MLB World Series Early Betting Lines & Early Season Preview

Lines on Sportsbook.com as of 11/5/2010 4:00 EST

Arizona Diamondbacks 100/1: Third worst record in the majors in 2010, no real reasons for hope in ’11. Even at 100/1 I wouldn’t waste your money on this one.

Atlanta Braves 15/1: No Cox in the dugout will hurt this team more than most could imagine. The Braves will be competitive, but 15/1 seems way too generous at this point unless they make some significant offseason moves.

Baltimore Orioles 60/1: Why not 100/1? Don’t even think about it! The O’s are several years away even with some solid young talent. Unless they switch divisions, they won’t have a shot at even making the playoffs.

Boston Red Sox 7/1: At this point this is a terrible bet. Beltre opted out and no decision has yet to be made on Ortiz. Even if they keep both I don’t like them at 7/1. If the Red Sox slip to 15/1 I would throw a few dollars on them, but even die hard Sox fans shouldn’t take this at 7/1.

Chicago Cubs 40/1: When the Cubs are 40/1, that usually means they are more like 60/1 since the Cubbies are usually bet down more than most teams. I actually like the Cubs at 40/1 since Ramirez will be back and the NL Central is weaker than most divisions. They are still a long shot, but at 40/1, this is not a terrible bet.

Chicago White Sox 30/1: I know about the question marks this offseason with several of the players and Ozzie Guillen during the offseason, but this is a very solid bet considering their history and a decent percentage of the roster that will remain intact. White Sox fans should throw down a few bucks on this one and hope for the best during the rest of the offseason.

Cincinnati Reds 15/1: The Reds could be the 2011 Giants, but I think next season will mark the return of the Cardinals and the Reds will return to the middle of the NL Central.

Cleveland Indians 100/1: Unless the Tribe can get C.C. and Lee back in their rotation, stay away from the Indians.

Colorado Rockies 25/1: Rockies are a solid bet although they will be competing against the Giants and Padres in the NL West. Rockies had one of the best pitchers (Ubaldo Jimenez) and the NL “Outstanding Player” in Carlos Gonzalez.

Detroit Tigers 25/1: Starting rotation and bullpen still needs some stability. The Tigers will be in the hunt for the AL Central division crown, but the World Series is out of reach for the Tigers in 2011.

Florida Marlins 30/1: Marlins don’t stand a chance to win it all. 50 or 60/1 is more like it.

Houston Astros 100/1: Give the Astros a couple years to rebuild after trading their entire team away.

Kansas City Royals 100/1: The best value by far of all of the 100/1 teams, but the World Series is a long shot. Royals could be the 2006 Tigers. Put a few bucks on the Royals to win the AL Pennant, and even the World Series just because of the strength of their pitching.

LA Angels 20/1: I really don’t like this, the Angels will not get past the Rangers next season even if Texas can’t bring back Cliff Lee. I don’t see the Angels back in the playoffs for several years.

LA Dodgers 25/1: I slightly like this just because of their division and the shifting that occurs each year allowing teams a chance to get in the playoffs with a weak record. Still, the Dodgers aren’t winning the World Series in 2011.

Milwaukee Brewers 80/1: They are better than 80/1, but can you really see the Brewers even making the playoffs?

Minnesota Twins 20/1: Not too shabby of a bet if the Twins can stay healthy. I still don’t think they can get past the Yankees, but at 20/1 it’s worth a shot.

New York Mets 40/1: It doesn’t matter how much talent the Mets recruit, they just can’t pull it together. I actually like this bet a lot at 40/1, but I don’t expect them to cash it in. If you are taking a couple teams as long shots, I would throw $10 on this. The Mets have a decent mix of pitching and hitting.

New York Yankees 7/2: Still a solid bet, but….and it’s a big but…Jeter and Rivera need to sign first.

Oakland A’s 50/1: Still a lot of work before the A’s are once again competitive. I like their young pitching staff but overall I still wouldn’t take them at 50/1.

Philadelphia Phillies 5/1: I like the value bet on the Cardinals at 15/1 much more than the Phillies at 5/1. The Phillies are very strong, but I still don’t like the odds seeing how they got tripped up by a team with minimal offense in the Giants this past season.

Pittsburgh Pirates 100/1: The Pirates aren’t anywhere near a 100/1 shot, more like 500/1.

San Diego Padres 30/1: They need more offense. Gonzalez can’t do it by himself.

San Francisco Giants 12/1: I like it, but lets see what happens to their roster in the offseason first. This is a ‘hold’ if we are playing the stock rating game.

Seattle Mariners 100/1: Don’t bet on it

St. Louis Cardinals 15/1: Fantastic bet even for a Cardinal hater like myself. The Cardinals have a star studded lineup and are strong in most areas. Pujols may be unhappy if he doesn’t get an extension in the offseason but I still really like this team to bounce back in ’11.

Tampa Bay Rays 10/1: Maybe the worst spread on this entire board. I don’t care if you are an owner of the Rays this is a sucker bet. Do not take the Rays at 10/1 or even 20/1 for the upcoming season. The Rays have 10 free agents from their current roster including their closer Soriano, first baseman Pena, and star outfielder Carl Crawford. If you could bet against a team a 1/10 odds I would take it hands down. The Rays may be competitive but won’t be around come the playoffs next season, and certainly will not be in the picture for a Championship.

Texas Rangers 15/1: At this point this is a solid bet. If Cliff Lee somehow returns, this spread quickly turns closer to 12/1 or even 10/1. Letting go of Guerrero may hurt the offense but he added too many strikeouts so the loss may be less than one might think.

Toronto Blue Jays 60/1: The AL East could be down slightly due to the Rays losing a lot of free agent talent, but I still wouldn’t take that as a large opportunity for the Blue Jays without any true stars on the roster. Even at 60/1 I don’t like this.

Washington Nationals 100/1: Not enough of anything to give them a chance. The National might be a dark horse team in 2012, but 2011 is out of the question with a recovering pitching staff due to the injury of Strasburg.As a rule of thumb, just like when playing poker, betting requires you to become strategic so you could easily win on this game. You have to take advantage of your opponents and you have to carefully consider all the factors to ensure that you have high chances of winning.

Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino

River’s Casino, on Pittsburgh’s North Shore next to Heinz Field and PNC Park, is the newest addition to the downtown Pittsburgh skyline. The casino has everything from a huge parking lot, restaurants, slots, and table games. Here’s a complete review of this new casino by www.ufabet. 

Let’s start with the basics, parking. Currently, due to the casino being Pittsburgh’s newest attraction, parking is currently free unless there is an event that prompts the use of the lot for events other than casino use. Count on your parking fee is at least $25.

Your first time entering the River’s Casino, your senses are overwhelmed by the colors, lights, and sounds. Your eyes jump from slot to slot in this huge room holding over 3,000 machines. You are welcomed by a smiling staff member who checks your ID and stamps your hand. Due to the gambling age being 21 years old, the River’s Casino is very secure to ensure and randomly check that their customers are having a good time and that they are old enough to be there. The stamp or bracelet given to you upon verifying your age on arrival helps to quicken the process.

Among the 3,000 slot machines, the slots that tend to set off the most bells and whistles are the Wheel of Fortune slots, Sopranos, and Wizard of Oz slots. The River’s Casino offers penny, nickel, quarter, and dollar slots. Remember that even though it says one cent on top of the slot machine, you pay per line and it could end up really being five cents or more per spin.

Table games have just been introduced at the River’s Casino. I, personally, do not play the table games, but they do offer 86 table games such as craps, roulette, three card poker, blackjack, and mini-baccarat. The casino also has a 24 table room that is dedicated to the only poker.

I’m not a gambler at all. I tend to only bring $20 to the casino and once that is gone, I’m done. I have been to the River’s Casino twice. Once I left with $32 and the second time I lost all $20. My boyfriend walked away with $32 the first time and $140 the second time. All we played were slots and hovered around the penny, nickel, and quarter games.

River’s Casino offers the option to sign up for a River’s Edge Players Club card. It’s completely free to sign up for as long as you have a valid state-issued photo ID. The card is inserted in each slot you play and you instantly earn points that can lead up to free slot play, free monthly gifts, and free or discounted food offers.

When I first signed up for the Players Club card, I was asked to draw a card to win a prize. My card said “Man vs. Chicken.” On the other side of the casino floor, there was a booth set up where you played tic-tac-toe against a real, live chicken. If you won you received cash and extra gambling points on your Player’s Card. I unfortunately lost against the chicken and only won $25 extra playing money points as a prize for losing.

One aspect of the River’s Casino is that you don’t have to go far to find food. Five areas in the casino house dining options from quick and affordable to sit down and pricey.

The Wheelhouse Bar and Grill is River’s Casino’s newest high-tech sports bar that features happy hour days, draft special days, and you can’t forget the fifty-cent wings! Food prices range from $2 to $23 with choices such as chicken fingers, nachos, burgers, and full entrees like salmon and filet mignon.

Andrew’s Steak Seafood is the casino’s high-class steakhouse that features lobster tails, salmon, tuna, king crab, shrimp, crab, and steaks. This is one place I would love to try, but paying $55 for 12 oz of lobster is a bit steep for me. I’d love to hear anyone’s experiences!

The Grand View Buffet is an all-you-can-eat buffet that is right up my alley for lunch or dinner. Five huge buffet stations fill this restaurant full of Italian, Asian, BBQ, salads, desserts, and so much more. For $14 for lunch or $20 for dinner, you can’t beat it! If you’re a seafood lover but can’t afford Andrew’s Steak  Seafood, then just head to The Grand View Buffet instead on Friday Seafood Nights. For $27 it is all you can eat seafood. Sounds a lot better than $55 if you ask me.

All and all, Pittsburgh, PA’s River’s Casino is a great place for fun, food, and definitely excitement for those living and visiting the city.

Gambling System: A Fool’s Gold

Las Vegas is known for its wedding chapels, “entertainment” options, cheesy Elvis impersonations, and glamorous casinos. Casinos are a source of entertainment meant to provide expensive services. I’m not talking about the food, spa, or other amenities that the casino could comp for its guests. I’m talking about gambling. Wagering money in order to win money. There are many books and systems on the internet claiming that it can help anybody become a professional table games player. But what is the likelihood that such a system exists?

Having lived in Las Vegas for most of my life, I am well versed in the sins the city provides. However, never have I been stupid enough to try and bust the big boys. The reasons are fairly obvious. Here are five reasons you will never beat the house.

  1. Every casino game has a house edge. No matter what game you are playing, the house always has the advantage. Roulette wheels add the 0 and 00 to favor the house. Most players mistakenly bet on a color thinking they are getting a 50/50 chance, but they haven’t factored in the zeroes. They only have a 18/38 chance of winning or a 47.37% chance. Games that “could” offer a fifty-fifty chance gets complicated through commission. The most prominent example is the game of baccarat. There are essentially two main bets, player and bank. If you bet and win with a bank bet, the house takes a 5% commission. The commission is designed to give the house an edge in a game that is “supposed” to be as close to a coin toss as any game could offer. Even if baccarat is an even chance game, the casino is taking 5% of all your winnings on the bank bet. Why not the player bet? The simple answer is that the game is designed to give the banker a better edge through the rules of the third card. If you want more details, you can search around on the internet.
  2. Any betting system gets trumped by the betting limit. Casinos understand that if you play a game that offers almost a coin flip situation, players can just double their bets every time until they win, or until they go bankrupt. To mitigate this, casinos impose a limit on the maximum bet amount. In most low stakes casinos the maximum limit is $1000. With a minimum bet of $10, a player will reach the maximum amount on their seventh bet. The famous martingale system simply cannot work under a system of minimum and maximum bets.
  3. Cheating is out of the question. In my sixteen years of living in Las Vegas, I have never heard of anyone even attempting to cheat against the house (stealing is another subject). Casinos invest millions in surveillance and security that it is nearly impossible to cheat and get away with it. There’s a line from Ocean’s Eleven that goes, “In my casino there is always someone watching.”
  4. Casinos can and will ban people using legitimate strategies. We have all heard about card counting. It is an actual technique that gives players a small edge against the house. However, casinos employ people to catch card counters and ban them from stepping foot in the casino floors. A casino is still a business which can regulate who its patrons are. Plus, most casinos know about card counting, so they employ 2, 4, or even 8 decks. They will even reshuffle after only half the cards have been used to alleviate the small player edge gained from counting cards.
  5. The casinos are the main source of revenue for the city and state. Do you think casinos make so much money because people have learned to win against the house? No way! Casinos are still in business because they win much more than they pay out. They understand that yes, in the short run, a few people will get extremely lucky, but in the long run, they will lose all their winnings. The longer you stay, the higher the chance that you will go home a loser. The casino lives by the math, which is why it does all it can in its power to keep a winner from going home. If you win tens of thousands from the casino, you can be sure that the host will try his best to keep you there by giving you complimentary food, room, and entertainment. They understand that if they can keep you, you will gamble more, and the more you gamble, the better chance they have of retrieving their money.

You need to have your wits against you when it comes to gambling in big games like blackjack and poker but people don’t take this advice seriously and take it casually as though they are playing situs judi online.

Gambling against the casino is no way to make money. Casinos have been in business for hundreds of years. They still stand because they have the advantage in every game. They understand the math, the mechanics, and the greed. Now, I’m not telling you not to gamble. I’m saying don’t expect to win from gambling. See it as a form of entertainment. You are spending money to have fun, and if you do somehow come ahead, then see it as a plus. Never expect to leave with a certain amount of dollars because that is unrealistic. If you are an avid gambler hoping to earn a living, try poker instead since poker is not a game against the casino. It allows players to gamble against other players. I do hope everyone comes to enjoy Las Vegas on their next vacation. There are many things to do besides the casinos, but if you are planning on hitting the tables, I wish you the best of luck!

Professional tips to play online casino efficiently!

Online casino is the form of gambling that is played over the Internet. There is a wide variety of games available in the online casino, and you can earn a lot of money from them if you have proper skills and knowledge about them. You simply need to pick an online casino website like dominoqq and choose a casino game and start playing it. If you are new to the online casino and are trying hard to get used to his virtual world of betting, then you must read some tips about playing casino games. These tips will assist you in getting used to it and getting better at online casino games.

Crucial things to know about online casino

Rules and strategies 

One of the most basic things you need to know about online casinos is the rules and strategies used in it. To gain a better understanding of online casinos, you must start with the basic games, practice them, and then slowly shift to more advanced casino games. There are numerous tutorials, demos, and practice games that you can play and watch to get a better grip on online casino games. There are various casino games, so you must try them all gradually and lean their concepts, rules, and gameplay.

Online casino etiquettes

It is one of those factors that most of the players ignore. There are certain etiquettes that you need to follow while playing online casino. You must be polite and respectful to other players and the dealer while playing online casino. If you be rude or insult any of them, it is against the etiquette rules of the casino. Being well mannered and polite will be better for you and your game. You should never grab a set on the table to watch the game as you should only sit on the table if you want to play.

How Do Casinos Make Money Off of Poker?

After telling people that I have played a lot of poker at casinos over the years, I am sometimes asked, “How do casinos make money off of poker?” These people figure that since poker is played against other players that the casino does not make any, or much money off of poker. This could not be further from the truth.

There is nothing wrong with making money and the casino is one place that has come into being for the sole purpose of not only making but losing it as well so to say that casino makes money is a theory that might not be as simple as a bandarq online.

Cover Charges

Some casinos have instated a cover charge for playing in, or even for entering, a poker room. While this is becoming less and less the norm, the casinos that do still hold on to this practice usually make enough to pay most of the poker room payroll.

Tournament Entry Fees

When paying an entry fee for a poker tournament, a percentage of the fee goes directly to a casino. In most cases, casinos will be happy to tell you what percentage goes to them, and what percentage goes towards the overall winnings.

Rake

The way that most casinos will make money in their poker rooms is through what is called, “the rake.” This is a small percentage of each pot that goes to the casino. Some casinos will have a flat rate for their rake, while most will have a set percentage that will be taken. The larger the pot, the more the casino will make on the rake.

Major Professional Poker Tournaments

The casinos that hold major professional poker tournaments find that they have unlimited potential for making money. Some will charge rental fees to companies that are there to promote products, while others will require these vendors to pay a percentage of their take during the tournament. Some will charge fees to the companies that are showing the tournament on TV. Others will have memorabilia printed and marked for the tournament and sell it. Of course, there is also the entry fee.

Keep these ideas in mind the next time that you step into a casino’s poker room. Remember, even though you are playing against other players, and not the casino, the casino is still making money off of your play. Sometimes, in more ways than one.