NFC East Tale of the Tape

The NFC East could very well be the toughest division in football in that there is not a weak team among the group.

The New York Giants are thought to be the team to beat in this monstrosity of a division. Finishing 12-4, last season’s division champions picked up Hakeem Nicks to fill the shoes of the troubled Plaxico Burress at Wide Receiver. The defensive line remains solid, and the offensive line stays intact. The backfield remains solid despite the loss of the speedy Derek Ward. Ahmad Bradshaw should be able to provide a change of pace for the punishing Brandon Jacobs. The Giants are currently the NFC Chalk at odds of 140 to win the division.

Philadelphia Eagles sit at odds of 150, and appear to be severely overvalued. Quarterback Donovan McNabb returns as the starting quarterback and an aging Brian Westbrook leads the shallow backfield. Brian Dawkins will no longer be donning an Eagles helmet this season, after signing with Denver. However, the Eagles secondary still remains top notch.

The Dallas Cowboys provide the most value from a futures standpoint, getting odds of 260. The Cowboys locker room will prove to be a far healthier environment this season as the “Tyrant” is “Out” of Dallas and headed to Buffalo. Injuries and locker room drama plagued the Cowboys last season and now that the drama has been handled and injuries have healed; this may be the Cowboy’s year to reign supreme in the NFC East.

The Washington Redskins presently command odds of 450. A slightly above average squad all around, I could possibly foresee a wildcard out of them. I do not see anything suggesting this team can make it to the top of the division, considering the division consists of above average teams.

Overall, I foresee the best value pick for the NFC East division winner in the Dallas Cowboys. Though the Giants sit as the odds on favorite to win the division, the changes in the locker room combined with the healing of last season’s injuries makes the Cowboys the team to beat in my eyes.

In case you haven’t picked it up from the two titles so far, don’t dress the part. I don’t care if the last dozen session netted you a six-figure payoff (Kevin Spacey is waiting for you, by the way), if you show up flashy, you will draw attention. That’s just common sense. In fact, don’t do anything – anything – that’ll draw attention to you. I’m not telling you to hide and be a recluse at the table, because that draws attention to you, as well. But no leather, no suede, hell, no microfiber clothing. Don’t be the table jokester. Don’t try too hard to not appear suspicious. That’s suspicious.

This next tip focuses on doing a little reconnaissance work. Scout out the blackjack shift changes. Why? Because the managers usually come around a pre-determined amount of time before the dealers change. In this period, it’s prime time to make a move or two. At this point, these guys are worried about dealing with everyone else outside of card counters. It’s babysitting time, and if you can keep your diaper clean, you might just be able to stash a few thousand worth of chips in it on your way out the door.

Next, be greedy. That’s right, ask for comps. Ask for it like you deserve it every time you sit down. Ask for it every hour. Make a small comment (not during the shift change period) about how you shouldn’t be paying for these watered-down drinks. This helps show you’re not focused on anything except having a good time and getting a few things for free. Like a murderer, it kinda establishes a motive for you.

And finally, remember, above all else, the internet blackjack dealer is not your friend. The dealer is worse than that waitress at Hooters that sits next to you during your order and puts her hand on your leg. The dealer wants your money, and is probably going to be loyal to the casino. Especially if you don’t tip 20 to 25% of your winning hands. That pisses them off something awful. So if you even look at him wrong, he’s going to tip the pit boss or anyone else off that something fishy might be up. If you get a sense of that, cut your losses (or minimize your winnings) and cash out. Don’t even try another table, just find another casino.

Well, you’re not imagining things, you do. Otherwise you’ll get thrown out, banned or worse. So here are some tips, outside of the card counting strategy itself, to keep you under the radar and in the black as much as possible.

First, make like the good civilian. Believe me, I hate small talk – hate it – as much as the next person, but talking it up with the dealers and the pit crew is the best way to “humanize” yourself in their eyes. As much as you might differentiate the two, these people are just like cops. They tend to see people in black and white, and if you talk ‘em up and tell them about your kids birthdays enough, they will subconsciously see you as a normal person having a good time, one that couldn’t be capable of counting cards. Certainly not at the same time you’re trying to talk to them about nonsense – which requires a special talent of concentration in and of itself.

Second, don’t freak out. If you see a dude in a suit walking over in your general direction, just keep playing blackjack online. Hell, order another drink. Here’s the thing – if they’ve made you, you’re screwed anyway. But if they haven’t, or they’re just testing you, the worst thing you can do is act like you’re doing something wrong. Technically, you’re not a cheater until you’ve been caught. Hear the phone right? It’s not for you and it’s not about you. If the eye in the sky suspects you’re a bad guy, they’re not calling the pit first. Odds are you won’t know until someone taps you on the shoulder and/or nails you with a stun gun.

Sticking on the subject of being observant, much like an eclipse, don’t look directly at the person looking at you, but make sure you get a good glimpse when you can. And if they’re looking at you while talking to someone on the phone, that could very well mean they are, in fact, talking about you. People tend to do that, it’s hard to conceal. They may be describing you and your location in the casino.

Many players believe in various ways they try to become luckier and some people even try to sell you various playing systems, but, since roulette is a game of chance, don’t waste your money on them as these will not work. Instead, you should know there is a number of rules which you have to remember in order to increase your chances when playing the roulette.

First of all, you should know that there are two types of roulettes that allow you to do some online gambling: an American roulette and a European roulette. The difference between them is that the American roulette has an extra 00, thus making the house edge higher. That’s why you should always try to use the European roulette, the one with just one black “0”, because at this type of roulette, the house has an advantage of just 2.63%.

Bet only on the outside chances (red/black, odd/even, high/low, columns, dozens) because, although the winnings are smaller, the chances of winning are much greater. Avoid single number bets as they are rather risky and the house edge is also higher.

Each spin is supposed to be independent of the others: if the ball landed five times on a red number, don’t expect that it’s the time to land on a black number. The ball has no memory and it could land on any number.

It’s important to stay cool while playing it and not to get too emotional over it. Try not to get sucked in the game with small wins and big losses. Remember to think about a sum you’re willing to gamble and stick to it and never bet more than you can afford to lose.

One of the mistakes that many players do is that after a winning streak they continue playing and eventually lose all they won before that. You need to control your greedy behavior and be able to say stop and to cash out your winnings. Don’t think that you can beat the casino, because, in the long run, you will lose. Your goal should be to gather the target sum you want and then exit the game and enjoy the money you just won.

And most important, have fun! Roulette is a fun game and that’s why casinos across the world feature it, so don’t let anything distract you from this goal.