>> THE BASICS OF SPORTS BETTING & SPORTSBOOKS

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>> Betting Hockey

The most popular type of betting line in hockey is called the Canadian line. The Canadian line incorporates both a goal line and a money line, similar to a runline in baseball. A typical hockey line would read like this:

NY Rangers	+½ -160	             LA Kings	-½  +140

In this example, the Kings are not only the home team, because they are the bottom team, they're also the favorite because they are giving up ½ goal. The ½ goal is quite significant because so many NHL games end in a tie. The Kings would have to win by at least one goal for a bet on them to win. The Rangers win for betting purposes, if the game ends in a tie because they are getting ½ goal, or if they win the game outright. A money line is added to the goal line to further modify the line. Don't be fooled by the above example. Even though the Kings are getting +140, they are still the favorites because they have to win by at least one goal.

>> Boxing

Boxing prizefights are so few and far between that they can almost be considered special events, although there are many avid fans who follow the sport closely and bet heavily when they get the chance. Betting on prizefights relies on the money line, and is based on increments of $100. But the variance or vig on boxing wagers is usually about twice as steep as baseball bets, so fans have to be extra careful of the odds they give or take when placing a boxing bet. Here's how a typical boxing line reads:

TYSON    -1100
LEWIS      +800

In this example, Tyson is a heavy favorite. The -1100 means you have to wager $1100 to win $100 and get back $1200. If you like the underdog Lewis, a $100 wager would win $800 and return $900 if Lewis were to pull off the big upset and win. You can also interpret the boxing line as odds. Tyson is an 11 to 1 favorite, while Lewis is an 8 to 1 underdog. Unless you follow boxing routinely - and most people don't - it's very difficult to handicap or determine whether the money line represents favorable odds. When betting on boxing, the good rule of thumb is to use your best discretion.

>> A Curtain Call

What does the future hold for sportsbooks and sports betting? All indicators point towards a more educated betting public and an increasingly interactive wagering propositions offered. As well, there are emerging channels such as person to person wagering which altogether eliminates the function of the bookmaker or sportsbook but not necessarily that of the linesmaker/oddsmaker. Nevada sportsbooks have been outgunned by the offshore online sportsbooks, where most of the BIG action has moved to offshore online sportsbooks because of the more competitive perks those shops offer such as bonus on deposits, free withdrawals, not to mention the ability to track your bets and your performance, shop and compare prices and most importantly - ease of getting the money back without having to declare the winnings (pay taxes).

Placing a wager on a sporting event can be fun, exciting, and challenging. It can also be quite rewarding! To be successful though, you should think like the professional handicappers think. Study the teams and their tendencies. Know each player's value to his team. Factor in psychological influences such as "revenge" or "look past" games. Also be aware of scheduling factors such as home field advantage or fatigue. Study coaching tendencies, weather, and how teams match up against one another. Don't forget to take into consideration the role that public perception has on a particular game. Taking into consideration all of the above mentioned factors will allow you to uncover the value that is present in every schedule of games. We wish you good wagering, and remember; THERE IS A WINNER IN EVERY GAME!!

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