I was rummaging through the shelves at a local bookstore earlier this week when I came across a book on etiquette. This got me thinking that someone should put out a book - or at least devote a chapter in a poker book - to online poker etiquette. I’ve seen articles and stories on live casino poker etiquette, but have yet to see much written on online poker etiquette. I’ve decided to get the ball rolling and see who jumps on.

How many times have you been playing poker online and watched another player make a bad play, only to have someone else at the table chew him out? If you’ve never seen this happen, either you haven’t been playing enough poker or you don’t play with some of the loudmouths I’ve come across. Rule No. 1 in poker etiquette should be: Lay off the losers.

If another player does something stupid, don’t mock them or call them a bad player. Think about what you’re doing; not only are you making poker less enjoyable for the bad player, you’re also making it more difficult for us good players. If a player stinks, don’t mock him into hitting the poker books and turn a fish into shark. There are already enough sharks out there and we need the poor playing guppies to feed off.

Instead of working on your insults and smack-talk, you should be working on your encouragement. Phrases like, “ooh that was a tough beat, luck wasn’t on your side that time,” should replace, “nice one you idiot, learn to play!” in your poker vocabulary. Try replacing the words “you suck!” and “what the hell are you doing?” with “good thing I hit on the turn or you had me,” and “that was a nice risk, too bad it didn’t turn out.”

Not only will you keep the online poker rooms from becoming filled with poker tables like the ones on Deadwood, but you’ll also be keeping the poker ocean stocked with plenty of fish.

If you’re still a little confused about how to act, here’s a final tip. If you wouldn’t do it or say it at the local casino, don’t say it online. I’d really love to take a few of those online poker loudmouths to my local poker room and see if they act the same way. A full-on brawl would break out if some of those things I’ve heard online were uttered in another player’s face instead of to a computer screen.

There, I’ve put online poker etiquette on the table. Now let’s see some more suggestions or ideas to keep things civilized. Just remember to keep it clean.

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The line set for this game has set off alarms in my head all week, and now it time for me to tell you why. The PAC 10 has proven throughout this tournament that they might just be the best conference in all of college hoops. With UCLA advancing to the Elite 8, both Oregon and USC have a shot to pull off the trifecta tonight that would simply stun the rest of the CBB world. With that being said, why are the Ducks only 3-point favorites to the Runnin’ Rebs of UNLV? They played in a much tougher conference. They’ve played a much tougher schedule. Why only three-points? I’ll tell you why, it’s because HC Kruger has got one heck of a team. Their win over Wiscy was by no means a fluke. These kids can ball, and I’m more comfortable backing them in this spot against a Ducks squad that’s had a pretty easy road up until this point. Their struggles in their first round match-up with Miami (OH) certainly leads me to believe that UNLV is more than capable of advancing here. Look for them to slow it down as well, and keep this more of a half court game. They got the big bodies down low to do damage against Oregon’s interior, and they can play defense with the best of them. Look for this to be a defensive minded slugfest. UNLV wants to keep this game in the 60’s, and if that occurs, they’re runnin right into the Elite 8.

Bet on UNLV +3.0…

This Hoyas club has quietly put together a sensational season, and I don’t foresee it ending anytime soon. Their round 1 dismantling of Belmont was certainly a sight to see. Especially since they got off to such a slow start and still won by 25. The final score in their Round 2 match-up looks closer than what really happened on the floor, but I’ll just chalk that up to BC’s familiarity with the Hoyas after battling against them in the Big East for so many years before moving to the ACC. Vanderbilt is coming off a mighty impressive OT win over Washington State in which the Commodores studs had huge games. Byars and Foster combined for 47 of their 78 points hat game, but I foresee it being much tougher for them in this game. GTOWN just frustrates the heck out of you with their style of play. Their stats don’t look overly impressive, but that’s because they slow play down so much. However, this squad is as efficient as it gets. They play tremendous defense,, and they’re money from the charity stripe. Jeff Green might just be the best college baller remaining in the tourney, and the big man Hibbert is such a beast underneath with his inside game and precision passing. I honestly don’t think Vandy stands a chance in this game. GTOWN paid the ‘Dores a visit way back in November of this year when each team hadn’t really broken a sweat yet. They rolled them by 16 in a game where both teams were still acclimating to new faces. Vandy only lost three games at home all season long, so that win was very impressive. I love the job HC Stallings has done with this team, but they’re really up against it tonight. Lay the chalk as the Hoyas move on to the Elite 8.

Bet on Georgetown -7.5…

The Niagara Purple Eagles had to go through a lot this season on their way to a MAAC Championship. A lack of leadership that resulted in a serious altercation with a Purple Eagle Baseball player that landed him in the hospital with serious injuries , and the subsequent suspension of 6 players , was the beginning of a possible rallying call that led this inexperienced but talented group, to come together as the season progressed behind coach Joe Mihalich. After winning their L/11 games of the season, they now feel disrespected for having to win one more time against a lower ranked Florida A&M program in the play in game in Dayton, Ohio today. With that said ,look for the Purple Eagles to come out here with all guns blazing in what I expect to be a statement game. Final notes & Trends: Niagara is 4-1 ATS L/5 in neutral court games . Projected score: Niagara 83 Florida A&M 67

Bet on Niagara -8.5…

Say what you will, but Drexel was jobbed by the NCAA Committee and should be playing in the Tourney. They had a number of solid wins this season. Wins at Creighton, St. Joe’s, Syracuse, and Villanova should have been enough, but they’ll just have to accept they got the same fate as Hofstra from a year ago. Now, many will expect that with all the snub talk that they will have forgotten about their game tonight with the Wolfpack. I completely beg to differ. HC Flint will have his men ready, and Mason, Mejia, and Elegar are going to have huge games against this NCST squad that’s played a ton of basketball the last five days against tough ACC competition. They’re worn down, and not even HC Lowe’s red blazer will save them from the fate their about to be handed. The Dragons were moineyburners ATS at home this year, but that’s because they had to lay some obscene amounts of chalk. That’s just not the case here tonight as the three hoops is a very manageable line for these ultra-motivated kids to overcome in this spot. Lay the chalk as the Dragons move on!!!!

Bet on Drexel -5.0…

We might be playing with fire in this spot considering the Wolverines are a much different club at home, but this Utah State Aggies club has really turned it on to close the season and I expect them to give it their all tonight. I know Michigan is a stellar 17-3 SU at home and they’ve had success with this bunch in the NIT before, but I’m not expecting the Wolves to take the court with much emotion for this one whatsoever. Big Blue is comprised of a number of Seniors that never got a chance to lace ‘em up in the Big Dance. Their bubble was bursted in the Big 10 tourney by Ohio State, and I’m looking for that disappointment to carry over into tonight’s contest. Aggies Jaycee Carroll has been playing like a man possessed of late, and there’s not a better stage (except for the NCAA Tourney) for him to reintroduce himself to the nation. Look for HC Stew Morrill to be the more motivated of coaches in this one as I believe Tommy Amaker’s days are numbered in Ann Arbor. A run in this years NIT won’t save his job, and I don’t believe the kids that battled for him the last four years care much anyway. The Aggies hang tight, and a possible outright win is definitely in the cards.

Bet on Utah State +8.0…

What is Sports Betting Arbitrage?

“Arbitrage” can be a noun or a verb and can apply to any risk-free hedged investment. A “Sports Betting Arbritrage” is a bet placed on two sides at once, such that you must win, no matter which side loses. Also called scalping, surebets, or risk-free bets.

Here is a sports betting arbitrage example from the pre-internet era. Suppose a London team was playing a Paris team. In London, more people were betting for the London team, so that if you bet on Paris and won, every $100 would bring you $110. Whereas in Paris, if you bet on London and won, every $100 again would bring you $110. A sports bettor might notice this, and so with the help of a friend and a long distance call, he might bet $1000 on London in Paris, and $1000 on Paris in London. Then whichever team won, his sports bet would have won him $100.

Does this sound cold-blooded? Alright, so instead he could have bet $1100 when it was for his favorite, and only $1000 for the other. Then if his favorite won—he would have had a net win of $210. If his favorite lost, he won nothing and lost nothing.

These types of sports betting opportunities used to be rare and difficult to capitalize on. You cannot go betting huge amounts like this, and what can you do with an occasional $210? However, imagine if you could do this continuously with nominal overhead and somewhat larger amounts…

Hundreds of bookmakers throughout the world now use the Internet to serve their sports betting customers. It is inevitable that the contestant popularity for each locale can vary significantly. Those “in the know” are finding sports betting arbitrage situations daily, without leaving home. Follow these steps and you too may be “in the know.”

1. Open free accounts with numerous reputable online sports betting bookmakers. Start with at least two dozen accounts. This is free, and the more bookmakers, the more possibilities.

2. Only watch events with 2 outcomes. A political race with 2 candidates—a match-play golfing event—a one-day cricket match that does not allow for a “draw”—etc. If there were 3 or more possible outcomes, you would have to wager at least 3 ways, greatly reducing any margin.

3. Find the 2 bookmakers offering the lowest price for each side. You can use a calculator, but if possible, configure a spreadsheet to speed up these calculations.

4. Start with small wagers on the widest price discrepancies. There are opportunities almost every day, but as a beginner you may make mistakes, so plan to watch for several days in several categories until you spot something special.

5. Bet immediately and together. When ready to bet, open two windows with your browser, one for each bookmaker. Deposit the necessary funds for each. Proceed to the pricing page in each window. “Refresh”—re-check the prices—place your bets.

Caution: watch for stake limits. Before you attempt to place these simultaneous sports bets, be sure to check that for both bookmakers, you are within the maximum allowed. Most sports betting bookmakers list this, but some do not. If one does not list their maximum: then place that bet first and make sure it is accepted. If a bet ever is over-limit, then you will be told the limit and should make note of it. If both bookmakers do not list a maximum, contact them and ask.

6. Take notes and keep records. Depending on your country, you may or may not need to pay taxes on net profits. In any case, you need to keep track of all costs. Also, note the event, the maximum bet allowed, and the location of each sports bookie. Soon you will learn to factor in all limitations—and you will know the “arbs” like a bee after honey.

7. Go for diversity, not jackpots. Unlike other forms of “advantaged gambling,” with sports betting arbitrage you do not compete directly with other players or with the bookmakers, so stress is nominal. However there are mixed feelings, it is imprudent to stand out. Therefore instead of larger and larger bets, make an increasing number of moderate bets. This eliminates possible complications and amounts to the same profits.

8. Keep looking and learning. Specialize in one type of event first. Then each time you get the feel for one category, start poking your nose into another. Then your experience and your bankroll will grow steadily and together.

9. Watch for special events. Just because you “never heard of something” is not a reason not to place a sports bet. On the contrary, during some car racing events for example, sports betting bookmakers have set some rather wild odds in new match-up listings that pair numerous sets of two drivers. Such “bookmaking experiments” can create an sports betting arbitrage windfall that seems “almost too good to be true.”

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