Why do these people complain? Well, in the main, these people are regular poker players, both online and offline, they have an understanding of poker that many online players dont have. Let me try and explain…

In live poker, it is usually your own money with which you are playing, you tend to play poker as it is intended to be played, a game of skill rather than a game of chance. The way that you play the cards you are dealt differs greatly depending on the situation you are in. If the game is against people whom you play against regularly, you know their “tells”, the way they play and, as a result, your game is different to the way you would play, say for example, in a casino against strangers. In that situation, you need to “read” your opponents, a skill that very few players actually master. Your game would be different to accommodate the unknown factors of your opponents.

Now to online poker and why players call “fix” or call other players “donk”. Why do these “bad beats” happen? Well, the simple answer that most sites give is “more hands are played online” which, of course, is very true but thats not the whole or even the main reason.

What we get with online poker is a “simulation” type effect, online poker players play like they are playing a computer game. There is no sense of danger, or fear, etc and thats purely because of the computer game effect. How many of you play console, computer or arcade driving games? And how many of you who do play these games drive those simulated cars like it doesnt hitting walls, other cars, or people at speeds that in real-life would kill you or others? Of course you do, because the aim is to have fun, its a GAME; its NOT REAL. That mental attitude is brought to online poker, the skins dont make it any easier to remove the GAME from the reality. To many online players, online poker is a GAME, and not a game of skill, just a game, even a game of chance, a lottery if you will, and they play online with that mentality.

Then there is the “favourite” or “lucky” hand, the hands that, at sometime in the past, have yielded a success that lives in the memory. A success that, however “lucky” it was, gives players the mentality that they cant lose with that hand, or that they will win more than they lose by playing that hand. With online poker, with so many hands being played, and so many “simulated” poker players treating poker as a game of chance rather than skill, these “lucky” hands do tend to yield some rather surprising successes, but, nonetheless, it is still down to chance. Players that forever play 8-3 off suit because they hit a full house in 2001 and won $x with it tend to forget the rather hard beats they take because they play it every time. “8-3os is my lucky hand, I never lose with it”, well actually, yes you do, and probably more than you win, but when you do win it tends to be a large pot and the beats are forgotten again.

Online poker players don’t have the ability to look into the eyes of the guy thats just raised them to 20 x BB, they dont have the opportunity to see him willing them to call his AA with their “lucky” hand, they play poker like a game, period. That mentality, coupled with some amazing luck, (in some cases), gives those same players a feeling of invulnerability, just like playing a computer game.

How do we solve it? In simple terms, you can’t! Not now, not ever. Why? Because online poker is a different game to live poker, with different skills required. Sure, you might be able to here educate the odd “donkey” that Ace-rag is not a good hand, but in most cases you will hear the “It’s my lucky hand” excuse.

Real-life players, (oops, did I say that?), need to change their games to accommodate the differences in online poker. I tend to play a much tighter game online than in live games. It doesn’t do me much good as it generally means the “bad beats” I suffer are far more obvious, and expensive, than those that I suffer in live play. I have more success online by playing a tight game than I would playing a more “normal” or “loose” game, and I do win far more than I lose, it doesn’t alter the amount of “bad beats” or “donks” that I encounter though, it just means that I tend to be more of a spectator when the bad beats are happening than a victim.

Put simply, stop whining, stop moaning, play your own game, but change it to suit the conditions, and HAVE FUN. After all, Poker is a GAME, and online that reality is so much harsher than in live play. Most of all, online you need luck, lots and lots of luck, I wish you the very best, (except when you play me).

Those of us with kids involved in youth sports know how consuming it can be for our families. Weekends are dominated by games and weekdays by practices. The ties that bond us together are often tightened during these activities, but do our kids do too much too soon? When many of us were kids, there were not nearly as many organized activities; now that we have martial arts, religious studies, team and individual sports, family time and, of course, homework. Is website there a right time to start to play or not to play? Like many parenting decisions, including those for youth sports, there are no black and white answers. Of the many variables to consider, this month well focus on the potential injury risks.

What is the likelihood of Injury?

A common concern is that younger kids may be more susceptible to severe injuries before they have fully developed. Is there a greater risk of arm damage for kids who start pitching at age of 7 instead of waiting until they are 9? Should kids avoid tackle football until the reach a certain age? Does specialization in an individual sport increase the risk of injury for that child due to overuse and make them more susceptible to continuous motion injuries?

Injuries are certainly a concern for all of us and the risk of injury is considered a growing problem by many experts. According to the Kids Health supplement in the October 18-20, 2002 weekend edition of USA Today, there are over 3.5 million sports related injuries that require treatment reported each year for kids under 15 years old. Many of these injuries are from playground equipment, bike riding and other activities, but organized youth sports certainly contribute to the total. Fortunately, there are very few deaths, but the information suggests that 40% of all sports related injuries occur in children under 14 years old and more than half of those injuries take place in practices instead of games. In 2002, from information accumulated from the Connecticut Safe Kids Sports/Recreation Activity Injury Fact Sheet.

While this data is certainly misleading and flawed because it doesnt break down the number of participants in each sport, the frequency of the activity or the severity of the injury, it does demonstrate that injuries are something we should pay attention to.

Types of Injuries

In the newsletter published by the Yale-New Haven Childrens Hospital, pediatrician Deiter Lindskog, MD exclaims that the largest increase in youth sports injuries are due to repetitive use. He states Recent studies estimate that 30 to 50 percent of pediatric sports injuries are caused by overuse, with the frequency of injury equal among boys and girls. Because theyre still not fully developed, kids are more susceptible to repetitive use problems like stress fractures, caused by use without enough recovery time, growth plate injuries, due to excess strain, and soft tissue damage to muscles, tendons or ligaments.

This would lead to the question of how much is too much? The research on this isnt clear at all. With increased specialization where kids participate in only one sport year round, start playing at a younger age and participate in multiple leagues at once, what is clear is that many are crossing that unknown line.

While there is a tremendous amount of flexibility in these recommendations, the main issue is that care should be taken to watch for signs of trouble. There is no evidence to suggest a higher injury rate for Pony League Baseball, which often starts kids pitching at age 7, when compared to Little League Baseball, which often starts kids pitching at age 9.

Studies done with Pop Warner Football players also show that there is a risk of injury, but surprisingly, younger players are less likely to be injured than older players. Supported by studies done by the Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York which completed a study in 71 towns covering 5,000 players, the Pop Warner Website (www.popwarner.com) states that because of the weight restrictions injuries in youth football are normally mild and older players have a higher injury rate than younger players.

Conclusion

As people involved in youth sports we need to be aware of safety and injury risks associated with the children we watch. Kids specializing in single sports or playing in multiple leagues have exacerbated the risk of repetitive motion overuse injuries. We need to be especially aware for these young athletes and be cognizant of the warning signs. Some things to watch for include pain, changes in gait or other observable behavior, changes in performance and psychological effects. Kids should not be encouraged to play through any real injury because they dont want to let down their parents or teammates even though they may feel like they can do it.

We want to help prevent injuries through proper training and conditioning. An effort can be made to have children compete at levels commensurate with their skill so that they dont overdo it. Furthermore, efforts must be made to teach proper fundamentals for all aspects of the game since mechanical errors are more likely to lead to flaws that can cause injury. Because practice makes permanent, it is crucial to work on these fundamentals even at an early age. As youth sports enthusiasts, we all have an obligation to take care of the kids.

In a game that has a reputation for being associated with drinking, smoking, lying (as in bluffing), and swearing — not to mention, of course, gambling — it might be difficult to believe that there are actual mores and ethics that each player is expected to follow, but its true. Poker, like any other social activity, requires that everyone involved abide by the same basic tenets of courtesy and order. Here are some of the most common.

When youre sitting at the poker table, its considered rude and improper to offer advice to another player with their hand. At all costs, you should refrain from making suggestions, comments, opinions, etc. on whats happening in slot online terpercaya a hand, especially one youve already folded out of. Likewise you should also refrain from requesting aid on a hand from another player at the table, whether theyve already folded their cards or not. In live play, you can also extend this advice to dealers and onlookers. Dont give anyone an unfair advantage, and dont seek out an unfair advantage for yourself.

Oftentimes, once the cards have been dealt, youll know immediately the action you plan to take (for example, if you get 2 Aces, youre probably staying in, to say the least, whereas if you get 2-7 unsuited, youre probably going to fold, unless of course you plan to bluff). Whatever the situation, its imperative that you wait your turn before taking any action.

Folding, checking, calling, or raising out of turn reveals too much information to the other players at the table, and in an awfully unfair manner at that. The players whove already acted before youve made your premature move lose out on using that extra tidbit of knowledge in deciding how theyre going to act, whereas the players who get to act after youve made your fumble now get the benefit of basing their decision on that valuable insight. Acting out of turn is more than just clumsy — its downright unfair, and will quickly turn you into a pariah at the poker table faster than you can say All In.

Fortunately, most online poker rooms now utilize software that prevents premature actions from being instituted, even if you preset your next action prior to your actual turn. For your own benefit, however, we dont recommend availing the poker room of this seemingly convenient function as youll often cheat yourself of learning all the information you possibly can about the other players in that hand before deciding how to act yourself.

Another poorly thought-out behavior thats frowned upon at the poker table is revealing the cards in your hand to one (or some) player(s) without revealing them to all. Whether youve already folded out of the hand and want to show your buddy why or youve won a huge pot on a total bluff and want to rub the reality of the situation in your losing opponents face, youve either got to show those cards to everyone at the table, or no one at all. Anything in between will find you sitting at the poker table all by your lonesome (if not ejected from the online poker room altogether).

Poker etiquette also involves treating the people who serve you right. Granted, this is more applicable in live games than in online games, but its relevant to online play nonetheless. Whether youre playing in a Live Dealer game or not, abusing the dealer for the cards youve been dealt screams Sore Loser. If you suspect foul play, sure, report it to the poker room, but dont turn into the little poker player who cried Wolf either.

An honest dealer has no control over what cards are dealt, and most of the dealers youll come across are honest. Whether its a human being or a random number generator, the dealer is just doing his/her/its job. Think about it — what reason do they have to cheat you rather than the other players at the table? They dont care who wins or loses. Dont blame them for your losing streak. Dont cry foul play every time you get a lousy pitch.

Lastly, and this goes along with the previous advice, watch your mouth — or in the realm of online poker, watch your attitude. The chat feature is a convenient and fun way to make online poker more personable, but its not intended to be used for braggadocio, picking fights, bullying weaker players, talking smack about other players, or any other form of monologue or dialogue that detracts from the actual game at hand.

Its called coffeehousing — discussing the hand thats currently being played. When its used for friendly banter, its usually forgiven. When its used for bluffing, its considered sly at worst, masterful at best. But anything more than that is irritating, annoying, and out of line. Abusing the chat feature in an online poker game is definitely adequate reason enough for being ejected from the game. Its just another fantastic reason to control your emotions at the poker table which, in the long run, will only make you a better and more successful player overall.

Its a conundrum that many ATS fortune hunters face. Sports gambling can be a great leisurely activity for all, but for the well-versed sports prophesier, it can be a lucrative enterprise.

Having twice Chaired international searches for elite sports handicappers, once as GM of Freescoreboard, the first toll-free coast-to-coast scorephone network and than at OffshoreInsiders.com, widely accepted as the foremost handicapping site, I can tell you the quality sports handicappers are few and far between.

There are sharpies and wise guys who do make a lot of money sports gambling, but it takes the ability to both line-shop and forebode the outcome of games to make it profitable.

While my clients line-tracking skills are their own, the most important doomsday machine that an odds protge can harbor is knowing the right sides and totals to monitor. As the musician was told on the way to Carnegie Hall, the only solution is practice, practice, and practice.

Let there be no doubt that there are a limited number of qualified professional handicapping experts and we have several of the elite few on OffshoreInsiders.com. Unfortunately the consumer is forced to ferret through the much more commonplace coin flippers with a grandiloquent sales pitch before unearthing the maestro confidants.

Too often desperate gamblers are clay pigeons for a windbag who talks the talk, but cannot walk the walk. Sometimes the other extreme happens. Ironically so many clients thinking they are suave patrons fall prey to the wolves in sheeps clothing.

They are bamboozled into thinking virtuous means a virtuoso. It befuddles me how these people are the most easily hoodwinked considering how they present themselves as the more discriminating shoppers of sports investment advisors.

I have seen on Internet posting boards for example gamblers assign credibility to handicappers using the bottom rung criterion of merely admitting to losing days. Any huckster can merely come clean on heads covering when he picked tails. Professional gamblers can only sneer at such easily mislead gamblers who keep the bookmakers in business for the rest of us.

The polished magnate is much more concerned with handicappers who have few losers to proclaim than those who think sportsbooks are merely confessional booths. “Bookmaker forgive me for I have lost, it has been three weeks since my last winner.” If you can find a bookmaker who accepts “ail Marys” and “Our Fathers” as payment, more power to you. The rest of you, I would implore you to set the bar much higher when purchasing advice.

In Advertising 101, they teach to “Sell the sizzle and not the steak.” But there really is no correlation between hard-sell/soft-peddle and legitimate/illegitimate in this field.

Let me elaborate though. This is not to say that one should give merit to the notorious snake oil salesmen. Rest assured anyone who claims “inside information” or implies that a game is a sure thing; the only forgone conclusion is that you better hope the shyster that you paid used the lucky paper clip.

A sharp player never merely gives the squeakiest wheel the oil, but also does not fall for the faade of legitimacy that uninformed consumers effortlessly acquiesce to the soft-peddlers.

Some brag because they can do it, others ballyhoo because a sales pitch is all they have got.

Quite often I get an email from someone saying that they want me to give them my premium picks for a few weeks and than if they are satisfied they will purchase a long-term package.

Even though gambling by its mere definition involves, well a “gamble” I wish all the worldly endeavors that by their nature involve less risk than gambling could come with such guarantee and free lunches as requested by the likes that I just mentioned.

Well speaking of free lunches, my only other obsession besides triumphant prognostication is dining. Could you imagine if I went in a restaurant and told them they should give me a few free meals before I determined if I wanted to consent to buying a meal?

Do not misconstrue what I assert, situs judi slot restaurants and many other businesses give free samples. Oh, I am so enlightened on that. My wife saw on television one day about how easy it is to acquire free samples via the Internet. Our life and mailbox has never been the same since. But I digress.

Car dealers certainly allow test drives. Likewise, reputable handicappers allow you to not only get free selections, but also even more importantly enable you to experience, savor and partake in their expertise. Well-informed and experienced handicappers should have no problem proving their proficiency before a game even starts with the profoundness of their accompanied analysis.

What, there was no reasoning and justification given with their free play? Purchase at your own risk. Caveat emptor. If a selection looks like a shot in the dark, it probably is. If a sports stockbroker is well informed, he has no reason not to flaunt it. But if a robber baron is trying to simply pawn off a guess, it is tough to present scrutiny and research when it consists of a wink and a smile.

But again, those who happily make payment for blind faith underwrite the bookmakers so they can painlessly benefact those of us who live and breathe sports betting.

A learned foreteller should have articulate widely published articles on gaming theory and strategy. Any handicapper who wants your patronage would be happy to showcase gaming scholarly doctrine. It is his best sales tool.

An educated buyer is good for both the gambler and top shelf handicapper. But those who want to judge all professional speculators by the actions of the most notorious are doing themselves and the true pros an injustice. Prejudice against members of any profession may be more politically correct than preconceived notions against someone because of their race, color or creed, but it is narrow-minded bigotry nonetheless.

Neither blind faith nor McCarthyism towards professional handicappers will do you fairness. But investing money in the proper middleman is most conducive to making coach potatoism a bull market.

WHAT ARE BETTING EXCHANGES? – AN EXPLANATION AND BASIC TACTICS.

Betting exchanges online were only introduced a few years ago,by British firm Betfair,and have grown so rapidly,that they now,not the bookmakers,set the prices for most sporting events.The bookmakers have to consult and respond to what is happening on the exchanges.Even if you have never had a bet on the exchanges,you should be very happy about their existance.A visible example is the prices on offer in British horseracing,whereas at one time it was most unusual to see an outsider at odds of more than 33/1,but now many runners are of ten returned with starting prices of 66/1 ,this is entirely due to the exchanges.Not so obvious is the day to day tightening of percentages on all betting events which benefit all punters.Despite this you can still get far better odds on the exchanges,typically 20% better according to the exchanges themselves.

Betfair is the dominant betting exchange,with Betdaq a good alternative.There is very little competition – is this a bad thing ?.Absolutely not.If you think about it,the best exchange is going to be the one with the most punters,both bettors and layers.The exchanges.don’t actually do anything !.They just open the doors,maintain the site,but it is up to the people who enter and participate who create everything themselves.

HOW DO YOU BET?.You can back anything on the exchanges,you can lay anything on the exchanges,and you can back and lay the same selection.In fact this is the best approach,if you can back a horse(we will use horseracing in most examples,but could be any sport)at,lets say 12.00(11/1)and then lay a horse at,lets say 9.00(8/1),you are now in the happy position of not being able to lose.Lets say you bet in $10 units(you can have much smaller,or larger bets if you so wish),so if the horse wins,you will win $110,but of course you have to pay the person who bet the horse at 9.00 with you.In this example you win $110 and pay $80,meaning a profit of $30.If the horse loses it has cost you nothing,you bet $10,you layed $10,and in effect you have had a free bet !.Don’t worry about trying to keep track of your bets,the screen will automatically show you what your liabilities are for each horse – green for profit,red for loss.Also bear in mind that the exchanges have to make money somewhere,and they charge commission on winning bets,nothing on losing bets.The commission is usually 5%,but this figure falls as you accumulate loyalty points.For presentation purposes decimals are used for prices,this allows the minutest of price changes to be catered for,but it is awkward at first for punters who are used to fractional odds,but you soon get used to adding stake into prices displayed.Some examples – 10.00 = 9/1, 14.00=13/1, 4.5=7/2, 2.1=11/10 etc.

THINGS CAN GO WRONG.Sometimes you are going to take a price,with the view to laying at lower price,only to be dismayed to see the price drift alarmingly.What to do now?.Well don’t panic,not yet anyway!.You have got three choices.Firstly i assume you fancied the selection,so maybe just let it run,after all just because it drifts,it does not mean it can’t win.Secondly you may want to lay it at a bigger price than you backed it.In other words,hope it gets beat and you finish level.If it does win you will have to pay the difference between the price you backed,and the price you laid.This is the worst option – it is infuriating to pay out money on a selection you fancied originally.Thirdly,you can also back horses(again i refer to horseracing,but applies to any sporting event)in running,during the race.This i feel is the best option.But what price do you offer ?.You can dive in and out of the race offering different prices as the event unfolds,or you can offer high price or low price and leave it.Well should it be high or low?.It depends!.If you offer a high price(by high i don’t mean higher than you backed it)you are more liable to get a buyer,as most horses,or teams,at some time get into contention sometime during an event.So by laying high you could get out of trouble and finish level.However finishing level is not too exciting,so offer low price in running.If you take this option you can turn a bad position into a decent win,even if your selection loses – just so long as the selection flatters sometime during the event.For example you back horse,$10 at 9.00,and it drifts – wait for the off and offer at about 3.75 for $20.It doesnt have to win,just be a challenger at some time and hopefully someone will take it on.If it wins,you win $80 and pay $55 = $25 profit.If it loses,you lose $10,and collect $20 = $10 profit.If the selection never shows,well no one is going to take up your bet,and you have done your money this time,but at least you went down fighting.

Bets that have already lost,but still available.Sometimes the odds available may look unbelievably good,if that is the case there is probably a good reason.Maybe somebody in the know has access to information that you don’t.It can be anything – change in going,team struck down with flu virus,injury that may mean player may not even participate,a non trier,and on the very rare occassion corruption.So if a fancied selection drifts alarmingly,beware,there may be a reason for it.

Digital television is delayed – often you will see say 1000(999/1) appear suddenly on the screen,this is because a horse has just fallen,or team scored etc.If you are watching on digital tv you will not be aware of this fact for maybe 2 seconds.Not long ,but still time enough for transactions to judi slot take place.

Arbitrage between exchanges – forget it.This is when you can back on one exchange and lay on another.I have no doubt that if you work at it you can make a small profit,but it will be small.The exchanges always converge pretty quickly,and the gaps will always be tiny.The only way to get “value”perhaps is to note a tightening of price on the exchanges,and back selection with a bookmaker – if the price stays solid or reduces further,the bookmakers odds will almost certainly have to constrict.These tactics are exactly opposite to what used to happen just a few years ago,when you would back on the exchanges knowing that their prices would have to converge with the bookmakers prices.This is no longer the case,the exchanges,that is the punters themselves now set the prices.

You haven’t the time to sit at computer all day ?.To get full value out of exchanges,you really need to be at that blasted computer screen for an unhealthy amount of time,but as we all know it can be very tiring,and a bit boring.However you can still play the exchanges.Remember you set your own prices,and if nobody wants to play with you,the bets just expire,with no cost to you at all,no matter how many bets you leave on the exchange.So,if you are horse player,or sports bettor – get in early – as soon as the markets open.You can then leave your bets open,say overnight for horseracing,and maybe several days for other sporting events.Your tactics should be to leave MANY MANY bets – all at,what appears even to yourself ridiculously optimistic prices.Believe me,you will be amazed at some of the bets you leave that are taken on – remember you may leave 30 or 40 bets for lets say,tomorrows racing,and if 3 or 4 are layed you are already in the driving seat.You can either let them run at fabulous odds(recommended!)or you can lay bet to other punters now,either with a view to covering your bet or making definate profit now.You can of course use the same tacics for laying bets.

The bigger the odds the more value you get.It can be hard to grasp,but you get better value the bigger the odds.The movement on the favourites is minute – there are legions of buyers ready to pounce as soon as it moves.The bigger the odds there are of course fewer buyers,this can lead to volatility on a grand scale.Volatilty is what the shrewd punter likes most of all.It is not unusual to get odds of approaching 200/1 for a horse that may be showing just 33/1 in the morning racing press and starting price.This happens because bookmakers do not parcitipate in this end of the market,they are watching,and backing the fancied horses which are the ones that will inflict the damage to them.Also the big hitters usually back the fancied horses to big stakes and lay the outsiders to small stakes.So both bookmakers and big players concentrate on the fancied horses,this leaves room for you to operate successfully.Most races are won by fancied horses,but you only have to win very rarely at these odds to show a very healthy profit.Also remember once you have this huge price,you can lay your selection in running and still make a profit whatever the result.

These are just basic tactics to be employed on the exchanges,and you will develop your own tactics as you get comfortable with the systems.However make no mistake the exchanges are the best thing to happen to regular punters – ever .

Spanish residents like gambling. Spain has one of the highest proportions of gamblers in Europe. Statistics claim that 22.68 billion euros was spent on gambling last year, with illegal gambling said to be double that amount.

The El Gordo and ONCE lottery systems have also become massive industries in their own right, with billions being spent on tickets each year.

So how have the Spanish residents taken to the recent phenomenon of online gambling, now that broadband and software technology has allowed online games to progress into their country. Certainly when gambling laws were relaxed in 1977 there was a massive increase in gambling on fruit machines and such. So now, and with no restrictions to online gambling, Spain could be getting ready to experience another huge increase in gambling of a different kind.

Spains 468 licensed bingo halls have certainly seen a drop in recent years, but are people converting to online, or is it a sign of the times that people just do not have the money to enter bingo halls and casinos as much as in the past. Nielsen (net research statistics) claim only 10% of Spanish residents with an internet connection actually visited an online gambling site in 2004. But given the recent growth of broadband in Spain over the past year those statistics could be doubled by 2006.

Juega Poker Ya, who are part of the St Minver white label games network, operate Spanish poker dedicated to Spanish residents. Since its launch, it claims to have seen an increase in the numbers of players signing up of some 30% each month, with the average cash drop per player almost twice that for the UK.

The Poker phenomenon arrived in Spain having worked its way around Europe over the past two years, to become the fastest growing internet sensation. Similar to the popular Spanish gambling game Mus, poker is a game of great skill and psychology where players try to out fox the competition.

Over 12 million people worldwide have already played poker online this year alone with the global market continuing to grow at more than 10% every month. Thousands of budding Spanish poker players are queuing up to learn how to play the worlds greatest card game in the hope of repeating the success of Spanish poker supremo Carlos Mortenson, World Poker Champion just three years ago.

What was once the domain of smoked filled gentlemans clubs has been transformed by the internet into a highly competitive, compelling leisure activity, where groups of players from around the world come together to play cards and chat over the Internet.

Are the Spanish more cautious

Spanish players are a little more cautious. While the numbers of players signing up are growing rapidly, the actual conversion rate (people actually making cash deposits) is lower. Players could be concerned over the security of such poker sites and perhaps they are they holding back until online game brands become more established and the confidence in them grows.

Poker sites certainly take enough precautions to ensure their sites are secure and to allow players the confidence in the sites. Juegapokerya for example has well established fraud procedures in place to monitor any fraudulent behaviour.

Cheaters pose little or not threat in online poker. No one can mark the cards, no one can peak at your exposed or holed cards and no one can stack the deck or deal from the bottom. Playing poker on line is very safe. The things that can and do happen in land based poker rooms cannot and do not happen online.

However, there is one thing that happens in land based casinos that cheaters do try to get away with online. They try to collude. That is, they try to share information and play their hands in order to help each other win. This is also known as playing partners. Customer services monitor their poker sites and track all the play in real time. Any suspected collusion is reported to the security or fraud department for a particular site. Accounts are locked immediately pending a detailed investigation. Play is checked over a period of days to find out if the players involved in the original incident have a history of playing together on the same site. Patterns of play are also studied in detail. Chat logs are continuously monitored https://www.7meter.men/ and recorded. Colluders will have their accounts frozen and can be banned from the site and all affiliated sites. Some sites will even report to unconnected sites to warn them of potential cheaters.

So when they sign up with the many poker sites now entering into the Spanish markets, players can be assured that the sites will be well protected from all fraudulent behaviour. It may be this factor that proves to the Spanish that online gambling is a feasible prospect

So are the signs there that Spanish players will take hold of this online gambling phenomenon? Well, of the 40 million people in Spain, with 37% now having internet access, the potential for money making is there, and certainly companies will find it tempting to delve into the Spanish markets in the hope of tempting Europes most eager gamblers to part with their well earned cash.

Recent months has seen an increase in the number of online gaming sites being launched in Spain (particularly online bingo and poker). But while the online gaming phenomenon took hold in the US and UK some time ago, it is only recently that the numbers of online players in Spain has increased, allowing companies the confidence to delve into the Spanish markets.

So what are the reasons for the recent increase in the number of players and game site launches?

The main reason is seen as the increase in availability of broadband across the country. Previously those with only a modem dial up connection would find it both expensive and frustrating playing a game which required a download and a sufficiently fast continuous Find more info connection. As dial-up in Spain is charged per minute, and with Telefonica (the worlds 6th largest telecoms company) previously being the sole provider of fixed telephone lines, and therefore its pricing mechanisms, you can see how people have been put off from using the internet, let alone delving into the world of online gaming.

However, times are changing. The liberalization of the fixed-line telecommunications service market in Spain was completed in 1998. Spain (9th in the table for European broadband coverage) with penetration just slightly lower than the European average is now ahead of countries such as France and Germany. Recent European rulings, together with large EU subsidies (23 million euros grant plus 120 million euros in interest free loans) are encouraging healthy competition for broadband provision in both large towns and remote locations. More and more companies are providing various means of gaining high speed access to the internet and the prices are tumbling rapidly as competition heats up. Nortel and Vodafone Spain have also recently demonstrated their mobile telephony at 3.6 Megabits per second at the 3GSM World Congress 2006 in Barcelona. At these rates customers will have access to higher speed broadband than the majority of European fixed broadband connections operating at 2 Megabits per second, providing a further option for those wishing to delve into the world of mobile gaming via laptop, palmtop or phone.

Security is seen as another main reason why players previously stayed away. Whereas before, out-dated computer systems with a dial-up connection would pose a security risk to those wishing to use online payments methods (a necessity if you wish to play and pay immediately), the latest computers, coupled with a broadband connection and inbuilt firewall software are far more secure. This provides users with more confidence when making payments to online bingo or poker sites.

And what of this new found confidence in the internet and online games. Confidence in the games is certainly another reason why the numbers of players have recently increased. Users in Spain were previously seen as cautious and unwilling to part with their hard earned cash. Numbers of people signing up to the games were high, the interest was certainly there, but actual cash deposits were low. It would seem that any spare money for such recreation was usually spent on the local or national lottery games such as El Gordo or ONCE. Players may have been waiting for the UK and US markets to take hold, therefore providing tried and tested games and technology, giving the Spanish more confidence in such systems.

Confidence in making payments online has also increased as companies such as UKash offer facilities for making deposits to online gaming sites without the need for credit card. Some sites also offer a system that allows bank transfer directly to the game site.

So what does this all mean for a company wishing to launch online bingo or poker in Spain?

At present Spain is seen as an untapped market, but with a population of over 40 million and with internet access currently available to over 25% of homes, coupled with growth in broadband connections of some 70% for 2005, you can see the potential both now and for growth and money making in the future. With land-based bingo being very popular in Spain, (there are around 468 licensed bingo halls) you would guess that the transition to online bingo will be inevitable, as it has been in countries like the UK. And with the Spanish being more attracted to skill and knowledge games, the transition to online poker will also be more forthcoming.

And what of the current demographic of current online players?

Well, juegabingoya reports that its bingo network is growing at a rate of 30% per month. The average age of bingo players being around 35 and, interestingly, 67% of players making cash deposits are male.

So with improvements in computer systems, more broadband connections, better game quality and payment methods, growth in confidence is only natural, and it wont be long before more Spanish internet users are attracted to the prospect of winning cash prizes at online bingo or online poker.

The World Series of Poker has sprouted many followers in the last couple of years. Amateur tables are popping up all over the world and friendly cash games are everywhere come Friday night. Whether it is for thrill or profit the so called sport of poker has the attention of many onlookers year round. While Amateurs know the basics of the game they usually get lost in all the poker lingo spoken at the casino poker tables. While some is lingo is made up by experienced players to throw off the amateurs, some are actually well known terms in the poker world that any amateur trying to make it big should know. Below is a guide to all the poker lingo you could ever want to impress your friends or intimidate an experienced opponent. Take a look.

Ante: The initial money thrown into the pot to induce betting. This is done before the flop.

All In: When a person decides to put all his chips in to bet on a certain hand. No Limit HoldEm is the most Click here to find out more popular game and All Ins are allowed as many times as a player wants. In Limit HoldEm you cannot bet more then the pot itself.

Backdoor: Backdoor is a reference to when players are chasing a card that has not come up yet but has a good chance to. Having 4 cards of the same kind is a backdoor flush draw, having four cards in a row is a backdoor straight draw.

Bad Beat: A Bad Beat occurs when a player has a large advantage over the other and the last card beats the big hand by luck. Bad beat is usually used to imply that the player with the weak hand should not have been in the hand at all and it was by mere luck that he won his underdog hand.

Blind: In Texas HoldEm, the game uses blinds instead of antes. The blinds are forced bets to induce some money in the pot by the two people sitting to the left of the dealer. The first person to the left of the dealer is the small blind and bets a smaller amount. The second person to the left of the dealer is the big blind and bets twice what the small blind has.

Bottom Pair: The lowest pair out of the cards out on the table.

Check: When a player decides to not bet he calls Check. This is the option of betting zero dollars.

Check Raise: When a player checks with a strong hand hoping another opponent will raise. The player then re-raises with his strong hand thus getting more money out of his opponent in the pot.

Drawing Dead: When a player is trying to make a hand that will still not win the pot.

Flop: The first three cards that are flopped onto the table. These are also called community cards.

Heads Up Play: When there are only two players playing a certain hand they are considered heads up.

Muck: A pile of unused cards usually in front of the dealer. These come from folded or burned cards. To much your cards is to fold them by throwing them into the muck pile.

The Nuts: Likely the favorite expression of any poker player. The Nuts indicates a hand that is mathematically unbeatable with the cards on the table.

Offsuit: When the two cards you are dealt are of different suits.

Pocket: The two cards dealt to you in Texas HoldEm that only you can see.

Rake: The total amount of money that the casinos dealer takes out of every pot.

The River: The last card to be flopped on the board. The 5th card to come out in a Texas HoldEm game.

Short Stack: The short stack is referring to the player with the least amount of chips at the table.

Tell: A tell refers to a players action when he or she has a good or bad hand. Some players take off their sun glasses when they have a bad hand. Other players tend to itch their right hand when they have a good hand.

The Turn: The fourth card to be flopped onto the table in a Texas HoldEm game.

These are the necessary terms in order to keep up with the pros. There are hundreds of other terms in the world of poker, yet they are much less needed or too experienced for the amateur. Learn this lingo and impress your friends or play at experienced tables and wow the crowd. Lastly, poker is a great game, but the greatest player in poker knows one this: When to know youre beat. Everyone likes to holdem, but sometimes you get that feeling and you just have to foldem.