The emergence of the online sports betting industry, which paralleled the growth of the online casino industry, has slowly moved closer to providing “one stop gaming shops” for their clients. In addition to sports betting, the top online sportsbook sites most always offer an online casino, horse racebook, and poker room. The question for discerning sports bettors is: should I play in the casino or poker room with my funds when I’m not in action with the weekend football games?

Before you decide what you want to do, you should figure out what kind of nfl bettor you are. Are you a sharp sports bettor who regularly makes money off sports? Or, are you a “square” or “recreational” bettor who just places wagers for the hell of it?

In general, sharp sports bettors are in it for the money, and some actually make their living off sports. On the other hand, recreational bettors are what their moniker implies: bettors who simply recreate, or just have fun, placing bets online. As a result, most sharp sports bettors stay away from the casino and poker room during NFL betting season.

Next, consider your skill level with casino games and poker. Without a doubt, you’ll probably get a regular flow of promotional emails from your sportsbook offering blackjack tournaments, mid-week poker games, and casino deposit bonuses. The thing to remember in these cases is that there is a big difference in speed between sports betting and casino games. If you place a bet on the New York Giants to beat the San Diego Chargers, you’re going to be waiting about 3-4 hours for your result. With casino games, however, results come at an exponentially faster rate, especially if you like to play games like blackjack, baccarat, or slots. Therefore, if you are not skilled at casino games or poker; or, know that the speedy nature of casino games will push your limits of self control, we recommend staying out of your sportsbook’s casino and poker area altogether.

What if I’m good at Blackjack or Craps? Well, if that’s so, then by all means, play in the casino. In most cases, sportsbooks employ a common wallet system that allows players to move funds rapidly between their casino, horse racebook, sportsbook, and poker accounts with ease. After NFL betting and winning big, try your luck with a quick game of blackjack. Remember that the odds, however, of doubling your money playing blackjack are more against you than placing an informed bet on a football game. Sports, as a matter of fact, are actually more “beatable” than casino games, because the physics of each casino game are such that the odds are ALWAYS against the player, no matter how good he or she is.

Ok, so you’ve decided to play cards in the casino just for the “hell of it”. What games should you play?

If you’re looking to make a modest return on your money with games that have a low house edge, stick to craps, video poker, baccarat, and blackjack. You may not win a lot with these games, but at least you’ll win something. Sometimes, it’s possible to make a huge score playing these casino games, especially if you’re willing to bet big. Slots, Video Slots, Progressive Slots, Roulette, pull tabs, and other fad games are a complete no-no, unless money is burning a hole in your pocket. The idea of hitting a huge jackpot may be enticing, but in reality, you’re actually better off not playing at all and keeping money, opposed to spinning the one armed bandits and losing money on nearly every bet.

NFL-betting.com suggests you keep your sportsbook money and casino/poker room money separate in your mind, even if your sportsbook employs a common wallet that totals all your funds together. In other words, if you’re a good sports bettor, make sure to have money left at the end of the week to place your bets. That way, what ever is left over can be thrown at the casino or against the card sharks at the poker table.

Don’t forget: Pre-season NFL betting action starts in less than 2 weeks, so join one of our featured sportsbooks right away and deposit. Avoid the last minute rush and panic of procrastinators by getting your account setup and funded. After that, placing a wager each week is a cinch.

Good Luck and Have Fun from NFL-Betting.com!

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