**Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season**

It’s been a long time since I last posted in my blog, and I must say I have missed providing my loyal readers with quality content and news. But I’m back for now, and at least I am glad to be coming back with a post about something I enjoy blogging about – and that’s new sites you NEED to check out!

The one I’m gonna be talking about is a European sportsbook review site over at EuroSlam.com.

EuroSlam is a very simple and easily navigable website to get around and also offers up some top-notch information on the best online sportsbooks to bet at. The homepage features a listing of the Top Five sportsbooks the site itself promotes, including the bonus amounts for each and a small review attached. For example, you can instantly view the deposit bonus for Bet365, as well as a detailed writeup on how to clear it and then how to withdraw it.

In addition, EuroSlam also has tips on how to bet on sports and features live betting odds. The site also gives out free information on where to wager your gambling dollar, and what types of bets are the most profitable. Find out how to bet parlays, teasers, and futures – and where to also get the best sportsbook bonuses for your initial bankroll!

The site is currently only promoting popular Euro sportsbooks for the time being (with the exception of Bodog), but they hope to be expanding very soon to include some more USA-friendly sites!

In one of the most anticipated UFC’s of 2008, the Main Event at this one featured quite possibly my favorite MMA fighters in the world finally coming back to the UFC after leaving temporarily to fight in the EliteXC/Affliction MMA leagues - Randy Couture!

His bout with former WWF (now WWE ladies, lol) wrestler Brock Lesnar was ticketed as the ultimate David vs Goliath matchup.  When the two tipped in at the scales earlier in the day, Lesnar had to actually cut weight to get down to the 265 pound weight threshold needed to fight for the title held by Couture.  He made it just in time, but had a clear weight advantage by 45 pounds over the lighter, more agile Randy Couture.  

The heavyweight championship that Couture has held for over a year now was being up against one of the biggest up-and-comers in the sport in Lesnar, and it was definitely hyped up to be a match for the ages.  After a convincing 1st round, Randy looked like he hadn’t lost a step against the much bigger, much stronger Brock Lesnar.  However, in the 2nd round, Lesnar had completely turned the tables on Randy, as the crowd started rising to their feet as the human wall (cool name for him, right?) started to put an absolute beatdown on his opponent, prompting the fight to be stopped!

After it was all said and done, the match between the legend and the lion had fallen a bit short of expectations, only lasting a round and a half out of the 5 rounds that were scheduled.  This was Brock Lesnar’s first MMA championship win, and will no doubt give a little more attention to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.  It is unclear where Randy Couture will go from here, as I seem to recall reading somewhere he has one more fight left in his contract for the UFC.

You fought so good Randy!  We’re still rooting for ya to make your next fight end with a more positive result - and hello….tell em to bring on Fedor!

Oh, and here are the other results of the fights from tonight’s UFC 91!

- Nate Diaz defeats Josh Neer via Split Decision

- Clay Guida defeats Mac Danzig via Unanimous Decision

- Alan Belcher defeats Ed Herman via Split Decision

- Eric Schafer defeats Houston Alexander via Submission (Arm Triangle) in Round One

- Alessio Sakara defeats Joe Vedepo via Knockout (Head Kick) in Round One

- Wilson Gouveia defeats Ryan Jensen via Submission (Armbar) in Round Two

- Joe Lauzon defeats Kyle Bradley via TKO (Strikes) in Round Two

- Jason Brilz defeats Brad Morris via TKO (Strikes) in Round Two

- Mike Massenzio defeats Drew McFedries via Submission (Kimura) in Round One

- Dan Miller defeats Rob Kimmons via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in Round One

Day 2 of the World Series of Poker Circuit championship is being hosted this year at the Horseshoe Casino, where play originally started at 2 O’clock Saturday afternoon.

The first day of the event welcomed 40 of last years returning participants. Of those participants, Steve Billirakis, known on the internet as MrSmokey1, sustained a pretty decent chip lead over the rest of the playing field and although that lead changed hands many times during the day, Steve ‘MrSmokey1′ Billirakis ended the 2nd day of tournament play as the head of the pack, yet once again, by more than 100,000 chips.

Throughout day two of the event we watched Brett Richey make his way to the rail busting out with when pocket eights tanked versus Jason DeWitt’s obviously superior pocket tens. Mr. Hamrick who you may remember from online poker news stories involving the the 2008 World Series of Poker main events bubble boy, shoved his chipstack into the center right in time to take a shot at defending his bubble boy title at another World Series of Poker event.

At This point there were twenty-two remaining players still in the game, when Dean Hamrick pushed his short stack in with the best pair. Two cards were left to be dealt and our Bubble Boy was met by Woolf’sbottom pair.. with a flush draw.

The turn fortified Dean’s hand, giving him two pair, but , and to demonstrate that, Lady Luck multiplied Dustin Woolf’souts, blessing him not only the flush possibility, but an open ender in addition.

Lady Luck smiled that saucy grin as the final card landed on the felt, and Woolf hit a baby wheel. Our boy Dean finished on the bubble once again, only 3 players short of the money.

WSOPC Hand for Hand

Hand for Hand action started, and went on over the next 60 minutes or so.

Finally, onetime NBA Basketball player Kenneth Norman shoved his chips into the center. He didn’t make it.

We finished the days play with three pro names on top, Steve Billrakis holding the larger stack once again. Billirakis holding 754,000. in poker chips. That left him with holding the lead by 100k above DeWitt who controlled the 2nd largest chip lead, with 651,000 in event chips. in 3rd place was Dustin Woolf who will resume tomorrows play with 419k in chips.

Final table play will begin today (Sunday) @ 2pm CST.

2008 Melbourne Cup Action Begins November 4th.

In the horseracing industry, the Melbourne Cup has become one of the most coveted races in the world. It has run in Australia on the first Tuesday of every November since 1861 in a four day format. This year’s event will boast $5.5 million in prize money and a trophy designed from 34 pieces of hand-beaten 18 carat gold. Music industry celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Rhianna and Chris Brown are slated to perform during the festivities which begin on November 4th.  

Personally, I’m not much of a horseracing fan, but I have a few friends who are. I do think these races feature some of the world’s most exquisite horses. My friends are looking quite forward to the Melbourne Cup; partly because of the race and partly because of the fashion. The event apparently brings out all of the fashionistas!  Awards and prizes are even given out to best dresser in men and women categories as well as for best hats worn.

For those of you eager to join in on the upcoming horseracing frenzy and Melbourne Cup Betting, then check out RacingReport.com.au. Though still in its youth, it offers up all the latest news as well as Melbourne Cup odds. Some horse racing fans bet on a whim or if they feel a certain horse will be the lucky one either by the way they look or based on the name of the horse.

There are a majority of fans however that feel in order to be a successful bettor, becoming well-versed in horse racing odds is crucial. This is especially true of my friends who are going to partake in all the frenzy. The odds provided by Racing Report are updated on a continual basis which is helpful to any seasoned or newbie better. Who knows, after educating myself, maybe I’ll even end up placing a bet on Melbourne Cup, albeit small, but a bet nonetheless!

Golf Techniques To Improve Your Game.

Are you a golf beginner? If so, do you need some tips on golf techniques? The answer is probably yes. Even those who have been playing for a while could use some helpful golf tips and techniques to improve their game.

STARTING OUT
If you are just starting out, the best advice you can receive is to take some lessons from a golf professional. You can find someone through your local country club, community college or golf course. You can also check your local newspaper.

You really need a pro to teach you the basics in the correct way. If you try to learn on your own without anyone showing you the proper stance, swings, and techniques, you will have a tough time mastering the game.

PRACTICING
Once you start taking lessons, you need to be practicing as much as possible. Initially, you can practice at home or out in a field. This way you can get a feel for swinging a golf club and learn how to handle the small shots like putting and chipping without having other people around to make you nervous.

After you are feeling a bit more comfortable with the ball, go to the golf course or driving range and practice there. You can observe others and see what styles and techniques they use. This can be very helpful to you.

As you are learning to play the game of golf you need to work on developing the muscles in your back and legs. When you swing a golf club, all the power is coming from those areas. Remember, practice is the key and will make all the difference in the world to your golf game.

GOLF CLUBS
Choosing golf clubs is a challenge for experienced players and can be even more frustrating for a golf beginner. There are many variables involved in the selection of a golf club, not the least is what your personal needs are.

Golf clubs are available in a wide range of sizes to suit the individual player. A standard club has a smaller head (and small sweet spot) and is the preferred type for golf professionals and those who have plenty of experience on the golf course.

A mid-size golf club has a larger sweet spot and head size than the standard size, making it easier for ball contact. Golf players with intermediate skills usually choose these clubs.

If you are just starting out as a golf beginner, you should choose an over-sized golf club. This type of club has a very large sweet spot making it much easier to hit. You may not have as much control but you will have longer distance.

GOLF CLUB TYPES
There are two types of golf clubs, the cast iron club and the forged iron club. The bulk of the weight in the cast iron club is around the border of the head. This creates a bigger sweet spot, making it the preferred club for golf beginners who are challenged by making full contact with the ball.

The forged iron club is heavier with the bulk of the weight at the center of the head. This club is the choice for seasoned golf pros. As your skill and comfort level increase, you will probably want to use this club either in addition to or instead of the cast iron club.

Golf is a game of skill. For most people, however, it is a great stress reliever and is played for fun. Once you have chosen your golf clubs and have mastered the basics of the game, you are ready to go out and have fun on the greens.

About the Author:

Debra Gropp enjoys working on the Internet by doing everything from paid surveys and working for affiliate programs to blogging about her interests. Her articles pertain to some of the subjects she is most interested in, ways to save money, hobbies, work from home information, and diet fitness, and health-related information.

Origin of Football In America.

Football points can be scored in many different ways, including catching a pass over the goal line, carrying the ball over the goal line, tackling a football player in his own end zone, or a kicker kicking the football through the goal posts on the opposing side. The football team with the highest score when the game is over is the team that wins the game. American football is also played in other countries outside the United States. Their are National football leagues that are in Sweden, Isreal, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom as well as Mexico, and a few that are in Pacific Island nations. The NFL had a developmental league in Europe from 91-92 and 95-06.

American football history can be found in the early versions of soccer and rugby. Both types of games have origins in different types of football that was played in the UK from the mid 19th century, in which the ball was run over a line or the ball was kicked at the goal. American football as well as soccer is played with 22 players on the field that they play on. Some terms from player positions from soccer are used today in American football such as fullback and halfback.

Rugby and American football do have a few major differences, some of the rule changes were started by Walter Camp who people would call the Father of American Football. Some of the major changes that Walter Camp made were down and distance and line of scrimmage as well as the rule of down and distance. College coaches like Glen Pop Warner, Amos Alonzo Stagg and Knute Rockne in the late 19th and 20th centuries changed the gameplay by intoducing the forward pass. College football grew in popularity and was the dominant version of football for the first part of the 20th century. College football had a huge national audiences with the football Bowl games. College football had big rivalries as it does today in the United States.

From the year 1892 the origin of professional football can be traced back to, with a $500 contract to play football William “Pudge Heffelfinger played football for the Allegheny Athletic Association playing against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. The American Professional Football started in 1920. The first football game was played in 1920 in Dayton, Ohio on the 3rd of October with the Triangles winning the game by a score of 14-10 against the Columbus Panhandles. Two years later the football league changed the name to National Football League which is known as the NFL and would become the major league of American football. Professional football eventually became a national phenomenon after starting out the sport in the US industrial towns and Midwestern towns. Football after it’s NFL Championship Game in 1958 grew in popularity, the game that was known as the “Greatest Game Ever Played. The American Football League also known as the AFL started in 1960 a rival football league to the National Football League, with the pressure it put between the two football leagues before the merger of the two leagues is how the start of the Super Bowl game began. The Super Bowl turned out to be the most watched television event each and every year in the United States.

About the Author:
Rich Stephenson is in the web development field for a ticket broker that sells tickets to all sports, concert and theater events. Ticket broker also sells Cheap Football tickets as well as NFL Super Bowl tickets for and all other football games.

Free Professional Poker School!

I consider myself a pretty intelligent woman.  However for some reason, I cannot seem to grasp hold of certain strategies and concepts of Poker.  Of course I’ve got the hand rankings down and understand the basic concepts of the game.  I would like to move past being the ultra beginner player and at least head towards becoming an intermediate player.  In short, I would like to gain a more in-depth understanding of the game.

Since I’m a huge research fanatic, I began the hunt for a good website to educate myself further on Poker Strategy.  Lo and behold, I came across PokerStrategy.com and was just floored with how much they offered their members.   This free poker resource site and poker school is especially perfect for the novice player.  They offer a pretty good selection of strategy articles including No Limit and Fixed Limit Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Sit & Go Tournaments.  Even articles on the psychological aspect of playing poker are available.

The strategy articles are grouped by levels; when you play online poker at their affiliated poker rooms you earn VIP Points (through their member rewards system).  This allows you to “unlock” the advanced strategy articles.   The system works similarly to how you are promoted from grade to grade in school.

This professional poker school offers free coaching by poker players who are successfully consistent at winning in real money games.  Instructional videos and poker tools are available as well which are especially helpful for the player needing to fine-tune certain aspects of their game.  I enjoy the fact that you can easily learn how to build your own bankroll playing online poker in just a couple of months. PokerStrategy.com’s exclusive freerolls are just one of the ways to achieve this. Last but not least, players will enjoy the engaging and active poker forum community where you can participate with and learn from players worldwide.

The Importance Of The Golf Driver.

The driver is considered the second most important club in the golf bag after the putter. This is because it can normally be used 14 times per round on a typical par 72 golf course, and more importantly because the tee shot sets up each hole. An accurate drive can make the rest of the hole seem easy, while a drive that is off line and in the rough, fairway trap, or behind a tree or in a water hazard can cause enormous problems and make par almost impossible.

Golf Driver Evolution
Golf drivers have changed enormously over the past 10-15 years. If you have been away from golf for some time and suddenly decide to pick up the game again, you’ll be in for a slight shock when you try one of today’s modern drivers. First of all the price will be a slap in the face. It is not the least bit unusual for today’s top brands to cost $500 or even more for a driver. The next thing that will catch your attention is the enormous size of the club head. Today’s top driver models typically have the number 460 in them, because the club head is 460 cubic centimeters (cc). This is now the maximum allowable size for the head of a driver. Shaft technology has changed a great deal, and the combination of today’s flexible graphite shafts, along with the club head technology and that of today’s modern golf balls are what produces the prodigious drives that are typically seen each week on the PGA tour. The ladies have benefited a great deal as well. The top woman golfer, Lorena Ochoa from Mexico, weighs only about 115 pounds, but her drives often fly 270 yards or more. When this author was a boy, the longest hitter of that time was a player named George Bayer. Bayer was a large man, probably 6′4″ or more, and he had a powerful swing. He would hit the ball about 275 yards off the tee at that time, and of course that was considered very long. A good drive for male PGA tour players was 250-260 yards in those days, and drivers and other woods actually were made of out wood, typically a hard wood such as persimmon. Today it is not unusual to watch a PGA tour tournament on TV and see drives by the longest hitters in the 320-340 yard range using titanium club heads. Distances like that would have been unthinkable in Bayer’s day.

Driver Club Head Evolution
A 460 cc club head is rather enormous. Why have driver club heads evolved to this state, and what advantages do they provide to the golfer? First of all, the reason that driver heads can be so large is because they are made of light weight titanium material. Titanium is strong and flexible, and today’s top lines of clubs offer a spring or trampoline effect. That is, when the club hits the ball, the face of the drive actually bends inward similar to what happens when a person jumps on a trampoline. When the club face recoils it thrusts the ball out faster than it would otherwise travel, and thus greater distance is obtained. The rules of golf now limit the amount of spring that can be provided by a driver’s club head. If this were not the case then each year new models made of different materials would come out and drives would get ever and ever longer. Before long all the golf courses would be out dated. That has already been the case for many courses, and oftentimes golf holes have needed to be lengthened to keep up with the greater distances provided by today’s drivers and golf balls. Another major benefit of today’s large driver clubs heads is a larger MOI, which stands for moment of inertia. To make a long story short, a larger MOI means that the club head will not twist as much on off-center hits. The result is a better shot even on swings that miss the sweet spot by a certain amount. A miss-hit with one of today’s 460 titanium drivers will mean losing a bit of distance, but the same amount of miss-hit with an old wooden persimmon driver would result in a shot that would be comparatively much worse.

Of course most golfers love the extra distance that the new high-tech drivers provide. There is a downside to all this, however. That is, the longer the drive, the more difficult it is to keep the ball in the fairway.

About the Author
Walt Ballenberger is founder of Golf Drivers Blog.

Are You Ready for Some Football Bingo!

Here’s something to keep all you “football widows” occupied during those long (yawn - shhh! did I say that!) games if you’re not actually into watching football that is - “It’s Bingo!”

Bingo is all the rage and its most definitely not your “grandma’s game” anymore - not since the birth of online Bingo in 2003.  Women in their early to mid twenties to women in their late forties are the biggest demographic of online Bingo players today.

So where do you start?  Well, there are numerous amounts of websites out there, but before you begin, start with the online Bingo authority - BingoPort.co.uk. You will be able to find a wealth of information on where to find the hottest Bingo action around the clock.  BingoPort offers up reviews on forty-two sites. They do the work, so you don’t have to.  The site provides real time monitoring of their reviewed Bingo sites which includes player traffic, bingo pot size and jackpot size.

According to the BingoPort.co.uk Co-founder, Bob Logan, “There is not doubt that the overwhelming response from our community of online bingo players has been that they would rather play in a bingo room containing between 20 and 40 players than compete with hundreds of players for a single bingo pot.”

Logan went on to say, “Our unique snapshot of UK online bingo operators gives our users information they need so they can instantly make a decision on where the best place is to play is for them.”

Try your hand at fun Bingo sites such as Desperate Housewives, 888Ladies and one of their newest sites - Wink Bingo.  Not ready for real money action yet, well don’t fret.  BingoPort offers Free Bingo for the beginning player like 90 Ball Bingo and 75 Ball Bingo.

BingoPort.co.uk also provides players with online bingo new and bingo tournaments. They offer a loyalty program as well, every time you participate in the BingoPort community, you’ll be rewarded via Port Points. These special points can earn you bingo bonuses, bingo cash and even bingo merchandise.  BingoPort makes sure you also have access to all the latest Bingo promotions; basically their website is your one stop “Bingo” shopping place!  Anways, just thought I’d share!