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Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Innovation In Bookmaking

nnovation In BookmakingQ & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.

As Founder and Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A., Dalton Wagner has the reputation of ferreting out new markets and attacking while other companies sit on their hindquarters and watch. One market that has always eluded offshore bookmakers is the ‘guy who likes dealing with his credit bookmaker’. Typically this market has been untouchable for the offshore bookmaker, but NOT for Dalton and V.O. Group, S.A. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner on his last visit to Panama.

Vegas Offshore: Tell us about this new product that you are calling your Price Per Head Agency Relationship.
Wagner: As you know, one market that a post-up sportsbook has historically been unable to attack is the huge market of bettors that have been betting with their local guy for years. The reason this market exists is the personal relationship that an onshore bookie has with his clients. Sportsbooks have attempted to educate the player and lure him away from the local bookie, however we have taken another tact. We have partnered with local bookies around the world to make their offering better and more valuable.

Vegas Offshore: So instead of attacking the local guy, you actually approach him with your offer?
Wagner: Exactly. The fact is that the relationship is the last thread holding clients to a local guy. Yes, there is the fact that the local guy extends credit, but with bonuses and promotions we can overcome that offering. The key is the relationship.

Vegas Offshore: I’m confused, please explain.
Wagner: As you know, the onshore bookmaking market has lost steam to the offshore providers like V.O. Group, S.A. The reason is that the offerings that I can provide are far superior to those that any onshore bookmaker can offer. The PPH concept is based on allowing the onshore bookmaker to provide his clients my offerings on a purely anonymous basis via an online automated tool. Rather, by signing up with my PPH service, an onshore bookmaker can compete with all offshore sportsbooks on equal footing offering 24-hour wagering, 365 days a year. All the bookmaker does is use an online system to assign PINs and PASSWORDs and pay me a small fee per week for the service.

Vegas Offshore: Wait a minute. So, this means that a small time operator in Cleveland, Ohio can offer all the same things that V.O. Group, S.A. does without making the multi-million dollar investment?
Wagner: Now your catching on. For as little as $25 per head per week, a guy in Ohio can compete with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. And, better yet, never answer another wagering phone call again.

Vegas Offshore: OK, I get it. They use your automated tool to drive their clients to your software online, and they simply pick up the figures at the end of the week.
Wagner: Exactly correct with one exception. Their clients can bet on the phone via our call center staffed with 250 people OR bet online. Again, they have access to all of the offerings V.O. Group, S.A. provides including call center access, client services and technical support.

Vegas Offshore: Is the PPH product only based on sports wagering?
Wagner: Very good question. The answer is no. We actually have the ability to offer clients two (2) casino products including blackjack, baccarat, slots, 3 card poker, roulette, etc. And, clients may also bet on horses at over 350 tracks worldwide.

Vegas Offshore: Wow! That truly is incredible. So, a bookie that has one client can compete with the likes of MVPsportsbook.com on equal footing?
Wagner: Exactly correct. But, there are two keys to the success of the product launch. The first is being able to compete head to head with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. But, arguably the most important factor is that since the onshore bookie no longer has to answer phones or track plays, he can spend all of his time picking up new clients, NOT writing bets.

Vegas Offshore: I remember that in a prior interview you had stated that the key is not winning, but finding more losers.
Wagner: An embarrassing quote, but true. Amateur bookmakers think that the key is to beat the clients you have. That is a huge mistake. The key to getting rich as a bookmaker is finding a new client every single day of the year. The numbers take care of themselves, the key is to get more and more people playing. That is the TRUE BEAUTY of the PPH software and agency relationship.

Vegas Offshore: Do you have any success stories to tell?
Wagner: I have many, but will tell you one that emphasizes what the PPH program can do. I have a bookmaker that has been working out of San Antonio, Texas for 10 years. The guy has historically made $200,000 a year from his 25 or 30 players. He was introduced to our product in July 2004, and today he is writing over 185 clients. The ability to outsource answering calls and writing tickets to us has allowed him to grow his business 600% and his revenue over 1000%.

Vegas Offshore: Why did his revenue grow more than his business? Is it because your lines are sharper than his?
Wagner: There you go again. That is the obvious mistake that everyone makes. Again, don’t worry about beating the clients. Worry about getting more clients to play. But, to answer your question directly, the ability for his clients to play in the casino, play 24 hours a day, play games/halves/quarters, props, etc. is where the extra revenue comes from. Our lines might be sharper, but the advantage is more clients betting more often.

Vegas Offshore: How many bookmakers do you currently work with?
Wagner: We are writing business for over 250 bookmakers now. Some represent groups as small as 2 or 3; and others represent groups as large as 500. Again, remember the key is finding as many clients as possible. If you get to where you are writing 15 clients or more, it is almost impossible to lose for an extended period of time.


Vegas Offshore: So how does a bookmaker learn more about this?
Wagner: Simply go to any of the V.O. Group, S.A. sites to learn more. I suggest starting at www.BettorsNet.com or calling 1-877-512-1001 or emailing agents@bettorsnet.com to get more information.

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Monday, June 13, 2005

State of the Offshore Gaming Industry

Q & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.

As Founder and Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A., Dalton Wagner has the reputation of making one-dollar work like three in online marketing. With formidable competition, Mr. Wagner founded V.O. Group, S.A. in 1998 and has quickly risen to be one of the largest offshore operators in the world with over 50,000 active clients. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner on his last visit to Antigua.

Vegas Offshore: This year has been interesting for V.O. Group, S.A. and the offshore industry as a whole (advertising changes, etc.). How do you feel about the industry at the current time?
Wagner: I feel the industry is as strong as it has ever been. We are still finding that our advertising is bringing us new clients at an ever-growing rate. Some competitors are complaining that the crimp on advertising is affecting the industry, but we are not seeing this trend. Consolidation within the industry has begun, and I am sure you will continue to see smaller competitors gobbled up, and medium to larger companies merging. The weaker will go by the wayside.

Vegas Offshore: What about the rumors of V.O. Group, S.A. being bought?
Wagner: I am glad you used the term 'rumors'. The fact is that in July 2004 three suitors approached V.O. Group, S.A. because of our record-breaking profit year. In two of the cases we did see 'value' in a merger/relationship. However, at the end of the day, we could not come to terms that were agreeable on both sides. At this time V.O. Group, S.A. stands independent. And, we are happy being independent, profitable and growing.

Vegas Offshore: It is rumored that Bet On Sports (PLC; BSS.L) was one of the suitors. Is that true?
Wagner: There were three suitors that approached V.O. Group, S.A. And, in all cases confidentiality agreements were signed. For this reason, I cannot confirm or deny who any of the potential suitors were. What I can tell you is that one was a major sportsbook player, one was a major casino player and two were PLCs. I doubt that helps.

Vegas Offshore: Well, if Bet On Sports was involved, I bet you are happy you weren't involved in their November 24, 2004 stock debacle.
Wagner: The Bet On Sports stock debacle was an over-reaction by the market in my opinion. In one day you saw their stock drop 50% in value. And, the reason was poor performance in a very short period. If you looked at the other publicly held offshore gaming companies, you saw the same thing, just not as drastic as with BSS.L. Simply put, I know the founder of Bet On Sports, I know the management of Bet On Sports, I know the staff at Bet On Sports and I would not hesitate to invest in Bet On Sports. They were, and still are, undervalued in my opinion. They are a great competitor and a great company. I wish I had some of their stock at the new adjusted price. I just don't see how you can lose.

Vegas Offshore: It is rare to hear the 'competition' speaking so highly of a major competitor. Why would you do so?
Wagner: Simple. Bet On Sports is a great company. And, I am sure they would tell you the same about V.O. Group, S.A. The fact is, that there are companies out there that make our industry stronger. And, ones that make it weaker. Bet On Sports and V.O.Group, S.A. strive to make our industry stronger and more legitimate on a daily basis (as do BetCris.com; BoDog.com; etc.). What kind of ambassador for the industry would I be if I downplayed a 'good' competitor like Bet On Sports for my own benefit?

Vegas Offshore: If Bet On Sports did approach you, would you consider a merger?
Wagner: I like being independent. But, simply put, NEVER say NEVER.

Vegas Offshore: What of the rumors that you are looking at Panama as a potential relocation site?
Wagner: Our operation currently has offices in Costa Rica, Antigua and Belize. In Costa Rica we currently have over 400 employees. With employment costs in Costa Rica on the rise, the burden of Caja and the ever-changing political climate, we have looked at several alternative locations. One of the most desirable is/was Panama. However, due to the massive failure of BetPanAm.com and the political debacle involving their past gaming commission, we have decided to stay put for the current time. I think it is very safe to say that our primary location will be Costa Rica for the next 5 years. Pending any crazy licensing or governmental changes.

Vegas Offshore: I have visited your office in Antigua, however had no idea that you employed 400 individuals in Costa Rica. Why do you need such a large staff?
Wagner: Our industry has a reputation for being lazy and getting by on a shoestring budget. Most sportsbooks, casinos, racebooks and poker rooms answer phones when it is convenient and buy computers when the ones they are operating blow-up. Most are simply embarrassing to the legitimate operators. To run an operation like ours, servicing 50,000 bettors, you need lots of space, a 1st rate phone system, fiber and satellite phone and Internet backups, IT professionals, accounting professionals, etc. V.O. Group, S.A. is currently located in 35,000 square feet of space, operating 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, and we are busting at the seems. At the current time, we are negotiating to buy the building next to us for future expansion. I think we will employ 600 people come this same time next year.

Vegas Offshore: I have noticed that you are still branching into other products. How has this strategy worked for V.O. Group, S.A.?
Wagner: In 1998 we started with our sports product. We then branched into the casino product. In 2001 and 2002 we opened several major race books and poker rooms. The fact is that we are profitable in all products. However, our core product, and hub for our advertising, is focused on the sports product. The strategy has worked, but we will not desert our core product. You can look for our re-launch of interactive betting in early 2005 and bingo in mid 2005.

Vegas Offshore: What other changes do you see in 2005 for V.O. Group, S.A.
Wagner: I think you will see V.O. Group, S.A. work more on our Internet interface to make it more gamer-friendly; you will see our company move into land-based gaming; and you will see us acquire two or three smaller competitors. Rather, you will see what you have always seen, expansion.

Vegas Offshore: What other changes do you see in 2005 for the industry as a whole?
Wagner: The strong will get stronger. The weak will get weaker. And, the acquisition race will be on.

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Monday, March 14, 2005

Innovation In Bookmaking

Q & A with
Dalton Wagner, Founder V.O. Group, S.A.

As Founder and Proprietor of V.O. Group, S.A., Dalton Wagner has the reputation of ferreting out new markets and attacking while other companies sit on their hindquarters and watch. One market that has always eluded offshore bookmakers is the ‘guy who likes dealing with his credit bookmaker’. Typically this market has been untouchable for the offshore bookmaker, but NOT for Dalton and V.O. Group, S.A. We had an opportunity to catch up with Dalton Wagner on his last visit to Panama.

Vegas Offshore: Tell us about this new product that you are calling your Price Per Head Agency Relationship.

Wagner: As you know, one market that a post-up sportsbook has historically been unable to attack is the huge market of bettors that have been betting with their local guy for years. The reason this market exists is the personal relationship that an onshore bookie has with his clients. Sportsbooks have attempted to educate the player and lure him away from the local bookie, however we have taken another tact. We have partnered with local bookies around the world to make their offering better and more valuable.

Vegas Offshore: So instead of attacking the local guy, you actually approach him with your offer?

Wagner: Exactly. The fact is that the relationship is the last thread holding clients to a local guy. Yes, there is the fact that the local guy extends credit, but with bonuses and promotions we can overcome that offering. The key is the relationship.

Vegas Offshore: I’m confused, please explain.

Wagner: As you know, the onshore bookmaking market has lost steam to the offshore providers like V.O. Group, S.A. The reason is that the offerings that I can provide are far superior to those that any onshore bookmaker can offer. The PPH concept is based on allowing the onshore bookmaker to provide his clients my offerings on a purely anonymous basis via an online automated tool. Rather, by signing up with my PPH service, an onshore bookmaker can compete with all offshore sportsbooks on equal footing offering 24-hour wagering, 365 days a year. All the bookmaker does is use an online system to assign PINs and PASSWORDs and pay me a small fee per week for the service.

Vegas Offshore: Wait a minute. So, this means that a small time operator in Cleveland, Ohio can offer all the same things that V.O. Group, S.A. does without making the multi-million dollar investment?

Wagner: Now your catching on. For as little as $25 per head per week, a guy in Ohio can compete with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. And, better yet, never answer another wagering phone call again.

Vegas Offshore: OK, I get it. They use your automated tool to drive their clients to your software online, and they simply pick up the figures at the end of the week.

Wagner: Exactly correct with one exception. Their clients can bet on the phone via our call center staffed with 250 people OR bet online. Again, they have access to all of the offerings V.O. Group, S.A. provides including call center access, client services and technical support.

Vegas Offshore: Is the PPH product only based on sports wagering?

Wagner: Very good question. The answer is no. We actually have the ability to offer clients two (2) casino products including blackjack, baccarat, slots, 3 card poker, roulette, etc. And, clients may also bet on horses at over 350 tracks worldwide.

Vegas Offshore: Wow! That truly is incredible. So, a bookie that has one client can compete with the likes of MVPsportsbook.com on equal footing?

Wagner: Exactly correct. But, there are two keys to the success of the product launch. The first is being able to compete head to head with the biggest sportsbooks in the world. But, arguably the most important factor is that since the onshore bookie no longer has to answer phones or track plays, he can spend all of his time picking up new clients, NOT writing bets.

Vegas Offshore: I remember that in a prior interview you had stated that the key is not winning, but finding more losers.

Wagner: An embarrassing quote, but true. Amateur bookmakers think that the key is to beat the clients you have. That is a huge mistake. The key to getting rich as a bookmaker is finding a new client every single day of the year. The numbers take care of themselves, the key is to get more and more people playing. That is the TRUE BEAUTY of the PPH software and agency relationship.

Vegas Offshore: Do you have any success stories to tell?

Wagner: I have many, but will tell you one that emphasizes what the PPH program can do. I have a bookmaker that has been working out of San Antonio, Texas for 10 years. The guy has historically made $200,000 a year from his 25 or 30 players. He was introduced to our product in July 2004, and today he is writing over 185 clients. The ability to outsource answering calls and writing tickets to us has allowed him to grow his business 600% and his revenue over 1000%.

Vegas Offshore: Why did his revenue grow more than his business? Is it because your lines are sharper than his?

Wagner: There you go again. That is the obvious mistake that everyone makes. Again, don’t worry about beating the clients. Worry about getting more clients to play. But, to answer your question directly, the ability for his clients to play in the casino, play 24 hours a day, play games/halves/quarters, props, etc. is where the extra revenue comes from. Our lines might be sharper, but the advantage is more clients betting more often.

Vegas Offshore: How many bookmakers do you currently work with?

Wagner: We are writing business for over 250 bookmakers now. Some represent groups as small as 2 or 3; and others represent groups as large as 500. Again, remember the key is finding as many clients as possible. If you get to where you are writing 15 clients or more, it is almost impossible to lose for an extended period of time.

Vegas Offshore: So how does a bookmaker learn more about this?

Wagner: Simply go to any of the V.O. Group, S.A. sites to learn more. I suggest starting at www.BettorsNet.com or calling 1-877-512-1001 or emailing agents@bettorsnet.com to get more information.

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Baccarat tips Free Poker Online Games

Baccarat (Bah cah rah)

The game of Baccarat has been romanticized by the Casinos as a high roller game played behind felt ropes and closely monitored by well dressed men and women and attended by security guards. For all the glamour and mystique it is still a rather simple game. Baccara is particularly popular in European Casinos, probably because the perception that it is a high roller game, make no mistake the stakes can be very high. The word baccarat comes from the Italian baccara, which means zero. Walking by a baccarat table gives one the impression of elegance and a lot of money, mere mortals watch from a distance as the dealers and shills ply their trade.

The Table has fifteen player spots and in front of each player there are three betting areas, marked as, "Bank" "Player" and "Tied." The players may bet any one of the three options, you may, of course bet all three areas but this is not a good idea as you will see later on. Cards are dealt from a "shoe" similar to the shoe used in Black Jack. Free Poker Online Games. The object of Baccarat is not terribly complicated. Simply stated there is a "Bank" and a "Player" You bet on one or the other. When you place your bet, for example, on the "Bank" you are betting that the "Bank" will win the hand. Neither player nor bank have an option in the card they draw. It is all predetermined by the rules of the game and the way the cards are counted.

Face cards and tens or any combination of cards totaling ten count as nothing, the ace is counted as one, the deuce as two and so on. The "player" may place his/her bet with the bank or with the players. Both player and bank play a community hand, that is, one hand applies to all, players betting on one or the other. The "Bank" hand applies to all bettors betting on the "Bank" hand and the "Player" hand applies to all players betting on the player hand. Unlike Blackjack there are only two hands, Bank and Player. In Black Jack each player plays his/here own hand against the dealers hand. To recap a player may bet on the "Bank" hand, the "Player" hand or on a "TIE" hand. Player Rules The player will draw a card if his hand totals 1,2,3,4,5,0 with two cards. The player stands on a total of 6 or 7. The player stands on 8 or 9 which is considered a natural.Free Poker Online Games

Banker Rules When the "Player" stands on 6 or 7, the "Banker" will always take a card when his hand totals 0,1,2,3,4 and 5, and stand on 6,7,8 and 9. When the "Player" does not have a natural, the "Banker" shall always draw a card on totals of 0,1 or 2, and he must observe the following rules. When the Player hand wins the shoe is passed to the next player. Mini Baccarat Mini Baccarat is played the same way but is a faster paced game, only the dealer draws cards from the shoe and it is played on a smaller table. Other than these exceptions the games are much alike. Good Luck

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Monday, February 07, 2005

Poker Rules According to Stud Variants Poker Games

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Friday, February 04, 2005

Slots Secrets Poker Games

1. Slot machines are the same. At the end of the day, you are inserting a coin and pulling an arm. Don't make it more complicated than it really is. Poker games
2. Strategies don't really work when playing slots. Just have fun!
3. Payouts are always random, and are controlled by a random number generator which is nearly impossible to figure out, so don't even bother trying to figure out a machine. Poker games
4. Three reel machines give you the best chance of hitting a big jackpot.

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Doubling Down in Game of Blackjack Poker Games

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Friday, January 28, 2005

Tales of the Improbable in poker games

Tales of the Improbable in poker games

When I read moaning tales of woe on poker messages boards about mysterious suckouts or literally impossible methods of rigged behavior at online poker cardrooms, I'm constantly surprised. And now I'm surprised that I am still surprised by most of these goofball posts. I should know by now that Oscar Wilde's comment is right on the money.Still, I realize there are tens of thousands online poker players who have virtually no brick and mortar poker experience. Clearly seeing something unfold before your eyes in the flesh makes it more believable than if it unfolds before you on a computer screen.

For me personally, I need to remember that a very large percentage of my online opponents have a massive void in their understanding of how some folks play poker. In other words, if you haven't seen an idiot play poker with your own eyes, it is reasonable to tend to not believe that such a creature can exist. On the other hand, if you followed my own learning curve in the game, a pixie could burst out of the head of an opponent and sing "Hooked on a Feeling" and it wouldn't surprise me.When flop-style Holdem games first came to California, they rolled out across the state in the late 1980s gradually, not all at the same time. First only Los Angeles and Santa Cruz counties offered the games. Many months later a few other places like Emeryville (by Oakland) began spreading the game, then smaller counties. San Jose didn't finally join the fun for a couple years.During this time there was much money to be made traveling around to each area when they first started spreading Texas Hold'em, because people used to playing lowball generally have no clue how to play Holdem. In making the rounds of Northern and Central California, I put in some time in a small cardroom in Prunedale -- a little dot of nothing on Highway 101 about ten miles north of Salinas. There I witnessed some of the worst poker playing humans can perform. I suppose this jaded me for life.Two hands stick out, which I'm sure the online newbie conspiracy-ites would consider too improbable to be possible.The first hand I had 6c5c in the small blind. With six players already calling two bets, I called. The big blind raised, it was capped eight way action. The flop came 4c3s2d. I forget how the action came down but the turn card was the Ac, at which point I went FOURTEEN bets against my one opponent. This took so long a few of the other godawful players at the table started table talking, saying I had to have 6c5c and why did my lunatic opponent keep reraising me. Around the twelfth bet I suddenly had a fear I was up against AA, an opponent actually drawing live, rather than 65 offsuit where I was freerolling to make a flush. Needless to say everybody was wrong about everything. The river card came the Jack of clubs. I gleefully bet... and my lunatic opponent raised by almost orgasming on the table. I groaned and called, and he showed -- Qc9c. He drove the betting on the 432 flop so that we lost the other players. He made 14 bets with a hand that could have even been up against Kc5c for all he knew.Don't look for an explanation aside from this: lots of people play poker like blithering idiots. There is nothing more to it than that. No impossible mysteries to solve. Nothing special here other than a person was willing to bet a lot of money in a situation where the odds were heavily against him.This stuff happens. Get used to it. Be GLAD it exists, even when you lose to some looney's play. The fact of the matter is: the loonies play even worse than I just described.

Another hand I played in Prunedale had me holding Kd3d when the board was something like KsKc9s8c. The action was capped on the flop. I bet the turn into two opponents. Both raised. When it came back to me I capped the betting, even though I figured I was dead. As I capped it though, my King of diamonds (but not my three) squirted out of my hand for everyone to see. Oh great... not only do they see the entire value of my hand, but my heart sinks when they both calmly call. The river card comes an offsuit deuce. I check. The first opponent bets; one of the table talkers says "I guess he isn't afraid of the king of diamonds"; the second player calls; another table talker laughs and says "He REALLY isn't afraid of the king of diamonds." I can't possibly beat anything but I sit for a second as another table talker asks what my kicker is. At this point I figure it is better to just pretend my card didn't expose and call.The bettor turns over JJ! The caller looks at the JJ and folds! Amazingly I win two extra bets after I have shown my hand. I even got a call from a player who somehow was involved with capped betting but couldn't even beat two jacks, let alone the hand I showed.The point is, even the very terrible other players at the table could not believe that my hand won, or that my opponents would bet and call after my hand was shown. Once you are sitting at a real table, and see this sort of bad craziness enough times, having your AA beat by 32 won't be nearly so surprising.There are people out there playing poker who do things so improbable that you just can't believe it, even when you see it. But believe it you better, because it happens all the time.

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What are Poker Tournaments? poker games

What are Poker Tournaments?
poker games
Poker tournaments are structured competitions where players compete against each other to accumulate all the chips in play. In "normal" casino games, each hand is unrelated to any other. Players can quit whenever they want. In tournaments, players can not quit and cash out their chips. Play continues until there is a winner.There are different types of poker tournaments: "Elimination" tournaments are the most common type. In this structure all players begin with the same amount of chips, and play continues until one player has accumulated all the chips. As players are eliminated, the active players are re-seated at fewer and fewer tables. While the winner of the tournament is the player who accumulates all the chips, the payout structure rewards several players. For example, if ninety-five players start a tournament, commonly the "final table" of nine players would receive prize money -- with eighth getting a larger prize than ninth, seventh getting more than eighth, etc."Rebuy tournaments" have structures where for an initial period of time players who lose all their chips are allowed to "rebuy" more chips and continue to play. Rebuy tournaments generally feature more aggressive play earlier on as players do not face the prospect of elimination if they lose all their chips. Rebuys often lead to larger total prize pools being played for than would be standard for the initial entry cost.In "shootout tournaments" tables are not combined as players are eliminated. Rather, each table plays down to a single winner. Then table winners proceed to a finals portion of the event. So, if a tournament starts with sixteen tables, the sixteen table winners then compete elimination style until there is a winner. Shootout tournaments normally last several hours less than elimination events."Satellites" are preliminary, "mini" tournaments. For example, prior to a tournament costing $1000 to enter, ten players each put up $100, with the winner advancing to the main event.

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Tuesday, January 25, 2005

poker games

poker games

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