Category: Gambling and Casinos

My opinion of what makes a player a good player has changed over the past few years as my game has matured. It is very important for a new poker player to realize what makes a good poker player and more importantly, how to spot him. If you can spot the good player, you will have an advantage over him.

Signs of a good poker player:

1) He Plays Tight: Its the first sign that someone is educated about the starting hands of poker. Because I play so much shorthanded, I think that playing too tight is a problem for some players, especially the ones that don’t use the image they have created with their tight play. I play some shorthanded players who have little chance of winning at all due to this single problem. So what used to be a key to winning 10 handed hold em is now the reason they have no chance of winning shorthanded. …Interesting point to ponder…

2) He plays aggressive: You just can’t be successful in poker without being selectively aggressive. This is even more true shorthanded. When he’s in a pot, he bets it aggressively. Tight to get into the pot, aggressive once he is in the pot.

3) Varies his speed of play: Some decisions take longer than others. I’m not talking about the 10 table poker players who might have just happened upon that table being up when its his turn to act. I’m talking about the people that are playing the table…and are THINKING. He must adjust his play and think of every move. Poker is a lot like chess in this way.

4) He plays the same hands differently: This goes hand in hand with point number three, he not only varies the speed of his play but the manner in which he plays it. By this I mean the player is not the guy 6 handed who will open raise any ace from any position. If the blinds are tight, fine; do it. If the whole table is tight, fine, do it. But many players short-handed raise any ace from any position and this is a mistake. So sometimes it is correct to raise A7o utg, and most of the time it is not.

5) He folds his blinds: Sounds odd; but 30% of the players I play defend their blind 100% of the time. It’s a basic aspect of Poker that one must realize. The chips are just tools to get you to your goal, which is more chips. You must use the tools to your maximum advantage and never waste chips.

If you can realize these five signs of a good poker player, you will be a stronger player because of it and you will be able to make appropriate moves against him. Remember, poker is a game of skill and some people are better than others. Spot those good players and adjust your play accordingly.

Nowadays, a new kind of poker player is developing. They are the backwards players, tilted backwards and they have one significant attribute that can be appreciated because they have no idea what a nut means. These players are not inexperienced players. They will usually understand draw odds, they know the fact that on a high percentage all other players won’t start with cards that are considered to be the nuts and that players don’t keep a hand that is probably locked. Backwards players aren’t just plain unintelligent. They can develop into good players but they still have to learn. And they hold their money dearly, so they will believe every time that all the players they encounter will do the same with their stacks, that no one will ever risk to lose money for playing them or follow an important purpose.

A backward player will do mostly the opposite of what an experienced player does usually. They will be aggressive most of the times, excepting the situations they have a winning hand. They are players easy to tell, they do what in real poker a scared player does. Once they see an opportunity of winning, they get scared of losing and hold that hand dearly through safe and passive play. So, according to this pattern a backward player that has something will mostly check or bid less when he has a real hand that can aim for the pot. Of course, this seems to any one a bad even crazy idea, to bet less when you actually can win. They are minimizing their winnings through their behavior at the poker table. If they can get to the right table they can actually make a profit out of their gaming style. The right table for a backward player is a table where all players are tight and take no chances, a table where people will fold every time the backward player raises in his usual style.

So, take advantage of the existence of the backward player and go on a hunt for them. They are quite easy to spot. All you have to do is look for that particular table where you can see a player that has a stack much bigger than all the others and that player just keeps on betting his huge bets.

To play a backward player you must know his two great fears: when he is being checked-raised and when he has the winning hand and no one calls. He is not a player that bluffs, he just wants everyone out of the table and will bet as much as he can afford to get them out.
If you check raise a backward player you will let him know that you know his style and you are willing to risk everything just like him because you know you can make a huge profit. He can go all-in here if the is hoping for a draw, fold if he truly has nothing or check when he thinks (and he will probably do this) you will let him be on the turn and the river.

A backwards player, once losing his stack through many consecutive re-raises from you will not give up. He will keep on coming back and if you manage to get his money every time you will get his entire bankroll. So you will get rich in just one poker room in a couple of hours if you can find your backwards player and check-raise him often until he is completely messed up.

If you bet on sports, or perhaps even if you don’t, you most likely know what a sports handicapping service is. Most people know that they give out sports picks, but what is happing behind the scenes? Are all sports handicapping services the same? Do they really win often? What is inside information? This article will explain the sports handicapping profession by answering these questions. While every sports handicapping service operates in a different way, there are some common elements integrated into each one.

Inside Information

For decades sports handicapping services have touted their “inside information” as a reason why you should pay them. Before the Internet really took hold in the mid 1990’s, this was by in large accurate. It was necessarily that the sports handicapping service knew the players, it was the fact that they had access to information that, by in large, most sports bettors did not. In fact, unless you lived in Las Vegas or knew someone, your sports information was limited to what was in the general media.

The Internet changed all of that. Today, the average sports bettor has access to a plethora of information. Dare I say, the average sports bettor today has most access than did even the most informed sports handicapping service did before the Internet took off. The Internet has change betting on sports in so many ways. Sports bettors can easily shop lines, get information straight from teams and reports 24/7, bet on sports online, access mounds of stats and so much more.

The Call Center

The call center is still thriving and it’s where operators stand by to give you, the sports bettor, a selection or sell you on a service. Technology has greatly changed this area of sports handicapping, but it’s still around. One trick less ethical sports handicapping services use it to alternate their free selection. Let’s say that there’s a free pick advertised on an NBA game between the L.A. Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs. Caller one would be told that the “lock” selection of the day is the Lakers. Caller two would be told the “lock” selection of the say is the Spurs. Caller three would hear the Lakers and so on and so forth. Why would they do this? Well, by alternating, the unethical handicapping service is guaranteed to hit 50% and that means half of the callers become potential clients since they received a free winner. Unfortunately, it’s an effective technique.

The Free Sports Pick

We talked about free sports picks in the previous section. Every sports handicapping service has free sports picks. It’s the most used advertising tool out there. The goal is to give you a winner (or a good percentage of winners), so you can’t help but want their really good stuff. In the old days, you would get free sports picks by watching TV, reading media (like magazines) or calling up free pick lines. Today, free selections are all over the Internet. In fact, if you look long enough, you will probably end up with a 50/50 split on any game you seek out.

Pricing

There’s no real set pricing structure. Every service is different. Many services try to sell you season packages or special event packages. This way they can lock down money and concentrate on selecting games. Also, if you buy a season or event package, it makes their job much easier since they have a guaranteed customer. If you purchase daily picks, they have to keep working hard to earn you as a client. A couple of bad days and they lose you. If you are locked in for the season or event, it does not matter as much.

So, you now have a little peak inside the workings of a sports handicapping service. The world’s full of sports handicapping services, from the one-person operation to the larger company filled with sports handicappers.

1. Develop your own niche. The best way to win money at sports gambling is to develop a niche and follow it closely. If you become an expert on a smaller conference you have a good chance to beat the house. Study your team’s strengths and weaknesses and know their home and road records. Pay attention to changes in the quality of a team from one season to the next and evaluate the change of players and coaching staffs from one season to the next.

2. Evaluate a team objectively. Bet wisely by keeping your selections limited. Also try to limit the influence of bias in your betting. If you are a fan of a team try to limit the effect of that favoritism when betting. Evaluate a team’s chances objectively and not based on emotions.

3. Bet against the odds. Certain teams always have a strong public following. High value bets can often be found by betting against these teams because the odds makers adjust the line to reflect the expected amount of public money so the underdog is often listed with better odds or a larger point spread than they really deserve.

4. Don’t chase your losses. When you do run into the inevitable losing streak, don’t panic and make the common mistake of betting larger amounts in an attempt to recoup your losses. Instead, examine your handicapping methods and reduce your betting amounts until you start winning again. Chasing your losses is the single biggest mistake a gambler can make. Once you start winning again, increase your bets slightly.

5. Pay attention to sportsbook commissions. Bet on games and leagues where the sportsbook’s commission is the least. This is often in the sport or sports with which that sportsbook does most of its business, as it is likely the most efficient in that area.

6. Bet systematically and keep accurate records. Betting regularly though a systematically and analytical manner, one can improve your judgmental ability. Keeping accurate records of your wagering activity will increase your winning percentage. Maintaining records of statistics will help you to avoid destructive wagering patterns and, at the same time will enable you to spot trends that may give you an edge.

7. Practice good money management. If you are going to bet on sports, it is important to set aside a certain portion of your money for betting. Contain the urge to bet with you winnings immediately. If you do not follow the standard rule of 50%, at least put some of your winnings back into your pocket

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