It’s been a while since I dug through the sports betting world to locate some high-level value for my fellow sports betting brethren.
The last time I did, the NBA summer league was just getting going, and the World Cup was still going strong. It was a pretty good period for sports, even despite it happening during that dreaded “dead period” in the sports betting schedule.
We’re still stuck in that ugly limbo, but before you know it, the 2018 NFL preseason will be here, and not too long after, we’re going to be talking about playoff baseball, the NBA, NHL, and meaningful NFL contests again.
That nasty, funky portion of the year for avid sports bettors is slowly being pushed behind us.
I’m coming in fresh, too. I’ve had nearly a month to sit back, relax, and piece together a brand-new collection of sports upset picks that are actually worth your time and money.
Before I let you know what I’m eyeing this week, though, let’s go back a bit and see how my picks panned out at the beginning of July.
I started things off with a bang back on July 3rd, nailing a nice Warriors upset (+150) over the Kings in summer league action. I just felt that was too much value for a game where nobody really had a clue who to favor.
That was one nice win. Here’s how the rest of those upset picks shook out.
Warriors over Kings+150
Braves over Yankees+145 
Sweden over Switzerland+230
Belgium over Brazil+265
As you can see, that was a pretty epic week. I went after the Braves due to a nice price, and they faltered, but I went 3-1 on the week with wins of +150, +230, and +265.
I’m not exactly sure how I nailed two crazy soccer upset picks, but I saw the value, and the games went my way.
If you went hard after these underdog picks, you exited the week a pretty happy camper.
My apologies for the long layoff, but I’m back this week to try to add to my 24-38-1 upset picks record.
Let’s get the ball rolling with the return of pro football in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game.
First of all, nobody really cares about this game.
I mean, it’s the return of the new NFL season, and everyone absolutely cares about that, but they literally called this game off a couple of years ago because the field was shoddy.
It was just a stupid preseason football game, but real, live football was there, and suddenly it wasn’t. As a die-hard pro football fan, that was pretty darn brutal.
Seeing as how that happened, if things don’t break just right, you know the officials don’t care enough to really give this game the respect it deserves.
The HOF game isn’t technically part of a “week” of preseason action, so these teams tend to really lay off their starters and even their top backups.
Needless to say, you’re looking at a really long, boring game with a bunch of former college football players you’ve never even heard of.
You’re scraping the bottom of the barrel in a game where the backup talent is a wash, and nobody cares about winning. If that’s not a ringing endorsement to chase a +120 underdog, I’m not sure what is!
In all seriousness, betting on preseason football assumes major risk in general.
The best players last a handful of drives and often don’t even suit up. The Hall of Fame game is the worst example of this, and you truly have no clue who will play or how much.
If you’re getting even value here, it’s whatever. But the Bears are for some reason the +120 underdogs. I’d understand that if Baltimore were playing their starters all game, but this is preseason football.
I’ll take Chicago all day at this price.
The line isn’t staggering, and it’s basically even money, but sometimes taking an underdog doesn’t mean absorbing insane risk or chasing huge piles of cash.
You can still go as hard as you want here, but the point is that you’re getting pretty good value to back Garbrandt in his rematch against the only fighter to make him bleed his own blood.
Well, that’s not exactly true, but you get the point.
Dillashaw certainly took No Love down a peg or two in a TKO win back at UFC 217 on November 4th, and it’s been a long road back for the previously undefeated Garbrandt.
These rematches can be iconic and career-defining, and if Garbrandt is going to be the special fighter many thought he had already become, this is a hill he needs to climb over.
The mashing ability is there for the taking, as Garbrandt tends to leave bodies behind (9 career KOs), and Dillashaw is slowly moving past his prime.
I like the value in Garbrandt getting some revenge, but I might like Till even more when the lights go up at UFC 228 this coming weekend.
Till is a very exciting (and undefeated) fighter at 17-0, showcasing a brutal ability to crush his opponents quickly (10 career KO wins).
This is partially about the 25-year-old’s talent and rising star, but also about the inevitable end. Tyron Woodley has been a dominant champion, but he had two tough fights with Stephen Thompson and just hasn’t closed out fights like he has in the past.
Till already stood toe-to-toe with Thompson and is chomping at the bit to snag the Welterweight title belt from Woodley. Given the price, I don’t mind aiming high here.
Bovada has some early odds out for Tuesday’s baseball slate, so I’m down for jumping on some value there.
It’s always tough to push out MLB upset picks early in the week, just because most of the top MLB betting sites wait until late at night to release the next day’s odds.
That’s the case here, but I will soak up the Rockies, who put their top arm in Jon Gray on the mound in a pitcher-friendly environment.
For a guy who is used to braving the storm that is Coors Field, this matchup sets up nicely for Gray. St. Louis does have a capable offense, and they’re at their best at home, but it’s not by much.
In fact, the Cards are just a .500 team at Busch Stadium, and they are not in a great groove right now (5-5 over their last 10 games). The Rockies can certainly be suspect on the road, but they’ve actually been solid (30-23) away from Coors in 2018.
Colorado happens to be on fire right now as well, ripping off four straight wins at the time of this writing, to go with an 8-2 stretch over their last 10 games. They’re also fighting for the NL West title (one game back), so you’d better believe they’re taking each game seriously.
I slightly tip the pitching matchup Colorado’s way, and even with the massive park downgrade, I also prefer their bats. It’s a close call, but at -104, the Rockies look like a solid dog to back for Tuesday’s MLB slate.
The actual betting lines aren’t out yet for this game, which promises to feature Johnny Manziel finally hitting the gridiron up north.
Manziel never got a chance to suit up for meaningful snaps with Hamilton, who jumped at a favorable trade with Montreal. It was a win-win for both sides, and now Johnny Football can dish out some sweet revenge while also trying to help his new team to a win.
There’s no doubt the Tiger-Cats are the better team right now, but Manziel could be playing this one with a chip on his shoulder. Hamilton has been superior to this point, but I think the narrative edge goes to Manziel and Montreal.
I’m game for the straight-up upset pick here (Montreal will be the dogs one way or another), but you can still get dog money by picking them to beat this spread.
This is really not the most amazing week for big upset picks, but as you can see, there are still a few spots where you can seek out value for the supposed losing side.
I never think upset picks are strictly about trying to score huge cash.
That is one of the goals, and it’s always ideal for it to go that way, but even when you’re grinding out regular picks, you still need to be able to make the right wager on the team that is actually going to convert the bet.
The upside feels a bit limited this week, but as preseason football trickles in, I think the action will heat up a bit more. Hopefully these upset picks suit you well. Either way, happy betting this week!
The post Possible Upsets to Target in the Week of July 30th – 5 Upset Picks for Bettors appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
When I was growing up, my family played cards at reunions and other special occasions. It wasn’t something that we did on regular days, but when we all got together, the cards inevitably came out.
I wasn’t allowed to play when I was a young child because I didn’t have the patience to sit through the entire game. But by the time that I was nine or ten years old, I joined the game and learned how to play.
To me, playing cards with the adults was a sign of maturity. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why I was so anxious to grow up, but I always was. When I got tired of arguing with my sister or when I didn’t want to play the game she was playing, I went to play cards with the adults.
It felt like I was special because I was old enough to play, but the reality was probably that the adults were just putting up with me out of pity. But no matter the reason, I started playing cards, and I loved it.
The joy I got from playing cards with my family has carried over to my gambling hobby. Card games like blackjack and baccarat are still my favorite. I learned a lot from our family card games, and those lessons have also influenced my gambling interest.
Some of the things I learned were specific strategies that apply to almost any card game, and I want to share those examples with you. But first, let me give you a little bit of information on my family and our game of choice.
My family always played a game that we called Calcutta, especially when we were with my mom’s side of the extended family. Through many card games with friends, I gradually learned that my family was the only one that played this game. Only one of my friends has ever claimed to play anything similar.
The closest game that I can find is Phase 10, but apparently what my family called Calcutta is, in reality, a different variation of the game rummy. After the cards were dealt, we played ten rounds with a different goal for each round.
In our version of the game, a “set” was three cards of the same number, and a “run” was four cards of the same suit in order (such as eight, nine, ten, jack of clubs). Our definitions were similar to other types of rummy, except that most games only require you to have three cards to make a run, while we expected four. We also allowed jokers and black twos to be used as wild cards.
Each round had a different requirement for the combination of sets and runs that you had to have before you could “go down.” I have since learned that what we called “going down” is called melding in other forms of rummy. Once you were down, you could play on other people’s hand as well. This is called “laying off your cards” in regular rummy.
Every time it was your turn, you had to draw a card, either from the discard pile or the rest of the deck. If you were ready to go down, you could do so on your turn. Otherwise, you had to discard. The card that gets discarded automatically belongs to the person who has the next turn.
But if it wasn’t your turn, you could yell, “I want it,” to claim the card as your own, as long as the person who has the next turn gives you permission.
But you had to be careful because you were never allowed to have more than 17 cards in your hand (we started with eleven), and you had to draw an extra card if you were picking up out of turn. So, you only had three chances to pick up out of turn before you reached your limit.
Rounds ended whenever someone “went out” by laying down all of their cards. Everyone else would count up the total cards still in their hand, not including the ones that had been laid down.
We tried to make the math easy by saying that jokers were worth 50 points, black 2s were worth 25, aces were 20, face cards were 10, and everything else was 5. At the end of the ten rounds, the person with the lowest score was the winner.
We occasionally played other games, like the more traditional form of gin rummy and blackjack. But Calcutta was our go-to game of choice, mostly because we could play with as many players as we wanted.
I have played this game with three players, and with fifteen. The more players that you have, the more exciting the game gets, and all you have to do is add another deck of cards for every few players.
I think that the most important lesson I learned from playing Calcutta with my family was just how much fun it was to play. Some of my greatest family memories come from some of those card games with each other. They always made me smile, laugh, and feel closer to my family.
It never mattered if I won or lost, and trust me when I say that I lost a lot! My family was not one of the families who let me win because they felt bad for me. But no matter how many times I lost, I always had fun.
That same spirit of joy has transferred to my gambling hobby. I enjoy playing baccarat and blackjack and many other games just for the sake of playing the game. To me, any money I lose is just an entertainment expense, the same as when I lose money when I buy a movie ticket instead of watching it at home.
The reason that I am willing to be carefree about the money I am losing, while also being smart about managing my bankroll, is because I learned to enjoy games for the sake of the game.
As long as I have fun while I am playing, I don’t worry about the money I am losing. And I find that it is a lot easier to enjoy yourself when you are not worrying about every penny that you lose.
Another lesson that I learned while playing cards with my family, is the joy of building relationships while you play. I remember having a crowd of family members all spread out around a large dining room table, laughing and talking. We teased each other, talked about life, and made memories in between hands of Calcutta.
Whenever I started dating a new guy, I would bring him over to meet my family. But only serious boyfriends were invited to play cards with us.
If a guy could follow along while several of my family members interrupted each other to explain the rules, learn how to play our family game, and participate in the banter around the table during the game, I knew he was good enough to stick around, at least for a while.
We still play card games when we get together as a family today. And now, some of my nieces and nephews are getting to the age where they are old enough to stick around for an entire game of Calcutta.
Teaching them how to play has been one of my favorite ways to bond with them. I don’t think I will ever forget the moment that one of my nieces asked to play that game, instead of Uno, even when the rest of my family wasn’t around.
Whenever I go to a casino, I bring my family or a friend along with me, and every time, we leave laughing and feeling closer than ever. Of course, I enjoy playing online by myself sometimes, too, but when I have the opportunity to play with a friend, I take it.
I know that the game will be more fun, and I will worry less about the money I am losing if I can see it as an investment in my relationship with that person. Taking a friend to the casino is the same as meeting a friend for dinner at a nice restaurant.
It is true that I will spend some money, but I also know that my friend and I will be closer because of it, so I don’t mind paying the money.
The joy of the game is not the only thing that I learned from playing cards with my family. I also learned how to be a strategic and intelligent player. Even though I never got upset about losing, I did win every once in a while.
It turns out that winning is a lot of fun, especially when you get to tease your dad about his loss for the next couple of days. But you have to know how to win, and that takes some critical strategies.
One of the most controversial aspects of Calcutta was the ability to say no when someone wanted a card that had been discarded. The player with the next turn automatically has the right to pick up the card or to allow someone else to pick it up if they have mentioned that they want it.
If multiple players want it, the one who yells the signal first is the one who gets it, but only if the next person doesn’t want it. When that player doesn’t allow another player to pick up the card, they must take it themselves.
Here is an example of an intense play where this situation comes up. Let’s say that it is my turn, I have already laid down my cards for the round, and my dad only has one card left in his hand.
When I draw, I am lucky enough to pick up a joker, which is a highly-coveted wild card. However, if my dad goes out, I would be stuck with the extra fifty points.
First, I would see if I could play the joker in some way, but for the purposes of this example, let’s assume that is impossible. It is not worth the extra points to me, so I decide to discard the wild card.
My sister is sitting to my left, so she has the next turn, and the joker is rightfully hers to pick up or give to someone else. Next to her is my mom, and my uncle is seated between my mom and my dad.
Of course, my mom and uncle both want the wild card as well, but my mom especially does because she only needs one more card to be able to go down. If she doesn’t get that joker, she may not go down at all.
Not going down before the round is over would mean that she would have eleven to seventeen cards to add to her score, depending on how many times she had picked up a card out of turn. They both yell that they want it, but my mom yelled it just a second earlier than my uncle.
Now my mom’s fate for the round rests in my sister’s hands. She could either take the joker for herself, or she could generously allow my mom to have the card.
Her choice would no doubt depend on the cards in her hand, but for this example, let’s say if she takes the joker, she could lay down all of her cards as a new set and go out, meaning that she would have no points added to her score. If she gives my mom the joker, she would probably end up with a score of ten points, but she would have graciously saved my mom from hundreds of points.
In this case, it may seem like taking the joker for herself is the smart move, but it may only be smart for the short-term. If my sister instead uses this as an opportunity to create an alliance with my mom, she could use that to get ahead in future rounds.
My mom would most definitely remember this hand as either an extension of grace or a betrayal, and that would influence how she treats my sister for the rest of the game.
A good example of what I learned is that, when I play poker, sometimes I have to fold on a decent hand so that the other players don’t begin to notice the patterns I use when I play.
It sucks to forfeit a possibly winning hand, but it is worth it when other players don’t know how to read my habits. Then, I can get away with raising on another hand and win more than I would have on that decent hand.
When we play Calcutta, the most common strategy is figuring out what cards the other players are holding. You can use that information to be strategic about which cards you do and don’t discard. The best way to discover which cards the other player is going for is by paying attention to what cards they pick up from the discard pile.
For example, if I notice that my mom has picked up two fours, she is most likely working on a set of fours. If she is the player next to me, I will try to hold onto any fours that come to my hand because I know that any time I discard a four, it will be directly playing into her hand.
It gets a lot more complicated when I have to figure out if my mom is going to use that four in a set or a run. When it could be either, I have to try not to discard anything that could work in both possibilities.
It is easy to get confused as well because a player doesn’t need multiple of the same cards when they are working on runs. If my mom is working on a run with a four of clubs in the middle of it, and another player plays a five of clubs, I would expect her to take it.
I would assume that the four was being used in a set because she didn’t take the five. But when there are multiple decks in play, it is possible that she already has a five of clubs. I had to learn not to get fooled because a person doesn’t do what I expect them to.
It is impossible to focus on building your own hand while also worrying about not discarding cards that other players need all of the time.
Sometimes, you have to discard into a player’s hand because otherwise, you would have to let go of something you need for your own hand. But the more I played, the better I got at figuring out the hands that my family members were working on, and I used that information to slow them down whenever possible.
The opposite is also true. My family can figure out the hand that I am working on by paying attention to the cards that I pick up. To make sure that they can’t use this against me, I try to have multiple options as much as possible.
So, I will pick up both a four and a seven to try to build a set out of either one of those. Every once in a while, I will ask to pick up a card that I don’t really want, just to throw them off of my trail, or in hopes that the extra card I have to draw will be something that I need.
Every type of poker includes trying to read your opponent’s actions. When other players call or raise, that tells me something about their hand. Playing Calcutta with my family when I was a child and teenager taught me the skills I needed to be able to read other players when I play poker now.
Playing card games as a family taught me several skills that have carried over to my gambling hobby. We never put any money on the games, so I learned to take pleasure in them for the sake of enjoyment.
And now I can enjoy casino card games, no matter whether I win or lose. But I am also glad that I learned a few strategies that help me to win more often! I am grateful for the techniques that I learned, but I am even more thankful for the memories I have of playing with my family.
I strongly recommend that you make a tradition of playing card games with your family. The memories that you make and the relationships that you build during that time will be priceless. And you will all be better gamblers thanks to the practice.
The post Gambling Lessons I Learned from Playing Card Games with My Family appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
The Los Angeles Chargers are primed and ready to go. The roster is loaded, and the players are hungry. On paper, it should be a good year for Anthony Lynn’s squad. But you never really know until the games play out.
It still sounds weird calling them the “Los Angeles” Chargers, but I’ll have to start getting used to it. When I was attending San Diego State University between 2005-2010, I lived right next to Qualcomm Stadium, the rugged field that the Chargers played their home games on.
I have witnessed the heartbreak first-hand. I have seen the Bolts’ season go up in flames right before their beloved fans’ eyes. But guess what, Chargers nation?
This year might be different.
The AFC West looks to be a collection of teams who are on the rise, as lots of movement in and around the division has taken place. While there isn’t a new coach or a new quarterback in LA, the Chargers have more than enough talent and leadership in the current locker room to get this thing done and win the division.
I’m going to give you 5 legitimate reasons why I think that’s the case. I plan to keep things clear and organized so that you leave this article with no confusion.
The Chargers will win the AFC West this season, and here’s why.
There are a few teams in the NFL that probably think they have the best defense in the league. Jacksonville can certainly make a case, as could Philadelphia. But I happen to think that this Chargers defensive unit might top all 31 others in the National Football League.
I’ll start on the outside of this defensive line because the tandem of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram is about as electric of a duo as you’ll find across the entire league. Both men recorded double-digit sacks in 2017, and the scary part is, I can see them being even better in 2018.
They utilized their first 4 picks in the draft to beef up their defense, including adding a stud defensive back in Derwin James.
James figures to immediately step in as the starting free safety, while rookie linebackers Kyzir White and Uchenna Nwosu will look to add depth to the middle level of the defense.
Corners Jason Verrett and Casey Hayward form a formidable pair of shutdown defenders, so I really see no weaknesses amongst this group.
Last season, they were third in the NFL in points allowed (17.0 per game) and were also one of only three teams to hold the opposition to under 200 yards per game through the air.
Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley did a fantastic job in his first year commanding the defense, and I only expect the unit to be even tougher in the second year under his watch.
If this team ends up having the utterly dominant defense I anticipate them having, just remember that you heard it here first.
Chargers QB Philip Rivers will turn 37 the day before his team suits up to face the Bengals in Week 14. The guy has 7 children sitting at home with his lovely wife, Tiffany, and Philip has “millions” stored away in his bank account.
So why is this guy still playing? What is his motivation?
That’s easy. He’s here to continue chasing his dream of winning a Super Bowl title. Take a gander around the division at the other 3 starting QBs, and you’ll see that none of them have the experience that Rivers has.
Only Tom Brady threw for more yards in 2017, and Rivers was 5th in touchdown passes thrown. What’s even better is that no starting QB was sacked less than Philip was a season ago. While some of that credit goes to the Chargers offensive line, a lot of that has to do with Philip’s uncanny ability to be mobile in the pocket, despite not being the most athletic guy out there.
In order to win this division, you’ll need a quarterback who you can trust. You need someone who can drive the ball down the field in crunch time and put points on the board. As far as the AFC West goes, the Chargers signal-caller is that guy.
Speaking of the other QBs in this division, that’s a nice segue into reason #3!
The AFC West as a whole had a bit of a down year in 2017. While I think the Broncos and Raiders certainly made strides this offseason towards being relevant again, I’m not convinced that either squad won’t experience some “humps and bumps” throughout 2018.
The Broncos defense is no longer the stout group it was once, and how Case Keenum responds in Mile High remains to be seen. Vance Joseph went 5-11 in his first year, and I think John Elway will have a short leash on his head coach this time around.
Everyone in Oakland has assumed that Jon Gruden has been sent from God to bring this team back to life, but there is still tons of work to be done for the Raiders franchise to get where it wants to go.
The Kansas City Chiefs have handed the keys over to Patrick Mahomes, and while I think the former Texas Tech QB has oodles of talent, I suspect it will take him some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL.
Not to mention that this defense lost their best cornerback (Marcus Peters), and longtime linebackers Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson are no longer in KC to provide the young guys with leadership.
I don’t think Los Angeles will be handed this division, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Chiefs or Raiders win 8 or 9 games.
But there is no doubt in my mind that the Chargers should win this division and host a home game in the playoffs. The fact that the other three teams are a work in progress is a big reason why.
Here I am, staring at the Chargers’ 16-game regular-season schedule. What is hitting me in the face like a ton of bricks is that I don’t see a single home game that the Chargers won’t be favored in.
Every team in the league gets a home game against the other three teams in their respective division, but what about the other 5?
In the case of the Chargers, they’ll see the 49ers, Titans, Cardinals, Bengals, and Ravens as their other 5 opponents at home. It’s safe to say that these aren’t the most frightening opponents they could have drawn, so I think the Chargers caught a bit of a break with the schedule.
Sure, traveling to Buffalo in Week 2 and flying cross-country to Pittsburgh in Week 13 won’t be “gimmes,” but if those are the toughest two games on their schedule, I kind of like their chances of snatching up at least 10 or 11 wins.
The way I see this division shaking out, that should be more than enough to take the cake.
I’ve talked about how tough it’s going to be to score points on this defense. I mentioned that Philip Rivers is the most dependable QB in the division. What I haven’t brought up is the talent and speed around Rivers that will enable him to succeed and perform at a high level.
I hate the fact that tight end Hunter Henry is gone for the season, because he is a promising young player in this league. But let’s not forget that Mike Williams will be back and healthy and playing a decent chunk of the snaps.
The Chargers selected the Clemson wideout with the 7th pick of the draft in 2017, but Williams was unfortunately hampered by a herniated disc in his lower back and appeared in only bits and pieces of 6 games.
Keenan Allen was an absolute stud last year, finishing 4th in receptions (102) and 3rd in receiving yards (1,393). More importantly, the star receiver for the Chargers was able to play in all 16 games after playing a total of just 9 in the previous two seasons combined.
Tyrell “the Gazelle” Williams will be there to stretch the defense and open up the middle of the field, which should help clear some room for #28. Melvin Gordon is coming off a year in which he rushed for over 1,100 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, including 4 of which that were through the air.
Melvin has proven he can be featured on all three downs after the former Wisconsin Badger hauled in 58 balls for 476 yards.
The Los Angeles Chargers have everything in place to make a run at the Super Bowl this season. I’m not 100% sold that they are ready to supplant the New England Patriots as the class of the AFC, but I do think the Chargers have enough to wind up atop the AFC West.
It’s not just because their defense is stacked or because they have the most reliable QB in the division. Along with the ammunition they have on offense, this roster is one of the more complete and respected groups in all of the league.
I unveiled the fact that their schedule is a little light, and you know about all the work that the Chiefs, Raiders, and Broncos have to do.
When it’s all said and done, it’s looking more and more like the Chargers will capture this division. What happens after that will be totally up in the air, but I could see Chargers fans being pretty excited about the outcome.
The post 5 Reasons the Chargers Can Win the AFC West appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia is now complete, and France is the worthy champion. This was one of the most exciting tournaments I could remember for so many reasons.
We saw the introduction of new technology that will probably change soccer forever, a new team reached the final for the first time, and England won a penalty shootout. There were plenty of magical moments in Russia, and some of them will remain in our memories forever.
In this post, I will try to collect all of the defining events of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Some of them are related to the success of the teams that did well. Others are simply extraordinary and deserve to be mentioned.
Let’s see what impressed the most.
One of the things that defined the 2018 World Cup in Russia was that many of the favorites underperformed and were dumped early on. Let’s take a look at what happened.
The curse of the champion or poor team selection?
It’s funny how the reigning champions have gone down in the group stage in the last couple of World Cups. I honestly didn’t see it coming this time around, but the Germans were eliminated in the group stage of the competition for the first time.
The team didn’t show the efficiency of 2014 and looked lost for ideas. I think the key moment that led to this was the team selection of Joachim Low.
The best example was the surprising omission of Leroy Sane. The Manchester City winger had an exceptional season, and in my opinion, he should’ve been a starter in the German team. Instead, he wasn’t even part of the group that went to Russia.
The overall impression is that Low relied too much on players and tactics that worked in 2014. He failed to adjust the team to the new soccer realities and replace some of the older players with new talent that could elevate Germany’s performance.
I would add another example that didn’t affect the team much but was very telling of the approach used by Low. Manuel Neuer was injured for a lot of time and barely played before the World Cup.
And yet, he was Germany’s number 1 despite the presence of the young Ter Stegen who had an incredible season for Barcelona.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a dig at Neuer, who’s a great player, and I don’t blame him for Germany’s exit. However, his starting spot didn’t make any sense under the circumstances.
At the end of the day, it was a deserved early exit for Germany and a lesson they must learn to return to the top. Fortunately for the country, there is a lot of talent in their ranks, and the road to success shouldn’t be that long.
Too broken after three lost finals?
Argentina almost failed to qualify for the World Cup finals, and it took a miraculous hat trick from Lionel Messi in the last round to book a place in Russia.
Still, many expected the team to improve dramatically, as it has reached the finals in each of the last three major tournaments, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Everyone thought Messi and the other top players would show up in Russia.
Sadly for the country, this never happened. Argentina was humiliated by Croatia in the group stage and barely made it to the last 16. Despite the unconvincing performance and a poor start against future champs France, the South Americans were suddenly 2-1 up in the first knockout stage after a lucky deflection and one of the goals of the tournament.
Argentina was leading 2-1 with about 40 minutes to go, and this was the first and only time France was behind in the tournament.
Both teams showed their true colors at this moment, as the Europeans absolutely destroyed their opponent and scored three times within less than 15 minutes. This gave France the belief that this could be their tournament, and they dumped a sorry Argentina.
Unfortunately for Lionel Messi, it seems he won’t win a soccer World Cup in his career. I feel this Argentinian squad had all sorts of problems, but most of all, they were mentally broken after losing three big finals in a row.
Beaten before the tournament had even started?
Similarly to Germany, I believe the big moment for the Spanish team was actually before the FIFA World Cup in Russia had even started. Coach Lopetegui was lured by the opportunity to become the Real Madrid manager and accepted an offer from the club.
He obviously didn’t notify the Spanish Federation and was sacked days before the World Cup. Many believe this was the right decision, but I can’t agree.
Lopetegui was trying to change Spain and move on from their old style. He was trying to add urgency and penetration to a team that was used to have plenty of the ball but struggled to create many chances.
There were many signs he was about to succeed during the qualifications for the finals in Russia. We saw a lot of improvement in the first match against Portugal, too. Unfortunately for Spain, the country returned to the fruitless possession game from the last couple of big tournaments after that.
The former world champs had the ball for the majority of the match against Russia but didn’t make it count at the end. I think they lacked the leadership of Lopetegui, and sacking him was a huge mistake.
When some of the traditional forces in soccer fail, it’s only natural for other countries to take their place. This is exactly what happened in 2018.
Many nations will be happy about how their teams performed at the World Cup and will be hoping for more of the same in the near future.
Croatia was one of the teams I selected as a good value bet to win the World Cup and as one of the potential surprises in the tournament. The small Balkan country had a great squad full of talent and hard workers.
I think the moment that gave them strength and helped Croatia reach the final was the win against Argentina. We all knew that Croatia was good, but I don’t think anyone expected them to be that good.
They trashed Messi and his teammates 3-0. After a result like that, the country knew it could go all the way, and that’s exactly what happened.
I would also like to point out that I’ve never seen a team come back so many times in the knockout stages. Croatia went behind in each of their games in the knockout stages from the last 16 to the final. They managed to somehow find a way to equalize and even ended victoriously in the first three clashes.
Despite falling at the last hurdle, this team deserves our respect and showed the world that the Balkan side is a force to be reckoned with.
The likes of Modric, Rakitic, Perisic, and Mandzukic were among the top players of the 2018 World Cup, and despite losing in the final, they created their own legend for the decades to come.
This generation of Belgian players is probably the best in the country’s history, and it has been like that for years now. And yet, up to 2018, the team has been struggling to do something special in a major tournament.
I think the main missing ingredient was the team spirit. Belgium had a squad full of stars but no cohesion and desire on the pitch. This World Cup was one of the last chances for this group of players to achieve something, as some of them will be out of their prime in a couple of years.
It was hard to know what would happen after the group stage, as both Tunisia and Panama were no match, while the game against England was barely competitive.
This is when the clash against Japan happened. The Asians were the worst team in the last 16, on paper, and everyone expected a spanking. And yet, Belgium was 2-0 down in the second half and on the brink of elimination.
I think this was the moment that changed everything. With their backs against the wall, the Belgians finally realized they had to push as hard as possible and give everything.
The European side managed to win the game 3-2, and this lifted them. It was this newly-found inspiration that helped them beat Brazil in the next round and then finish 3rd in the World Cup. Sure, Belgium will probably be disappointed, as the title was close, but it was still an honorable performance.
For the first time in years, an English team went to a big tournament without carrying the burden of unrealistic expectations. Many felt this side had no experience and lacked quality in certain areas to compete.
I have to admit, I was part of that group. And yet, Gareth Southgate and his boys reached the last 4 of a World Cup for only the third time in the country’s history. Despite some difficult moments throughout the tournament, this English side performed at the biggest stage and made the nation proud.
Many argue that the team got lucky and played in the easier half of the draw. This might be true, but it shouldn’t wipe out the positives of this English performance.
For a start, it was a completely different mental state. The players were relaxed, and the team spirit was obvious. There were no egos and no expectations to bring the team down.
The biggest evidence that something was different was the penalty shootout against Colombia. The young English lads kept their composure and won it, which shocked the world. They then went on to reach the last 4, and you can’t take that away from them.
Sure, next time around, the draw won’t be that kind. But this squad will be more experienced and closer to its prime. If the hard work continues, this generation of English players might have another shot at glory somewhere in the future.
I think one of the most powerful moments in the 2018 FIFA World Cup was the opening game of the tournament. The host country Russia failed to spark the hopes of the nation before the tournament started, and most Russians expected the side to fail.
And yet, it all changed after only one match. The team trashed Saudi Arabia 5-0, and suddenly, everyone was behind the players. It was an example of how whole countries are affected by the World Cup and the game of soccer.
With the full support of the Russian people, the side went on to beat Spain and reach the last 8. They went toe to toe with eventual finalist Croatia at this stage and were heartbroken after a penalty shootout.
And still, a nation that didn’t believe at the start was extremely proud of the men who gave everything on the pitch, and Russia will remember the 2018 World Cup fondly.
Of course, many other teams and players had their own special moments during the 2018 World Cup. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.
No one expected Panama to qualify for the World Cup, but the guys did that. It was for the first time in their history, which made the achievement monumental.
Of course, the whole nation enjoyed the tournament without expecting anything. This is why their joy was unbelievable when Panama actually managed to score their first goal against England.
The final scoreline of 6-1 didn’t ruin it for the small country, and the team found the net in the next match against Tunisia as well.
There was also a political scandal during this World Cup. It happened in the game between Switzerland and Serbia. Both Swiss goalscorers, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, made a symbol similar to the Albanian flag while celebrating.
This created a lot of controversy, and both players were investigated by FIFA. However, they escaped a punishment.
There’s no doubt that Neymar is one of the most talented attacking players in the world right now. The guy has insane skills and was among the top performers in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
However, 2018 was very different for Neymar and his country. They were knocked out by Belgium in the quarterfinals, which was a slight underperformance, I think. No one was satisfied with this result, but it wasn’t as bad as Germany, Spain, or Argentina.
Still, one of the most memorable moments from Brazil in this World Cup was Neymar’s antics. He went down easy on so many occasions that people from all over the globe trolled him online after that.
The countries from Africa had a tough World Cup, as none of them managed to go out of the group stage. It all started about a month before the competition even began when Mohamed Salah got injured.
He wasn’t completely fit for the World Cup, and Egypt had no chance to progress without its talismanic striker and one of the best players in the world right now.
The teams of Morocco and Tunisia showed some decent soccer but were unable to find a clinical finish and were far from reaching the next stage of the World Cup.
There were two teams from Africa that almost did it but fell short in the last minute. The young Nigerian squad showed a lot of potential, but lacked the experience to keep it cool at the end and was dumped by Argentina.
Elsewhere, Senegal got 4 points and was 15 minutes away from the last 8. The team was great but played a too passive game against Colombia in the last round and got punished in the second half.
Tough luck for the African representatives, but they will be hoping to bounce back in 4 years.
I’m 100% sure that Cristiano Ronaldo is not happy with this World Cup. After winning the EURO 2016, the Portuguese forward had another major trophy in his sight, but the team didn’t deliver.
Still, the new Juventus forward did break another record by becoming the most prolific international scorer from Europe. He is second worldwide, and there’s a case to be made that he might become first as well.
I’m sure you are wondering why some of the most crucial moments of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia are not included in this article. For a start, there’s not much about the champions, France.
I figured they deserve their own post, so feel free to check my thoughts on the main reasons the country won the competition.
Also, there’s a separate post dedicated to the funniest moments in this World Cup. You will find everything from Neymar’s haircut to a certain Belgian forward that had a romance with one of the posts there.
Finally, the soccer world witnessed the introduction of video technologies. I think it was a good thing in the long run, despite some controversial moments.
I’m sure that I might’ve missed some of the exciting moments of this the 2018 FIFA World Cup. If you believe that’s the case, let me know about it in the comments below.
The post The Most Defining Moments of the 2018 FIFA World Cup appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
It’s tough to bet against the Golden State Warriors going into the 2018-19 NBA season.
The defending champs have won two straight championships since Kevin Durant came to town, and it really doesn’t look like they plan on stopping.
Golden State swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals last year and seemed bored at times in doing so. Then they went out and got even better, landing a stud center in DeMarcus Cousins.
Even without Boogie, the Dubs appeared to be daunting and the top team in the Western Conference. With a healthy Cousins in tow, it’s tough to rationalize someone else winning the Finals next summer.
But we have to try.
Golden State offers little value for sports bettors (-150 favorites at Sportsbetting.ag), and so many other teams have NBA Finals odds that demand a wager. Only so many are truly viable wagers, though.
Here are the teams you actually want to consider betting on, should you wager cash on teams outside the Dubs to win it all this year.
The 76ers enjoyed quite the turnaround last year, leaning on the duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to take the league by storm.
Philly turned into a very dangerous and dynamic team that can carve you up on the inside or destroy you from long range. When a healthy Embiid was on the floor, they were even tough defensively at times.
This is a young team, but they’re easily among the most talented rosters in the NBA as they stand. The Sixers did lose some shooting and depth, but their starting five projects as one that can match up with anyone defensively and can also shoot the lights out.
If Markelle Fultz can ever rediscover the form that made him a #1 overall pick, Philly could morph into a champion over the next season.
Either way, they absolutely have the goods to be the best team in an Eastern Conference that gets blown wide open by LeBron James’ departure to La La Land.
The Raptors were truly the best team in the Eastern Conference a year ago.
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan could always cook defenses with their elite isolation scoring, but Dwane Casey finally taught this team how to share the rock, and it led to 59 wins and the best record in the east.
Toronto couldn’t get past LeBron James and the Cavs, though, which led to Casey – the league’s Coach of the Year, mind you – getting canned.
While that was a bit rash, Toronto took it one step further by breaking up their roster with a huge trade involving DeRozan and Kawhi Leonard.
There is a very real chemistry concern here, while you also have to consider that Leonard really didn’t want to go to Canada and played just nine games last year due to injury.
Nobody can project the new NBA season without admitting that, but a healthy and dialed-in Leonard without a doubt makes this version of the Raptors better than the one of a year ago.
DeRozan was an elite isolation scorer, but he didn’t offer a reliable three-point shot and wasn’t a high-level defender. Leonard does and is, while he can also carry an entire offense and create for others.
The Raptors also landed a viable two-way guard in Danny Green with that trade, while they still retain the rest of the roster that won 59 games last season.
If Leonard is on the court and actually cares, the Raptors figure to offer insane value at +1200.
Do I really think the Lakers are about to knock off the Dubs? No, but anytime you have LeBron James, you have to be taken somewhat seriously.
James is not going to have it easy in the Western Conference. He will probably have to run into the Houston Rockets or another viable threat before getting/having to face Golden State.
That’s if this marriage even works out swimmingly in year one. Everyone automatically assumes the Lakers will now be in the playoff hunt, but they’ve surrounded James with a litany of non-shooters.
On paper, James does inherit a way more talented supporting cast than he had in his final days in Ohio. However, guys like Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma are all still young and in a lot of ways just not ready for the NBA’s biggest stage.
Perhaps that’s why veterans like Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are here: to close the gap.
I think the Lakers get to the playoffs and sniff a Finals trip, but this may be a two-year process. Still, a LeBron James-led roster has +850 odds to win a title. That’s not a terrible flier bet.
Houston remains Golden State’s stiffest competitor in the Western Conference.
Chris Paul returned to Texas to join James Harden, the Rockets brought in Carmelo Anthony, and I’m sure they’ll hold onto star two-way center Clint Capela.
To me, all of that is more than enough to fend off the Lakers or anyone else out west, while Houston had the Dubs on the ropes last year, up 3-2 in the WCF.
Health is going to be the deciding factor here, as Chris Paul has had really bad luck late in the year. His absence is probably why the Rockets didn’t win a title last season.
That’s how it went down, though, while you also have to look at Melo’s potential impact. If an aging isolation scorer couldn’t help the Thunder, is he really a lock to be a perfect fit for Houston?
I’ll truly believe it when I see it, but at +600, the Rockets are easily the second-best wager out of the Western Conference.
LeBron James left Ohio, and now the Eastern Conference is officially wide open.
You can say someone in the Western Conference will take down the Dubs, but in all likelihood, the best bet is whoever meets Golden State in the Finals doing so.
While I’m slightly interested in the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers, I think the natural progression of the league gives way to a healthy Celtics team taking that next step.
After all, the Celtics were one game from reaching the Finals last year, and they didn’t even have Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward on the court.
This year, they will. The Celtics will be at full strength and across the board will have more experience, depth, and star power than anyone else in this conference.
If you’re looking for someone to knock off the Dubs, this is it.
When I started to look at the field going into next year, I wanted to eliminate teams like the Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and others.
These are competent, dangerous teams, but they’re not really realistic options to dethrone the Dubs.
The crazy thing here is that you’re betting on next year’s champion. The Rockets or Lakers could end up shocking everyone and taking out Golden State, only to enter the Finals exhausted and bow out to the Celtics, Raptors, or 76ers.
I’m not taking the Lakers really seriously yet. LeBron James changes things, but they really need to prove themselves. As I’ve said, every single team here is worth a flier bet, but if you’re not betting on every team, they’re one I’d probably steer clear of for now.
If it isn’t going to be Golden State coming out of the west, it has to be the Rockets.
Houston has gotten to the Western Conference Finals twice now and seems ready for that next step. I don’t think they’ll get it done, but they’re not a bad bet and right now are 100% the Warriors’ main threat inside the conference.
Where it gets tricky is the other side. The Eastern Conference is wide open, but it’s still probably down to the three teams listed here. I’ll rank them Boston, Toronto, and Philly for now.
All three are extremely dangerous and capable of proving everyone wrong. However, come playoff time, mental strength, experience, coaching, depth, and star power are all pretty huge assets.
Of that crop, the Celtics have everything they need in spades.
If I’m going against the Dubs, Boston at +550 is without a doubt my favorite wager. After that, I’m going to be warming up to the Raptors. Kawhi Leonard is a former champion, and he really could make a huge difference for an already strong Raptors team. At +1200, Toronto is clearly the best overall value on the board.
Noting the top challenger and best value is important, but I still don’t think anyone but the Warriors is winning this year. This is a flat-out dynasty at this point, and winning a third consecutive title will only cement that.
Kevin Durant has found his groove, and this team brought in DeMarcus Cousins to provide an insane upgrade at center. If they’re healthy, I just don’t see how anyone beats them.
The post Every Team That Could Actually Challenge the Warriors in 2018 appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
Pro football is one of the few sports where every team truly has a chance before the season starts.
The Philadelphia Eagles showed exactly how quickly a team can rise from the ashes and compete for a title in 2017, and very rarely do you see that anywhere else.
I’m not entirely sure that’s going to happen again in 2018.
Not only are the Eagles now among a select number of elite teams in the NFL, but only so many teams actually have a realistic shot at seeing major improvement after bad 2017 showings.
Of course, one thing that could help them is slow starts by would-be title contenders.
Each year, even the best teams can see their hopes dashed early, as it can be extremely tough to bounce back from a slow start.
A 16-game NFL season is a long and grueling one in terms of health and mental fatigue, but it’s actually short on games.
Looking back at the last decade of football, how you start really does (normally) set the tone for the rest of your season. In fact, 83 pro football teams have gotten off to rough 0-2 starts since 2007, and just about 10% of them recovered to make a playoff run.
A quick look at 2017 suggests simply losing your season-opener is ill-advised.
A slew of teams that were supposed to contend in their divisions and at least sniff postseason play fell in that first game and never regained their footing.
Most notably, the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, and Los Angeles Chargers lost in week one and failed to make the playoffs.
There were some outliers, of course. New Orleans, New England, and Tennessee all lost the first game of the 2017 NFL season, yet stormed back and all enjoyed strong seasons – not to mention made the playoffs.
Still, starting slowly isn’t a smart practice. In 2017 alone, 13 of the 16 week-one losers missed the playoffs (81%!). This isn’t even factoring in uglier 0-2 or 0-3 starts.
It isn’t much better moving back to 2016, either.
Stemming from that first week, again, just three teams lost and ended up still making the playoffs. That meant another 81% of week-one losers basically had their seasons end for them before week two even arrived.
That’s a bit of a reach, but you can see that a fast start can’t be overvalued.
Heading into 2018, some rough schedules and challenging situations could help bettors see the writing on the wall for a few teams.
After looking at week one and everyone’s Super Bowl 53 odds, here are the “good” teams that I’d be wary of the most going into the new year.
I’m actually a bit of a believer in the Falcons. They trudged through a Super Bowl hangover to get back to the playoffs last year, while they continue to be flat-out stacked on offense.
There is an argument that a pesky Julio Jones contract situation could bog this team down, however, while a loaded NFC could be problematic for a shaky Atlanta defense.
As good as the Falcons look on paper, they could face serious trouble right away in week one, where they take on the defending Super Bowl champs in Philadelphia.
The Super Bowl winner has been notorious for emerging victorious from that opening game, while the Falcons could quickly find themselves in that dreaded 0-1 hole.
That doesn’t mean they’re toast, but ensuing showdowns in week two (Panthers) and week three (Saints) could push them into a bigger hole. Those two divisional games are pretty huge, and even though they’re at home, getting tripped up in one or both could prove fatal when you look at the bigger picture.
I doubt the Falcons lose all three of these games to get 2018 going, but a 0-1 start is very possible, and a 1-2 start isn’t out of the question. If that happens, they’ll quickly shape up as poor bets to win it all.
Of course, in that same breath, a 1-2 Falcons team would see their Super Bowl 53 odds inflated quite a bit. If you ignore the ugly start and bet hard on them at an increased price (say, +3300 or +5000), you could land elite betting value.
Minnesota made it to the NFC title game a year ago and went out and upgraded the quarterback position by signing Kirk Cousins.
In theory, they should be even better offensively and coupled with one of the nastier defenses in the league, they could easily march to a Super Bowl win.
It won’t be easy from the jump, as a rising 49ers team comes to Minnesota in week one, and whether the Vikes win that game or not, they then have to survive some revenge from Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay in week two.
Not too long after that, the Vikes face the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles in back-to-back weeks (weeks four and five). Depending on how they fare in weeks one and two, this early schedule could deal an otherwise strong playoff contender a death blow.
Minnesota has the tools to make a deep postseason run, and Sportsbetting.ag clearly likes them as a title threat. Their schedule just might make doing so a little tougher than some seem to think.
I actually like the Chiefs as a value pick in the AFC West, but it’s impossible to ignore that they’ll also be going through an adjustment under center.
KC moved on from veteran passer Alex Smith via trade this offseason, which officially started the Patrick Mahomes era at quarterback. Long-term, it’s probably for the best, and it could work out swimmingly, but there’s a chance there will be some growing pains for the young passer.
Regardless of how that AFC West tilt unfolds, the Chiefs do not have it easy at all, as they have to take on the Steelers, 49ers, Broncos, Jaguars, and Patriots over the next five games.
Literally, three of those teams made the playoffs last year, and many NFL experts project the Niners and Chargers as playoff contenders in 2018.
On paper, Kansas City’s schedule looks brutal, and they may no longer have the veteran presence needed to bounce back from a sluggish start.
Personally, I don’t see a whole lot to like in Tennessee.
Marcus Mariota didn’t look very good last year, they have a head coaching change up top, and they didn’t show much in round two of the playoffs against the Patriots.
Getting to the playoffs was the right first step, but Tennessee still lacks proven playmakers in their passing game and reside in a fairly underrated division.
Week one isn’t a guaranteed loss, but the Titans still have to take it to the road to battle the Miami Dolphins. Ryan Tannehill is back for Miami, and Adam Gase’s group can be a little feisty at home.
The Titans better find a way to win that game. If they don’t, they’re in serious trouble with matchups on the horizon against the Texans, Jaguars, and Eagles over the next three weeks.
It’s extremely possible Tennessee exits that four-game stretch at just 1-3, and if they do, they’ll be sitting at 0-2 inside the division. The uphill battle back up the AFC North ladder would look ugly, and I’m not sure the Titans are equipped to handle it just yet.
As much as you may want to refrain from some of the teams I’ve gone over here, you also may want to monitor how they start the season.
While 81% of the week-one losers remained losing clubs the rest of the way over the last two years, 2016 and 2017 still produced two 0-1 starts that were quite productive.
The New England Patriots started 0-1 in 2017 yet marched all the way to the Super Bowl. Atlanta did the same the year before. Neither team sealed the deal with a title, but the fact that you can get off to a slow start and still recover to get to the league’s title game shouldn’t go unnoticed.
Overall, though, I think tough early-season schedules can at least help you decide which would-be title threats you end up crossing off your list.
You can’t realistically wager on every single team, so taking harder stances may be the best way to go about betting on NFL teams this year. Of course, a team’s schedule is just one piece of the puzzle.
Combining all factors to lead to a winning bet is the real goal while wagering on a Super Bowl winner also isn’t the only bet to make. Consider all aspects as you try to nail down division winners and playoff teams, and you may have a shot at major winnings in 2018.
The post Four Top NFL Teams Who Could Start the 2018 Season Poorly appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games, especially for beginners, for several reasons. One of the biggest is that it has a very low house edge compared to other games.
It is easy to learn, too, but it also requires the use of strategy as opposed to the pure luck of slots. Gamblers who want to feel like they can affect the outcome of the game but don’t want to spend hours learning a complicated game will enjoy blackjack. There are fundamental strategies that work for almost every player if they follow them.
Despite the simplicity of blackjack and its strategy, there are still a lot of people who make some pretty common mistakes when they play the game. In fact, the casinos are banking on you making those mistakes. If everyone based their moves on probability, they wouldn’t make nearly as much money as they do.
If you would like to give the casino a run for its money when you play blackjack, pay attention to the following blunders and learn how to avoid them.
Remember that even with perfect strategy, there is no perfect game, and you will lose at least a few hands. These techniques diminish the house edge, but they don’t guarantee winning hands.
Rookie players that are brand new to the game, here is an extra tip just for you. I recommend playing a few hands online before you head to a casino.
The following scenarios will apply in both live and online games, but the atmosphere of the brick-and-mortar establishment will make you feel more pressure. So, it’s best to have a knack for the basic strategy down before you jump into that. There are even just-for-fun options, so you can practice without risking your hard-earned money.
The first mistake that most people make is choosing the wrong table in live games or not selecting the right game if they are playing online. Players choose the wrong table or game because they don’t understand the rules that can vary for each one and how those variations can impact their payout.
If you are playing a live game, there will most likely be several options of tables to choose from in a casino. Some of the tables will be the same, but others will have some variations. There are a few things that you should look for.
A minimum bet that is within your means is the first thing you want to find.
If you have a bankroll of $100, a table with a $100 minimum is only going to let you play one hand, or maybe two or three hands if you win.
Typically, the minimum bet is $10 or $15, but some casinos will offer lower options. If you are a beginner, you will risk less money if you start at the table with the most economical minimum.
The odds are the next factor that you should consider when choosing a blackjack table.
The two most common odds are 6:5 and 3:2, but some will only offer even money. This information is usually displayed on the table itself.
Generally, you want to choose a 3:2 table because it will provide a higher payout if your first two cards are a blackjack. For those of you who don’t know, a blackjack is made up of an ace and any face card or ten.
The number of decks that are being used is another component that will have a significant impact on your odds. The higher the number of cards in play, the harder it will be to calculate the probability of certain possibilities.
It is usually better to play a single-deck or double-deck table. However, some tables with more decks offer different rules. I recommend starting out with a single-deck game while you are learning strategy, then progress to multiple decks as you learn the rules and how they will affect your game.
Some of the rules that you will want to consider when choosing a table are things like when you can double down, when you can surrender, or when the dealer has to stand. For example, one table might say that you can’t double down after you have already split a pair.
If that is a strategy that you use on a regular basis, find a table that allows it. Tables that require the dealer to stand on soft 17 are better than tables that don’t, but that situation is rare, so consider all of the possibilities before deciding the best table for you.
You should still consider the odds, rules, and minimum bets of the game that you will play online, as described above. But the first choice you have to make is the online casino that you will use for your games. Be certain that the casino is secure and has the options that suit your needs.
If you want to know more on this subject, read our page on how to choose an online casino.
For a quick and easy way to find somewhere suitable to play, check out our list of recommended casino sites.
Another thing that you need to consider if you are playing online is whether you will play a computerized game or a live dealer game. Both options are great, but live dealer games will give you an experience that is more similar to a live game.
Computerized games will be completely automated, and cards will be drawn using a random number generator (RNG). You will not be interacting with anyone in the electronic game; you will simply click through the steps until the hand is over.
The benefit of these games is that you can take the game at your speed, so you can take as much time as you need to learn all of the possible strategies, or you can speed the game up if you are looking to play several hands without waiting on other players.
Live dealer games connect you to a dealer through a video connection. They are more realistic than electronic games because you can interact with the dealer and sometimes the other players.
Because other people are waiting, you have to make your moves faster, but the overall game tends to be slower than automated games because it takes time for the dealer to shuffle and because you have to wait for the other players.
The choice will come down to personal preference in the end, but I recommend trying them both so that you can find the one that works best for you.
Here’s some more information on playing live dealer blackjack online.
It is mathematically undeniable that basic blackjack strategies decrease the house edge and therefore increase the player’s chances of winning. And yet, many players still ignore basic strategy or use superstitious methods instead of probability.
Most of the time, players know the right move to make, but they choose not to for a few reasons. Here are some of the most common reasons that players ignore strategy.
One reason that people tend to ignore strategy is that they are betting emotionally. Your emotions will always trick you into betting more.
If you are winning, your heart will say that you are full of luck so you should try to make as much as you can. If you are losing, it will lead you to risk more to try to get back on track.
One of the fastest ways to lose your money is to use the Martingale betting system. It is a system that tells players to continuously double their bet on each hand after a losing hand.
The theory behind this system is that everyone is bound to win eventually, so you might as well increase your bet so that you get a higher payout when you do finally win.
The Martingale system might sound logical at first, but not when you consider the fact that you are far more likely to run out of money before you get the win. For example, let’s say that you started with a $500 bankroll and a minimum bet of $10.
We will pretend that your first few hands were lucky, so you used your winnings to increase your stake to $25. It will only take you two losses to be betting $100 on a single hand, and one hand after that, you will have lost almost your entire bankroll. The risks of the Martingale system far outweigh the potential benefits.
There is a right time to hit and a right time to stand. Most people know that you should generally hit if your hand is twelve or less, and you should stand if it is seventeen or more, but there are a lot of situations in between that people tend to be less sure about. Here are some specific recommendations for when to hit and when to stand.
Always hit on a “soft 17,” which is when you have an ace and a six. Because the ace can be played as either a one or an eleven, you cannot bust with this hand.
If you get a face card, the highest that you can have in this situation is 17, but you are far more likely to beat the dealer’s hand if you hit.
Many players use a “never bust” strategy where they always stand on anything that is twelve or higher. It is true that you will never bust, but you might never win, either. If you always stand on hands of 12-16, you are missing some valuable opportunities to beat the dealer’s hand, and you are practically giving the game away.
The only situation where you should “always stand” is when your first two cards make a hard 17 or higher. In every other case, you should consider your total and the dealer’s up card before you decide to hit or stand.
Remember that you don’t need to get a blackjack to win; you just need to be closer than the dealer.
Splitting and doubling are the rules of blackjack that can really help you win a lot of money if you use them right, but if you use them wrong, you will lose your money very quickly.
For those of you who don’t know, splitting is when you get a two of the same card in your first two cards, so you split them to play two hands at once. Doubling, or double-down, is when you double your bet after seeing your first two cards.
There are some situations when you should always split, and some when you should never split, but most fall in between. Every time you have two aces or two eights, you should split.
You should never split two tens because it’s not worth losing one of the best hands for a smaller possibility of getting two decent hands. Splitting fives is generally not recommended either. For every other hand, you should consider what the dealer’s up card is before you decide to split or not.
Doubling down is a great way to increase your payout if you know that you have a pretty good shot at winning. When you double down, you have to take one more card, and that will be the only card you can get.
So essentially, a double-down is a three-in-one move where you double your original bet, hit once, and stand after that.
Similar to splitting, a lot of doubling strategy depends on what card the dealer is showing. For example, if your two cards add up to ten, you should only double down if the dealer’s card is between 2-9.
There is one situation where you should almost always double, and that is when you have an ace. Any hand with an ace is beneficial because you can play the ace as a one or an eleven. The flexibility of an ace is what makes it a good idea to double on soft hands.
But even if you have a soft hand, if the dealer also has an ace, don’t double. There is no hand that is guaranteed to win every time.
Many players make the mistake of changing their strategy for the wrong reasons. For example, some players start out with a good plan, but they abandon it once they place a higher bet. You should not change the way you play just because you are betting more.
If you would have hit on the same hand in the last round, don’t stand just because you have a higher bet on the table. That is just another way to let your emotions take control of your wagers.
Another reason that players change their technique is to base it off of other players at the table. Many people think that they need to change their move to fix another player’s bad move.
Other players will say that someone needs to take a hit to increase the chances that the dealer will bust.
Some people believe that a specific table is lucky if a lot of people are winning, or the table is jinxed if people are losing. Both of these situations have more to do with the players’ strategies than the good or bad luck of the table.
So, don’t choose a table based on how many players are winning, and don’t increase your bet just because everyone around you is doing well.
As you can see, blackjack really comes down to using the rules of probability at the right time.
Counting cards is one way that many players use basic math to win a lot of money very quickly, but it takes a lot of time to learn how to count cards that efficiently, and it is infinitely more difficult once you add multiple decks.
For those of us who can’t count cards, merely memorizing a few basic rules about when to stand, hit, split, or double really is the best way to play. The more you play, the more these rules will become second nature, helping you to resist the temptation of playing emotionally.
So long as you choose the right table to begin with, and you follow the recommended methods, you can control the game so that you win more money overall, even if you suffer a few losses here and there.
No matter whether you are playing online, a live dealer game, or in person, these recommendations will help you to avoid all of these rookie mistakes. Good luck with your next blackjack games!
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