams. The service is modestly priced, and we have never had a disgruntled user. The value proposition is simply huge for any bookmaker.
Vegas Offshore: So how does a bookmaker learn more about this?Wagner: Simply go to any of the V.O. Group, S.A. sites to learn more. I suggest starting at www.BettorsNet.com or calling 1-877-512-1001 or emailing agents@bettorsnet.com to get more information.
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Q & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.
As Founder and Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A., Dalton Wagner has the reputation of ferreting out new markets and attacking while other companies sit on their hindquarters and watch. One market that has always eluded offshore bookmakers is the ‘guy who likes dealing with his credit bookmaker’. Typically this market has been untouchable for the offshore bookmaker, but NOT for Dalton and V.O. Group, S.A. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner on his last visit to Panama.
Vegas Offshore: Tell us about this new product that you are calling your Price Per Head Agency Relationship.
Wagner: As you know, one market that a post-up sportsbook has historically been unable to attack is the huge market of bettors that have been betting with their local guy for years. The reason this market exists is the personal relationship that an onshore bookie has with his clients. Sportsbooks have attempted to educate the player and lure him away from the local bookie, however we have taken another tact. We have partnered with local bookies around the world to make their offering better and more valuable.
Vegas Offshore: So instead of attacking the local guy, you actually approach him with your offer?
Wagner: Exactly. The fact is that the relationship is the last thread holding clients to a local guy. Yes, there is the fact that the local guy extends credit, but with bonuses and promotions we can overcome that offering. The key is the relationship.
Vegas Offshore: I’m confused, please explain.
Wagner: As you know, the onshore bookmaking market has lost steam to the offshore providers like V.O. Group, S.A. The reason is that the offerings that I can provide are far superior to those that any onshore bookmaker can offer. The PPH concept is based on allowing the onshore bookmaker to provide his clients my offerings on a purely anonymous basis via an online automated tool. Rather, by signing up with my PPH service, an onshore bookmaker can compete with all offshore sportsbooks on equal footing offering 24-hour wagering, 365 days a year. All the bookmaker does is use an online system to assign PINs and PASSWORDs and pay me a small fee per week for the service.
Vegas Offshore: Wait a minute. So, this means that a small time operator in Cleveland, Ohio can offer all the same things that V.O. Group, S.A. does without making the multi-million dollar investment?
Wagner: Now your catching on. For as little as $25 per head per week, a guy in Ohio can compete with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. And, better yet, never answer another wagering phone call again.
Vegas Offshore: OK, I get it. They use your automated tool to drive their clients to your software online, and they simply pick up the figures at the end of the week.
Wagner: Exactly correct with one exception. Their clients can bet on the phone via our call center staffed with 250 people OR bet online. Again, they have access to all of the offerings V.O. Group, S.A. provides including call center access, client services and technical support.
Vegas Offshore: Is the PPH product only based on sports wagering?
Wagner: Very good question. The answer is no. We actually have the ability to offer clients two (2) casino products including blackjack, baccarat, slots, 3 card poker, roulette, etc. And, clients may also bet on horses at over 350 tracks worldwide.
Vegas Offshore: Wow! That truly is incredible. So, a bookie that has one client can compete with the likes of MVPsportsbook.com on equal footing?
Wagner: Exactly correct. But, there are two keys to the success of the product launch. The first is being able to compete head to head with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. But, arguably the most important factor is that since the onshore bookie no longer has to answer phones or track plays, he can spend all of his time picking up new clients, NOT writing bets.
Vegas Offshore: I remember that in a prior interview you had stated that the key is not winning, but finding more losers.
Wagner: An embarrassing quote, but true. Amateur bookmakers think that the key is to beat the clients you have. That is a huge mistake. The key to getting rich as a bookmaker is finding a new client every single day of the year. The numbers take care of themselves, the key is to get more and more people playing. That is the TRUE BEAUTY of the PPH software and agency relationship.
Vegas Offshore: Do you have any success stories to tell?
Wagner: I have many, but will tell you one that emphasizes what the PPH program can do. I have a bookmaker that has been working out of San Antonio, Texas for 10 years. The guy has historically made $200,000 a year from his 25 or 30 players. He was introduced to our product in July 2004, and today he is writing over 185 clients. The ability to outsource answering calls and writing tickets to us has allowed him to grow his business 600% and his revenue over 1000%.
Vegas Offshore: Why did his revenue grow more than his business? Is it because your lines are sharper than his?
Wagner: There you go again. That is the obvious mistake that everyone makes. Again, don’t worry about beating the clients. Worry about getting more clients to play. But, to answer your question directly, the ability for his clients to play in the casino, play 24 hours a day, play games/halves/quarters, props, etc. is where the extra revenue comes from. Our lines might be sharper, but the advantage is more clients betting more often.
Vegas Offshore: How many bookmakers do you currently work with?
Wagner: We are writing business for over 250 bookmakers now. Some represent groups as small as 2 or 3; and others represent groups as large as 500. Again, remember the key is finding as many clients as possible. If you get to where you are writing 15 clients or more, it is almost impossible to lose for an extended period of time.
Vegas Offshore: So how does a bookmaker learn more about this?Wagner: Simply go to any of the V.O. Group, S.A. sites to learn more. I suggest starting at www.BettorsNet.com or calling 1-877-512-1001 or emailing agents@bettorsnet.com to get more information.
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Monday, June 13, 2005
Q & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.
As Founder and Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A., Dalton Wagner has the reputation of making one-dollar work like three in online marketing. With formidable competition, Mr. Wagner founded V.O. Group, S.A. in 1998 and has quickly risen to be one of the largest offshore operators in the world with over 50,000 active clients. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner on his last visit to Antigua.
Vegas Offshore: This year has been interesting for V.O. Group, S.A. and the offshore industry as a whole (advertising changes, etc.). How do you feel about the industry at the current time?
Wagner: I feel the industry is as strong as it has ever been. We are still finding that our advertising is bringing us new clients at an ever-growing rate. Some competitors are complaining that the crimp on advertising is affecting the industry, but we are not seeing this trend. Consolidation within the industry has begun, and I am sure you will continue to see smaller competitors gobbled up, and medium to larger companies merging. The weaker will go by the wayside.
Vegas Offshore: What about the rumors of V.O. Group, S.A. being bought?
Wagner: I am glad you used the term 'rumors'. The fact is that in July 2004 three suitors approached V.O. Group, S.A. because of our record-breaking profit year. In two of the cases we did see 'value' in a merger/relationship. However, at the end of the day, we could not come to terms that were agreeable on both sides. At this time V.O. Group, S.A. stands independent. And, we are happy being independent, profitable and growing.
Vegas Offshore: It is rumored that Bet On Sports (PLC; BSS.L) was one of the suitors. Is that true?
Wagner: There were three suitors that approached V.O. Group, S.A. And, in all cases confidentiality agreements were signed. For this reason, I cannot confirm or deny who any of the potential suitors were. What I can tell you is that one was a major sportsbook player, one was a major casino player and two were PLCs. I doubt that helps.
Vegas Offshore: Well, if Bet On Sports was involved, I bet you are happy you weren't involved in their November 24, 2004 stock debacle.
Wagner: The Bet On Sports stock debacle was an over-reaction by the market in my opinion. In one day you saw their stock drop 50% in value. And, the reason was poor performance in a very short period. If you looked at the other publicly held offshore gaming companies, you saw the same thing, just not as drastic as with BSS.L. Simply put, I know the founder of Bet On Sports, I know the management of Bet On Sports, I know the staff at Bet On Sports and I would not hesitate to invest in Bet On Sports. They were, and still are, undervalued in my opinion. They are a great competitor and a great company. I wish I had some of their stock at the new adjusted price. I just don't see how you can lose.
Vegas Offshore: It is rare to hear the 'competition' speaking so highly of a major competitor. Why would you do so?
Wagner: Simple. Bet On Sports is a great company. And, I am sure they would tell you the same about V.O. Group, S.A. The fact is, that there are companies out there that make our industry stronger. And, ones that make it weaker. Bet On Sports and V.O.Group, S.A. strive to make our industry stronger and more legitimate on a daily basis (as do BetCris.com; BoDog.com; etc.). What kind of ambassador for the industry would I be if I downplayed a 'good' competitor like Bet On Sports for my own benefit?
Vegas Offshore: If Bet On Sports did approach you, would you consider a merger?
Wagner: I like being independent. But, simply put, NEVER say NEVER.
Vegas Offshore: What of the rumors that you are looking at Panama as a potential relocation site?
Wagner: Our operation currently has offices in Costa Rica, Antigua and Belize. In Costa Rica we currently have over 400 employees. With employment costs in Costa Rica on the rise, the burden of Caja and the ever-changing political climate, we have looked at several alternative locations. One of the most desirable is/was Panama. However, due to the massive failure of BetPanAm.com and the political debacle involving their past gaming commission, we have decided to stay put for the current time. I think it is very safe to say that our primary location will be Costa Rica for the next 5 years. Pending any crazy licensing or governmental changes.
Vegas Offshore: I have visited your office in Antigua, however had no idea that you employed 400 individuals in Costa Rica. Why do you need such a large staff?
Wagner: Our industry has a reputation for being lazy and getting by on a shoestring budget. Most sportsbooks, casinos, racebooks and poker rooms answer phones when it is convenient and buy computers when the ones they are operating blow-up. Most are simply embarrassing to the legitimate operators. To run an operation like ours, servicing 50,000 bettors, you need lots of space, a 1st rate phone system, fiber and satellite phone and Internet backups, IT professionals, accounting professionals, etc. V.O. Group, S.A. is currently located in 35,000 square feet of space, operating 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, and we are busting at the seems. At the current time, we are negotiating to buy the building next to us for future expansion. I think we will employ 600 people come this same time next year.
Vegas Offshore: I have noticed that you are still branching into other products. How has this strategy worked for V.O. Group, S.A.?
Wagner: In 1998 we started with our sports product. We then branched into the casino product. In 2001 and 2002 we opened several major race books and poker rooms. The fact is that we are profitable in all products. However, our core product, and hub for our advertising, is focused on the sports product. The strategy has worked, but we will not desert our core product. You can look for our re-launch of interactive betting in early 2005 and bingo in mid 2005.
Vegas Offshore: What other changes do you see in 2005 for V.O. Group, S.A.
Wagner: I think you will see V.O. Group, S.A. work more on our Internet interface to make it more gamer-friendly; you will see our company move into land-based gaming; and you will see us acquire two or three smaller competitors. Rather, you will see what you have always seen, expansion.
Vegas Offshore: What other changes do you see in 2005 for the industry as a whole?
Wagner: The strong will get stronger. The weak will get weaker. And, the acquisition race will be on.
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Monday, March 14, 2005
Read Below To Earn More Cash Than Ever
Are you a onshore bookmaker that wants to Minimize Legal Exposure, Increase Potential Profits, Spend More Time Enjoying the Money You Are Making, and Grow Your Business Beyond Your Wildest Dreams? If you answered ‘YES’ to one or all of these questions, then you need to look at a Price Per Head Agent Relationship with our company.
The concept of a Price Per Head Agent Relationship is based on you, the onshore bookmaker, paying our company a service fee to offer the same services that we offer to thousands of clients (on an anonymous basis).
For the first time, you will be able to offer Internet and Phone access to Sports, Horse and Casino (2 casinos) wagering to all your current clients (via a simple PIN and PASSWORD betting system). No longer do you have to compete with offshore sportsbooks and lose clients. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER EVERYTHING THAT THEY OFFER!
We are Licensed to offer bookmaking services.
We have been in business for 7 years.
We write business for 15,000 clients daily.
We are open 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365 days a year.
We have over 500 operators standing by to make you money!
Take advantage of our $5,000,000 USD investment to make your services better than ever. No longer will you have to answer calls all Saturday and Sunday. No longer will you have to lose clients to the offshore bookmakers. No longer will you have to worry about having your door kicked in by the authorities. Now you can compete with the Big Boys! You will simply sit back, watch the games, and earn more than ever before.
To learn more, go to our website, and click on ‘Agents’. If you prefer to use a white-labeled site without bonus and promotional text, visit www.BettorsNet.com for more information.
We look forward to being your service provider.
Call 1-888-333-6914 for more information.
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Q & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.
As Founder and Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A., Dalton Wagner has the reputation of ferreting out new markets and attacking while other companies sit on their hindquarters and watch. One market that has always eluded offshore bookmakers is the ‘guy who likes dealing with his credit bookmaker’. Typically this market has been untouchable for the offshore bookmaker, but NOT for Dalton and V.O. Group, S.A. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner on his last visit to Panama.
Vegas Offshore: Tell us about this new product that you are calling your Price Per Head Agency Relationship.
Wagner: As you know, one market that a post-up sportsbook has historically been unable to attack is the huge market of bettors that have been betting with their local guy for years. The reason this market exists is the personal relationship that an onshore bookie has with his clients. Sportsbooks have attempted to educate the player and lure him away from the local bookie, however we have taken another tact. We have partnered with local bookies around the world to make their offering better and more valuable.
Vegas Offshore: So instead of attacking the local guy, you actually approach him with your offer?
Wagner: Exactly. The fact is that the relationship is the last thread holding clients to a local guy. Yes, there is the fact that the local guy extends credit, but with bonuses and promotions we can overcome that offering. The key is the relationship.
Vegas Offshore: I’m confused, please explain.
Wagner: As you know, the onshore bookmaking market has lost steam to the offshore providers like V.O. Group, S.A. The reason is that the offerings that I can provide are far superior to those that any onshore bookmaker can offer. The PPH concept is based on allowing the onshore bookmaker to provide his clients my offerings on a purely anonymous basis via an online automated tool. Rather, by signing up with my PPH service, an onshore bookmaker can compete with all offshore sportsbooks on equal footing offering 24-hour wagering, 365 days a year. All the bookmaker does is use an online system to assign PINs and PASSWORDs and pay me a small fee per week for the service.
Vegas Offshore: Wait a minute. So, this means that a small time operator in Cleveland, Ohio can offer all the same things that V.O. Group, S.A. does without making the multi-million dollar investment?
Wagner: Now your catching on. For as little as $25 per head per week, a guy in Ohio can compete with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. And, better yet, never answer another wagering phone call again.
Vegas Offshore: OK, I get it. They use your automated tool to drive their clients to your software online, and they simply pick up the figures at the end of the week.
Wagner: Exactly correct with one exception. Their clients can bet on the phone via our call center staffed with 250 people OR bet online. Again, they have access to all of the offerings V.O. Group, S.A. provides including call center access, client services and technical support.
Vegas Offshore: Is the PPH product only based on sports wagering?
Wagner: Very good question. The answer is no. We actually have the ability to offer clients two (2) casino products including blackjack, baccarat, slots, 3 card poker, roulette, etc. And, clients may also bet on horses at over 350 tracks worldwide.
Vegas Offshore: Wow! That truly is incredible. So, a bookie that has one client can compete with the likes of MVPsportsbook.com on equal footing?
Wagner: Exactly correct. But, there are two keys to the success of the product launch. The first is being able to compete head to head with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. But, arguably the most important factor is that since the onshore bookie no longer has to answer phones or track plays, he can spend all of his time picking up new clients, NOT writing bets.
Vegas Offshore: I remember that in a prior interview you had stated that the key is not winning, but finding more losers.
Wagner: An embarrassing quote, but true. Amateur bookmakers think that the key is to beat the clients you have. That is a huge mistake. The key to getting rich as a bookmaker is finding a new client every single day of the year. The numbers take care of themselves, the key is to get more and more people playing. That is the TRUE BEAUTY of the PPH software and agency relationship.
Vegas Offshore: Do you have any success stories to tell?
Wagner: I have many, but will tell you one that emphasizes what the PPH program can do. I have a bookmaker that has been working out of San Antonio, Texas for 10 years. The guy has historically made $200,000 a year from his 25 or 30 players. He was introduced to our product in July 2004, and today he is writing over 185 clients. The ability to outsource answering calls and writing tickets to us has allowed him to grow his business 600% and his revenue over 1000%.
Vegas Offshore: Why did his revenue grow more than his business? Is it because your lines are sharper than his?
Wagner: There you go again. That is the obvious mistake that everyone makes. Again, don’t worry about beating the clients. Worry about getting more clients to play. But, to answer your question directly, the ability for his clients to play in the casino, play 24 hours a day, play games/halves/quarters, props, etc. is where the extra revenue comes from. Our lines might be sharper, but the advantage is more clients betting more often.
Vegas Offshore: How many bookmakers do you currently work with?
Wagner: We are writing business for over 250 bookmakers now. Some represent groups as small as 2 or 3; and others represent groups as large as 500. Again, remember the key is finding as many clients as possible. If you get to where you are writing 15 clients or more, it is almost impossible to lose for an extended period of time.
Vegas Offshore: So how does a bookmaker learn more about this?
Wagner: Simply go to any of the V.O. Group, S.A. sites to learn more. I suggest starting at www.BettorsNet.com or calling 1-877-512-1001 or emailing agents@bettorsnet.com to get more information.
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Blackjack is without question the most popular of all casino games in the Americas and probably the world. Your odds for winning are much higher for blackjack than other games. You should make certain you understand the exact rules for blackjack and each casino's specific guidelines before you begin gambling. However, the basic rules of blackjack are the same and you can devise a clear strategy for winning in your favorite online casino!
In blackjack, you play only against the dealer - you do not play against other players. To win, your hand must be higher than the dealer's hand without going over 21. The game starts with every player making their opening bets. This is called an "ante." The minimum and maxium allowable bet are posted on the casino table, usually next to the location of the chips. Most online casinos have limits, called "table limits," from as little as $1 up to $100.Texas Hold'em Poker
After you place your bet, the dealer can deal the cards. He gives each player one card, face down, including himself. This is the dealers "down card." In online casinos this card will show as face up for you. Dont' worry, he can't "see" it. Then the dealer deals a second round of cards. The card he deals himself will be face up. This is the dealers "up card." You now can look at both of your cards and find your total by simply adding the values of your cards.
The cards in the game of blackjack from two to ten count at face value. Jacks, Queens and Kings count as ten and the Ace counts as eleven, or one, whichever is better for your hand. A hand with one Ace having the value of eleven is called a "soft hand" and a hand with an ace having the value of one is called a "hard hand." For instance, if you get an 8 and ace, this would be a soft 19 while an 8, 10 and Ace would be a hard 19. Getting a starting total of 21 is called a BLACKJACK.
If the dealer's up card is an Ace he checks for a dealer blackjack before continuing the game. Exceeding a total of 21 while counting all the aces in your hand as one means you are "bust" and lose your bet. The following are the actions you can take during a game of blackjack . You strategy will be to chose the best option to win the hand. Remember, you are only playing against the blackjack dealer and not other players.
Hit - In order to get as close to 21 as possible you can ask the dealer to "hit" you. This means he deals you another card in addition to your two. You can hit until you are satisfied with your total, or until you bust.
Stand - If you don't want any more cards, you will "stand."
Double - If you think you will win without getting more than one card you should "Double." You have to add an amount equal to your original wager and receive only one card. Yo will win the total amount of your bet.
Split - If your starting hand contains two cards of the same value(i.e. two 8's) you can split them up into two new hands. Your new hand will recieve the same wager as originally wagered with the first combined hand you recieved.
Insurance - Insurance is offered to the players if the dealer's up card is an Ace. This is meant to protect a player from losing their entire bet if the dealer has blackjack. You will pay half of your original bet if the dealer has a blackjack. Unless you also have a blackjack, your original bet is lost.
Surrender - This decision is not offered is many casinos. After you see your starting hand and the dealers up card and you don't think you can win, you have to give your cards back to the dealer immediately. If you surrender, you will give up half of your original bet. You cannot surrender if the dealer has a blackjack.
After each player has made their decisions, the dealer will then finishing playing his hand. The dealer must follow certain rules when playing his hand. First, he must hit on every total less than 17. Otherwise, he must stand. Some casinos let the dealer hit when he has a soft 17 - other casinos do not. You win if either the dealer busts or has a total less than yours. If the total between your's and the dealer's hand are the same, it's a "draw," or a push, and your original wager is returned to you. A blackjack beats an ordinary 21 and is paid your original wager plus half of the wager more - one and a half times your original wager in other words!
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Monday, February 07, 2005
The Second Golden Rule of Poker The Second Golden Rule of Poker When deciding whether or not to call, factor the amount of money being asked of you in relation to the amount of money in the pot. In pot-matching games like murder when the amount of money in the pot needs to be counted and announced, it's interesting to note how few players have any idea what's in the pot. This is tantamount to decision-making in the betting rounds. The decision to see a fifty-cent bet varies inevitably between the chance to win a two-dollar pot and a ten-dollar pot. Texas Hold'em Poker If you are holding a fourflush in five -card draw then of the 47 cards in the deck that you have not yet seen, there are nine that will make your hand. Nine divided by 47 gives a one in five chance of success roughly. Paying fifty cents in the hopes of winning a two-dollar pot is a payoff of four to one. Paying fifty cents in the hopes of winning a ten-dollar pot is a payoff of twenty to one. Based on your chances of making the flush, what bet makes more sense? Unfortunately, a call this simple to make is rare. Nobody brings a calculator to the table, in which case approximation is required. In the interests of taking the right chances, it should be less appealing to go after payouts that do not match or exceed the odds of successfully winning the pot. Better still, the important theme to consider is that the size of the pot should have bearing on your decision to stay in. The opportunity to win a bigger pot should influence your staying in the game over the same odds of winning a smaller pot. If your hand is made, then a different kind of math is required. What are the chances that this made hand will be the best hand at the table? If chances are good, then throwing your 50 cents into a two-dollar pot would be the right move. Throwing your 50 cents into a ten-dollar pot would be the only right move. What are the chances that somebody else has or will make a hand that can beat yours? Let's look at an example. You are playing Five-card Draw, and are dealt 7-7-A-5-6. If you get that far, you intend to hold the pair and the Ace as a kicker. Drawing two, your chances of getting another Ace are three in 47 for the first card and three in 46 for the second card...roughly 1 in 8 to get your hand. A fifty-cent bet for what is now a two-dollar pot is chancy...the bettor is not betting too smartly, but is he playing dumb, holding gold, or bluffing? Do you challenge his poker-playing or his bluff by staying in? Odds would dictate that you fold, since a 4-to-1 payout does not justify a 1-in-8 probability. If your fair hand is suspect enough, how about the other players who will fold and contribute nothing more on the next betting round? Other factors obviously weigh in the decision then. What's more is that nobody wants to spend the night calculating poker hand probabilities. Texas Hold'em Poker. For this reason, the Second Golden Rule of Poker is not a standalone rule, especially not for many home games played more in the interest of fun than maximizing your loot. The point however is to pay rough attention to the investment you are considering, as it relates to the payback that you are after. Is it worth it? As mentioned, all poker strategy will be rooted in the First Golden Rule of Poker, and this one is no exception. It is in calculating considered calls versus pot sizes that you are maximizing wins and minimizing losses: what are the chances of me winning this hand versus the size of the bet versus the size of the pot. Take less chances on small pots and more chances on big pots.
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Friday, February 04, 2005
Types of Slots
There are many different types of slot machines; sometimes even the King can get overwhelmed! There are one line, two line, even five line slot machines; there can be two symbols on a reel, all the way up to five. Texas Hold'em Poker. A typical machine is three symbols on one reel. The goal is simple; line up the three symbols and get paid off.
A more complicated machine would have three reels and three lines. The more reels you have, the more of a chance that you have of winning. Texas Hold'em Poker. The hardest type of game to understand is the Pay for Play. When you put in one coin into the machine, you qualify for a prize that is just associated with that one coin. Casinos will usually give you a detailed breakdown of how the Pay for Play games are played, so it is recommended that you read these rules and understand them completely before playing. If you are unsure about it, stick to the straight one reel, three symbol games.
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How to Play Slots
Want to know the most popular game in casinos? It's not roulette, and it's not craps. THe answer is slots, otherwise known as the "one armed bandits." They are very easy to use and oftentimes very lucrative, especially when playing a progressive slot machine.
A progressive machine is basically a combination of jackpots from different players in different casinos. These machines will pay out less in total money than an average slot machine, but the potential big prize payoffs are much bigger. You can't just put in one quarter and expect to win the big jackpot though; these progressive machines will require that a certain amount of money is spent by you in order to me eligible for the big prize. Texas hold'em poker
Bet sizes can range anywhere from 25 cents up to 100 dollars. Money management is key though; if you have 50 dollars in total money that you want to bet, it would not be smart to play 10 dollar slots. Instead, play the 25 cent slots and work your way up as you become more confident. Texas hold'em poker
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Friday, January 28, 2005
Poker Filmmaking in
texas hold'em poker
Golf and sportsbetting are the two most common hobbies for poker players. Not too far behind though are movies. Poker players like movies. I suppose this is because most poker players have vivid imaginations. (Bad poker players have no imagination.) Previously I wrote about how good poker and good moviemaking have solid structure in common. Quality actions have a cohesive beginning, middle and end.But that isn't the end of the parallels between poker and movies. Celebrity poker is a bit of the rage now. Several celebrities even semi-regularly play in major tournaments. One of the best celebrity players is Ben Affleck, and I don't think it is a coincidence that Affleck is a filmmaker (writer, actor, producer) rather than just an actor. Filmmakers must consider the whole of their project, not just the one aspect of the bigger picture that they are involved in. (In June 2004, Affleck won the $10,000 California State Poker Championship No Limit Hold'em tournament at the Commerce Casino, along with its $356,000 first prize.)If you just look at the pieces separately, moviemaking might make no sense at all. What does a lighting technician have to do with a dialogue coach? What is the bond between gaffers and costumers? But while these things may not seem to directly relate to each other, they must work to combine to create a satisfying whole. In fact, the electrician and the makeup artists are working together. They have a common purpose: to make a successful film. They do not need to directly interact, or even see each other, to cooperate in that joint venture.
Poker, as moneymaking endeavor, likewise has many dissimilar aspects that are seemingly unrelated but actually are working together. Winning poker is about making money over a career. You can win and lose hands/days/tournaments, but those results are all just details in a much bigger "picture". And, these details exist among an even larger sea of details like game selection, bankroll management, study, self-reflection, traveling, self-control, etc.One of the all-time great movies is To Kill a Mockingbird. Gregory Peck stars as Atticus Finch, a Depression-era single parent Southern lawyer. The American Film Institute named Atticus Finch the #1 film hero of the first one hundred years of movies. To say the least, that is saying a lot -- not Indiana Jones, not James Bond, but Atticus Finch. Okay, so how is he a hero? What does he do, or even, what is To Kill a Mockingbird about? The answers to those questions are actually complex to describe -- but if you see the movie, you just know why it is a great film and Atticus is a great hero. The movie seems to be about several things, which all seem mildly important at the time, but when taken together, taken as a whole, the sum of the parts adds up to more than immediately meets the eye. The filmmakers (from Harper Lee's novel) took a variety of apparently marginally related story elements and bound them together in a way that works superbly.A successful poker career should resemble To Kill a Mockingbird. Each aspect of our poker careers is not, or should not be, one of a series of random acts. Even though some things will appear disjointed, the goal is to make a satisfying whole of disparate elements. Sometimes the interaction of elements is obvious, like getting a good night's sleep before a tournament so you are well rested and able to play for twelve or more hours while mentally sharp. In your poker career, you should do things for a purpose. The common goal of being a winning player should flow through all the choices you make.
But it is even more than that. To raise our games to the next level (and the next and the next) requires that we pay attention to all the details in our poker lives. Everything we do relates to everything else we do. Hard as it is for some people to accept, most of our poker career takes place away from the poker table. If you spend a year building a bankroll, and then blow it one night on the crap table, you are a lousy poker player. If you excel in most aspects of poker, but you completely ignore game selection, you will eventually fail. These examples are not hard to see. Some leaks are obvious gushers. But I'm not primarily talking about leaks here today. I'm talking about, like To Kill a Mockingbird, bringing together a variety of assets to create something amazingly valuable. The more solid, quality assets you can bring to your overall game, the greater a masterpiece you can create.
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Why Play Poker?
texas hold'em poker
Aside from just enjoying the game, why should anyone play poker for money? The answer is a blank for most people, and in a nutshell that is the reason some other people should play the game. Poker is a game where study, deliberately trying to improve and hard work pay off. There is no poker equivalent of taking golf lessons that make some aspect of your game better but that screw up those few things you currently do well. The only close parallel in the cumulative learning process involved in poker is something like once you learn how to successfully bluff you have to still maintain patience and not try to bluff every single hand.
But beyond the most basic levels, improving as a poker player is usually quite difficult. Evidence of this can be found by observing the mass of players. It is really easy to say "going on tilt is bad, so don't do it." But not one player in ten manages to keep tilt to a trivial level. Somehow in the rest of their lives people are able to handle equally obvious concepts: don't lick frozen lampposts; don't put your hand on a stove burner; don't wear your clothes inside-out. But when it comes to poker, they simply can't prevent their anger, machismo and stubbornness from governing their play.But more to the point, most players simply refuse to accept that poker is a difficult, complex game that requires much from them.Believing in ghosts and fairies is easier than doing the hard work needed to win. Saying "change the deck" is easier than studying opponent's tendencies and adapting your play to their strengths and weaknesses. Crying, whining, blaming dealers, flinging cards or saying the game is rigged, these exist in the poker world because they are easier to do than studying and having patience.Even among somewhat more thoughtful players, the lust for shortcuts overwhelms them. They crave easy answers to complex problems. They want to be told an answer rather than learn it -- despite the fact that phantom knowledge does not bring success.One common question shortcut players ask about Texas Holdem or Omaha is: "what percentage of hands should I play before the flop?" This is akin to asking: "what should I wear?" Well, for what? Are you going to a wedding or a digging a ditch? Are you in the Amazon or the Antarctic? The question alone isn't just pointless, it's ridiculous.Some games are loose and aggressive; others are tight and passive. Some games feature seven solid opponents and one looney-tune donator. Then you get to more specific circumstances. The percentage of hands you play third under the gun with a super-tight rock in the big blind will be different that the percentage of hands you play when an outstanding loose-aggressive player is in the big blind.
Don't misunderstand. I'm not talking about "it depends." I'm talking about the process of poker. Each circumstance and judgment you face in a poker game is an opportunity to exercise thoughtful decisionmaking and data processing. And so, you should play poker for money if you like to do that! Players who want to follow the rules or thought-processes set out by others, even outstanding players, are not playing poker so much as pretending to play poker. Poker is a battle of wits, intellects, of nerve. In short, winning poker is a challenge. Play poker to win if you like a challenge (and not coincidentally, money). Players who seek to avoid challenge do not succeed. Sir Edmund Hillary did not take a helicopter to the top of Mount Everest. Great explorers explore, and so do great poker players.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2005
texas hold'em poker
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