# Jim Makos
> Professional gambler turned creative entrepreneur and aspiring filmmaker, documenting a work-from-home life.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### Who is Jim Makos?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/about/
Last updated: 2026-04-03T09:04:01.000Z
My pen name is Jim Makos and I make money *working from home*. Working from home for me means **advantage gambling and publishing websites.**

This blog is where I'm sharing what worked for me. [You did read that](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/), right?

## The short story of my life

I began with card counting at blackjack tables, then moved to sports trading at betting exchanges, played online poker, and ended up investing in stock markets and forex. Nowadays, I mostly write and create content rather than gamble or invest while running a US-based company.

### Blogging: Writing short articles on a regular basis

Although I enjoyed writing since I was young, it was only when blogging became an internet trend that I considered writing seriously.

Blogging is a kind of informal writing that lets the whole world know the minute you write an article! After all, what is the meaning of writing stuff if no one ever reads them?

> With blogging every person around the world is a potential reader the instant you publish a story!

I find that truly *amazing*.

Blogging also means that I put my thoughts on the virtual paper on a regular basis. Yet, there are no deadlines and no tight schedules. **I write whenever I think I have something meaningful to say**.

I try to avoid writing just to keep readers coming back. Because eventually, they won’t!

During my blogging endeavors, I have learnt quite a lot about the **web development business.**

Since blogging is an ongoing adventure, I constantly discover new things that I’m excited to share with my online friends. Maybe some of them (like yourself?) are interested in starting their own blog or company’s website or improving their writing skills. I bet they will find something useful in my blogging and writing tips.

Still, that is not how it all started for me regarding writing. Because at the very beginning, I started writing about gambling!

## Gambling you say?

Gambling is a word that is surrounded online by negativity. Even advertising agencies avoid collaborating with websites that target gambling, making monetization of such a website difficult.

On the other hand, there are **people that can make a living from gambling** like myself. Don’t take my word for it. I am sure you will find plenty of proof for that if you search online.

Most of my blog posts and articles deal with gambling activities, like sports betting, [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) and casinos. I also have a Youtube channel, where I upload videos explaining what I do in the simplest possible way. [Read more about that here](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/).

So, for me internet gambling is [advantage gambling](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advantage%5Fgambling). Yet, there are other, more straight-forward investments I am often discussing that you may benefit from.

## Investing: Money making money

I guess stock trading is the first thing that comes to mind when talking about investing. It’s a mistake though to consider stocks the only asset to trade. We can trade futures, options, bonds or currencies, better known as forex trading.

Trading is found even in sports betting, called [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), a catchy topic that I owe my reputation to.

Thus, while I usually talk about US stocks, that doesn’t mean my trading posts are restricted to stock trading. I occasionally write about trading gold futures, EUR/USD or even Bitcoins, now that the cryptocurrency has become quite a popular thing.

As a result, any strategy or advice I am sharing in relation to trading, pretty much fits every subcategory of online trading!

Wait, there are more investing ideas other than trading and they all have to do with an online business, one way or another. Take [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/) or [web development](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/) for example! **I am always looking for fresh new investing ideas**; ideas that are both fun to discuss, test and make them happen!

Until now I told you what I am writing about and how I invest the money I am making. All this investing and writing thing has led to two additional points of interest that I find myself talking about more and more lately; **entrepreneurship and technology**.

## Entrepreneurship: Business ideas and how to run a company!

Ever thought starting a business?

Well, *I myself didn’t* back in 2005 when I began writing in this blog. But as time went by and advertisers began knocking on my door, starting my own business was the next step. As **I have now incorporated my blogs and run my own web publishing company**, I have gained some experience in terms of forming a company, opening business bank accounts, accounting, counseling and legal issues.

> Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so you can spend the rest of your life like most people cant. - Warren G. Tracy’s student

Better yet, I’m happy to share any knowledge I have acquired during the process. Perhaps it will come in handy if you are lost during the first steps of building a company!

*Entrepreneurship* of course is not so much about starting a business. It’s more about having an open mind to go down different and unknown paths, being prepared to take risks and test your wits.

I may have become some kind of expert in advantage gambling, but **I am always willing to try new business ideas**, which I'll make sure to share with my newsletter's subscribers!

[Sign up](#/portal/signup) to not miss that (it's free)!
### Filmmaking: Everything I Learned
URL: https://jimmakos.com/jim-jimmakos-com/
Last updated: 2026-08-19T07:56:05.000Z
Like others, I doubted what I should call myself. Am I a:

- Filmmaker? That sounds very pompous.
- Videographer? Well, I do *way* more than operating a camera and recording videos.
- Cinematographer or DP (Director of Photography)? Sure, I light and shoot a scene, but then I do preplanning, scripting, and editing.

So, I looked around and found [this article](https://digitalfilmmaker.net/videography-cinematography-filmmaking/) with the best distinction between those three.

Based on that, and **despite people searching more for videography and cinematography**, I'll stick to *filmmaking*. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/05/filmmaking-search-volume-1.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/05/videography-search-volume-1.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/05/cinematography-search-volume-1.jpeg)

Google search volume for filmmaking, videography and cinematography \[Source: Ahrefs\]

Besides, I like making documentary-styled videos, and I don't think documentary filmmakers would ever call themselves documentary videographers!

## My filmmaking journey

As a kid, people used to ask me what I wanted to become when I grew up.

> An archeologist or a camera operator.

While I recall being inspired by the Indiana Jones films, I do not know how I'd come up with my second choice! And as I got married to an archeologist, I'm now on a path to fulfill my second dream (apparently)!

I got my first proper camera when my daughter was born in 2014\. Surprisingly, it was my wife who prompted me to buy a camera to document our family's life. Little did she know how expensive this hobby would turn out to become and that, like every other man, I'd try hiding any new piece of gear I'd end up spending money on!

I didn't know that solo filmmaking would become such a thrilling and rewarding journey in my life. From capturing stories to beautiful imagery, every little part of filmmaking has taught me many lessons that I'm here to share with you.

## YouTuber

A YouTuber is someone who creates videos and shares them on YouTube for others to watch, learn from, or enjoy.

Some YouTubers make videos just for fun, while others turn it into a full-time job, earning money through ads, sponsorships, or even by selling products. They can talk about anything—gaming, travel, education, or just their daily lives. The goal is to build an audience who loves their content and keeps coming back for more.

When I first started creating content, I never expected to become a YouTuber. My focus was on writing, blogging, and sharing my experiences through articles. But over time, I realized that video content was becoming a powerful way to reach and connect with more people. What started as an experiment—just posting a few videos here and there—turned into something much bigger. Before I knew it, I had an audience who wanted more, and suddenly, I found myself balancing both web publishing and making YouTube videos!

## Why filmmaking?

An image is a thousand words. A video, a series of images glued together, is a million words. Instead of putting them on paper, I put them on the screen for a more enjoyable experience. Filmmaking is a significant part of [my web publishing business](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/), specifically in my [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/) process, since video has taken over the online world.

During this solo filmmaking journey, I've come across many resources that have been very helpful in allowing me to tell better stories. These tools and resources have not only simplified the filmmaking process but also helped me produce content that I'm genuinely proud of.

💡

Check out what I recently wrote about filmmaking [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/filmmaking/).

## Filmmaking Resources

Whether you're a fellow solo documentary filmmaker looking to entertain and educate or someone just starting out in the world of video creation, the resources I'm about to share have been handpicked from *my own experiences*.

They cover everything from the essential gear that has become an extension of my creative vision to the software that brings my footage to life and even the little touches that add depth and emotion to the final piece. These resources are designed to help you in the filmmaking process, making it easier and/or quicker.

So, let's dive into the toolkit that has supported my solo filmmaking adventures, enabling me to capture stories in a way that's **both impactful and financially sustainable**.

*Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

✔️ = I have personally used the service/software.

### Gear I use to make my videos and films

Check out my filmmaking kit [here](https://kit.co/jimmakos).

### My favorite video editing software

1. [Davinci Resolve](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/) ✔️: I hated editing until I began using Blackmagic's editor. It's also free (for the most part)!
2. [Handbrake](https://handbrake.fr/) ✔️: Converting video files efficiently for online use. It's free!
3. [Kyno](https://jmks.co/kyno) ✔️: The best video management software. Stay organized and find the video clip among thousands in seconds! (as of 2024, it seems the product is dormant)
4. [Audacity](https://www.audacityteam.org/) ✔️: Audio software that I mostly use for voiceovers. It's free!

### Where do I find music for my videos?

1. [Artlist.io](https://jmks.co/artlist) ✔️: Music licensing for video. My current music resource.
2. [Free Music Archive](https://freemusicarchive.org/): The #1 resource for royalty-free music.
3. [Incompetech](https://incompetech.com/) ✔️: We all used at least one track from Kevin MacLeod when we started filmmaking! Some still do!
4. [Jamendo](http://jamendo.com/): Free and commercially-licensed music.
5. [FreeSound.org](https://freesound.org/) ✔️: Free sound effects.
6. [Audionautix](https://audionautix.com/) Free production music by Jason Shaw.
7. [Music Vine](https://musicvine.com/): The music licensing platform created for discerning professionals.
8. [Premium Beat](https://www.premiumbeat.com/): Exclusive music library. Stress-free licensing.
9. [Filmstro](https://filmstro.com/) ✔️: Adapt professional soundtracks to your video with the world's first dynamic, royalty-free music library.
10. [Epidemic Sound](https://www.epidemicsound.com/) ✔️: Music subscriptions for content creators. Covered for social media, online platforms, and websites.
11. [SilvermanSound](https://www.silvermansound.com/): Royalty-free music.
12. [AudioHero](https://www.audiohero.com/) ✔️: Get a free subscription with Tubebuddy (below).

### Video Effects, Intros/Outros, or Stock Footage

1. [VideoHive](https://jmks.co/videohive) ✔️: Stock footage and video effects.
2. [NeatVideo](https://www.neatvideo.com/): The best denoiser in the market.
3. [Storyblocks](https://www.storyblocks.com/) ✔️: I usually get stock footage to fill up my timelines from here.
4. [DigitalAnarchy](https://www.digitalanarchy.com/Flicker/main.html) ✔️: I use their Flicker Free plugin to remove flicker from night footage.
5. [RE:VisionEffects](https://revisionfx.com/): Apply natural-looking motion blur on your videos (ReelSmart Motion Blur) or add artificially slow-motion (Twixstor) among other plugins.
6. [Rocketstock](https://www.rocketstock.com/free-after-effects-templates/16-free-4k-light-overlays/): Get 16 free 4K light and dust overlays!
7. [MotionArray](https://motionarray.com/): Templates, stock music, unique transitions, and effects for Adobe's software.
8. [EndCrawl](https://endcrawl.com/): End credits made easy.
9. [Gyroflow](https://gyroflow.xyz/) ✔️: Stabilize your footage if your camera is capturing gyro data.

### LUTs for color grading your footage quickly

1. [IWLTBAP](https://luts.iwltbap.com/) ✔️: Affordable cinematic and GoPro LUTs.
2. [Vision Color](http://www.vision-color.com/osiris/): Get the Popular Osiris LUTs and the ImpulZ film emulations.
3. [John Rellis](http://www.johnrellis.com/lightroom/exportlut.htm#download): Export your Lightroom color grades as a LUT for a coherent brand look in your videos.
4. [Paletton](http://paletton.com/) ✔️: A color scheme designer. Learn how to combine colors properly and why the teal and orange look is so popular.

### Get the film look on your videos

1. [FilmConvert](https://www.filmconvert.com/) ✔️: The go-to software to get the film look and match footage shot with different cameras.
2. [FilmBrute](http://www.filmbrute.com/visual-workflow/): Visual workflow for getting a film look.
3. [Dehancer](https://www.dehancer.com/) ✔️: Positive and negative films with a steep learning curve. Use promo code JIMMAKOS for a 10% discount!

### Filmmaking tutorials and educational content

1. [Mzed](http://mzed.com/) ✔️: Subscription-based courses. I learned a ton while I was a Mzed Pro subscriber.
2. [Video Compression](https://vimeo.com/help/compression): Guidelines by Vimeo.
3. [Filmmaking Tutorials for Stock Videographers](https://www.stocksy.com/blog/stock-filmmaking-tutorials/): An excellent resource for those transitioning from photography to video.

### Filmmaking tools that will make your work easier

1. [oTranscribe](https://otranscribe.com/) ✔️: A free web app to remove the pain of transcribing recorded interviews. I use this to transcribe my non-scripted films.
2. [Tubebuddy](https://jmks.co/tubebuddy) ✔️: A browser extension & mobile app that integrates directly into YouTube to help you easily run your channel.
3. [ThumbsUp.tv](https://thumbsup.tv/) ✔️: Preview various sizes of your thumbnail before posting online.
4. [Subtitle converter](https://gotranscript.com/subtitle-converter) ✔️: To import properly formatted captions/subtitles to my video editing program, I need to convert them usually in SubRip format (.srt) after downloading them from YouTube.
5. [PiliApp](https://www.piliapp.com/screen/) ✔️: Place a blue or green screen on a device (smartphone, tablet, TV, etc) to mask anything on it in post-production. I usually do this to show a screen recording on screen, avoid flickering or glares.
6. [Grau Video Repair Tool](http://grauonline.de/cms2/?page%5Fid=5): Repair utility that may fix broken or damaged video files.
7. [Speechpad](https://www.speechpad.com/): Transcription and captioning service.
8. [TheFilmPoets](https://www.thefilmpoets.com/edu/dji-mavic-2-pro-barrel-distortion/) ✔️: Fix barrel distortion on DJI Mavic 2 Pro.
9. [Teleprompter](https://jmks.co/phoneteleprompter) ✔️: *(50% sign-up discount!)* Hands-down the best mobile app I’ve found for reading my scripts on camera.

### Improve your story-telling skills

1. [James Harris](http://jamesharris.design/periodic/index.html): The periodic table of Storytelling.
2. [StoryMastery](https://www.storymastery.com/story/screenplay-structure-five-key-turning-points-successful-scripts/): Learn story structure, the five key turning points of all successful screenplays
3. [StillMotionBlog](https://www.stillmotionblog.com/buildyourplot/): A guide to building your story's plot.

### Film Festivals

1. [FilmFreeway](https://filmfreeway.com/): Enter the world’s best festivals in a few clicks!
### Bet Angel: Sports trading software for Betfair and Betdaq
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:17:28.000Z
Bet Angel is a trading application aiming to sports traders of Betfair and Betdaq betting exchanges. Before you find more about the software at the official product page, let me tell you how it helped me.

First, if you are new to this, you may want to read about [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/).

Sports trading began getting popular in 2004\. Back then Betfair was the leading betting exchange. Whoever wanted to trade sports and buy or sell betting odds, they had to register an account with Betfair. As sports bettors gradually converted into sports traders, it became apparent that they would need help to maintain their edge against the fierce opposition. But what kind of help would they actually need?

Trading was done via the web browsers at that time. Using Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox was the only way to submit a bet. You might wonder why that is bad. So, here is one little secret about online trading in general (stocks, forex, sports, futures, etc.).

> Speed is crucial in online trading.

In fact, that’s not a secret at all. But for the time being let’s just stick to that. **You need speed to be successful in trading**, and especially if you are scalping. That is buying and selling at bid/ask prices simultaneously. Or at least taking advantage of gaps between those two prices, or aiming for merely a couple of ticks as profit.

Scalping has been very popular at sports trading. [It still is](https://jimmakos.com/meet-horse-racing-traders-make-more-than-1000-pounds-day/) for some traders.

So, many traders tried **scalping as a new way to make money from sports betting**. It seemed like an easy and fast way to increase their bankroll. And it was. However there were a couple of drawbacks that put most traders in a disadvantageous position. The most important was that Betfair refreshed their prices every 30 seconds.

Imagine you are betting that Manchester United will score in the last 5 minutes and bet on the win @9.00 (the game is tied at 0-0). You submit your bet and for the next 30 seconds **you have no idea what the odds are**. Finally Betfair interface refreshes and you see that the odds have climbed a bit (say @11.0) – since Manchester hasn’t scored yet. Again 30 seconds pass while you are staring at odds that seem like frozen. Screen refreshes and the odds are now 1.10, as Manchester scored.

Wouldn’t it be better if you knew about that earlier?

As you see, speed is a huge factor in sports trading. You still had the chance of refreshing the market yourself through the refresh button of Betfair though. But that led many mice to fail due to infinite left button’s clicks! Not to mention that the screen wasn’t refreshed while you prepared to submit the bet. Fortunately there was a solution for traders who were somewhat good with computers.

### The auto-refresh scripts before the Bet Angel era

Those scripts ran via the web browsers. You still had to place bets the regular way, but now prices were being updated as fast as your internet connection allowed. Here is a video of how Betfair trading was done in that way.

Sure traders could make money in the beginning, taking advantage of bettors that were unaware of the actual odds. Those traders bet at odds that might have changed. I suppose you can get the idea by watching that video.

As traders became more competent, new tricks were necessary to stay ahead. Such as entering 111 or 222 as your stake size instead of 100 or 200\. That gained you some milliseconds that could make all the difference between winning and losing.

In the end though traders didn’t have any additional trick up their sleeve.

### Behold the Betfair trading platforms and bots

By that time software vendors began offering new tools to sports traders. Bet Angel has been one of those tools. Through Bet Angel sports traders could now:

- Auto refresh the market as fast as 100 milliseconds!
- Set their default bet sizes. No need to enter numbers anymore!
- Trade through a ladder interface.
- Use more detailed charts.
- Connect Betfair with an Excel spreadsheet and analyze the data there.
- Set rules for auto-trading (software so called “bots” from robots).

Here is a video of trading at Betfair with Bet Angel:

Let’s clear something up though at this point.

### No trading software will ever turn an unsuccessful strategy into a profitable one! Even Bet Angel!

Bet Angel is just a tool that will make your trading easier. Quicker. More efficient. But it won’t tell you when to back or lay. Bet Angel won’t predict when the odds will drift or fall. It won’t turn your losing trades into winning ones!

I hope you have fully comprehended that if you have been reading this post from the beginning. Remember the Manchester United example? Well, Bet Angel won’t tell you that Manchester was about to score!

### Then, why do I need Bet Angel?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/bet-angel-professional-ipad.jpg)

For all the functionality Bet Angel brings to sports trading. Sure, [if you bet on the Eurovision winner](https://betstories.com/eurovision-betting-graphs/) 3 weeks before the final, Bet Angel will be of little use to you. But if you trade in-play, if you scalp horse racing odds before the off and if you watch tennis, Bet Angel will certainly come in handy.

Features like one click betting, the ladder interface, the advanced charting, the dutching tools, the advanced automation and the Excel integration will most probably improve your strategy and help you keep an eye on more markets.

Bet Angel still does offer a lot more features than when I used it back in the [good old days of Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/how-betfair-changed-my-life/). For instance there is a **practice mode** where you can explore all the software’s features with no risk! You can experiment with no real money and find out what you are able to accomplish at sports trading.

That type of trading is called **paper-trading** and is more than necessary for anyone starting out at any form of trading. Thus, I always recommend new traders to paper-trade before risking real money. Better safe than sorry.

### Join the Bet Angel forum, follow the blog

The lively Bet Angel forum is full of sports traders sharing their views and exchanging knowledge. Be sure to join the community and possibly learn new trading strategies or find the inspiration to create your own.

Peter, Bet Angel’s creator, updates the Bet Angel blog regularly with interesting news and stuff. I myself have often found interesting topics to share in my own blog, because of Peter’s blog! Don’t forget that if Betfair is down or experience lag/problem, Peter will make sure his Twitter followers get the news in time and avoid trading at all costs during those difficult times!

Finally, there are more products available at the Bet Angel website, such as Tennis Trader, In-Play Trader and Soccer Mystic that you get for free when you purchase [Bet Angel Professional](https://jmks.co/betangel).

### Bet Angel Trial

The are two options to [test drive Bet Angel](https://jmks.co/betangel). The first one is a cost-free Bet Angel Trial that includes all features for 2 weeks. Alternatively you can choose to use Bet Angel for a month at half price.
### Copyrights
URL: https://jimmakos.com/copyrights/
Last updated: 2024-01-04T13:28:04.000Z
There are no copyrights on my blog posts and articles. Please feel free to use them on your blog or anywhere else.

I only ask that you credit me for my work and provide a link to this blog by mentioning me by name (Jim Makos) and linking to [Jim Makos Blog](https://jimmakos.com/).

I hope you enjoy my blog and that it helps you. I try hard to write useful and motivating posts. In return, I ask your help spreading the word about my blog. If a post is particularly interesting or helpful, I’d love it if you:

- Mention it on your blog.
- Post a link to it on your recent article.
- Promote it using your preferred bookmarking service.
- Mention it at your favorite hangouts like X or LinkedIn.

Many thanks again; I really appreciate it.

This blog has grown to be what it is today because of the reader’s involvement. It’s great to have you on the Jim Makos Blog Team.
### Disclosure
URL: https://jimmakos.com/disclosure/
Last updated: 2024-01-04T13:25:30.000Z
The main purpose of this blog is to help other writers, bloggers, gamblers and investors tap into the power of blogging to market their investing efforts but it also helps me connect with new gambling, finance and sports betting clients. In addition to that I now make money directly through my blogs. If I like a product enough to mention it here and there’s an affiliate program I will join it. I also sell advertising and contribute articles for a small number of clients I am happy to endorse. Finally, I guest post on other blogs.

I am an ethical and principled sports, gambling and finance writer. I do not recommend services unless I stand behind them 100%.

This policy is valid from 18 November 2013.

This blog is a personal blog mainly written and totally edited by Jim Makos. For questions about this blog, please contact me.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers’ own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

To get your own policy, go to <http://www.disclosurepolicy.org>

### Comments Policy

It’s a sad day and a happy day when you have to add a comments policy to your blog. Happy because to begin with my blog just attracted positive, useful comments but sad because unfortunately attracting spammy comments is a badge of success for a blog.

Writing this saddens me because 99.9% of people who leave comments are wonderful, genuine, helpful people who don’t need a comments policy and naturally behave respectfully online as they do in life.

But to avoid spam I’ve decided to have a no links in comments policy. If there’s a specific link you want people to check out please mention the site and post title so people can do a search for it if they like. If it’s on your blog they can always link to that from your name. I always check out recommended posts and I’m sure other people do too.

I also reserve the right to remove comments which are derogatory, crass or upsetting. Disagreement is fine but rudeness or irrelevancy aren’t.

Jim Makos Blog is a place where dynamic, motivated people hang out. The Jim Makos Blog team like to hang out with positive people in real life and here on our blog, so I remove unpleasant comments.

### Thank You Commenters

My blog exists today because of the many kind people who’ve left comments or contacted me. There’s no doubt that if no one had ever left me a comment I’d have stopped blogging around the six month mark.

I still thrive on the comments and feedback from readers. I really appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me and the other readers. If you have your own blog I hope people will visit it because of that.

I love how we’re helping each other and building a dynamic community of diverse bloggers.

**Please keep those brilliant comments coming**.
### Gambling Secrets: The Hard Truth Behind Making Money  Gambling
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gambling/
Last updated: 2026-08-23T06:18:04.000Z
Making money in gambling might sound easy. Everyone is out for a quick buck. Yet 90% of gamblers fail in poker, sports betting, and casinos.

> "How can I make money in gambling?"

That's the most common question for gamblers. Been there, done that. That's how I started my business career if we consider professional gambling a career. I've seen first-hand how professional gamblers make money, having been one of them!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/Jimmakos-Trader.jpg)

A day's work as a sports odds trader back in the good old days

Yet, 20 years later, I always recommend starting an online business instead of trying to make a living off gambling.

Why? Because the percentage of gamblers that win is less than 5%, while less than 1% make serious money.

Consider the main actors in the gambling industry:

- **85-90%:** Losing players
- **5-10%:** Casinos and gambling operators (rake, vig, commission, etc.)
- **1-5%:** Winners

Below, **I'll explain how to make money gambling online** based on my experience as a professional card counter in blackjack, sports odds trader, and [poker player](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/#poker).

🧑‍🏫

Professional gambling means that gambling winnings are the primary or sole source of income.

## Proof that you're listening to a professional gambler

Note, at this point, that I could show you hundreds of screenshots that prove I used to make money gambling. Like these:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/maxwin3.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/maxwin2.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/MaxWin.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/intra.jpg)

Or my 3-month withdrawals.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/withdraw.jpg)

These would make you assume that I never lost money. Much like many 'pro gamblers' out there. And you couldn't be further from the truth.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/nicemove3.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/badrace.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/Big-Loss.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/disaster.gif)

But you'll rarely see this kind of screenshots.

Why? Because these don't sell you a dream. The dream of making a living from gambling.

I can show these to you because **I am not trying to sell you this dream**. And in fact, as you'll see, my goal is to shatter your dream!

But if you're still going after it, **I want to better prepare you** for what lies ahead with this article.

Before we begin, we need to know exactly how much money there is in the gambling industry. If there isn't any, how can we make some, right?

The gambling sector is a lucrative industry, valued at **$400 billion** and expanding. This vast sum represents the stakes laid down by players and bettors across the globe, constituting what can be called the *gambling pie*.

So, if you're ready to learn how to carve out your own slice and make a living gambling, just as I managed to do over three years [as a sports betting odds trader](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/#sports-trading), then grab your spoon and dive into the insights I'm about to share. And we'll start with who is *destined* to make money gambling.

## How do gambling operators and casinos make money in gambling

Let's kick things off by talking about **the big players in the gambling world**.

You've got your sports betting companies, casinos, and poker rooms, leading the pack. Why?

Because the odds are always in their favor. Bookies rake in cash thanks to the vig, casinos always come out on top with their house edge, and poker rooms? Well, they're scooping up a bit of every pot with the rake.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/worldwide-gambling-market-GGR.jpg)

Total global gambling market size from 2001 to 2019 \[Courtesy of [Statista.com](https://www.statista.com/statistics/253416/global-gambling-market-gross-win/)\]

An up-to-date overview of the gambling market in the 21st century:

- **2000-2005**: Slow growth due to the developing stage of online gambling.
- **2006-2010**: Moderate growth as online platforms become more popular and jurisdictions begin to [regulate online gambling](https://jimmakos.com/online-gambling-sites-affected-regulations-legislation/).
- **2011-2015**: Significant growth due to the proliferation of online gambling and the opening of new markets in Asia and Europe.
- **2016-2019**: Continued growth with the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and further growth in online gambling.
- **2020**: A dip or stagnation might be observed due to the global impact of COVID-19 on physical casinos.
- **2021-2023**: Recovery and strong growth as [online gambling](https://stake.com/casino/home) surges to new heights, partly due to increased digital adoption following the pandemic.

If you want to win big and constantly, you need to **start a gambling business**. No other way around. You cannot take a bigger cut of the gambling pie unless you are one of these companies.

> Even the most successful poker players and sports bettors cannot compete with them in profitability.

Yet, these gambling businesses are not one-man shows.

Plenty of people work in the gambling venues, from dealers and odds compilers to marketers and public relations staff. They are real businesses with business plans that guarantee them a profit for offering a service to the public. That service is entertainment. Because *that* is what gambling is.

*Entertainment*.

For all those people to work and get paid their salaries, gambling companies need big cheques and margins. Otherwise, their business isn’t sustainable.

There are two ways to accomplish that: 

- by either having bigger-than-average profit margins or
- by increasing their turnover.

Usually, brand-new gambling companies go for the former. 

As they build up their customer base, they reduce their margins to attract more turnover and compete with the big guys. By the time a gambling operator generates sufficient revenue and net profit every year, their business is safe as long as they don’t fall behind the competition.

Then, it’s a matter of how many more gamblers find their service attractive. The more they do, the bigger the cut for the company.

Either way, gambling companies are after punters’ money. Those 400 billion dollars.

> Recreational gamblers are feeding the whole gambling industry each and every year.

Even in poker, where at first glance, whales (wealthy bad players) lose to better, regular players. Note “regulars”.

Eventually, those regulars will keep playing, paying rake on a daily basis, giving a portion of their winnings back to the poker room.

So, here’s the first step of how to make a living off gambling and stop *feeding* the gambling industry.

## You want to make money gambling online? Stop gambling!

If you have been gambling, **stop**.

*Seriously*.

Unless you are a winner, you need to stop. And since you are reading these lines, you have been losing money. So, [**stop losing money**](https://jimmakos.com/quit-gambling-start-blogging/)!

*So simple*.

Now that your bankroll has stopped depleting, it’s time to understand the ins and outs of the gambling industry. That is known as the [**iGaming industry**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling-or-gaming/) if you are gambling online.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/online-gambling-market-size.png)

Size of the online gaming market from 2003 to 2015 (in billion U.S. dollars) \[Courtesy of [Statista.com](http://www.statista.com/statistics/270728/market-volume-of-online-gaming-worldwide/)\]

**In gambling, someone has an edge**. It’s either you or the man on the other side of the betting line. That usually is the house, standing for bookmakers and casinos. That edge is either predetermined (think of roulette, where you are paid 35-to-1 on a 37-number wheel) or fluctuating (think of betting odds that move up or down).

The best way to comprehend the edge is a *coin toss*.

Imagine you bet on a coin flip, at less than even odds. No matter your choice of heads or tails, you are going to lose money, in the long run. You are betting on a 50-50 chance but only **get paid less than double your money** on each coin flip! Depending on how much less you are getting paid, your bankroll will withstand a certain amount of bets.

So, if I’m offering you 1.90 (decimal odds) for each coin flip, your money will end up in my pockets after 200-300 coin flips. **That’s how you have been feeding the gambling industry**. And that’s what the house edge is all about.

But how do I know you'll survive for that many coin flips? In other words, **how do I know how big is your gambling bankroll?**

## Risk management is critical if you want to make gambling profitable

Before you even think of **beating the casinos** or the bookies, you must understand *risk management*. Also known as bankroll or capital management, risk management will be the decisive factor in your success. No matter how much edge you gain over the gambling companies, bad risk management will make your betting bankroll evaporate.

If you are going to remember one thing from this article, write down this:

> Always risk a maximum of 1% of your gambling money.

That’s easy to remember, right? Set aside a specific amount of money for your gambling habit and divide it into 100 parts. No matter your gambling game, you should risk no more than one part on each bet you place.

*That’s pretty much it!*

That would also get you at a safe distance from disastrous [staking plans](https://jimmakos.com/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/), like martingale systems. When the time comes, you’ll move up to more advanced staking strategies than flat betting, such as the **Kelly staking plan**.

Until then, though, stick to risking 1 percent of your bankroll, and you’ll be fine.

Remember that this rule applies to small and big bankrolls alike! So, **your bankroll’s size doesn’t matter** when it comes to risk. Size only determines how much gambling money you will make or lose in currency terms.

## Find a gambling strategy to start making money

Now comes the really tedious task of creating a profitable gambling strategy. 

Finding an edge in the gambling market isn’t easy, I’ll tell you that. If it were that easy, and given the simple risk management rule I explained, everyone would be a winner. But you already know that **only about 5% of gamblers can make money gambling!**

### Best way to make money from casinos

The easiest gambling strategy to learn is [the blackjack basic strategy](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/). The strategy is based on math, obviously, but worry not; you don't need to learn differential equations! As long as you can do basic algebra, you only need to memorize a chart table.

There's a catch, though. 🤷

You can't make money from casinos by simply applying this basic strategy. But at least it will save you money if you can't resist playing.

To make money at a casino's blackjack tables, you need to learn and excel in another strategy: [card counting](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/). And then build a skill called shuffle tracking.

👉

Learn [how to count cards in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/)!

But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. I just wanted to demonstrate that each game has its own strategies, which may not always be the optimal one, until you move up a level or two.

Let's go back to the general mindset you have to adopt when it comes to gambling strategies. Oh, and here's a warning:

💡

Card counting [does not work on online casinos](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-in-blackjack-online-casinos/)!

Gambling strategies can vary greatly, depending on the games and stakes. For those interested in online options, [**casino**](https://casino-utan-svensk-licens.com/) sites without Swedish licenses provide a range of choices for players seeking unrestricted gaming.

### Every gambling strategy is unique

In order for you to make money, someone has to lose. It’s a zero-sum game, where gambling operators also get their cut. Thus, we need to exploit the market, looking for leaks and biases, like the [**favorite-longshot bias**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favourite-longshot%5Fbias) . 

The average gambler follows specific betting patterns. You mustn’t do the same. Always do something different, **always think differently**.

Be the first to… or be the best in exploiting a known fallacy.

Oh, and if you do, don’t tell the world unless you are after fame and reputation. Otherwise, your edge will diminish as more people imitate you, and the market will find its new balance.

Also, you don't need to ask me or any other gambling expert if your strategy works. Test it yourself. First with paper money, then with real money. If your strategy is profitable after 1,000 bets, you'll have your answer!

Finally, don’t worry if [**your first betting system fails**](https://jimmakos.com/betting-system-fail/)! *Or the next 10.*

## 3 things to do so that you can make a living off gambling

So, by now, you should have a viable gambling strategy and know how much to bet on the next game. You are on your way to [becoming one of the elite professional gamblers](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) who make money gambling. What can go wrong?

### Be Disciplined

First, you may not be disciplined enough to follow your own rules! Wouldn’t it be a pity to lose money after all that research and study? Yet, even reputable and notable sharp bettors may **lose their discipline after a long losing streak**.

Don’t be that guy.

Trust your proven strategy, stick to your risk management plan, and always be prepared for *variance*. Embrace the drawdown and never question yourself at challenging times, as long as you are doing everything by the book.

### Stay on your toes

By the time you experience several months or years of *profitable gambling*, there’s a big chance you feel… bored! 

Yes, believe it or not, no matter how much money you are making in gambling, doing the same dull thing every single day will get you bored. At first, finding a [**fast way to make money from gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/make-money-fast-gambling/) seems like a dream. But like in every other business, routine will take the pleasure away.

Find the missed fun, by exploiting new gambling markets, trying something new or **improve your gambling methods**.

### Don't burn out

Finally, *burnout* is a serious hazard in all kinds of profitable gambling. Take breaks, go on holidays, and enjoy your profits and hard work. [**Don’t let gambling consume you**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/), no matter how big you are winning.

**Enjoy life** because, in the end, isn’t that the meaning of living?

Let’s not hurry things up, though. Most probably, you’re having a difficult time breaking even in gambling, to say the least.

Winning in the long run seems too far away at the moment. Don’t despair. Stop gambling your money away - and if you do choose to play, only use [trusted online casinos](https://peakycasino.net/). Find an edge, forward-test your strategy on paper, and do not risk more than 1% of your bankroll when you feel ready.

> I am sure we’ll be hearing from you soon!

By now, though, you should have understood that [the life of an advantage gambler isn't that easy](https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/).

✍️

Check out [what I recently wrote about gambling ****here**](https://jimmakos.com/tag/gambling/).

## Sports Trading

I found betting exchanges in 2004.

I used to bet the regular way in online bookmakers till then, and like most, I initially found it challenging to understand what was going on in a betting exchange. Odds were moving up or down; money was waiting to be ‘matched,’ and we could act as bookmakers ourselves! Chaos drove me away in the beginning.

Little did I know I would return two weeks later and become a full-time sports betting odds trader!

[Sports Trading: How I Make Money as an Odds TraderSports trading for a living can be done. Here’s what worked for me as a full-time sports betting odds trader making money by predicting how betting odds move.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2022/10/sports-trading-betfair.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)

## Poker

I have been playing online poker since 2006 with moderate success. I may not have made it to the high-stakes games as a regular player, and you won’t see me on TV, but at least I have not lost money. And while that is not something to brag about, I’m happy as things turned out.

[My Poker Odyssey at High-stakes & Practical ResourcesBecome a better poker player, dodging the blunders I made as I share what worked for me as a poker player at high-stakes tables.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2020/10/poker-setup.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/poker/)
### Everything that worked for me in business and life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/start-here/
Last updated: 2026-04-03T09:02:23.000Z
Hey, I'm Jim; a web publisher with a history in advantage gambling. By solving problems in those industries, I became a solo entrepreneur working from home while raising a family.

In this blog, I document a healthy and wealthy life, solving business and personal problems. I'm sharing what worked for me in staying healthy, managing my finances, and running a web publishing business by myself.

I usually solve problems regarding my:

- Health
- Wealth
- Relationships and Family

📰

I share all this with the lovely people who subscribed to [my newsletter](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/).

> I have nothing to sell you!

Yes, you heard that right! I don’t offer any services. You cannot hire me. I don't have products to sell, and I'm not affiliated with any brand (\*) for a straightforward reason.

> I don't like taking orders.

I am free to tell you my unbiased opinion and share my problem-solving thoughts. Let's also take care of that asterisk right now.

(\*) In my articles, I link to products and services I have benefited from and personally used. Some of those links are affiliate links, meaning I get a cut if you buy any of them at no extra cost to you. I do this because I, like you, enjoy a side income. It's also a way of showing your appreciation for my work. Don’t worry; no hard feelings if you highlight and search for the products. I do it myself!

I do NOT make a living from this blog (*yet*).

I have other streams of income to sustain my living standards and raise my family. Yet, this blog, which I started in 2005, is the reason for every business partnership I have had.

In 2024, here's where I'm at though:

## The short story of my life

I began by counting cards at blackjack tables. Then, I moved to sports trading at betting exchanges. I played online poker and ended up investing in stock markets and forex. Nowadays, I am building websites and creating content. At the same time, I am running a US-based web publishing company.

[The Whole Story About Me](https://jimmakos.com/about/)

---

## How is my website different than the rest?

Actually, it isn’t. It's a blog where I'm sharing everything that worked for me. My experience will help people become better solopreneurs. Hopefully, you will become a wealthier and healthier human being as we solve problems together.

Don’t expect a punch line at this point. This blog is just like any other regular blog that features:

- **Quality posts**: I try my best here to create good content. Good English content. And it’s a bit difficult if you consider *I am not a native English speaker*! I double and triple-check every sentence. But my posts will have more mistakes than your favorite native English-speaking blogger. So, I will take whatever criticism comes my way, and I promise to improve—all the time. At all costs, I aim to publish meaningful and grammatically correct articles in my blog.
- **Eye-opening topics**: Sure, I could write how much money I won last month (although I shouldn't). Even better, write how much I lost on a single poker hand (I learned that lesson). But that won't interest you or find it beneficial. Instead, there is a lot more value in posts where I explain my thought process! I have already published hundreds of posts, but admittedly, *most of them are below par.* Honestly, I hope you never find them (I did delete many)! You see, I didn't regard blogging as a serious business in the past. Thus, I am looking to post topics that will stun the readers of this blog.
- **Authentic community**: As a creator, creating content online is for building a community. By putting myself out there, I'm looking for like-minded people to connect with. This blog acts as a landing page for people watching my videos, reading my posts, or coming across my photos. I build on those rented lands as a doorway to invite people here.
- **Honest and fearless content**: This is my personal blog if anything else. I am not afraid of sharing my views. Of course, I will also back up my words with evidence when needed. I will not post bogus information or fake images for traffic. You can bet it is the absolute *truth* if you read it in my blog.

So, this is my blog. My gambling, personal finance, entrepreneurship, photography, filmmaking, web development, personal blog.

Yes, I know; every blog out there should target a specific niche.

Well, *not mine*.

I could build several blogs with distinct niches and spread myself thin. Yet, I chose differently. I picked this blog to share how I solve common problems in business and life.

I have built other websites as a web publisher, but this blog is more personal.

> This blog is more like a personal diary, and you all have the keys to it!

What do you think? **Can we be friends?** You can subscribe to stay in touch.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home-journey-financial-freedom-1.jpg) 

## Sign up for my letters!

Let me tell you what worked for me as I'm documenting a healthy and wealthy life.

Subscribe 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
### Newsletter - Fortune Letters
URL: https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/
Last updated: 2026-04-03T09:01:23.000Z
I've hopped onto the modern marketing bandwagon and am running my own exclusive newsletter on this blog. I named it '**Fortune Letters**', hoping to sprinkle a bit of good fortune into your inbox every time.

The best part? The newsletter is absolutely free for everyone.

All I request is your email address. In return, you'll receive my letters directly in your inbox and gain access to exclusive content on this blog.

You may check previous issues [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/letters/).

## What I offer with my free letters

I send *free content* to all my subscribers, who receive:

- Details on a personal note I took down recently that helped me solve a problem
- I show how I practice everything I share in public (the theory)
- A concise summary of my recent podcast (sometimes)
- I am answering questions I get in the mail (rarely)
- My e-mail address to contact me

### What you do NOT get with my letters (and that's a good thing)

I *do not* send regular blog posts to **keep your inbox uncluttered, as** I do appreciate the value of inbox zero.

I write regular blog posts to rank high in Google and other search engines for a particular topic. For that reason, I have to do keyword research, follow specific rules and a structure, and tone down my personal tone. Nonetheless, I bet on quality over quantity and pour a ton of value into these posts.

> Yet, it would be a pity for you as a subscriber to miss them.

Thus, **I include the most recent ones as links in my free letters**.

I try to niche down for these and pick evergreen keywords that people will search for years to come.

## Newsletter Paying Subscribers

I launched my paid newsletter discreetly in November 2021\. At the time, I already had a few hundred subscribers, my most die-hard fans. I wanted to create a business that would force me to write regularly and help more people.

As a solo entrepreneur and advantage gambler, I provide a unique perspective on industries by combining skills that overlap those niches.

> I consider my gambling background my unfair advantage.

I created a paid newsletter as collecting the information I was sharing cost both time and money. The information itself was sensitive, as well. I wouldn't like it to be publicly available.

Also, the information was often time-sensitive in the case of betting or investing. Think of odds shortening before we bet or an asset price going 5% up before we buy.

This was the most useful data and content I have ever shared with the world. Note that I went online in 1995 (I'm old) and launched my blog in 2005 (I'm slow)

But after a few paid letters, I realized this was not sustainable, and most importantly, I didn't enjoy it. So, I scrapped the idea, but I kept the payment option for subscribing to my newsletter.

So...

### Why pay for my letters?

Consider the paid version of my newsletter as **your token of appreciation** for my work.

- Did you read something here that helped you solve a problem and want to return the favor? Pay for my cocoa powder *this month*.
- Did your life change because of me? Pay for my cocoa powder *for a year*!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home-journey-financial-freedom-1.jpg) 

## Sign up for my letters!

Let me tell you what worked for me in my business and personal life.

Subscribe 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
### Resources
URL: https://jimmakos.com/resources/
Last updated: 2025-06-09T07:01:23.000Z
Over the years I've been on the internet, I have come to appreciate online tools, software, and websites that save me time and let me do my job a lot more efficiently. On this page, I have collected the most useful resources I have come across and categorized them accordingly.

*Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

## Solo Entrepreneurship Resources

Solo entrepreneurship is how I am trying to achieve financial freedom. These are my favorite business tools that are helping me reach my goals efficiently by working from home.

1. [Lastpass](https://jmks.co/lastpass): As an online entrepreneur, I must have hundreds of accounts online. Remembering so many passwords is impossible, and obviously, I won't use the same password everywhere! LastPass not only remembers everything but saves me probably hours every day by auto-completing login details on tens of websites.
2. [Wise](https://jmks.co/transferwise): I get paid in US dollars, Euros, and British Pounds from anywhere in the world.
3. [Revolut](https://jmks.co/revolut): Converting currencies with zero commission at interbank FX rates. Need I say more?
4. [NordVPN](https://jmks.co/nordvpn): Most people use VPNs for security and privacy reasons. But actually, [a VPN can save you money](https://jimmakos.com/2014/12/us-startup-save-money-europeans/)!
5. [Google Apps](https://jmks.co/googleapps): 24/7 email service. No more lost emails due to downtime.
6. [Upwork](https://www.upwork.com/): Outsourcing and hiring freelancers that buy me time.

I am a company of one, with no employees and no fancy headquarters. I work from home and run a web publishing business. Simple as that.

[Entrepreneurship: Tools I Use to Run my Company of OneEntrepreneurship is how I am trying to achieve financial freedom. These are my favorite business tools that are helping me reach my goals efficiently.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/jim-makos-entrepreneurship.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship/)

## Web Publishing Resources

Imagine the internet as a huge playground where everyone gets to build their own special clubhouse. Web publishing is like being an architect and an artist at the same time. It's about creating these awesome clubhouses called websites where you can share cool stuff with people all around the world.

Here are my favorite tools when in comes to publishing content online in general, before moving to more specific tasks:

1. [Typefully](https://typefully.com/?via=jimmakos): A Twitter publishing and scheduling app that works like a note-taking app.

[Web PublishingWeb publishing is like opening a new branch of your business in a virtual mall, where your website is the storefront.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-web-publishing.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/)

### Web Development Resources

Never build a brand on rented land. That's why we all need a website, which we will have total control of. Below are my top tools that help me create and operate any website efficiently.

1. [WP Engine](https://jmks.co/wpengine): After a decade of hosting my websites elsewhere, I could finally relax by the time I moved over to WP Engine. It's expensive but you get what you pay for. For websites that are based on WordPress.
2. [Shortpixel](https://jmks.co/shortpixel): Time is money online, and ShortPixel cuts down the loading time of our images. No more do I have to manually reduce the file size for every image I include in my articles, as ShortPixel automatically generates web-optimized images on the fly.
3. [WP Rocket](https://jmks.co/wprocket): Speed is money, as well. A fast website not only keeps your visitors happy but also helps your website rank higher in search engines. I've tried all the top caching plugins for WordPress that can speed up my websites, and WP Rocker is my favorite by far.
4. [Iubenda](https://jmks.co/iubenda): I use them for complying with laws worldwide via their cookie solution and other services.
5. [DigitalOcean](https://jmks.co/digitalocean): For any tech-savvy web developers out there. Setting up a server by myself to host my own URL-shortening service was probably the thing I'm most proud of to this day.
6. [Themeforest](https://jmks.co/themeforest): Most of my websites, including my personal blog, are built on a theme purchased from the Themeforest marketplace.
7. [ElegantThemes](https://jmks.co/elegantthemes): At times, I have used their beautiful themes for my WordPress websites.
8. [StackPath](https://jmks.co/maxcdn): Before I hosted my WordPress websites with WP Engine, I used StackPath (then MaxCDN) to have my content cached and accessible closer to my end users for a better user experience.

Here's how I usually launch a website or blog:

[Web Development in 4 Easy Steps to Get you StartedWeb development is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4\. By following these 4 easy steps, you will have a beautiful, reliable and fast website in no time at minimum cost.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/04/web-development-jim-makos-07100503.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/)

### Content Creation Resources

Writing online once was the only form of content someone could create on the internet. Nowadays, a viable content creation strategy necessarily includes photos. Meanwhile, video is quickly becoming a new trend. Bloggers now need to develop photography skills and probably become involved in video creations.

We are now called content creators. Welcome to the modern influencer marketing world!

[Content Creation: How I Write, Film and Take PicturesContent creation is a thriving business that requires good skills in writing, photography and video creation. Improve yours with these creativity resources.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/jim-makos-content-creation.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/)

### Photography Tools

1. [SmugMug](https://jmks.co/smugmug): Store, share, and even sell your photos.
2. [Photonstophotos.net](https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm): Compare the dynamic range for multiple cameras.
3. [LonelySpeck](https://www.lonelyspeck.com/how-to-find-the-milky-way/): How to find the Milky Way.
4. [CameraDecision](https://cameradecision.com/): Camera specs comparison website.
5. [CameraSize](https://camerasize.com/compact/): Compare the size of all cameras and lenses.
6. [Petges.lu](https://www.petges.lu/): Change the file properties of your photos, like the date they were captured.

For a complete list of my favorite photography resources, check this out:

[Jim Makos Photography and ResourcesJim Makos is an amateur photographer from Greece, shooting with a dSLR camera. Portfolio includes landscapes, people, nature, food, and street photography.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/jim-makos-photography.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/photography/)

### Filmmaking Resources

1. [Kyno](https://jmks.co/kyno): The best video management software. Stay organized and find the video clip among thousands in seconds! (Update: It seems it's no longer in business. What a pity!)
2. [Artlist.io](https://jmks.co/artlist): Music licensing for video. My current music resource.
3. [VideoHive](https://jmks.co/videohive): Stock footage and video effects.

Learn how I make videos on YouTube and find more filmmaking tools to tell better stories with video here:

[Filmmaking: Tools to tell better stories with videoFilmmaking makes me happy and poor at the same time, as I buy more gear! I make videos on YouTube to tell stories and explain what I have learned along the way.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2021/07/jim-makos-web-profile-pic.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-filmmaking.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/)

## Gambling

You need a strategy, risk management, and discipline to make money in gambling. It sounds easy, yet 90% of gamblers fail in poker, sports betting, and casinos.

[Gambling Can Become Profitable But It’s Insanely HardYou need a strategy, risk management and discipline to make money in gambling. It sounds easy yet 90% of gamblers fail in poker, sports betting and casinos.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2021/07/jim-makos-web-profile-pic.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-gambling.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/)

### Sports Trading Resources

- [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/): The software that sits between you and the betting exchange. Not only does it contain very advanced, state-of-the-art trading tools, but it’s a suite of advanced betting tools as well.
- [OddsArchive](http://jmks.co/oddsarchive): Charts of PinnacleSports’ odds movements. Get 15% off by using the coupon “JIMMAKOS” when purchasing a package.

Find out how I mastered reading the tape and betting charts to become a full-time sports trader making money by predicting how odds move:

[Sports Trading: How I Make Money from Betting ChartsSports trading for a living. How I mastered reading the tape and betting charts to become a full-time sports trader making money by predicting how odds move.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/sports-trading-laptop-betfair.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)

### Poker Software and Tools

- [Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager): To track my performance, review my stats and do hand analysis, I use this piece of software. Currently, in its second version, Holdem Manager is award-winning poker software that increases win-rates while providing players the fundamental edge needed to move up in limits.
- [PokerTracker](https://jmks.co/pokertracker): As an alternative to Holdem Manager, you can track, analyze and help improve your online poker game with PokerTracker. I have been a happy PokerTracker3 customer before converting into an HM2 user. It doesn't make much sense to have both, but you can't go wrong using either of them.
- [Leak Buster](https://jmks.co/leakbuster): Developed by a team of winning professional poker players for poker players at all stake levels, it expertly guides you to fixing your most costly poker leaks. I keep checking for leaks today, although I first used it in 2011 [to find my leaks back then](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/my-2011-poker-leaks-hold-em-manager/).
- [NoteCaddy](https://jmks.co/notecaddy): This HoldemManager add-on takes notes for you. Not just any notes, relevant notes based on actual hands – not stats. NoteCaddy reads hand histories, understands what happens, and takes notes on behaviors that are significant. NoteCaddy can identify patterns and frequencies that will help you understand the way your enemies play.
- [NoteCaddy EDGE](https://jmks.co/notecaddyedge): The tool utilizes HoldemManager and NoteCaddy to the max in order to provide you with tons of useful information that will increase your edge at the tables. Use badges and professional popups to exploit your opponents and analyze your own hands to find leaks in your game.

Learn more about my poker history at high stakes below:

[Poker: My Frenzy Story at High-stakes & Practical ResourcesGet inspired by my poker story and become a better poker player by avoiding the mistakes I made, watching poker videos and using up-to-date poker software.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/poker-setup.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/poker/)
### Welcome Friend!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/welcome-friend/
Last updated: 2024-12-06T07:54:45.000Z
Glad to hear you want to be part of this journey!

_This page is for subscribers only._
### Welcome, my True Fan!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/welcome-premium/
Last updated: 2024-12-06T07:55:27.000Z
_This page is for paying subscribers only._
### Web Publishing: Insights from My 20-Year Journey
URL: https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T06:17:30.000Z
I published this personal website in 2005\. You can bet it has undergone many changes, as I have in real life.

As I became more proficient with operating this personal blog, I began creating and managing many other websites, that acted as little projects of mine. Eventually, some of these silly ideas turned out to be sustainable businesses that allowed me to make a living as a web publisher for years.

## What is Web Publishing?

People often ask me:

> Jim, what do you mean by web publishing?

They are used to hear about web design and web development but very rarely about web publishing. In fact, web publishing includes all that and much, much more.

💡

Web publishing is all about publishing original content on the internet, whether that is a commercial website, a personal blog, an e-book, or a community forum.

So, a web publisher is publishing some type of web content on an online place.

But until he or she reaches for the `Publish` button, they need to

- create the space,
- design the environment that's going to host the content, and
- create the content itself!

And content isn't only words but photos and videos, as well!

Web publishing doesn't end there! It's a work in progress. The content needs marketing to reach more eyes and regular updates if it's evergreen. 

In the end, web publishing is a very creative and exciting line of work that I have enjoyed for many years, making a living by publishing websites.

Now, let me introduce you to each step of the web publishing process so that you get started on the right track.

1. First off, there's [web development](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/#web-development), which is like building the whole thing that's going to host your content. You decide where your content will reside, how it looks, and how people can move around your content.
2. Then comes the fun part: [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/#content-creation)! That's when you fill the website with amazing things like stories, pictures, podcasts, and videos.
3. And just like telling your friends about your recent trip, [marketing](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/#marketing) is all about letting everyone know your awesome website exists!

So, web publishing is this awesome adventure where you create, build, and share your very own magical spot on the internet! And you have full control over it.

✍️

Check out what I recently wrote about web publishing [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/web-publishing/).

In 2024, though, I realized that web publishing is not as future-proof as I thought.

## Web Development

Publishing a website starts with the development of the website. Web development includes:

- Web hosting: Where the website lives.
- Web design: How the website looks.
- Web programming: Additional tools, coding and database management that the website may require.

When you build a website, it's like putting together a puzzle, but instead of pieces, you use computer languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. HTML acts like the structure, CSS adds the colors and designs, and JavaScript makes things move and do cool tricks!

> The best part is that we don't have to learn everything. In fact, nowadays a web publisher doesn't need to know any of these to create a successful web presence online!

Thanks to modern web development tools, building, developing and managing a website can be very easy, by just clicking buttons on a screen.

[Kickstart Your Web Development Adventure with These 4 Simple StepsA digital home is superior to building on social media’s rented land. Here’s what worked for me in web development since I built my first website in 2005!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/04/web-development-jim-makos-07100503.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/)

## Content Creation

This is my favorite part of web publishing! It's the time to become creative!

Once a website is up and running, a web publisher needs to fill it with content—but not any content. Depending on the website we're building, we need to create different types of content.

But most importantly, we are not creating content for us.

> We are creating content for a **specific audience**.

That content needs to provide value to visitors. It needs to be so good, that people keep coming back for more. It's the only way to build a business around our content. Otherwise, we create content for nothing.

This content can be anything, from writing stories and making videos to taking photographs and recording podcasts.

Creating content online doesn’t have to be a grind. See what worked for me as an aging content creator who enjoys the content creation process.

[Making Content Creation Great AgainCreating content online doesn’t have to be a grind. See what worked for me as an aging content creator who enjoys the content creation process.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2020/10/jim-makos-content-creation.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/)

### Writing stories

Writing in web publishing is like being a storyteller in a huge library that the whole world can visit. Your words become the books that people read when they visit your website.

Whether it's telling exciting stories, explaining things clearly, or sharing helpful tips, **your writing is the magic that keeps people interested and engaged.**

Just like a great book grabs your attention from the first page, good writing on a website captures visitors' interest and keeps them hooked. It's about using words to create a world that people want to explore, learn from, and enjoy.

So, writing in web publishing is your superpower to connect with people, share your ideas, and make your website a place where everyone wants to hang out!

[Writing is the Backbone of my Content Creation BusinessEvery piece of content I create online starts with writing. Here is what worked for me to write quicker, better stories.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/writing-jim-makos.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/writing/)

### Filmmaking and making videos

  
Filmmaking in web publishing is like being a director of your own blockbuster movie, but instead of theaters, your audience watches your masterpiece on the internet! 

You're the storyteller, using moving pictures and sounds to create amazing stories or share valuable information.

Just as a director brings together actors, sets, and special effects to make a movie, in web publishing, you combine visuals, sounds, and sometimes animations to create engaging videos. It's like crafting a thrilling adventure or an informative documentary that people can watch from anywhere in the world. 

Filmmaking in web publishing lets you be the creator, entertainer, and educator, all rolled into one, bringing your stories and messages to life on the digital screen!

[Filmmaking: Everything I LearnedI help people make better videos by showing what worked for me as an aspiring solo documentary filmmaker telling stories of my life.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-filmmaking.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/)

### Photography and using pictures

Photography in web publishing is like being a wizard with a camera, capturing magical moments frozen in time. Your photos become the artwork that paints a vivid picture for everyone visiting your website.

Just as an artist chooses colors and strokes to create a masterpiece, you, as a photographer, select angles, lighting, and subjects to tell captivating stories through your images. Your photos speak volumes, conveying emotions, sharing experiences, and showcasing the beauty of the world around us.

Photography in web publishing is your superpower to make your website visually stunning, drawing people in and leaving them in awe of the incredible moments you've captured.

[Discover How Photography Brought My Life to FocusI made cameras a daily companion instead of collecting dust. Find out what worked for me when taking photos of my personal and business life.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/05/jim-makos-photography.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/photography/)

### Podcasting

Podcasting in web publishing is like hosting your own radio show, except it's available anytime, anywhere, for anyone with an internet connection.

You're the host, sharing your thoughts, stories, or expertise through audio episodes that people can listen to on their phones, computers, or any device.

Just like a radio host entertains and informs listeners, in podcasting, you engage your audience with your voice, interviews, discussions, or even storytelling. It's like having a conversation with your audience, creating a personal connection as they tune in to hear your unique perspective or learn something new.

Podcasting in web publishing gives you a platform to share your voice and ideas, making your website an audio hub where people can tune in and be part of your world.

[Podcasting Challenges as a Non-Native SpeakerProducing a podcast as a non-native English speaker has been a struggle. Find out what worked for me as a podcast beginner with a thick accent.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-podcasting-1.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/podcasting/)

## Marketing

Marketing in web publishing is like being a friendly guide who helps people discover the awesome website you've built in the vast internet playground. It's about spreading the word and inviting everyone to come and hang out at your place.

There are many ways to promote the website and the content you create as a web publisher to reach as many people as possible.

1. SEO: Making our content appear as the first result in search engines.
2. Social Media: Promoting our content on social media platforms.
3. Newsletter: Building a community on our own website.

Marketing in web publishing is your way of opening the door and welcoming people to come and enjoy the awesome stuff you've created online!

[How I Use Marketing to Get Attention to My WorkMarketing for me is SEO, SMM, and Newsletter. Here is everything I know about how I attract attention to my business, work and personal brand.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/jim-makos-marketing.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/marketing/)
### Contact Me!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/contact/
Last updated: 2026-04-03T08:48:30.000Z
The best way to contact me is by subscribing to my newsletter. Don't worry, it's free!

When you subscribe, you will receive an email from me (actually, one of my robots will send it to you) confirming your subscription with a welcome message. *That's it.* You now have my email address. Feel free to reply to that email—or any letter you'll receive from me.

## Sign up for my letters!

Advantage player turned web publisher. Telling stories of risk and reward and sharing what helped me solve problems.

Subscribe 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

The second best way to contact me is via my social media. Get in touch with me by commenting on my latest public update at:

- [Youtube](https://youtube.com/jimmakoscom)
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- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosCom)
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Finally, this is the part where site owners announce that they don't accept paid advertising, guest posts, or link inserts. That's understandable but nonsense since there is a price for everything. So, if you are willing to pay me a million dollars for those services, reach out to me. Just, don't ask for a discount.
### Home subscribe
URL: https://jimmakos.com/home-subscribe/
Last updated: 2025-12-07T17:07:47.000Z
I used to live off blackjack, sports betting, and poker. Then I was building websites to rank them #1 on Google.

But one health scare flipped everything upside down and forced me to rethink my whole life. That’s when I started cleaning up my diet, walking every single day, and ended up dropping 25kg (55 lbs) in 18 months.

Now I share everything life has taught me about health, money, and relationships, always with a camera in my hand.
### Topic list
URL: https://jimmakos.com/topic-list/
Last updated: 2025-12-07T17:02:24.000Z
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### Fortune Letters
URL: https://jimmakos.com/letters/
Last updated: 2026-04-03T09:01:35.000Z
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### Subscribe
URL: https://jimmakos.com/subscribe/
Last updated: 2025-12-07T18:34:39.000Z
# Let’s become friends

Yeah, I know—another guy asking for your email. But if you’re here, you’ve probably seen something that caught your eye, something you liked, and now you wanna get a little closer.

## More than just a regular newsletter

This isn’t your typical “here’s 10 tips” spam. Every letter I send comes straight out of something real that happened to me. I tell you exactly what problem smacked me in the face, whether and how I fixed it, and maybe even how I could’ve dodged the whole mess in the first place.

Whether you want to level up your health, figure out how to make the internet actually pay you for once, or just find people who are as weirdly obsessed with the same stuff as you are—I’m pretty sure there’s something worth grabbing here.

## Ready for the next step?

It’d honestly suck if you missed out on a hard-earned lesson I pulled straight from real life that could save you time, money, or a headache. Drop your email down below and I’ll shoot you the letters I write every week.
## Posts
### Top 10 Online Casinos in Australia Ranked by What Your AUD Buys
URL: https://jimmakos.com/top-10-online-casinos-in-australia-ranked-by-what-your-aud-buys/
Last updated: 2026-10-16T17:17:13.000Z
Most casino rankings assume every player arrives with the same wallet. They don't. Someone depositing 30 AUD on a Friday night needs very different things from someone moving 3,000 AUD around in a month, and a site that shines for one can frustrate the other. This top 10 is built around that reality: the overall order comes first, then each section looks at which casinos make the most sense for small, medium and large budgets. Crown Casino Online sits at number one because it handles all three better than any rival on the list, though it is not perfect at every level, and the places where it falls short are covered below as well.

One point applies to every casino here, whatever the budget: under the Interactive Gambling Act, no operator licensed in Australia may offer real-money online casino games to residents. Every site on this list is therefore licensed offshore, mostly in Curaçao, and sits outside Australian regulatory protection. All ten accept players aged 18 and over only and ask for identity verification before paying out.

## **The Full Order**

1. Crown Casino Online - the best all-round fit across small, medium and large budgets.
2. Wild Tokyo - a polished lobby that suits mid-range players.
3. Neospin - a big welcome package that rewards a strong first deposit.
4. Spin Samurai - a large pokies room with a loyalty path for regulars.
5. Goldenbet - one balance for both the casino and a sportsbook.
6. Rolling Slots - a VIP system aimed at frequent, higher-volume players.
7. Slots Gallery - a relaxed themed lobby that works as a second account.
8. Ricky Casino - a busy promotions page for offer hunters.
9. National Casino - an established name with a steady, predictable feel.
10. Boho Casino - the simplest lobby for first-timers on a small budget.

## **Why the Leader Works at Every Budget**

The single biggest factor in how far a deposit goes is the minimum stake, and that is where the leader starts to pull away. Anyone looking to stretch a small deposit across hundreds of spins will get the most mileage from the [Crown Casino Online pokies Australia](https://crownpokies.online/en-au/) lobby, where stakes begin at about 0.2 AUD and the catalogue runs to more than 4,000 pokies inside a library of over 1,700 games. 

That low entry point means a 50 AUD balance can cover roughly 250 spins at the minimum, which gives the games time to show what they actually do. The pokies come from established studios such as Playson and BGaming, so each title's return-to-player rate is certified independently, ranging from around 88% to 98% across the catalogue, with the figure shown in every game's information panel. 

Classic three-reel machines, video pokies, hold-and-win titles and jackpot games each have their own category, and a free demo mode covers the whole section, so new players can try anything before spending a cent. 

The site runs in a mobile browser with no download, and despite the name, it has no connection to Crown Resorts or its land-based venues.

## **Small Budgets: 30 to 100 AUD**

For casual players, the questions are simple: how low do stakes go, is there a demo mode, and will a modest deposit [unlock a bonus](https://jimmakos.com/best-strategies-maximize-winnings-no-deposit-bonus/)?

The leader answers all three well. The welcome offer is a 100% match plus 100 free spins from a first deposit of 30 AUD, so even a small top-up doubles the starting balance and adds spins on top. Deposit minimums are friendly too: Neosurf vouchers start at 20 AUD, Visa and Mastercard at 25 AUD, and MiFinity at 25 AUD.

Boho Casino is the other strong pick at this level, mainly because its lobby is so simple that a first-timer can find their feet quickly. Its catalogue is smaller, which matters less when a budget only covers a short session anyway. Slots Gallery's calm, themed layout also suits relaxed low-stakes play.

The trap to avoid at this budget is chasing a big welcome bonus with a deposit you can't comfortably afford. A matched bonus is only useful if its wagering requirement is realistic for the amount you are actually playing with.

## **Medium Budgets: 100 to 1,000 AUD a Month**

Players in this range tend to come back weekly, so ongoing value matters more than the welcome offer.

This is where the leader's Promotions calendar earns its first-place finish. Friday deposits release 20 to 100 free spins depending on tier, Sunday adds a 50% top-up up to 300 AUD, and a second deposit bonus reaches up to 2,500 AUD. Weekly cashback returns 10% on [live dealer](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/) losses and 15% on pokies losses, which takes some of the sting out of a cold week. A ten-tier VIP ladder rewards steady play on top.

Wild Tokyo is a strong alternative here thanks to its clean, well-organised lobby, and Spin Samurai's loyalty path gives regular players something to work towards. Ricky Casino's busy promotions page appeals to those who enjoy checking for new offers, though, as always, the terms decide what any offer is actually worth.

## **Large Budgets: 1,000 AUD and Above**

Bigger budgets change the priorities again. Withdrawal limits, payout speed, and VIP treatment start to matter more than minimum stakes.

The leader still performs well, but this is also where its limits show. Withdrawals are capped at 6,000 AUD per transaction, so a large win comes out in several instalments rather than one transfer. Crypto withdrawals clear in roughly 24 hours, while bank transfers take three to seven business days, which is slow for players moving larger sums. Deposit ceilings sit at 6,000 AUD for cards and Neosurf and 4,000 AUD for eZee Wallet and MiFinity.

Rolling Slots is worth a look for high-volume players because its VIP tiers are built around frequent play, and Neospin's large welcome package rewards a strong first deposit. Goldenbet suits bigger players who also want sports in the same account, although its sportsbook is offshore and not an Australian-licensed bookmaker, so serious punters are better served by a local operator for their betting.

## **Budget Fit at a Glance**

| Rank | Casino              | Small budget | Medium budget | Large budget | Standout strength                    |
| ---- | ------------------- | ------------ | ------------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| 1    | Crown Casino Online | Excellent    | Excellent     | Good         | Stakes from 0.2 AUD, weekly cashback |
| 2    | Wild Tokyo          | Good         | Very good     | Good         | Clean, easy-to-browse lobby          |
| 3    | Neospin             | Fair         | Good          | Very good    | Large welcome package                |
| 4    | Spin Samurai        | Good         | Very good     | Good         | Loyalty path for regulars            |
| 5    | Goldenbet           | Fair         | Good          | Good         | Casino and sportsbook in one         |
| 6    | Rolling Slots       | Fair         | Good          | Very good    | VIP tiers for heavy play             |
| 7    | Slots Gallery       | Very good    | Good          | Fair         | Relaxed themed lobby                 |
| 8    | Ricky Casino        | Good         | Good          | Fair         | Frequent promotions                  |
| 9    | National Casino     | Good         | Good          | Fair         | Established, steady experience       |
| 10   | Boho Casino         | Very good    | Fair          | Fair         | Simplest start for beginners         |

Ratings for the other nine casinos are general impressions, and their terms change often, so always check limits and offers in each cashier before depositing.

## **Reading the Fine Print at Any Budget**

No matter how much you plan to deposit, a few checks protect your balance:

- Look at the RTP of each pokie in its information panel rather than assuming one figure fits the whole catalogue.
- Read the wagering requirement, eligible games, and expiry date before claiming any bonus.
- Choose your deposit method with withdrawals in mind, since the cashier usually pays back through the same route.
- Note the per-transaction withdrawal limit so a big win doesn't arrive in surprise instalments.
- Set a deposit limit in your account before your first session.

One point specific to the leader deserves a mention here. The welcome banner advertises up to 1,000 AUD, but the written terms set a tighter cap in places, and wagering requirements apply before bonus money can be withdrawn. The cashier terms are the ones that count.

## **Getting Started at Number One**

Opening an account takes about five minutes:

1. Visit the site in your phone or desktop browser - there is nothing to install.
2. Choose AUD as your account currency on the first form, since it sets every deposit limit and bonus cap.
3. Fill in your personal details on the second form and confirm you are 18 or over.
4. Upload your ID straight away; verification clears within about 48 hours and must be done before your first withdrawal.
5. Make a first deposit of 30 AUD or more to unlock the 100% match and 100 free spins, then read the terms in the cashier.
6. Pick a stake that suits your budget so the session lasts.

Live chat is available 24/7 with real people, with email as a backup. Response times can slow during big sporting events, so it pays to send non-urgent questions at quieter times.

## **Spend What You Can Afford, Not What You Can Win**

Every casino on this list carries [a built-in house edge](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) on every game and every offer, and no cashback percentage or VIP level changes that, whatever your budget. Decide on an amount in AUD you are comfortable losing, treat it as the cost of entertainment, and stop when it stops being fun rather than chasing losses. 

Whatever your budget, join Crown Casino Online today and make the most of the best offers available to Australian players.
### How Do You Know You’ve Learned a Casino Game’s Rules?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-you-know-learned-casino-games-rules/
Last updated: 2026-09-16T14:30:43.000Z
A casino tutorial can make a round easy to follow while leaving parts of the rules unclear. The useful test comes when the explanation stops: at this point, ask yourself, can you describe what the player may do, what the dealer must do, and how the round is settled? Those answers reveal more than remembering a game’s objective or recognizing the names of its actions.

Learning a rule and recalling it are different tasks. Cindy Nebel’s [2026 review of learning research](https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2026/6/18-1) compares retrieval practice, which involves recalling information, with worked examples that show how to reach an answer. Participants practiced unfamiliar language and mathematical rules, with results depending partly on whether they received instruction first. It wasn’t a casino study, but the distinction offers a useful question for a beginner: do you need an explanation of the rule, or an opportunity to recall something already taught?

## Separate your choices from the dealer’s procedure

Start with the actions that belong to you. In blackjack, hitting means requesting another card. Standing ends your turn with the hand you have. Being able to name both is a start; explaining what each does shows whether you understand the choice.

At a streamed blackjack table, the same distinction applies, even though the dealing appears on screen. In [live dealer](https://www.cafecasino.lv/casino/live-dealer) games, the person handling the cards follows the game’s procedures, while players submit their own decisions. A blackjack player can choose whether to hit or stand, but the dealer’s drawing and standing behavior follows the table’s rules. Watching a dealer take another card therefore doesn’t tell you that a player with the same total must do likewise.

Try describing the sequence without copying the presenter’s wording. Identify when the player acts, what ends that turn, and what the dealer does afterward. Keep the explanation about the particular game being demonstrated. A human dealer on screen doesn’t make the procedures identical across different casino games.

You should also know where the explanation stops. A [general blackjack lesson](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/) can introduce hitting and standing without covering every table condition. When an instruction depends on the version being played, the relevant table rules supply the missing detail. Check the table conditions attached to doubling, splitting, and the dealer’s drawing procedure. Don’t fill that gap by assuming the last tutorial covered it.

## Explain the consequence of an action

Some actions are easy to recognize but harder to describe completely. When permitted, doubling down in blackjack changes both the wager and the remaining play: the player doubles the original bet, receives one additional card, and then stands. Remembering only “double the bet” leaves out the restriction that gives the action its meaning.

Knowing what doubling does is separate from deciding when to use it. A rules explanation should let you identify a permitted action and its consequences. Choosing between permitted actions is a further question, so a strategy recommendation cannot replace the missing definition.

Keep the end of your turn separate from the end of the round. Standing stops you from taking more cards; it does not by itself determine how the wager is settled.

Follow the explanation through to settlement. In standard blackjack, a push means the original bet is returned. The player hasn’t won the comparison, but the wager hasn’t been collected either. Describing that result precisely is more useful than treating every round as simply a win or a loss.

Use a completed round from the tutorial to check the whole sequence. Name the action taken, the rule that allowed it, and the reason for the recorded result. If you can follow the cards but cannot account for the settlement, you have found a narrower gap than “I don’t understand blackjack.”

## Which hands are being compared?

Cafe Casino’s Pai Gow Poker quiz starts with a recall question: how many cards does a player receive? The answer is seven, divided into a five-card hand and a two-card hand. Later questions address the required relationship between those hands and what happens when only one beats the dealer.

Knowing “seven” doesn’t yet explain the arrangement. The five-card hand must rank higher than the two-card hand. That is a requirement for setting your own cards. The subsequent comparisons are against the dealer: your five-card hand against the dealer’s five-card hand, and your two-card hand against the dealer’s two-card hand.

Under standard Pai Gow Poker rules, winning one comparison and losing the other produces a push. These are separate comparisons, not a single judgment of all seven cards together. Explaining that difference shows more understanding than repeating the [card count](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/).

![Pai Gow Poker compares the player’s five-card and two-card hands with the dealer’s matching hands](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/09/how-you-know-learned-casino-games-rules-2.png)

Infographic by author

## Return to the instruction you couldn’t explain

Recorded tutorials give you control over review. As Ant Media’s explanation of [video on demand](https://antmedia.io/vod-streaming-everything-you-need-to-know/) describes, stored video can be paused, rewound, and restarted. Use that control to return to the exact action or comparison that interrupted your explanation, rather than automatically watching the whole lesson again.

After reviewing it, describe the rule without the narration. Include the condition that makes it apply and the consequence that follows. If the explanation still breaks down, name the missing point precisely: which hand is compared, who chooses the next action, or when that choice ends. That gives you a specific question to resolve.
### Why UK Players Prefer Fast Payment Methods
URL: https://jimmakos.com/why-uk-players-prefer-fast-payment-methods/
Last updated: 2026-09-16T13:30:20.000Z
When it comes to enjoying games online, players don’t like to be kept waiting. Long waiting times and complicated payment processes will quickly lead to players moving elsewhere. Today, players expect to be able to make instant deposits and to be paid quickly when making withdrawals.

Speed and convenience are major factors when it comes to choosing online gaming and betting platforms. With mobile banking, e-wallets and open banking growing in popularity, players now have more options than ever. In this article, we’ll explore the prevalence and impact of payment solutions that offer convenience, security and immediate access to funds.

## Changing Consumer Expectations in the UK

The internet has caused a major societal shift around the world, including the UK. Approximately 98% of the UK’s population has access to the internet, with almost all of the population between the ages of 16 and 44 online. This has meant that a growing number of people now make purchases, download media and access gaming online.

The rise in digital entertainment and services has helped fuel a changing culture which now expects instant results. The growth of mobile banking services and apps has helped make payments more convenient, while also normalising instant transfers. In addition, the [Faster Payments Service (FPS)](https://clear.bank/learn/insights/what-is-faster-payments-fps-explained) was introduced in 2008 and is now used by most banks, allowing online, mobile and phone payments to be processed instantly.

## Why Fast Payout Casino UK Platforms Became Popular

Online casinos have exploded in popularity over the past few years, with a huge availability of games and bonuses. However, one of the key factors in the growth of online gambling platforms has been their integration of fast and secure payments.

When online casinos first launched to UK players, many were wary about providing their personal and payment details. In addition, the process of setting up deposits and requesting withdrawals was long, slow and sometimes costly. Fast payout casinos changed that by offering simple and secure payments, while also promising fast payouts.

Faster access to withdrawals is the main reason why these platforms really began to become popular. Rather than having to wait multiple days or even weeks for their winnings to hit their accounts, players could now request a withdrawal and receive the money on the same day.

With the payment process simplified, UK users could sign up and use their preferred payment method without any issues. This reduced payment friction not only meant more users were signing up, but also ensured that player retention was higher. UK players are far more likely to keep logging in and making deposits if the payment process is straightforward.

## Popular Fast Payment Methods Among UK Players

[Today, UK online casinos accept a massive range of payment methods](https://www.playojo.com/), giving players more choice over the method they use. As well as traditional bank transfers and debit cards, modern mobile wallets and electronic wallets are also popular with players thanks to their convenience.

Online banking solutions are provided via UK banks, letting users instantly deposit funds using their bank details. This is a popular option due to how simple it is to set up, although some users still have concerns about providing their banking information. Thankfully, both deposits and withdrawals are normally completed quickly.

Debit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are the other main options, which are widely accepted at almost all UK online casinos. Like bank transfers, they’re simple to use, and most debit card payments are completed instantly. Even withdrawals, which would previously take longer, are now typically processed the same day.

Other payment options, such as mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as e-wallet services like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill, provide increased security and lightning-fast payments. However, as they require setting up an account, they’re perhaps less convenient than debit card and bank transfer payments.

## Trust and Security Benefits

Trust and security are integral aspects of the payment process. Users may feel unsure about making payments online unless there are adequate transparency and security features. Today, many online casinos have extensive security features that help protect users and their funds. These features also ensure that players feel more comfortable making payments.

Fast payment methods now usually come with strong authentication, which helps prevent fraud and misuse. These include [biometrics such as fingerprints and facial scans](https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/biometrics). In addition, two-factor authentication is commonly used. This is where a user receives a code that they need to input to confirm the payment, ensuring that their funds can only be accessed by them.

Electronic and mobile wallets provide security benefits, as users don’t need to repeatedly enter their card or bank details when making payments. These methods also have similar security features, such as biometrics and two-factor authentication, to protect the user from financial fraud.

## Future Trends in Online Payments

The continued adoption of fast payment methods by UK [online casinos](https://jimmakos.com/top-ways-players-optimize-online-casino-experience/) has helped make these sites more popular than ever. Looking forward to the future, it’s very likely we’ll see a continued expansion of open banking, enabling more users to make fast and secure deposits and withdrawals at online casinos.

New technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) could also be used to improve the payment process. For example, AI can process large amounts of data, helping to spot potential fraud and enabling faster payment approvals. In addition, future online casino payments could be made using biometric data only.
### NJ Online Casino Growth Outpaces the Atlantic City Floor
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nj-online-casino-growth-outpaces-atlantic-city-floor/
Last updated: 2026-08-27T06:23:39.000Z
Despite having a population of about 40,000, Atlantic City has built a reputation of being New Jersey’s casino industry for decades. However, the state’s gambling landscape is slowly shifting from physical casinos to digital platforms.

In June 2026, New Jersey’s online casinos and their partners generated approximately $271 million in gaming revenue, surpassing the $257.3 million generated by Atlantic City’s nine physical casino resorts. While revenue from the Atlantic City casino floor declined slightly from the same month in 2025, [nj](https://nj.betinia.com/en/)[ online casino](https://nj.betinia.com/en/) revenue has experienced a consistent annual growth over the years.

The June results highlight a broader transformation in how New Jersey residents and visitors participate in gambling. Through the first half of 2026, internet gaming continued to expand, demonstrating the growing importance of digital casinos to the state’s overall gaming economy. Unlike Atlantic City’s traditional model, online casinos allow players to gamble from virtually anywhere in the state.

## Comparing the Numbers Between the Two Casino Sectors

The stats reveal a clear, consistent shift from Atlantic City’s physical casino floors toward online gambling. In 2025, the two markets were already close: Atlantic City’s nine casinos generated[ $2.89 billion, while internet gaming generated $2.91 billion](https://www.njoag.gov/new-jersey-division-of-gaming-enforcement-announces-december-2025-total-gaming-revenue-results/), meaning online gambling edged ahead by roughly $20 million for the year. More importantly, online revenue grew 22% from 2024, compared with just 2.7% growth for the physical casinos.

That momentum has accelerated in 2026\. In January, online gaming produced $258.9 million, compared with $213.3 million for the land-based options. By February, the gap remained substantial, with online revenue at $251.8 million versus $202.9 million for physical casinos.

To prove it was not just a winter fluctuation in favor of NJ online casinos, the spring numbers continued the trend. In May, online casinos generated $276.3 million, growing 11.9% year over year, while Atlantic City casinos produced $265.6 million, virtually unchanged from May 2025.

By June, the difference became even more striking: online gaming reached $271 million, up 17.5%, while physical casino revenue fell 0.7% to $257.3 million. Through June, online gaming had reached $1.59 billion, compared with about $1.1 billion for the physical properties.

The numbers prove how the switch has been more about [online gambling growing at a staggering rate](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) than a collapse of Atlantic City casinos. However, this shift raises important questions about the future of Atlantic City and whether the city’s casinos can adapt to a market increasingly driven by technology. 

## Why NJ Online Casinos Keep Growing Faster

### Convenience and accessibility of mobile technology

Smartphones have fundamentally changed how people consume entertainment, and gambling is no exception. One of the biggest advantages of online casinos is convenience. Players don’t need to travel to Atlantic City or spend money on hotels and other expenses to access casino games. Instead, they can play from their phones, tablets, or computers, making online gambling more accessible to a wider audience.

### Financial growth and increased capacity

The consistent growth in NJ’s internet gaming revenue hit a historic milestone in 2025, when online casino revenue eclipsed revenue from the traditional casino floor for the first time. As a result, this financial surge has enabled online casinos to scale their advertising and expand their operational capacity.

### Operators continue investing in digital products

Online casino companies are constantly competing for customers through new games, promotions, and improved digital experiences. This competition encourages operators to invest in technology and make their platforms more attractive, helping online gambling maintain its growth.

### Mature online gambling market

New Jersey has had [regulated online casino gambling](https://jimmakos.com/online-gambling-sites-affected-regulations-legislation/) for more than a decade. As a result, operators have had years to improve their websites, mobile applications, payment systems, and customer experiences.

## What the Future Holds for NJ Online Casinos

New Jersey’s online casino industry looks increasingly strong, with the market on pace for another record year. Through June 2026, online gaming revenue reached $1.59 billion, up 15% from the same period in 2025.

Technology will likely remain a major driver of this growth. Mobile access, expanded game selections, and competition among operators are making online casinos more convenient and attractive to consumers. The market is also becoming increasingly competitive, with major brands continuing to invest in their digital platforms and new operators entering New Jersey.

However, regulation and taxation will remain important factors. New Jersey increased [taxes on iGaming](https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/state/expanded-legalization-sports-betting-tax-revenue/) and online sports betting under its 2025 budget law, while the state continues to monitor how online gambling revenue is shared among casinos, technology companies, and other partners.

Overall, if the current growth rate continues, online casinos could become an even more dominant part of New Jersey’s gaming economy, potentially widening the gap with Atlantic City’s traditional casinos.
### NFL Viewership: What Figures Could the League Expect in the 2026 Season?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-viewership-figures-league-expect-2026-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-26T09:15:42.000Z
The NFL is one of the biggest sports leagues on the face of the Earth and has millions hooked to their TV screens each week, especially when the Super Bowl is on. Last season, the league [averaged 18.7 million viewers per game](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-sees-second-highest-regular-season-average-viewership-since-1988) during the regular season, the second-highest average since the NFL began recording averages in 1988\. Following the regular season, the Super Bowl drew in 125.6 million viewers in the US. Below is a look at possible viewing figures for the 2026 season, reasons why some games will be more popular and audience demographics.

## Viewership projections

The NFL has a habit of breaking viewership records as the league grows more and more popular. The second-highest average number of TV viewers per game in the 2025 season was a 10% increase on the average for the 2024 season.

Looking towards the 2026 season and the NFL is already generating big numbers. The first round of the 2026 draft achieved its third most-watched audience ever: an average of 13.2 million viewers on traditional and digital platforms. Across the three days of the draft, a record 805,000 fans attended, including a record 320,000 on that Thursday.

Further ahead, ESPN will be broadcasting the Super Bowl for the first time, when it hosts the 61st edition on February 14, 2027\. The network aims to make the Super Bowl the most-watched one ever. The 2025 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles holds that record at 127.71 million viewers.

## Why will viewers flock to some games more than others?

The way data and analytics firm Nielsen measures audience has changed to include digital and out-of-home audiences and give a more comprehensive picture of viewing figures. But as last season showed, some matchups will be huge audience drivers and have sports betting fans rushing to [view the NFL point spreads](https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/football/nfl).

### Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is massive for any data analyst studying the NFL, as the Thanksgiving period generates high viewing figures. In 2025, the Dallas Cowboys vs the Kansas City Chiefs hit more than 57 million viewers and was the most-watched regular-season game ever, followed by the Green Bay Packers vs the Detroit Lions.

This Thanksgiving, the Chicago Bears go up against the Detroit Lions in one of the NFL’s favorite rivalries. Tens of millions of fans who loathe both the Eagles and the Cowboys will still watch the teams battle it out in their encounter. When the Chiefs clash with the Buffalo Bills at Thanksgiving, it will be a prime-time tale of two high-profile quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) and Josh Allen (Bills). This could turn it into the most watched game of the 2026 regular season.

### Week 1: the Super Bowl “rematch”

In a season opener, on September 9, the New England Patriots go on the road to the [Seattle Seahawks](https://jimmakos.com/nfl-picks-seahawks-steelers-odds-shortening/). After suffering defeat at the Seahawks’ hands in February 2026, the Patriots will be itching to avenge the Super Bowl heartbreak.

The words “rematch” and “season opener” get bodies in front of TV sets. Last season, in Week 2, the Chiefs took on the Philadelphia Eagles, who’d deprived the Kansas side of Super Bowl glory earlier that year, and it was the third most-watched game of the regular season.

### The Netflix experiment

Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, in Melbourne, Australia, and they do so on Netflix, instead of traditional TV. The game takes place on Thursday, September 10, the traditional night Week 1 conducts its season opener, so audiences will already be aware of the game. The Rams are a favorite to win the Super Bowl, which will heighten interest, and there will already be natural interest in the opening week. Plus, Netflix has already shown NFL games successfully, so the question is whether it can whip up a large audience outside of the Christmas period.

## But who’s watching the NFL?

Generation Z is taking much more interest in the NFL, thanks to celebrities such as Taylor Swift and to the success of teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs.

But not only younger generations are watching the NFL. Past research shows that half of Americans in the US watch the games; and of this half, half are older adults of 55+ and 42% are women. Only 17% are younger adults under 35\. Outside of the US, in Europe, more younger adults watch NFL games.

The demographics also suggest that the NFL is made for TV viewing: only 12% of viewers attend games in person (ticket prices, transport and other expenses could be a factor in this, however).

The NFL attracts viewing figures in the millions and, it seems, breaks viewing records of some kind [every season](https://jimmakos.com/nfl-2015-betting-odds-preseason/). Some games will have NFL fans bubbling with anticipation and surely keep them glued to their seats. Older generations are particularly fond of the NFL, but games are starting to find fans in much younger generations, too.
### Can You View Winners Lists on Sweepstakes Sites?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/view-winners-lists-on-sweepstakes-sites/
Last updated: 2026-08-25T08:38:51.000Z
## What a Winners List Is and Why It Matters

A winners list is a record showing who was selected in a sweepstakes, often with limited details like initials and a city or state. Some sites post this information publicly, while others provide it only if someone requests it through the official rules. Knowing what to expect makes it easier to judge how transparent a promotion is.

**In Short:**

💡

Many legitimate sweepstakes share winner information, but the format and timing vary.

## Where Winners Lists Usually Appear

Winner information is usually found where the sweepstakes rules are posted, not on the main homepage. If a site publishes winners, it may be on a promotion page, a blog post, or a dedicated winners section that updates after the end date. When nothing is posted publicly, the rules often explain how to request a list and when it becomes available.

- **Official Rules:** Check for a winners list section and follow the request instructions.
- **Promotion Landing Page:** Look for an update after the promotion ends.
- **Email or Message Center:** Watch for a direct notification if the rules describe one.
- **Help or Support Page:** Find the sponsor or administrator contact listed for questions.

## What Transparency Looks Like on Sweepstakes Gaming Sites

On sweepstakes gaming platforms, transparency shows up in clear rules and easy-to-find promotion details.

For example, Luck Party's public lobby lets players browse [sweepstakes casino games](https://luckparty.com/public-lobby/lobby) without digging through menus for basic access. Winner-list details, when offered, are typically explained in the promotion's rules rather than inside the game itself.

### Clear Rules and Contact Details

A trustworthy rules page explains eligibility, start and end dates, and how winners are selected and notified. It also provides a direct way to contact the sponsor or administrator with questions.

### Reasonable Privacy Limits

Many winner lists use partial details, such as initials and a general location, to protect privacy. Rules may also explain that a full list is available on request instead of being posted publicly.

## Why Some Sites Do Not Publish a Public List

Not every sweepstakes publishes a public winners list, and that alone does not prove something is wrong. Privacy policies, local rules, and sponsor preferences can limit what information can be shared broadly, especially online. In many cases, the sponsor keeps records and shares winner information only through the request method described in the rules.

**Tip:**

💡

If a request deadline is listed, treat it like a use-by date for getting winner details.

## How To Check a Winner List Safely

The safest way to check for winners is to start with the official rules and the sponsor's stated contact method. Be cautious of posts that claim to have a complete list but cannot provide the source or the last update date. If someone asks for a fee or urgent action to confirm a win, treat it as a red flag.

| Good Transparency Signals                                              | Potential Red Flags                                                       |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Rules explain how to request a winners list and include a deadline.    | No rules page, or rules that do not match the promotion being advertised. |
| Winner details are limited for privacy, but the approach is explained. | Requests for payment, gift cards, or sensitive account information.       |

## Key Takeaways Before Entering Any Sweepstakes

It is often possible to view winner information or request it, but the steps depend on how the promotion is run. The most reliable place to check is the official rules, which should explain whether a winners list is posted publicly or provided on request. Clear rules, consistent promotion details, and privacy-aware disclosures usually point to a more transparent experience.

**Next Step:** Save the rules page and the contact method listed there before entering, so follow-ups are simple later.
### The Physics of the Wheel and Engineering Fairness Into Live Roulette
URL: https://jimmakos.com/physics-wheel-engineering-fairness-live-roulette/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T05:54:12.000Z
Casino games run on outcomes the house cannot control but can price. That is where the "game of chance" idea comes from. Roulette is one of the classic titles that brings the best of “chance” to those who enjoy it because the wheel is designed to remove every possible skill interference.

Still, there’s the question of how players at a [live casino canada](https://tooniebet.com/ca/live-casino) site, for instance, can confirm fairness as they play from a remote location. When you can neither see nor touch the wheel, fairness now goes beyond design and leans more on trust backed by regulatory practices. Here, we will go over how the roulette wheel works in the live casino environment with focus on what role physics and engineering play.

## The roulette wheel is unpredictable by design, but only for a while

Physicists have shown that ball trajectories are not entirely unpredictable, and that a wheel with mechanical irregularities can favour one sector over another. This is a well-documented problem in the literature on casino equipment, and it is the reason wheel manufacturing tolerances are as tight as they are.

This doesn't negate the fact that the possibility of telling the outcome of a spin with quick calculations makes roulette feel like a very deterministic game. Well, that is where engineering comes in. Manufacturers work to ensure that no part of the wheel makes such calculations easy. They make sure that all aspects of the design are built to tight tolerances.

[When you're on the casino floor ](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-etiquette/)you can visually identify how smooth everything looks and play confidently. At the same time, with constant use, a wheel experiences wear. That wear is precisely what maintenance schedules and periodic recertification exist to catch, since a wheel that no longer behaves within tolerance stops being a fair one.

These are things that you cannot easily tell or spot when you play at a live casino. Now, trust shifts from something you can inspect to something you have to take on documentation. Unless, of course, we begin to pay attention to regulatory bodies and what they have done to ensure that such things do not affect your chances of winning or losing as much as it does anyone else's.

## How fairness works with live dealer roulette play

Anyone who is familiar with [online casino gaming](https://jimmakos.com/data-analytics-online-casino-industry-online-publishing/) would have heard about random number generators. This is the technology behind slots and crash games, certified as random by independent testing. However, this works differently in live dealer games, where a real croupier releases the ball. Some variants still use RNG for added features such as random multipliers, but the core outcome comes from the physical wheel.

This means that fairness becomes more institutional, because only a third-party oversight can help you play these games without any suspicions. There are labs like [eCOGRA](https://ecogra.org/), GLI and iTech Labs that handle this. What these labs do is to visit the casino floor or studio where the live dealer games will be happening. They then test everything to ensure that the wheel is balanced, there are no technical or design flaws, and whenever there is a spin, it is indeed random.

The most important part is that these checks are not a one-time thing. Subsequently, licenses need to be renewed, and these labs will have to return and check again to confirm that every single roulette wheel meets their specific standard. These checks, and the licence conditions behind them, give players a documented basis for trusting the equipment rather than taking the operator's word for it.

In Ontario, that framework sits with the [Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario](https://www.agco.ca/en), which requires certification by an accredited testing laboratory before a live table reaches players, and with iGaming Ontario on the commercial side. Access is restricted to those aged 19 and over, and anyone who feels their play is no longer under control can contact ConnexOntario, which runs a free 24/7 helpline. 

If any form of predictability or cheating happens, the regulator could withdraw the licence, and in some situations, they could get heavily fined for going against the terms of their licensing agreement.

### How to know if a casino meets these standards

The part that fairness still leaves up to you is manually finding brands with good reputation. The best online gambling platforms are transparent with all their licenses and regulations. You will often find the relevant badges at the footer of the website. Sometimes, you can also go to the about us section and find their tags.

If you do not find the most important details at first glance, you can always contact the customer support team to ask questions. Access to that support varies by operator, and it is worth checking before you deposit rather than after. ToonieBet, for example, runs live chat around the clock alongside phone and email support, which gives players a direct route to ask about licensing or game certification. The final part will be to do an extra check by using whatever information you have gathered and running it through the publicly available database of the regulatory laboratories.
### The Mobile Casino Online Gaming Shift Is Changing When and How People Play
URL: https://jimmakos.com/mobile-casino-online-gaming-shift-changing-when-how-people-play/
Last updated: 2026-08-09T03:56:28.000Z
Mobile devices have changed online casino play from an activity tied to a computer into one that fits around daily schedules. Players can now access games during short breaks, while traveling, or when relaxing at home in jurisdictions where online casino gaming is legally available.

This shift affects more than convenience. Screen size, connection quality, touch controls, payment options, and notification settings all shape the experience. Understanding these factors helps players choose suitable platforms, manage shorter sessions, and avoid common technical frustrations.

## Shorter Sessions Are Becoming More Common

Desktop casino sessions often require players to sit in one place and devote a defined period to gaming. Smartphones remove that requirement. A player can open a game within seconds, complete a few rounds, and leave when another task demands attention.

The growth of [mobile casino online](https://casino.fanduel.com/) platforms has supported this pattern through faster loading times, simplified menus, and games designed for touchscreens. Instead of navigating several pages, players can usually reach recently played titles, account settings, and payment tools from one dashboard.

Short sessions make practical preparation important. Before opening a game, players should check how much uninterrupted time they have and whether their internet connection is stable. Logging out after each session also prevents accidental account access.

Mobile access may feel continuous, but each session can still have clear boundaries. Setting a phone timer provides a visible endpoint. Players can also disable promotional notifications, which reduces unnecessary prompts to reopen an app after they have finished playing.

## Game Selection Now Depends on Mobile Design

A game that works smoothly on a large monitor may feel crowded on a phone. Small text, closely placed buttons, and complex menus can make navigation difficult. Players should assess mobile usability before committing substantial time to a title.

**Useful checks** include:

1. Confirm that controls remain visible without repeated zooming,
2. Rotate the phone to see whether portrait or landscape mode works better,
3. Test sound, brightness, and vibration settings before starting a longer session,
4. Check whether the game resumes correctly after a call or screen lock.

Many mobile games use larger symbols, simplified information panels, and shorter animations. These features help players understand what is happening without covering the screen with excessive detail.

Players should also consider battery use. Detailed graphics, maximum brightness, and continuous sound can drain power quickly. Lowering brightness and closing background applications may improve device performance. If a phone becomes unusually warm, pausing the session gives the device time to cool and may prevent slower responses.

## Connection Quality Shapes the Playing Experience

Mobile play depends heavily on connection stability. A strong home connection may support smooth animations, while crowded public networks can cause delayed inputs or interrupted loading. The connection icon alone does not always show whether service is consistent.

Before playing, players can take several **practical steps**:

- Use a trusted private network whenever possible,
- Avoid changing between mobile data and wireless internet during active gameplay,
- Close streaming services and downloads running in the background,
- Confirm that the casino records activity correctly after a connection interruption.

Public wireless networks deserve particular caution because unsecured connections may expose sensitive information. Account access and payment activity are better handled through a private connection or a protected mobile data service.

[Players traveling](https://jimmakos.com/travel-costs-for-ept-grand-final-madrid/) between coverage areas should wait until the signal settles before reopening a game. If a screen freezes, repeatedly tapping controls can create confusion when the connection returns. It is usually clearer to stop, reload the account history, and confirm the recorded result before continuing.

## Payments and Account Access Are Faster

Mobile platforms place deposits, withdrawals, identity checks, and account records within the same device. This reduces the need to move between a computer, email inbox, and banking service. Biometric login can also make account access quicker while reducing reliance on passwords.

Convenience doesn’t remove the need for careful checks. Players should confirm the payment amount, selected method, processing information, and any stated limits before approving a transaction. A small screen can make important details easier to overlook, particularly when a page contains expandable terms.

Keeping payment records is straightforward on a phone. Players can save confirmation emails, take screenshots of transaction references, and compare entries with their casino account history. These records are useful if a payment takes longer than expected.

Account security also requires device-level protection. A strong screen lock, current operating system, and unique casino password create separate barriers. Players should avoid saving login details on shared phones and should review active sessions after replacing or losing a device.

## Notifications Are Changing Player Habits

Casino applications and mobile websites can send reminders, promotional messages, account updates, and payment confirmations throughout the day. These alerts make information easy to receive, but they can also turn occasional play into a repeated interruption.

Players can decide which notifications have practical value. Account security alerts and transaction updates may deserve immediate attention. General promotions rarely require the same visibility. Mobile settings usually allow each notification category to be adjusted or disabled.

A useful approach is to separate gaming communication from everyday prompts. Players can create a dedicated email folder, mute promotional alerts, and check account messages at a chosen time. This keeps casino activity from competing with work, sleep, or personal responsibilities.

Device tools can reinforce that separation. Focus modes can block casino notifications during selected hours, while application timers show how long a platform has remained open. Reviewing weekly screen time provides an objective record of usage. These settings help players decide when [gaming belongs in their schedule](https://jimmakos.com/gambling-or-gaming/) instead of responding automatically whenever an alert appears.

## Mobile Play Works Best With Clear Choices

The move to mobile casino gaming has made access faster, sessions shorter, and account management more immediate. It has also placed greater importance on screen design, connection stability, device security, and notification control.

Players can improve the experience by testing games on their own device, using dependable private connections, checking transaction details, and setting clear session boundaries. Mobile access is most useful when players use it as part of a deliberate schedule. With suitable settings, careful platform selection, and responsible play, mobile access can offer greater flexibility without making constant availability the deciding factor in when people choose to play.
### These videos make me feel free
URL: https://jimmakos.com/videos-from-anywhere/
Last updated: 2026-08-19T07:56:43.000Z
In the summers, I find myself in places more beautiful than my city. I’m closer to nature, or I just happen to be in a more **beautiful space than home**.

This, of course, makes me want to shoot **more videos** and create more content while I’m away from home.

> But vacations don’t last forever.

At the end of summer, we all return to our base. Which usually isn’t as nice as the places we visit on our trips.

**What’s the result?**

The moment I get back to my usual, dull desk, **I lose the appetite** to shoot videos. So what kind of video could I make *BOTH* during summer vacations and in the beautiful places I visit, *AND* at home where I spend 11 months of the year?

> Obviously, the videos where I talk to the camera.

The so-called *“yapping”*, as they call it. Which has actually started gaining a lot of popularity online, because it’s the *easiest* type of content anyone can create.

You just set up the camera and talk.

**But is it really as easy as it sounds?**

So let’s talk today about what I’ve learned after speaking in front of the camera for over 100 videos so far, and why I have no intention of stopping. Not just not stopping — I actually want to increase the pace at which I make them, because this type of video **fits the free way I want to live**.

🎧

Listen to the audiobook version of this newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxGI-Y0Ekgw)!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/08/Inspiration-peaks-in-the-summer.jpg)

## Inspiration peaks in the summer

For ten years now, I keep seeing the same scenario repeat itself.

Every August, my desire to make videos skyrockets. For several summers now, whenever I’m in beautiful places, I get the urge to shoot more and more video.

Which I do, to be honest. And somehow my hard drives fill up every summer with a lot more footage.

Footage that almost always has no continuation the moment I return to the city. 😔 The August video folder always has **the most gigabytes** of any other month.

For ten summers now, whenever I’m “on vacation” I get this feeling that:

> Yes, now is the moment.

“Now is when I’m going to make a ton of videos and I’m not going to stop at all. That’s it. It's decided.”

It’s this carefree energy, the inspiration from nature, and a nice space that make me not want to put the camera down.

And all of that, of course, makes it even easier for new video ideas to come to me while I’m away from everyday life.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/08/I-need-a-change-for-the-good-of-my-YouTube-channel.jpg)

## I need a change for the good of my YouTube channel

Then September comes and finds me back in the familiar place. Back at my usual desk.

I have no complaints — my desk is fine. But it’s something ordinary. Something I see every day, eleven months a year.

And that makes me less eager to shoot videos, simply because I’ve gotten used to it. It’s not something *new*.

While on vacation, the place isn’t as familiar to me, no matter how many times I’ve visited it. It’s a *change* in my daily routine.

And it’s **this change** that gets me into the mood for shooting videos.

When there’s no change in the environment, the motivation slowly drops. After all, even in [filmmaking](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/), a good video needs a change in the hero. Some kind of change has to happen inside the video. Physical, emotional, or any other kind.

> The hero has to experience a change — to be different at the end of the film than at the beginning.

For 11 months, there is no significant change, at least not in the surroundings, and that has a direct effect on my mood.

That’s how the energy drops, the creativity stagnates, and with all that, **video production goes to zero too**.

This automatic thought that the video will turn out less good, because I’m in a place I’ve gotten so used to, leads my channel into inactivity and *stagnation*.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/08/The-confirmation-didn---t-take-long-to-arrive.jpg)

## The confirmation didn’t take long to arrive

So one of those days, as I was walking back and forth in the garden, I thought exactly this. That the video I can make, independent of where I am, will be one where I talk to the camera.

Besides, it’s not the first time I would be doing it. **I’ve made close to a hundred talking-head videos so far**. [Either in Greek](https://www.youtube.com/@jimmakosel) or in English.

It’s very possible I’ve made many more if I think about the similar videos I shot during my morning walks by the sea — [just look at my Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jimmakoscom/).

They may not have been long-form videos. But they were still videos where I simply talked to the camera while walking.

So since I already have this ease in front of the camera, and since this type of video doesn’t tie me to the location I’m in, **why not focus on these videos?**

As if all that wasn’t enough, and as if the realization right then — that wait, these are actually the videos I should be making as much as possible from wherever I am — wasn’t enough, I randomly came across a video on Instagram.

There, a guy was telling me that the only thing I had to do was **yap**, as he put it. Meaning press record on the camera and start talking.

Of course, the guy was addressing random Instagram users who are afraid to stand in front of a camera and speak. He was encouraging them to pick up their phone for the first time, hit record, and share their thoughts on camera.

But I’ve *already* done that. And I’ve done it not just on a phone. I’ve done it with various cameras. It wasn’t hard for me.

> Still, it was a confirmation.

That not only should I be making these videos because I have the ease to do them and because I’ve already tested it for many years in the past. It’s also that this type of video *“sells”*, so to speak. That it’s quite popular.

That now that artificial intelligence is sweeping everything, the easiest thing anyone can do is **just be themselves** and talk in front of the camera.

It was like several planets aligned in front of me and I said:

“Look at that — I already have the recipe, I already have the formula I should be following. And this formula will most likely keep working even when I return from vacation.” 🤩

And after all, it was already working in previous years whenever I got the urge to talk in front of the camera. **Even when I wasn’t on vacation!**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/08/for-ten-years-I-was-shooting-the-wrong-videos.jpg)

## For ten years I was shooting the wrong videos

Now **I had to adapt**.

The moment had come when I needed to change my priorities when shooting videos on vacation. Because until now I had a thousand reasons to shoot videos during the beautiful moments of the holidays.

To shoot videos about life on an island, life next to nature. With the wind moving the leaves of the trees and the sea waves wetting our feet.

Those are nice images. I could tell relaxed stories from vacation.

But all of that would end in September. And I’ve seen the exact same scene play out for 10 years now.

Now, though, I realized that instead of those, I should focus more on videos where I talk to the camera.

This doesn’t mean, of course, that I’ll stop shooting videos on vacation. When inspiration hits while looking at the beauty I encounter away from the city.

> But those moments shouldn’t be my priority.

My priority, from now on, should be the content and the stories I tell in front of the camera.

The stories I’ll be able to keep telling even when I return to base.

At least that way I won’t end up with a terabyte of vacation footage that sits unused on the hard drive for another year.

By making a few talking-head videos even on vacation, I’ll maintain the momentum of [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/). If at some point I get the urge to also tell the vacation stories using the footage I’ve shot during the holidays, even better.

> Plus, talking-head videos are easier to shoot on vacation.

I have more flexibility with time and space. I can try dozens of different setups for where to sit compared to the setups I have back home.

Because after vacation, home will limit me to the 3-4 setups I’ve already tested for talking to the camera. But vacation gives me that flexibility. It gives me new opportunities to change the setting I’m sitting in.

On top of that, it’s also much faster to set up the cameras since natural light is abundant. Even though I brought an artificial light with me in case I decided to talk to the camera. Still, I realized it’s probably unnecessary and I probably won’t even need it, even if I shoot 20 videos over the next three weeks.

When you think about it, everything is easier on vacation if I decide to only make talking-head videos — from a technical standpoint at least.

Something that shouldn’t concern me that much anyway, compared to the actual content and what I’m saying in front of the camera. That’s where I should focus a lot more energy instead of worrying about whether the final image will look nice.

Which, in any case, will look nice when you’re in a place surrounded by nature.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/08/Work-and-videos-from-anywhere.jpg)

## Work and videos from anywhere

The good thing is I won’t be making my *first* talking-head video on vacation. I won’t be yapping for the first time, as they call it. **I’ve already done it 100 times.**

I just needed to be here on vacation to realize its value. The value has to do with the fact that I can make this kind of video from wherever I am.

I’ve learned to [work from home](https://jimmakos.com/tag/working-from-home/) for 20 years now. Many times I work outside the house too. In reality I can work from anywhere I am. #workfromanywhere

> Work follows me wherever I am.

This independence and freedom that yapping gives fits my character and the way I like to work perfectly. In essence, it’s another form of freedom.

Another thing I can do **with zero restrictions**.

And given how much [I value freedom in my life](https://jimmakos.com/start-a-business-to-achieve-financial-freedom-quicker/), talking-head videos fit the way I want to live like a glove.

Besides, no one ever watched one of my videos for the scenery around me.

No one ever wondered:

“What lighting did you set up, and how did you come up with placing the camera there?”

On the contrary, most people who watched my videos watched them for what I was saying. For the stories I was telling and maybe for how much they related to the way I think.

And all of that can happen from anywhere. Even if I haven’t set up ideal lighting or don’t have the best camera with me.

Now, if the environment where I tell all these stories raises the bar by 1 or 2%, I won’t say no.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/08/The-biggest-gain-of-talking-head-videos.jpg)

## The biggest gain of talking-head videos

I’ve realized one thing. To succeed at anything on the internet — and maybe in life in general — **you have to be consistent**.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### What Do Online Slot Sounds Mean During a Spin?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/what-online-slot-sounds-mean-during-spin/
Last updated: 2026-08-04T11:49:38.000Z
A slot can look still while its audio says that something has changed. A click can confirm an input, a rising phrase can mark an unfinished sequence, and a closing tone can arrive when the result is ready to read. Other sounds simply establish mood. The useful question is therefore not whether the soundtrack is catchy. It is what each sound communicates, when it appears, and whether the screen conveys the same information without it.

Game designers use audio this way well beyond casino games. In a [2026 account of how sound improved combat timing](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/rpg/parrying-was-not-easy-clair-obscur-expedition-33-devs-had-to-turn-to-sound-to-fix-an-integral-part-of-the-jrpgs-combat/), the team behind *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* described embedding a consistent reference hit inside an attack sound so players could judge when to parry. The cue did not replace the animation. It made one moment within the animation easier to recognize. That is a useful distinction: audio may announce a state, confirm an action, or direct attention to a change already happening on screen.

## Cues, Feedback and Atmosphere

The clearest way to interpret slot audio is to match each sound with the screen event occurring at the same moment. A game state is simply the current phase of play, such as waiting for an input, spinning, pausing during an unresolved sequence, or displaying the completed result. Some sounds communicate a change between those states, while others respond directly to a tap or click. Music and ambient effects may shape the mood without carrying any essential information. Separating these roles makes it easier to hear when the game is reporting an action, marking progress, or merely adding atmosphere.

A cue says that an event is happening. Feedback confirms that the game registered something the player did. The same sound can perform both jobs, but its timing usually reveals the difference. When comparing [Joe Fortune slots online](https://www.joefortune.zone/casino/all-pokies) with any other unfamiliar slot screen, begin by separating sounds attached to input from sounds attached to the round. A short response immediately after pressing spin probably confirms the action. The reel-start sound that follows marks a transition from an idle screen to an active sequence. Later changes may accompany a symbol event, a feature transition, the stopping of the reels, or the point when the final visual result can be read. Background music belongs in another category unless its change clearly communicates a state. This separation prevents a common mistake: treating every rise, pulse, or chime as information about the outcome. Anticipation audio can indicate that a sequence remains unresolved, but it cannot tell the player what the settled result will be. The sound is useful when it identifies the stage of play consistently.

Repeated rounds make sound-event relationships familiar quickly. A click that always follows a successful input soon becomes self-explanatory. If a similar sound marks a disabled control, an ordinary transition, and a finished result, the meaning becomes muddy. Volume does not solve that problem. A quiet, distinctive cue can be clearer than a loud effect that resembles several others. Useful feedback depends on timing, contrast, and consistency.

## The Five Jobs a Slot Sound Can Perform

The first job is **input confirmation**. This is the immediate response that says a tap or click was received. It should feel connected to the action rather than arriving after the reels have begun moving.

The second is **state transition**. A round moves through phases: ready, active, potentially interrupted by an additional event, then settled. Audio can divide those phases so the player does not have to infer every change from movement alone.

Third comes **anticipation**. A repeated pulse, rising phrase, or altered rhythm may signal that the current sequence has not finished. Its role is temporal. It says “still in progress,” not “a particular result is coming.”

The fourth job is **result confirmation**. This marks the point when the sequence has ended and the final visual information is available. It should follow the decisive screen event rather than imply completion too early.

The fifth is **atmosphere**. Music, ambient effects, and thematic flourishes give the game a recognizable tone. They may react to play, but they do not necessarily carry instructions. Separating atmosphere from functional feedback helps the player avoid assigning rule meaning to decorative sound.

## The Same Functions Appear Across Games

A racing countdown separates preparation from movement. A puzzle-completion tone confirms that the system accepted the final arrangement. A warning sound in a stealth game can report a change before its visual source is located. These examples differ in genre, yet each answers the same practical question: what does the player need to know at this moment?

Slots compress those functions into a short cycle. Input confirmation should not be confused with result confirmation. An anticipation cue should stop when the unresolved phase ends. Atmospheric music may continue across several stages, while a functional signal needs a clear relationship to one event. The goal is enough contrast for each necessary cue to retain a distinct job.

## Try the Muted-Screen Test

Mute the game and follow one round visually. Can you tell that the input was accepted, when the active sequence begins, whether an intermediate event has occurred, and when the result is final? If the answer is yes, the audio is reinforcing a readable screen instead of carrying essential information by itself.

Then reverse the test. Listen at low volume and notice which sounds remain identifiable. In [an interview with the audio team behind *Ghost of Yōtei*](https://www.asoundeffect.com/ghost-of-yotei-game-audio/), UI sound designer Josh Lord described interface audio as having to remain functional while fitting the game’s emotion and wider soundscape. The clearest cue is therefore not always the biggest. Its timing and character should make its purpose recognizable without competing with every other element.

Once input, transition, anticipation, result, and atmosphere are separated, the soundtrack becomes easier to read. Muting it should not make the round incomprehensible. Hearing it should clarify each stage without making an unresolved moment sound settled.
### Meta Deleted My Threads Account But I Got It Back
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-threads-account-got-deleted/
Last updated: 2026-07-21T14:51:34.000Z
One moment you’re posting on social media, the next the platform pulls the plug on your profile and **everything disappears**. 😱

What do you do? Do you get on your knees and beg them to reactivate your account, or do you realize you have zero control over what you build on social networks and that **you should probably be doing something different**?

Something like that happened to me this week. Threads suspended the accounts I had on Meta’s platform and reminded me that I’ve been neglecting something very important.

> Something I created 21 years ago!

## I Was Against Social Networks

The first time I made a social media account was on Facebook in 2009\. Even back then, I resisted the idea of opening a Facebook account.

At that time, most people were creating profiles to find old classmates and friends. **I had *no* need to do that**.

I had already started my personal blog four years earlier, and I shared whatever I wanted inside my own space.

But in 2009 I understood the power of social media. I started realizing that Facebook could be a way to drive people to my personal blog.

And as I was taking my first steps in social media marketing, I decided to open a Facebook account.

> In reality, my audience was already on my personal blog.

I didn’t see Facebook as something new where I would build a brand-new audience. It was simply a way to *promote* what I was already writing on my blog.

So back in those early social media days — which have nothing to do with how things work now — I wasn’t worried at all about losing the audience I was starting to build on Facebook, and later on Twitter and Instagram.

🎧

Listen to the audiobook version of this newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBDeifMUoAI)!

## Damn Facebook

The first time I realized I was vulnerable building a brand on social networks was when, overnight, Facebook shut down a page I had created for a blog about [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) that I had started around that time.

By then I had understood the importance of **social media marketing**, so for every blog I launched, I would simultaneously create pages on Facebook and Twitter.

That page I had made for the gambling blog had attracted quite a bit of interest. There was even a post I made that a future **Greek government minister** commented on and shared.

So yeah, that page had gotten some real attention. I never expected Facebook to suddenly terminate it — and without any explanation.

I couldn’t do anything about it, even when I asked for a review. Within hours, I got the automated message from Facebook saying their decision was final and **I would never get access** to that blog’s page on Facebook again.

> The shock was obviously huge.

All the posts I had made were gone. But even more importantly, I could no longer reach the thousands of people who were following that page. Not only had I lost the audience, but **I had zero control over the page**.

> From that moment on, Facebook became the black sheep for me.

Because of that experience, I never trusted it again — even though I later created pages and profiles on other Meta platforms, like Threads.

But I always had in the back of my mind that what happened to me on Facebook could happen at any moment on any social network.

It was a lesson I learned very early in my social media career, and I’ve never forgotten it. And Meta made sure to remind me of it again this week by shutting down both of my personal Threads accounts.

## Threads: “We’re Deleting Your Account”

I usually wake up very early in the morning, sometimes even before 5.

So that morning I opened my eyes around 4:30, and like always, the first thing I did was grab my phone to see what had happened overnight with everything I’m building.

I imagine, like most people, I check my email first thing in the morning! 📨

The two most recent emails I had were from Threads.

“Huh! That’s weird!” I thought, since I rarely get emails from them.

I didn’t even have to open the emails. The first two lines already told me that Threads had shut down both of my accounts.

“Sorry,” they said, “but you no longer have access to your Threads page.” That’s what the emails said.

When I opened the two emails — one in Greek and one in English — they both said exactly the same thing.

They claimed my pages weren’t following Threads’ guidelines. That all the content I had posted would be deleted, and that if I wanted, I could submit an appeal.

> Here we go again, I thought.

Given my history with Facebook, I knew that whatever I did would probably be pointless. Still, I went into my Threads accounts, hit the appeal button, and Threads told me I’d get an answer within an hour.

> But I was still keeping my expectations low.

Honestly, I had zero hope I could reverse their decision.

Even so, I didn’t do anything until I got the response from Threads about both accounts.

To my surprise, they immediately restored my English profile after I submitted the review request. At the same time, though, they told me the decision on my Greek profile was final and that they would now **completely delete my account**. 😱

So, with the sun already up, I started disconnecting my Threads account from the other tools I use to [cross-post my content](https://jmks.co/typefully) across different social networks.

By that point I was sure I had lost my Greek profile, so there was no reason to wait around hoping something would change.

## So Now What?

*All* social networks are **rented land**, not just Threads.

They’re spaces where I share thoughts and create content so my voice can reach as far as possible.

But because I always keep in mind that they’re rented land, I cross-post to as many social networks as I can. Basically, I take the same thought and copy it across multiple profiles, so if something like what happened on Threads occurs, I can still keep spreading my ideas on the other platforms.

Of course, it’s always possible that all my accounts get deleted. It’s possible I could lose access and have no control over anything I’ve built.

That’s why I always make sure that whatever I publish, whatever idea I share publicly, ends up — one way or another — as **permanent text on my personal blog**.

My personal blog is the only place where I have *absolute* control. The only place where I can write whatever I want without the risk of waking up one morning and finding it gone.

> As long as I keep paying for it, of course.

Because running a blog isn’t free if you want to have a real shot on the internet these days.

So after they shut down my Threads account, I didn’t go looking for alternative ways to spread my thoughts — because I’ve already built a system where my ideas get distributed across different parts of the internet.

Did it hurt losing all that work on Threads? Of course it did.

I won’t hide that I felt disappointed in Meta once again. And I won’t deny that I started wondering **how much it all really means** — this whole [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/) and social media marketing thing.

I wondered if maybe I should focus exclusively on my personal blog or on YouTube videos — even though YouTube is also rented land, because I never know if I’ll wake up one night and get an email from Google saying my YouTube channel is being deleted.

But video is a different story, because I can’t host it on my blog due to size and storage limits. So I’m kind of forced to “need” YouTube, since there’s no other platform where I can upload videos.

If YouTube ever decides to pull a move like Facebook and Threads did, then I’ll have no choice but **to start a brand-new channel from scratch**.

Just the thought of that scares me! But **every obstacle is an opportunity**, as they say.

So what did I do, now that I could no longer cross-post to my Greek Threads account? 🤔

I kept writing on X, which has been **my favorite social network** for 17 years. So naturally, I shared the bad news with the people who follow me there, as a warning that what happened to me could easily happen to them too.

Those posts attracted a few spam bots — accounts trying to trick people and steal their social media access by telling me that if I contacted this or that person, they were supposedly experts who could get my Threads account back.

Of course, I didn’t reply to any of them. But it was a good reminder of how many scams exist on the internet and how easily someone who’s lost access to a social profile can end up losing a lot more.

## The Threads U-Turn

That morning, my usual workflow for posting on social media changed very little. The only thing I adjusted was removing the Threads account from the [cross-posting tool](https://jmks.co/typefully), so it wouldn’t keep trying to post to my Threads profile.

You could say I went back to business as usual.

But there was still a bitter feeling inside me — until around 9 a.m., when I suddenly got another email from Threads, again without me doing anything extra. While the last message I had received said my account would be deleted, now Threads was suddenly telling me that **they had made a mistake and I had access to my account again**. 😮

Of course, I immediately logged into Threads, and sure enough, nothing had been deleted. All my previous posts were still there.

I figured it was probably some kind of glitch. That something had gone wrong on Threads’ servers and a mistake had been made. 🐛

Still, that doesn’t change the fact that this mistake — even if it was a mistake — could have locked me out of my profile and all the work I had done up until then. So right or wrong, the risk was there, is there, and will always be there as long as I don’t control my profiles on these social networks.

> The good thing is that I don’t rely on just one of them.

So this whole experience made me realize **how well I’ve actually set things up**.

In the end, all that overthinking and analysis I do before deciding to do something sometimes *does* make sense.

And I see it clearly when things go wrong — when “shit hits the fan,” as they say.

The downside, though, is that this whole story reminded me that **I’ve been neglecting my personal blog**.

Even though I had originally said that every idea and thought I share on social media should be the starting point for writing a much longer article about it, I had let that mindset slide.

And this Threads experience pushed me to shift my focus back toward my personal blog — the only place where **I have full control**.

## My Top Priority

So my priority needs to become my personal blog again.

Social networks are great. Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads are great — places where I can share whatever thought I have and have my voice reach the other side of the world almost instantly.

> But I never know if I’ll still be able to do that tomorrow.

That’s why I need to turn my attention toward my own blog and create much more content there.

And give it much more real value — because no matter how much value I create on social networks, it can easily get lost in the endless stream of messages that exist there.

On my personal blog, though, someone who lands on it — even by chance — and something catches their attention, might even [subscribe to my newsletter](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/), and a different kind of relationship begins.

A different relationship with an audience that no one can take away from me, and no one can cut off the connection and trust that gets built.

> Except me, of course.

## Will This Lesson Actually Stick?

So how do I go back to doing everything after this lesson from Threads?

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Top Ways Players Optimize Their Online Casino Experience
URL: https://jimmakos.com/top-ways-players-optimize-online-casino-experience/
Last updated: 2026-06-19T11:11:49.000Z
Optimizing gaming setups has become common. Plenty of people are looking for the best games to play. Many of us even go as far as to invest in screens and audio accessories that can help.

Casino gaming has become an incredibly varied form of entertainment. Casino players can now easily find thousands of slot titles alongside classic table games. There are even new releases coming all the time.

Many players naturally look for ways to get the most from their experience. Optimization is not always about technology. It can be about finding games that match personal preferences or taking the time to understand how different titles work.

# Bonuses And Promotions

One of the most common ways players optimize their experience is by exploring bonuses and promotions when joining a new platform.

Welcome bonuses are designed to introduce new players to a casino and often become part of the decision-making process when comparing different brands. Many players look for sign-up offers that maximize their first deposits. This can give them more opportunities to explore the available games. The most popular [Cafe Casino welcome bonus](https://www.cafecasino.lv/promotions/welcome-bonus) provides a matched deposit. This means more funds to play with after making the initial deposit.

Free spins are another popular example. They allow players to discover different slot titles without immediately focusing on choosing only one favorite. These promotions can be a simple way to sample different themes and mechanics.

Loyalty programs also play a role for many regular players. It isn’t all about new customers! These systems reward continued activity through points or ongoing promotions that provide additional value over time.

Promotions encourage exploration and allow players to experience a wider range of games than they might otherwise choose.

# Choosing A Better Display

The screen itself can have a large impact on gaming. We know this to be the case when it comes to [huge AAA titles](https://jimmakos.com/how-video-games-better-investor/) with advanced graphics. What about things like slots?

Modern slot games feature detailed artwork and cinematic effects that look particularly impressive on larger or higher-quality displays. A bigger monitor or tablet can make symbols easier to see while allowing artwork and animations to stand out more clearly. It isn’t essential. But it certainly can make the games look even better.

Display quality matters alongside size. Better resolution and smoother [refresh rates](https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/highest-refresh-rate-gaming.html) all contribute to a more polished experience. The monitor is probably more of a worthy investment for someone who plays slots alongside other titles. You don’t have to look far to find some really impressive slot visuals...

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# Exploring The Huge Variety Of Games

Another way players improve their experience is simply by trying a lot of the different games.

The online casino industry has expanded enormously in the slot category. Developers release new titles throughout the year. They cover almost every theme imaginable.

Not every game appeals to every player. This is why exploration has become part of the experience itself. People may watch videos or streams of the titles to help them decide which one to play. They also get [shared on social media](https://jimmakos.com/sharing-photos-on-instagram-flickr-and-social-media/). That means players don’t need to specifically try each and every one of the games.

Trying different titles helps players discover mechanics and presentation styles that match their tastes. That constant variety is one of the industry's defining features.

# Learning Games With Strategic Elements

Certain casino games involve decisions that encourage players to learn more about strategy.

Poker is perhaps the best-known example. Players often spend time studying the aspects of the game that rely on strategy. Reading people and understanding probabilities can play a big part.

Training resources have grown enormously over the years. Training resources and coaching sessions all give poker players opportunities to improve their understanding of the game and even learn from [the very best.](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/phil-ivey-teaches-poker-strategy/chapters/phil-s-journey?campaignid=23842122917&adgroupid=196506652317&adid=756289069625&utm%5Fterm=&utm%5Fmatch%5Ftype=a&utm%5Fcampaign=%5BMC%5D+%7C+Search+%7C+NonBrand+%7C+Consolidated%5FInstructors%5FBM%5FEM%5FPM+%7C+All+%7C+EN+%7C+tCPA+%7C+EG+%7C+Google+Ads+Pixel+AI+MAX%5FNB%5FInstructors&utm%5Fsource=google&utm%5Fmedium=search&gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=23842122917&gbraid=0AAAAADjLLoExidfRVgjgav9JSoKja2F0d&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrZTRBhDSARIsAHidYff3gC7jTMIvlTtfgGpjiVjsOviy5ynJS-LBoEqKw2LkoX-plgXVbckaApK7EALw%5FwcB)

Video poker also attracts players interested in learning optimal decision-making. Choices about which cards to keep and discard may reward careful thinking.

Many players enjoy this process because it adds another layer to the hobby. Playing becomes only part of the experience. Watching others play poker and discussing strategy can be equally enjoyable activities.

# Building A Comfortable Gaming Setup

Comfort also plays an important role. People often want to build themselves a specific area for playing.

Simple things like proper gaming seats and even gaming headphones can contribute to a better overall experience.

Many players also appreciate the flexibility of modern devices. The huge variety of different devices available all provide different ways to access games depending on the situation (and location).

The technology has become versatile enough that players can choose setups that suit their own routines rather than adapting to fixed hardware. [Gaming setups](https://jimmakos.com/quad-monitor-setup-how-to-build/) can be built around basic devices or expensive gaming computers. Most casino games are super versatile and can be played on most devices.

# Personal Preference Is The Biggest Optimization

Perhaps the most effective way to optimize an online casino experience is also the simplest.

The industry's huge variety means there is rarely a single "best" option. Players gradually discover the games and features that fit their own interests.
### How Blockchain Technology Is Changing Modern Sports Sponsorships
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-blockchain-technology-changing-modern-sports-sponsorships/
Last updated: 2026-06-15T13:50:22.000Z
Sports sponsorship used to be easy to read from Row 12: a shirt sleeve, a stadium board, a backdrop behind Pep Guardiola, or a name above the doors at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Blockchain has made that bargain less static, because a deal can now touch fan tokens, wallet rewards, on-chain payments, and app-based matchday behavior before halftime. The shift is visible across top properties, from Formula 1 extending Crypto.com through 2030 to UEFA adding Crypto.com as the Champions League’s first cryptocurrency partner for the 2024-27 commercial cycle. The badge still matters, but the back-end plumbing now matters too.

## The Logo No Longer Sits Still

A sleeve sponsor used to buy repeated exposure across 38 Premier League matchdays, then count broadcast minutes and social clips after the final whistle. Manchester City’s OKX deal, expanded in June 2023 into an official sleeve partnership, showed the newer model: the sponsor wanted kit visibility, digital campaigns, and a place inside the club’s content rhythm around Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Champions League nights at the Etihad. One small observation from these deals is how often the asset has moved from the main shirt to tighter real estate: sleeve patches, training wear, tunnel boards, and player-led short videos. Less space, more measurement.

## Fan Tokens Put the Crowd on a Ledger

Fan tokens gave blockchain its first foothold in sports, even amid the price swings and fan suspicion that have followed the category since 2020\. Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Juventus, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Atlético Madrid have all worked within the Socios and Chiliz system, where supporters can vote in club polls, collect rewards, or follow matchday campaigns. The more useful piece for sponsors is not the token chart on a quiet Tuesday; it is the trail of wallet activity, repeat logins, and campaign response after a PSG Champions League night at Parc des Princes. A sleeve logo is gone when the whistle goes. The data stays.

## Betting Brands Learn From Web3 Behavior

That same pressure has reached sports betting, where odds screens, payment rails, and account checks sit right next to the live match. During a Premier League title run-in or a Champions League knockout tie, global betting sites (Arabic: [مواقع مراهنات عالمية](https://melbetegypt.com/ar)) now fight over speed, market depth, mobile stability, and cleaner onboarding, rather than relying on a broadcast banner to do the work. Blockchain has raised user expectations around transaction history, settlement language, and the path from registration to the first live bet. The [sharper operators](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) keep bankroll movement, KYC steps, and in-play price changes readable while the ball is still moving.

## Stablecoins Enter the Contract Room

Formula 1 provided the clearest example on February 14, 2025, when Aston Martin Aramco announced it would pay Coinbase in USDC for the entire multi-year deal. The branding still matters: Fernando Alonso’s race suit, the AMR25 halo, and the rear-wing end plate all give Coinbase its camera time. But the sharper detail sits in the payment itself, because the sponsor was not just buying space on a fast car; it was putting stablecoin settlement inside a top-tier sports contract. That is where the promise gets tested. A finance team still has to deal with compliance reviews, tax treatment, and boardroom nerves before an on-chain payment feels as routine as a bank wire.

## Stadiums Become Wallet Funnels

Crypto.com Arena remains the bluntest American example: the former Staples Center took its new name on December 25, 2021, under a 20-year naming-rights deal for the downtown Los Angeles venue that housed the Lakers, Kings, Sparks, and, at the time, the Clippers. Formula 1 has taken a different path, using Crypto.com across the series and the Miami Grand Prix while leaning on repeated global exposure from Bahrain to Las Vegas. Another small detail from the F1 model is the placement discipline: trackside boards, podium backdrops, driver interviews, and social highlights all repeat the sponsor in slightly different viewing moments. Blockchain sponsors want those repeated entries because every touchpoint can push a fan toward a wallet, rewards page, or exchange account.

## The Phone Carries the Deal Home

The last impression is usually not on the shirt. It is on the phone, half an hour after the match, when the crowd has thinned outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the replay of Son Heung-min’s run is already moving through social feeds. A bettor checking the late La Liga line does not separate sponsorship, odds, and account access into neat boxes, so downloading Melbet (Arabic: [melbet تحميل](https://apk-melbet.com/ar-eg)) works better as part of that ordinary matchday drift than as a loud standalone prompt. The same lesson sits behind crypto wallet pushes after the Miami Grand Prix or UEFA Champions League nights: the scan has to feel useful before the fan reaches the station. If it feels like homework, it dies there.

## The Hard Part Starts After the Press Release

The launch day is the cheap part. A sleeve patch gets photographed, the executive quote goes out, and the hospitality guests know where to stand for the first reel. Then comes the part nobody can fake: settlement logs, wallet uptake, regulator questions, support tickets, and fans who delete any app that asks for too much before giving them anything back. Aston Martin-Coinbase has a cleaner spine because the USDC payment is baked into the deal itself; UEFA-Crypto.com has one because [Champions League inventory](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-read-champions-leagues-betting-charts/) repeats from September league-phase nights to the May final. The logo near the fourth official still earns its few seconds on camera, but those seconds are now only the receipt.
### I Bet on Bulgaria to Win Eurovision
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bet-eurovision-bulgaria/
Last updated: 2026-05-22T14:13:32.000Z
"Dad, the song we sent as Greece to Eurovision is really good. Usually, these kinds of songs win in this contest."

"Yeah, but you know," I told her, "Australia suddenly passed us in the odds today, while **Finland is the favorite**."

"Nah," she said, "those two won't win. But there was another song I liked. It's one that goes 'bangaranga' or something like that. I think it's Bulgaria."

That was the first time I had ever heard about Bulgaria's song in this year's Eurovision.

And on the day of the final, I decided to listen to 4–5 songs and check how the betting odds were moving.

> Something I used to do for many years when [I made a living from gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

💡

To listen to this letter with some extra flavor, [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/hvUjtbDihbA) or check out the episode on your favorite podcast platform.

## First Contact

Up until that moment, my only contact with Eurovision was during the livestream I did with my friend George on our Greek podcast.

Even then, I hadn't listened to any songs other than Akyla's. Although we talked about predictions and which countries we thought were most likely to win, we focused more on **the logic behind placing bets**.

The underlying rationale, that is, which I follow at least when choosing where to risk my money.

> And the truth is, this logic is very simple.

## Everything Is a Matter of Odds and Probability

So, during the live show, some listeners were asking in the comments which country I would pick. Generally, I avoided answering because I didn't want to give the wrong impression or have someone isolate my answer without context.

However, when they insisted on me giving three countries that I believed had a better "chance," I told them that it doesn't matter at all which ones I think might win. What matters much more is:

- how high the betting odds are, and
- what the psychology of the betting public shows.

And that is very easy to understand by **monitoring how betting odds shift**.

Just like I never cared about what exactly I was betting on back then—and didn't even know how some sports were played—in Eurovision, I didn't know how the voting worked or which songs were actually good.

But that didn't stop me from assessing Bulgaria's probability of winning Eurovision.

## Where Did I Find Bulgaria's Probability?

What is the probability of an event happening?

That is **the million-dollar question**. The only certain answer is when flipping a perfect coin. Heads or tails has a 50% probability.

How did I calculate Bulgaria's probability of winning?

> I simply looked at the betting odds.

In academic research and studies published by the world's leading betting companies, the true probability of an event tends to be the probability implied by the betting odds **right before the event starts**. Whether that event is a soccer match or a song contest, the "[closing odds](https://jimmakos.com/betting-charts-beat-closing-odds/)," as they are called, "reveal" the true probability.

> Essentially, it's the wisdom of the crowd that finds the true probability.

So, a few hours before the Eurovision grand final, Bulgaria's odds suddenly started dropping. This meant that its probability of winning was increasing.

So now, all I had to do was find odds that justified placing a bet.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Searches for ‘free blackjack’ are up 3%. Other table games should pay attention
URL: https://jimmakos.com/free-blackjack-searches/
Last updated: 2026-05-13T15:11:53.000Z
More than 3% lift in searches for “free blackjack” may not sound dramatic, but casino readers know that small search shifts often point to bigger changes in player behavior. Search is where intent first becomes visible. Before a player settles into a session, compares table formats, or moves across a casino lobby, there is usually a moment of low-risk curiosity.

For online casinos, “free blackjack” is not just a practice query but rather a clue about how players want to approach table games in 2026\. They want to test pace, understand flow, and get comfortable before committing to a longer session.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/05/google-trends-free-blackjack.png)

**Screenshot from* [**Google Trends*](https://trends.google.com/explore?q=free%20blackjack&date=today%201-y&geo=Worldwide)**, showing the growing trend in the keyword “free blackjack” globally, over the past 12 months.*

That matters beyond blackjack itself. When one table game starts pulling more search attention at the free-play stage, it can reveal a broader appetite for structured, skill-shaped casino play. Roulette, baccarat, and other table formats should notice that signal. The issue is not that they need to become blackjack. It is that they may need to borrow blackjack’s strongest discovery advantage: a clear path from casual interest to confident play. For online casino audiences, that path is where future table-game growth is often decided.

## **Why free-play interest matters so much in online casinos**

In online casinos, it is very easy to move from searching for a game to actually playing it. Free blackjack is important in this matter since it lets players try the game without risk. They can test:

- the lobby,
- the table layout,
- the speed of the game,
- and how easy the choices feel.

A free session also helps players understand the platform itself: how fast each hand ends, how clear the buttons are, how easy it is to switch tables, and whether the whole experience feels smooth enough to keep playing.

The deeper value appears here. For online casinos, the real hinge is [blackjack for real money people play](https://www.cafecasino.lv/casino/table-games/games-blackjack). Once they have used free play to learn timing and structure, the next step feels less like a leap and more like a continuation. The player already knows the screen, the hand rhythm, and the logic of the session. In other words, the early search did not just create interest in blackjack. It reduced uncertainty around the online casino experience itself.

The game of Blackjack people play for real money works especially well online because blackjack rewards repetition. Each hand teaches something small. Over time, that repetition builds confidence, and confidence is one of the most valuable forms of momentum a casino can create. A player who starts with free play can move into lower-stake tables, compare software-dealt and live formats, and extend session length without feeling rushed.

Other table games should pay attention because blackjack is showing what strong digital onboarding looks like. Online casino players respond well when a game gives them a sense of progress from the first session onward. Blackjack does that almost naturally. It combines familiarity, visible decisions, and a steady pace in a way that makes the move from search to session feel coherent. And perhaps that’s the reason why many internet users answered in favor of blackjack in this social media quiz-survey:

> [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/DLsRjqHqZFI/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading)
> 
> [A post shared by Cafe Casino (@cafecasinolv)](https://www.instagram.com/p/DLsRjqHqZFI/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading)

## **The wider table-game floor has a clear opening**

Recent market numbers make this topic more important.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/05/key-market-signals-table-games.png)

The main point is simple. Free blackjack is becoming more useful at a time when both online casinos and real casino floors still care about table games.

That creates a chance for other games too, like roulette and baccarat. They can learn from blackjack by making it easier for new players to start.

They can improve by offering:

- faster access,
- clearer game screens,
- easier rule comparisons,
- and smoother practice modes.

Blackjack may be getting attention first, but other table games can still learn from it. The lesson is simple: when people can try a game easily, they are more likely to come back and play again.

## **What this says about the next stage of casino discovery**

The next phase of this story is likely to be shaped by devices as much as by games. DataReportal’s [April 2025 global snapshot says](https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-april-global-statshot) there are now 5.81 billion mobile users worldwide, equal to 70.7% of the global population, and smartphones account for roughly 87% of handsets in use. Take a look at the image below for more details:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2026/05/data-reportal-mobile-users.png)

**Source:* [**DataReportal*](https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-april-global-statshot)

For casino audiences, that matters because table-game discovery is increasingly happening in short, mobile-led moments. A player may start with a quick practice session, return later for a live table, and only then settle into a longer routine. That pattern favors games with clean visual logic and immediate engagement. Blackjack has those traits in abundance, which helps explain why a rise in free-play search can matter more than the number itself first suggests.

### **Free blackjack search matters beyond traffic**

[AP recently reported](https://apnews.com/article/atlantic-city-gambling-revenue-internet-sports-betting-a8e19d9ba24ff2ea38e2923b207e22ed) a monthly internet gambling record of $213.6 million in one mature U.S. market. In that same report, James Plousis said, “These two accomplishments are emblematic of the importance of online gaming as a component of the evolving casino business.”

That line captures the bigger point. Free blackjack search demand is not just a content signal or a traffic signal. It is a casino-structure signal. It shows how players want to enter the table-game floor: with speed, clarity, and a chance to build comfort before extending their play. This game has long been a thematic anchor for many who put casino scenes in [filmmaking](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) as a symbolic feature but today, online gaming turns it into an entertainment activity.

### **The smoothest entry point shapes the whole journey**

Searches for “free blackjack” are not only about one familiar card game getting a little more attention. They are a reminder that in casinos, the smoothest entry point often shapes the whole table-game journey.
### Soft 18 Is Where Blackjack Stops Feeling Obvious
URL: https://jimmakos.com/soft-18-blackjack-stops-feeling-obvious/
Last updated: 2026-04-06T18:04:53.000Z
Soft 18 in blackjack often confuses players because it looks finished when it is not. You see an 18, your brain reads “safe,” and then the dealer’s upcard changes the decision. That is why this hand creates so much hesitation. A hard 18 is a made total. A soft 18 carries flexibility because the ace can fall back to 1, which means the hand can absorb another card without immediate danger. The number looks settled, but the hand is still alive.That tension matters because fast decisions tend to lean on pattern recognition, not slow calculation. Research on [decision-making under stress](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624000449) shows how pressure can narrow attention and make people default to the first interpretation. Soft 18 invites that mistake. The first interpretation is “I have 18, so I should stand.” The better interpretation is “I have a flexible 18, so the dealer’s card decides how active this hand should be.”

## Where the Hand Starts Making Sense

The fastest way to make soft 18 feel clearer is to stop treating it like a single rule and start treating it like a cluster. In many common [blackjack charts](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/), soft 18 presses against lower dealer cards, usually stands against 7 or 8, and turns into a hit against 9, 10, or ace. The exact detail can shift with table rules, but the mental picture stays useful. Soft 18 is not a “strong 18.” It is a flexible hand that asks whether the dealer looks weak enough to pressure, neutral enough to hold, or strong enough that improvement matters.If you want to see that pattern in a real blackjack setting instead of leaving it as a sentence on a page, one practical move is [to play blackjack online games](https://www.cafecasino.lv/casino/table-games/games-blackjack). This blackjack page brings together 8 real-money blackjack variations, including Classic Blackjack, Double Deck Blackjack, Single Deck Blackjack, and European Blackjack, and it also notes that players can test strategy before playing for real.That matters here because soft 18 is easier to learn through repeated comparisons than through one-off memorization. You can watch how the same total behaves against a dealer 6, then a dealer 8, then a dealer 10, and the hand starts to feel less like a trap and more like a pattern. The point is not speed for its own sake. The point is getting enough repetition that the decision stops feeling dramatic. Once the structure becomes familiar, you are not staring at “18” anymore. You are reading a flexible hand against a specific dealer story. That is the moment where playing blackjack online becomes useful as practice, not just exposure.You might also find this video on basic strategy useful. It uses soft 18 as a clear example of a hand people think they know until the pace picks up. The value of the video is that it shows how to turn a slippery rule into something you can recall under mild pressure, which is exactly the problem soft 18 tends to expose.

## Why Soft Hands Feel Harder Than Hard Totals

A hard total tells you what it is. A soft total tells you what it might become. That difference sounds small, but it changes how people think at the table. With a hard 18, the hand already feels complete. With soft 18, the same total contains two meanings at once: it is respectable, but it is also unfinished.Furthermore, soft 18 sits near several border decisions. Those are always the hardest hands to learn because one dealer card can move the correct play. The dealer’s 8 may invite patience, while the dealer’s 9 demands more activity. That shift can feel unfair when you are still learning, but it is also why the hand becomes memorable once it clicks. You are no longer memorizing an exception. You are learning to classify the dealer’s upcard into broad groups and react accordingly.

## The Real Fix Is Better Recall

Most players do not struggle with soft 18 because it is complicated. They struggle because recognition has not become automatic yet. A strategy chart can explain the rule, but the hand only becomes comfortable when your eyes stop freezing on the number 18 and start noticing the structure around it. That is why short bursts of focused repetition usually help more than trying to absorb an entire chart in one sitting. That matters at table pace.There is a useful broader lesson in that. Your skill is most likely to improve when practice sharpens your understanding, instead of you simply repeating the same answer mindlessly. An open-access study on [skill acquisition and repetition](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-015-0286-5) makes that point well: learning strengthens when practice forces cleaner recognition from one trial to the next. Soft 18 is a perfect blackjack example. Once you learn why 7, 8, 9, 10, and ace do not belong in the same mental bucket, the hand stops feeling tricky and starts feeling readable.
### How Modern Online Casinos Are Adding More Personal Touches
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-modern-online-casinos-adding-personal-touches/
Last updated: 2026-03-17T15:25:07.000Z
Online casinos once felt very static. Early versions were simple websites filled with rows of very simple games. Players logged in and picked something to play. That was usually the end of the experience. Some would say that the environment often felt anonymous and distant when online casinos were finding their feet.

Developers quickly worked out that digital platforms could offer something more engaging than just a list of games. Technology made it possible to add a lot of personal and small details that help players feel less like anonymous users when they log on to play. Plenty of online casinos now focus heavily on these personal touches. Interaction is a huge part of their end goal.

## Live Dealer Games Bring A Human Element

One of the biggest changes arrived with live dealer games. Many casinos now stream real tables from professional studios with games that exist alongside those with digital interfaces. Real dealers run the games while players watch through live video. People who [play live casino games online](https://www.cafecasino.lv/casino/live-dealer) will know that it can feel closer to the experience of visiting an in-person casino.

This small change has a surprisingly large impact on how the games feel. Watching a real person deal cards adds a sense of presence that animated graphics cannot easily match. The pace of the game also becomes more natural because the dealer controls the flow.

Many live tables also include chat features where players can communicate with the dealer or interact with others watching the same game. Even a simple greeting from a dealer can make the experience feel less distant.

Different tables often have their own atmosphere as well. Some dealers maintain a relaxed conversational style and some keep things more formal and focused. Players sometimes return to particular tables simply because they enjoy the personalities behind the game.

That human element is one of the reasons live dealer games have grown so quickly in recent years. People also take to social media to discuss these games and share stories and even tips about games like blackjack.

## Personal Game Recommendations

Another way casinos add a personal touch is through game recommendations. Large platforms may host hundreds or even thousands of games. It can feel overwhelming at first glance.

Modern systems now help organize those choices. By looking at the games someone plays most often, the platform can suggest similar titles. This works in a similar way to the science and algorithms behind other personalized [recommendations on platforms like Amazon](https://www.amazon.science/the-history-of-amazons-recommendation-algorithm).

A player who enjoys blackjack might see other table games appear in their recommendations. Someone who prefers slot games may discover new titles with similar themes or features.

These suggestions help players find games they might otherwise miss. The result feels closer to browsing a personalized entertainment library (like choosing a new Netflix show to watch) rather than scrolling through a long catalogue.

## Customized Bonuses And Promotions

Personalization also appears in how promotions are offered. Some casinos tailor bonuses to different types of players.

These customized promotions make the experience feel more relevant. These offers connect more directly to what the player actually enjoys. We’ve seen similar personalization on social media. It is one of the [big trends](https://jimmakos.com/social-media-trends-blog-update/) of the modern age.

## Profiles And Personal Identity

Online platforms increasingly allow players to personalize their accounts through profiles or avatars. This can help create a sense of identity within the casino environment.

Some platforms even track achievements or milestones. Completing certain challenges or reaching activity levels can unlock badges or titles within the account profile. 

These touches transform the casino space from a simple game library into something that feels closer to a community.

## Smarter Interfaces And Easier Navigation

Personal touches are not always obvious features. Sometimes they appear in the design of the platform itself.

Modern online casinos often remember favorite games and display them quickly on the homepage. A player who regularly returns to the same title might see it pinned in a personal section.

Search systems also adapt to make browsing easier. Instead of long scrolling pages, categories and filters allow players to narrow down the game list quickly.

This kind of design reduces friction. The experience becomes smoother because the platform learns which games matter most to each player. Stats strongly suggest that the UX interface[ makes a big difference](https://www.eleken.co/blog-posts/14-impressive-ux-statistics-to-prove-the-value-of-great-design) to the player experience.

## Seasonal Events And Themed Experiences

Many online casinos now host seasonal events or themed promotions. These can range from holiday tournaments to limited-time challenges built around specific games.

These events create moments where the platform feels alive and changing rather than static. New decorations or mini competitions can refresh the environment and encourage players to explore different games.

Online casinos want to feel less like automated systems and more like interactive environments. This is a way to build a more personal connection with their base of players.
### The Easiest Table Game To Learn Depends On Your Thinking Style
URL: https://jimmakos.com/easiest-table-game-learn-thinking-style/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T07:43:04.000Z
Most beginners stall because every table game looks “learnable” until you actually sit down. The shortest rules do not always feel easiest. What matters is mental load: how often you must decide, how fast the game moves, and how much you need to track at once. Pick your first game around that, and learning stops feeling like guesswork.

## The 3-Variable Fit Test

Use three variables to choose a starting point quickly. Decision density is how often you must actively choose an action, instead of placing a wager and waiting. Pace is how quickly those moments arrive. Information load is how much you track at once, like hand totals, optional side choices, or a multi-step round sequence. These variables explain why two “simple” games can feel completely different in real play, even if both are easy to explain. [The way you filter them](https://www.simplypsychology.org/mental-filtering.html) and your personal preferences have a big impact on how they feel to you.

To make the choice real, run a 10-minute micro-test. Set a timer, then play two quick rounds each of blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and craps. Track three notes: how many active choices you made, how rushed you felt, and how much mental space the game took while you waited. A consistent practice setting helps because you can reset quickly and compare feelings without extra friction. For example, this [table collection of online casino games](https://www.cafecasino.lv/casino/table-games) lets you open those four formats from one place and use Practice mode to play without wagering.

As you test, pay attention to where decisions cluster: blackjack asks you to choose actions in most hands, baccarat keeps choices minimal, roulette puts most thinking into your initial bet selection, and craps asks you to follow a round sequence. If your notes point to a clear favorite, repeat the same timer test inside online casino games on another day to confirm the fit.

Once you have a frontrunner, your next decision becomes practical: do you like the overall experience of practising there? That includes how easy it is to keep sessions smooth and what players tend to notice once they settle into a routine. If you want a quick example of that kind of feedback, this Instagram post shares a short testimonial that highlights payout speed and helpful customer support. This kind of thing can help you identify a platform that suits your needs and preferences.

> [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/DOqmqnWih%5Fm/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading)
> 
> [A post shared by Cafe Casino (@cafecasinolv)](https://www.instagram.com/p/DOqmqnWih%5Fm/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading)

## What Each Game Rewards

[Blackjack rewards attention](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/) and repetition. If you enjoy frequent choices and you like improving through small, consistent corrections, blackjack is a strong first focus.

Baccarat rewards calm consistency. If you prefer a low-decision rhythm where you can stay relaxed and simply follow the flow, baccarat often fits well as a first table game.

Roulette rewards restraint first, then personal style. Beginners do best when they pick one bet style and repeat it long enough to learn the cadence.

Craps rewards learning a sequence. If you enjoy momentum and you do not mind learning a round structure, craps can be a satisfying focus once the phases feel familiar.

## A 7-Day Focus Rule That Works

Overthinking returns when you keep switching games. The way out is a short commitment that gives your brain enough repetition to form patterns.

Pick the game that felt clearest in your micro-test and do one short Practice mode session per day for 7 days. Keep it small enough that you actually repeat it.

If you chose roulette, keep your bet style the same for the full week so you learn the game’s natural rhythm. If you chose baccarat, focus on staying consistent and noticing how calm the pace feels. If you chose craps, focus on learning the phase order of a round until the flow feels obvious.

At the end of 7 days, ask yourself a question: Does the game feel quieter in your head than it did on Day 1? If yes, keep going. If not, run the micro-test again and choose the next best fit.

## When Two Games Feel Tied

Break ties with another question: do you want to practise decisions or practise observation and [computational thinking](https://arxiv.org/html/2407.03860v1)?

If you want decisions, choose blackjack. If you want observation and a steady pace, choose baccarat. If you want flexibility from simple to detailed, choose roulette. If you want a structured sequence and lively tempo, choose craps.

You do not need a perfect pick. You need a first pick you can repeat. 10 minutes of testing plus 7 days of practice is enough to make the right next step obvious.

## Why Similar Rules Feel Different At The Table

Two games can have equally short rulebooks and still feel worlds apart because difficulty is largely about attention, not memorization. [Blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/) creates frequent decision points, so your brain stays engaged with every hand. Baccarat has a fixed drawing structure, so most of the mental effort is simply tracking what happened, not choosing actions. Roulette concentrates choices at the start of each round, then gives you downtime while the wheel resolves, which many beginners experience as calming. Craps runs in phases and uses shared table calls, so the challenge is following the sequence and the table language, even when the core bets are straightforward. This is why “easiest” is usually a match between pace and focus style, not raw rules alone.
### Data Analytics Drives Online Casino Industry Forward in Online Publishing Sphere
URL: https://jimmakos.com/data-analytics-online-casino-industry-online-publishing/
Last updated: 2026-01-05T12:29:35.000Z
Data analytics is quietly weaving itself through the online casino world, shaping decisions far away from the spotlight. What once felt like a static space, log in, play, log out, now moves and shifts in real time based on the trails users leave behind. Operators watch, listen, and learn from each bet and click. Instead of blind guesses, there's a map taking shape beneath every interaction, connecting personal preferences with site layouts, tailored offers, even the games themselves.

Gone are the days when gambling sites simply hosted games and waited. In 2024, both industry giants and smaller upstarts lean heavily on data, to hold their ground, to anticipate players' next moves, to keep up with a market that won’t stop evolving. Sites such as Betinia’s [online casino website](https://betinia.com/en/casino) demonstrate how contemporary operators invest in data-driven methods to enhance customer satisfaction and sustain business momentum.

## Analytics at the Core of Casino Operations

Sophisticated data use runs deep in this sector, but it isn't all futuristic dashboards and cold calculations. At its core, operators are parsing [real-time player actions](http://www.zigpoll.com/content/how-can-implementing-realtime-player-behavior-analytics-enhance-targeted-ingame-promotions-to-maximize-user-engagement-and-revenue), session frequency, favorite games, shifting budgets, often translating these patterns into quietly personal touches. Some players see different game suggestions pop up, others notice carefully timed messages or offers. All of this springs from layers of predictive models built on registration details and device habits that users may not think twice about. These aren’t just gimmicks.

Casual or returning players find fewer bumps and less friction, thanks to metrics flagging problematic lags or confusing layouts. Meanwhile, statistics about which games engage longest or which bonuses attract attention give product teams just enough feedback to adjust, sometimes overnight. For those running an, this loop of data and response powers not only drawing in new players but helps keep regulars around. There’s rarely a pause. Operators have learned to watch, tweak, and respond as quickly as trends appear or fade.

## Market Shifts and Future Directions 

While numbers splashed across industry reports hint at big things, Grand View Research cites $19.11 billion in 2024, with the market pace expected to double by 2030, the real story is quieter, rooted in strategic adaptation. The niche of casino data analytics alone is growing, with teams scrambling to wring clarity from a messy swell of numbers. Predictive tools now borrowed from tech giants help operators pick up on spikes in demand and push resources where players will be happiest.

Oddly, as the numbers in headlines grow more impressive, the business itself starts to feel almost intimate, knowing players deeply and moving resources moment by moment. Those willing to blend [AI, live data feeds, and analytics dashboards](https://jimmakos.com/resources/) aren’t just following a trend. They’re positioning themselves for the next twist, as each new wave of digital users brings even subtler expectations and habits.

## Data-Driven Evolution: New Directions and Tools

Fresh uses for analytics keep cropping up, nudging the sector in unexpected ways. AI now steers content recommendations and realigns marketing budgets mid-campaign if patterns shift. It’s an arms race of sorts, spotting sharper segments, testing new offers, seeing what resonates, then reallocating on the fly. Alongside this arms race comes a growing focus on privacy. It’s become clear that gathering insights can’t come at the expense of user trust, operators are responding by building systems that cut personal exposure but still surface valuable behavior signals.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain aren’t just payment options anymore, but sources of transparent, detailed activity logs, fodder for analytics teams but also peace of mind for wary customers. All of these tweaks and experiments add up. Markets shift, technology pushes forward, but whoever adapts quickest tends to pull ahead.

## Shaping Games and Security with Analytics

Game design has drifted far beyond pure creativity. It is now closely tied to data and constant observation. Developers sift through interaction logs to see what actually holds attention, and just as importantly, where interest starts to fade. Small adjustments follow. Tweaks, updates, quiet changes rolled out while teams watch closely to see what lands and what does not.

Away from the player’s view, analytics also act as an early warning system. Sudden spikes or strange patterns can flag cheating or fraud, allowing security teams to step in quickly and precisely rather than relying on blunt rules that frustrate everyone. The result feels less like occasional inspections and more like continuous fine-tuning. Gameplay stays smoother, and the wider community is better protected without most players ever noticing the work happening underneath.

### Responsible Gambling and Ongoing Oversight

As analytics grow more advanced, the balance between commercial goals and player care has become harder to manage. Operators now lean on data models to catch early signs of unhealthy behaviour, stepping in with guidance or limits before situations spiral. Profit still plays a role, obviously, but it now sits next to a stronger sense of responsibility than it once did. Ongoing oversight, grounded in solid data, helps keep the industry steady. It shows that progress in technology does not have to come at the expense of player well-being.
### Working as an Employee for the First and Only Time
URL: https://jimmakos.com/working-employee-first-only-time/
Last updated: 2025-12-29T20:33:25.000Z
The last time I worked as an employee was back in 1998 when I was 19 years old. It was also the first time I’d take the bus to get to work, have coworkers in an office, and most importantly, have bosses giving me a hard time for spending one extra minute in the bathroom.

So today, I’m going to talk about the stories from my first and last job as an employee at a telephone directory assistance center.

But mostly, I’ll talk about the lessons I learned during the three months I worked as a phone operator and how those lessons made me see life differently, leading me to take a few more risks and [do my own thing](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/).

> Because I don’t think I’d be where I am today if I had stayed an employee my whole life.

🎧 Listen to this newsletter as an audiobook on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/%5FixU%5FOBXlrA)!

## My Dream Life at 19

The period before I started the job at the call center was one of the best in my life.

At 19, I had already taken the university entrance exams once, gotten into the Technological Institute in Kavala, Greece, and was planning to take the exams again to [get into the Faculty of Engineering](https://jimmakos.com/dropped-out-of-university-25-years-ago/) in Thessaloniki, which had been my goal from the start.

Having decided to retake just two out of the four subjects back then, my only real job for that year was to focus on physics and chemistry. That meant about 4 to 5 hours a week in classes at a tutoring center, and maybe another 2 or 3 hours for homework. After that, every other hour of the week was completely mine.

> So yeah, you can tell I had a ton of free time back then.

My daily routine during that period consisted of going to the gym, playing video games, and hanging out with friends. I wasn’t learning any other foreign language since I’d already gotten my C2 proficiency certificate in English four years earlier, I wasn’t studying any art, and I definitely wasn’t working. Total slacker!

I sometimes wondered if I was living in a dream!

## Why I Suddenly Decided to Get a Job

It must have been around Christmas when my dad told me there was an opening to hire people at the call center where he worked.

“Are you interested?” he asked.

> Even today, I still don’t know what made me say *yes*.

It was probably because I truly felt I had way too much free time and wasn’t contributing much to the family, so it seemed like a chance to [make myself useful](https://jmks.co/beusefulbook). And then I thought that, at the very least, I’d make my parents somewhat proud to have a son who was finally going to work for the first time in his life.

It wasn’t about money. I didn’t need cash. My parents were providing everything for me.

I didn’t have any close friends working at the time that could have influenced me either. Maybe I also saw it as just an experience, since I knew the gig at that specific call center wouldn’t last more than three months.

So I told myself: go for it, and if you don’t like it, you’ll be out in three months anyway.

That’s pretty much how I started working for the *first* and, as it turned out, the **last time as an employee**.

## Answering My Very First Call

The first three days at the call center were training days.

Experienced operators, both men and women who had been working there for years, trained us on how to use the equipment, but mostly on how to handle customers over the phone. There wasn’t any specific book we had to read or a strict protocol to follow, other than a few standard opening lines we’d use when answering a call.

> “Hello, directory assistance, this is seat 313, how may I help you?”

Of course, all of that felt overwhelming to an introverted guy like me.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### I Dropped Out of University 25 Years Ago
URL: https://jimmakos.com/dropped-out-of-university-25-years-ago/
Last updated: 2025-12-19T17:44:56.000Z
I never regretted dropping out of university 25 years ago. That's what I've been saying lately to the people asking me if I should have gotten the chemical engineering degree. You know, to have a *backup* plan if things don't go well.

And the truth is, **a lot could have gone wrong** when you risk your future in one of the most uncertain and misunderstood fields out there: [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/)!

Now, more than two decades since I left the engineering classrooms and **having changed careers more than 4 times**, it's time for another change.

> And maybe **this one will be the last and the best.**

But I definitely don't plan on going back to university desks; the ones I first sat in at 19 years old.

🎧 Listen to this newsletter as an audiobook on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/nFo7QSs1NGI)!

## It Was Never My Dream to Become an Engineer

I remember back then, to get into university, in our senior year of high school we filled out the mechanografiko form. Basically, we declared which university department we'd like to get into.

It was March, about 4 to 5 months before taking the exams. So, **without even having any idea about our scores**, we had to declare the department and the corresponding city where we'd want to study.

At that time, I saw university as an extension of high school. Like gaining, let's say, essentially 4 to 5 or 6 years of carefree life.

Just like I was in school, that's how I'd be as a student. The allowance would come, my parents would support me, and it would be dolce vita for Jim.

> So, back then, I'd initially declared all the engineering departments across Greece.

My parents had oriented me more toward engineering – toward science in general, but specifically I thought it was obvious that the goal was Engineering.

During that period, everything piled up at once: I was filling out the mechanografiko, and at the same time my dad decided to buy me a car earlier than usual, because there were rumors about Greece devaluing the drachma, our currency before the Euro.

The plan was to buy me the car **when I got into university**.

In fact, my mother asked me:

"Hey, my boy, are you sure you'll keep going? Will you be able to study after getting the car? I don't want you to get distracted with the car, and not pay attention to the exams."

To which I said:

> "No, of course mom, obviously I'll stay focused on what I have to do."

Inside me, though, the only thing I was thinking was that as soon as the car arrives, I'd go crazy with joy. **No way I'd sit down to deal with the lessons.**

But from the moment I learned they'd buy me a car, and since it was a week before submitting the mechanografiko, I changed the schools I was declaring. I removed all the ones outside Thessaloniki, to save some expenses for my parents. I wouldn't want to get into another city and burden them financially with rent, since they had already spent on the car.

So, I declared only the schools in Thessaloniki. First the engineering ones and some lower-base ones, so if I didn't get into Engineering, I'd still get into some university class in my city.

And that's how I got into Chemical Engineering in Thessaloniki, *almost last*! For just about two points, I'd have gotten into Surveying Engineering instead of Chemical.

Once I'd gotten into the University and fulfilled my parents' dreams, life was pretty simple again. I just had to pass the courses. All expenses were covered, and my parents were happy.

But along the way, already from the first year, I began wondering if it was the right choice, and second thoughts started creeping in.

## The Student Life Felt Just Like High School All Over Again

Already from the first year as an Engineering student, the course schedule hit me right away: math, physics, chemistry were three of the 5-6 main courses that year. It really bothered me that I had another full year ahead exactly like senior year of high school.

The same subjects I'd studied one or two years earlier just to get in.

> These, again?

I was expecting new courses and a completely different life. Instead, I ended up with the same home-school, school-home routine. Only difference was I drove there now and didn't have as much studying.

At least until exams.

But it wasn't just the courses that turned me off.

It was also professors' attitudes and conversations with classmates. Through all that, I started doubting if I'd made the right choice following this path.

## The Visit That Made Me Question Everything

It wasn't one specific moment when I decided to drop out of the university. It was gradually, a buildup of experiences that led to it. Just at some point, I said to myself for the first time:

> "Probably, in the end, I won't finish it."

And as time passed, I got more and more sure I wouldn't get the degree.

One of the most impactful moments was when they took us to a cheese factory. There I came face-to-face with what a chemical engineer's job could look like. And I didn't like it at all.

Stench and working conditions were just like you imagine. It was a strong shock about what might be waiting for me if I got the degree.

I even discussed it with classmates on the bus ride back. They weren't as shocked as I was, but I remember sitting leaned against the window, looking at the school as we approached the building, thinking:

> "No way I'm doing this."

## I Looked at the Future – and Didn't Like What I Saw

Another conversation that discouraged me was about salaries in chemical engineering. Basically, how much we could make after finishing university.

We had professors talking about 2-3 thousand as starting salary. At the same time, other professors and engineers already working in factories told us about a thousand euros.

So we were hearing conflicting views and amounts that, personally, didn't satisfy me.

Many classmates saw going abroad as the solution. There, salaries supposedly started at 4,500 to 5,000\. Whether those numbers were true, I wasn't in a position to verify. Even today, I don't know if they hold up. But I had another problem.

> I didn't want to leave the country.

So I saw the whole thing as climbing a mountain. Gradually, more and more reasons piled up that would stop me from reaching graduation.

## Computers – and Money – Were My True Passion

When I finally decided for good to leave university, I'd already started making my own money. And actually more than I'd expect as a chemical engineer.

> Now I had no reason to go back.

While I was studying and hearing all these different stories, I started looking for ways to make my own money. But not the traditional way.

My path started with blackjack at casinos. There [I began counting cards](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/) and managed to win some money for almost a year before they banned me.

Now I would have to start visiting casinos abroad if I wanted to continue as a professional blackjack player, as a [pro gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/). Which of course I didn't want.

So I went back to university until I found something else, got my thesis done, but still had 20 to 22 courses left. I hadn't fully dropped it yet.

On the other hand, **I'd seen what's out there** and how much money you can make. So my mind was on trying other things while I still had time.

While studying and doing my thesis, I got into betting. Searching like crazy for something that worked, I stumbled on [trading betting odds](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/).

After 2-3 years as a sports trader and having made even more than from casinos, I'd figured out by then that I wouldn't go back. But I needed that final push. And it didn't take long!

One time I went to renew my student ID. There in the department hallway, the professor in charge of my studies ran into me. The one I'd done my thesis with years earlier. I hadn't seen him in ages.

> "What's up Jim? You're still here? What are you doing, either finish it or leave."

So simple! And I left! Just like that, thanks to him!

But my betting strategy started not paying off anymore shortly after. Then came the [poker era](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). Same story there. I was winning until I wasn't.

And from poker, [I moved to websites](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/). Blogging, SEO, display ads, and building a career around the business model of writing useful stuff and monetizing traffic.

Websites were more my thing. I'd always wanted to get into computers.

When I filled out the mechanografiko to take university exams, my first choice was Electrical and Computer Engineering, not Chemical. It was, after all, the top department in Engineering in terms of prestige and scores. The hardest to get into.

But when I saw friends studying there, I realized very few got into computers the way I imagined. Most I know ended up in energy, production and transfer of it, or renewables.

So maybe I wouldn't have finished even if I studied there.

## I Never Had Doubts About My Decision

Adjusting as a university dropout after finally leaving was easy. And that's because as long as you have income, you don't have second thoughts.

The problem comes when the money tap tightens, when revenue drops and things get tough professionally. Like now with my websites, [which had a 75% drop in traffic](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/) and consequently in ad revenue.

> Of course, I've been here before.

Blackjack, betting, poker – all ended for me at some point. And those periods are the hardest.

You start doubting your decisions.

You look for mistakes that maybe weren't even made. You might even regret getting comfortable in the comfort zone you'd created – [working from home alone](https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home/), not answering to anyone.

But regret university? I never did. I'm sure I wouldn't have been happy following it. I'd end up doing something that didn't fulfill me and constantly wondering "what if..."

> I'm a lone wolf type.

I want to do my own things, rely only on my own strength and skills. That's why everything I tried was individual – I never built a team or joined one. That's why I prefer individual sports like swimming and tennis, where my success doesn't depend on teammates.

I never thought "maybe I should have gotten the degree." Not once, even in tough times. Of course now in the hard times, everyone jumps at the chance to remind me. But when everything was running smoothly, no one ever asked.

## The Life I Lived – Not the One I Didn't

First off, if I hadn't dropped out of university, I wouldn't have found all the things I've found now. And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gone through some moments of absolute happiness – amazing moments that I lived through the things I got into.

I think the happiness and that feeling of success I've experienced a few times wouldn't have come my way on that other path.

Of course, that's a big statement – don't bite off more than you can chew, as they say. Maybe there too I would've felt successful at some point, depending on what I might have achieved as a chemical engineer.

All that aside, I know I've been happy for a really long time with my decisions.

I have complete freedom to do whatever I want. For 20-25 years now, my schedule is whatever I decide. I wake up without an alarm, just from the excitement I have to get up in the morning and dive into what truly fulfills me. What truly excites me.

> I doubt I'd have that as a chemical engineer.

Not saying chemical engineers can't have those moments. I just believe that I wouldn't have with my personality.

So I think I chose a path that gave me things I couldn't have had if I had finished university. And it's given me moments that are truly unforgettable.

## I Didn't Know Why Dropping University Was So Easy for Me – Until This Week

Not finishing university upset my parents quite a bit, I imagine. If I were in their shoes, I'd have been upset, seeing my kid put in all that effort, investing money and time to achieve those things and in the end watching them tear down everything they'd built for so long.

> Spilling the milk bucket, as they say.

But I think they're the only ones who were really upset. I don't think anyone else paid much attention to my decision.

For sure my mother was looking forward to hanging the chemical engineering diploma on the wall. Right above my room door, where she's left space next to the school awards, the parade photos I was in, the prizes I won... does any of that stuff have a point, really?

But personally, I don't think I paid any heavy price for what I did.

The most interesting part is something else: how easily I decided to leave university, while how hard it was for me to move from one line of work to another.

> How hard it was when the time came to look for something else.

- Like when I stopped blackjack, because [they kicked me out of the casino](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/).
- Betting, when suddenly my strategy wasn't working anymore.
- Poker, when the online companies left and stopped accepting players from Greece. [Poker was dead](https://jimmakos.com/poker-is-dead/) for me.

And I discussed this recently with friends. I told them: "Look at this, how easily I decided not to finish university, but how hard it was when the moments came that I had to quit what I enjoyed doing."

I loved playing blackjack in casinos. But the moment came when I told myself: "Man, I can't play here, now what? How do I chase this dream? I have to do this. Yeah, I know there's money there, but how do I play more? You have to do this, you have to do that. Jim, make a decision. No, I can't do it anymore, let’s find something else."

**That was way harder** than leaving university.

Then with betting: I saw my strategy not working, slowly losing when I'd been winning every day, feeling others were faster than me. The moment came to say, "You know, you can't win anymore. Accept the defeat."

Same with poker: really bad variance, math not holding up, [probabilities not working](https://jimmakos.com/life-is-a-videogame/) as well as they should, [my game had gone bad](https://jimmakos.com/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/) and I was making mistakes.

> Had to say "that's it, poker over."

All those hours you've put in, books you've read, videos you've watched, time you've dedicated. It’s all over, time to throw the towel, leave it behind, and go find something else.

It’s a similar thing about now, with everything I did with websites. I learned how to make money from websites, executed the ideas, got the sites to a good place.

Now the world is changing. AI is coming and I have to change with it. Like before, when the games changed, I had to change too.

> Adapt or die.

This is a much harder decision, for me at least, than deciding to leave university.

And when I discussed this the other day with friends, guys and girls, they said:

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Why I No Longer Pay for Expedited Shipping on Amazon
URL: https://jimmakos.com/why-i-no-longer-pay-for-amazon-expedited-shipping/
Last updated: 2025-12-19T17:10:59.000Z
Back in the day, every Amazon order felt like a celebration: I’d hit “buy” before noon, and the very next day at exactly 3 p.m., the intercom would buzz.

> “Mr. Jim, UPS here—a package for you.”

I’d gotten to the point where **I’d ask the delivery guy about his wife and the baby**. That’s how *often* he showed up.

I didn’t mind dropping an extra 25-30€ on expedited shipping.

> That’s what my impatience cost me.

This year, late November, I decided—for the first time in years—to order with standard, free shipping. It was just some filters I put in front of [my camera lenses](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) because the one I had broke. Nothing urgent.

“It’ll take a week, maybe ten days,” I thought.

> “I’m not in a hurry.”

I never imagined that one little click would turn into a journey of anxiety, phone calls to the Greek postal service, an AI reading me the exact same thing I was already seeing on my screen, and a package that got “stuck” for 4 days in Athens.

When I finally got it, I realized the 25€ I saved wasn’t just money. It was proof that it was never worth paying in the first place.

🎧 Listen to this newsletter as an audiobook on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/JJ28FJiV0bE)!

## How I Ended Up Knowing My UPS Driver Personally

For years, I ordered from Amazon with fast shipping simply because **I couldn’t wait**.

I was so impatient to get my package as quickly as possible that I’d end up paying an extra 25-30€ on every single order.

Sure, I’d always find good deals on the products themselves, but as long as my finances allowed it, I didn’t mind getting the order in two days at most—and most of the time, it arrived the very next day.🚅

[Jim Makos (@jimmakoscom) on ThreadsI must be in a lucky streak. Can’t explain it any other way. I was waiting for a package from the post office, but I completely zoned out and hopped in the shower and shave. Something I NEVER do when a delivery’s coming, just in case I miss it. Luckily I remembered right after I finished, otherwise I’d have jumped out of the tub. And literally the second I put on aftershave the intercom buzzes. The delivery guy! Perfect timing. Yes, I get ridiculously excited about these little life wins.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/icon/Pcnemah90K8-8.png)Threads![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/thumbnail/584377261_17931447039134574_8944144631186617036_n.jpg)](https://www.threads.com/@jimmakoscom/post/DRPJYWHCf9w)

In fact, during the golden days when my online business was doing really well, the UPS driver had gotten to know me. He’d show up at my house all the time, especially during sale periods like [Black Friday](https://jimmakos.com/4-smart-black-friday-purchases-thanks-to-budgeting/). The intercom would ring, and he wouldn't even use my surname:

> “Mr. Jim, UPS here—a package for you.”

Eventually, I learned his wife was pregnant, then a while later that she’d given birth, and whenever I saw him after that, I’d ask how the family was doing. We developed a real sense of familiarity.

## After Years, I Finally Chose Standard Shipping on Amazon

This year, late November—sale season again—I decided to order some filters I needed for my cameras after one of them had an accident that broke a filter.

After months of not spending any money, I finally decided to loosen the purse strings and ordered the specific filters I’d had in my Amazon cart for months, ever since the one broke [while I was on the island of Skyros](https://jimmakos.com/traveling-to-greek-island-skyros-in-2020/).

That cart trick helps me track prices and know if a deal is actually worth it. I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this.

But this time, for the first time in years, I chose standard shipping instead of expedited.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### I Created Content Every Day for a Month
URL: https://jimmakos.com/created-content-every-day-for-a-month/
Last updated: 2025-12-12T07:24:45.000Z
> “Creating content isn’t a real job.”

That’s what I heard once while sitting in a café with friends. The conversation was about content creators—the “influencers,” as most people usually call them.

“But is that even a job?” they kept going.

> “Come on, I could just go out there showing off clothes or how I spent my vacation.”

For me, someone who probably lives more on the internet than in real life, it seemed like a completely normal job.

In fact, I knew it wasn’t easy to [create content](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/) if you wanted to take it seriously and expose yourself 10 times a day to people who live to peek into others’ lives through the keyhole.

[Jim Makos (@jimmakoscom) on Threads“That’s contradictory,” they told me today. “You’ve chosen the thing with the biggest exposure, even though you don’t want anyone around, that you want to be alone all day.’ They were talking about me putting myself out there on social media. For me, exposure isn’t new. I’ve been writing publicly on websites for 20 years now. I first showed up on YouTube around 2010\. Yes, I want to be alone. But I also want to feel creative. And I want to talk to people who are like me. ❤️ internet![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/icon/Pcnemah90K8-4.png)Threads![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/thumbnail/587206999_17932198722134574_3217734787393996305_n.jpg)](https://www.threads.com/@jimmakoscom/post/DRhuWF0CYDv)

That didn’t scare me, though. What scared me was that I’d have to do everything perfectly before deciding to put myself out there.

So instead of letting a few more years pass while drowning in overthinking, the switch flipped, and I started. Not timidly—with full force. And I completed a month with over 100 pieces of content uploaded across 5-6 platforms!

🎧 Listen to this newsletter as an audiobook on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/rHMehbmO8uo)!

## The Day I Started Writing Online Every Day

![notion-content-creation-ideas-posts](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/notion-content-creation-ideas-posts.jpg)

November for a solo entrepreneur who decided to go all-in on content.

I remember it was October 26, my name day, when I began writing every day on social media. I thought that if I managed to post something every day, I’d always remember the day I started.

I also remember [Casey Neistat’s vlog](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTHOlLMWEwVy52FUngq91krMkQDQBagYw), which was the reason I started taking YouTube more seriously back in 2015\. He started his vlog on his birthday. Ever since then, inspired by him, I’d thought, *what a great idea to start something on a meaningful day*.

So I always had it in mind to start something on my name day or birthday—or any day that felt special, not just some random day.

Of course, I didn’t think I was “starting” something when I hit the button to post my first message that day, simply because it wasn’t my first social media post ever.

> Inspiration usually comes at an unexpected moment.

That day, I just felt like [writing something](https://jimmakos.com/writing/) and sharing it into the abyss of social networks, the way I’d occasionally done before.

It just happened that I loved the speed at which I shared a few thoughts, and by the end of the day, the idea crossed my mind: “Hmm, let’s try this again tomorrow.” **And I got hooked!**

It wasn’t like I forced myself out of my comfort zone. It happened completely spontaneously on a Sunday that just wasn’t an *ordinary* Sunday.

## Social Media Won Me Over Instead of Writing on My Blog

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/Social-Media-Won-Me-Over-Instead-of-Writing-on-My-Blog.jpg)

Realizing that yesterday marked exactly one month of writing online every single day.

I’d always wanted to write more often, wherever that might be. So social media became the place where I could share something quickly.

> Write something and have it travel the world *immediately*.

Of course, social media is rented land, as we say. You never know when they might pull the plug, and all your effort goes to waste.

With that in mind, my goal was to write on my own personal website. But there, I didn’t want to post *just a simple text*—a paragraph, a random thought that popped into my head.

I wanted to add images, choose catchy headings, make it SEO-friendly, add links, and format the text with **bold** and *italics*.

All of that stopped me from sharing a thought when it came. I wanted it to be perfect, or at least not something as rough as a post on X or Threads.

[Jim Makos (@jimmakoscom) on ThreadsTrying not to be so hard on myself. I just realized that yesterday marked exactly one month of writing online every single day. Yesterday. Not today. I don’t put that much weight on these things. Yeah, it’s a tiny win, a little achievement, but the real win is that I’ve found something I actually enjoy doing. And if I missed a day? The world wouldn’t end. If I had a little shop and closed one day because I was sick, would I go “oh no, I broke my streak”? It’s all part of the game.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/icon/Pcnemah90K8-5.png)Threads![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/thumbnail/591165510_17932273209134574_7142672039743736258_n.jpg)](https://www.threads.com/@jimmakoscom/post/DRjyRliERBX)

On those platforms, I could write even a single sentence and send it out into the internet. **On my blog, that felt impossible**. Or at least I didn’t like it—though of course I *could* have written a one-sentence post.

But I wouldn’t be happy ending up [with a blog](https://jimmakos.com/) full of mini-posts.

## The Beginning Is Half the Battle

From the very first day, I shared five thoughts—five ideas—on X and Threads. And it felt fantastic!

Every time I finished one, I told myself: “See, it wasn’t hard—let’s do the next.”

I felt incredible freedom turning all the ideas I’d saved as drafts over the previous years into published content. With **over 400 thoughts** waiting to be posted, I knew I wasn’t short on ideas to create content.

My problem was that I overthought how to share them, why to do it, and what the ideal, most efficient way would be to maximize every detail. That kept me from being consistent about writing online and sharing ideas sporadically—ideas I truly couldn’t keep inside.

By the end of that first day, I remember sitting there proudly looking at my five posts.

And then I did something completely new for me.

> I started scheduling the next day’s posts!

That alone felt like it would be enough to keep me going. It would be a shame not to stick with it now that I’d found something that worked.

## My Ideas Weren’t Reaching Far Enough

Once I got into the groove of posting my ideas daily on X and Threads, I had time to add more social platforms to my workflow. Where it used to take me an hour to prepare and schedule six posts in a day, now it took half that time—so I wanted to use the extra time to amplify my “voice” even more.

The question now was:

> Which platform offered the most leverage?

Clearly, [YouTube](http://jmks.co/youtube).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/filming-youtube-content-creator.jpg)

But YouTube is much more focused on *video* than text. Still, since it’s one of the two core hubs for everything I create online (along with my blog), I wanted to make the most of it.

So I first started cross-posting anything with an image from the other platforms to YouTube. Now my YouTube channel would have daily content in post format, Shorts, and long-form content like podcasts, vlogs, and mini-documentaries on my English channel.

[Post van Jim MakosBuilding a newsletter and podcast episode at the same time. - Left: the script I read for the podcast - Middle: cutting the video - Right: my blog While I’m…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/icon/favicon_144x144.png)YouTubeJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/thumbnail/u0Am0yFSCjyKhoFhjSM3HrCFq-pMc-6aYJ9mvc57UyOCtVV4g0XgCMyQTBlDc96y2ImX1pls0sqT-s1080-c-fcrop64-1-38000000c7ffffff-nd-v1)](https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxGcd8CTfAZudMkFA9AWCJcAraH63xR2-a)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that everything I create on my English channels, **I upload exactly the same content in Greek**! But that’s a topic for another episode.

Next, I added Facebook (where quite a few people follow me), Instagram, and finally TikTok to my cross-posting workflow. Those are mostly channels where I repurpose content—pieces from what I’ve already posted elsewhere. My original thoughts, where I always start writing ideas from scratch, are X and Threads, since they’re the most text-focused platforms.

## The Worst Social Media Platform

When I decided to share my YouTube Shorts as Reels on Instagram and TikTok, I knew it would add a lot of extra work.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### I Saved Money Without Cutting Out Coffee!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/easy-hacks-rich-cutting-coffee/
Last updated: 2025-12-08T20:07:41.000Z
I’ve never drunk coffee in my life. And *yet* I’ve lived and managed to reach 46! So yeah, *it’s possible*!

Joking aside, I get that coffee is a daily expense for most people. And it’s the first thing they tell you to cut if you want to get rich in life.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/easy-hacks-rich-cutting-coffee.png)

But **what does “rich” really mean**, and how much money can you actually save? Is coffee the *only* sacrifice we need to make to get out of our comfort zone?

> Are we all just *lazy* and prefer the easy fixes?

And finally, is switching to hot cocoa instead of coffee the secret to success that will guarantee me a pension when I’m old?

Let’s dive into all that in [today’s letter](https://jimmakos.com/letters/) where coffee… gets the spotlight!

Listen to this newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/LpJ22V%5F%5FjgY)!

## Get Rich by Quitting Coffee and Other Fairy Tales 🤦‍♂️

I’ve noticed **a lot of buzz lately** in the Greek YouTube space (and beyond) about financial influencers. Suddenly, everywhere I look online, I see discussions about the “fairy tales” these “experts” are selling, especially on YouTube.

To my surprise, one fairy tale that everybody’s mocking is: “Quit coffee and in X years you’ll have saved Z amount and you’ll be [set for life](https://jimmakos.com/financial-freedom-project/).”

I didn’t realize this advice had become *so widespread*. I’d heard it here and there from friends over the years, but I thought they were mostly kidding.

[Jim Makos (@jimmakoscom) on ThreadsGet rich by skipping coffee! 🤦‍♂️ I’ve been seeing a ton of noise lately about financial influencers in Greece. Everywhere I look online (especially on YouTube), people are tearing into the “fairy tales” these “experts” keep pushing. To my surprise, the one story getting the most hate is the classic: “Skip your daily coffee and in X years you’ll have saved Y amount, then the sky’s the limit.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/icon/Pcnemah90K8-3.png)Threads![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/thumbnail/591144975_17933035869134574_6894833079255035486_n.jpg)](https://www.threads.com/@jimmakoscom/post/DR2LD4QESk2)

My take on it is this:

> It’s way easier for someone to cut a small pleasure, a tiny daily expense, than to get off their butt and earn more.

Who’s out there burning the midnight oil figuring out how to make more money?

It’s obviously **much easier to skip that takeaway coffee in the morning**. Sure, you can only cut expenses down to a certain point, while there’s literally no ceiling on how much you can earn.

And humans always pick the path of least resistance, **with the least friction**. It’s not bad. It’s just *human nature*.

Plus, who doesn’t love being told they’re already doing the right thing? All of us.

**That’s why people love the “quit coffee and get rich” fairy tale**. Because it validates the easy choice they’ve already made.

At least that’s what I think. 🤷

## How Much Spendthrift Can You Be When You Still Live With Your Parents?

My mindset has always been to earn more money instead of obsessing over cutting costs.

Ever since I got that lesson from my dad, [which I talked about in a previous episode](https://jimmakos.com/life-is-a-videogame/), I understood the goal should be **to make money.**

Not necessarily insane amounts, but at least to focus on growing my capital instead of shrinking my expenses.

After all, when you’re young and still fully dependent on your parents, how much could you even save?

From an early age, I realized that [to become independent](https://jimmakos.com/financial-independence/), I needed to focus on increasing my income, not on cutting the (very few) expenses I had while living with my parents!

## To Get Rich, I Quit Peinirli-with-Egg Instead of Coffee

I’ve been following some personal-finance creators on YouTube (mostly English-speaking ones) for years.

I’ve learned a ton, especially about investing in real estate, which I obviously didn’t know before. Pretty much everything I know I learned from the internet over the last 30 years I’ve been online.

So yeah, I listen to what all these people have to say behind the screen. I listen to everything and everyone. But definitely *not unfiltered*.

One of the big mantras in [personal finance](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/) is to **cut your expenses as much as humanly possible**.

I don’t think that’s necessarily bad, because without saving, how are you going to have money to invest in the first place?

I get the concept of saving, but I never really noticed the specific “quit coffee to start saving” thing. Probably because I’ve never drunk coffee, so that advice never hit home.

But I definitely noticed other equivalent daily habits I had, and if I cut them I could boost my savings.

For example, I used to have a peinirli with egg for breakfast. Back in March 2024, I swore to myself that I’ll only buy it again [once my online business is back on its feet](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/). *Still* keeping that promise.

## Humans Always Choose the Easy Path

I know from myself that humans always choose the path of least resistance.

I constantly face challenges where my first thought is always to follow the easiest, least painful way out. Obviously, like everyone else, the last thing I want is to cause myself pain; physical or mental.

> Yet I also know that only pain leads to big achievements.

For example, I spent years of my life in gyms and swimming pools. I was pretty athletic as a teen and in my early 20s.

I remember the pain I had to go through at the gym to bulk up. I was 75 kg and wanted broader shoulders and a wider back.

**No pain, no gain**, they say, and they’re *not wrong*.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### A Reputation I’ll Regret Forever
URL: https://jimmakos.com/a-reputation-to-regret-forever/
Last updated: 2025-12-04T13:00:02.000Z
A lot of people want to become known, to get fame and glory.

But fame has one very special characteristic compared to other things, like [health](https://jimmakos.com/tag/mental-health/), power, or money.

> Fame is something that once you get it, you can **never** get rid of it!

I say this all the time to my daughter who wants to become a pop idol and YouTuber when she grows up.

“If you become famous and then it starts bothering you that people recognize you everywhere and you can’t live a normal life like everyone else, you’ll never be able to go back to where you started,” I tell her — not to scare her, of course, but so she’s aware of a danger she probably can’t fully understand yet.

But me, [her 46-year-old dad](https://jimmakos.com/working-from-home-with-family/), I’ve been trying to get a little bit of fame lately — something I never wanted in my entire life. The reason? Because with artificial intelligence, very soon it’s going to be extremely hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. And the easiest way to know something is real on the internet will be to **recognize the human face** talking to you on the screen.

In other words:

> We’ll trust a familiar face much more easily.

So, with the goal of building my [personal brand](https://jimmakos.com/personal-branding-in-recession/) (as they call it), I’ve changed my social media bios and my blog description countless times. Who I am and what I do.

After tons of thinking, worrying, and experimenting, I even ended up asking my daughter. And one of the answers she gave me was so disarming that it made me rethink my priorities. But most importantly, **what the heck I’m actually doing on the internet!**

🎧

Listen to this newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/1ih4H9BXQvM)!

## Who Actually Knows Why They’re on the Internet?

It’s been a while since I started working on my Greek blog again. I put a new [Ghost](https://jmks.co/ghost) theme, translated some of my big English articles with AI, and generally spruced it up a bit.

But the homepage had one problem. A big problem that every website that wants to sell something or keep the visitor on the page has. Which is, after all, **the whole point of having a website**.

There were two lines of text that **I** had to write.

You’ll say, “Just two lines and you got stuck?” And yet!

> I was thinking about it for weeks.

Because those two lines define what the %#@& I’m doing on the internet!

## I’m Jim and…

That’s how the first line starts on my blog. The question is **what comes after the “and”**!

It looks simple, but it’s anything but *simple*! I’m telling you, weeks — maybe months — I’ve been thinking about it.

And it’s not *just* the first line.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Casino Games That Work Well for Streaming
URL: https://jimmakos.com/casino-games-work-well-for-streaming/
Last updated: 2025-12-04T06:43:06.000Z
Streaming has changed how people experience games of every kind. A decade ago, most viewers stuck with esports or story-heavy console titles. Now streaming platforms feel more like open stages where anything can appear. Casino games slipped into that space with surprising speed. They offer bright visuals. Clear rules. Fast rounds. This makes them easy to follow even when someone drops into a stream halfway through a session. Viewers do not need long guides or deep lore to understand what is happening. The action speaks for itself.

## Roulette Takes Center Stage

Roulette sits near the top of the list when people talk about casino games made for streaming. The wheel looks good and simple to follow on camera. The rhythm of each spin feels natural for a viewer. The game moves at a steady pace without long breaks. That helps keep attention high in a streaming format where constant motion matters. A streamer can explain the bets before each spin and give a quick sense of what the round will look like. The result plays out in one smooth moment as the ball drops into a pocket.

Roulette also works well because the action comes in waves. Each spin feels like a fresh start. There is no need to track a complicated board or follow many steps. The simplicity builds a bond between streamer and viewer. People sit and wait for the wheel to stop. They react together when the winning number appears. That shared moment drives the appeal.

Some streamers even use variations of roulette with colors and bonus rounds. A look at the [Roulette Games Cafe Casino](https://www.cafecasino.lv/casino/table-games/roulette-games) offers shows that there are loads of different ways of playing and variations within those games now. Many add a small twist without burying the familiar feel of the game. The design stays simple. The outcome stays clear.

## Other Strong Streaming Picks

Blackjack stands close behind roulette in popularity. The game gives viewers a sense of control. They can follow decisions in real time and think about what they might do in the same spot. The back-and-forth between dealer and player feels lively on camera. Each card revealed changes the whole shape of a round. Blackjack also has a smooth flow. Quick decisions. A clear goal. The hand ends, and a new one begins. This pacing helps a stream stay bright and easy to watch.

Slots also found a huge home online and [continue to be popular](https://twitchtracker.com/games/498566). In fact, slot streams helped some channels grow faster than anyone expected. Visuals drive a big part of the appeal. Modern slots look bold with animated reels and theme-based sound design. Viewers can drop in for a single spin or stay for a long run. The streamer reacts to each outcome, and the chat reacts with them. 

Baccarat has also gained traction. The game runs with a clean structure and steady rhythm. It often suits streamers who prefer quieter shows with relaxed commentary. People who enjoy clear-cut outcomes and quick rounds tend to like baccarat streams.

The list keeps growing. Casino platforms release new games all the time, and this means streamers can mix up their content. Crash games. Dice games. Card games with new mechanics. The variety pushes streamers to try new formats and gives viewers a regular supply of fresh action.

## Why Casino Games Fit Streaming Culture

Streaming thrives on reaction and connection. Casino games make that easy. They deliver small moments of tension followed by clear outcomes. Streamers can talk while they play. They can respond to chat with little breaks between rounds.

Another part of the picture is how big platforms shaped the culture. Twitch drew millions of people who wanted to watch games rather than play them. That opened the door for more niche content. Casino streams fit neatly into that shift. They turned into a comfortable background view for people who enjoy bright visuals and simple rounds. Some viewers tune in to learn how a game works. Others just want to relax with a steady flow of action.

## A Market Packed With Choice

One of the biggest reasons casino streaming works today is the size of the modern catalog. Players and streamers have access to thousands of games. Themes shift from fantasy to sci-fi to simple fruit reels. Table games appear in many formats. Live dealer rooms replicate real casino tables. The variety gives streamers endless control over their style. Some focus on table games with a calm vibe. Others build shows around flashy slot play and strong reactions.

Developers push for new ideas all the time, which means the streaming scene keeps shaping itself. Viewers want color and clear action. Developers want games that hold attention. Both sides end up feeding each other. It is a cycle that keeps the niche alive.

## Streaming and Casino Games Grow Together

Streaming changed the relationship people have with games. Casino titles joined that shift and carved out a solid place. Roulette leads the way with its clean format and sharp visual flow. [Blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/) and baccarat offer strategy and a steady pace. Slots bring bright worlds and animated reels. Together, they build a space where viewers can sink into simple action without feeling lost.

The growth of platforms like Twitch and YouTube only pushed this further. Streamers found a style that works. Viewers found something easy to enjoy. And developers found an audience that responds well to bold ideas. Some studies find that people watch [for over an hour of streaming each day](https://www.gwi.com/blog/streaming-trends-and-stats). It shows how much it has become part of culture.
### 4 Smart Black Friday Purchases I Made Thanks to Budgeting
URL: https://jimmakos.com/4-smart-black-friday-purchases-thanks-to-budgeting/
Last updated: 2025-12-01T16:08:38.000Z
Black Friday week is the toughest time for me to win the *no-buy challenge*. The challenge of trying not to spend any money for as long as possible.

> It’s not that I *want* to spend money.

It’s that during the week of the supposedly huge sales, there are services and products I actually need for work and personal life, and I want to take advantage of the (relatively) low prices.

> But it’s quite easy to get carried away and end up buying something I don’t really need.

Sure, you can probably resist buying another TV when you already have one. But what happens when annual subscriptions I was planning to cancel come up for renewal exactly during these days, and I end up paying for another full year of something I know I won’t even use?

The solution to this problem is called [**budgeting**](https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/). It wasn’t invented for this exact purpose, but it’s yet another advantage of knowing exactly how much I spend and on what. And since I’ve been budgeting for 10 straight years without missing a single day, I know down to the cent what Office 365, Adobe, WPX and the shoes I destroy [walking 8–15 kilometres a day](https://jimmakos.com/dont-give-up-walking/) actually cost me.

And those are exactly the things I spent money on this Black Friday.

🎧

Listen to this newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://jmks.co/youtube)!

## The open secret of Adobe users

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/4-smart-black-friday-purchases-thanks-to-budgeting-2.jpeg)

For the past 10 years, right around Black Friday, I renew my Adobe subscription. The full Creative Cloud suite that includes everything from Photoshop and Lightroom to Acrobat and Premiere Pro. It’s not that I’m waiting for Black Friday deals, though.

I honestly *couldn’t care less* about them.

Because one day before my annual plan expires (and the monthly price jumps from $29.99 to $69.99), I go in and **“cancel” the subscription.**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/The-open-secret-of-Adobe-users-2.png)

Except it doesn’t actually cancel. Adobe immediately counters with another full year at the exact same price.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### My Biggest Fear About Getting Old
URL: https://jimmakos.com/biggest-fear-getting-old/
Last updated: 2025-11-27T16:19:36.000Z
I often see old people sitting on their narrow balconies, staring at the wall across the street or the road below.

That image *really* bums me out.

But what would bum me out even more is seeing **myself** like that one day. So years ago, I made a promise to myself: **I’m not ending up there.**

🎧

Listen to this entire newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://jmks.co/youtube)!

## I was where you are now, and one day you’ll be where I am

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/11/the-worst-case-scenario-when-i-get-old--health-age-b.jpg)

I still remember the first time I really noticed an old man on a tiny balcony like it was yesterday.

I’m about 20, driving through downtown in the middle of a scorching summer, stuck at a red light. The intersection is chaos—traffic, noise, exhaust from scooters baking in 104 °F heat.

Me? Cool as a cucumber with the A/C blasting.

While I’m waiting for green, I’m idly looking around with zero worries in my head. Then my eyes land on a balcony in the building opposite.

First floor. A balcony maybe three feet wide. There’s a white-haired old guy in a white tank top, hairy shoulders out, just staring down at the busy intersection in front of his place.

I distinctly remember checking if there was an outdoor A/C unit anywhere. Couldn’t spot one. My brain immediately went into overdrive:

_This post is for subscribers only._
### From ChatGPT to SuperGrok for a Ridiculous Reason
URL: https://jimmakos.com/from-chatgpt-to-supergrok-for-x-handle/
Last updated: 2025-11-22T15:34:52.000Z
I’m on the verge of making a big switch in the AI chatbots I use.

Since 2023, I’ve been paying $20 a month for ChatGPT from OpenAI. I’ve got it organized with separate chats and projects, so each conversation has a specific job. It’s basically like having a bunch of mini AI agents.

I even built my own Custom GPT. An agent trained on everything I’ve ever written online over the past few years.

> In a way, I basically cloned myself.

If I kick the bucket, my family (or anyone else who wants to) can chat with “Jim AI,” as I named it, and it’ll feel like talking to me!

Meanwhile, **I’m also paying for X Premium+**.

Ever since Elon Musk bought “my” shares in Twitter and turned it into X with a subscription model, I signed up. Back then, it was about $10 a month. Now it’s up to $30, but just this week I discovered that Premium+ gives me access to SuperGrok.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/11/G5oGZQHb0AAPzSW.jpg)

So I started thinking… **should I ditch ChatGPT?**

But the real trigger wasn’t Grok itself. It was something way more vain and honestly kind of stupid. Because why would I pay *more* money to switch to Grok when I already have everything I need with ChatGPT? 🤷

The reason is simple: **I finally could get the @ handle I’ve always dreamed of for years.**

🎧

Listen to this entire newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/PCdxBVtW7R4)!

## X Handles Matter (to some of us)

The other day, while browsing X, I accidentally stumbled on the [Handle Marketplace](https://handles.x.com/). I had no idea it even existed.

It’s a service X offers to business accounts. For example, if I were Coca-Cola and some random person grabbed @CocaCola twenty years ago, I could now claim it, as long as I meet certain criteria, of course.

But it’s not just for companies. Premium+ subscribers can request handles, too. And there’s a waiting list. The demand is *that* high!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/11/1d60178c-f44f-4cbc-9355-69141da0037d.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/11/21c9ea07-2876-4743-9853-bea55d26c884.png)

So the bug bit me and I started digging. I’ve been on the platform since the Twitter days, after all.

I created my account in 2009 under the name @JimMakosCom.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### I See Life as a Video Game Without Rules
URL: https://jimmakos.com/life-is-a-videogame/
Last updated: 2025-11-17T12:00:29.000Z
I’m used to showering with the door open. Obviously, when I’m alone! I’m not **THAT** weird!

I do it because I want to feel like I’m outside. Like I’m showering… in the garden, say. And especially in Greece, it’s a shame to be cooped up in those four walls and not enjoy the sunshine, even if it’s just through a window or a balcony door.

Maybe if I had a bathtub with glass all around, I wouldn’t feel this need.

But then I wouldn’t be here. I’d be enjoying my millions!

This is a quirk I’ve picked up lately, and it got me thinking about how many times I’ve gone against the rules and the “shoulds” in my life. In fact, when I decided to share this weirdness with the world out there, I wrote as an intro that it was day 17,016 of refusing to follow social norms.

[Jim Makos (@jimmakoscom) on ThreadsDay 17,016 of freedom and breaking social norms. Taking a shower with the door open. 🛀![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/icon/Pcnemah90K8.png)Threads![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/thumbnail/571963012_17930020341134574_1682673684916400821_n.jpg)](https://www.threads.com/@jimmakoscom/post/DQrIcFLDgYG)

First off, yeah, up to the day I wrote it, I’d actually lived 17,015 days. Of course I didn’t calculate it myself.

> What do we have AI for?

And second, my message reached more eyes than the others. Probably, I thought, there are quite a few out there who’d love to break some of their own chains. So I decided to talk a bit more about my whole philosophy on social “shoulds” and, basically, on life itself.

Because somewhere in my student years, I realized I wasn’t built for a normal life.

🎧

Listen to this entire newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/3TXbUeV9qFU)!

## The moment I realized “normal” life isn’t for me

Up until I got into university, my life was pretty much like most people’s.

Kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, and then university entrance exams like clockwork. There was no other path. Up to that point, everything was mapped out.

The first detour I could’ve taken would’ve been if I didn’t get into university. Luckily for me, I got into polytechnic, so what I felt back then was just that I’d won another 5 years without having to find a job and learn to support myself. 🥳

Bless my parents!

Basically, I felt like my teenage years had gotten a life extension. But right there at polytechnic, the next four-step program would kick in:

- University
- Army
- Job
- Pension

And that’s when I first realized I wasn’t made for that path.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Bonus Crab Casinos: Guide to Bonus Terms and Wagering Requirements
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bonus-crab-casinos-guide-terms-wagering-requirements/
Last updated: 2025-11-13T18:16:34.000Z
The feature commonly known as Bonus Crab adds a small interactive twist to claiming bonuses. Instead of clicking a button and instantly receiving the reward, players use a simple claw-style mini-game to pick up a prize. Somewhere in the middle of that experience sits the idea of a [bonus crab casino](https://casinocapo.com/bonus-crab/), where the process of claiming a daily reward becomes a small moment of anticipation rather than a routine step.

At its core, Bonus Crab works like a digital crane machine. The player lines up the claw and tries to grab one of the prizes. These prizes can be real balance funds, bonus credit, free spins, loyalty coins, or other small rewards. The feature adds a brief sense of timing and chance, and many bonus crab casinos treat it as part of the daily rhythm of logging in.

## How Bonus Crab Casinos Usually Work

The structure is simple and typically repeats day to day:

1. A deposit is made to qualify for the day’s attempt.
2. The Bonus Crab feature is opened from the casino interface.
3. If there is a queue, the player waits briefly before taking a turn.
4. The claw is moved into position using basic controls.
5. The grab is attempted and the prize is awarded if successful.

The prize selection usually contains five reward categories, each representing a different type of bonus.

## Common Prize Types Found in Bonus Crab Casinos

### Real Balance Rewards

These are small cash amounts credited directly to the real balance. They often require only a 1x wager before withdrawal.

### Bonus Credit

Bonus credit is added to the bonus balance and must be wagered before withdrawing winnings. Requirements vary.

### Free Spins

Free spins are applied to specific slot games. Any winnings from the spins must be wagered before withdrawal.

### Loyalty Coins

These can be saved and exchanged for other rewards, including free spins, bonus credit, or sometimes another Bonus Crab attempt.

### Higher Value Prize Variants

Some casinos offer upgraded versions of the feature with larger prize amounts or additional spins.

## Understanding Wagering Requirements

Wagering requirements show how much needs to be played before any bonus winnings can be withdrawn. It is basically a multiplication:

For example, a €30 bonus with a 50x requirement comes to €1,500 in total bets. What matters is whether the casino applies this only to the bonus or to both the deposit and the bonus, since that changes how much must be played.

## Game Contribution Rates

Different games contribute different amounts toward meeting wagering requirements.

- **Slots** usually count 100%
- **Blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and video poker** often count much less.
- **Live dealer games** may contribute very little or sometimes nothing.

This means that wagering requirements are generally completed most efficiently on slots in bonus crab casinos.

## Maximum Bet Limits During Wagering

Casinos frequently set a maximum bet size while a bonus is active. The limit is typically between €3 and €10 per spin or hand. Exceeding this limit can cause winnings to be voided, so keeping bet sizes consistent is important.

## Win Caps and Cashout Limits

Some bonuses limit how much can be withdrawn from winnings earned with bonus funds.

- A fixed cap may apply.
- Sometimes winnings are capped at a multiple of the bonus amount.
- Free spin winnings typically have their separate maximum limit.

Real balance prizes from bonus crab casinos usually do not include win caps.

## Time Limits and Expiration

Bonus funds and free spins usually have a set amount of time to be used and wagered. Seven days are common. [If the deadline passes](https://recsupport.commonapp.org/s/article/Why-does-it-say-the-deadline-has-passed-or-that-my-application-was-submitted-after-the-deadline) before wagering is completed, the bonus and any winnings attached to it are often removed.

## Sticky and Non-Sticky Bonuses

### Sticky Bonuses

Sticky bonuses cannot be withdrawn. They are used to playing and generate winnings, but the bonus amount itself is removed before withdrawal.

### Non-Sticky Bonuses

With non-sticky bonuses, both the deposit and the bonus can be withdrawn once wagering is finished. They are generally more flexible for players.

## Practical Approaches to Clearing Wagering

- Choose slot games with higher return-to-player percentages.
- Keep bet sizes moderate and consistent.
- Spread gameplay across shorter sessions to avoid rushed decisions.
- [Check progress regularly](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3162010/how-do-you-keep-track-of-strategy-of-games-in-prog) to avoid missing the wagering deadline.

These steps help maintain control while working through requirements in bonus crab casinos.

## Closing Perspective

Bonus Crab adds a small interactive moment to the daily routine of claiming casino rewards. The feature stands out because it turns an automatic task into something players participate in. Understanding wagering rules, contribution rates, maximum bet limits, and time restrictions is what makes the feature manageable. With clear expectations, a player can enjoy the feature for what it is: a brief bit of timing and anticipation built into the bonus system of bonus crab casinos.
### What a Lost Temu Package Taught Me
URL: https://jimmakos.com/lost-temu-package/
Last updated: 2025-11-12T13:05:42.000Z
Today, in my free time, I thought I’d tell you the story of how I was waiting for two packages from Temu last week… and one of them just disappeared! It was the first time something like this had ever happened to me — and honestly, I never thought it could even be possible, considering how every step of the delivery is tracked in detail.

So, when I went to pick up the package from the courier’s locker station during my morning walk, I was sure I wouldn’t leave empty-handed. It’s Sunday morning, quiet outside, not a soul around. I walk into the locker area — the same spot where, just two days earlier, I’d picked up the first half of my Temu order.

I type in the code, the locker door pops open, and I step closer — half-distracted, looking at my phone, doing it almost mechanically, since I’ve picked up plenty of packages this way before. I reach inside, expecting to grab a small parcel with one hand… but my hand touches nothing. I reach deeper — still nothing!

That’s when I finally lift my eyes from the phone — and realize the locker is completely empty. I couldn’t believe it. How does that even happen? And while I’m staring at the locker, confused, the machine starts beeping, like it’s reminding me: “Hey, you left the door open.”

A thousand thoughts ran through my mind. I pulled out my phone and took three photos of the open locker — just to have proof that, yes, it was empty — because I already knew I’d have to contact the courier company. I shut the locker, glanced around in case the package had somehow fallen nearby, and started heading out.

But then I stopped.

What if I’d typed the wrong code? What if I was off by a single digit — and somehow, like hitting the lottery, opened someone else’s locker by accident?

So I go back to the screen, type in the code again, this time watching carefully, making sure I do everything right. The same locker opens, of course — still empty. No magic this time either. I walk out of the building and start writing an email to the courier as I head home.

🎧

Listen to this entire newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://youtu.be/m8e4MitIRFY)!

## Why this lost package stuck in my mind for weeks

There are two reasons why I still remember this story and decided to tell it now.

First, it was the *very first time* something like this had ever happened to me with a locker pickup. I honestly thought nothing could go wrong — that’s actually why I prefer using lockers instead of home deliveries.

And second, this story ended up being the one that got the *biggest reaction* on social media when I shared it. People were surprisingly interested — way more than with anything else I’d posted around that time.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Daily Habit That Keeps Me Sane
URL: https://jimmakos.com/dont-give-up-walking/
Last updated: 2025-12-01T11:21:17.000Z
In my free time, I got the idea to cut down—or even completely stop—my daily walks, since I’ve been trying to save time wherever I can.

“Walking is the last thing you should cut,” my wife told me when I mentioned my idea.

“No way,” she continued. “That’s what recharges you!”

And she’s not wrong. Because it’s not just about maintaining my weight—or even losing a few kilos—by walking once or sometimes twice a day. It’s not only the physical benefits I get from averaging more than 15,000 steps a day. Walking helps me in another way I didn’t expect — it helps my mind.

🎧

Listen to this entire newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehwZjd6IMA)!

## The Moment I Considered Quitting Walking

The idea didn’t come out of nowhere. Over the past year, I’ve been dealing with some serious challenges in my work-from-home business. With the arrival of artificial intelligence and the changes it brought to how my websites operate, I’ve been forced to tackle a major problem that’s affecting my personal finances.

As revenue declines, time becomes even more valuable. So I’ve been trying to “steal” time from anything I can—just to invest it into fixing the problem.

## How Much Time Walking Really Takes (and What I’d Trade It For)

It’s not a small amount of time. You don’t just reach 10,000 steps a day without effort—or without spending time on it.

Not that I’m obsessed with counting steps, but since my watch and phone do it automatically, I like knowing the number. My routine starts early in the morning, before sunrise, when I usually walk for about 80 minutes. After that, I might go again in the evening—especially if I’ve spent the whole day sitting in front of a computer screen.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### From Chips To Tokens - Exploring The Growing Demand For BTC Casinos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/exploring-growing-demand-btc-casinos/
Last updated: 2025-11-10T07:23:45.000Z
Bitcoin has been on quite a journey since the early 2010s. For years, it was on the periphery of both casino gaming and traditional investing. While savvy investors and those with a keen eye for cryptography understood just how revolutionary Bitcoin was and how much potential it had, for years, it couldn’t truly cross into the mainstream.

Between the early 2010s and the mid part of the decade, conventional finance and traditional companies were not too eager to get involved in the world of crypto. It was largely unknown, removed the need for a bank or third-party involvement, and was an entirely digital form of finance. In many ways, it ticked many of the boxes that traditional financial sectors were keen to avoid. 

However, denying the innovation and constantly downplaying the ingenuity of BTC and the blockchain merely delayed the inevitable, and as soon as more investors cottoned on to the enormous potential of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, it wasn’t long before they became a rapidly growing area of the casino gaming industry. 

## What’s Behind The Growth Of Crypto Casinos?

Cryptocurrency casinos were among the first industries to explore the new route of blockchain gaming. [Gambling crypto at Cafe Casino](https://www.cafecasino.lv) is the modern form we see, where a multitude of different conventional and contemporary games use the blockchain to allow customers to deposit and withdraw their funds. 

You can now use many different altcoins and stablecoins to bet with crypto. In the early days of crypto gambling, though, they mostly dealt in BTC for myriad reasons. It was the figurehead asset, had the largest market cap, and was considered the most promising of all the cryptocurrencies that emerged in the early 2010s. 

Even after multiple bull runs, [Bitcoin dominance remains a strong indicator](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/altcoin-market-breakout-looms-bitcoin-123733055.html) of market appetite; the only difference being that the price has increased so dramatically that other altcoins are now viable assets across the cryptocurrency casino sector. 

The [transparency of blockchain](https://jimmakos.com/blockchain-transparency-in-casino-gaming/) is another key selling point. Any withdrawals or deposits to a crypto casino are immediately lodged on the blockchain and cannot be altered or amended. In the case of any issues with a payment, there is a unique block hash, meaning the payment can be located instantly, unlike with some traditional payment methods, where you find yourself going back and forth between your payment provider and the casino.

In addition, the [growth of crypto influencers](https://www.cafecasino.com/special-offers/bitcoin/best-crypto-influencers-to-follow/) has provided fresh avenues of marketing that accommodate a newer, contemporary, and international market—and while there are other smaller factors to consider, these are the key factors determining the current strength of the market. 

## Mass Adoption On The Cards?

Now that [Bitcoin ETFs](https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/article/what-is-cryptocurrency-etf/) are a viable route for conventional investors to enter the crypto market, and the price has reached an all-time high above $125,000, the signs are looking good for digital assets to be mass-adopted in the next decade or two.

While it hasn’t quite reached the validity or stature of conventional investments and other established markets like stocks, forex, and commodities, the sheer volume of retail investors now investing in cryptocurrency assets is a testament to its potential.

Ultimately, these adoptions rarely take place overnight. In the traditional financial system, which has been in place for over 250 years in some countries, it will take a few decades for such a systemic change to occur, and while it might happen in some countries quicker than others, we are still a long way off BTC becoming legal tender in prominent economies.

Again, though, the signs look good, especially with US adoption spiralling the market to dizzying new heights. This validity helps to push it into conventional areas of finance all over the world, with other prominent countries like Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom all allowing blockchain and cryptocurrencies to flourish within their financial systems.

## Could BTC Take Over Casino Gaming?

At the moment, it feels as though we are a long way off from this becoming an eventuality. Sure, there will be growing demand for cryptocurrency assets, and they will continue to capture a larger market share in the casino gaming market, but the idea that BTC could replace conventional assets is just not feasible —not in the short term, anyway.

Entirely digital forms of payment will inevitably become the dominant form throughout the world of finance. However, at the moment, despite their innovations, there are still plenty of elements regarding conventional payment options that suit the largest demographic.

Over time, conventional payment options will have to make way for digital payments. As demographics shift, a larger percentage of casino gamers are aware of digital-only options, a trend that, in the long run, could spearhead a completely new-looking casino gaming industry over the next decade or two. So long as the demand keeps up and there’s not a significant shift away from cryptocurrency and blockchain over the next few years.
### My Simple Way to Make Better Decisions in Life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/make-better-decisions-in-life/
Last updated: 2025-11-12T07:28:12.000Z
Today, in my free time, I remembered the countless times probabilities have guided my life decisions, from the smallest to the biggest ones, and how those probabilities helped me make better choices.

In general, I can say that everything in my life revolves around numbers. Percentages. The risk/reward ratio.

Ever since I can remember taking life into my own hands and making my own decisions, everything has been about probabilities. From the most important to the most trivial.

- What are the odds of winning at the casino if I drop out of university?
- What’s the probability I’ll beat that particular opponent at [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/)?
- Is it worth buying this stock? Investing in crypto?
- What are the chances my marriage will succeed?
- Is it smarter to send my kid to a private school or to invest that same money so she’ll have some starting capital when she turns 18?
- Is it a better decision to work on my own and learn everything by myself?
- What are the odds of making it as a YouTuber, a podcaster… a jack-of-all-trades?

So today, I’m going to share a few stories around all that and how these probabilities have shaped some of the decisions I’ve made in my life.

Decisions that I continue to make based on how much they “benefit” me and what I have to “gain” from each one.

Because at the end of the day, probabilities mean nothing if I don’t connect them with outcomes, with what I stand to gain.

So let’s start with the most recent story I have to tell, something that happened just last week.

🎧

Listen to this entire newsletter on your favorite podcast platform or [watch it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvT1P3ju2q0)!

## The Sunday Story That Led to This Episode

The story has to do with betting. No surprise there, given my background.

If you’re one of the few people who *don’t* bet, first of all, good for you.

Second, bear with me for a bit, because you’ll see how this whole line of thinking ties in with everything we’re talking about today.

So, last Sunday, there was a match between Levadiakos and Aris.

The teams themselves don’t really matter here.

On Saturday — the day before the match — some Aris-supporter friends told me that the best outcome they were hoping for was a draw, and that Levadiakos was a really strong team.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How web publishers can analyze casino game strategies for sustainable content
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-web-publishers-analyze-casino-game-strategies-sustainable-content/
Last updated: 2025-10-17T07:55:20.000Z
Casino-related articles still pull in a hefty share of web traffic year after year—at least that’s what the latest Statista numbers from 2023 seem to suggest, with global online gambling revenue apparently edging close to $95 billion. Web publishers eyeing this space find themselves up against fiercer competition than ever.

It’s rarely enough now to just pump out wild claims; more folks are searching for solid, carefully explained analysis instead. When it comes to casino strategies, readers want the fog lifted, especially on those tricky odds or how certain games actually work beneath the surface.

Creating content that draws on real game theory, actual player data, and current industry standards well, that pretty much feels non-negotiable if lasting success (and staying on regulators’ good side) is a priority.

Publishers pulling together both technical detail and readable advice while weaving in a sort of moral compass—they seem best positioned to hold onto audience trust as the digital space keeps shifting around them.

## Strategic depth through game analysis

It isn’t always straightforward for a publisher to translate the maze of game theory into something actually useful for everyday readers, but those who manage it tend to stand out. Consider, for instance, articles that unpack how Nash equilibrium plays into poker or break down—sometimes in plain language—why following basic rules in blackjack might tip things just a little more in the player’s favor.

Those tend to earn high rankings, I’ve noticed, and they set apart sites trying to educate from those just repeating big stories. Referencing actual data—say, models that chart percentages or pull apart the boundaries of popular systems—answers some of the most persistent reader questions, or at least nudges them in the right direction. It’s possible to keep things balanced, too.

Using sources like open industry reviews or scholarly work lends credibility without getting stuck in echo chambers. Admittedly, nobody’s reinventing the wheel here, but roots in careful analysis seem to draw in a more thoughtful audience, the kind who double-check before placing a bet.

## Player profiling and analytics in content development

Getting people to stick around (and come back) largely depends on figuring out who’s landing on your pages—and why. With analytics at the ready, publishers might track which games get the most repeat visits, how long people linger, that sort of thing. Reader profiles—beginners learning blackjack, advanced players dissecting odds, or casual gamers exploring online [rainbow riches](https://www.888casino.com/slots/rainbow-riches/)—inform which topics to prioritize.

Not every source agrees on segmentation tactics, though places like Fortis Media seem convinced it helps tailor not just the focus but also the tone and depth of strategy pieces; it at least prevents everything from turning into bland, generic fare. Practical analytics—click-through rates, time spent playing with tools or videos—give feedback that, while imperfect, still shapes future content.

Some audiences want deep dives into numbers while others just want a clear how-to, and toggling between these can boost retention. Strategies shift over time, but responsiveness to actual audience behavior seems to be a baseline for sites hoping to stay relevant.

## Benchmarking and content sustainability

Keeping up with the competition is less about copying and more about noticing what’s missing in their approach. Sometimes it’s a detailed breakdown; sometimes it’s just a risk disclaimer that’s actually readable. Content that earns high ranks tends to offer a mix—visuals, practical guides, the occasional hard truth about odds.

There are also those overlooked topics, like the environmental side of gambling or [creative takes on responsible play](https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanrabimov/2021/11/22/sustainable-lifestyle-green-grey-and-pocket-size-games-take-on-social-responsibility-in-gaming/), which seem ripe for coverage when search data suggests demand but few have gone there yet. Looking at research from places like Sigma World and Scaleo, there seems to be broad agreement that strategies with a long shelf-life draw steady traffic—assuming they actually get updated when laws shift or player interests move on.

Outdated systems, recycled without a word of caution, can wear down both credibility and ranking over time. Switching things up—say, podcasts one week, an interactive odds calculator the next—doesn’t hurt either, at least in keeping users interested across whatever device they’re using.

## Building authority and upholding ethical standards

If there’s one thing long-term casino publishers can’t fudge, it’s the balance between trustworthiness and following the rules. Pulling together a robust library of guides, bringing in perspectives from university experts, or laying out transparent case studies—these all tend to signal a higher level of seriousness.

Several industry voices, including Turbomates, point out that honest, up-front advice about responsible gambling isn’t really optional anymore; audiences more or less expect it. That includes acknowledging the real risk in betting and being up front about the odds, especially with so-called progressive systems like Martingale, which (let’s be honest) don’t magically beat the house long-term. Keeping up SEO-friendly evergreen articles, with quick responses to regulatory or game design changes, seems smart—stale coverage gets left behind.

Some publishers automate alerts to catch industry shifts, so they’re not caught off guard by new laws or headlines. Fostering a reputation for “responsible play” isn’t just lip service; over time, it tends to cement loyalty from readers and draw respect from regulators.

### Commitment to responsible gambling

There’s no real way around it: responsible gambling has to be at the core if a publisher wants any kind of lasting relevance. Readers don’t need scolding, but an honest reminder about betting risks is, frankly, part of the job. Advising on safe bankroll management and emphasizing the entertainment aspect of games such as rainbow riches improves user welfare. Offering up links to support or opt-out resources makes it clear there’s more at stake here than just SEO.

Strategies that encourage self-awareness, open info about risks, and actual choice are—by most measures—the underpinning of decent, sustainable content in this space. The upside? Ethical approaches might protect those most at risk, sure, but they also help a publisher’s reputation stay above water in the long run. You might find some helpful [resources](https://jimmakos.com/resources/) to support this goal.
### The Importance Of Blockchain Transparency In Casino Gaming
URL: https://jimmakos.com/blockchain-transparency-in-casino-gaming/
Last updated: 2026-10-11T07:19:16.000Z
Cryptocurrency has had quite a decade; it wasn’t long ago that it was a payment method reserved for quiet corners of the internet. While the first clear use case emerged in the gaming industry, it was often for small in-game purchases on free-to-play mobile apps. It wasn’t until the middle of the 2010s that casino companies started to explore the genuine potential that they had.

## The Rise Of Crypto Casinos

As crypto casinos continue to expand their market share, there are now dozens of different digital assets you can use to play, regardless of the game you most enjoy. Those who play with crypto at Cafe Casino will attest to this; the only key factor that changes with blockchain and crypto is the means by which you deposit and withdraw your funds.

As long as you have a crypto wallet that is funded, you authorize the wallet to connect and confirm each transaction, which is then detailed on the blockchain. If you experience any issues with a withdrawal, a transaction hash is immediately available, which the casino can review and investigate.

From a security perspective, if there is a breach, hackers will often target the wallet of the casino gaming company. [In conventional gaming](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), they often attempt to hoard the personal and financial information stored on file.

Therefore, in the event of a hack, crypto casinos are less susceptible to mass data breaches. However, with more casinos now spending millions of dollars to encrypt data and ensure they are using the highest levels of site security, breaches are rare right across the industry. Always research a provider and any previous issues they may have had before connecting your wallet and starting to play.

## Why Transparency Matters

One of the many elements that has gained traction in the casino gaming industry is the immutable blockchain ledger, which effectively acts as a transaction log for all withdrawals and deposits on the blockchain. Although the data is anonymized, the underlying strength and security of the blockchain mean that transparency is arguably the most compelling point for cryptocurrency casinos. 

With more companies investing capital and resources in sustainable blockchain ideas, it has become a necessity for any casino that wants to thrive in the modern global environment to offer some form of blockchain or cryptocurrency payment option.

The rise of the internet has led to an abundance of free information sources. In an age where everyone has a digital footprint and, to some extent, a digital presence, transparency and visibility have become integral parts of the industry.

Some people use their online brand to offer one-stop shop resources, the likes of which were previously reserved for books and newsletters. However, many brands now have[ ](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/)[online newsletters](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/) and free sources of information that they attach to their business and brand.

[Cryptocurrency casinos](https://jimmakos.com/virtual-reality-of-bitcoin-casinos/) are now partnering with affiliate marketers and influencers to appeal to a new audience. As the world of marketing continues to change and adapt to a global audience, the best crypto influencers to follow ensure they put their brand and face behind these products, which again, helps to signpost the types of brands they back, and which influencers have the right marketing approach.

## Moving With The Times

Blockchain technology is the underpinning, unique selling point of the power of cryptocurrency. Essentially, it eliminates the need for a bank to be involved in the payment process, and by allowing people to send digital assets directly to each other without the need for a third party, the blockchain does all the heavy lifting. 

If there were any issues, if it was not watertight, and if it could not handle billions of transactions a day, then it wouldn’t be a viable option for casinos. The proof is in the pudding. The number of people investing in cryptocurrency is expanding, and this trend is reflected in casinos, which offer one of the clearest use cases for those familiar with cryptocurrency wallets and blockchain technology.

It’s up to casinos to adapt to these consumer changes and champion the power of transparency on the blockchain. Those who stay deeply rooted in conventional payment options, or do not explore the full breadth of potential payment options, run the risk of falling behind. They also run the risk of projecting an image of poor long-term planning and a reluctance to adapt to the changes we’re seeing in the broader global economy, so there’s a lot at stake.

## Can Blockchain Take Over?

It’s probably too early to say that blockchain will take over, but there’s a growing demand within the casino gaming community. Transparency is just one element of it; for many crypto gamers, there’s an added interest, as more people invest and trade in cryptocurrency, and a growing number of individuals seek digital payment solutions that do not rely entirely on centralized banks.

In a decade or so, it’s going to be extremely interesting to see how influential blockchain has become in casino gaming, and with the industry growing stronger every year, it’s an interesting time to be involved in these two industries, especially as they grow closer together.
### How the Eurobasket Bet I Lost Paid Off Long-Term
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-the-eurobasket-final-bet-i-lost-paid-off-long-term/
Last updated: 2025-09-15T15:59:31.000Z
> Betting feels like luck

Most people treat betting like a coin toss. You watch a game, ride the emotions, and maybe throw some money on your favorite team. The problem? That’s [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) without an edge.

Last week, I wasn’t even planning to bet. I was eating more pizza than paying attention to the Turkey–Greece game at the Eurobasket. But by the time the final buzzer went off, I had money riding on who would win the entire tournament. Completely unplanned.

The question is: was this just another random punt, or something more?

## How Do You Know If It’s a Good Bet?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/09/eurobasket-bet.jpg)

Here’s the thing: most bettors don’t know if their bet actually has value. They just hope.

That night, right after the game, I asked my friends:

– “Would you bet on Turkey to win the tournament?”

One replied: “I’ve watched all their games. They always play this well.” Another asked: "What's the moneyline for the win?"

I pushed further:

– “First, you tell me what odds they should be!”

– “Around 1.50,” they guessed.

When I checked, the bookmakers were offering close to 2.50\. That’s a *massive* gap.

Still, it’s one thing to *feel* like the bookies are off and it’s another to *prove it*. Most bettors never get to see if the market agrees with them.

> Between the initial value bet on Turkey and the strategic use of the free bet, I turned what started as a casual pizza night into a sharp betting opportunity.

Why I bet on Turkey in a nutshell:

1. Much higher odds that my friends' expectations
2. Turkey favored by friends with skin in the game
3. Personal view after watching the full game against Greece.

## Value Reveals Itself in the Closing Odds

So I placed the bet at 2.55\. Within eight hours, the odds had already dropped to 2.15.

> If I keep placing bets where the odds drop before the matches even start, there’s no way I won’t come out ahead in the long run.  
>  
> Imo <https://t.co/LqBAfqsrI2> [pic.twitter.com/aEsQOn1w8r](https://t.co/aEsQOn1w8r)
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [September 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1967287757455437902?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

That’s not luck — that’s **value**. It’s the market correcting itself. When odds move in your favor after you’ve bet, it means you beat the line. And if you keep doing that consistently, you’ll come out ahead in the long run.

Now, here’s where the math comes in. When I say that’s not luck but value, I mean it literally — there’s a way to put a number on it. Let me explain.

The closing odds of **2.15** reflect the “true” probability, stripped of the bookmaker’s margin (in this case, I’m using 0% vig odds not only for simplicity but because the bookmaker was running this kind of promo for the particular bet). That means the implied probability of my team winning was:

**1 / 2.15 = 46.5%**

That’s the market’s most accurate estimate after all the betting money and information flowed in.

But I didn’t bet at 2.15\. That wouldn't make me a dime. I locked in **2.55**, which means my expected value (EV) was higher.

Here’s the calculation I use:

**EV = (True Probability × My Odds) – 1**

Plugging the numbers in:

- True Probability = 0.465
- My Odds = 2.55

So: **(0.465 × 2.55) – 1 = +0.18**

That’s **+18% expected value**.

What does that mean in plain English? For every €100 I bet in spots like this, I’d expect to make €18 profit in the long run. Not every single bet — I’ll still lose plenty along the way, like in the Eurobasket 2025 Final — but across hundreds of bets, that edge compounds.

That’s why I’m not celebrating or complaining about one individual bet. The real victory lies in consistently identifying mispriced lines where the closing odds prove me right.

👉

Here’s where I explain [why I win when the closing odds drop](https://jimmakos.com/betting-charts-beat-closing-odds/) in more detail.

## The Free Bet That Followed Out of Nowhere

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/09/free-bet-longshot-odds-1.jpeg)

The story doesn’t end there. Because of that Eurobasket bet, my bookmaker offered me a **€50 free bet**.

Apparently, they were running a promotion offering a free bet to me if I wagered on the Eurobasket. I had no idea until I saw the notification a day after!

This time, I put it on Genoa to win at **6.00 odds**. Potential return: €250\. With a free bet, you don’t get your stake back, only the profit.

So I used my usual approach: hedge across the other outcomes to lock in value.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/09/free-bet-hedging.jpg)

💡

I’ve written a full breakdown of [my free bets strategy to maximize profit](https://jimmakos.com/free-bets-strategy/).

Between the initial value bet on Turkey and the strategic use of the free bet, I turned what started as a casual pizza night into a sharp betting opportunity.

## The Smart Bet Still Tastes Like Victory

Sure, [Turkey didn’t get it done against Germany](https://www.reuters.com/sports/germany-crowned-eurobasket-champions-after-thrilling-win-over-turkey-2025-09-14/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) — tough loss. But honestly, the point wasn’t just about who lifted the trophy. The bet itself had value: the odds were off, the line moved my way, and tossing a free bet on top helped me cut the risk down even more.

That’s the difference between throwing money around for kicks and placing a bet with some purpose.

Did Turkey win? No. Did I still feel good about how I played it? Absolutely. And yeah, the pizza was delicious. 🍕

After 25 years in the gambling industry, I know that:

- A bet isn’t good just because your team won — it’s good if the odds move in your favor.
- Watching line movement is the best way to prove you’ve found value.
- Free bets aren’t freebies; they’re tools if used strategically.
- Winning long-term is about discipline, not luck.
### Casino Gaming Experts Are In Greater Demand Than Ever Before - What's Driving This Change?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/casino-gaming-experts-demand-whats-driving-change/
Last updated: 2026-10-11T07:12:31.000Z
This might sound like a question with an obvious answer. On the surface level, it is, but once we dig beneath the surface, we start to understand just how many facets there are when it comes to reviewing casino gaming platforms and what criteria actually mean somebody is an expert.

In an industry that is flexible and continues to embrace the latest technology, it can be hard to pinpoint what the term expert means in casino gaming. Someone with 20 years of experience in the industry, whether it involves reviewing sites, issuing licenses, or working with algorithmic and RNG technology that enables slot games to function seamlessly across international markets.

We’re sure you’re in agreement that all of these people are experts, but you wouldn’t want a slot gaming designer breaking down the terms of a bonus, or a reviewer doing a deep dive into the SSL certification that a site uses. It’s two different types of expertise. While it might sound too detailed, or that we’re splitting hairs, these differences matter, especially if the end result is you choosing the site where you want to do your casino gaming.

## Expertise In Multiple Fields

Casino gaming reviewers are in high demand, and as a general rule of thumb, they are people with over a decade of experience right throughout the industry. They know what constitutes a highly-rated brand, they can point out where others need to improve, and they know how brands should be integrating and approaching new ideas.

Cryptocurrency is a good example. Casino gaming experts don’t need to be cryptocurrency experts either; they need to have a strong understanding of the basics and, most importantly, how platforms can leverage it to enhance customer experience. 

Gambling games at Cafe Casino aim to cater to the conventional gaming that commands a global audience, such as poker and roulette, while incorporating a fresh take on fintech, eliminating the need for traditional payment options and embracing cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency experts and top influencers have a much firmer grasp of how blockchain and digital assets work, but for casino gaming experts building their knowledge of this new fintech, a basic understanding is sufficient. 

Expertise in the mechanics of individual casino games, how[ ](https://jimmakos.com/social-media-trends-blog-update/)[social media trends](https://jimmakos.com/social-media-trends-blog-update/) shape marketing strategies, the importance of site licensure, customer service quality, and brand reputation are all much more important than being a crypto expert.

## Clarity & Conviction In A Crowded Market

For all of the advances of the online casino industry, it’s fair to say that it’s an incredibly crowded market, and it’s becoming more saturated by the day. While there are many ways to cut through this noise and find out which sites stand out above the rest, the opinions of experts are one of the most effective and trustworthy ways to do it.

There are a variety of ways to find expertise and experts in any industry. Still, some of the best ways to find it in casino gaming are to do your research, research the credentials of the individual and try to find media which backs up what they are saying. 

You might be able to [find a podcast](https://jimmakos.com/podcasting/) of them talking about the industry in great depth, maybe a Reddit thread where somebody discusses their experience with the person, or a YouTube interview where they dive into a niche casino gaming topic. Ideally, if someone proclaims to be an expert in casino gaming, they will have multiple media platforms, whether it is LinkedIn, their own YouTube channel, or a website that showcases their experience.

We’re not saying they need all of these things - but this is just to give you some idea of how to find bonafide experts in a world that is becoming increasingly blurred by AI, and with the likes of Bill Gates proclaiming that AI is going to render many human jobs surplus to requirements, human-driven expertise and experience is becoming an increasingly, and valuable rare commodity. 

## Making It As An Expert In Casino Gaming

As with any industry, expertise comes from experience and knowledge of the industry. Although [online casino gaming](https://jimmakos.com/igaming-companies-bet-on-online-casinos/) has been around for decades, it is still a new industry in comparison to others. So long as the industry carries on growing at the same staggering rate it has since the start of the century, then the demand for experts will continue to persist. 

It’s essential to do your research, find the experts that you trust, and decipher whether the reviews are objective or whether the expert is being paid to direct you to a specific site that they are working with.

Generally speaking, these experts will have a range of reviews for brands that operate under the same umbrella. They may rate one 9/10 and then another 2/10 - and if they’re part of the same company, these are the types of variables to look for to ensure that their reviews are legitimate and not a form of affiliate marketing.

Over time, it becomes easier to spot, but be sure to do ample research before embarking on any casino gaming venture.
### Ethereum, Bitcoin, Or Stablecoins, Which Crypto Could Dominate Casino Gaming?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/ethereum-bitcoin-or-stablecoins-which-crypto-dominate-casino-gaming/
Last updated: 2026-08-24T07:37:09.000Z
Cryptocurrency casinos are not a new innovation in the industry; in fact, their rise can be dated back to the early days of Bitcoin itself. As it was the first cryptocurrency and remains the figurehead asset, it quickly emerged as an interesting and intriguing new way for casino gamers to play in the early 2010s. 

As the industry was still on the periphery of finance, few established casinos were willing to take a risk on providing routes for cryptocurrency payments. However, once they demonstrated that they were here to stay and piqued the interest of millions of casino gamers worldwide, cryptocurrency companies soon began to explore routes whereby altcoins could have a similar impact on gambling and follow the same pathway that [the initial rise of Bitcoin casinos had created](https://jimmakos.com/virtual-reality-of-bitcoin-casinos/).

## Breaking Down The Barriers

Conventional casino gaming, especially in the days before the internet, consisted of a fractional market, with various legislations that often prevented local providers from entering the international market. Online casinos quickly changed that, and as they gained popularity, their design and approach shifted customer attitudes toward a more digital direction.

It’s within this shift that cryptocurrency casinos began to utilize alternative payment options that had only been made possible by the internet. Online casinos initially relied on VISA and conventional payment options, but they had to find ways to adapt to this new technology.

E-wallet payment systems, such as PayPal, helped to adopt a completely digital approach, but they still suffered from many of the same cumbersome elements that traditional finance did. As more of us began to use the internet for banking, reading the latest news, and engaging in online casino gaming, a clear gap emerged in the market for cryptocurrency to flourish.

Cryptocurrency, however, was a completely new design on top of it. It captured the innovation of the [blockchain](https://jimmakos.com/blockchain-transparency-in-casino-gaming/), meaning that a bank was no longer required to oversee a payment. The ledger enabled direct money transfers to anyone else’s wallet, regardless of their location, providing a borderless, quick, and secure online payment method. It was a true game-changer.

This meant that an Australian online casino could utilize the same underlying security features as casinos based on the other side of the world. As modern casinos offer options for people to use traditional payment systems as well as cryptocurrency, it’s the method of cryptocurrency that has now been brought into focus.

## Bitcoins Or Altcoins For Casino Gaming?

Bitcoin may still command the largest market share and remains, by far, the most popular asset among traditional investors. With Bitcoin continuing to lead the market and reaching all-time highs, there’s a growing demand for investor trend insight, and many retail traders are looking to break into the market and cash in on this current bull run.

However, casino gaming platforms operate from a slightly different perspective. For casino gamers, there’s less of an interest in a long-term investment and more focus on the speed and security of the cryptocurrency they are using to place their bets. 

Bitcoin is always a solid option, as it has market credibility and continues to increase its demand in the world of traditional finance. Ethereum (ETH), despite some challenges, remains the same, and the massive price action throughout the summer of 2025 showcased that it is still a major player in the market and still the king of the altcoins, especially with experts now debating whether it has the potential to enter five-figure territory before the end of the year.

ETH still has issues with gas fees, which continue to cause friction for people on social media. This is a barrier that has long plagued Vitalik Buterin’s highly sought-after token. Other altcoins, which have greater parity with the dollar, such as XRP, are also experiencing significant positive price action.

However, the volatility that exists within altcoins is another factor that causes casino gamers to weigh their options. Stablecoins such as USDC and USDT boast parity and, in the long run, could be a dark horse to dominate the market. However, they all have their own unique positives, and ultimately, it boils down to personal preference.

## There’s Room For Everyone

Ultimately, the [cryptocurrency market](https://jimmakos.com/what-crypto-gambling-teaches-on-chain-behavior-wallet-psychology/) is currently riding a positive wave, making it unlikely that any one asset will dominate the rest. More people are considering the benefits of using stablecoins because they’re shielded from volatility

However, with the rise of other stablecoin projects providing competition in the market and being used by major players in conventional finance, USDT and USDC could also face challenges to their dominance. 

The likely scenario is that cryptocurrency casinos, as a whole, strive toward impressive new highs. While Bitcoin might be leading the way, every cryptocurrency in the top 20 by market cap is a multi-billion dollar project, they have millions of users, and casino gamers are consistently looking for cheaper, easier ways to play - and with such potential in the casino gaming industry, expect to see altcoins and stablecoins try and take aim at this burgeoning sector.
### The importance of patience and planning in both betting and business
URL: https://jimmakos.com/importance-of-patience-planning-betting-business/
Last updated: 2025-07-22T07:21:50.000Z
As a solo entrepreneur, I’ve picked up some valuable business lessons along the way, which have helped me grow. Perhaps the most valuable lesson has been the importance of patience and planning.

This highlights the importance of planning carefully for your next step as an entrepreneur and showing patience throughout the process. It's about avoiding the temptation to rush headlong into things and taking thoughtful actions instead. 

One thing that has stood out to me over the years is how crucial patience and planning are for betting as well. Both of these have served me well as a pro gambler and are something I like to focus on when betting.

Let’s go over some good examples of proper planning and a little patience for betting/business and explain why both are so essential.

## Example of planning and patience in sports betting

This example leans on my experience as a professional sports gambler and how patience and planning can work in this sphere.

[Sports betting bankroll management](https://www.askgamblers.com/betting-blog/sports-betting-bankroll-management) can’t (and shouldn’t) be ignored and really helps keep you on the right track long term. It involves planning out how much money you can safely put aside to bet with and then working out how much you should stake on each bet, based on your starting bank (usually a maximum of 1%).

When it comes to patience in sports betting, being able to stick to your staking plan and not rush into chasing bigger returns is key.

## Example of planning and patience in business

Let’s imagine you’ve started an online store that sells handmade soap, scrubs, and toiletries. Proper planning when starting it up involves important steps, such as: 

- **Conducting** [**market research**](https://www.hanoverresearch.com/insights-blog/corporate/what-is-market-research/) to see which products sell best and at what price.
- Planning out a **marketing campaign** for launch.
- Planning **how and where** you’ll make the products.

Patience in this business example includes steadily building the new brand and acquiring a loyal customer base as you go. It also means scaling gradually and not taking on too much too soon. Although these two examples give an idea of how planning and patience can work in business and betting, let’s dig deeper into why they’re so crucial.

## Patience protects from emotional decision making

Emotions are core to who we are as humans but are not actually that helpful in either business or betting. They can lead us to make rash, impulsive decisions that we later live to regret. Taking the time to remain patient is a great way to keep our emotions in line and ensures we remain in control of them when making decisions.

For betting, staying patient allows us to avoid chasing losses and diving right back into the market blindly after a loss. It also works the other way and helps us not dive right back into the market on a high when we’ve just won.

When it comes to business, remaining patient allows us to avoid overreacting to certain situations and market/industry fluctuations. Taking a breath and not jumping to a knee-jerk response enables entrepreneurs to make logical, strategic decisions they’ve properly thought through. This is used widely across business, and it’s one of the ways [web publishers](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/) can achieve better results.

## Planning is key for sustainable growth

Whether you like to bet or run a business (or both), you’ll struggle to get too far without taking the time to plan. Planning is key to setting a course of action, defining goals you need to achieve, and targets to aim for. It also helps you figure out how to get there and what steps to take. Good planning saves you from wasting time aimlessly. Instead, you can focus your energy on what really matters. 

For sports betting, having a plan about how you will find bets and which sports and markets you’ll bet on is a great place to start. This simplifies the whole process and gives you a clear plan to work from each day.

Planning in business can be applied to many areas but could involve defining how many staff you’ll need to open up a new department in your main HQ. By planning this out, you’ll ensure that the staff are in place for the department to open as expected and that there are sufficient resources to offer high-level service.

## What happens if you ignore patience and planning?

The simple truth: you will live to regret it and find it hard to succeed. If you decide to open a new business but fail to plan properly for its launch, gaining any sort of traction will likely be tough. Existing businesses that fail to plan for future growth will find it hard to expand and push onto the next level.

A lack of patience can be similarly disruptive and just as damaging. In [my experience as a professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/), it can lead people to put massive stakes on bets for bigger returns, but eventually blow out their betting bank. It might also cause them to disregard a decent betting strategy after one losing wager and give up any future profits the system would have made.

## Stay patient and plan for success

The modern world we live in does not always set us up to stay patient and plan for future success. Most people are used to getting everything instantly and not having to wait for good things to arrive. For both business and betting, planning properly whilst remaining patient is crucial.
### Top 7 Pirate-Themed Slots to Play Free – Ahoy, Treasure Spins!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/top-7-pirate-themed-slots-play-free-ahoy-treasure-spins/
Last updated: 2026-07-25T06:36:57.000Z
There’s something irresistible about pirate-themed slots. Maybe it’s the thrill of the open sea, the clinking of gold coins, or just that childhood dream of digging up treasure maps in the backyard. Whatever the reason, developers love creating these games – and players keep coming back for more. That’s especially true when you're hunting for Sweepstakes slots to play for free that don’t just look good but actually *feel* like a real pirate adventure.

![Pirate Gold Deluxe – Pragmatic Play](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/image-1--1-.png)

## 1\. Pirate Gold Deluxe – Pragmatic Play

This one starts strong with a wild ocean backdrop and a soundtrack that sounds like it was ripped from an adventure movie. But it’s not just about looks. The standout feature here is the Money Respin bonus, which triggers when you land eight or more bag symbols in one spin. Those bags can bring instant cash or one of three progressive jackpots. Bonus symbols lock in place while others disappear, creating a super-focused mini-game that really feels like loading treasure onto your ship. [Big wins](https://jimmakos.com/can-ai-predict-your-next-big-win-in-gambling/)? Sure. But the tension in this bonus mode is what really gets your pulse going.

## 2\. Rage of Seas – NetEnt

NetEnt always goes big on presentation, and this is no exception. What starts as a five-reel slot suddenly expands mid-game, and you end up with up to 5488 ways to win. Special wilds, expanding reels, and a treasure chest bonus mechanic make every round unpredictable. Get the Scatter (a good old skull and bones), and you trigger free spins with random modifiers: multipliers, wild stacks, and symbol upgrades. This one is wild, literally and figuratively.

## 3\. Pirate Kingdom Megaways – Iron Dog Studio

If you like chaos and chance, this Megaways slot delivers. With up to 117,649 win lines and a visual style that leans into animated storytelling, every spin feels packed with potential. Cascading reels, two kinds of wilds (one with multipliers), and free spins triggered by consecutive wins – all tied together by a pirate raid theme. Lock the reels at max height during bonuses and see how fast the doubloons stack up.

## 4\. Pirates’ Plenty – Red Tiger

At first, it looks like your average five-reel slot. But build up enough "map pieces," and you unlock a sixth reel – and that’s where the real action starts. Between the monkey wilds that steal low symbols and ship-in-a-bottle wilds with random multipliers, there’s always something unexpected happening. And once you hit the Ocean Spins feature, golden suit-symbol wilds start showing up like buried treasures of their own. Pure pirate chaos, done right.

## 5\. Wild Seas – ELK Studios

This one takes a narrative approach. You’re following pirate Anne Bonny across the Caribbean, fighting naval battles and looting ships. It has two levels of bonus rounds: first, you shoot down enemy ships, and then you blast treasure chests while dodging explosives. The gameplay changes feel refreshing, and the graphics sell the fantasy. This game is an excellent choice for those who enjoy incorporating a narrative element into their gameplay.

## 6\. Jolly Roger 2 – Play’n GO

If sequels worry you, don’t be. Jolly Roger 2 is better than the original in almost every way. Random compass multipliers and a highly interactive bonus round called Bonus Quest keep it lively. Pick scrolls to uncover one of four different features – from bottle-smashing wilds to a full-on pirate battle. It’s high on variety and low on boredom.

## 7\. Boom Pirates – Microgaming / Foxium

This one looks modest at first glance, but surprise! The grid can expand up to 9 reels and 6 rows, giving you more than 10 million ways to win. This is not a typo. It’s also got a “Boom” feature that turns non-winning spins into explosive hits and a free spins mode where the expanded grid sticks around. Throw in a cartoonish art style, and it’s hard not to smile – even if the kraken [eats your bankroll](https://jimmakos.com/build-bankroll-fast-with-free-bets/).

Forget boring reels with nothing but anchors and barrels. The best pirate slots are mini-journeys: full of kraken fights, treasure hunts, and all the high-seas chaos your inner swashbuckler could want. 

So find a sweepstakes casino to play top-rated pirate-themed slots for free, and turn spinning reels into a genuine quest for fortune.
### What Crypto Gambling Teaches Us About On-Chain Behavior and Wallet Psychology
URL: https://jimmakos.com/what-crypto-gambling-teaches-on-chain-behavior-wallet-psychology/
Last updated: 2026-07-25T06:36:05.000Z
The way people use their crypto wallets in real time reveals more than just spending habits. In high-pressure settings like online gaming, decision-making often happens quickly, with little room for second-guessing. These micro-decisions, recorded on-chain, provide unique insight into how digital natives think and act under pressure.

Unlike traditional web platforms where most data is kept hidden and only recorded on a company’s private servers, blockchain activity is transparent and available for the general public to see. Every wallet address, every transaction, and every delay or split-second choice paints a picture. And nowhere is that behavior more revealing than in crypto-based entertainment.

## Wallets as Extensions of Behavior

In crypto environments, wallets aren't just storage tools. They're digital identities. Every tap to approve a transaction or sign a smart contract reflects a choice — one shaped by personal risk tolerance, convenience, and familiarity with Web3\. In contexts like crypto gambling, where gameplay tends to be fast-paced and immediate, that behavior becomes even more telling.

Because players can use their wallets to engage directly with games, analysts can track how often users play, how long they take to make a decision, at what point they switch tokens, and how they respond to subtle UI changes. These aren’t abstract metrics — they’re behavioral signals. By studying these signals, platforms such as those that specialize in crypto gambling can learn more about their player base and may be able to identify ways to improve their site without needing direct user feedback at all.

It’s not just the [casinos](https://jimmakos.com/virtual-reality-of-bitcoin-casinos/) themselves that are taking note of this either. Other platforms are also monitoring the data to learn more about how the average customer behaves. Fast decision-making and frequent low-value transactions mean that the crypto gaming space creates a particularly useful dataset that behavioral economists, blockchain analysts, and platform owners alike can study to better understand digital trust and user behavior in decentralized environments.

## Why Wallet Preferences Matter

Not all wallets are equal. Some prioritize speed, others value simplicity, and a growing number rely on more complex features like gas fee estimates or in-app swaps. These elements influence how people engage with online platforms and dictate their willingness to return.

To make smart choices, users often compare wallet options before making their selections. That’s where guides like Best Crypto Wallet For Gambling Online (& How To Pick One) come in. It breaks down wallet choices based on practical factors like ease of use, compatibility with tokens, and more. For anyone stepping into crypto-based gaming, understanding these tools can streamline their experience and reduce decision fatigue.

This link is more than just a how-to — it’s a reflection of how Web3 players are adapting their tech stack to align with behavior. It shows that while platforms evolve fast, users still prioritize trust, simplicity, and speed above all.

## The Speed of Trust: Transaction Timing and Player Confidence

When players have to confirm a transaction before every action, even a few seconds of hesitation tell a story. Are they pausing to double-check gas fees? Are they thinking about how much they’ve already spent? Or are they completely confident in the platform?

Trust, in a decentralized setting, doesn’t come from a brand name or a flashy interface. It comes from consistency. If a player’s first few transactions go smoothly, they’re more likely to keep playing. If something feels off then their engagement drops.

This is why so much attention in crypto-native environments goes toward optimization. Faster loading times, gas-efficient smart contracts, and intuitive wallet popups aren’t just quality-of-life features — they’re behavioral hooks.

## Real-Time Data, Real Human Patterns

Crypto gaming platforms are rich with data that reflects human behavior under time pressure. From re-entry rates after a failed transaction to changes in activity based on token values, there’s a behavioral map encoded in every on-chain footprint.

Here’s a simple breakdown of some wallet behaviors and what they often reveal:

| **Wallet Behavior**             | **What It May Suggest**           |
| ------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Rapid approvals                 | High trust or habitual engagement |
| Frequent small transactions     | Risk-aversion or testing phase    |
| Long delays before confirmation | Uncertainty or fee-sensitivity    |
| Token switching before play     | Preference for lower-cost options |
| Late-night activity spikes      | Leisure-based use patterns        |

These patterns show us that crypto wallets are more than just storage. They're tools users wield differently based on context, mood, and confidence — and crypto-based gaming makes those patterns visible at scale.

## Why This Insight Matters

Understanding wallet psychology in high-speed environments helps product designers, developers, and even behavioral researchers gain insights, potentially leading to more user-centered systems. It’s not just about optimizing games — it’s about observing how people interact with decentralized tech when they’re fully engaged.

Crypto gambling, for example, compresses complex user choices into quick, transparent actions. That makes it one of the clearest windows into how people behave when convenience meets risk. These insights aren't limited to gaming. They can influence everything from DeFi tools to NFT marketplaces and future dApps built with human-centric design in mind.

And while [gaming responsibly](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) is still a core value, these real-time interactions offer something rare in tech: user data that’s visible, honest, and voluntarily created — making it a powerful source of understanding for anyone building in Web3.
### How AI Is Transforming Online Poker: From Strategy to Ethics
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-ai-transforming-online-poker-strategy-ethics/
Last updated: 2026-06-08T05:40:02.000Z
Online poker has long been a battleground of logic, experience, and calculated risk. But as artificial intelligence begins to redefine what it means to play “smart,” the lines between traditional strategy and machine-enhanced thinking are becoming increasingly blurred. No longer confined to post-game analysis, AI is now influencing everything from live decision-making to ethical debates around fair play. For many, this shift represents not only a new toolset, but a fundamental transformation of the game itself.

## Regional Shifts in the Poker Landscape

As technology reshapes how the game is played globally, its influence is also beginning to reshape poker environments in specific regions. These changes are prompting a closer look at how players engage with the game within varying legal and competitive contexts. Some regions are seeing a rise in regulated live tournaments tailored to local audiences, while others are embracing hybrid formats that merge digital tools with in-person gameplay. In places where traditional poker rooms are limited, mobile apps and decentralised platforms are filling the gap. 

The most significant transformation, however, is unfolding in how players interact with poker online, where AI integration is rapidly redefining competitive standards. For example, many players in Norway experience that one of the key advantages of modern platforms lies in the accessibility they offer, removing the need for travel or physical venues. The range of game types—from fast-paced variants to deep-stack formats—allows for a tailored experience based on individual preferences. Features like welcome offers and ongoing bonuses add an extra layer of value for consistent participants. Combined with integrated tracking tools and real-time feedback, online poker continues to evolve as a strategic space shaped by both technology and player demand.

These changes in how poker is played and experienced have also reshaped the way players think about strategy. With the game now unfolding across a range of formats and digital settings, flexible decision-making has become more important than ever. To keep pace, many are relying on deeper analysis and modern tools to sharpen their performance and maintain an edge.

## Rethinking Strategy in the Age of Simulation

Strategic thinking in poker has evolved far beyond gut feeling and behavioural reads. As technology has advanced, players now rely on tools that simulate millions of potential outcomes, creating decision models that mirror the complexity of real-world gameplay. These solvers break down hands across countless variables, allowing players to study optimal responses rather than improvising under pressure.

Instead of memorising static charts, many now adopt a more flexible approach—analysing positions, board dynamics, and betting patterns through structured analysis. This mirrors how professionals in other fields optimise their performance by refining systems and content over time, much like those who build influence through [consistent publishing and long term digital strategy](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/).

At the centre of this shift is Game Theory Optimal logic, offering a baseline that can’t be easily exploited. By understanding not just which moves are best, but why they are best in specific contexts, players transform training into a form of digital rehearsal—practising thousands of scenarios in preparation for when it truly matters.

## Training Ground: From Post-Session Review to Real-Time Insight

Poker training has undergone a transformation. Where study sessions once consisted of reviewing hand histories and spotting occasional missteps, today’s approach is far more dynamic. AI-driven platforms like PokerSnowie don’t just provide feedback—they replicate decision points under changing conditions, revealing tendencies and blind spots that traditional review might miss.

A key innovation lies in the rise of interactive learning environments. Players select from a range of tailored scenarios—adjusting for stack depth, position, or opponent type—then test strategies across branching outcomes. The focus is no longer on memorising fixed patterns, but on internalising adaptable logic through sustained repetition.

This method reflects a broader shift seen in other fields: learning not through passive intake but through hands on iterative practice under variable constraints. Whether fine-tuning a decision at the table or refining a creative skill over time, the principle remains the same—progress is driven by structured experimentation.

Real-time tools add yet another layer. While controversial in competitive settings, they demonstrate just how far AI has come in reading board states and suggesting optimal lines in evolving game states. Even without direct execution, these tools influence play in subtle but measurable ways.

## Navigating the Ethics: Tool or Crutch?

As AI becomes more involved in real-time gameplay, questions around its appropriate use have become impossible to ignore. Using solvers or analysis tools outside of a match is widely accepted. But when assistance creeps into active decision-making—especially without disclosure—it starts to violate unspoken norms of fair competition.

Online platforms have responded with firm policies against "real-time assistance" (RTA). Yet the boundaries are not always clear. For example, some software operates in a grey zone, offering advice based on broad tendencies rather than exact matchups. Whether such guidance constitutes cheating remains a point of contention. What’s certain is that as tools become more seamless, detecting misuse becomes more difficult—and the need for clear ethical lines grows more urgent.

## Platform Safeguards and the Arms Race Against Abuse

To ensure competitive integrity, leading poker sites have introduced increasingly advanced detection mechanisms. These systems don't just monitor for obvious violations—they track behavioural anomalies such as reaction speed, betting consistency, and timing patterns that might suggest external influence.

In many cases, AI itself is deployed to detect suspicious use of... AI. Algorithms compare user performance against known statistical norms, flagging those whose decisions align too closely with solver-approved actions. While no system is foolproof, the message is clear: the same technology revolutionising play is now being used to police it.

Alongside technical enforcement, some platforms are investing in education. By explaining what kinds of software are permitted, and why, they hope to steer users toward responsible usage. This educational push not only reinforces fair play but helps foster a broader culture of respect for the game’s integrity.

Summary of current safeguards:

- **Detection algorithms** monitor real-time behaviour for solver-like precision, unnatural timing patterns, or improbable consistency across sessions.
- **Defined tool restrictions** clarify which software is permitted for post-game analysis versus what is banned during live play.
- **Transparency initiatives** aim to educate players about acceptable usage and promote a shared understanding of fair practice.
- **Behavioural tracking** flags accounts whose play mimics solver decisions too closely, particularly in high-volume environments.
- **Session audits** compare individual play histories with established human benchmarks to spot outliers.
- **Anti-collusion frameworks** scan for coordinated behaviour among users, particularly in ring games and tournaments.
- **Player reporting systems** allow the community to flag suspicious activity, adding a human layer to automated detection.
- **Legal and contractual clauses** in user agreements now define AI-related violations explicitly, reducing ambiguity around enforcement.

## Human Versus Machine: A Tactical Shift

What AI excels at - processing vast information and computing probability - has made it invaluable in certain game phases. Yet, there remain domains where human players still hold the edge. Live tournaments, bluff-heavy cash games, and emotionally volatile settings often depend on psychological cues and pressure-induced decision-making—areas where AI lacks instinct.

Still, even here, AI has a role to play. By simulating high-pressure spots, solvers can teach players how to navigate uncertainty, train better risk management, and refine their behavioural tendencies. This doesn’t erase the human factor, but rather enhances it—sharpening instincts through exposure to probabilistic models.

Moreover, as neural networks become increasingly nuanced, some developers aim to build systems that mimic human unpredictability. These AI agents don’t simply seek optimal lines—they aim to deceive, adjust, and adapt. In other words, they’re being trained not just to win, but to mislead like a pro.

## Blurred Lines and Adaptive Intelligence

As the boundaries between machine and mind continue to blur, poker stands as a unique case study in human-computer collaboration. Nowhere is the tension between augmentation and automation more visible. And as technology improves, the margin for misjudging ethical boundaries narrows.

In high-stakes environments, this becomes especially apparent. Players backed by data-driven systems often walk a tightrope, seeking advantage without crossing into misconduct. A well-timed decision informed by pre-match simulations is fair play. But a decision aided by an external agent mid-hand? That’s a red flag.

Yet even with guardrails in place, the potential for subtle misuse lingers. Tools that provide pre-loaded ranges or behavioural patterns, when left open during play, can blur the line between reference material and active aid. This growing ambiguity underscores the importance of shared standards across the poker ecosystem.

## Regulating the Next Generation of Tools

The future of poker will almost certainly feature more integrated technologies. Apps that offer adaptive strategy feedback, heads-up displays with embedded solver logic, or even augmented reality overlays might soon become the norm. How the community reacts—and regulates—these innovations will shape the game's evolution.

Some are calling for broader collaboration between platforms, developers, and player associations to create unified guidelines. These would ideally address not just software access, but transparency, data rights, and acceptable uses. Others believe the answer lies in open source AI tools, freely available to all, thereby levelling the field.

While there’s no single path forward, one thing remains consistent: transparency will be key. Just as solvers made study more democratic, new technologies should aim to democratise improvement without compromising fairness.

## A Game Transformed, Not Replaced

It would be tempting to suggest that [AI is taking over poker entirely](https://jimmakos.com/ai-gambling-disrupt/). But the reality is more layered. While the mechanics of play are changing, the core of the game—reading the situation, making timely choices, adapting on the fly—remains intact. In many ways, AI has expanded the vocabulary of poker strategy, not erased its essence.

For those willing to embrace the shift, the benefits are considerable: deeper insight, faster learning, and more consistent results. Yet these tools do not guarantee victory. They provide frameworks, not instincts. And the most successful players are those who fuse technical mastery with creative judgment.

As this landscape continues to evolve, the game’s integrity will rest not only on what AI can do, but on what players choose to let it do. Responsibility, restraint, and mutual respect will be as vital as ever.
### My Pro and Con List for Different Types of Online Gambling
URL: https://jimmakos.com/pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling/
Last updated: 2026-04-27T07:46:48.000Z
In the past ten years, online gambling has seen many improvements, which means players can now enjoy many more options from their own homes. Having experienced a trial-and-error process with different aspects of online gambling, I have figured out what each one has to offer. Whether you play strategically or a game of chance, knowing what each type of online gambling is like will allow you to find your match.

## The Ultimate Test of Skill and Strategy With Online Poker

![pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/04/pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling-cards.jpg)

Playing poker online requires innovative thinking, strategy, and knowledge. In contrast to several other gambling games, poker rewards those who build their skills over time and can read their opponents well, even online.

When you play poker online, you will find many game types and stakes for players of all levels. There is everything from cash games to tournaments, Texas Hold’em to Omaha, and so on.

### Pros of Online Poker

- **Skill-based gameplay:** Success is more based on strategy than luck.
- **Social interaction:** Chat features and community elements are social.
- **Tournament variety:** From daily tournaments to major championships.
- **Play at your own pace:** Multi-table for experienced players or single-table for beginners.
- **Lower stakes:** Start with minimal risk compared to land-based casinos.

### Cons of Online Poker:

- **Learning curve:** More complex than other gambling games and takes time to master.
- **Time commitment:** Tournaments can take several hours to complete.
- **Can’t read physical “tells”:** Limited ability to observe opponent behavior.
- **Technical issues:** Connectivity problems can ruin your game at the worst possible moment.

### Online Slots Provide Instant Entertainment With Endless Options

![pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling-online slots](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/04/pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling-online-slots.jpg)

Photo by [Darya Sannikova](https://www.pexels.com/photo/slot-machines-3021120/)

Online slots are the beating heart of digital casino gaming, offering instant gratification and visual wonder. Contemporary slots boast intricate themes, animations, and special features that craft an ambience that goes well beyond the straightforward fruit machines of yesteryears.

### Pros of Online Slots:

- **Easy access:** No learning curve or special skills required.
- **Thousands of options:** Different games with unique themes and features.
- **Quick sessions:** Play for minutes or hours, depending on your schedule.
- **Progressive jackpots:** Life-changing wins on specific games- Lower stakes: Start with minimal risk.

### Cons of Online Slots:

- **Chance only:** No skill will improve long-term results.
- **Repetitive:** Basic gameplay is the same across all games.
- **Higher house edge:** Less favorable odds than strategic games.
- **Fast play:** Easy to get lost in time and spending.

### Sports Betting

![pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling-sports betting](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/04/pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling-sports-betting.jpg)

Online sports betting has changed watching sports from a passive experience to an active challenge where [knowledge and analysis can lead to winnings](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/). These days, you can place bets on just about anything, such as [player performance and game-time outcomes](https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/5/1700).

### Pros of Sports Betting:

- **Knowledge advantage:** Sports knowledge can improve winning.
- **More fun to watch:** Even neutral games are exciting.
- **Global markets:** Bet on any sport worldwide.
- **Live betting:** React to game developments in real time.
- **Bankroll control:** Set limits easier than in casino games.

### Cons of Sports Betting:

- **Emotional bias:** Fans bet with their hearts, not their heads.
- **Research required:** Successful betting means consistent info gathering.
- **Seasonal limitations:** Some sports have off seasons with limited betting.

## Live Dealer Games

![pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling live dealer games](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/04/pro-and-con-list-types-of-online-gambling-live-dealer-games.jpg)

Photo by [Pavel Danilyuk](https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-croupier-spinning-the-ball-in-the-roulette-wheel-7594347/)

[Live dealer games](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/) are an innovation that combines the best of a live casino with the convenience of modern, online digital gaming. You get the convenience of playing from anywhere in the world, but with the element of a real casino.

### Pros of Live Dealer Games:

- **Real deal:** Real cards, dice, and wheels ensure fair play.
- **Social:** Interact with dealers and sometimes other players.
- **Trust factor:** Seeing the action unfold eliminates concerns about computer-generated results.
- **Professional:** Trained dealers ensure smooth play.
- **Elegant:** Studios are designed to look like upscale casinos.

### Cons of Live Dealer Games:

- **Slower pace:** Games are played at human speed, not computer speed
- **Higher minimums:** Usually more expensive than standard online casino games
- **Bandwidth requirements:** High-def video streams require stable internet

## Finding Your Perfect Match

One of the best things about online gambling is the selection — there’s something for everyone! Strategic thinkers may like [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/), while those looking for instant gratification may like slots. Sports enthusiasts can bet on their favorite athletes, while users who miss the casino experience can try their luck at live dealer games.

Through my experiences with the games, I have learned that each category offers a unique experience filled with benefits and drawbacks. Instead of restricting yourself to just one, try out different types based on your mood, schedule, and goals.

## Some Points to Remember

Technology helps online gambling grow ever more diverse. If you know the pros and cons of each type, you could make better decisions on where to spend your time and money. Remember, responsible gambling should always be the top priority, no matter what type you choose. Never chase your losses, treat [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) as merely entertainment, and use it responsibly. With that mindset, online gambling can be a fun hobby that adds to your daily routine with no adverse consequences.
### Top Benefits of Playing at The Pokies Net: What Sets This Online Casino Apart
URL: https://jimmakos.com/top-benefits-playing-pokies-net-online-casino/
Last updated: 2026-04-19T19:34:05.000Z
With Australia’s online gaming community continuing to grow rapidly in 2025, players are becoming more discerning about where they play. It’s not just about flashy games anymore—it’s about safety, speed, bonuses, and user-friendly experiences. And that’s exactly where The Pokies Net shines.

Aussie players are finding a top-tier gaming destination in the pokies net australia. Designed with local tastes, currencies, and banking methods in mind, this platform delivers more than just entertainment—it offers a tailored, high-quality online casino experience that keeps people coming back for more.

### 1\. Seamless Local Payments

One of the major benefits of The Pokies Net is how well it caters to Australian players’ financial preferences. Whether you're depositing or [cashing out](https://jimmakos.com/cash-out/), you can do so quickly and safely using trusted local payment options.

**Popular supported methods include:**

- PayID (instant transfers with no fees)
- POLi for bank-level transactions without card use
- Visa/Mastercard and secure crypto options

By using familiar, fast payment channels, players don’t need to worry about long waits or hidden processing fees.

## 2\. Generous Bonuses Tailored for Aussies

From the moment you sign up, The Pokies Net makes it clear that player value is a top priority. The bonuses are not only competitive—they’re smartly designed to suit the preferences of the Aussie market.

**Players can expect:**

- Large welcome bonuses for first-time deposits
- Free spins on some of the most popular pokies
- Reload bonuses and [cashback promotions](https://jimmakos.com/how-multitabling-rakeback-affects-winrate-poker-strategy/)
- Loyalty rewards for regular players

Unlike many platforms that attach high wagering requirements, The Pokies Net keeps things fair and transparent, ensuring bonuses actually benefit the player.

## 3\. Massive Game Library with Aussie Favorites

Whether you're a fan of classic slot machines or prefer newer pokies with advanced features and high RTPs, The Pokies Net has something for everyone. Their game library is packed with titles from top providers and is constantly updated to include the latest hits.

**Highlights include:**

- High-volatility pokies for big win potential
- Branded slot games with bonus rounds and jackpots
- [Live dealer tables](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/) for an immersive casino feel
- Mobile-optimized games that run flawlessly on any device

This variety ensures that players of all tastes and experience levels will find games they love.

## A Platform Built for Trust and Simplicity

Behind the flashy visuals and exciting promotions, The Pokies Net stands out for its commitment to [responsible gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) and player protection. The platform uses strong SSL encryption to secure user data and runs all games through licensed software providers to ensure fair results.

Additionally, players can access 24/7 support via live chat or email, and the site includes self-exclusion tools and deposit limits for those who want to maintain control of their gaming habits.

## Final Thoughts

For Aussie casino fans looking for a site that delivers on both performance and player satisfaction, **The Pokies Net** checks every box. From seamless banking and thoughtful bonuses to a rich game library and a strong focus on user security, it’s easy to see why this site is gaining momentum in 2025.

Whether you're chasing a jackpot or just spinning for fun, **the pokies net australia** offers a secure, exciting, and genuinely Aussie-friendly platform to enjoy [online casino gaming](https://jimmakos.com/pros-and-cons-of-online-casinos/) at its best.
### Mastering the Bounce: Exploring Smart Plinko Strategies
URL: https://jimmakos.com/mastering-the-bounce-exploring-smart-plinko-strategies/
Last updated: 2026-04-12T16:26:39.000Z
Plinko has been a fan favorite for years, whether on TV or in its digital form. The game’s appeal lies in its simplicity—drop a puck, watch it bounce off pegs, and land in a prize slot. But when it comes to digital Plinko games—including Plinko slots—there’s more to it than just luck.

Platforms like Sportzino offer exciting variations of Plinko, where understanding key strategies can help you make smarter choices and get more out of each session. In this article, we’ll dive into the basics of a smart Plinko strategy and explore how to maximize your enjoyment when playing this fun online game.

## Plinko in Digital Form

Unlike traditional slot games that rely on spinning reels, Plinko is physics-based, meaning the outcome is determined by how the puck bounces and where it lands. While randomness plays a major role, the ability to adjust certain game settings allows player to tailor their approach.

1. **Low, Medium, or High Volatility Settings**

Most digital Plinko games offer different risk settings:

| **Setting** | **Description**                                                 |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Low**     | Smaller, more frequent payouts—great for longer play sessions.  |
| **Medium**  | A balance between steady wins and bigger prize potential.       |
| **High**    | Higher payouts but less frequent wins—ideal for thrill-seekers. |

Choosing the right setting depends on your goal. If you prefer a steady, low-risk approach, stick with low volatility. If you’re looking for bigger wins and don’t mind fewer payouts, high volatility may be your best bet.

1. **Adjusting Drop Zones**

Some versions of digital Plinko allow you to select where the puck is released. While the outcome is still random, your choice can influence how often the puck drifts toward high-value slots. Test out different zones and observe the patterns—some players prefer sticking to certain angles, others favor the middle, and some even avoid dropping from the same spot twice in a row.

1. **Watching Patterns**

Although Plinko is based on randomness, some players [like to observe trends](https://jimmakos.com/pattern-formations-entry-exit-points-betfair-graphs/) over multiple rounds. Watching how often certain drop angles lead to higher rewards can help you develop a sense of the game’s flow, even if it doesn’t guarantee a win.

1. **Explore Themed Variations**

Sportzino features multiple Plinko-style experiences, some of which include bonus features or themed environments. Exploring different versions can keep things interesting and allow players to find the one that matches their style.

### Final Thoughts

Plinko may be [a game of chance](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), but small strategic choices—like adjusting volatility settings, experimenting with drop zones, or finding your favorite theme, a thoughtful approach can enhance the experience.

Want to sharpen your approach to this bouncy classic? Dive into this Plinko strategy guide and explore different techniques to elevate your gameplay. From drop angles to volatility settings, there's more to Plinko than meets the eye, and with Sportzino’s vast library of fun games, every drop is a chance to win!
### How to Find Online Resources To Master Casino Tournaments
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-find-online-resources-master-casino-tournaments/
Last updated: 2026-03-30T07:11:36.000Z
From online platforms to live craps tables, find out how to improve your game, perform at tournaments, and walk away with your head held high. This article reviews the biggest casino tournaments, how to practice effectively with online resources and what it takes to become a professional gambler. 

Casino tournaments offer high-stakes action to players worldwide. These games - like poker, blackjack, or craps - let you score some big wins while going up against top players. But winning isn't a walk in the park. You’ve got to put in some practice, get ready, and really know the game. At the end of it all, you can step into any tournament and play at the top level.

## Tournament Practice at Online Casinos

The best practice before a live tournament could start at online casinos. They let you play your favorite games at home without risking big bucks. Some platforms even allow free play - great for those just learning the rules and developing strategies.

Pick fair, unbiased and licensed platforms when choosing an online casino. Check out fair and unbiased casino reviews by other players. A fair online casino will use random number generators (RNGs). It should also have many games, secure payment options and customer support. Practice on these platforms to build confidence before a live tournament.

## Play Craps Before Going to the Casino

One of the most exciting and intimidating games in any casino is craps. Speedy action and complex betting can intimidate beginners. But learn how to play it and you could score big wins. Learn some basic rules and strategies first. Know the different kinds of bets like Pass / Don't Pass, Come / Don't Come, and Field bets.

Practice is key. You can play free craps at many online casinos. Utilize these platforms to learn about the game and create your own betting strategies. Remember that craps is a social game. And the more comfortable you are at the table, the better the tournament experience will be.

## The Biggest Casino Tournaments You Should Know

Casino tournaments come in all shapes and sizes, and they definitely have their charm. Take poker tournaments, for example. Events like the World Series of Poker are super prestigious and attract thousands of players all fighting for a shot at millions in prizes. Blackjack tournaments are just as intense and really call for some skill and strategy. Craps tournaments tend to be less common but extremely energetic and rewarding.

Slot machine competitions and roulette challenges are other tournaments that can be held. Those events usually have big prize pools and draw a wide range of players. You can enter these tournaments as a pro or a beginner and test your skills, meet other players and potentially win big. Get a feel for popular slots by trying them out online first.

## Ways to Prepare for Big Tournaments

It's all about getting in some practice online. To really get good at it, you gotta play. Check out some strategies, watch tutorial videos, and read books by pro gamblers. Joining forums and online communities also gives you advice from experienced players.

An alternative is playing in smaller, local tournaments. They're low-pressure events where you can practice your skills and get experience. Besides, they help you with the live play dynamics of reading opponents and managing your bankroll. Practice makes perfect so try to do it regularly if you want to go pro.

## Career as a Professional Gambler

Becoming a professional gambler involves a lot more than luck. It requires discipline, patience and a deep knowledge of the games you play. Professional gamblers consider [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) a business. They keep tight budgets, record wins and losses, and refine their strategies.

The most important trait for a professional gambler to have is emotional control. Losing streaks happen, but how you handle them determines your long-term success. Focus, stick to your strategy and don't chase losses! The professionals also know when to walk away. They understand gambling is a marathon, not a sprint.

Jim Makos's [path to becoming a professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) shows that winning at gambling requires skill, not luck. Jim made gambling a full-time job, trading sports betting odds and playing online poker for a decade despite family skepticism. His story teaches discipline, strategic thinking and emotional control. Not an easy road, but his experience shows that with the right mindset and determination, making a living from gambling is possible.

## Importance of Bankroll Management

For any serious tournament player bankroll management is a must. It involves establishing a budget for your gambling and sticking to it. Partition your bankroll into smaller portions for each session - and never go over your limits. This helps limit losses and means you can play through a bad run as well.

Professional gamblers often follow the 5% rule - never risk more than 5% of their bankroll on a single bet or session. Having this conservative strategy keeps them in the game longer and increases the chance of a profit. By managing your bankroll well you can reduce stress and make more calculated decisions during tournaments.

Casino tournaments are fun, but winning big takes more than just showing up. Practice online, strategize, and then compete in smaller events to build your confidence. Whether you're learning craps or aiming to be a pro gambler, preparation and discipline are key. Remember, practice makes perfect, so go into that tournament feeling ready to take risks.
### Can AI Predict Your Next Big Win in Gambling?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/can-ai-predict-your-next-big-win-in-gambling/
Last updated: 2025-03-23T11:44:07.000Z
Players in the continually changing realm of gambling have always looked for techniques, secrets, and superstitions to raise their chances of reaching the prize. The concept of employing technology to forecast gambling outcomes has attracted a lot of attention as artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced rapidly recently. According to the report by legjobbmagyarcasino.com, the [latest survey](https://legjobbmagyarcasino.com/blog/magyar-szerencsejatek-piac) shows use of AI in online casinos is becoming more widespread, sparking curiosity among players about its potential to predict outcomes. Though it sounds great, is it really feasible that artificial intelligence could forecast your subsequent great success?

This article will look at how [artificial intelligence](https://jimmakos.com/ai-gambling-disrupt/) is used in gaming, if it can forecast your successive win, and the ethical issues raised by AI applications in gaming.

## AI in Gaming

First of all, it's essential to know how artificial intelligence is already applied in the gaming sector before one can determine whether it can forecast your subsequent success. Many facets of gaming have been significantly shaped by artificial intelligence technologies, including data analytics, neural networks, and machine learning. Starting to utilize artificial intelligence to enhance customer experience, maximize gaming strategies, and provide tailored promos in both land-based and online casinos.

Using artificial intelligence, online casinos examine player behavior and generate custom suggestions for games, bonuses, or even responsible gaming alerts. AI is also used in casinos to identify dishonest behavior, including cheating or collusion in [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). Moreover, casinos use artificial intelligence to guarantee fair play, improve customer service, and present dynamic odds. Even if artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the gambling industry, the issue still remains: can it forecast when you will strike a significant win? Let's examine this more closely.

## Can AI Predict Gambling Outcomes?

Regarding forecasts of gambling results, the powers of artificial intelligence are sometimes misinterpreted. Although artificial intelligence can examine vast volumes of data, it's crucial to understand that gambling outcomes are essentially random. Whether your game is [blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/), roulette, slot machines, or sports betting, randomness significantly affects outcomes.

For instance, Random Number Generators (RNGs) drive these games—including slot machines—to guarantee that every spin generates an entirely random outcome. Though it cannot forecast when a jackpot will strike, artificial intelligence can help examine trends in the functioning of a machine over time. The RNG assures us that every spin is independent of the one before it. Hence, it is difficult to project when a significant win is likely to occur. While artificial intelligence could enable players to select machines depending on past trends, it cannot forecast when the successive major win would happen.

Regarding sports betting, artificial intelligence can provide a more significant analysis. To forecast the probability of specific events, machine learning techniques can examine vast databases concerning teams, players, previous performance, meteorological conditions, and even social media attitudes. By offering thorough studies of possible results, artificial intelligence can provide bettors with a data-driven advantage. Predicting sports results does, however, come with some uncertainty. The outcome may be very different depending on things like injuries, referee rulings, or erratic game events like a red card or last-minute goal. Although AI can help bettors with analysis, it cannot consider every factor affecting the result of a game.

## The Role of AI in Gamblers’ Decision-Making

Though it cannot forecast a particular win, artificial intelligence can be pretty helpful in [guiding gamblers](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) toward wise decisions. AI can help specifically with bankroll management and strategic betting.

Strategic betting has found benefits from artificial intelligence since it offers recommendations based on past performance or game history. AI can enable gamers, for instance, to maximize their betting techniques, grasp the odds, and spot the ideal moments to wager. AI can offer direction on the appropriate actions to take in poker depending on the hand and position the player finds at the table. Although it cannot guarantee a victory, this type of analysis allows AI to significantly increase a player's odds of making wise betting decisions.

## The Ethics of AI in Gambling

AI begs serious ethical issues even if it may improve the gaming experience. A big issue is how artificial intelligence might be utilized to encourage addictive habits. AI-dependent players may assume they are raising their odds of winning, which would cause them to make bigger or riskier bets than they would otherwise have. Either financial difficulties or gambling addiction could follow from this.

Can artificial intelligence then forecast your successive significant gaming win? Sadly, the answer is no. Although artificial intelligence can help with strategic decision-making, trend analysis, and game or betting opportunity knowledge, it cannot forecast the randomness of gambling results. No technology can make gambling - which is really a game of chance - any different. Though it cannot ensure that you will strike the next jackpot or place a profitable sports bet, AI can offer tools to help enhance your betting strategy, control your bankroll, and encourage responsible gaming.

Ultimately, [gambling is still a game of chance](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), hence even if artificial intelligence might improve your experience, it should be seen as a tool to support your decision-making rather than as a definite method to win. The finest ways to savor the pleasures of gambling are still responsible play and a smart strategy.
### The Psychology behind Effective Gambling Strategies
URL: https://jimmakos.com/psychology-behind-effective-gambling-strategies/
Last updated: 2025-03-23T11:34:26.000Z
For millennia, gambling has been a favorite pastime, pulling millions of people annually to casinos, sportsbooks, and internet sites to gamble for money. Although some individuals see [play online](https://najboljsaspletnaigralnica.si/spletne-casino-igre-za-pravi-denar) only as a game of chance, many experienced players know that building a good strategy depends much on psychology. Your approach to gambling will significantly impact your results, [whether you are playing poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/), the lottery, or spinning the reels on a slot machine at a casino. Knowing the psychological elements behind gambling techniques will help you have an advantage and occasionally assist you in avoiding the traps that usually cause loss.

At its core, [gambling is a mixture of chance, skill, and psychology](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). While the odds may be mathematically defined, the way we react to those odds, handle losses, and make decisions can heavily influence our overall success. In this article, we’ll explore the psychological aspects behind effective gambling strategies, from risk tolerance and emotional control to decision-making processes and the importance of self-awareness.

## The Role of Risk Tolerance in Gambling

An individual's degree of risk tolerance is one of the main psychological elements guiding successful gambling practices. People's willingness to take risks differs substantially, which has a big impact on their choices on gambling. Risk tolerance is the degree of loss or uncertainty a person is at ease with while making choices. Risk tolerance in gambling is sometimes assessed when a person bets a big sum knowing that, should things go wrong, the loss may be really severe.

Higher risk tolerance players might be more likely to gamble more significant amounts in [games like blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/) or roulette when the chances are stacked against them. Conversely, those with a lower risk tolerance can decide to make smaller, more prudent investments. Therefore, a good gambling plan is knowing your own degree of risk comfort. To prevent exceeding their means or acting impulsively, players must match their betting practices with their risk tolerance.

In gaming, risk tolerance is primarily dependent on knowing when to walk away. Believing they can keep making bigger bets, many gamblers become hooked in the thrill of a winning streak. But gambling is erratic, hence individuals who push their luck too far may find themselves on the losing side of a situation that should have been avoided. Establishing a good plan that includes understanding when to quit will help to stop significant losses.

## Decision-Making and Cognitive Biases

The core of gambling is decision-making, and it is affected by many cognitive biases that could distort judgment. Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts or patterns of behavior that could cause illogical decisions. Common prejudices in gambling, such as "confirmation bias" or the "gambler's fallacy," can cause players to make mistakes that lower their odds of winning.

Another cognitive pitfall influencing choices about gambling is confirmation bias. This is the inclination to seek for and understand knowledge in a way that supports one's preconceptions. When gambling, gamers may overlook the times when their plans failed and concentrate on past successes. This selective attention can result in too high expectations and ill-informed plans ignoring the randomness of gaming results.

Overcoming these prejudices requires one to create a plan grounded on objective facts and a clear awareness of the game's probability. Aware of these cognitive traps, players might try to minimize their impact by depending on reason, analysis, and a more balanced view while making decisions.

## The Importance of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is a sometimes disregarded psychological component of gambling. Self-awareness is the capacity for one to identify and comprehend one's own ideas, feelings, and actions. Self-awareness is essential in the context of gambling in order to spot personal traits, triggers, and restrictions that could influence betting techniques.

A player who discovers, for example, that they are highly competitive or impetuous during a run of victories may decide to impose more rigorous constraints on their gambling behavior. In the same vein, someone who finds they gamble under pressure or anxiety may decide to pause and participate in other things to control their feelings before going back to the table.

Those who are in awareness of their own actions and able to make required corrections are [the most successful gamblers](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/). They are aware of their shortcomings as well as their strengths, hence they are ready to leave the game when it gets emotionally or financially taxing.

Effective gambling techniques have psychological roots closely entwined with a player's awareness of their own decision-making processes, emotional reactions, and cognitive biases. Gamblers who understand the need for risk tolerance, emotional control, and self-awareness can create more successful plans that reduce the influence of psychological traps and improve their whole gaming experience. Although there is no perfect way to ensure a win, gamers who approach their gaming psychologically can increase their odds of success and, more crucially, participate in the activity sensibly.
### Video Poker Tips for Norwegian Online Casino Players
URL: https://jimmakos.com/video-poker-tips-for-norwegian-online-casino-players/
Last updated: 2026-03-22T12:23:28.000Z
Video poker has become more popular in Norway, with many players turning to online options for convenience. Unlike classic poker, it combines skill with luck, so making the right decisions matters over time. Knowing when to hold or discard cards, managing your bankroll, and choosing the right game can all influence results.

This article shares practical advice on improving your approach and making smarter choices. No matter if you're new to video poker or already familiar with the basics, the right strategy can help you play more effectively.

## Video Poker Basics

Video poker mixes poker strategy with slot mechanics. Unlike traditional poker, you play against a machine, not other people. The aim is to build the best possible hand using standard poker rankings.

Each round starts with five cards. You decide which ones to keep and swap the rest. Your final hand determines the payout.

The game uses a random number generator (RNG) to shuffle the cards, making sure each deal is unpredictable. Since every round is independent, previous hands have no influence on future outcomes. 

There are various types of video poker, each with its own rules. **Jacks or Better** is the most well-known, where a pair of jacks or higher is needed to win. **Deuces Wild** adds wild twos, increasing the chances of stronger hands. Other versions, such as **Double Bonus Poker** and **Joker Poker**, change payout rates and require different strategies. Many online casinos offer multiple variations, allowing players to find the one that best matches their approach.

While the basic rules remain the same, understanding the differences between versions can help players make smarter choices.

## Tips to Beat Video Poker

Success in video poker comes down to skill and careful choices. Knowing the rules, understanding paytables, and selecting the right variation can improve your results. Each game has its own strategy, so it’s important to find the one that fits your approach.

### Choosing the Best Video Poker Variation for You

Picking the right game affects strategy and potential winnings. Below are five popular options for Norwegian players:

- **Jacks or Better** – A good choice for beginners. Wins start with a pair of jacks or higher. Standard paytables offer a 9/6 payout (9x for a full house, 6x for a flush).
- **Deuces Wild** – All twos act as wilds, increasing the chance of strong hands. Requires a more advanced strategy due to the adjusted paytable.
- **Double Bonus Poker** – Higher payouts for four aces, but reduced rewards for other hands. Best for those comfortable with risk.
- **Joker Poker** – Uses a joker as a wild card. Strategy changes depending on if the game requires a pair of kings or aces to win.
- **Bonus Poker Deluxe** – Similar to Double Bonus but with a focus on four-of-a-kind payouts. Suits players who aim for high-variance games.

Paytables vary, affecting both strategy and potential returns. Checking the paytable before playing helps in choosing the best version.

### Play Only Full Pay Versions

Full Pay means a game offers the highest possible returns based on its paytable. A 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54% RTP) is a Full Pay version, while an 8/5 version (97.3% RTP) lowers returns.

Lower-paying games reduce payouts on key hands, increasing the house edge. For example, a Full Pay Deuces Wild offers 100.76% RTP with optimal play, while a lower-paying version drops below 99%.

Norwegian players can find Full Pay games by checking paytables at online casinos. Some sites list RTP information directly, while others require manual checking.

### Using Strategy Charts the Right Way

A video poker strategy chart shows the best decisions for each hand. It ranks possible card combinations from best to worst, helping players avoid mistakes.

How to use a strategy chart:

1. Find a chart specific to your chosen game (e.g., Jacks or Better).
2. Compare your dealt hand to the chart.
3. Keep the highest-ranked combination listed.
4. Discard the rest and draw new cards.

Following the chart precisely improves long-term returns. Even small deviations can reduce expected payouts.

### Optimising Bankroll Management

Managing funds wisely helps sustain play over time. For Norwegian players, currency fluctuations between NOK and EUR can affect budgeting.

Key techniques include:

- Setting a betting limit per session.
- Sticking to games that match your budget.
- Avoiding emotional decisions, such as increasing bets after losses.

[Responsible gambling practices](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) help avoid unnecessary risks while playing.

### Improve Skills with No-Cost Games

Playing free video poker is useful for learning strategies before placing real bets. It allows players to test different approaches, understand how various hands pay out, and get comfortable with game mechanics without financial pressure.

Practising helps refine decision-making and test strategy charts. It also familiarises players with paytable differences, which can significantly impact long-term results. Some versions offer better returns than others, so studying these details in free play can lead to smarter choices.

### Analyse Return Rates Before Playing

Each video poker game has a different Return to Player (RPT) percentage. Checking RTP helps in selecting games with the best payout potential.

For example:

- 9/6 Jacks or Better – 99.54% RTP
- Full Pay Deuces Wild – 100.76% RTP
- Bonus Poker Deluxe – 99.64% RTP

Most online casinos display RTP in game descriptions. If not listed, players can look up paytables and compare them with known Full Pay versions. Choosing high RTP games improves long-term returns.

## The Secret of the "Norwegian Poker Mindset"

Norwegian poker players tend to value patience, logic, and discipline. In a country known for measured decision-making and a strategic approach to challenges, these traits naturally carry over to [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). Instead of making impulsive moves, they focus on careful analysis, which is especially useful in video poker, where each decision can affect long-term results.

A calm approach reduces mistakes. Video poker rewards those who think ahead rather than rely on luck. Calculated risk-taking is key—knowing when to hold strong cards and when to chase better hands. 

Mental endurance is just as important. Long sessions can lead to fatigue, which affects decision-making. Taking regular breaks helps maintain concentration and avoid costly errors. Staying sharp and disciplined at the table often leads to better outcomes over time.

## Does It Matter Which Poker Strategy We Use?

A player's strategy should match their skill level and goals. Those new to the game tend to play it safe, while experienced players are more likely to take risks.

Conservative vs. Aggressive Strategies

- Conservative play focuses on minimising losses. Players stick to low-risk hands, avoiding unnecessary gambles.
- Aggressive play involves taking calculated risks to maximise potential payouts. Players may chase higher-value hands, even if it means discarding a decent combination. This works best for those comfortable with risk and variance.

Is There a "Best" Strategy?No single strategy works for everyone. For some, it works better to focus on consistent play, following [basic strategy charts](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/). Others successfully adjust tactics based on paytables, bankroll size, and personal risk tolerance.

Key Takeaways

- Beginners should use a conservative strategy to build confidence.
- Aggressive play suits those with a solid understanding of probabilities.
- No single strategy guarantees success—adapting to different situations is key.
- Using strategy charts and practising free games helps refine skills over time.
### Best Strategies to Maximize Your Winnings with a No Deposit Bonus
URL: https://jimmakos.com/best-strategies-maximize-winnings-no-deposit-bonus/
Last updated: 2026-03-16T06:23:14.000Z
When joining a social sweepstakes casino like Zula Casino, one of the best ways to get started is by claiming a casino no deposit welcome bonus. These bonuses provide a fantastic opportunity to explore the platform, try new games, and enjoy a fun gaming experience without needing to make any initial deposit. However, to get the most out of your bonus and maximize your winnings, it’s essential to approach it strategically. In this article, we’ll cover the best strategies to help you maximize your winnings using a no deposit bonus at Zula Casino.

If you’re ready to start, you can claim Zula Casino’s no deposit welcome bonus and begin your journey with a risk-free gaming experience.

## Understanding the No Deposit Bonus

A no deposit bonus is a promotional offer that allows you to start playing without needing to make a deposit. Whether it’s free spins or bonus coins, this type of bonus is a great way to experience everything a casino has to offer without any financial commitment.

Key Features of a No Deposit Bonus:

- No initial deposit required – You don’t need to spend your own coins to claim the bonus.
- Free spins or bonus coins – Depending on the promotion, you might receive free spins for slots or bonus coins for a variety of games.
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At Zula Casino, the no deposit bonus is an ideal way to jump into the world of social sweepstakes gaming and explore the platform’s exciting range of games.

## Strategies to Maximize Your Winnings with a No Deposit Bonus

While a no deposit bonus gives you the chance to play without spending any of your own coins, making the most of it requires some smart strategies. Here are some tips to help you maximize your potential winnings.

### Choose the Right Games

One of the first steps to maximizing your winnings with a no deposit bonus is to choose the [right games](https://jimmakos.com/casino-games-myths-tips/). Some games offer higher chances of activating bonus features or provide more chances to win within a limited number of spins or coins.

How to Choose the Right Games:

- Explore high RTP (Return to Player) games – Games with higher RTP tend to offer [better odds](https://jimmakos.com/betting-charts-beat-closing-odds/) for wins.
- Play slot games with bonus features – Look for games with free spins or multiplier features that can enhance your experience.
- Focus on games you enjoy – The more you enjoy the game, the better your overall experience will be.

At Zula Casino, you can enjoy a variety of games with different themes, mechanics, and bonus opportunities, making it easy to find the best options for your style.

### Take Advantage of Casino Promotions

Many social casinos, including Zula Casino, offer ongoing promotions that can complement your no deposit bonus. Look out for daily, weekly, or monthly promotions that give you extra opportunities to earn free spins, bonus coins, or other in-game benefits.

Tips for Taking Advantage of Promotions:

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By staying engaged with Zula Casino’s promotions, you can extend your gameplay and increase your chances of maximizing your bonus.

### Manage Your Bonus Wisely

Once you’ve claimed your no deposit bonus, it’s important to manage it wisely. Don’t rush through your spins or play haphazardly. Instead, be strategic with how you use your bonus to increase your chances of success.

Bonus Management Tips:

- Set a limit for each game session – Decide in advance how much time you’ll spend playing and which games you’ll focus on.
- Play smaller bets – If using free spins, playing smaller bets allows you to extend your bonus and increase your chances of hitting a big win.
- Track your bonus usage – Keep track of how much you’ve used and whether you’re making progress toward your goals.

Smart bonus management can help you [get the most value](https://jimmakos.com/probability-calculations-value-betting/) out of your no deposit bonus at Zula Casino.

## Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Your No Deposit Bonus at Zula Casino

A no deposit bonus is a fantastic opportunity to get started at Zula Casino without any financial commitment. By choosing the right games, taking advantage of ongoing promotions, and managing your bonus wisely, you can significantly increase your chances of maximizing your winnings.

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### Classic vs. Modern Sweepstakes Slots: What’s Trending?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/classic-vs-modern-sweepstakes-slots-trending/
Last updated: 2026-02-17T15:43:28.000Z
As the landscape of crypto sweepstakes casinos expands, players encounter numerous choices for their preferred games. Among the most sought-after categories are sweepstakes slots, available in two primary styles: classic and modern. Each provides a distinct gaming experience, and players can relish both options at Crypto Yay Casino. But what are the trends for 2025? Let’s delve into the contrasts between classic and modern sweepstakes slots to assist you in determining which type to play.

If you're interested in exploring both styles of free sweepstakes slots, Crypto Yay Casino offers a wide variety, offering something for everyone.

## Classic Sweepstakes Slots: A Nod to the Past

Traditional sweepstakes slots provide a nostalgic gaming experience reminiscent of the original slot machines found in [physical casinos](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/). These games usually showcase simpler graphics, fewer reels, and more straightforward gameplay, appealing to players who prefer classic gaming experiences.

### Why Are Classic Slots Still Popular?

- Simplicity: Classic slots usually have three reels and a single pay line, making them easy to understand and play. They’re ideal for beginners or players who prefer a no-frills experience.
- Nostalgia: With symbols like cherries, sevens, and bars, classic slots often evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding players of the original mechanical slot machines.
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At Crypto Yay Casino, classic sweepstakes slots remain popular for those who love simplicity and fast gameplay. They offer newcomers an easy entry point and veteran players a fun experience.

## Modern Sweepstakes Slots: Cutting-Edge Fun

Unlike traditional slots, contemporary sweepstakes slots showcase significant advancements in slot technology. These games boast intricate designs, thrilling bonus elements, and improved graphics that deliver a richer experience for players.

### What Makes Modern Slots So Exciting?

- Bonus Rounds and Free Spins: Modern slots often include bonus rounds, free spins, and multipliers, which increase the excitement and chances to win.
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At Crypto Yay Casino, the latest sweepstakes slots stand out for their innovative features and engaging gameplay. These games attract players who appreciate new technologies and interactive mechanics.

## Classic vs. Modern Sweepstakes Slots: Which One Should You Play?

Traditional and contemporary sweepstakes slots have unique benefits, so your decision will depend on your preferred gaming experience. Here’s a brief comparison to assist you in making your choice:

### Classic Sweepstakes Slots

- Pros: Simple to play, nostalgic, and quick-paced. Perfect for players who prefer straightforward gameplay without distractions.
- Cons: Fewer features and less variety compared to modern slots.

### Modern Sweepstakes Slots

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### Why the Fortune Coins Sign Up Bonus Is Perfect for New Players
URL: https://jimmakos.com/fortune-coins-sign-up-bonus-perfect-new-players/
Last updated: 2026-01-12T14:02:11.000Z
New players starting out at Fortune Coins Casino are guaranteed an exciting experience with over a thousand games they can play for free. However, they need to first obtain the platform’s playing coins to access these games. 

The Fortune Coins sign-up bonus is the easiest way to unlock the coins. Let’s see how it works and the importance of the sign-up bonus at Fortune Coins to new players. 

## What is the Fortune Coins Sign-up Bonus?

The Fortune Coins sign up bonus is the platform’s primary offer for new players. The no-deposit bonus is the fastest and easiest way for them to get free coins to play the numerous games that make up the Fortune Coins Casino lobby. That way, they don’t have to spend a dime to play the games they enjoy. 

Fortune Coins is a sweepstakes casino. These gaming platforms require no financial commitment from players; instead, they exist for sheer entertainment. 

Once players create an account, they can receive a combined 630,000 GC and 1,000 FC as the sign-up bonus. However, the welcome offer can’t be claimed in one fell swoop. Instead, players must complete some simple tasks, starting with creating an account. 

Besides the various tasks keeping players engaged and active, their rewards keep the fun going. Anyone can start playing immediately and even get the chance to convert the winnings from their FC to prizes. 

## How to Claim the Fortune Coins Casino Sign-Up Bonus 

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The primary purpose of the sign-up offer at Fortune Coins is to play casino-style games for free. With access to over a thousand titles for free, players can have fun without bothering about losses. However, there are other benefits to the Fortune Coins welcome bonus. Let’s see some of them below:

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### Introduction: Side Hustles That Actually Pay
URL: https://jimmakos.com/introduction-side-hustles-that-actually-pay/
Last updated: 2025-12-07T18:44:24.000Z
In an era where financial security often requires more than just a single source of income, side hustles have become a cornerstone of modern financial planning. No longer just a temporary solution, they empower individuals to pursue passions, bolster savings, or build future-proof skills—all while maintaining a full-time job. From freelancing to e-commerce, the possibilities are endless and accessible to virtually anyone willing to put in the effort.

But what makes a side hustle truly worthwhile? It’s not just about making extra money; it’s about finding something that aligns with your lifestyle, leverages your skills, and offers tangible rewards. The best side hustles allow you to work smarter, not harder, and even open up new career opportunities in the process.

### **1\. Playing Games: Earn Money While Having Fun**

For many, gaming is more than a pastime—it’s a passion. What if you could turn that passion into a profitable side hustle? Online gaming platforms and apps now offer players the opportunity to earn real money while enjoying their favorite games. Whether it’s through cash rewards, competition-based prizes, or completing specific tasks, gaming has evolved into a legitimate income stream.

- **Why It Works:** Gaming combines entertainment with earning potential, making it one of the most enjoyable side hustles. Many platforms allow users to earnfree PayPal money by completing challenges, engaging in tournaments, or participating in surveys and reward programs. This makes it easy to get started with minimal upfront investment.
- **Earning Potential:** $10 to $500 per month, depending on the platform, game type, and level of participation.
- **Pro Tip:** Focus on games that reward consistency and skill development. Joining communities or forums can also help you identify opportunities to maximize your earnings.

## **2\. Freelancing: Monetize Your Expertise**

Freelancing is one of the most versatile side hustles, allowing individuals to leverage their existing skills to work with clients worldwide. Whether you’re skilled in writing, design, or programming, freelancing provides the freedom to pick projects that suit your strengths and interests.

With the rise of remote work, freelancing opportunities have expanded significantly. It also offers flexibility in choosing short-term gigs or building long-term partnerships with clients.

- **Why It Works:** Freelancing scales easily as you gain experience, enabling you to charge higher rates and attract premium clients.
- **Earning Potential:** $20 to $150 per hour, depending on your skill and niche.
- **Pro Tip:** Specializing in a specific field can help you stand out in a crowded market.

## **3\. Dropshipping: E-commerce Without Inventory**

Dropshipping enables you to run an online store without managing inventory or shipping logistics. You select products, promote them online, and suppliers handle order fulfillment. This hustle requires minimal upfront investment, making it a popular choice for beginners in e-commerce.

The key to success in dropshipping lies in identifying profitable products and [marketing](https://jimmakos.com/marketing/) them effectively. Social media, search engines, and email campaigns can drive significant traffic to your store.

- **Why It Works:** Low financial risk and scalability make it an ideal starting point for e-commerce ventures.
- **Earning Potential:** $500 to $5,000+ per month, depending on your product selection and marketing efforts.
- **Pro Tip:** Focus on niche products or trends to carve out a competitive edge.

## **4\. Tech Setup Services: Meet the Demand**

As homes become smarter, the demand for tech setup services continues to grow. Tasks like installing smart devices, troubleshooting systems, or setting up home networks can turn your tech knowledge into a profitable side hustle.

This hustle doesn’t require advanced expertise—familiarity with modern devices and problem-solving skills are often enough. It's ideal for individuals who enjoy hands-on work and helping others.

- **Why It Works:** The increasing reliance on technology ensures steady demand for these services.
- **Earning Potential:** $50 to $100 per project, depending on complexity.
- **Pro Tip:** Offer package deals, such as setting up multiple devices at once, to maximize earnings.

## **5\. Virtual Assistant: Organizational Skills in Action**

Virtual assistants (VAs) handle tasks like scheduling, email management, and social media for businesses or entrepreneurs. This side hustle appeals to those who are organized and detail-oriented.

The rise of remote work has significantly increased the demand for virtual assistants, offering opportunities in various industries. VAs often set their own schedules, making this hustle highly flexible.

- **Why It Works:** Businesses benefit from outsourcing, ensuring consistent demand for VAs.
- **Earning Potential:** $15 to $50 per hour, depending on expertise.
- **Pro Tip:** Focus on specific skills, such as customer support or marketing, to command higher rates.

## **6\. Blogging: Long-Term Rewards**

[Blogging](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-money-blogging-mashable-way/) is a way to share your knowledge or passions while earning a steady income. By focusing on specific topics like travel, personal finance, or health, bloggers can attract an engaged audience and monetize through ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate links.

Though building a successful blog requires time and effort, it can become a source of significant passive income over time. Quality content and consistency are the keys to growing a loyal readership.

- **Why It Works:** Blogs generate recurring income from a mix of revenue streams.
- **Earning Potential:** $100 to $5,000+ per month, depending on traffic and monetization strategies.
- **Pro Tip:** Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to attract organic traffic.

## **7\. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking: Profits with Paws**

Pet sitting and dog walking offer flexible, enjoyable ways to earn money while spending time with animals. Whether it’s caring for pets during vacations or providing regular walks, this hustle combines emotional rewards with financial benefits.

It’s a great option for those with free time and a love for animals. Building trust with pet owners can lead to consistent, repeat business.

- **Why It Works:** It’s a low-cost hustle with consistent demand from pet owners.
- **Earning Potential:** $15 to $50 per hour.
- **Pro Tip:** Offer value-added services like basic training or grooming to increase your earnings.

## **8\. Senior Sitting: A Meaningful Opportunity**

Providing companionship or daily assistance to seniors is a rewarding and increasingly necessary service. This hustle involves tasks like light housekeeping, running errands, or simply being present for conversation.

It’s an ideal side hustle for empathetic individuals who want to make a difference while earning money. Trustworthiness and reliability are critical to building a client base.

- **Why It Works:** The aging population ensures steady demand for non-medical senior care.
- **Earning Potential:** $15 to $30 per hour.
- **Pro Tip:** Build a network of referrals through satisfied families to secure consistent work.

### **Conclusion: The First Step Toward Financial Freedom**

Side hustles are more than just an opportunity to earn extra money—they are a gateway to financial independence, skill development, and personal growth. In today’s economy, having a diversified income stream isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Whether you’re looking to pay off debt, save for a big purchase, or turn a passion into profit, side hustles offer the flexibility to meet your unique goals.

The key to success lies in choosing the right side hustle for your skills, interests, and schedule. For some, freelancing or blogging may be the perfect way to leverage existing talents, while others might thrive in hands-on roles like tech setup services or pet sitting. And if you’re drawn to [passive income opportunities](https://jimmakos.com/back-problem/), consider options like print-on-demand or self-publishing.

So take the leap. The world of side hustles is rich with opportunity, and your ticket to financial empowerment is just one step away. Start today, and see how far your journey can take you.
### How a Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart Saved My Precious Money
URL: https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/
Last updated: 2026-10-08T16:11:59.000Z
In the early 2000s, I walked into the local casino with €1,500 in my pocket and a head full of ambition. Eleven months later, I was walking out with €10,000 in monthly winnings - and a [permanent ban from the tables](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/).

The casino had seen enough. They weren’t interested in playing with me anymore.

How did I do it? *Card counting*.

But that wasn’t the start of my story. Before I ever counted a card, I had to learn the bones of the game.

> I had to learn basic strategy.

Basic strategy is the foundation of blackjack.

Memorizing the basic strategy chart doesn’t make you rich in blackjack. It won’t let you walk out a winner every night. But it’s your first line of defense, a way to claw back the house edge just enough to stay alive.

Learning it was the first step to my winnings and the reason I lasted as long as I did.

If you’re here to learn, I’ll give you everything you need.

This is my guide as a [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) to blackjack basic strategy for every player who wants to keep a little extra in their wallet and have some fun at the tables, even when the odds aren’t exactly rooting for them.

## What is Blackjack Basic Strategy?

Blackjack basic strategy is simple. It’s a chart, plain and clear, laying out every possible hand you can have against every card the dealer could be showing.

No guesswork, no gut feelings; just math telling you **when to hit, stand, split, or double down.**

Now, this isn’t the secret to rolling in cash.

> Follow this strategy, and you won’t be making money.

But if you’re serious about blackjack, it’s the first step you take to turn the tables a little in your favor. Basic strategy minimizes the casino’s edge, helping you lose less over time.

> In other words, it keeps your wallet from bleeding dry.

They say *the house always wins*.

Most gamblers accept that they’re going to lose and make peace with it so long as they’re having a good time.

But somewhere along the way, they start dreaming up schemes to beat the dealer. They think they’ve found loopholes, shortcuts, and magic moves.

Eventually, they lose because they’ve overlooked one brutal fact.

> Casino games are built on math, and math doesn’t lie.

And whether you’re playing live or online, blackjack is still a numbers game in [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). Stick to the basic strategy chart, and at least you’ll keep yourself in the fight.

## How Blackjack Rules Affect Basic Strategy

Blackjack basic strategy is tailored towards specific blackjack rules. Depending on the six rules of the game, there can be basic strategy variations so that the dealer’s edge is minimized on each occasion.

First, a few definitions.

### What is S17 in blackjack?

S17 in blackjack stands for "Stand on Soft 17."

A soft 17 is a hand that totals 17 and includes an Ace counted as 11 (for example, `A6`). The rule of S17 means that the dealer must stand or not draw any more cards when their hand totals a soft 17.

This rule affects the house edge and can influence the player's strategy, as it slightly favors the player compared to the alternative rule, H17 (Hit on Soft 17), where the dealer must hit on a soft 17.

### What is DA2 in blackjack?

DA2 in blackjack stands for "Double Any Two."

This rule allows players to double down on any initial two-card hand. Doubling down is a move where the player doubles their initial bet in exchange for committing to stand after receiving exactly one more card.

We can double down even when the sum of the cards is as low as 5! You may also double `A9` according to that rule (I still remember when I did that back in my [card counting days](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/)!). Alternatively, you may be allowed to double only when the cards’ sum is between 9 and 11 (D9) and even worse when the cards’ value is either 10 or 11 (D10)

The DA2 rule is advantageous to players because it provides more opportunities to double down, potentially increasing their winnings.

### What is DAS in blackjack?

DAS in blackjack stands for "Double After Split."

This rule allows players to double down on their bet after they have split a pair of cards into two separate hands.

For example, if a player is dealt two 8s and decides to split them, they can then double down on either or both of the new hands after receiving the second card. If a `2` or a `3` is dealt at either card (for a sum of 10 or 11), I may want to double, depending on the dealer's hole card.

DAS is favorable to players because it provides additional opportunities to maximize their bets in advantageous situations.

### Other blackjack rules that affect the odds

1. **Number of card decks**: There are a definite number of decks in each shoe. Most casinos use six decks of cards, although you may find games with as low as two decks or as high as 8! Many decks favor the casino; less decks reduce the house’s edge.
2. **Surrender**: Quitting before we hit or stand and losing half of the wager at the start of the hand is called surrender. There are two types of “surrender” depending on the choice given before or after the dealer checks their hole card for a likely blackjack; the very rare “early surrender” and the “late surrender” (ES and LS respectively). You should sit at blackjack tables that offer any type of surrender, as that rule favors your odds.
3. **US/European style**: In US blackjack tables, dealers are dealt two cards, one facing down. In Europe, the dealer is dealt just one card facing up, obviously.

## Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart: 6 decks, S17, DAS, No surrender, European

These are the rules of the game I played nearly every day until the casino caught on; first banning me from the tables, then installing automatic shufflers just to be sure.

For anyone wanting to play “by the book,” this blackjack hand chart was the bible. Memorizing it wouldn’t make them rich, but it would make sure their time at the tables came at the lowest possible cost. 

> In blackjack, that’s as close to winning as most people get.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart-1.gif)

Blackjack basic strategy chart ([www.blackjackinfo.com](http://www.blackjackinfo.com))

## Basic Blackjack Strategy Examples

- **Me `35`, dealer `9`**: My cards’ value is 8\. Reading the 4th line of the blackjack chart I am instructed to hit my hand, given the “H” under the dealer’s “9” column. Besides, whatever the dealer’s card, I must take a card. The real issue here isn’t whether I hit my hand or not. It’s about a “double” being a better option.
- **Me `64`, dealer `10`**: Holding a combined 10 and according to the 6th line of the basic strategy chart, I have to just hit and avoid doubling up. That course of action (double) should be taken if the dealer’s card was anything but a `10`, `J`, `Q`, `K` or an `Ace`.
- **Me `J2`, dealer `5`:** The basic strategy chart’s 8th line prompts me to stand on 12! This applies when the dealer shows a `4`, a `5`, or a `6`; otherwise, I need to draw a card.
- **Me `97`, dealer** `K`**:** The basic strategy chart (12th line) says I have to hit. No matter my position at the table, I have to follow that rule. Even if I am sitting at the last seat of the blackjack table, I MUST hit. Although other players sitting at the same table will negatively comment on my action and recommend me to stand on 16, it’s a mistake mathematically to stand.
- **Me `A4`, dealer `4`**: Blackjack basic strategy recommends doubling if the dealer’s card is a `4` to `6`. In any other case, I should just hit. In that instance, we should consider our hand as a “5” and not a “15”. If a ten comes along, our cards’ value is “15” and the strategy chart’s 11th line advises us to stand.
- **Me `44,` dealer `5`**: I need to split my 4’s. If the dealer’s card was any other card than a `5` or a `6`, my hand would have been a plain `8`.
- **Me `55`, dealer `9`**: Double. In case the dealer was showing a `10` or an `A`,, I should hit. Of course you should never split fives. Don’t lose focus when the dealer asks you “Split sir?” when you double your bet. They are trying to win more money from you!
- **Me `99`, dealer `7`:** Blackjack basic strategy chart’s recommended action is to stand. If I split my nines, I would lose more money in the long run.

## Why Blackjack Basic Strategy Matters

Using the blackjack basic strategy chart isn’t about beating the house; it’s about trimming down their advantage, even if you play online blackjack.

By following this strategy without a single misstep, the casino’s edge against you shrinks to just *0.55%*.

In real terms, that means for every $10 you bet, you’re only losing 5.5 cents in the long run. Play 50 hands an hour, and your cost for the entertainment is about $3; far better odds than most casino games.

> But stray from the strategy chart, and the cost goes up.

Skipping the right moves like:

- standing on 16 against the dealer’s ten
- not doubling my `9` or
- not splitting my `33` against the dealer’s `2` to `7`

and the house’s edge can jump by over 1%. That could mean doubling your losses.

Make bigger blunders, like:

- refusing to split Aces,
- hitting 15 against a dealer’s 6, or
- doubling your 11 against a low dealer card

and you’re looking at a disadvantage that could balloon past 3%.

Now you’re not just playing; you’re practically **donating to the casino**.

Stick to the basic strategy chart, though, and you’ll get the best odds Blackjack has to offer.

## How to Memorize the Basic Strategy Chart

If you’re serious about [playing blackjack](https://stake.com/casino/group/blackjack) right, there’s one way to memorize the basic strategy chart: *practice*.

Start dealing cards to yourself and an imaginary dealer.

Flip over the dealer’s card, check your own hand, and decide—hit, stand, double, or split. Keep the chart close at first, but the goal is to know it cold.

> After enough hands, you’ll be making decisions without thinking.

Break it down. Start with the hard totals; the 12s to 16s, where every choice counts. Then work on the soft hands, A-6 or A-7, and finally, when to split pairs.

Piece by piece, you’ll know it by heart.

If you need a push, use flashcards or a blackjack trainer app.

With every hand you practice, you’ll get quicker, sharper. Soon enough, you’ll walk up to a real table and play with confidence, knowing exactly what to do, no chart needed.

## Basic Blackjack Strategy: The Foundation for Card Counting

Basic strategy isn’t just about keeping the casino’s edge in check; it’s the bedrock for something much bigger: counting cards.

Before I could count cards, I had to drill the basic strategy chart into my head.

> Every hit, every stand, every split had to be automatic.

If I had to pause and think about it, the casino would’ve spotted me before I got through the first shoe.

Card counting isn’t a gimmick or a trick; it’s math. You’re tracking high cards and low cards, and every decision you make depends on knowing exactly when to shift your bet or adjust your play.

💡

Learn [how to count cards in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/).

But to pull that off, basic strategy has to be second nature. You can’t waste time thinking about the fundamentals. You have to know them cold, or you’ll slip up.

Counting cards demands total focus, and basic strategy frees up the mind. It lets you zero in on the count without second-guessing every move.

## Blackjack Etiquette: Respecting the Game with Basic Strategy

Using basic strategy isn’t just about the math; it’s about respect for the game and the players at the table.

In blackjack, [etiquette matters](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-etiquette/).

When you stick to the basic strategy chart, you’re not just helping yourself; you’re playing by the unspoken code that seasoned players respect.

At a crowded blackjack table, your decisions affect more than just your own hand. Stand on a 16 when the dealer shows a 10, and the serious players around you will give a nod of approval.

Start hitting on random hands or ignoring the chart, and you’ll feel the tension from players who rely on strategy to keep the odds in check.

Good blackjack players watch each other’s moves, and when they see you playing by the book, they’re more likely to trust you. Some might even bet on your hand when the odds are in your favor, showing their confidence in your decisions.

Stick to basic strategy, and you’ll not only protect your bankroll but earn a place among players who know and respect the game.

In blackjack, there’s **a right way to play** and *a respectful way to lose*.
### How I Learned to Count Cards and Crush Casinos at Blackjack
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/
Last updated: 2026-05-27T10:25:02.000Z
You sit at the table. Cards hit the felt. You’ve seen it before - players coming and going, thinking they can beat the house.

Most can’t. But you can.

> You don’t need luck; you need the right strategy.

That’s where card counting comes in.

Forget what you’ve heard. [Card counting isn’t complicated](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/), and it isn’t cheating. 

It’s a way to tip the odds, to turn the game in your favor. It’s a skill, plain and simple, and anyone with focus and patience can master it. No tricks, no fancy systems. Just the ability to track the cards and make smart bets.

You’ve got the discipline for it. You’ve got the will to sit there and keep your head clear while the dealer shuffles and deals. Card counting won’t make you rich overnight, but it will give you an edge—an edge the house doesn’t want you to have.

If you’re tired of playing like everyone else, of leaving the table with less than you came in with, then keep reading. This guide will show you how to count cards and take control of your game. It’s not a gamble when you know the odds.

## Is it Illegal to Count Cards?

No, counting cards isn’t illegal. But it feels like it is, doesn’t it?

The way the casinos - your opponents - glare, the way the dealers shuffle when you’re on a streak, you’d think you were robbing them blind with some negative scheme. The truth is, card counting is just using your head. It’s tracking the cards to understand the deck’s rhythm, a little mental math to know when to lean in or pull back.

Casinos don’t like it because **it gives you an edge**.

They like their players predictable, playing blind to the odds, leaving it all to luck. But luck’s fickle, and it’s not your friend.

> Card counting isn’t magic or cheating; it’s a tool to see through the casino’s smoke and mirrors.

Sure, [the casinos can kick you out like they did to me](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/), ask you to leave, or shuffle up every hand if they think you’re counting.

That’s their right, their territory. But there’s no law saying you can’t count cards. It’s about knowing the game and playing it smart.

And if that bothers them? You’re doing something *right*.

## What is Counting Cards in Blackjack?

What does it mean to count cards?

Counting cards is about keeping a mental tally of the cards dealt to understand what’s left in the deck.

When you count, **you’re not memorizing every card;** that’s a Hollywood *myth*.

You’re watching the flow of high and low cards, tracking patterns, and making decisions based on what’s likely to come next.

See, blackjack has a simple truth:

> Low cards favor the house; high cards favor the player.

When the deck is rich with tens and aces, you have a better shot at landing that blackjack, at doubling down when it counts. By keeping track, you’re letting the cards talk to you, showing you when to *press* your bets and when to play it *safe*.

It’s not some mystical skill. It’s ***discipline***.

It’s paying attention and knowing how to shift the odds. When you count cards, you’re making choices based on information the casual player ignores. 

You’re not guessing; you’re reading the game, staying one step ahead. That’s what counting cards really means.

## How Hard is it to Count Cards?

Counting cards isn’t rocket science, but it isn’t a walk in the park either.

It takes focus, patience, and a little practice, **but not some genius IQ or photographic memory**.

> Forget the myth that only math wizards can do it.

Card counting is as much about rhythm as it is about numbers: getting into the flow of the game, keeping a simple count in your head while the dealer runs through the deck, even when the vibes turn negative.

The basic counting systems, like the Hi-Lo, are straightforward enough: you add or subtract one as each card is dealt. Small cards like twos and threes count as plus one, while high cards like tens and aces count as minus one.

> It’s addition, subtraction - nothing more.

With card counting practice, you can keep the count without breaking a sweat, without even moving your lips.

The challenge? Keeping your cool.

There’s a lot going on at a blackjack table; the noise, the lights, the pit bosses watching every move.

Casinos bank on you getting distracted, making mistakes. That’s why it’s called a *skill*.

But with steady practice and a clear head, counting cards becomes second nature.

So, no, **it’s not hard**.

It’s just hard enough to keep most people from ever trying. 😉

## Learn How to Count Cards in Blackjack

Let’s dive into the nuts and bolts of card counting with the **Hi-Lo system**, one of the simplest and most effective counting methods for blackjack.

This system doesn’t demand advanced math or memory gymnastics - just a few easy steps. It’s about keeping a running count as each card is dealt, and from there, making smarter bets and playing smarter hands.

### Understanding the Hi-Lo Count in Blackjack

The Hi-Lo system assigns a value to each card:

- **+1 for low cards**: 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
- **0 for neutral cards**: 7, 8, and 9.
- **\-1 for high cards**: 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace.

As each card is dealt, you adjust your running count up or down based on this system. The idea is simple: low cards are more beneficial to the house, while high cards increase your chances of landing a blackjack or a strong hand.

> When your count is high, it means the deck is rich in high cards, giving you an edge.

### Running Count vs True Count: Converting to the True Count

If you’re playing in a single deck game, you can use the running count alone. But most casinos use *multiple decks*, so we need to adjust the running count based on the number of decks left in play.

This adjusted figure is called the *True Count*.

To calculate the True Count, divide the running count by the estimated number of decks remaining.

If your running count is +6 and you estimate there are two decks left, your True Count would be +3 (6 ÷ 2 = 3). The True Count is what really matters because it helps you make betting decisions that are more precise across multiple decks.

### Adjusting Your Bets According to the True Count

Betting with the True Count is where you start to turn the odds. Here’s how it works.

As the True Count rises, so do your wagers. With a high True Count, the deck favors you, so you want to increase your bet. When the True Count drops into a negative count, you lower your wagers, minimizing your losses during unfavorable rounds.

A common rule of thumb is to increase your bet for every point the True Count goes above +1\. For example:

- **True Count of +1 or less**: Minimum bet.
- **True Count of +2**: Double your minimum bet.
- **True Count of +3**: Triple your minimum bet.

This scaling keeps your bankroll safer when the odds are neutral or against you, while capitalizing when the deck is in your favor.

### Adjusting Your Play Based on the True Count

The True Count also affects your [blackjack basic strategy](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/) decisions.

When the count is high, a positive count, there are more tens and aces left in the deck, which means a better chance of busting if you hit a risky hand or getting a blackjack on a double down.

Here are a few common adjustments you can make based on a positive True Count:

- **16 vs. Dealer’s 10**: In standard play, you’d hit. But if the True Count is positive, you’ll stand. The chances of the dealer busting are higher, and hitting might lead to your own bust with so many high cards left.
- **12 vs. Dealer’s 3**: Normally, you’d hit. But with a True Count of +2 or higher, stand. With more high cards remaining, the dealer is likely to bust if they draw.
- **Double Down on 10 and 11**: In favorable counts, double down on 10 or 11 more often since there’s a stronger likelihood you’ll pull a 10 and end with a powerful hand.
- **Insurance Bet**: Only consider taking insurance if the True Count is +3 or higher, indicating a greater chance the dealer has a blackjack.

Mastering these tweaks requires practice, but they can make a significant difference in the long run.

These count-based play adjustments follow a structured set of thresholds — the [blackjack deviation chart](https://www.betus.com.pa/online-casino/the-wise-guy/blog/blackjack-deviation-chart/) outlines the exact true count values that trigger each deviation.

By combining a sound Hi-Lo count, adjusting bets according to the True Count, and altering plays based on the deck’s makeup, you’ll be in the driver’s seat, no longer leaving everything to chance.

### Advanced Card Counting Methods

Once you’ve mastered the Hi-Lo system, you might be interested in exploring more advanced card counting methods. While Hi-Lo is effective and straightforward, some counters look for systems that add a bit more precision or adjust for specific scenarios.

Here are a few popular advanced methods:

1. **Hi-Opt I and Hi-Opt II**

The Hi-Opt (High Optimum) systems are similar to Hi-Lo but skip counting the aces altogether. These systems focus on improving accuracy by emphasizing mid-value cards. Hi-Opt I is simpler, while Hi-Opt II is more complex but provides a slightly higher level of precision.

However, to make these systems truly effective, you’ll need to keep a separate ace count, which adds a bit more *complexity*.

1. **KO (Knock-Out) System**

The Knock-Out (KO) system is an unbalanced system, meaning the count doesn’t end up at zero when the deck is exhausted. This system skips the True Count calculation, making it easier for beginners, especially in multi-deck games.

While it lacks the precision of Hi-Lo with a True Count, the KO system can be effective for those who want *simplicity* without too much adjustment.

1. **Omega II**

Omega II is a multi-level system, meaning different cards have different values beyond just +1 or -1\. This system is more complex, with low cards worth +1 or +2 and high cards worth -1 or -2.

Omega II can offer a bit more accuracy but requires greater *focus* and memory to maintain the count.

1. **Zen Count**

The Zen Count also uses a multi-level system and is designed to be more accurate in true-count situations. It’s considered balanced, requiring conversion to a True Count, and has values ranging from +1 to +2 for low cards and -1 to -2 for high cards.

This method is suited to serious counters who don’t mind the added mental challenge.

1. **Wong Halves**

One of the most advanced systems, Wong Halves, assigns fractional values to each card for a high level of precision. For example, some cards might count as +0.5, others as +1, and others as -0.5.

While this system offers exceptional accuracy, it’s challenging to execute in fast-paced casino settings, so it’s often used by highly experienced players who count primarily in private games or slower casino tables.

These advanced systems offer more precision, but they come with trade-offs. They demand more mental effort, focus, and sometimes even separate side counts.

For most players, Hi-Lo is more than enough, but if you’re up for a challenge, experimenting with these advanced methods could sharpen your skills further.

## How I Learned Counting Cards in Blackjack

I’ll tell you how I learned to count cards. It’s probably how you’ll learn too, if you’re *serious*.

Back when I was hungry to beat the casinos, I kept hearing of card counters. But I always wondered: how do you count cards in blackjack?

I read a guide, maybe like this one. And that was it. I got up, found a deck of cards, and started counting. The theory was easy. Everything came down to card counting practice.

I counted everywhere. On the bed, on the couch, the floor. Didn’t matter. Even on a ski trip with friends, in a cramped little chalet, I was sitting there, flipping cards, counting silently while everyone else laughed around me.

> Every day for two weeks, I counted. For hours.

The cards became an extension of my hands, of my mind. At first, it was slow—painfully slow. Took me over a minute to get through one deck.

I’d flip each card, keeping a count, and at the end, I’d check. If I did it right, **my count should end at zero**.

But I made mistakes. Plenty of them.

The goal was simple: stop making them.

I wanted to count without slipping up, so I stayed focused, determined to get to the end with the right number. No mistakes. Once I could do that, I started working on speed. I wanted the count to flow; no hesitations, no fumbling.

But speeding up brought the mistakes back. When I messed up, I’d slow down, refocus.

Then I’d pick up the pace again, steady as I could, hammering at it until I could count fast and accurate. I wanted perfection, ten or twenty times over. Only then would I push for faster.

After two weeks, I was down to 15 or 20 seconds to count through a deck. No mistakes, clean as a whistle.

That’s what it takes before you even think about hitting the casino. Anything slower than 20 seconds? You’re not ready.

## My First Experience Counting Cards at the Casino

Armed with my practice, counting a full deck in under 20 seconds, I thought I was ready to make a killing.

I still remember that first time, the confusion, the disappointment. I stood behind the players, ready to prove to myself that I was the **best card counter in the room**. But I was in for a *shock*.

The dealer started dealing, and I started counting. Plus one, minus one, plus one… before I could get through all the cards on the felt, the dealer swept them up and dealt the next hand.

> I was stunned. I hadn’t counted all the cards. Not even close.

And just like that, I was thrown off. I wasn’t counting the next hand; I was too caught up in my own failure. I backed away, sat at an empty table, and stared at the green felt in disbelief.

How could this happen? I could breeze through 52 cards in 20 seconds at home, yet here I was, struggling with 15 or 20 cards in the same amount of time.

The truth hit me hard: no matter how much I’d practiced alone, the casino was a different beast.

> I needed real practice, right there at the table.

So, for the next few days, I was in that casino for 10 hours every day, counting from the back, watching over players’ shoulders, keeping my wallet sealed tight.

Imagine that: walking into a casino for a full week, never placing a bet, never even reaching for a chip. Just watching and counting, learning to stay sharp while the noise and lights worked to pull me off track.

Are you that disciplined? Because **that’s what it takes.**

💡

Read [more stories of my career as a blackjack card counter](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/)!

## Can you Count Cards in Online Blackjack?

Counting cards in online blackjack? Don’t count on it. The game is different there.

In a real casino, cards hit the table, one by one, until the deck runs thin. You keep your count, watch the odds shift. But online? It’s like trying to catch the wind.

Most online blackjack games reshuffle the deck after every hand. Each deal starts fresh, no memory of what came before. That’s the casino’s way of keeping you in the dark, making sure the deck stays cold, the edge safely in their hands.

You can try to count, sure, but **there’s nothing to count**. Every hand is a reset, a fresh slate.

Now, some live dealer games try to mimic the real thing. Real cards, real shuffles. But they know the game, too.

They reshuffle early, usually halfway through the shoe, so any edge you could gain never really takes hold. It’s like throwing you a bone, then pulling it back just as you get close. I know, because [I've tried it](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/)!

So, can you count cards online? Technically, yes. Practically, no.

If you’re serious about counting, the real tables are where you’ll need to be. Online, the game’s a different beast, one that’s tougher to tame.

If you’re after an edge, find it in rules, bonuses, or better odds - but know that, in this game, the cards are already stacked.
### How I Convert Resolve’s Captions to YouTube Subtitles with Correct Timestamps
URL: https://jimmakos.com/davinci-resolve-captions-export-youtube-subtitles-timestamps/
Last updated: 2024-10-11T06:18:14.000Z
I finish editing a video on Davinci Resolve with captions and subtitles.

As a non-native English speaker, I need my target audience to understand what I’m saying in the video. Thus, I need both captions *and* subtitles.

I’m uploading to YouTube, which prompts me to add subtitles.

Great! I‘ve done the work. I’ll export subtitles from Resolve in an SRT file and import that into my YouTube video.

Like I have in this video:

Easy, peasy. Ok, it’s done!

> Wait, why do the subtitles appear on YouTube at the wrong time?

It turns out that’s a common problem for video creators who use Davinci Resolve to edit and add subtitles to their YouTube videos.

⚠️

Problem: Exported subtitles from Davinci Resolve end up with wrong timestamps on YouTube.

At first, I thought I had to edit the exported SRT file and change timestamps manually for every subtitle.

Every. Single. One.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to torture myself. After some digging online, I solved this problem.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Size Matters
URL: https://jimmakos.com/size-matters/
Last updated: 2024-09-20T09:49:58.000Z
I like short newsletters.

My time is precious. My inbox, also.

That’s why I have built a filter to send all newsletters to my reader app and remove them from my Gmail (they’re auto-archived, in fact). *Inbox zero.*

So, I appreciate when someone I subscribed to their newsletters respects both of them.

But then again, I receive long newsletters that I go through from start to finish in one go.

> How can I make my newsletters replicate that?

How can ***you*** have that experience when receiving a newsletter from me?

Well, this week, I came across a tweet that inspired me to change [my newsletter format](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/) yet again.

> But not this one.

According to the stats, [last Friday’s issue](https://jimmakos.com/i-am-better-than-you/) outperformed all previous ones, hitting 8% CTR (usually around 1-2% with a 5% max).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/09/image-2.png)

I delete members when the email bounces or they unsubscribe

So, I need to work on my open rate. I need to make you excited when you get a letter from me. I need to send you more helpful content.

Here is how I plan to do that.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/09/0707F5F7-F5A9-4B00-9F80-25DE27492F19_1_105_c.jpeg)

Alex reposted this, and that's how it ended up in my feed

_This post is for subscribers only._
### I am Better Than You
URL: https://jimmakos.com/i-am-better-than-you/
Last updated: 2024-09-14T03:14:00.000Z
That's what I told a friend who asked me to meet me so that I could explain to him how to begin creating content and gaining a following.

But I'm better, simply because I have done this before. Not because my content will be better than his!

> I'm better than you. ***For now***.

For years, I was sick of watching people succeed online with worse skills than me.

Yet they *executed*.

In the meantime, what did I do?

I created plan after plan. I was reinventing myself over and over again.

I was *overthinking*.

Maybe that's how you feel about me. 

Perhaps you could make better videos than me. Or create a more profitable business. Or, you can speak English much better (very likely).

Yet you're reading *my* letter instead of me reading *yours*. 😏

Does that make me better than you? No.

Sometimes, I feel I cannot compete online. Social media makes sure to remind me I'm not as skillful or smart as the competition every time I check a feed.

Then I remind myself that people are making a comfortable living by

- [hiking](https://jimmakos.com/kraig-adams-podcast/)
- [sharing their depression](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPqzlNGocqc)
- by documenting their 9-5 job 👇

Surely, I can do something similar.

> And I bet you can, too.

That's how I ended up posting a YouTube short every day this week.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### She Made Me Delete This Video
URL: https://jimmakos.com/she-made-me-delete-a-video/
Last updated: 2024-09-06T10:07:58.000Z
> “No, no, I do not agree. I don’t want this video to go public.“

Those were my wife’s exact words as I was showing her a video that I had just uploaded to YouTube and was about to publish.

That’s another reason why we should first upload a video to YouTube as private. Even if our subscriber count is as tiny as mine.

We didn’t finish watching the video.

I stopped the playback and immediately deleted the video from my channel. Permanently. I will keep it on my hard drive locally, though.

> “I’m sorry, my dear; I know you worked hard for it, but I don’t feel comfortable knowing everyone has access to this video.”

She is right; I did work hard on this video.

> Turns out, the real editing happens after your spouse watches the video.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### I Became a Professional Gambler to Prove Everyone Wrong
URL: https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/
Last updated: 2025-12-04T06:58:17.000Z
Can I become a professional gambler and make a living from gambling? That's what I asked myself in my twenties as a chemical engineering student.

> *No one* believed I could do it.

My dad used to tell me that I would lose money like everyone else. Even when I began bringing money from the casinos, they told me that I had just been lucky and that, eventually, my luck would run out.

A few years later, [local casinos had barred me](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/), I had dropped out of the university, and I was making money by trading sports betting odds and playing online poker full-time from home.

> I had proven everyone wrong.

During my 10-year professional gambling career, I learned many things that I've used in my personal and business life, as I turned into a solo entrepreneur and web publisher. So, today, I am sharing everything you need to know if you want to pursue the life of a professional gambler. You will learn:

- What professional gambling *really* is
- How to become a professional gambler (required skills)
- Universal gambling strategies and mentality
- Building a career as a professional gambler
- Pros and cons of professional gambling
- Practical tips for aspiring gamblers
- Maintaining work-life balance and health as a pro gambler

## Understanding Professional Gambling

During my career as a professional gambler, I met many so-called pro gamblers. But there were red flags all over them. It doesn’t take a month of profitable gambling to be considered a professional gambler. So, let’s begin by understanding what professional gambling really is.

### Definition of a Professional Gambler

🎰

A professional gambler is someone whose main or only source of income is gambling.

This immediately sets apart pro and recreational gamblers. No need to argue if going pro means showing a profit for a week/month/2 months/etc. No need to compare winnings.

Say someone just won $50,000 in a lottery draw. Unless he lost more than that during the year, he’s a winning gambler. Does that make him a professional gambler, though?

Now, assume a gambler who made $20,000 during the same year by going to the casino on weekends because he has a full-time job from Monday to Friday. He made much less. Still, you would consider him more “professional” than the first.

And then, another gambler made $10,000 the same year, by spending 12 hours at the casino every day.

Where do you put the needle at winnings? And it’s clear winnings don’t equal profits. Even if we compare profits, it doesn’t mean anything unless we know a few more variables.

### Differences Between Recreational and Professional Gamblers

The differences below highlight the contrasting mindsets and approaches between those who gamble for a living and those who gamble for enjoyment.

- **Approach and Mindset:** Professional gamblers treat gambling as a serious business or career, focusing on consistent long-term profitability. We approach each game with a strategy, fully aware of the risks and rewards. Recreational gamblers, on the other hand, view gambling primarily as a form of entertainment. They may not invest the same level of time or effort into studying games or developing strategies, and they often gamble for fun without the same emphasis on profit. Remember, according to the definition above, **a professional gambler *relies* on his gambling winnings to make a living**. Our livelihood depends on how we perform in our gambling activity.
- **Skill Level:** Professional gamblers typically possess a high level of expertise in their chosen games, whether it’s poker, sports betting, or casino games. We often specialize in one area and continuously hone our skills through study and practice. Recreational gamblers usually have a basic understanding of the games they play but may not delve deeply into strategies or probability calculations.
- **Bankroll Management:** For professionals, bankroll management is crucial and is treated with the same rigor as a business budget. We set strict limits, track our spending, and adjust our strategies to protect our bankroll over the long term. Recreational gamblers are generally less disciplined with their bankrolls, often gambling money that they can afford to lose but without strict oversight or planning.
- **Emotional Control:** Professional gamblers maintain strong emotional control, making decisions based on logic and data rather than impulses. We are able to handle wins and, [most importantly, losses](https://jimmakos.com/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/) with detachment, focusing on the long-term outcomes. Recreational gamblers may be more prone to emotional decision-making, which can lead to chasing losses or making larger bets in the heat of the moment.
- **Time Investment:** Professionals often dedicate a significant amount of time to their craft, spending hours studying odds, statistics, and strategies. Gambling is our full-time job, and we treat it as such. Recreational gamblers usually engage in gambling during their free time, treating it as a hobby rather than a profession.

### Common Types of Professional Gambling

Here are some of the main areas where professional gamblers operate, each requiring a unique set of skills and strategies to achieve long-term success.

1. **Sports Betting:** Betting on sports is one of the most popular forms of professional gambling. It involves placing wagers on the outcomes of various sports events, from football and basketball to [horse racing](https://jimmakos.com/meet-horse-racing-traders-make-more-than-1000-pounds-day/) and esports. Professional sports bettors use statistical analysis, historical data, and deep knowledge of the sport to identify value bets that offer a positive expected value (+EV). Success in sports betting requires a deep understanding of the sports, odds, and effective bankroll management.
  1. **Sports Trading:** [Sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) involves the strategic buying and selling of sports bets, akin to trading stocks on the stock market. This practice is typically conducted on sports betting exchanges, which are online platforms that enable users to place bets against each other, rather than against a traditional bookmaker. The core principle of sports trading is to capitalize on fluctuations in betting odds, which can occur both before and during a sporting event. Traders aim to “buy” bets at lower odds and “sell” them at higher odds, profiting from the difference.
2. **Poker:** Poker is another major area where many professional gamblers excel. Unlike games of pure chance, poker is a skill-based game where players compete against each other rather than the house. [Professional poker players](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) rely on strategies such as bluffing, reading opponents, and mathematical probabilities to gain an edge. The most successful poker professionals participate in high-stakes games and tournaments, both online and in person.
3. **Casino Games:** Certain casino games like blackjack, baccarat, and craps attract professional gamblers who use strategies to maximize their chances of winning. For instance, [card counting in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/) can give players an edge over the house, though it’s heavily monitored by casinos. Professional gamblers who specialize in casino games often focus on games with the lowest house edge and employ strict bankroll management.
4. **Online Gambling:** With the rise of internet technology, online gambling has become a significant avenue for professional gamblers. This includes online poker, online sports betting, and online casino games. The convenience and accessibility of online platforms allow professionals to engage in their chosen forms of gambling from anywhere, often taking advantage of online-specific strategies like [arbitrage betting in sports](https://jimmakos.com/arbitrage-betting-trading/) or multi-tabling in online poker.

## How to Become a Professional Gambler: Skills and Traits Needed

By mastering the following skills and traits, professional gamblers increase their chances of long-term success and are better equipped to compete in the unpredictable world of gambling.

### Analytical Skills and Strategic Thinking

Professional gamblers must possess strong analytical skills and the ability to think strategically. This involves more than just understanding the rules of the games; it requires the ability to analyze complex data, spot trends, and make informed decisions based on probabilities and risk assessments.

For instance, in sports betting, a professional gambler needs to evaluate a vast amount of statistical data, such as player performance, team dynamics, and historical trends, to identify value bets. Similarly, in poker, strategic thinking is essential for understanding opponents’ behaviors and making decisions that maximize long-term gains.

In games like blackjack, analytical skills help players calculate odds and decide when to hit, stand, or double down according to the [basic blackjack strategy chart](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/). The ability to think several steps ahead and predict the outcomes of different scenarios gives professional gamblers a significant edge over casual players. This level of strategic planning is crucial for maintaining profitability in the highly competitive environment of professional gambling.

### Emotional Control and Discipline

Gambling, by nature, is a highly emotional activity. Winning can bring euphoria while losing can lead to frustration and despair.

For professional gamblers, emotional control is vital to ensuring that these emotions do not interfere with decision-making. I must be able to detach emotionally from the outcome of each bet, focusing instead on the long-term strategy.

Discipline is closely tied to emotional control.

It involves sticking to a well-thought-out plan, even in the face of losses or the temptation to chase wins. Professional gamblers need to set strict limits on their betting activities, adhere to their bankroll management strategies, and avoid impulsive decisions driven by temporary emotions.

This level of discipline helps to mitigate the risks of gambling addiction and financial ruin.

### Patience and Long-Term Focus

Success in professional gambling is rarely achieved overnight. It requires patience and a long-term focus, as even the best gamblers experience [losing streaks](https://jimmakos.com/recouping-weekend-losses-11bi-day/).

Patience allows professionals to endure these [downswings](https://jimmakos.com/5-buy-in-downswing-micro-stakes-tens-vs-queens-analysis/) without deviating from their strategy or making rash decisions. They understand that consistency over time is more important than short-term wins.

A long-term focus is essential for setting and achieving realistic goals.

Instead of seeking immediate gratification, professional gamblers plan their careers with a long horizon in mind, continually refining their strategies and skills. This approach not only helps in managing the inevitable ups and downs of gambling but also contributes to building a sustainable career.

## Essential Gambling Strategies

Professional gambling isn’t merely about luck or chance; it’s about applying well-honed strategies that give the gambler an edge over time.

> In fact, the more I gamble, the lesser the effect luck has on my performance.

The following strategies are critical for anyone aspiring to succeed as a professional gambler.

### Bankroll Management

Bankroll management is arguably the most crucial strategy for any professional gambler. It involves the careful allocation and preservation of funds to ensure long-term success.

The core principle behind bankroll management is **to prevent any single bet or series of losses from wiping out your entire gambling fund**.

Professionals typically follow strict rules about how much of their bankroll they’re willing to risk on any given bet—often **no more than 1-2% of their total bankroll per wager**.

This conservative approach helps us withstand inevitable losing streaks without jeopardizing our overall financial stability. Additionally, by setting limits on our losses and winnings, as professional gamblers, we can avoid the emotional pitfalls of chasing losses or getting overconfident after a big win.

Another important aspect of bankroll management is regularly reassessing and adjusting the bankroll based on performance. This could mean increasing the bankroll when on a winning streak or scaling back when losses start accumulating.

💡

Here's a simple rule I have followed in bankroll management, bet sizing, and staking plan: when my bankroll doubles, I increase my bet size to 2x. If my bankroll is cut in half, I also cut my bet size in half.

### Value Betting and Understanding Odds

Value betting is a strategy where the gambler identifies and places bets on outcomes that they believe are undervalued by the bookmakers.

This requires a deep understanding of odds and the ability to spot discrepancies between the bookmaker’s odds and the actual likelihood of an event occurring.

> The concept of expected value (EV) is central to value betting. 

Positive expected value (+EV) bets are those where the potential return exceeds the risk based on probability calculations. Professional gamblers constantly seek +EV opportunities to ensure that, over time, their profits outweigh their losses.

To effectively employ this strategy, gamblers must stay informed about the latest trends, odds movements, and relevant information that could influence outcomes, such as player injuries or weather conditions in sports betting. Additionally, they often use [tools and software to compare odds](https://jimmakos.com/betting-tool-predicts-odds-movements/) across multiple platforms, ensuring they’re always getting the best value for their bets.

### Detailed Game Strategies

Different types of gambling require tailored strategies to maximize success. For example:

- **Blackjack**: Professional blackjack players often [learn how to count cards](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/) and use card counting as a strategy to gain an edge over the house. This involves keeping track of the ratio of high cards to low cards remaining in the deck, allowing players to adjust their bets accordingly.
- **Poker**: In poker, strategies revolve around reading opponents, managing your position at the table, and adjusting your play style according to the strength of your hand and the betting behavior of others. Bluffing is also a key tactic but must be used judiciously.
- **Sports Betting**: For sports bettors, handicapping—analyzing teams, players, and other factors—is crucial. This strategy involves assessing variables like team form, head-to-head records, and injuries to predict the likely outcome of events.
- **Sports Trading:** The key to successful sports trading is to anticipate changes in odds, which can occur both before and during the event, and to make timely trades that capitalize on these movements. Effective sports traders need to be adept at market analysis and quick decision-making to maximize their profits.

## Building a Career as a Professional Gambler

Diving into the world of professional gambling can be an exhilarating yet challenging endeavor.

It’s a path filled with the promise of autonomy, potential financial rewards, and the thrill of the game, but it’s also fraught with risks and uncertainties. Success in this field doesn’t come from luck alone; it requires meticulous planning, disciplined execution, and a deep understanding of both the games you play and the psychology behind them.

### Setting Realistic Goals and Expectations

When building a career as a professional gambler, one of the most crucial steps is setting realistic goals and expectations. This is fundamental to achieving long-term success and avoiding the pitfalls that often lead to burnout or financial ruin.

This isn’t a typical 9-to-5 job where you can expect a steady paycheck. Instead, you must approach it as a long-term venture where gradual skill development and consistent, modest gains are the foundation of your success. 

Financial goals should be practical and based on your starting bankroll, level of expertise, and the specific gambling discipline you’re focusing on.

For instance, if you’re starting with a modest bankroll, your initial goal should be to break even or achieve consistently small profits rather than aiming for huge wins.

> As your skills and bankroll grow, you can adjust your financial goals accordingly

### Measuring Success Beyond Money

Success in professional gambling isn’t just about financial gains.

Setting goals related to personal development, such as improving your analytical skills, mastering a particular game, or developing better emotional control, is equally important.

These non-monetary goals help ensure continuous growth and sustainability in your gambling career.

### Understanding the Nature of Professional Gambling

Unlike traditional careers, professional gambling is highly unpredictable, and success is not guaranteed.

It’s essential to recognize that while significant profits are possible, they are not typical for most gamblers, especially in the early stages. Expecting to make a steady income right from the start is unrealistic; instead, focus on gradually building your skills, experience, and bankroll over time.

### Importance of Continuous Learning and Adapting to Trends

The gambling landscape is always evolving, especially with the rise of online gambling platforms and new forms of betting like esports. Successful professional gamblers stay ahead by continuously updating their knowledge and strategies to adapt to these changes.

For instance, as online sportsbooks become more sophisticated, **value betting opportunities may diminish**, requiring gamblers to find new angles or develop more advanced analytical tools. Moreover, adapting to new formats or games can provide fresh opportunities for profit in areas where competition might be less intense.

### Emotional Control and Tilt Management

Emotional control, also known as tilt management, is about maintaining a level head during both winning and losing streaks. “Tilt” is a term used to describe the emotional state where a gambler becomes frustrated or angry, leading to irrational decisions and poor judgment.

![](https://media.tenor.com/MdLNN93OjCcAAAAC/rage-angry.gif)

Professional gamblers recognize the dangers of tilt and develop strategies to combat it.

This may include taking regular breaks, setting strict loss limits, and adhering strictly to their pre-determined strategies regardless of emotional highs or lows. By controlling our emotions, we can make rational decisions based on logic and strategy, not on how we feel in the moment.

## Pros and Cons of Professional Gambling

Embarking on a career as a professional gambler offers a unique set of advantages and challenges. While the potential for high earnings and personal freedom is enticing, the path is fraught with significant risks that require careful consideration.

### Pros

1. **Financial Independence and Flexibility:** One of the most appealing aspects of professional gambling is the potential for [financial independence](https://jimmakos.com/financial-independence/). Unlike traditional jobs, where income is fixed and tied to a set schedule, professional gamblers have the opportunity to earn substantial sums of money based on their skills and the bets they place. This can lead to a lifestyle of flexibility, where you set your own working hours and choose when and how you want to work.
2. **Pursuing a Passion**: For those who genuinely enjoy [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), turning a hobby into a profession can be incredibly fulfilling. Whether it’s the thrill of beating the odds, the intellectual challenge of poker, or the strategic depth of sports betting, professional gamblers often find deep satisfaction in their work. This passion can make the profession feel less like work and more like a rewarding pursuit.
3. **Potential for High Earnings**: Professional gambling offers the potential for life-changing sums of money, especially for those who are highly skilled and dedicated. Unlike most jobs where income is capped, gambling allows for the possibility of significant financial gains, particularly during winning streaks or successful tournaments. Some professional gamblers have made fortunes through disciplined and strategic play.
4. **No Traditional Employment Constraints**: Professional gamblers operate outside the traditional employment system. There are no bosses, no rigid schedules, and no corporate politics. This independence allows for a greater degree of freedom in decision-making and work-life balance. Additionally, in certain jurisdictions, gambling winnings are not subject to income tax, providing a financial advantage compared to conventional employment.

### Cons

1. **Financial Risk and Volatility**: The most significant downside to professional gambling is the inherent financial risk. Unlike traditional jobs with predictable incomes, gambling is highly volatile. There will be periods of loss, and even the most skilled gamblers can experience prolonged downswings. Without careful bankroll management, these losses can quickly lead to financial ruin.
2. **Emotional and Psychological Stress**: The emotional toll of gambling can be severe. The highs of winning and the lows of losing can create significant stress, leading to anxiety, depression, or even addiction. Managing these emotions is critical, but it can be challenging, especially during losing streaks. The pressure to succeed and the constant risk of financial loss can weigh heavily on professional gamblers.
3. **Social and Personal Life Impact**: Professional gambling often requires irregular hours, including late nights and weekends, especially if one is involved in live sports betting or casino games. This can disrupt personal relationships and social life. The solitary nature of gambling, particularly online, can also lead to isolation, as gamblers may spend long hours alone, focused on their screens.
4. **Limited Job Security and Career Progression**: Unlike traditional careers that offer advancement opportunities, professional gambling lacks job security and career progression. There are no promotions, bonuses, or [retirement plans](https://jimmakos.com/financial-freedom-project/). Moreover, a gambler’s earning potential is entirely dependent on their performance, and a few bad decisions can wipe out years of hard-earned gains. This lack of stability makes it difficult to plan for the future or rely on gambling as a lifelong career.
5. **Risk of Addiction**: The line between professional gambling and compulsive gambling can be thin. The constant exposure to betting and the pursuit of wins can sometimes lead to addictive behaviors. This risk is particularly high during losing streaks, where the temptation to chase losses can override rational decision-making. Addiction can have devastating effects on both personal and financial health, making it one of the most significant risks associated with a gambling career.

Becoming a professional gambler offers both high rewards and substantial risks.

While the freedom, potential for high earnings, and the thrill of the game are compelling, the financial volatility, emotional stress, and lack of job security require careful consideration and disciplined management.

Anyone considering this path should weigh these pros and cons carefully to determine if the lifestyle aligns with their personal and financial goals.

## Practical Tips for Aspiring Professional Gamblers

Building a career in professional gambling requires not just skill and strategy but also a disciplined approach to financial management and continuous learning.

Here are some practical tips to help you get started and sustain your career.

### Start with a Solid Financial Base and Build a Bankroll

Before diving into professional gambling, it’s crucial to establish a solid financial foundation. This means having a separate bankroll specifically allocated for gambling, which should not interfere with your personal finances.

> Your bankroll is essentially your business capital, and it needs to be protected and managed with care.

Starting with a solid financial base allows you to withstand the inevitable ups and downs of gambling. It’s advisable to begin with an amount you can afford to lose without affecting your lifestyle.

The general rule of thumb is to risk only a small percentage of your bankroll on any single bet—typically between 1% to 2%. This conservative approach ensures that you can survive losing streaks and continue to play without being wiped out.

As you gain experience and confidence, focus on gradually growing your bankroll through consistent wins and disciplined betting. Reinvesting a portion of your profits back into your bankroll can help you increase your bet sizes over time, which is necessary for scaling your earnings in the long run.

### Keep Detailed Records of All Bets and Outcomes

Record-keeping is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of professional gambling.

By maintaining detailed records of every bet you place, including the event, odds, stake, and outcome, you can track your performance over time. This practice not only helps you identify profitable strategies and areas where you excel but also highlights weaknesses that need improvement.

A comprehensive betting record allows you to analyze patterns in your betting behavior, such as when and why you tend to win or lose.

For example, you might notice that you perform better in specific types of bets or that you’re prone to making impulsive decisions after a loss. By identifying these trends, you can adjust your approach and avoid repeating costly mistakes.

Additionally, keeping detailed records can help you manage your bankroll more effectively, ensuring that you stay within your limits and make informed decisions about how much to wager on future bets.

### Regularly Review and Adjust Strategies Based on Performance

Success in professional gambling is not static; it requires constant adaptation and refinement of strategies. Regularly reviewing your betting records allows you to assess the effectiveness of your strategies and make necessary adjustments based on your performance.

For instance, if you notice that a [particular betting strategy isn’t yielding the desired results](https://jimmakos.com/does-your-trading-strategy-work-horse-racing-markets/), it might be time to tweak it or explore alternative approaches. This could involve adjusting your bet sizes, focusing on different types of bets, or even shifting your attention to other games or sports where you might have a better edge.

> Continuous improvement is key to staying competitive in the dynamic world of gambling.

This means not only learning from your mistakes but also staying informed about new trends, tools, and strategies in the industry. Whether it’s adopting advanced analytical tools, refining your handicapping skills, or keeping up with changes in the sports or games you bet on, regular reviews and adjustments are essential for long-term success.

## Maintaining Balance and Health as a Professional Gambler

In the high-stakes world of professional gambling, maintaining a balance between your work and personal life is not just important—it’s essential for long-term success and well-being.

The demands of professional gambling go far beyond simply placing bets; they encompass rigorous research, continuous learning, and the development of complex strategies, all of which require significant time and mental energy. Without careful management, the pressures of the profession can quickly lead to burnout, stress, and a decline in performance.

### Importance of Work-Life Balance

Another critical aspect of setting realistic goals is managing your time effectively.

Professional gambling requires a significant time investment, not just in placing bets but also in research, learning, and strategy development.

Set goals that include a balance between work and personal life to avoid burnout. Additionally, consider long-term career goals, such as how you’ll adapt to changes in the industry, plan for retirement, or transition to other opportunities within the gambling world.

💡

As I became known as a successful professional gambler, gambling operators hired me as an expert writer. This provided a much-welcome steady income to my unpredictable gambling winnings.

### Managing Stress and Avoiding Burnout

[The life of a professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/) can be incredibly stressful, given the high stakes, financial volatility, and emotional rollercoaster that comes with the territory. Managing stress effectively is crucial not just for your mental and emotional well-being but also for maintaining the clarity and focus necessary to make rational decisions in your gambling career.

- **Recognizing the Signs of Stress and Burnout**: The first step in managing stress is recognizing the early signs of burnout. These might include feeling overwhelmed, having difficulty sleeping, experiencing a lack of motivation, or noticing a decline in your performance. It’s important to acknowledge these symptoms early on, as unchecked stress can lead to poor decision-making, which in turn can exacerbate financial losses and emotional strain.
- **Developing a Healthy Routine**: A key strategy for managing stress is establishing a healthy routine that balances work and personal life. This includes setting aside time each day for activities that help you relax and recharge, such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies that you enjoy. Regular physical activity, in particular, is known to reduce stress and improve mental health by releasing endorphins and improving sleep. Additionally, maintaining a regular sleep schedule is crucial. Sleep deprivation can impair your cognitive functions, making it harder to think clearly and make sound decisions. Prioritizing sleep helps ensure that you’re in the best possible state of mind to handle the challenges of professional gambling.
- **Taking Breaks and Setting Boundaries**: One of the most effective ways to avoid burnout is by taking regular breaks from gambling. Continuous play without sufficient rest can lead to mental fatigue, increasing the risk of making errors or engaging in impulsive behavior. By scheduling regular breaks, you allow your mind to reset and return to the game with renewed focus and clarity. It’s also important to set boundaries around your gambling activities. This might include limiting the number of hours you gamble each day, setting strict loss limits, or designating specific days off to completely disconnect from gambling. These boundaries help prevent the lines between work and personal life from blurring, which is essential for long-term mental health.
- **Practicing Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques**: Incorporating mindfulness and relaxation techniques into your daily routine can significantly help in managing stress. Techniques such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation can reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm. These practices help you stay grounded, enabling you to approach gambling decisions with a clear, focused mind rather than one clouded by stress.

### Resources for Help and Support

Even the most disciplined professional gamblers can face challenges that require outside help. Accessing the right resources and support networks is vital for maintaining both your mental health and career longevity.

- **Professional Counseling and Therapy**: If you find that stress or emotional issues are becoming overwhelming, seeking professional counseling or therapy can be highly beneficial. Therapists who specialize in addiction or stress management can provide strategies to cope with the unique pressures of professional gambling. [Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)](https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral), for example, can help you identify and change negative thought patterns that may contribute to stress or impulsive behavior.
- **Support Groups**: Joining a support group can also be incredibly helpful. Whether it’s a group for professional gamblers or one focused on stress management, being part of a community where you can share experiences and strategies can alleviate feelings of isolation and provide practical advice. Online forums and local groups offer spaces where you can connect with others who understand the specific challenges of professional gambling.
- **Educational Resources and Continuing Education**: Staying informed and continually improving your skills is another way to manage stress and build resilience. Many professional gamblers find that taking courses, attending workshops, or reading up on new strategies helps them stay sharp and confident. Knowledge reduces uncertainty, and being well-prepared can mitigate the stress that comes with gambling’s inherent risks.
- **Financial Advisors**: Given the financial risks associated with gambling, consulting with a financial advisor can be a prudent step. Advisors can help you manage your bankroll, plan for taxes, and ensure that your financial strategies are sound. This support can relieve some of the stress that comes from managing large sums of money and help you plan for long-term financial stability.
- **Helplines and Crisis Resources**: In times of acute stress or crisis, having access to helplines and crisis resources can be a lifesaver. Organizations such as the [National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)](https://www.ncpgambling.org/) offer hotlines and online chat services where you can seek immediate help. These resources provide confidential support and can guide you to further assistance if needed.

## Why I Don't Recommend Anyone to Become a Professional Gambler

As I wrap up this guide on professional gambling, I need to be crystal clear about my attitude toward gambling in general.

Despite my extensive experience and deep knowledge of the gambling world:

> I do not advise anyone to take up professional gambling as a career path.

Over the years, my perspective has shifted significantly. As I’ve grown older, and now as a middle-aged [work-from-home dad](https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home/), I’ve become more risk-averse. The volatility, emotional strain, and financial unpredictability inherent in professional gambling have led me to reevaluate the wisdom of pursuing this path.

Gambling, by its very nature, is fraught with risks that can have profound impacts on one’s financial stability and mental health. Even for those who approach it with the utmost discipline and strategy, the reality is that success is never guaranteed, and the potential for loss is ever-present.

As someone who has walked this road, I’ve come to understand that the stakes are simply too high for most people, especially as life circumstances change and the need for security becomes more pressing.

In my current stage of life, I value stability and peace of mind far more than the thrill of the gamble.

For these reasons, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend anyone to pursue a career as a professional gambler. The risks far outweigh the rewards, and the potential consequences—both financial and emotional—can be devastating. As you consider your own path and look for how to become a professional gambler, I encourage you to weigh these factors carefully and think long-term about your future and well-being.

And if that wasn't clear enough, you'll rarely hear me talk of gambling nowadays, in spite of being considered an expert in the field.

Of course, I am not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. I am just sharing my experience as a professional gambler and the lessons I learned along the way.

I would be curious to hear from you, though. What made you consider professional gambling as a career? What obstacles have you met until now as a gambler? And what are you most afraid of in your pursuit of making a living from gambling? Let me know in the comments below!
### Why I Don't Talk About Gambling as a Professional Gambler
URL: https://jimmakos.com/why-i-dont-talk-about-gambling-as-a-professional-gambler/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:20:37.000Z
Ever wondered why a [professional gambler like me](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) stays silent about the very thing that made me successful? I’ve spent years making money from [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), but today, I’m going to reveal why I don’t talk much about it and why I never promoted it as a path to success.

I know many people aspire to become gamblers, [dreaming of the lifestyle](https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/) of someone who makes a living from gambling. 

Some wish to become pro poker players, others wish to beat the casinos on blackjack, and many wish to bet on sports as their full-time job. People expect quick wins and make easy money by clicking buttons or flipping cards.

I know it because twenty five years ago I wished all that too. And I did all that for almost ten years.

So, let me start with the story of how I ended up as a professional gambler in my twenties.

## Gambling ran into my family

My love for gambling began when I was very young. 

Gambling has run into my family, as both my dad and my uncle have been gambling their entire life.

I grew up hearing of lottery draws and playing cards. In fact, my uncle taught me how to play cards by the time I started school. I still remember him sitting down with me and explaining the pinnacle card game to me. Along with “Xeri”, a very popular card game in Greece, those were the first games I learned playing cards.

At that time I didn’t know anything about strategies or that people were making money playing cards. But that was my first contact with holding cards in my hands.

Over time I was taught to play other card games burlot, which is the Greek version of the French [Belote](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belote), and biriba, the Greek version of an Italian rummy card game called Pinnacola.

My dad used to play burlot every night with his colleagues in summer. As an 8 or 9-year-old kid, I was sitting next to him those nights next to the sea, watching how they played the game.

It’s not a surprise that I ended up carrying a deck of cards wherever I went.

Of course, people didn’t want to play with me. I don’t know if they did that because they didn’t see card games a good hobby for a small kid, or because they didn’t expect me to be any good and waste their time.

A funny story I remember took place when my dad was stationed in a small village away from our hometown.

I was spending my summers with him and I used to follow him wherever he went, even during work hours. So, I was a regular in my dad’s job and I got to know his colleagues very well.

One morning, one of them saw me walking around in the office and told me:

> Hey, little Jim, now I would play with you if only you had a deck of cards with you!

To his surprise, I DID hold a deck of hands behind my back.

I don’t recall if we ended up playing together that morning during his work day, but now, as a 45-year-old dad, I wouldn’t consider it a good sign if I met an 8year old kid with a deck of cards in his hands at all times!

By then, I considered card games a fascinating escape from board games, which all other kids played with.

![monopoly board game](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/08/monopoly-board-game.jpg)

Photo by [Maria Lin Kim](https://unsplash.com/@mrsmaria?utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fsource=unsplash)

Monopoly was the best board game for me, as there was competition and most importantly, fake money! And that’s when things took a turn, as I discovered a couple of games where people could make money.

## Card Games with Real Money

Those were called twenty one and thirty one in Greece, resembling a bit the game of blackjack.

[On New Year’s Eve](https://jimmakos.com/new-years-eve-card-game/) my uncle, my dad and other family members, sat around and played those games with real money.

> I was HOOKED!

I was joining those games, risking my pocket money, and I was thrilled to win. I was still in elementary school at that time.

Suddenly, **I didn’t see the point** of playing any other card game that didn’t involve *money*.

Years went by and I found myself studying chemical engineering in my hometown’s university. At that time, I had heard of a famous Greek card player who was making a living playing blackjack in casinos.

Wow, I thought, people are making a career playing card games! No more waiting for New Year’s Eve to beat my family members over our traditional game night!

That was back in 2000\. Internet was still in its first steps, and I was an early adopter since 1995\. As the Greek player didn’t reveal any gambling secrets in his interviews, I set out to find out how to win in blackjack myself.

I am one of those people who say, if others can do it, so can I. Or at least, that’s how I thought in my twenties when taking risks is the correct strategy.

So, [I learned about card counting](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/) and practiced at home for weeks, waiting to become 23 so that I could enter the casinos.

Once I set foot in casinos, my gambling career had just begun, and I dropped out of my chemical engineering studies as I began making more money than what engineers were making out of university.

The following ten years [I was barred](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/) from the local casinos. [I discovered sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), which is how I made a living from betting on sports for three years. And [I played poker full-time](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) for 4 more years. One after the other.

All in all, I was making a living from gambling for a *decade*. That’s what a professional gambler is:

> Having no other source of income apart from gambling.

That’s how I understand it.

So, why did I quit gambling and stop talking about it?

## Why I left the gambling industry

By the time I was playing poker, one of my websites had become a bit popular.

I had already been [publishing websites](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/), having been an early adopter of the internet. I had also begun making money from my blog, where I only talked about gambling, since that’s what I did all day.

Fast forward a couple of years, and I began making money in my sleep from those websites, thanks to advertising. **That was a surprise for me.**

As a professional gambler, by the time I shut down my computer, I would stop making any money. **Gambling was trading time for money**. Gambling had been an active income stream. 

And I was just about to discover semi-passive income.

Now, it’s 2024, and I cannot even think of going back to gambling full-time to make a living. I am spoiled by web publishing and [solo entrepreneurship](https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship/). But gambling has taught me many things that I have applied in entrepreneurship.

### How running a business is similar to gambling for a living

Both gambling and online entrepreneurship are very competitive markets.

People are trying to find imbalances, to find any kind of edge, and to exploit it. It’s the same in blackjack, the same in sports betting, the same in poker, and the same when running a business.

Sure, as a businessman, your product offers some kind of value, and customers pay you for that value.

But guess what? If everyone begins offering similar products with the same kind of value, the market finds an equilibrium, and no one is making real money. It’s the same in gambling, and why I quit one game after the other.

- Casinos installed automatic shuffling machines killing the edge of card counting.
- More smart sports bettors discovered sports trading and internet technology sped up, killing any edge I had.
- And more poker players learned the ins and outs of the game. Now more players are competing with each other for the money recreational poker players were bringing to the table. The pond became smaller with a lot more sharks. Not to mention, government regulations made the games less profitable in the name of security.

Say you are running the only restaurant in town. No matter how bad your food is, people will come. You have a *monopoly*.

Remember the game? See how all that connects?

Now, say 5 other people see you are making fortunes and open 5 more restaurants next to you. Customers now have a choice, and you are now competing with 5 more people.

It’s certain that one of you 6 will have the best food. That’s who wins. The rest will be competing for tiny profits, often focusing on offering the lowest price, instead of improving your product, because that’s the easiest way to compete. It’s also the wrong way to find an edge, but that’s a topic for another time.

So, back to gambling.

### I can't speak of something I no longer do

I haven’t gambled ever since I began running those websites and turning a profit. that’s the last ten years.

I have fallen behind with the news of the gambling industry. I don’t really know what goes on nowadays. What’s the latest on the regulations? Where do bad poker players play these days? Can I have access to my favorite sportsbook?

And even if I do learn all that, I have to find an edge. I have to start from scratch.

I am sure all the games have changed. The competition made sure all previous strategies no longer work. Or at least, that’s what I would expect.

Yes, I know of people still making a living gambling. Some of them apply the same old strategies.

But I am sure, they have *evolved* in the last ten years I am absent from the industry. The strategy may have remained the same, but the tools must have become more advanced. New technologies should have created new kind of an edge.

As a professional gambler you really need to stay on your toes. And you never know when the game is about to change.

When governments will introduce new tax legislations that will decrease your profitability so much, that it doesn’t make sense to continue gambling. When sharp bettors with join the battle. When the gambling market becomes saturated and you find yourself looking for the next edge to exploit.

No, I don’t recommend anyone to make a living from gambling as I did. Running a business is much, MUCH more rational.

> Running any kind of business is much more legit compared to being a professional gambler.

## Listen to me and stay away from gambling

Sure, I could begin talking about whatever I learned about gambling in the past. After all, the math and the way of thinking still applies to today’s games. And they will always apply.

1. Find an edge.
2. Come up with a strategy.
3. Apply proper money management to avoid the risk of ruining your gambling bankroll.
4. Profit.

It’s the same in casino games, in sports betting, in poker, even in stock market and trading cryptocurrencies. **They are ALL gambling.**

But even if I do, I know you all have a very, VERY small chance of making it pay.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### It’s Crazy When People Recognize Me from YouTube
URL: https://jimmakos.com/recognize-me-from-youtube/
Last updated: 2024-08-19T12:49:17.000Z
I was swimming the other day here on Skyros Island with friends and family. As I joined the conversation, there was a new guy talking with the others. Since we were just bodiless heads sticking out of the sea and I was facing the sun, I was struggling to make out what he looked like, in case I did know him.

"He’s probably a friend of theirs whom I haven’t met," I thought to myself. Just as my brother-in-law was about to introduce us, this new friend looks at me and asks:

> “You’re a YouTuber, right?”

Obviously, I was surprised. Hah, is that good or bad? How do they know I’m making silly, inconsistent videos on YouTube? And have I reached the point where I can add that label to my profile?

He could tell I didn’t expect that.

“No worries, I’m a digital marketer myself,” he continued as I was having trouble finding the right words to answer his question.

Ok, now we can cut to the chase since I knew he understood the lingo and the shenanigans of working online.

Sure, I was happy to call myself a YouTuber, among all the other things I’ve been calling myself. I wouldn’t say it’s my full-time job. But given how much time I’m spending on this craft, I might as well get the credit of calling myself a middle-aged YouTuber.

“Well, yes,” I said, “I do make videos on YouTube,” to which he responded:

> “Investing and the like, right?”

Oh boy, now we’re talking.

At first, I thought he’d come across my videos about Skyros since we were on this beautiful Greek island. People visiting the island might have searched YouTube for videos, and there’s a chance he landed on one of my Skyros videos. But investing? That’s the first niche you associate with me? That means you’ve watched more than one video of mine and have dug deeper into my background.

On hearing the word “investing,” my brother-in-law and friends quickly went the other way, laughing.

> “Investing? You two talk to each other, we’ll stick to fishing stories!”

I totally get it. Investing, making money, and gambling all have a strange aura around them. No wonder these are called grey markets in SEO, as most scams run in these industries and people don’t feel comfortable talking about money.

Thankfully, this digital marketer is actually an active SEO advisor, which made me open up way quicker than if I were explaining what I do for a living to my grandma (if she were still alive).

It turns out this guy has been freelancing as an SEO expert for popular gambling operators in Greece, after starting out as a web designer following his studies as a mathematician. Due to his partnerships with these companies, we had more common ground to connect and totally clicked. Well, at least, that’s how I felt—I hope he did too!

We spent the following hour discussing gambling, cryptocurrencies, and how SEO is changing due to Artificial Intelligence, to the point where he might fall back to web design if things get much worse. We shared that sentiment about how the internet is changing and what it means for our line of work, as I am also shifting my career toward building my personal brand, instead of living as a lazy, fully dependent on Google, living-under-the-radar, semi-retired web publisher.

He wasn’t a family friend, though. I was totally wrong about that. He ended up with us because his little daughter had met our friends’ kids and was having fun playing together at the beach. As a family man, you go where your kids go.

We could have talked for hours, but time flies, and we had to go back home. We said our goodbyes and set a date for the next day to meet at the same beach, as we obviously had a lot more to talk about—and our kids to play with. But he was in his last days of vacationing on the island, so I figured we might not run into each other, as he would likely want to spend more time with his family instead of with a total stranger.

“We’ll talk online,” he said as we were leaving. “Sure, we’ll meet in the digital world,” I replied, realizing I hadn’t asked for any of his contact details—typical introverted Jim. Well, he knows my YouTube channel, so that’s a point of contact, I figured.

The very next morning, as I was watering the plants, I got a notification. It was him, texting me on Instagram at 7 a.m.! He had been following me there for God knows how long, so I could run a background check on his profile—not that I needed to, as I trusted the guy. But as a content creator, you often check your new followers’ profiles, especially when you’re just a small fish in a giant pond like me. Here I had a few more reasons to do that. After all, we seemed to have a lot in common.

We texted back and forth for a few minutes, but unfortunately, we didn’t meet again before he and his family left the island. But they’ll be back, and surprisingly, we’ll become neighbors soon enough as they are building their summer house close to ours! They first visited Skyros Island in 2014 and have been coming here every summer since then. That’s a VERY common story I’ve heard over the years from quite a few people who have visited this island in Greece. Of course, not everyone decides to build a house here, but it surely makes people reconsider their way of living and life choices. I certainly have, as I’ve talked about in my YouTube videos. After all, I AM a YouTuber!
### Is Web Publishing Becoming More Difficult? How Publishers Achieve High Results
URL: https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing-becoming-difficult-how-publishers-achieve-high-results/
Last updated: 2025-08-14T05:44:31.000Z
In the publishing world, we see media sources that heavily rely on advertisements and affiliate marketing programs, or those trying to finance their teams with direct contributions from readers. None of these approaches work perfectly well given the fact that web publishing has truly become more difficult than ever before. If in the beginning, platforms would think of each other as competitors, now they all are in the same group, trying to fight against a common rival - social media. 

News consumption on social media platforms is a big deal, given the fact that many users don’t even check other websites separately, instead, they just scroll the social media newsfeed and try to have a good catch of the latest news. When we analyze the [report of the Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/), it’s obvious that leading social media platforms are also the leaders when it comes to people’s preference on where to read or watch a story. This trend eliminates the publishers’ hopes to boost organic viewership on their websites and monetize their content.

In this article, we will uncover several strategies that help publishers stay on top of the media game and ensure high user traffic.

## The lesson of gaming platforms

It may seem counterintuitive, but digital publishers can benefit from studying online gaming platforms, particularly online casinos. These platforms have mastered the art of attracting and retaining users. Consider some of the best online poker websites, for example. They do not passively await players but actively seek them through social media and strategic influencer partnerships.

These specialized gaming influencers are highly effective for these platforms. They possess dedicated followings that eagerly consume their content, and when they endorse an online poker site, it significantly impacts player acquisition. Moreover, these strategies have contributed to a growth in the number of poker players.

What can other web publishers learn from this? The answer lies in collaboration. Partnering with influential figures within a specific niche can substantially enhance a brand's visibility and reputation. It involves more than simply displaying a logo on someone's post. Identifying influencers who genuinely understand and appreciate the content is crucial to effectively reach their audience.

Imagine a respected technology influencer enthusiastically recommending your latest article on [AI advancements](https://jimmakos.com/ai-gambling-disrupt/). Their endorsement would likely drive a surge in readership, akin to amplified word-of-mouth marketing. Additionally, it fosters trust, making potential readers more inclined to engage with your content.

## Video content is a traffic enhancer

If video content is not yet a priority for your organization, a substantial opportunity is being missed. Video has transitioned from a valuable asset to an indispensable component for publishers. Contemporary audiences exhibit a preference for visual content over text-based formats, and data supports this trend.

A report predicts that video will constitute [82% percent of all internet traffic by 2025](https://personifycorp.com/blog/video-marketing-in-2024-trends-and-statistics-you-cant-afford-to-ignore/). Furthermore, viewers retain a bigger portion of information when presented in video format compared to when presented in text. This substantial difference underscores the effectiveness of video for message delivery.

Beyond retention, videos extend user session duration, a crucial metric for engagement. Wistia [reports a 1,4X increase](https://wistia.com/learn/marketing/video-time-on-page) in time spent on pages containing video. Additionally, social media platforms have observed a tenfold growth in engagement for tweets accompanied by video.

Because of these numbers, publishers need to focus on making creative videos. This includes videos that explain things, show behind-the-scenes stuff, interviews, and short videos for places like TikTok or Instagram Reels. Even though it's good to have professional-looking videos, being real often works better.

In the end, video isn't just an option anymore; it's a must-have for successful content. To get more people to visit your site and keep them interested, you have to use videos.

## The power of community building

In the pursuit of viewership and clicks, a critical element is often overlooked: community building. Rather than solely disseminating articles or videos, the focus should shift towards creating a space where the audience feels interconnected.

Social media platforms, full of continuously [evolving trends](https://jimmakos.com/social-media-trends-blog-update/), owe their immense success to the fulfillment of our innate desire for connection. This principle can be effectively applied to individual platforms. Forums, comment sections, and live Q&A sessions are tools that can cultivate a sense of community among readers or viewers.

Reddit serves as a prime example of a platform built upon user-generated content and community interaction. Additionally, certain news outlets employ tools to foster constructive and meaningful discussions within comment sections.

Having readers who come back again and again, because they like the content and the discussions, is really good for any publisher if they want steady traffic. But it's even better to have an active community because they give great feedback and ideas. They tell us what kind of content they like, what we can improve, and even suggest new stories.

*These are some of the most popular ways publishers currently rely on to enhance their website visibility and boost organic viewership. Sometimes they can be incorporated into one another for a better result, but depending on the website and its goals, only one or two principles can work perfectly and without distractions.*
### Mastering Casino Investments: Tips for Beginner Gamblers
URL: https://jimmakos.com/mastering-casino-investments-tips-for-beginner-gamblers/
Last updated: 2025-10-11T10:12:32.000Z
Investing in casinos offers the potential for significant returns, but it demands a thoughtful and informed approach. For those new to casino investments, mastering the basics is essential for making strategic decisions and minimizing risks. Begin by understanding the various investment options available, including stocks of casino operators, casino REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts), and direct equity investments in gaming establishments. It’s also worthwhile to explore offers like a no deposit casino bonus codes instant play, which can provide insight into the industry's operational models.

Additionally, it’s important to consider factors such as the regulatory environment, financial health of the casino, and market trends. Regularly reviewing industry reports, staying updated on legal changes, and analyzing financial statements can provide valuable insights. By approaching casino investments with due diligence and strategic planning, beginners can navigate the complexities of the sector and enhance their chances of achieving favorable returns.

## Understanding Casino Games: Odds and Payouts

Understanding the odds and payouts of various casino games is crucial for making informed investment decisions. Each game comes with its own probability metrics and house edge, which directly influence potential returns. By studying these factors, you can identify games that offer better odds and higher payout rates, enhancing your chances of success.

Additionally, it's important to keep track of game variations and their respective rules, as these can impact your overall strategy. Games with lower house edges generally provide better long-term returns, but they may also require more strategic play. Staying informed about these dynamics allows for a more strategic approach to [investing](https://jimmakos.com/investing/), where you can leverage favorable conditions and improve your investment outcomes in the casino environment.

## Setting a Budget: Managing Your Investment

[Establishing a budget](https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/) is fundamental to responsible gambling and effective investment management. Define a clear amount you are prepared to invest and set strict limits to avoid exceeding this amount. Adhering to your budget helps mitigate risks and ensures that your investments remain within your financial capacity, preventing unnecessary losses.

Furthermore, regularly review and adjust your budget based on your investment performance and financial situation. Consider factors such as changes in income or unforeseen expenses when revising your budget. By continuously monitoring your spending and making adjustments as needed, you maintain control over your investments and safeguard your financial stability, promoting a more disciplined and strategic approach to [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

## Developing a Strategy: Enhancing Your Chances

Developing a tailored strategy for casino games is crucial for enhancing your chances of success. Understanding the rules and nuances of each game, alongside employing specific [betting systems](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-build-betting-system/), can significantly impact your overall performance. Effective strategies may involve leveraging game-specific tactics, such as [card counting in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/) or managing paylines in slot machines. Moreover, incorporating sound bankroll management techniques helps maintain control over your investment and prevents excessive losses.

Another important aspect of a successful casino strategy is staying adaptable and informed. The casino environment is dynamic, with frequent updates to games and promotional offers. By regularly reviewing game rules, industry trends, and promotional opportunities, you can adjust your strategy to align with current conditions and capitalize on advantageous situations. This proactive approach ensures that your strategy remains relevant and effective, ultimately contributing to a more rewarding investment experience in the casino sector.

Lastly, remember that no strategy guarantees a win, but a well-thought-out plan enhances your ability to make informed decisions and manage risks. Balancing strategy with disciplined investment practices will improve your overall casino experience and maximize your potential returns while minimizing unnecessary risks.

## Conclusion: Making Informed Casino Investments

Mastering casino investments requires a strategic and well-informed approach. To navigate this sector successfully, beginners must focus on understanding game odds, setting a strict budget, and selecting reputable casinos. It is essential to develop effective strategies and stay informed about industry trends and regulatory changes.

**Key Considerations for Casino Investments:**

1. **Understanding Game Odds**: Familiarize yourself with the odds of different casino games to make informed betting decisions. This knowledge helps in assessing the potential returns and risks associated with various games.
2. **Setting a Budget**: Establish a clear budget for your investments to avoid overspending. Stick to this budget to manage risks and ensure that your gambling remains controlled and enjoyable.
3. **Choosing Reputable Casinos**: Research and select casinos with strong reputations and positive reviews. Reliable casinos offer fair games and secure environments for your investments.
4. **Developing Effective Strategies**: Formulate strategies based on research and analysis. [Effective strategies](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/) can help optimize your chances of winning and managing your investments wisely.
5. **Staying Informed**: Keep up with industry news and trends. Understanding market dynamics and regulatory changes can impact your investment decisions and strategies.
6. **Evaluating Performance**: Regularly assess your investment performance. Analyze results and adjust your strategies as needed to improve outcomes and enhance your investment experience.

By adhering to these principles, beginner gamblers can improve their chances of success and enjoy a more rewarding casino investment experience.
### Morning Walk at Nikiti Beach, Halkidiki, Greece
URL: https://jimmakos.com/morning-walk-at-nikiti-beach-halkidiki-greece/
Last updated: 2024-07-09T17:06:11.000Z
Friends invited us last weekend to their summerhouse at Nikiti Beach in Halkidiki, Greece.

We stayed up until late Saturday night, but that didn't stop me from going for my regular morning walk on Sunday morning. With just five hours of sleep, I grabbed my cameras and headed off to the beach before everyone woke up.

Obviously I didn't set any records in my walk. My watch reported that I walked 3km in... 2 hours! But my aim was to shoot as much footage as possible, so I have no complaints.

This is the first time I have posted a silent video where I don't talk at all.

I assume the video's audience will be:

- tourists searching for Nikiti Beach
- people interested in health and fitness who find motivation in watching others engage in outdoor activities.
- viewers who appreciate the benefits of walking and may use the video as inspiration for their own routines
- people looking for calming and serene videos to help them relax, unwind, or [reduce stress and anxiety](https://jimmakos.com/hey-jim-meet-anxiety/)
- content creators who need calming and aesthetic footage for their projects
- individuals who cannot go on long walks due to physical limitations but still enjoy the experience of walking by the sea through videos
- elderly or disabled viewers who find joy and relaxation in virtual walks
- people interested in building or enhancing their own morning routines by incorporating nature walks.
- viewers looking for ideas and inspiration to start their day positively and healthily.

It's not the first time I have visited Nikiti Beach, but it was the first time I filmed my morning walk here. Let me know if you have any questions and if you like this kind of video!
### I spent $500 on a theme
URL: https://jimmakos.com/i-spent-500-on-a-theme/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:23:21.000Z
I know what you're thinking.

How can I afford to pay $500 for a theme for my revenue-generating website while I'm trying to [extend my cash runway](https://jimmakos.com/cash-runway/), while I'm trying to recover my website from [a Google update hit](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/)?

And it's not even a theme for WordPress. It's for *Ghost*. Totally niche, right?

Fair enough.

- What if I told you that the theme is faster than the free one I had installed?
- What if I told you that it's not a theme but a bunch of themeS? And with lifetime upgrades and support?

Still nothing, huh?

OK.

- What if I told you that this theme will make $5,000 in a year?

> Alright. Now I got your attention.

The theme includes a sidebar, which my previous one didn't have. Surely, **I could have spent a couple of hours** learning to code a sidebar to the installed theme instead of spending $500\. 🙄

But then I would also need to learn how to add a table of contents, which the old theme didn't have, either.

And by buying the theme bundle (about 10 themes in total with an average price of $100; told you, niche market), I could now update my personal blog’s theme since I got a license for unlimited websites.

In fact, you can check [my blog's new look](https://jimmakos.com/).

> But I've still not explained *how* it will make me money.

I went through this in a previous podcast episode. Long story short, since I moved that website to Ghost, I could no longer run an advertisement on the sidebar, because there was no sidebar in the Ghost's free themes.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Sunday Podcast Setup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/the-sunday-podcast-setup/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:24:03.000Z
If you want to tell your story and reach a bigger audience, you need to start delivering your content in video format.

But that may sound overwhelming and probably overkill in the case of [podcasting](https://jimmakos.com/podcasting/).

Using a phone can work. But you’ll soon realize that producing a video podcast with your phone is cumbersome and has a lot of limitations.

Obviously, what you say is far more important. But can you hook your audience with an astonishing story in every episode?

I’ve chosen to make my video podcasts as visually pleasing as possible, to compensate for my weakness in delivering my lines and for finding interesting stories to share every time.

Here’s how I’ve set up this Sunday’s podcast episode, which is all about [web publishing](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/), as I'm talking about moving 100k monthly users from WordPress to Ghost.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Hey Jim, meet Anxiety
URL: https://jimmakos.com/hey-jim-meet-anxiety/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:29:56.000Z
I had never suffered from anxiety as an adult. Ever since I began making my own money, I never felt stressed.

Surely, clicking buttons in [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) that meant thousands of dollars in profits or losses might sound like a stressful situation for most. Or disconnecting from the internet with an open position [during trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/badrace.jpeg)

Indeed, these are stressful conditions. But they only last a few minutes. 

And losing a few thousand here and there is quite normal for a [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/). As long as they are disciplined and follow a strict money management plan, they shouldn’t even care.

And that had been my only experience with stress. But I never worried about this stuff since I knew what I was doing (laughs). 😅

So, when my wife, Zoe, was telling me that she used to suffer from severe anxiety, I thought that’s what she meant. And come to think of it, how could she even feel *that* nervous if she hadn’t ever risked a single euro?

So, I honestly didn’t believe there was this mental health condition called “severe anxiety.”

Well, *obviously,* I was wrong.

## There’s a first time for everything

The first time I encountered the condition was during [one of my regular morning walks in March](https://x.com/JimMakosCom/status/1769290681984426394). As I was starting out, my iPhone’s Health app (what a GREAT app) notified me that I should take a mental health questionnaire.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/iphone-health-app-anxiety-questionnaire.jpeg)

Ha, I thought, that’s a first. Ever since I got my iPhone three years ago, it never prompted me anything about my mental health. And I have been using the Health app extensively as I track my workouts, sleep, and calories to lose weight.

But all that was about my *physical* health.

I was never worried about my *mental* health.

But as I was about to realize the big trouble my business was running into, I took the quiz. And the results were terrifying.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/06/iphone-health-app-severe-anxiety-results.jpeg)

Alright! Houston, we’ve got a problem!

I knew something was up, but for the phone to understand this before me was unheard of. Say hello to AI! 

> Well, recognizing my mental health was in trouble is not rocket science I suppose. Obviously the quiz came up after my behavior pattern met some criteria, like sleeping less, walking faster, or not being able to sit down for long periods.

And I said hello to severe anxiety, which only got worse in the following weeks, as I faced the fear of losing everything because of Google updates. Because I was living in my comfort zone. Because I took everything for granted.

Oh, and [it’s not Google’s fault](https://jimmakos.com/not-google-fault/), by the way.

## Fighting anxiety is a byproduct

In May we went to our family’s summerhouse in Skyros. But even there things didn’t get better. Still, I managed to film a video to tell you the story. Or even better, show you.

3 months later, I’m feeling a bit better. Not because I managed to fix the problem or calm myself down. *How could I* with all the turmoil going on around the SEO industry?

I no longer feel so stressed for a reason that is so simple, that I wish I've done it years ago.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Build an audience, then a product
URL: https://jimmakos.com/build-an-audience-then-a-product/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:26:47.000Z
Making money when creating content online starts by building an audience.

- Pick a niche (or not)
- Become a content creation machine, and by the time you’ve got thousands of followers
- Launch a product (the audience will tell you what)

I’m at a different stage on two of my websites.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Making video editing all worth it
URL: https://jimmakos.com/making-video-editing-all-worth-it/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:27:12.000Z
I hate spending so much time when editing a video.

And even after editing for 4 hours, the video might not look like it is halfway done.

Did I say 4 hours? 😅

Experienced YouTubers spend more than 25 hours editing a single video!

![My post in Matt D'Avella's community, based on his video](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/05/26-hours-video-editing.jpeg)

My post in Matt D'Avella's community, based on [his video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5FhbRvKhL4LA)

So, how do I justify spending hours on video editing?

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Google API Leak Document
URL: https://jimmakos.com/the-google-api-leak-document/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:27:53.000Z
SEO experts now know they were right all along.

This week there was a leak of a Google API document that revealed some parts of how the search engine works. SEO people were excited to finally get a peek behind the curtain.

The leaked document pretty much confirmed what we already guessed all along, since **SEO has been primarily *guesswork***.

We try things and if our websites improve in rankings, it means *that thing* worked. If our ranking doesn’t improve, then *that thing* isn’t a signal for Google to rank the website.

> It's trial and error.

The document includes a few signals that Google takes into account when it pushes a website up or down in rankings. Yes, it includes a few signals that's a bit worrying about small web publishers.

For the SEO industry, the document's most valuable lesson was this: 

> Never trust Google's employees again!

To save you time, I'm including the key parts below on how I'm planning to improve my website's rankings.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Why it’s not Google’s fault
URL: https://jimmakos.com/not-google-fault/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:28:17.000Z
Recently, Google updated its algorithm, and many niche websites lost their rankings. People whose livelihood depended on Google traffic - [mine included](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/) \- saw their websites’ traffic plummet (almost) overnight.

As expected, the web publishing industry is furious with Google. Here’s what is tossed around:

1. Google favors big companies now!
2. Google AI stole my content and traffic!
3. Google destroyed small web publishers.

I totally understand the frustration. But I’ve been through a similar situation two decades ago.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Google Search Console and Analytics Disagree
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-search-console-and-analytics-disagree/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:28:51.000Z
As a web publisher, I monitor incoming traffic to my websites and where that traffic is coming from.

I use:

- Google Analytics for traffic in general and
- Google Search Console for organic traffic

But what happens when Search Console data doesn't make sense when looking at traffic data on Google Analytics?

I've been noticing a mismatch in data for a few months now that I'm trying to recover my website from [the Google Helpful Content Update](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/).

So, here's what I'm looking at when I compare clicks on Google search engine year-over-year.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Are 200 words enough for a letter?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/200-words-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:29:21.000Z
The most engaging newsletter is 200 words long.

That’s what a study revealed.

Bummer! I only heard of the study after sending 4,000-word letters to my subscribers!

> How can I cramp everything I wanted to share in just 200 words? 😕

When I begin writing, I can’t stop writing. Even at this moment typing these words, my mind is running off to the next line.

And the next one.

You must have felt it when you get into the flow while writing anything. An email, your travels you are sharing on Facebook, or your life story in your unfinished book.

But.

> I found a way to stop writing.

It’s more like *pause* writing.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### 4 Benefits of sending a daily newsletter
URL: https://jimmakos.com/4-benefits-of-sending-a-daily-newsletter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:29:39.000Z
As a reader, I get excited whenever I receive a new issue from my favorite creator.

As a creator, though, I got overwhelmed whenever I sat down to write a new letter.

But not anymore.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### The Math of a Newsletter
URL: https://jimmakos.com/the-math-of-a-newsletter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:29:53.000Z
You visit a website. You start reading a compelling article. 10 seconds later, a pop-up asks for your email address.

You refuse (obviously). It’s too soon. 🙄

You continue reading. 5 paragraphs into the article, another sign-up form interrupts the text.

You ignore it.

You finish reading the article. Another sign-up opportunity at the end. Still, you can't trust the author based on a single article; it's still too soon.

As you move your mouse to exit the page and continue browsing the internet, ANOTHER sign-up form pops up, urging you not to miss their future articles. 😠

> Why are bloggers and web publishers doing that?

Let’s see the math behind running a newsletter and how my letters can become an income stream for me (and others).

_This post is for subscribers only._
### If only I was a gambler again
URL: https://jimmakos.com/if-only-i-was-a-gambler-again/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:24:15.000Z
Finding a niche is a common struggle for people starting out in the content creation business.

It shouldn’t be.

And today I realized that I would know exactly what I should write and create content about if I was a [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) again.

20 years ago I used to bet on horse races. Even then, I screen-recorded some of my betting and trading activity.

![sports-trading-gambling-makes-money](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/05/sports-trading-gambling-makes-money.jpeg)

Beating other sports traders before the horse race began by predicting how the odds moved

If I were still trading odds, this would have been my content creation plan today:

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Stick to the Script
URL: https://jimmakos.com/stick-to-the-script-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:30:27.000Z
In this week's letter I'm going through:

- What I learned from recording an unscripted podcast
- My preproduction process for making videos
- What parts of a video attract the most attention
- How you know AI didn't write this letter or script my videos
- What are my plans A and B for recovering my website from Google Updates
- How my bet on Croatia to win the Eurovision Song Contest reminded me of the worst offer gambling operators make

💡

Pressed for time? Unlock my quick-read summary below to get all the key insights in under 10 minutes. Learn more about what you're getting by subscribing to my newsletter [here](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter).

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Sharing Personal Notes in a Newsletter
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sharing-personal-notes-in-newsletter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:31:13.000Z
Lots of things have been happening lately in my life. Not that you should care, but I had to start this letter somehow.

- I'm trying to recover a website from a Google update
- I'm extending my family's cash runway before going broke
- I'm creating a ton of content (the 'ton' is two videos a week for me)
- I'm planning for a family trip next week while in financial trouble
- Physical and mental health taking serious hits

Lots of problems. And I need to solve them. So, I'm documenting everything for my sanity.

## Purpose of the Newsletter

One minor problem I have had is **the purpose of my newsletter**. And I don't mean if I should turn it into a product. At the current state, it's more like a donation thing.

Every letter is free. But whoever feels generous and wants to return the favor of my content, helping them in some way, can pay my monthly (or annual) phone bill, so to speak.

These recent letters have led a few of you to reach out to me. People who have been following me for twenty years! 😲

I read some very kind words that encouraged and lifted my spirits. Thank you for that. You know who you are.

Yet, they were worried that I may paywall my newsletter. Well, I can tell you that I have a long way to go for that. First, I need to prove I can provide value with these letters. The result of that would be more people subscribing to my letters.

Because now, judging by the number of people subscribing, it seems I'm not providing lots of value. Or am I just promoting myself in the wrong way? Well, bragging and selling myself haven't been my strengths.

Anyway, you've probably noticed that my recent newsletter issues have been changing in format. The reason is exactly that. Trying to find what works both for me and for you. My loyal fans.

This is yet another iteration. But I'm going to stick with it and build on consistency. If I keep changing things up, I cannot reach any conclusion.

So, I decided to share some of my most important personal notes with you; notes that I took down and things I learned in the last seven days. 👇

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How I Extend Our Cash Runway by Cutting Down Quality of Life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/cash-runway/
Last updated: 2024-04-18T02:50:59.000Z
My web publishing business is making 70% less revenue.

My personal income is down 80%.

And that’s after I laid off my freelancers and cut down every non-essential service my business needed to operate.

I could blame the Google Helpful Content update for turning my life upside down. But honestly, I am the one to blame.

And now I have to get out of the mess I’ve created for myself. I have to find a get-out-of-jail card. And as I’m doing everything I can to find that card, **my cash runway will make sure I’ll survive the storm.**

## **What is a cash runway?**

The cash runway is how much time a startup company has before depleting its cash. *But I am not a startup.*

I’m a real person and online business owner, who saw his income almost evaporate in a month.

For me, the cash runway is the implied amount of time I have before solving the problem. Before making my company profitable enough, to sustain my livelihood again.

At this time I don’t have to dip my toes into our life savings. But unless I reverse the situation and recover my business, my wife’s income and my cash reserves are all we have to survive.

And at some point, they won’t be enough, unless we take action.

## **How I calculate our cash runway**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/04/Cash-runway-calculate.jpg)

Thanks to me [budgeting for 8 whole years](https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/) without missing a single day, I am able to calculate our cash runway down to the cent. That’s because I know exactly where we are spending money. And I also know what we can cut back during this emergency. Let’s throw some numbers now, to be fully transparent.

We have a mortgage that sets us back $400 every month. My wife’s income takes care of that.

Next, we have the essentials for our home. Electricity, heating, water and phone bills cost us $300 more each month.

Private medical care is another necessity, especially for me as an American business owner. The medical bill draws $200 from our bank accounts on a monthly basis.

Finally, in 2023 we spent $600 on groceries, $300 on restaurants and $220 on various things each month. That’s a total of $1,120 for eating and living comfortably.

Last year, additional monthly expenses have been $90 for clothing, $25 for banking fees, $120 for car insurance and taxes, $150 for housekeeping, $100 for car repairs, $60 for home maintenance and appliances and $240 for fuel and travel costs.

And let’s not forget school expenses for our daughter that came down to $650 every month. This includes private school, English and rhythmic classes, along with extra fees for school perks.

> As a result, our way of living was costing us about $3,500 every month.

If our income dried up entirely and we had $35,000 saved up, **our cash runway would have been ten months.** I come to that number by dividing our savings by our average monthly spending.

Thankfully, there are a few steps to take to extend the cash runway.

## **How I extend our cash runway**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/04/Cash-runway-budgeting.jpg)

First and foremost, we are bringing down our monthly costs.

Currently we do not have to budget for clothing and home maintenance.

We are no longer eating out. It’s been over a month since we went to a restaurant. We cut down on everything we can.

Yes, our quality of life will suffer, but the alternative is to end up hungry. Other people have it far worse and could end up even homeless.

Thankfully, we have my wife’s steady income. As a civil worker, the guaranteed monthly influx of money is hugely appreciated at challenging times like this. While it’s not close to my previous income, it is now thanks to my wife that we have a longer cash runway. **Her income buys us time.**

At the same time, my business still makes money.

I am still able to have SOME income. But I always plan for the worst case scenario. You see me working SO MUCH lately and be so vocal online because that’s how I operate.

> I act as if I have zero income.

Losing what I once took for granted is a big motivational factor for me, although it doesn’t help my anxiety and stress.

So, we are minimizing our costs.

I no longer budget for school expenses. I asked my parents to pay for our transportation needs, that is our fuel bills, and take care of our daughter’s tuition next year, if I haven’t made it by then. Knowing that education is taken care of, lifts a big weight from my shoulders.

I’ve left the snooker club we made with friends, hoping that one day I’ll return and contribute once again. That cost me about $80 every month.

I now only do minimal car repairs. And we are not throwing a birthday party to our daughter for the first year since COVID hit.

Zoe wasn’t budgeting but she was able to save up some money from her salary. Now she needs to be even more frugal, but I expect her to keep spending at least $200 for her on a monthly basis. She has to eat at work!

So, from last year’s spending of $3,500, I’m bringing down the costs to $1,500 max. We must have medical care, an operational home and food. That’s the bare minimum.

We lived like kings, but now we have to make do with much less. While everyone can happily adapt going from lows to highs, it’s not easy to go from highs to lows.

Ok, now, I’ve taken care of minimizing our costs. For extending our cash runway I have to increase my income. And I need to do it as quickly as possible, so that I don’t reach the point where we have to withdraw from our life savings.

> Increasing income is easier said than done.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/04/Cash-runway-financial-trouble.jpg)

I’m focused on [recovering one of my websites from a Google update hit](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/). This is my number one priority, as a partial recovery will probably double my current income which stands at $1,000 if I’m being optimistic. Making a thousand more will allow us to come out on the surface and take a breath, as I’m currently feeling like drowning.

However that scenario doesn’t look very likely at this moment. Projections look bleak, and while I’m still getting paid from revenues earned in January and February, summer will be very tough when traffic is always lower.

According to my predictions, and should the website’s decline doesn’t continue, my business will make just enough to cover its costs in July. Which means that by October I would receive no salary! And if the website loses all traffic, that will have tremendous consequences, since the company won’t be able to cover the website’s hosting bills, eliminating any hope for a recovery.

At least now, I stand a chance. And as long I have a chance, I’ll grab from everything I can.

They say time is money. But when you are looking at a cash runway, **money is time**. And right now, money buys me time. Time to make the revenue I lost. [Time to avoid bankruptcy](https://jimmakos.com/how-i-am-going-bankrupt/). Time to not go broke and time to bring my family’s quality of life back to normal.
### How Google updates are ruining my life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:23:04.000Z
I had it easy. My life was on autopilot. I was raising my family and enjoying life with Google’s money. Google was paying me every month for running a website. A website that sometimes I didn’t check for weeks!

20 hours a month of work was enough to keep the website operational and profitable. For the remaining 700 hours a month, life was good.

Until Google came up with an update that turned my life upside down. A Google algorithm update that took half of my traffic and 70% of my revenue away. Until a Google update ruined my life. The so-called Helpful Content Update. So…

## What is a Google update?

To answer what’s a Google algorithm update we have to see their business model. What’s their offering? What’s their product, and how they are making money? Because, after all, Google is a for-profit business.

> Google is a free search engine.

They offer a service to society by letting people search the whole internet. For free.

Their goal? To create the best free search engine. And I think they managed that, ever since they launched back in 1998\. Back then, we used to search the internet using other services, such as Yahoo, Altavista, and Lycos.

Have you used any of those lately? Right, the majority of people online search the internet using Google. There’s no doubt Google has achieved its goal of creating the best search engine.

But their free product, their lead magnet, wasn’t a hit right from the start. It evolved. It advanced. It was UPDATED!

Google updates its algorithm several times a year. Their goal remains the same with each update. To maintain the top place among search engines. To serve people online who are looking for anything in the best way possible.

Once they have their audience, once they have people using their free tool, they need to make money. Google is making money with advertisements. Companies spend money on ads to buy attention from people using Google’s search engine. And of course, Google also sells ads to various websites that have partnered with them using their dedicated advertising platform, AdSense.

So, in a nutshell:

💡

Google’s model is to become the best search engine so that people keep using Google for searching online, so that companies, business owners and professionals buy ads from them.

That’s it.

A Google update now is simply an update on how their search engine works. Much like we update our computers or the apps on our mobile phones. But these updates aren’t all the same.

## The different types of Google updates

There are spam updates, reviews updates, page experience updates. As their name suggests, these take care of different things. And then there are two key updates that are changing the search engine results in a big way. These are called core updates. And recently they are known as the Helpful Content Updates.

> Why are these core updates by Google called Helpful Content Updates, or HCU for short?

Because Google’s algorithm has had enough of content that wasn’t helpful for their users. Of content that was written exclusively for ranking on Google’s search engine.

Let’s see a personal example.

Say I found that people are searching for sports trading. It’s a niche that I am involved in, as I happened to be a professional gambler who used to make a living by trading sports betting odds. I have personal experience to share. [By blogging about that](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) since 2005, I’ve built trust. I built an audience that learned what worked for me in sports trading. I provide value, I try to create helpful content.

But my blog isn’t ranked in first position for sports trading.

Perhaps it’s because my English sucks and people don’t read past the first paragraph. Maybe it’s because I’m not an expert in SEO (although I’m quickly becoming one). Or it could be that my content doesn’t actually help the people who are looking for a quick buck.

But it could be that other websites have seen that people are searching for sports trading and made blogs targeting that keyword. Then they created tens of posts about everything about sports trading for the sake of ranking. They have no personal experience; they are not trusted. But they know how SEO works, which made their websites rank higher than me. Note, I’m not trying to offend anyone here. I haven’t looked into the search results for sports trading. It is just an example that came up from my head. And by the time you are watching this it’s probable that my blog ranks first for sports trading!

Anyhow, Google now sees that these websites outrank mine. 

> They introduce the Google E-E-A-T update, which stands for Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust.

I have all these when it comes to sports trading. But others outranking me may not have. And that’s why my personal blog is doing well during these updates, as Google identifies that its users

- spend more time on my blog,
- don’t leave my blog once they click a result leading them to one of my articles and
- follow me on social media

Remember their business model? Their users, their core audience, are of paramount importance to them. If they lose their audience, their business model will collapse. Like one of my websites is collapsing as it has lost its audience. And when the audience leaves for a competitor or alternative solution, you are in trouble.

## How has the Helpful Content Update affected me

Ok, since my blog is doing well, why am I worried of Google algorithm updates? 

Because, you see, I have another website, that I have no experience, expertise, or trust. I do have authority as very big websites have linked to that website. Why did they link, if I’m not an expert there? Well, it’s because I hired writers to create content for me, which would rank on Google search engine!

We are going full circle now!

15 years ago, the internet was a different place. Google was also different. You found the domain name pizza.com available and you were golden. Throw in a few posts about pizza, and you dominated the number one spots for super popular evergreen keywords. Sit back and enjoy life. Your job is done.

Fast forward to today, Google realized that people have specific needs when they are searching for pizza. And usually websites operating on domains that don’t have pizza in their name actually provide far more helpful content, giving better answers.

People evolved. Nowadays they get better answers by Artificial Intelligence. It’s time to provide helpful content to users. And that content rarely comes from websites that were built with the sole intention of ranking.

Now, Google favors user-generated content. Content that is written by actual people that want to help. They don’t know anything of SEO or rankings. That’s why Reddit and Quora have taken top spots in several search queries. And Google uses that websites to train their AI so that it provides answers itself to simple questions by its users.

“What is gambling?” a user asks. Google spits out a simple paragraph on top of their search result. It won’t be difficult for a robot to answer that with so much info online.

What will happen? AI will steal all the traffic for websites that have tried to rank for “what is gambling”. The trick for the future will be to [create detailed articles](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), to answer people’s questions in a unique way, by providing useful data and info, by being a real person with personal experience, expertise and trust in front of and behind a camera.

Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s take a pause.

We’ll talk more about how I predict Google will change in the coming years. I’ll discuss how Google identifies helpful content in future videos.

And how these core algorithm updates are changing industries and threatening people’s life savings. How they make people quit their entrepreneurial goals and begin looking for a job, returning to the rat race after years or working solo. How Google updates have led to skyrocketing anxiety and very, very dark thoughts.

Because I am one of those people. But I don’t plan to give up so easily.
### The Wake-Up Call
URL: https://jimmakos.com/the-wake-up-call/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:31:28.000Z
After slacking off for far too long, my main cash-generating website came back to bite me in the a$$. Traffic is down. Revenue is significantly lower. And 2024 projections look bleak.

At the current rate, I'm nose-diving to rock bottom.

I'm facing an entrepreneur's biggest fear: going back to zero. **Getting an actual job.**

And for someone who never worked in a job, that sounds terrifying. Yet, it is hugely motivating at the same time!

This is what is happening and my plan. 👇

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How I am Going Bankrupt
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-i-am-going-bankrupt/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:29:20.000Z
I'm going bankrupt, and I'm afraid it's not clickbait.

This is the story of how I'm going bankrupt.

You may wonder how a seemingly [successful professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) and web publisher can go bankrupt. After all, I'm known for beating casinos by counting cards in blackjack, making six figures in sports betting, and, more recently, running websites in my pajamas by working only four hours a week.

Well, let's start from the beginning. Because **this is not the first time I've faced bankruptcy.** Or watch a train go by.

## The Blackjack Train

Back in 2003 casinos didn't allow me to play blackjack. I had been counting cards every day for a whole year. I thought they hadn't noticed me.

But the last month that I played there, I made ten thousand euros. They showed me the door, and I got off the first train I caught in life. With no student loans to my name and still living with my parents, I wasn’t going bankrupt. 

**But my income went to zero overnight.**

## **The Sports Trading Train**

I returned to my chemical engineering studies. Still, I was looking to find another way to make money similar to blackjack. I spent a summer digging into the internet. And in 2004, I found sports trading. 

Sports trading it's like trading in the stock market, but instead of stocks, you trade betting odds. For a full explanation, [read this](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/).

Starting with €500 I was making €3,000 a month in the beginning. Eventually, I made almost €100,000 in the first year as an odds trader.

I was 25 at the time and over the moon. I was riding a better train this time!

That's when I made **one of my biggest financial mistakes**. Buying an expensive car with half of that money. 

If I had invested that money—50k, that is—in SP500, I would now be 200k richer. If you're young, hear me out. 

> Don't spend before you're 35\. Invest everything and work like crazy. 

At 45, like I am today, you won't have that luxury. But you don't have to listen to me. Do as I did. It didn't work for me. I hope it works for you.

Sports trading didn't last long, either. Three years later, I couldn't make it pay. So I jumped off my second train in life. Still living with my parents, I wasn't going bankrupt, but once again, my income was zero.

## The Poker Train

Again I went hunting for the next money-making endeavor. 

It didn't take me long to start playing online poker shortly after. It was now 2008, the golden era of online poker. I had another train to catch.

During my best month in poker, I made more than 60K. That's $60,000 net profit in thirty days. My bankroll was experiencing swings of 25K per day and it was nearing 200K. But until I get it in my hand, it's just numbers on a screen.

I was a regular in high-stakes cash games and once again over the moon. Then my confidence was shattered as I ran very cold. Running cold in gambling means I'm betting on tails during a hundred coin tosses, and I only win ten times instead of fifty.

I dropped stakes to preserve my capital and I was playing with scared money. Oh, do I have another piece of advice for you.

> Never risk money when you're afraid. You'll never make good decisions.

Again, you don't have to listen to me. It just happens that it didn't work for me.

During this time, I got married. I kept playing poker but it was clear as day, I couldn't make a meaningful income. Then, the US legal system came down on online poker on what's known as Black Friday in poker. 

Again, I was out of business. Third train gone.

## The Web Publishing Train

Meanwhile, I was building my blog and other websites.

My Greek blog had started becoming popular and profitable when they let me know that state authorities were watching over my shoulder. I wasn't doing anything illegal, but I was operating in a grey market so to speak. Gambling has always been that kind of market, even today.

Anyway, that's a whole story for another video. Long story short, I took the website down and ended partnerships. Income zero. 

> Time to become a dad, I suppose!

I can see you laughing now. Yes, looking back, I myself wonder what I was thinking at several points in my life.

Anyway, one of my other websites, which's totally irrelevant to gambling, had begun getting significant traffic. Talking about thousands of visitors per day. And I had published only five articles there.

I quit poker entirely, focused on that website, and began making 2k a month in profit. Constantly. With no variance. While I was sleeping.

I could now call myself a web publisher. Or a solo entrepreneur. Or any other title that could make me look professional.

Because *I wasn't.*

And we come to this very week that I'm making this video. **The week that everything fell apart because of a Google update.**

The website is losing top rankings in the search engine. The site no longer ranks for 70% of the keywords it used to rank for six months ago. Traffic is down 50% and by the looks of it, it will continue losing traffic.

No matter what I do, Google doesn't love it anymore. I'm holding onto the train for my dear life. I’m going to income zero. For the fourth time. Only now, people depend on me. And this time, **I *am* going bankrupt.**

With bills to pay, a family to raise, and not enough income, that's how you go bankrupt.

## What's the point of going public?

*So, Jim, why do you make this video? Shouldn’t you be working on recovering the website?*

Yes, I should. And I am. But I’m working on that 12 hours a day, for two weeks now. I sleep 5 hours a day max. I have panic attacks and severe anxiety. I need a break. I need to share this story. 

Maybe I’m doing it for my daughter. Perhaps my story will go viral one day that I won’t be around. And then she is the one who gets all the rewards from my work. Because right now, it looks like I will leave nothing behind for her.

Oh did I tell you that she didn't go to school today because she's sick and she's watching TV in the living room? Yes, absolutely nothing seems to work lately.

So, this is the story of how I am going bankrupt.
### 📨 The Documentary Gambitmaker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/the-documentary-gambitmaker/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:32:44.000Z
Say hello to my new alias!

I've been mixing solo entrepreneurship, my knack for gambling, and the art of documentary filmmaking for years.

An inspiring podcast and some soul-searching led me to find what feels like my other half.

Let me walk you through how I landed on this fresh brand identity.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How Artificial Intelligence (AI) May Disrupt the Gambling World
URL: https://jimmakos.com/ai-gambling-disrupt/
Last updated: 2024-03-02T21:41:29.000Z
Welcome to the future! Here, the chips fall where they may, and artificial intelligence (AI) is the dealer!

Have you ever daydreamed about a world where your biggest gamble is trusting an AI to pick your outfit for the day? Then you're in the right place.

I'm here to deal out some insights on how AI might be the wildcard the gambling industry didn't know it needed.

Now, [I've been a filmmaking enthusiast.](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) I've seen AI script a drama so intense it would leave Shakespeare questioning his quill. I've heard AI mimic my voice with such precision it made me wonder if I was talking to myself. And as someone fascinated by the magic of editing, I've watched AI cut footage so slick it would make Scorsese blink twice.

But [when it comes to gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), the conversation around AI has been, let's say, a bit more of a poker face.

So, buckle up, or should I say, shuffle up, as we investigate if AI can predict the next big win. Or if it's just another player at the table, bluffing its way through.

Will AI be the ace up our sleeve, or are we just rolling the dice on another tech trend? Let's spin the wheel and find out how AI might be the most exciting game-changer in the gambling world.

Who knows? By the end of this, we might all be betting on AI as the next big jackpot winner!

## AI Disrupting Major Industries

Recently, I've been watching how AI has disrupted the creator economy.

1. Are you struggling to come up with an idea or a script? AI can write one for you.
2. Do you find recording a voiceover in a foreign language hard? AI can mimic your voice and talk like you would (say hello to AI dubbing).
3. Are you afraid of sitting in front of the camera? AI can create a new avatar that will appear on the screen instead of you.
4. Is video editing too time-consuming for you? AI can edit your video in seconds. It can even spit out ten short-form clips to maximize your marketing strategy on social media.

These have already been major disruptions in the film industry. Professionals look more willing to adapt to the new AI environment if they want to keep their jobs.

In gambling, though, there hasn't been much talk of such groundbreaking disruptions. Even AI has trouble coming up with ideas itself of how AI can disrupt the gambling industry.

## How Artificial Intelligence thinks AI will Affect the Gambling Industry

> I can't wait to see how AI will disrupt the gambling industry.

That was what I saved in my note-taking app, that I would tweet some day on X. Instead, I decided to write this article.

I had no idea how AI would disrupt the gambling market despite my long experience as an [advantage player](https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/).

So, naturally, I asked ChatGPT itself for some ideas.

The response was subpar and honestly felt lacking. It was more like *how tech in general* will disrupt the gambling industry. You can find a few AI-inspired (or written) articles [here](https://medium.com/@hassantaher-blog/how-ai-is-revolutionizing-the-gambling-industry-e588fcf80274) and [here](https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/2024/01/30/how-will-ai-impact-the-gambling-industry/).

[This article](https://www.g3esports.gg/post/ai-is-a-game-changer-we-need-to-watch-out-for) suggests people visiting casinos with an Apple Vision Pro to [count cards on blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/).

I find that ridiculous. On the one hand, casinos will never allow such devices near their tables. On the other hand, automatic shuffling machines have already made card counting obsolete.

This is the original response I received to my prompt. Nothing in this list is as groundbreaking as in the film industry above. Feel free to skip reading this; I've included it only for reference:

1. **Personalized Gaming Experiences**: AI can analyze a player's past behavior to customize game offerings and betting options. This in turn creates a highly personalized gaming experience. This could increase engagement by suggesting games that align with the player's preferences and betting patterns.
2. **Fraud Detection and Prevention**: AI algorithms can monitor and analyze vast amounts of data in real time. This could identify suspicious activities, such as cheating or money laundering. It can significantly enhance the security of online gambling platforms, protecting both the operators and the players.
3. **Improved Customer Service**: Through the use of chatbots and AI-driven customer support services, gambling platforms can provide instant assistance to players. These AI tools can handle a wide range of queries, from account management to game rules, improving the overall user experience.
4. **Game Development and Fairness**: AI can be used to develop more complex and fair gaming algorithms, ensuring the integrity of the games. By analyzing outcomes and player behavior, AI can help in creating games that are not only challenging and engaging but also fair and unpredictable.
5. **Responsible Gambling**: AI can identify patterns indicative of problem gambling and can prompt interventions such as temporary self-exclusion or limit reductions. This proactive approach could help mitigate gambling addiction and promote more responsible gambling behaviors among players.
6. **Market Analysis and Strategy Development**: Operators can use AI to analyze market trends, player preferences, and competitive strategies to make informed decisions about game development, marketing, and business strategy. This could lead to more effective targeting and positioning in the market.
7. **Enhanced Betting Strategies**: For players, AI and machine learning models can analyze vast amounts of data to predict game outcomes more accurately. This could lead to more informed betting strategies, although it also raises ethical and regulatory questions.

## How I Expect AI to Disrupt the Gambling Industry as an Experienced Gambler Myself

Artificial Intelligence is great for brainstorming and for asking thought-provoking questions.

With that in mind, the list above made me think of the following:

- First, **gamblers will look for ways to incorporate AI into their betting strategies**. We are always on the lookout for the strategy that will make us rich. AI will become another promising part of our gambling toolkit. I expect it to fade, though, like so many other tools.
- Gambling operators will be much quicker in integrating AI tools into their workflow. I can see bookmakers using AI to profile players more efficiently. This will lead them to **spot sharp bettors quicker and limit their betting activity** as a way to protect their revenues. It can also identify problem gambling patterns. Yet, I have a hard time believing gambling companies care that much for addicted gamblers. They are out to make money, not save the world.
- I can see **AI disrupting the poker industry** more than anything in the gambling sector. A likely scenario is that AI can monitor our villains on the felt. Depending on our hole cards and our opponents' tendencies, AI can come up with the best course of action for us as [poker players](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). AI will be infinitely quicker to spot weaknesses and exploit them in real time. The question is whether poker operators will allow such tools. They most likely won't, so we have to ask ourselves if they will be able to track down players using such technology. And to do so, they may incorporate AI themselves!
- **AI will certainly take a big role in customer service,** like in every other industry. Prepare to chat with an AI assistant much more often in the future.

Does any of that sound as groundbreaking as creating a virtual host on your new podcast, speaking with your own voice in a foreign language, producing a perfectly edited video in minutes that will go viral after picking the best keywords for search on YouTube?

Of course not.

So, here comes the question that *every gambler* thinks when they hear of AI and ChatGPT for the first time.

## Can Artificial Intelligence Predict Betting Odds?

Now we are talking!

1. Can AI predict the stock market?
2. Can AI predict Bitcoin's price in ten years?
3. Can AI estimate better the real chance of the roulette ball landing on a specific number on the wheel?
4. Can AI calculate [closing betting odds](https://jimmakos.com/betting-charts-beat-closing-odds/) more efficiently?

What we are really asking here is one thing. Whether AI can help make better predictions or not.

In short, gamblers expect AI to be a *fortune teller;* one of the most lucrative, ancient line of work.

From a gambling guy who studied neural networks in the early 2000s, I can tell you one thing for sure. AI is a buzzword that entails innovation that has been taking place for decades.

The real breakthrough is that AI has become accessible to anyone, mostly for free. Does *the internet* ring a bell? Expect similar ramifications.

AI will disrupt the gambling industry much like the internet did.
### How I am Resolving Average Engagement Time Colossal Drop
URL: https://jimmakos.com/average-engagement-time/
Last updated: 2024-04-08T19:32:42.000Z
Today, I want to share a little story with you.

It's about a puzzle I've been trying to solve on my business' most crucial website. **This website keeps the lights of my business on**.

You see, not too long ago, I noticed something worrying. The time people spent on that site started to drop.

How did I notice? The average engagement time has been dropping like a stone in the Google Analytics data.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/image-2.png)

Houston, we have a problem.

This happened around summer, and it made me scratch my head in confusion.

Imagine inviting friends over and noticing they don't stay as long as they used to. You'd wonder what changed, right? But my website was running like a clockwork for years. Nothing had changed all this time.

So, when people started spending less time on it out of the blue, I knew I had to find out why.

## Solving the Average Engagement Time Drop Together

[I wore my web development hat](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/) and started my detective work by visiting Reddit. Reddit is like a giant library where people talk about everything. And I mean *everything*!

My first thought was **Google Analytics had messed up**. Many website owners had to migrate to Google Analytics 4 (GA4 for short) to track their traffic in the summer. Maybe that was the culprit. It could have been a bug in reporting.

So, I jumped into the subreddit on Google Analytics.

I found three discussions where people talked about the same problem I was having. They shared their thoughts and what they tried to fix it.

While diving deep into the Reddit rabbit hole, I stumbled upon a post that caught my eye.

One fellow web wanderer [shared their experience](https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleAnalytics/comments/1807m9d/average%5Fengagement%5Ftime%5Fdown%5Fsince%5Fmidaugust/?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=web3x&utm%5Fname=web3xcss&utm%5Fterm=1&utm%5Fcontent=share%5Fbutton). Their average engagement time had taken a nosedive. It dropped from 1 minute 40 seconds to about 30 seconds in mid-August.

He hadn't changed anything and had kept adding and editing content. Yet, it was as if everyone decided their content was as interesting as watching paint dry.

That felt *very* relatable.

Then, another Redditor chimed in like a plot twist in a mystery novel. They have had the exact same problem on two sites since August 10th.

It felt like we were all part of a club nobody wanted to join - the 'Now what?' club.

A fellow website owner shared their baffling experience in another intriguing Reddit post. Their site saw its average engagement time [plummet from a solid minute to 10 seconds](https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/17o6dya/comment/k7zag9b/?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=web3x&utm%5Fname=web3xcss&utm%5Fterm=1&utm%5Fcontent=share%5Fbutton) in early August.

Scary, right?

This sudden drop turned into a persistent challenge, with their traffic taking a hit. They've tried every trick in the book, earning scores in SEO tools like Semrush and Ahrefs. They even shine in Google's Lighthouse report for site performance.

Yet, the mystery of the disappearing engagement remains unsolved for them. They continue to seek advice and share their story in hopes of finding a lifeline.

## A Spark of Hope in Fixing Average Engagement Time

One idea in a comment [caught my attention](https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleAnalytics/comments/16fzi1w/comment/k1xdnrp/?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=web3x&utm%5Fname=web3xcss&utm%5Fterm=1&utm%5Fcontent=share%5Fbutton) in another discussion.

Someone suggested that the problem might be with *Google Ads*.

Google Ads is a tool that shows advertisements on websites. I had connected it to Google Analytics when I launched the website over a decade ago.

Since I've partnered with big advertisers as the site grew, I quit using Google Ads. But the link was still there.

The advice was to **disconnect Google Ads from Google Analytics.** By doing so**,** the average engagement time would return to previous levels.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/image.png)

They thought this connection was causing trouble. It made it look like people were leaving my site sooner than they actually were. In effect, Google Analytics seemed to have trouble interpreting visitors' actions.

I thought, "Why not?" and decided to give it a try.

I went through the process of unlinking them with [this help guide by Google](https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/6089298?hl=en).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/average-engagement-time-adsense.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/average-engagement-time-adsense-google-analytics.png)

After I did that, I waited to see if it worked. It's one of those changes that you can see the results on the next day. A rare phenomenon in [the web publishing world](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/), I must say!

Still, it felt like waiting for water to boil. You know it's going to happen, but it feels like it takes forever.

The next day, I checked the Google Analytics data.

The change didn't do the trick.

People were still spending less time on my site. And average engagement time continues to be bad to this day.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/average-engagement-time.jpg)

No improvement in sight.

## Still Hunting for the Average Engagement Time Fix

So, here I am, still on the lookout for a solution. It's like being a detective in a mystery story, except the clues are numbers, and the suspects are tech issues.

I've learned a lot along the way, though. After all, every problem is a chance to learn something new.

I'm not giving up, obviously. This website is too important to me. My family's livelihood depends on it. That's a certain clue that **we should not rely on a single income stream**.

I'll keep looking for answers, trying new things, and asking for advice. Who knows? Maybe the next thing I try will be the key to solving this puzzle.

In the meantime, I want to hear from you, the website owners. Have you ever checked your website's average engagement time on Google Analytics? How are your numbers looking? Did you notice a change in the graph since summer 2023?

Let's share our stories and help each other out. Together, we can figure out anything that comes our way.

## Update April 8, 2024: It was the AMP!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/04/amp-engagement.jpeg)

Finally, I figured out what happened in July 2023!

I enabled AMP on July 8, 2023, which immediately sent the average engagement time down by 40%.

**How I made the discovery:** Advertisers began suggesting this week I disable the website's AMP version. Initially, I declined. I thought AMP helped the website run faster on mobile phones despite having a really robust theme for both desktop and mobile users. Besides, Google used to recommend it.

Then, a second major advertiser that I am currently in talks with to take over the advertising space suggested the same. They implied that AMP pages have a negative impact on ads performance, according to other web publishers! Now, that sounded interesting to me.

The new upcoming partner was clear that they could not guarantee the same profitability, as long as I was running an AMP version. Say no more. AMP disables, redirect enabled so that I don't lose mobile traffic to 404 error pages.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/04/AMP-redirection-rule.jpeg)

Also, I made sure WP Rocket ([my favorite cache plugin for Wordpress](https://jmks.co/wprocket)) no longer create a separate cache version for mobile users.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/04/wp-rocket-cache-mobile.jpeg)

As I am now waiting to see how the average engagement time will react, I decided to check when I installed AMP for the first time.

> Sure, it must have been YEARS.

I went to Google Analytics and searched for "/amp" pages on different dates.

- 2021, none.
- 2022, NONE. 🤔
- 2023 March, NONE! 😮
- 2023 August, many.

I froze.

That can't be a coincidence. As I was always confused what happened in July 2023 that led the average engagement time metric to drop, suddenly I was about to find the answer I was looking for!

I entered July 7\. None.

I entered July 8\. /amp FOUND!

OMG! I did that! I hurt my own website's performance! All by myself.

A bittersweet moment as it's only been 10 minutes since I found out. On one hand, I finally figured out what happened on that day (tip: make a journal of changes you make to your website by dates). On the other hand, I was responsible for the decline.

Yes, but what about the massive decline in August (point 1)? I have no idea.

I have no idea what happened in March 2024, either (point 2).

But at least I can now explain why engagement dropped in July. It was the AMP.

Now, let me keep an eye on the average engagement time following the disabling of the AMP functionality and report back in a couple of days or weeks.
### Kraig Adams Podcast: My Heartfelt Feedback as an Inspired Fan
URL: https://jimmakos.com/kraig-adams-podcast/
Last updated: 2024-02-20T12:02:57.000Z
If you are not Kraig Adams, you may think this post isn't for you.

But I genuinely believe there are a few lessons to be learned here, especially if you are looking to launch your first podcast or improve an existing one since Kraig has been an experienced podcaster and content creator for many years.

As I go deep into giving my honest feedback to Kraig Adams podcast, we might learn a few lessons for life itself, as well!

## Who's Kraig Adams and his podcast?

I have followed Kraig Adams for many years. His profile bio has changed numerous times, from being an American filmmaker and vlogger to a [solo hiking YouTuber](https://www.youtube.com/kraigadams).

Times are changing, and with that, so are people. And I guess he will soon change up his bio again, as he's going to be a dad this year!

Six years ago, he even tried stock trading, and I couldn't help but share my thoughts with him, ending up writing [my most popular comment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9190cblTsU) on YouTube! 😆

As I've got a long history following the guy, I felt I should give my honest feedback on [his most recent podcast episode](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5FQwWUFwhZGy1KSPib0jq1). And given podcasts are the worst when it comes to receiving feedback (nonexistent, really), I decided to post my feedback here.

Besides, *he asked for it!*

I went through the show notes he published in the podcast's show (these are the *actual notes* he took down on his phone; what a transparent guy!) and I split them into sections below for easier reading, as he was all over the place; much like I am when I'm taking notes on my day-to-day life.

I made sure *his notes* stood out on the wall of text below.

Let's dive in!

## How should I title these podcast episodes?

I'm not an experienced podcaster. I am running a Greek podcast of 25 episodes we recorded with a friend at this time, and I have published an episode for [my own podcast](https://jimmakos.com/podcasting/).

So, some things Kraig shared resonated with me.

So, I know firsthand how tricky it can be to pick the perfect titles for podcast episodes. You see, I've had a bit of a puzzle with this myself.

It's like, do I try to squeeze everything I chat about into the title, or do I just pick one thing that stands out, even though I cover a bunch of topics? It's a bit like when you're trying to choose the best piece of candy from a huge mix - it's tough to decide!

And then there's the whole thing about *SEO*.

Do I make sure the title has all those important words so people can find it easily, or do I just go with something that feels right and fun, even if it doesn't tick all the SEO boxes? It's a bit of a balancing act, and I'm always wondering the best way to go about it.

At this point, I believe the best way to go about it is to **make podcasts with our core audience in mind**, especially if the podcast will be part of our main channel and not just a standalone channel (more on that later).

For now, this seems to work for me, so I can come up with titles *much easier*:

- The podcast show is going to be watched mainly by my subscribers, and I do not care for discoverability and user acquisition. Besides, my podcast isn't my best work in showcasing my filmmaking skills. My main videos are, and hopefully, those will bring in more viewers. That's the plan, at least.
- Thus, I am not focusing on SEO for my personal podcast.
- My core audience merely wants to know what I'm talking about in this podcast episode.
- As a result, I'm throwing in the title the main topics I'm discussing. A similar example is the All-In podcast; just [look at the titles of their episodes](https://www.allinpodcast.co/).

> Film myself answering questions and reacting to community

Isn't a podcast great for that? 

He sees podcasts as his chance to speak to his audience

> Podcast that speaks directly to the audience. Private phone call

So, yes, I agree that the podcast should be tailored for our core audience and subscribers. Very few random people stumbling upon our podcast would really care about us if it's the first video made by you or me they watch.

Now that I know how I title my podcasts, let's see another worry of Kraig: where to host the podcast.

## Gotta put my podcast on YouTube

Oh, that's a cool move, Kraig! 

You know, I actually decided to go with a video podcast instead of just sticking to audio right from the start, long before YouTube announced they shift towards podcasts. YouTube now has a dedicated tab for podcasts, making it even easier for our audience to find and dive into our podcast episodes right alongside our other content.

When we started our duo Greek podcast, I thought it would be fun to share not just what we talk about but also show us having those conversations. It's like when you get to watch a movie of your favorite book and see the characters come to life. 

The same applies to my solo podcast.

So, I post the podcast on YouTube for the video part and also on Spotify, which sends it out to all the major podcasting platforms for the audio-only folks. I am one of those, as I enjoy listening to podcasts on my long daily walks. Sometimes it's the main reason I go for a walk!

> Should I be putting podcast episodes on YouTube?

There are a few reasons why I think having a video form of the podcast helps in growing an audience.

1. First, videos on YouTube can reach a whole new crowd who might stumble upon the podcast while they're browsing. As I said before, this might not be the best source for new subscribers, but it opens up a door to connect with more people! Why not, then?
2. Second, some people just love watching videos more than listening to audio – it's like how some kids prefer comic books over regular books.
3. And third, it's like giving people a peek behind the curtain; they get to see the expressions, the laughter, and all the non-verbal stuff that you miss in audio. It makes everything feel more personal and relatable. I also get to share my screen from time to time - or all the time, like in my first episode!

In fact, I can't think of a single disadvantage of not doing a video along with an audio podcast. You are still going to edit the audio-only format. So, why not edit with a video on top?

Same effort, bigger reach, more value.

## Packaging on one topic

Packaging is 80% of a video's success. Maybe even more. That's why Hollywood powerhouses spend twice as much on marketing than making the movie. Often, [it's more than that](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-hollywood-marketing-ad-spend-changing-growing-2022-2).

> Title and thumbnail need to focus in on one topic tho

I totally get where you're coming from, Kraig. Focusing the title and thumbnail on one topic for the *main content* on YouTube is a strategy I believe in, too.

It's like when you're telling a story and want to ensure the person listening knows exactly what the adventure is about from the start. By honing in on one key topic, it's easier to grab someone's attention as they scroll through, kind of like how a bright, shiny toy catches your eye in a store window.

This applies to our channel's main content, though.

Now, for the podcast itself, that's where we get to dive into the treasure chest and pull out all sorts of gems, talking about a variety of things, even if they seem a bit random.

It's like when you're hanging out with friends, and the conversation jumps from your favorite video game to the coolest superhero and then somehow ends up on the best pizza topping. This mix of topics keeps things exciting and unpredictable.

At least, I've enjoyed the rumblings, but only because I'm a subscriber, a true fan.

The video on YouTube acts like a doorway, inviting people into this bigger, more colorful room where all these conversations happen. It's a neat way to balance having a clear, focused entry point with the freedom to explore a bunch of different subjects once people are drawn in.

So, I like simplifying the process and keeping the podcast episode's thumbnail the same, changing up the words. Since it's not our core magnet to our YouTube channel, quantity wins over quality.

Get the thing posted, fire up the community, and get the discussion going.

## Single or Multiple YouTube Channels?

Now, I totally understand that dilemma. Been there, done that. Not only for YouTube, but [individual websites](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/), as well.

> Creating a new YouTube channel for Podcast videos

But here's how I see it.

Imagine a YouTube channel is like your very own TV channel. Just like on TV, where there are different shows, each with its own vibe and audience, your YouTube channel can work the same way.

It's like watching cartoons in the morning, a cooking show in the afternoon, and then maybe a science documentary in the evening. The host, or in this case, me, can be the same across these shows, but each one has its own unique format and maybe even a different group of people who love watching it.

> Would drive me crazy to not put it on the main channel

It would drive me crazy, as well! All that effort to be scattered in the YouTube abyss sounds inefficient.

And when the time comes, and people in real life ask you, where do you point them to? Go there, that's my main channel. But if you like podcasts, jump into that one. Or, if you like ambient long-form videos, check out my third channel. 🤦

Doesn't that sound ridiculous? We're spreading ourselves very thin here. We're all a one-man band, after all.

Aren't we building a personal brand, the only feasible way to stay competitive in today's AI world?

This approach lets you explore all sorts of topics and styles without feeling like you're all over the place. It's a bit like having a big toy box where you've got puzzles, action figures, and board games. Someone might come for the puzzles, but then they discover the action figures and realize they love those, too!

Each 'show' on your channel can attract its own audience, but over time, people might start to enjoy the other content you create as well, especially because they like you as the host. It's a great way to keep things fresh and exciting, both for you and your viewers, without needing to juggle multiple channels.

> Creating a new YouTube channel for Podcast videos

I would go against that. We do this in our Greek podcast. But our *MAIN* content for that channel *is* the podcast. And we try to keep a weekly update on that because, again, it's our *main* content. We create nothing else besides the podcast.

Is your main content the podcast? No.

It's travel videos. It's hiking videos.

It used to be vlog videos. But it never was a podcast.

And most of your subscribers found you because of your main content. Not your podcast.

But we never miss a podcast episode now as your true fans!

> Really want to start a new YouTube channel for long form silent bakery videos

Experiment as much as you wish! There's nothing wrong with that. And I'd still keep that content on my main channel.

Hey guys, here's something new I'm trying. Like it? Hate it?

You can always take it down if it flops and you find it's not your vibe after all.

> Just posting podcast videos to my channel but don't call them podcast episodes

You are just talking nonsense now, aren't you? This doesn't make much sense. Be true to yourself. Let's move on.

## I question how important community and feedback actually is

Kraig, I hear you loud and clear. Podcasts suck when it comes to receiving feedback and building a community. 

Podcasts can indeed feel like shouting into the void when it comes to getting feedback. Look at me. I ended up writing a 3,500-word blog post to give you my feedback!

> What feedback do you have on the podcast in general? Should I accept feedback in the form of voicemails? Would comments on YouTube work well for feedback? 

Switching to video podcasts on YouTube could really change the game for us. It opens up a direct line of communication through comments, which is a neat solution for that feedback loop.

> Tired of getting every kind of feedback on my work… talk less, talk more, more social, stop including friends, more vlogs, don’t vlog

And you're right. Everyone has their own opinion, and it's just not possible to make everyone happy. I've learned to focus on [making content that I'd enjoy myself](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/). If it's something I would listen to or watch, then I consider it a win. I aim to please myself first, and becoming happier with my own content has been key.

> I feel the need for more dialog between you and I. Also kinda don’t want to ask. I don’t care what people think

I totally get wanting to connect with like-minded people, but finding it hard actually to do so when the opportunity arises. I'm quite the silent type in conversations, too, preferring to listen and only chime in when directly asked.

You wouldn't call me fun in parties, for sure! 

> Wish I had fellow creators to talk through my problems and projects. Most of the creators that I call friends don’t really reciprocate my attempts to connect. I need collaboration. I need someone to bounce ideas

Well, think of it this way: I'm in a worse place where I don't have *any* creator friends. And honestly, I'm not actively looking.

My journey isn't about building a community; it's more about expressing my thoughts through my videos, creating a sort of legacy or archive, perhaps for my daughter to know me better in the future. It's about leaving something meaningful behind rather than worrying about others' opinions.

Collaboration has been a challenge for me, but it's comforting to know I'm not alone in feeling this way. Let's focus on creating content that fulfills us, Kraig. That's what really matters.

## Vertical content isn't fulfilling, is it?

Like you, I've got my reservations about vertical content.

I don't consume Shorts, TikToks, or Reels myself, making me less inclined to create that type of content. There's a real draw towards landscape videos and the depth they offer, much like my preference for documentary films.

They allow me to [capture life in a more cinematic way](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/), in a format I truly enjoy creating. It resonates with your approach to hiking videos; you stick to what you love, and that authenticity shines through. 

You like hiking, so you make hiking videos (I heard that in an older episode of yours).

I like watching documentaries; so, I make short documentaries about my everyday life.

> YouTube shorts becoming more important

Absolutely, Kraig, YouTube shorts and similar vertical video formats on platforms like TikTok are definitely gaining traction. Everyone knows that.

They're becoming key tools for reaching wider audiences. I hear you on Julien2 sparking interest; there's something intriguing about experimenting with new formats and seeing what sticks, isn't there?

Yet they are a driving force to our content creation process, are they?

> Everything is for making clips because that's where discoverablity is. Value in the form of user acquisition. Doesn't make money

Giving context to the readers here, Kraig got 1,000-2,000 new subscribers from a YouTube Short that reached 1 million people. Yet, he only made $100 from that video.

While I understand the strategy behind repurposing long-form content into bite-sized pieces for broader reach, it's not my go-to. However, if I were to dive into short-form content, educational snippets would be appealing.

> Should I spend time making educational content? I feel like mini tutorials on TikTok would work well. Basically break a full workshop into small chapters. Answer questions that people might Google.

Imagine breaking down complex topics into digestible, 60-second clips, much like mini-tutorials. This could be a way to leverage the format without straying too far from what we're passionate about.

For me, focusing on ambient shorts full of b-rolls that answer frequent questions might be the way to go, saving the meatier discussions for longer formats. It's all about finding that balance between reaching a wider audience and staying true to the content that makes us happy to create.

> Upload full horizontal videos to tiktok 

Yes, I've seen this latest trend. But I don't see the point. I'll just stick to YouTube. Everything else is noise.

## Sponsorships and Licensing music from Artlist vs Musicbed

Now, I am not a big-time YouTuber. I have had no success. I have zero experience with sponsorships and brand deals.

Yet, I appreciate transparency and honesty.

Kraig meant to do three videos sponsored by Artlist, but ended up not incorporating the ad since he didn't agree with the guidelines. In his recent podcast, Kraig says he prefers Musicbed over Artlist in terms of the quality of the music.

> Have cancelled the last few integrations. Doing sponsorship differently. Trying to negotiate with better brands on larger campaigns. Basically trying harder.

Yet, I recall Kraig mentioning in one of his podcast episodes that he would ditch Musicbed because some artists terminated their contracts with the music licensing company, effectively creating copyright issues to videos previously made with their songs.

Lame, right?

> Taking down the 10 hour comp video

He is taking down his 10-hour-long composition video. That's because some other artists are taking all the revenue due to copyright claims, and Kraig is unable to replace the music due to the video's length.

That was an eye-opener for a beginner YouTuber like me who's been using Artlist for years and has been debating subscribing to Musicbed as well. I have found some killer music there that I would very much like to include in my next videos. But Kraig's experience he genuinely shares makes me have second thoughts about that.

## Video and website novel ideas

In his quest for video ideas, Kraig spent some time on Sulek's channel.

> Researched Sam Sulek’s channel

If you are a YouTube enthusiast like me or Kraig, you must have come across this young bodybuilder who posts daily vlogs of him working out. Kraig shares a similar view to mine on that kind of content. Maybe because we're both quite older we happen to value different videos nowadays.

But that doesn't negate the fact that Sam's strategy proves very popular in today's YouTube landscape. It's just that I won't go after success, no matter the cost. And if that cost is creating content that doesn't resonate with me, then I'm perfectly fine staying a blur on YouTube.

We often tend to tie success with money. And the dream life is doing something you enjoy and getting paid for it. Yet, Kraig reveals that he no longer enjoys traveling for a living. Or traveling in general.

As I have hated traveling and the nuances it brings along (like packing, stress, breaking routine, etc.) since I was born, I am sorry, but it felt great to hear that! I discussed this with my wife this morning, and her view is that [work-from-home individuals](https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home/) tend to be agoraphobic, feeling nervous living outside of their comfort zone.

I simply think that we happen to enjoy freedom and life in our home, being our own boss without the need for unnecessary commuting or *taking orders*.

In his podcast, Kraig also shares his novel idea for a website that will likely prove useful for YouTubers. You have to listen to his podcast for that, as I don't want to spill the beans here. But that idea may or may not already be in the works! 😏

## Depression

Finishing up my feedback to Kraig Adams' podcast, I feel obliged to talk about the dark daemons we all seem to have in our heads.

> Why do I feel so unfulfilled? I need help

Dealing with feelings of sadness, depression, and not feeling quite fulfilled is hard. It's something I've been through myself, and I know how tough it can be, even if you make millions (I don't).

> There is so much that I could do and make great money from but I just don’t care. Low incentives

It's like carrying a heavy backpack that you can't seem to put down, no matter how hard you try.

> General feelings of loneliness and sadness

Remember, it's okay not always to be okay. And you are not alone in feeling that way.

[Podcasting Challenges as a Non-Native SpeakerProducing a podcast as a non-native English speaker has been a struggle. Find out what worked for me as a podcast beginner with a thick accent.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-podcasting-1.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/podcasting/)

So, that's all from me. I listened to Kraig's podcast in my evening walk yesterday and felt an urge to share my feedback with him. Who knows, maybe it's the start of sharing more feedback publicly for other creators I've been following.

So, stay tuned for more!
### 📨 From Budgets to SEO and the Quirks In Between
URL: https://jimmakos.com/from-budgets-to-seo-the-quirks-in-between/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:33:25.000Z
Last month, I was all over the place since [my last letter](https://jimmakos.com/podcast-attached/)—from cracking the code on budgeting for beginners to a wild experiment on X, finding sneaky ways to actually enjoy getting my steps in, and playing a strategic game of SEO poker.

And I've got some musings on the creator economy that might just spark your interest.

Let's get into it!

## **Let's Talk Budgeting Without the Confusion**

You know [I love budgeting](https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/).

But starting to budget is like stepping into unknown territory, right?

How are you supposed to know how much you'll spend on groceries or eating out in the beginning? Well, I've been there, convincing friends to start budgeting and hitting that same question every time.

My advice? Start with what you know.

Even if it's just a guess in the beginning, you'll start to see patterns within a month or two. It's all about getting a clearer picture over time, and honestly, it's not as daunting as it seems.

Plus, it's a real eye-opener to see *lifestyle inflation* creeping in when you compare your spending over the years.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/monthly-expenses-budgeting.jpg)

Populating my budget's categories at the year's start based on my average spending in 2023

## That Time I Tried to Document Every Day on X

So, I had this idea to document my everyday life in X threads.

Thought it would be cool, but guess what? [It turned out to be a major distraction](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1747928396514971749).

Instead of focusing on my business and creating stuff that actually helps you, I got caught up in this endless thread that, in hindsight, didn't make much sense.

Lesson learned. If it's not going to be useful, why bother sharing? I'm sticking to content that deserves your time.

## A Trick to Actually Enjoy Exercising

Getting myself to go for a walk, especially when it's freezing outside, can be a struggle for many.

But I've found a little trick that works wonders for me.

Instead of dreading the walk, I pair it with something I actually want to do—like catching up on an audiobook, brainstorming for my business, or even just giving myself space to overthink things. 

Suddenly, the walk is just the backdrop to the main event, and I end up doing something productive or enjoyable. It's a game-changer. 😏

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/walking-health-personal-development.jpg)

## SEO and Poker: More Alike Than You'd Think

Diving into SEO is a lot like sitting down at a poker table. You don't challenge the shark right away; you look for the easiest target.

You pick a villain that is the easiest to beat. You don’t go after the pro poker player.

In the world of SEO, it means finding that weak spot in the top 10 search results that you can actually take over.

When I’m trying to rank a website for a keyword, I go after the weakest domain out of the top 10 search results that my website has a higher chance of taking the place of.

It's a zero-sum game, just like [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). Either you're ranking, or you're not.

My website doesn’t magically appear in the top 10 results. It substitutes another.

And if my site drops in rankings? It's time to reassess and outplay the competition in the next round. Feels funny that I'm writing this, as I'm dealing with a shitstorm this week. I will keep you posted.

## The Creator Economy: A Gamble Worth Taking?

Who else finds the creator economy eerily similar to the world of [](https://jimmakos.com/gambling)[gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), betting, poker, and sports trading?

It's an arena where seemingly only the top 1% truly reap the rewards after platforms and intermediaries take their cut.

And let's bust a myth here: **none of this is passive income**.

It's a relentless grind, a make-it-or-break-it hustle. Just like in poker or trading, you're putting your best out there, hoping it pays off, but there's never a guarantee. It's thrilling yet demanding and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Make it pay or die grinding.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/02/roberto-blake-youtube.jpg)

## Wrapping Up

I love sharing these snippets of life and work with you. It's all about finding those small hacks, whether it's making budgeting bearable, rethinking exercise, or strategizing in business that can make a big difference.

And when it comes to the creator economy and content creation, it's about [knowing the game you're getting into](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/).

Thanks for sticking around and sharing this journey with me.❤️
### Writing is the Backbone of my Content Creation Business
URL: https://jimmakos.com/writing/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:40:21.000Z
"Guys, I need to read Jim's essay to you. It's something else."

That's what my English teacher told the class in high school.

I was shocked.

Somehow, I knew I had written a good essay. But I never expected the teacher, who had studied in the USA, to agree with me, let alone read the thing to the whole class. 👀

"Winter of '96," he began reading my essay.

> "Guys, even the beginning is special. A simple, short sentence. No verb."

Little did I know as a high school student that this kind of writing would prevail in the internet era! A common piece of writing advice nowadays is to write as if you're writing to a 6-year-old kid. Use simple words. Write short sentences. Avoid adjectives. Be direct. No passive voice. 🤯

Unintentionally, I seemed to do exactly that at school, where you are asked to write as complicated as possible and use the most bizarre words to prove your English vocabulary is rich.

I still remember that day. It was when I fell in love with writing. Why?

> Writing made me stand out in class!

Perhaps writing will make you stand out on the internet!

## What to Write About?

But writing begins long before... writing. It starts with an *idea*.

My high school essay already provided the idea. In fact, it was one of my favorite kinds of essays to write. You were given a sentence, and you should start or end the essay with that sentence. I *always* chose to **end my essays with that sentence** since it created *curiosity*!

Today I never run out of writing ideas. I seem to have conquered writer's block. You can do it, too.

💡

Write down every idea that comes unexpectedly during your day (or night, especially!)

When you sit down to write, you'll have a plethora of topics and ideas to work on! That's how I'm able to write and publish a blog post every day. By keeping a database of literally hundreds of ideas, I've had randomly over the past years! 

But it's when I'm staring at the blank white screen that procrastination kicks in. I may have the idea, but I need a spark to get going. Delaying the writing process leads, in turn, to failing to maintain consistency.

1. How do I start?
2. What title will perform the best?
3. What's the best hook for keeping the reader interested in what I've got to say?

If that wasn't enough, the work isn't finished after the writing is done. Editing, proofreading, and optimizing the piece for search engines come into play in the [web publishing industry](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/).

Practice makes perfect. So, as I improve my writing workflow and find new tools that make the writing task quicker, easier, and more enjoyable, I make sure to share whatever works for me.

## Because of AI, I stopped writing in English.

Authenticity sells but I can’t be 100% authentic on my English profile here.

So now I write my thoughts in Greek first, then translate them with ChatGPT. At least I’m the one writing these lines, instead of having AI write them for me from the start.

I think that’s the more honest way to do it.

## WRITING TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Over 20 years of writing online, I've realized the immense value of *clear, compelling writing*. The ability to communicate effectively is not just a skill but a craft that requires continuous improvement and dedication.

> Write something worth reading or do something worth writing.

Throughout my journey, which started in that English class, I've encountered resources that have significantly helped me hone my writing skills. These, in turn, enabled me to connect more deeply with my audience here.

These resources range from websites offering grammar assistance to those providing inspiration for storytelling and [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/). By sharing these with you, I am cultivating a community of better communicators and storytellers.

👉

**Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

- [Grammarly](https://jmks.co/grammarly): It elevates my writing game as the ultimate writing assistance, ensuring every word shines with clarity, correctness, and confidence.
- [Headline Studio](https://jmks.co/headline-studio): The title makes or breaks any article. While it is very important for [marketing purposes](https://jimmakos.com/marketing/), like SEO, we still need to craft a title that will make people click. This tool helps me accomplish that.
### How I Use Marketing to Get Attention to My Work
URL: https://jimmakos.com/marketing/
Last updated: 2025-10-12T15:01:21.000Z
I've written the best article ever.

I shared the most fantastic post on social media to drive people to my article. Not just on one platform but on *every* platform. I even uploaded a YouTube long-form video with a link back to the article. 

And then, *crickets*.

All of my great work goes unnoticed. A day's worth of [writing](https://jimmakos.com/writing/) and [creating content](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/) is lost. The internet ignored all of my creative ideas. 

Recognizing the need for a more effective marketing strategy is crystal clear.

Always on the lookout for ways to get more eyeballs on my creations, I'm here to spill the tea on what I've been learning in the marketing game. Sharing the deets on how to make my stuff stand out and reach a bigger crowd is what it's all about.

My marketing efforts focus on these three pillars:

- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Media Marketing (SMM)
- Newsletter

💡

Check out what I recently wrote about marketing [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/marketing).

## SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is a way to help people find things on the internet more easily.

SEO helps them show up first when someone searches for something on Google or another search engine. By using the right words, organizing things well, and making sure the website is super friendly, it makes it easier for people to find what they’re looking for.

### Google Updates

When people want to find something, they ask Google, and Google helps by showing the best websites at the top.

That’s why it’s super important in SEO—we want our website to show up on the first page! But Google keeps changing its rules, called Google Core Updates, which helps ensure that the websites it shows are the best ones.

So, we have to pay attention and make sure our website follows these new rules to stay on top. Depending on these Google updates, websites gain or lose rankings on the search engine result pages (SERPs), which can have dramatic consequences for [web publishers](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/).

#### When Google Updates say jump, we jump

When Google changes its rules with those Core Updates, the rankings of websites can go up and down like a seesaw!

This means one day a website might be easy to find, but the next day it might be hidden.

Because of these changes, web publishers need to adjust their SEO tactics, like changing the words they use or the way they organize their websites. Sometimes, if the changes are big, they may even have to rethink their whole business plan to stay successful!

## SMM

SMM stands for Social Media Marketing. It’s like telling everyone about your website or business by using social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.

Instead of waiting for people to find you, SMM helps you reach out to them directly through posts, videos, and ads. By sharing interesting content and engaging with people on social media, you can build a community and attract more visitors to your website or business.

It’s a way to connect with your audience where they spend a lot of their time online!

## Newsletter

[A newsletter](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/) is like sending a friendly letter to someone’s inbox, reminding them about your website, products, or services.

It’s a great way to keep in touch with people who are already interested in what you do. By regularly sharing helpful tips, updates, or special offers through email, you can build a strong relationship with your audience.

In marketing, newsletters help keep your business fresh in people’s minds, encourage them to come back, and even share your content with others. It’s a direct and personal way to stay connected with your customers!

## Sign up for Jim Makos

Telling stories about what worked for me in web publishing, marketing, and content creation.

Subscribe 

Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. 

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
### Podcast Attached
URL: https://jimmakos.com/podcast-attached/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:33:58.000Z
I'm changing up my letter's structure in 2024.

I did enjoy sharing what I've learned recently and what nuggets of wisdom I got from the podcasts I listened to. Yet, I'm doing more than that and want to shed some light on my own thoughts instead of mirroring other people's views or, worse, pretending to be something I am not.

This is my new workflow when it comes to my newsletter very briefly (I'm planning on writing a more detailed post of my revamped content creation workflow soonish):

_This post is for subscribers only._
### New Year's Resolutions? Not Me!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/new-year-resolutions/
Last updated: 2024-01-03T14:05:50.000Z
This New Year will be the same. And that’s a good thing.

Instead of setting new goals and resolutions for the year ahead, let me do something unique: keep doing the same things for another year!

I just have to pick the ones that benefit me the most!

2024 is for me the:

- 2nd year of daily tracking calories/nutrition, weight, and exercise
- 8th year of tracking expenses, income, and investments
- 10th year as a dad
- 11th year of running an American company
- 19th year of blogging, creating content online, and making internet money
- 22nd year in pursuit of positive expectancy (+EV) and financial freedom as an advantage player
- 29th year as an Internet user
- 45th year of life experience

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-tracking-nutrition.jpg)

## Health, Nutrition and Exercise

Since I developed a condition in my stomach in 2022, I’ve been very aware of my nutrition and overall health. Gone are the days of eating a 3,000kcal breakfast or devouring 240g of chips followed by a huge 200g milk chocolate in midday!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-0142937.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-0130630.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-01358.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-0.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-02.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-0869.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-05459.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-0125016.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-snacks-6200.jpg)

After 400 days of tracking calories and weight, I feel healthier than ever. I admit I feel better than when I hit the gym for 2 hours every day! I‘ve come to realize that nutrition is the key factor for healthy living, followed closely by light exercise like walking.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-calorie-tracking.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/weight-graph.jpeg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/weight-tracking.jpeg)

My weight in September 2022 was 108kg. 

Losing 40lbs in 2023 was (wait for it) game-changing.

I not only feel way more energetic than ten years ago, but I also *look* a lot better! I can’t stand watching me in any of my old YouTube videos compared to how I look nowadays on camera. I never expected to [look better as I get older](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1627258812192239616/photo/1)! It's funny what a difference losing weight makes, not only in improving life expectancy but also in looks!

And I’m not being subjective here. I’ve received many compliments from friends, not to mention attracting the attention of random women in the street! The last time that happened was almost 20 years ago - and I ended up married!

Dare I say that all this has made me feel younger? Well, I do!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-01810-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-.jpg)

Same Jim, same hoodie, pics taken about a year apart. Convince me I look worse.

And I bet I’ll keep feeling young in 2024, given I’m not going to give up tracking my nutrition and weight to keep my diet in control.

## Tracking Expenses and Investments

I’ve thought about branding myself as the **budgeting guy** several times throughout 2023\. As I considered the different paths I could follow in my online career (more on that later), personal finance, and specifically [budgeting](https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/), always stood out.

For seven years, I’ve been tracking my personal and business expenses via [YNAB](https://jmks.co/ynab). I’ve told too many times the story of how I came across that app, which improved my life significantly. The short version is I noticed the app on the Steam gaming platform back in 2016\. Among thousands of games, the YouNeedABudget app was on discount.

I thought to myself, instead of throwing away my money on yet another game I would never play (story of my adult life), why not give this budgeting app a try?

And boy, did that change my life.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-spending-tracking.jpg)

As an [advantage player](https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/), I am used to keeping track of my performance very regularly.

But I had never been so methodical when it came to my personal finances. A simple Excel spreadsheet worked for me to track my finances.

Who am I kidding? I had only tracked my investments to that point! I had no idea what my spending looked like.

The budgeting app had been an eye-opener. It has helped me manage my family’s spending and plan for future expenses, like school tuition and trips.

Not only that, but I began using the app to track my business expenses, as well! Thanks to YNAB, I can compare year-on-year revenue performance and predict how much money I‘ll be spending next month. Another surprising benefit is keeping track of unpaid or expiring deals, which I would certainly have lost track of otherwise.

In 2024, I'll keep tracking my spending and investments as I continue my journey to financial freedom.

## Parenting

Becoming a dad ten years ago felt strange to me. If I’m being honest here, it hasn't been the best day of my life, and I didn’t feel enormous waves of joy and happiness. In fact, I didn’t feel anything when I first saw my daughter in the hospital, which confused me a lot.

Was I wrong in believing I was ready to become a father?

Yet, everything changed as I began knowing this new person in my life that I’d be responsible for during the next 18 years and would always be here for her until I die.

I began to care!

Coming from someone who would clearly state [you shouldn't care](https://jimmakos.com/you-should-not-care/) means a lot!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-parenting.jpg)

In my 20s, I always said I would never get married and that I hated kids. People don’t change, they say. Well, responsible people do change, or maybe I was fooling myself into believing I wasn’t meant to have a family.

My wife, Zoe, often tells me that I’m the best dad ever. She’s obviously biased, though. Hopefully, one day, my daughter will feel that way, which is my ultimate goal in parenting, even if she never tells me so.

I don’t expect significant changes for my family in 2024, as the little one is still in elementary school. My main concern is whether I should be more vocal about parenting on social media or continue keeping my personal life away from the spotlight.

## Solopreneur as a Web Publisher

Eleven years ago, I incorporated my company as a Greek citizen in the USA. Forming an LLC on the other side of the world isn’t as ground-breaking as it sounds. What’s ground-breaking is how many opportunities it has created for me, not to mention the money it has saved me and the reactions I’ve witnessed upon letting people know of my business.

If only I had a dollar every time I shared the story of the Greek taxman hearing that my company operates in the USA and not Bulgaria!

2023 would have been a record year for my web publishing business if it weren’t for ChatGPT and the general shift in the online world toward Artificial Intelligence. AI changes will be humongous, and we are already witnessing dramatic behavioral changes. Jobs are at risk, and the advice of “Adapt or Die“ is more relevant than ever before.

So, as people have begun using the internet differently and search engines like Google adapt to the new environment (I won’t say trend because AI is here to stay), I myself have to adapt to the new conditions if I want my business to survive. 2023 left a bittersweet taste for sure and has ended with a scare for me, as revenue plummeted compared to 2022.

My goal for 2024 is to keep the business working at 2020 levels (40% down from 2023) unless I figure out a way to improve performance once again without trying to beat AI. Machines will win, of course, so picking their side is wise.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2024/01/jimmakos-content-creator.jpg)

## Internet Money as a Content Creator

As a backup plan for my primary business endeavor, I became a lot more active as a content creator in late 2023\. Contrary to popular belief, Internet money doesn’t grow on trees. Usually, hard work helps you reach those low-hanging fruits. With a bit of luck, I might reach out for branches with bigger fruits.

For years, I made the same mistake.

> I have been relying on a single income stream for far too long.

I knew the time would come when I would have to supplement my income somehow. Content creation had been in my mind all along. Given how much I enjoy writing, taking pictures, and filming videos, resurrecting my personal brand was always a no-brainer.

Being a blogger for almost twenty years means I have seen first-hand how the content-creation industry has changed over the years. I bet my multi-year experience will come in handy. People are still looking for dinosaurs, after all!

In the current fast-paced world of Tiktoks, Shorts, and Reels, my unfair advantage is my age!

I do have some ideas for my business to cover the lost ground. So, why not share what I’m doing as a solopreneur on social media, and perhaps other like-minded people will find something valuable as I share the experience and knowledge I’m acquiring in 2024?

In addition, I’ve invested too much money in filmmaking gear. I always considered that money as "investing back into my business." It's time to reap some rewards.

I’m dying to make use of that in a meaningful way. Creating content is something that I genuinely enjoy and can become a side-income stream that will recoup some of that investment.

Besides, being a human in the online AI world feels great!

## Advantage Gambling and Financial Freedom

Throughout the last 21 years, [casinos kicked me out](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/) for counting cards in blackjack, bookmakers have limited my stakes, poker's golden era has ended, and [betting exchanges no longer serve sports traders from my country](https://jimmakos.com/how-betfair-changed-my-life/). With so many obstacles in my advantage gambling career, it makes sense to continue watching the gambling world from the sidelines.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have my eyes and ears open to any gambling opportunity.

> Following the right people on social media is like an art with so much noise.  
>  
> Cheers Roy! <https://t.co/fcRxNHQsct> [pic.twitter.com/yVgjrZpgmr](https://t.co/yVgjrZpgmr)
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [November 11, 2023](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1723311172579926105?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

I don’t ever expect to [come back as a poker player](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) or active sports bettor in my life. I prefer making use of my gambling experience to business and even content creation, no matter how peculiar that may sound.

Yet, [gambling for a living](https://jimmakos.com/gambler-vs-entrepreneur/) has taught me many transferable skills, like money management, discipline, and spotting opportunities. No wonder I’m always pursuing positive expectancy or +EV (Expected Value) in gambling and anything that can turn a profit. I'm sure you've noticed how many things look similar between different industries.

At the same time, 2024 is the fifth year of [my ten-year project to become financially free](https://jimmakos.com/financial-freedom-project/), which I announced in 2020\. I’m quickly running out of time, while the needle hasn't moved much.

However, what if it takes me 15 or 20 years? I bet I’ll enjoy the journey more than the destination. At least, that's what multimillionaires I'm listening to keep saying.

Besides, I don’t plan ever to quit doing what I’m doing.

## Make the New Year your Best Ever

As you can tell, I'm nothing special. I'm just the average Joe, doing the same stuff over and over again.

Ok, maybe you didn't beat the casinos or run a company overseas. But tracking your weight, being more aware of what you're eating, and keeping a close eye on your finances isn't rocket science! These simple tasks quickly add up, and their compound effect can be seen in the long run.

Remember, it's a long game. Those who keep doing the same things *usually* win.

Just pick things that *winners* pick.

Occasionally, try something new. I feel more willing to do that when my life is in order. I feel lost if I continuously keep trying new stuff without first coming up with a clear plan. It's better to have an ascending line with a few random peaks than a horizontal line with sudden spikes.

I've been a victim of that. Just look at my social media.

I post one image on Instagram. Then, a week later, a video carousel. Then you don't hear from me for six months. Then, I post a reel. 

Who can't tell I'm lost here?

The same goes for anything, like [personal finance](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/).

Zoe began tracking her expenses. She was excited at first. Then, she missed a few payments. She spent an hour to correct that. The following month, she missed a few days. Eventually, she quit budgeting after a few months.

"What's the point? I know where my money goes," she told me.

The point, my dear, is that you stay true to your word. You are consistent. And you do the thing you said you would.

If she did the budgeting thing for a year, day in and day out, I'm sure she would come to a different conclusion. Like, look how much money I spent on bags and shoes that make no difference in my life! Or how about I could save up for my mortgage payments *and* invest at the same time? Or I could save that much money every year if I didn't buy groceries and cleaning tools without checking prices.

She might also pick up another habit now that she has proven she can track her spending for a whole year. Self-confidence can be powerful. We just have to put some fuel to it to kick in.

On the other hand, we all have our demons. We all feel shit sometimes. At least, I have.

I've noticed work has helped me overcome my dark thoughts. Now that I'm writing these lines, I don't have the time to think pessimistically. In fact, I'll feel very happy once I hit the publish button. 

I'll feel way happier, though, if I hear that this block of text has been useful to someone. [Arnold recommends being useful](https://jmks.co/beusefulbook). Creating content online not only makes me happy, but it also allows me to become useful to a stranger out there.

I spent most of my 2023 wondering what I should talk about online. Then I heard of **the 2-year advice**. 

What did you accomplish or generally do in the last two years?

Share that. Write about that. Communicate that.

It doesn't have to be two years. What did I do or learn in the last two months, two weeks, two hours? Write about that.

So, that's how I came up with this article. I wrote down what I've done in my life. Why would anyone listen to me? Why would anyone trust me?

It's because I've done that. Over and over again. And these things worked for me. I hope they work for you, too, this year.
### New Year’s Eve Card Game Advice by an Advantage Player
URL: https://jimmakos.com/new-years-eve-card-game/
Last updated: 2023-12-31T16:04:45.000Z
New Year's Eve, twenty years ago. Usually, I play cards with family and friends at home on this day to have a laugh and see who will be lucky next year.

It's as if winning in cards on a single night is a sign of luck for the next 365 nights.

But this year, I'm heading to a closed shop. The shopkeeper, a friend of friends, has invited a few people to play cards behind closed doors.

From the 20 people gathered, I must know less than half. We're total strangers to the rest.

"That sounds great," I thought. "They don't know where I'm coming from."

Card games are *games of knowledge*. The more you know of your opponent's hand, background or character, the better for you. 

I park my car. A 1998 Lancia Delta. It will be three years until I get a Mercedes SLK with the money [I made from gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

”Welcome,” says the shopkeeper as I step foot into the dark shop. “Down the hallway. The game is about to begin.”

## We’re playing 21 tonight.

Twenty-one. It is a game of cards where each player takes turns becoming the dealer. The game’s aim is to make a total of 21 by drawing cards.

Cards from 7 to 10 count as their nominal value: seven, eight, nine, or ten. Jacks, Queens, and Kings count as two, three, and four, respectively, substituting the low-valued cards. An Ace counts as either one or eleven. There are no other cards in the deck.

Whoever scores closest to 21 wins. In case of a draw, the dealer’s hand always wins.

The game starts with the dealer creating a pot of his own money. Each player plays against the dealer, trying to get some of that money. If all money is lost from the pot, it’s the next player’s turn to become the dealer. But if the dealer gets “lucky” and the pot grows, he can take the pot only when that’s 3x the amount he began with.

But before he does, players get one last round against the dealer, betting whatever they like, up to the pot’s maximum! **It's gambling time!** That's when banknotes instead of chips fly over our heads!

The game may ring a bell. It sounds familiar with another popular card game played at casinos: *blackjack*.

Although there’s no pot and players never deal or touch the cards there, 21 is also the best hand, called a blackjack, if hit with just two cards.

Despite plenty of differences between the two games, there’s a striking similarity for [advantage players](https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/): whoever “knows” the odds of drawing the next card has an edge.

And for a 24-year-old guy like me, who’s been [counting cards at blackjack tables for a whole year](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/), the stage is set perfectly that night.

I’m taking a seat at the table and taking a look around. There are a few old-timers with seemingly deep pockets. The majority, though, are young people in their 20s or even younger. And they’re about to take one of the first lessons in their adult life.

But my hopes for making a killing suddenly evaporate when a friend, sitting at the bar away from the table, can't control himself.

## “Hey Jim, can you still make it into the casino nowadays?”

Everyone stops everything they are doing and takes a look at me instantly. They’re waiting for my response.

I’m about to give information. I’m about to show some of my cards.

The table has turned. The odds have shifted.

I’m no longer an unknown among unknowns. They already have information against me. And it’s the worst kind of information I want to reveal at that moment. I must choose my words carefully. Otherwise, it’s checkmate. It’s curtains. No one will dare play against me. Or am I wrong, and I will be challenged more now?

“Well, casinos don’t like losing, do they?“ I reply with a smirking face.

Other friends nod to the friend at the bar, signaling him not to continue the discussion, risking more reveals. He’s made a blunder, and it’s damage-control time.

“Why did he say that? Do you play at the casino?” quickly asks a player, who obviously wasn’t old enough to be allowed in the casinos.

[I go on telling a short blackjack story](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/) of how excited I was to finally make it into the casino and play my favorite games. In fact, I have no favorite game unless I can make money off it.

“And why do casinos forbid people from entering?” he continues. “For various reasons, like disturbing others, picking up fights or touching cards and generally becoming a nuisance to other players or the casino itself,” I respond based on [proper blackjack etiquette](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-etiquette/), yet not revealing the most significant reason why a casino bars a player; beating the casino in their own game!

All the reasons I gave do cost the casino money. So they do have a decent excuse to throw you out of their premises. Yet, not a single one can compare with the damage a disciplined card counter can do to the casino. And I happened to have done so a month before that New Year’s Eve when [the local casino barred me as a card counter](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/)!

## From blackjack to 21

As the two games are pretty different, you need a different strategy to improve your chances of winning.

While I had made a living from blackjack for a year at that point, I figured I could come up with a plan if I wanted to leave victorious from the table that night, even if it was a somewhat different card game.

“It shouldn’t be that hard; besides, we are playing with only two decks of cards,” I told myself on my way to the shop.

I was able to count cards in a six-deck blackjack game for 16 hours a day, five days in a row. Two decks would be a piece of cake. Now, the only thing I needed was to come up with a formula for how to count cards in twenty-one.

Let’s see. I’ll add +1 for each face card and subtract -1 for each 9/10/Ace. That way, if the “count” is, say, +10, I’ll know there’s a high chance the following cards are nines, tens, or aces, improving my odds of hitting 19 or higher with just two cards. If it’s -10, the deck is skewed towards low-value cards.

Similar to card-counting at blackjack, I can have a rough picture of how the odds shift depending on the cards dealt. But in contrast to blackjack, where every card is dealt facing up, the problem in twenty-one is that busted players aren’t obliged to show their busted hand. Not even the dealer.

So, my main aim from then on, having already come up with a very simple strategy, is to gather as much information as possible. 

> Knowledge beats luck each and every day.

Catch a glimpse of the cards falling on the table. Keep track of the cards that disappointed players throw on the table. Take a peak at the deck’s last card that the dealer accidentally reveals as they are dealing the cards.

It sounds like a plan.

And if that isn’t enough, I can *estimate* the kind of faced-down cards! If the player or dealer drew more than four cards before they were busted, there’s a very high chance there was at least one face card (K/Q/J) in their hand. I could increase the count by 1, even if I didn’t see their hand at all!

Of course, there's no use of that knowledge if I can't use it effectively. The ideal position for all this information to make it valuable is when I’m acting last, sitting next to the dealer. And unfortunately for them, that dealer will be in the most disadvantageous position against me *unless* he does the same thing I’m doing!

Actually, what’s even better than acting last is being the dealer myself!

I will have all the information I need as I’m dealing each card to me against every player. Also, if no one complains, I can peek at the cards that busted players throw on the table for me to pick up and put them back in the deck.

## Pick your enemies

Let’s summarize the game’s conditions at this point. After all, what was seemingly a fun little card game that New Year’s Eve night had turned into a battle of knowledge, much like every card game.

- I knew how to improve my odds.
- I knew they didn’t know how to count cards.
- I knew they knew casinos had some trouble with me.
- I knew most youngsters were beginners and scared, and older players were fearless and experienced.

Naturally, I would expect very low heat after my friend’s blunder. Who would go up against someone that casinos feared?

Yet, I began noticing that younger players wanted to challenge me. They had been the loudest players, cursing their luck when they lost and bragging when they won. And their primary focus seemed to be beating me.

After all, they would return home, bragging that they beat a casino’s enemy!

During the game, old timers didn’t say a word. And by the end of the night they’re the ones who challenged me the least. Suffice to say, they had a good time. Some won, some lost, yet all of them had fun and enjoyed the game, as each one withdrew from the game.

Long story short, the night came down to the last hand. I held most of the money, and I was up against the youngest player, who had just tripled his pot as the dealer. I was the last man standing before he picked up his winnings.

“Wow, €150 is in there,” he said with glowing eyes.

Before placing my last bet, I put pressure on him.

“Give me €50, and I won’t bet the pot,” I told him. It’s common practice to make that kind of offer to the dealer when the pot gets that big.

But that was his chance to make a name for himself. The ideal scenario: beating the most hated player on the table and doubling up his money!

“No, play on,” he responds, and everyone gathers around the table to watch.

## The most expensive hand of the night

My hand is a 9.

I don’t recall what his hand was. Probably a 7\. But I do remember that the count favored face cards. In other words, there was a high chance that low-valued cards were about to be dealt. So, I don’t like my odds here of drawing a ten or an Ace and calling it a night. 

This is going to be a game of psychology.

I bet the whole pot. €150.

That money was half of a single bet compared to what I was betting at casinos. But it was also what I was making after 4 hours of playing and counting cards at blackjack.

At the same time, I *knew* it was a massive lump of money for my opponent. More pressure on him.

He deals me the first card.

Another nine! My hand is now eighteen.

The deck favors low-valued cards even more now. I can draw for a Jack or Queen and improve my hand. But for €150, I won’t risk drawing a King or worse. Not when I can *represent* that I’ve hit 19 or better by standing at two cards!

Besides, no one knows my count.

“No more cards,” I shouted as quickly as possible, making my bluff even stronger as if I had hit the ten I was hoping for.

The young dealer begins drawing. One face card after another, he arrives at 17\. My count was correct. A lot of face cards came up.

And now for the tough choice.

Does he think I have 17 or lower, and he wins, or am I sitting comfortably at 18 or better, and he has to draw?

By now, I’ve made sure I seem like the guy sitting at 19 or 20\. So, according to my original plan, I wanted him to keep drawing until he busts.

However, I know the deck favors low-valued cards. The circumstances have changed now that he made it to 17.

In fact, I want him to *stand* at 17, as drawing *any* face card has me beat!

Thus, I begin showing nervousness and signs of fear. I’m trying to sell myself as losing this hand. I pretend I bluffed previously, as I'm supposedly sitting at 15 or something.

Initially, I have represented a 19 or 20\. But as he drew to 17, I’m now representing a bluff, and I barely made it to 17.

It takes him five minutes to decide. Five excruciating minutes for him.

Everyone around us makes a case for *not drawing* since he‘s drawn only Jacks, Queens, and Kings, making it more likely for a nine or a ten to follow.

Despite that, my count still favored those cards, although I was the only one having that *knowledge*.

“I stand at 17,” he says with an almost trembling voice, eyes glued to my hand.

”That’s a pity,” I say, as I turn my cards, showing my 18.

Disappointed, he sees me taking away the pot from him.

“That would have been €300; I would buy a new phone with that money,” he cries.

”You should have drawn,” I tell him, adding salt to the wound.

He turns the card. A King. 

He would have hit 21.

I bet he never forgot that night. Neither have I.

## Takeaway for Your New Year's Eve Card Game (and more)

Maybe you also play a card game in your country on New Year's Eve. Perhaps you have a similar custom on this special night. As the year turns, people look for signs of luck; some turn to gambling for that sign.

If you indeed play some kind of card game on New Year's Eve, try and have fun. I see many people getting carried away by emotions. Even worse, I've seen friendships break apart due to money.

I've always urged my friends away from gambling.

But I do understand that card games with money are more thrilling. More exciting. Yet, it's a perfect setup for sharing stories like this and bringing families together. Cherish these moments.

In the rare event you find yourself in a situation such as the one in my story, I'd do the following if I were you:

- I would come up with a strategy, even the simplest one.
- I would pick my battles with weaker opponents.
- I would risk only what I could afford to lose.
- I would quit if I didn't have fun.

I found that luck doesn't exist in the long run. Getting lucky one night doesn't mean I'm getting lucky 365 nights. 

More probably, by the end of the year, I'll be getting what I've worked for the whole year.

So, let's all work towards our goals and make 2024 the happiest and most prosperous year.

Happy New Year!
### Social Media Trends and Blog Update
URL: https://jimmakos.com/social-media-trends-blog-update/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:35:09.000Z
I began blogging in 2005, and Facebook was made available to the public a year later. Yet, I registered my account in 2009 along with Twitter.

For nearly three years, I didn't see the point in having a social media account.

Back then, these platforms were mainly known as social *networking* sites. Most of my friends were creating accounts to connect with old friends and find out what their ex was up to.🤭

However, once I began learning about **social media marketing** and how these platforms could be used to drive traffic to your blog, *I changed my mind.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/facebook-jimmakos-date.jpg)

Fast forward to today, and social media has been a significant traffic driver for creators worldwide who promote their work via text, photos, and videos. In addition, they created a new kind of job: *the influencer*.

So, as people can make serious money on social media, it makes sense to follow the latest trends that can propel unknown creators to stardom.

Let me grab my cup of cocoa, the only drink I ask for when I go out, and let’s get going (I never drink coffee, and very rarely do I drink alcohol).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/cocoa-futures.jpg)

## The New Instagram Trend

If you’re marketing on social media, specifically Instagram, you must have heard of the current trend.

*Video carousels*.

Reels are still top-rated for discoverability. Yet, marketing experts have noticed that carousels, in general, are getting pushed by the algorithm lately. If you like [making videos](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) more than taking pictures, like myself, it makes sense to create carousels of video clips instead of photos.

If you go down the path of video carousels, note this: the first and second clips are the most important. This is because **Instagram shows carousels twice to followers**; the first time, it loads the first clip, and the second time, it starts with the second one!

If you are a regular Instagram user, you might have noticed this.

You open up the Instagram app on your phone. Your favorite creator’s carousel shows up in your feed, starting with the first video or photo. You scroll past that as you check out what other favorite creators or brands have posted.

You exit the app. At some point in the day, you reload the app or refresh your feed.

Upon refreshing your feed, the **same carousel** pops up *again*, only this time it begins with **the second clip or photo**.

So, if you go down this path, make sure the first two entries in your carousels are the most attention-grabbing. [Here’s a recent carousel I posted this week](https://www.instagram.com/p/C1OWZJ3IXGq/) as I’m looking to become active again on this platform.

## An Important Change to My Blog

For months, I have been thinking of removing the date from the URLs of my blog posts. And this week, I pulled the plug.

The main reason was that I intend to update the articles I’m writing here. No, not these letters. Let me give you an example.

I’ve had some issues with Microsoft OneDrive. I was looking for the most efficient way to use that cloud service. After a lot of trial and error, I believe I’ve set it up in the best way possible for me. And I mean to share the experience and what I learned.

The article’s URL obviously will be /onedrive. Say I include the date in the URL, as I’ve done so since the beginning of my blogging. I end up with a URL like /2023/12/onedrive. That still looks great. But here’s the issue with that.

Say in a couple of months, I run into another problem with OneDrive, or I improve my workflow even more. Instead of writing a new article, I will update that post. Therefore, everyone landing on that page will find out about the whole story of OneDrive.

Yet, in 5 years from now the date-including URL will make the article seem outdated, despite me updating it with recent info. People may not care at all, just by looking at the date in the URL.

Also, an added benefit of not having the date in the URL is that it makes it easier to share.

“Hey Jim, I’m having some trouble with my OneDrive. Do you have some advice/guidelines?”

Sure, just go to my website, *slash OneDrive*. Done.

More examples are my articles on investments. When I began writing those, I thought of having a page for each specific investment. For instance, once upon a time, [I invested in PayPal](https://jimmakos.com/paypal/). I’d like to keep that page updated with all relevant info about this particular investment of mine as we're moving through time. So, having the date in the URL makes no sense at all if I'm going to include in the post that I sold my position two years later.

Long story short, I firmly believe this move will benefit my blog. If you have a blog, just give it some thought and see if that will work for you, as well.

---

## Podcast of the Week

This week’s podcast is about the man who made me start my YouTube channel: Casey Neistat.

Do you want to know Kardashian's next steps? Are you dying to hear of what Ryan Reynolds is filming next? You can’t miss anything Lebron James does?

Well, that’s Casey for me. This week, I listened to him talking for 2 hours about his YouTube journey (and life in general) on the Diary of a CEO’s video podcast.

---

## YouTube of the Week

I’ve got two videos to recommend today.

If you are marketing or creating as an artist on YouTube (the most popular social media platform), you know how vital the thumbnail is. Designing a good thumbnail is often what makes or breaks a video in terms of success. Think about it. If people don’t click on your video in the first place, there’s no point in creating the best video in your life.

That’s why the general advice is to *always start* with coming up with a title and thumbnail *before* even shooting the first scene. That’s called the *packaging* of the video.

But what does a *good thumbnail* mean?

Aprilynne has you covered.

Once you get yourself a killer thumbnail and a working title for your next video, you need to know *how* to shoot the video. French filmmaker Florent is your man.

He recently uploaded a fantastic documentary about his 90-year-old grandfather and posted BTS videos of his cinematography. Beginners will find a ton of value in this video, but some details benefit more experienced video makers like me.

---

## Next Week

My current plan is to continue creating content on a more consistent basis. Both on social media and this blog:

- I use X for quickly sharing thoughts and ideas in text format.
- I’ll use Instagram to showcase my filmmaking skills in photo and short-form video format.
- I’ll resume my work on YouTube in long-form video format and podcasts.
- I'll cross-post some repurposed content on these platforms.
- All the above will drive eyeballs to this blog, where I’m elaborating my thoughts and sending these letters.

I do understand the value of social media to *consumers*. Knowledge and networking. Personally, I've found X a great platform to learn new things and grow as a person, as long as I am very selective of the people I'm following (curated lists are great for that!). 

Yet, when it comes to *creators*, I'm curious. If people are **not posting** on social for marketing purposes, like selling something or promoting your business, *why* are they posting and being active on social media in the first place? It seems like a colossal waste of time.
### You Shouldn’t Care
URL: https://jimmakos.com/you-should-not-care/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:31:52.000Z
No one cares about what everyone else is doing. So *why should you?*

Why should you care about me? Who am I?

What do I bring to the table? What value do you extract from my content? What's my offer to you?

Why are you even reading this?

Every time I begin writing a tweet, I pause. I ask myself, who cares about this stuff? Who cares what I’m up to? Who’s my audience?

Then I remember.

The people who pressed the “Follow” button, that’s who. The people who “Subscribed” to my letters.

They care. You care.

But you should *only* care if you find **value**.

## No one cares until they do

Summer of 2001\. My father has just refused to give me my pocket money two weeks in advance. I’m broke.

As a chemical engineering student, I realize I need money more than I need a degree.

I grew up in a family where everyone used to gamble. Lotteries, cards, sports bets.

Looking for the quick buck came naturally.

“Well, there’s that guy who brags that he beat casinos; maybe I can do that too,” I think. Suddenly, *I care* about how he does that.

**I care about a total stranger.**

I wait for the dial-up modem to connect to the internet. I begin searching in Altavista and Lycos search engines. Then, I find myself in forums. Blocks of text fill up my screen.

Little by little, I unearth information. Knowledge. For free.

“There’s a system! I can count cards in blackjack and start making money!”

December 2002\. Casinos bar me. They refuse my entrance. My blackjack career has ended.

I have two options. Go back to my engineering classes or find another way to make money. Only now, I have more capital. And broadband connection.

Everything accelerated.

I stumble upon another stranger. He trades horse racing betting odds.

“3 out of 5 words are unknown to me“, I admit to myself. Trade. Horse. Racing. How can I learn? And is it worth it?

This guy posts a video on how he makes £100 in 10 minutes before a horse race even starts! That doesn’t even seem like gambling at this point!

With 20 races per day, my mind quickly ran wild. Could this be better than casinos?!

Again, I care for a total stranger. I care for *anything* he has to say.

Why? Because he offers something I don’t have. Knowledge. Value.

### Trading Places

20 years later, I have switched places. Instead of looking for value, I seek to give back value.

Because I know it’s the only thing that will make people care.

So now I embark on a journey to find what kind of value I can give. What kind of valuable offer can I make?

And I began reading a book about how to get people to know of my offer this week.

Well, it’s 2023, so people aren’t reading books. They are listening to them!

---

## Audiobook of the Week

Normally, I would include here a nugget of knowledge I got from a podcast this week. Instead, I’ll tell you about a new audiobook I began listening to.

*Sidenote:* I’ll use the word “read” from now on, despite talking of an audiobook.

I began reading [$100M Leads by Alex Hormozi](https://jmks.co/100mleads) a few days ago. I’m used to listening to Audiobooks during my daily 80-minute walks and taking notes on my phone.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/jimmakos-100m-leads-alex-hormozi.jpg)

### Why this book?

I never considered myself a salesperson. I am a sales newbie. In fact, I hated sales.

Yet, as I got older, I realized everything is sales.

I enjoyed reading his first book recently, [$100M Offers](https://jmks.co/100moffers). It’s about finding an offer to make to people that they feel stupid to say no. In other words, an offer with tremendous value. It's like offering a way to make ten million dollars or lose 20 kilos. Tomorrow. Without getting up from your bed.

An extreme example often gets the message faster.

So, it made sense to read this, too, as a follow-up.

But this book is not about sales. It’s about Leads!

So, I learned what a Lead is (ok, that wasn't new) and, more particularly, an Engaged Lead. Having read about making valuable offers, this time I learned about the Lead Magnet: a small offer driving Engaged Leads to your Core Offer.

Say my main offer is a $1,999 course about making money in blackjack/[sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)/playing poker. A Lead Magnet is five 10-minute videos I send you to your inbox for free if you sign up for my letters.

Like the video I watched of the guy trading horse racing betting odds!

My core offer (course) and my lead magnet offer the one thing you should care about: **Value!**

And as Alex says:

> If you trust me with your time, you’ll likely trust me with your money later!

And you have already trusted me with your time since you are reading this letter! You are my Engaged Lead! ❤️

As I have just finished the 4th of the 20 chapters, it’s too soon to share my verdict on the book. Yet, [I’m reviewing this book on X](https://x.com/jimmakoscom/status/1734978739685966246?s=61&t=dNUVyzOf1t2w5PNXfxe1Vw) (former Twitter) as I’m going through it, making my reading notes public.

Apparently, I’m following the current trends of *learning in public* and *building in public*.

[Here’s a comprehensive review of the book](https://dannybooboo.com/100m-leads-book-summary-review-notes-alex-hormozi/) I’ve read after starting mine, in case you are interested.

---

## YouTube of the Week

Let me tell you a secret: [Solo filmmaking](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) is tough.

I'm not speaking of talking head videos where you grab a camera and record yourself. These are easy.

All you need is presentation skills for a good talking head video.

Ok, maybe good lighting also! Teleprompters help, as well.

For people like myself who lack these and feel uncomfortable in front of a camera, they need to fill in the details with b-roll shots. With beautiful cinematography and nice pictures while telling a story.

My head quickly fills up with thousands of thoughts and workarounds to overcome problems and come up with the next shots during filming. Compared to beating casinos, counting cards, and trading sports odds, filming myself feels like rocket science.

I was very happy to bump into Suyorukun’s channel. I found the following video incredibly relatable. You can taste the pure joy I’ve felt when filming a rare scene, as he did at the 7th-minute mark.

Once again, I found his videos ***valuable***. Therefore, it felt natural for me to subscribe to his channel and become an Engaged Lead!

More honorable mentions this week:

1. [Everything Changing - Life Update](https://youtu.be/XtOshDbMGkA?si=TSahbC1Do5LA6E-s) | Ali Abdaal. I can relate a lot to the discussion of [what you would do if money weren’t a problem](https://x.com/jimmakoscom/status/1734833628738101419?s=61&t=dNUVyzOf1t2w5PNXfxe1Vw).
2. [Behind the Scenes: How We Made a Cycling Documentary](https://youtu.be/ByWW2wQ-b3w?si=Dg419G6x8SYfJRUm) | Of Two Lands. It turns out language can add friction in any scenario. This relates to my never-ending quest to find answers when creating multilingual content.
3. [Along the Way](https://youtu.be/YJRG3QDyYGQ?si=IIOX5swQGBnHfmwm) | Shortstashe. From time to time, YouTube’s algorithm surprises me with a doc film that hits differently.

---

## Deal of the Week

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/image.png)

Do you know what kind of value I appreciate the most? The value of time.

It's when I no longer have to spend time on boring things but still need to work. Think of a website's cookie policy, privacy control, user consent databases, and terms and conditions. Those annoying windows that pop up every time you visit a new site.

Annoying but necessary. As a web publisher, we must always have those turned on.

However, I don't have the time to read and understand GDPR, CCPA, LGPD and numerous other acronyms just for my websites to comply with international law that gets updated every now and then. I'm busy with other stuff. That's why I chose Iubenda to take care of all that for me. 

If you have a website, get a 10% discount on your first year at Iubenda [here](https://jmks.co/iubenda).

---

## Next Week Plans

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/jimmakos-walk-letter.jpg)

If you bet I’ll spend the following days coming up with what kind of value I can include in my content, you’re wrong.

No, I’ve thought about that enough already.

Overthinking who my audience is. Who I’m speaking to. Why would anyone follow me?

I‘m done with changing my bio on my social media profiles.

Am I a work-from-home guy? A Greek guy documenting life? A gambling guy? A solopreneur?

What am I? And what value do I offer?

That’s for you to decide. I’ll just focus on creating. Creating free lead magnets in the hope you find value in my writing and videos. The core offer can wait. Save your $1,999.
### The Risk-Free Investment
URL: https://jimmakos.com/the-risk-free-investment/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:31:40.000Z
There is no reward without risk.

That's what we've been taught. We have to risk something to win something. 

What if I told you that every rule can be broken, even this one? What if I told you that last month, market conditions created the unheard scenario of investing money risk-free for twenty years? That's absurd!

But before I tell you all about how some people are investing their income risk-free, I need to remind you of the biggest risk of all.

## The Risk of Not Taking Risks; Investing in Yourself

I hear this over and over again, especially from people in their forties who have been working for 15-20 years:

> I should have taken another path in my life.

This, more often than not, comes down to:

- not making a lot of money
- a depressing job

This usually results from not taking risks and working their a$$ off much earlier in life.

While every person's risk tolerance is different, **there's no excuse** for slacking between the ages of 20 and 35.

I can sympathize with risk-averse people, though. Not everyone's stomach is built to withstand the risk of running a new business, of risking hundreds of dollars at the click of a button ([poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) comes to mind), of [investing](https://jimmakos.com/investing/) thousands in the stock market. 

While everyone's life is full of *risky decisions*, people often tend to choose the easier path. An easy job, a safe trip, a typical marriage.

Yet, I'm here to tell you there has never been a better time to be alive, thanks to the internet. When could you launch a business *in a day* from the comfort of your living room based on an idea you heard from someone on the other side of the planet? When could you sell your skills and services to people all over the world?

When could anyone have done that before in humankind's history?

I have seen so many opportunities that people took and are still taking at this moment! Businessmen who built empires in the eighties [share the same perspective in their books](https://jmks.co/uggbook): how the business world has changed since then.

And there is always time to take risks, even if we become more risk-averse as we get older! I'm starting to sound like a motivational speaker now, but it's true!

I've got a few stories to tell of people who turned the boat around in their fifties! It only takes a few degrees of turning for the life's boat to end up at a whole different destination! Granted, the later you turn, the harder the turn as the boat gets bigger with time. But it turns!

Thus, that's what I'm always telling people who decide to take some risk in their life and ask for advice: **Invest in yourself.**

Spend a few hundreds to launch a website. Launch a Wi-Fi business (a business that only requires internet access to operate). Get that expensive camera that may make you 100x your capital [if you put in the hard work](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/sony-fx6-camera.jpg)

Find what you want to create, what you want to sell, what you want to be known for (or not). Make that idea happen, and who knows where that will take you?

What's the worst thing that can happen? Lose money?

No, the worst thing is **regret**. Regret of never starting, of never taking a risk.

## The Low-Risk Investment: US Treasury Bonds

People who have taken risks in their lives are sitting on a pile of cash. Those people had a great opportunity a month ago never to have to take a risk again in their lives. And with the risk of sounding over-dramatic, there's a general consensus that the opportunity may never return.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/20y-us-treasury-bond.jpg)

**Don't worry.** I won't tire you down with financial terms. You do not need to learn what a bond is and why you should care. I'm sure there are many other websites you can run to to find that out.

The point of my post is to show you what a few people are doing and their way of thinking. Because I believe success lies in the minority. Do what the minority does, and you'll have the life of that. Do what everyone does, and you'll have a life that everyone has.

Here's what happened:

So, these people tied down, say, a million dollars to 20-year treasury bonds at a 5.3% rate. For the next 20 years, the US government *guarantees* their living expenses (50K per year). 

## Say hello to Risk-Free Investment

Imagine the government paying you 50K every month. What would you do?

**Risk *EVERY* penny of your current income!**

Not the bond's 50K reward! Their *previous* income! The income that made them that million in the first place!

These people aren't lying on a beach doing nothing. That's how rich people get depressed.

They *do* have a job; they do have a business that continues making them money. They do have an income, like me and you.

Unlike us, they saved a million dollars in the process (remember the general advice to save at least 20% of your income?). And that million will cover their living expenses *guaranteed* for the next 20 years.

So, they can *invest risk-free* their regular income for the next 20 years, knowing their standard of living is guaranteed by the US government.

Can you feel the discrepancy this event creates between people of different income classes? While regular people get to a job living paycheck to paycheck and middle-class people are victims of lifestyle inflation as their income increases, truly wealthy people can take even more risks *without risk*! The risk that you can't afford to take because you need your income to cover your living expenses!

💡

Now, the next question is where they are going to invest.

Before I continue, let me pause here and remind you that ***this is not financial advice***. I'm not advising any of you on how to invest your hard-earned money. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. I'm simply stating facts that I've come to know.

[Via my letters](https://jmks.co/letters), *I'm passing information*. That's all there is. And it's what I'll show people in the future, saying, "*I told you so.*"

How I am gathering this kind of information isn't secret; [I explained it](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/) when I launched my letter.

How you are going to act or not act based on this information is your decision. It's you who will decide if there's value in my writing.

Back to the story.

According to my sources, who come from those wealthy people *themselves*, they are going to invest in (drumroll)...

_This post is for subscribers only._
### A Tick Box Making Millions
URL: https://jimmakos.com/million-dollar-tick-box/
Last updated: 2023-12-08T09:12:19.000Z
Thinking of the next million-dollar idea? For some entrepreneurs, ticking a box is all they need to make one million *more*!

It's not some secret (although I hadn't heard of it). That box is available for anyone to tick. The catch? We need to build a profitable business as a first step.

Welcome to this week's letter, where we start with big changes to my online brand, go into business ideas that have made millions in the last decade, and finish with next week's routine. It's a little bit of everything getting you up to speed after I missed the action for so long.

And don't worry, AI did not write these lines! Oh, we have so much to talk about.

## Big Branding Changes

I dived hard into my personal blog this week.

For months, I wanted to update a few parts of it, delete some obscure and subpar posts, and, most importantly, add key sections that felt terribly missing.

For instance, I was declaring myself a web publisher in my social media profiles, yet I had no landing page for [web publishing](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/)! Web development was the only page that came close to it, but I wrote that more than ten years ago, and the info is outdated.

What helped in structuring these sections was [the template I created on Notion](https://youtu.be/6O4zCN2XJ%5F0?si=SyoP7i1P2-ErA1C%5F) and shared in the first and only episode of my podcast. 😔

I needed a ”content tree,” so my past and future posts didn't feel out of place. For a long time, I have also considered following the same structure when posting on X (former Twitter), with threads taking a big part of my flow there. But as I decided to focus more on YouTube, I quit the idea for the time being.

So, I rewrote parts of [my Start Here page](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/) (thanks to ChatGPT; AI is good sometimes, like [greed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxYOQS6ggk)) and removed a few parts of the About Me page - it still needs work, though. Now, everyone visiting my website quickly finds out what I talk about here - which, surprisingly for long-time readers, is not [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/)!

I even considered deleting those articles at some point, but the past is what made me today. Besides, it’s an angle that helps me differentiate myself from people discussing similar topics. Not many business owners, self-help experts, and content creators can say that they beat casinos or [made a living betting on sports](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)!

There’s a lot to talk about here, but I don’t want to turn this letter into an essay.

### New Profile Pic

This took me by surprise! I didn’t plan on updating my profile photo any time soon. In fact, I always thought when I’d be dead, this photo would live on my social profiles for ages.

Updating our profile picture should be done very sparingly. It’s time-consuming to come up with a new picture and update all profiles. Similar to companies' logos that haven't changed for decades, our profile pic is a key element of our brand. It's also futile since we don’t get discovered because of our profile pic; our content does that. 

💡

Get a sufficiently good-looking photo in your profile, forget about it and focus on your writing/photos/videos for years to come.

Besides, my profile picture was the only branding part that remained constant all these years, fighting to find a purpose in publishing online.

In an unexpected turn of events, I decided to try out a new picture for my blog’s homepage. It was a still frame I had grabbed from a video podcast we run with another Greek friend. I needed his feedback on how the video looked as I was editing it.

As the picture was on my desktop screen, I decided to try it on my blog's homepage. I then tried it on X and compared it to the previous profile photo.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-pic-1.jpg)

New me vs. old me

- The updated photo is much brighter; I believe it stands out better.
- I am also smiling (laughing, actually). [A smiling face performs better](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969698921004276).
- It’s also a better depiction of how I look nowadays compared to the previous one I spontaneously took ten years ago while driving.
- The old me looked oversharpened, while the new me looks blurry due to the big crop on a 4k video frame with motion blur.

My personal brand has nothing to do with driving cars, either. So, it always felt out of place, but I had just a few photos to choose from back in the day. No one takes pictures of me other than… myself! That sounded very pathetic. 😭

Thus, having gone through significant updates in my online presence, identity (I also updated [my Greek blog](https://www.jimmakos.gr/) with this new picture and a Greek flag), and blog, it was finally time to send a new letter to you! This one! So, how about a few changes to the letter itself?

### The Newsletter Revamp

First and foremost, the paid version of [my letters](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/) is put on hold for now. I never committed to delivering a letter promptly, even when people paid me to. Yet, the idea is there; I need a better schedule. All in good time.

Next, given that I consume significantly more content on YouTube and podcasts, it makes sense to spotlight those. I decided on having sections of a video and podcast episode that stood out to me the past week. That’s where I get most of my inspiration, and my wife shouldn’t be the only one who gets to hear about it! She always responds with:

> Instead of telling me all that so enthusiastically, why don't you share it online?

Yes, dear.

Finally, I'm including a small advertising section to facilitate deals on products I use (and I am affiliated with). Yes, I do get a cut, but you'd be surprised at how often friends ask me to recommend a service or a product for their problem! So, why not recommend some here, as well? 

---

## Podcast of the Week

I must have listened to over 100 podcast episodes during my daily walks this year. I usually prefer listening in the evenings, when I cannot think clearly and focused enough due to traffic and crowd noise.

This week, [I went for a walk in mid-day](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1732789448553959802). A rare phenomenon for me. As I had felt very inspired by a YouTube video I had watched in the morning (more on that further below), I decided to go outside and exercise my favorite routine: overthinking my next steps.

Streets were buzzing with traffic. People were walking next to me. And loud roadworks were all over the place.

So, until I arrived at my favorite destination (a peaceful, quiet marina), I began listening to an episode I found a few days ago in a podcast I hadn't heard before to isolate myself from the disturbing sounds.

I must have run across this podcast while searching for an audiobook to buy the other day. I had saved the episode to listen to later, and it didn’t disappoint.

In fact, I continued listening even in the marina, which says a lot. But I put it on pause and will finish listening over the weekend. Pausing it took some strength!

[‎My First Million: Andrew Wilkinson’s $20,000 to $260,000,000 story on Apple Podcasts‎Show My First Million, Ep Andrew Wilkinson’s $20,000 to $260,000,000 story - 22 Nov 2023![](https://t1.gstatic.com/faviconV2?client=SOCIAL&type=FAVICON&fallback_opts=TYPE,SIZE,URL&url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gr/podcast/my-first-million/id1469759170?i=1000635676285&size=128)Apple Podcasts![](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts116/v4/78/16/45/78164528-a313-ab7a-e733-3b55b90daf27/mza_14367907482385458385.jpg/1200x630wp.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/gr/podcast/my-first-million/id1469759170?i=1000635676285)

### What I learned

It’s ridiculous how profitable a simple idea can be!

For instance, a website launched in 2001 offered people automatic sending of birthday cards. For $9/year, customers gain peace of mind that their beloved friends and family will “hear” from them on their special day! The website would ensure no misunderstandings and hard feelings even if they forgot their birthday.

**The website printed MILLIONS for 18 years!**

I remember my friends back in 2001, hoping to find a silly idea to make $1 from every Internet user in Greece. How goes the saying? Ideas are cheap; execution is everything.

Execution was another golden nugget I got from the first half hour of listening to this episode.

This same website used Stripe as the payment processor for subscriptions. An issue occurred when banks issued new cards to people. You know, the card you get sent in the mail every 3 to 4 years before the card’s expiration date.

These renewed cards broke the annual subscription system that was put in place for the website to keep sending birthday cards. But for $0.25 per customer, Stripe offered the business owners the ability to continue charging the new card without the subscriber having to update their card details in Stripe’s system manually.

So, it was a no-brainer for the website owners to enable the feature.

**By ticking a simple box, the business made ONE MILLION in PROFIT per year!**

I can’t wait to listen to the rest of the episode.

---

## YouTube of the Week

Life of Riza is a channel YouTube was kind enough to include on my homepage in the summer. I was hooked on Kariza’s creativity from the first video I watched and binge-watched them all. I even posted an Instagram story praising her storytelling skills, which is another rare thing for me.

After a month or so, Kariza uploaded a new video this week. It’s about her traveling alone for a week. She calls it a “think week,” a new term for me, but apparently, it’s what Bill Gates does!

### How it inspired me

Now, the point isn’t the think week. And it’s definitely not traveling, either.

The video inspired me to begin thinking of my next video. It reminded me that not everyone abides by the hustle culture. In a world of fast reels, quick captions, and short-cuts, watching a well-crafted, slow-paced video felt relaxing for a change.

The story isn’t anything special. The cinematography is ok. But I vastly appreciated the pacing and the vibe.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/peak-design-mobile-tripod.jpg)

I also got [this mobile stand](https://geni.us/pdmobilemount) featured in the video on the same day (in fact, I expect delivery as I am writing this letter). She wasn’t promoting it since another company sponsored the video. She was simply using it. Powerful advertising!

Kariza’s video brought back memories from my summer, specifically of another YouTube video that significantly impacted me. Similar vibes, better produced, and in my favorite format: a documentary. I immediately watched it again for what must have been the fifth time, from start to finish. It’s about a dog.

---

## Deal of the Week

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/12/wp-engine-6-months-wordpress-hosting.jpg)](https://jmks.co/wpengine)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been gone this year, but some deals are still left to grab. WP Engine, where I am hosting my WordPress websites paying all of my bills, is offering a yearly plan for half price.

💡

[6 Months Free on Startup, Professional, Growth and Scale plans at WP Engine. Valid 11/20-12/15/23.](https://jmks.co/wpengine)

---

## Next Week

I don’t expect my routine to change next week. I will keep doing things I can control:

- Tracking calories to have a 1,000cal daily deficit (uncontrolled outcome = lose 1kg)
- Listening to podcasts and maybe starting another audiobook (out-of-my-hands outcome = learn new stuff and be inspired)
- Walking so that I burn 500cal per day (outcome = eat a bit more but still be on a calorie deficit; exercising benefits health)
- Order new articles for other websites (uncontrolled outcome = ranking for more keywords)

Readers have told me that they’d rather receive a shorter letter from me more frequently than a long one once in a while. And I made sure to disappoint them yet again! 😆

I‘ll try my best to hear from me more from now on. But I wouldn’t bet on it!
### Everything I Learned about Personal Finance as an Adult
URL: https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/
Last updated: 2025-10-12T15:51:11.000Z
Personal finance is a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot lately. 

But as a kid, no one told me anything about it. I ended up in the rat race as a work-from-home guy instead of being financially free now, despite the money I made.

All they had to do was tell me this.

> Make more, spend less, retire early

That's it. That's all I should practice in my twenties.

And although I did make more, the fact that I'm not retired now tells the whole story.

1. I didn't make enough
2. I didn't cut my spending

Understanding personal finance was easy once I broke it down into small, manageable steps. The way it works for me is in this order: 

1. [savings](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/#savings)
2. [budgeting](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/#budgeting)
3. [investing](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/#investing)
4. [retirement](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/#retirement-planning)

## Savings: First step to financial freedom

It's easy for me to preach about savings as a grown-up dad. But I doubt I could convince even my younger self to save money instead of spending it on a sports car.

Because, that's what I did with the first real money I earned.

I got a sports car. 🤦‍♂️

If I had invested the money instead, I'd be halfway to retirement twenty years later—just from a sports car! 🤯

Sure, I wouldn't get to drive a fancy car in my twenties. But in my forties, **I might not have to work at all!** How *valuable* is that?

- Drive a sports car and work till your seventies
- Keep your old car and retire by your forties

If only someone told me that. So, I'm telling you this now. Replace "sports car" with any big expense and decide for yourself the sacrifice you're making.

💡

Check out what I recently wrote about savings [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/savings/).

## Budgeting: How I know how much money I'll need NEXT year 

At some point, I'll be known as the budgeting guy.

I really feel that way after tracking my finances and keeping a budget for my family and my business for more than ten years! Without skipping a day or a single dime leaving my wallet.

Discipline is my middle name. And numbers are my thing.

Ever since I downloaded a budgeting app, I was hooked. Too bad it happened in my mid-thirties. I wouldn't have bought that sports car!

Now, I want to convince everyone to keep a budget for themselves. I can't stress enough how beneficial budgeting has been in my business and personal life.

[Making Budgeting a Routine Rescued My FinancesI’ve been tracking income and expenses for 10 years. Here’s how budgeting helped me not run out of money, both as a person and as a business.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/budgeting-jim-makos.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/)

## Investing: Making money work for me

I used to think that investing is looking at a screen for 8 hours.

Nope. That's a **day job**. And I used to do it when I was involved in [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

As I was discovering personal finance ins and outs, I realized that investing is a slow, relaxed process.

Once I had my savings and knew how much money I'd need the following month(s) and year(s) thanks to budgeting, I now KNOW how much money I can invest.

How to invest is quite easy, in fact. The hard part is knowing how much to invest, and you cover this in the two previous steps.

Do you see why the order is important?

[My Investing Journey from Buying High to Smart DecisionsI used to buy high and sell low (not a typo). Find out what worked for me, as I am investing my money in smarter ways today - no, you’re not late.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2021/04/investing-jim-makos-150526.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/investing/)

## Retirement Planning: Buying time to live free

This is the final level if personal finance were a video game. We get to beat the big boss here, and the rewards outweigh all the sports cars we could buy.

No more commute, no more meetings, no more phone calls.

No more stress.

That's what savings, budgeting, and investing buy you in the end. We call this "retirement".

Savings, budgeting, and investing ultimately buy you that.

But the journey can be fun, much like playing a video game. So, are you ready, player two?

💡

Check out what I recently wrote about retirement planning [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/retirement-planning/).
### Making Budgeting a Routine Rescued My Finances
URL: https://jimmakos.com/budgeting/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T13:46:44.000Z
How much should I spend on groceries this month? Can I afford this new TV? And can I hire more contractors to outsource business tasks?

I knew how to make money but not how to spend it efficiently until I began budgeting daily.

## What is Budgeting?

💡

Budgeting is like learning a superpower that helps you be really good with money!

Here's how I have explained budgeting to my little daughter:

So, imagine money is like your allowance or the coins you save in your piggy bank. When you grow up, you'll have more things to think about, like buying food, a house, or even going on cool trips. But to do all that, you need to be smart about how you use your money. That's where budgeting comes in—it's like making a plan for your money so you can buy what you need and save some for later fun stuff, too!

This will set you up as a grown-up to be really good at handling your money. You'll learn how to decide what to spend on, how to save up for important things, and even how to prepare for unexpected things.

It's like learning a superpower that helps you be really good with money when you grow up! Cool, right?

Well, that also explains budgeting to grown-ups! I consider it the most important part of [personal finance](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/).

## How Budgeting Helps Me Build an Emergency Fund

An **emergency fund** is a savings account set aside specifically for unexpected expenses, like medical bills, car repairs, or job loss.

It’s your financial safety net, meant to cover life’s surprises without putting you in debt or forcing you to use money meant for other important things. Having an emergency fund gives you peace of mind, knowing that you’re prepared for the unexpected and won’t have to scramble for money when life throws a curveball.

**Budgeting** plays a key role in building an [emergency fund](https://jimmakos.com/emergency-fund/). By creating a budget, you can track your income and expenses, identifying areas where you can cut back and save.

Budgeting helps you prioritize your savings by setting aside a portion of your income each month specifically for your emergency fund. Over time, these small, consistent contributions grow into a cushion that can cover three to six months of living expenses—giving you financial stability when you need it most.

## How Budgeting Helps Calculate My Personal and Business Cash Runway

A **cash runway** is a financial term that refers to the amount of time your savings or current cash reserves will last if you stop earning income today.

It’s especially important for freelancers, [entrepreneurs](https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship/), or anyone facing uncertain income. Your cash runway is essentially how long you can cover your living expenses, bills, and any other financial obligations without needing additional income.

**Budgeting** is essential for calculating your cash runway because it helps you understand exactly how much money you’re spending each month.

By tracking your monthly expenses and comparing them to your available savings, you can determine how many months your cash will last. For example, if your monthly expenses are $2,000 and you have $12,000 in savings, your cash runway would be six months.

A solid budget not only helps you figure out this number but also allows you to adjust spending or savings plans to extend your [cash runway](https://jimmakos.com/cash-runway/), giving you more time to plan if your income suddenly drops.

## Even grocery shopping has its own strategy

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/10/jimmakos-IMG_3415-1.jpg)

Last week, the supermarket was offering a €5 discount if your total bill reached €50.

That promo usually happens during the last weekend of the month.

Since we didn’t urgently need anything (other than milk), I didn’t want to miss the “opportunity.” So, I stocked up on seven 250g packs of cocoa, already discounted from the usual €19/kg, plus some nuts (Arachis peanuts and almonds, with an extra coupon).

In the end, I got cocoa for €15/kg, almonds (roasted and salted, unfortunately) for €8/kg, and plenty of raw peanuts (about €6/kg once shelled).

None of these will go bad in the coming months. And since they’re foods I regularly consume anyway, I honestly don’t see why anyone wouldn’t stock up under those conditions.

And of course, I made sure my total was €51 since the higher the bill, the smaller the actual percentage of the discount (originally 10%).

## BUDGETING TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Embarking on the journey of budgeting transformed my relationship with money, both on a personal level and within the realms of my business.

Over a decade of tracking income and expenses has taught me the invaluable lesson that understanding and managing your finances is not just about saving money—it's about empowering yourself to make informed decisions that align with your goals and aspirations. This realization didn't come overnight but through the diligent practice of budgeting, which eventually became a routine as natural and essential as breathing.

In this spirit, I am excited to share with you **a selection of apps and tools** that have been instrumental in my budgeting journey.

These resources have not only *simplified* the process of tracking my finances but have also provided insights and foresight that are crucial for effective financial planning. From intuitive apps that categorize your expenses at a glance to sophisticated tools that forecast future spending and savings, these resources are designed to equip you with the 'superpower' of **being really good with money**.

Whether you're just starting out on your budgeting journey or looking to refine your existing financial management practices, the apps and tools I'm about to introduce have something to offer.

They've helped me navigate through the complexities of personal and business finances, ensuring that **I'm always making the most out of every dollar**.

Let's dive into these resources, each chosen to help you create a budgeting routine that rescues your finances and sets you on the path to [financial freedom](https://jimmakos.com/financial-freedom-project/).

👉

**Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

- [YNAB](https://jmks.co/ynab): My favorite budgeting app to track my expenses (and paychecks). It’s invaluable to track my business finances, as well!
### Podcasting Challenges as a Non-Native Speaker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/podcasting/
Last updated: 2025-10-12T15:32:49.000Z
Podcasting is like hosting our very own radio show, but with an exciting twist when it comes to the digital playground of the internet. It's a way to share our stories, ideas, or expertise through audio episodes that people can listen to anytime, anywhere.

But imagine taking this auditory experience one step further by diving into the world of **video podcasting**! 

## Why Start a Video Podcast

Platforms like YouTube offer a special community option that transforms our audio content into engaging videos, enhancing our podcasting journey. Starting our podcast on YouTube opens the door to a massive audience, reaching far and wide.

This move isn't just about audio; it's a strategic choice to expand our reach, enabling people not just to listen but also to watch and [engage with our content](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/). What makes this approach particularly exciting is the interactive element—comments and discussions that spark around our episodes, fostering a lively community conversation that's often unavailable within regular podcast players.

By launching our podcast on YouTube, we're not only tapping into a larger audience but also leveraging the unique features of this platform. We're offering flexibility, allowing folks to either watch or simply tune in and listen, catering to various preferences. Additionally, the comment section becomes our digital cafe, where listeners can share thoughts, ask questions, and connect with us and fellow audience members. This dynamic interaction fosters a sense of community that goes beyond the traditional podcasting experience, transforming our content into an immersive and engaging online gathering place.

Starting our podcasting journey on YouTube isn't just about broadcasting; it's about creating a vibrant hub where our stories and discussions resonate, inviting people to listen, watch, and actively participate in the conversation we're sparking, making podcasting a key element of modern [web publishing](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/).

As I was creating my podcast episodes, I began questioning whether I should script my podcasts or not.

## Scripting Your Podcasts: Pros and Cons

When deciding whether to script your podcast, it’s important to consider both the benefits and drawbacks. Here are some key reasons why you might choose to script your podcast, as well as why you might want to skip the script.

### Reasons Not to Script Your Podcast

On just my third episode, I tried to film an unscripted podcast episode. I found out that unscripted videos have the following benefits:

- **Sound More Natural:** A fully scripted podcast can sometimes feel robotic, and you may lose the natural flow of conversation.
- **Allow Flexibility:** Without a script, you can adapt the conversation based on your thoughts or audience reactions, leading to a more dynamic and engaging episode.
- **Encourage Creativity:** Going unscripted encourages spontaneous thoughts and authentic emotions, which can make your podcast more relatable and enjoyable for listeners.
- **Save Time:** Scripting takes time to prepare, and if you’re comfortable speaking freely, going unscripted might save you a lot of time in the production process.

For what is worth, I went back to scripting my podcast episodes right after I uploaded the unscripted podcast!

### Reasons to Script Your Podcast

- **Stay Organized:** Scripting helps keep your content clear and structured, ensuring you cover all the important points.
- **Maintain Consistency:** A script can keep your tone, style, and messaging consistent throughout the episode.
- **Reduce Nervousness:** Having a script in front of you can ease anxiety, giving you confidence while recording.
- **Avoid Filler Words:** A script helps you stay focused and minimize unnecessary pauses or filler words like “uh” and “um.”
- **Ensure Accuracy:** For educational or technical podcasts, scripting helps make sure the information you’re sharing is correct and precise.

Depending on your style, you can choose to script completely, partially, or not at all. Many podcasters find a middle ground by creating an outline to guide the conversation while leaving room for spontaneity.

## 🎙️ Off Route with Jim Makos

Watch or listen to my podcast on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. 

[🎧 Listen to Off Route with Jim Makos](https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jimmakos/)
### The Freedom of Working from Home with a Family
URL: https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home/
Last updated: 2025-10-12T16:13:14.000Z
In my pursuit of happiness, freedom comes first.

But family and work quickly replace that. And while the family is here to stay, there is a line of work where freedom isn't sacrificed. And it's called solo [entrepreneurship](https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship/).

I am a **work-from-home dad** and a **web entrepreneur**. I have turned some hobbies of mine into a "day job," although I have no boss, no work schedule, no shifts, and no daily commute. Working from home has allowed me to feel free during my entire life.

My regular work nowadays consists of creating content and [web publishing](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/).

> **I work to make a *difference*, not a paycheck.**

> Write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

I enjoy writing articles, attaching high-quality images (mine or creative commons-licensed) to them. Sometimes I will couple those with a short video, as well, for a much pleasant experience! I emphasize on giving a personal feel to my articles than producing lifeless posts. My content is meant for humans and not for robots. I want my content to be found and people to engage with it, not lost in the internet abyss.
### Hello, again!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/what-i-am-up-to/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:36:13.000Z
After much procrastination, overthinking, and consideration, I am writing these lines to communicate with the world outside again.

Let's start with what I am up to these days.

That's mostly figuring out my place in the creator economy world.

And that starts with the thing I'm most passionate about the last five years.

## Filmmaking

Gone are the years when I looked forward sitting down on a virtual poker table, placing bets or drawing lines on financial charts. Making videos is my modern passion but for the time being, it doesn't pay nearly as much as my previous hobbies!

Yet, this week I fully leaned into it. The reason? I found out solving filmmaking problems makes me feel happy as I had already realized five years ago in the following video. I kind of forgot, though.

Usually I don't know what I'll do the next day. I may do some web development. I may take care my business financials. Or I could end up playing snooker.

You can say my days are very random. And as I love routine, this can cause an issue.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/snooker.jpg)

Doing a lot of things sporadically doesn't allow me to enjoy many of them. Some things are boring but need my attention. Other things are exciting, but I don't see the point spending time on. Yet I still do. So, I quickly abandon those for something more interesting, only to move to the next thing. A little bit of this and a little bit of that gets me nowhere in particular.

**Fun fact:** I interrupted writing and proofreading this article a few times. Although I wrote the bulk of it in matter of an hour, I'm adding these paragraphs four hours later!

During Easter, I understood that I wasn't having fun, despite living a relatively easy life. [Find the joy in your life](https://youtu.be/iioBwO6vnEs), said Morgan Freeman in the Bucket List, one of my all-time favorite movies. Filmmaking provides that joy to me.

So I am **going all-in on filmmaking**.

Yet, instead of filming even MORE footage to sit unused in my hard disks, I decided to improve an essential skill in filmmaking: editing.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/DaVinci-Resolve-Video-Editing.jpg)

### Mastering DaVinci Resolve

Today it's the THIRD day in a row I'm exclusively spending figuring out the coloring process in DaVinci Resolve. I'm *that* determined.

I have been [a DaVinci Resolve user for years](https://jimmakos.com/2020/11/export-videos-for-youtube-in-davinci-resolve-faster/). Since quitting Adobe Premiere in favor of Blackmagic's software, I have been editing much more enjoyably. Still, I haven't made *that* many videos. But just by loading up Resolve, my heart fills with joy. Even when I'm not planning on editing, I like opening the program. It's a strange feeling. It just makes me happy to have my editing suite open at all times. It helps that it doesn't crash or slow down my computer.

If you can't tell, I'm a VERY happy user of that program.

There's a trend nowadays on YouTube where every creator is moving to DaVinci Resolve. I don't know whether Blackmagic's marketing team is doing a great job or if people finally understand what an excellent piece of software Resolve is. Whatever the case, the more people using the software, the better for early adopters. More bugs and problems will be sorted out quickly. Not that I can think of any, though! 

Now, back to my coloring mania.

In the past, I've received positive comments about my videos, particularly about their color. I was not surprised. Right from the beginning of making videos, I meticulously edited EVERY clip in all of my videos to perfect their colors; or, to say the least, give them an aesthetic I found appropriate to my tastes.

I didn't want to merely cut and insert clips to construct a story. I wanted to make the picture look nice and stand out, much like web designers spend time on the website's looks.

There are professional colorists out there. Me? I am just a hobbyist who is a bit perfectionist. So, I thought I had spent enough time studying [the training lessons and tutorials](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/training) (and money on courses) to learn the ins and outs of the coloring process in DaVinci Resolve.

Boy, was I wrong!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/davinci-resolve-color-settings-1.jpg)

This week I spent time learning about DaVinci YRGB Color managed science, Intermediate color space, and how to create HDR videos. With the exception of HDR videos, color science, and processing mode is BASIC stuff that I should have known right from the start! And that's because if I change any of that, my source clips' colors will change!

I had zero idea!

I didn't understand Gamma and color space at all. Honestly, I didn't care.

I thought it wouldn't make that big of a difference. But I had spent infinite hours setting up my camera profiles so that I film in the best way possible, retaining as much dynamic range from the sensor as possible. So, why throw all that work away when I import the footage on a Rec709 timeline?

It was time to dive deeper. And it was time for a few revelations!

I began fiddling with the project settings. Changing a thing or two, saving settings, and checking the picture. Over and over again. I couldn't see significant changes. So, I kept thinking that I was correct not to care in the first place.

But then, I noticed something. While my clips on the timeline didn't change much, the clips on my source monitor changed significantly with every change! Woah! Wait, do project settings affect the source clips? What about the... timeline?

I was SHOCKED to find out just yesterday that I can set the color space *independently* on each timeline, irrespective of the project's color space! You should have seen my face at that moment.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/davinci-resolve-color-timeline-management.jpg)

Now, I might be sounding a lot technical in the last few paragraphs. But if you've been editing on any piece of software and creating videos online, I'm here to tell you that there's a lot you can do besides cutting and exporting your footage. I haven't done ANY of that this week, yet I spent 6 hours every day trying to understand the coloring process.

For sure, the [law of diminishing returns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminishing%5Freturns) and the [Pareto principle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto%5Fprinciple) comes to mind at this point. I'm focusing **way too much** on improving and perfecting the image quality, which is not why people are watching my videos or finding me online. I should be creating more videos instead! Yet, I'm a victim of perfectionism, and I am genuinely interested in learning these things.

So there's that about what I'm up to in [my filmmaking career](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/). I'm planning on sharing more of my findings in the future.

Yes, that was simply an introduction to what I've learned in video editing recently! Wait until you read the full article; that should turn out VERY technical.

Having said that...

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/content-creation-planning.jpg)

## My plan for creating content online is changing

My [content creation strategy](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/content-creation-strategy/) has seen better days. When I'm fixed on a schedule and post content semi-regularly, I become pessimistic and overwhelmed and quit the whole creation thing, dragging myself to oblivion.

For example, in January, I signed up for [Typefully](https://jmks.co/typefully) to help me organize my tweets. I experimented for a month and [posted 2-3 tweets daily](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom). Typefully worked well, and it became an integral part of my creating process, allowing me to get thoughts from my head to the world efficiently. I also used Apple Notes, Notion, and Zapier for a fully automated workflow.

I meant to share that workflow on my blog [in my quest for the perfect social sharing process](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/photo-sharing-in-social-media/).

Guess what. You didn't get the email because I never wrote anything.

Why? Because I stopped using Typefully, Notion, and every other program.

Why? Because I stopped tweeting in the first place! 

Fortunately, I haven't stopped writing down my thoughts, though. One day those could come in handy.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/content-creation-notion-workflow.jpg)

When it comes to creating content online my aim is not to tell you what you should do or how to do it. Instead I like sharing my mistakes and document the hurdles I came across while trying to go from point A to point B.

So, where do I stand nowadays when it comes to writing online, posting pictures, and uploading videos?

I really want to write stories.

I definitely want to create more videos.

And I surely want to [give podcasting another try](https://jmks.co/podcast).

I could lean into just one of those and become better. Or continue being a jack of all trades, master of none. I'll probably do the latter as I always do.

That doesn't sound that bad, given I am fortunate enough to have other sources of income and don't depend on influencing people online to make a living.

Thus, I will keep experimenting with new strategies and become more active whenever I like it. Whenever it feels like fun. Because in the end, I realized that the whole point was having fun.

Organizing, overthinking the streamlining process, and planning out every detail *isn't* fun. And you know what that doesn't accomplish? Creating content!

At some random time, I've read that **being super organized isn't the same as being productive**. And that hit a nerve with me. That was the bitter truth. I had spent so many hours organizing stuff to the point that I felt productive. Yet, I hadn't produced anything!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/filmmaker-camera.jpg)

When I imported videos to my computer, I was so focused on adding tags/keywords, writing scene descriptions, coloring the footage, and backing all that data up, that when I finished, I felt accomplished. "Now everything is in its place, ready to be edited," I used to tell myself. (I keep saying the same thing about my blog, everything is set up, now all I have to do is write!)

Only I NEVER edited or did I make an actual YouTube video out of that footage! (much like I do not write!)

Then I proceeded to go for my daily walk, wondering what my next video would be all about. What was I thinking? More stories? More filming? I ALREADY had stories captured in my camera. Stories that have been waiting patiently in my hard drives for me to tell.

I found another excuse. I told myself that video is too time-consuming, let's write a few blog posts instead.

When did jumping from one medium to another ever help anyone?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/perfectionism.jpg)

### Battling with perfectionism

I want to create the perfect video. I want to write the perfect blog post. Yet, when I finally post something, I immediately tell myself: "Don't worry, the next one will be a lot better".

I knew beforehand that I would never be satisfied with my creations. But I still wait for that perfect moment to create the perfect thing. Which I *know* will NOT be perfect.

So, I've thought of just putting things out there. Like this post.

Random thoughts that will live forever online.

They are not perfect. I know. But at least they are published. **Done is better than perfect.** A lot better.

At last, I'm communicating again. I've missed this so much. And every time I'm inspired to publish something out of nowhere, I honestly don't understand what kept me from doing it in the past. Perfectionism is one reason, but not the only one.

So, this post will also be sent to my newsletter readers. Oh, did I say newsletter?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/04/newsletter-remorse.jpg)

### Newsletter Remorse

I haven't felt more depressed about anything I've created in the past than my newsletter.

In the beginning, I felt excited. As I kept sending letters I felt great. Then I stopped because I didn't see the point. Who cares about what I have to say?

Then I received a few emails. They were full of encouraging words from people who have been following me for YEARS. Some for a decade! True fans!

I've forgotten this kind of connection with the people. But then I think of my readers who have subscribed to my **paid** newsletter with their hard-earned money, which I haven't appropriately updated for months. Just a random issue here and there. I owe them big time.

So, for start, I want to give an update on [my financial freedom journey](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/) that I started three years ago. I meant to make a million dollars in ten years, as I've explained in the video.

And since then I haven't posted an update! I left people in the dark, and it's one of my most popular videos! People *are* interested in that project. **Those are people who do care!**

How things are going in my journey? Will I make it? Is financial freedom achievable when working from home after all? What has my experience been all this time?

Burning questions that I would have. 

I was thinking of making an update on YouTube. But that will take time. And if you've read to this point, you know I'll come up with a bunch of excuses not to produce the video before the ten years lapse.

So instead for a quicker turnaround, I thought of sharing the update with my paid newsletter subscribers, as I'll include a few sensitive data. It makes sense to share behind a paywall, doesn't it?

What about the free newsletter? THIS article is a good restart.

### More letters coming, hopefully

Next, I was thinking of sending a monthly issue of what I've shared the past month online on different platforms. Given I will *first* create content, that is!

I could let readers know of the video I posted on YouTube, an Instagram reel where I quickly showed how I solved a problem and a couple of favorite Tweets of mine. Nothing spectacular, but it will get the ball rolling.

My general mindset from now on will be "[Don't plan.](https://jimmakos.com/2020/10/i-dont-have-a-plan-letter/)" I've got tired of planning.

## Less talk, more action

That's all from me for now. [Ghost](https://jimmakos.com/2021/07/ghost-better-than-wordpress/) (my blogging platform) editor is telling me I've already reached 1,750 words in an hour at this point, and I haven't yet written the introductory paragraphs! Heck, I didn't even update you on my health and me losing weight!

I don't think you got much value from this article, but if you're new around here, I hope you got to know me a bit better. Old friends will be glad to hear that I'm still alive, anyway!

Feel free to unsubscribe if this block of text didn't make any sense. No hard feelings. I hope you liked the hand-picked photos, at least!

Till the next one, find the joy in your life and have fun!
### The U.S. debt crisis dilemma: Hyperinflation or Default
URL: https://jimmakos.com/usa-default-hyperinflation-debt-crisis/
Last updated: 2023-10-08T06:27:46.000Z
European and US banks are collapsing. Fears of a bank run keep regulators on their toes, [changing the rules of the game](https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-fdic-may-need-temporary-guarantee-all-bank-deposits-ex-chief-bair-2023-03-16/). The financial system struggles to fight inflation, despite massive layoffs. Are we heading to another financial crisis again, or has it started already?

Will the U.S. default or choose hyperinflation to solve the debt crisis?

A default sounds absurd. But even if it did, would that make a difference to you? Who cares if a country defaults on its debt? Or if we experience hyperinflation. Life goes on, doesn't it?

But how about watching your mortgage payment go up by 50%? How about selling your house for less than you bought it? Land never loses value, right?

What if you can't access your bank accounts? What if you cannot pay your employees or your partners?

What if you cannot withdraw more than $100 a day? What if I told you Greeks could withdraw only €60 per day in the summer of 2015?

As someone who survived the 10-year Greek debt crisis, I'm all too familiar with the word "default." And this time, I'm much better prepared to deal with a global financial crisis, yet again.

In this article, I explain what brought us here today. Also, I'm going through my plans of how to achieve a socio-economic jump that only a once-every-10-years crisis creates the ground for.

## I lived to tell the tale of a default

For many months in 2010, everyone was speculating whether Greece would default on its debt and the implications that could have. People abroad couldn't care less, of course. It was only when they came across a Greek guy in real life and accused them of laziness.

"You Greeks live a life in the sun with our money!"

That's expected since, **the furthest a problem is from you, the less you give a dime.** You start caring only when a problem knocks on your door and affects your life.

But even if you ignored what was happening in my country, I bet you came across the ultimate and most devastating outcome this debt crisis could have: Grexit. And then the debate kicked in whether all South European countries would exit the Eurozone. The start of dismantling the European Union.

But that would go against the plan. So, despite a referendum urging the government to break ties with the Union, Greece remained in the Eurozone with a catch. Someone had to pay. The bondholders. Hold this thought.

Enter the United States.

## US banks in turmoil

This week the world heard of a bank that very few had heard of outside of the States; the Silicon Valley Bank. The bank collapsed, and in order to avoid a bank run, the Fed announced that the bank's savings were safe, even those that weren't insured by the FDIC (meaning deposits over $250,000).

Shortly afterward, a couple more banks entered the mix, Signature and First Republic banks. In an unprecedented move, [eleven banks came to the rescue](https://www.wsj.com/articles/jpmorgan-morgan-stanley-and-others-in-talks-to-bolster-first-republic-4f9eeb76) and saved the latter, while at the time of writing these lines, the Signature bank was up for sale.

So, the problem seems to lie on the other side of the Atlantic. Or does it?

Enter Credit Swiss.

## Big European bank in Crisis

Swiss Bank, Switzerland's central bank (like Europe's ECB and USA's Federal Reserve Bank - Fed in short), offered a lifeline and agreed to loan the bank about $50 billion, as the bank's CDS were skyrocketing, signaling an imminent default.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/Credit-Swiss-CDS.png)

Source: [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/Schuldensuehner/status/1636334970556891136)

While the American banks mentioned above were regional, Europe is dealing with a Too-Big-To-Fail bank. Credit Swiss' assets are worth hundreds of billions more than SVB's. Besides, SVB was used by startups and businesses, while Credit Swiss is an investment bank. And speaking of investments, those don't look so good.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/Credit-Swiss-US-investment-portfolio.jpg)

My comment on this image [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1636260874225582080): Although most focus on the losses, which are relative to the previous filing, my focus is on the Position Change column. Not a single buy!

But what causes the banks to collapse in the first place?

How a bank runs out of money?

And who's getting to pay the bill?

## What is triggering the banking crisis?

To answer these questions, we need to go back. We need to remind ourselves that we are still in a pandemic. We need to remember when the world changed.

Enter COVID-19.

Yes, that virus we kept hearing about in 2020 and its daily death count until vaccines rolled out a year later. The world had decades to experience a worldwide health crisis in such proportions. And a health crisis of such scale will lead to a financial crisis sooner than later. Disagree?

As individuals, we value health more than wealth. That's a basic instinct.

When we're sick, we don't go to work. We couldn't care less about making more money when we lie in bed in pain. Priorities shift immediately, as our health deteriorates. Suddenly, everything is pointless until we get better.

In 2020 the entire human race was sick. Therefore, we used every resource to make us healthy again. Like an individual who would sell everything to get better and avoid death, the whole planet sacrificed everything to find the cure.

Businesses were forced to close down, and people were forced to stay at home. Work came to a halt. The human race was in bed and needed to survive.

But while in survival mode and confined, people still needed to eat. Their home still needed heat and water. And as our communication was restricted to electronic devices and the internet, energy was very much a necessity.

But since very few humans were at work, who was going to pay to provide all that?

Money began falling from the sky. [Helicopter money](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/businesses-bailout-due-to-pandemic/). Central banks began printing money. Fed's money supply skyrocketed, and ECB quantitative easing accelerated, both of which meant creating money out of thin air.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/US-M1-Money-Supply.png)

[Source](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M1SL#)

Money kept coming in for people staying at home and business owners who had closed their businesses down.

The money supply was bigger than the demand. We didn't need *that* much money. We didn't go out. We had nowhere to spend that money. We didn't travel, airplanes didn't fly, and we didn't commute.

When people can't spend money, they unavoidably begin saving money! Which leads to deflation. Money was gaining value! Cash was king.

So, central banks' interest rates were close to zero. In Europe, interest rates were negative! You were paying money to the bank to store your cash!

A bank run was unheard of during the first two years of COVID-19\. Since the government was pouring money into the market and people had minimum expenses stuck at home, money was accumulating in the banks' savings accounts.

So, the banks seeing all that money piling up in their accounts, looked for ways to make some additional profit.

Enter the bond market.

## Banks: Let's make easy money from bonds!

The world had come to a stall. Companies like Boeing didn't fly their airplanes. Inevitably, the stock market was crashing. At the pandemic's start, we couldn't tell when life would return to normal, so companies began earning money again. With earnings projections looking bleak, money was leaving the stock market.

Except for banks. They had all the money in the world. At the same time, Internet startups were running fund rounds at an alarming rate. COVID accelerated the web startup ecosystem, creating huge value for new ideas.

All those businesses deposited those funds in the banks. Sharks die when they don't move. Banks had to move that money to make more profit. So they turned to the bond market.

As the central banks' chiefs were sure the interest rates would remain very low for years, government bonds' 1.5% rate began looking attractive to the bankers. Based on the big boss' words, why not make an extra 1.5% for the next ten years?

*Note: that was what led retail investors to buy Greek bonds in 2010 since every public figure declared Greece was financially safe.*

Thus, banks bought hundreds of billions of dollars worth of bonds with depositors' and investors' money. People wouldn't need to withdraw their money; we get to make a few bucks while the money sits still or change hands within our bank.

But the human race was getting better.

## Life is back to normal; hello, inflation

Humans began vaccinating. Life gradually got back to semi-normal. Businesses were allowed to open up again. People, hesitantly at first, began going out wearing masks. They kept a safe distance and tried to enjoy the little things in life they had missed at first.

Then, new variants of the virus proved to be less lethal. Eventually, only a few humans haven't got sick from the virus today. People began living with the virus who isn't as threatening as before. Masks were dropped, and precautions were lifted. Life got back to normal.

But now, people, confined in their apartments for months on end, are eager to travel, eager to eat out, eager to enjoy life to the fullest.

**Unsurprisingly, people are eager to spend.** 

Eager to spend all that money they had saved up while restrained at their home.

Now, people *don't want their money*. They give it away for stuff, for experiencing life. They value that more than before.

So, money loses value. When you give something or sell something, you signal it's worth less to you. Hence, inflation!

But the central banks' chairmen are sure. They have stopped printing money and declare [inflation is just transitory](https://www.themainewire.com/2022/12/janet-yellen-who-said-record-inflation-would-be-transitory-now-says-itll-be-lower-next-year/). We'll tackle that with a few rate hikes and call it a day. 

This signals to the banks that bond rates won't increase much. So their bets in the bond market should be safe.

But central banks are struggling to control inflation. Transportation costs and raw materials prices are doubling up or more. Oil price shoots above $100, and the increasing price of natural gas in Europe leads governments to rescue people who can't afford to heat up their homes.

Everyone keeps spending no matter the cost. Groceries and eating out cost 20-30% more at the very least.

What do central banks do now? 

Of course, increase rates!

## Implications of raising interest rates

The Fed sends interest rates to more than 4%. The ECB follows up with rate hikes, 0.5% up every other month. Mortgage rates begin taking a toll on homeowners. As business loans start becoming expensive, businesses need to keep their costs low. 

Thus, layoffs.

But unemployment is still at 3% in the USA. It must go to 5% for monetary policy to pause its hikes. At the same time, newly unemployed people get three-month severance pay. That buys them a runway till summer. Thus spending doesn't seem to pause until then.

And for inflation to stop increasing, people need to stop spending.

**Let's summarize (tl;dr):**

- COVID-19 restraints end, so
- People go out and spend, so
- Inflation is up, so
- Central banks increase interest rates, so that
- Businesses lay off to cut their costs, so
- People cut their spending (recession), so
- Inflation is down, so
- Central banks decrease interest rates

That's the playbook of the central banks. But increasing interest rates has collateral damage and comes at some costs. One of which is the regional and investment banks holding older bonds at lower rates for ten more years!

## Were the banks played by Central Banks?

One could claim that. The central bank's chairman is the one who shares the guidance for next year and also the one who decides to follow that guidance. So, announcing that we'll experience just transitory inflation but then hike interest rates because, what do you know, inflation keeps ramping up, and this is the only way to control it, does make banks who invested in bonds seem less guilty.

[In my previous letter](https://jimmakos.com/2023/03/banks-those-degenerate-gamblers/), I explained how the rates affect the banks to the point of collapsing.

Now, how much more can they afford to increase the interest rates? The more they increase them, the more banks face bankruptcy. So, as long as the rates are at this level, many banks are already experiencing losses. Increasing them more, even 0,25%, could make more banks insolvent as losses pile up.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/banking-investment-losses.png)

At the same time, they can't just begin dropping the interest rates, as that will send a very bad signal to the market, sacrificing a few banks just before shifting gears. 

So, time is running out for the Central Banks. And they are left with two choices.

## Print money again or default

Of course, they'll start the printing machine again and keep buying the debt for as long as possible. *Hello, hyperinflation.* 

The alternative is a default in Greek style. See how all that plays together?

You see, Greece couldn't print money on its own. 

They were asking for bailouts from the EU; in effect, they were asking for printing money to buy our debt. Eventually, Greece wasn't a Too-Big-To-Fail country, and the big bosses decided to let the country default. During such a default, debt disappears by hurting investors first. They are the first in line and the depositors last. 

Hence, bond haircuts.

Instead of finding or creating money to keep the debt rolling to other hands, they cut the bond's value. Bondholders, who had invested $100,000 in 10-year bonds at 5% found their bonds now worth $60,000\. They had bought $100,000 worth of debt, in exchange for 5% yearly returns. But due to the haircut, they are now holding $60,000 worth of debt. That $40,000 difference is what allowed Greece to continue doing business.

*Note: those bonds' maturity dates also moved 30 years in the future! They won't take their money before 2042!*

In the case of the U.S., a default sounds impossible. But that's what people said for Greece at some point. 

Only the U.S. is a Too-Big-To-Fail country.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/federal-debt-held-by-the-public-cbo-report.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/projection-for-debt-held-by-the-public.jpg)

Hello, United States debt crisis

## What do we do?

Having said all that, what can we, as individuals, do at times like this? How can we ride the storm and survive yet another financial crisis, which some of us are all too familiar with?

This is what I'm doing:

1. I'm not keeping a deposit amount in any bank more than the insured threshold. That's $250,000 in the US and €100,000 in Europe. If your business needs more than that, split the amount to more than one bank. Also, avoid smaller banks. We witnessed the discrimination between regional and big banks. When I incorporated my business in the US in 2012, I had two choices: Citi and Wells Fargo. Ten years later, these two remain one of the four big US banks, so I'm staying put. The same applies to non-business cash that can also be stored in crypto.
2. I'm saving as much money as I can. [We all did that in 2020](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-saving-money-faster-in-lockdown/) during the Covid-19 peak time. But how many keep doing that nowadays?
3. I'm trying to make as much money as I can. You can save *that* much. But the sky's the limit when making money. So, my main focus is on my web business which I try to grow every year.
4. I'm avoiding lifestyle inflation. It's easy to begin spending more the more you're making and indulge yourself in a more luxurious lifestyle. Stay humble, or the market will humble you.
5. I've paused my investing. Crypto is the only asset I may invest in from time to time. Once $hit hits the fan, and everyone is scared to buy anything, investing in stocks and real estate will look promising again. Until then, cash accumulation is key (I've heard people are investing in gold and silver, though.)
6. Find the joy in life. Life isn't about banks, monetary policies, and rate hikes (ok, for some dragging golden balls may be). Happiness lies in simple things. The difficult part is finding [what makes us happy](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/unhappy-in-life/). But to find that, we need to be healthy and wealthy. So I'm taking care of my health, keep building my wealth and enjoying the little moments that fill me with joy.

During yet another debt crisis, **save yourself**. The reward will be big, much like the rewards for anyone surviving the 2007 global financial crisis. By the way, you do remember where that crisis came from, don't you?
### Banks, Those Degenerate Gamblers
URL: https://jimmakos.com/banks-those-degenerate-gamblers/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:36:37.000Z
Bank runs, insolvencies, and a looming economic crisis. Again.

This week's news may sound a bit overwhelming for some of you. So I thought of getting you up to speed on what I learned [as a gambler myself](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/advantage-gambler/) about the turmoil in US banks and explaining what's going on in less than 5 minutes!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/bank-run.jpg)

In layman's terms, like degenerate gamblers, the banks placed a bet some time ago that interest rates would not go up. That bet didn't pay off since central banks kept raising their rates to combat inflation caused by printing money for a decade. Remember [the helicopter money](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/businesses-bailout-due-to-pandemic/) during the pandemic?

And they are losing a lot of money because of that bet. Even worse, the money they lose isn't theirs! It's their depositors!

Now, guess what happens when the word is out in the street, and people ask for their deposits? Banks do not have enough cash for withdrawals because of that bet! 

> I’ve never seen a bank run in Brentwood Los Angeles in over 40 years — this is at first republic bank branch. People standing in rain [pic.twitter.com/k31PqqpyO3](https://t.co/k31PqqpyO3)
> 
> — pjb.eth (@Dr\_PhillipB) [March 11, 2023](https://twitter.com/Dr%5FPhillipB/status/1634632068058722304?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

Here's why. Again, very simply put by a Greek guy who is all too familiar with [his country's debt crisis](https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-the-greece-debt-crisis-3305525#:~:text=3-,Greece%20Crisis%20Explained,to%20finance%20further%20debt%20repayments.):

_This post is for subscribers only._
### GTO (Gifto) Coin Quick Update
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gifto/
Last updated: 2023-02-09T10:38:56.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### 2023 Investing Starts: Stocks and Crypto
URL: https://jimmakos.com/2023-investing-starts/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:37:06.000Z
My first investments for 2023 are in! It was long overdue.

As [I developed a health condition](https://jimmakos.com/2022/12/2022-review/) in the second half of 2022, my investing activity dropped to zero. No surprise there, since **health > wealth**. When you're in pain, all priorities shift to getting better.

Money means nothing other than buying you better health care, and you couldn't care less about making more money on a hospital bed.

As I'm getting my life back, I begin resuming my normal activities. In fact, I'm already much healthier than I ever was in the previous fifteen years, to the point I am a lot more productive, happy and excited to create new things.

For now, I will share with you two investments I made yesterday. The first is increasing my position in a stock, and the second is buying a crypto coin, which I previously lost money on.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Sports Trading: How I Made Money as a Sports Betting Odds Trader
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/
Last updated: 2026-06-05T05:24:30.000Z
20 years ago, I discovered how to make a living in sports betting. It's called *sports trading*!

I mastered reading the tape and betting charts to trade sports betting odds for a living, making my first 6-figure paycheck as a betting odds trader!

## What is Sports Trading?

Sports trading refers to the practice of buying and selling sports bets, similar to how traders buy and sell stocks on the stock market. This can be done on sports betting exchanges. These online platforms allow people to place bets against one another rather than against a traditional bookmaker.

> The basic idea behind sports trading is to take advantage of the fluctuation in betting odds.

This can occur before and during a sporting event. Betting odds traders aim to buy at a lower price and sell at a higher price. 

👉

[Check out this example](https://jimmakos.com/make-money-trading-fixed-odds/), where I explain sports trading in more detail.

Doesn't that sound similar to the stock market? Traders can do this by using trading strategies such as hedging, swing trading, scalping, and arbitrage.

These strategies are very well-known in the stock market. Let's see how they apply to sports trading.

📈

Stock trading takes place on the stock exchange. Similarly, sports trading is only available in a sports betting exchange. Betfair is the most popular betting exchange, where I used to trade.

At some point, I suggested Betfair use charts resembling those of a stock exchange!

[Why Betfair should create a social platform like TradingViewBetting trends can easily be spotted at Betfair charts. Odds movements may predict smart money’s betting preferences or bookmakers’ mistakes. That’s why gamblers are interested in odds movements lately. However, the charts that Betfair provides are way too simple. Perhaps it’s about time Betfair update their charting![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfair-tradingview-charts--1-.png)](https://jimmakos.com/betfair-social-platform-tradingview/)

## Betfair Trading Strategies

These universal sports trading strategies can be followed in all kinds of betting exchanges, but given Betfair's popularity, people are usually looking specifically for a Betfair strategy to apply in their betting or trading.

- **Hedging** involves placing bets on different outcomes of the same event to limit losses. For example, if a betting odds trader believes that a certain team will win a match, they might bet on that team to win. However, they might also place a smaller bet on the opposing team to win in case their original bet loses. This limits the potential loss and allows the sports betting odds trader to lock in a profit.
- **Swing trading** is a trading strategy where traders capitalize on larger price movements by holding positions for a longer period, often throughout the event. This requires predicting market trends and identifying when prices are likely to rise or fall.
- **Scalping** refers to the practice of placing multiple small bets on the same event in an attempt to make a small profit on each trade. Scalpers try to capitalize on small fluctuations in odds before and during the event and usually close their positions quickly. *This is the type of trading strategy I applied as an odds trader.*
- **Arbitrage** involves taking advantage of differences in odds between different sports betting online platforms. This can happen when an odds trader identifies that the odds on one platform are higher than on another for the same event. They can then place bets on both platforms, profiting from the difference in odds.

[The Ups and Downs of Arbitrage Betting and TradingArbitrage betting is an almost risk-free way of betting on sports. Arbitrage trading is likewise an almost risk-free way of trading any kind of financial instrument. Noticed the word “almost”? That is because you still stand to lose some money. And that is not the worst thing it can happen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betting-odds-arbitrage-betting.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/arbitrage-betting-trading/)

**Sports trading** can be applied in almost any sports market, even in financial and political betting or special bets, such as TV shows and music contests! While sports trading can be a way to make money, it is important to note that it also involves risk and requires a deep understanding of the sport and betting markets.

Many people make a living from sports trading, but many more lose money. It can be a high-risk venture. Successful traders are often more experienced and familiar with the nuances of sports and odds. They also employ advanced mathematical models to give them an edge.

## My career as a sports betting odds trader

Trading betting odds on an Internet browser in 2007

Personally, I went full-time sports trading in 2004 and quit in 2007\. During those years as a sports betting odds trader, I traded millions in horse racing markets and gained experience that helped me make a move to stock and [forex trading](https://www.tmgm.com/en/academy/trading-academy/what-is-forex-trading). 

> At the peak of my sports trading career, I traded 10+ million euros in a single month.

Read on to find out how I started as a sports betting odds trader, my bankroll requirements, my advice on money management, and tips on how to improve your predictions and how to use betting charts.

People very often ask me for advice on how to start sports trading. I now give them a link to this very article. If you read the lines below, **you will know**:

- how much money you need;
- how to apply money management, and;
- what to avoid in your first steps in sports trading.

Yet, you still need to **predict the market correctly** if you were to become a profitable sports betting odds trader. I tried to explain that by showing my trading style in numerous videos I uploaded on YouTube. The video that attracted the most viewers is this, so I guess it will appeal to you the most, as well.

### How I started in sports trading

I found betting exchanges in 2004.

I used to bet the regular way in online bookmakers till then, and like most, I initially found it challenging to understand what was going on in a betting exchange. Odds were moving up or down; money was waiting to be ‘matched,’ and we could act as bookmakers ourselves! Chaos drove me away in the beginning.

Little did I know I would return two weeks later and become a full-time sports betting odds trader!

That happened when I bumped into a video online where a sports betting odds trader explained how he was making money by trading horse racing betting odds. He bragged that **he rarely had a losing day!**

You know the saying: when something seems too good to be true, it’s because *it is*.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/sports-trading-profit.gif)

The power of sports trading: In January 2005 my trading volume reached €2.8 million with a bank of €3,000!

### How much money did I need as a beginner sports betting odds trader?

Adam Todd, the odds trader in question, made me spend considerable time on comprehending the betting exchange’s mechanics. Finally, after watching his video repeatedly, I pulled the plug and deposited my first 500 euros in **Betfair, the leading betting exchange at the time**.

> That was *the first and only deposit* I made in the betting exchange.

The kind of trading Adam showed, and I built my skills upon, is called **scalping**.

### What's the most important thing in scalping?

Scalping betting odds with third-party software in 2007

Scalping is trading minuscule odds movements, making small but constant profits. Imagine buying oranges for $2 and selling them for $2.04 ten seconds later. Yes, scalping is [**trading on steroids**](http://www.betstories.com/sports-trading-steroids/) (note: I wrote this on another website).

> You need *speed* for scalping. 

No, a 24Mbps internet connection does not guarantee the speed I am talking about. It’s the lowest ping you should be after.

Ever played a video game online and experienced lag? Those milliseconds that cost you a virtual ‘kill’ may mean hundreds of dollars in sports trading and scalping in particular.

Now comes the best part: **I began scalping with a 56Kbps dial-up internet connection**. 🤯 

Odds were refreshing every 2 seconds minimum. At times, I submitted orders and didn’t know what was happening for about 5 or 10 seconds! I'm talking about the dark ages. I feel like a dinosaur just by typing this!

### Making money every week as an odds trader

Even under those circumstances, I managed to **double my bankroll during the first month of sports trading**. Yet, it was apparent I was *handicapping* myself.

Upon installing a broadband internet connection a month later, my win rate skyrocketed. I *did* have losing days, but **I never had a losing month; m**uch like Adam. Skillful betting odds traders could actually make money in almost every horse race!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/sports-trading-no-loss.jpg)

My daily P&L after three months of sports trading every day

The best handicappers and sports bettors could not beat that. The best sports betting strategy can have days in the red. Sports trading was an entirely different beast.

## Sports trading mistakes to avoid as an odds trader

Losing money while trading sports betting odds

**Losing money when scalping** means you didn’t trade well. You made wrong predictions, chased your losses, or had a bad internet connection.

I cannot think of another reason to lose money.

No, the rule of “cutting your losses short and letting your winners run” does not apply in scalping. That’s because you always cut your losses short and seldom let winners run in scalping. Thus, if you do not cut your losses early on, you are not scalping but [*gambling*](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

- **Dire predictions:** In scalping, like in trading, *you make money when you correctly predict odds movements*. If you constantly trade in the wrong direction, you will be broke. In scalping, you suffer many small losses instead of scoring many small wins. By improving your predictions in scalping, you increase the win/lose ratio, not the money won/lost per trade. This means you will ultimately have many more winning trades, yet the net amount won per trade will remain about the same. I’ll explain later how I improved my predictions in horse racing and in pretty much any other market I traded.
- **Chasing your losses:** This is a lack of discipline. Being a scalper, sports trader, position trader, or investor, chasing your losses is one of the most significant leaks. This leak can and will bring any profitable trading strategy to its knees. Chasing losses is found in any form of gambling; therefore, if you catch yourself doing that, you are not ready yet for sports trading. Because of the high betting frequency in sports trading, your lack of discipline can have a devastating result in a much shorter time. Make sure you are not prone to tilting and losing your temper, before delving into sports trading.
- **Lousy internet connection:** This doesn’t need much explanation. If your internet goes down during a trading session, you are toast. You should have a backup plan in case of such an emergency, which usually includes a backup internet connection. That second connection does not need to be that fast, but it should be *reliable*. Its main and only goal is for you to close your open trades with that and exit the market.

In fact, there is another reason to lose money in sports trading before the horse race starts, but I needed a headline instead of a bulleted list to address it. That's because it's **the *worst* mistake** you can do as an odds trader!

### Never go in-play when sports trading

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/sports-trading-lost-money.jpg)

‘Unreal’ horse went on to win the race and left me with an open trade that cost me my entire bankroll. Pretty unreal, indeed!

Unless you were supposed to trade in-play, letting a trade open on the race’s official starting time is a recipe for disaster. But why would you do that in the first place?

1. You are losing more than you expected in the regular trading session and are looking to **gamble a bit to recoup your losses quickly**.
2. You are aiming for that ***one* tick to get out** of the market, but the odds seem to have come to a halt.
3. Races start at a specific time, which you missed. Although today’s trading software sets alarms on for you to avoid that error, you’d be surprised how often traders **neglect to keep an eye on their clock!**

Whatever the reason leading you to let a trade go in play, restrain yourself from doing it ever again! Accept your loss, take your one-tick-less profit, and move on to the next horse race. **Trading never ends**; the next opportunity is just a click away.

You have no excuse to put your bankroll in such a high-risk environment.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/badrace.gif)

Even if you trade in-play, you must still be disciplined enough to trade out with a hefty loss.

In-play sports trading demands a different approach and certainly puts you at a *severe disadvantage* when you are risking 50% or 100% of your trading capital! And speaking of capital, let’s say a few words about **money management**.

## How much money do you need as a sports betting odds trader?

Sports trading on Mozilla Firefox

As little as possible! Since you are reading this, I assume you are, at best, an amateur in sports trading. Therefore, you should **invest the minimum amount of money** until you become familiar with sports trading. Why?

Because, as they say, you will lose that money – consider it tuition towards your trading studies to become an odds trader. So, why spend much when a few hundred dollars can teach you the *same* lessons?

I myself began with just 500 euros, although I had studied financial trading and chart analysis. I had proven myself that I was disciplined enough in gambling, as well. 

> What makes you think you will win from Day One without ever reading a trading book?

Remember that practice beats every book, but you do need some background to get your feet off the ground.

After allocating a specific amount of money for your trading endeavors, **you should manage that money properly**. 

How to do that? Jump over to [**my sports trading’s money management article**](https://jimmakos.com/money-management-betfair-trading/). Then come back.

Did you read that?

Ok, now you know perfectly well what I did in order to become a successful sports betting odds trader and get interviewed by popular sports websites. In fact, [**this particular interview of mine**](http://sportstradinglife.com/2011/11/jim-makos-how-i-made-e100k-from-betfair-trading/) has become quite popular, and you can find more details of my sports odds trading career in that post.

A career that *ended* in 2007\. But that doesn't mean other sports odds traders stopped making money.

[Does your Trading Strategy Work in Horse Racing Markets?Why have I given up trading the horse racing markets at Betfair? Simple. My trading strategy is no longer profitable for me and here is the proof!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/winning-horse-racing-trading-betfair--1-.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/does-your-trading-strategy-work-horse-racing-markets/)

## The Curse of a Professional Gambler

Gambling and investing usually present themselves with many money-making opportunities. Unfortunately, those **opportunities do not seem to last for long**.

> When the word gets out and more fishermen join the pod, fish become extinct. 

The edge is severely affected, and sometimes the market has balanced itself so much that there’s no edge at all anymore! On the other hand, old betting strategies fail while new ones prosper!

That’s what happened in my sports trading.

More traders with fast internet connections joined the party, more astute bettors converted to traders, and more sophisticated [sports trading strategies](https://jimmakos.com/does-your-trading-strategy-work-horse-racing-markets/) emerged to beat the old-fashioned ones. I had to evolve, much like I evolved after casinos barred me from playing blackjack ([due to me card counting](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/)).

And that is the curse of a professional gambler: 

> ***Adapt or die.***

I adapted by taking a look at another opportunity emerging at those times. That opportunity would allow me to go back to playing cards again. [**I became a full-time poker player.**](https://jimmakos.com/poker/)

✍️

Check out what I recently wrote about sports trading [here](https://jimmakos.com/tag/sports-trading/).

## SPORTS TRADING TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Technical analysis on sports betting odds charts

In my opinion, you stand a better chance if you study stock markets and technical analysis (here’s my advice on [**how to move from sports trading to stock trading**](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/sports-to-stock-trading/)). You’ll better comprehend market depth’s behavior and be able to pick better spots to back or lay after learning chart analysis. With that in mind, here are some resources I strongly recommend you spend some time on.

Don’t forget that **any form of trading is a psychological battle between supply and demand**.

When analyzing market movements in sports trading, using a reliable sports betting platform such as [BetUS](https://www.betus.com.pa/) can make it easier to identify value opportunities and manage odds effectively.

Now, for the tools that helped me make money and bankroll the business, I'm running 20 years later!

### Sports trading software and tools

In modern sports trading, sophisticated and advanced sports trading software is necessary. Otherwise, competition will always be a step ahead. This software offers chart analysis, instant order placement, and [**greening-up functionality**](https://jimmakos.com/always-green-up-betfair-but-why/)**,** to name just a few of their advantages.

Before you decide which software you will use in sports trading, make sure you time-trial it. Also, do not be afraid to share your credentials with officially approved sports trading software vendors and avoid sketchy ones.

The following list includes **software I have personally tried** and used over the years.

💡

**By clicking on the affiliate links, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

- [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/): The software that sits between you and the betting exchange. Not only does it contain very advanced, state-of-the-art, trading tools, but it’s a suite of advanced betting tools as well.
- BetExplorer: The latest odds movements from almost every online sportsbook worldwide.
- OddsChecker: Drifters and steamers in every betting market available online.
- ***OddsArchive*** \[not working as of 2023\]: Charts of PinnacleSports’ odds movements.
### 2022 Review
URL: https://jimmakos.com/2022-review/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:37:36.000Z
Health over wealth over relationships.

2022 has been a great reminder for me of why health is more important than wealth (and, after that, relationships). Because, despite becoming wealthier in 2022, I wish I'd become healthier. Since I didn't; or did I? 

I'm a bit torn, as I've now got a stomach pushing through my throat, yet at the same time, I got a lot thinner. But let's take things from the beginning.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/12/jim-makos-glasses-podcast.jpg)

2022 was the year I wore trifocal glasses, and we silently launched a Greek podcast with a friend.

## How my Business Performed in 2022

Not surprisingly, my web business did quite well. That’s what happens when you invest time and money in an endeavor. It grows. It expands.

So, first, I spent twice as much to buy content. More content means a bigger chance to rank for more keywords on Google. Better ranking results mean more traffic or *higher-quality traffic*. Which means more expensive clicks on advertisements, thus more revenue.

Revenue grew 37.7% YoY (Year-over-Year). **2022 was my web business' best year.** Admittedly it wasn’t just traffic; advertisers paid more as businesses reopened and increased their ad budgets to pre-COVID levels. Or that's what I think happened because traffic stayed put!

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How My Free Bets Strategy Turns Risk-Free Wagers into Profit
URL: https://jimmakos.com/free-bets-strategy/
Last updated: 2025-09-15T16:51:32.000Z
Many bookmakers offer free bets as an incentive to keep you entertained and from leaving the sportsbook. Like online social networks, these platforms need active participants to operate for profit. A good customer is a gambler that keeps on betting. The more you gamble, the more money will end up in the bookmaker's pockets.

Yet, free bets are the only gambling activity where you don't stand to lose money. But what about *winning money*? What's the best way to take advantage of your free bets?

Today, we'll discuss how to make the most out of your free bets. No, it's not just by picking long shots hoping to score a big win for free!

## A little history of my betting background

I used to [make a living off betting](https://jimmakos.com/gambler-vs-entrepreneur/) for three years by predicting how betting odds would move. If odds dropped from 2.00 to 1.90 (those are decimal odds by the way) and I happened to foresaw that, I would go on making money before the event started. [That's called sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), and it's been 15 years since I last did that. I quit because I could no longer beat the game, but not before I built a large enough bankroll.

Fast forward ten years, and I stumbled upon a website called [FiveThirtyEight](https://fivethirtyeight.com/) that calculated probabilities for various events, sports included. I thought, let's find out how accurate their model is.

So I devised a *simple* betting strategy that looked for bets with positive expectancy (i.e., +EV) based on their calculations. Nothing fancy; it's not really rocket science. It's simple multiplications.

The World Cup was taking place at that time, which proved a great introduction [to documenting my strategy on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosCom/posts/pfbid0kyMx8JaWXQwvusX23doV7FEPojSo7GH3qL4vYfXL5Zz9XGXEv4rBc4Qbs5CpFoEwl?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZW8vQ3l5AD-vMlHnf2g0lJrCQAiZHxbTzkipVBYHtcFl2RjEFJQsXmcBSGdOxdGTfX6otPIc92zMk5BbGOqZBn89NyYLNitkccR5ULPL6i5K3LhCyYGaV7oL0ok7LNmDQg&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=%2CO%2CP-R).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/world-cup-538-chart.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/world-cup-538-bets.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/world-cup-538-picks-pnl.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/world-cup-538-value.jpg)

Given the strategy's brief success, I decided to continue and began betting on football leagues worldwide. Unfortunately, the results were below par, and I quit following the strategy shortly after. Besides, I no longer considered myself an advantage player, having moved to [web publishing to make a living](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/). Yet, [I shared some of my findings](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosCom/posts/pfbid0QRSeCPQEJB3ECkJCiuXpa8Lr1ZBTZGvDgTAj3iPq1Bd4jgGbbAiuLoWmrcfbFAyul?%5F%5Fcft%5F%5F[0]=AZUeZ-e3niaGqUiNnKf4NAFdZPR9U2R%5FCj2C8vzWuF8xsaiKOPDf4DTYZq1k3%5FjylxgvvtcGIDX0UH0cJsmf6fFxlK2LhqgLz9lBO7Vcz-3TBTpjbctGZhquzspGAylWGnA&%5F%5Ftn%5F%5F=%2CO%2CP-R) before throwing the towel to anyone wanting to test the waters.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/world-cup-538-clubs.jpg)

## How I ended up with free bets in my account

Since then, I have rarely placed bets. Gambling for a living and taking enormous risks no longer fit my age. But if I read something, I may make a fun bet. That's how I ended up betting on the Formula 1 Austrian GP last weekend, which also led me to bet on the Wimbledon final match.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/F1-Austrian-GP-Wimbledon-bets.png)

I rarely miss a Formula 1 race, and when I do, I watch [the qualifying and race highlights on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/c/F1). That's where I read a specific comment last Saturday that fancied the Haas drivers ending in the top 6 in Sunday's race after the Sprint race was complete. F1 fans have certainly noticed Magnussen's and Schumacher's improving performance in recent races. Coupled with the punters' typical behavior of [cheering for the underdogs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favourite-longshot%5Fbias), I decided to gamble a bit.

My local bookmaker offered a free bet if I wagered €20 on the F1 event. While placing the bets, I noticed it offered another free bet, this time on the Wimbledon final. That's how I ended up betting on Djokovic and Kyrgios battling out in more than 39.5 games, as I was predicting a close fight.

And this is how, at the time of writing these lines, I have two €10 free bets.

## Why you should risk your free bets on longshots

Given my background [as an advantage player](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/advantage-gambler/), I spent a few minutes thinking of how to maximize my EV on a free bet. I'm not used to having free bets, as I never depended on those to [become profitable in gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). But since I had them, I wanted to play properly. And by properly, I mean **mathematically correct**.

Surfing around the internet, a couple of websites recommend always using the free bets on *long odds* since **you only get paid the winnings**. There's no return of your free bet, meaning if you bet €10 on 2.00 odds, your account increases by 10, not by 20.

While betting on longshots increases your variance (obviously, you're going to win a lot more often if you bet on 1.50 odds compared to 15.0!), it still made sense to avoid short odds since you don't stand to lose money. But I wanted to dig a bit deeper and make my calculations.

Let's start.

Say there's an event that pays 1.25, and *somehow* we know that its true probability of happening is 80%. While it's not a bet with a positive or negative expectancy (given 1.25 multiplied by 0.80 equals 1, thus no value) in normal betting, it's +EV because we don't lose money. That's because:

80% \* 0.25 - 20% \* 0 = 0.2

So, ANY event we place a free bet on, it's a +EV bet; thus, a winning bet in the long run. Even if you bet on very short odds, it's a correct play. In my example, 80% of the time we win 0.25\*stake, and 20% we lose nothing.

Let's see what happens with preferring long odds when placing free bets.

Say another event pays 10.0 times your free bet, and somehow miraculously, we know its actual probability is 10%, making it a fair play again (0.10 \* 10 = 1). But here's the calculation due to the free bet condition:

10% \* 9 - 90% \* 0 = 0.9

The result is that not only does betting on long odds have a positive expectancy, but **it's also more profitable than betting on short odds**, confirming the prevailing notion.

Now that I confirmed I need to find long odds, I need to answer another question: do I blindly bet on anything more than 10.0, or is there a *better* way?

## Maximizing the potential of free bets

Did you notice the main assumption in the previous section? I assumed we knew the actual probability of an event taking place. So, we need a way to find those probabilities in the first place.

Note that this is the bread and butter of [every betting strategy](https://www.betstories.com/2015/11/16/make-sure-your-betting-system-is-a-winner/).

Since I already knew where to find some probabilistic calculations on sports events, I thought of maximizing my profit by betting on theoretically +EV long odds. And this principle applies equally when betting on tennis, especially in slower surface matches where historical serve/return metrics create exploitable edges.

Remember, these probabilities haven't been proven to accurately calculate the actual probability of the events. For what it's worth, my old strategy proved the exact opposite. Yet, perhaps their margin of error is not that significant, making bets with large positive expectancy more promising.

The first pick that stood out in my 20-minute analysis was Sundsvall. With odds at 7.00 and theoretical probability at 25%, it's a strong +EV bet even without the free bet. But given the free bet scenario, I calculate:

25% \* 6 - 75% \* 0 = 1.5

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/free-bets-sunsdvall-probabilityt.png)

Betting probabilities for the Swedish League (Source: [FiveThirtyEight](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/matches/))

In theory, betting on Sundsvall at 7.0 is much more profitable than randomly betting on a 10.0 chance! My €10 free bet will theoretically net me €15 in the long run.

Then I found two more picks that returned a positive expected value.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/free-bets-probability.png)

Betting probabilities for the Japanese and Norwegian leagues (Source: [FiveThirtyEight](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/matches/))

Although I'm a firm believer in betting on singles, I opted for a parlay with these two to take advantage of the value found on both picks (*theoretically*, as always). If we assume there's value in both selections, adding them in a parlay multiplies our edge, much like a bookmaker's edge is multiplied when we add -EV bets in a parlay. In fact, that's the very reason I'm against a parlay for all recreational gamblers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/07/free-bets-ev-sports-picks.png)

### Hedging My Free Bets

One way to squeeze even more value out of free bets is by hedging.

Instead of letting the entire outcome ride on one long shot, I can place my free bet on the underdog (where the upside is highest) and then use cash stakes on the other outcomes to balance my risk. Done correctly, this can turn a volatile, all-or-nothing free bet into a guaranteed profit regardless of the result.

Of course, hedging comes at the cost of excitement — you’re trading the chance of a huge win for a safer, smaller but consistent return. Still, for those looking to treat free bets as tools rather than lottery tickets, hedging can be a smart play.

I recently applied this approach [during the Eurobasket final](https://jimmakos.com/how-the-eurobasket-final-bet-i-lost-paid-off-long-term/). 

**In conclusion:**

- Always bet what you can afford to lose; stay responsible with your finances
- Pick long odds when placing free bets
- Estimate a probability for any event before looking to betting odds to find bets with positive expectancy
- Make your free bet picks based on EV, rather than blindly betting on random long shots
- Use hedging to lock in profits when possible, especially if you value consistency over chasing a big score
- And [never cash out](https://www.betstories.com/2014/08/12/cash-out/)!
### Investing in Microstrategy and Amazon stock
URL: https://jimmakos.com/investing-in-microstrategy-and-amazon-stock/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:38:22.000Z
I have been a happy Amazon customer for years. I've come to appreciate the lighting deals, the instant refunds should a product be missing from my package, and getting my hands on my purchase the next day, thanks to the express delivery.

So it was time to become an Amazon shareholder. Hopefully, *a happy one*, as well!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/investing-in-microstrategy-and-amazon-stock-tradingview-revolut.jpg)

I use [Revolut](https://jmks.co/revolut) for buying stocks

### Buying Amazon shares on the stock-split day

Amazon did a 20-for-1 stock split on Monday, which meant you could become an Amazon shareholder for $125/share instead of $2,500\. Surely you could still buy a fraction of a share and not wait for a stock split, which was not an option a few years back.

As a degenerate gambler that hates non-round numbers, though, I didn't particularly appreciate owning, let's say, 0.2 AMZN shares. Thus, the stock split led me to invest in Amazon, acquiring tiny equity in the company instead of mindlessly going on a shopping spree to purchase [more filmmaking gear](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/investing-in-microstrategy-and-amazon-stock-revolut.jpg)

### Why did I buy Amazon shares?

A few reasons led me to add Amazon to my stock portfolio:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Why relocation to Greek islands is a wonderful blessing in disguise
URL: https://jimmakos.com/relocation-to-greek-islands/
Last updated: 2024-02-15T04:08:22.000Z
Skyros is an island in Central Greece where my family has our summer house. Greek islands are a popular tourist destination in summertime, but they are mostly forgotten in all other seasons. That's a shame, really. If you enjoy solitude and quietness, they are perfect retreats. And that's something I was reminded of this spring.

We spent two weeks on Skyros island during the Easter holidays in 2022\. It's been three years since we last visited the island at this time of year due to COVID-19\. I honestly had forgotten how beautiful the island is during springtime. Not only was nature at it its best, but people were hard to come by. There were times when I drove my car around and didn't come across a single vehicle.

I could hardly contain my excitement, which is pretty evident as I documented our time on the Greek island this year.

## Relocation is a big, life-changing decision

It's not the first time we contemplated moving and relocating to the island. Relocation sounds like an enormous task for a guy who has lived 40 years in the same city. Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about it as I watched every sunrise.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-03269.jpg)

Will we do it? Probably not, as I go through most of our worries in the video above. But it's nice to know there's a different path I could have taken.

Life is full of minor decisions we make every day and a few big ones we overthink. We'll inevitably regret the bad ones. I also find myself not appreciating and even ignoring the good ones. Maybe you, too.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-.jpg)

Skyros hora looks best in springtime

## Focus on good decisions, avoid regrets

There's something worse than a wrong decision, though. It's the "what-ifs."

- What if [I didn't buy an expensive car](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/unhappy-in-life/) in my twenties?
- What if I didn't blow $100K trading stocks?
- What if [I had begun investing](https://jimmakos.com/2020/12/saving-investing-money-in-2020/) much earlier?
- What if I didn't start a family?
- What if I relocated to an island?

You see, those are questionable decisions. They are decisions that deep in our head we think might have been mediocre decisions at best, or we would have ended up better if we hadn't made them. But we either didn't have a choice, weren't disciplined enough, or got overwhelmed by their short-term rewards and benefits.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-03286-1.jpg)

Much better than watching Netflix

For example, I didn't tell you, "what if I got my degree" because I know that dropping out of the university was a good decision. At least for my standards. I believe that decision made me happier, which is always how you should gauge a decision.

But I'd likely have retired by now if I had been more cautious with my money when I was younger. It wasn't such a bad decision to indulge myself with a roadster, but I believe I would appreciate saving that money nowadays. Still, if I met my younger self today, I know I wouldn't convince myself to act any different. Ah, the youth.

Can I meet my younger self? No. Do you know what else isn't possible? Turning back time. So, there's no point in regretting decisions.

Yes, we made a bad call. We'll live with that. Carry on. Learn from a bad decision. Make better calls. Don't bring yourself down; nothing of all that will matter on the death bed.

At least good calls make us feel better. Focus on them.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-0648.jpg)

At my happy place

## Making relocation decisions based on facts

Relocating to a Greek island is a long-lasting decision. I should avoid being conned by the short-term benefits while digging another hole for myself. Because I know, in the long run, it's a wrong decision.

At least under current circumstances. And that's another mistake we make. We need to make decisions based on the present, actual situation.

I often ask myself: If I had been this, I would... If I had done that, I would... If... STOP!

Even worse than what-ifs is when we build an imaginary self in a fictional world. The moment I start a sentence with an if, I force myself to stop thinking about it.

What's the point of thinking of a decision that doesn't apply to real life?

*"If I were single, I would relocate."* Well, genius, I am not, and besides, I wouldn't have a summer house on a Greek island as a single man in the first place! I just wasted 2 minutes of my life making that thought. Get back to reality, Jim!

You know what's real? This.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-300819.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-03000.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-300826.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-03242.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-908495.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-03256.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-300468.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2022/06/jim-makos-908238.jpg)
### February Portfolio Update: No Pain, No Gain
URL: https://jimmakos.com/feb22-portfolio-update/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:38:33.000Z
Another late letter from me. This time during very uncertain times in Europe.

As I'm far from the foreign policy expert here, I'll stick to what I know. And that is how we should manage our wealth properly as long as the world continues spinning around.

This 27-day late update on my January finances follows the pattern I introduced in [the first letter of the series](https://jimmakos.com/2021/11/net-worth-breakdown/), despite me expressing my will to change its structure last month. Family and business hasn't allowed me to spend enough time to restructure the layout for the time being.

Thus, we'll start off with my net worth performance breakdown, followed by stock and crypto performance, along with nuggets of knowledge I picked up throughout the month of January. Hopefully you'll learn a few things and at the very least, keep your brain occupied away from the current worrying events.

Let's go.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Investing in Paypal
URL: https://jimmakos.com/paypal/
Last updated: 2022-02-16T16:16:30.000Z
Paypal has been on my investing watchlist for quite some time. I've been using its service for more than a decade. It's all about internet money and was founded by prominent people (Musk, Thiel), although they're no longer officially involved.

Those are just a few reasons I was looking to invest in Paypal; more are below.

I just needed a fire sale to enter my order.

> \-25% \*\*\* 😬😬 [pic.twitter.com/06dl5GnSBl](https://t.co/06dl5GnSBl)
> 
> — TradingView (@tradingview) [February 2, 2022](https://twitter.com/tradingview/status/1488885831494369280?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### January Portfolio Update: Inflation, Dividends and Staking Rewards
URL: https://jimmakos.com/jan22-portfolio-update/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:38:45.000Z
Let's address the elephant in the room. Yes, I'm awfully, awfully late for this letter. It should have gone straight to your inbox a month ago. But things kept coming up and I kept telling myself that I'd write it in the next weekend. And then the next. And the next.

Depression is a bitch. 

So while I'm feeling great this Sunday morning, sort of unexpectedly, I've taken the chance to finally let you know how I did in December and fill you in with the details of my investing decisions.

Also, I meant to share my budgeting strategy this month. The time was perfect as we were heading into a new year. I see a LOT of people, not even budgeting, and I believe it's a huge mistake. Thus, I have another letter in the works of how I'm budgeting both for my company and family. Of course, that got hugely delayed as well.

Done is better than perfect, they say. And I haven't even started.

Anyhow, let's begin. This time I'll start by spilling the beans about my finances and mix it up with relevant news in-between. I guess it will make for a more enjoyable read. I had a lot of ambitious plans for this letter, but for now, this will do.

## Net Worth

As [I'm 90% exposed to the cryptocurrency market](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1477709959307702274), my total net worth took a hit in December as the crypto market shrank.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### December Portfolio Update: Coins to Avoid and New Moon Bags
URL: https://jimmakos.com/dec21-portfolio-update/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:38:52.000Z
This month's portfolio update is overdue as [my family was tested positive for COVID-19](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1467766571972104192) and quarantined since the beginning of December. As a work-from-home dad, it's always a struggle to get any job done with two more people lying around the house 24/7\. 

But, that's enough with excuses.

In [my last monthly report](https://jimmakos.com/2021/11/net-worth-breakdown/), which happened to be the first, I began by introducing you to my paid newsletter. I explained why there's a paywall to these articles and what you should expect from these letters. In effect, I sold the project.

This time I won't waste my subscribers' time and go straight to the meat.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Investing in Crypto Music (AUDIUS Coin)
URL: https://jimmakos.com/audius-coin/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:39:03.000Z
Music, makes the people come together...

Since the beginning, music has been part of human evolution. From birds singing and tribal dancing, to ballet classics and streaming. As humans take their next step into evolution after the internet, music is once again present.

The crypto market has been exceptionally inviting to artists and creators. NFTs have been the main driver for attracting all kinds of creativity into the crypto world. But what if I want to diversify my crypto portfolio and want to invest in creative projects, much like I do in DeFi, IoT, or [Metaverse sectors](https://jimmakos.com/2021/10/mana-coin/)?

Audius streaming platform's crypto coin, AUDIO, is the top cryptocurrency in market cap when it comes to crypto's Music category.

![audius-music-crypto-category](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/11/audius-music-crypto-category-1.png)

That placed the coin under my radar but it wasn't until I heard a few crypto millionaires ([Kyle](https://twitter.com/kylesamani) stands out) talk about it, that I decided to risk my 1% of [my crypto portfolio](https://jimmakos.com/2021/11/net-worth-breakdown/) on AUDIO. And that happened yesterday.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Net Worth Breakdown and Portfolio Overview
URL: https://jimmakos.com/net-worth-breakdown/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:18:27.000Z
What a great day to start sharing with the world all that stuff I meant to share for years! It's Monday, the start of the week. It's also the first of November, the very first day of the month. This *feels* like the first day of the rest of my life.

Ever wondered:

- How much do I invest in Bitcoin?
- What stocks do I hold?
- What I'll be investing in next?
- Who I'm betting to win the next US Presidential election?

These letters will share all this information and more.

This is not a tipping service. Nor is it financial advice. It's a transparent view into the management of my personal finances.

But it's not for the onlookers. It's actionable content. And it doesn't come for free.

## Why these letters are behind a paywall?

I have never asked for money before on this blog. As I mentioned on [my welcome page](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/), I never sold my audience *anything* since I launched my website in 2005\. Until now.

For years I'd been reading that I should create a product and sell it online if I wanted to build on my brand and monetize it. That product can be anything, from e-commerce to a digital e-book. Nothing seemed to fit my personality, though. I didn't feel like coaching, tutoring, or selling t-shirts with my logo on them. Perhaps only my mum would buy one of those.

Then [I found the Ghost platform](https://jimmakos.com/ghost-better-than-wordpress/), a content management system that is tailored towards independently publishing a newsletter. And **making money** out of it!

I like writing. I like creating. And I also believe I have *some* expertise that may be helpful for people. The newsletter would allow me to combine and monetize all that.

Monetary reward is only half of the benefits I'll enjoy. Personally, writing these letters will help me fight depression and give me back the enthusiasm to get up early in the morning that I have missed so much, ever since I quit gambling.

### What you are paying for?

You are paying neither for my writing skills nor for my creativity. You are paying for learning from my 20-year experience in risking money to make money and making a living as a [solo entrepreneur](https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship/). But you are *also* paying for the countless hours I spend daily uncovering information, whether that is freely available online (blogs, news, Twitter, YouTube, forums, etc.) or behind a paywall such as private chat groups, books, or paid newsletters.

Uncovering this knowledge cost both time and money. Finding reputable and reliable resources online is a skill nowadays with so much noise on the internet. In fact, one thing I noticed is how few people *actually* know how to search efficiently on Google!

Finally, having a paywall cuts out those people who will likely not see the benefit of these letters, nor would ever take action and are simply looking to share negativity around and bring other people down with them. Besides, I will keep sending free letters to all subscribers. It's these personal finance ones that will be kept behind the paywall for anyone serious about investing. 

So, after months of overthinking my plan, I finally decided to cut myself some slack, get out of my slump, and get started. 

## What I'll cover - what's in it for you

First and foremost, I'm sharing all of my net worth in terms of percentages. It seems to have worked great for other publishers. And in all honesty, neither of us will be benefited from me sharing EUR or USD numbers. Rich people calculate their net worth in percentages and allocate their assets accordingly. Why not us?

So, you get to see how I'm managing my wealth and assets and maybe get inspired to manage yours accordingly. Everyone's net worth is different. By finding out how I'm allocating my net worth will make some of you calculate your net worth for the first time and realize how risk-averse you are. Or confirm what an awesome job you've been doing!

It's impossible to relate with all of you. A few will be ahead of the curve and others will be behind. But everyone makes mistakes. And if we don't learn from them, they are made in vain.

> A mistake repeated more than once is a decision.

You also get notified of assets I'm putting my money in and my investing plan. In fact, the first article behind the paywall has been [my investment in MANA crypto coin](https://jimmakos.com/mana-coin/) I published silently (as I'm doing with this very article; I won't be alerting my free newsletter subscribers or followers on social media just yet). I have to build some backlog of paid content before I let the world know I launched a paid newsletter. 

Who on their right mind would subscribe based on promises without proof of work?

I didn't begin investing yesterday, though. Don't worry. As I am just getting started on this new online endeavor, I'll be writing about all of my open positions in good time. And that is my plan for each of those.

Obviously, some investments will turn up losers. You get to see my overall performance in the most transparent way. Hopefully, I won't go bankrupt. But even if I do, it will be a big mistake that everyone can learn from.

**We are not here to make comparisons.** Happiness is found then you stop comparing yourself to other people. You may be a better investor, you may be a worse one. The point is to acquire knowledge and take action on that knowledge. 

What's the point of knowing everything if we are couch potatoes all day long?

For inexperienced readers, you can simply copy and paste my moves. But you also get answers to your questions, which I believe far outweigh the benefits of copying me.

For instance, many friends in real life keep asking me the same question: sure, the crypto market is gaining, but *when* should we sell? **And how much?**

Quite probably you're wondering the same things. And I'm not here to tell you I know all the answers. I'm not the expert you'd expect to guide you to riches. I'm simply one of you who gets to share his [journey to financial freedom](https://jimmakos.com/financial-freedom-project/). But having turned a few hundred dollars into six figures in the past has gained me valuable experience that distinguishes me from the pack.

Moving forward, my plan for you as a paying subscriber is to receive:

- A new letter at the start of each month, discussing my portfolio's performance and any worth-noting information of the past month. Also, what I'll be looking for next month. This is the main product of my newsletter and will likely be as long as this article.
- A letter every time I invest or talk about a new coin, stock, or an emergency change in portfolio's allocation.
- Exclusive letters discussing details of new projects, strategies and plans I use to manage my wealth.
- Letters that are delivered to all subscribers of my free newsletter.
- Publicly available new content that I publish on my blog.

Without further ado, let's dive into the numbers. We have lots of ground to cover.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Investing in Metaverse (MANA coin)
URL: https://jimmakos.com/mana-coin/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:40:10.000Z
**October 27** \- I bought $MANA for 1% of [my crypto portfolio](https://jimmakos.com/2021/11/net-worth-breakdown/) today, as that’s the amount I *usually* go for when investing in an altcoin. Here are my reasons for my investment and my long-term plan for Decentraland’s coin.

*Note: This post was written three days after I went long MANA, simply because I was still overthinking if I would go ahead with my plan to launch a paid version of my* [*Letters*](https://jimmakos.com/tag/letters/)*. Take this as you like. Honesty wins. This means that some charts were captured after the fact. So, this is the article that started it all.*

## Why MANA was on my watchlist

My watchlist includes many coins, one of which has been Decentraland:

1. MANA has been No.2 in terms of market cap among [the metaverse coins](https://www.coingecko.com/en/categories/metaverse). If I’m going to invest in the metaverse section of the crypto market, the coins I’m looking at first are those of the biggest market capitalization.
2. I had played around with the coin back when I was a degenerate crypto trader; meaning I was pretty familiar with the coin and its price action.
3. MANA has also been trading at a support level for quite some time. And when I’m looking to buy a coin, I usually buy at a level when there is evidence there’s buying power now or in the past. If it were hitting new highs, I would move on. FOMO is a dangerous beast.

## Why did I pull the trigger?

I woke up at 3 am. I often wake up way early and into the night. I enjoy solitude and silence the most and having a family these two are rarely found during the day, especially when working from home.

I loaded up the charts on TradingView and checked my watchlist. MANA stood out.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Why Ghost is better than WordPress after all
URL: https://jimmakos.com/ghost-better-than-wordpress/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:21:31.000Z
One year ago [I moved my blog from WordPress to Ghost (Pro)](https://jimmakos.com/2020/10/first-impressions-after-migrating-to-ghost-from-wordpress/) for the first time. This weekend I decided to move back to my old WordPress setup. The move lasted only an hour, as I went *happily* back to Ghost. Here's why.

First, I need to share why I wanted to leave Ghost in the first place.

*Note: Everything I say here about Ghost refers to the managed Ghost (Pro) setup and not necessarily for self-hosted Ghost blogs.*

## What I don't like about the Ghost Content Management System (CMS)

There are 3 things I hated about Ghost (Pro):

**1) Ghost is expensive**: I paid $36 every month for running my blog on the Ghost (Pro) system. That's over $400/year for a blog that doesn't generate revenue. Compared to regular blog hosting setups that cost about $100/year, that felt steep. I understand that I'm expected to monetize my mailing list and make back that money (I recall that every subscriber is worth $1 per issue), which Ghost handles very well. At this point though, my focus is on building an audience, rather than asking for money. Hence why I haven't activated the paid version of my newsletter - other than the fact I don't have anything special to offer. Yet.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/ghost-pro-payment.png)

Running a publication on Ghost (Pro) isn't cheap

**2) Ghost is slow**: Wait, hear me out. I know Ghost is advertised as one of the most efficient blog management systems out there. But my blog when running on Ghost had a subpar performance compared to my highly optimized [WP Engine-powered](https://jmks.co/wpengine) WordPress blog. Notice the numbers in orange and red below. But more on that, later, when I share more on my findings.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/2021-07-18_09-52-12b.png)

My blog's web vitals according to GTMetrix didn't look pretty

**3) Ghost has a steep learning curve**: I'm not an expert in web development. I'd call myself a proficient web publisher. I know how to handle PHP, CSS and HTML code, but that's where my proficiency ends. I never spent too much time learning Javascript and other web coding languages. I may have learned [Quick Basic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickBASIC) before I turned 10, but as I got older, I got used to learning the bare minimum to get the job done. And as such, at 42, I struggled with updating Ghost files. Although I loved its workflow like editing files offline, I found it difficult to execute on any designing idea. Maybe I am too proficient with WordPress workflow; the fact is working on Ghost layout was cumbersome for me.

So in July, I decided to ditch Ghost and go back to my original managed WordPress blog.

**The one thing I'd miss?** Building a mailing list and sending my articles to my subscribers. But I convinced myself it'd be a small price to pay for going back to a system I was very familiar with.

It turns out it wasn't!

## Managing a mailing list while running a WordPress blog

Previously, when my blog was running on WordPress, **I started a mailing list on Revue**. The platform was very easy to use, everything was done via sliders and buttons and I could even turn my newsletters into a paying gig if I ever wanted. Compiling and sending a newsletter was very trouble-free.

Don't get me started on sending newsletters via WordPress! I don't want to run a million plugins on my blog, and neither should you. Apart from your blog's speed likely taking a hit by running a bunch of stuff on your server, these plugins are mostly a hit-and-miss. And once you find a perfect one, you'll run into a few problems in a few months. Or you'll want to replace it with another, new, better alternative.

Guess what! You then have to spend considerable time and effort to convert from one plugin to another. Not to mention, learn the quirks of your new plugin.

It's common practice to use native solutions. Simple is always better. The more additional tools your blog is running, the more trouble you are looking for.

Even creating a subscription button in WordPress proved a tiresome task.

> My alternative is sending my newsletter via [@revue](https://twitter.com/revue?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) (have tried GetResponse and Aweber before) and:  
>  
> 1\. Get emails via a form by [@SumoMe](https://twitter.com/SumoMe?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) or [@ThriveThemes](https://twitter.com/ThriveThemes?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) Leads plugin, then run a [@zapier](https://twitter.com/zapier?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) to Revue  
> 2\. Link to Revue for all opt-in mail options, avoiding forms.  
>  
> Simplicity is key.
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [May 21, 2020](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1263552544107892736?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

That's why I ended up going with another platform taking care of my newsletter altogether.

## Running a newsletter on Revue was fine except for one thing

While everything was working well with Revue, I began having my doubts. Once I had sent five letters to my new, growing list, I noticed this: **my newsletters were in fact public posts!**

Every letter I had sent to my subscribers was actually an article on my Revue profile page. At the end of the day, I was *blogging* on another platform. A platform that I had no control over it!

If was going to write more blog posts, I'd very much like to do so on my *own* blog, thank you very much!

Thus, I really loved Ghost's *native* functionality on that aspect, as I get to decide if my next post will be sent to my subscribers, while it will also be accessed as a regular post on my blog.

That was my feedback when Revue asked me politely why I was leaving the platform.

A few weeks later, I was happy to hear that [Twitter had acquired the platform](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-26/twitter-acquires-newsletter-startup-revue-to-expand-business), as it was truly the most straightforward solution I had come by when it comes to building a mailing list; and believe me, I've tried a lot of them. I'm sure Twitter will benefit from having Revue's team on board.

## Moving Back to WordPress

So at this point, I had quit using Revue for my newsletter and had been sending my letters/articles via my Ghost blog. My old WordPress blog had remained idle for a year, so I had to update the WordPress core system and plugins. Then I added the new articles there and directed my domain's DNS records to my old address.

And that was it! It was really that simple. Of course, having never deleted my old layout helped a lot!

My blog's [core web vitals](https://web.dev/vitals/) were looking fine and loading times seemed normal. Just as I used to remember them since a year ago.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/wordpress-gtmetrix-core-web-vitals-stats.png)

Blog running on WordPress returned top values on GTmetrtix

Given my Ghost subscription wouldn't end before August, I decided to spend some time trying out a few things before pulling the plug from my year-old Ghost blog. Time well spent, apparently.

## Experiments and Revelations with the Ghost themes 

I shared in the beginning how bad web vitals were looking for my Ghost blog. Now, once I had moved my operational blog away, I could experiment as I saw fit. First, I thought of giving my favorite theme on Ghost another try. The one that was already loading, albeit with a few tweaks I'd made. I downloaded the original version and activated it, replacing the older one.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/Ghost-Pro-core-web-vitals-gtmetrix.png)

What?!

The very same blog I was running two hours later, the blog that returned a 62% performance score and loaded in more than 2 seconds, now scored all green stats! Just by re-installing the theme, I was previously running, just without my own changes in the code!

Remember when I told you I'm not an expert in [web development](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/)? Well, here's the proof!

Apparently, I did something very very wrong in the theme design all this time that had lowered the blog's loading times. All of a sudden, my main reason for moving back to WordPress had evaporated. Now, I was looking forward to going back to Ghost and continue sending my posts to my subscribers!

Yet, I needed to change the theme's look a little, like colors and such. This time, every time I made a change in the code, I rerun the GTmetrix test to make sure I didn't break anything. That's how I found out that [it was this code](https://iveel.co/docs/dawn-ghost-theme#section-search), which came recommended by the original theme's designers, that resulted in bad web vitals. Two lines of coding that enabled the blog's search function led to terrible performance immediately.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/ghost-search-code-gtmetrix.png)

Ghost blog web vitals after a minor change in the theme's code led to bad performance

So, now I had two choices if I wanted to get back to Ghost. Either disable search in my website or install a new theme. The first option meant tweaking the code, again. So, in the next minute, I had loaded a new theme. The one you're currently seeing.

No, this theme doesn't allow searching. *Definitely* a small price to pay.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/ghost-new-theme-gtmetrix-web-vitals.png)

## Would I choose Ghost over WordPress for beginners?

A resounding yes! As long as you are *simply* looking to get your word out to the internet and build a community or a following, Ghost wins hands down. You write, you publish and you send your thoughts to your subscribers. Ghost takes care of everything else. As simple as that. You don't have to worry about core web vitals, [AMP implementation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/experience/enhance-amp), caching, and [image optimization](https://jmks.co/shortpixel).

Just don't mess with your theme!

Oh, and about the pricing. I'm now paying $100 per year as [Ghost (Pro) updated its pricing model](https://jmks.co/ghost)! Can't get better than that!

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/Ghost-pro-pricing.png)](https://jmks.co/ghost)

#notsponsored #notanAD #geniuneopinion #stillmyaffiliatelink
### Gambling for a Living VS Running a Business
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gambler-vs-entrepreneur/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:23:36.000Z
I didn't [play poker for a living](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) or [traded betting odds](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) for more than three years. I also quit [counting cards at blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/) quicker than that. Yet this is the 7th year I am running a web business. Am I doing better as a businessman than an advantage gambler? I don't think so. 

## Why advantage gambling is a business

You see, playing online poker is a business. Betting on sports or becoming a blackjack card counter is also very similar to running a business. For common people, they seem like sketchy businesses, to say the least. Various horror stories have made it to the news that are connected to gambling. Most don't believe that people can [make a living by gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). And they are right. Gambling should only be treated like an expensive form of entertainment for most people.

But for [professional gamblers](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/), it's a legitimate business. Hourly rates, expenses, and managing finances are terms you will hear in advantage gambling. Much like in business, a gambler must continuously evaluate their progress, improve their skills, and adapt, so that they make more money. The better gambler you become, the bigger paycheck you collect. In the business world that translates to sales or revenue. *The better you run a business, the more sales you end up with.*

A company uses that money to pay employees and for stocking up. A gambler buys software or services that will help their business. But most importantly, a massive chunk of that money will be used to [pay for their losses](https://jimmakos.com/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/)!

That's a big difference right there between business and gambling for a living. A company usually has a small portion of its inventory that will go unsold or become damaged, losing money. Meanwhile, a gambler expects many of their bets to lose money! **It's impossible to make a winning bet every time**, whereas every sale in business is a win.

At the same time, though, gamblers can increase their turnover in an instant. If they spot a big opportunity, they can bet twice as much, or even more. Well, for the most part, since betting operators may limit their bet sizing. And that's where problems begin showing up.

## Why running a web business wins over gambling

Imagine you have a flower shop business. You realize that out of the blue, everyone is buying red roses. Since demand has increased, you feel a price hike is justifiable. But you can't sell a rose for $100 when you used to sell it for one dollar. You'll lose customers and money since the flowers will die in your fridge as people will stop buying them at your ridiculously high price.

As a gambler, though, you *can* place a 100-dollar bet instead of your usual wager. You just have to add a couple of zeros. But that will raise suspicions and eventually may lead the bookmaker to show you the door. Then, you have to shop around for another bookmaker to accept your business. In the end, there's a good chance you won't be able to place your bet anywhere. Not only can you no longer sell red roses, but any flower! **You are, in fact, out of business.**

So, you have to *adapt*. You need to find an edge on another sport. Also, you need to bet under a different name, since the market has banned you. Like when I couldn't play blackjack anywhere in the country [when the local casino barred me](https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/). But there's a solution. Instead of going after betting operators, you decide to go after other gamblers. You do that by betting on how sports odds move or by playing poker.

## The safest kind of business as a gambler

That's what I did as an advantage gambler. I went against other people. Gambling operators had no problem having me as a customer since I wasn't getting money from them. In fact, I provided liquidity to their business, which in turn attracted more customers, which again meant more commission for them.

So, everyone wins, except for recreational gamblers. They are the people who keep the wheel turning. They are the people that provide the revenue for smarter players and operators. But someone didn't get a dime from this business model. And they were pissed.

## How the gambling industry shifted

Governments began regulating the gambling industry. Why? For taxes. How? No more could an operator accept customers unless they were being taxed in the customer's country. So, if I had the JimMakos Bet company based in the North Pole and wanted to do business with British gamblers, I had to pay UK tax. Otherwise, I would pay fines while the UK would block my website's IP address. The UK-based gamblers would not access my website.

This new environment created two scenarios for advantage gamblers. In the first one, they could no longer do business with their favorite operators. These operators stopped providing their services to many countries. Or they were prohibited from operating in specific countries. In my case, that would be [a betting exchange](https://jimmakos.com/how-betfair-changed-my-life/). This exchange is the only place I can trade betting odds. Once again, I could no longer sell my flowers.

In the second scenario, introducing new taxes meant a devastating hit in profitability. The way this new tax was implemented, especially in poker, is so unfair that [profitable poker players became breakeven or losing players overnight](https://jimmakos.com/gambling-tax-quit-online-poker/). The reason is that **the tax is imposed daily**! Going back to the flower shop analogy, the owner would pay taxes at the end of the year, depending on how much money they made. Under the new regulations, the owner would pay taxes on daily sales, no matter if they don't sell a flower in the next months! So, if you have a single day of making money in poker and 350 days of losing money, you are paying taxes on that single day! I don't know of any other industry operating under this scheme.

That was a *critical* turning point for me. That's when I quit gambling and began focusing on my web business. I quit being an advantage gambler and transformed into an entrepreneur.

## Making money in my sleep as an entrepreneur

And after seven years of running a company smoothly, I wish I had started one right from the beginning. But it's not the fierce competition in the gambling industry or the regulations that made the business unviable, which made me quit. Becoming an entrepreneur was an eye-opening experience. **Mostly because I am making money in my sleep.**

That was a *revelation*.

Previously as an advantage gambler, I stopped generating income by the time I turned my laptop off. I had mixed emotions about that. On the one hand, sometimes I had just made more than an average worker's salary. At other times, more than what they would make in a year. On the other hand, I would not make a dime more that day unless I turned my laptop back on. Actually, I wouldn't make more money in my entire life if I could no longer sit on a computer for some unfortunate reason! That thought was very *frightening*.

That's when I realized **I had an active income stream**. An income stream that dries up the moment I stopped working. As said before, that could happen due to events that I couldn't control!

That's where running a company comes in. A web business that runs various websites 24/7\. Guess what? Those websites can generate income 24/7\. Like having a flower shop open for 24 hours and customers buying flowers without you even being there! You wake up and find money in your account.

Does that sound too good to be true? Well, *it is!* For e-commerce websites, things are a bit more complicated since you probably have to ship products and take care of customer service. But [as a content-based website publisher](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/), advertisers pay us for advertising space. That's it. As long as people are visiting the websites and clicking on ads, the sites are generating revenue. There's nothing more I need to do as a publisher, other than making sure the websites are operating properly at all times and rank high in search engines.

## Who makes the most money, a gambler, or an entrepreneur?

I know what you are thinking. My web business must not come even close to my gambling profits. People believe I made most of my money in betting exchanges and poker rooms.

Well, if we compare annual profit, gambling activity is the clear winner. That's no surprise, given the enormous risk it involves. Compared to gambling, running a web business in terms of risk is like taking a walk in the park. But, let me remind you that I didn't trade or played poker for more than three years. My web business is running for seven years. With no breaks. No new regulations, no surprises. A genuinely smooth operator!

And now for the *icing* on the cake.

When running a business, the sky *is* the limit. I used to believe that was the case in betting, trading, or poker as well. As stakes were getting bigger, I couldn't see why I couldn't reach for the sky. But even if you forget the regulations, the hide and seek with bookmakers, and the stress of risking thousands of dollars, the market can only absorb a certain amount of money before it becomes efficient again. Poker stakes can go that high and recreational players rarely find themselves playing high stakes. Betting markets can accept that many bets before odds collapse. Even financial markets like the stock or foreign exchanges can struggle with big orders.

Meanwhile, a business can grow as much as you allow it to grow, and as long as stock lasts! There are 7 billion people who need something. And that's not all! How about running two websites, two businesses? How about delegating and outsourcing most of the work and building one business after another? The compounding effect in business can multiply your success! I feel it's like I'm counting cards on blackjack tables, trading on an exchange, and playing poker *all at the same time!* And in fact, it's like *others* are doing all these on my behalf! *And while I'm sleeping!* Oh, come on now!
### Why I am documenting my life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/why-i-am-documenting-my-life/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:21:21.000Z
Internet marketing experts say: **Document, don't create**.

And I'm doing just that in 2021\. And the years before. But somehow, the year of the pandemic only accelerated my desire to document everything in my life.

2020 was a strange year and a year to remember.

In this video, I try to explain why everyone should document their life; why *you* should document your life. No matter how uneventful your life may seem to you. No matter what a regular human being you think you are.

Because everyone is different.

And we all have different stories to tell.

Today I'm telling my story — the story of how I document my life.
### Walking Alone Every Morning and Documenting
URL: https://jimmakos.com/walking-alone-morning-documenting/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:49:45.000Z
Morning. Sunrise. The best time of the day.

Walking. Alone. The best start of the day.

Since last month, I've started going for walks. Every day.

Over time, I combined my walks with listening to podcasts, taking photos, and, more recently, shooting a video here and there. And I began documenting my walks on Instagram Stories.

I made my brain link my boring walks with exciting - for me - tasks. I no longer have second thoughts if I should go for a walk when I wake up. In fact, I'm looking forward to them.

That's because I can't wait to listen to my favorite creator's newest podcast. I can't wait to press my camera's shutter button. I can't wait to post my next story.

I can't wait to be alone in the city.

Today I went the extra mile. I documented my morning walk into a 3-minute video. It's now a futureproof memory that will live forever on hard drives and online.

## How I shot the video

In my first walks, I took pictures and shot videos with my phone. A 4-year-old Samsung Note 8\. 

It was ok for what I aimed for. Quality wasn't bad and it was the lightest setup.

But I was listening to podcasts via my Bluetooth earbuds and was tracking my walks through the Strava app. All in my phone.

While the phone was performing very well under these multitasking conditions, the battery was draining quickly. Especially when I was loading the Lightroom suite to take and edit my photos on the fly while keeping the native camera app running for the occasional video shoot.

Given I'm not short on camera gear, I let my phone deal with just my podcasts and activity tracking.

When I first carried a camera to my walks, I opted for my Sony A7C. I attached the smaller lens I had for a compact setup, the Zeiss 35mm f2.8.

I ended up taking a few photos and no video. I needed a small tripod at all times to avoid shaky video. Given I wanted to walk as light as possible, I quickly realized that I had to find an alternative.

So, I got my tiny DJI Osmo action.

I attached a mini tripod but I quickly realized that I didn't even need the tripod or a case for that matter. I could find numerous spots to place the small action camera during my walks and film myself or the surroundings.

Videos *and* photos turned out surprisingly great for a camera that fits into my palm and adds no weight!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos-0125.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos-0222.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos-0223.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos-0219.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos-0259.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos-0128.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/05/jim-makos--2.jpg)

Pictures taken with DJI Osmo Action

Of course, an action cam's options are limited when it comes to focal length or aperture. Which makes the composition of utter importance. But that's the perfect exercise to practice coming up with compelling shots.

If you want to find out more about my gear, how I shoot and edit my videos, here's [my blog's filmmaking page](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/).
### Why I Started a Business to Achieve Financial Freedom Quicker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/start-a-business-to-achieve-financial-freedom-quicker/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:22:06.000Z
Financial freedom and independence mean we don’t have to work to live or, even worse, live to work. That means we live off of the money we saved and invested. I found out, though, that [achieving financial freedom](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/) via investing is a very slow process compared to starting, running and improving a business.

Today, I’ll show how my business will help me become financially free quicker. I’ll also compare that with how my investments are expected to perform. You’ll then have a better idea of how you can plan out a quicker path to financial freedom yourself. Shhh, it’s by running your own business!

## What Financial Independence Means

Let’s first put things in order and briefly explain what it will take for me to become financially free. Most probably you’ll need about the same amount of money as me. Hopefully, you are also debt-free.

As I explained in a previous video, [financial independence](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/financial-independence/) for me means a million euros invested. With a moderate 4% return on that, I’ll be making 40 thousand euros every year. That money more than covers our family’s annual expenses and allows some lavish spending here and there.

So, my goal for financial freedom is **a million euros or dollars** for that matter. My plan is to make that money in 10 years, and we’re already in the second year of my plan. I’m still way behind to make that amount but if you never try, you’ll never know. Besides, it’s good to have a goal and a vision in life.

Now, let’s see what’s my current personal income and whether that can guarantee my financial independence any time soon.

## My Personal Income Won’t Make Me Financially Free

Previously I’ve made money in a lot of different ways. Nowadays, [I create content-based websites](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/). My web business annual revenue is about $60,000\. Nothing spectacular. Yet it doesn’t take up a lot of my time to make that money. That’s how I’m able to make these videos in the first place!

Business expenses and reinvesting in my business leaves about half of that as my personal income.

[Recently](https://jimmakos.com/2020/12/saving-investing-money-in-2020/) I was able to save a large part of that money. If you haven’t noticed, we’re living in a pandemic, which allowed my family to live more frugally. Since 2020, many of us feel we suddenly became experts in saving money. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Sooner or later we’re going to leave the pandemic behind. My family’s spending will go back to normal and most probably I’ll get to spend my whole personal income as before. That means saving money in the future won't be [as easy as it is in a lockdown](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-saving-money-faster-in-lockdown/).

So, I need 30K for my family of three. If we’re going to assume nothing is saved, either in my business or in my personal accounts, I will never achieve financial freedom. **Living paycheck to paycheck** is not how to achieve financial independence. Plain and simple.

## What’s the bare minimum to achieve financial freedom?

A million euros sounds a lot. Where do I begin? Surely, it will be quite complicated to come up with a plan.

Nope! Let's keep it simple.

There’s a very easy way to think of hitting my financial goal: to add 60 thousand more to my personal income every year. That’s what I realized [as I walked back and forth on that porch](https://jimmakos.com/2019/08/brainstorming-on-skyros-island/) two years ago. It isn't an out-of-reach number, it’s just 5K per month. JUST 5K you say? Well, I don’t make it a big deal, otherwise I’ll never start working toward that financial goal!

What will 5K per month accomplish?

Making 60K more every year is equivalent to 700K in ten years. Considering I’d be investing that money in stocks or other assets, the compounding effect of that would probably make me a hundred more. That would bring me closer to the million. While I won’t hit my mark, I consider that the bare minimum to call my plan a borderline success.

In other words, if I have 800K in savings by 2030, I’d call it a win. Besides, it’ll mean I’d likely become financially free two years later. That’s fine really!

Now, **how can I make 60K more annually?** The easiest way for me to make 60K more is to double my business revenue! It’s already sitting at 60K. All it takes is 100% growth! Surely, it can’t be THAT difficult!

Famous entrepreneurs have said before that making the first thousand dollars is difficult.

## Achieving Financial Freedom by Running a Business

So, my mission is to make twice as much as my business is currently making. There are two ways I can accomplish that:

1. **By doubling the traffic**. If twice as much people visit my websites, it’s safe to assume that revenue will be twice as much. I can make that work by either bringing more traffic to my established websites, or launching new ones. And it doesn’t need to be a website per se. It can be a service or a product such as an e-book, or a course. [This YouTube channe](https://youtube.com/jimmakoscom)l falls into this category, as well. The bigger the audience, the bigger the return. Anything that can make money online counts!
2. **By attracting advertisements that pay twice as much**. At this time every click on an advertisement pays me a dollar. If an advertiser comes along that pays two dollars, my websites will make double the money. There are other ways, though. As the pandemic will end, businesses will begin advertising again, most likely pushing the advertising cost higher.

Obviously the first option is more expensive, as I'll have to pay for outsourcing content creation and server costs. The second option of improved monetization is cost-free and requires good communication skills. But maybe the industry I'm targeting can’t afford more expensive advertising. Businesses in my niche can make that much, which in turn means their advertising budget is that high. So doubling up my Cost-Per-Click metric might be a fairy tale.

Still, **I believe both options are achievable** and all it takes is work. For instance, I could launch a new website targeting a more lucrative industry with a much higher Cost-Per-Click. And in fact, [I already have](https://jimmakos.com/2020/06/new-domain-name/)!

Now, let’s move on to how to achieve financial independence via saving and investing.

## Investing to financial freedom

Last year I saved 40% of my income. That's the most I have ever saved and I invested half of that. I’ve bought more Bitcoin, Ethereum and Monero cryptocurrencies. I have been buying cryptos since 2017, which have appreciated tremendously last year. So, let’s examine how my investments have performed till today and what it will take to achieve financial freedom via investing.

My current investing portfolio consists of 2K in cash, 2K in gold and 22K in cryptocurrency. Cash is losing value and gold’s value is increasing a tad bit slowly. Cryptocurrency meanwhile has experienced the biggest growth. That's why it takes such a big part of my portfolio.

Now, let’s assume I’m saving and investing 10K every year, as if 2020 is going to repeat itself ten times (hopefully it won’t!). I’m assuming here that my personal income will stay about the same, as I’m ignoring to grow my business’s revenue.

By 2030 I’ll have saved 100K. That’s saving 10K for ten years.

If I have invested all that money in stocks, I’d probably make 7% every year. Let’s not bore you with math and let's just say that my savings account increased to 150K by 2030 after investing in stocks. I’m still way, WAY behind my goal. The journey to financial freedom will end up in a complete failure by saving and investing the same amount every year on stocks. And let me remind you that I've assumed I'll be saving cash like I did in 2020, while my personal income doesn't increase! Those are a lot of assumptions and **the result is still a failure**.

For a moment though, let’s take a closer look to cryptocurrencies, which have enjoyed the biggest growth lately. What happens in a best-case scenario?

### Investing in the Cryptocurrency Market

While the market is hyped and crypto-experts grow on trees nowadays, Bitcoin is predicted to reach 200K by the end of 2021\. Ok, let’s go for that prediction.

By December this year my current investing portfolio will rise to 110K! That’s great! That's like the previous scenario with stocks, only I did it in a single year! Sure, if my investments made 100K every year I wouldn’t worry about hitting my goal. In fact, I’d already be financially free!

But the market never stays still. We can’t expect a market to offer that kind of return year in and year out. I bet next year we’ll see a big correction in cryptocurrency market, taking some of that profit back. And assuming the market follows the same financial cycles like others, there will be ups and downs in the future.

For argument’s sake though, let’s say that Bitcoin’s value ultimately finds a balance at 400K. That’s a figure many believe is achievable. Of course, just as many people believe Bitcoin will go to zero. Hence, no one advises risking more than 3% of investing capital on cryptos.

Anyway, in case Bitcoin reached 400K, my cryptocurrency portfolio will be valued at 200K. And let’s go a step further and say that I’ll add a bit more to my crypto portfolio over the coming years. That will result in me having 250K in cryptocurrencies by 2030.

So, in the most ideal scenario for the cryptocurrency market, and mixing it up with my stock holdings, I’ll have 400K invested in 2030.

So, **in best case scenario I’m half-way to my minimum goal**. 400K isn't a small amount by any means. Yet, it can’t guarantee me financial freedom.

## The quickest path to financial freedom

Summing it up:

- By saving and investing, I’m looking at 150K-400K in 2030.
- By going for 100% business growth I’m looking at 1million in 2030.

The answer for the quickest path to financial freedom is pretty clear to me. If you’re like me and don’t have a million sitting around, **saving and investing won’t make us financially free**. Besides, you can only save that much. That’s why focusing on investments and timing the market doesn’t make sense when we don’t have a fortune lying around. I can worry about that once I become financially free.

What you should do instead is **focus on your business or start new ones!** Many people start a business as a side-income, quickly realizing that they are having a lot more fun than their regular job. I can’t be the judge for that as I’ve never had one in my life. But I do admit I'm having a lot of fun making money as a solopreneur working from home for 15 years!

By having a lot more fun, [we’re willing to put in the hours](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/keep-yourself-extremely-busy/) to grow our business. It does so to the point it makes more money than our regular job! Then, all it takes to achieve financial freedom is to increase the business’ revenue. Easier said than done, but what’s the alternative? Working for someone else till your seventies in a job you hate to retire on a pension?

That has never been in my life plan, ever since I dropped out of my engineering classes. Perhaps I’ll never achieve financial independence but at least I will try. And I’m having a lot of fun trying. **What’s stopping you** from trying yourself and having fun?
### Setting Financial Goals for 2021
URL: https://jimmakos.com/setting-financial-goals-for-2021/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:43:16.000Z
2020 was a year to remember for all the wrong reasons. People still laugh at the resolutions they set on New Year's Eve last year! So, why not make 2021 the year to set goals that are actually achievable? I'll make the start by setting my financial goals for 2021, both for my business and my personal life.

## Last Year's Financial Goals

Last year my goal was to save as much money as possible and invest most of it. Saving money has been my goal since January 2019 when I set some strict financial rules. It took me 40 years to learn about personal finance. Better late than never.

We had been spending a lot more money that we do nowadays. Yet it wasn't the spending money itself that bothered me. It was that it didn't feel we spent *that* much. [I got no excitement](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/unhappy-in-life/) over our way of living, **no matter how much we spent**.

So in 2019 I decided it was time to set some money goals.

I decided to cut our family spending, without having a major impact on the quality of life. That proved a good exercise to realize how much stuff we buy for no reason. Or [to fight depression](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/productivity-in-depressing-world-lockdown-isolation/). Or to call ourselves *minimalists*. But those are topics for another day.

Surprisingly, 2020 was a good year for me financially, [as I discussed in a recent video.](https://jimmakos.com/2020/12/saving-investing-money-in-2020/) I met my financial goals of saving and investing as much money as I could. I don't expect 2021 to be much different.

The general thinking is **to spend the same amount of money I did in 2020**. I don't believe I can improve much over a year with a pandemic and two lockdowns. Unless, of course, a war starts or a meteor hits the earth! What a crazy year.

## My Business Financial Goals for 2021

[My web publishing busines](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/)s did OK in 2020, considering the circumstances. It's true that more people spend time online. But advertising budgets shrank as businesses stopped operating.

"But Jim, your websites will now enjoy more traffic due to the lockdown. You will make more money!"

Nope, that's not what happened. It's true that 30% more people visited my websites in 2020 compared to previous years. At the same time though, every click on an advertisement cost 50% less!

Why? Consider companies such as airlines. Their revenue plummeted. They would go bankrupt [if they weren't bailed out](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/businesses-bailout-due-to-pandemic/) by governments. If no one is traveling, why should they spend on advertising? The market was out of customers.

### How the Pandemic Affected Online Advertising

So, they didn't bid for an advertising spot in my websites. That allowed other advertisers to win the ad spot for less money.

That also took place on social media advertising. As the big companies dropped out of advertising, regular publishers like myself could advertise for less. Although I didn't, I'm sure many publishers took advantage of the lower than normal advertising cost in 2021

> In short, advertising is a bid war on every page load!

Of course, airlines are the tip of the iceberg. It's the most popular example of companies that pandemic seriously affected. They are not the only ones. Think of retail stores, travel-related businesses and every industry that had to shut down.

They suddenly had no income. For months. So they had to cut their spending. And the first thing to cut, is advertising, since there are literally no customers!

Meanwhile, [e-commerce thrived](https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/dtlstictinf2020d1%5Fen.pdf). As the world is changing forever, internet-based industries enjoyed huge growth. If my business had been in the e-commerce space, I might have made more money. Since it's not, I didn't grow. Fortunately, I didn't do worse either.

### 2021 Business Growth Expectations

Going into 2021 I expect a slight improvement. Given I've spent a lot of time this year to improve my websites' rankings, I'm not expecting a drop in traffic. In the meantime, as lockdowns are lifted, cost-per-click should improve. This will likely result in increased revenue.

So, my business financial goal for 2021 is **to make at least 10% more than 2020**.

### Saving Money as a Business

When it comes to cutting business expenses, again I don't expect to outperform 2020 in that aspect. This year I spend the most money I ever did on web services to grow my business. Yet, I still spent less than ever before. That sounds strange, doesn't it?

I outsourced tasks, I hired the most freelancers I've ever done, and yet my business expenses didn't top previous years. A key moment for that was that I didn't spend on equipment much, other than upgrading my personal computer. 

![jim-makos-new-pc-computer](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/01/jim-makos-new-pc-computer.jpg)

In 2017, I had spent ten times more on camera gear and to this day I'm questioning myself of that spendthrift!

At least, I'm putting that gear to good use lately!

So, my financial goal for 2021 when it comes to my business costs is **to spend the same amount of money**. That could prove difficult though, as I am already eyeing on a couple of cameras and lenses!

## Setting Personal Financial Goals for 2021

In 2020, I saved 40% of my personal income. In 2021, I expect to save more!

You see, my personal income depends on how well my business will perform. I already explained that I'm expecting it to perform better and spend the same. That will result my business into making more profit. I will then have a choice of either reinvesting that money into the business or taking it out as income.

Most likely I will put it back into my business to grow. This will mean buying more websites, outsourcing more and using the gained time to look into other things.

In the end my personal income will stay the same. For the most part, I expect personal expenses to stay the same, as well. 2021 will be different from 2020, as vaccines will hopefully end the pandemic. Still, I don't expect the world to get back to normal that soon. So, I don't expect to do much traveling this year, either. I also don't expect to go to restaurants that often, as well.

Previously, I used to spend 250 euros per month on restaurants and delivery food. As we cooked a lot more in 2020, I spent 100 euros less each month on eating out. [That's a 40% drop right there](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-saving-money-faster-in-lockdown/).

Remember when affected businesses didn't have the revenue to spend on advertising? Life is a cycle. I don't spend money, businesses don't have money to advertise, my business makes less.

Yet, other expenses don't fluctuate that much. Paying for power, water and internet has stayed about the same for years. I did renew my internet monthly contract for 10 euros less. Yet, this will hardly affect my spending on necessities. These come down to about 200 euros per month.

Car repairs also took a dive in 2020, as we drove around the least this year. 2021 will be no different.

So all in all, my financial goal for 2021 when it comes to saving money is **to put aside 30% of my personal income**. That's a reasonable amount, no need to match the 2020 record.

## Investing Goals

Finally, the fun part!

[I'm investing in Bitcoin](https://jimmakos.com/2017/11/invest-in-bitcoin/). End of story. Roll the curtains.

Joking aside, I plan to invest in stocks. I desperately need to diversify my investing portfolio. It currently consists of 80% cryptocurrencies, 10% gold and 10% cash. I need to throw some stocks in the mix.

> 2021 investing portfolio  
>  
> Cash: 10%  
> Gold: 8%  
> Crypto: 82% ([#bitcoin](https://twitter.com/hashtag/bitcoin?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) 75%, Ethereum 10%, Monero 15%)  
>  
> YoY change in net worth: ⬆️ 157% <https://t.co/aYIBPMHHpD>
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [January 1, 2021](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1345018200434597888?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

I do not need more cash in there. It loses value quicker than ever with so much printing going on right now. Perhaps I'll drive it down to zero and buy another asset.

One of those assets is stocks. I missed a great opportunity in the spring of 2020 to invest in the stock market. Now, it feels buying the top every day it hits a new all-time record! And while I'm waiting for a dip, the market climbs even higher!

The same can be said for Bitcoin. How many people considered $20,000 a ridiculous high price tag to invest into Bitcoin, only to see it climb to $25,000?

![bitcoin-investing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/01/bitcoin-investing.png)

Timing the market is a fool's game. Especially if you don't spend 12 hours per day studying the markets. Been there, done that. You're competing with professionals who do that for a living! I can't run a business 24/7 and monitor stock prices and news every minute!

So, I'm buying and holding. I'm dollar cost averaging into all of these assets: stocks, gold, crypto. At the time I hold gold and crypto. So, I need to begin throwing some money into stocks.

I'd like to invest in real estate, as well. I feel it will prove a profitable investment at this time. Having said that, it feels funny to discuss real estate investing with a 5-figure income. Let me explain why briefly.

### How Real Estate Investing Works

I would need 25K as a down payment for a €100,000 loan at 4% interest rate for 30 years. I would buy an old apartment with that money and spend €10,000 more renovating it. Theoretically, the flat's value would increase to €145,000\. My €35,000 investment would net me €10,000 should I decide to sell it.

Say I rent it out. What's my asking price? My annual expenses will be about €6,000 including the loan's interest. So, it needs to bring €500 per month to break even. While I'd very much like to rent it out for more, rents aren't that high in Greece.

For argument's sake, we will assume it's a 40-year-old flat in downtown. Demand is high and I manage to rent it out for €700\. That brings home €8,400 before taxes. Assuming I spend €1,400 every year for repairs, I'm making €1,000 per year on my €35,000 investment. That's a 3% ROI.

As years go by, my interest payments will decrease. This will result in higher yearly ROI in the future. Yet, it will take years to compete with the 7% expected ROI of the stock market. Not to mention, crypto's ROI is much, much higher.

### Investing as a broke person

Thus, I'm not looking into real estate investing at this time. It already feels ridiculous to even discuss it.

I don't have an investing capital of, say €50,000, to justify putting 70% of that into real estate. And even if I did, that would let just 30% for stocks, gold and crypto. Since I've only just started building my investing portfolio, **I'm looking to take more risks for potential bigger rewards**. So, I'm investing into cryptocurrencies for the time being.

## Will I meet my financial goals for 2021?

I believe I'm setting realistic financial goals for next year. Summing it up, I'm expecting:

1. My business to make 10% more revenue
2. My personal income to remain the same
3. To save 30% of my income
4. To invest in stocks and continue my investing strategy in cryptos

Out of these four, I'm mostly stressed of investing in stocks. Business will likely perform better even in auto-pilot, let alone if I decide to focus on it. As a result, my personal income will hardly see a change for the worse. Meanwhile, we've been accustomed to the new way of living in 2020\. So, spending shouldn't increase much in 2021.

But I will be confused when it comes the time to invest the money I'll save. I don't want to increase my exposure on Bitcoin, no matter what the predictions say. Meanwhile, I don't want to spend a ton of time researching for stocks. I'm afraid though, I will have to.

## What about your financial goals for 2021?

Hopefully me talking about setting goals for 2021 will inspire you to set your own long term financial goals. It shouldn't be hard to set them for yourself. If you have been tracking your spending, it will be much easier. But if you haven't, just ballpark them and go from them.

And by the way, 2021 will be a great year to start tracking them and create a budget! I've done so for the last 5 years [with this budgeting app](https://jmks.co/ynab); that's how I'm discussing my finances so confidently!

Setting financial goals for 2021 was just another step towards financial freedom. [I'm documenting the journey on YouTube](https://jmks.co/youtube). And since you've made it this far into the video, consider subscribing and hitting that notification bell to not miss my future steps. Perhaps they will inspire you to embark on your own!
### How I Saved and Invested Money in 2020
URL: https://jimmakos.com/saving-investing-money-in-2020/
Last updated: 2020-12-22T16:30:56.000Z
It's already been a year since I began [my 10-year journey to financial freedom](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/). So, I thought of sharing with you how I saved and invested money in 2020.

I had my doubts before I began filming this video. Who feels comfortable when sharing his finances?

Then I thought that transparency rarely fails. I myself get hooked to content where creators break down their income and talk of their financial plan or struggles. So, why not me? Let's begin.

## Making and Saving Money in 2020

My main income comes from [my web publishing business](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/). I decide what I pay myself each year. That usually equals to my family's annual expenses, which come down to about 33,000 euros. Of course, there was nothing usual about 2020!

So, I was able to [save enough money in 2020 due to the lockdown](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-saving-money-faster-in-lockdown/). Not only did I pay myself less, but I managed to invest some of my personal income, as well!

My company paid me 28,000 euros this year, 5K less than normal. I kept 2,000 in cash for [my emergency fund](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/emergency-fund/). I invested 4,000 in cryptocurrencies and I currently have 5,000 for next year's expenses. In total, I saved or invested 40% of my income.

## Where I Invested Money in 2020

Now let's talk about my investments.

I didn't invest everything on Bitcoin. In fact, the last time I bought Bitcoin was in the beginning of January. [I have been buying Bitcoin for years](https://jimmakos.com/2017/11/invest-in-bitcoin/), so I took a break during the COVID-19's first wave.

### The Stock Market in 2020

Because, you see, back in March the stock market had got my attention. [US markets were plummeting 10% every day](https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-follow-u-s-markets-lower-11583975524). We now know it was a great time to buy stocks. I myself needed to diversify [my investing portfolio](https://jimmakos.com/investing/) and own some stocks. I had none. The timing was perfect. Buy fear, sell hope they say. But I was too afraid myself to buy.

My research predicted a more brutal second wave of the virus in winter. The one the world is facing right now. So, I didn't see an end to the market's turmoil. I convinced myself to wait for a bigger drop, as I expected a small correction during summer, before the world ends in flames.

Much to my surprise, we had a [V-shaped recovery](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/covid-19-coronavirus-recession-shape/). The financial markets are hitting new all-time highs while the pandemic soars in Europe and America right now. Of course, with so much printing and helicopter money going on, assets were going up. Meanwhile, cash is losing value fast. So, since I lost that opportunity of the decade in spring, I had to get rid of my cash. And by cash I mean US dollars.

![Fed printing money, sending stimulus checks and bailing companies out.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Fed-printing-money--sending-stimulus-checks-and-bailing-companies-out..jpg)

### Gambling on EUR/USD

My company is incorporated in the USA. Its revenue is in USD, but my family lives in the Eurozone. So, I always keep an eye on the Euro/Dollar exchange rate. And sometimes, I like to take a gamble.

I decided to do a small trade on forex. I bought Euro predicting a big climb, while the Fed were printing money, sending stimulus checks and [bailing companies out](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/businesses-bailout-due-to-pandemic/). Unfortunately I was stopped out and lost 200 euros, before Euro skyrocketed.

### Investing in Cryptocurrencies

That was the only trade I did in 2020\. I used the rest of my investing capital to diversify my cryptocurrency portfolio. So, 3,000 euros have gone into Ripple and Monero coins. That makes my current holdings in crypto 75% Bitcoin, 15% Ripple and 10% Monero.

I do not intend to sell any of my Bitcoins, but I do plan to sell my Ripples once my profit target is met. The strategy is to get half of my position out at 100% and convert it into Bitcoins, Monero or Ethereum. In the end, I should have the same crypto allocation, but without Ripple. The general financial plan is to [dollar cost average](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dollarcostaveraging.asp) in those coins, but mostly Bitcoin.

### Investing in Commodities

I also own some gold from previous years but I didn't invest in that in 2020\. The only commodity that got my attention was oil. You don't get to see [oil trading below zero](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/margin-trading-oil-futures/) that often! Once the dust settled, my gut told me it was a great opportunity to buy at the $10-20 range. Yes, electric cars are the future, but oil is oil. And besides, owning both oil and Tesla stock would have been ideal in 2020!

Once again, I was too afraid of how the markets would react in winter. So, I skipped yet another trade that would turn out profitable.

![The Lockdown Way to Save Money in 2020! Easier said than done.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/The-Lockdown-Way-to-Save-Money-in-2020--1.jpg)

## The Lockdown Way to Save Money in 2020!

So, there you have it. I saved the most money in 2020 I have ever saved in a year and invested most of them in cryptocurrencies. At the same time, I added some cash to my emergency fund and saved for next year. I'll hopefully be able to invest even more in 2021!

If only lockdowns [were meant to stay](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/productivity-in-depressing-world-lockdown-isolation/)! As I've been [working from home for 15 years](https://jimmakos.com/tag/working-from-home/), I didn't have to adapt to them. In fact, if I didn't have a family, I wouldn't have even noticed!

I do hope, though, that you aren't struggling too much under these circumstances. Not everyone is accustomed to remote work, let alone [finds it fun to stay at home 24 hours a day](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/how-to-spend-a-lockdown-by-staying-at-home/). I've found that a great way to overcome depression is [to keep yourself busy](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/keep-yourself-extremely-busy/). It doesn't have to make you money. Just don't overspend it!

For more updates of my journey to financial freedom or doom, [make sure to subscribe](https://www.youtube.com/jimmakoscom) and hit the notification bell. And let me know how this year has been for you. I can't be the only one who spent less money in 2020!
### Why I'll never give up my Bitcoins!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/never-give-up-bitcoins/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:40:26.000Z
I'll pretend it hasn't been two months since I sent my last letter. So, welcome to another Sunday letter by yours truly.

Ten months ago I began [documenting my journey to financial freedom](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/). Today I filmed how I did financially in 2020\. How much money I managed to save in lockdown and how I invested it in other words. Here's a hint: it's mostly thin air and it's *certainly* not cash!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos.jpg)

A-cam shot from today's video. Wait, that didn't sound right!

I expect to have the video posted next week, so you'll hear from me sooner this time!

Moving on to notable resources and interesting conversations I ran across this week.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How to Export Videos For YouTube in Davinci Resolve Faster
URL: https://jimmakos.com/export-videos-for-youtube-in-davinci-resolve-faster/
Last updated: 2022-07-07T07:23:04.000Z
You have shot a couple of video clips. You did some basic video editing, and you are looking to deliver your masterpiece to the world. But first, you need to encode it in a format that the internet likes.

Should it be in MPEG4? A MOV or an MP4 file? A huge ProRes file that will take ages to upload? **Here's how I export videos *quickly* that look *best* and upload *fast*.**

## Why video compression is essential in video editing

Usually, you shot your video in MP4 format. That's the most popular format when making videos with a smartphone or a consumer camera. It's also a compressed format.

*Video compression* comes in many flavors, and MPEG4 compression is the one that [the filmmaking industry](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) has accepted as the norm.

However, **video compression comes with its downsides**. Namely, it produces video files that need to be decompressed to edit. Hence why your computer fans start spinning wildly while you are video editing. Your CPU is decompressing *and* playing the video clip on your editor's timeline at the same time.

Professional video editors and filmmakers prefer an uncompressed format for that reason. And their weapon of choice is [the ProRes formats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple%5FProRes). But after they finish their video editing process, they too need to compress their final video again before uploading it to the web. That's because the internet can only work with compressed video files due to bandwidth limitations.

A 5MB file is much more easily transferred compared to a 100MB file that is only 1% better in quality. And if we consider the millions of people watching online, those megabytes can quickly add up to terabytes. Video could really cripple the internet if it weren't for video compression.

## I used to export videos for the web like everyone else, and it's wrong

People go to the publish or deliver pages of their video editing program, pick the "YouTube" preset with their preferred resolution, and the encoding starts. Encoding is nothing more than converting the timeline they edited into a single video that can play everywhere.

Most often, that built-in preset results in an MP4 or MOV compressed file. The MP4 and MOV file extensions are simply the containers of the video file. It doesn't correspond to the kind of video compression that took place when exporting the video. They simply mean the file is a *video* file.

Until recently, these files implemented the same video compression format as our cameras. **The H.264 video compression codec**. Usually, that's the video compression that your smartphone or camera applies to your video files. Nothing wrong with that video compression, it's just that there's a new, *better* player in town.

## How to export videos with H.265 video compression in Davinci Resolve

[Davinci Resolve](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve) is a free video editing software. I have been using Adobe Premiere Pro before that but switched as I found Blackmagic's program faster and a lot more reliable. I got fed up with Adobe's crashes that took away the joy of video editing and only frustrated me.

The workflow to export videos is similar to all video editors. So, if you are not using Davinci Resolve, I firmly believe this workflow will work with your favorite video editing software. Yet, I would strongly suggest giving Davinci Resolve a shot. It's free and very powerful after all.

So, when I'm looking to deliver my final edit to the public, I used to choose the MP4 format and h.264 video compression as well. Nowadays, **you can select the h.265 compression in the software itself.**

But only if you are lucky to have that option. It turns out I don't.

## Why the H.265 video compression may not be available to you

As you start to realize, I ran into quite a few problems all this time [I'm creating videos for YouTube](http://jmks.co/youtube) and the web in general. In an effort to help people with their creativity, I am sharing my experience and what I have learned.

And what I came across is that Nvidia, the graphics card I am using, offers two different drivers for Windows.

Yes, I was equally shocked. They are called **Nvidia Game drivers and Studio drivers**. One is tailored towards video gaming and the other for creatives that work with photos, videos, illustrations, and so on.

Uninstalling graphics drivers from a system has never been fun. I had to go into Windows' safe mode, do a clean uninstall of the drivers, reboot with no networking so that Windows doesn't reinstall drivers automatically, and do a fresh install of the Studio drivers.

And that's just for my laptop that includes an Nvidia 1050 video card. Studio drivers turn out to not be available for my Nvidia 970 card on my desktop computer!

But even with the Studio drivers installed on my laptop, there is still no option for H.265 video compression in Davinci Resolve. If I understand correctly, the option is available only in the paid version of Davinci Resolve! Or for some other unknown to me reason.

But wait. Where's a problem, there's a solution.

## How to export videos in H.265 video compression on (almost) ANY computer

Let me introduce you to another free software: [the Handbrake](https://handbrake.fr/).

This software is transcoding software. You drop in your final video in any format you like, and Handbrake converts it and delivers an optimized final video file.

You have a bunch of options. You can pick a different resolution, opt for more quality at the expense of encoding time and file size, a container that you like, and finally, your favorite video compression. And lo and behold, **H.265 video compression is available even for my desktop computer that doesn't have Nvidia's Studio drivers!**

And what's even better, in case you have an Nvidia card, you can speed up the encoding process A LOT with Handbrake. Exporting videos in H.264 or H.265 format was *five times faster* when choosing to encode with the Nvidia card! Some can notice the quality difference, but I myself cannot.

So, here's my final workflow when I'm done editing my video and comes the time to export it for the web.

## My complete workflow to export videos in H.265 video compression

On Davinci Resolve's deliver page, I export videos in Quicktime's MOV container. I choose **the DNxHR codec**, which is a lossy 4K codec, meaning you don't lose quality. It also means a gigantic file size. But no worries, that file isn't meant to be posted online. It's just a middleman before it's compressed to a more internet-friendly file.

Encoding that video file is the most time-consuming part of my exporting process, so be patient.

Once that large file is generated, I load up Handbrake and drop it in there. I have created **a preset for encoding the video in the H.265 video compression codec using my Nvidia card**. I max out everything in terms of quality and press encode.

Voila! That's the file I am going to upload to YouTube or anywhere else online (it seems Twitter doesn't like H.265 codec, so I have to encode the file again in H.264 if I need to post it there).

## Benefits of the H.265 video compression codec

My main cameras shoot video in the H.264 codec at a 100Mbps bit rate. The higher that number, the more data they capture, theoretically leading to better-looking videos. My smartphone or older action cameras record in less than that. Other cameras shoot at higher bitrates.

Thus, when I used to convert the DNxHR MOV file into an H.264 MP4 file, I went for 100Mbps to maximize the quality of my final video. No need to go beyond that, since the original footage does not contain more data than 100Mbps.

As I have been a lot more active on Youtube lately, I considered upgrading my internet connection to upload my videos quicker. My ISP's upload speed is capped at 5Mbps, which sends 500kb every second. Previously, a maxed-out H.264 file of 15 minutes of video would result in a 5GB file, **taking close to three hours to upload**. My workaround was to transfer the file on my tablet and upload it while I was sleeping. No need to keep my computer running all night!

That same file in H.265 video compression codec is 1GB big! As a result, **it takes half an hour to upload!** Why is it five times smaller? Because now the file bit rate is capped at 20Mbps, but it still includes all the data that the H.264 encapsulated at 100Mbps! So, same quality, 5x faster uploading!

> In effect, it was like I upgraded my internet connection!

Of course, the smaller size also means **I need less hard disk space to store my films.** But that's not all!

Before I post a video online, I always check it on my 65'' OLED TV. But when I tried playing the big H.264 video files via my NAS, playback was choppy as the Ethernet connection could not keep up with the 100Mbps bit rate and the big file size. Or at least, that's what I think the bottleneck is. Maybe the TV cannot decode fast enough that big file.

Nonetheless, that didn't make watching my movies enjoyable at all.

Upon switching over to the H.265 video compression codec, **the videos are playing smoothly once again**. I can now enjoy the immersion and spot any mistakes I made in sound or color grading a lot easier.

And let's not forget that **encoding in H.265 using the Nvidia card on Handbrake is done almost in *real-time***. If your final video is 10 minutes long, encoding the video in H.265 should take about 10 minutes, as well. Compared that to 50 minutes for a single pass in H.264 or 2 hours if you opt for the recommended two-pass encoding in H.264, you instantly realize the *efficiency* of the H.265 codec.

Summing up, **ever since I began to export videos in the H.265 video compression codec:**

- I am saving hours when encoding
- I am uploading videos five times faster to the internet, and
- I am saving enormous space in my hard drives!

Unless you can notice a quality drop in your final movies, I don't see a reason why you shouldn't start exporting your videos in the H.265 codec! You will save both time and money, as hard disks don't grow on trees. Besides, *time is money*!
### Solitude is the new black
URL: https://jimmakos.com/solitude-is-the-new-black/
Last updated: 2021-04-11T10:04:52.000Z
I like [walking alone](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=846211395853430). Ideally, I would like to walk on empty streets. That mostly happens in winter and especially on very cold days. But since it's 2020, I don't have to wait for the temperature to drop to sub-zero. This year I get to enjoy my solitude in much warmer weather.

Today I drove to the city's waterfront right after the night-time curfew. And as expected, streets were silent before the sunrise.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308197-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308206-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308186-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308212-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308215-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308226-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308218-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308231-jim-makos.jpg)

Yet, sometimes I get to walk along people that also enjoy being alone. My parents. I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Under current circumstances, we prefer meeting outside instead of home. It's the safest way to talk to them in person, and it's going to be for a long time. Besides, I get to exercise even for a bit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-SR308222-jim-makos-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-VID_20201028_062518_00_003_2020-10-28_09-44-16_screenshot-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-VID_20201028_064842_00_004_2020-10-28_09-41-13_screenshot-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201028-VID_20201028_064842_00_004_2020-10-28_09-43-13_screenshot-jim-makos.jpg)

Walking in 2020-style

These days I'm watching [The Queen's Gambit](https://www.netflix.com/watch/81093613) on Netflix. A series about a girl that is obsessed with chess, like [some of us were with poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker). Episode 5 starts with this quote:

> The strongest person is the person who isn't scared to be alone.

Stay strong. Stay safe.
### I don't have a plan
URL: https://jimmakos.com/i-dont-have-a-plan-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:40:35.000Z
I must probably start writing more for my blog. This is the third post in a row that I'm publishing with access only to subscribers.

I'm not worried about people. They can subscribe and read these lines. It's **Google** that I'm concerned. It cannot access these posts, and when it comes to growing my websites, Google has been my best friend.

Here's how much traffic another website of mine gets from search engines (known as organic traffic):

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Web Business vs Gambling For a Living
URL: https://jimmakos.com/web-business-vs-gambling-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:41:00.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### These letters are for members only
URL: https://jimmakos.com/for-members-only-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:41:39.000Z
After sending nine letters to my subscribers, the next ones won't be available publicly, starting with this, thanks to Ghost!

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Flickr vs Google Photos: Why I Trust Google with My Photos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/flickr-vs-google-photos/
Last updated: 2020-12-15T13:47:01.000Z
I wrote just yesterday that [blogging on the Ghost platform](https://jimmakos.com/2020/10/first-impressions-after-migrating-to-ghost-from-wordpress/) not only makes me want to write more but also to take photos more often. Thanks to how galleries are integrated into Ghost, I don't second-guess why I am taking a picture. Now, I know that I'll post it to my blog here.

So, after weeks of not taking a single photo, my camera's shutter button was pressed again this morning. This happened in ten minutes I went outside.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201009-SR307967-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201009-SR307964-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201009-SR307969-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201009-SR307960-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201009-SR307958-jim-makos.jpg)

Streetlife on October 09, 2020

As I am simplifying my process in writing and working on [my personal brand online](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/personal-branding-in-recession/), I am also optimizing my workflow when it comes to [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/).

As a blogger, I used to write on Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Sometimes I used [the Hemingway app](http://www.hemingwayapp.com/), and every document was then edited in [Grammarly](https://jmks.co/grammarly). The final draft was uploaded to WordPress, where I had to edit it further, add quotes and images where necessary.

Now I write directly on Ghost with Grammarly's keyboard. *That's it.*

Likewise, in photography, once I edit a photo on Adobe Lightroom, I find myself lost of where I should share it. I have an Instagram account, Flickr, 500px, and SmugMug accounts. I recently created [an Unsplash profile](https://unsplash.com/@jimmakos) as well, as people recommended it to me on Twitter. I probably forget a few others. Unsurprisingly, I also have a Google account, which leads me to Google Photos.

## Google Photos: The Perfect Archive System?

Many people are using it to store their photos. Quite often, *in total ignorance*.

That's because when they got their Android phone, in one of those "click next to continue" screens, they accepted to auto-backup their photos on Google's cloud. When they got a new phone, their pictures magically remained intact and ready to be accessed in the new device as well. All they had to do is open the "Photos" app. Voila.

We've come to a point in technology where only a few question how's that possible. In fact, most *expect* their photos to be on their phones nowadays. Forever. Despite the fact they are changing phones every year.

When I tell them their photos that they took many years ago can also be accessed from any browser at [photos.google.com](https://photos.google.com/), they come face to face with reality.

> Oh no! I don't want my photos to be online! What about my privacy? Can everyone see them? How did that happen?

Hopefully, you are more tech-savvy than these people.

I do not back up my photos to Google Photos. I used to do it, but since it automatically saves every-single-one photo the smartphone captures, it became so cluttered that it was unusable. I disabled the backup feature and deleted the photos taken with my smartphone.

Now, I use Google Photos to store my best, edited photos. All of my photos are saved locally and stored in an Adobe Lightroom catalog. I single out my favorite ones, edit them, export and upload them to Google Photos.

**I created a polished photo gallery of my life.**

I can have access to these photos from anywhere and scan through years of documenting my life with my finger. Long story short, my best photos are always with me to use however I want, either privately or publicly.

Unfortunately, when it comes to sharing albums online, there are better solutions out there.

## Flickr, who?

I find Flickr just as pleasing to the eye as Google or Ghost's galleries. They create perfect collages of my photos, no matter if they have mixed aspect ratios (Facebook comes second). Yet, there are four issues with Flickr.

![The Flickr Photostream resizes to accommodate photos of different aspect ratios](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-flickr.png)

The Flickr Photostream resizes to accommodate photos of different aspect ratios

First, it's the thing **about the money**. Specifically [running out of it](https://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/flickr-cash-shortage-leads-to-plea-for-more-paying-members/). I would hate to see my thousands of public photos and hours of work vanished one day. In comparison, I don't see Google shutting down soon; still, it can shut the Photos section down, similarly to how they decided to terminate Google+. So much for [my smart decision to build a brand there](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/). It got even worse when I began [creating collections on Google+](https://jimmakos.com/2018/09/google-plus-collections/)! Total fail!

Lesson learned. While I do use Google Photos, all photos, including the mediocre and bad ones, are safely stored locally in my hard drives.

Second, **searching for photos in Flickr** doesn't come anywhere near Google. I have to add keywords to every photo before uploading to Flickr, add them to Albums, and even then, I doubt one can find a specific picture via the search bar.

I won't say much about Google search. Here's how my Google Photos looks like without entering a single keyword, tag, title, or description in any of those photos.

![Google Photos automatically created these albums. Machines are winning.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-photos-things.png)

Google Photos automatically created these albums. Machines are winning.

That's Google Wizardry. Even if I spent endless hours tagging the photos and creating categories in Lightroom, I wouldn't end up with such a neatly organized catalog.

Third, apart from photographers and web publishers, who are looking for royalty-free photos to include in their publications, **I seriously doubt people know of Flickr's existence** and its purpose. I don't care about building a community or following there, but if I steer people towards a site to check out my pictures, I want people to be familiar with it. Everyone will feel right at home if they see my photo on Instagram. But no one will know how to share or comment on a Flickr photo of mine.

And fourth, **I have trouble uploading photos to Flickr**, which beats the whole idea of archiving my photos online. Every time I hit upload in Lightroom to send the photos to my Flickr albums, the process is interrupted, and the upload is half done. Sometimes, I end up with duplicate photos or missing geotagging data.

Oh, did I mention that **Google automatically geotags my imported photos**, as long as I enable the Location feature in my Android phone? It cross-references the phone's location and date data with the photo's data and makes a perfect connection. So, no need to have a GPS-enabled digital camera or put a pin on a map for every single photo in Lightroom, as long as I allow Google data crawlers to spy on me. Boo!

Thus, after being a paying Flickr customer for five years, I don't think I'll renew my yearly subscription that's conveniently due on October 18.

Yet, Flickr isn't the only outlet I'm quitting.

## 6 Reasons Why I Quit Instagram

I post on Instagram no more.

1. I hate being forced to use specific dimensions for my photos and crop my portrait, 2:3 photos.
2. I hate cropping all the photos I'll post in a carousel to have the same aspect ratio.
3. I hate to see my 16:9 landscape getting lost in a feed where 4:5 photos dominate the screen. Even Twitter allows you to post photos with different aspect ratios.
4. I also hate using hashtags, and I hated them more while following marketers' advice to find the perfect hashtags for Instagram and make lists of them. 😋
5. I hate not being able to add links to my captions.
6. I hate creating content that isn't crawled or indexed in Google's search engine.

The only thing I like about Instagram is the profile page. [I'm keeping that](https://instagram.com/jimmakoscom).

![flickr vs google photos instagram](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201009-SA905805-jim-makos-instagram.jpg)

## Writing and Publishing Photos on the Blog

So, I use [my personal blog](https://jimmakos.com/) for everything. I write and publicly share my photos here. Every word and photo of mine is beautifully presented to my audience, in the exact way I want. I am the one setting the rules.

That was my goal months ago when I began [brainstorming a content strategy](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/content-creation-strategy/). No more creating content on rented land. Everything goes in here. I create content here and publish it directly. Social media is only used for marketing. For driving people to this blog's original content, by [repurposing the content](https://jimmakos.com/2020/07/repurposing-content/) I have already created here.

The only exception? *Twitter*. And YouTube, but I can't upload a video to a blog, can I?
### First Impressions after Migrating to Ghost from WordPress
URL: https://jimmakos.com/first-impressions-after-migrating-to-ghost-from-wordpress/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:36:46.000Z
It's been two days since I migrated this blog to Ghost from WordPress. It's seemingly quicker, offers SEO and image optimization out of the box, and I can run a newsletter by myself. But what I found most exciting is the fact that **it makes me want to write more**.

In these two days, [I learned](https://www.markdowntutorial.com/) how to write articles in markdown. Right now, I'm writing these words in Ghost editor using markdown language. This means I'm formatting **these very words** in bold as I'm writing! And I don't need to open Google Docs, Notion, or another writing app to put my thoughts on digital paper!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201008-SR307947-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201008-SR307953-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201008-SR307950-jim-makos.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/20201008-SR307949-jim-makos.jpg)

Writing the post you are reading in Ghost editor

Yes, I could write like this in WordPress. But I never did during the ten years I'm running multiple WordPress blogs. With Ghost it feels natural to do so.

Simple is *usually* better.

And that's what this content management system is all about. Having said that, I wouldn't say setting up a blog in Ghost is tailored for a beginner web developer or blogger.

I spent hours to understand how Ghost works; to figure out that I need to change the theme's files in order to change how the blog functions. And I still haven't quite grasped the meaning of handlebars.

Yet, here I am, fully transitioning into Ghost.

## Why I'm migrating to Ghost

For a couple of reasons, sorted by importance to me:

1. **Galleries**. Previously, I had limited options in WordPress when it came to arranging photos in a gallery inside a post. Having grown a significant interest in [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/), I didn't particularly appreciate how WordPress showcased my photographs. Now, I just have to throw up to nine photos in a gallery here, and everything magically works to create a beautifully crafted gallery with a lightbox effect (you did notice those 4 pictures in the beginning, didn't you? It only took me 10 seconds to do that!). As *simple* as that. In fact, that makes me grab my camera and shoot more photos now!
2. **Native newsletter support**. Alright, I was never a big fan of newsletters, both as a reader and a creator. I have started one and quit a couple of times. Recently I gave it another shot with [Revue](https://jmks.co/revue). Meanwhile, Ghost allows me to send *any* article I write to my subscribers, *whenever* I feel like it. Not only that, but I can restrict access to those articles to my subscribers as an incentive to subscribe *and* have a paywall for others, **turning my blog into a business**! I have *already* noticed more people are subscribing. So many options and benefits!
3. **Looks.** I get it; looks are subjective. But I liked the built-in Ghost support for table of contents and AMP, natively improving my chances for better ranking in Google. Admittedly I was already ***delighted*** with how my WordPress blog looked. I had poured my soul in that, making it look and feel exactly how I wanted it. Ghost doesn't fall too much behind, although working with their themes are a lot more cumbersome compared to WordPress templates. But galleries and native image manipulation make up for it.

![How my blog looked like in WordPress for many, many years](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-mock-up-website-1.png)

How my blog looked like in WordPress for many, many years

## Moving away from WordPress feels bittersweet

I had worked my arse off with my WordPress blog. I had optimized every line of code; I had customized every last JavaScript and CSS bit; I had tuned every little plugin.

Ghost isn't that much quicker than my fully optimized and managed WordPress blog. Ghost isn't more secure than my WordPress blog that was [safeguarded by WP Engine](https://jmks.co/wpengine). I had enjoyed automatic daily backups, staging, and development instances to test out things and automatic updates. My blogs were running the latest PHP version at all times, and CDN and cache management were taken care of; for a price. And images were optimized and served by a third-party service ([ShortPixel](https://jmks.co/shortpixel)).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/2020-10-06_07-14-14.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/2020-10-06_20-21-52.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/2020-10-06_07-14-39.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/2020-10-06_10-28-05.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/2020-10-06_11-31-38.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/2020-10-06_07-14-51.jpg)

Side-to-side comparison between WordPress ([WP Engine](https://jmks.co/wpengine)) and Ghost (Pro) performance via [Google PageSpeed](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/) and [Pingdom](https://tools.pingdom.com/)

Again, I'm paying for most of these things via [Ghost (Pro)](https://jmks.co/ghost). And there are things and functionality that are missing. But I couldn't have done it in another way. Win some, lose some.

> In the end, everything comes down to priorities.

Do I sacrifice easy coding in favor of beautiful galleries? Do I opt for [native newsletter support](https://jimmakos.com/tag/letters/), at the expense of a fully managed WordPress environment? 

For me, that is a resounding yes. Yet, I'm still *not 100% convinced*. Besides, my WordPress blog is just a DNS record change away. Till then, I'm more than happy to publish with Ghost in 2020 and will let you know how things work out. After all, writing feels gratifying once again!
### Moving from WordPress to Ghost and Hosting Photos Online
URL: https://jimmakos.com/wordpress-to-ghost-hosting-photos-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:41:54.000Z
My thoughts and struggles as I'm figuring out the optimum strategy for sharing photos online and moving my personal blog to a new content management system.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Do you even walk, bro?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/do-you-even-walk/
Last updated: 2020-10-06T14:31:02.000Z
I take walks listening to movie soundtracks. I find them uplifting as if I am going to conquer the world. Well, they do make me walk faster, more confidently. They also make me work more by the time I get back home.

I used to listen to classical music, but I’ve found it less energetic. Usually, it made me sadder than I already was. Of course, it depends on the track, but I’m a sucker for depressing themes.

Lately, I also listen to soundtracks while taking photos or videos in the city, among the crowd. It helps me isolate myself and ****not care about other people**. That’s a powerful skill that I sadly still lack.

And finally, I listen to them while I’m writing. So, here’s the track that plays on my headphones while I’m writing these very words. I suggest you listen to it as you’re reading. It’s what I’m listening to nowadays whenever I find myself alone outside.

## Do what makes you happy, but first what makes you money

Time for another entry to [**my journal**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/keeping-a-journal/). I enjoy writing these posts, despite knowing that they won’t rank to Google; that people won’t find by mistake; that only my blog’s loyal visitors get to read.

And that’s ok. Not everything we do in life has to have a profound goal, as long as it makes us happy.

Now, if you can make money from that, you found the Holy Grail.

But usually, mundane, repetitive things will be the wheels of your money-making machine. For me, that’s [**managing websites that I’ve built and run as a web publisher**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/). They make me money to provide for my family, and I can enjoy writing and using my cameras with less stress. But I certainly don’t enjoy emailing or hiring people; two essential aspects of running any business.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/writing-essay-letter-jim-makos-307750-1.jpg)

Writing my latest letter ([are you a subscriber?](https://jmks.co/letters))

*In contrast*, ****I always enjoyed writing**, especially in English.

Back as a teenager, I attended English classes to learn the language. Writing essays was what excited me the most. But not all kinds of essays.

The teacher would give us a sentence instead of a topic. We had two options for this exercise: either start or finish our essay with that sentence.

For me, the choice was easy; I always finished my essays with the given sentence.

It made me write essays that had the reader wondering how I would turn the story around and finish appropriately. I still remember the day that our teacher, who had studied in the USA, started the lesson by saying:

> Today, I have to read to you the essay Jim wrote. You HAVE to listen to it. This is fantastic writing.

It wasn’t because my grammar had been excellent or of my impeccable syntax. There were red strikethroughs and marks on the essay, proof that I had made mistakes. But ****it was the story** that made my teacher read it aloud in the class.

I had already won that day. No matter the marks, no matter my mistakes, no matter if my classmates would hate listening to my essay. Never before our teacher had read us an essay. And never would he again.

“Winter of 96.”, he said as he started reading my essay. “Now, THAT’s a GREAT way to start an essay.” he continued. I remember I talked of snowflakes hitting the window in the first paragraph, but I’m afraid I no longer have those essays. And it’s a pity as he allowed us to write and deliver them in Word format (such a breakthrough idea back in 1991!). I’ve looked at all of my 40MB, 120MB, and 500MB Marvell hard drives, nowhere to be found. Those marvelous stories of mine, gone, forever.

## It’s all about the contrast

This week it was the first time I went for a walk since [**we returned from Skyros Island**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/08/traveling-to-greek-island-skyros-in-2020/). Once again, I found myself in the local marina, walking by sailing boats and small yachts, being lost in my thoughts.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/walking-marina-sailing-boat-jim-makos-307717.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/walking-marina-yacht-sunset-jim-makos-307720.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/walking-marina-yacht-jim-makos-307727.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/walking-marina-boats-jim-makos-.jpg)

Still, I noticed an old lady pushing her wheelchair all alone, wearing a mask at all times. Meanwhile, ten or more people about my age were sitting down altogether, having a laugh on the grass. *Imagine the contrast*. Different priorities.

Then three little girls passed me by with their bicycles. Seconds later, their dad appeared out of the bushes, running towards them as they were quickly approaching the sea dangerously. Right next to the sea, another man had just got off his brand new, white motorcycle and was about to take photos of it as the sun was setting.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/walking-marina-night-lighthouse-jim-makos-307748.jpg)

Both proud of their accomplishments, but so much different how these men achieved them. Such a different life and one that can’t understand unless you experience it. ****Another contrast**.

I recall watching a YouTube video, where the creator argued that one should look for contrast in photography and filmmaking. It can be anything. From the contrast in colors to contrast between the shot’s bright and dark parts or the contrast in feelings—the contrast of how you make the audience feel when moving from one scene to another. Every good image, every good story has contrast.

If you are writing, taking pictures, or making videos, [**look for contrast.**](https://www.ishmaelscorner.com/contrast-as-a-storytelling-technique-in-business-communications/)

## People are running away from their problems; I’m walking

Notice how many people are running outside? Twenty years ago, running wasn’t a trend. Can it be that everyone around me became more health-aware? I was still curious how running became so popular until a friend of mine explained it to me.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/running-man-walking-problems-jim-makos-307743.jpg)

His midweek schedule requires him to be away from his home. He spends three days in hotels before returning to his family for the weekend. He signs off work at 7 PM every day and returns to his hotel room. But his supervisor doesn’t.

His supervisor, a 50-year-old dad, goes for a 2-hour run after a 10-hour shift. He didn’t use to run at all ten years ago and now takes part in marathon runs! And he’s not the only one! I have heard of other friends and even relatives doing the same.

“How come isn’t he tired?” I asked my friend. How does he find the strength to run?

“Are you kidding?” he tells me. If he doesn’t run, he’ll be in trouble. Much trouble. ****If he doesn’t run, he’s taking pills.** Pills to [**fight depression**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/futures-trading-depression/).

Suddenly, everything made sense. It’s now clear to me why so many people were anxiously awaiting [**the lockdowns to be lifted worldwide**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/productivity-in-depressing-world-lockdown-isolation/) and go for a much-needed run.

It wasn’t because suddenly everyone cared about keeping fit. So I thought. It was because they were feeling even more depressed, constrained at home. People are sad. The solution? Running away from their problems. Or hitting the gym and forget.

Spending two hours running and an hour for preparation and a bath sounds way better than three hours, thinking of the mistakes you made in life. Or three hours spending with a nagging, complaining family. Running is better than feeling a ton of regrets. Regrets that will be waiting at the death bed, nonetheless.

Until then, going for a run is liberating, not to mention beneficial to health. Win-win!

I’m sticking with walking. And listening to soundtracks.
### Who are you?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/who-are-you-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:42:09.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### Improving Google Rankings
URL: https://jimmakos.com/improving-google-rankings-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:42:18.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### Traveling to a Greek Island (Skyros) in 2020
URL: https://jimmakos.com/traveling-to-greek-island-skyros-in-2020/
Last updated: 2020-12-15T13:47:56.000Z
So, here I am in a ferry boat for yet another summer. Still, considering it’s 2020, someone could argue that’s close to a miracle!

Yet, another miracle did happen. The fact that I managed to put all of our stuff in the car.

Every year I visit the Greek island of Skyros with the family having one and only goal: to keep the passenger’s seat empty. This year, I failed once again.

Yet, I did pretty well in the back seat row where there weren’t any complaints. Additionally, for the first time, the mother and daughter didn’t sleep during the trip until the port of Kymi, where we would board the ferry boat. It was certainly a pleasant change for me.

Friends, who have made the same trip wonder how come we make the whole trip without a single stop.

When my daughter was younger, she used to sleep three out of the six hours of the trip, so we had to keep her busy for just three more hours. Of course, for as long as she was asleep, the car needed to cover as much distance as possible. Every minute was important.

The older she becomes, the less she sleeps. So, nowadays, in 2020, she stayed awake during the whole trip. I have to admit that my young kid hasn’t caused any trouble during these long-distance trips for so many years even this year that she didn’t sleep. Of course, her mother is sitting right next to her, while I am driving.

The trip from Thessaloniki to Evia’s Kymi is 550km. Google Maps estimate that we need 6 hours to cover that distance which has always been on point. Even before they completed Tempi’s tunnels.

That got me thinking since I never needed more than 6 hours for this trip. To arrive in Lamia, it always took me three hours, either before the tunnels were built, or after. I’m curious, do we save time thanks to these tunnels, or are we just avoiding the dangerous, old road of Tempi’s valley?

Whatever the case, the road to Evia’s Kymi is very easy. However, that convenience doesn’t come for free, as I pay about 25 euros for tolls.

Starting from Chalkida’s landmark bridge the road reminds me of… dare I say, Chalkidiki’s roads? Especially for those of you who are traveling to Sithonia, they do ring a bell. Ah, and given we’re on the subject, like Chalkidiki, it doesn’t have. 🙂 \[Greek expression\]

Slightly before Kymi’s port, the road reminds us of the rockslides that the place suffers from.

In the last few years, we’ve decided to travel on the last ferry boat at 9 pm. We find it way more convenient to arrive on the island late at night and go to sleep almost immediately. Previously we took the boat at 6pm, arriving in Skyros at the awkward 8 pm when we neither felt sleepy, nor did we feel rested to meet relatives and friends or make up the house.

As an added advantage, we enjoy the port on sunset.

In the beginning, I talked of 2020 that made us doubtful since March if we would manage to visit the island this year, because of the pandemic. The uncertainty still exists of course given the signs are present in everyday life. But for me, the part of this trip that set it apart was the 10-20 cars that were aboard the ship. At other times the cargo area would be so packed that to open the door I would have to wait until the cars nearby left or other times I would not be able to even reach it.

The next two hours on the ferry boat would certainly be a lot different than previous years!

And that’s how we arrived at [**Skyros island**](https://jimmakos.com/2019/08/brainstorming-on-skyros-island/) this year. Maybe it’s not the most popular destination, but for all of us who seek peaceful and relaxing summer vacations. I’d say it feels almost like paradise. Enjoy your summer, everyone!

![My photo album of Skyros Island](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/skyros-photography-album.png)

[My photo album](https://jmks.co/skyrosphotos) of Skyros Island
### Repurposing Content: How to Get Your Content to More People
URL: https://jimmakos.com/repurposing-content/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:15:18.000Z
A content creator can create that much content per day. In the battle for making the most out of our time, creating value can go that far. Every day we wake up and try to use the next 16 hours most efficiently. And when it comes to [**creating content for the internet**](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/), *content repurposing* is how you efficiently use that content.

Let’s say you filmed a 10-minute video for YouTube. That’s one piece of content. That’s the original content that you can extract many more pieces from.

First, you can get the audio of that video, make small edits and repurpose it as a podcast, [**as I discussed recently in another episode**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/07/starting-a-podcast/). Second, you can trim 1-minute clips out of the original video and create short videos for Twitter or other social platforms. Finally, get creative and edit 15-second clips out of that very same content to create Instagram stories.

Repurposing content doesn’t stop there, though.

Transcribe your video or do what I do. Before recording a video, write a script that will be used as a blog post on your website. I understand that not every video can be scripted, but I’m sure you can format your speech into an article somehow. Then, take your most valuable, short sentences out of it and add them as quotes on pictures of yours for branding. You now have several pieces of content for your Instagram feed.

As a perfectionist, **I used to overthink** about the quality before I created a piece of content. At the end of the day, though, I had created just a single piece of content that wasn’t promoted enough. And once that was done, I had to go back to overthinking my next piece of content.

By **repurposing content**, I can create a lot more content, based on the content I consider perfect in the first place. So, quality AND quantity. Win-win.
### Jimmy Mee like Gary Vee
URL: https://jimmakos.com/jimmy-mee-like-gary-vee-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:42:28.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### Starting a Podcast and How to Save Time Creating Episodes
URL: https://jimmakos.com/starting-a-podcast/
Last updated: 2024-03-14T07:45:29.000Z
Podcasting isn’t something new. People are recording podcasts for years, but lately, their popularity has increased. As a [**content creator**](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/), you may wonder if you should spend time creating yet another type of content for promoting your work or business.

At least, *I have*. So…

## Should I be starting a podcast?

Build on your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, they say.

If you are good at writing, you start a blog or write a book. If you are good at taking pictures, [**you dive into photography**](https://jimmakos.com/photography/), and if you are good with video, [**you start a YouTube channel**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/why-launch-4-shows-on-my-youtube-channel/) or a video production company.

A podcast is a natural choice for anyone good at speaking. I am not. But there’s a workaround, and I’m doing it all the time. It’s called *scripting*.

Although reading from a script may sound like cheating, it gets the job done. In the modern-day of marketing, quantity somehow wins over quality.

And if it works for you, who cares?

Yes, it may sound unnatural, but you can try as much as possible to be yourself. At the end of the day, people stick around because of *what* you have to say, not *how* you say it.

Besides, having a written script saves a ton of time for both the creator and the audience.

How many times have you watched a 10-minute video, only to extract value from a couple of minutes? Quite often, long videos can be summarized in a paragraph or just a sentence.

Concentrated information and value are hard to come by. A script accomplishes that, as the creator makes the most of their listeners’ time.

Most importantly, he or she respects their own time. That’s why I am considering…

![starting-a-podcast-microphone](https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://jimmakos.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/starting-a-podcast-microphone.jpg "Starting a Podcast and How to Save Time Creating Episodes 4 | Jim Makos")

## Starting a podcast by repurposing content

In other words, by using this video’s audio to create my first podcast.

Distributing the same content in various formats reaches a bigger audience with less work. And no, it’s not cheating. Some prefer watching a YouTube video while others like listening to podcasts in their commute. Why not offer value in both formats? I’ll get back to the topic of repurposing content in the next episode.

For now, thank you for watching this video. Or [**listening to my podcast’s first episode**](https://jmks.co/podcast)!
### My Website's Most Valuable Starting Points
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-websites-most-valuable-starting-points-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:42:41.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### Making Content Creation Great Again
URL: https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/
Last updated: 2025-10-30T03:37:28.000Z
Writing online was the only form of content someone could create online.

Computers could only display text.

Nowadays, a viable content creation strategy necessarily includes photos. Meanwhile, video is quickly becoming a trend. Bloggers now need to develop photography skills and probably become involved in video creation.

Bloggers are now called content creators.

Welcome to the modern creator economy!

Content creation is a thriving business that requires good skills in writing, taking photos, and making videos. Improve yours with my personal resources in these fields:

- [Writing](https://jimmakos.com/writing/)
- [Photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/)
- [Video making](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/)

Content creation is an integral part of my [web publishing business](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/).

## Content creation as an influencer and a business

Once upon a time, written content was powerful enough to drive sales and attract an audience. Although copywriting is still paramount for successfully building a brand, the world has shifted towards eye-candy content.

Internet users frequently scan their social media feeds throughout the day in the blink of an eye. Content creators have milliseconds to get their attention! The best way to do that? A photo.

But an attractive photo gets you that far. You must write a carefully planned caption, leading to a CTA, a call-to-action. Which, in turn, leads to your audience consuming more content and hopefully leads to a sale.

**Content creation is a thriving business**. Money can be made via advertising, sponsorships, or direct sales. At the same time, more and more people are getting involved in creating content, and competition is fierce. Markets and niches become oversaturated, and content creators must carefully position themselves.

At the end of the day, though, one way or another, they must create content.

> The best thing about constantly creating online and sharing your thoughts and experiences is you don’t have time to consume content 😏

…or to check the stats and performance of what you’ve shared!

## My content creation strategy shifted in 2020

For years I was blogging online. I was writing posts for this very website. I aimed to help and relate with people while ranking higher in Google's search engine.

Then, I slowly became active on social media. I found myself neglecting my blog and writing in favor of creating content on rented land. I went deeply into photography and movie-making to create the best photos and videos I could. While learning these arts and discovering my creative side, I felt overwhelmed by trying to be present online.

And so, I decided on [a new content creation strategy](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation-strategy/) from now on.

## What About Artificial Intelligence?

![Artificial Intelligence content creation](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/06/Artificial-Intelligence-content-creation.png)

It’s tempting to think AI is the shortcut to creating content faster, and sometimes, it is. But let’s be real: people don’t pay for shortcuts. They pay for creativity. Personality. Perspective.

AI can help you write captions, brainstorm headlines, or even touch up your photos. But it can’t replace *you*. Your story. Your voice on camera. Your way of framing the world through a lens, literal or metaphorical.

The world isn’t paying creators to *use* AI. It’s paying them to *create*. To think deeply, write honestly, and show up on camera with stories that only they can tell.

So sure, experiment with the tools. Use AI to speed things up. But never forget: the premium is still on **human creativity**.

That’s what makes content unforgettable. That’s what builds trust.

And that’s what keeps you irreplaceable in a world full of content.
### My Problem-Solving Reality as a Solo Entrepreneur
URL: https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship/
Last updated: 2025-10-14T10:31:09.000Z
Do you know those entrepreneurs who sent rockets in space, built billion-dollar startups from scratch and created thousands of jobs? Well, I am not one of them.

I am a company of one, with no employees and no fancy headquarters. I work from home and run a web publishing business. Simple as that.

Does that make me an entrepreneur? Maybe a solo entrepreneur? A solopreneur? You decide. I never liked putting labels on people. I only cared for results. And I have been making my living without having a boss since I dropped out of university.

> *Entrepreneurship* is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't.

I first considered calling myself an entrepreneur when I incorporated my web business into the United States of America. Everything I create online is the property of my US company for legal and tax reasons.

I find managing a company exciting. From taking care of its financials and running it properly, to sending invoices with my logo and introducing myself as a founder! And as a founder and CEO of an LLC company based in the USA, I'm here to share what I once wished I knew.

Besides, learning never stops. Especially when life humbles you.

## Bootstrap financing in solo entrepreneurship

If an entrepreneur says they are using “bootstrap financing,” what are they referring to?

💡

****Bootstrap financing** is when you start and grow your business using your own money, instead of relying on outside investors or loans.

It means funding your business from personal savings, income generated by the business, or small, self-managed loans. Many entrepreneurs prefer this approach because it allows them to maintain full control over their business and avoid giving away equity to investors.

*I am one of those entrepreneurs who bootstrapped their business.*

However, bootstrap financing comes with significant risks, and I’m currently feeling the pressure firsthand.

One of my biggest websites took a major hit when [Google’s latest updates rolled out](https://jimmakos.com/google-updates-ruining-life/), causing a sharp drop in traffic and, consequently, a big decline in revenue. Since my business is largely self-funded, the drop in income has left me scrambling to cover costs. With no external funding to fall back on, time is running out to recover the site’s performance and secure my business’s future.

The risk of bootstrap financing is that when unexpected challenges hit, like these Google updates, you may not have the financial cushion to ride it out. You’re essentially burning through your own resources, and if revenue doesn’t bounce back quickly enough, you can run out of funds.

That’s the situation I’m facing now—trying to keep everything afloat while adjusting [SEO strategies](https://jimmakos.com/marketing/) and exploring new revenue streams to save my web publishing business before it’s too late.

## Working From Home

I am a **work-from-home dad** and a **web entrepreneur**. I have turned some hobbies of mine into a "day job," although I have no boss, no work schedule, no shifts, and no daily commute. Working from home has allowed me to feel free during my entire life.

While I've made my living as a [gambler](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) in the past, nowadays, I'm wearing my [web publisher](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/) hat.

[The Freedom of Working from Home with a FamilyDiscover what worked for me, enjoying total freedom as a work-from-home guy for 20 years. Even while raising a family.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/12/jim-makos-profile-2023-1.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/jimmakos-working-from-home.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home/)

## ENTREPRENEURSHIP TOOLS AND RESOURCES

*Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

1. [Lastpass](https://jmks.co/lastpass): As an online entrepreneur, I must have hundreds of accounts online. Remembering so many passwords is impossible, and obviously, I won't use the same password everywhere! LastPass not only remembers everything but saves me probably hours every day by auto-completing login details on tens of websites.
2. [Wise](https://jmks.co/transferwise): I get paid in US dollars, Euros, and British Pounds from anywhere in the world.
3. [Revolut](https://jmks.co/revolut): Converting currencies with zero commission at interbank FX rates. Need I say more?
4. [NordVPN](https://jmks.co/nordvpn): Most people use VPNs for security and privacy reasons. But actually, [a VPN can save you money](https://jimmakos.com/2014/12/us-startup-save-money-europeans/)!
5. [Google Apps](https://jmks.co/googleapps): 24/7 email service. No more lost emails due to downtime.
6. [Upwork](https://www.upwork.com/): Outsourcing and hiring freelancers that buy me time.
### Family First, Bicycle Second and a Photoshoot
URL: https://jimmakos.com/family-first-bicycle/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:28:48.000Z
They say, document, don’t create. And that’s what I have been doing since the lockdown was lifted.

First, I didn’t stop being a dad, of course. I get annoyed by people shouting family first in their online profiles, only to work on their business 24/7\. Nothing wrong with hustling and building a business that provides for your family, just don’t declare yourself a family man when you spend no more than half an hour a day with your kids. I spend half of my day with my daughter, and I don’t even mention I have a family in my profile. In fact, now that homeschooling has been the standard, I can count the hours I was not with her with one hand. The lockdown did come with some benefits, as she learned how to ride a bicycle during the lockdown. Shhh, I know some are looking forward to the next one!

Although exercising was strongly recommended as we were stuck at home for weeks, I didn’t ride my bicycle more than twice all this time. I much preferred my favorite morning walks, sometimes even before the sunrise. Empty streets and parks provide the necessary silence for my favorite sport: **overthinking**!

However, as long as I have a camera with me, I’m less inclined to waste my time thinking instead of taking action.

What’s better than taking photos and shooting videos for yourself? Do that with another person who shares your passion and has a project in hand. My friend, [**Olga**](https://www.instagram.com/olga%5Fmaria%5Friante), had partnered with a bag company and was looking to promote a product. Who you gonna call? Jim Makos!

But that’s not all that took place the past month. I began [**sending a newsletter**](https://jimmakos.com/newsletter/) and launched [**a couple of new websites**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/06/new-domain-name/). We’ll talk about that soon. Stay subscribed!
### Riding the COVID-19 waves
URL: https://jimmakos.com/riding-the-covid-19-waves-letter/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T06:35:04.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### On Buying a New Domain Name to build a Healthcare Website
URL: https://jimmakos.com/new-domain-name/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T09:28:45.000Z
I bought a new domain name just today! You know, the thing you type on your web browser, sometimes starting with www. The domain name is the foundation for building a website; and I’ll be building a website in the healthcare industry for the first time!

![depression-domain-name-registration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/depression-domain-name-registration.jpg)

I have high hopes for this domain, hence the *10-year* domain registration

## How I ended up creating a healthcare website

I suppose you’ve read my most recent posts here. I mentioned “depression” [**quite a lot in those**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/futures-trading-depression/). I even came up [**with a business idea**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/depressing-business-idea-inspired/); far from my brightest though! Imagine my surprise when I checked how much a click may cost in that industry (probably the highest I’ve ever seen).

Long story short, after two-day research I came across a nice ****depression-related domain name** that was first registered back in 2011 and has similar search performance with another website I’m running quite successfully for 10 years. This website makes *mid-five figures*.

![domain-keyword-search-performance](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/domain-keyword-search-performance.jpg)

Never reveal your websites, they say. Who am I to disagree?

Should this newborn website perform similarly to that one, I’m creating another semi-passive income stream. Even better, it’s a totally *uncorrelated* industry. Thus, I’m diversifying my sources of income, so that if one industry takes a hit, the other might survive or even perform better.

Yes, it’s another website. No, it’s not another line of work. I’m not diversifying THAT much. But it’s like working in two similar jobs at the same time.

If I am getting fired in one job (one website shuts down), I still have the other (the other website continues operating normally). And if one job underperforms in a time of crisis (say the air travel industry during COVID-19), I may get a raise in the other one (say communication – teleconferencing). Diversification in web publishing means managing websites of different industries and niches.

## My work as a web publisher

For years that’s how I am *investing* in domains. I set aside a portion of my company’s capital to buy and develop domains.

I’m not flipping domains, I don’t buy developed websites.

I start from scratch, I outsource content, I build the website and wait (usually for months or years) for the search engines to work their magic. Then I monetize the websites and hopefully create income streams. Of course, not all websites turn out profitable machines, but I don’t need 100% of them to make money.

Say I spend $3,000 on ten domains and only one ends up making $300/month. For life. ****Would you say it was money well spent?**

That’s my plan with this one. My writing team and new freelancers are going to create content in the next weeks while I’m getting the website prepared to host the articles. I already have a list of the topics we’re going to include on the website. I don’t need to pour a ton of money in the beginning. Just a few well-researched articles will show whether the website will flop or not. And as soon as it gets some traction, I’ll be in business.

See? Working as a web publisher [hasn’t changed much in lockdown](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/).

*Image by [Fabrizio Van Marciano](https://pixabay.com/users/vanmarciano-1310286/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=2038872)*
### I see depressed people
URL: https://jimmakos.com/i-see-depressed-people-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:42:54.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### You, my die-hard fans, deserve the best!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/you-my-die-hard-fans-deserve-the-best-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:43:00.000Z
_This post is for subscribers only._
### Staring at the Ceiling Inspired me of a Business Idea
URL: https://jimmakos.com/depressing-business-idea-inspired/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:49:06.000Z
Very often, I find myself lying down on the floor, the sofa, or the bed. I am (over)thinking about how to grow my business, how to improve as a person, how to spend the next couple of hours, what to eat for dinner. These thoughts and occasionally, much more depressing ones occupy my mind as I stare at the ceiling.

And that’s how I came up with this idea.

To create an online brand about the ceilings I am staring. To take pictures of what I’m looking at every time I stare into the void.

## Can depressing thoughts lead to an idea?

Following up [**on a recent article about getting depressed**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/futures-trading-depression/), I *wasn’t* surprised to hear of other people struggling with depression.

Of course, I never thought my blog to become a host for articles on depression. People want to hear how to make money, how to improve their life, [**how to be financially free**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/financial-independence/). They want solutions to problems; they want actionable advice to their struggles. **By whining and complaining, no one wins.**

Yet, if I hadn’t these depressing thoughts in the first place, I would have never come up with this idea because I would never stare at the ceiling for hours!

## My idea’s blueprint

I’d start with opening an Instagram account. I would then take pictures whenever I am lying down and looking at the ceiling. My everyday life doesn’t need adapting to make this idea work. I merely need to have my phone right beside me every time I lie down. Which is always!

![business-idea-inspired-ceiling-phone](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/business-idea-inspired-ceiling-phone.jpg)

Do I lie on the sofa? Take a picture of the ceiling.

Do I lie in bed? Take a picture of the bedroom’s ceiling.

Do I lie on the floor’s carpet? Take a picture of the living room’s ceiling.

Ok, done. Then what?

Well, maybe I lie down sideways. Or diagonally. The perspective can change as quickly as depression kicks in.

Or I just sat down for lunch in the kitchen and looked up, searching for answers as I take a deep breath. If you are reading this, I bet you have too.

![business-idea-inspired-ceiling](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/business-idea-inspired-ceiling.jpg)

Prepare to re-evaluate your decorative decisions with this idea

So, each time I am doing that, I take a picture. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s the story it tells. A depressing, *dark* story.

And then, I fill the Instagram account with those stories.

You may argue that positivity wins online. No one is going to follow an account that promotes negativity. Besides, managing such an account could make its creator even more depressed!

So, where’s the twist? How can we turn it around and embrace positive thinking and action through negative content?

Well, I don’t know. That’s why it’s a simple thought I had. A simple idea that crossed my mind randomly, and I opted to share with you. And it can turn into a business idea.

![depressing-ceiling-scaled](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/depressing-ceiling-scaled.jpg)

The photo that started it all

## Building an audience that is used to stare at the ceiling

Posting on social media raises awareness. Attracts people. Builds an audience. People will undoubtedly relate. And there are lots of them.

I’m not talking about [**a major depressive disorder**](https://www.dbsalliance.org/education/depression/statistics/) that can lead to severe issues. I’m talking about pessimistic thoughts we all have (I highly doubt it’s just me). About the times we cursed our bad luck, the times we wished we had done things differently, the times we traveled in time, and regretted decisions we made.

Write those thoughts in the captions. Edit the photo a bit. Align that lamp with the wall, or go for a dutch angle for a more dramatic effect. You’ll be surprised how creative you can become by simply taking a photo of the ceiling. I know because I have already taken a few pictures as you see! And in all honesty, they made me forget my dark thoughts for a moment. Haven’t I already told you that becoming creative makes me happy?

So, the content is there for someone to create. People will consume it. Once you have an audience, produce something valuable and sell it. Create value and get paid for that. Or don’t and let the brands come to you. Or become an affiliate and promote something relevant.

I honestly haven’t searched if this idea already exists out there. It’s the internet, after all. **When was the last time you heard something original?**

Perhaps people have already done this with photos of the ground. We usually don’t look up when feeling down. I wouldn’t be surprised if I bump into an Instagram account with photos of feet and shoes.

Now, excuse me as I go lie down and stare at the ceiling, in case another bright idea makes its way to my brain. If you feel inspired, feel free to do so as well. Don’t forget to take a picture of the ceiling while you are at it. I bet it will make you smile. See, *positive thinking*.
### On Becoming a Trader Again and Getting Depressed
URL: https://jimmakos.com/futures-trading-depression/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:30:12.000Z
This week I am dusting off my rusted trading skills and giving futures trading a shot with a new platform. Inevitably, that led me overthinking and ultimately getting depressed.

## My history in trading

Ever since I began making money by betting on sports and specifically [**trading the betting odds**](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), I dreamt of trading the stock market. How different could it be, I thought? After all, the same principles apply. People are buying and selling. It’s a battle between supply and demand, *a psychological war*.

It turns out [**converting from a sports trader into a stock or forex trader**](https://www.tradinggraphs.com/2013/07/26/sports-to-stock-trading/) required adapting. And I learned that by putting real money on the line. Money that I eventually lost.

> Markets can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent.

JOHN KEYNES, THE FATHER OF KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS, SHORTLY AFTER BLOWING ONE OF HIS TRADING ACCOUNTS EARLY IN HIS CAREER.

For years I had quit the thought of ever trying again to trade financial markets. Becoming a dad, getting involved in a real business, and failing before were the main reasons for avoiding them. Last week, though, this happened.

> You made me access my Betfair account after 8 years and we have won almost exactly the same amount! Spooky!  
>  
> Good for me though, I paid half your commission (although I don't know why that is)!🤣 [pic.twitter.com/yjpiQ0Cr1i](https://t.co/yjpiQ0Cr1i)
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [May 22, 2020](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1263735667596636160?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

After many years I logged back into my betting exchange account. The account that I used to trade sports with. That brought back memories from 15 years ago, and I began talking to a friend about that. He sympathized with me and asked me why I haven’t tried futures trading. He steered me into a futures broker that he believed would be a good fit.

I was instantly hooked.

![futures-trading-jim-makos-303404_1](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/futures-trading-jim-makos-303404_1-scaled.jpg)

## Gambling vs smart decision-making

I’m far from the gambling addict you might have in mind. [**When I was counting cards at blackjack tables**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/04/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/), I hated watching people around me throwing away their money. I had figured out how to beat the casino and wanted to scream at other players to at least stop wasting their time and money. To this day, I cannot think like a recreational gambler. Every bet I make needs to have a positive return. Or at least, estimate it has a positive expectancy, has expected value. **Be a +EV bet.**

This futures trading platform made me think that I could potentially make +EV trades. Easier said than done. I need a trading strategy to begin with, not to mention managing my capital correctly and, of course, to learn the platform inside out.

## Practice makes perfect

For five days now, I’ve been trading daily using a demo account. I even traded in the weekend, thanks to the Replay feature, which allows me to trade on previous days’ real data!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/tradovate-replay-futures-trading.jpg)

Trading with *paper money* is a lot different than trading with *real money*. But it’s a great way to get the hang of it. To learn how the software works, set up charts and keyboard shortcuts, and prepare for the real battle.

**Will I succeed? I doubt it.**

But the potential is there. And it can be huge. As long as I can beat trading bots, lifelong pros, and keep me disciplined, we are talking about hundreds if not thousands of dollars in daily profit.

The caveat for me is that being a profitable futures trader means generating an active income. And you must already know by now [**how much I love passive income**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/12/back-problem/). It was why [**I quit playing poker**](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) a few years ago.

[Oil Futures Trading: Did I Miss a 30% Move?I was considering buying oil futures with leverage, when the market gained 30% overnight. Was I unlucky or too late? Neither, as I explain in this video.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/margin-trading-oil-futures-investing-thumb.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/margin-trading-oil-futures/)

## Overthinking and getting depressed

So, should I devote my time to this new platform? Should I spend days, if not weeks trading futures with demo or even a real money account?

If I lose, I will have lost weeks of not being productive. I won’t write that much on this blog; I won’t make that many YouTube videos if any. I will abandon what I’ve been building this year. Time isn’t infinite. One can only make that much during the day. I already feel this way right now that I’ve only traded for just five days.

And what if I manage to make money? I need to alter my schedule. I need to fit this trading thing into my daily routine. And I need to **adapt my family** to the market’s opening hours.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303376.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303333.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303334-2.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303342.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303358.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303350.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303357.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303323.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/family-in-lockdown-kid-jim-makos-303316.jpg)

Homeschooling and creative family time in lockdown

And the worst thing would be that the days I won’t be able to trade, the income stream dries up. Instantly.

If you run a business that [**generates income in your sleep**](https://jimmakos.com/2019/05/how-to-make-money-young/), the mere thought of that sentence alone can paralyze you.

And let’s not forget that I’m not creating value. I’m not helping people. By the time I log out of the trading platform, I haven’t created anything. I have nothing to show for it. Just mindless clicking buttons, *hopefully* generating income.

Once again, **I’m overthinking**. Which usually leads me to depression. The state of mind where I see no point in anything I do. That everything is futile. And I’ve been in that state occasionally in the past twenty years.

So when you see me not writing much, not posting on social media, or not uploading a video for weeks, you can bet I’m depressed. Like I feel nowadays. This journal entry is me taking action on feeling better. *Thanks for reading!*
### On Keeping a Journal and Telling Stories
URL: https://jimmakos.com/keeping-a-journal/
Last updated: 2020-10-07T20:54:07.000Z
In my quest to find the ideal life-work balance, I have opted to become creative and somewhat productive while spending time with the family. Hence, I always carry my cameras with me. To take pictures and shoot videos.

I might need a picture to draw attention to an article or social media post later on. I may also need footage for my YouTube videos.

****So, I feel I semi-work.**

But that’s not my priority. I want to be present. I don’t wish my work to consume me. I don’t shoot all the time. There are small chunks of time when I am out and about, and the family spends time with friends. So, at those moments, I’ll grab my camera out of my bag and shoot something.

Compared to sitting down and hearing stories I will forget by the end of the day, I feel I am using my time better.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/jim-makos-journal-303240.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/jim-makos-journal-slide-park-sunset.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/jim-makos-journal-lamps-sunset.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/jim-makos-journal-family-wash-hands.jpg)

Saturday night with the family

## Pictures tell only half the story

And now that I have imported last night’s photos and videos, what?

The plan is to archive them and use them when it’s appropriate. However, what ends up usually happening is to take photos that I will never publish. Because after all, they say a story about that very day. About last night. How can I include those pictures in another story?

In the past, I have found a few ways. Some pictures fit another topic. Some make for a beautiful backdrop.

But it’s that urge to tell the story as soon as possible.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/jim-makos-journal-panorama-aretsou.jpg)

Sunset Panorama \[Sony A7Riii | Zeiss 35mm | 1/125 sec | F2.2 | ISO 640\]

## The Best Place for Photos and Stories

How about a journal? A sort-of diary? And what's better place of a personal website? A website that I'm really excited to create content for. [Further building on a personal brand.](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/personal-branding-in-recession/)

I used to upload photos on Flickr. I am a $50/year subscriber there. We get called “Pros”. Well, it’s better than “Experts” I suppose.

When renewal notification came up every year, I was questioning if ****I should quit Flickr**.

I am not selling my photos; I’m not creating photo books. I allow people to use my pictures on their blogs, websites, or anywhere else they desire for free, as long as they link back to the original.

No rights reserved, no obligations. And my pictures have made it to prominent publications around the world.

At the same time, I was proud for some of my best photos and I was looking for feedback. [Getting them on the Flickr Explore page](https://jimmakos.com/2015/03/photo-in-flickr-explore/) has been the epitome of excitement.

While Flickr’s presentation is the best I’ve found, it’s severely lacking the social aspect of other networks, like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. What’s the point of sharing a picture that only a few people will see? In addition, receiving urgent emails from the company complaining about their financial status doesn’t make me confident of Flickr’s future. I have already been burnt by Google+ takedown.

****Sharing on the top three social networks also poses problems.**

Instagram doesn't allow posting multiple pictures of different dimensions. I feel restricted. And [as a person that values freedom](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/) more than anything, I hate being told how to post my pictures.

Twitter is more about text and allows posting up to four photos (although creating a thread is a workaround), while Facebook… Well, I don’t have the best feelings for Mark’s business, since they deleted one of my most popular business pages without warning. [Others have had similar experience](https://twitter.com/jesserobbins/status/1263559099041615881). So I don't want to add to their equity, only to watch my content taken down in a blink of an eye.

Thus, what’s a better place than this very website of mine where I control everything?

[Content Creation as a Business with a Solid Social Media StrategyI explain my content creation strategy in 2020 and why I’m focusing my content creation efforts on my personal website, YouTube and Instagram.![](https://jimmakos.com/favicon.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/content-creation-strategy-2020.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/content-creation-strategy/)

## Journal’s biggest benefit for a content creator

Now, people have problems. They want solutions to those problems. And an online journal rarely provides solutions.

But a journal can make the creator’s *relatable*.

While not providing a ground-breaking solution, a journal entry may show a struggle that you, the reader, may find all too familiar. And perhaps it’s the start of a conversation that will lead to solving an actual problem.

One can only hope.

That’s why I wrote these lines in-between the photos I took last night.

I didn’t want to write a script for a video. I didn’t want to post photos on rule-based social media.

I wanted to write a block of text on my own rules. To share immediate thoughts, document life, and create my first journal’s entry. To write a story from my heart. Thank you for reading it!
### Writing to myself
URL: https://jimmakos.com/writing-to-myself-letter/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T12:43:30.000Z
Hey me,

**You are awesome!**

Seriously, I’m writing to me as I’ll be sending this first issue to the one and only subscriber: *me*!

After all, it’s all about me, me, me, isn’t it?

It surely feels strange to know that I’ll be the only one receiving this letter. But given everyone will be able to read older issues, why not explaining what this newsletter is all about.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### How I Built an Emergency Fund for Me and My Company
URL: https://jimmakos.com/emergency-fund/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:21:14.000Z
Once you start making money, the general advice is to try and save money for building an emergency fund. That should be the number one goal in your personal finance strategy right from the start. And this month, **I hit that milestone**.

Contrary to popular belief, *I am not set for life*. Far from it actually. Yet, people get that idea when they read on my blog that [**I used to trade millions on betting exchanges**](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) and [**made thousands of dollars on poker tables**](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). While that’s true, no one remembers my posts where [**I lost money**](https://jimmakos.com/2010/01/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/) or when I ran a hundred thousand dollars below EV due to variance! And very few people even know how much my attempt to trade in Wall Street and forex cost me.

So, it may come as a surprise to hear that I haven’t even built *an emergency fund* myself all these years. While I was trying to make as much money as possible, I was ignorant of personal finance basics. Although I was always mindful of my finances, I spent way too much money on things I didn’t really need, whereas I should invest that money and [**not sacrifice my financial freedom**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/). That changed a while ago, and this month I’m completing **my first task to build an emergency fund**.

## What is an Emergency Fund?

An emergency fund is a sum of money that covers my living expenses. I need power, water and internet for my home, something to eat and some money to spend. By tracking my spending for years, I know that I need 200 euros for my house to operate smoothly and 900 for food and necessities. That’s the bare minimum to keep my current lifestyle. I’m rounding this up at 1K per month since I expect I won’t be dining out at restaurants that much when I won’t have an income. So I have now accumulated 12K in my emergency fund that can last me for a year if shit hits the fan.

There are a bunch of other expenses, like school tuition, car insurance, and clothing, but those can be eliminated in a worst-case scenario. If things go really downhill, paying for a private school, driving a car, and buying new shoes won’t make much sense. The aim will be simply to survive, while I’ll have twelve months to [**figure out how to start making money again**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/). It will already be a very stressful time, so cutting the funding from twelve to nine months just for maintaining a luxury car would be pointless. And yes, education is a priority, but health and surviving financially is a bigger priority. What’s the point of paying for private schooling if we run out of food in a year?

![emergency-fund-secret-vault-safe](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/emergency-fund-secret-vault-safe.jpg)

## Where do I stack the emergency fund?

Usually, that sits in a *bank account* for immediate access. However, given the connected world, we all live in nowadays, I’m opting for a slightly different approach. Note that from now on I’ll be referring to the emergency money in terms of how many months they can help me survive. I bet this will help you draw a better picture and make adjustments for your own emergency fund easier.

First of all, *two-months* worth of funds are in **cash**. Maybe all of my online accounts are hacked, and I have no access to a bank. I believe two months will be enough for me to figure out how to get hold of my digital wallets. That cash will make sure I’ll survive for that long.

Next, money in **bank savings accounts** will last me for *five more months*. I’m opting for a savings account compared to a current one since the interest rate is a tiny bit higher. Also, the savings accounts have no withdrawal penalty, which is typical for long-term savings deposits. Thus, I can have access to that money on the same day.

The remaining funds that will help me survive the last 5 months of unemployment are allocated to **gold** and **crypto**. Wait, wait, hear me out. Yes, that’s part of my investing capital. In fact, I do include those funds in my off-budget part of [**my spending tracking software**](http://jmks.co/ynab), whereas I should have them in my actual budget. It’s money covering living expenses, after all, right? Why do I elect to invest part of my emergency fund, which is strongly recommended against by personal finance experts? Let me explain why.

## Investing part of my Emergency Fund

I am using a bunch of digital wallets online. One of those is [**Revolut**](http://jmks.co/revolut), which allows you to **turn some of your money into cryptocurrencies** with the press of a button. That convenience comes at a cost since they charge a 3% commission for a round-trip transaction, whereas the standard commission of a cryptocurrency broker runs at around ten times less than that. However, I can convert those bitcoins back into euros just as quickly. Hence, I consider that money as easily accessed as my digital cash. That’s why I include it in my emergency fund. I can get hold of that money in cash the day after tomorrow at the worst-case scenario. Should I run out of cash and money in my bank account, the next step would be to use that crypto.

Note at this point that I am not buying actual crypto coins via Revolut, though. I’m merely [**speculating on their price**](https://jimmakos.com/2017/11/invest-in-bitcoin/).

I hold actual Bitcoins, well, part of a Bitcoin, in cryptocurrency accounts in Kraken and Bitfinex. In case I ever need to turn those back into fiat money, I expect it to be a longer process, but probably will take no more than a week or so.

Finally, **my gold is held in my brokerage account**, used for buying stocks, forex, or [**futures**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/margin-trading-oil-futures/). Selling that gold for cash will be my last resort when all other accounts would have been depleted. So, gold will be used for the last two months of my survival, and then I’ll hold no more investments, which I shouldn’t in the first place, given I didn’t have an emergency fund!

I understand that crypto and gold prices will fluctuate, affecting the emergency fund’s total worth. Still, the biggest part of the emergency fund is in cash. The riskiest part of the fund is holding money in *cryptocurrency*, which has a small chance of going down to zero. Should that happen, I will need to replenish my fund with 3-months worth of money. As long as the downturn hasn’t yet happened by then, it won’t take me more than six months of work to [**save that money**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-saving-money-faster-in-lockdown/), living extremely frugally.

Summing up, my emergency fund consists of 2 months’ worth of money in cash form, five months in bank deposits, three months in bitcoin, and two months in gold. From now on, every cent I save will mostly go into growing my online business and occasionally adding to my investing capital here and there. They say you have to have a million before investing makes sense. However, as long as I don’t need that money for my business, I hate to see it sitting idle.

### Building an Emergency Fund for a Company

Speaking of my business, I have taken a similar approach to run my company’s finances much earlier. My web publishing company, incorporated in the USA, needs $300 per month on average to operate as a company. That includes accounting, legal and licensing costs. Then it needs $500 more for adequately running the websites. That includes web hosting, domain management, marketing, and administration fees.

In conclusion, I need $800 per month for the company and its websites to continue operating smoothly. So, by having $10K at least set-aside, I can survive 12 months with no sales and revenue. No need to go down the loan road.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/05/business-budgeting.jpg)

And speaking of loans, my company and I are debt-free, which makes a huge difference mentally and financially. Well, except for our home mortgage. But that’s a story for another episode. I’ve heard though, that people are borrowing money to buy… cars!

### Avoid spending money early on

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/car-jim-makos-1326-600x450.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/car-jim-makos-8524-600x338.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/car-jim-makos-085910-600x308.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/car-jim-makos-903898-600x400.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/car-jim-makos-903893-600x400.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/car-jim-makos-1328-600x450.jpg)

These depreciating assets are, by far, my worst spending traits. I got the first one 15 years ago because I wanted to reward myself for making money by myself when I should have rewarded myself by [**investing that money**](https://jimmakos.com/2019/05/how-to-make-money-young/). Those 50 thousand euros would be worth more than 100K now, assuming a 7% annual growth. That’s eight emergency funds right there! At least, I didn’t go into debt to buy that car.

I got the second one as a family car, and on the greatest deal ever, as government halved import taxes during that period as an incentive to boost car sales, the dealership offered a 20% discount on top of that, and I even split the cost with my father! I spend 30K on a car worth triple that money, so I haven’t got that many regrets about that car. And besides, I would have needed a family car at some point. Raising a family of three in a roadster would be impossible. That family car was also bought with cash that could have been used much better in my thirties.

## Building an Emergency Fund Late in the Game

So, at forty-one, I finally took action on my personal finance and funded my emergency fund. I should have done that at my 25 when I was earning as much as an emergency fund every month. But the internet wasn’t anything like it is today. Knowledge was scattered, and Google and YouTube were just getting started. I never heard of personal finance for the next ten years, while I was trying to make a living online. First I needed money, then I needed someone to tell me what to do with it! So, I focused on that. On making money that is! If only I had come across personal finance even by accident. I would stand a much better chance of [**achieving financial independence**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/financial-independence/) now. If you are a lot younger than me, educate yourself for free online. Don’t make the same mistake and neglect the power you are holding in your hands right now.

Yes, apparently, I talk about money a lot online. That has always been my niche. **Money won’t buy you happiness, but it will buy you freedom**. And I have yet to see a free person, a truly free person, [**who is unhappy**](https://jimmakos.com/2020/05/unhappy-in-life/). Stay healthy and wealthy.
### Why We Are Unhappy in Life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/unhappy-in-life/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:21:47.000Z
We are unhappy because we feel we never have enough. We always want more. *Much more*. And the things we want may be pointless or don’t even make sense.

When I turned 18 I wanted my parents to get me a car. Then I wanted to buy my own car, ending up buying a far more expensive car. And then, a family car. An even more expensive car. And now? Now, I want a car that is cheap to maintain and doesn’t draw much attention. *Like my first car!*

They say that we can’t please everyone. Indeed, how can we please everyone when we can’t please ourselves? We are never satisfied. We wish for things that once we get, we no longer appreciate only to wish for more things, that once again we’ll no longer appreciate. Again. A never-ending cycle. *Is this happiness?*

And it doesn’t have to be things. It’s our job, a career, our business, staying single or having a family, pursuing a dream or doing whatever makes us happy.

I understand that. It’s called evolution. We all strive for improvement. For taking the next step. For advancing our life. We step on the gas and we never lift a foot. Are we heading towards happiness, though?

Some escape to creativity in the pursuit of happiness. I myself am making videos.

Imagine you could get one wish. The wish to wake up in a different place. In a different life. To a different you. Would you do it? Now, how likely is it for you to end up in a worse situation than in a better one? We usually think of a few things we would have done differently in our lives but right now you just thought how many things could have gone so much horribly wrong. So, **what’s your excuse for being unhappy?**
### How I am Saving Money Faster in Lockdown
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-saving-money-faster-in-lockdown/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:44:51.000Z
Fifty percent. That’s how much less I spend during a lockdown. Spending less money equals saving more money. While we are staying home, I am saving 30% of my income. I could save more if I paid myself more. Let me explain why.

First, a few words on my spending. I usually spend 200 euros on bills, such as power, heating, water, and internet. Then, in a regular month, I spend 250 euros on restaurants, 220 on various spending, and 420 for groceries. That comes down to almost 1,100 euros per month. During a lockdown, utility bills keep on coming but we haven’t eaten out or had food delivered to us for 40 days now. We cook a lot more, minimized various spending, and cut grocery spending in half. These days I spend 600 euros less each month compared to previous months or last year’s springtime.

Now, as a small business owner, I decide what I am paying myself. Usually, my salary is exactly my expected monthly costs. I do this to exercise saving some money. I do my best to always save just a bit every month. If I don’t manage to save money, it’s not the end of the world, but I like the exercise.

The rest of my company’s income is reinvested in my web publishing business, as the returns usually outperform investments’ growth rate. A website may bring a lot more money than the stock market in the next ten years, for example. From time to time though, I pay myself a bit more to build an emergency fund or take a gamble on the financial markets.

Compared to my regular salary, nowadays I’m saving at least 30% of that by staying home. I am still allocating funds for medical expenses, car insurance, and school, but saving for a vacation doesn’t make sense currently. So, even more money saved. If lockdowns hadn't already made me read more and improve my skills at home, they should have at least forced me to cut down my spending and save money. If not now, when?
### Oil Futures Trading: Did I Miss a 30% Move?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/margin-trading-oil-futures/
Last updated: 2020-10-04T06:28:47.000Z
*This is not investment advice. This video is made for entertainment.*

I was considering investing in oil just yesterday. Oil price has been hovering around 20 dollars, the lowest price in the last 18 years. Analysts speak of a bear market that can push oil price further down to even 10 dollars. As I was willing to accept that risk, I was considering investing in oil with margin.

## What’s margin trading?

It’s when I have a hundred dollars and I’m allowed to manage, say a thousand dollar position. That’s a 1 to 10 leverage. By doing so, any market move is multiplied by ten for my position, which means if oil dropped 10%, I would get a margin call as I would be 100% down! My broker would close my position since I would have lost my initial deposit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/margin-trading-what-is-buying-on-margin.png)

I wasn’t going to trade with a 1:10 leverage, since the maximum allowed in the US futures market is 1 to 2\. Here’s how I would do it.

Say I have 20,000 dollars to invest. At the moment I hold cash, gold and crypto. I was looking to turn some of my cash into oil futures. Specifically 10% of my investment capital. That means I was looking to risk 2 grand if oil dropped to $10\. Thus, I would buy oil futures with that money using 1:2 leverage. If oil plummeted to $10, I would stand to lose 2 thousand. If oil climbed to $40, I would make 200%. That’s a 2:1 risk-reward ratio.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/futures-prices-600x1233-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/oil-futures-1.jpg)

At the time of recording this, oil trades for $26\. So, would have I made 30% overnight? No, that’s not the case. This is the futures rollover. Don’t get me started explaining what’s that about. Long story short, oil still trades below 20 bucks. Is it a buy or a sell?
### Why I Launched 4 Shows on my YouTube Channel
URL: https://jimmakos.com/why-launch-4-shows-on-my-youtube-channel/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:11:42.000Z
Postcards in motion. That’s how I named the latest show that I've launched here on my YouTube channel. The purpose of the show? To improve my video editing and color grading skills that can be applied to other videos, and possibly inspire some of you to be creative. By making my edits public, I'm holding myself accountable to try my best and inviting feedback, which is so important in my quest as [an aspiring filmmaker](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/).

This series of videos will accompany my other series running on this channel, likely fulfilling all my creative needs. Let's see what each show accomplishes.

Starting off with the series you're currently watching, the 300-word talk show fulfills my need to talk briefly about anything. It's like a super quick podcast. Although it's mainly a talking head show, I'm throwing some b-roll here and there to make it more enjoyable. These episodes usually take 24 hours to go public from the moment I come up with an idea and are not the most visually pleasing. Priority is given to the speech.

Then comes the Life.DOC show. A video series [documenting my life](https://jimmakos.com/2019/07/my-everyday-camera-setup-for-documenting-life/), usually of family travels and everyday life. This show made me start using my camera meaningfully four years ago, and it's the place to share memories, often in a vlog format. My priority is to share a personal experience.

Finally, the big show, the Set For Life series implements a documentary style focusing on my journey to [achieving financial independence](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/financial-independence/) and ultimately, freedom. In the modern era of marketing, I expect this show to be the main drive attracting a new audience and inviting people to connect with me. Priority is offering value while telling a story.

So, welcome to the Postcards in Motion show, where priority is given to the visuals. Enjoy!
### My Content Creation Strategy in 2020 and Beyond!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/content-creation-strategy/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:35:52.000Z
**YouTube, Instagram, and a Website.** These are the three platforms that can maximize the rewards of our content. At least the content that I am creating.

And now let’s see how and why I am planning to build a business with this content distribution strategy, becoming a key part of [my 10-year project that will see me set for life](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/) and be financially independent by 50.

## **Nothing New**

Creating content wasn’t my dream job. In fact, I never thought of myself as a content creator. And to this day, I am not one. But if I want to make money online, creating content is almost unavoidable.

![content-creator-scaled](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/content-creator-scaled.jpg)

[As a web publisher](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/) that owns and manages several domains and content-based websites, creating content is a task that must be outsourced. Hiring freelance writers to create the content that the websites need is an essential part of the process. Social marketing requires even more content to… promote the original content.

So, a lot of [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/) is taking place in order for the websites to operate and gain traffic so that we eventually sell advertising space, products, or services to that audience.

## **All this content, what for?**

But what happens with me personally, with [the personal brand I’ve created 15 years ago](https://jimmakos.com/2020/04/personal-branding-in-recession/)?

**For 15 years I’ve been creating content online**. That content is scattered in a bunch of places. Beginning with creating my very own blog in 2005 led me to syndicate the content (remember when that was a thing?), add it to RSS feeds (still exist) and be active on niche-related forums.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/personal-website.jpg)

My website launch in 2005

Then came social media and I found myself creating and sharing my content on them. Actually, that was the only reason that I created a Facebook account, since, as an introvert, I didn’t see the point of tracking down my schoolmates and old friends. Besides, I firmly believe that having a social presence should only be done for business purposes.

Anyway, I was still blogging, so I was sharing my blog posts on Facebook and Twitter among myriad others. I even have a Pinterest profile. Why not? Every social network can be a source of traffic. And then I had the genius idea to [focus all my marketing efforts on Google Plus](https://jimmakos.com/2018/09/google-plus-collections/). That didn’t turn out my brightest moment but taught me the lesson of **“Never build a brand on rented land”**.

Eventually, I was lured into the social media world so much, that I began neglecting my blog and I became a lot more active on social networks. Updating all those profiles would take me time, so I opted for efficiency and [automated the process with online tools](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/multiple-social-network-profiles/). Yet, I was still creating content on rented land and even worse, I was using all the social networks in an identical way. That’s bad since **every network needs a different marketing strategy**.

But as I wasn’t selling anything, social networks were the place for me to communicate with the world outside, as I was working from home and I was already making my living.

![content-creation-strategy-tablet-glasses](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/content-creation-strategy-tablet-glasses.jpg)

## **Coming down with a content creation strategy**

Things evolved, influencer marketing came along and nowadays good content creators are earning their income by… influencing people with their content.

So, I thought it’s about time to make something out of the content and brand I had been creating in the past 15 years. However, **having too much social presence is actually counterproductive**. Focusing on just a few outlets will certainly lead to better results and be time-efficient, instead of mindlessly updating tens of profiles with the same content.

The question was which of those outlets should I be focusing my efforts on?

## **Picking the best platforms to create content for**

### **Why having a Website is Most Important**

Obviously, having a 15-year-old website is the number one outlet that needs content.

In domain investing, the age of a domain is one of the key metrics for the value of the domain or website. So, neglecting such a valuable asset is a no-brainer. In addition, having full control over a website allows for all kinds of creative and writing freedom, not to mention peace of mind that we are not building on rented land. Over the course of the last 15 years I’ve seen social networks crash and burn but my own website is still present with posts dating a decade back.

A personal website can also speak for itself when it comes to style and appearance as well, further embracing our personal brand’s aesthetic. By the time a new audience is entering my personal website and begins reading my posts, I hope they get that clean, organized feel of the layout that speaks volumes for my own character.

But even if a website isn’t updated often or merely acts as a landing contact page of a person, its value can only go up. **It’s an asset that will never lose value.** And several famous influencers are smart enough to have their own website, even if it’s just for reference. Always learn from people who have more success than yourself.

![content-creation-camera-setup](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/content-creation-camera-setup.jpg)

### The world craves for Images and Videos

I have grown to enjoy using a camera.

It all started when I started a family and the more I got involved with YouTube, the more I found myself filming and taking pictures on a daily basis. But I have reached the point where every time I am about to take a photo or shoot a small video clip, the thought of WHY I am about to create that content boggles my brain. And that has led me to take fewer pictures and use my cameras less often, despite the joy I find in photography and [filmmaking](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/).

So, I needed to have a real purpose for my creativity and not just fill up the hard disks.

Unsurprisingly, **Instagram and YouTube** are the two social networks that allow their users to express their creativity the most in my opinion. YouTube is much more than a social network of course, as it makes our content searchable and helps in building a huge audience using video.

![content-creation-camera-setup-office](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/content-creation-camera-setup-office.jpg)

Instagram on the other hand, does not allow links in our posts, severely diminishing the potential returns of our efforts when it comes to marketing. Compared to YouTube, our posts are not indexed as properly in Google search engine either. However, for sharing pictures there’s no better outlet on the internet. But there’s one more reason that I’m opting to share content with Instagram.

### Platforms that Actually Make Money

Given we are using social media for business, the goal is well defined: growth. And business growth translates into one thing: *money*.

We need money to operate and grow a business. And a growing business usually brings more money that can then be reinvested into the business.

At this time, I think YouTube and Instagram are the top two choices for any content creator who is **building a business out of their content** and is naturally looking to make money. YouTube offers plenty of options. From native advertising to sponsorships and affiliate marketing to name the most important ones.

Instagram meanwhile is known for the sponsored posts. By the time an Instagrammer hits it big and their posts enjoy huge engagement from their followers, sponsorships come knocking on their door. I may be wrong, but I have yet to see such a phenomenon on Twitter or Facebook. Obviously, depending on the business we are building and the audience we are going to target for, other social networks may work better, such as Pinterest for an eCommerce business.

So first, we need to find out where our audience is most active and start from there. But given YouTube is the second biggest search engine in the world and almost everyone has an Instagram account, chances are we’ll find an audience easier there.

![content-creation-as-a-business](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/content-creation-as-a-business-1.jpg)

## **Creating content as a business**

For all these reasons, I have opted to focus my content creating efforts on my website and the two most eye-candy social networks.

The problem now is that I don’t have a product or service to sell. For 15 years my goal was never to sell something. As I was making money in other ways, **creating content was just a way for me to communicate with like-minded people** and share any knowledge I had acquired. Much as I am doing right now, to tell you the truth.

As my content was attracting attention though, several companies approached me and introduced me to [the world of affiliate marketing](https://jimmakos.com/2015/06/entrepreneurship-of-gambling-as-affiliate/). But I was probably the worst affiliate they could find. I never focused my efforts to promote a product or service.

But nowadays, with all these options to monetize our content, I saw an opportunity to build a proper business out of my content and be happy at the same time. And that’s because [making videos and taking pictures are making me happy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlFcljkT9wM). So, I’m killing two birds with one stone. A genuine win-win situation.

That doesn’t mean that this specific workflow is the best for everyone out there of course. I simply laid out my thought process of how I ended up singling out those three outlets. Depending on your services, product or brand other social networks may be more efficient for you. The take is that **we should have a marketing plan** before bursting out loads of content online. Otherwise, we risk creating that content in vain and without a goal or purpose. And this content WAS created on purpose. See you in the next one!
### How I Make a Living as a Web Publisher Explained in 2 Minutes
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:21:57.000Z
Disclaimer: This is my own experience of how I make a living as a web publisher of content websites. There are a million ways to do it. Hopefully, it’ll inspire you to find your own.

I first decide who will provide the content for the website. If it’s a niche that I’m familiar with, that will be me. If it’s a topic I know nothing about, I’ll hire freelancers to write articles.

First, I fire up Google Keyword Tool. I begin searching for keywords that thousands of people are searching every month, are relatively easy to rank for and have a high cost per click (CPC), so that I can turn a profit.

I make a list of those keywords and then begin searching for domain names matching those keywords. After registering the domain and its social media profiles, I hire freelancers to write 5 articles tailored to that specific domain, based on the most popular keywords closely matching the name. Otherwise, I’m writing them myself.

I publish the articles and I wait. I wait a bit longer. More waiting. And the traffic begins to show up. Next, I insert a couple of Google ads. And then I wait. Again. By the time I get lucky and the website gets a thousand visitors per day, I need new content on a weekly basis.

Advertisers then come knocking on my door and tell me we want to buy your traffic, which means they want to run their advertisement sitewide. I then run an A/B testing, which means half visitors will see my Google ads and the other half the new ads. Next, I enter negotiations and eventually make a deal.

Then it’s a matter of managing the content and keeping the website running, which should take less than 4 hours per week.
### Personal Branding: Surviving a Recession
URL: https://jimmakos.com/personal-branding-in-recession/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:29:42.000Z
Personal branding will not only survive but thrive in a recession. That’s what I read a few years ago when I was pondering whether I should start a new brand from scratch and [ditch my personal brand](https://jimmakos.com/2015/12/killing-my-personal-brand-name/). Now that COVID-19 is pushing the global economy into a recession, I can already tell you that I’m glad I followed that advice.

But first…

## What is personal branding?

From my understanding as a total marketing newbie, it’s when you are building a brand on yourself. When the brand is actually YOU! To tell you the truth, I had no clue I was starting a brand when I was registering this domain name based on my “Jim Makos” alias fifteen years ago! Told you, newbie.

During all this time I had second thoughts occasionally about my personal brand. Should I continue being active online as Jim? Should I tweet using my alias? Should my YouTube channel be named after my nickname?

At some point, [I did create other websites](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/niche-websites-or-single-website/), other brands that were tailored to different niches. My goal was to narrow down my interests and each website to focus on just one of them. By doing so, the audience would be targeted better and they wouldn’t be confused when I would write on different topics. Of course, I myself was [creating content on those websites using my alias](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/pseudonym-for-writing-online/), eventually leading readers back to this personal website.

But deep down, I always cherished [this very website](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/). No matter how close I have been to delete all my social presence, I never thought of deleting my website once. So, my personal brand survived my darkest thoughts and along with it all of my social media profiles (although I’m THIS close to deleting my Facebook page).

And then everything changed.

## Focusing on my personal website

If you are new here, I have been writing a lot about gambling, because that’s how I was making my living for ten years. You can find more about that [here](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

It felt natural to blog about my experience and share my knowledge through my writing. Many of the websites I launched at that time focused on different aspects of gambling. I was doing well and felt I was on the right track.

That is until governments decided to [regulate the market](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/greece-regulating-online-gambling-suspending-licenses/). Given I was getting tired of extracting tiny fractions of value I found here and there ([advantage gambling is far from a walk in the park](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/advantage-gambler/)), regulations and legislations made things way harder, as [gambling operators were trying to abide by the new rules](https://jimmakos.com/2012/06/online-gambling-sites-affected-regulations-legislation/). Therefore, it was time to call it quits and *adapt*.

Suddenly I found no purpose to be actively involved in the other websites, which eventually died out. It only felt reasonable to get back to my personal website, where I could still talk about anything I liked. Although people had rightfully associated me with gambling, I was writing about my web business and my new hobbies, photography and filmmaking, hoping my readers wouldn’t feel alienated.

But in all honesty, I thought anyone who really cared, would stick with me. That’s what a personal brand is. *This is me*. That’s what I am doing and that’s what I am learning and sharing. It seems way easier to relate with an honest person than with a cold, emotionless website. I myself noticed this, as most readers of my other websites reached out to talk with me. They appreciated my articles and wanted to get in touch with the author. Much like I myself do whenever I run across a well-written post online.

Going back to my personal website, I removed all advertising, which didn’t make sense in the first place. I changed the look to one that speaks for my character and made improvements using the knowledge I had acquired from running other websites.

As a result, **I focused on my personal brand more than ever.**

Then it was time for creating videos. Should I continue uploading on my personal YouTube channel or should I create a new channel with a different name? Although it may sound crazy to start from scratch, I would struggle to get rid of the gambling stink in my established channel.

Two things made me consider continuing with my personal brand on YouTube:

1. Personal branding allegedly won’t be affected in a recession.
2. Finance channels perform the best when it comes to monetizing.

## My recession-proof personal brand is ALREADY finance-ready

As I was writing about gambling since 2005, I often discussed financials and the global economy. I even wrote about [betting on politics](https://jimmakos.com/2015/09/donald-trump-us-election-betting/) and quite often discussed how stocks performed, with the occasional mention of cryptocurrencies.

So, yes, I wrote about sports and [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/), but also delved into stock markets, currency trading and bitcoin craze. I realized that I can shift my interest towards finance and people wouldn’t be bothered that much. It wasn’t as if I were a football tipster that was trying to fool people into buying the tips that I wouldn’t even follow myself! 🤔

My personal brand was already built around working from home, [making money](https://jimmakos.com/2019/05/how-to-make-money-young/) and finance. I no longer saw a point in creating a new channel or persona. Besides, sooner or later I would get to mention my past gambling experience, given how much correlated the investing, finance and gambling industries are.

And then I was reading that personal brands would perform far better during recessions. And we were long due for one after the financial crisis in 2008\. Obviously I wouldn’t persist on improving my personal brand just for the sake of an upcoming recession, but working stress-free in uncertain times would certainly be welcome.

And boy, didn’t those uncertain times arrive!

## Personal branding in the Coronavirus era

I quit creating content for other websites a few years ago. Gradually, I began writing for this blog. [Last summer I decided to resume making videos regularly](https://jimmakos.com/2019/08/brainstorming-on-skyros-island/) and pursue my love for filmmaking, which I discovered when I became a dad and began filming my family life. Long story short, I started writing scripts and began preproduction in late 2019\. By February this year, I uploaded my first video to YouTube and I have been uploading up to two videos every week for two months straight! You may not be impressed, but for me, it’s a great achievement.

At the same time, [I became a lot more active on Twitter](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom) and took part in a lot more conversations than ever before. I tidied up my Instagram feed and designed a proper cover for my YouTube channel.

My personal branding game was gaining traction by the time the coronavirus pandemic hit the world. It’s as if I was preparing for this. And maybe, [deep down I was](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1215024341513052163).

Now, it remains to prove if personal branding will outperform other kinds of branding during the coronavirus outbreak. Judging by the first signs from other creators, it definitely seems so. Every creative freelancer out there is focusing on creating content for themselves, as all jobs got canceled and they are staying at home. More and more people are starting their own YouTube channels and reputable creators are uploading personal content more than ever.

What else can you do with all that time in your hand?

The pandemic will eventually be lifted, the virus will be defeated and businesses will open again (at least those that [get a bailout](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/businesses-bailout-due-to-pandemic/)). The world will be different coming out of this public health crisis and a few smart people are already innovating for that post-crisis world. For the rest of us, our personal brand will still be there (as long as we survive). So, why don’t we concentrate our time and efforts on creating or improving our own brand? [Can you think of a better way to spend a lockdown?](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/how-to-spend-a-lockdown-by-staying-at-home/)
### Productivity in a Depressing World of Lockdown and Isolation
URL: https://jimmakos.com/productivity-in-depressing-world-lockdown-isolation/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:45:19.000Z
As we are all in lockdown and go outside only for a very good reason, I’m being more productive than ever. Empty streets make filming myself in public less awkward and family activities outdoors have been minimized, allowing myself to [work even more from home](https://jimmakos.com/2014/01/working-from-home-tips/). My web business experiences a 30% drop in revenue due to advertisers spending less as businesses close down or go bust, but that doesn’t deter me from working more. Much like the bakeries, which I’m sure they see their revenues drop but that doesn’t stop them from making bread as before.

By staying at home for weeks boredom and depression may easily kick in. But I have no excuse to get bored, as long as we are connected online of course. Can you even imagine our lives without internet? During these uncertain times, while the world stands still, it seems hard to do anything, let alone start something new.   

But that is exactly what I should be doing. Whatever most other people aren’t. Except staying at home of course!

[Following up on a previous episode](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/how-to-spend-a-lockdown-by-staying-at-home/), I’ve recently heard how others are spending their time productively. Friends who shut down their brick-and-mortar businesses are renovating their place themselves, selling online stuff that collects dust and brainstorming ideas of how to prepare their business for the post-crisis world. Worrying about lost revenue will get them nowhere.

Some are improving their skills by reading or picking up hobbies like drawing. A few years ago I myself had gone down this path. Drawing and creativity, in general, live in our brain’s right side, while rational knowledge resides on the left side. Making both sides work will benefit us greatly.

Make the most of your time. If [I can work more from home as a dad](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/working-from-home-with-family/), so can you.
### How to Achieve Financial Independence in 5 Straightforward Steps
URL: https://jimmakos.com/financial-independence/
Last updated: 2025-12-08T15:37:06.000Z
When I was 26, I got my second car, a Mercedes roadster. It was the first car though, that I was buying with my own money.

That’s because I first owned a Lancia Delta that my parents had got me when I was 19\. At that time I hadn’t even taken the exams to enter university and I was full of doubts if I would manage to focus on succeeding with a new car!

In the end, I did get into the university, but I never finished my studies ending up as a drop-out, while I began making my own money. And the more I made, the more expensive the car that I dreamt of became, convincing myself that I was financially independent at least from my parents.

When I made so much that I could get a Mercedes, I spent three hours in the car dealership before I decided to order one right there. In fact, I still didn’t have the whole amount of money! I was planning on buying it on credit, by making a 50% down payment and paying the rest in 24 installments with zero interest rate! Fortunately, in the three months’ time that took the car to be delivered, I made enough money to cover the difference and pay everything in cash.

And that’s how the first 57 thousand euros that I ever made disappeared!

## Be Different

Even when I was studying chemical engineering, the prospect of an ordinary life discouraged me.

The life purpose of going to school, then university, then working for 40 years, then retirement and death wasn’t in my plans. Well, I suppose I can’t escape death, so that’s still in my plan!

When I discussed that with friends and elder family members, who had followed that plan their whole life, they were doubtful, to say the least. What are you talking about? Hey little Jim, get ahold of yourself. Get your degree, find a job and then we’ll talk again. What? Are you going to drop out of college? Others are trying their best to enter and you want to quit? And to do what? You don’t even know!

And that was the bitter truth. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, like most 20-year-olds. But I knew what I DIDN’T want to do; whatever everyone else was doing. Studies, job, retirement.

All that process seemed to me like a huge waste of time. And the more years I was studying, the more I realized that I am wasting my time. And time at 20 is priceless. That was something that I hadn’t realized yet. And I also hadn’t yet realized the value of money and financial independence.

## Reality hits hard

The first time I found out of my financial dependence on others was when I was 20.

I had owned my Lancia for a year, I was in a relationship, it was mid-summer, I was looking forward to my second year as an undergraduate student and my buddies were preparing to spend the weekend at the beach. All that sounds ideal, but that way of living requires something very important to be sustained. Money!

At the time my dad was giving me my pocket money every Monday. I recall it was 50 euros if I recall correctly. Like every other student, I wasn’t managing my money properly, I was living the big student life and I was out of money. I was broke and certainly not calm, since I didn’t want to miss a fun weekend with my buddies.

So, I considered I had every excuse to request my pocket money, two weeks in advance. For the next two weeks you won’t give me any money, I said to my dad, convincing myself that after the upcoming crazy weekend that was about to unravel, I would shut myself in my room.

To my big surprise, his reply was negative and he was unmoved.

I spent the rest of my day sitting down to my room, thinking of what I could do. It didn’t take me long, of course, to realize that I couldn’t do anything. I was broke. The more I thought of ways around it, I always ended up realizing that I needed to make my own money.

With one way or another, I HAD TO make money.

**I had to become independent.** *Financially independent*.

On that day I made one of my biggest decisions. I would not allow myself to be in that position ever again.

20 years later, I’m sitting in front of yet another decision. Things aren’t that dramatic obviously, but something has to be done. As a 40-year-old I may no longer be financially dependent on my parents THANKFULLY, but that doesn’t mean I’m financially independent, as that is widely known for.

So something must be done and it must be done now, which I realized [as I was walking back and forth at Skyros island](https://jimmakos.com/2019/08/brainstorming-on-skyros-island/). On that porch, I eventually decided to focus on new goals and record my attempt to financial independence in a series of videos.

Killing two birds with one stone kind of thing.

## First Step to Financial Independence: Track your Spending

Financial independence requires knowing how much money we need before we can call ourselves financial independents.

A big part of that depends on our lifestyle and the country we are based in since some of us will need less and others more so that we all can continue living the way we are used to. And everyone’s lifestyle has a different cost.

Thus, the first step to financial independence is to set the goal of making as much money as our living expenses without working of course. That is the expenses that guarantee our current lifestyle.

So at first, **we have to calculate how much money we currently spend!**

There are plenty of solutions for that, the simplest of which is a pen and paper. But we can also track our spending on an Excel spreadsheet or even use sophisticated software that is tailored specifically to spending tracking.

The most difficult part is having the discipline to track our spending continuously and not how we are going to do it. Yet, some solutions will make the process hard and tiresome while others will even encourage us, making tracking our spending simply a pleasant habit. And that should be our goal here; to make spending tracking a habit of ours.

Personally, for years I’ve been using [an app called You Need A Budget](https://jmks.co/ynab), or YNAB in short.

It’s rather funny how I ended up using it. As a passionate video gamer, I have a Steam account, where, as an adult Alpha male, I can find all sorts of games to play. Among thousands of games, you can also find software that helps you make videos, make music, make your own games and software that… make you a responsible human being by tracking your finances! I am not joking, I found this particular app in my recommended list and it was on a 75% sale!

The algorithm was of course correct. After doing the usual brief research that I always do before spending my money, I ended up buying it for 12 euros. For a one-time payment. No subscriptions. No monthly recurring payment. Nada. Pay and forget. Haven’t we all missed that payment model?

4 years later I haven’t missed a day that I haven’t updated the app. 99% of the time I update it is during the time of transaction. Did I just buy bread from the bakery? Updated. Buying meat from the butcher’s shop? Updated. Parents giving me something extra? Updated! Come on, that’s what are parents for! And no, I have no shame!

By the end of the month, I know exactly the family’s expenses, where we spend the most and where we are out of control. I compare the expenses of previous months or even years and I can better plan when we can afford a trip.

It has helped me so much that I am now using it to track the finances of my own company. Revenue, costs, what comes in, what goes out, what’s my net profit every month, how sales went this year, where there is room for improvement and so many other valuable info. And at the end of every year, all that data is going directly to my accounting team electronically, without me needing to count my beans.

The app is nowadays following the trend and is sold on a subscription-based model. Yet, I’m still using the original standalone version that I bought for 12 euros. That’s priceless.

So, **given we track our spending, we are well-informed of how much money we need to have as a goal.**

Yet, we need to know about our annual expenses and not just our monthly ones. Costs fluctuate on a monthly basis. The months we pay our taxes, the car insurance, and our kids’ tuition are inevitably much more costly than the months with regular, household bills.

Therefore, if we spend 10 grand a year, that’s our goal. For someone else that spends 20 grand a year, the goal is obviously different. Our intention at this point shouldn’t be to lower the quality of our life, by cutting down the costs, so that we have an easier goal to aim for.

The whole point is to keep the same lifestyle, while [enjoying the financial freedom](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/) that financial independence guarantees. So be honest about your spending.

## Step 2: Next step in Financial Independence: Saving Money

That certainly doesn’t mean to overspend and neglect to save the money we don’t spend.

Theoretically, our salary should increase on a yearly basis, even for just a little. Otherwise, we don’t grow and that’s a necessity in self-improvement. As our finances are improving, excess money should be saved and not spent. Not only that, but it’s advisable to try spending less each year.

No, that’s not stinginess, it’s *living frugally* with proper financial planning.

By saving and putting money on the side, **we improve our odds to become financially independent** and bring that goal even closer time-wise.

## Step 3: Financial Independence requires Starting a Business

At the same time, it’s not bad to start something new while we are still keeping our main job and we WILL find endless excuses not to.

From not having the time, raising a family, and working too much already to what’s the point, as if I am going to succeed, I don’t know how to do anything else and what my friends would think of me. Well, all these are just that, excuses.

I’m sure you can find many examples of successful people who seemed to not stand a chance initially. I admit that we never hear of people’s failures that tried to go down this path. But just think for a second how much failure costs and how much success is worth. If you fail and people even HEAR of your failure, no one will remember it in a year or so, while if you succeed, EVERY YEAR they will be talking of you!

Now, **what kind of side-business can we start?**

WHATEVER we believe can bring revenue. Don’t overthink it.

And if you need motivation, here’s the bitter truth: **our regular day-job will *NEVER* make us financially independent.** No matter how many years we are going to work for, by making exactly the amount of money we spend, we will never become financially independent. Thus, we MUST start something by ourselves. That something is the vehicle that will get us to financial independence.

## Step 4: The Final Step to Financial Independence

So, since our day-job is providing us with income, our side-business(es) creates more income streams and we are saving money at the same time, what is missing is [to invest that money](https://jimmakos.com/investing/).

Let’s not be scared by the term investing. We won’t become Warren Buffet overnight. No need to become one after all! We will be spending most of our time in our job and side business. We won’t have the time to keep an eye on world markets and stock exchanges.

That’s why **by investing our money we simply mean following the simplest investing strategy on the planet.** *The Buy & Hold strategy*.

Personally I’ll be buying stocks. Usually of very big corporations. These are difficult to lose all of their value. Imagine Apple’s stock price hitting rock bottom. Yet, my goal isn’t profiting from speculation rather than from the dividends these companies pay out almost every year, like Coca Cola. I’m also buying index funds. In other words, I’m investing in a country’s economy. When I buy the SP500 index, I’m betting on the US economy to advance.

Simultaneously, I will invest some money into precious metals, like gold. No, I won’t hide gold bars at home. I’m simply investing in gold’s value, in gold’s price, while a large chunk of my money will go into the most generous savings account, so that I benefit from the tiny interest rate, compared to the non-existent rate of current accounts.

And let’s put a disclaimer here that this is not investment advice, I’m not a professional advisor and I’m saying all these for purely entertainment purposes only. Having said that, I will NEVER close these positions. I am investing with the money I save every one or two months, scattering it to all the markets I mentioned. Finally, if I manage to get hold of a large amount of money, I would look into investing in real estate by buying a small office space or studio.

By doing all that, I diversify my investments’ risk and **I make money work for me**. Sharks die if they don’t move. That’s why I must move the money that I can save.

## Step 5: How Investments lead to Financial Independence and Early Retirement

Now, the ultimate goal of *my financial independence plan* is for my investment gains to cover my annual expenses. Let’s see how that’s calculated.

Investment growth is expected to be annually at 7%. Some investments will lose me money, while others will outperform. In the end, I expect the value of my investment portfolio to increase by 7% on average. That means every year my investments are expected to grow their value by around 1/15.

Taking into account the inflation, my capital’s preservation and other factors, once I become financially independent I’ll assume [I am allowed to withdraw 2% of my investment capital every year](https://jimmakos.com/2019/08/living-off-investments-in-retirement-withdraw-money/).

For example, if I need 20K per year to live and my total investments amount to 300K, I’m not yet financially free. I’ll become financially independent when my investments are worth a million, so that 2% of that equals to 20K, which is my annual expenses.

From that point, if I decide to pull the plug and quit everything, **I will be able to live off of my investments. Forever.** Without ever needing to work or worry about money again, as long as I NEVER stick my hand into the investment jar! I’ll leave the investments alone to grow by 4% after inflation and costs, with me spending 2%.

## What’s next as a Financial Independent?

So, we reached the point of financial independence via our work and business.

But, we must really hate money to quit everything we built for that is now generating us money. Thus, no one should expect from us to quit and dry up every income stream when we reach our goal. We’ll simply cut down our work and **we will gain *TIME***.

Most probably a financially independent will have quit their day job long before that, as their business is making a lot more than expected. Since they won’t need to become independent any more, they will no longer need to be so active in their businesses.

What if their business makes half of what it used to, while they enjoy the sunlight at the beach? They won’t need to chase their tails any more, it’d be the time to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They’ll slow down everywhere, but only a few will really feel the need for quitting everything.

Thus, at this point, **I’ll be able to take a bigger risk** with the money that will keep coming and I will no longer need.

It will be the time to [invest in cryptocurrency](https://jimmakos.com/2017/11/invest-in-bitcoin/) or other business ideas and startups. The risk in those investments is obviously a lot more significant, hence why I would avoid these investments if I were to start from the beginning. Yet, there’s a chance of hitting a jackpot and experience a once-in-a-lifetime windfall of cash influx, skyrocketing my net worth. Such events are the IPO of a startup we invested years ago or the 1000% price increase of a cryptocurrency.

This kind of events can catapult our net worth. And that’s because catapulting a 1-million net worth is another million. Not a mere gain of 20,000\. This sort of reward can only come by willingly accepting more risk.

Having the security of financial independence, I am not scared of anything and in fact, I am expected to make more risky decisions. Have you heard of always be afraid of people who stand to lose nothing? As a financially independent, not only will I have nothing to lose, but I will already have *everything*!

## Financial Independence is Achievable!

This is the plan for financial independence and the freedom it creates.

So, can someone not follow the common path and not live their lives as most other people do? Of course yes! In fact, that’s the *ONLY* way for someone **to achieve financial independence**.

At first, it will feel like climbing a mountain, much like to anything new we face. Yet, day by day, tiny fractions of success and failure that we’ll experience will make the mountain’s slope less steep. We’ll begin seeing the peak closer every time. And by the time we reach the peak, we will hardly make out those who questioned us and were doubtful when we began climbing that mountain.

## Are you Disciplined Enough to follow the Financial Independence Plan?

Still, to climb any mountain we’ll definitely need a plan.

Have you ever seen mountain climbers without a plan, climbing to random rocks and not having a specific path to follow? Likewise, we also need a plan right from the start to reach the destination of financial independence.

Everything we said here can act as a *blueprint*, as a draft plan, where anyone can add their own details.

Everyone is different, has different needs and skills and lives a different lifestyle. Thus, I can’t be specific about what everyone needs individually. Some are good in math, some in arts, some are creative and some others have an edge in communication skills and are good at managing people. Everyone must find their strengths and build their own empire around them, following the steps we talked about here.

Then, all we have to do is **be disciplined enough to stay on course and follow the financial independence plan**. We can succeed in turning our vision into reality only by looking at the goal far ahead, in spite of the huge obstacles between us and that goal. Good luck!
### Why Businesses will need Bailout due to the Pandemic
URL: https://jimmakos.com/businesses-bailout-due-to-pandemic/
Last updated: 2020-10-06T17:31:56.000Z
Say you have a small business like a local store operating for years. This is your revenue, the money you receive every month from your sales. This is your monthly expenses, like rent, bills, and cost of the merchandise. In-between is your monthly profit. Depending on the niche and size of your business, this profit can be larger or smaller, often referred to as the gross income margin. Finally, you pay tax on this profit, so the final net margin will be even smaller.

Now, here’s what happens to your small business as countries go into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Your revenue goes to zero instantly and you are left with just expenses.

So, your first thought should be to cut your costs as much as possible. Hence, you lay off your workers. You stop buying supplies and halt production if you are creating products yourself. No matter what you do though, some expenses are inevitable, like your rent. Thus, you’ll lose money fast. It will seem to lose money even faster as you don’t make anything back.

Say the lockdown lasts one month and sales return to normal after two months in a best-case scenario. How many months do you need to operate your small business for, in order to make back all the money you lost during these two months?

That net margin we talked earlier comes into play now. [In the USA](http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New%5FHome%5FPage/datafile/margin.html), hotels and restaurants operate on 10% on average. Air transport on 7%. Retail and food industry on 2%. They’re able to make money due to huge amounts of sales. When those sales are wiped out, big corporations will need many months to recover if they’re not bankrupted in the lockdown. The solution? A bailout. Guess who’s paying for those bailouts. I wonder, though, will your small business get one?
### Why I Stopped Watching the News
URL: https://jimmakos.com/why-i-stopped-watching-the-news/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:45:33.000Z
Back in 2015, Greece was on the brick of exiting the Eurozone, after a lot of political drama. The country needed a bailout, lenders were asking for reforms, the government was hesitant and a referendum took place. Banks closed, people were allowed to withdraw only 60 euros per day for weeks and we were split into two sides. Those who wanted to stay in Europe, and those who believed in the so-called Grexit. It was a week of turmoil and great uncertainty and one that made me promise to myself to never again follow the news.

This past week I broke that promise. As the global economy was collapsing and stock markets tumbled due to a pandemic, I was lured into checking the news every hour. I was visiting the same news sites as I had done in 2015 and I was constantly checking out Twitter’s worldwide trends. At least this time it wasn’t just about this country. It didn’t take me long though, to realize that human stupidity is a global phenomenon.

Much like 5 years ago, I found myself falling behind in my business duties again. My inbox began filling up and productivity was eliminated. I even stopped making videos, which I genuinely enjoy spending time on. Instead of appreciating the fact that I’m used to working from home for years, I kept reading of political nonsense and losing my mind over worst-case scenarios. Over things that I can’t control and definitely won’t matter.

So, I quit following the news. I’m staying alert but not alarmed. It only takes an hour to understand how the economy works and the consequences of the pandemic. Once again, I’m finding reliable sources and staying sane by keeping track of things that matter to me. I’m avoiding noise and certainly toxic comments.
### How to Spend a Lockdown by Staying at Home
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-spend-a-lockdown-by-staying-at-home/
Last updated: 2020-10-06T12:37:11.000Z
Like millions of people in the world, I find myself constrained at home as the country enters a lockdown period due to the coronavirus outbreak. I have to thank the local architecture, though, for these big balconies that allow us to stay at home while breathing some fresh air and enjoying the sun safely. Well, obviously, not today.

Lockdowns will have a huge impact on the economic life both for countries and for individuals [as discussed in my last video](https://jimmakos.com/2020/03/working-from-home-in-health-crisis/). Being forced to stop working and looking at a shrinking income can be very stressful. Yet, if you can handle the pressure and realize that there ARE things that we cannot control, a lockdown doesn’t necessarily mean lying on the couch for weeks, cursing our bad luck. Far from it.

Now it’s time to spend time for yourself. Something that I strongly believe many have neglected for years. That is to spend time doing what you REALLY craved for while working all the past years. Yes, it has to be done inside your house’s walls. Doesn’t that beat waiting in long queues outside of supermarkets or binge-watching all the latest shows on Netflix?

Did you ever want to build a personal website? Or maybe an e-commerce website based on that million-dollar idea of yours! How about going through your recommended book list? Time to start AND finish that book you had in mind. The least you can do during the lockdown period is to read. Read a ton. Knowledge is power. Learn something new, become better at something, improve your skills. Also avoid getting sucked into the news. Speaking from experience.

I myself am focusing on filming more videos for my YouTube channel. Since I made the decision to create content on a regular base, it feels natural to work on that even more now during the lockdown. By doing so the past few months, I also realized how creativity can help us disconnect from the problems, reduce stress and understand that all that matters in this world is to be happy. And [making videos keeps me happy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlFcljkT9wM).

At the same time, I am taking care of my web business as usual. We have to eat and videos don’t pay anything for now. Freelancers in lockdown around the world are possibly increasing their workload as long there’s a demand for their work. Web publishers like myself need to keep websites updated with new content and as long as people surf the internet, work never stops.

Due to lockdown, Ι now have to spend considerably more time with my family while schools are closed. Certainly, I can see how lockdowns can lead to booming business for divorce lawyers in a month, but I believe families nowadays rarely spend so much time together indoors. For me, it’s a great chance to have fun with my girls. Yet, being competitive myself, I’m researching ways to educate my own daughter, instead of letting her sit in front of TV for hours. She will watch cartoons or documentaries and play video games more than ever before but advancing her education is on us nowadays.

> 'Lockdown Education'  
>  
> Sony A9 | Zeiss 35mm/F1.4  
> 1/60 sec | F2.0 | ISO 125 [pic.twitter.com/hl2ivN2pZE](https://t.co/hl2ivN2pZE)
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [March 16, 2020](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1239453770720989184?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

Lockdowns will most probably last for weeks. Unless you are financially struggling or have health problems yourself or your family members, in which case our thoughts are with you, you have no excuse not to make the most of your time at home. Stay at home, keep social distancing and build on skills and projects that you will thank yourself for in due time. The virus will eventually be beaten. Don’t beat yourself while you are waiting for that. Stay safe!
### Working from home during a health crisis
URL: https://jimmakos.com/working-from-home-in-health-crisis/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:51:04.000Z
While everyday life is upset worldwide due to a virus and the global economy grinds to a halt, working from home or remotely becomes a lot popular. For introverts and people who hate being among crowds, it’s a blessing. For those who are used to run a business from home, it’s business as usual unless they are parents and have to take care of their kids. Like myself who have to keep my business running and work from home while pretending to be in high spirits during play with my daughter.

For everyone else, it’s a big change. Still, they are lucky to have work to do. And work equals money. At times like this when the world stands still and everyone stays at home, many people will see their income shrink. Working in travel, hotel or retail industry is going to be a real struggle, as business plummets and revenue is non-existent. When there is no money coming in for a company, its employees will inevitably suffer economically. Being unemployed, having no income stream and more crucially, not having an emergency fund that will guarantee survival at this difficult time are no fun. If you have cash lying around that covers your living expenses for the next three months will ensure you make it through.

Surely where there is a problem, there is an opportunity but fighting for survival leads to panic which prevents logical thinking. Thus, working from home is not available to everyone out there, unfortunately. So, let’s take a moment to think of people who will really struggle financially due to this virus that is already crippling the world economy. And let’s not forget that health is more important than wealth and money and our thoughts are with elderly members of the family. Stay safe everyone.
### Keep Yourself Extremely Busy
URL: https://jimmakos.com/keep-yourself-extremely-busy/
Last updated: 2025-10-31T17:36:51.000Z
Walking around and overthinking too much? Lying down and regretting life decisions? Brainstorming for hours, waiting for big ideas to hit you? Worrying too much of terrible things that might happen to you or your loved ones? All these issues can be solved by keeping yourself extremely busy. Because everything is in our brain.

Hey! I’m Jim Makos and [I’m doing these two-minute talk shows](https://jimmakos.com/2020/01/time-is-now-kick-off-300-words-show/) where I share quick thoughts I have with the world, while I’m preparing longer videos for other shows I’m running on this channel and running a web business at the same time. That’s how I keep myself extremely busy to avoid procrastinating, overthinking, depression and worrying too much about stuff that is most probably not going to happen anyway.

Have you noticed that when you are busy with something, your mind is worry-free? That you don’t contemplate life choices? That you actually don’t have the time to sit down and watch a TV show, which you might regret later wasting your time for? Instead, chances are that by the time you finish whatever keeps you busy, you’ll feel productive or even accomplished! That’ll be a massive boost to your psychology, which will push depressing thoughts even deeper.

If you are like me, sometimes we pause during the day, questioning ourselves of our purpose. Of what’s the point for doing everything we do. We ask ourselves questions that we don’t have the answers for.

So, why do it in the first place? Avoid having second thoughts, questioning and, doubting yourself by keeping your brain extremely busy. That has worked for me. Don’t just tell yourself you are busy for the sake of it, though. Be actually busy and work on something. Anything. It doesn’t have to bring money. Create, read, or learn something. Do something. Always.
### Learning Online How to Speak English Confidently
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-speak-english-confidently/
Last updated: 2020-10-06T17:42:03.000Z
We can all agree that there’s room for a lot of improvement when it comes to my English accent. But in all honesty, it only took me an hour to improve my accent this much!

For years I refused to improve my English accent. That made me speak English with a Greek accent in my videos and occasionally speaking entirely in Greek, as I couldn’t stand reading the harsh comments.

This week [I uploaded a video](https://jimmakos.com/2020/02/financial-freedom-project/) that I am very proud of because everything in that video was at the top of my game. From conceiving the whole idea and writing a keyword-rich script, to including some of my best shots and thumbnail. Promoting it was also done perfectly by my standards, as I picked one of the week’s best time to publish it and I even tried YouTube’s Premiere feature for the first time!

> Achieving financial freedom in the next ten years and documenting it. That's my new project that began today by uploading the first video, where I go more in-depth why I haven't achieved it yet and why I am tracking my progress publicly.  
>  
> Watch at YouTube: <https://t.co/J8QkVwTGIc> [pic.twitter.com/e2ogDQq9Is](https://t.co/e2ogDQq9Is)
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [February 24, 2020](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1232001583476617217?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

And while I did everything as good as I could, there was one thing that stood out as mediocre. *My English accent*.

I simply could no longer accept spending so much time on every aspect of creating a video, and letting its presentation leave a bad taste.

As before, it turns out the solution to ANY problem is just a few clicks away. While I was waiting for my video’s fancy Premiere, [I read a few articles](https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/how-to-improve-english-pronunciation/) online and visited [a couple of YouTube channels](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRiVfHqBIIvSgKmgnSY66g). In minutes I improved my accent so much that when I took a test with an app that promises to teach you how to speak English properly, I was surprised by my score!

Once again, this is another proof that we have no excuse to not improve our skills, when all the help is available for free online. Not even when that help makes you sound funny. Or is it just me?
### Financial Freedom by 50: My Ten-Year Project for Early Retirement
URL: https://jimmakos.com/financial-freedom-project/
Last updated: 2025-12-08T15:30:14.000Z
For five years, I was studying chemical engineering when I began seriously considering the option of dropping out of the university. Not the best thought for a parent who had reserved a place on the wall to hang their son’s diploma ever since he started bringing home awards as a high school honor student!

But for me, a university degree was just a simple piece of paper that I didn’t want to spend ten years of my life for. Probably that piece of paper could ensure I’d have a job by now, but my need for money was growing quickly.

So, I finally dropped out a few years later, when I started making good money and becoming *financially independent*, or so I thought.

## Sabotaging my own financial plan

In the end, things didn’t turn out the way I was planning to. Besides, when was the last time things went our way? I still remember when I was 25, and I was planning to make 300K by my thirties so that a bank’s 5% interest rate would be enough to bring in 15 grand a year effortlessly. I seemed to be on the right path, although I didn’t yet know that much about investments and financial independence back then.

And to prove my limited knowledge, with the first 50K I earned, I bought a car instead of making money work for me and reaching my goal easier and quicker.

As a number, 300.000 may sound big for some and small for others. It doesn’t matter that much. It’s just that was a viable goal. I hadn’t picked that randomly. However, the thing is that life caught on, and I lost my opportunity to touch that goal. Money was lost, priorities changed.

So, for a myriad of reasons, **I didn’t make it to financial independence**. To be financially set for life in other words. So, at 40, I won’t hesitate to admit that I betrayed myself. That I failed.

![financial-freedom-inspiration](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/financial-freedom-inspiration.jpg)

## Do I have a shot for financial freedom at 40?

The value of mistakes and failures comes from learning from them and improving as a person. Otherwise, our attempts are really made in vain if we are not going to learn from these unavoidable mistakes.

For years, I’ve been living in a comfort zone I created for me in recent years. That led to not setting any goal, for which I’d be waking up every morning with energy. Days, weeks, and months were simply passing by. Every year was the same. *I had no vision*. I used to go to bed simply because sleep was a biological need, and I was looking forward to waking up and resume previous night’s work. Nowadays, I am going to bed with no anticipation.

So, the time has come for me to set some goals. To find a vision of how I see myself in a few years. Obviously, I’m not 25 anymore. On the other hand, what if the forties are the new twenties? If I were 50 now, wouldn’t I wish to have been 40 again? Oh, the things I would do…

Well, if I don’t get suddenly sick or die, **my goal is to become financially independent by 50**. To succeed, I have to make a million in the next ten years. How do the 300K sound now, huh?

## Financial Planning for Financial Independence

The good thing is that I don’t start from ground zero like at 25\. As a student, I had 1,500 euros to my name. By risking here and there, I managed to increase that capital enough to start a business so that I can now make a living out of it.

![financial-freedom-as-a-family-man](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/financial-freedom-as-a-family-man.jpg)

[As a family man nowadays](https://jimmakos.com/my-high-blood-pressure-sign-to-film-parenting-advice-asap/), the risk of my decisions should be substantially smaller. As a consequence, the reward will also be limited. But perhaps I can improve that by making smart moves. A smart move is a decision of a high reward/risk ratio while having good odds for the decision to work out. Think of a coin toss paying five times my bet and having an 80% chance of calling out the right side. In the world of entrepreneurship, that would make for a unicorn, a scenario that is very rare to happen.

The reason that I don’t start from scratch and I don’t need to risk that much nowadays is that my current income streams cover our family’s needs. Yet, that business side of my life will be put aside, since it doesn’t fulfill me, and there isn’t much room for improvement. Of course, I am grateful that I have this sort-of steady source of income that allows me to try out new things. It’s a business that I’ve been building for several years, and it’s automated, for the most part, requiring a few hours per week from me to operate smoothly.

Besides, many of the business ideas we’re going to talk on this channel in the future are based on automation, money, and [time efficiency](https://jimmakos.com/stop-complaining-about-not-having-time/). Thus, I’ve certainly taken my lessons from running a business all these years, which I think will come in handy going forward.

## Focusing on Digital and Creative Entrepreneurship

Making a million dollars or euros in the next ten years isn’t impossible. It isn’t easy, either. Usually, [the country where we are based is critical](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/317381), but trying to be not only financially but also location independent, it won’t matter. And that’s because we will be focusing on the vast land of the most awesome country we all reside in: the internet!

If I omit my casino career, all of my following endeavors were based on the web. It is no surprise that my business cards introduce me as a web entrepreneur. Sort of a digital entrepreneur. Or an entrepreneur of the internet. Or an entrepreneur of sucking! Putting labels on people is so ridiculous that sarcasm is more than necessary!

The internet is an endless land of opportunity. And almost all of us have access to that land. But instead of taking advantage of that, we send out selfies, play pointless games, or watch videos that teach us nothing for endless hours.

In contrast, I’m focusing on ideas that you will probably find useful on business thoughts that anyone may build upon and on topics that will help in one way or another to reach my goals. And while I’m doing this, I’ll make the most out of the knowledge I’ve accumulated all these years and potentially discover new things.

![financial-freedom-work-from-home](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/financial-freedom-work-from-home.jpg)

## Documenting the Journey to Financial Freedom

One of those ideas is to track my 10-year progress [in the form of videos](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/). Not only will I hold myself accountable, but maybe I’ll inspire some of you to try retiring much earlier or learn new things, to say the least. Not to mention that this whole project might actually provide me with another income stream, helping me achieve my goals faster! There are so many benefits here that to say it’s a win-win scenario is an understatement.

Will I retire in ten years? Obviously, it’s too soon to tell. Is it laughable that I’m trying to retire by 50? Perhaps. But what if things work out better than expected and [financial independence](https://jimmakos.com/financial-independence/) comes much earlier? What if I make 10 million by 50? What if five more people enjoy financial freedom in the next ten years because of this project? Or what if the project just makes me happy? Isn’t that why we all work for? Aren’t we all pursuing happiness?

At least at my fifties, I won’t say that I didn’t try. I will not wonder what I would have become if I had started this project now. I will have no regrets about not starting this project. Because this first episode is proof that I started. And besides, what’s the alternative? Living 10 more years like the previous 5? No way.

I am Jim Makos, a chemical engineer dropout, an advantage gambler and a web entrepreneur, starting a 10-year project pursuing financial freedom. Follow the journey by subscribing to my channel to learn from my mistakes, failures, or, [dare I say, success](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-be-obsessed-about-success-in-life/). You may also find more about how I ended up here by visiting my website at jimmakos.com. Thank you for being a part of this and will catch you in the next one.
### Find Time by Stop Complaining about Not Having Time
URL: https://jimmakos.com/stop-complaining-about-not-having-time/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T09:47:25.000Z
Ever since I became a dad I feel I am constantly running out of time. Last year I turned forty as well which only made things worse. In theory, I can no longer be as productive as I was ten years ago and I also have to take care of and provide for one additional human being.

But what if I do have time? What if it’s just an excuse?

Recently, I had a chat with a friend. I was complaining that I don’t have time to pursue the dreams I once had, I don’t have time to do the things I want to, I don’t have time to myself. To which, he replied how come I don’t have time when he is running a store as a full-time job from Monday to Saturday! He said that he struggles to find just one hour to himself every day while I have 6 hours every morning to do whatever I like as a stay-at-home dad!

Wait! He is right. I do have 6 hours from Monday to Friday every week. At least. There are days when I have afternoons available as well. And although weekends are meant to be spent with family, there are still brief moments when I can sit down at my office!

But let’s say I have strictly 6 hours per workday. That is 30 hours per week. Ok, compared to the 60+ hour-weeks I was enjoying in my twenties, that sounds miserably less. But they’re still 30 hours to my name. What can I achieve in 30 hours? Certainly less than when working 60 hours per week, but definitely a lot more when I am working instead of complaining! So, I do have enough time to stop complaining and start working towards making those dreams come true.
### The MOST REMOTE BEACH I've Been To | Skyros, Greece
URL: https://jimmakos.com/surviving-trip-to-remote-beach-ayalipa-skyros-island-greece/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T10:57:10.000Z
In 2019 we visited the most remote beach I have ever been on the Greek island of Skyros, called Ayalipa. As I am not used to adventures, surviving the trip to the remote beach proved a real struggle, especially while having the family in this adventure.
### My High Blood Pressure Is a Sign to Film my Parenting Advice ASAP
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-high-blood-pressure-sign-to-film-parenting-advice-asap/
Last updated: 2020-10-06T17:49:24.000Z
A few weeks ago, I was getting dizzy and had nausea. I couldn’t even watch TV. I thought I was simply getting sick until a blood vessel popped up in my eye, and I immediately had my blood pressure checked. It was as high as eighteen hundred, but that didn’t set the alarm for me since I had sometimes seen that kind of measurement after having lunch. So I thought by the time I wake up the next morning, everything will be back to normal.

Unfortunately, the next day things were the same. After making some calls, friends and family instructed me to see a cardiologist to have my heart examined, who happened to be a friend’s wife. Two days had elapsed, and blood pressure continued hovering around seventeen hundred. I had my appointment on the third day very late at night. Upon examining my heart, it turned out it was functioning properly. In fact, blood pressure had returned to normal after seventy-two hours. Ran a few more health tests, and apparently, I was healthy as an ox once again. Just a glitch, I suppose.

While I was sweating in agony all those days, though, reading tens of horror stories online of what can go wrong, one thought couldn’t escape my mind. That, in the worst-case scenario, my little kid would never get to [hear the advice](https://jimmakos.com/2019/05/how-to-make-money-young/) I am planning to give her. I know, I know, I myself didn’t hear my dad’s advice when I was younger. I don’t expect her to listen to me. But at least I would have tried. Or maybe she listens to me when she spends hours on YouTube and runs across these videos when I won’t be around. So if just one person learns something from these videos, let it be my kid.
### How to Be Obsessed about Success in Life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-be-obsessed-about-success-in-life/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T09:48:15.000Z
I recently heard that to enjoy success in life, you must find what you are best at and be obsessed about it. Notice they’re not suggesting to do what makes you happy or to follow your passion. Your talent, strengths, and skills might make you suitable for a profession that you find dull or even hate! Yet if you are so talented in something, you’ll be among the top professionals in that line of work. And that’s where the unprecedented success is found.

The first question that comes to mind is how to know what you are best at?

That’s why parents like myself take their kids in all sorts of activities while they’re very young. The sooner kids discover their talent, the more time they will have to be among the top one percent of that.

But what happens if we’re not kids anymore? Easy. You are best at anything people praise you for. Focus on opinions of acquaintances or total strangers. Friends and family tend to sugarcoat everything.

Take me, for example. People always wondered how I can remain so disciplined and calm when losing money. Thus I became obsessed with [advantage gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) when I was younger. Recently, new friends have praised how good these videos look. So, I’m obsessed with making more videos.

Is it easy to become obsessed? If you find enjoyable what you are best at, obsession comes naturally. I was playing blackjack and [online poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) for ten hours straight. Nowadays I always carry a camera with me. But if you don’t enjoy it, you might struggle to be obsessed with it. Thus, you’ll end up average. And that’s the reason why most people are average. Either they ignore what they are best at, or they are obsessed with things they are not best at!
### Every Word Counts! The Time is Now | The 300 Words Show
URL: https://jimmakos.com/time-is-now-kick-off-300-words-show/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T09:48:30.000Z
Time is now. Time for everything is now. The time to speak up is now. The time to work is now. The time to be with the family is now. The time to live is now.

And so, the time for me to start a two-minute talk show where every word counts is now.

The purpose of the show is to share quick thoughts I have with the world. When Twitter’s two-hundred and eighty characters are not enough and a blog post of a thousand words is an overkill, a short video sounds like the right choice for me. It shouldn’t last more than 2 minutes. But time is relative. So I opted to impose a word limit instead of a time limit. And an average person speaks one hundred and fifty words per minute. Therefore, I am setting the limit to three hundred words. Hopefully, I will speak fast.

In each episode, I will have three hundred words to share any opinion, thought or event I feel like sharing about. It won’t be perfect visually since most probably it will be me talking to the camera with the occasional b-roll. But this will allow me to focus on the story and not lose the inspiration when inspiration hits me. And inspiration can come from news, a book or life in general. Can’t really plan these things. But it has been numerous times when I had the urge to say something on camera, and I didn’t. So, no excuses from now on.

When I am allowed to say just three hundred words, every word counts. In a world where millions of words are written or spoken every minute, I have to carefully choose my next three hundred words.

Because time is running out. For everyone. And I’m already out of words.
### Money isn't Everything for Aging YouTube Creators
URL: https://jimmakos.com/money-for-aging-youtube-creators/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:09:22.000Z
I signed up on YouTube back in March 2007\. That means [**my YouTube channel is 12 years old**](https://www.youtube.com/JimMakosCom/). During those 12 years, I’ve uploaded 60 videos. That means five videos per year that got me 1,500 subscribers. In fact, most of them subscribed due to a specific video. That video was about sports betting, which it’s been ages since I last wrote or created something about.

And suddenly in the year 2019, I decided to go full steam ahead on video. ***Am I doing it wrong?***

## Marketing dinosaurs

As predicted by advertising gurus, video marketing skyrocketed the past few years, and YouTube followed through. The explosion of social media marketing had been going on already, which became so popular that [**students dream of becoming influencers when they grow up**](https://cuindependent.com/2018/03/16/opinion-being-social-influencer-millennial-dream/). In simple words, to exchange their online social network popularity for not so hard-earned cash via product promotion or advertising in general.

All this sounds absolutely normal to Millenials’ ears and certainly to Screenagers (Generation Z) who are growing up with touch screens in their hands. The previous generation, that I’m borderline part of (born in 1979) struggles to keep up with the information torrent and not miss the train. At the same time, I’m scared to even think how the generation before me feels, the baby boomers.

![millenials-baby-boomers-generations](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/millenials-baby-boomers-generations-2.jpg)

I follow people from all these generations on social media. I can easily tell their difference, mostly by the speed they update their feeds and profiles. While old-timers post three pictures per week, the youngsters will push photos AND videos on stories, feeds and everywhere online, as if their day has got 48 hours. At the same time bitterness is coming from older people about “how the world has changed”. Aren’t we all dinosaurs?

## Adapt or die

Says the famous quote and although I’m not afraid of death, I’m trying to adapt for years on end. Yet, I feel this might be one of *my last attempts* to do so.

I learned how to beat the casino at 24\. In my last visits, they changed the rules of the game for me and **[eventually they kicked me out](https://jimmakos.com/2016/04/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/)** while destroying the dreams of other potential card counters by introducing automatic shuffling machines on blackjack tables. I adapted and went for **[sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)** where I had bigger success. Then, at 29 I could no longer win. Once again I adapted and **[I met even greater success with poker](https://jimmakos.com/2013/04/poker-setup/)**, which **[is more or less dead](https://jimmakos.com/2013/06/poker-is-dead/)** nowadays (some romantics will disagree with me). Third time’s the charm I suppose, since after poker **[I gradually quit the world of gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/advantage-gambler/)**.

I forced myself to adapt yet again. Given the worldwide trend of gambling’s regulations and taxation, and sportsbooks’ hunting down of winning players, I followed the entrepreneurial path. An occupation, that is a lot more acceptable to the public eye, despite having similar hazards, strategies, and way of thinking with games of chance, which most people have no clue about.

Still, in modern times even entrepreneurship itself has evolved and has entered the digital world, making it harder for previous generations to grasp the meaning of *“making a living online”*.

And so we arrive at **[my forties giving out advice to youngsters](https://jimmakos.com/2019/05/how-to-make-money-young/)** about what I would have done differently as if life ends here.

![quote-most-people-die-at-25-but-are-buried-at-75-benjamin-franklin-87-76-26](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/quote-most-people-die-at-25-but-are-buried-at-75-benjamin-franklin-87-76-26-1.jpg)

## Money is everything for young creators

When I was glued to the screen for endless hours watching charts and dancing numbers 15 years ago, I remember older people warning me that I would not be able to do that at 40\. I still remember how skeptical I had been, believing that I would be different.

> What? I will know how to make money online but I won’t be able to sit at the computer for long hours? Ha, no way! Money is everything.

And here I am now, trying to automate everything in my business so that I spend the least amount of time on the computer, which I so much treasure ever since I was a kid. You see, it feels awesome to make a lot of money young, winning at stuff where others lose fills you with overconfidence, but entrepreneurship has a huge edge (and a small one): making money in your sleep (and the sky’s the limit; literally).

## Time is everything for older creators

****So, as I become older, the value of money is replaced by the value of time.** I nowadays aim to buy myself time because I can no longer do what I used to do younger. I can’t edit videos for 10 hours straight every day, despite having decided to adapt and focus on YouTube.

Not that entrepreneurship is bad, it’s just that **one discovers his lost creativity** in his old age that put aside in favor of making money in his prime.

I used to say that ****I’d become an archaeologist or a cameraman when I grow up**. Since I married to an archaeologist, I’m left to fulfill my other dream. It’s just that except of camera operator, for the sake of one video for YouTube I’m also becoming a director, a scriptwriter, an actor, an editor, a colorist, and a sound designer.

And I need so much time for a single episode on YouTube, especially when having **[no background in filmmaking](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/)**, that I constantly ask myself if I can make everything I plan to in time and ****whether everything is futile after all**. *Which is*.
### Brainstorming Ideas during Vacation on the Greek Islands
URL: https://jimmakos.com/brainstorming-on-skyros-island/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T09:53:49.000Z
Vacationing on a Greek island sounds like a great idea in summer for many people. Skyros, where I’m currently based, is such an island, but I am not one of those many people, since traveling and vacationing isn’t my favorites sort of speak. Of course, I do not have to lose something in order to appreciate it, so I certainly acknowledge the value in vacationing here for a month every summer.

Yes yes, I have the luxury to go on vacation for a whole month. On a Greek island. And I’m complaining. Hmmm…

## The price of creativity

Whenever we travel it’s normal to shoot a lot of pictures and videos. Our creativity overwhelms us and so, every year I find myself shooting a lot of content, which eventually just takes up space in the hard drive. Thus, in the past two weeks, I have accumulated over 1000 pictures and 100GB in video for yet another summer. Although I am hoping I’ll make use of all these in some kind of short film or documentary, I don’t expect to stop any time soon. Nor buying more and bigger hard disks…

## The beginning is half of the whole

I woke up very early today, much like I do every day. The sheep that were passing along outside of the house had some effect on that obviously. Yet, I haven’t missed almost‌ ‌any sunrise, given the view is something I truly enjoy in Skyros.

And since I got up I said, why don’t I film a quick episode for YouTube? Maybe it’s the beginning of something greater after all.

## Life on Skyros island and brainstorming ideas

Every year I end up bringing more filmmaking gear to the island. Cameras, tripods and a whole bunch of equipment that someone could claim that I could shoot even a movie with all that stuff. This year I even brought my office’s 38-inch monitor with me! You see, my eyesight has got a lot worse lately and I’m struggling to read in small screens from up close. Getting past forty must have played a role as well.

Also this year, I have brought a drone with me for the first time, which I have already used, when I filmed the sunrise in the so-called Windmill of Skyros and the chappel of Ayios Ermolaos.

Everyday life when vacationing isn’t all about cameras. Usually, in the mornings I go out to the garden, which I hugely appreciate as I live in a flat for the rest of the year. August is the month that figs are in season as well, and no matter how funny it sounds, collecting figs first thing in the morning relaxes me. Not to say that I am not a calm guy. Yet, I find it truly relaxing and in addition, there’s the sweet reward of my effort by the end.

Most of the hours are spent with the family as expected. When I have time for myself, I very often walk up and down and around the house, thinking of all sorts of things. Maybe it’s due to the middle age crisis, maybe it’s just that I simply enjoy thinking of everything thoroughly. All this time that I cover miles thinking, I always believed that sooner or later, on some of those miles, I’ll brainstorm the idea that I was craving for. And I believe the fresh air, the unobstructed view, and the moon helped for that moment to come in the previous days on the island. My enthusiasm for my idea was so big that I wanted to share it on social networks. That also made me a lot more active and to post a lot more of my thoughts and pictures from the island. But the issue is that I had the moment I was expecting, the moment when I found a point, a life goal, a vision. Told you, I’m getting old!

## The purpose of creativity

At least now all this content is online. It takes up a role instead of space in my hard disks. You can all watch it and I don’t need to describe what I shot during my vacation in Skyros or what outstanding scenes exist in the hard disks. Which have A LOT MORE beautiful scenes.

## The vision

But most importantly I have now acquired a target which I was eagerly seeking for during the last years. A vision, that will make a point again each time I get the camera in my hands and decide to film a scene. Because now I know that I’ll use all these scenes in the biggest project of my life that I’ll talk about in a future episode. Don’t miss it!
### Living off investments in retirement: Withdrawing money
URL: https://jimmakos.com/living-off-investments-in-retirement-withdraw-money/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:21:06.000Z
For a long time, I wondered how we should withdraw money from an investment portfolio to cover living expenses and not hurt its growth rate at the same time. Given the end goal of financial independence is to live off investments, withdrawing too much money would deplete the investing capital and would force us to go back to work in case of a bear market.

Finally, a couple of days ago I found the answer.

Let’s elaborate on that a bit to make it clear.

## The basics of an investment portfolio

During our working years, we should save money and increase our investing capital. That capital will be used to invest in various assets, diversifying our risk by buying into different markets.

Ideally, we should save at least 20% of our monthly income or better (50%) and use that to invest in stocks, real estate, bonds, metals and even in riskier assets, [**such as cryptocurrencies**](https://jimmakos.com/2017/11/invest-in-bitcoin/). If one market enters a bear phase, another might skyrocket at the same time, covering the losses.

Our goal is to have a big enough investment portfolio that returns enough money for us to retire in the future.

## How much money do we need to retire?

We will need to track down our annual spending. [**I use a budget app**](https://jmks.co/ynab) for that, but a simple spreadsheet can work as well, as long as you are disciplined enough to update it often. Once we know how much we spend each year (and where!), we can calculate how much money we need to retire.

**Multiply the annual spending figure by 50.** That’s how much money you need to have in your investments to retire.

As an example, say I spend $20,000 per year. I need $1 million to call it quits and retire.

Now, say after years of saving money and building an investment portfolio, we finally reach that number. Then what?

## Let’s talk about rates first

Typically, our investment portfolio is expected to have a growth rate. Like a bank interest rate.

If we put every saved penny into a bank account, we will make the bank’s interest rate. This is one of the safest bets we can make, hence the return will be minuscule and we will most probably *lose money* due to inflation, even if we shop around for the best rate.

By diversifying our portfolio as mentioned before, we can take advantage of bigger returns at the expense of a bigger risk of course. However, long term the US stock market is expected to have a 7% return. Even if we bought right *before* the 2008 financial crisis, we would still have made a hefty 153% return in 12 years by now!

Given we are not looking to pinpoint bottoms and ups, we are simply doing what’s known as “dollar-cost averaging”. We are in fact buying and holding for a very long term period. If we buy stocks, gold or a cryptocurrency every single month, we’re adding to our portfolio without trying to time the market. Remember, we are too busy working and besides, we are not experts in timing the market (even experts cannot)!

So, some assets will gain in value while others will lose. In the end, we expect **our investment portfolio to have an average return rate of 4%.**

## Retiring and living off investments

We have a million dollars in investments. While it’s nice to watch the number increase by 4% every year on average, we do need to live in retirement. We are still spending money on food, home, and other necessities. Unless we polished our lifestyle, spending should have remained the same or increased just a bit every year due to inflation. For the sake of the discussion, we will assume it remains the same as if we retired tomorrow.

We need $20K to maintain our way of living. By withdrawing 2% of the investing capital every year, **we’re guaranteed to never go back to work ever again**. Even in the worst market conditions when our investments will lose 20% or more of their value, by withdrawing less than the expected average return we allow our investment portfolio to rebuild itself when the market turns.

If we feel it’s party time and we are entitled to burn more cash in retirement, things can get ugly.

Let’s say we increase our spending to $50K per year. We are now withdrawing more than the investments are expected to make annually. And while this doesn’t seem bad when stocks hit new highs, by the time the downturn comes, we’ll have a lot less money in our investment accounts to withstand the fall.

Yet, even if we survive, our capital will have been reduced so much that it won’t be able to grow sufficiently when markets start to climb. Even worse, our withdrawal rate will still hurt our capital, which by that time won’t be big enough to sustain our way of living. And even if we accept our mistakes and cut down our spending, our capital may be at $500K or lower, which means that a 4% average return rate won’t be enough to cover our expenses.

Eventually, we’ll run out of money in retirement years. *Fail*.

## Recap (tl;dr):

Steps to living off investments:

1. Save 20 to 50% of income.
2. Dollar-cost average in various assets once every month.
3. Track spending.
4. Retire when the investment portfolio is 50X of annual expenses.
5. Withdraw 2% or less than 4% at most every year.
6. Live happily ever after.

Finally, what happens at the final curtain? If we are single, leaving a million dollars behind doesn’t seem logical. So, begin spending more close to the end and ideally die at zero. If we have a family, we probably want to leave that money to family members. After all, family comes first, right?

[**I wish I knew all that 20 years ago**](https://jimmakos.com/2019/05/how-to-make-money-young/).

*Image by* [***rawpixel***](https://pixabay.com/users/rawpixel-4283981/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=3190198)
### My everyday camera setup for documenting life
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-everyday-camera-setup-for-documenting-life/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T10:56:44.000Z
Thessaloniki is my home city. Its waterfront is popular among cyclists, runners and people who enjoy a walk by the sea. Most of them come to the promenade in the evenings to witness majestic sunsets. 

I try visiting it when it’s not too crowded, usually in the mornings. My favourite day of the week to do so is Sunday, when it’s quieter as streets are empty and traffic noise is replaced by bird sounds. I used to come here when I had to clear my mind, to think and to get some fresh air. Since I got a camera though, I can’t resist taking pictures and shooting video here and there. 

I’m Jim makos, a web entrepreneur who has recently discovered his creative side through a camera’s viewfinder. I have no background in arts and honestly, I used to mock friends who would carry heavy gear to snap photos. Now, I have at least one dedicated camera on me at all times, which I use to document my business and personal life, not to mention tripods, 360 cameras, drones and other filmmaking gear! 

One of those Sundays I went for a morning walk and I took two cameras with me. I also picked my smallest lenses for the most compact setup, as I hate carrying a heavy backpack, especially when I’m expecting to walk for at least an hour and creating content isn’t my purpose. I had a 55mm lens attached to the camera I would primarily use for video and a 35mm lens attached to the camera that excels in taking landscape pictures. Yet, I would use it to film myself from time to time. 

These cameras are full frame cameras. They offer superb image quality but it usually comes at a cost: the size. Full frame lenses are usually a lot bigger than other systems. I myself considered moving to other camera systems that offer smaller setups at one point, such as Fujifilm cameras. Yet, this lens combination lets me carry both cameras in a small messenger bag and take advantage of other full frame benefits, such as the shallow depth of field. Also, Sony cameras allow you to shoot in crop mode, effectively doubling the lenses’ use. As a result, I can shoot in 35mm, 50mm, 55mm and 80mm field of view in 4k with just two prime lenses that fit in an inconspicuous bag. 

I often shoot video like taking pictures: through the viewfinder. It results in less shaky footage due to the third point of contact (your head) and people think of you as a photographer. Sometimes I check the recorded footage on the viewfinder as well, but mostly I use the back monitor. 

I suppose this setup is ideal for street photographers as well. Although I do enjoy photography, making videos is what makes me happy, so I’ve found this camera and lens setup ideal for a walk-around, everyday, light video-making system after years of trial and error. I’m sure there are more compact setups out there, but this one works perfectly for me, when I need to quickly save a memory, document everyday life in near perfect image quality without hurting my back at the same time! Hopefully, it will help you in your quest of finding the perfect camera system – shhhhh, it doesn’t exist!
### RØDE Wireless Go: First Impressions
URL: https://jimmakos.com/rode-wireless-go-first-impressions/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:11:17.000Z
In the modern era of Youtubing, vlogging and video marketing in general, filming yourself as the host of your online show isn’t considered a taboo; quite opposite, it’s the norm. And although *content is king* and everyone strives for the best image quality, audio is usually neglected, leading to bad sound recordings. Yes, **[gear DOES matter](https://jimmakos.com/2017/03/gear-matters-life-doc/)**.

To properly film myself with adequate audio quality, I had opted for a lavalier microphone made by RØDE (and **[saved some dough on video editing software](https://jimmakos.com/2014/12/red-giant-sale/)** as well!). It’s known that you get the best audio by placing the microphone as close as possible to the talent, who in this case is myself. So, a lav mic is the perfect solution. A shotgun mic is another alternative, yet it requires a stand and long cables if I want to place it directly above me, not to mention the whole setup can eat up a big part of your budget.

Talking of budget options, [**the RØDE Smartlav goes for around $50**](http://jmks.co/rodesmartlav). Of course, there’s a catch. By recording to my smartphone and not directly to the camera that usually stands 6 feet away of me, I have to sync the audio later in post. Which, as you can imagine, it’s time consuming despite the latest and greatest automation technology that exists in modern video editing software.

![The RØDE Smartlav Mic needs to be connected to a smartphone](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-rode-wireless-go-306474.jpg)

The RØDE Smartlav Mic needs to be connected to a smartphone

It’s not just the syncing that is troublesome. You are using yet another device WHILE filming yourself; the smartphone. When the creative juices begin flowing, the last thing you need is setting up multiple devices. I usually find myself out of inspiration by the time I have set up everything: the composition, the tripod, the camera settings, the lenses, the filters, the microphones,… and the smartphone! Firing up the audio software, checking audio levels, enabling airplane mode and so much more are quickly making the whole experience quite unpleasant.

Enter the recently launched wireless lavalier microphone system by ****RØDE**. The *Wireless GO system* is a compact, dare I say a minimalistic solution to this problem. There have been similar wireless systems but they cost $500 or more and they are a bit chunky for my tastes. This new one seemed perfect and the price just sweetened the pot for me.

![My order on Amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/rode-wireless-go-price-amazon.jpg)

My order on [Amazon](http://jmks.co/rodewirelessgo)

****The RØDE Wireless GO costs $199 in US** and pricing in Europe is similar; it retails at €199\. So, paying €136 on Spanish Amazon website was a no-brainer (screenshot above), given the fact that I had my mind set on this new microphone system ever since the first reviews came out on YouTube. The pricing didn’t come as a surprise as I have recently witnessed **[huge price fluctuations on Amazon websites](https://jimmakos.com/2019/01/monitor-prices-before-shopping-from-amazon/)**. Amazon.de, for example, offers the same exact product for €199\. I’m quite certain after years of shopping from Amazon that I’d get the very same microphones if I’d placed the order on the German site.

It’s quite early to give a verdict for this system. First impressions are great, though! The microphone system is really small (and cute!) and the setup is very quick, while I can connect my Smartlav mic to the transmitter for properly hiding the microphone out of the shot. The whole thing will save me headaches when filming myself for my YouTube episodes and will buy me lot of time in the editing room, by avoiding the cumbersome task of syncing audio. *Kudos, RØDE!*

[**Here’s the Amazon page for the RØDE Wireless Go**](http://jmks.co/rodewirelessgo). It’s an affiliate link. I’ve talked about these links **[here](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/)**.
### How to Make Money Young: Start a Business, Invest, Take Risks!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-money-young/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:41:22.000Z
I’m 40 years old. Most probably I’m way older than you watching this. I may not have your youth, your energy or your charming looks. Most importantly I don’t have the time. But **I have the experience** to tell you how to make better use of that time and avoid some of the mistakes I made while trying to make money early in my life. And as a result, I bet you’ll end up *much better* than me.

In fact, [betting was all I did in my twenties](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). Betting on sports, betting on cards, betting on stocks. And I did good but If I could turn back the time, I honestly wouldn’t have done any of that. Before I tell you what I would do to start making money 20 years ago, there’s still a lesson to be learned here from my betting. And that’s…

![risk-taking](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/risk-taking.jpg)

Image by [Alexas\_Fotos](https://pixabay.com/users/alexas%5Ffotos-686414/)

## Taking risks

You’re young. You’re not expected to run an empire by your thirties. In fact, expectations are usually restricted to getting a degree and finding a job. And even if those don’t work out, you’ll still be accepted by your friends and society. What if you’re still spending your parents’ money? Who doesn’t? Ultimately speaking though, you are normal, very few people in their twenties have had success. And that’s because you can afford the one thing older people such as myself cannot.

## You can afford to fail!

I began by [counting cards at the blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/2016/04/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/) with two thousand dollars that I had saved as pocket money. What if I *failed*? Still had plenty of time to recoup the losses. A normal job by my thirties would make it up in two months or less. So I took the risk to possibly lose my pocket money. Good for me, I *did* make money. And given the risk was big (losing my entire capital), so was the reward, as I made ten times more! Small capital, big risk but the return looks huge percentage-wise.

Then [I tried sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) with the money I had made from blackjack. Again, what if I failed? I would have lost 20 grand in the worst scenario. Probably I would have quit earlier, but for the sake of the discussion let’s suppose I burnt into all that money. I was still 25\. I could return to my studies. I could get my engineering degree and join the workforce. A year’s work as an engineer living at my parents’ home would easily net me 20 thousand.

And let’s pause at this moment and let’s admit something: **EVERYONE and their mom expected me to FAIL**. My own dad told me that I would lose money in the casino as so many people do. My friends didn’t believe me that I was making money by betting online. They thought I would fail and go back to university.

***EVERYONE.***

Fortunately for me, I didn’t. But you can. You can try all kinds of things to make money and no one will have hard feelings for you, unless you lose their money which I would strongly recommend against. Try to make it on your own.

And another thing I would not recommend is any kind of gambling. Perhaps I’m the *worst* person to convince you for that. But I believe making money by betting or [playing cards in your twenties](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) may seem like lucrative but it’s one of the riskiest things to try. True, the reward can be exponential given the small capital young people have access to as I demonstrated earlier. But there is another path I would follow to make money if I were young again. And that’s…

![entrepreneur-start-a-business](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/entrepreneur-start-a-business.jpg)

Image by [StartupStockPhotos](https://pixabay.com/users/StartupStockPhotos-690514/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=593352)

## Starting a business

Preferably [a web business](https://jimmakos.com/2016/09/profitable-web-business/). We live in a great time where the playing field is leveled more or less. If you have internet access, the world is your oyster. You can build anything you think will make you money. Anything that will produce a profit. Will create a profitable, sustainable business.

What if your first attempt fails? Try another. And another. Each time you fail you gain the one thing I have that you don’t. ***Experience***.

And eventually, something will work out. Something will bring revenue, will cover your costs and begin making you money. And then [you go to sleep](https://jimmakos.com/polyphasic-sleep/) and you wake up with money that was made while you were sleeping. And that will be your a-ha moment.

And then you delegate all that boring stuff you do for your business. By outsourcing work that you used to do yourself, you buy something that has begun running out for you.

![buy-time](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/buy-time.jpg)

Image by [xaviandrew](https://pixabay.com/users/xaviandrew-2832205/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=1485384)

## You buy time

Time to improve your business. Time to refine details. Time to meet partners and discuss expansion. Time to start another business. Time to live your life the way you dreamt to.

Eventually, you’ll discover that a phrase you have already heard in your teens is a lot more meaningful in reverse. Time is money, right? Well, most importantly though, **money is time**.

As you’ll be approaching your thirties or forties and certainly much older, you run out of it, because there’s something that you have an abundance of right now. And that’s health. And as health will deteriorate as you’re aging, that translates into time on planet earth. Time to enjoy it.

So money will buy you that invaluable asset comes the time (pun intended). So here’s another tip.

## Don’t spend your money!

Again I’m the worst person to be giving this tip. What did I do in my twenties when my risks were paying off? I bought an expensive car. The worst depreciating asset. Guilty as charged, **I made the worst use of my money**.

![mercedes-slk](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/mercedes-slk.jpg)

I still have that car. It still drives me wherever I want to go in an elegant way. Have I enjoyed it? Certainly, although I’ve driven it for just 60,000 kilometers in the last 15 years! But there hasn’t been a single day all this time that I didn’t have doubts or regrets about spending the money to buy that car.

But, what should *you* do instead?

![invest-money](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/invest-money.jpg)

Image by [Nattanan Kanchanaprat](https://pixabay.com/users/nattanan23-6312362/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=2724235)

## Invest your money

Now that you have failed a couple of times and gained experience in the process, managed to build a profitable business and bought time for yourself to learn new stuff with your passive income, it’s finally time to [invest your money](https://jimmakos.com/investing/). And given you have both time to learn investing and money to invest you’re in a much better and stress-free position to make smart investments.

Compare that to [investing your last two thousand dollars on blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/) when you were 23 and suddenly everything makes sense now, right?

So by the time you are my age, you’ll have a business or two generating cash flow and profits, along with plenty of investing capital to provide for your expenses. You can now retire peacefully and go and play some cards to find out if you would have made it. I bet you won’t even try since you’ll be too busy enjoying your last 40 or 50 years of life. And as for me and I guess for most people in their forties watching this, retirement still looks a long way from home. Yet, it’s never too late to [follow the entrepreneurial path to make money](https://jimmakos.com/2015/01/entrepreneurship-become-the-best-or-first/). Just don’t fail!
### Moon Photography: Tips for Beginners
URL: https://jimmakos.com/moon-photography-tips-for-beginners/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:29:52.000Z
I consider taking a photo of the moon one of the biggest challenges of an amateur photographer. Apart from the technical aspect and proper representation of Earth’s satellite on the digital film, there are hurdles that are usually met during the photoshoot, such as the picture’s composition which can change as fast as the moon’s quick movement! I often find myself moving around the tripod than changing my camera settings!

[I’m known as Jim Makos online](https://jimmakos.com/) and I’m a photography enthusiast since I became a dad! At first, I learnt the technicals of photography by photographing my family, but quickly I began delving into [all kinds of photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/), so that I take good pictures that would accompany my articles online or even my social media posts. Eventually, photography and filmmaking’s bugs got so large inside me, that while I used to make fun of friends carrying their DSLR camera with a huge lens in every trip, my car’s boot is always filled up with photography and videography gear!

![moon-photography-hortiatis](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/moon-photography-hortiatis.jpg)

If you don’t want to take a picture of the moon as a tiny bright spot you have to [invest in gear](https://jimmakos.com/2017/03/gear-matters-life-doc/). Most probably you’re going to photograph the moon in the night or before sunrise, which means it will be dark. Low light is something that smartphone cameras cannot yet cope with. In addition, the moon will be the brightest part of the photograph and its main subject. That makes photographing it technically difficult, both in terms of exposure and focusing. A moon that we can’t make out its surface or a moon that is too bright or dark automatically makes it look vastly different than what you’re seeing at that moment but also of what we all have used to.

![moon-photography-thessaloniki-greece](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/moon-photography-thessaloniki-greece.jpg)

But even if you have the necessary gear and the huge telephoto lens so that you bring the moon closer in order for it to occupy a big part of the photograph it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to take a good picture. Especially if you are trying to photograph it during its best moments: the moonrise and moonset, since you can include your surroundings only then! Otherwise, it’s almost certain you’re going to take a picture of the moon in a black background which doesn’t tell us a story.

Much like the sun, when photographing the moon we have to take into account another important factor: the time. The moonrise and moonset do not last more than one hour and the moon’s movement on the sky will seem so fast that the photo’s composition may change by the minute! Proper planning is paramount, as long as we do not struggle technically. We don’t want to be at the right, planned position to take a photo of the moon only to find ourselves lost in the camera settings!

What I have done to be technically ready, is to photograph the moon many times when there’s no time pressure. While the moon is in an indifferent position in the sky and I’ve plenty of free time I’ll fiddle with the shutter speed, the aperture and the ISO and with different lenses as well, so that I understand how they affect the composition.

Also, with modern mirrorless cameras, we get to see in real time how the settings affect our next photograph, in contrast to older cameras that required us to take the photo and then check how the photograph changed.

I wouldn’t recommend moon photography to someone that is just starting out to dive into photography and [videography](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/). There are a lot of easier types of photography for them to practice and to learn the basics, along with getting familiar with the camera in their hands. Even when they become experienced enough, I’m sure that the first time they go out to shoot the moon it will feel that they are starting from scratch once again!
### Monitor Prices before Shopping from Amazon to Save Money!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/monitor-prices-before-shopping-from-amazon/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:28:58.000Z
Shopping from Amazon? Add it to your cart but don’t buy it. Monitor its price over the coming weeks. You’ll be surprised how much it fluctuates.

I was considering adding another identical monitor to my setup two months ago and had added it to the cart on the French Amazon site. At the time it cost 800EUR. Then it increased to 1,000 and reached 1,250 (!!!) during the holidays.

Then all of a sudden it dropped back to 1,000EUR last week and by Friday I could buy it for 762EUR! Although I had changed my mind of upgrading to a dual-monitor setup (I used to have a [**quad-monitor setup**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/windows-8-desktop-pc-four-monitors/)!), the discounted price made me think about it during the weekend.

Today, right after the weekend Amazon let me know its price increased once again!

![amazon-price-fluctuate](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/amazon-price-fluctuate.jpg)

Mind you, this is far from the first time I’ve witnessed some crazy fluctuations in Amazon pricing.

Maybe there’s an opportunity here too for buying low and selling high! After trading sports odds, stocks and cryptocurrencies, it’s time to trade… monitors! :P

***EDIT***: Since I posted this on Twitter, someone pointed me towards dynamic pricing algorithms:

If you google about it, you’ll learn more about how and why prices change. Fascinating stuff. Algorithms everywhere!

*Photo by* [*Christian Wiediger*](https://unsplash.com/photos/rymh7EZPqRs?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText) *on* [*Unsplash*](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText)
### Organize social media posts in topics with Google+ Collections
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-plus-collections/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T07:08:57.000Z
Who uses Google+, right? Who shares their photos there instead of Instagram? Who tells stories on the so-called “dead” social network when all their friends are on Facebook or Twitter?

In fact, you’d be surprised to find out just how many people still make use of Google+, but more specifically how it helps ME to organize my online social presence. And while this post wasn’t meant to become an advocative for Google+, I can easily see how this will be the case.

The reason why I began writing this piece is this.

## I was blown away by Google+ best feature: Collections!

I love planning and organizing and that shows even online. I like to categorize everything I create, from articles down to photos and videos ([YouTube playlists come to mind](https://www.youtube.com/user/JimmakosCom/playlists)). This led me to create Collections at Google+ from the first moment Google decided to include them in their social network. Having a concrete structure in this very blog obviously helped a lot, given I knew beforehand what categories I would need.

Thus, every post I share is added to its relevant Collection.

Now, this may not sound such a big deal but here’s a story.

During last summer I shared a lot of my betting activities. In case you are new here, I’ve been an advantage gambler for over a decade. So, [I often talk about gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

Anyway, I talked a lot online about a strategy I had been putting to the test. I shared pics, charts and a lot of text, explaining what I did and evaluating the results as time went by. At times I often wondered if it’d have been better if I had combined all that writing into blog posts for easier reading. I was afraid those posts would have been mixed with my travel photos (I was vacationing on a Greek island at the time) and other non-related posts, which would likely confuse readers.

And then a guy asked on Twitter where he could find more details about my strategy that he had just come across. Oh, the terror, where should I begin from after so many posts, I thought to myself. If only I had combined them into a long blog post. Now what?

But before I knew it, another Twitter user responded to his request, much to my surprise.

> Find his Google+ page. There you can find every information. <https://t.co/PESpKcH1Tl>
> 
> — Mezei János (@janosmezeiracz) [August 22, 2018](https://twitter.com/janosmezeiracz/status/1032183660672372736?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

And there it was! Every post of mine discussing my recent betting strategy laid down in an organized fashion! All thanks to Google+ (and a bit to my precautionary thinking of creating Collections).

![jim-makos-google-plus-gambling-collection](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/jim-makos-google-plus-gambling-collection.jpg)

Since this happened, I updated my blog’s “super pages” with a link to the relevant Google+ collection. For example, check out [my Photography page](https://jimmakos.com/photography/). Before, I used to link to my Instagram and Flickr albums. Now, I have also included a not-to-miss link to my Google+ Photography collection. And since we’re on the photography topic…

## Google+ allows uploading of full-sized photos!

And that’s the number two reason I don’t see myself quitting Google+ any time soon. For you see, whenever I prepare a photo to be posted on Instagram, I always get reminded that the picture needs to be no more than 1080px wide – [I have an export-preset at Lightroom](https://jimmakos.com/photo-sharing-in-social-media/) for this very reason. And if it’s a photo in portrait orientation, it must be in 4×5 format! I don’t like to be confined by rules, especially when it comes to creativity.

However, Instagram has taken the internet by storm and if you want maximum exposure for your photos (or anything really), you should post on Instagram. But here comes another problem.

![instagram-to-facebook-repost](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/instagram-to-facebook-repost.jpg)

Upon posting on Instagram, you have the option to automatically cross-post to Facebook – if you have a profile/page there. And while Instagram is mostly a social network for mobile devices, Facebook is accessed a lot more from desktop computers. And guess how that 20+ megapixel photo of yours will look like when it’s shrunk down to 1080px width on a 4k screen.

Google+ fixes that problem by allowing you to upload full-sized photos, although it takes up your allowed storage space. Still, we are allowed to upload [unlimited 16MP photos](https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6220791)! That’s a 4,000×4,000px square pic, compared to 1080x1080px!

And since I cross-publish my Google+ posts to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profile accounts automatically [thanks to this service](https://jimmakos.com/multiple-social-network-profiles/), the photo that’s shared on Facebook is of considerably higher quality. Granted, Facebook also shrinks down your full-sized photo, but a lot less than Instagram.

Now, let me go back into my overthinking place and double-check why I still need to post on Facebook and Instagram. Oh, because that’s where most people spend their time at, that’s why!

So, no, that was not an article to convince you to move over to Google+ because I KNOW no-one will and I’ll be considered a fool for recommending it. Yet, this acts as a reminder to make the most out of each social network to work in your favor and take advantage of their strengths. **And *Collections* are definitely the ultimate strength of Google+!**

### Do you use Google+?

If you decide to join Google+, you may find me there! Follow me!
### Investing in Bitcoin. Why?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/invest-in-bitcoin/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:26:07.000Z
Let’s say a few words about Bitcoin today and why someone should monitor Bitcoin’s price.

*Bitcoin*. What is it, how did all start, what’s its use; these are questions that have been answered by many others and I won’t deal with. For me, Bitcoin is yet another symbol which I can invest in, such as the euro sign (€), the Microsoft stock ticker symbol (MSFT) and ticker symbols of oil and coffee.

Some of them represent commodities, some companies and some currencies. The list can be truly endless.

## How to trade Bitcoin and invest in general

So, the Bitcoin is a currency which does not exist in physical form, though. It serves, however, some purposes, depending on which, Bitcoin’s supply and demand are created. It is this supply and demand that makes Bitcoin’s price fluctuate and create its chart.

There are two reasons you’ll want to invest in Bitcoin but also in any other asset or security. First, come the fundamental reasons and second, the technical ones.

What it Bitcoin for, who uses it, which countries allow it, which organizations prefer it, what’s Bitcoin’s creation principle, which new technology adopts it, these are questions of *fundamental analysis*.

How does the chart look like, how do we interpret the chart’s lines, where was the last support, how far are we from all-time highs, did it print a new high, what do RSI, MACD and moving averages hide, these are questions of *technical analysis*.

**Personally, I mainly use technical analysis.** So, I rarely deal with fundamental analysis’s matters. More often than not, the lack of knowing basic stuff of my investment is quite common.

For example, when I was trading the betting odds of UK horse racing markets (yes, [there are videos for this as well](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t%5FGaL8VPFGw)) I found out many months later, that there were hurdles in the racetracks and that’s why horses fell down!

Other examples are my numerous [investments in stocks](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/stocks/) for which I have never checked out balance sheets or have I laid an eye on the company’s history, their products or their competition!

Ideally of course, one must combine these two types of analyses.

![brexit-surprise](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/brexit-surprise.jpg)

A prime example is the UK referendum and its influence on Sterling’s price. On one hand we had a historical event that took markets by surprise (remember that panic creates opportunities) and on the other hand, Sterling’s exchange rate against the US dollar was trading on a key resistance level. The combination of these two events created an unprecedented opportunity which still increases the profits of those who seized it.

![gbpusd](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/gbpusd.png)

So, back to the Bitcoin topic, the bullish chart is quite clear. Years later, it’s quite possible we’ll be talking about the biggest bubble of all time. But until it bursts (if it bursts) one would have a hard time betting against this trend, which, may I remind you, is created due to the supply and demand. Simply put, It is a psychological battle between investors.

On the other hand, this supply and demand arise from major events and latest developments concerning the cryptocurrency. Another part of supply and demand is due to [Bitcoin’s white paper](https://bitcoin.org/en/bitcoin-paper), let’s say the initial declaration of the Bitcoin’s creation.

## Investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies

Perhaps you’ve heard of many other crypto coins that have been released recently. Think of them as new companies, as new startups, as new ideas which are laid down on their white papers. Each idea of them is funded via a new crypto coin, in the same fashion a new company seeks funding in its first steps or increase its capital and value through its offering in the stock market.

Perhaps it’s not by accident that crypto coins attract investors via ICOs, that is Initial Coin Offerings, reminding us of the companies’ IPOs, ie the Initial Public Offerings, which in Greece we are used to call it a public listing in the stock market.

In the end, Bitcoin is for me just another vehicle among the thousands that exist to invest a part of my capital. I admit that due to the high risk of this investment, I risk a very small part of my money. However, it is still an investment. Who knows, maybe it ends up the most profitable one which will make it up for many others that cost me money.

But even if it proves a bubble, the loss I will sustain should not be bigger than any other investment. We will talk about proper risk management in another episode.
### Finding Entry Points to Invest in the Bitcoin Rally on its Pullback
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bitcoin-pullback-entry-points/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T06:56:37.000Z
Bitcoin is pulling back. Great timing to enter the rally. The question is WHERE exactly? Here are some potential entry points.

In no particular order:

1. $1,900: Confirmed support/resistance level (once).
2. $2,200: Mildly confirmed resistance level and 38.2% Fibonacci Retracement level.
3. **$1,700: Pinpointed sup/res confirmation and 61.8% Fib level.** The strongest in my opinion.
4. $1,300: Resistance level.
5. $900: 6-month low and support. Very unlikely to drop below that.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/bitcoin-usd-fib-levels.png)

The Fibonacci levels have been drawn based on the weekly chart. Then I move down to the daily chart to pick my spots. Mind you, trading cryptocurrencies continues during the weekend, so a weekly candlestick is completed on Sunday night! Thus, don’t hurry up to jump to conclusions on Friday evening!

Remember, risk management is way more important than entry points. Know how (much) to trade.

*Featured photo: spaxiax/*[*Shutterstock*](http://jmks.co/shutterstock)
### Shorten links with ANY custom URL
URL: https://jimmakos.com/link-shortening/
Last updated: 2023-11-23T09:48:01.000Z
When you are sharing anything online other than your thoughts, chances are you are ending up sharing a source, a link. That link can look pretty hideous and long.

Think of special characters like brackets or dashes and 50 or more characters in a single line!

So, in order for the link to seem more attractive AND you to be able to share it easier, you can use link shortening services.

A popular link shortening service is **bit.ly** and in fact, you can start using it for free right now.

## How do these link shortening services work?

It’s really simple.

You select the long and ugly link you want to share to the world, you paste it in their online software and voila, you got yourself a shortened, snappy link.

However, the link still looks gibberish. It’s a random mix of letters and numbers, although a short one.

Some link shortening services offer custom made vanity links, which allows us to pick the name of the link.

For example, if I want to link to this book, I would probably pick bit.ly/toolsoftitans

The problem is that these custom URLs come at a price. At a very expensive price.

Don’t despair, there are alternatives.

## Alternatives to Bit.ly

One of them is [geni.us](https://jmks.co/genius) service, which I found out by a recent video of Kraig Adams.

Now, very recently he talked about why he switched from bit.ly. it’s the same reason why I have now an account with geni.us as well.

They help a lot in marketing and promoting Amazon products, by automatically redirecting people to their closest Amazon store.

So, let’s say I create a link for [this Logitech mouse](http://jmks.co/logitechmouse) to the Amazon site in US. Then people from UK who click on it will be directed to the British Amazon site and should they buy it, I’ll still get the commission, despite linking to the American site originally.

I ran into the problem I talked earlier, though. I cannot pick my favorite custom link, even when signing up for the 99 dollar per month plus plan.

As you’ve probably seen, I have a dedicated domain for my shortened links. I wanted to keep using that with Geni.us. After lot of chatting with their customer service, it turns out that for the time being, I cannot choose a custom url that another user has already registered.

So, if I wanted to create that book link, I wouldn’t be able, unless I used a modified version, since the links are case sensitive.

Enter [**Yours URL shortener**](https://yourls.org/), an open source shortening software.

I have that installed on the server of my link shortening domain I mentioned earlier.

Given it runs on my server, I get to pick any url I want. For instance, [**I link to my YouTube channel**](http://jmks.co/youtube) by simply picking the YouTube word!

Neat huh?

So now, I’ve set up my own link shortening service on my own domain and server and when I want to link to an Amazon product, I first create the link at genius and then link to that from my own domain, picking a relevant keyword.

The catch is that you need to have some programming skills…. Or acquire them in order to install the free source link shortener!

Since the shortener doesn’t require lots of resources, I manually built a server at [Digitalocean.com](http://jmks.co/digitalocean) and installed the software there.

The total annual cost of running my own personal link shortening service?

$100 for Geni.us Core plan, 60 bucks for the server and about 25 for the domain, since it’s the expensive .co extension.

Now, I can keep on creating links as I wish AND make the most of Amazon affiliate links by using the geni.us service.

I’ll link to all the services I mentioned in the video’s description and… Guess what, they are affiliate links that have been shortened as I described in this video!
### Writing words is BETTER than making films or videos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/writing-better-than-making-videos/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T10:55:04.000Z
A picture is a thousand words, they say. In modern times it’s also 12, 20 or 51 megapixels. It used to be 5, 2 or even less megapixels. We used to wait minutes for a 1mp image to be downloaded online.

As internet speed picked up, so did the technology for pictures.

And not just still pictures. 4k TVs and monitors now present superb moving pictures of whopping 8 megapixels! Standard definition channels are almost extinct and Blu-rays made DVDs obsolete, as more space is required for the increased image and sound quality.

Digital moves on. Cameras already record in 8k format and I’m sure we’ll soon see one that shoots 100 megapixel photos. Old pictures and videos are unwatchable on today’s screens and I’m sure you skipped that YouTube video that was recorded in 720p.

While this happens, words remain unchanged. A book, like a printed photo, will always be present, will always be read in its original form. But even in the digital world, text will always be the same, no matter how much monitors will evolve. The article I wrote 10 years ago will be available in 50, a hundred or a thousand years from now.

Words never change, never fade out. Words don’t depend on technology so much as pictures. Wisdom and knowledge shared a thousand years ago, is still shown in today’s 4k screens.

Having said that, I think writing is vastly superior to technology-dependant creative forms such as videography or photography when it comes to evergreen content; to expertise and knowledge that will apply for years to come.

That’s why I’m still writing this very opinion of mine. Because I don’t believe it will become obsolete in ten years, like the video I’m recording for sharing my opinion. But. A nice picture and a movie will get more people to hear it, to read it. It just means I’ll need a better picture or video in ten years. But words will still be here for anyone to read or print! So, write first, shoot second and write again.

Story is everything, story is king.
### GEAR Talk: Because gear DOES matter
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gear-matters-life-doc/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:24:23.000Z
Oh boy, oh boy! Today we are talking about GEAR! Yes, because gear DOES matter. Sorry, but it does.

So, starting out let’s say a few words about the significance of gear. Lots of experts working with super-expensive cameras and lenses will tell you that gear does not matter. It’s the idea for every creation that matters. It’s you behind the camera that will stand out.

Let me tell you what I think. But first, let’s talk about the cameras I am using.

## Cameras

My main camera is a Canon 70D that I bought three years ago when I was hired by the leading online poker room to do some video work. Since shooting and editing in 4k require a lot more resources, I have chosen to produce videos in 1080p for the time being, so this camera gets the job done despite recording only in full HD resolution.

I have only two lenses for this camera. Most of the time I use the Sigma 18 to 35 f1.8 Art lens, which is considered one of the best in its class, although I find it a bit noisy when focusing. I have talked about this setup and my thoughts on upgrading on a better system in a previous video. The other lens is a silent telephoto lens from Canon, the 55-250 STM lens. This cannot be used at night but can bring distant objects closer.

Another camera I use quite often is the Sony RX100IV pocket camera. Although it shoots 4K, stabilization is only available in 1080p mode. I use that for slow-motion clips in bright conditions and for on-the-go shooting when I don’t carry the big DSLR camera.

Finally, I recently got a GoPro Hero 5, my first ever GoPro camera. I like filming with that when I need to be discreet or in places where I don’t want to get lot of attention. In summer I’m planning to use it in the water when we’ll be traveling to Greek islands.

## Sound

I have 4 microphones, all made by RODE. These include a lavalier mic connected to my smartphone when shooting in noisy places, the VideoMic Pro, the current standard microphone for vlogging and other productions, the Stereo VideoMic when it’s windy and the NT-USB for voiceovers.

Since we talked about the video’s basics, such as the image and sound let’s resume our talk.

Yes, at first gear does not matter. The point is to go out there and create something. I agree. I shot my first poker videos with my cell phone put on an ironing board.

Since I started, though, I realized that gear will allow me to film different shots/angles. It will help create better videos. It will save/buy me TIME!

And recently, my new and BETTER gear made me willing to create more. I’ll talk about that gear now!

## Tripods

I used to place the Canon camera on a Manfrotto tripod. This is the 394h with a Video-Photo head. Although it’s aimed to beginners, I found it quite difficult to use it, especially indoors. The most annoying thing was when I wanted to change the height and had to raise all three legs and rebalance it since the main column’s lock had loosened up and couldn’t keep it extended even after fixing it once. Of course, that applies to any tripod really, which brings me to the next tripod.

The Sirui P424 Carbon Fibre Monopod. Yes, a monopod that can convert in a tripod, although not the most stable one. But, I LOVE this monopod. It allows me to change the height, easily lock and unlock the SINGLE leg and convert into a tripod when I need to shoot myself or take fancier shots.

For the perfect setup, I am using the 502 Fluid Head by Manfrotto.

For a much lighter and compact setup, I have tried out all kinds of gorillapods by Joby. The one for DSLRs, the tiny one, the magnetic ones, and I am disappointed by all of them. All have joints turning into butter, not able to hold the camera’s position while some broke! You can check that in an older video when I was attempting to vlog more regularly.

Since I moved to Sirui products I’m a happy video shooter! I now use this Sirui Table Top tripod which can hold the big dSLR with the heavy Sigma lens, although I mostly use it for my pocket camera. Great mini tripod which can also be used as a selfie stick.

I have also invested in a gimbal for smartphones and GoPros by Albird, called Uoplay. This is the original version, I think they’re selling the improved second one now. I have mixed feelings for that and haven’t tested a lot really.

Finally, not a tripod per se, Belkin suction cup mounts have allowed me to attach cameras around or inside my car for some candid shooting. I showed that setup in the previous episode of this series.

## Accessories

This is the Solar Eclipse ND Fader by Genustech. In short, it allows me to shoot in sunlight wide open, which creates this cool picture effect where everything around me is blurred out. It’s also a polarizing filter, that cuts down sun reflections by rotating it if I have understood correctly. I never expected to spend so much money on a filter, but it came recommended by Philip Bloom himself. Caleb from DSLR Video shooter has published an excellent review of this filter.

Of course, I have a couple of spare batteries and use the Extreme Pro memory cards by Sandisk in 64 and 128GB formats.

So, apart from the better image and sound quality of a video gear does matter when it comes to inspiration/motivation.

If I think I’ll struggle to carry and set up the tripod, I won’t leave home half of the times. If I know my camera won’t take nice pictures, I won’t go out the other half of the times! In the end, my basic gear will discourage me from creating in the first place!

And that’s where I think gear matters the most.

The filter that allows me to blur our the background around me. The tripods that made my work easy and accelerated the filming process. The gimbal that allows me to film steady video while I am running. All this is gear that makes me want to go outside and film a video.

Yes, I do have a rough idea of what I’m trying to create here. I could achieve that with a smartphone’s camera. Would I be in the mood, though, to even consider doing it?

Or simply think you had an ancient computer that lacked the power for video editing!

## Computers

Last but not least, after the shooting is done, one has to edit as well. Until now my video editing machine has been this desktop computer, running on an Intel i7 CPU with 32GB of RAM and an Nvidia 970 video card. Hard disks are from Western Digital with 3 of them running in RAID 0 for more speed and backing their 6TB of data on Green drives. The system includes 2 SSD by Samsung for running Windows and application along with providing scratch disk space which is necessary for the editing software, Adobe’s Premiere Pro.

Recently, I invested in a Dell XPS 15 laptop with the color-perfect 4k screen. I haven’t edited a complete video on that, but I believe it will serve its purpose when I’ll be traveling next month.

So, in my opinion, gear DOES matter. And I haven’t even got a drone or a professional 4K camera yet! Maybe then gear won’t matter because I will already have the best one!

***These come recommended:***

- Canon camera (new version)► <http://jmks.co/canon80d>
- Sigma Art wide lens► <http://jmks.co/sigmalens>
- Canon telephoto lens► <http://jmks.co/canontelephoto>
- SONY pocket camera (new version)► <http://jmks.co/sonyrx100>
- GoPro camera► <http://jmks.co/gopro5>
- RODE Lavalier mic► <http://jmks.co/rodesmartlav>
- RODE Stereo mic► <http://jmks.co/rodestereomic>
- RODE mic for vloggers► <http://jmks.co/rodevideomicpro>
- RODE mic for voiceovers► <http://jmks.co/rodemicusb>
- Sirui EXCELLENT monopod/tripod► <http://jmks.co/siruimonopod>
- Sirui mini tripod► <http://jmks.co/siruiminitripod>
- Manfrotto Fluid Head► <http://jmks.co/manfrottohead>
- Albird Uoplay (new version)► <http://jmks.co/albirdgimbal>
- Delkin mounts► <http://jmks.co/delkinmount>
- Genustech filter for blurry background► <http://jmks.co/genustech>
- Sandisk memory cards► <http://jmks.co/sdcard>
- Nvidia 970 card► <http://jmks.co/nvidia970>
- Dell XPS 15 laptop► <http://jmks.co/dellxps>
### A reminder of how much dangerous Gambling can become
URL: https://jimmakos.com/dangerous-gambling/
Last updated: 2024-06-01T15:14:05.000Z
As I am still testing out my upcoming YouTube project, I recorded this scene which would otherwise be included in a much bigger video. Given these first episodes will never leave my personal computer, I thought to share just this story because I was shocked to hear of the news.

Subtitles are included, make sure to enable them. I’m planning to include segments in Greek in my upcoming project, so that proved a great practice. Don’t despair, English will still be spoken for the most part of the videos.

Stay tuned.
### Investing in a video game: Will Pillars of Eternity sequel be worth it?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/investing-on-pillars-of-eternity-deadfire-video-game/
Last updated: 2020-11-21T13:28:00.000Z
This is Pillars of Eternity. A video game that was released in 2015\. Now, its developer, Obsidian Entertainment, [**runs a crowdfunding campaign for the sequel, titled Deadfire**](https://www.fig.co/campaigns/deadfire?media%5Fid=157). The RPG game offers a compelling story with graphics that…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Pillars_of_Eternity.jpg)

WAIT! This is not a gaming review site (at least, not yet)! So, why am I here?

It’s because everyone can actually invest in the game. Which means, if the game makes a profit, we make a profit. That’s *equity investing*. And here comes the most common question in any investment: **is it worth it?**

First and foremost, in this post we’re going to talk in layman terms. I’ll try explaining everything in the simplest way possible. I expect young gamers to read this story, so I must not drive them away with complicated investing terms and stuff.

Second, it’s possible I’ll make mistakes. I have never invested in a gaming developer and I bet this type of crowdfunding campaign isn’t that common. Feel free to correct me in the comments below.

Finally, I’m not going to discuss the pledging part of the campaign, where you get rewards for money. That’s been done so many times in the past and besides, I’m not here to create my own NPC character in the game. **I’m here to risk money to make money**. That’s what I’ve been doing for more than a decade now.

So, let’s begin.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/pillars-of-eternity-ii-deadfire-crowdfunding-investing-campaign-money.png)

## How investing in the game works

The developer is looking for additional funding to create the game’s sequel. These funds will come from casual gamers who pledge in this campaign and from Fig, the crowdfunding company. Fig now is asking from people like me and you, to become investors in the game via them. Instead of giving money to the developer, they seek people out there who are interested in investing in the game. With all that money, Obsidian will go on and start working on the game. They now have a working capital.

Next comes the selling part. The game developer is planning to release the game in the first quarter next year. From the moment they begin selling the game, they will receive revenue. Money, that people will spend to buy the game. Most of that money will go to themselves, the developer.

But. A share of that revenue should go to investors, who trusted the company with their money in the first place. That share of revenue is predetermined and will end up in Fig’s pockets. [**That’s explained clearly in the campaign’s investing page**](https://www.fig.co/campaigns/deadfire/invest). Remember, Fig, the crowdfunding company, is the one who gave them your money.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/deadfire-fig-obsidian-payout.png)

So, when people begin buying the game, money will go to Obsidian and Fig. Then Fig will have to pay back the investors. This is done via dividends.

It’s like the stock market where you, as a shareholder, are entitled to profits. If you invested in Google, given the company is profitable, you’ll receive money according to the shares you have. Companies return profits to their shareholders, who believed in their product. Otherwise, no one would invest in them. Would you invest in a company that won’t make money in your opinion? Exactly, and by giving them your money, that company can move forward, have more capital and create more products. When they will sell their product and make profit, they will give some of it back to you. That money is called dividend payout.

Be careful, that’s not the money you will make if you sell your shares for profit! By selling your shares, you effectively quit being their investor and are no more entitled to profits.

In summary, Obsidian gets money from gamers and Fig, which in turn get money from investors. When Deadfire hits the market and money begins pouring in, Obsidian will give gamers their rewards, keep money for themselves and give Fig a cut of the revenue. Then Fig will share that revenue with investors up to the whole amount as the campaign states.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/deadfire-fig-dividend-payout.png)

The percentage of the dividend is always decided in meetings. Apparently it’s not yet decided but they estimate it’ll be more than 70% – Fig will keep the rest of the revenue for their operating and other costs.

## What are the conditions for investing in Deadfire to make money?

Let’s take a closer look at a graph Fig has shared in their investing page.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/deadfire-investing-projection.png)

The graph shows that if Deadfire sells 600,000 copies of the game, investors will break even. Which means, you get your money back. If the game sells for less, you lose money. The less copies it sells, the more money you lose, up to your initial investment. Obviously, if no copy is sold, you will lose your entire stake. That can happen if the company goes under, the development fails or some other unforeseen event.

There’s always a risk in investing. **Risk**, remember that word.

If more than 600,000 copies are sold, you begin making money. That’s about it. Note that the line corresponds to 100% dividend, which means that’s the maximum potential profit you will receive, in case Fig decides to give all their share to investors as explained earlier.

## Will investing in Deadfire make money?

At this point, I hope you understand Pillars of Eternity sequel needs to sell more than 600,000 copies for an investment to make money. So, the question lies: *will Deadfire sell more than 600,000 copies?*

I’m sure there are far greater experts in gaming industry than me to answer that. Still. I went on and found [**how many copies Pillars of Eternity has sold till today on Steam**](http://steamspy.com/app/291650). They are approaching one million sales. [**They hit 500,000 sales worldwide, 6 months after the game’s release**](http://sea.ign.com/project-eternity/93367/news/pillars-of-eternity-surpasses-500000-in-worldwide-sales).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/steam-pillars-of-eternity-sales.png)

Assuming the sequel will prove as successful, I expect an investor to breakeven in the fourth quarter of 2018\. Additionally, the investment should return 30% by 2020, when Deadfire should sell one million copies. That 30% is called ROI in investing and stands for *Return-on-Investment*.

That is your investment’s reward. Try to remember this word, as well, **reward**.

## Is investing on Deadfire worth it?

We’ve now established that an investment on Deadfire will most probably:

- Breakeven if the game sells 600,000 copies.
- Lose money if the game sells for less than 600,000 copies.
- Make 30% by 2020, assuming 100% dividend payout and 1M sales.

I suppose the investment will keep making money, as long as the game is sold. You effectively can never sell your stake in the game like you would sell your Google shares.

To determine if the investment is worth it, we need to examine other investments and compare them together. All investments depend on the current economic conditions and how risk-averse an investor is.

Remember that risk word?

1. Saving your money in a bank or under your mattress is the safest investment to the point it isn’t considered an investment. Almost zero risk (wars and bankruptcies happen).
2. Buying a property and renting is considered pretty safe as well. Flipping properties for profit isn’t considered that risky, either. That’s called real estate investing. Miniscule risk due to property damages and low demand in renting/buying.
3. Investing in bonds is riskier and in mutual funds even riskier. Moderate risk (defaults and stocks plunging).
4. Betting on a coin flip at less than even odds or on black/red in a roulette is VERY risky. Given the long-term ROI is negative, these are not considered investments [**but gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). (there’s 50% chance you’ll lose your money in the next bet).

**Risk, however, is always proportional to reward.** Huh, told you we would come by that word again! The 4 scenarios above have these annual rewards correspondingly:

1. 0 – 0.1%.
2. 3 – 10% hugely affected by location.
3. 5 – 12% hugely affected by the country and fund’s asset allocation.
4. Negative 1 – 3%.

Investing on Deadfire and assuming our predictions will all come true, the annual ROI from 2017 to 2020 is 10%.

Regarding risk, there’s a small chance the project to be abandoned (100% loss). There’s a bigger chance the sequel to sell less than 600,000 copies. Yet, there’s a good chance it is as successful as the original or even better!

These estimates are solely to your own discretion. You need to decide how much chance there is for every scenario and make up your mind if you want to invest on the Obsidian’s new game.

As a final word of advice, [**don’t put all your eggs in one basket**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/07/how-to-focus-on-investing/). In investing we never invest our entire capital on a single investment.

1. First, allocate an investing capital. Money that you’ll use only for investing. Rent, groceries or home insurance money is not investing capital.
2. Decide how much risk you can tolerate. You want to risk 2, 5, or 10% of that capital in each investment?
3. Divide your capital in 50, 20, or 10 parts according to the risk above.
4. Risk one part to each investment you make.

If one investment goes bust, there are 49, 19 or 9 more to make up for it.

Happy investing and happy… gaming!

> I was meaning to do this post in a video, but given it’s 1500-word long, I went for the written version.
### Replying to old emails: Brief overview of my emailing workflow
URL: https://jimmakos.com/emailing-workflow/
Last updated: 2020-11-21T13:51:27.000Z
Replying to 5-month-old emails today. It was about time! Now, I’m expecting some funny responses!

Here’s a quick overview of my inbox workflow (I use [**G Suite from Google**](http://jmks.co/googleapps) – similar to Gmail but it’s a paid service):

1. Whenever I receive an email and needs a reply, I ‘star’ it. If it requires an immediate response, I reply at once and be done with it. If I don’t want or have to reply, I archive it.
2. Whenever I feel like it, I go through my starred list with all the emails that I need to answer to. I don’t have a time schedule for this, I enjoy my work-from-home freedom.
3. I ALWAYS prioritize business emails. Emails, that one way or another may end up increasing my company’s revenue. In short, money-making promising emails. **Business comes first.**
4. Once I finish with those, I will take a look at other emails. Most often, I’m already exhausted from all the emailing and postpone that task.

That’s why I’ve ended up with a to-reply email list of 40 non-business emails dating back to September! Apart from being advice-seeking, experience-sharing, personal-like emails, these messages most often require a long response. That’s another reason I keep delaying to get back to senders and only respond quickly to the shortest ones.

Thus, if you need a quicker reply from me, **contact me at social media** or write a couple of lines in your email. Otherwise, you may hear again from me in… July!
### The 10-year Greek bond analysis amid fears for new Greek crisis
URL: https://jimmakos.com/10-year-greek-bond-analysis/
Last updated: 2020-11-21T13:54:33.000Z
‘Greek crisis’. ‘Grexit’. ‘Greek economy in turmoil’. It’s that time of the year; again. So, I thought to take a quick look at the crisis’ benchmark, the usual suspect: the 10-year Greek bond.

A few notes for those unfamiliar of bonds and charts:

- A rise equals to rising chance for default.
- A fall equals to decreasing chance for default.
- That’s about it.

With that said, here’s the daily chart for the last 12 months:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/10yr-greek-bond.png)

Starting off from 2016 and since its yearly high, the bond has been declining. It has dropped from 11.50 basis points to 6.50 in December. Great. That means Greece’s chance of defaulting has been significantly diminishing over the course of twelve months.

Now, a few things about the drawings on the chart:

- The red areas indicate ranges that the bond price found support. When that support failed, we notice that it acted as resistance for every attempt to climb, such as in April, June and September.
- Since November, the 10-year Greek bond has been trending upwards. Note the higher lows that help drawing the ascending trend line.
- It’s now trading very close to the previous support. So, the recent upside will meet resistance most likely. Remember, it’s all about *probabilities*. We cannot be certain, it’s just more likely to drop than continue ascending.
- Bottom part: Back in November **the RSI indicator was into oversold territory**. What’s more, it failed to print new lows and it actually began trending upwards (green arrow) while bond was still printing new lows. That’s called *divergence* and usually, it is considered a leading one, meaning the price should follow up. In fact, that’s what it did the past two months. Let me remind you the cycle before we jump to conclusions of a full reversal: trend-consolidation-new trend.

Before we sum it up, here’s the weekly chart to put everything in perspective.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/10-year-greek-bond-weekly.png)

For the time being, I expect the short-term uptrend to reverse and the long-term decline to resume. As long as the bond stays inside the 6.50-8.00 range, I wouldn’t worry of the news’ fearmongering headlines. Should the 10-year bond go for a retest of 8.70 resistance level, I might be a bit alarmed. If it shoots above 9.00, the hype is real, although the bond had hit 15.0bps in 2015 when the new government was established.

Maybe a similar surge could mean elections once again.

*Featured photo: Matt Trommer/[Shutterstock](http://jmks.co/shutterstock)*
### Replacing my Canon 70D with Sony A7Rii?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/canon-70d-for-sony-a7rii/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:08:45.000Z
Last night I watched the final part of the autofocus test by Philip Bloom. I’ve been following Philip for years and I’ve learnt a ton from him. This video was no exception.

He tested out several cameras for their autofocus capability. While most professionals shoot in manual mode, we amateurs and hobbyists still rely on the autofocus most of the time, especially when recording ourselves. After 43 minutes of pure entertainment my conclusion, and I guess others’ as well, is that Sony cameras, particularly A6500 and A7Rii, will be sold like hot cakes after this video. They performed exceptionally in these tests. Philip went and and did a complete talking head test that was terribly missed in the industry.

In all those tests, the two cameras really stood out for their autofocus.

I myself was already sold on the A7Rii camera for months now. I was still a bit skeptical whether the A7Sii would be a better choice but Philip’s video has been a revelation for that matter. Also, it further confirmed that the silent Batis 25 lens should be my first lens for that camera if I want to record video with no lens noise. More on this later.

I’ve been watching lots of videos on YouTube, and still am, before I make the decision to fork out 4 grand for a new camera setup. I am in the market for a full frame camera coupled with only prime lenses at this point. I’ve been eyeing on the new Grand Master lenses, the 85 specifically, the 85 Batis, the 35 1.4 by Sony and the 90 macro lens also by Sony. I also had a look on Leicas and even more high-end cameras, since my budget is pretty flexible, but Sony’s seemed the most rational option at this point for an enthusiast such as me, who hasn’t got hold of a full frame camera ever in his life.

But then, when I was pretty sure I would end up placing my order on the video’s ending, something out of the blue happened in Philip’s video that questioned my decision. And that was a short test he did with the Canon 70D, a four year old crop sensor HD camera. The one I’m actually filming this on!

The camera performed similarly to the top Sony cameras from what I can tell. So, that got me thinking: why upgrade in the first place?

Right now I’m filming on this camera with one of the top of the line lenses in this setup: the Sigma 18-35 Art lens. People swear on this lens and many even use it on the newest 4K models, such as the 6500 with adapters! According to reports and reviews, it performs superbly.

So, another option for me might have been a new 6500 camera and keeping this lens on it. Yet, I’m not looking for another crop sensor camera. I want to jump onto the full frame train.

## What I’ll be getting if I move from the Canon 70D to the A7Rii?

1. First and foremost, **4K recording**. Why? Well, let me ask you when was it the last time you watched a standard definition video or even in 720p quality? Exactly. That’s what will happen with 1080p eventually. And given I mostly film my family with these cameras, I want the videos to be watchable for years to come.
2. **Stabilization**. This Sigma lens is not stabilized. I envy the smooth look of stabilized footage, that’s why I got a gimbal for my new GoPro. I will be able to shoot better handheld.
3. **Better low light performance**. That is due to both the full frame sensor and faster lenses. This lens may be advertised as 1.8 aperture but it’s for a crop sensor. The Batis 2.0 for full frame cameras will be one stop faster despite the larger f number.
4. **Smaller size and less weight**. The A7R is about 2 centimeters thinner and shorter. The Batis lens is 5 centimeters shorter than this Sigma lens but most importantly, half a kilo lighter! The length and the weight of the whole setup will be almost halved, while getting a much better image, both for video and photo.
5. **Silent focus**. You hear that? That’s the Sigma focusing mechanism. Batis should be totally silent, much like the STM lenses by Canon.

## What I’ll miss by moving from Canon to Sony:

1. **The fully articulated, flip out screen of Canon**. But, since the Batis is wider than this lens, I don’t expect to struggle framing myself correctly. Yet, I still believe I’ll miss this screen. With its also a…
2. **Touch screen**. Autofocus may be excellent in the Sony camera, but I’m used to touch to focus on the Canon after 3 years of using it. I expect this to be my main issue.
3. **Battery life**. I’ll need to buy batteries for the Sony, as I’ve done for my Sony RX100 IV. Changing batteries while on a shoot is a frustrating thing but I think I can handle it.

So, Philip showed me that the A7Rii with the Batis lens will have the same autofocus performance with my Canon. Now I need to decide if I really need 4K and all the other benefits of the Sony camera. With both the A7S and A7R mark III rumored to be announced this year, perhaps I should sit on my hands. But it’s so hard, now that I know autofocus is on par with my Canon. What would you do?
### My back problem taught me the value of passive income
URL: https://jimmakos.com/back-problem/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:47:39.000Z
My back is killing me for the past 10 days. There are days when I can walk and move without TOO much pain and there are days when I cannot lift my body from the bed or the ground – where I fell during agonizing moments of pain.

At times like this, lying in bed and hugging a tablet, mobile phone and a laptop, one questions themselves: **why do I work?** Why do I make money? What’s important in life? What’s the purpose of all the daily hassle?

## What should the priorities be in life?

A favorite website of mine has the answer.

**First comes health.** Then money and then relationships. And that’s where it ends.

Without health, you’ll eventually run out of money and out of friends. When you are healthy, your main goal is to make money, to support yourself or even become rich. Since you have looked after your health and have found streams of income, it’s time to focus on relationships. Of course, most people work in the exact opposite direction and they end up with all sorts of problems, not to mention it’s too late to fix things by the time they realize it.

Now that I am dealing with a serious health issue, it puts everything into perspective. Fortunately, I’ve listened to one of the most common advice you are reading online: **build passive income streams.**

So, although I’m lying down in bed and I cannot spend more than ten minutes sitting at my desk, I am not in danger of ending up on the streets. Well, alright, I have a supportive family to make sure that never happens, but come on, who knows what comes next?

Thus, I now fully understand…

## The value of passive income

For me, passive income translates hugely to [**website development**](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/). And it’s not about the website you are reading these lines on. This is an *unmonetized* blog.

Passive income comes from websites you can build, run, automate their management and profit from. Apart from doing some emailing here and then, if done properly, a profitable website can run on its own. And although I had realized the benefits of such an investment long time ago, it is now that I appreciate all the work that has gone into this.

> Cover your living expenses with investments as fast as possible.

And since we are on the ‘passive income’ subject, such an income can be delivered by [**most common types of investments**](https://jimmakos.com/investing/), such as stock trading, investing in bonds or mutual funds and real estate investing (buying to rent or flipping properties). Anything really, that makes you money without lifting a finger. And literally, I have some hard time lifting one lately!

Before you run into health problems, look after your body. It’s the one thing we have come with in this world and cannot change. Take good care of it.

While you are doing so, find some streams of passive income that you find interesting. Then spend some time on how to work them out and **start building your passive income flow.** When a health problem comes up – because one way or another it will come – you will thank yourself for listening to this piece of advice.

Now, let me try lifting my finger and check out how much money my websites made me yesterday while I was on painkillers and crying out like a baby.

P.S. My back problem started after a two-day suffering of gastroenteritis (yeah, back to back, can’t catch a breath for two weeks now) when I kneeled down to play with my little Eva. It was not due to some heavy lifting, although I did weight lift a lot in the past, presumably to stay fit! I am getting older, I know.

*Featured photo: JPC-PROD/*[*Shutterstock*](http://jmks.co/shutterstock)
### The Pros and Cons of Online Casinos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/pros-and-cons-of-online-casinos/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T18:04:04.000Z
Do you often visit the local casino in your town? Do you fancy a spin of the roulette wheel or drawing a blackjack? Maybe you are the guy who sits all day at your favorite slot machine, dreaming of hitting that jackpot. *One time*, come on!

You’ll be amazed to find out that you can do all that from the comfort of your home when you play the exact same games on an online casino. These virtual venues look similar to your ordinary casino, although they exist in the internet world. That doesn’t mean though the [gambling experience](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) is somewhat less enjoyable. In fact, sometimes *it’s a lot more convenient to play roulette online instead of the real deal*.

Let’s see **why someone might prefer online casinos** over a land based one!

1. Online casino sites such as [**888casino.com**](https://www.888casino.com/), are packed with games. While a land-based casino has a specific area to make the most out of it, the premises of an online casino are literally… endless! That allows online casinos to offer a vast amount of games, both regular and a bit more sophisticated ones. You can bet you’ll find the most common of casino games in there, but you’ll also come by special ones. Lately, for example, online casinos regularly update their software so that they offer slot machines with the latest and greatest current trends. Don’t be surprised if the newest ones feature your favorite superhero after you’ve watched their blockbuster movie!
2. Speaking of games, moving back and forth between them is made effortless. Had enough of the dealer dealing you 16 or showing up with an Ace on the blackjack table? Let’s move to a baccarat or roulette table with a click of a mouse. Presto! You don’t even need to carry your chips with you, as your wallet follows you everywhere around.
3. As you are not required to rebuy chips when changing games, you also don’t need to look for a free seat in your favorite game. Remember when you were waiting behind the crowd or tried to go through so that you get a glimpse of the roulette wheel? In an online casino, there is no such thing as a crowded game and you don’t even have to be aware of the [**casino etiquette**](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-etiquette/). No one cares how you behave, so let your feelings out; you *are* at your home, right?
4. Playing casino games from your comfort of your couch or desk has some additional bonus like you don’t have to dress up or drive for miles in order to have fun. Pajamas are the norm dressing code and when you feel tired and quit, you don’t have to take unnecessary risks on the road.
5. Carrying money around also poses a risk in real life. By having an account on the online casino, you always have access to that money whatever the game you are playing. Some casinos also offer to [**play with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin**](https://jimmakos.com/2015/09/virtual-reality-of-bitcoin-casinos/), if you are worried about privacy and security.

While there are advantages, **playing on an online casino does carry some negatives**.

1. Having talked about money and security in that last point, you should make sure you opt for a *reputable* online casino. There is quite a shady business going on in this industry, and despite regulating bodies are there to protect you, you’d better be well informed and do your research before depositing your hard-earned money to avoid unnecessary hassles.
2. Security is a huge concern for land-based casinos. That’s because there is a lot of cash in the open. Having security men in every corner and hundreds of cameras in the ceiling makes me feel a bit more secure than in online casinos. Although I don’t expect to be harassed or pushed around by other players online, the feeling of playing in a virtual world is a bit scarier.
3. If you developed some advanced skills that will help you exploit the local casino undetected, such as card counting in blackjack, those skills will probably become obsolete in an online casino. Although [**you won’t be kicked out of the casinos if you count cards**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/04/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/), the management has already taken precautions to avoid being so easily exploited. In other words, [**don’t get thrilled as a card counter**](https://jimmakos.com/2015/09/card-counting-in-blackjack-online-casinos/) to find live dealers dealing cards on real blackjack tables!
4. Finally, talking of exploiting the casino and making money, we’ve talked before that [**persistence will pay off**](https://jimmakos.com/2014/09/persistent-beat-casinos/). However, that applies to a proven profitable strategy. If your strategy is flawed, you are going to lose money the longer you play. And online casinos tend to keep you playing a lot more than brick and mortar ones, as you get less tired and feeling cozy at your home. Thus, visiting an online casino may end up costing you more!

In the end, online casinos are providing the same service as any other brick-and-mortar casino: ***entertainment***. Remember that when you sit down to play your favorite game either locally or online. Here are some [**myths and tips**](https://jimmakos.com/2014/10/casino-games-myths-tips/) that apply to all casino games!

*Featured photo: wavebreakmedia/*[***Shutterstock***](http://jmks.co/shutterstock)
### Short Film: The Bicycle Ride
URL: https://jimmakos.com/short-film-bicycle-ride/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:10:34.000Z
Bike ride on Thessaloniki’s waterfront from Concert Hall to the White Tower.

Filmed with Sony RX100IV in 4K. Slow motion clips shot in 1080p and upscaled to 4K. Graded with FilmConvert and LUTs by luts.iwltbap.com.

## Prologue

This project had been in my head for weeks. In fact, I had shot a similar project last winter but unfortunately, no clip of that footage ever made it online. This time, I promised myself that I’d publish it if I decided to do it.

Did I have second thoughts? Of course.I thought of

I thought of canceling and going back home at least five times while riding the bicycle before I made it to the promenade. Quitting is always an option for me, contrary to popular motivation quotes you keep hearing on the net. No harm done if I don’t feel like doing something.

Eventually, I arrived at the waterfront on this cloudy morning. I could tell weather wouldn’t help. Still, I found the strength to get the camera out of my little bum bag. That was the end of my second thinking.

## 4k and slow motion with a single pocket camera

If you check [my videography gear](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/), I began shooting with a Canon 70D and have recently purchased a Sony RX100IV for more discreet shooting. I am not the most confident person in public places, which gets worse when I setup tripods or film myself.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/sony-rx100iv.jpg)

Thus, for this video I decided to leave the big DSLR home and use only the pocket camera attached on a GorrilaPod tripod.

It’s generally recommended to always shoot video in *Manual Exposure*. That means you get to decide the shutter speed and the aperture (the *f* number). However, after months of shooting videos with this little camera, I nowadays shoot on **Shutter priority mode**.

Let me explain why.

Given I shoot at cinema’s standard frame rate (24fps) and the shutter speed needs to be two times that rate, I set it to 50 and forget it. While there are times when we should use a different shutter speed depending on the action and the feel we want the film to have, 50 gets the job done. Setting the aperture comes next in combination with the ISO level.

Instead of fiddling with those settings I let the camera decide the proper settings for a properly exposed image. By using the Shutter mode, both aperture and ISO are automatically set by the camera (ok, I could set ISO manually, but why bother when shooting outdoors in daylight and it’ll always be the minimum?). I just input 50 for shutter speed and concentrate on the composition and the story telling.

And there’s another trick for this camera. **Locking the dial button.**

Given its small size I often give that dial button at the back a bump by mistake, changing one of those numbers. Imagine doing a difficult shot, only to realize that you moved the shutter speed to 60 or 80 when you pick up the camera to check the footage afterwards. So I found a way to get rid of that annoyance.

The RX100 allows you to LOCK that button, so no matter how hard I hit it, no settings will change. The perfect run and gun setup.

Moving from 4k to slow motion in HD used to be time consuming. Recently, I’ve used the memory slots of the camera, so now I can quickly move from one mode to another with a turn of a dial and shooting at the settings I think best for each occasion. This does take into account other options, such as not using the ND filter in slow motion, since the shutter speed needs to be significantly high (250) so less light makes it into the sensor, and the picture profile (Slog has a minimum of 1,600 ISO while Cine 1 Pro requires a base ISO of 200).

Perhaps I should do a video of how I’ve set up my RX100IV, since by now you may feel overwhelmed.

## What I try to achieve with this kind of videos

What is my goal for making this film? As a matter of fact, I do not have a plan or goal. I do it plainly for hobby and for practicing, as sometimes I get to make videos for my other hobbies, that get more attention. You can find them at the top menu.

The best way to improve at anything is practice. So, while I am having fun, I’m learning how to use my camera and other filmmaking gear better. When the time comes to shoot a video for more serious stuff, I’ll be better prepared.

Let me know how you liked this film and I’d love to hear your suggestions.
### Sharing different photos on Instagram, Flickr and social media
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sharing-photos-on-instagram-flickr-and-social-media/
Last updated: 2023-11-23T09:49:27.000Z
*Personal pictures* go to Instagram, *general photography* goes to Flickr. *Business-related images* (such as charts) go to Google+ and from there to other networks. That’s how I have now decided to share my photos attempting to keep things organized.

First, let me explain [**how I have been sharing pictures until very recently**](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/photo-sharing-in-social-media/).

After all the shooting and editing is done on the PC, I transfer the photos to my Google account (Google Photos to be precise). From there, given the benefit of the… cloud, I can access and share the photo from all the devices. So, using my smartphone I am able to decide how and where I wanted to upload the photo.

In short, I shared the same photo in all social media thanks to some software, resulting in **the same feed across all of my social profiles**. [**Here’s a video of how I do that exactly**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/multiple-social-network-profiles/) .

## What’s the problem with that?

The problem is that most of my personal (and funny) moments shouldn’t make it to my Flickr profile or other profiles that I’m mostly using for business purposes (think of Linkedin). On the other hand, [**not being a professional photographer**](https://jimmakos.com/photography/), I didn’t want people to think I’m trying to become one by looking at my Instagram’s landscape photos, for example.

Also, sharing the same pic in all of my profiles *did* require some time and effort on my part, despite the automation I have implemented. Copying and pasting the text, adding/removing some hashtags accordingly and reuploading the picture made photo-sharing a cumbersome task. Some photos didn’t make it online for that reason alone.

What’s the meaning of taking a picture if you are not showing it to the world or spreading your message? So, even today, looking at some unpublished, fully-edited photos makes me sad.

On the other hand, posting mixed kind of photos results to a mixed feeling for viewers. What’s the deal with this Jim? Is he a photographer? Is he documenting his life? Is he reviewing cameras and stuff? Does he use pictures to promote his work? Does he randomly post images for the sake of it?

Here is my plan for sharing photos!

## Flickr

I take many photos throughout the day. The ones I am not part of can be used on Flickr. Those can be images of a product, of my home city, of a nice scenery, street or nature photography. In fact, ANY of those photos can be used by others.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-photo-collage-flickr.jpg)

[My Flickr Photostream](http://jmks.co/flickr)

So, I always keep this in mind: **can third parties use that photo?** If yes, I’ll share it to Flickr at first and to **my Google+ photography collection** right after that. From there, word will be spread automatically to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn via the process I linked to in the beginning. All social posts will direct back to the full-sized, full resolution photo at Flickr for anyone to share, download and possibly use. And if you are laughing at that prospect, **Motley Fool** (look [**here**](http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/28/3-cheap-growth-stocks-you-can-buy-right-now.aspx) and [**here**](http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/29/3-value-stocks-near-52-week-lows-worth-buying.aspx) ), **FastCompany** ([**here**](https://www.fastcompany.com/3060617/youtube-stars-form-new-guild-to-give-creators-a-stronger-voice) and [**here**](https://www.fastcompany.com/3055495/periscope-kayvon-beykpour)), [**Contrastly**](https://contrastly.com/worst-ways-to-damage-camera/) and [**MakeUseOf**](http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/content-blocking-can-keep-safe-online/) have already been using photos of mine regularly! Huh!

Let’s also not forget the benefits of one of your photo [**making it into the Flickr Explore**](https://jimmakos.com/2015/03/photo-in-flickr-explore/)!

## Instagram

If people wouldn’t be interested in making use of the photo, because my ugly face destroys the moment or no one cares how my everyday life looks like, I’d share it to Instagram. Of course, that stands as long as it’s a good photo that I do want to share in the first place. Otherwise, hard disks have plenty of space for bad pictures.

From Instagram, the photo will be copied automatically to my Facebook and Twitter feed. Given the personal nature of these photos, I feel more creative and lately I’ve been adding an artistic/comic style on them. For an added bonus, there’s no need to be a pixel-peeper for these pics, since they will be greatly compressed by Instagram/Facebook, saving me valuable time. **The goal here is telling a quick story**, not producing the perfect photo. These photos used to be copied over to my Google+ feed but no more.

As a result, Facebook and Twitter end up containing all of my photos, making them a bit confusing. But you see, *I do not care*. I share on Facebook because most people use that as often as they check their emails (marketing 101) and on Twitter because images don’t take a lot more space that the regular tweets. Besides, **Twitter is my main to-go network** when it comes to sharing JUST TEXT! So, [**follow me on Twitter**](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom) for EVERYTHING I share with the world.

In a nutshell, there are now two destinations for my photos: Instagram and Flickr. I <Click>, edit and upload to ONE of those communities depending on what I described above. If it’s Instagram, my work is done. If it’s Flickr, I’ll share the photo to Google+ as well, so that it appears to your favorite social network, because, let’s admit it, who visits Flickr every day?

Personal photo? I’ll show it to you on Instagram. Non-personal, business, general photo? I’ll show it on Google+, directing you to Flickr. I hope that works out.

Remember, each social network excels at something. We don’t have to use all of them in the same, universal way. Now, tell me, what’s your favorite photo-sharing network?

*Featured photo: tulpahn/*[***Shutterstock***](http://jmks.co/shutterstock)
### How to build a profitable web business
URL: https://jimmakos.com/profitable-web-business/
Last updated: 2023-11-23T09:49:54.000Z
I had a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday. He asked me: *How does a website make money?*

Easy. Advertising.

And **can you make a decent living with advertising**, he continued. Here’s how I explained the whole web business to him.

The most important thing in web development is the *domain name*. Think of it as the importance of location in real estate. Investors in real estate say,”location, location, location”. Investors in domains would say, “name, name, name”.

Then you need to do some research and figure out if there are people interested in your website’s content. Enough people to make the venture worthwhile and the business sustainable. Many are interested in fashion, booking hotels and buying a car or house, but not that many are looking for cleaning their chimneys (I think).

Finally, you have to conduct another research about the advertising cost in that niche. Ads are quite expensive in finance, sports, real estate and photography for example but quite cheap for other industries. The reason of course, is the product’s cost; how much money a potential customer will eventually spend.

In finance, traders will risk big money, in sports punters will gamble their salaries, in real estate purchasing a property doesn’t come cheap and in photography cameras and accessories can quickly leave a mark on your wallet.

Companies make a profit taking a cut of that spending or, in some cases, their revenue is whatever the customer spends.

Therefore, they are searching for websites that are attractive to their potential customers and buy advertising space there.

To give you an example, you could build a website about loans. Many people are interested in loans at all times and loans are a very hot product for banks. **Your website is the middleman** who connects loan takers with banks who sell them. Loans being one of the main and most valuable offerings of a bank, you can bet they’ll pay mucho dollarios for securing the top ad spot in your popular website.

That is in a nutshell **what web development business is all about**. In the process of course, other industries are involved, such as marketing, content creation, web design and administration to name a few. But in the end, you need a good domain name, people searching for your niche and companies that sell relevant products to your audience.

Repeat that for a couple of websites and you’ve got yourself a web business. It then comes down to you to make it profitable by tracking expenses and revenue, as in any kind of business. Entrepreneurship 101.

*Featured photo: Bacho/*[*Shutterstock*](http://jmks.co/shutterstock)
### Working from home just got easier
URL: https://jimmakos.com/working-from-home-just-got-easier/
Last updated: 2020-11-21T14:13:33.000Z
Working from home got easier today, as our little girl spent 4 hours at preschool for the first time. I was so excited that I bought mpougatsa on my way home to celebrate with her mother!

But let’s take it from the beginning.

Woke up a bit early in the morning, right before dawn. Inspired by other vloggers, I grabbed my camera and began filming. I didn’t have a plan, I just wanted to take some shots.

Then the family was up and we began preparing for the school. By the way, she’s almost two and a half.

Got her into the car and drove to school at around 9:30\. When we arrived, it was the first time since we started taking her to preschool this week that she didn’t look back and went straight into her class. I was out in the streets in a matter of minutes!

The excitement led me to a bakery shop on my way home. You see, I have been spending hundreds of hours with the kid since she was born, that my work has taken a serious hit. We had decided beforehand to give our whole selves into raising her and for two years both I and her mother put everything behind so that we stay true to that decision. And we did. In fact, [**I talked about that decision in my latest blog post**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/working-from-home-with-family/).

For me becoming the best dad possible was far greater than launching new websites, publishing articles and taking my business forward. That can always come later. But my girl will never be 1 year old again.

At times though, I could really use a break. And now that she has had enough of me, having learnt to walk, talk and play all kinds of things, it’s time to take a step back and let her explore the world on her own. Besides, I will always be here for her.

So, here I am finding again some time for myself after such a long time. The rational thing to do is to get back to work as soon as possible. I might just do that and start creating useful content. Or I might prolong that and dive into video gaming for just a little, as I have terribly missed it.

If you are working from home and struggling with newborn babies, be patient. Things will get better. Don’t push yourselves, accept that you do not have the time to do everything perfect and make the most out of your time with your family. Hopefully the work you’ve done by now should pay the bills while you work less than part-time! Remember, the secret is to make money while you’re sleeping.

Until next time, ya hara!
### Working from home and family, can we make them work?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/working-from-home-with-family/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:23:01.000Z
The truth is I began having second thoughts about [**this whole daily blogging thing**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/well-begun-half-done/). Mostly because I do not have a specific topic to discuss. So, I thought of writing about one today.

I’ll write about the combination of raising a family and working from home. And more specifically – for this text anyway – about **being with the family away from home and still working!**

Like now, that I am writing these lines from the swimming school, where our 2-year-old daughter is having her first swimming lessons.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_13.Still003.jpg)

It’s difficult. At first, it’s **very, *very* difficult**. I don’t have to show [**any work done for several months after she’s born**](https://jimmakos.com/2014/04/work-from-home-newborn-baby/). Professionally inactive. At least, that was me. You feel like everyone around you is passing you by and you are left back. A lot back. As time goes by, though, you rediscover yourself, you get it together, you begin taking baby steps again, you get the hang of it and finally you step back a little and acknowledge that you really don’t have the time to do everything.

Even more, you cannot do everything *perfect*.

Personally, I decided to do such one thing perfectly, accepting the cost that will have on the rest. And that’s **to become the best dad possible.**

*Priorities*.

So, sooner or later your new routine is back. You know where and when you are expecting to have a few minutes to spend on your work.

The work, which for the most past is web work or online work. I do not know of other work, I know about working online, which sometimes seem like **not working at all or lousy work**. Huh, even now that I’m writing this text on my phone, my wife is wondering how I can do that on a coffee table next to a granita.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_11.Still002.jpg)

Most of the times, though, work isn’t about writing. Work is also replying to emails, checking the latest news from your industry, updating WordPress and solving domain problems on-the-go, have an online meeting via Skype. All these can be done on the road and all these are considered work. They all belong to a broader context of work for a self-employed or web entrepreneur. They bring money to the table one way or another.

Years ago, when [**I used to be an advantage gambler**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), I would track betting odds. I would read a poker book. I would load some stock charts looking for trends, or save a bunch of them for studying at home. Now that I’m into [**photography**](https://jimmakos.com/photography/) and [**videography**](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) – more like addicted to – I am practising constantly. I film everything. Even now that I’m writing this very article.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_20.Still010.jpg)

Imagine that I’m thinking of turning this blog post into a nice vlog, which is in fashion nowadays. **Should I?**

And suddently, the swimming class is over. I have to interrupt my writing and continue from home when the baby girl is asleep.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_21.Still012.jpg)

Yes, you can make it happen. Working from home and raising a family is difficult. It’s extremely difficult if you want to spend constructive time with the kid and do not intend to leave his/her raising to others. Having chosen this line of work allows you to do just that and be with your kid if you wish.

I’m 24 hours with my family. Inside and outside of the house. **That has taken a toll on my work efficiency, performance, and productivity.** I’ve accepted that and since then, I am a *happy dad*. Certainly not a successful entrepreneur, but bills are being paid, I’m working by doing my hobbies and I get to watch my child growing up every day next to me. *Really, is there anything else I could ask for?*

P.S.: The images are stills from the footage I filmed this morning. So much for the vlog I promised above. Here are some more.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_18.Still008.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_24.Still014.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_26.Still016.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_25.Still015.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_20.Still011.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_13.Still004.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_19.Still009.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_15.Still006.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/Quick-Demos.00_00_00_14.Still005.jpg)

Featured photo by kryzhov/[**Shutterstock**](http://jmks.co/shutterstock).
### Writing documents online and subtitling in YouTube
URL: https://jimmakos.com/writing-online-subtitling-youtube/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:22:27.000Z
My Thursday began with writing yesterday, like all previous days of this week. Only this time the sunrise found me writing in bed and not on the balcony like in [**the very first blog post**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/well-begun-half-done/).

Until now I put my thoughts down on the electronic paper of [**Google Keep**](https://keep.google.com/). It’s a web note-taking application by Google. **Although I also keep notes with Evernote and Microsoft OneNote**, I ended up writing these posts on Keep.

It’s that I ran into some *little problems*.

Mainly, an issue came up when transferring the text to the blog, and by that, I mean to WordPress that powers my website. During copying the text, the paragraph formatting needs to be redone! Doing the same work twice. *Time wasted*.

So I moved my authoring business to another Google web application, [**Google Docs**](https://docs.google.com/). A sort-of online Word app. Much better. I am now using this to write these words.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/google-keep-notes-1.png)

My (Greek) daily thoughts for the next blog post. For this one, really!

**Google Keep remains my No.1 app for keeping notes of my thoughts and ideas** I have during the day. I use OneNote mostly for my To-Do list. That list has helped me to become more productive in general and to have that compelling feeling that I managed to complete something on that day.

Ticking off items on the to-do list is *addictive*.

A few words now for the recent couple of videos I uploaded to YouTube. [**In the first** ](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/my-professional-life/)one, I talked in Greek and added English subtitles, [**in the second one I spoke in English**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/multiple-social-network-profiles/). I explain the reasons in the first video (about in the middle of it).

As the memories are still fresh, I have to say this: for a non-English speaker making an English video may be more difficult (that becomes way easier with a script), but **the lack of need for translation and subtitling is a huge timesaver.**

Let me explain.

**Video in Greek:** Via YouTube I caption the video. That is writing in Greek whatever I say, whenever I say it. From the 15th second to the 19th I say this, from 20th to 24th second I say that. And so forth. That video was 15-minute long. 2,300 words came out of my mouth. That’s about 7 pages of that novel you read in summer. In short, *that’s a lot of writing*.

Then I have to translate ALL those words for the English subtitles. Fortunately, I do not need to timecode again everything, since that is done automatically by YouTube based on the Greek captions. STILL, we are talking about writing 2,300 words more, this time in English.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/youtube-subtitiling.png)

In other words, **I wrote 4,600 words minimum on Saturday**. I do not remember doing anything else on Saturday. It’s like that day never happened.

***Video in English:*** Having already the script in hand, I copied the text to YouTube caption tool and the tool AUTOMATICALLY timecoded perfectly whatever I spoke of in the video. Two minutes later the video has human-generated English captions. If I want to, I can now translate them into Greek. Which, however, I didn’t do.

I suppose there’s no ground to compare the two tasks. **The time I saved is more than significant.** The only sad thing is that I cannot make English videos, i.e. vlogs as fluently as I would make them in Greek. Perhaps it would be more valuable to produce evergreen content on YouTube instead? I’ll talk about that tomorrow.

I end today’s post with Dave Dugdale’s review on YouTube for the Sony camera I myself use quite often for taking pictures and filming videos. **The RX100IV**. He got me thinking. Is it time for me to do a review on my own for the specific camera since I’ve photographed and recorded a ton of videos with that little thing?

Yeah, I know. There are already plenty of reviews online. There are also millions of blogs, but you are reading mine. Should I continue?

That’s all from me today. Oh, almost forgot, European Poker Tour (EPT) is no more called that. Do you think my EPT clothing will appreciate in time?

Finally, here are some stills from yesterday. Talk tomorrow.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04645.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04654.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04673.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04653.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04643.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04624.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04652.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04614.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04647.jpg)

*Find (and download) the full-resolution pictures at Flickr:* [***jmks.co/flickr***](http://jmks.co/flickr)
### New video! Also, keeping a budget for me and my small business!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/keeping-budget-for-me-and-small-business/
Last updated: 2023-10-01T13:06:16.000Z
Yesterday’s highlight was definitely [**the video I uploaded for social networks**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/multiple-social-network-profiles/). Not because of its popularity (zero). I didn’t reinvent the wheel, nor did I break the internet. Besides, it’s only a week since I began uploading videos on a regular basis and I also do not care for their viewing stats and “success”.

This lack of stress for success, views and hits is **what makes me more creative**.

The video wins the highlight of the day award because, first it’s not easy to create this kind of videos and second, because I kept my promise to upload another video in less than a week. Now question is, what will be the topic for the next one – and how soon? *Any ideas?*

Leaving that behind, regarding [**my daily blogging that I also started**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/well-begun-half-done/) this week (work overload), I changed my strategy of sharing the day’s photos as part of my posts’… marketing plan. Initially, I threw a photo into my Instagram, upon publishing the post. By doing so, I shared pictures of the previous day, directing you, the readers, to the recent article. Yet, these pictures were live with a 24-hour delay. And being an impatient enthusiast photographer, I’d rather show you pictures of the same day that I’m actually taking them!

So, instead of sharing photos from Tuesday yesterday, which some of you may have already seen in the blog, I shared pictures from Wednesday. Like this (sort of) sunset.

I think it was the hashtags’ power (#) and not the picture itself that made this a record-breaking photo in terms of likes. I’ve spent hours upon hours on thinking and doing research for **these goddamned hashtags**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/hashtags-still-1.jpg)

Frame from a video on hashtags that never went public

In fact, I’ve also shot a whole video on them while being in Skyros island this summer, which unfortunately never uploaded.

Story of my life: to shot, edit and create videos that never publish. **That’s the curse of never being satisfied.**

Today I don’t have much news [**like yesterday**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/basketball-investing-google-advertising/). My day had a lot of driving around to banks…

…and shopping in street market and bakery (that’s a “koulouri Thessalonikis”).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04404-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04430-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04428-1.jpg)

**I track down my expenses (and income) on a mobile app** that has been super useful. It’s called YouNeedABudget and I’m afraid it doesn’t come for free. It syncs all transactions via Dropbox. That means all expenses I input on the go via my phone are automatically transferred and are accessible on my PC. Also, the app saves the GPS data of the transactions. Whenever I type in a purchase, the app returns all the nearby shops that I’ve bought from in the past.

In short, **entering a transaction doesn’t take more than 10 secs!**

I got this software on a Steam sale (75%) for around $15\. Since then, the company implemented a subscription paying model on a monthly basis. Which, obviously, wasn’t that well accepted by customers – including me. I’m still using the version I purchased, which isn’t updated anymore. Oh well.

## Why do I need budgeting?

I always said (not my quote, though) that **if you can count your money, you don’t have *enough*.**

On the other hand, by knowing exactly how much you spent and where your money goes, especially as [**a family man**](https://jimmakos.com/2014/04/work-from-home-newborn-baby/), you take a huge step in beginning to employ the proper investing way of thinking. Not to mention it’s a great way for self-control and honest self-criticism, given the numbers are always telling the (bitter) truth.

In any case, to give credit where credit’s due, the software has been even more useful for budgeting in my small business. Yeap, that’s right. You can control your company’s financials with this cute software, tracking down the dollar input and output of your own business. So every month, depending on the revenue I allocate a certain budget for each of my business’ categories. For example, if the business received 15X revenue the last month, I’ll budget 4X to freelancers and contractors, 3X for domain managements, 2X for marketing purposes and 1X to business expenses (legal, accounting, licensing, etc.). 5X will be used for the company’s growth and scaling. *Roughly*.

That’s all for today; I wrote too much. I finish this in the standard way with some pictures I took yesterday. Talk tomorrow.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04357-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04368-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04366-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04587-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04566-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04579-1.jpg)

*Find (and download) the full-resolution pictures at Flickr: [*jmks.co/flickr*](http://jmks.co/flickr)*

P.S.: I could have blogged of our little girl’s first swimming class yesterday. But I don’t think it would be as interesting, huh?
### How to manage multiple profiles on social networks
URL: https://jimmakos.com/multiple-social-network-profiles/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T11:24:39.000Z
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+… 5 of the most popular social media and we have profiles on almost all of them. Here's how I manage them and keep them synced automatically. Better yet, why I keep them all active!
### From basketball to investing and why Google isn't the Advertising God
URL: https://jimmakos.com/basketball-investing-google-advertising/
Last updated: 2022-02-06T16:19:13.000Z
Well, what do you know?! My daily blogging’s first day led to an… explosion of productivity yesterday, that’s Tuesday! At 7am **[I had written the Greek blog](https://www.jimmakos.gr/2016/08/arxi/)**, by 10am I published it [**together with the English translation**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/well-begun-half-done/), till noon I had finished editing my next YouTube video, while by 4pm I had replied to all (20) of the urgent emails!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04270-1.jpg)

Writing yesterday’s blog on the balcony at 7am. Yeap, with the mobile phone!

I did all that, while I spent two hours of playing with my little girl early in the morning. Not to mention the necessary hugging on waking up!

Rarely you’ll hear me satisfied of my day and that was one of them.

*Knock wood.*

Afternoon and evening were spent on family business, as we’re preparing ourselves for the first class in Preschool (Pre-kindergarten) and first dives in the swimming pool.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04312.jpg)

Let’s move on the interesting stuff.

So, I read yesterday that Kobe Bryant, the basketball all-star player, co-founded a **venture capital firm**. That’s a firm investing in startups, so to speak.

Basketball and [**investments**](https://jimmakos.com/investing/). Let’s hope no one recommends him to also take a look on forex and blow out his NBA earnings on the Canadian dollar and the Swiss franc!

It would be interesting to see if his venture will score the same… field goal percentage as in his NBA career.

Moving on, I came across this news story mentioning the acquisition of an advertising company, that happens to be a partner of my digital publishing company, by a Chinese consortium. For $900 Million no less! Not bad.

Now, I hope they don’t change anything in their policies and tactics, as the revenue we receive from their business is bigger than Google AdSense. **Yeap, we make more by Media.Net than Google!** And that’s quite significant for the blogging industry and the monetization process of a website. In short, we should not consider Google as the monetization God and the only advertiser we should partner with.

[**For web developers**](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/) and bloggers, do not depend on a single advertiser. **Diversify your risk and your income streams.**

Finally, **Betgenius** launched a **new product for gaming operators** that removes the need of in-house traders. But, who are these traders?

It’s them, who change betting odds at sportsbooks. They shorten that 2.00 to 1.80 a second before you submit your bet during the game in live betting. These people watch how you play, what leagues and sports you wager on, what stakes you are using. If they spot something funny in your betting activity, they will notify the risk management of the betting operator. And then it may be curtains for you (limited stakes, account closures).

*You get the picture.*

In plain words, the in-house traders are actually [**your opponents when you are gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). No, it’s not the goalkeeper who saved the penalty. And it’s them whom Betgenius wants to avoid with their new system. Most probably by algorithms and complicated math models. Really, I have no idea how. It’s just that on this occasion, I had the chance to say a few words about **bookmakers’ in-house traders**.

I plan to write a lot more about them, based on what one of them has shared publicly on a forum. Have patience. It will happen.

That’s all for today. I’ll end this with some pictures I took yesterday. Talk tomorrow.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04292-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04290-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04287-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04281-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04305-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04296-1-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04297-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04299-1.jpg)

*Find the full-resolution pictures at Flickr: [*jmks.co/flickr*](http://jmks.co/flickr)*

**PS:** Truth be told, I wrote the original Greek text in Tuesday’s afternoon, while sitting in the pediatrician's waiting room. Not a moment to lose.
### Well begun is half done
URL: https://jimmakos.com/well-begun-half-done/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:30:19.000Z
Monday. The first day of the week. Yesterday’s Monday will be a special Monday for me. It’ll be the first day of my daily blogging.

> The beginning is half of everything - Pythagoras

That’s right. **Writing on a daily basis**. Something like a public diary. With no love stories and cute little flowers but based on topics I’m personally interested in, [**as I said in Saturday’s video**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/08/my-professional-life/).

It’s now early on Tuesday morning that I’m writing these words. *Very early*. Every rational European who is reading these lines is probably asleep right now. At first I thought of writing in the night right before the end of the day. I’m too tired, though. Also, [**I’m a morning guy**](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/morning-routine-short-film/) and my brain’s efficiency reaches its peak in the morning.

Additionally, I don’t want to write blocks of text. To avoid [**tl;dr**](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tl%3Bdr) situations, I’ll include pictures or even small video clips, **images of that specific day**. Here’s a swing from last night for example, moments before the storm that hit the city (for newcomers, I’m not some kind of pervert wandering at playgrounds late at night; raising a family means these are the places I visit quite often).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04232.jpg)

My goal for the day was to start creating my next video after the… enthusiastic start on Saturday. Goal accomplished. I filmed the main footage, recorded the narration, even added a couple of b-rolls (extra shots that you never know when they come in handy) but it’s still work in progress. What’s more, on Sunday I finished the mockup that will be used as the closing touch in my upcoming videos.

Here it is.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-youtube-ending-fullsized.png)

Via this mockup, the viewers will get a chance to hop over to my Instagram and Twitter profiles and feeds, while watching parts of my most recent video right there, in the middle of the screen. This idea came from [**Mr. Ben Brown’s YouTube channel**](https://www.youtube.com/user/benbrown100).

And as everything was playing out well enough in my dream world, I thought of taking a break, to have a snack. Nowadays, my breaks include watching a lot of YouTube videos, mainly on [**photography**](https://jimmakos.com/photography/) and [**filmmaking**](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/) that I really enjoy and want to improve on.

Big mistake.

That resulted in me losing confidence, being disappointed and depressed once again and quit editing for the day. **Yeap, it’s wrong to compare ourselves with others**. *We should do that only with our past self*. I know that. Yet, I still cannot avoid watching perfectly-shot videos and comparing them with my primitive, amateur work. I hear you say, wait a moment Jim, you are not a filmmaker, **that’s not your job**. You say that right, it’s me who doesn’t listen to. My perfectionism doesn’t allow me to.

So, my first diary’s day, Monday, had a lot of video shooting and editing but no results. I hope I’ll focus better today and perhaps finish it. I dare to offer you 12.50-1 odds that I’ll also upload it! [**Anyone want to bet?**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/)

Before I end this, let me share a few technical details of the diary’s entries.

**I begin writing these in Greek.** Then I translate them in English. SEO and other nonsense like ranking in Google search results are non-existent for these posts. The point is for me to write, as I enjoy writing a lot but I’ve neglected it a lot (double trouble).

Upon publishing the post, I’ll let you know at social networks. Everywhere I can really, in case I find other like-minded people to read them, who share the same passion and hobbies with me. As the world hears of my writings, I’ll share two links, one in English and one in Greek. Here, these are the links for this specific post:

1. [**jmks.co/230816**](http://jmks.co/230816)
2. [**jmks.co/230816gr**](http://jmks.co/230816gr)

That jmks.co domain is my personal [**bit.ly**](http://bit.ly/). If you care, I can write about it and how you can launch a shortening-URL service by yourself.

The post’s language can be changed from the top menu right here in the website, but for saving time I’ll give away the links in the original social media’s posts, so that you can click on the language you understand.

Will it be a lot of work for me? I guess so. **Will I write every day?** *Maybe*. Nothing is certain in this life.

Talk tomorrow.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04253-2.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-04247-2.jpg)

*Find the full-resolution pictures at Flickr:* [***jmks.co/flickr***](http://jmks.co/flickr)
### What my professional life is all about!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-professional-life/
Last updated: 2020-11-21T14:55:43.000Z
Having more energy than ever to become an active YouTuber once again, I began by filming the first video/intro to my life's professional side. In this video, I explain what I'm spending my time on, what topics we'll be discussing here in the future and how I'm looking to organize this channel based on my 10-year-old personal website.
### The blackjack etiquette for players and spectators
URL: https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-etiquette/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T18:06:25.000Z
The thrill of ‘letting the dealer bust’ by not hitting my sixteen from the last position or not splitting Aces, because ‘I will leave the upcoming face cards for the dealer’s five’ always gets the spectators of a blackjack game. Bystanders, not willing to take a seat (and heat), tend to remember ‘clever’ plays that made everyone richer but condemn everyone who ‘helps’ the dealer hit a miraculous 21.

Yet, these plays are far from clever. They are, in fact, [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/)! Players who hit cards but eventually lose to the dealer’s sheer luck may not be that bad, either.

Let’s face it. Everyone entering a casino wants to beat the house.

Although they cheerfully admit that they are visiting to have fun, the thought of winning some ‘easy money’ never escapes their mind. Fun quickly diminishes when we lose hard-earned money but almost never returns, even if we win. The negative sentiment of losing is easily established in our brains, denying any positive thinking.

Think about it for a minute: what would have a bigger impact to your psychology, losing a hundred or winning a hundred?

Back before [**I got barred from the casinos**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/04/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/) for playing blackjack professionally, I used to invite friends to play next to me but only if they didn’t mind for the money they would likely lose. Quick as a bullet, they would agree with that, yet I would stress the importance of that. Would winning make the same difference in their life as in losing?

The answer was a no, of course. Winning a hundred or two would allow them to spend a bit recklessly the next few days. So be it, it’s like ‘free money’. But losing a hundred or two of their cash would severely affect their mood. Depression may hastily kick in when an unknown puts a dent in our wallet!

## 8 essentials of the blackjack etiquette

This change of mood can influence the behavior of even the best players. I’ve seen serious-looking pro gamblers lose their temper when they run into bad luck. At these hard times, it’s difficult to remind ourselves of the blackjack etiquette that suggests:

1. **Never insult the dealer.** They are regular people like ourselves, struggling with life’s troubles. Hitting a twenty-one with their hole card’s six doesn’t entitle us to swear on them! Imagine customers coming to your store and insulting you all day long. How long would you take it? Besides, dealers’ moves are defined by specific rules. Robots could replace them sometime in the future, so enjoy playing with humans while we still can!
2. **Don’t comment on a player’s play negatively.** Their play does not affect your cards in any way in the long run, contrary to popular belief. Even the most disciplined gamblers can make [**mistakes in blackjack**](http://www.888casino.com/blog/blackjacks-top-7-most-repetitive-mistakes/). None of them will influence how much you win or lose long term. Look at the big picture and stay focused on your cards. Also, feel free to praise plays that look smart or made you money. Nothing wrong with a confidence boost.
3. **Advising a sitting player how to play is cowardliness**. If you used to stand behind players betting on their cards, you accept the risk of entrusting their moves. It’s not a matter of who bets the most. It’s about sitting down and playing your cards. Grow a pair and take a seat next time you think of sharing a piece of advice from the back seat.
4. **Don’t touch cards or money, only your chips**. The only time you touch money is when you take money out of your wallet and drop it on the table. Hopefully, you’ll touch money again when you visit the cashier on your way out. Also, keep your hands away from other people’s chips. Would you like others touching your own money?
5. **Don’t push, don’t interfere with the game.** If you are spectating the game and suddenly feel the urge of betting in the next round, don’t act like a bull throwing your chips on the table, pushing players already sitting down. Politely ask the dealer to wait for a moment before you place your bets. You show respect to everyone in the room, who will appreciate your behavior.
6. **Don’t smell bad, dress nice.** No one wants to sit next to a filthy person who hasn’t seen a mirror in ages.
7. **If you spot a pro, don’t ask them questions at the table; wait until they get up.** No one will explain you what card counting is in the heat of the battle, and definitely in front of the dealer or the cameras. Have the courtesy to wait and approach them at a better time. Soon you’ll find out that [**card counting isn’t that impressive as it sounds**](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/).
8. **Learn basic strategy.** Nine out of your future ten comments will never come out of your mouth and [**you’ll actually save money**](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/)!

Blackjack etiquette isn’t that hard to follow. The hardest times would be when you lose money. Try staying calm and if you catch yourself losing your mind and behaving erratically, better leave the casino and come back another day. You won’t harm your image and your fellow players will welcome you to their table every time.

Pro gamblers always invite friendly and polite spectators to their tables to have a chat. Sometimes, we’ll let you know when to bet profitably, as well. It’s a win-win scenario.
### How I got barred from casinos for counting cards at blackjack
URL: https://jimmakos.com/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:25:24.000Z
Card counting. That’s what the strategy to beat the casinos at blackjack tables is called. [Anyone can learn how to count cards](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-in-blackjack-online-casinos/) and any disciplined advantage gambler can win money. Eventually though, every card counter will be kicked out of the casino.

This the story of **how it happened for me.**

I’ve shared [stories of my blackjack career](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/) in the past but I never got into the details of how I was barred from casinos. To spill the beans, no, I wasn’t dragged out by security stuff, or beat to death by huge men in a basement.

I was simply denied entrance the following day of an… *event*.

First, a little catching up with what was happening at the time at my local casino.

I had been **practicing card counting for months**, usually as a bystander at blackjack tables. When the count was quite favorable, I bet on players’ hands and hoped they didn’t mess up, like hitting a 16 against the dealers’ face card.

That started around Christmas holidays and by summertime my bankroll hadn’t increased a bit. I decided I had learnt to count cards quite well, so it was time for me to **take a seat** and get dealt my own hands.

Lady Luck was very nice with me and despite my puny bankroll, I ran hotter than the sun and doubled my money in a month or so. While it wasn’t any big money, it had been the first time I was making my own money in my life. And you all know that feeling. Now, imagine experiencing that by playing a game of chance!

Of course, I was super excited.

I had been visiting the casino quite often and in late October I was playing blackjack every day, except weekends. I went in at 1 PM and left around 5 AM of the next day.

*Every day.*

If you visit your local casino that often, you are going to be noticed. Not only by other gamblers but by the casino stuff as well. If you are not losing money, eyebrows will be raised, both from other players and dealers.

Still, I wasn’t making a killing there, so I felt pretty safe. Who would care of a 24-year-old lucky champ?

Then came my best ever month. November. **I made 10 grand that month alone.**

I had now a 15K bankroll to risk at blackjack.

My Christmas’ starting bankroll had increased 10 times!

I don’t recall increasing my bets at any point, though. I was already risking more than my bankroll allowed at the beginning, so by having a bigger bankroll, I was running a smaller chance of ruining my dream. It’s called [risk of ruin](http://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/appendix/12/) for a reason.

By making that much money in such a short time, I was approached by other professional blackjack players. Card counters usually prefer playing together, as there are some advantages gained when collaborating.

So, at some point three or more competent card counters were sitting at the same table! That was *ridiculous*. We all bet the minimum when we didn’t have an edge according to card counting, but when the count skyrocketed, so were our bets.

Let me draw the picture for you.

I and two other players were regarded as the most skilled and disciplined card counters. We were to sit down and play. Other fellow card counters with smaller bankrolls or less skill would stand nearby and jump in when the conditions were favorable for us.

Most of the time, we risked the table’s minimum. Ten euros each. We occupied three spots, so our total risk was 30 euros. Applying [**basic strategy rules**](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/) all the time, the dealer’s edge had been about 0.5 to 1%. Thus, casino was making about 30 cents tops from each deal, or about 15 euros per hour (assuming one hand dealt per minute).

No casino can sustain its business under these conditions. They have people on payroll, liabilities, operating costs.

But it gets worse. *A lot worse*.

Sooner or later, the count would increase into positive territory. When the true count was hitting 2, we would increase our bets to about 20 euros each. We now had an edge over the casino of about 0.20%, so each of us would be making about 4 cents in the next hand.

Not a big deal.

And then the count would climb to 5, 6 or more and we would max our bets. My maximum stake was 120 euros. Given I could trust my card counting friends, I would bet on their hands as well, wagering in total 360 euros in the next hand!

And that’s just me.

They were doing pretty much the same thing. The total wagers of the three active card counters on the next hand summed up to a thousand euros! Our 2 to 3% edge would net us 20 to 30 euros profit during the next hand.

We were effectively **turning that particular blackjack table into a loss for the casino** in a single hand.

And it *still* gets worse.

Remember the card counters that were watching the game behind us? Like vultures, they would push everyone aside to get a piece of the action. Suddenly, a previously quiet and uneventful table would turn into mayhem.

Of course, that drew attention from other ‘regular’ people [**gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) at roulette or other games. “Whoa, look at that money, they all seem excited at that blackjack table, let’s gamble there”, they would think. “Hey, those people are card counting! [**Isn’t that impressive?”**](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/) Out of nowhere, ten, fifteen or twenty people would gather around us, throwing chips and money on our table.

The casino was bleeding money there. **We were momentarily turning losing gamblers into winners.**

And as long as the count was favorable, we had no intention to slow down. Hand after hand, the stakes remained at their peak.

And it gets EVEN more worse.

That happens when variance favors the bold gamblers. That’s when card counters run hot. And that’s when we hit blackjacks, we split Aces and double nines, tens and elevens while the dealer busts.

**EVERYONE is making money but the casino.**

Not to mention that we are treated as kings by other players. Make a dollar for a stranger and they will trust you a hundred!

While this happened rarely, it drew a lot of attention from pit bosses. And let me tell you a well-known… secret. Pit bosses and some dealers know how to count cards. They count with you and if they see you increase your stakes when the count is high, you are busted.

**It’s very, VERY easy to get spotted as a card counter.** No matter how much you are hiding, how much you are mingling with other gamblers, how much a degenerate gambler you are trying to look like, your bets will always reveal your intentions.

That’s why card counting teams are formed.

Now, back to my own story, I had a 10-grand month under my belt and I was looking forward to the next month, December. On the first Friday of the month, I was sitting and playing with the same card counters.

Friendly pit bosses had notified me that my name were among the ones they were instructed to keep a tab on. I let my colleagues know that we should split up and never again play at the same table.

We were drawing TOO MUCH attention, even before playing. I was sensing roof cameras turning to our every move.

And then, Lady Luck decided to abandon us on that very Friday. Despite the count being high, we ran bad. Very bad. Hitting twenties and dealer hitting blackjacks bad. I was down two grand and by the looks of other card counters, they were also suffering heavy losses.

Me? I am a very disciplined gambler. I kept my nerve and bet emotionless. That wasn’t the case for most of the other advantage gamblers. Some of them even ran out of money, perhaps by over-betting and, wanting to make a comeback, they began borrowing money from the skilled card counters at the table. They gave them money for chips.

That’s a big NO-NO from the casino.

You always, ALWAYS play with YOUR money and ALWAYS exchange money for chips with the dealer.

**Heat was up at our table.** Major heat. I then caught the pit boss talking to the phone. She was looking at us while on the phone. That’s when I leaned to my friend next to me and whispered:

> We should leave. Now.

How could they leave, when they were losing money and the count was still favorable? We should keep betting. We had an edge. That’s why we count cards all day. To exploit. At all costs.

Well, that cost included **my blackjack career.**

In ten minutes’ time, some very serious men came down to the pit. By the looks of them, they were certainly very high-ranked stuff. We hadn’t seen them before.

They were informed of the situation, then one of them stood next to our dealer. He was card counting.

“Deal”, he said to the dealer.

We wished for the count to drop for the first time in our lives. To get below zero and bet our ten euros.

While that wouldn’t make much difference, since there were sirens all over the place, maybe we stood a chance. But the count kept rising.

We had to max out bets once again.

“What do we do?”, I whispered to the card counter next to me, a very reputable gambler coming from USA. I was half his age.

“F@ck them”.

Well, in all honesty I think WE were.

It was too late. It was obvious **that was my last day I would play blackjack there.** I placed my bets, looking at the casino guy. He looked me back and left to meet the other important people.

They gathered around, discussed for what seemed like an eternity, pointing to us and left. For a moment there, I expected to be thrown out of the casino like in movies.

In an hour or so my friends were all gone, disheartened by the heavy losses. I was left playing alone for the first time in that day.

I didn’t leave that table and managed to turn around a 2K drawdown to a 1K profit before midnight. Lady Luck had returned, but **the damage was done**.

I would stay and play till morning. Yet, I felt it was futile. *I knew I was barred.*

I left earlier that day, greeting the dealers and pit bosses, telling them that would probably be the last time they saw me. They nodded back.

On Monday, I was refused entrance. So was my Greek-American ‘colleague’. The card counting companion had suffered two casualties. No other gamblers or card counters were denied to enter the casino’s premises, though.

Even the ones who borrowed money. Even the ones who “broke the rules”.

It goes to say that those gamblers are the best customers for the casino business.

Rumor says that I was barred because I was young. “If you are making 10 grand in a month at 24, how much will you be making in two years or when you become 30?”

So, casino… *feared* me? Maybe. Perhaps they were mostly afraid of the disciplined character I had been showing for a year, rather than my age or recent winnings.

I will never know.

After that incident, I visited other casinos in my country. Upon sitting down to play, limits were changed from 10-500 euros to 1-50 euros. Pit bosses were on a lookout for my next move. Casino directors were sitting next to me.

**I was done as a card counter.** Burnt. But it was one hell of a ride, that I’m still sharing stories from, fifteen years later.

Stay tuned for stories of my much more recent rides!
### How to Read Champions League's Betting Charts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-read-champions-leagues-betting-charts/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T18:07:43.000Z
On Tuesday morning, I had written that [**my top pick for Champions League’s midweek games was Paris Saint-Germain**](https://jimmakos.com/2016/03/champions-league-betting-odds-and-trends-for-midweek-games/). PSG beat Chelsea (FT: 2-1) and progressed to the Round of 8\. I also wrote that if the betting market hadn’t been disrupted in **Wolfsburg’s odds chart**, the German club would have been my top Tuesday’s pick. Wolfsburg scored a 1-0 win versus the Belgian Gent. Now that I don’t have a deadline to beat before I deliver the article, let’s examine how I ended up tipping those clubs based on odds movements and betting trends.

Betting odds, as mostly understand nowadays, constantly move in [online gambling markets](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) worldwide. A long time ago, when punters were betting on traditional bookmaking shops, these odds fluctuations went unnoticed. As broadband internet penetration rates increased, monitoring and scanning sportsbooks for significant odds movements have become a trend nowadays. Of course, that is desirable, given their importance. At the very least, they provide additional information, which the astute bettor should take advantage of before submitting their bets.

Thus, if I was posting this in 2005, most would think I am talking of something out of this world – similar to the time when they read my decade-old articles on Betfair in [**this very blog**](https://jimmakos.com/). These days almost every punter grasps the meaning of shortening and drifting odds. Some actually understand [**why they shorten or drift**](https://www.betstories.com/2015/02/27/sharp-gamblers-move-betting-line-billy-walters/)!

Recently I stumbled upon an article at PinnacleSports, which explains the odds dynamics in layman’s terms. In fact, it shows **how to figure out whether you are a profitable handicapper judging by the opening and closing odds**! You see, Pinnacle is one of those rare sportsbooks (maybe the only one), that isn’t afraid to educate the average sports bettor. Respectively, there are sports betting bloggers with the same exact goal.

These few introductory lines will come in handy now that we are going to talk of Wolfsburg’s and PSG’s declining odds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/wolfsburg-betfair.png)

In Wolfsburg’s case, the pre-match decline was disrupted by a sudden spike, when a relatively large bet moved the odds back to their opening price. That occurrence forced me to avoid tipping the German club on Tuesday with the same confidence as in the case of PSG. Despite not having a clear picture of the odds behaviour for a football game that was set to start in 36 hours, I was more confident in trusting the odds decline of the Frenchmen.

Still, **the punters’ preference in favor of PSG had already been shown on charts**. Quite soon Chelsea was no longer the game’s favourite, as sportsbooks had initially estimated. Unfortunately, I didn’t watch how odds moved on Wednesday, or if Wolfsburg’s downtrend eventually resumed. Yet, the final outcome justified the bettors who believe that declining odds are the proof of a value bet.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/chelsea-paris.png)

Obviously, these are just two of innumerous bets we place in our lifetime. Let’s not forget **how big the sample needs to be**, before we come to safe conclusions for our betting performance. **This analysis is enlightening** in that regard, and will also help you evaluate your own betting system.

Nevertheless, it has been a good occasion to discuss betting odds movements and punters’ trends once again. Would I have written this post if my “tips” weren’t proven correct? Probably not, since **winning tips are more attractive than losing bets**. Besides, by doing so when the result confirms the prediction, it’s easier for me to convince you to keep an eye on odds movements, no matter the betting method you are following. Perhaps in the process you will find out that you are among the few who bet on a specific selection.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/zenit-champions-league.png)

Let’s say for example, that you’d bet on Zenit. Even on Tuesday we could see that bettors would rather bet on their rival, as Zenit’s odds were climbing from 1.95 to 2.10, which I mentioned in my last article. Zenit – Benfica, full-time score 1-2\. *Convinced already?*
### Champions League’s Betting odds and trends for midweek games
URL: https://jimmakos.com/champions-league-betting-odds-and-trends-for-midweek-games/
Last updated: 2024-06-01T15:01:11.000Z
Champions League’s Round 16 resumes today with the second leg, as Wolfsburg hosts Gent and Roma visits Real Madrid. Let’s take a look on how soccer odds are moving at sportsbooks on Tuesday morning, both for today’s and tomorrow’s games.

## Wolfsburg – Gent

Wolfsburg had won the first leg against Belgian Gent scoring 3 goals and conceding 2\. We would expect the Germans to pose as the favorite in today’s game. Indeed, that’s exactly the case although a few hours ago their odds jumped from 1.50 (-200) to 1.60 (-165) in a single bet! That is shown in the following chart coming from the betting exchanges, where a bet of £25,000 (about $35000) pushed the line aggressively.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/wolfsburg-betfair-1.png)

At this time punters’ reaction doesn’t seem that strong following that bet, as Wolfsburg’s odds remain at that level. Nonetheless, home odds are on a decline at Bet365 and William Hill since mid-February, on completion of the first game. Today’s spike of the moneyline is observed on that chart as well.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/wolfsburg-williamhill-bet365.png)

## Real Madrid – Roma

Here things appear a lot calmer. Real’s moneyline odds keep steady at 1.40 (-250), despite the fact they had climbed to 1.50 (-200) earlier, when the betting market became available for the first time. Let’s not forget that the Spanish club had beat Roma away in their first leg (FT: 0-2).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/real-madrid-roma.png)

According to this, non-existent betting trend, any prediction would be difficult and in all honesty, just a guess. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if Roma’s odds declined 200 points from 9.00 to 7.00 (+600).

## Zenit – Benfica

Moving on to Wednesday’s games, the current data is undoubtedly limited at this time compared to the aforementioned games. Thus, we can merely aknowledge a somewhat upward trend for Zenit’s moneyline odds, as the Russian football club needs to overcome their first game’s 1-0 defeat to Benfica.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/zenit-champions-league-1.png)

Many bookmakers report drifting odds for Zenit as they are climbing to 2.10 (+110) from 1.95, while the Portugese club’s odds show mixed trends. For instance, odds are drifting to 3.50 (+250) from 3.30 at Bet365, whereas they are shortening to 3.30 (+230) from 3.40 at William Hill!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/benfica-champions-league.png)

## Chelsea – Paris Saint-Germain

Finally, the most interesting Champions League midweek game is Chelsea versus Paris Saint-Germain. Having scored a fragile win of 2-1 against the Englishmen, Paris Saint-Germain must now prove right those who consider them the favorites for tomorrow’s game. Despite sportsbooks favoring Chelsea at their opening odds, handicappers quickly bet on the French club and reversed the situation.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/chelsea-paris-betfair-1.png)

Thus, Chelsea’s win is now priced at 2.80 (+180) coming all the way up from 2.50…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/chelsea-champions-league.png)

…while Paris’ odds dropped to 2.60 (+160) from 2.80.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/paris-champions-league.png)

According to the analysis above, my first option and the team I would pay the most attention to would be Paris Saint-Germain. As long as the current downtrend keeps up tomorrow, today’s 2.60 (+160) should offer value to bettors. Going forward, Wolfsburg’s sudden spike that printed on the charts today doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s not the spike’s size that matters, rather than the way it happened. If it weren’t for that jump in price, Wolfsburg would have been my top soccer pick today, given the odds’ steady decline that was reported till then. Maybe that’s an opportunity for us to bet at higher odds, before they resume trending south once again.
### 88th Academy Awards Picks: Betting on Favorites
URL: https://jimmakos.com/88th-academy-awards-betting-picks/
Last updated: 2023-11-23T09:51:37.000Z
*Originally published at* [***SportsBookReview.com***](http://www.sportsbookreview.com/handicappers/jim-makos-320/)

And the Oscars go to… Judging by the very short odds of several nominees that you will find in the e-gaming world, it’s safe to predict some if not all the winners even before the celebrities take their seats. Surprises? Yes, there might be surprises in the 88th Academy Awards but in all honesty, I can’t recall a single one that had upset the betting markets in previous Oscar nights. Let’s just hope 2016 Awards will be no different.

## The Big 4: Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress

The Revenant, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson. And there you have it. The four most-talked names you’ll be hearing both before and after the Awards. Most likely because they’ll win themselves an Oscar statuette.

The safest to bet on is DiCaprio. His odds? Well, they really can’t shorten any more now that they have dived down to 1.01 (-10.000)! Last time you could bet on the American actor to win his first Oscar this year at better than even odds was in last November!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/dicaprio-oscar-best-actor-betting-chart.png)

Similar price action can be seen on Larson’s chart for her performance in Room. There is really no room to maneuver here, given the shortest of short odds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/larson-oscar-best-actress-betting-chart.png)

Inarritu’s odds also trade very low, although there were some bumps along the road. Posing as the favorite since this bet became available for Best Director, he never was in danger of losing that top spot at sportsbooks’ markets. Smart money and sharp bettors made sure to snatch those long odds before they diminished to meaningless reward. Hopefully, you were smart enough to have backed those even odds in the first days of February.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/inarritu-oscar-best-director-betting-chart.png)

Finally, the Oscar for the Best Picture is not decided – yet. True, you can bet The Revenant to win the Oscar and get paid about half of your money back plus your stake. Compared to the odds we just talked about, 1.50 (-200) seem huge at this point.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/revenant-oscar-best-picture-betting-chart.png)

Would I include them in my today’s picks? Sure, it’s easy to pick big favorites such as these. They rarely lose, that’s the whole meaning of being a favorite. Given the strong downtrends and momentum that these odds show in their corresponding charts, I’d be crazy to bet against. I’d be going for the Revenant though, solely because of the bigger reward. I suppose the risk of losing any of these bets is very low, as history tells us. Just don’t forget that sometimes, miracles and misfortunes do happen.

## Focus on favorites

Scanning through the available betting markets for the night of Oscars, I had trouble finding a tight market. You want to bet on very, VERY short odds? Wait for February each year and bet on Academy Awards. Job done.

This year? Pick Inside Out for Best Animated Feature Film (1.01), Son of Soul for Best Foreign Language Film (1.05), The Revenant for Best Cinematography (1.04) and Spotlight for Best Original Screenplay (1.07). Don’t need to have psychic reading skills to predict the winners in these categories.

Having said that, you might want to revert to your skills, if you are going to back Mad Max: Fury Road for Best Costume Design (1.66)…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/mad-max-oscar-best-costume-design-betting-chart.png)

…or Star Wars: The Force Awakens for Best Visual Effects.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/star-wars-oscar-best-visual-effects-betting-chart.png)

Of course, the trends are all facing south. How can it go any other way, given the very nature of this betting market? There are no injuries, no defense tactics, no football stats. Only closed envelopes and awards given by the film industry itself.

In fact, I think that backing all favorites to win an Oscar should probably net us a profit, even if we get unlucky and run into an unforeseen result. Stallone, Vikander and Til It Happens to You among so many others winning their respective Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Actress and Original Song will make it up for us.

Finally, there’s another bet that should get your attention – or laugh. Betfair accepts bets on who DiCaprio’s date will be. Once again, very short odds (1.25) for the favorite date: his mother.

*Featured photo by* [***Loren Javier***](https://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenjavier/)
### How betting charts help me win by beating the closing odds
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betting-charts-beat-closing-odds/
Last updated: 2025-09-15T16:55:47.000Z
Let me briefly tell you the story that led to this post.

I follow [**@domcortis**](https://twitter.com/domcortis/) at Twitter for his insightful and scientific approach to *sports betting*. A retweet by him today referred to Sunday’s Arsenal-Leicester clash. Not such a big deal, if it weren’t for the link citing GitHub!

### What is GitHub?

GitHub is where people build software, as you can find out if you Google it. It’s a website where programmers contribute to millions of projects and help each other. Think of computer code, a lot of code. So, I took a peek.

Turns out [**the link**](http://durtal.github.io/betfaiR/vignette%5Fthree.html) featured a page for non-tech savvy people. In fact, it’s an article like the rest, although there are some very interesting charts in there. And you know how much I love charts!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/arsenal-leicester-betting-minute-by-minute.png)

Plot shows the amount matched over the previous minute \[courtesy of [****@UTVilla**](https://twitter.com/UTVilla)\]

The project is about **collecting Betfair data over time** aiming to build betting models and establish trading strategies, as [**Tom @UTVilla** ](https://twitter.com/UTVilla)mentions in the [**cron job**](http://durtal.github.io/betfaiR/vignette%5Ftwo.html). As a result, they kept track of two Premier League games, which we will quickly analyze below, focusing on *market efficiency*.

Now, on to the juicy stuff.

This morning PinnacleSports tweeted an old post about market efficiency. I read it, liked it and shared it with my friends (known as followers at social media). It’s about how sportsbooks’ closing line is more accurate than opening odds in predicting the probability of how a fixture will play out.

In plain words, if you bet on odds that declined afterwards, you did the right thing, like [when I bet on the Eurobasket final](https://jimmakos.com/how-the-eurobasket-final-bet-i-lost-paid-off-long-term/). According to the popular bookmaker, “a consistent track record of beating the closing odds is, therefore, an indicator of consistent profits in the long run.” Market efficiency is a hot topic of mine that [**I regularly go back to**](http://www.betstories.com/2014/05/30/betting-system-inefficiency/).

Let’s now take a closer look at the two GitHub’s charts. First, Arsenal vs Leicester (FT: 2-1):

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/arsenal-leicester-betfair-odds-chart-1.png)

> The charts show the implied probability, thus, an ascending line means odds declining.

The dotted lines/arrows are mine. Notice how the preceding betting trend hinted the way to the game’s outcome, despite the ups and downs of actual play that began after kick-off time (12 PM).

The same pattern is evident for the home team in Manchester City vs Tottenham chart (FT: 1-2). Yes, draw odds were drifting a bit but in general, we should ignore the price action of the draw’s line unless it shortens quite a lot (think of 3.30 shortening to 2.50 or lower).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/manchester-city-tottenham-betfair-odds-chart.png)

Of course, those are merely two examples of countless football games that take place in a regular season. It doesn’t mean that every time you see odds declining, the team will win. Far from it. We are all estimating here. It eventually comes down to **who makes the best estimates**.

Now that we know for a fact (thank you Pinnacle) that closing odds are more efficient than opening odds, we need to be competent and quick enough to spot these downtrends. That is why **you will find me talking about dropping odds** in the articles I have published online since… the beginning of time!

I may not know which odds will drop before they begin shortening. But I will certainly help you find the ones that have started falling. Combined with basic chart analysis, I often answer the next important question:

> Will the declining odds shorten more before the kick-off time, or are they bottoming?

Because, if you bet on shortened odds that didn’t decline further, I’m afraid you just made the gaming operator richer.
### Replacing my 3-year-old Samsung Note II smartphone
URL: https://jimmakos.com/replace-samsung-note-ii/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:36:37.000Z
Is it too soon to be replacing my 3-year-old Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphone? Maybe, considering I have used about five or six mobile phones since the first one I got back in 1998 – a Motorola Startac.

Yes, that Startac!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/motorola_startac_.jpg)

Photo courtesy: [****Redfield-1982**](http://www.deviantart.com/art/Motorola-StarTAC-85-499042739)

I take extra care of the things I buy in an attempt for them to last longer. Since the beginning of the smartphone era when mobile software exploded, I find myself replacing stuff due to the outdated software rather than failing hardware. For instance, I replaced [my Sony Xperia smartphone](https://jimmakos.com/2010/07/my-new-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro/) when it was stuck at Android 2.2 version, despite I found that phone’s size very useful. I went with the Note II without doing much research and based my decision on a very good friend’s opinion. He had done his homework and he had got one for himself. So, why spend more time?

I got [my Note II](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/samsung-galaxy-note-2-sony-ericsson-mobile-phone/) for EUR 450 at Christmas time in 2012.

Now, I’m in the market for its replacement. It’s not that I need a smartphone running a newer Android version – and don’t get me into all this rooting-discussion. I need a less laggy phone nowadays. Having just one home page didn’t help.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/jim-makos-7644-new-phone-samsung-note-2-1.jpg)

The phone gets so laggy at times that it’s becoming too difficult at times to transfer photos from my camera or even answer a call! In fact, that happened twice where I was swiping to answer the call and the screen had frozen! That’s when I began convincing myself that I need to burn some cash on a new smartphone.

Sure, I can do a factory reset.

> I haven’t done a hard reset ever!

There, I said it. Perhaps it will make some lagginess go away. But then I’ll need to reinstall my favorite apps and reauthenticate accounts. Backup and restore you say? Well, maybe, but I’m scared that it would be a matter of time before all this lagginess returns.

In the end, I have almost decided to replace this great smartphone. It’d be a pity to leave this piece of equipment on less capable hands for that matter (my dad’s), but it’s time to move on.

For the past weeks I’ve sorted my shopping list down to these smartphones:

- Nexus 6P or 5X
- Sony Z5 or Z5 compact

I need an Android phone, because I’ve invested money on Google Play apps. I’d seriously consider a Windows 10 phone like the Lumia 950, if I could install [VSCO and its filters](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/vsco-film-emulation-software-for-photography/). But I cannot as they don’t support that OS, and as I have become so familiar with Android, I’m staying with Google. Besides, converting to an iPhone wasn’t an option either, as I don’t use Macs and I’ve heard of sync issues between PCs and iPhones.

I’ve also researched about:

- LG V10 and G4 previously
- Samsung S6 and Note 5

The LGs are no more an option since I got myself a [brand new Sony RX100 IV](https://flic.kr/s/aHskpLgd1T) to pair my Canon 70D with for my photography needs. Samsung, well… Don’t want another Samsung with their TouchWiz. Maybe Sony’s interface may become just as laggy, but at least, it’ll be a new experience for me. And obviously, running stock with the Nexuses should probably guarantee the best experience.

Currently, I’m leaning towards the Z5 compact which Santa Claus-Jim brought to my wife on New Year’s Eve.

The compact, yet powerful Sony is selling for EUR 400 in Greece, compared to $450 in US. That’s a fair price if you consider that the Nexus 5X is retailing at EUR 470 here while Americans pay $399 for the 32GB model! Great job, Europe.

So, do any of you out there own any of those phones? How do you find using one of those smartphones? Let me know in the comments below.
### The Greek stock market and the significance of the 500 points
URL: https://jimmakos.com/greek-stock-market-500-points/
Last updated: 2020-11-29T11:38:24.000Z
For the past two years, I’ve been advising against buying Greek stocks. Now that the General Index is close to 500 points, I can once again discuss investing in the Greek economy.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/greece-stocks-1.png)

Mind you that the support level CAN fail. It’s just that technical analysis implies there’s a bigger chance that it will hold. And if it does, we can only hope that GI will penetrate the resistance at 1,200.

I’ll monitor the daily chart for a reversal pattern, before pouring money into this.
### NFL: Super Bowl Moneyline Updates Before Championship Playoffs
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-super-bowl-championship-playoffs/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:38:07.000Z
An update on the NFL Super Bowl moneyline is in order, now that we know the four teams going into the Championship Playoffs. Previously, [we discussed why Seahawks and Packers would fail to advance from the Divisional playoffs](https://jimmakos.com/2016/01/nfl-super-bowl-50-picks/). While those predictions worked out pretty well, neither Steelers nor Chiefs made it through. Of course, those weren’t my bold NFL picks for the past weekend, yet they were two teams that I wouldn’t mind betting on in the previous round.

On the other hand, all favorites proved their backers correct, beating their opponents in their Divisional matchups. So, how have their betting odds moved since they came out victorious?

Given we are two games away from the Super Bowl 50, I’ll be examining the charts in relation to the upcoming matchups.

## Patriots vs Broncos

Patriots’ odds dropped from Friday’s 5.00 (+400) to about 3.25 (+225) on Sunday. Broncos’ odds to win the Super Bowl moved from 6.00 (+500) to 4.50 (+350) on average. That was an anticipated fall, you might say.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Patriots’ moneyline actually ASCENDED on Sunday, compared to Saturday’s (and not Friday’s) moneyline. Why’s that?

Patriots vs Chiefs matchup took place on Saturday, a day before Broncos beat Steelers. Several sportsbooks updated their moneyline on Saturday after the Patriots’ game but obviously, before the Broncos vs Steelers matchup. Although Bet365 and WilliamHill did not accept bets on the Super Bowl winner market while the games were still ongoing, that wasn’t the case for other bookmakers.

For instance, PaddyPower dropped Patriots’ odds to win Super Bowl to 2.88 (+188). Ladbrokes did so as well, although they placed Patriots’ moneyline a bit higher at 3.00 (+200). On Monday morning, PaddyPower increased the odds to 3.00 (+200) and Ladbrokes offered them at 3.25 (+225) before they brought them down to 3.00 (+200) again.

What do we make of this?

Maybe that handicappers would like Patriots to face Steelers in the Championship playoffs. Now that they face Broncos, they were either expecting that or are not that happy after all! And now, may I quote myself from [my latest article](http://www.sportsbookreview.com/nfl-football/free-picks/betting-super-bowl-50-part-2-odds-favorites-looking-reach-conference-finals-a-68603/): “\[About betting on Broncos\] I would be more willing to back them if I knew somehow they’d be facing Patriots in the next round, despite being a much stronger team than Chiefs\[…\]”.

I stand firm on that prediction, given the odds action we see today on Patriots. Broncos’ odds meanwhile are still trending strong, so why bet against that trend? My money is on Broncos.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/denver-broncos-super-bowl-50-odds-chart-championship-1.png)

But what about the Patriots? Do they warrant a bet now that the moneyline dropped to 3.00 (+200)? Again, I quote: “If I were you, I would not back Patriots at this point, I’ll rather wait for a new lower low to be printed. That means I wouldn’t bet unless they trade below 3.50 (+250) again.”

In absolute numbers, 3.00 is smaller than 3.50 but is it small enough to convince me to bet on New England? Some sportsbooks offer their Super Bowl win at 3.25 (+225) which is pretty close to that support level. Not to mention, that it isn’t the lowest low, is it?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/new-england-patriots-super-bowl-50-odds-chart-championship.png)

Thus, I’ll pass. Would the NFL odds have been at around 2.50 (+150) I would a hard time deciding my next move. Yet, under current circumstances and after the analysis above, I’d avoid betting on Patriots once again.

## Cardinals vs Panthers

I have already picked Cardinals to win Super Bowl 50 in [my last post](https://jimmakos.com/2016/01/nfl-super-bowl-50-picks-part-2/). So, to see them in the Championship playoffs wasn’t a surprise for anyone reading my articles. Cardinals’ odds moved from Friday’s 5.00 (+400) to around 4.00 (+300) on Saturday, following their win against Packers, but they have been drifting today (4.50) after it was known they’ll face Panthers up next – although that’s not so obvious in the chart available.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/arizona-cardinals-super-bowl-50-odds-chart-championship.png)

So, that reminds us of the Patriots’ story, doesn’t it?

But that was again expected. I wrote: “Seattle’s odds action isn’t that favorable, so in case they go through the Divisional stage and beat Panthers, Cardinals’ odds should continue to drop.” Since they (Seattle Seahawks) didn’t, handicappers favor Panthers more now, which led Cardinals’ odds to drift a bit.

Let’s get a look at Panthers’ odds chart now.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/carolina-panthers-super-bowl-50-odds-chart-championship.png)

Panthers are actually the big favorite for the February’s game! Their odds plummeted to 3.00 (+200) from Friday’s 5.00 (+400), recording the biggest drop in the weekend’s NFL moneylines among the four contenders! That also signals the resume of a very impressive downtrend that started back in October.

Therefore, we have two teams that are hugely preferred by sports punters competing against each other in the Championship playoffs. What do we make of this? That’s a tough one for sure. If you already bet on Cardinals, there’s no point in betting on Panthers now. You’d better back Broncos, in fact! Yet, if you have not yet risked money on this betting market, I’d pick Panthers over Cardinals due to the latter’s drifting odds. While that drift may be just a pullback before the downtrend resumes, the decline in the Panthers’ odds chart is more than convincing.
### NFL Super Bowl 50 Part 2: Four favorites but only one winner
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-super-bowl-50-picks-part-2/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:37:49.000Z
[In my last article](https://jimmakos.com/2016/01/nfl-super-bowl-50-picks/), we examined how NFL odds moved for the four underdogs still competing for the Super Bowl 50\. I picked Steelers as the most promising out of the four, although Chiefs’ declining odds also look tempting.

Today it’s time to talk about the odds movements of the four big favorites. We’ll start from the team that sits at the top of the table, the Patriots.

## New England Patriots

New England’s team is currently posing as the team with the biggest chance to win the fifth Super Bowl. That wasn’t the case preseason though when they were sitting at the third place. Cappers could bet on them at 10.0 (+900) in September, which does look huge now that they are trading at 5.00 (+400). Back then, the alarming uptrend steered me away from picking the former champions to repeat their triumph this February.

Now that their odds are facing south and gamblers are trusting them with their money, a strong momentum is building up.

However, flags are raised as the decline has not only slowed down but higher lows are being printed on the odds chart as well. Patriots traded at 2.90 before their odds climbed back to 5.00, bouncing off 3.50 midway. Bet365 also offered odds higher than 5.00 momentarily, which might be a sign of a further rise. Another scenario is the resume of the downtrend, as odds approach the opening ones at 6.50\. In that case, the support level will convert into resistance, forcing NFL odds to drop significantly quicker.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/new-england-patriots-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl.png)

If I were you, I would not back Patriots at this point, rather wait for a new lower low to be printed. That means I wouldn’t bet unless they trade below 3.50 again.

## Arizona Cardinals

Arizona is up against Packers in the Divisional matchups. Green Bay’s chances to win Super Bowl are very slim as we discussed yesterday, so I suppose Cardinals will advance to Championship. Then they will compete against either Seattle or Carolina. Again, as we saw in my previous article, Seattle’s odds action isn’t that favorable to them, so in case they go through the Divisional stage and beat Panthers, Cardinals’ odds should continue to drop. In addition, they’ll have a bigger chance to reach the Super Bowl, as Seahawks’ odds would struggle to decline further.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/arizona-cardinals-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl.png)

If you now combine all that with the very strong descend of Cardinals’ odds, it’s easy to realize why I’m picking Arizona to win Super Bowl 50.

## Carolina Panthers

Panthers’ odds also present a strong downtrend, yet that decline seems to have paused since December! Usually, that kind of slowing down is necessary if a strong trend is set to reverse itself. Thus, I wouldn’t be surprised if 5.50 (+450) is the lowest price sportsbooks will ever offer for Carolina. Even if they get away from Seahawks and Cardinals beat Packers as predicted above, they’ll still be considered underdogs in their Championship matchup most probably. The only time odds might break below 5.00 (+400) is if Packers score a surprise win this weekend!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/carolina-panthers-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl.png)

So, there’s an option sometimes cappers neglect and that is the “no bet”. I wouldn’t bet against nor in favor of Panthers at this time of writing. Surely backers have trusted Carolina’s team, but lately, that momentum is obviously lost.

## Denver Broncos

That’s a tough one. Broncos’ odds are declining as well, but at the same time, Steelers’ odds printed a breakout as I’ve already discussed. Two downtrends are competing against each other and we know that only one will prevail. They both look strong, maybe Denver’s a bit more so I’ll go with them. I’m not including them in my strong NFL picks, but it’s a chart that I would otherwise trust blindly.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/denver-broncos-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl.png)

I would be more willing to back if I knew somehow they’d be facing Patriots in the next round, despite being a much stronger team than Chiefs, and that’s due to the Kansas City’s dropping odds. I’ll have to wait for the weekend’s results before making up my mind for Denver, though.
### NFL: Which of the remaining 8 teams stand a chance for the Super Bowl 50? (Part 1)
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-super-bowl-50-picks/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:37:22.000Z
Eight teams have left competing for the 50th Super bowl. Among them, there are three out of the four teams we discussed of their odds action in NFL betting markets [back in September](https://jimmakos.com/2015/09/nfl-2015-betting-odds-preseason/). While that isn’t a shocker, given they were the big three favorites at the time, the missing one was, in fact, my pick and a long shot: Indianapolis Colts.

With them out of the way and the Super Bowl being only 4 weeks away, let’s take a closer look at how NFL odds moved this season for the eight contenders.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/2016_NFL_Playoffs_Bracket_Schedule_Divisional_Round_Big.png)

## Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks are no more topping the odds table at popular online sportsbooks. They are sitting at fifth place, although their odds are at similar levels with the top ones. Actually, the first five favorites are trading between 5 and 6.50, so it’s a close call who is the absolute favorite right before the Divisional games.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/seattle-seahawks-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl-2.png)

Seattle doesn’t seem to be the one, especially when their odds drifted to 15.0 mid-season! They have now gone back down and someone who bet on them five months ago would think nothing has changed. However, this mountain that was printed on the odds chart for the Seattle team makes me think that their odds are pretty slim at this point to win the Super Bowl. I expect their odds to resume drifting and given the knockout nature of the upcoming games, it will mean elimination for Seahawks.

## Green Bay Packers

Packers used to comes second in the cappers’ preference in the season’s start but that are now second from the bottom, right above Steelers. Their chances improved during the autumn, proven by the decline in the following chart.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/green-bay-packers-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl-3.png)

Starting November though, people began betting against them or in favor of other teams, leading their odds to drift and eventually print new highs. Although they are now trading below their all-time high (25.0), I cant’ see how this uptrend is going to reverse.

## Long shots

As we’ve started backward, let’s get the long shots out of the way before we move on to the big four favorites. Steelers’ win pays out a hefty 20.0 for anyone willing to take such a risk. And I myself may be one of those risk-takers and include Steelers in my NFL picks, noticing the breakout of the support at 20.0 at several bookmakers. They’ll need to beat Denver to keep the trend going and finally overcoming the winner of the Chiefs – Patriots Divisional matchup to really make something out of this bet. Yet, the rewarding odds perhaps justify the risk. Besides, isn’t profitable betting about estimating risk/reward ratio as correctly as possible?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/pittsburgh-steelers-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl.png)

Kansas’ odds, on the other hand, have come a long way. Right before the season, Chiefs’ payout was a whopping 50.0\. They went even higher in late October when sportsbooks priced them as high as 500.0! I can only imagine what it feels like having backed them so high and seeing them trade currently at 12.0! It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Kansas team and maybe, just maybe this downtrend lasts till the end, fueled by their favorable results and, of course, backers’ money. As they are now facing the top favorite, Patriots, I think whatever happens next in their odds chart will be the immediate effect of that matchup. Thus, I’d rather watch how odds move in that matchup before the weekend, which we’ll be discussing on Friday or Saturday morning at the latest.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-odds-chart-super-bowl-1.png)

As this post is becoming quite long, I’ll be taking a pause here and will come back tomorrow with the odds action for the four favorite teams to win the Super Bowl 50.
### REINVENTING myself
URL: https://jimmakos.com/reinventing/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:17:06.000Z
You probably heard of me when you looked for advice in advantage gambling. I’m better known for betting on sports, playing poker, trading stocks or forex and in general anything related to gambling and investing. Or, should I say, Ι used to be? Recently I have shifted my focus towards more creative hobbies, like photography and have almost let go of my risk-money-to-make-money career.

Have I really thrown all that away?

How easy is it to change course in your life? How can you let go of your past and look into your future more optimistically? Why is it so frightening to reinvent yourself?

Everyone makes decisions in their life. Tough decisions. It wasn’t easy for me to decide to drop out studying Chemical Engineering. I was set to become an engineer. A respectable and quite rewarding profession.

Yet, I chose otherwise, despite I had studied it for 4 years.

Why did I do that? Plain and simple, because I didn’t like it.

The more you don’t like what you do, the easier it is to quit.

So, I decided I wasn’t to become an engineer, after all. Instead, I was going to become an advantage gambler, starting by counting cards at blackjack.

I reinvented myself.

I took an enormous risk. In fact, I already knew how to beat the casinos and had already done so, before I quit my studies. I was already making money by gambling.

Still, it was a huge risk.

And let us forget about gambling at this point. The risk I am talking about here isn’t due to the path I chose myself.

Reinventing yourself is about taking risks. You are leaving behind a cosy place. People know you for what you’ve become. Most often, it pays your bills as well. You have settled down. It’s difficult to risk it all.

But you don’t have to go overboard with the risk. Before taking the plunge, do your research. Find out if whatever you are willing to turn into, can sustain your lifestyle.

Can you live off your dream job? Do others make a living out of it? What’s your edge against the competition?

We all dream of laying down in a sandy beach, drinking cocktails and enjoying the sun. But somehow, we also need to afford that kind of living.

So, you are ready to reinvent yourself. You no more like what you’ve become of, even hate yourself for that. You know, and that’s very important… YOU KNOW what path you want to follow in the pursuit of happiness and you have confirmed that you can make a living by doing what you love.

Now comes the hard part. It’s the actual reinventing.

The real deal.

But wait. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Have a backup plan. Don’t hurry up!

While I am in the process of reinventing myself nowadays, I don’t start from scratch. I never have, whenever I reinvented myself. When I was kicked out of casinos and became a sports trader, I still hadn’t crossed the point-of-no-return in my studies. I could return to university, should things turn sour. By the time I could no longer make it pay in sports trading, I had already learnt how to play online poker profitably. In the meantime, I was getting familiar with financial terms and stock trading strategies, which came in handy when I tried to go down that path. And while that reinvention of mine didn’t work out as planned, I had another business paying my bills: running blogs and developing websites.

Always prepare before reinventing yourself. Reinventing yourself without some sort of side income is truly hard. Stress will kick in. Stress is never a friendly advisor.

Before reinventing yourself, make sure you have enough money in the bank – preferably a yearly salary – or you have at least another stream of income. No matter how small that side income is, it’s a valuable, cash inflow. And until you stand on your feet in your new career, that money will keep you sane.

Also, if you have the option, give your new hobby a try in your free time. Take some days off your work and spend them on what you love. Is it indeed what you love? Will you still love that if you are doing it full time? Just, don’t quit your job yet, before being absolutely sure of your choice.

I am reinventing myself as we speak. I no longer search for mispriced betting odds, no longer keep track of economic reports and finance, no longer need to stay awake in the night to play poker tournaments or hunt down amateurs in online poker rooms. It’s been ages since I counted cards at blackjack tables.

I’ve done all that. I want to try something else. I want to create content. I want to be creative, as I discussed in my last video. And I can combine creativity with my field of expertise. I am reinventing myself.

Again.

*Some random and a couple… non-random shots in the video were taken during the past few days, mostly testing the new Sony camera.*
### Champions League: How odds moved before the Knockout phase
URL: https://jimmakos.com/champions-league-knockout-phase/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:32:54.000Z
Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid continue to top the Champions League online betting markets as expected. With 16 teams left into the European Cup, I examine how cappers bet during the group stage and I predict how odds will likely move during the final phases, based on their respective charts.

## Champions League predictions recap

[Back in October](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/champions-league-winner-betting-chart-analysis/), I pointed out Bayern’s strong decline. The German team looked unstoppable, while Spanish teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, watched their odds fluctuate inside well-defined ranges. Meanwhile, English teams were struggling to keep bettors risking their money on them. Chelsea and Machester United saw their odds drift enormously and Manchester City’s odds were the only ones that looked somewhat promising. The shortening odds of Paris St-Germain were worth a mention in that post for bettors targeting longshots.

Fast forward to [November’s update](https://jimmakos.com/2015/11/champions-league-odds-arsenal-olympiakos/)[,](http://www.sportsbookreview.com/soccer/free-picks/soccer-picks-arsenal-olympiakos-going-opposite-directions-ucl-a-66107/) Paris St-Germain were still holding strong despite the decline’s pause in their odds chart. Things did worsen for UK soccer teams as Arsenal joined the rest in the skyrocketing odds phenomenon. Again, the only British team that seemed to avoid the turmoil was Manchester City. Bayern continued to prevail as Real and Barcelona’s odds charts were uneventful and I added Olympiakos and Porto’s charts in my watchlist. Both outsiders were performing well at that time, alerting some bettors who risked on really high odds (Olympiakos was trading at as high as 1000!).

So, how are things looking up for the Champions League contenders?

## The top three: Bayern, Real, Barcelona – not necessarily in that order

Bayern’s chart continues to look promising for anyone interested to back them. The only alarming signal is that brief spike above 4.00 at the chart’s far right. Surely, the decline is seemingly paused. That spike might be an indication of a reversal. Yet, unless we see a price printing above that spike, I’m betting on a downtrend’s resume.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/champions-league-betting-odds-bayern-real-barcelona-1.png)

At last, something is happening in Spanish teams’ odds. Backers have apparently taken control of the market regarding Barcelona’s chances to win the Cup, as odds finally fell below 4.00\. A likely scenario is the odds retracing back to 4.00 before continuing their downfall. I wouldn’t object to back them now either, as their odds will probably shorten.

The exact opposite scenario would likely take place for Real Madrid’s odds. As the resistance level at 7.00 failed, layers have pushed the odds up to 8.00 before they reverted back to 7.00\. My money is on a further climb of the drifting odds, which would further diminish Real’s chances to win Champions League this year.

## The Englishmen: The final act of Chelsea and Arsenal?

Manchester City remains the only team from the UK that seems to stand a chance, as their odds behavior continues showing positive signs. Although we can’t talk of a decline here, I can’t speak of drifting odds either, which is a good thing.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/champions-league-betting-odds-chelsea-arsenal-manchester-city.png)

Chelsea managed to proceed to the next round somehow, despite the grim odds. Still, cappers didn’t rush into backing the English team. In fact, odds failed to drop below the support level at 20.0\. I suppose Chelsea remains a great option if you are looking to bet against a team, especially under these circumstances and given they are trading close to the support level. The brief support penetration wouldn’t deter me from laying Chelsea.

And then, there’s Arsenal. Oh, that odds chart. So much money went back and forth in the last few months. I can only imagine the psychological stress of backers watching their investment go south, and then being reinvigorated as they managed it through the knock-out stage. They are now up against Barcelona, so as expected, odds have resumed drifting, after the spectacular dive from 90.0! Notice that the decline stopped at a previous strong, support level. That was a really great spot to place a lay bet.

## Outsiders: Atletico Madrid or PSV?

Recently, Paris’ odds drifted from 12.50 to 17.50, putting a stop on the aforementioned decline. As the trendline is penetrated, I have no reason to believe they are shortening any time soon.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/champions-league-betting-odds-paris-atletico-psv.png)

Atletico Madrid on the other hand, have pushed themselves between Manchester and Paris, making them the No. 5 favorite out of nowhere. I can see their odds shortening to 10.00 but they need to perform exceptionally well in the later rounds if we want to see single-digit odds for the Spaniards. Personally, I’d prefer backing PSV at this point, given the ground their odds will cover following a positive result against Atletico.
### NFL Picks: Betting on declining odds of Browns, Redskins and Bucs
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-picks-betting-on-declining-odds/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:39:13.000Z
Lots of declining NFL odds grabbed our attention this weekend. While a decline is the best proof of how the crowd – and possibly sharp bettors – is reacting to sportsbooks offerings, it shouldn’t be the only criterion we should take into account when deciding where to bet. Yet, knowing how the moneyline moved over the past few days will help us make an educated selection when the time comes to risk our hard-earned money. The question is which of those declines we should trust and I am here to help.

## Redskins vs Eagles

The home team’s odds are drifting on a steady pace since the first day this market became available. Eagles’ odds have climbed from 1.60 to around 1.70, indicating that cappers preferred the higher odds of Redskins. The visitors began trading at about 2.50 but don’t expect to back them any higher than 2.35 at this moment. In fact, you’ll be lucky enough if you grab 2.30.

The betting trend in Philadelphia’s game is apparent across all sportsbooks, as shown in the chart below.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/redskins-eagles-nfl-betting-odds-chart-1.png)

## Bears vs Buccaneers

The exact opposite trend is evident in the next NFL game. Bettors show a tendency to overbet the home team in the Bears vs Buccaneers as demonstrated by the home odds’ decline. Skybet and Coral were quick to serve this market, yet cappers were even quicker and got the rewarding odds of 1.70\. In a matter of hours, bookmakers offered the Buccaneers’ win at 1.65 and odds went south on Saturday when the lowest price was recorded at 1.53.

Unsurprisingly, Chicago’s odds are on a strong uptrend, starting from 2.20 and climbing all the way up to 2.60 at this time of writing. I doubt this trend will reverse by the time the game kicks off, so I would snatch the highest available odds to back Buccaneers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/bears-buccaneers-nfl-betting-odds-chart-1.png)

## Browns vs Chiefs

Are you looking for a longshot this weekend? NFL odds for the Browns’ win are heading south since December 22\. The drop from 7.00 to 5.00 is certainly worth mentioning, if not enough to convince me to bet on an upset by the Cleveland team. Again, odds action is similar to all sportsbooks, although the difference from the maximum and minimum available odds fluctuate a bit. Notice for example, how the spread narrowed on December 24 and substantially increased on Saturday. Usually, this is the result of significant movements, as bookmakers try to balance their books while bettors are on a hunt for the best odds as news make it to the headlines.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/browns-chiefs-nfl-betting-odds-chart-1.png)

## Colts vs Dolphins

The next decline might not be that spectacular, however, cappers should not ignore it. Dolphins’ odds dropped from 1.80 to 1.70 on the first day the market opened. Simply put, bookmakers expected 55% of their customers to be backing Miami, yet more than that placed their money on Dolphins. Since Christmas day, it seems that 60% are betting on the home team and 40% on Colts, keeping the market calm and odds unmoved.

If the trend resumes, which isn’t unlikely, sportsbooks will be forced once again to lower their home odds. Of course, depending on the news, a reversal is not out of the question. Yet, most often than not, the initial trend picks up speed at some point, as more people are betting close to the game’s starting time.

![colts-dolphins-nfl-betting-odds-chart](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/colts-dolphins-nfl-betting-odds-chart.png)

## Steelers vs Ravens

Another underdog that shows an odds decline is Baltimore Ravens against Steelers. Although the odds remain unchanged, similar to the price action I just described in the Miami game, sportsbooks definitely estimated the market wrong when they put up odds of 6.00 on Ravens. Cappers bet heavily on December 22 and brought those odds down to 4.50, where they seem to have balanced out. Marathonbet offers the highest odds now for anyone wanting to back Baltimore and hope for a big reward.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/steelers-ravens-nfl-betting-odds-chart.png)

Among those five games, I’d rather include declining odds that are shorter than 2.00 or at least 3.00 in my NFL picks. By doing so, my bankroll will experience less variance instead of waiting for a couple of miracle wins to get back on my feet, suffering consecutive losses in the meantime. Having said that, short odds don’t necessarily guarantee a sure win,[as we witnessed on Christmas NBA games](https://jimmakos.com/2015/12/nba-picks-christmas/).
### NBA Picks: Can underdogs score a surprise win on Christmas day?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nba-picks-christmas/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T11:44:34.000Z
Five NBA games take place on Christmas day, but only two are worth mentioning regarding the betting trends. We had to wait until Friday to spot any notable movement of NBA odds, but hopefully, they will be enough.

## Chicago Bulls v Oklahoma City Thunder: A noteworthy betting trend

The betting trend that stands out on Christmas’ NBA games is undoubtedly the declining odds of Oklahoma City Thunder. Paddy Power were the first to accept bets at 1.29 for the home win. Bwin followed with notably lower odds (1.26) and on Thursday the remaining sportsbooks allowed betting on this game. Some imitated Paddy Power’s moneyline, but they all were forced to decrease their home odds in the evening down to 1.20! At this time, Marathonbet offers the highest odds available at 1.24.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/bulls-thunder-NBA-odds-chart-2.png)

Bulls’ odds chart is expectedly the exact opposite, showing a steady climb to almost 5.00, starting all the way down from 4.00\. With no signs of deceleration, Oklahoma is looking very strong going into the game and I would include them in my NBA picks, despite their short odds.

## LA Clippers v Lakers: Can Lakers actually win?

Some cappers seem to believe that Lakers can come out with a surprise win tonight against Clippers. That’s how we interpret Lakers’ dropping average odds from 10.0 to 7.50\. Marathonbet quickly retracted their generous odds of 12.0 (the highest you could back Lakers at any time) when they opened up for business and lowered it to 10.5 almost immediately. Now, they are still the sportsbook that offers the best return on your buck at 8.30, while the competition pays between 7 to 7.50 times your money on a Lakers’ win.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/la-clippers-lakers-NBA-odds-chart-1.png)

Clippers’ odds are slowly ascending, given they are too short and any movement is much more significant than a longshot. For instance, an odds climb from 1.10 to 1.12 is more important than a drop from 10.0 to 9.50\. Think of probability percentages and you’ll quickly understand why that is.

Not a lot is happening at the other 3 NBA games taking place on Friday. Betting odds seem stalled and with no betting trends developing on Friday morning, you need to keep an eye for a last-minute upset in the markets and act quickly. Just remember that trend is your friend.
### How Odds Moved for the Republican Nominees following GOP Debate
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-odds-moved-gop-debate/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:38:19.000Z
Who won and who lost in Tuesday’s GOP debate? Politically speaking, I am sure you will find all kind of answers in popular news media. Betting-wise though, there is no doubt that the debate turned out beneficial for Cruz, and Christie. Their odds are the only ones that shortened the last couple of days. And if handicappers’ money isn’t an unquestionable criterion, I don’t know what is.

## The loser(s)

Starting backwards, it’s easy to spot the most important odds movement currently happening at political betting markets for the tea party. It’s easy because it concerns the favorite.

Rubio’s odds are drifting at every sportsbook online. Before the debate, bookmakers offered his win at around 2.30 on average. Today they all pushed that to at least 2.50, Ladbrokes being the most generous ones to be paying 2.75 on your money. The drift can also be seen at Betfair’s chart (left).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/rubio-betting-odds-after-gop-debate-1.png)

Another candidate that his win has a bigger reward for cappers than before the debate is Jeb Bush. Only in Bush’s case, the drift isn’t that impressive, given most sportsbooks had already been pricing his win higher even before Tuesday night. The bookmakers that had failed to spot the trend developing, have now aligned their moneyline to the competition. Current average odds for Bush to win the nomination are found at 10.0\. Ladbrokes, WilliamHill and PaddyPower to name a few offer the highest odds at this time; 11.0.

Still, given the price action at the Betfair chart (left), I wouldn’t rule out a surprising decline in the future. As the support level (green line) has failed, maybe there’s a small chance Bush’s odds to shorten the next few weeks.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/bush-betting-odds-after-gop-debate-1.png)

## The winners

Chris Christie’s betting odds are dropping. BoyleSports reduced them from 15.0 to 13.0\. The same happened at ToteSport and BetFred. Betfair Sportsbook was offering Christie’s win at 19.00 and had to bring that down to 13.0 as well. Bwin took that lower to 12.0, while PaddyPower plays it safe at 11.0\. 888sport and 32Red’s traders, on the other hand, weren’t keeping up apparently, as their moneyline on Christie was at 34.0 last week, the highest odds by a mile! I am sure sharp bettors taught them a lesson and snatched those odds before they reduced them to 15.0\. At this time, the highest odds for Christie’s nomination are found at Coral.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/christie-betting-odds-after-gop-debate-1.png)

In the meantime, Cruz’s betting odds are also shortening. Yet, his odds were already building downward momentum long before the debate. The debate seems to have helped the decline accelerate. For instance, average odds in December’s beginning were at 7.00, ten days into December they had already fallen to 6.00 and right before the debate they went even lower to 5.00\. Nowadays, you’ll have trouble finding any odds over 4.00!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/cruz-betting-odds-after-gop-debate.png)

Cruz is seriously challenging Rubio for the top place at this betting market of US Presidential election 2016, although you will still find Trump in-between. His odds didn’t move that much since the debate. You can bet on Trump and get 3.75 on your money tops.

But here’s where it gets more interesting.

Trump is actually in third place at Betfair’s exchange where his odds trade at 4.80! Cruz is currently the second favorite in the most reliable betting exchange while all other sportsbooks place him third. Who’s wrong, Betfair traders or traditional bookmakers? I vote for the latter.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/republicans-betting-odds-after-gop-debate.png)

## Winning party

Finally, did the debate harm the Republican party’s chance to win the election? You can bet it did just a bit.

Odds of Republicans winning the Presidential race drifted 0.10 points worldwide since Tuesday. Any bookmaker that had them priced at 2.10, is now offering 2.20 for the Republican win. BetVictor and StanJames offer 0.05 more, yet the price action doesn’t suggest a mind-blowing shift in momentum. Odds are still trading inside that well-defined channel, quietly moving sideways. Until handicappers push odds beyond either band, we will have to wait.
### US Election betting odds disagree with polls before debate
URL: https://jimmakos.com/us-election-betting-odds-debate/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T11:44:54.000Z
As the Republican presidential debate will take place on Tuesday night, we take a closer look at the betting markets and Republican candidates’ odds. What’s interesting is that handicappers disagree with the poll results that were released recently. Don’t forget that political betting is quite popular among gamblers who are willing to put their money where their mouth is.

## The Top Three Nominees

Everywhere you look, every website you visit, you will run into one name; Trump. The media attention that the real estate mogul and businessman enjoys is so huge, that someone might think he is the only Republican candidate. Not only is he competing head to head with other nominees, but he is actually one of the underdogs in online betting markets – admittedly not far off the top spots.

So, let’s start with the market’s favorite, Marco Rubio, posing as ‘the alternative to Trump’ according to the news reports!

## Marco Rubio betting odds

The odds action presented on the left chart clearly shows the momentum that gradually built up since the odds were trading at 12.50, that eventually pushed odds down to 2.50! Granted, the odds chart may look a bit confusing to the novice handicapper. So, derived straight from the actual betting odds, the implied chance percentage is drawn in the chart on the right by the betting exchange itself (Betfair).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/republican-presidential-nomination-marco-rubio-odds-chart.png)

The betting markets, ‘aka’ the gamblers worldwide, implied a 10% win probability for Rubio at one point. Since then, they began betting heavily on Rubio, rocketing his odds to the whopping 40%, making him the undisputed favorite for the Republican race right before the debate.

Next up, no, it’s not Trump. Surprise surprise, Ted Cruz!

## Ted Cruz betting odds

Cruz’s odds are following a similar pattern, plunging from 30-ish odds to 4.50! His name appears currently at second place at the Republican Nominee winner market of online sportsbooks.

While that may not sound too impressive, just look at the chart on the right. After hitting a low at almost 1%, the implied chance of Cruz beating other Republican candidates comes down to 23% on Tuesday morning! Simply put, cappers believe he stands 1 in 4 chance to run for the Republican party.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/republican-presidential-nomination-ted-cruz-odds-chart.png)

And then, <drum roll> there’s Trump!

## Donald Trump betting odds

Apparently, the odds chart (left) is pretty much, useless; pointless to make any sort of analysis. As some risk-seeking cappers placed their bets at odds as high as 300 (!), that made any subsequent odds’ decline look tiny. Thus, again we’ll be checking the chart of implied chance (right).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/republican-presidential-nomination-ted-cruz-odds-chart-2.png)

Trump’s chance is climbing, similar to previous charts. Market’s estimate for Trump to win is about 20% before the GOP debate, way below the poll results that place him on top. While the trend is also upwards, Trump is nowhere near the favorite the polls suggest, according to the betting markets. And let me repeat, that the odds charts are drawn as a consequence of thousands of people risking their hard-earned money on sportsbooks. Compared to the free-cost of a poll’s interview, I consider political betting markets much more efficient than polls.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/republican-presidential-nomination-poll-results-1.png)

Given the free nature of the gambling markets, news and important events tend to affect them big time. Tonight’s debate is such an event that can easily shift cappers’ tendencies and bring new players into the game. With the increased flux of cash expected into the markets during and after the debate, we anticipate odds to move over the next hours. Depending on how Trump, Cruz, Rubio and other nominees manage the debate, we might actually witness an even bigger unrest to the US Presidential election betting markets.

Just for reference, here’s Jeb Bush betting odds chart.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/republican-presidential-nomination-jeb-bush-odds-chart.png)

We’ll be discussing the aftermath that the debate will have on the betting markets on Wednesday.
### NFL Picks Review: Rams’ odds rocket as Lions’ plummet
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-picks-review-rams-odds-rocket/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:39:29.000Z
On Tuesday’s post I explained how we can take advantage of [predictions made by Bing’s team](https://jimmakos.com/2015/12/nfl-picks-with-bing-predictions/). In short, bing’s estimates may reveal future declines.

As the weekend’s NFL games are closing in, it’s time to take a quick look at the odds’ behavior. Did we successfully foresee shortening and drifting odds with our last NFL picks? Can bing predictions really predict betting trends and spot sportsbooks’ mistakes?

## The case of Lions v Rams odds

I will start with the most notable, favorable odds movement. Three days ago, you could back Detroit Lions at 2.05, while bing predicted fair odds at 1.92.

We expected some sort of a decline. Yet, we got something more; a plunge!

At this time of writing, the highest available odds available are found at BetBright; a measly 1.75\. Most sportsbooks offer Detroit’s win at 1.67.

Here is the odds chart to make things clearer.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/lions-rams-nfl-odds-chart-1.png)

If you were quick enough to snatch odds over 2.00 on Lions I know you are now smiling. If you didn’t, you might want to bet that the downward trend will keep going till Sunday. You may be risking backing at very short odds, though, compared to opening lines and fair value.

No, you still haven’t won your bet. Yet, by constantly backing teams at 30% better odds, I believe you stand a better chance of becoming a profitable handicapper.

## How NFL Week 14 moneylines moved

The rest of the promising declines didn’t perform that well. In fact, some markets reacted in the exact opposite direction, such as in Bills vs Eagles game. Buffalo’s odds drifted from 1.95 to 2.00, despite bing predicting 1.82 fair odds.

Saints’ odds moved just slightly and Raiders’ didn’t move at all (4.00). Notice that bing estimates 30% win probability for the Oakland team, hence we still expect some kind of drop from those enormous odds.

Still, one can observe a pattern developing. Although the NFL odds didn’t move that much towards bing’s estimates, they did move towards that side, except Bills’ and Steelers’. Surely, the moves aren’t that encouraging, when we see odds shortening from 1.62 to 1.59 (Patriots vs Texans), from 3.95 to 3.90 (Titans vs Jets) and drifting from 2.06 to 2.10 (49ers vs Browns).

I’m sure though you’d rather have backed Giants at 2.00 on two days ago than at current 1.90 (bing: 1.92) against Dolphins.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/dolphins-giants-nfl-odds-chart.png)

I figure sharp bettors have already taken the value out of that game, setting off on Tuesday. Are you one of them?
### NFL picks: Preparing for Week 14 games with bing Predictions
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-picks-with-bing-predictions/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:38:38.000Z
On December 8, Washington was hosting Dallas. Bing, the Google’s rival search engine by Microsoft, has a subdivision focused on making predictions for several sports and events. According to bing Predictions, Redskins had 53% chance to win the game.

Experienced handicappers know that the win probability is useless without comparing it with available odds. So here’s [what happened on Monday](https://jimmakos.com/2015/12/bing-predicts-nfl-dallas-washington/) as a prologue to get you familiar with my way of thinking.

4 hours before the game took place, cappers could bet at as high as 2.60 (+160) on Dallas win.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/nfl-odds-dallas-cowboys-washington-redskins-sportsbooks.png)

Bing at the same time, concurred with the betting markets, showing Washington as the favorite. Yet, Washington’s short odds meant the home win wasn’t a value bet. On the other hand, the 47% winning chance that bing estimated for Dallas, did create a fruitful opportunity for bettors.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/nfl-bing-predictions-dallas-washington.png)

Assuming that bing correctly estimated the true probability of Dallas beating Washington, any odds above 2.13 should be snatched by cappers. Now, notice what was happening at online betting markets four hours before the game.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/dallas-cowboys-shortening-odds-oddschecker.png)

**People were betting heavily on Dallas**, despite being the underdog. Cowboys went for the win eventually, proving the handicappers correct to have taken advantage of the generous odds.

## Week 14 NFL picks

We are still three days before Minnesota vs Arizona game sets off Week 14 NFL schedule. Yet, we might be able to grab some out-of-market odds already, given bing Predictions are already known to the public.

Let me explain what you are seeing in the following table.

Next to each team and inside parentheses we are presented with the highest odds available at the time of writing. So, as an example, we can bet today on Buffalo Bills at 1.95 (-105) or on Philadelphia Eagles at 2.00.

In the adjacent column, I have inserted the supposedly fair odds calculated by bing Predictions. For example, given bing predicts a 55% chance for Buffalo to beat Philadelphia, that corresponds to 1.82 (-122) odds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/bing-predictions-odds-comparison.png)

I have pointed out the biggest differences between current odds offered by sportsbooks and bing’s odds. Obviously, we are looking for available odds being larger than bing’s.

So, I’d be looking to bet on Minnesota, Buffalo, Detroit, New Orleans and Oakland that soon. More risk-seeking cappers would be tempted to also bet on San Diego, Tennessee and New York.

More conclusions from this analysis can be extracted, such as sportsbooks pricing home teams a lot lower than the expected, fair value of odds as estimated by bing. In addition, it’s remarkable how close bing Predictions and sportsbooks estimates are at some occassions!

May I remind you that sportsbooks are more interested in estimating accurately how the crowd is going to bet. Thus, even odds mean that they expect about half of the cappers would bet on that selection. As long as they are correct and people bet according to those ratios, bookmakers are making money no matter the results.

What should we expect till the weekend? Well, if betting dynamics reacts similar to the way it reacted to Monday’s game, we will likely witness a drop of the aforementioned odds. Imagine this scenario: you bet on Oakland (4.00) and Raiders’ odds plummet to 3.40 on Sunday! Wouldn’t that mean you bet correctly? At least, you know you got a better price than Sunday cappers!

We’ll be taking another look at the odds and their charts during the weekend, to check out how these early NFL picks perform. Who knows, maybe more odds move away from bing estimates, thus creating more value betting opportunities!
### Can "Bing Predicts" predict odds movements and value bets?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bing-predicts-nfl-dallas-washington/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:40:37.000Z
I don’t remember when I first stumbled upon Bing Predicts for the first time. It must have been a long time ago since I have forgotten all about it. I just came across it again today, so I thought to spend a couple of minutes more this time.

Lately, I have been writing a lot about US sports. The sport that gets most of my attention these days is NFL.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/nfl-bing-predictions-dallas-washington-1.png)

Today Washington Redskins are hosting Dallas Cowboys. The game is set to begin in about 4 hours. Bing predicts a 53% chance for the Washington team to win the game. That, of course, means a 47% win probability for the Cowboys.

In a fair betting market, where there is no vig paid to the sportsbook, those numbers translate into 1.887-2.128 in decimal odds.

Now, let’s see the actual betting markets around the world, courtesy of OddsChecker.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/nfl-odds-dallas-cowboys-washington-redskins-sportsbooks-1.png)

We notice that Cowboys are indeed the underdog tonight. Yet, their current odds are substantially higher than Bing’s estimates. Thus, theoretically there is value betting on Cowboys.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/dallas-cowboys-shortening-odds-oddschecker-1.png)

Here’s where it gets interesting. Cowboys’ odds have been shortening the last few hours. Check the following chart, again by OddsChecker.

Will it drop to 2.12 or lower? That’s not the question to be asking ourselves. What matters is whether Bing Predicts can actually prove correct in their estimates in the long run. And if they do, make sure you grab that 2.60 at Betway while it lasts!
### MLS Cup Picks: Punters don’t expect a Portland’s win
URL: https://jimmakos.com/mls-cup-final-picks-columbus-portland/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:40:48.000Z
A couple of hours before the Major League Soccer’s grand finale, bettors seem to be trusting their money on the Columbus team. At least that’s how we can interpret the slightly drifting odds of Portland. The question is, has smart money been betting on Columbus, or do sharp bettors wait till the last minute to snatch those lucrative betting odds on Timbers?

## Columbus / Portland odds charts

Without further ado, here are the two charts that tell the story this far.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/columbus-portland-mls-cup-picks-odds-chart-2.png)

We notice that the host’s odds have been shortened a little. Admittedly the drop isn’t that apparent, so let’s say they haven’t drifted at all. For example, when SkyBet offered the Columbus win at 2.25 (+125) on Friday, that out-of-line offer didn’t last long. The market immediately took advantage of the higher odds and the sportsbook had to revert back to 2.10.

And by market, of course, we mean the punters who are creating supply and demand, moving the money lines as a consequence.

Meanwhile, bookmakers try to lure more bettors on the away win. Portland’s win is priced as high as 3.75 (BetVictor) at the time of writing, having drifted from the lowest price of 3.10 (PaddyPower) since December 1st.

Some sportsbooks are keeping their line unchanged, but most have been moving it during the weekend. The general trend is facing upwards and sooner or later that may affect Columbus’ line as well. It would be really interesting if the final odds for Columbus Crew drop below 2.00 (+100).

## Verdict

What do we make of all this? Well, if we are following the trend and estimate the hosts’ win at more than 50%, we should bet on the Columbus win. On the contrary, if we believe the sportsbooks’ opening lines were correct and the crowd is wrong, back Portland as high as possible.

The choice is yours to make. Just remember there is only one correct choice here!
### Studying the odds behavior for my next NBA picks this weekend
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nba-picks-odds-behavior/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:41:08.000Z
Oh boy, I am so good at this. NBA odds have moved exactly how I expected since **[my last report](https://jimmakos.com/2015/11/nba-picks-declines-and-fake-moves/)** on the NBA betting markets. And it was not because I studied teams’ stats and three-point percentages. It was merely due to simple, quick and do-it-yourself betting chart analysis.

No, this is not a bragging post.

This is about the payoff you get when you do your homework and have an actual betting plan. This is about how relaxed you feel when your betting decisions aren’t made in random.

Of course, I could be wrong as I often am in so many other situations and markets. From time to time, though, we grab the bull’s horns and ride.

“Cut your losses and let winners run”, is a popular quote from finance. And it’s pretty much the case for my recent NBA picks. Who would have known, right?

Do I sound a bit overwhelmed and arrogant? Perhaps there is a reason.

## Quick review of my predictions for the NBA Championship winner

So, before I discuss the odds behavior of NBA games scheduled for the upcoming weekend, let’s see briefly how my picks for the NBA 2015/16 winner perform till now.

Starting with the declining odds, I had pointed out Warriors, Hawks and Raptors’ charts. I made clear that we should trust Golden State, “given the increased credibility due to the betting volume”. Back then Warriors’ odds were trading for 5.00 (+400 US odds). They are now down to 2.80 (+180 US odds) and don’t seem they are stopping, either.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/warriors-nba-odds-behavior-nba-championship-2015-16-betfair-1.png)

Atlanta and Toronto’s NBA odds did drift. I can see that. It’s impossible for all odds to shorten at the sime time. That’s where the “I trust” part works a treat.

Cavaliers and Spurs’ odds haven’t moved considerably in November. In my old post, I introduced you to their betting charts with the heading “Holding Steady”. Can’t get any clearer than that.

Not only did the odds keep calm, but they both moved slightly towards the direction I predicted if they ever made a move. That is, Cleveland’s odds shortened below the support level at 4.00 (+300) and San Antonio’s odds momentarily penetrated the resistance level at 7.00 (+600).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/cavaliers-spurs-nba-odds-behavior-nba-championship-2015-16-betfair-1.png)

I don’t even need to redraw the support and resistance lines. I did that in my previous post and I stand even firmer on those picks now after that kind of activity: I expect Cavaliers’ odds to drop to 3.00 and Spurs’ odds to drift to 10 or even 12 (+1100).

Finally, let’s examine the fake move I described a month ago. Clippers’ odds had fallen below the support level but quickly reverted and began climbing to 15.0 (+1400). I considered that a genuine fake move back then. Fake moves tend to leave punters confused and lure them into inactivity. Isn’t it the same with defenders in basketball, conceding an easy basket right after falling for a fake move?

Well, Clippers’ current odds are approaching 30.0 (+2900)! Bettors who trusted their money to the Los Angeles team, are left watching their “investment” lose money, instead of taking the loss early and move on. “Cut your losses”, people.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/clippers-nba-odds-behavior-nba-championship-2015-16-betfair.png)

## Weekend NBA picks

It’s hard to do any meaningful chart analysis so soon for the upcoming games. The liquidity isn’t there yet. Most odds haven’t moved to the point we can extract some information about the crowd’s behavior. Admitedly though, any move we’ll see over the coming hours will be from smart money and sharp bettors. Act accordingly.

With that in mind, I noticed San Antonio’s odds dropping against Memphis. Were sportsbooks wrong in their opening lines? Are they still wrong? If yes, Spurs’ odds will continue falling. And if that’s the case, then there is still value at current odds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/san-antonio-memphis-nba-odds-behavior-nba-championship-2015-16-betfair1.png)

At this time of writing, I am afraid I am unable to spot any other discrepancies in the NBA betting charts for the weekend ahead. I’d be surprised though if odds remained unchanged. Yet, we don’t need to bet on every NBA game out there! Be selective. Do your homework and keep an eye on the odds behavior. Remember: if you are doing what everyone else is doing, you are doing it wrong.
### NFL picks: Seahawks and Steelers odds are shortening
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-picks-seahawks-steelers-odds-shortening/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:38:52.000Z
Have you noticed that betting odds move? They do so, not only on the day the event takes place, but a few days before as well. These odds movements may reveal a wrong moneyline by sportsbooks or simply the punters’ psychology and tendencies.

Today, I’ll be taking a quick look at Seattle and Pittsburg’s odds that are already shortening.

## Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings

I’ll start with the team from Seattle. Their odds began dropping on Friday, two days before the game. Till then, most sportbooks had priced them at around 1.85 (-117.65 US odds).

On Friday morning a couple of bookmakers, namely Unibet and 888sport, offered the win for Seahawks at 2.02\. Punters quickly snatched that offer as we can see from the chart below. At the same time, Betway was the quickest to react, bringing their odds on Seattle down to 1.70!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/seahawks-nfl-picks-shortening-odds.png)

Now think, would you rather you had bet at 2.02 or 1.70? In the long run, this kind of difference separates the winners from the losers.

## Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers

Current odds for Steelers’ win trade at 1.30\. That’s maybe too short for many punters, who are looking for bigger rewards. Normally, favorites are priced a lot lower than their fair price by sportsbooks, taking advantage of the bettors’ favorite bias. What that means is punters overestimate the favorites’ chance to win, betting more than expected on them.

This sometimes makes the underdog a value bet. However, it’s quite rare to see short odds shorten even more. This is the case in the Colts vs Steelers NFL game. Pittsburgh’s odds have shortened from 1.35 to 1.25 on Saturday.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/steelers-nfl-picks-shortening-odds.png)

Does that mean gamblers are falling for the favorite bias even more, or 1.35 is still generous for the home team compared to their fair value? There is however, another scenario. If smart money is into this one, they either like their chances on such short odds, or they are simply pushing Indianapolis’ odds higher. Their plan? To get higher odds on the underdog, when the time comes. And we’ll know it a few minutes before the game kicks off. Make sure to check the charts before you place your bets.
### My 2-year-old daughter is killing my personal brand name
URL: https://jimmakos.com/killing-my-personal-brand-name/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:41:39.000Z
My daughter can hardly speak, but because of her I finally made a crucial, career-changing decision that haunted me for months if not years. It’s about marketing myself and shifting my efforts from my own brand name to the websites I manage.

In short, ****I’m about to kill Jim Makos name**. Sort of.

You see, having a personal brand name is cool. It’s exciting. It’s *narcissistic*. People get to know me better, my name is heard among conversations all over the world and I am recognized online. For me, it’s better [to have a pen name](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/pseudonym-for-writing-online/) rather using the real name.

And all of that will be gone when I am dead.

Now, that doesn’t matter to me at all. I’m not looking to leave a legacy behind.

The thing is that I have built a couple of websites, tailored to my hobbies and activities. I did that as I wanted to keep this blog more personal and also to build brand names that will stand the test of time and provide some income. I have websites for sports betting, finance, poker and other niches. What troubled me for a long time is this:

****Should I be more active and write as Jim Makos, or should I promote other, non-personal websites more?**

I’ve spent literally hundreds of hours considering the pros and cons of each.

On the other hand, though, ****I’d like to provide the best for my family**, even when I’m gone. Although I’m still young at 36 (laughs) and shouldn’t spend my time on my heritage just yet, my daughter made me realize that I’m building a brand name on the sand. Like driving in a dead-end.

What happens to my blog when I’m gone? Surely, they can renew the domain fees and keep it alive. But there won’t be any posts by me, will there? And given I don’t have any advertisements in my personal blog, it got no revenue, no incoming stream of income.

My heirs will just burn money by maintaining my then-silent blog.

Now, ****building a personal brand name is super cool when you are looking to be hired**. Remember when I told that you are being popular, your name is heard to every other corner of the planet? Well, yes, that helps you land freelance jobs. It’s excellent in that matter.

While people do hire me from time to time and I take part in all strange partnerships, by the time I’ll be lying on the ground I won’t be able to work anymore, will I? From the investing’s perspective of things, that will severely affect my daughter’s return-on-investment. With no more rewards and having all the risks of paying this blog’s costs, the risk/reward ratio will skyrocket.

How about building brand names that she can actually manage and provide herself a passive (if not active) income?

I am talking about by betting blog at BetStories.com, my financial blog at TradingGraphs.com, my newborn poker blog at PokerTape.com and other websites that my web publishing company at Weberience.com manages. All these projects can keep on working without me, as long as I teach others how to do it.

That won’t be difficult. Even if my daughter doesn’t have an interest in gambling (and I hope she doesn’t), she can still make some deals and hire freelance web developers, writers and editors to keep the wheels rolling. That would allow her to spend all of her time in things she likes and, most importantly, fund her ideas!

Imagine you had a passive income of one, two or three thousand euros/dollars/pounds for life. How less stressful would you be? ****How free would you feel to chase your dreams?**

I am looking to provide that situation to her. I know it’s something I want now and I know most people dream of that.

And I came to realize that I won’t be able to offer that by building more on my *personal brand name*.

If I was still single, I probably would still struggle to find a solution I’d feel comfortable with. So, I owe it to Eva for this decision and for taking a huge weight off my shoulders.

*And she doesn’t speak yet!*

Thus, from now on most of my original blog and social sharing posts will go straight into other websites and channels. I will be linking to those posts from my personal social pages, of course, which would drive my readers to other websites. I’m not abandoning on my following. It would be crazy to do. You all have made my voice louder. Just, expect more random stuff in my social streams and a lot more links to websites other than this personal blog.

It’s still my voice heard after all.

Also, don’t forget [my recent marketing change that happened in this blog](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/update-blogs-by-writing-less/). I am publishing ALL of my posts in this very blog, wherever they are originally posted. So, by subscribing with your email address, you’ll never miss a post of mine, even if you don’t follow my other websites or like my partners.

Know this, though: if I suddenly die tomorrow, this blog and my social media profiles will be dead. You can support me in the after-life by and I will make sure you will be treated well when you join me.
### Betting odds analysis of rivalry games at Oklahoma, Michigan
URL: https://jimmakos.com/ncaaf-picks-oklahoma-michigan/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:42:09.000Z
Being far from your common college football expert, I have trouble catching up with all the happenings in the NCAAF world. But that isn’t much of an issue, as I am mostly interested in analyzing punters’ behavior and betting patterns. Chart analysis of the NCAAF odds doesn’t require to know much of the football’s fundamentals.

Yet, somehow we need to find meaningful and usable charts. And for that, we need liquidity and volatility.

Betfair’s NCAAF markets are dry as the African desert; no liquidity. That’s not a surprise, given their customer base is mostly Europeans. That makes their betting graphs useless, with not many ups and down; no volatility. Compared to my previous articles, you won’t find any Betfair charts below for that reason.

Next step is to take a look at other sportsbooks.

So, I checked today’s NCAAF schedule. Lots of games going on; how can I sort out the games that I can work with?

Instead of going through every team’s chart, I began with the games being televised by ESPN. That’s a good start. If ESPN is covering live a game, it must be interesting, which translates into increased liquidity. Most bettors will be looking to get their hands dirty in those specific games, thus any odds movement is much more credible.

## Ohio State at Michigan

I hear this game is known as The Game by some followers. Not surprisingly, the betting odds are showing activity that we can work with. It turns out people have been betting on Ohio State Buckeyes more than on Michigan Wolverines. That led their odds to shorten over the couple last few days from 2.10 to 1.83\. [Converting those decimal odds to US odds](http://www.sportsbookreview.com/betting-tools/odds-converter/), the decline equals to +110 dropping to about -120 for better understanding. Unfortunately, the charts can show the move only in European odds, but the result remains the same: punters believe sportsbooks’ opening lines were false – and generous.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/ohio-state-ncaaf-odds-betting-chart-1.png)

As expected, Michigan’s odds are slowly drifting towards 2.00\. In effect, sportsbooks expected punters to price up Michigan as the game’s favorite but the market proves them wrong. The underdog became the favorite, although it’s still a close call, given the game’s popularity and heat.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/michigan-ncaaf-odds-betting-chart.png)

## Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

Later into the day, more rivals have much to play for. The Oklahoma-Oklahoma State clash is showing up in the ESPN’s schedule, but looking at the current odds, someone would question how irresolute this game might be. Granted, Oklahoma’s odds significantly points to an easy win. I am more impressed, though, by the shortening odds of Oklahoma! Not only have the sportsbooks opened their moneyline correctly in favor of Oklahoma, but bettors are not discouraged by the short odds. They keep on betting on such short odds!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/oklahoma-ncaaf-odds-betting-chart.png)

Yet, is there still value at this moment betting on Oklahoma’s -285? Well, if you believe they stand a better than 75% chance to win this game, you’d better back them!

Of course, Oklahoma State’s betting odds are climbing at the same time. Not much admittedly, yet we seldom watch this kind of behavior at those price levels.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/oklahoma-state-ncaaf-odds-betting-chart.png)

As always, I’m going with the flow in my NCAAF picks and I am expecting betting dynamics to be revealing already the winner in those two rivalry games.
### How to film non-English videos and stand a chance
URL: https://jimmakos.com/non-english-videos/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:16:03.000Z
Non-English speaking YouTube creators will probably find my new vlog interesting. For months now, [I have been searching](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/make-youtube-videos-when-your-english-suck/) for the most efficient way to make non-English videos. Efficiency means two things: the ease of production and a high reward. The goal should be for both to reach the highest level possible.

Can it be done?

I suppose it will depend on the video’s success as I am putting a new idea to the test.

Usually, by easing up the process of making a film has a negative impact on the video’s ultimate success. It’s sort of a seesaw. And success means two things (again): exposure and revenue. For that, I will keep an eye on the views’ count and the monetization stats in my YouTube creator page.

## Vlog Behind-The-Scenes

Producing this vlog turned out quite time-consuming and exhausting. Bear in mind that I didn’t just grab a camera, shot some random shots, put them all together and uploaded a vlog. The process of delivering a quality video to your YouTube stream included:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/premiere-pro-timeline-editing-footage.png)

Premiere’s timeline of the final edit.

1. Shooting different hours during the day, carrying a prosumer dSLR camera and a tripod.
2. Paying attention to the sound, by using a lavalier mic (failed in that a couple of times).
3. Many hours of editing, blending scenes to keep viewers at their toes (hopefully).
4. Color grading under different lighting conditions.
5. Adding music and improving captured sound (usually that means noise reduction, but there are more effects and tools than that).
6. Adding simple visual effects.
7. Captioning and subtitling the video in English. That was the most boring task but perhaps, it will have the biggest effect in video’s reach.

In fact, that last one was so tiring last night when I published the video, that I may be forgetting other parts of the filmmaking process at this moment of writing!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/color-grading-non-english-videos-before-1.jpg)

## Verdict

It was the first time I began shooting a film, planning to add both English subtitles and non-English captions for the spoken, native language. The end result satisfied myself, yet I am a bit reluctant to repeat the whole process in the next films.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/vlog-editing-premiere-pro.png)

The most enjoying part of filmmaking for me is the actual shooting, cutting and pasting the scenes and grading the images. The rest, and especially transcribing and subtitling the video really killed the experience.

Therefore, the lesson learnt by making this non-English vlog is that I spent too much time on less creative elements. And I need to minimize that, in order to feel more… creative. Virgin’s boss, Richard Brunson, strongly recommends delegation and I may take a look at outsourcing the transcribing and subtitling tasks. Because, in the end, vlogging for me isn’t another way of blogging. It’s a vehicle for learning and practicing filmmaking, being a newbie myself.

Maybe, my future films will be totally silent. It’s worked for others before (as explained in the video), maybe it’ll work for me; still I’d rather today’s vlog outperforming than muting myself.
### More creative blogging for less social media babbling
URL: https://jimmakos.com/blogging-vs-social-media-babbling/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:41:30.000Z
So much fog, so few… pictures (and blogging).

Here I am, standing at the waterfront admiring the view. The view, you say? With so much fog, I cannot even make out the ships in Thessaloniki’s port.

I didn’t take the camera today when I left the girls at their playground. On Saturdays the wife and the little one spend an hour singing, dancing and playing with other toddlers. And that’s one hour I have to my own. After I park the car that is, which sometimes can take half of that time!

Usually, I carry my Canon 70D and hit the promenade, looking for photography and filmmaking ideas. That’s how I ended up with this short film a few weeks ago.

Even back then the weather was far from perfect. We couldn’t make out [Mount Olympus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount%5FOlympus) from here.

May I remind you that I do not consider myself not even a beginner in this kind of stuff. I do this as a hobby. But then again, **my work itself is a hobby**. Hopefully, in the process I will produce better videos for my niche.

So, today the weather deterred me from any creative thoughts. Instead, I spent the time on thinking **how I should carry on with my blogging** and in particular, how to make the most of my presence in social media.

Until now I’ve been taking pictures, [adding a film touch](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/vsco-film-emulation-software-for-photography/) and sharing them at Google+, and from there the post is automatically shared to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn [**thanks to a tool, called FriendsPlusMe**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/). I continue my [photo-sharing process](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/photo-sharing-in-social-media/), reaching out followers at Instagram, Pinterest and Flickr among others.

That’s excellent for my friends and strangers who get to see what I am up to. It’s also good for myself, building a following and a community about the interests we share together.

**But it’s bad for my blog**. And it’s a pity because you can read these very lines way easier in my blog built for readability, instead of a post on your Facebook wall or in a tweet of 140 characters.

So, this is what I came up with:

1. Whatever my thoughts are, **I’ll take a picture** around that, *as before* ([visual content is very important](http://sociallysorted.com.au/shift-to-visual-social-media-6-tips-for-business-infographic/) at social media). Just like this article’s featured photo that clearly portrays me as a deep-thinking person (I am not, but for the sake of this post, that’s the whole meaning). I now have a photo to accompany my words.
2. I write the words. **No more at social media, though, but as a blog post**, even if it’s a single paragraph, a line or less than 140 characters. In fact, that’s how I began writing this and I am already up to 400 words! Turns out [my writing will benefit](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/how-to-improve-writing-skills/) as well. I now have a complete blog post with a title, description and a photo to share. It may not be an SEO-ready post, but I’m writing for people here, not machines.
3. **Now I can share *a part* of my blog post at social media**. It’s not a text that will get buried in the internet’s abyss (did you know that Twitter users are sharing 278,000 messages per minute?!), it’s a blog post that will forever stay at my blog – until I die and no one renews my domain name! I can introduce you to my idea and you are free to check the whole article, right here. Perhaps, you might be tempted to read another post or spend a few more minutes, exploring my website. Anyhow, there is a bigger reward besides a like and a retweet.

Can I write a blog post from my mobile phone just as I would share a short story at social media? Sure can. The WordPress app for Android came in handy, but I cannot add a featured photo to my post! How unfortunate. I found out right from that spot at the waterfront, looking right into the fog, as I tried publishing this post while on the road. And that’s why I am writing this from home instead. Well, ok, my blog posts aren’t breaking news. I can wait till I get back to my PC.

Now, let’s see. Which paragraphs should I share at social media?

Oh, you got this far? Great! Once upon a time, this photo would have a few lines of text next to it in your favorite social network. Now, it gets a whole blog post! And you read the whole thing. That says a lot! Thanks! You’ve done your part, now it’s my turn for more blogging instead of social media babbling.
### Patriots’ momentum to repeat the triumph appears on NFL odds charts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-picks-patriots-momentum-odds-charts/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:40:10.000Z
Do you remember when New England Patriots’ betting odds were on an ascending trend and [sportbooks were forced to offer bigger payouts](https://jimmakos.com/2015/09/nfl-2015-betting-odds-preseason/) to lure punters? Well, that’s no more the case and it has been since the season’s start. Patriots are now safely at the top spot of the NFL betting market for the next Super Bowl winner followed by the Green Bay Packers.

## Patriots: Are they up to the task repeating the triumph?

Two markets prove the most popular among NFL betting at Betfair in terms of betting volume: the Super Bowl Winner and the AFC East winner. The odds have hit rock bottom at the latter but it’s worth to note how the odds literally collapsed there. Judging by the chart on the right, Patriots weren’t once threatened to lose momentum as bettors drove their odds lower and lower.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/new-england-patriots-nfl-picks-betting-odds-charts-2.png)

Momentum doesn’t seem to be lost at the most popular betting market either for the New England team. Odds there are trading at 3.65 and while that may sound too short, you are in fact betting on a very strong trend. You should blame bad luck if you bet on Patriots right before a trend reversal following such a strong move!

## Packers and Seahawks: The once-upon-a-time favorites

Green Bay Packers suffered quite a loss in terms of odds moving upwards. Although odds declined below 5.00 at one point, their trend is currently pulling back if not reversing. It’s this kind of pullback/reversal you need to be cautious of, when deciding to back Patriots. Yet, Packers’ odds do seem quite tempting at this moment. As they are closing the all-time high (10.0), betting on Green Bay doesn’t sound all that out of place. You may either exit the trade at 11.0 should the resistance level fail, or take profits if the trend resumes. Besides the crowd is waiting for Packers to win their trust back, so any bad outcome for Patriots may result into punters jumping on Packers once again, forcing their odds lower.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/packers-seahawks-nfl-picks-betting-odds-charts-1.png)

Although hope may return to bettors in favor of Packers, that’s far from the case for Seattle Seahawks. Why Seahawks, you may ask. Well, Seahawks’ odds were the lowest of them all preseason, posing as the top favorites for the Super Bowl 50\. Nowadays however, they are found at the fifth place of the NFL odds tables. Still, higher prices keep on printing on their chart and while pullbacks do happen, punters make sure they send the odds skyrocketing once again. Just watch how odds climbed from 8.00 to 15.0, and then from 10.0 to 25.0.

A spike from the current 12.0 price to 30.0 wouldn’t surprise me.

## Other impressive NFL picks and moves

Carolina Panthers’ odds decline is surely impressive. You don’t have to check the team’s performance in recent fixtures. That performance is pretty much printed on their odds chart by punters themselves who flocked in to bet on double-digit odds, before those dived. You don’t get to see odds diving from 100.0 to 10.0 every day, and it’s even easier to see them skyrocket back to 100, if bettors believe that’s their fair value. It all depends on the results, of course, and at this point there isn’t a strong indication for that to happen.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/impressive-nfl-picks-betting-odds-charts.png)

The same holds true in the case of Cincinnati Bengals, except the support level at 10.0 seems quite stronger. I would steer clear of them at this point and won’t include them in my most promising NFL picks, unless bettors drive their odds below 9.00.
### Arsenal & Olympiakos on different paths at Champions League
URL: https://jimmakos.com/champions-league-odds-arsenal-olympiakos/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:53:06.000Z
Champions League soccer odds have been moving up and down as the fourth match day drew to a close this week. There was little action for the top three favorites. Yet, strong drifters were printed on several odds charts with Arsenal’s being the most spectacular of them all and one that was actually predicted!

## Bayern’s odds drop again

Barcelona and Real Madrid’s odds continue trading inside the range **[as described in the last article](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/champions-league-soccer-picks-matchday-3/)**. While not much has changed in those charts, odds resumed shortening for Bayern Munich, as predicted. In fact, it turns out that backing the German team at 4.50 when odds pulled back to the trend line, already proved a wise choice. As odds now are consolidating at 4.00, I expect a collapse on the next match day, as long as Bayern does not mess up versus BATE Borisov.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/top-three-favorites-champions-league-odds-chart-1.png)

## Picks looking good on the Englishmen

Next, I discussed the three English teams in my previous article and I will keep in line with that article flow.

Apparently, I have been spot on when I predicted an odds decline below 15.0 two weeks ago for Manchester City. The odds currently seem to be retracing a bit, but at this point I am expecting them to drop to at least 12.5 or even touch 10.0\. Besides, that’s what I was expecting back then.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/englishmen-champions-league-odds-chart-1.png)

Odds for Chelsea haven’t yet exited the range between 20 and 30\. Previously, I stated that “I would avoid betting in favor or against Chelsea at this point, though, unless the odds ascend to 30 or drop to 15.0 respectively”. In that regard, someone who backed Chelsea at 30 when odds spiked to that level can already take some profit. Given though the long-term uptrend, I would hesitate to bet in favor of Chelsea anymore, until odds print a price below 17.0 at the moment.

My pick on laying Manchester United is also looking good. I pointed out the strong support level at 25.0 posing as a great entry for betting against United and the odds have drifted up to 35.0 since. With the current price action in mind, I would wait for the odds to come back down to 25 for another lay, should that happen. If not, so be it. I won’t bet against the trend that is pushing their odds upwards and go against the crowd.

## Arsenal confirmed the crowd

I stand on my recent high-risk pick to lay Paris St-Germain, since the support level at 12.50 is holding up till now. Yet, there are other, much safer bets. Take Arsenal for example.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/laying-teams-champions-league-odds-chart-1.png)

Did you lay at 30.0? I quote from that previous post: “Yet, an even safer lay soccer pick is on Arsenal. \[…\] I suppose this is a great opportunity to bet against Arsenal and make a profit during the last three games in the group stage.”

The odds skyrocketed to 90 and I suppose there is a very little chance that this pick will end up a loser. Even if it does though, you can trade out and take your profit now.

## Olympiakos for the win!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/olympiakos-champions-league-odds-chart.png)

Finally, concerning my long-shot soccer picks, Olympiakos seem to be doing better than Porto and Dinamo Kiev. The odds shortened down to 100 from 600 since my pick, so again, punters who followed the advice can already secure some profit. I would recommend against that, though, given the momentum of the Greek team’s odds. Should they advance to the next round, the odds will shorten even more, offering a bigger reward and one that you should take, due to the high risk of the Knockout phase. Thus, betting on Olympiakos that late into the current stage, might prove rewarding.

With two more games in the qualifying stage, the Champions League’s top 16 should be becoming clearer. It would be interesting though to examine the charts right before the final leg in the next article. Perhaps we can spot a surprise win or an unlikely result. Stay tuned.
### NBA Picks: Declines and… Fake Moves of Betting Odds
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nba-picks-declines-and-fake-moves/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:53:21.000Z
Atlanta Hawks are on a great start into the NBA season, currently topping the Eastern conference table. The Atlanta team though is way behind the top favs for the championship, despite the 50% decline of their odds at sportsbooks. Maybe an even more impressive move is the Warriors moving into the second spot in the NBA betting market. Thus, we’ll start from the Golden State as we break down the latest NBA odds behavior.

## What do these dropping odds reveal?

Warriors’ odds are trading at 5.00 following the drop from the high at 7.00\. **[The last time we spoke](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/nba-picks-before-market-turns-in-play/)** of these odds charts, Warriors’ odds were fluctuating inside a tight, one-point range (6.00 to 7.00). Given the breakout that took place due to the team’s flawless performance till now, punters should have already backed at 5.50\. Still, we’re not late to the party, as the odds haven’t slided that far.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/warrios-hawks-raptors-nba-picks-odds-decline-2.png)

Is Golden State’s performance a surprise betting-wise? Most probably, otherwise the betting odds should remain above 6.00\. Any team is expected to score wins and suffer losses. It’s when something unexpected happens that forces the odds to move beyond well-defined levels, as demonstrated here.

The same can be said in the cases of Atlanta and Toronto’s teams, both showing declining odds at betting exchanges. While an unanticipated decline does not guarantee a further drop, it creates the momentum needed to help a trend develop. And it’s that very trend that traders and sharp bettors should take advantage of.

Out of these three declines, I would trust Warriors better, given the increased betting volume’s credibility.

## Holding steady

As I said, teams are expected to win some battles. That is why when Cavaliers perform pretty much the same with Hawks, their odds do not plummet in a similar way. Yes, they did fall a bit, but punters couldn’t force them below the support level at 4.00\. Should that happen we can admit Cleveland is overperforming and may trust them our money.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/cavaliers-spurs-nba-picks-ranging-betting-market-1.png)

San Antonio Spurs on the other hand is on the verge of underperforming. Betting odds are dangerously retesting again and again that resistance at 7.00 and perhaps it won’t be long before it fails. I will take a more risky line here and predict a breakout, before it actually happens – if ever. Hence, betting against Spurs now will likely bank on the imminent breakout, created by the disappointed San Antonio fans and punters.

## And then, there are the fake moves

We’ve talked of reliable declines and trustworthy ranging markets. How about some fake drops that entrap bettors, like a successful fake shot leaves the defense exposed?

Check out LA Clippers’ chart.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/los-angeles-nba-pick-fake-breakout.png)

Someone would say that betting at 11.0 or even 10.0 right after the failing support of 12.0 would be a correct move. What would in fact happen though, is increasing the punters’ stress levels with that NBA pick, as they would now watch their investment go south. Odds quickly went back up and even overcame the resistance met before at 14.0\. That is considered a fake breakout and it’s the reason why bettors should have a plan how to exit the market under any circumstance.

Don’t wait for the unexpected to happen. Be prepared for all scenarios, watch for momentum and you will at least bet stress-free and enjoy the show.
### Why are Boca Juniors’ odds skyrocketing?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/rosario-boca-juniors-odds-skyrocketing/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:53:56.000Z
I have no idea why Boca Juniors’ betting odds are drifting. Some of you will already know a lot more than me in regards to the Argentinian Primera Division game versus Rosario Central. I do not keep track of sports betting news and the latest team announcements, which most definitely influence the betting odds. I do keep track of odds charts, however.

And when I come by one like this one, I have to write a few words.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/rosario-boca-betfair1.png)

In this chart coming from a betting exchange, we see the developing trends of the home and away odds, 24 hours before the official game’s kick off time. As Rosario’s odds are shortening, Boca’s ones inevitably are drifting. Or is it the exact opposite? In fact, I do not know whether it’s because punters are avoiding to bet in favor of Boca, or they find Rosario’s odds too generous that has led to this odds behavior.

To tell you the truth, *I do not care.*

What does interest me, though, is whether Boca’s uptrend will continue during Sunday or not. If that is the case, backing Rosario right now is the rational option. If on the other hand Boca’s odds have peaked and you believe a trend reversal is in order, you’d better hurry and snatch those long odds.

Of course, given the globalization of sports betting, [the same odds behavior is apparent at Pinnacle sportsbook](http://www.oddsarchive.com/soccer/rosario-central-boca-juniors/514070231/?aff=676a301).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/11/rosario-boca-oddsarchive1.png)

Here we can examine the odds behavior in relation to the time instead of the betting volume presented in Betfair chart’s horizontal axis. Simply put, we see that Boca’s odds began drifting on November 6, and the drift is accelerating today. Check out more odds charts like this at [OddsArchive](http://jmks.co/oddsarchive).

What do you think? Will you follow the trend or [bet against it](http://www.betstories.com/2014/05/30/betting-system-inefficiency/)? Personally I have always been in favor of the first option since it’s widely accepted that you did value-bet, in case the odds shorten afterward.
### Polyphasic Sleep: A Godsend as I Hate Sleep
URL: https://jimmakos.com/polyphasic-sleep/
Last updated: 2020-12-04T11:57:17.000Z
I hate sleep. There, I said it. I hate it, hate it I tell you.

****Sleep is a waste of time**. Sure, the body and brain need to rest. That doesn’t mean I can’t hate it. It steals the productive time of my day (or night). So, I have managed to sleep less than the average person. About 6 hours during the night. No naps during the day. That’s called monophasic sleep. And I’m considering converting into a *polyphasic* sleeper.

## How I found out about polyphasic sleep

All this began this morning when I watched [a Casey Neistat’s video](https://youtu.be/ZexvTZ1sV8U) on productivity. If you don’t know him, that’s good for you. You won’t procrastinate, spending your valuable time on watching his videos and vlogs. Anyway, in that video’s comment section people discussed the sleep schedule and debated whether someone can stay healthy by sleeping less. It didn’t take long for the term ****‘polyphasic sleep’** to come up.

***NOTE:* Leonardo da Vinci may have created the Mona Lisa on two hours of sleep a day, broken up into 15-minute naps every four hours – but Albert Einstein took 10 hours of sleep each night, as well as daytime naps! Inventor Thomas Edison (just four or five hours a night) called sleep a waste of time.*

Briefly, polyphasic sleep is having more than one phase of sleep, which usually happens during the night. You can do your own research about the ins and outs of it, just as I did:

- [Uberman sleep schedule](http://everything2.com/user/PureDoxyk/writeups/Uberman%2527s+Sleep+Schedule) – a 15-year-old post
- [Successful people sleeping less](http://www.nydailynews.com/history-greatest-figures-owe-success-sleeping-article-1.412799)
- [A funny post on a polyphasic sleep experiment](http://www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/now/experiment/213427-polyphasic-sleep-cycle) by a Parisian
- [How to save 20 years normally spent in bed](http://www.businessinsider.com/polyphasic-sleep-schedules-and-benefits-2013-10)
- [Polyphasic sleep, facts and myths](http://www.supermemo.com/articles/polyphasic.htm)

Let’s make this blog post more personal now that the theory is out of the way.

## Why I Loved the Theory of Polyphasic Sleep

I am known for my habit to wake up very early. ****I am an early bird**.

I go to sleep usually around 10 or 11 pm and wake up at 4-5am. If I did my math correctly, that’s about 6 hours of sleep.

As I told you, I hate sleep.

But ****I love waking up early!**

How can I make the most out of this love-hate relationship?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/five-stages-of-sleep-cycle-300x292-1.jpg)

The Five Stages of Your Sleep Cycle \[[Nestmaven.com](http://www.nestmaven.com/sleep/sleep-cycles/)\]

I had no idea until I read about *Everyman Sleep* and *Uberman Sleep*. These are all polyphasic sleep patterns. Even the lifestyle of Mediterranean/Latin American people, who sleep 5-6 hours at night and take 90-min ‘siestas’ in the afternoon, is one of them (biphasic pattern). These types of sleep patterns simply change the time and interval between naps and the core sleep. Thus, they beg the question: what kind of polyphasic sleep your lifestyle can adopt?

Polyphasic sleep seems to fit into my schedule remarkably well (not the [Da Vinci’s hardcore cycl**e**](http://www.bustle.com/articles/62730-how-much-did-leonardo-da-vinci-sleep-not-a-whole-lot-according-to-this-infographic), though, of taking a 20-minute nap roughly every four hours). I am self-employed and I can more or less plan easier when I go to bed. It’s my family/social needs that need to be addressed before I embark on this polyphasic sleep journey.

****Theoretically, these schedules could unlock an extra 20 years of being awake over the course of a lifetime.**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/sleep-schedules-1.png)

Monophasic and Polyphasic sleep patterns \[[Psych2go](http://www.psych2go.net/goodnightsleeplight/)\]

## Have I Already Done Polyphasic Sleep by Accident?

To tell you the truth, I think I have already slept polyphasically (is that a word?) before, although I didn’t know the term. There were times when I woke up at 2 AM and I felt fully alert. Often, I would take a 30-min nap at 6 AM. Other times, I would instead take that nap right after gym at 10 AM. What I am trying to tell you here is that I took random, short naps during the day when I had slept less than 4 hours in the night. Just because I felt doing it.

> ****Five percent of the population goes down to four hours a night or even less at times.**

I like to be in that 5%, the same percentage of [profitable gamblers, traders and poker players](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/)!

I also remember when I recently fell asleep at 7 PM, woke up at 10 PM and didn’t sleep again until 2 AM for about three more hours. From the sound of it, my sleep schedule may have been messed up. Yet, as Casey has stated, ****a fool sleeps when he has to, a wise man sleeps when he can**. Here are some motivational/inspiring quotes by this filmmaker, all squeezed into a 32-min video.

## What I Hate about Polyphasic Sleep

The most irritating thing for me about all this polyphasic sleep-mania is that I will need to set an alarm to wake up. I haven’t used an alarm clock to wake up since my days at the university – that’s now more than a decade ago.

I like to consider myself a [free man](https://youtu.be/0aZ8kJPwrYg). I want to wake up whenever I feel like to. Besides, I am so thrilled of the things I do in life, that ****I am too excited to oversleep**. I am eagerly waiting for my body to wake up every time I go into bed so that I continue where I left off the previous day. So, an alarm clock wasn’t really a necessity for me. However, to follow the rules of polyphasic sleep and avoid taking a 2-hour nap, I should make use of one.

> How does somebody that’s sleeping 12 and 14 hours a day compete with someone that’s sleeping three or four?DONALD TRUMP

So, when do I start? Honestly, I haven’t decided on that yet. I’ll continue sleeping the way I do, but I will make a note when I take a nap (a lot more voluntarily now, whereas I forced myself not to), and find out if I can actually implement polyphasic sleep.

Your turn: would you reduce your sleep time to win back more productive time?
### NBA picks based on odds activity before market turns in-play
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nba-picks-before-market-turns-in-play/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T11:48:31.000Z
NBA regular season is on! Punters, though, have already been risking their money in sportsbooks and betting exchanges for quite a while now. This betting activity is shown on odds charts and based on that, we examine the betting trends and market dynamics in the following paragraphs. Can we also make some NBA picks that don’t necessarily sound like wild guesses? Let’s find out.

My general practice is to examine the charts in a descending order of the odds. Thus, we start with the top three teams.

## Cavaliers, Spurs and Warriors

Don’t expect much at this point of the championship. The current liquidity is the bare minimum needed to make any sort of chart analysis so soon. Most of the betting volume is accumulated on the top three favorite teams, if not on the team that tops the list: Cleveland Cavaliers. The current trend faces north and that’s not a common thing when it comes to long-term betting markets. Often, the odds of favorite teams show a declining line, but not in the case of Cavaliers. Despite the sudden drop in the first stage of betting, the odds are slowly drifting towards 5.00, having hit a low at 3.00.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nba-betting-charts-top-three-1.png)

If you are a trend-follower, you should stay away from betting on Cleveland before a reversal takes place.

San Antonio Spurs also show a similar uptrend. After a clearly mispriced bet at 13.0, the odds dropped to 5.00 and they are now calm at 6.00\. You got two strategies here: either lay Spurs if the odds trade above 7.00, or back Spurs hoping the resistance at 7.00 won’t fail.

The Warriors’ chart shows a ranging market. Betting on Warriors has taken place between 6.00 and 7.00\. Given the odds are not going to trade inside that range forever, I would keep an eye for a breakout and trade towards the direction that the market will point to. By the way, we see the liquidity getting thin enough already on the third favorite team, to the point the chart is almost meaningless. But let’s move on to the rest of the field.

## Oklahoma, LA Clippers and Chicago Bulls

Out of these three NBA teams, the one with the most interesting betting activity before the season begins is definitely Chicago. Just omit the first couple of bets. The big picture here is that punters are betting on Bulls on quite rewarding NBA odds. Even still without an official game in regular season, bettors are happy to risk their money on a likely big return on their money. Question is, will the downtrend last till the end?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nba-betting-charts-oklahoma-clippers-bulls-1.png)

LA Clippers’ betting chart is also attractive, though. Fancy a bet on them? Just wait for a breakout to single-digit odds to take advantage of the momentum that will build up, following the collapse of the support level. Don’t like their chances? Lay them now, betting on the support level at 10.0 to hold up.

## Up next, Houston Rockets

And that’s pretty much it. Rocket’s odds chart is the last one of the charts that make any sense to do some analysis. Here, the established support (20.0) is failing and odds are trading at 17.0\. Layers evidently couldn’t keep the odds above 20.0 due to backers’ strength, which is picking up lately, after odds hovered between 20.0 and 30.0.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nba-betting-charts-houston-rockets-1.png)

It’s another downtrend to trust, or not.

And with just $45,000 volume on NBA winner market in the betting exchange, liquidity dries up from that point downwards. The remaining teams don’t show much activity on their odds charts, given their small chance of winning the NBA Championship 2015/16 at this time.

Therefore, pick your spots, decide whether you like a trend-following strategy or not and act accordingly. Or just wait for the first couple of official games, before you make up your mind. That strategy is actually preferred and it’s called, “sit on your hands”. It will save you money.
### Champions League soccer picks following Matchday 3
URL: https://jimmakos.com/champions-league-soccer-picks-matchday-3/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:15:53.000Z
The third match day of the Champions League’s group stage is complete. After the goalless Paris St-Germain vs Real Madrid clash and as Arsenal defeated Bayern at home, let’s take a look at the winner betting market and how the odds have moved since [the last time we examined the odds charts](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/champions-league-winner-betting-chart-analysis/). The changes might seem insignificant. Are they?

## Top Three

The three top spots are still occupied by Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid as before. The minor change is that Barcelona is now trading at the same price level with Bayern, whereas the Spanish team’s odds used to trade a bit higher. Yet, the odds for the two Spanish favorite teams continue fluctuating inside a well-defined range, so no surprises there.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-top-three-1.png)

Bayern on the other hand saw their odds retracing a bit. The highest soccer odds for Bayern are found currently at 4.30, having printed 3.90 earlier at Betfair’s betting exchange. Note though that the downward trend line remains valid as shown in the chart. In fact, it could a good time to back the German team if you are a trend-following punter.

## What about the Englishmen?

Next three contenders remain the same, as well. Chelsea’s odds climbed higher as predicted in my previous post. The support levels remains safe 10 points lower at 15.0\. I would avoid betting in favor or against Chelsea at this point though, unless the odds ascend to 30 or drop to 15.0 respectively.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-chelsea-manchester-2.png)

In the meantime, Manchester City’s odds retest the support level at 15.0, after the support level of 17.0 failed on “an unstable and fragile balance” as I described it on that article. If you risked laying City, I would trade out and bet on an odds decline, expecting the 15.0 level to fail as well. The odds can then easily drop to 10.0, the all-time low in the City’s odds chart.

United’s odds are trading at 25, the support level that poses a challenge for backers to overcome. With so many confirmation points – how often the odds bounced off that level, it is certainly one of the strongest price levels we have talked this far. An uptrend’s resume at this point is my current prediction.

## Which teams to bet against?

In my previous post, I told you in regards to betting on Paris St-Germain that “a correction towards 18.0 is the most probable scenario”. Following the goalless draw with Madrid’s team, the odds indeed seem to begin pulling back. Although I consider a safer soccer pick to back the French team at 18.0, risk-seeking punters could place a lay bet at this time and trust the support level at 12.5 to hold, despite betting against the trend – a risky strategy to apply.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-paris-arsenal-1.png)

Yet, an even safer lay bet is on Arsenal. As the English team beat the big favorite, Bayern, at home, the odds pulled back to the previous resistance level unsurprisingly. I suppose this is a great opportunity to bet against Arsenal and make a profit during the last three games in the group stage.

And finally…

## How about some promising long shots?

![champions-league-betting-odds-longshots](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-longshots.png)

I singled out Olympiakos, Porto and Dinamo Kiev, but feel free to keep an eye on Benfica and Zenit’s odds. They probably won’t last till the Champions League’s final, but we can still make money if odds continue shortening. Considering the long way these odds can go, the reward should justify the risk. Just keep your stakes at minimum.
### Odds price action right before Rugby World Cup’s semifinals
URL: https://jimmakos.com/rugby-world-cup-semifinals/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T11:48:44.000Z
South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia are into the semifinals of the Rugby World Cup that are taking place this weekend. A month ago, when the World Cup was set to begin, [we talked](http://www.sportsbookreview.com/sports-betting/free-picks/the-shortening-drifting-betting-odds-2015-rugby-world-cup-a-61770/) of the shortening and drifting betting odds and charts. How have those rugby picks performed till now? Is there still time to take advantage of the market’s dynamics as shown in the odds charts? Let’s find out.

Back in September, ****it was easy to pick New Zealand** to reach the cup’s final, being the top favorite team. An odds decline was already apparent in the chart I published then. The decline accelerated in the following weeks, despite a few bumps along the way.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nea-zealand-1.png)

In that same paragraph, I pointed out to “concentrate on the performance of Australia”. Indeed, the minor decline that was evident in that old chart, led to a price collapse a few days later, as shown in the chart below. Yet****, the recent price action does not recommend backing Australia at this point**. Having the odds “bottomed” down at around 3.5-4.00 and given the spike to double-digit odds, I would stay away from a bet on Australia to win the World Cup. Fortunately, if you already bet at odds higher than 8.00 before the cup began, you can make some nice profit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/australia-1.png)

Up next, we find another favorite. South Africa wasn’t in my radar at the beginning of World Cup, as it’s usually the case regarding short odds. The team may have reached the semifinal stage, yet the odds chart is a good sign of *nervous punters*. In spite of South Africa’s good performance, the odds are not shortening. Even worse, they are now retesting the resistance level at 10.0 and my bet is that ****South Africa won’t win the cup**, if odds trade above that price level.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/south-africa-1.png)

And finally, Argentina! Who would have thought Argentina making all the way to semifinals? Some lucky punters did and they are already smiling, although the team is still a big underdog. Yet, if you had bet at odds higher than 50.0, wouldn’t you be smiling now that they went that far into the tournament? Now, imagine Scotland hadn’t lost 34-35 to Argentina in quarterfinals. ****How would my September’s pick on Scotland at 200.0 odds look like today?**

![Nehe Milner-Skudder-rugby-world-cup](http://www.betstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Nehe-Milner-Skudder.png "Odds price action right before Rugby World Cup’s semifinals 11 | Jim Makos")

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/argentina-1.png)

Regarding my pick on ****top tryscorer**, the New Zealander Nehe Milner-Skudder, price action doesn’t look that promising. I picked him when odds were hovering around 10.0\. While I was happy to witness the decline down to 3.00, the recent spike up to 20.0 leaves *no room* for a pick.

With all that in mind, I would choose a safe bet and a long shot as my sports picks. And by that, I mean New Zealand is likely a safe bet and Argentina could further upset the Rugby world! I would stay clear of Australia and South Africa, in spite of their favorable odds. Win some, lose some. I’d rather go with the highest possible win rate (New Zealand) and the highest possible payout (Argentina). How about you?
### Chart Analysis of the Champions League Winner Betting Odds
URL: https://jimmakos.com/champions-league-winner-betting-chart-analysis/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T11:48:51.000Z
Champions League is unfolding full speed, halfway into the group stage. At the same time, gamblers are struggling to keep up the pace in an effort to not miss any betting opportunity. Several among them have already placed their bets on this year’s winner. No, Barcelona does NOT appear as the top favorite anymore, ceding its place to Bayern Munich?

Let us take a look at how the betting market evolves, discussing in particular on which odds movements we should stay focused.

But, before we start the chart analysis, I should rather briefly explain what we are about to examine on the images that follow. I have a feeling that several players still find it difficult to fully grasp how things work on the odds graphs and how odds fluctuations are portrayed with dots and lines. Therefore, it might be a good idea to go over the basics again so that both seasoned bettors and novices alike can check on their skills.

****The betting odds are constantly changing**. This change occurs due to demand and supply forces in the gambling market. If a bet (say, the home win) records high demand, the corresponding odds are driven lower because in the mind of a great number of bettors this event is more likely to come true. At the same time, as the bet’s counter-part (say, the away win) does not attract the interest of bettors, gaming operators and traders on betting exchanges are happy to offer better/higher odds on that bet. In essence, they provide the supply in the market so that more players are intrigued to place their cash on the away team instead of the home team.

This battle between demand and supply will eventually settle at a price, the so-called equilibrium point, as it is generally the case in worldwide trade. Equilibrium is reached when there are enough players willing to bet on every possible event of a game. For example, in soccer, that’s when there are enough bettors asking to back all two events of a soccer game – or three including draw.

So, what exactly do we mean by “*enough*”?

“Enough” is… enough when the odds represent roughly the percentage of bettors expected to back a specific bet’s side. Suppose we have a bet with two possible outcomes, a home and an away win, and bookmakers are willing to pay 1.50 and 3.00 on each outcome, respectively. Then, we can expect that about two thirds of bettors are backing the home team, while one third are risking on the away team’s win. Let’s not forget, gaming operators must make a profit too. That being said, bookmakers will always forge the odds on their favor, offering for example odds at 1.35 on the home team and 2.85 on the away team. Bettors have to pay a premium out of their winnings, which depends on the “vigorish” – the profit margin set by each bookmaker.

Since we talk about a long-term betting market, as it is the case when we bet on the odds for the winner of Champions League, odds fluctuations happen in the course of a very long period of time. The bet is available for several months as the Champions League’s consecutive stages take place one after the other. Consequently, depending on the latest results, bettors will push the odds up and down till equilibrium in the market is achieved every time.

In fact, we try to identify these specific equilibrium points on the charts, or any imbalances that may occur in the betting market. In most cases, the odds settle at specific price levels not by accident but by market forces, as bettors are reacting to the news and the latest information released about the games. Of course, human behavior depends on known psychological factors. People do not make decisions randomly, even when they do not seem to plan their actions.

Wrapping up this small parenthesis, I should also remind you that technical analysis on any chart is not a bulletproof prediction model. If you identify a strong support level for example, this would not mean that you can safely base all your forecasts on that specific finding, hoping that this line will hold steady in the future, pushing the odds higher. We simply expect a higher likelihood for the odds to bounce off that level. Still, we must always take into account the reward/risk ratio and have a specific plan how we’ll react in any scenario; the market may and will move against us. Question is, how often and how quickly we can exit out position.

There you go! Let us start with the first charts showing the performance of the top 3 favorites to win the Champions League.

## Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-chart-favorites--1--1.png)

As I have mentioned earlier, the odds on Bayern have been tumbling steadily towards lower values. Balance was briefly achieved at 4.20, but the odds have plummeted since, hovering around 3.90\. Given the strong downward trend, I would expect a further decline. Nevertheless, the risk we run if we bet in favor of Bayern at this level is entering the market late, which might result in “selling the bottom”. Furthermore, we sail into unmapped waters without any reference point to indicate a price we should reach before we exit the market – in case our forecast proves wrong, that is. One such point could be at 5.00, but this is a wild guess.

As far as concerns the chart of Barcelona, I would say that the odds are moving within specific highs and lows, which is the characteristic of a ranging market. These boundaries are highlighted on the graph (3.80 and 4.80). We have two tactical options if we opt to bet on Barcelona.

1. First, to lay our cash in favor of the team at 4.80 or/and against it at 3.80.
2. Wait till a resistance or support level breaks out before we follow the new trend.

In the second option, we are betting when panic kicks in the market. The price levels I have highlighted subconsciously exist in the minds of the bettors who monitor closely this specific betting market. When they realize that any of these strongholds fail, some of them they will rush into placing their bets, entering the market in the breakout’s trend. Others will exit immediately and hurriedly, because they are running the risk of being trapped inside the loop – caused by the breakout which they did not predict.

These mass movements of cash will result in market odds adjusting abruptly to the new situation, which is a ****unique opportunity to seize, making a profit**.

In the first case scenario, we bet on market calmness, order and tranquility, hoping that all other bettors follow the same steps as we do. But, we must always remember that bigger rewards are extracted from the market when chaos is reigning if we have the courage to bet successfully against the prevailing trend. Therefore, I would concentrate on the second scenario instead of the first if I was a risk-seeking bettor.

The same analysis stands true if we were talking about Real Madrid. Here, the odds move between 7.00 and 6.00.

Let’s take a look now at a number of teams that drew my attention because of significant odds changes.

## Chelsea, Manchester City and United

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-chart-longshots--1-.png)

The odds in favor of Chelsea will continue climbing in two-digit valuations, as long as the Londoners do not bring the anticipated results. Nevertheless, it is worth examining the lines I have drawn on the chart.

Initially, the market established the highest resistance point at 10.00\. An increase on the odds beyond that level seemed at first impossible. But, soon thereafter this resistance level formed the next support level, as the odds did not drop lower ever since. Of course, “support” is not provided by the support level per se, which is defined as such in the context of our chart analysis. It comes down to the bettors themselves (along with the oddsmakers) and their psychology, who considered any price below 10 unjustifiable. The parenthesis we made in the beginning makes more sense now, doesn’t it?

Everything we have discussed about the resistance (and later support) level at 10.00 proves true at the new resistance level of 15.00\. Personally, I would wait till the odds lose steam and tumble to 15.00, so I can confront Chelsea hoping at a “bounce back” towards higher levels, near 30.00 again. As a matter of fact, that decline will be testing the support level at 15.00 as well, in accordance with all we have discussed earlier about how resistance levels become support levels and so forth. However, if I missed the chance to bet against (lay) Chelsea, then I would rather focus on the remaining soccer clubs in the same group as Chelsea.

On the chart of Manchester City, the significance of identifying the support and resistance lines in question is more than evident. Wouldn’t you agree that the equilibrium achieved at the level of 17.00 once again is… not by accident? Yet, this is an unstable and fragile balance. However, given the recent strong increase from 10.0 to 17.50, I would also look to lay here, as in Chelsea’s case.

Same as always as far as concerns Manchester United’s odds chart. The only difference here is the support level which stands high at 25.0\. I would expect a rebound of the odds to higher regions if support line holds. However, if backers prove stronger, the lower point this bet could reach in my opinion is 20.0, at least in the near future. My guess is that, should the support at 25 collapses, we are going to see a ranging market between 20 and 25 stretching out, before the next breakout.

After so many “lays” the question is: which team (if any) is worth backing as Champions League winner?

## And the winner is… Paris St-Germain!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/champions-league-betting-odds-chart-paris-st-germain-279x300--1--1.png)

Even though we run the risk of getting ourselves into a trap, as I have explained earlier in the Bayern’s chart analysis, the most advisable strategy as far as concerns Paris St-Germain would be to follow the trend. The “trend is your friend” till, of course, bettors decide to hit the brakes. Till then, we do not have but to follow their lead, taking full advantage of the continuous decline on the odds for the team. Nonetheless, we must always be alert to leave the ship after the first “crack” appears, since we are in no position to know how far this “correction” will go at this point. In the event this adjustment builds a pattern spreading within more than 5 points, as it was the case recently when it had risen from 15.0 to 22.50, then a correction towards 18.0 is the most probable scenario.

We will be commenting on these, hopefully, accurate predictions and provide valuable feedback during all stages of the top European football competition, as they unfold.

Words cost nothing of course, but when it comes to hard cash you had better be very careful before making any risky decisions you are going to regret later. We should always be wise and responsible when placing our bets.
### My Interview at BettingRunner
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bettingrunner-interview/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:16:29.000Z
People over at BettingRunner.com got interested in me and asked for an interview. Here’s my favorite part:

****Q: Is there any advice you would like to give our BettingRunner tipster community?**

The best tipster is *yourself*. Believe in that. Learning the ins and outs of the sports betting game will make you the best tipster in the world. Following blindly tips won’t make you a better punter. Still, following a tipster will open up your game. You get an inside view at a premium price that you need to take advantage of, besides making money in the process. You have the opportunity to study another skillful bettor’s style, which in turn will help you to *develop your own strategy*.

Another word of advice is to have respect for your bankroll and ****don’t jump from one strategy to another** before you can come to safe conclusions. Develop a strategy and try it out in paper for a couple of hundred bets. Then apply a flat betting system and risk no more than 1% of your bankroll. At around 1,000 bets you’ll have a pretty good idea how your system performs. Then you will know if you can increase your bets or apply more sophisticated staking plans, such as the one based on the half-Kelly criterion.

Oh, and most importantly, ****betting won’t solve your financial problems**, if any. [Gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) isn’t the answer to your prayers and won’t get you out of the hole you dug yourself into. You need peace of mind in the stressful environment of sports betting. The additional pressure won’t do you any good.

Read the rest of the interview at [**BettingRunner’s blog**](http://www.bettingrunner.com/blog/i-risk-money-to-make-money-jim-makos-talks-about-his-interesting-journey-872/).
### How to make YouTube videos, when your English sucks
URL: https://jimmakos.com/make-youtube-videos-when-your-english-suck/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:34:53.000Z
My mother tongue is Greek. The language I am fluent in is NOT English. Yet, I’ve decided to [produce my videos in English](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/). Why? And, how does this decision affect my YouTube videos? Let’s see some ways that will help you overcome the obstacle of making videos in your non-native language.

People have commented on my videos:

- “Your English sucks”
- “Work on your English, dude” and
- “I’ve never heard worse English in my life”

No, none of my channels teach you how to speak properly in English or aim to become masterpieces in English literature. Still, viewers are complaining from time to time about my pathetic language when8 talking.

I can’t blame them.

My accent is terrible. Often, every other sentence has at least one grammar or syntax mistake. Even when using a teleprompter, I make mistakes. And **a teleprompter cannot help me improve my accent**, can it?

So, how am I trying to battle with my horrific English? No, increasing the background music doesn’t cut it.

## 1\. I remind myself that content is king

People are following me at the social media, not because of my writing skills in English, but because of the content I share. I try to help people out and solve their problems when it comes to risking their money.

My field of expertise is gambling and investing. I risk money to make money. I am not a full-time blogger or an English author. I gamble. I invest. I don’t write professionally.

So, building a following comes down to my knowledge, my story and how it can affect other people’s lives. Surely if my English was my native language, fewer people would complain of my accent and more people would probably follow me.

But in the end, I would share the very same content. And content is king, no matter how terrible my English accent is. Thus, if you are not an English native speaker, remind yourself of the content you want to share. Is it valuable? Will it help another person out there? Then, **ignore your weakness in English and build on your strengths**: your actual content.

## 2\. I write the script before recording the videos

I used to record myself without a script in my hand. I just had a rough idea of what I would talk about. What’s worse, I rarely edited the footage afterwards! There were long pauses, lots of “errr’s” and a bad general flow in the final video.

Nowadays, I write the script first. Often, I write it in Greek and have it translated in English by a professional translator. This also minimizes the grammar mistakes, not to mention that I have two unique blog posts to accompany the video; one in English and one in Greek. What’s more, the script can be used for captions or subtitling the video.

So, write a script in your native language and translate your words in English. It’ll be much easier to narrate during the video when the time comes. For an added bonus, your final video will be much shorter. And **viewers love short videos**.

## 3\. I use a teleprompter or make jump cuts

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/video-recording-setup-300x238-1.jpg)

Now that I have a script for my next video, it’s time for the most frustrating and stressful task: to read it in front of the camera.

To carry this task, I have been using a teleprompter. The trouble with a teleprompter is that viewers will notice you are not looking straight into the camera. Some will also notice that you’re reading from a teleprompter.

If you ask me, that doesn’t matter that much. What does matter, is that you sound unnatural. You do look and sound like a robot. Even your body language is tense. Or maybe **it’s just me who get nervous in front of any kind of camera.**

Recently, [Simon Cade uploaded an excellent video](https://youtu.be/dygOOZwpjWg) on how to make Youtube videos properly. In that episode, he explains why he prefers making jump cuts instead of using a teleprompter when he’s recording himself. Although he ends up with one-hour-long footage for a 5-min Youtube clip, his method might work better for you. Note that Simon’s videos seldom receive dislikes if ever and people keep subscribing to his channel. He must know his filmmaking business.

So, use a teleprompter or make jump cuts when putting your script in action.

## 4\. I may record videos in my native language & add subtitles

As a last resort solution, you might want to try producing videos in your native language. I haven’t gone that route, but I admit it has crossed my mind.

You still need a script for best results, but you’ll definitely sound a lot more natural. Then you need to add English subtitles, of course, if you are targeting audience from UK and USA. Just don’t forget to notify your viewers to turn on subtitles right from the beginning of your episodes. Otherwise, I bet most of them will go away on the moment they hear you speak a language foreign to them. Question is, will they sit and watch a talking head till the end, speaking in a non-English language in the first place? That’s an experiment to be conducted.

Will these steps prevent people from criticizing my English? Guess not and besides, it’s not my goal. My point is that your content is much more important than your accent. It’s called storytelling for a reason and it rarely has to do with your spoken language.
### Photo-sharing at Facebook: File or Link?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/facebook-photo-sharing/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:14:29.000Z
Two hours ago I shared a 1:1 photo at Instagram, which in turn posted it at my Facebook and Twitter profile. The photo reached 124 people in two hours and 13 people liked it. Great.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/square-photo-facebook-share-post-2.png)

When I got home, I thought to post another one from my hometown’s seafront. This time, I opted to post the photo at my Flickr photostream after [editing the picture with VSCO](https://jimmakos.com/2015/10/vsco-film-emulation-software-for-photography/) on my mobile phone. I didn’t crop the image to the common Instagram’s square size, rather kept it unchanged at 3:2 ratio. Then, I shared it at Google+ and from there to other social media per [my favorite photo-sharing routine](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/photo-sharing-in-social-media/).

Half an hour later, radio silence. Not even a like. Was the photo that bad?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/facebook-post-link-to-flickr-photo-1.png)

Maybe it was. Or maybe it was the lengthy preceding description.

But I also think adding a link to a Facebook post (image #2) instead of a hosted image (image #1) ****significantly affected my posts’ reach at Facebook**.

At this time, I don’t have the necessary data to back this claim. Besides, Facebook users do like/click on my articles’ links when posted at Facebook. Yet, from now on, when sharing photos at Facebook, I’ll keep the links to the minimum and upload the actual photos instead. Despite the horrifying quality of Facebook photos compared to the original files at Google+ or Flickr, they still attract my friends’ attention. And after all, that’s what matters for attention whores like myself.

So, how do you share your photos at Facebook? Do you share them directly, or link to another photo-sharing profile of yours? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
### Investing in VSCO film emulation software for photography
URL: https://jimmakos.com/vsco-film-emulation-software-for-photography/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T04:20:16.000Z
I have been digging into film photography lately and in particular film emulation software, since we are living in the digital photography era. As a beginner in photography, I had no idea of this kind of software. I began taking notice when some of the photographers and directors of photography (DPs) I follow at social media mentioned they are using film emulation presets in their published photos. Or at least, they begin editing their photos based on a film emulation preset.

I follow most of them for ****learning filmmaking**. I knew this kind of software exists in filmmaking and I bet most of your favorite videos at Vimeo or YouTube incorporate this technology. Emulating film has a lot of advantages both in filmmaking and photography and I am sure you will find out more if you google the term. Personally, I like the film look so I dug deeper. Here’s a recent video recorded with an iPhone 6s and graded with film emulation software (planning to purchase it myself in late November during Black Friday sales):

Today, I’m here to tell you that I recently invested in VSCO software and why I made the choice over MastinLabs or ReallyNiceImages.

1. Most of the DPs I follow mention VSCO in their photos’ description. Granted, they may be affiliated/sponsored by VSCO.
2. VSCO offers a free Android app which includes three analog film presets (#4-6), again for free. A nice start for a novice photographer. No more Instagram filters for me and I now need to include VSCO in [my photo sharing routine](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/photo-sharing-in-social-media/).
3. Adding seven additional VSCO analog film presets to the VSCOcam mobile app cost me two dollars. I wasn’t going to but then [Philip Bloom began posting photos](https://flic.kr/p/yDb29E) from his trip to Cuba using preset #9.
4. The most popular film emulating Lightroom presets is offered in one VSCO package valued at $119\. To get the same presets in MastinLabs, I had to pay three times more.
5. In fact, MastinLabs offer the most accurate film emulation out of the three according to numerous sources online. But as a beginner in photography, I opted for the most affordable solution, knowing the cost. Should I become that good in photography, I may invest in MastinLabs. As a side note, MastinLabs offer 50% revenue to their affiliates whereas VSCO doesn’t have an affiliate program that I know of. I didn’t run into a VSCO affiliate link upon reading reviews, while all links back to MastinLabs website featured an affiliate link. I have no doubts of their excellent software; in fact, I almost convinced myself to purchase a film pack by the highly-reputable [Kirk Mastin](https://twitter.com/mastinstudio). It’s just something I observed.
6. MastinLabs support Canon, Nikon and Fuji camera profiles. As I have my eyes on the Olympus E-M5 Mark II and Sony RX100 IV, I’d rather invest in a future-proof software although it may just be a marketing trick. Standard profiles may work just as well for other brands.
7. ReallyNiceImages offer even more film emulation presets in their latest pack at a similar cost, although they have no camera profiles. Still, it’s the bad press they are receiving in photography communities that steered me away.

I didn’t wait for the Black Friday sale that VSCO is (probably) going to offer on November 27\. Checking for previous Black Fridays’ sales, I’d save about $20 for buying my first film pack. I can live with that.

> Black Friday + Cyber Monday + VSCO Birthday Sale. [#VSCOfilm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VSCOfilm?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) & [#VSCOkeys](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VSCOkeys?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) are 15% off now (40% off for current owners!) <http://t.co/cxEB0Pt79M>
> 
> — VSCO (@vsco) [November 23, 2013](https://twitter.com/vsco/status/404059233437491200?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

Of course, I’ll wait for FilmConvert’s sale on that day, given the full bundle’s expensive price ($299). That’s for emulating the film look in your videos.

> [#BlackFriday](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackFriday?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) sale has kicked off at [#FilmConvert](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FilmConvert?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw). Save Big with 1/3 off all software! Our biggest sale ever [#film](https://twitter.com/hashtag/film?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/mTbYZjFvpM](http://t.co/mTbYZjFvpM)
> 
> — FilmConvert (@FilmConvert) [November 23, 2014](https://twitter.com/FilmConvert/status/536643906876604416?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

By that time, I’ll have experimented with VSCO film photography presets and decide whether I need to invest more in film emulation generally. Of course, much like in [investing](https://jimmakos.com/investing/) and gambling, no software will make me a better artist, investor or advantage gambler. ****They are merely the tools to build my skills and talents with**. And in terms of photography, it’s the man behind the camera that gets the ball rolling.

You can find [my photography style and profiles here](https://jimmakos.com/photography/).
### I got my money back!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/money-back/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:13:20.000Z
It took 100 days for Skrill & WorldPay to send my money back. All’s well that ends well.

## What’s the story?

Back in June, the Greek government decided to hold a referendum. Following the announcement, capital controls were imposed to the Greek banking system for the first time. People were unable to withdraw cash and transfer funds abroad electronically.

Greeks in panic now rushed to find ways to access their money, fearing of a possible return to Drachma (the pre-Eurozone Greek currency) and a certain devaluation. Of course, it was too late. Not only we could not wire transfer money to foreign bank accounts, but we were denied using our credit cards and Paypal on the internet.

In effect, **we couldn’t buy anything online.**

We are talking dark ages. Startups, Greek entrepreneurs, and businesses suffered the most impact out of this situation and are still struggling to find a way out, as capital controls are still in effect. Some are turning to alternative payment methods, such as utilizing Bitcoins for international payments.

I wasn’t planning on doing anything at first. Besides, I’m not the last-minute guy. *I always plan ahead.* And while I wasn’t shocked by this development, the pressure was building up while trying to raise a family. Fortunately my web business was in safe (US) hands.

## Initiating the money transfer

I’d found two ways to safeguard my family’s finances:

1. At first, **a Greek gambling operator** let the word out that they were accepting deposits from Greek banks. Could it be safer to trust your funds to a gambling company instead of a bank? At that time, it sure looked like that. However, upon contacting them I found out they were only accepting 250 euros per day. While that amount was quite larger than the 60 euros the capital controls allowed, it would take me weeks to transfer the funds I had in mind (don’t ask). It also sounded pretty strange that they insisted our funds were safe from a return to Drachma, as they would stay denominated in Euros! To this day, I am not sure how they guaranteed that.
2. Then **Skrill** (former Moneybookers, an electronic wallet online similar to Paypal) came out with a couple of emails, warning of the implications that capital controls might have to their customers’ funds. However, they didn’t mention lots of details regarding a bank wire transfer as a payment method to deposit funds. In order for a deposit to get through, I was instructed to initiate a wire transfer to a foreign bank’s branch situated in Athens. Since I was given a Greek IBAN, I thought it could go through, given capital controls allowed domestic transfer via web banking.

I pulled the plug and ordered the transfer. The funds left my account and I got the transfer’s receipt instantly. Everything looked normal. Now came the waiting part.

## Where is my money?

A week afterward and while the country went into turmoil, the money had gone missing. My Skrill account was still empty.

I am pretty patient and having completed lots of money transfers as an internet entrepreneur before, I let three weeks before I first contacted Skrill. Eventually, I was introduced to WorldPay, which has been the Skrill’s payment processor until recently.

To cut the story short, many of my emails didn’t get a reply, especially in regards to WorldPay. Most got the cold response that they would be monitoring the situation in Greece and only a few let me know that I was in the mercy of the capital controls. Should the controls be lifted, I’d once again have access to my funds.

*Only capital controls could take months or even years to be lifted!*

Two months after the moment I clicked on that cursed “SEND” button, **I contacted my bank in Greece.** They were surprisingly very friendly and cooperative. At first, they offered to revert the wire transfer. They came back letting me know that they couldn’t. No matter how much I insisted, they acknowledged my concerns but in the end there was nothing they could do on their part. They recommended contacting the account’s holder of the recipient bank to reverse the transfer.

Enter WorldPay.

Yes, it was late September when I decided to take the matter public. That must have been the third or fourth email I’d sent that month. A bit earlier I was also getting fed up with Skrill’s marketing campaigns while I was sitting here waiting for a response to my issue.

After those tweets, I got a much friendlier and prompter response. I don’t know whether it was making it public or including a warning of taking legal action in my last email that did the trick. For the first time, I received a call from Skrill right after WorldPay asked for my bank details to send the money back! I am talking of a revelation; light in the tunnel. Positive vibes coming from every direction.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-5286-1.jpg)

A week later (that is today) **the funds are back**, minus the (small) bank fees. In all honesty, I wasn’t worried of losing that money. It’s just that bills hadn’t stopped coming in and the family’s reserves were quickly drying up.

I am sure the missus will sleep better at night.

**Happy wife, happy life.**

*I need to personally thank Silvia from Skrill’s customer service who called me on the phone, speaking in Greek and Liam from WorldPay, who responded to my emails and was the first to offer a viable solution.*
### I made a short film: Morning routine of an early bird!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/morning-routine-short-film/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T13:47:24.000Z
I am used waking up very early in the morning. I get up, open up the shutters and pretty much bring the home to life. Then I circle around in an attempt to think of the tasks ahead and plan my day. Sometimes, I do random things while thinking – I am sure you understand now that you’ve watched the video.

The footage was recorded while it was dark outside (and inside) and went for ISO 800 maximum (Canon 70D, Sigma Art lens 18-35 f/1.8). I had so much fun creating this video and learnt a lot about lighting and using a tripod. It’s my first video without featuring a talking head (mine!) and it was a blast making the film, feeling the creative juice flowing. Thank you for the inspiration, Vimeo!

This film was created for Vimeo’s Weekend Challenge: [vimeo.com/groups/weekendchallenge](https://vimeo.com/groups/weekendchallenge)

Watch it at <https://vimeo.com/jimmakos/morning-routine>
### US Presidential Elections: Can Joe Biden Make the Difference?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/us-presidential-elections-can-joe-biden-make-difference/
Last updated: 2020-12-15T13:53:22.000Z
The last time we’ve talked about US Presidential Elections and the bets upon this political “game,” we referred to the turmoil on the odds that has caused the candidacy of Donald Trump. A great number of bettors had rushed to make their wagers in favor of the new challenger, pushing the odds on Trump lower at 6.00, proclaiming the ultimate of outsiders as the third favorite on the odds! It was “huuuuge…,” as Trump might say.

Unfortunately, I was carried away myself into overestimating Trump’s momentum, which may prove now a big flop, failure or fail… You name it. Following his pompous but well received entrance into the race, soon thereafter gamblers kept a safe distance. In fact, bettors penalized Trump by demonstrating their lack of confidence, favoring other contenders.

First of all, Joe Biden reaped the fruits of bettors’ discomfort.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/biden-bush-betting-odds-chart-us-election--1--1.png)

The rising momentum on the odds in favor of ****Joe Biden being the next president of the United States** is obvious. Despite his third position on the list of favorites right now, betting market dynamics may work in favor of the vice president, ejecting in leaps and bounds Biden to the second place in front of Jeb Bush, who is currently in over his head chasing the democratic candidate and top favorite for the elections, Hillary Clinton.

This would come as no surprise if we look closely at the chart of the odds on Jeb Bush at Betfair.

Even if I choose to not take into account the downwards trend on the odds in favor of Biden, how could I ignore the ****strong rise on the odds against Bush**? Since the resistance stronghold of 6.00 is plundered and while the odds are climbing towards 8.00, I would be reluctant laying cash in favor of Bush given the circumstances. Even if the odds record a brief decline, I would consider this move as “correction” and expect a further push uphill sooner or later. Besides, a duel between Clinton and Biden appears to me more credible option at this moment, considering the ins and outs.

But, hold on a sec. Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton are both fighting from the same camp. That being said, the democratic candidates would have first to win the party’s nomination before they can actually run on the presidential race. Thus, let us take a look at the bets about who is going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party for the US presidential race.

## The betting odds on the nominees of the Democratic Party at sportsbooks

Clearly, ****Hillary Clinton remains the top favorite** on her party. This is quite understandable, since Clinton is also for months the top favorite to succeed Barack Obama at the White House. However, several high rollers recently appeared ready to… “confront” the former first lady. This is portrayed on the following chart on the odds in favor of Clinton.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/clinton-biden-odds-charts-democratic-party--1--1.png)

Nevertheless, it is evident that strong resistance does not allow any rise over the 1.50 level. On the other hand, layers try hard to keep the odds moderately high, settling the bets within a short range of 2 to 3 ticks (base points), forbidding in that sense any price to be recorded below the virtual barrier of 1.47\. In the event backers are exhausted, we may see a crack appearing on the resistance level, pushing higher the odds on Clinton, which should immediately drive the odds on Biden lower.

****Do not let the above chart on Biden confuse you**. This graph may indeed be misleading, because on the vertical axe we measure probability values instead of odds. The odds on Biden were extremely high at the beginning, which is demonstrated by the very low probability of him winning the race. The more probability is increased the more we see the odds on Biden driven lower.

Therefore, on this graph a rise of probability means a drop on the odds in favor of Biden. Since probability is already skyrocketing, a further push upwards on the odds for Clinton as explained above should fuel further expectations in favor of Biden. His probability outlook would propel to new highs, resulting in further drop on the odds in favor of the vice president.

Furthermore, if we see the odds on Clinton recording values over 1.50, then we should expect a sharp drop on the odds for Biden. This could even result in Biden capping Clinton as the top favorite running in the US presidential elections against the former Florida governor, Jeb Bush. Another variable in the equation is, of course, how the situation would evolve in the betting markets as regards the question of ****which party is going to win the elections**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/us-election-party-winner-betting-odds-chart--1-.png)

However, the picture is not complicated here. The betting odds on either party winning the presidential elections **fluctuate within clear boundaries**. The odds in favor of Democrats move between the region of 1.60 and 1.80, while the odds on the bets favoring the Republicans balance between 2.25 and 2.75\. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the odds in favor of the Republican Party hardly react to the changes in the list of frontrunners for the nomination of the party.

Given that Biden is benefited by a drop on the odds for the Democrats as we explained earlier, I will not be surprised if he is backed as the second top favorite behind Clinton, if we see again a further decline towards the level of 1.60 on the odds for the Democratic Party. Meantime, it will be interesting to watch what will be the impact on the odds of both parties in respect to the hugger-mugger developments taking place in each party separately. We may even see a sudden rupture on the above support and resistance lines any time soon. Wanna bet?
### Card counting in Blackjack: From land-based to online casinos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-in-blackjack-online-casinos/
Last updated: 2024-10-29T18:16:47.000Z
Several among you have familiarized yourselves with the technique of counting cards on blackjack. Lately, you’ve been asking me **which online casino to choose** in order to practice and, hopefully, win some cash. If you really want to hone your skills, I have no objection since practice makes perfect. But don’t count your chickens before they hatch when it comes to *winning real money*!

First of all, if we talk about online casinos not offering live dealer options, the reason is quite simple: each game constitutes a unique digital, virtual deal.

Cards appearing at the very next game are picked completely in random out of the whole pack of cards. Furthermore, the whole sequence of dealing cards depends on the algorithm applied by each online casino, which is also the case in poker games; the so-called [**Random Number Generators**](http://www.pokerlistings.com/blog/random-number-generators-for-dummies). Each new game is irrelevant and independent to previous games, although in the long run all combinations of cards are expected to appear in more or less the same frequency – at least in theory.

**A computer will set the parameters for the next game**, and the following, and the following, and so on. There is no deck or dealer in the sense we are accustomed to seeing in brick-and-mortar casinos. In fact, there are no cards you can feel in your hand or deck out of which the dealer picks the cards.

Therefore, it makes no sense to count the cards, hoping to calculate the odds of getting a good hand on the next round. In reality, you may receive the exact same set of cards, as it is the case at ordinary casinos where [**automatic shuffling machines**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuffling%5Fmachine) are installed on blackjack tables.

Remember that card counting’s edge derives from the fact that the remaining cards on the deck are more or less known. Since we are aware of the cards already drawn, we can anticipate which cards of the deck are missing and will appear on the next rounds. **You do not have to be a mnemonist to count cards,** given that [**counting cards is not as impressive as it seems**](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/), in my opinion.

💡

Learn [how to count cards in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/)!

## Why can’t you beat blackjack with live dealers?

The next obvious question is why anyone would not join a casino with live blackjack games and start counting cards. Even though I referred to [**an experiment I did some time ago**](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/) and explained the shortcomings of that adventure, I should shed more light.

When we say live blackjack online, we mean blackjack games with real people as dealers and blackjack tables you can join in remotely from the comfort of your living room or office. These casinos are for real, apart from the fact that players have access only through the internet. Recently, this type of blackjack is becoming very popular, since they are supposed to restore trust among players, a fact reinforced by [**PayPal making its way back to online gambling industry**](http://www.onlinecasinoreports.com/articles/special-paypals-comeback-to-igaming.php). In addition, beautiful girls are put in place as dealers, hoping to attract the eyes of male players, who are the overwhelming majority in this industry by the way.

As far as I am aware, there are two types of live blackjack tables now available at online casinos:

1. Live blackjack with an automatic shuffling machine
2. Live blackjack with a shoe

For reasons I have already explained earlier, in the first case scenario, **you are not able to gain any advantage** even if just a single deck is used for the game! According to the blackjack theory, the odds are in favor of casinos, given the operator gets paid when you go bust, even if the dealer busts afterward as well. Your own edge comes from blackjack (21 on two cards), paying 3 to 2.

That also means players **gain an advantage when high-value cards remain to be dealt from the deck** (tens, face cards, and aces).

In the second case, where decks are placed in the so-called “shoe,” you may have a chance, provided you know that a good number of high-value cards still remain in the shoe as the game progresses. Enter the *benefit of card counting*.

However, online casinos soon flatten this edge by “cutting” mid-deck, or worse, as a counter-measure. The so-called “penetration” should be as high as possible so we get to “see” more of the decks and better estimate the remaining cards in the shoe.

Thus, we assume that six decks are in the shoe, but only two are played during the game. The 10 or 20 high-valued cards we anticipated to count but didn’t, in fact, see, are left in the shoe’s remaining four decks. Our odds of winning are too slim! Our card counting **is not going to be very accurate and reliable,** not to mention that [**true count**](http://www.countingedge.com/card-counting/true-count/) would hardly rise. Yes, those 4 decks are high-card-rich, but we have no idea how the high-valued card are scattered within.

Some additional common hurdles include our inability to bet on other players’ cards (when we see fit) and the slow speed of the games in comparison with entirely automated online casinos.

[**Sites like RealMoneyAction.com**](http://www.realmoneyaction.com/) are constantly reviewing online casino services. In most cases, casino review websites also refer to casinos with live dealers. I would start by visiting some of them if I am interested in counting cards in the first place.

Nonetheless, if I come across a shuffling machine on the table, I would rather stay away and monitor the game **just to practice card counting**. On the other hand, if you see a “shoe,” then you must never forget the pros and cons explained earlier. Try your luck by using virtual money at first – also known as play money. See how it goes. You should not expect to master card counting right from the beginning. It becomes even harder when you risk losing real cash!
### Which baseball team will be the 2015 World Series champion?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/baseball-2015-world-series-champion/
Last updated: 2020-12-10T10:21:56.000Z
With 41,000 pounds sterling (about $63,000) in betting volume so far, the markets at Betfair’s betting exchange should provide a rough first indication about how things are expected to evolve in MLB World Series 2015\. The top two favorites to win the World Series come from the American League, while St. Louis Cardinals of National League hold the third position on the preferences of the punters at the sportsbooks.

As baseball attracts more spectators than any other sports event in the world (approximately 74 million spectators in 2013), interest is expected to peak at the end of October when World Series is officially launched.

Imagine the huge betting volume, should Betfair allowed access to US bettors!

## Toronto Blue Jays: A long way down, way down!

The first bets in favor of the one and only non-US baseball team, but still the top favorite, were matched between the range of 25 and 30\. A hasty sharp fall soon followed, submerging the odds to single-digit values. After resting a while at, or near, 8.00, prices seem to be testing a second dive to the unknown, as the odds are heading south on a declining trend.

![toronto-blue-jays-baseball-world-series-betting-odds-chart](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/toronto-blue-jays-baseball-world-series-betting-odds-chart-1.png)

At the time of writing these words, the best odds (5.00) are offered by sportsbooks online, such as 32Red, Coral and Ladbrokes, among others.

## Royals and Cardinals: Do declines have a time-bar?

In the case of Kansas City Royals, the recent decline displayed on the chart of the odds seems to have reached an end. The downwards trend line has been broken recently as indicated below. I would avoid betting in favor of Royals right now, especially if a higher value is recorded on the graph, namely a value over 7.0.

![kansas-city-royals-cardinals-baseball-world-series-betting-odds-chart](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/kansas-city-royals-cardinals-baseball-world-series-betting-odds-chart-2.png)

As regards St. Louis Cardinals, the odds have definitely found support at 6.0, as illustrated clearly on the above chart. Nevertheless, I would keep a close look at this team of National League, in case a support level’s breakout occurs any time soon. If this actually happens, I would take full advantage of the bettors’ excitement, who would rush to place their bets in favor of the Cardinals at odds below the 6.00 level. Hopefully the trend’s resume in that case will last a bit longer.

## Three shortening odds on which you would like to put your hands on

Rangers, Mets and Cubs, all appear receding, according to the odds printed on the betting exchange’s charts. No doubt, the fluctuations we observe are in direct correlation with the performance of the teams. Meanwhile, volatility is expected to become more intense the more we approach the end of the regular season.

![rangers-mets-cubs-baseball-world-series-betting-odds-chart](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/rangers-mets-cubs-baseball-world-series-betting-odds-chart-1.png)

On the other hand, who could leave unnoticed the odds movements that are being already demonstrated on the charts above? All three contestants seem to have won the confidence of bettors, who are willing to lay some cash in favor of these teams, driving the odds lower and lower. At the end of the day, one single team will be the laureate champion of MLB Fall Classic. Yet, who can tell the losers in this group in order to bet on the one possibly true winner?

One way or the other, the odds on whoever will be the finalist in this year’s World Series will be printing a steady odds decline. Why not make our homework early in order to take advantage of the generous odds offered by the sportsbooks right now? The question is which of the teams will eventually be among the top finalists. That’s why we should look closely at odds that record steady declines at their graphs. Note that the highest odds for Mets are 8,00 at Skybet and Betfred, while punters betting on Rangers or Cubs at BoyleSports, BetVictor and Coral will be getting paid 17-fold their stakes, in case they win.

*Photo via [*Flickr*](https://flic.kr/p/6xBdQJ)*
### Formula 1 betting trends after Singapore
URL: https://jimmakos.com/formula-1-betting-trends-after-singapore-gp/
Last updated: 2022-12-29T05:44:02.000Z
Mercedes has been ****on the crest of Formula 1 wave** during 2015\. Till recently, both its pilots, Hamilton and Rosberg, have been monopolizing the very top positions of the Grand Prix. Surprisingly, that awesome blockbuster performance fell short in Singapore, when Vettel crossed first the finish line, driving a Ferrari. Mercedes had no place at the winners’ podium, where the pilots of Red Bull and Ferrari appeared smiling after they came up trumps at the race. In fact, the only Mercedes that led the race at a time was… the safety car.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/singapore-gp-formula-1-race-result.png)

****How did betting markets respond to the news?**

Would Hamilton’s limping be enough to deter bettors from placing their money in favor of his winning this year’s F1 championship? Before we take a look at four charts that drew my attention at Betfair’s betting exchange, let’s go over the scores of the drivers in this year’s Formula 1, six racing events on the calendar prior to the grand finale.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/formula-1-championship-standing.png)

## Hamilton: A promising opportunity

Hamilton’s odds have been sliding downwards steadily since day one, thanks to the driver’s impeccable performance. The decline was hardly decelerated during the preceding months, finding support at 1.07, which is the lowest odds ever recorded in favor of Lewis Hamilton in 2015.

However, following his retirement in Singapore on Sunday because of mechanical failure, punters rushed to “confront” him in speculation, forcing the odds a little higher at 1.20\. Supply and demand found equilibrium at 1.15, a level which should remain steady till the next Grand Prix of Suzuka.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hamilton-formula-1-championship-betting-odd.png)

Yet, the race in Japan is not that far away! It is scheduled for the next weekend. Therefore, if you think that everything will come up roses for Hamilton in the end – so that the decline on the odds is more likely to resume – this is your chance. It is not really a matter of “value” but rather of trading strategy, because support was tested in the past at 1.20, as I point out in the chart.

In other words, layers had not allowed the odds to dip below that level, till strong pressure from backers rendered that level unsustainable. Usually, when that occurs – not only in gaming but also in financial markets, support level is turned into resistance against any possible rise of price. Hence, this might be a convenient moment to place your bets, following the general trend.

## Rosberg: The exact opposite!

Everything we said about Hamilton would not stand true to Rosberg. The odds on Rosberg’s winning the championship have already reached double-digit levels, despite his fourth place in Singapore.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/rosberg-formula-1-championship-betting-odd.png)

On the chart, we see what I explained earlier on Hamilton’s graph about the formation of strong support and resistance levels. Several months ago, backers have been reluctant to bet in favor of Rosberg, a fact that allowed layers to push the odds higher to 13.0\. Soon, bettors got hold of the market, ditching the odds to previous levels. One way or the other, a new level of resistance was formed at 13.0.

Note how the odds on Rosberg nowadays are being “corrected”, as we say, up to… 13! Coincidence, right? At this moment, you could make your wager in favor of Rosberg at around 15 – which I would be cautious enough not to do. I expect an increase further up since previous resistance is more likely to act as support.

## Vettel: A surprise in the making?

Lacking 49 points behind Hamilton, hardly anyone would fantasize Vettel to be this year’s champion. This is also reflected on his current odds, at 15.0\. Based on the above analysis, we could argue that support is strong at this level, which may be a good opportunity to bet against Vettel under the same principle that we analyzed earlier when discussing the performance of Rosberg, apart from one very important detail.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/vettel-formula-1-championship-betting-odd.png)

The odds a few months ago were hovering around 200.0, before they plunged again into the area of 25.0\. Ever since, layers tried repeatedly to push the odds back to higher prices but they were unsuccessful, as a rise near the 100-zone was the best they have achieved. Today’s equilibrium between backers and layers is tested a little lower (15.0). Consequently, these two marks (lower high and lower low) make me wonder if we could actually see Vettel… unexpectedly snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He is the underdog, no doubt about that. However, I could be teased into taking that long shot the moment Vettel’s odds record a new spike on the chart.

## Alonso: A long shot indeed, but…

Don’t get excited. I am not going to lure you into betting on three-digit odds! Alonso is not even among the top 10 in tFormula 1 2015 championship. So, why would I mention Alfonso?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/alonso-formula-1-championship-betting-odd.png)

The reason is quite simple, as you may have already understood by looking at the graph. His performance helps me ****highlight the importance of support and resistance levels in odds charts**, and further in the betting psychology. Note the range formed between 200.0 and 500.0\. I guess nothing more is to be added here, except that the trend may often gain momentum depending on its direction when it breaks through that [range](http://en.tradimo.com/tradipedia/ranging-market/). In that sense, it is no surprise that when the 500.0 level failed, the next bet was immediately matched at 1000.0 at the betting exchange.

## Read through the betting charts to discover the punters’ psychology

The betting odds charts revealed once again the attitude of bettors. Trends usually emerge more intense in case of panic, which happens when important support or resistance levels are broken (because of unanticipated events, especially in the case of motorsports).

In contrast, calmness is obvious when the dust is settled and fair (?) balance between supply and demand is achieved. This would be the best moment to place your bets if you are gambling on the big picture. On the other hand, if you are after “fast” but not “furious” (easy) profit and gamble in a shorter timeframe, conditions of panic may offer the best opportunities. Provided that ****you are not in panic *yourself*!**

*Photo courtesy of [Formula 1](http://www.formula1.com/)*
### Hands Up! How a poker-cheating virus reveals your poker hand
URL: https://jimmakos.com/cheating-virus-reveals-poker-hands/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:18:29.000Z
Those who constantly are not among the winners in [online poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) games – the great majority of poker players that is – often put the blame on the poker operators, implying that the games are rigged. Sometimes they argue against the poker room that hosts the game, other times they criticize the software and yet some others they end accusing their rivals of ripping their money. ****They tend to always accusing some others but themselves**. Lately, they can add one more option on their list of excuses for not finishing winners in poker games: a *computer virus!*

Have you ever heard of the security software (aka antivirus) by the name NOD32? This is one of the most popular computer’s security suite on the market today. Well, the company behind the software, [ESET](http://www.eset.com/us/), discovered a new virus that targets online poker players.

Acting as Trojan horse, the malware embeds itself on well-known applications, such as μTorrent and Daemon Tools, when installation files do NOT originate from the respective websites of the software makers. The moment you agree to proceed with the tweaked install pretending to be completely harmless, your computer is doomed to be infected. The virus remains unnoticed, patiently waiting for you to load the lobby interface of Pokerstars or Full Tilt Poker, the poker rooms which the malware is coded to attack. Fortunately, other poker operators and [leading US poker sites](http://www.carbonpoker.ag/) are safe at this moment. Next, the job is simple as that: ****the virus sends pictures of your poker desktop** to its malicious creator.

Then, all he has to do is locate your game table online and join in to snatch as much cash as he can from you, since your cards are known to them!

According to Robert Lipovsky, who released the news, the company is in no position of knowing for the time being whether the hacker participates on the game himself or if he uses some kind of an automated bot instead. Robert said that the virus was identified in March. However, only lately the spyware raised concerns after hundreds of gamblers were victimized, mainly in Eastern Europe and Russia.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/------------------------eset.jpg)

Classified as Win32/Spy.Odianor, the tricky virus may have already infected popular poker applications, such as Tournament Shark, Poker Calculator Pro, Smart Buddy and Poker Office.

The mindblowing story is not only published on the niche-targeted poker blogs, but also hit the headlines on mainstream media outlets, including [BBC](http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34289003) and [BusinessInsider](http://uk.businessinsider.com/new-malware-lets-hackers-take-screenshots-of-poker-players-hands-2015-9).

## If you believe the game is rigged, how come you continue playing?

Surely, this is not the most pleasant story to hear about in the poker industry. However, let us not forget the hundreds of dozens of malware and scams that are plaguing other industries and services. For example, you might have heard about the frauds that are being constantly pinpointed in banking transactions, on the internet or physical locations such as ATMs.

What happened then? Did you stop using the banking system?

Similarly, the news about this malicious virus should not worry us that much. On the rare occasion you have been already one of the virus’ victims, all you have to do is scan your computer with decent antivirus software in order to get rid of the threat. Furthermore, you had better contact the relevant poker rooms and let them know your computer was infected, so the perpetrator is located and the loophole closed. By a small chance, we may see a portion of your money back in your wallet.

Of course, that report will have an impact on the game, because confidence is traumatized among poker players as regards the efficiency of operators that run poker rooms. ****On top of the unverified plots and conspiracy theories that trouble the minds of a number of players, the story now comes to fuel anxiety further.**

“There you are, you see? It’s rigged. I knew it! And, this is what hit the news. Who knows what else goes on in online poker…”

I understand. However, since you think you were already scammed once, twice, or five or ten times, as you say, how come you come back for more, playing poker again, if you truly believe this? There is *no way* of winning. You’ve said that yourself.

“But, I like playing. Don’t I have the right to play in fair, square-and-straight environments?”

Absolutely! This is why multiple safeguards are put in place to guarantee clean and proper operation of the games. Nevertheless, something seems to have slipped through the net jeopardizing the integrity of the system. Surely, this is not the first time something like this happens.

> Not everything happens for a reason. Sometimes life just sucks.ALEXA CHUNG

Life itself isn’t fair.

On the other hand, joining a game thinking that it is engineered to produce flushes, straights, or sets for the villains and not us is beyond logic. It’s like putting money on a bank knowing for sure we won’t see it again. Why don’t you keep your cash at home instead?

Poker is a fantastic game. No doubt about that. But, **along with poker come the risks, especially online**. Crooks and fraudsters are everywhere, not only in the poker industry. Still, poker players who win tournaments one after another and cash games all the time are among us, walking on the street or posing as celebrities on TV. Aren’t for real? You think they have to snoop on their opponents’ cards with special glasses in order to cheat the game and come out as constant winners?!

*Photo courtesy of* *[Victor Perex](https://flic.kr/p/4CxvJF)*
### The 2015 Rugby World Cup bettors' preferences
URL: https://jimmakos.com/2015-rugby-world-cup-bettors-preferences/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T13:42:14.000Z
On September 18, the **2015 Rugby World Cup** is set to begin, with New Zealand appearing as the top favorite in winning this year’s trophy. Second on the list of favorites according to the betting odds, we find the host country for 2015, England, followed by South Africa, Australia and Ireland, which complement the group of top 5.

Would this be an accurate depiction of bettors’ true preferences?

## A brief look at rugby odds charts

*Rugby*… This is one of a few sports I know very little about. In fact, I may have never written anything about rugby in my whole life, as far as I can recall!

In any case, ****my primary concern is focusing on the charts at all times**. To the extent that demand and supply can be well represented on a graph, analyzing market trends is my favorite endeavor. This is also true as regards 2015 Rugby World Cup betting, or any other sports for that matter. In this case, we are going to look closer at the demand curve, as evolved since the time punters placed their first bets.

First of all, let us start with the teams that seem to attract most the interest of gamblers. This punters’ preference has driven the odds down as bookmakers have adjusted their books, hence we’ll be talking of shortening odds first.

## New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, but also… Scotland!

Again, as mentioned multiple times in the past, we witness the “principle of declining odds” for the top favorite being reaffirmed. We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: bettors tend to lay their money on the team that appears having most chances of winning the title/championship/tournament/cup. This is also true in the case of New Zealand.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/new-zealand-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

However, do not expect a strong dive, unless specific events unfold or news hit the headlines. Nonetheless, the decline from 2.50 to 2.10 is not to be regarded as mediocre or modest by any means.

Let us forget, for the time being, the next two favorites’ odds charts and concentrate on the performance of Australia. August befriended the country of the kangaroos, as players speculated in favor of Australia forcing the odds to move downwards. An 11.0 stake was very soon replaced by a mere 8.00 even though a significant increase was also recorded in 2013\. True, gaming operators start offering their odds very early for such games; sometimes the betting market is available for several years!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/australia-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

At the very next place, Ireland saw a solid decline on its betting odds. Starting in 2014 its odds shrank continuously, tumbling from 20.0 all the way down to 10.0!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ireland-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

However, plummeting odds isn’t exclusive to the top favorites! For example, Scotland has been referred to as an underdog so far. Nonetheless, its recent decline may entice some bettors to reconsider. The team could surprise us notwithstanding the recent odds’ volatily, which should not be viewed yet as concrete indication of future performance. I am not convinced to bet in favor of Scotland, although the team deserves our close attention on this World Cup.

Let’s go on with the drifting odds that drew my attention.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/scotland-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

## England, South Africa, France, and Wales

There you go, England. This is a surprise. Very rarely will a host country experience a decline to the bettors’ preferences. Still, this is the case with England, since the beginning of 2015 at least. Starting at 4.50 the odds climbed to 5.50 and then to 6.0 on several sportsbooks.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/england-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

We witness a similar path for South Africa, a fact that made punters having placed their cash on the team very nervous. Initially, the team accumulated some kind of winner’s momentum but soon thereafter South Africa bounced back to higher levels.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/south-africa-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

In contrast, France suddenly gained steam, an abrupt reaction which is quite obvious by the declining odds printed on the following chart in the last few weeks. Soime might say that this trend resembles the performance of Scotland or even Australia explained earlier. Personally, I would consider this drop to be a correction that will end soon, before the long term uptrend resumes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/france-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

As far as concerns Wales, I think there is no objection regarding the strong revulsion expressed by the bettors that led the team to skyrocketing odds, from 10.0 to 25.0 in some major sportsbooks. I should rather underline at this point that the chart – as well as the previous charts – does not include several gaming operators. This is on purpose in order to present the graphs in an orderly fashion. More lines would render the charts incomprehensible because the curves would overlap and look like a mess, forbidding any analysis on market trends. Similarly, the reader must take notice that the odds appearing on the chart are not the actual lower and higher values in the market, as they would appear if all sportsbooks were included on the charts. For example, in a number of betting exchanges the odds for Wales have already reached… 40.0!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/wales-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

## How about Top Tryscorer market?

I confess… I had to google Tryscorer to [**find out more about the term**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Try), which should give you an idea about my relationship with rugby. Anyway, in this market of try scorers something strange happens. Specifically, the odds of the second favorite, the New Zealander Nehe Milner-Skudder, are plummeting from 40.0, advertised by bookmakers in July, to hardly 10.0!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/top-tryscorer-rugby-world-cup-betting-odds-chart.png)

Based on the above, I would ****highlight the decline of Ireland and the slump of Nehe Milner-Skudder**. These options offer satisfactory returns if things go as expected, while the odds should find plenty of room to continue their decline in lower prices. However, I would be skeptical to wager on Wales as well as South Africa. At the same time, Australia could be an alternative to the bettor who is looking to bet on single-digit odds but consider the odds performance of New Zealand uninteresting. On the other hand, if you are looking for a bet to brag about for years should it win, do take a closer look at Scotland. Sure, a tough call but… never say never.
### The Virtual Reality of Bitcoin Casinos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/virtual-reality-of-bitcoin-casinos/
Last updated: 2020-12-15T13:52:06.000Z
Even though I follow the evolution of Bitcoin and the relevant news since its valuation reached $100, it is the first time I get really involved in bitcoin casinos. Recently, [I discussed](https://www.tradinggraphs.com/2015/09/14/bitcoin-startups/) a number of issues regarding bitcoin startups from the perspective of an entrepreneur and trader, but I have never touched the subject of bitcoin casinos in detail. Well, that time has come for one simple reason: casinos operating with bitcoins are no different to any other “regular” casino. Therefore, gaming operators are more than happy to add bitcoin casinos on their options. And as I am already considered… a gambling *expert*, it makes sense that I also write about this specific type of online gambling.

Bitcoin casinos feature some of the well-known games you might find entering your favorite casino or visiting one of the numerous casinos operating online, including roulettes, card games and slot machines. This month, a lucky player at BitStarz hit a jackpot when they placed 200 euro worth of bitcoins on a slot machine [earning more than 50.000 euros.](http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bitstarz-player-wins-euro-51000-and-breaks-the-bitcoin-casinos-single-win-record-2015-09-02)

Hold on a moment…

Again, we talk euros. *What happened to bitcoins?*

The truth is that the player won bitcoins, since the moment players deposit funds to the bitcoin casino, money is automatically converted into bitcoins. Besides, how impressive this would be, if instead of euro you read on the headlines that a player won 200BTC, or 200 Bitcoins in the best case, corresponding to the current cryptocurrency’s exchange rate? On that account, when we refer to bitcoins we usually mention the real value in another commonly used currency for comparison’s reasons. I suppose this practice is going to remain standard in many years to come.

Therefore, if at the end of the day we still talk of euros, dollars and pounds in our gambling activities…

## Why would a gambler prefer bitcoin casinos?

****B for Bitcoin**

Appearing as a modern tool of rebellion, Bitcoin was designed to confront banksters and the global financial lobbies. Mimicking the methods of undercover freedom fighters, Bitcoin will always rely on anonymity, same as the leading character in V for Vendetta. ****This discretion and anonymity is fascinating to bitcoin gamblers** as they can enjoy additional benefits because of it.

Most importantly, players often do not need to provide any identification whatsoever when they sign in for the first time. In a number of cases, an email address linked to the bitcoins bought/kept by the players in a Bitcoin wallet will suffice.

On the other hand, anonymity gives a headache to the regulators and gaming commissions, responsible for supervising and monitoring online gambling. Without any access to the clients’ database, authorities cannot verify whether the services of the casino are provided to foreign nationals, who are not entitled to participate in such online gambling. Let us not forget that online casinos are often based in tax-free heavens, a fact that shadows completely the scenery when combined with the anonymity of the players! In other words, ****bypassing the law becomes much easier**. For instance, bitcoin casinos supposedly come as an alternative for US players who are banned from online poker.

Moreover, using bitcoins during deposits, withdrawals or any other transaction taking place in the bitcoin casino **incurs insignificant or even zero charges**. Compare that with the commissions and fees the players have to bear when they use credit/debit cards or bank transfers and you get the idea why Bitcoin wins more and more ground among gamblers.

You need more proof? Just check the revenues of SatoshiDice when the bitcoin casino first started its operation. [The volume of daily transactions increased 5-fold](http://calvinayre.com/2012/09/03/business/bitzino-touts-provably-fair-games-but-can-bitcoin-only-casinos-succeed/) when that bitcoin casino launched! I guess that proves ****the popularity that online gambling enjoys**.

Of course, at the same time anonymity nourishes suspicion and doubt among the casino players. “How sure can I be about my money?” Is it safe to entrust my funds on a company that seems impossible to be subject to any control, not to mention persecution? Can I sleep at night without any concern knowing that [authorities targeting such companies may shut down bitcoin gaming operators ](http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-poker-site-seals-with-clubs-closes-after-security-compromise/)from one day to the other? Besides, [the gambling industry’s leaders appearreluctant](http://www.coindesk.com/pokerstars-denies-bitcoin-adoption-rumours/) so far to adopt bitcoins as a payment method. They obviously have good reasons for that decision.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to attract a wider clientele, bitcoin casinos differentiated away from the traditional games by introducing virtual sports. [For example, BetCoin introduced virtual events**.**](http://insidebitcoins.com/news/virtual-sports-and-more-betcoin-shakes-market-with-release-of-industry-leading-sportsbook/34573) Players can now bet on virtual horse and dog racing, tennis, and football. That’s just four of the virtual sports offered to the bitcoin community, provided they prefer the virtual world instead of the real thing! Not a bad idea for those moments we feel we absolutely *have to* try our luck while no game is scheduled.

They are dubbed ****“virtual sports on demand,”** a descriptive term which, in my opinion, is very accurate. This is how they satisfy the “demand” of the player to bet on a game “here and now.”

Hence, if you are a casino lover don’t be afraid to try one operating with bitcoins! For instance, why don’t you [play with bitcoins at CoinRoyale.com](https://coinroyale.com/)? The bitcoin casino will likely introduce you to the world of cryptocurrencies and you may even ****forget that the games involve real money**. Chances are that you will also bet on virtual games launched just for you! From time to time, make sure you are not living in a virtual reality and remember that you are risking your hard-earned money…
### Donald Trump Upsets the US Election Betting Market
URL: https://jimmakos.com/donald-trump-us-election-betting/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T13:42:38.000Z
On the US Presidential race, Hillary Clinton remains the undisputed favorite (2.20) in the elections’ betting market during the last few months. A couple of steps behind the former secretary of state, the Republican candidate, Jeb Bush, comes up (5.50). Not long ago, almost everyone was talking about a close call and a duel between the two opponents. Things have changed though just before summer, when a fresh participant joined the race to the presidency, quickly becoming extremely popular amongst the punters. At present, his eventual victory would pay 6 to 12 times return on your money, whereas back in May the odds fluctuated between 50 and 100.

His name, you’ve guessed it right, is ****Donald Trump**.

Let us take one thing at a time. A steady trend in favor of Clinton was obvious soon after the first bet on the US Presidential election was posted online, on August 17, 2012\. In late 2013, the odds dived to the unprecedented 3.00 or so, while in 2014 the bets broke the 2.00 level, recording new lows. Several bettors at PaddyPower soon pushed the odds further down to 1.67, which are the lowest odds for Hillary Clinton recorded so far in the presidential race.

Thereafter, starting about a month ago, the situation completely changed and the odds bounced back, galloping towards higher levels. The bets stalled and consolidated around 1.90 for quite some time before a number of sportsbooks decided to increase their odds to 2.00\. Currently, you can easily lay your money at 2.20 in multiple gaming operators, while Betfair seems to be the most “generous”, at 2.40.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hillary-clinton-us-presidential-election-betting-odds-chart.png)

A similar trend was evidenced as far as concerns the performance of Jeb Bush, George W. Bush’s brother. Initially, the bet was advertised at 20.0 in betting markets (2013). A steady decline followed until the odds stabilized temporarily around 10.0 by the end of 2014\. While the drop seemed having reached a bottom at 4.00 in early summer, in the last weeks the odds unexpectedly increased back to 5.50\. Some sportsbooks have even suspended betting on the Presidential race till further notice at the time of writing.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jeb-bush-us-presidential-election-betting-odds-chart.png)

And, out of nowhere…

## Donald Trump becomes the third top pick of the bettors

Of course, the aforesaid slump on the odds of the top two favorites is fully in link with the sharp decline of Donald Trump’s betting odds. The new challenger easily pushed Joe Biden (15.0) out of the lead of favorites, who occupied the third place at the time.

This extreme upset recorded on the betting market, in favor of a possible Trump’s prevalence, is both impressive as well as extraordinary. That kind of odds shortening is astonishingly rare particularly in the long-term betting markets and especially in political betting! In my 15 years on the field, closely following the gaming industry worldwide, I cannot recall such a betting odds’ decline when discussing an election race!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/donald-trump-us-presidential-election-betting-odds-chart.png)

The very first bets of 2013 and 2014 will pay those who took the risk 100-fold. In fact, Stan James went one step further, offering stakes at 251.0 in December 2014, for those risk-seeking bettors willing to cash in for Donald Trump.

In March 2015, a slight preference in favor of Trump was recorded for the first time, when a number of sportsbooks offered the bet at 51.0\. Ever since, as the popularity of Trump was increasing, this preference exploded to become a raging performance starting in July and thereafter. One bookmaker after another lowered their odds, while, on August 20, William Hill set the return on Trump’s winning the presidential race to single-digit odds for the first time, to a mere 8.00!

The decline seems to have no ending, as the same sportsbook has now dropped the odds to 6.00 at the beginning of September, while the remaining sportsbooks soon followed. One-digit return on the event Donald Trump becoming the next President of the United States is what you can expect betting on right now.

Is Trump’s momentum strong enough to surpass the leading Republican candidate, Jeb Bush? Could Trump finally come face to face with his Democratic opponent in the presidential race’s betting market? So far, bets point to Jeb Bush as the favorite to win the nomination of the Republican Party, even though Trump managed to leap forward to the second place of the odds-on favorites.

Meanwhile, there’s another interesting aspect of the elections, which might have missed the attention of most punters. I’m talking about betting on the sex of the next President of the United States. The top picks indicate a man at the office. However, one should not underestimate the drifting odds of those wagers, ever since this specific bet was introduced, two years ago.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/male-female-us-presidential-election-betting-odds-chart.png)

Without any doubt whatsoever, Clinton’s performance in the Presidential race would determine the course of this political betting market. The crucial question however stands. Could Trump turn the odds around switching places with the former first lady or at least with his party’s competitor? Nearly 14 months before the presidential elections, one thing is for sure: punters won’t get bored. Not a bit!
### How the NFL 2015 betting odds moved preseason
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nfl-2015-betting-odds-preseason/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:40:49.000Z
NFL championship officially started a few hours ago. One of the most popular sports of the American continent is expected to attract again the interest of bettors, culminating on February 7 next year, the day of [Super Bowl 50](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super%5FBowl%5F50). Meanwhile, volatility is already recorded on the odds for this season’s winner. Today, we take a look at some of them.

## Seattle Seahawks

Top pick to be the winner of this season’s Super Bowl is the team of Seattle. Minutes before the inaugural match of the period, the best odds available online for you are wavering around 6.00 – that is to say if you still believe it is worth placing your bets on last year’s finalist. As expected, the odds tumbled from the sportsbooks’ opening odds last February, when the wagering for the 50th Super Bowl started on the web. At the outset, the odds surprisingly hit 7.30 before retracting, after an increasing number of bettors laid their money on Seahawks, without much hesitation. Among them, there must have been the numerous loyal fans of the team, who are best known by the nickname the “12th Man.” As a consequence, the odds soon dropped to 5.00, which is the lower odds so far, at least at the time these lines are written. The following chart clearly shows this falling trend.

![seattle-seahawks-superbowl-2015-betting](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/seattle-seahawks-superbowl-2015-betting-1.png)

## Green Bay Packers

Second on the list of favorites is the team that holds most titles ever won (13) in the history of NFL. Coming from Wisconsin, Green Bay Packers have an 11% chance of winning Super Bowl in 2016, according to the odds of the gaming operators. In preseason betting, Coral and Bet365 are offering the highest odds (8.50) compared to other bookmakers. Nevertheless, a decline on the odds of the second favorite is also apparent. The highest value we could spot on the chart is about 10.0, but the odds have plummeted thereafter to lower levels, landing at 6.50, which is the lowest odds recorded on the followig graph.

![Green-Bay-Packers-superbowl-2015-betting](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Green-Bay-Packers-superbowl-2015-betting-1.png)

## New England Patriots

The team from Boston seems it will be the exception that proves the rule. In place of the usual declining curve the odds of favorites follow, the odds in favor of Patriots were driven to the opposite direction, an indication that last year’s champions would probably not be able to repeat their triumph next February. Starting at 5.00 on Betfair, the odds skyrocketed to approximately 14.50, to settle back at 9.00 just a few hours before the first blow on the field in 2015’s regular season, recording a sudden decline during the last days in betting exchanges such as Betdaq and Matchbook. Traditional bookmakers appeared more cautious avoiding such a trap. They opted to increase slowly the odds in respect to New England Patriots.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/new-england-patriots-superbowl-2015-betting.png)

## Indianapolis Colts

The odds on Indianapolis Colts shortened impressively in betting markets, worldwide. The first stakes have been placed at 20.0 and 15.0 but the team from Indianapolis seems to have won the trust of players, especially among the [**sharp bettors**](http://www.betstories.com/2015/02/27/sharp-gamblers-move-betting-line-billy-walters/), since the odds have found support at about 10.0\. However, traders on exchanges along with a number of iGaming firms pushed the odds lower at single-digit levels. Could this be a sign about a possible participation of Indianapolis Colts in the upcoming Super Bowl? It remains to be seen.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/indianapolis-colts-superbowl-2015-betting.png)

The same pattern is also observed as far as regards the prevalence of Indianapolis Colts on AFC (American Football Conference).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/indianapolis-colts-afc-winner-2015-betting.png)

As we move forward into NFL 2015 games, several teams will undoubtedly switch places on the list of odds-on favorites. Bettors will be constantly reevaluating strengths and weaknesses of each team and they should adjust their preferences based on new information. It would be really interesting to see though if the current forecasts prove right, or if the prevailing trends today are challenged after the first results, and in what extent. In any case, based on the data available so far, I would refrain from risking on Patriots, whereas, at the same time, betting on Indianapolis would seem to me more promising.

*Graphs courtesy of Oddschecker*
### My Investing Journey from Buying High to Smart Decisions
URL: https://jimmakos.com/investing/
Last updated: 2025-10-13T16:16:10.000Z
Making money by risking money. That's what investing is in a nutshell.

I buy low and sell high. Well, at least that's the theory. It doesn’t matter what I am investing in as long as its price can be put on a chart. So, I often discuss investing in stocks or cryptocurrencies, which make up a big part of [my net worth](https://jimmakos.com/2021/11/net-worth-breakdown/).

But investing, a crucial part of [personal finance](https://jimmakos.com/personal-finance/), doesn't end there. I may invest in real estate or startups from the comfort of my home. And whatever I do, [I always write it down](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1620863879491506176) somewhere.

## Connect with me

Since the first time I got into online trading, right after [I was done with sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), I became active in the financial communities by participating in trading forums. Recently, social networking has become a thing in investing and online trading.

I joined [TradingView](http://jmks.co/tradingview) and [StockTwits](http://stocktwits.com/JimMakos) networks, where I share charts and investing ideas as they cross my mind. Follow me as you would on Facebook or Twitter.
### The Betting Market and Odds of Betfred Sprint Cup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betting-market-odds-betfred-sprint-cup/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:43:01.000Z
Nineteen horses are competing next Saturday during the celebrated Betfred Sprint Cup horse racing, taking place at Haydock Park, Merseyside, England. Among the group of horses to be lined up on the track, but hardly two of the anticipated first finals, are Magical Memory and Belardo. The newcomers, [announced recently](http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/jack-hobbs-magical-memory-and-belardo-enter-sprint-cup-mix/1945679#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews), are ranked long after the favorites Adaay, Danzeno and Gordon Lord Byron, according to the betting odds published by the gaming operators. Pretty much as expected, **the odds on these horses are still… plummeting.**

The dive on the odds in respect to favorites is a well-known fact on these bets.

The huge amount of cash, which is concentrated on these betting markets thanks to the popularity of these horseracing events, leaves no doubt about the gamblers’ tendencies. Players are accustomed to entrust their money on two or three odds-on favorites. As a consequence, the odds are dropping up until the day of the race, *unless something extraordinary occurs*.

**This is also the case on Betfred Sprint Cup**. The odds on Adaay (8.0), placed as the first probable winner of the race, tumbled from approximately 20.0 soon after the bookmakers accepted the first bets.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/adday-betting-chart-1.png)

The same trend occurs as far as concerns the second top-pick, Danzeno. The decline seems smoother, but a bunch of sharp bettors took the opportunity early and placed their bets when the odds hovered around 30.0\. At the time these lines are written, the most you can take on Danzeno is 9.0.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/danzeno-betting-chart-1.png)

Meanwhile, the third top seed, Gordon Lord Byron, seemed to attract less attention since only a handful of betting firms had announced their forecasts in July. As it appeared gamblers had a different opinion in early August though, when several bookmakers began accepting wagers at 15.0\. Nevertheless, in just a few days, the odds plunged deeper to about 10.0, where they are resting right now.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/gordon-lord-byron-betting-chart-2.png)

## A brief glimpse on the outsiders

Meanwhile, last year’s winner, G Force, is also recording a declining odds trend. Despite the drop from the initial 17.0, G Force is placed at the seventh place (13.0).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/g-force-betting-chart-1.png)

G Force is not the only underdog that a similar trend is evolving concerning bettors’ behavior. For example, the odds for Watchable slumped from 35-40 to a good 17.0 (William Hill)! Even though Watchable is still one of the black horses on Sprint Cup, I wouldn’t mind if I’d have been quick enough to lay some of my money at 40.0, given the circumstances.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/watchable-betting-char.png)

Even the second longshot on the race, Strath Burn, now offered at 34.0 by bookmakers, enjoyed some popularity among certain players. They considered the horse a promising stake and bet on odds as high as 70.0, crossing their fingers!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/strath-burn-betting-chart-1.png)

## How to take full advantage of the available hard data when betting

First of all, the gamblers’ tendency to place their bets in favor of the big favorites during big events is once again confirmed. Either this is football, basketball, tennis, or the well-known horse racing event of Sprint Cup, **the odds for the favorites are falling compared to the initial quotes**.

Mind you, comparable trends are not recorded only in sports. For instance, take a look at the betting trend regarding Hillary Clinton and **the event of her winning the US Presidential election next year!**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hillary-clinton-betting-chart-1.png)

Based of the above, a simple strategy seems to be **betting the front runners** right from the beginning, as soon as these bets are available to players. In particular, if we are allowed to do some [trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) or the recently introduced [cash-out option](http://www.betstories.com/2014/08/12/cash-out/) is available, we could exploit the anticipated odds’ decline. The risk is low because losses could be limited if the expected scenario proves wrong. Apart from the case, of course, something really extraordinary happens which may have a disastrous impact on our strategy.

But how could we take full advantage of the available information NOW? A choice, which I agree with, would be to **follow the current trend**, as usually trend-following strategies are among the safest. Still, some may decide to bet against the trend and avoid the favorites. In this case, I would prefer to put my money on longshots, whose odds are declining instead of another weak horse whose odds are looking steady. Still, that would be a likely choice of high-risk takers, who may anticipate an upcoming drop, much like what’s happening with favorites. Remember, though, that there’s a balance between shortening and drifting odds and you may catch yourself betting on climbing odds!

Your money, your choices: It’s up to you now!

*Images courtesy of Oddschecker*
### How to regularly update your blogs, by writing less
URL: https://jimmakos.com/update-blogs-by-writing-less/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T17:50:51.000Z
You might have noticed that I write by the name Jim Makos in English and Greek for various websites, my own as well as those of a number of partners. Sometimes I write about [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/), other times about online betting and yet some others about entrepreneurship. Lately, I also write about [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/)! That’s a lot of work that may look impossible to deliver. Or at least so it seems.

Well, **writing is not the exhausting part**. It’s the regular publishing of my articles online that requires a lot of effort.

If I had only one blog, just one (1), my job would definitely be much easier. My whole work in writing would be published online on that very blog. Obviously, the maintenance of a single website instead of 2-3 is more convenient.

However, here I am administering half a dozen of them, which, in turn, *reduces my spare time for writing*.

## **Wait! How come I keep alive 5 blogs?**

Understandably, your first question is about the plethora of blogs. What is the reason for such a decision? Well, the answer is simple: each blog covers a specific niche or a different language. Niche content is targeting distinct audience and, hopefully, *interested advertisers*.

For example, [BetStories ](http://www.betstories.com/)is a blog written in English about betting, while [TradingGraphs](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/) is about stock market and… trading, whereas [StoiximaOnline](http://www.stoiximaonline.com/) explains in Greek how games of chance and investments work. Not long ago, [PokerTape](http://pokertape.com/) was also launched, featuring some interesting videos I have created about poker. Last but not least my personal blog has kicked off, where I am posting these few lines that you are reading this very moment.

Generally, **it helps into the success of a blog if the content is focused on a specific subject of interest, on a niche**. However, this is not the case for this blog, because I gather here most of my writing you can find online. After all, it’s a personal blog, damn it! And personal means exactly that! I write whatever I like and that’s the way it is!

Either way, you are not going to see a single ad on this blog. And that’s a promise.

So, all these blogs require new content almost daily. New articles. But, how am I supposed to write new articles every day in order to keep all my blogs updated? If I don’t they will die. The fans will disappear and their URLs will be removed from their favorites’ list. My websites will be lost in oblivion.

It was not really my purpose in life to be an author or article writer. However, [advantage gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/advantage-gambler/) is a “job” that can lead to extreme loneliness. So, right from the beginning I had that urge to write. Not to mention that in school I always enjoyed composition.

At the same time, I was lucky enough to live in the modern age of internet (the truth is I have been undeniably fortunate in my life so far). Internet created the need for original, helpful and unique content. In this context, my work **got the attention of a few people** who considered it worth sharing online, on the vast cyberspace of the internet. So I did. And my readers encouraged me to continue with their likes, shares and retweets. I had also a number of offers to write for other websites. Imagine that!

## **So, how do I add content to 5 blogs?**

The truth is that up until recently this task was extremely arduous. Especially, because writing is not my main endeavor, even though it is the most rewarding!

During the day I am engaged in other activities, trying to pinpoint opportunities which would be worth putting my money at risk. At the same time, I leak some info onto my social media pages, just to keep you posted on the specifics. When I find a gap in-between I start writing articles. But I often get distracted or it happens I am not really in the mood at that moment. This is probably why I prefer to write late at night.

**NOTE:** When I mention writing and blogging I refer to all these necessary steps that I should complete before the final “product” reaches your screens. In other words, the content must be well presented and at the same time compelling so Google’s search engine loves it.

Meanwhile, in the last few years I have concentrated my efforts into blogging in Greek, putting aside the rest. This, of course, is a huge mistake if your goal is to remain competitive globally. Yet, that doesn’t bother me that much, given the response of my readers has been impressive so far. They deserve it!

Nevertheless, I have decided to organize my work differently from now on.

1. **All my articles will be written in Greek, in their original form.** You see, I lost confidence in my English-writing skills lately. As a matter of fact, it comes natural to me putting my thoughts “on paper” using these peculiar and foreign to the western world letters.
2. As far as concerns articles about betting, stocks, poker and the industry of gambling in general, the content will be published on the website StoiximaOnline before it is republished on this personal blog, a few hours or days later. If the article is about some other subject of interest, **it will be launched directly on my blog** (such as my recent article about [how I share my photos to social media](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/photo-sharing-in-social-media/)). For example, what you read right now is published for the first time here, on my personal blog. That’s why [I announced just a few days ago](https://jimmakos.com/2015/08/greek/) my willingness to write on this blog in both languages.
3. **Each article will be translated by professionals in the field.** Skipping the translation and focusing on other more important activities should save me valuable time, while at the same time I will provide work to a number of other people. Hopefully, that will be a win-win scenario. Sure, the decision incurs costs. However, I hope that at the end of the day rewards would outnumber costs (see about reward/risk ratio). Isn’t this the ultimate goal of every *entrepreneur*?
4. Depending on the subject matter, each article will be published on the relevant aforesaid English-speaking blog, or on the website of a partner.
5. Finally, **the English version will be republished on my personal blog.**

In sum, **everything I write from now on** will be CERTAINLY published here, on my personal blog, [JimMakos.com](https://jimmakos.com/). No matter if the article is originally written in English or Greek, sooner or later you will be able to read it here in both languages.

Therefore, if you are among the readers who enjoy my writing or, on the other hand, you find it awful but useful – because everything you have learned out of my articles proved helpful – you don’t have but to follow this blog or me personally through the social network of your choice, in order not to miss a word.

However, be alarmed: spending much time on the blog may seriously affect your judgment.

*Feature image from [my Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/jim-makos/)*
### The Αllegedly Carefree & Easy Life of an Advantage Gambler
URL: https://jimmakos.com/advantage-gambler/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:22:35.000Z
Being able to make a living out of games of chance and gambling seems like a dream job.

Images of turquoise waters and tropical beaches come in the mind: The fresh breeze at the seaside cools the advantage gambler pleasantly, who is taking a nap in a hammock under the palm trees nearby. Minutes earlier they bet some thousands of dollars, thanks to their laptop and internet connection, whilst they are enjoying a cocktail drink.

Meanwhile, beautiful girls with great suntan try their skills playing beach volley somewhere not far in the scenery. Dreams never hurt anybody. However, you should know that **things are not always as they look like in advantage gambling.**

Recently, I was asked via an email message **how much money I had in my pocket when I started my journey into gambling.**

Not much, that’s for sure. Initially, I began playing blackjack [counting the cards](https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/), as you might already know (read more at [the about me page](https://jimmakos.com/about/)). My capital was €1,500 even though I had decided to stop in case it dropped to €1,000\. I was 24 at the time. Although the risk of ruin was huge, I got lucky and ran into positive variance. I ran good. You should take your chances while you are still young and have plenty of time and options available if something goes wrong.

Concerning my capital for [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), my starting bankroll was even less. No more than €500\. Yet, in that case, it was not a matter of pure luck. It was about me getting involved in something only a few had tried at that time – which I did well by the way – **till the point competition surpassed me.**

It’s simple as that: You do not need much capital in order to be successful when you first start as a [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/). There, myth busted.

## All you need to achieve your goals are persistence, willingness, and discipline.

Obviously, my 500-euro investment surprised my email friend. “How can that be, starting with such a small bankroll?” He asked. Well, €500 may be a lot of money for some people or just a few bucks for some others. It depends on the person. If you sit on a million, a 10-thousand bet could be a reasonable risk to take. Still, even if this is the case, why don’t you start cautiously considering you know almost nothing about the ins and outs of the game?

“And how did you manage to make a living out of this job? You must have been very patient,” my friend added.

Actually, one should not be patient but *persistent*.

I would probably need patience if I had to face negative variance when starting out, still knowing that my system will eventually yield profit. Advantage gambling is unique in that sense. You should have done your homework in advance, to understand what the worst or the best scenario of the strategy you follow will be. Or else, you are about to proceed blindfold and accept the outcome, whatever that will be. Chances are you will lose all your capital before you figure out what went wrong.

You need persistence to stick to your plan, to have a strategy and not divert into other options that may seem better at that critical moment.

> If your actions do not bring you closer to your target, then they drive you away of it.

It all started in 2003, while still being a university student. I was searching the internet in order to find out how [**John Taramas,**](https://www.facebook.com/john.taramas.7921) a famous advantage gambler in Greece, managed to consistently win at blackjack. “If he can do it, so can I”, I said. **“He is not smarter than me”,** I thought.

I studied and practiced at home a lot, hardly spending my allowance, in order to accumulate a small capital and begin as soon as I have learned how to win. I just wanted that and nothing else. I was focused.

My *willingness* was overwhelming.

Nevertheless, before you know it, casinos changed the rules whenever I was there betting, giving me a hard time. I was spotted and treated like an enemy. Finally, I was not allowed to enter the premises anymore. I was barred not because I had won a lot, but at the excuse of being successful and… *young*. Other players seem to second that decision murmuring: “… if you win a thousand at 24, what will be casinos’ losses when you become 34?” Well, here I am at 36, much different than I expected.

I had to stop blackjack altogether.

It made no sense going after a job that would make my life miserable. Besides, automatic shuffling machines were introduced zeroing out the chances of winning, or better, worth winning. Still today, some stubborn people continue struggling against the odds. They chase the wrong dream, which can never come true. Of course, this is what they have trained themselves for and this is what they continue to do. Nevertheless, I moved on. I did not want to be trapped, beset in an unfair battle, spectacularly spending what I had earned so far.

I walked away. I showed *discipline*.

The year 2005 found me studying and searching the internet for about 16 hours a day once again. For months, I was looking into the next opportunity that could come on my way. Yes, for 16 hours a day. Much like blackjack, when I played the game non-stop for 16 hours. Every night, I was going home just to get some sleep. After waking up in the next morning and having something to eat I was ready for “work”. **This is the only recipe for success in any job**, not just advantage gambling.

It’s called, *hard work*.

Nonetheless, I was found back at point zero. I was saving again money till I decide what will be my next step. I had to make my decisions. What am I going to do? Should I return to my studies at the university? Or should I carry on towards my ultimate goal? This is not an easy decision to make – dropping out of university – especially if you have no job, income or enough cash.

In the end, **sports trading was my way out**.

I started with €500\. It seemed easier compared to blackjack. So I continued. For months, my whole life was moving around sports trading. I didn’t go out much with friends, for a cup of coffee or dinner. I had my goal, always keeping me busy. “This is my chance and I must take full advantage of it, for as long as I am able to do it,” I was thinking.

Why was time even an issue, you may wonder. The answer will follow.

People expect [**to win in gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/), poker and other games of chance just by reading newspapers and books for about one hour per day. They dream a comfortable living, entertaining themselves every night, enjoying their food at the most luxurious restaurants, just by pressing some buttons on their keyboard.

This is hardly the case.

[**There is no such thing as easy money in gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/make-money-fast-gambling/), despite the rumors. Unless, of course, you are hoping to be amongst the lucky ten who win the lottery every year. But, obviously, this is wishful thinking. It’s about the “hope” that the gaming companies sell to their customers.

## Are you prepared to cope with the sacrifices advantage gambling requires?

Are you ready to devote endless hours studying the games of chance? Are you ready to abandon everything in order to accomplish your goal and make your dreams come true? Are you ready to live a lonely life because of advantage gambling?

**The job of advantage gambler is no different to other jobs**. This is probably the reason why you are not already in that turquoise beach reading these lines! The risks are high. But so are the profits if you succeed. That’s why it’s called reward/risk ratio. Yet, only a handful of people is successful.

In your workspace you may be invisible if want to. Still, that won’t prevent you from exceling and climbing to the top of your niche’s circle. The more you are involved in this job, the more you love what you are doing and the better you define your goals and improve yourself. As long as you live and breathe for your job, there is only one way; *up*.

Moreover, in gambling you do not have to beg or complete chores in order to succeed. You are on your own, you alone with your money. You don’t have to report to anyone but yourself, since you are the boss to yourself. But if you run out of money, you are finished. You are sacked. And no “previous experience” can be included in your resume. Most people will say: “the poor child, gambling destroyed him”. And you would have no counterargument in your defense.

**Competition is tough**. Yes, you are alone at your office. But, on the other side of your bets lies the competition. You are in the same league as some very talented opponents. Do not let the rumors fool you. Your villains are not spending their time relaxing on a beach, having massages, waiting for you to take their money and reap the profits.

They are experts in their field like [**Billy Walters**](http://www.betstories.com/2015/02/27/sharp-gamblers-move-betting-line-billy-walters/), Warren Buffett and George Soros, or Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey. And many others, you and I probably never heard of. Mysterious figures that do not seek publicity and remain in the dark, doing methodically their job behind closed doors at their offices, ready to drive you bankrupt.

This is what happened when competition surpassed me. It took me some time to understand that.

In advantage gambling, today’s opportunity may be tomorrow’s old news. What may seem a great discovery now, next year would be history. **Your income is not guaranteed.**

Are you ready to face such a challenge? Are you ready to switch games and career track from one moment to the other? Are you ready to acknowledge your failures? Do you have a plan B in your life?

If your answer is yes, go ahead and follow your dream. Your small capital should not be a problem. You can start small. But, I recommend learning how to prepare your cocktails on your own; you will enjoy your drinks alone for a very long time, confined in your room.
### Photo Sharing to Social Media, the Fast and Easy Way
URL: https://jimmakos.com/photo-sharing-in-social-media/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:42:23.000Z
It is not long since I began getting seriously involved in [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/). In fact, it is less than a year. Yet, during this short period of time I had to face one of the most significant challenges modern photographers deal with: how to most efficiently promote my work through social media.

Note that when I mention photographers, I do not only refer to professionals.

Nowadays, each of us has become an **amateur photographer** carrying around at all times a full feature camera: the smartphone.

After you captured a photo, what would be the most direct route so as your creation becomes available online to your friends and followers? Exactly how and where are you going to publish it, in order to reach at the same time all your accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest…?

Apart, of course, from the very personal moments. But then again, what’s the meaning of taking pictures we can hardly share?

## Posting your photographs online

First of all, we must determine whether we should focus on a single social network only or joining and uploading to several social media. Obviously, our task would be easier in case, for example, we decide to post our photos **only on Facebook**.

<Click>, upload, write a short description, share! You are done!

That would need no more than just a few clicks to upload the photo accompanied with a couple of catchy lines, and then the final click on the “share” button. Mission accomplished!

In the meantime, till the next moment is captured and posted online, we simply keep track of how our last creation performs on the internet in terms of likes and shares.

That said, obviously less work and effort come with a catch when you are **focusing exclusively on a single social network**. If, for example, I do not use Facebook – as sophisticated as this may seem – I would never have the opportunity to take a look at your pictures. Furthermore, even though I may have a Facebook profile I might prefer Instagram or Twitter instead, which you have never joined or posted photos. Bad luck or “fail”?

On the other hand, some people would argue that it pays to direct your audience towards a single destination, for instance, Facebook (or any other social network for that matter). Let’s examine some likely scenarions.

Case 1:

\-Do you have a website?

\-Sure! Why don’t you visit my Facebook page? My nickname is amazingphotographer79.

Case 2:

\-Jim, where can we find the photos you’ve taken during our journey?

– On Facebook, guys…

Case 3:

\-I’ve heard of one photographer, named Jim-something, who specializes on vintage pictures of CDs/luxury cars/[nude girls and weapons](https://instagram.com/danbilzerian/)…

\-As a matter of fact, he is my friend on Facebook. Check my likes.

This option minimizes your risk for mistakes as well as the time spent updating multiple accounts on several social networks. Generally speaking, **I would not object that**. In fact, I would opt for the same route if the internet was not part of my life 24/7.

But, in contrast, I have joined almost any social network available on the web today. You get the idea…

## Photo sharing the easy way, quickly to all social profiles

Easy? OK, strike this out. It’s more likely that it seems easy to me personally now that I got used following a certain procedure. Let’s talk about this very procedure.

What you will need:

- **Photo editing software**, also useful for archiving your photos. My choice is [Adobe’s LightRoom](http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html) – at the top of the list of similar applications according to several reviewers. If you are planning to get serious in photography and mean business, then Adobe’s subscription model charging €10 per month for its services seems quite reasonable.
- **A social media message relaying service**. A great deal of online services provide this option. Personally, [I use Friends+Me](https://jmks.co/friendsplusme), which allows posting on Google+ before the message is also published on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn within minutes. But, probably you do not need the service since, for example, Facebook would encourage you to link your account with your Twitter profile. Automatically, whatever you write on Facebook is copied and posted on Twitter as well. Alternatively, using [IfThisThenThat](https://ifttt.com/) coding routines could be a solution. However, **you get what you pay for**.
- **Access to your accounts**. Say what? Yes, this can be a challenge too. Do you remember that forgotten Yahoo account you set up long time ago? Funny, now that you mention it… Well, that old and neglected account could give you instant access to Flickr, a popular service Yahoo provides to photographers. Wouldn’t it be a shame not taking full advantage of this feature? Moreover, with your Gmail account you regularly use, you gain access to Google Photos, a recently upgraded service.

In general, finding reliable online services to upload your photos would not be a problem unless, of course, you get lost somewhere between these services. **And that’s what I will help you to avoid today**.

<Click>. You took the photo. What’s next?

Well, it depends on that “click”. Was it a “click” that came from your camera or another subdued sound coming from your cell phone? Let’s take these, one by one.

## 8 photo sharing steps: From the digital camera to the social media

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-photography-1.jpg)

Photo Sharing to Social Media, the Fast and Easy Way 15 | Jim Makos

Let’s find out what exactly I do after I take a photo with my camera, a Canon 70D.

1. <Click>
2. I take the memory card with the new pictures off the camera and into the PC.
3. Instantly, LightRoom appears so I import the files to the relevant category. During the process, the photos are automatically subjected to a number of adjustments that I have set earlier as general rules. For instance, sharpness is increased to 50 and noise decreased to 30 among other settings, while my website and a number of other general metadata keywords are added in file properties. In this way, I save a great deal of time.
4. I mark with one star the photos that seem interesting. You may take a lot of pictures but hardly a small number among them worth the effort. Remember [the Pareto Principle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto%5Fprinciple). After I have edited the photos, I raise the ratings to two stars. Next comes the title, description and category ranking and the photos are marked to 3 stars. This is the point where I feel satisfied enough to show the world my work.
5. LightRoom enables you to upload photos on Flickr, Facebook, 500px and other websites from the same user interface. I have programmed the application so when the rating of a photo is 4 stars the file is added on [my Flickr collection](https://www.flickr.com/jim-makos/), while 5 stars will mean that the photo is good enough to be posted on [my 500px account](https://500px.com/jimmakos) as well.
6. By classifying the photos according to their ratings as 4-star and 5-star, I know which photos have been already published on the aforesaid websites. It remains to export the files as JPG images in order to [upload the photos on Google Photos](https://jimmakos.com/flickr-vs-google-photos/). By sharing them at Google+, the pictures are distributed almost immediately to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
7. I care about [my friends on Instagram](https://instagram.com/jimmakoscom/) as well. So, the selected photos are automatically copied on my cell phone thanks to the synchronization service provided by LightRoom and then are posted on Instagram without filter editing, since the files have been already improved and tweaked through LightRoom. To be noted that since the application of Adobe is my main working environment, any adjustment of the photo that will take place later on LightRoom – for example If I want to change the photo to a black and white image – automatically updates the copies stored on the cell phone, Flickr or 500px. Cool, right?
8. Finally, if you have [a Pinterest account](https://www.pinterest.com/JimMakos) you might find [this extension plugin for Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pin-it-button/gpdjojdkbbmdfjfahjcgigfpmkopogic) very helpful, which allows you to “pin” photos while surfing the web. Thus, after your photos are online on various networks, all you have to do is open each image and “pin” it while you are logged in on the specific profile you wish to promote. However, since only Google+ and Flickr allow uploading full-sized photos (for example, 20 megapixels) I choose one of them to upload the original picture. If I wish to sell the rights of a picture, I pin the photo from my 500px profile. It is rather a question of **how you want to take full advantage of your photography skills**.

Hence, your photos are already online and reachable on all social media of your choice with the exact same description. You did not have to write again and again the same words dubbing the same picture since the initial message and description of Google+ are included everywhere.

Hey, did you get how much time and effort you just saved so far?

## Photo sharing from the smartphone to Instagram and much further

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/social-media-smartphone.jpg)

social-media-smartphone

Let us now follow the sequence of me taking a photo and sharing it using my smartphone.

1. <Tch-tchick>
2. The photo automatically gets uploaded to the synchronized album of LightRoom, as I explained earlier (sync service). Instantly, the photo is included in LightRoom’s catalog, the Adobe’s cloud service and is also available on my computer’s hard disk. Quickly and automatically. Not to mention the bonus of having a backup of the photo instantly on the web!
3. I just follow the steps detailed on the previous paragraph – after the fourth step.

In this way, it makes no difference whether I take a picture with my camera or my cell phone, since ALL photos are eventually stored on the same medium: **my hard disk(s)**. I can now delete the photos from the cell phone or flash memory of my camera in order to have always free space for new photos. Furthermore, I have NOWHERE the SAME picture saved, meaning that I do not spend my entire life searching amongst dozens and dozens of duplicates when I want to locate a single picture.

However, do not forget to have a reliable backup method in place, since eventually your hard disk will break down. I have chosen [Acronis True Image](http://www.acronis.com/en-eu/personal/computer-backup/) for that purpose.

So, in summary, each photo I want to edit I can find it in LightRoom and for every picture I want to post online, the procedure remains the same.

We’re not finished though. What happens when you take a picture and want it posted online *AT ONCE*?

## Photo sharing online, the expedited way

Usually, these photos are taken using your mobile phone. You see an accident on the road, you come across a cat holding a mouse on the mouth, you just bought your new car/house/smartphone/jewelry/clothes/shoes or… gums. You took a selfie having a great time submerged in… champagne.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-camera-instagram1-300x300.jpg)

Photo from [my Instagram profile](https://instagram.com/jimmakoscom/).

Hello world! Here I am! Look, look at me! Wow, just look what happened right before my eyes, right NOW.

That kind of thing. Or, you simply want to share some of your activities.

You are not much interested in the quality of the photo. You could not care less about the proper light or white balance settings. All you are excited for is sharing the picture. The whole world can see right now what you have just experienced.

If this is the case, Instagram is your ally.

1. <Tch-tchick>

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Instagram-3-Android-iOS-Uploader.jpg)

Posting on Instagram: The app offers multiple photo filters and adjustments on the fly. Not in a rush? You can retouch the photo, add your personal signature applying the effects that suit you the most. In a hurry? Just click next, next and done. That’s it!

1. But, before you click on that share/done button, activate sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. Your photo will appear on these social media as well.
2. Bonus: Since you have set “syncing” service on within LightRoom, the edited picture posted on Instagram is already stored locally on your hard disk along with the original photo! No picture and no versions of a picture ever lost!
3. Extra bonus: If you care about quality even when posting on Instagram, and it happens to have a full feature camera with you, always take your photos using the digital camera instead of your smartphone. In the event your camera comes with WiFi functionality, you can adjust this so all photos are transferred to your phone automatically. Ta-da! Your 20-megapixel photo is ready to be uploaded from your smartphone to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. Guess what! All these pictures will be also available on LightRoom and your hard disk!

It is really up to you how you are going to make things work according to your personal needs. What is best for me may not be the optimal choice for you. However, take note that I have concluded on this specific workflow after long and thorough research.

For example, I studied how the well-known photographers and filmmakers update their profiles on the social media, such as [Philip Bloom](http://philipbloom.net/) who recently visited Skiathos island in Greece – [sharing some unique photos](https://flic.kr/s/aHske7njxM).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/skiathos-philip-bloom1.jpg)

These guys accumulate a **huge volume of images online**. How do they manage to share their photos? How do they post their images online? Which services do they use? I found that reverse engineering research is not that complex on social media.

And of course, there is nothing wrong in mimicking a good method that works.

So, if you feel I have helped just a little by sharing a few tips that could make your photography life easier when you upload and share your photos or organize your albums, I would be glad to know about it reading your comments below.

Enjoy your <Clicks> and <Tch-tchicks>!

**UPDATE 30/8:**

Since I wrote these lines, I think I’ve found a better and quicker way to get your photos online. In brief, here’s what I do:

1. Import and edit the photo on Adobe LightRoom, as described.
2. The picture is sent to Flickr and 500px according to the instructions above. Export the photo to a predefined folder.
3. The very same folder is already set as one of the sources for Google Photos Backup.
4. The final, edited photo is available at Google+. I go on and share the photo automatically to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as explained (Friends+Me service).
5. Using my smartphone then, I pick the photo at Google+ and I share it via Instagram. At the same time, I copy the pic’s description and paste it when sharing on Instagram, so that I don’t repeat the writing.
6. That’s it! The photo is in your hard drive, in your Google’s album, on all major social networks and on the popular photography communities. You want more?

Let’s now describe the drill with an example, starting from step 3.

## How we share a photo from LightRoom to Google Photos

First things first. [**Download the Google Photos app**](https://photos.google.com/apps) for desktop. Then, connect your Google account and pick the folder, which will act as your backup source. Every photo in that folder will auto-import in your Google album.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-photos-settings.png)

Next, choose the same folder as the export location of your LightRoom photos.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/lightroom-export-settings.png)

In this example’s photo, I right-clicked and chose to “Export with Previous”. According to the export settings, the photo is exported in high-quality JPEG format in that very folder.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/lightroom-export-as-previous.png)

*Automatically,* **the photo is uploaded to Google Photos!**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-photos-auto-backup.png)

## Sharing to Instagram from Google Photos

From this point on, and given I shared the photo to social media…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-plus-share-photo.png)

…I move on to Instagram and turn on my smartphone. I find the Google+ post I just shared,…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-plus-post-photo.jpg)

…I copy the post’s text,…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/copy-text-google-plus-post.jpg)

…and I paste the text [on Instagram](https://instagram.com/p/7AlXMCryhW/) that accompanies the photo.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/instagram-paste-photo-description.jpg)

Voila! The photo is EVERYWHERE. Don’t forget to add tags to your picture on Instagram.

![photo-sharing-instagram-lightroom-facebook-twitter](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/photo-sharing-instagram-lightroom-facebook-twitter-1.jpg "Photo Sharing to Social Media, the Fast and Easy Way 27 | Jim Makos")
### Working from home... away from home!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home-being-away-from-home/
Last updated: 2020-12-17T14:10:37.000Z
What I do for living is considered [work from home](https://jimmakos.com/tag/working-from-home/). However, as I am now on vacations with my family I do not actually work *at home*. In effect, I do my work from home… away from home. Confusing?

Not at all! My job is done as long as I have a computer and an internet connection.

Unfortunately, as I realized, **things are not *that* simple**. If your goal is to work from home and carry on your workload during your vacations, you will probably have a hard time. Unless, of course, you are already rich and can afford to book an extra hotel room for doing business. But let’s be real. You wouldn’t care about your work in that case, would you?

## A chair and a phone

It’s said that all smart professionals need to make a profit, is a chair and a phone. In the internet era, this is paraphrased to a chair and email to have the job done. However, concerning my job and, I suppose, dozens of others, this is far from the truth.

You see, a lot of additional… prerequisites are needed. For starters, **calmness and order**.

When you work from home, calmness is more or less guaranteed. If distraction takes place, this is because your family or roommates (parents, partner, and friends) may not fully understand the nature of your work. On the other hand, eventually a new member of the family may arrive. In my case, [the latter happened](https://jimmakos.com/2014/04/work-from-home-newborn-baby/). Still, I managed to continue my work from home.

Now on my vacations, things are worse. We all neglect our familiar schedule, and balance is lost. Furthermore, there is no room strictly marked as my work space.

Generally speaking, **vacations suck**.

If you have kids, you know what “daddy, can you…” do this and that means. Instead of [following a work schedule](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/) in their daily life, on-the-go professionals have to take care of the children, mom’s grocery shopping, chit-chatting with the father-in-law, and the whole family routine that can easily take them off schedule.

In the end, **calmness is not always guaranteed**. But let us talk about *order*.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/desktop-arrangement-monitor-setup-neat.jpg)

This is my office desktop, obviously, at home. Sure, I confess, I spent some time having everything clean and tidy for the photo. Nonetheless, in my real everyday life things are not far from what you see on that picture. I am quite meticulous and attentive when it comes to organizing my work. You won’t find a duplicate of a photo unnecessarily occupying disk space (anywhere from the PC to the cell phone or cloud), while I **do know *exactly*** where I have saved my electronic payment receipt of the electricity bill dated December 2011\. Beat that!

Spending some time in the countryside does not stop me of being well organized. Of course, not in such a degree. I began writing this article on the table in the living room. Then, I laid down on the floor to get relieved from the heat (cold tiles can save lives when air conditioning is missing). Now, I am on the couch. Who knows? After a moment, I may go out on the terrace and enjoy the pleasantly cool afternoon breeze.

No need to be so disciplined about the order of your stuff during your vacations. After all, your laptop and a mouse are all the assets you carry with you. But, one way or another, a clean surface is a must.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/laptop-work-from-home.jpg)

I did my best to monitor my stocks during the week. On Thursday, I opened positions for the first time here in Skyros. Oh, the glory!

Of course, that was more of a rushed decision. In the end, this is how work from home ends up when you do not work from home. It becomes ***rushed* work from home** with subpar results.

Therefore, do not have huge expectations when you are about to leave for vacations, hoping to continue your work from home at the same rate. Sure, I know… We are talking vacations here. Vacations… off work. Still, I also know that some people get excited and enjoy most of their time when they are busy working! They seem not interested in vacations because they have a great time at work. They cannot stand a moment without being involved in something…

If you are one of them my advice is simple: **accept that you are going to work less** and worse in terms of performance or else everybody around you will be doomed to have their vacation time turned into a misery! And that will be the outcome whatever plans you had, unless you are willing to let everyone else go on vacations while you stay at home. A win-win scenario in my book.

*Photos posted from [my Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/jim-makos/).*
### Do you speak Greek? As of today, I do!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/greek/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:38:56.000Z
Let there be blog in Greek! I was thinking about it for months. Yet, voices in my mind hampered the effort. Today, I made the decision. Would the experiment be successful?

The truth is I do not care that much about it right now. At this moment, all I am interested in is to write a couple of lines and fill in [the Greek section of the blog](https://www.jimmakos.gr/). I want to tell the world a few of my thoughts.

And, write about them.

It has been a long time since and **I missed writing**. Not writing about betting online and all that stuff… Most of all, I missed the freedom to write whatever I want; whatever comes in my mind.

> But, most and foremost to write in Greek.

Of course, in terms of business, it would be wrong to spend my time writing in Greek. That is what the voices I was talking about, keep on telling me. I should not do it. The benefit, if any, would be much less when compared to the anticipated returns if I write the same lines in English.

On the other hand, it seems so easy to write in your mother tongue! No risk making a lot of mistakes and less risk to be “criticized” about your grammar and syntax. Less risk in general. Less risk, smaller reward. That is how it goes. And that is how it should be.

Writing in English could be tiring if English is not your native language. Obviously, this is the case if you have not studied abroad or you do not have to speak very often in English. Even worse, it could be more demanding if you are not writing a novel and you have to learn the specific jargon and terminology relevant to the subject matter that you are interested in.

I was lured into writing more in Greek when I visited for the first time [the Greek blog of Georgakopoulos](http://www.georgakopoulos.org/). A journalist of Kathimerini newspaper, also an author and blogging even about… cell phones’ reviews. Complete freedom in choosing content. Oh, the huge volume of articles! If Thodoris opted to write in English would have ten times the number of followers he currently has.

Still, he prefers to write in Greek.

It is about time for me to make the same very choice. It is about time to write in 10-15 minutes a piece of information that I learned just a little while ago but you did not have the opportunity to learn yourselves, because of these voices inside me: How are you going to write this in English? Where are you going to publish it?

So, let Greek be the language of this blog. Better, let Greek be the main language of the blog from now. My goal long term would be the full content of the blog to be available in both languages, Greek and English. We’ll see about that.

The first step is already made. I made up my mind. Will it be a success? Only time will tell. However, my willingness to carry on is here, despite the voices in my mind getting louder. Yet, when you are in a good mood, when you enjoy doing something, even when you fail, you feel rewarded.

You are having a good time. And that is a feeling that passes over to the people reading your work.

Image: Photograph taken by me on the Greek island of Skyros. [See more here**.**](https://flic.kr/s/aHskieHe9f)
### Counting Cards in Blackjack is Not That Impressive
URL: https://jimmakos.com/counting-cards-blackjack/
Last updated: 2024-10-29T18:13:36.000Z
People are often impressed when they hear of others beating the casinos. Impressed and *skeptical*. You don’t get to meet people every day that were thrown out of casinos due to them winning a card game.

> “Really? And you managed to beat them? How? Wait, **how much money did you make?**”

## What Happens If You Get Caught Counting Cards

I used to count cards at the local casino when I was playing blackjack 10 years ago until they spotted me. My blackjack career was over in less than a year, yet [I talk about that experience](https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/) from time to time. I find myself explaining what I did, how I did it, and how they kicked me out.

Every time I answer those questions, my goal is *not* to impress my audience. Instead, I try showing them **how easy counting cards is** and convince them that they themselves could do it, should they spend enough time practicing.

So, no, I believe counting cards in blackjack is far from impressive. But maybe it seems that way due to Hollywood movies and how other card counters have built a myth around their name. Like they can remember hundreds of numbers or do hundreds of calculations in their head in a mysterious, yet extraordinary way.

Let’s bust that myth.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/barred-from-casinos-for-counting-cards-at-blackjack-600x334.jpg)

## How Does Counting Cards Work in Blackjack

First you need to [learn the charts of Basic Strategy](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/). Memorize them. By acting on the blackjack tables according to that strategy, you minimize the casino’s edge against you. Depending on the blackjack rules, that edge can be reduced down to 0.5%!

Don’t worry. I won’t bother you with math and numbers. You don’t even need to know the theory behind beating blackjack to leave the casino as a winner.

Now that you know the Basic Strategy, let’s move on to counting cards itself since it’s paramount to already know Basic Strategy’s charts before you can beat the game.

Take a deck of cards. Hold your deck face-down in your hand and start turning one card after another, throwing them on a table face-up. Now, starting from zero, count the cards like this:

- For every 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 that lands on the table, add one (1).
- For every 10, J, Q, K, A, subtract one (1).
- Totally ignore sevens, eights, and nines.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hi-lo-card-counting-blackjack.png)

By doing so, **you always end up having a specific number in your head**. Starting from zero, that number will swing around zero. How far off zero you’ll find yourself counting cards depends on the shuffling. Let’s see two extreme examples:

1. The first 5 cards in order are: 4, 2, 6, 9, 2\. Counting these cards in your head should result in this sequence: zero, plus one, plus two, plus three, plus three (ignoring 9), plus four. That +4 means the rest of the deck is richer in high cards (tens, face cards, and aces) than normal. And a rich-in-high-cards deck is in favor of the player due to blackjack 3:2 payout.
2. The next 10 cards are: 10, J, J, A, K, 10, K, A, A, Q. Resuming the count from the previous step, when that Queen appears, your count should be minus 6\. Now the same deck of remaining cards has a lot more low cards than normal. The odds have shifted *considerably*. The casino’s dealer now has a tremendous edge over you. If that happened on a blackjack table, you should immediately stand up and leave until the next shuffle. Or continue counting cards, in case it shoots back up to positive territory.

Congratulations! **You now know** [how to count cards in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/)**!**

## How to Practice Counting Cards

Was it that hard? I doubt it. Practice counting over the next few days and you’ll quickly get the hang of it. Try to count a full deck of cards as quickly as possible without making a mistake.

> I can count a deck of cards in 20 secs! Am I ready to beat the casino?

*No.*

You have to **learn money management**. In other words, how much money you are going to bet on each deal. To do that, you first need to allocate a bankroll. Money that will be used exclusively for gambling purposes.

You should always bet the table’s minimum unless your count is positive.

In that case, your bet size depends on the remaining decks of cards inside the [shoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe%5F%28cards%29). In the most favorable conditions, your maximum bet size should not exceed 1% of your bankroll. So, if your bankroll is $5000, your maximum bet should not exceed $50.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/blackjack-table-dealer.jpg)

## Advanced Card Counting

Finally, there are more charts to memorize, which will dictate the actions you need to take (hit, stay, double, split, etc.), depending on the dealer’s face card and your running count. But let’s not rush things.

The point of this article is to show how unimpressive counting cards is. Add one for every low card, subtract one for every high card. If you counted correctly, the count should end to zero when the deck’s final card is dealt.

Great, you are now a blackjack card counter! You may try to learn [advanced counting systems](http://www.blackjackage.com/card-counting-systems.php) that will give you a bit more edge, or begin [studying chartslike this](https://www.reddit.com/r/blackjack/comments/b0hict/basic%5Fstrategy%5Ftable%5Fwith%5Fcommon%5Fdeviations%5Fadvice/) (called “basic strategy deviations”). Of course, you may also sit down and play with your friends and show off your card counting skills!

*Photo* by:[*Bob Owen*](https://flic.kr/p/83Qtxm)
### The Entrepreneurship of Gambling as an Affiliate
URL: https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship-of-gambling-as-affiliate/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:24:27.000Z
Offline gambling and internet gaming industry is huge. [About 400 billiondollars huge](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). That’s how much money people are risking every year in casino games, sports betting and poker. And that’s the money gambling operators are after. Along with them, bloggers and web entrepreneurs see the opportunity of quick and easy money. Much like punters, although they have a better chance of making money.

But let’s start from the beginning. Who is profiting in this industry?

1. ****The operators**. That’s easy. Entrepreneurs build offline gambling venues (think casinos) or launch iGaming sites (think online sportsbooks). Their business plan is to always stack the deck against the gamblers. That’s easy. They set rules so that they always have a guaranteed edge over them. Their secondary job is to create an inviting and friendly place for people to gamble. And then comes the marketing, which in turn will make their enterprise heard. Find an edge, build a welcoming place, promote.
2. ****The affiliates**. Part of the operators’ marketing strategy is to spread the word offline and online. So they need people to promote their business. These people become affiliates and operators offer them initiatives for their service. Think money. So, gambling companies attract affiliates by giving some of their profits back to them. Profits that come from punters that affiliates bring to their business.
3. ****The government**. Think taxes. The internet gaming industry wasn’t regulated until recently. Most operators launched their businesses from offshore tax heavens and enjoyed big markups. People were betting from Europe and US, but none of their countries could tax the operators. Now, they require a license. Do you want my citizens to gamble on your website? Get a license. Licensed gaming companies will pay taxes, like any other company operating in the country. Unlicensed companies are not welcome. Think fines and website blocking. Get your business elsewhere.

The need of people to gamble and risk money on their predictions provide wealth for all the above. When a gambler signs up on an iGaming website and places a bet, they are setting a wheel in motion.

## The wheel of entrepreneurship in internet gambling

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/igaming-affiliate-brands-3549-300x200.jpg)

Let’s talk of the business plan from the perspective of an affiliate. I guess that’s probably why you are reading this. The odds of becoming an iGaming operator yourself are pretty slim, am I right?

You build a website. A simple one. Think blogging. Gambling fascinates you. You need to share your tips with the world. You think you are the best bettor and people need to hear of you. Or you just want to help other gamblers understand the ins and outs of the game. A game that is stacked against them.

Wait. ****That’s not a good strategy.**

How are you going to lure them into the gambling world if you say they don’t stand a chance? No, your aim is ****to give gamblers hope**. That’s what they are paying for. Hope. Hope for making money to improve their lives.

A better strategy is to show your (imaginary?) profits. To write success stories. To explain how you or other people did it and are now sunbathing in paradise places. To give them *hope* that they themselves can make it. And they cannot make it unless they open an account in your affiliated iGaming operator. That’s your punch line.

Your customers are these punters. If you convince one punter to sign-up, ****you got yourself a customer**. A customer that will pay you for a lifetime, as long as they are gambling.

But how? Isn’t your job done when a player signs up?

*It depends.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/igaming-affiliate-brands-3556.jpg)

## How the iGaming affiliate business works

As a gambling affiliate, you get to choose. You’ll either get paid a fixed fee for every customer you bring to the gambling company or a monthly fee according to the money your customer wagered. Think ****revenue share**. If the punter spent $500 this month, your paycheck can vary from $100 to $250 depending on your affiliate deal – think percentages. The rest goes to your other two partners: the operator and taxes.

****Spending in gambling though equals to losing money**. In contrast, spending in the retail industry means that customers spend money for goods. They give money in exchange for a pair of shoes, a hat, a phone, anything. Revenue equals to money spent.

In gambling, spending money can actually win more money for the customer! If the punter spends (think bets) $20 and wins $40 back, the operator has lost money. They can’t pay you. Your customer wasn’t a good customer. They were a profitable punter. And these are rarely welcome to gambling companies (PinnacleSports is an exception for instance). Because, if all of their customers were so sharp as to turn the odds around, the operator would shut down their business.

Fortunately for them, they are not. Most if not all of the punters you sign up ****will lose money in the long run**. Perhaps they’ll have a good month and win money. Be patient. Math doesn’t lie. Next month you’ll get a paycheck.

Besides, the [Pareto Principle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto%5Fprinciple) applies here as well. As an iGaming entrepreneur and affiliate, you’ll make most of your money from the 20% of your customers. These will be your “whales”. Punters with big wallets who bet for the fun of it, not caring of losing thousands of dollars per month. The other 80% of your customer base will keep your business from collapsing. And they will be the ones that will contact you the most.

See? Entrepreneurship in gambling as an affiliate isn’t rocket science. You need a good marketing strategy to make your blog or name heard. Will that be quality, educative posts, and social media engagement? Or shady tactics, fake profit & loss statements and sharing “fixed games” to Facebook? That’s up to you. In the end, what it matters is how many signups you’ll have by the end of the month. And how much money your customers will lose. Then you’ll be a happy iGaming affiliate and entrepreneur. Or not.
### Why iGaming Companies Bet on Online Casinos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/igaming-companies-bet-on-online-casinos/
Last updated: 2024-01-04T13:46:13.000Z
Lately, there has been a shift for iGaming companies in favor of their online casinos’ offerings. Popular sportsbooks and poker rooms either put more marketing efforts towards casinos or incorporate **online casino games** next to their main product. Do they really need online casinos to keep their business *sustainable*?

First, here is the **cost of online advertising** among betting, poker and casino-related keywords (data by [Google AdWords](https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner)). iGaming marketing teams are obviously bidding heavily on casino-targeted keywords.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/online-casino-marketing-keyword-bids.png)

During my research on the iGaming industry all these years, I became interested in the economic side of the gaming operators. Several studies landed on my desk, and they all had something in common: **the rise of online casino revenues**! Despite the long history of online casinos, the surprise was bigger for companies that already had a successful product, not related to casino games.

[Betfair](http://jmks.co/betfair)’s business plan, for instance, relied heavily on their betting exchange offering, which turned out a big success and a market-changer the past decade. Nowadays though, they are evolving into yet another sportsbook with shortcuts to casino games scattered all over their website. Are they genuinely abandoning their exchange offering due to punters being more familiar with the traditional betting model?

Another iGaming company that is driving its customers towards online casino games recently is PokerStars. While hugely successful and a multi-year leader in the online poker industry, Pokerstars has launched marketing campaigns for their new online casino. This move have mixed results, as some of their [poker pros have terminated their sponsorship contracts](http://pokerfuse.com/news/media-and-software/26141-victoria-coren-leaves-pokerstars-i-cannot-endorse-casino/) with the poker room.

But iGaming companies are just following the trend that punters themselves are putting forward.

Apparently, gamblers are unwilling to learn what exchange betting is or improve their poker skills. Instead, they fancy a regular bet or two on their favorite team. And while they are betting and waiting for the game’s outcome, what’s the harm in trying their luck in [online blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/) or roulette? Meanwhile, online poker tournaments seem to take forever to reach the final table, so players go for a quick spin at the online casino offered by the same poker operator.

Sportsbooks and poker rooms alike have taken notice of the increasing casino revenues that other casino-orientated companies are profiting from. Given they have already established themselves in the iGaming industry, it’s easier to convert their sports bettors and poker players into casino addicts. The customer base is already there. Customers are already trusting the company. Now, it’s time to offer them another way to spend their money. A reload bonus will sweeten the deal, much like [free bets](https://jimmakos.com/2015/03/build-bankroll-fast-with-free-bets/) are luring new punters into online betting.

Their new online casino will have no trouble competing with other licensed online casinos that have already been rated by some of the many casino comparison sites. Besides, it’s a much quicker way for gamblers to lose – and deposit – more money, in the long run.
### Using a Reflector to Lighten up Indoor Videos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/reflector-for-lighting-indoor-videos/
Last updated: 2022-08-08T06:29:27.000Z
Since I began filming myself indoors, I noticed that my side facing opposite of the window wasn’t bright enough. Shadows were too dark and sometimes I was forced to bring shadows’ lighting up a notch during post production. Of course, it’s always **better to improve lighting before shooting**, so I went on and ordered by first cinematography add-on: a *reflector*!

**A reflector is the cheapest way to lighten up a scene**, especially in interviews. In my case, my setup places me in front of my computer, having a window on my left. The sun provides free lighting, yet my right side is poorly lit. That’s because there’s a concrete wall and usually a closed door at that part of my office.

Being a beginner in [**photography**](https://jimmakos.com/photography/) and impatient to try out my new reflector ([**bought for $18 at Amazon**](http://jmks.co/reflector)), I went on and **did some testing** , despite the rain pouring outside. I will probably update this post with more comparisons when the sun shines again (it’s been cloudy and rainy the past few days in Greece).

Without further ado, here’s the closeup of a video (unedited) still **without the reflector**.

![light-without-reflector](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/light-without-reflector-1.jpg)

And here’s **with the reflector’s silver coating**, pointing to the dark side of my face (at least, I tried to):

![light-with-reflector](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/light-with-reflector-1.jpg)

Finally, this is a **comparison of the video stills at full size**. I suppose it’s pretty obvious which is which:

![light-reflector-comparison](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/light-reflector-comparison-1.jpg)

Beginners in videography like myself wondering how a reflector works, will definitely find this short video useful.
### Building a Bankroll Fast with Free Bets
URL: https://jimmakos.com/build-bankroll-fast-with-free-bets/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:10:04.000Z
You are about to embark on your journey to the fascinating world of online football betting. You are feeling enthusiastic. You are excited about the prospects. You are confident. But you are also under-bankrolled. Can the bookmakers’ free bets help you **build your betting bankroll quicker?**

Often, newcomers in the football betting community *underestimate* the value of their bankroll’s size. They think that all it takes to beat the bookies is good predictions. Although small capital doesn’t rule out their success, it leads to catastrophic risk management. And that is the main reason for their imminent failure.

In general, football bettors [should not risk more than two percent of theirbankroll](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/). Surely, that sounds too small when your available funds are £100\. Yet, it’s a **simple strategy to keep the risk under control**.

Now, say that for every £100 you deposited in your betting account, you get another hundred. You effectively doubled up your bankroll at no cost, thanks to the free bets.

*Is that so?*

## How free bets work alongside your betting system

iGaming operators often run marketing campaigns that include free football bets for new customers. This means that punters can get £50 to £1,000 for free, depending on their first deposit. The bonus size of the free sports bets varies, so I’d recommend comparing them at [this soccer site](http://www.soccernews.com/soccer-betting/free-betting/).

The catch is that they need to bet enough times before they are eligible for the free bets. But that’s not really a catch if gamblers are already **betting according to a plan**.

Let’s see why.

Assuming you deposited £100, you should be risking £2 per bet. Also assuming you have an [**edge**](http://sportsgambling.about.com/od/advancedtheory/a/findingedge.htm) and your strategy is profitable, you expect to make about 10p per selection. Yes, that does sound minuscule, but everything is relative. If you were starting out with a bankroll of £10,000 and risked £200 each time, you’d make £10 per bet. And while £10 sound a lot now for you, it won’t when you have a 10-grand bankroll.

Back to the main discussion, you need to bet five times your first deposit before the free bets are released to your account. That would be £500 in total bets or 250 football bets following our plan. The actual figure varies among football bookmakers; that’s why you should always **read the terms and conditions carefully**.

By the time you’d have bet 250 times (£2 each), you should have made £25! That is a 25% increase of your bankroll!

With the addition of the free bet, your bankroll now stands at £225\. That’s effectively a 125% increase! But even if the variance wasn’t kind to you and you are break even after 250 bets, you still get to keep the free bet bonus of £100\. Now, you can double your stakes and make 20p per selection (assuming a 5% edge), without depositing more.

## Final tips to get the most out of the free bets

The point isn’t [how much money you can make in football betting](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/make-money-fast-gambling/), rather than showing the advantage of the free football bets that online bookmakers are offering. Stay disciplined, stick to your football betting strategy and **don’t rush to clear the bonus**. As a last word of advice, do your *research* on free bets. You might be surprised how quickly you can have your bankroll doubled up!

##
### Preparing the Introductory Video of my YouTube channel
URL: https://jimmakos.com/preparing-intro-video-youtube-channel/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:28:07.000Z
Today I recorded the main footage to be used as the introductory video of my YouTube channel. I needed this particular video, given the vast array of topics I am writing online and discussing at social media. It is sort of an [About Me](https://jimmakos.com/about/) video, where I am mentioning all of my interests briefly, from [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) and investing, to [web development](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/) and [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/).

![youtube-intro](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/youtube-intro.png)

The video will also serve as a welcoming video to my YouTube unsubscribed visitors, letting them know more about me.

YouTube was kind enough to remind me that, *every time* I accessed my channel. I believe a personal video at that spot will prove useful, instead of showing one of my recent videos. This seems to be the general strategy of most other channels, yet I believe YouTubers can take advantage of that space more efficiently.

Another thing about my YouTube channel is that I always include videos I produced for other channels. This way I get to update my channel and show my work, without uploading a duplicate video. Given that most of this work is now scattered in other places at YouTube, I’ve opted for this solution. This has allowed me also to stay connected with my original subscribers, who would otherwise believe I have quit using YouTube.

![video-editing](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/video-editing-1.png)

I’ve included B-roll footage as well, to keep viewers engaged, instead of watching me talk in front of the camera for 3 minutes. However, this footage was recorded after the sun was down, leading to some noisy video image. I’ll most probably record some more tomorrow morning and hopefully, by the end of Friday I’ll have it all wrapped up and uploaded to [my YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/JimMakosCom)!

Stay tuned as I have just now started editing the video.
### How I Got a Bonus For Writing about Grammarly. You Can Too!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/grammarly-affiliates-get-free-activation-bonus/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:34:09.000Z
Last month I wrote a comprehensive article of [my writing workflow](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/how-to-improve-writing-skills/). One of the steps during the editing of my piece before publishing is ****checking it for grammar and spelling errors**. I have been using the free version of Grammarly for quite some time, and I’ve found it very helpful, correcting the articles on the fly. Due to that post, I’m now entitled to use Grammarly’s Premium service for free in February! Let me show how you can too if you are [writing online](https://jimmakos.com/tag/writing/) or have a blog.

Grammarly has its own affiliate program, which you can join via ShareASale or CommissionJuction websites. They are both advertising and marketing companies, specializing in affiliate and tracking services. Anyhow, you can become a Grammarly affiliate in no time. By doing so, you have a chance of ****receiving $25 in your affiliate account** right from the start! It only takes a review of Grammarly, or a post like mine, where you briefly discuss Grammarly service.

Grammarly calls it ‘Activation Bonus’.

I hadn’t noticed that until they contacted me a week ago to remind me of that activation bonus offer. According to their email:

“Over the last month, many of you have taken advantage of our activation bonus offer and were credited with a $25 bonus. Thank you so much for taking the time to place our banners and links! For all you laggards out there (you know who you are!), we are extending the opportunity to receive the $25 activation bonus for another week. So, let this serve as a reminder to place our link or banner on your site and earn a quick buck!

Link to us from your website by March 12th, send us the appropriate URL at \[email address hidden for anti-spam reasons\], and we will issue the payment right away.”

So, I went on and replied, citing my article where I had already included my Grammarly recommendation. Soon enough, Galyna from Grammarly had added my $25 activation bonus in my affiliate account!

She also informed me that:

> We provide our affiliates who write a review with 1 month of a free Premium service.

![correcting-writing-mistakes-grammarly-premium](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/correcting-writing-mistakes-grammarly-premium.png)

I took this offer in an instant! I can now check out all 10 writing mistakes I’ve originally made in this very article!

Although I have now added more work in my blogging routine, I can now ****improve my writing even more via Grammarly premium service**. Given I have already found quite useful their free offering, I’m curious to discover the benefits of the premium tools.

Yes, I am required to write a detailed review when the premium access ends, but that shouldn’t be hard. I already use Grammarly extensively in my daily schedule. It’s not that I have to allocate more time to test their full product.

Besides, ****I already planned to sign up for a Premium account**. It’s just that I was waiting for a hefty discount, as previously they have offered discounts as low as 60%! That brings the yearly cost down from $139.95 to about $60 for the premium access.

So, if you are ****already writing online and have a blog**:

1. [Create a free account at Grammarly](https://jmks.co/grammarly).
2. Test it for proofreading and eliminating most of your writing mistakes.
3. Sign up as a Grammarly affiliate for free.
4. Add a link/banner to a post of yours or write a new one. It doesn’t have to be about Grammarly, but it has to be writing-related.
5. Contact Grammarly to receive your free $25 activation bonus!

That shouldn’t take you more than one hour of paperwork and you’ll make $25.

![grammarly-premium-mistake-example](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/grammarly-premium-mistake-example.png)

Premium correcting: Overused word

If you are ****considering signing up for a Premium account**:

- Contact Grammarly again, to let them know you are willing to write a review of their service.
- Get a month free of Premium access to Grammarly.
- Write your personal review on Grammarly a month later.
- If you decide to sign up, wait for a discount. You can get a 12-month premium access for less than $60\. Remember that you’ve already made $25 when you signed up as an affiliate!

Finally, if your review is positive and convinces two of your readers to sign up for the Premium plan, you get $20 for each! You effectively have got ****free Grammarly premium access for a whole year**. That not bad for online writers, is it?

##
### My First Photo in Flickr Explore!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/photo-in-flickr-explore/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T17:52:34.000Z
**Flickr** is an online community for photographers, owned by Yahoo. It’s one of the most active photography communities, running interesting projects throughout the week. One of them, called *FlickrFriday*, invites photographers to take their best shots for a specific theme, announced – you guessed that – every Friday.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-photography-2.jpg)

I had been watching the Flickr group for some time since I began taking photography more seriously. I had zero knowledge of [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/) a year ago. This hobby grew into me the more I used my new dSLR that I used for [my videosat YouTube and Vimeo](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/). It was only last month that I joined [500px](https://500px.com/JimMakos) and [SmugMug](https://jimmakos.smugmug.com/).

FlickrFriday would be a good reason, I thought, **to learn new things**. As I’m spending most of my day working at home, the themes might give me a reason to grab my camera and get out. I also scanned past themes and what pictures other photographers were posting. I always welcome competition, which is quite fierce in the online investing world I live and breathe in.

Last Friday the theme was [Dilemma](http://blog.flickr.net/en/2015/02/27/flickr-friday-dilemma/). A Greek word for making tough decisions. Should I buy a car or a motorcycle? Should I get married or enjoy the bachelor’s life? Should I buy or rent a house?

[Being a Greek guy](https://jimmakos.com/about/) and all, the theme was a call for me. I had a couple of ideas, but it wasn’t until Thursday, a week later, that I took action. And I didn’t even leave home; **I just went to the kitchen**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pasta-dilemma-flickr.jpg)

I took this **photo of pasta**, applied some basic editing at Adobe’s Lightroom and tagged it #FlickrFriday. In fact, I chose it among 6 I took that night, as I was trying for the best arrangement of the bags. I used the tripod for lowering shutter speed and decreasing ISO, to eliminate any noise I could.

For a better result, I could have taken the shot in daylight, of course. Yet, my time was up. No more days left for the Dilemma theme.

Click. Import. Edit (sharpening, denoising, adding clarity, adjusting shadows and highlights). Tag. Upload.

On the next morning (that is today), the photo had attracted just 20 views. One of the viewers had added it as a “favorite”. I was sure I had taken better photos than this ([check them out at Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/jim-makos/)), so I didn’t expect much more than that. If any, my expectations was based solely on participating in the FlickrFriday event. In the end, I had some fun already, using my camera for a specific purpose. That was something entirely new for me: **having a theme or project to take photos of!**

Then suddenly my photo got some *traction*. A Flickr member had added it as a favorite. And another. And another! Soon, the number of views of my photo had exceeded 1,000!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/flickr-explore-300x228.png)

At the time of writing, the photo has received 4,200 views, 48 faves and 5 comments (excluding mine)!

One comment congratulated me for the inclusion to [Flickr Explore](https://www.flickr.com/explore)! Explore? Really? And there it was. And that’s how this photo has become my most popular photo in my early career in amateur photography!

Now, I’m dying to know if the photo will be included in the upcoming Flickr #Dilemma blog post!

Featured photo by [Davide Gabino](https://www.flickr.com/photos/strolicfurlan/8641783821)
### Using a Pseudonym For Writing Online
URL: https://jimmakos.com/pseudonym-for-writing-online/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T04:15:58.000Z
My real name is not [Jim Makos](https://jimmakos.com/). That is just a pseudonym I picked when I first connected with the internet world 20 years ago. Nowadays, it serves as my author name appearing in the byline of all my articles. Lately, it has been used as reference for university papers! Am I right using a pseudonym when writing online? More importantly…

## Should *you* use a pseudonym online?

For quite some time, I had been contemplating using my real name online. The least that would happen was to fulfill my parents’ pride. The worst that could happen though is letting the world know of a vast of unnecessary information and sensitive data. And there’s no need for that. Better safe than sorry.

Besides, [safety is crucial when writing in the gambling niche](https://jimmakos.com/2014/05/personal-life-writing-gambling/).

Writing under a pen name allowed me ****to build a brand**. When creating social media profiles (eventually [turned into business pages](https://jimmakos.com/2013/06/convert-facebook-profile-business-page/)!) and joining forums I knew beforehand what (brand) name I’d be using. The pseudonym is now helping my voice being heard more clearly and louder in the abyss of the internet.

But wait, wouldn’t that happen by using a real name?

I suppose so unless your name is a very common one (think of John Doe) or similar to a famous person’s. By renaming yourself before climbing the writing stardom though, you are free to choose the name you like to leave a mark with. And some of us have both long and difficult-pronounced surnames, not to mention foreign-looking first names. A deadly combination for the English-driven internet.

To stand out as an online writer is the same as in the real world. Here are some famous writers using pseudonyms:

- ****Agatha Christie**: Mary Westmacott
- ****Benjamin Franklin**: Mrs. Silence Dogood
- ****Isaac Asimov**: Paul French
- ****Michael Crichton**: John Lange, Jeffery Hudson and Michael Douglas

At times, worldwide famous and popular writers wrote books under a different pen name. Stephen King comes to mind using [Richard Bachman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard%5FBachman) for the seven (7) books! [Harry Potter’s author](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.%5FK.%5FRowling#Name) did something similar. Did you know that J. K. Rowling’s publisher suggested using her initials to avoid revealing to potential young readers (and buyers) the author was a woman? Although not exactly a pen name, she did use a shortened version of her full name, adding a second initial for middle name (from her grandmother). And that helped her book’s sales!

Check an endless [list of pen names at Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5Fpen%5Fnames)!

Yes, ****people change their names for the sake of fame, money, privacy and personal safety**. Not only writers, but singers and actors. And if they do it, why don’t we do it online, where exposure is uncontrollable and money may begin pouring in unexpectedly?

Sooner or later your real identity will surface, should you become ultra-famous. But until that happens, you will sleep better at night.

*Featured image via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/reway2007/14901667395)*
### Multiple niche websites or a single website to rule them all?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/niche-websites-or-single-website/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:58:25.000Z
For months now I am wondering; did I make the right decision to create different websites for each niche I write (and care) about? Or would I be better ****sticking to a single website**, filling it up with several of things? Both solutions have their points.

First, a brief summary of my web presence for newcomers to my blog.

10 years ago I started this very blog, [JimMakos.com](https://jimmakos.com/), using my pseudonym as the domain name. Fast forward 5 years later, I launched 3 more websites, each targeting a different niche. *Till* then, I was discussing everything in this blog. *Since* then, I’ve been posting my financial articles at TradingGraphs.com, my online betting articles at BetStories.com and my Greek posts ([I’m a Greek guy](https://jimmakos.com/about/)) at StoiximaOnline.com.

While a couple of them have had moderate success (if you consider 1,000 visits/day a success), it has become ****a burden to maintain all those niche websites**.

> If I feel strongly about anything, I get overwhelmed with emotion.EMMA STONE

Let me remind you that a blog isn’t just about adding posts and updating WordPress. Each niche website has social media profiles, a YouTube channel, email accounts and advertising deals to name a few add-ons. Not to mention the need to learn the ins and outs of the template each website is built with. And all those tasks require both time and work. And both of them are limited for me, now that [I’m raising a family](https://jimmakos.com/2014/04/work-from-home-newborn-baby/).

## Why you should have different websites for specific niches

I keep reading this advice for too long now. Do you want to talk about climbing? Start a climbing blog. Do you want to discuss photography? Start a photography blog. Interested in running or weight-lifting? Start a fitness blog. You get the idea.

The point is to ****make your niche website stand out** from the rest in that niche. People should refer to your blog, when asked:

> What is your recommended blog to follow for <enter hobby here>?

So, the first thing that comes to mind is to include that hobby name in [the blog’s domain name](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/how-to-register-develop-keyword-targeted-domains/). If a blog’s name features the word “photo”, chances are it is a photography-related blog. If instead, you opted for an all-around blog, the domain name will struggle to include all the topics discussed therein. You’ll end up using categories or subdomains to add that precious keyword.

Using that keyword-targeted domain name, you are now much better off creating social media profiles that clearly state the scope of your business. YouTube channels, Pinterest boards and Twitter handles that include the word “fitness” or “gaming” will acquire like-minded subscribers and followers. And we all know [the benefit of having targeted audience](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/multilingual-blogging/).

> My main focus is on my game.TIGER WOODS

Long story short, your niche website will always show your hobby-related articles along with hobby-related images. For an even better performance, the general advice is to ****look for a micro-niche** inside the niche you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in finance, you should start a niche website specifically on “stock options trading”, instead of trying to include all things finance. Much like I have at TradingGraphs.com, eagerly anticipating to compete with MarketWatch and Financial Times. *Fail*, obviously.

Finally, creating an entirely new brand name will stand a better chance if you are planning to sell your project in the future. JimMakos.com will attract just a few investors, compared to an established non-personal online betting niche website with a catchy name. Surprisingly, BetStories.com comes to mind.

## Why I am thinking of killing my niche websites and returning here

Been there, done that and having to keep so many niche websites updated all by myself has taken its toll. Yes, I know. The *delegation* of tasks to others should be my number one priority (I too have the read [Tim Ferriss’ 4-hour work week](http://amzn.to/18ebGI8)). Yes, I also know of the potential when adding value in several niche websites. But maybe I’m one of those entrepreneurs who cannot delegate efficiently, do not trust anyone and think that no one is perfect enough to help.

The first time the alarming bell set off inside my brain was when I received an email. The sender informed me that ****they would be unsubscribing from my blog’s RSS feed**. Their reason? The subpar and over-promoting articles I had been featuring in my blog. The blame was on guest posting and sponsored posts that I kept publishing, instead of my actual writing (money is sweet).

Readers were alienated and found themselves following a blogger, *who didn’t blog*.

In fact, I did blog, although at my other niche websites. That led me to neglect my main blog, the one you are currently reading these lines. And although it had been quite popular among gamblers at that time (due to [my success at sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)), I kicked the bucket. I had shifted my focus elsewhere, eventually driving all visitors away.

> If you’ve lost focus, just sit down and be still.CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTES

Surely, my blog’s domain name does not feature a single meaningful keyword. But maybe that turns out a good thing. I am talking about the gambling and iGaming business. I am blogging about online betting and sports trading. I am writing how I am trading stocks, forex and futures at the stock markets worldwide. I am also sharing tips on [how to build websites](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/) and ****improve your writing skills**, having done that all these years. And lately, [I’m much more into photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/) than ever before.

****What kind of keyword can reflect all those?**

And in all honesty, despite all the effort, [my personal YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/jimmakoscom) still ****acquires the most subscribers every day, compared to my other channels**. And it’s been years since I uploaded a new video there! Yes, videos posted at other channels do attract a lot of positive votes. Maybe it’s time to publish them in my own channel and reward my subscribers for their loyalty all those years!

Do I sound decided yet? *Far from it*. I am still feeling confused, that is why I am reaching out. ****What do you think?** Should I keep different niche websites for each hobby of mine, or should I revert back to this personal blog and ditch the rest? What would you do?

*Featured image via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple-lover/13583362554)*

##
### How to improve your writing skills the easy (and free) way
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-improve-writing-skills/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T17:49:34.000Z
I am not a native English speaker. Having said that, I find it embarrassing to be giving advice on [writing](https://jimmakos.com/tag/writing/) and how to improve your skills. But as I have written over a thousand articles in English online, I want to share what I’ve learned. Your writing may benefit from using the tools and software you’ll find below. And, for the most part, they are *free*.

Before discussing how to improve your writing skills, let’s bust a myth in online writing.

## You do not need a word processor to write

Most people think that they need a word processor such as Microsoft Word to write down their words (pun intended). That is not the case. As long as you can **type words on a white, blank screen**, any application will do.

You can go minimalistic and write on your computer’s *notepad*. There’s no harm in that. Sometimes it will be the better choice, by cutting down all the clutter on your screen. Not having distractions is paramount in writing, and anything you see on screen beside the white writing space is a distraction. **Go full screen!**

On the other hand, a writing software application may come in handy. Spelling and grammar checking are usually offered with those applications. Formatting your text might also appeal to the newcomer writer as well. Yet, if your articles are going public on the internet, formatting is of little importance. Actually, you’d be far **better off leaving your entire document unformatted for now**. You’ll have a much easier job after you import it into your online blogging platform.

> I don’t even use italics or boldface; that’s clutter, not clarity. Fancy fonts are fine for blogs, just as calligraphy is fine for diaries.ANDREW VACHSS

So, just *write*!

Still, if you feel better writing on a dedicated writing software:

- [Microsoft Word](https://office.live.com/start/Word.aspx) is available **for free if you have a Hotmail/Outlook email account**! Surprised? In fact, the entire Office Suite is available online to Microsoft accounts for free!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/word-online-improve-writing-skills-1.png)

- [Google Docs](https://docs.google.com/) is also **free and available to any Google user**. You do have a Gmail address, don’t you? Of course, these two solutions require an internet connection at all time, but your document is automatically saved in the cloud, each time you pause for a second. Accessing your article from another location/computer later would be just two clicks away.
- Standalone software, such as Word or OpenOffice, allows you to install helpful plugins, such as the [Associated Press StyleGuard](http://www.apstylebook.com/?do=product&pid=APGSG-917360-1).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-docs-improve-writing-skills-300x154.png)

No, **that doesn’t come for free**. But your writing will look similar to the articles you are reading on big media sites and newspapers. As long as you follow the rules and you *do* need that professional look in the first place!

Alright, by now you should have written your article in plain text formatting. Your article might have spelling and grammar errors, but *it’s not the time* to have them corrected. You’ll do it later. For now, you should worry of your article’s readability.

## How to improve the readability of your articles

Write as *simple* as possible. That is the general advice by many reputable online writers and bloggers. It’s a welcome tip for any non-English speaker like myself!

> The road to hell is paved with adverbs. - STEPHEN KING

Again, sticking to rules will improve your content’s readability:

- Avoid passive voice. Write with action in mind.
- Avoid long sentences.
- Use plain words instead of trying to impress with your vocabulary.
- Cut down on “which, who, that” and replace them with verbs.
- Think of writing for a 10-year-old. Will they understand your article?

That last tip will help you start writing. Always think of your readers. **Think of a specific person before beginning to write** your next post. How would you discuss with them? Put that discussion on electronic ink and maintain a talkative tone in your writing.

> All the information you need can be given in dialogue. - ELMORE LEONARD

See how *engaging* that is?

Fortunately, we are not alone out there writing our articles. Help is on the way. **We don’t need to remember any rules**. Besides, there are more rules than the ones I mentioned above. Although it’s beneficial to have those in mind so that you don’t write constantly in a passive voice, for example, you can apply them in editing afterwards.

These are two online tools that will **improve your content’s readability for free**:

- [The Hemingway app](http://www.hemingwayapp.com/). You paste your finished article and the online app will highlight the sentences or words needing attention. Keep in mind of the additional suggestions found in the right column. The tool is also available in desktop version for a small fee.
- [The Orwell app](http://www.orwellapp.com/). It’s pretty much the same tool with slight differences in rules. After I finish writing my document, I paste it to this online app. **My aim is for a Grade 9 or less**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/orwell-app-improve-writing-skills.png)

Notice that you lose any formatting you’ve done before importing your words into these web tools. Remember when I told you not to worry about formatting your text? As a side note, I would use these tools strictly for editing. Despite their attractive distraction-free editor, **writing online without auto-saving** is a recipe for disaster!

## Grammar and spell-checking your document

At this point, your article is edited for readability but there might be spelling and grammar mistakes. You should never publish a document under these circumstances. **Always have your article checked for errors**. A hurried up and full-of-mistakes article looks unprofessional and will harm your reputation as a writer.

If you opted for a commercial word processor, chances are your document is already checked for spelling and grammar mistakes. A grammar and spell-checker are usually built-in with commercial software.

How about when you write online at either Word Online, Google docs or **even in your WordPress’ editor**?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/grammarly-improve-writing-skills.png)

Web browsers nowadays offer spell-checkers for free! Take Google Chrome, for example. Everything you write inside that browser is automatically checked for errors. And by everything, I mean everything, as long as you’ve activated the function. Even your Facebook updates and Tweets are automatically corrected for mistakes!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/chrome-spell-checker-improve-writing-skills.png)

Thus, by writing online, you’ll have your mumblings checked before you press that “save” or dreadful “publish” button! You may also install more languages, in case you write in a non-English language as well.

Yet, there are **more sophisticated tools to improve your grammar and spelling**. [Grammarly](https://jmks.co/grammarly) often comes to mind. While the full version will set you back $139 per year (they do run discounts up to 60%), the free version is perfect for further improving your article’s look. You can also install the Chrome extension and have your articles checked on the fly – without losing any text formatting!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/grammarly-corrected-improve-writing-skills.png)

And lastly, you can replace your repeating words with synonyms by simply highlighting them with the mouse. Improving writing skills does include **enriching your vocabulary**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/grammarly-synonyms-improve-writing-skills.png)

That is my own **writing workflow** before I prepare an article for publishing:

- I write my formatting-free post on Word or Google Docs,
- Improve the readability with the Orwell app,
- Paste it to WordPress and check for errors with Grammarly extension.

Then comes the SEO part, adding keywords, picking a share-bait headline, including SEO-friendly images, formatting the text with bullet/number lists and headings, and writing a compelling 160-character description. But all that is for *discoverability*. Before that **you need readability and error-free writing**.

> Style is to forget all styles. - JULES RENARD

With these free tools you’ll improve your writing skills and learn to write with rules in your mind. Of course, rules are to be broken, but that comes with experience. Until you become an experienced writer and know [why you are writing](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/writing-for-a-reason/), sticking to the rules **will make you a better writer**. Take it from a non-English speaker who just finished writing and editing this spelling and grammar error-free 1,200-word article in English, that even a schoolboy or girl can comprehend!

*Featured image by [Kristina Alexanderson](https://www.flickr.com/photos/kalexanderson/8356917695)*

## 

####
### How Photography Brought My Life to Focus
URL: https://jimmakos.com/photography/
Last updated: 2025-12-04T07:01:51.000Z
I am a photography enthusiast.

I discovered photography as a hobby when I began taking photos of my daughter when I became a dad.

Since then, I have used DSLR, mirrorless, and other cameras. Although I found [a passion for filmmaking](https://jimmakos.com/filmmaking/), photography techniques have come in handy in [my web publishing business](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/), especially during [content creation](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/). Of course, pictures help tell a story better on the web. Thus, photography goes hand in hand with my online writing.

I have been uploading my best photos [on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/jim-makos/albums).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20200209-SR301045-HDR-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20191130-SR309823-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20210815-A7C01156-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20200716-SR304630-Pano-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20200109-SR300549-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20210125-SR309320-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20200815-SR306983-Pano-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20200810-SR306431-HDR-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2023/03/jim-makos-20210728-A7C00637-1.jpg)

## Photography and AI

I took this photo on my morning walk. Just as I clicked the shutter, the birds were entering the frame. I hadn’t even seen them coming, so I didn’t take 5 or 6 shots hoping to capture them.

I took just one.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2025/12/Photography-and-AI.png)

And somehow, I caught the perfect moment despite the fact that those damn things fly fast.

I immediately checked the photo on the camera. Yep, I’d nailed it. And the first thing that crossed my mind?

People are probably going to say I added the birds with AI. 🤷‍♂️

## PHOTOGRAPHY TOOLS AND RESOURCES

Photography has always been a crucial component of my storytelling arsenal, allowing me to capture moments that words alone cannot describe.

Over the years, I've explored various tools and resources that have significantly streamlined my photography workflow, enabling me to create more impactful and memorable images, both for my personal joy and as a vital part of my business.

The art of photography extends beyond just capturing a shot; it involves a *meticulous* process of planning, shooting, editing, and sharing. Each step in this journey requires attention to detail and the right tools to bring visions to life.

In this section, I'm excited to share **a curated list of resources and tools** that have been instrumental in my photography journey.

From the gear that accompanies me on every shoot to the software that polishes my photos into their final form, these resources are the backbone of my photography process. Additionally, I'll introduce you to platforms and techniques that have helped me manage and showcase my work effectively, ensuring that each image not only tells a story but also reaches the audience it's meant for.

Whether you're a seasoned photographer or someone just starting to dabble in the world of photography, the resources I'm about to share are designed to make your photography workflow as seamless and productive as possible.

Let's explore these tools together, each one selected to help you create, edit, and **share your photographic stories with the world**.

*Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you help me pay this blog’s bills and show appreciation for any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

### Photography Gear

I used to list my cameras, lenses, and other gear here, but since technology has evolved, I find it challenging to keep this page up to date. Thus, you can check out the equipment I use at [kit.co](https://kit.co/JimMakos).

### Photography Software and Film Emulations

1. Editing software: [Adobe Lightroom](https://lightroom.adobe.com/)
2. Film emulation software: [IWLTBAP](https://luts.iwltbap.com/), [Lutify.Me](https://lutify.me/)

## Photography tools and other resources

1. [SmugMug](https://jmks.co/smugmug): Store, share, and even sell your photos.
2. [Windowed.io](http://windowed.io/): Manage Instagram from your desktop.
3. [Photonstophotos.net](https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm): Compare the dynamic range for multiple cameras.
4. [LonelySpeck](https://www.lonelyspeck.com/how-to-find-the-milky-way/): How to find the Milky Way.
5. [CameraDecision](https://cameradecision.com/): Camera specs comparison website.
6. [CameraSize](https://camerasize.com/compact/): Compare the size of all cameras and lenses.
7. [Petges.lu](https://www.petges.lu/): Change the file properties of your photos, like the date they were captured.
### Writing for a reason: What will your next post accomplish?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/writing-for-a-reason/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:01:03.000Z
If you like writing, you must already have a blog, right? It’s nice to let your blog’s readers know of your feelings, news, or any advice you want to share. It’s even nicer to let the whole world know of all that, the moment you hit the “Publish” button. But wouldn’t be nicer if you were rewarded with something more than just… *traffic*?

When I started blogging in 2005, it was because I wanted to better communicate with other internet users.

People were sending me emails, asking me the same things over and over again. They were finding my email address at forums and online communities I participated in. I had been active on them, but my opinion was scattered among various online places.

So, [I began blogging](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/) to:

- Publish my answer to an email, that would also serve as a guide for future inquiries and will ultimately save me time
- Post my opinion at a specific place instead of all over the internet
- Own a website with my name on it
- Become famous, make millions and retire before 30

The first 3 points continue to be valid after 10 years of launching my blog. Indeed, they are the reasons this blog still exists.

The fourth and obviously humorous point needs elaborating. Besides, it’s the topic of this article. Because, for many bloggers, that is the main purpose of blogging: ****to make money**.

But, wait a moment.

## Why do you write?

To make money? I thought you liked writing. If you liked playing chess, would you expect to make money? What about if you liked sports, eating out, driving, hiking, watching TV? Do you know many people making money for… watching television?

But here you are, thinking that [writing could make you money](https://jimmakos.com/content-creation/) in modern times of online blogging.

I know. You’ve heard the stories of professional bloggers. They are making thousands of dollars each year. Why not you, huh?

Ok, here’s the *secret*. Just think of the first answer that comes to your mind for the next question.

## What do you sell?

Nothing? Nada? You can’t think of anything you want to sell, right?

That’s the problem of a passionate writer turning into an online blogger. ****He has no product to sell**.

Why don’t you turn into an *author* then if you enjoy writing? First, ****write a book**. Presto! Now you do have a product to sell!

Blogging will get you traffic for your book. Readers will turn into buyers and your book sales will increase.

Better yet, you don’t need to write a whole book! Even a short e-book will appeal to your readers, as long as you convince them they need to buy it. Convincing done right is often known as… *marketing*!

Hm, I’m getting a bit ahead of myself there. Not all bloggers have dreamt of writing an actual e-book, let alone a real book! And most of them are totally ignorant of marketing techniques.

Alright, so you decide to [start your blog](https://jimmakos.com/web-development/). Google’s BlogSpot and WordPress have made it easy for you.

****You just need to write**. You begin writing. Every day. You keep filling the blog with your daily rumblings. Your blog gets some traction painfully slow. Readers return and first-time visitors increase by the day.

You begin writing. Every day. You keep filling the blog with your daily rumblings. Your blog gets some traction painfully slow. Readers return and first-time visitors increase by the day.

You are doing something right. Your writing performs well. People are coming back to read your opinion. Great!

Now, what to sell them? I thought you wanted to make money, didn’t you?

## Write your next post for a reason

Here’s where I have been wrong for years. Like yourself, I thought that blog monetization is all about these eye-candy, colorful, jumping all over the page, flashy, attractive… *banners*.

Whew.

As long as you are writing top-notch articles, banners would make you money, right? As if your smart readers cared enough for the banners! Because *they are* smart, aren’t they? They are reading your posts! Doesn’t your writing appeal to smart people?

****When was the last time you clicked on a banner?**

Exactly. Gone are the days when online advertising meant banners and *text links* on the sidebar and footer.

Whew, whew!

Now, bloggers are writing for a reason. ****It doesn’t have to be about making money**. Reasons can include:

1. Increasing your blog’s page views by linking to old, resurrecting posts
2. Introducing yourself to your new visitors, calling them to visit your well-written “[about me](https://jimmakos.com/about/)” page (you do have one, huh?)
3. Letting your audience know of your recently updated blog’s resources page (or super page)
4. Inviting people to a charity event
5. Directing people to sign a petition
6. Informing them of your [hyperactivity at social media](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/)

Of course, all these might have other ****well-concealed goals**. Let’s see how:

1. Increased page views will attract more advertisers
2. More hits to your “about me” page will result in more followers or emails
3. Your affiliate and advertising links at your resources’ page will welcome the extra incoming traffic
4. Charity events get more publicity, usually for free
5. A successful petition will boost your authority. Readers will be happy to connect with you, now that you share the same concerns
6. Who doesn’t like more followers and heated discussions on social media?

One way or another, ****your writing and blogging will benefit yourself**. But first, before you begin writing the first word, you have to think about *why* you are writing. What do you want your next article to accomplish?

If all that sounds like a plan, it’s because it is!

****Planning in writing and blogging**, if done right, will bring more results faster. Otherwise, your blog will end up like a book with torn pages. Your readers won’t know where to go next. So guide them! Just don’t turn yourself into an aggressive promoter, worrying about your blogging income.

As long as you enjoy writing your posts, your blog’s visitors will enjoy reading them. Success will follow.

*Featured image via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/kalantziscope/6445348911)*
### Entrepreneurship: Become the best (or the first)
URL: https://jimmakos.com/entrepreneurship-become-the-best-or-first/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:40:36.000Z
Do you want to become a super successful entrepreneur in your field of expertise? You need to be either ****the best or the first** with a new idea. No other way around it. Yet, you can achieve success by imitating other entrepreneurs as well. You might not become the most famous entrepreneur in that way, but you will *survive*, to say the least.

Here is how I am surviving the world of entrepreneurship and the little lessons life has taught me till now.

First, let me travel you in time and tell you a story about video gaming.

## Striving for best since childhood

Like other 30-something entrepreneurs, I played video games during my childhood. A LOT. Back in 1985, not that many young Greeks had a personal computer in their household. So you can tell I was among the first in my neighborhood to own one. In fact, it was my uncle’s, but I sure enough spent more time than him on it!

That led many of my friends to visit our home to try their luck in gaming.

> Oh, let’s go over to Jim! Haven’t you heard, he got one of those PCs they are talking about.

As you might have imagined, ****I had a big advantage** when competing with them in Space Invaders and [Millipede](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millipede%5F%28video%5Fgame%29). I had been the first local chap to spend my free time on video gaming. That immediately set me apart from the neighborhood’s juvenile competition.

Yet, that didn’t make me the best video gamer when it came to coinOPs. My first-grade friends, who couldn’t afford a PC, spent their money on Golden Axe, Double Dragon and NBA Jam at local shops. I avoided those places, not because I had a PC of my own, but because ****I couldn’t keep up with my friends**.

I sucked, no matter how much I played at home.

So, while I was the first and no one could challenge me at my place, I was certainly not the best gamer elsewhere. Even if I improved my skill at Golden Axe at home, I was still left behind at coin-ops.

Lesson: ****Location** might play an important role in entrepreneurship.

## Have you looked at your competition recently?

Continuing on video gaming and fast forward to my teens, I will tell you another story. This one is about my first online multi-playing experience.

I had played video games for 10 years vigorously before I set my foot on the internet for the first time in 1995\. Well, that was a [BBS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin%5Fboard%5Fsystem) with no similarities with the internet we know of today. Still it allowed me to communicate with other tech freaks of the time.

At that time, I considered myself an experienced video gamer. Especially in adventure games.

Minor lesson: Find an edge in ****micro-niches** inside your niche.

Back then online gaming wasn’t that popular, at least in my homeland. Most people logged into the BBS to chat, post a message, or just have fun discussing in real time with other users. As I was becoming familiar with the online environment, I noticed several users playing a first-person shooter game.

“Great”, I thought, “it’s time to make a name for myself in video gaming”. Adventure games had been a pretty lonely genre of gaming.

The video game was “[Doom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom%5F%281993%5Fvideo%5Fgame%29)” and any old-timer reading this should be raising eyebrows now. I was never good in FPS games. Yet, all online gamers at my BBS seemed to prefer that game. So, there was no choice for me, but to try my luck at Doom.

Minor lesson: Only build on your established skills. Don’t let the competition fool you into your ****weaker parts**.

I was… doomed from the very first second of online gaming. Gamers were so used to playing that game that they were on a whole another level. Always running (pressing Shift key), always knowing the best weapons’ locations, always hiding in the best corners. ****My competitors had a tremendous edge over me**.

I had a brief, discouraging attempt on an online flight simulator (Air Warrior) as well. Then, I decided online gaming wasn’t for me. The problem was that competition made me nervous. “I have to win”, was the non-stop thought in my brain. Where’s the fun in that?

I’m still thrilled of the online gaming community nowadays. You’ll find me competing in online racing simulators. There’s still a lot of tension, but at least I am having fun.

Lesson: Track your competition, avoid living under a rock, but try to ****have some fun as an entrepreneur**.

## What happened when I was first or best at something?

So, I wasn’t the first or the best online gamer and probably won’t be.

Meanwhile, I was one of the best students in my school. Yet, I wasn’t one in the university. So, ****I dropped out**. I haven’t been the first dropout in Chemical Engineering, either. Even when failing, I failed to be the first!

I am also not the best swimmer, weight-lifter or runner. I do workout for most of my life, but that didn’t get me far. I’m not so good at learning foreign languages either. Nor am I the best programmer, despite my web development efforts. Unless you overvalue basic HTML and WordPress skills!

My life wasn’t all failures, though.

Minor lesson: If you don’t fail, you won’t succeed.

I come from a family with a strong itch for [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). That led me to develop an interest in games of chance before I went to school! It was around the time I was studying at university though, when I decided to give *advantage gambling* a go. And the game of my choice: ****blackjack**.

Again, I wasn’t the first or the best card counter in blackjack. I studied and practiced hard before I visited the local casino. Other people had already been doing it for years. Some were never caught by the casinos. No, [card counting](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/) isn’t considered illegal. Just not welcome by the casinos.

Other successful blackjack players spent their winnings trying to beat other games. That didn’t end up well for their bankroll, as expected.

I had what most lacked: ***discipline**.

Minor lesson: Imitate other entrepreneurs and ****find your edge**.

Being one of the most disciplined card counters helped me to increase my low 4-figure bankroll in a short time. I have seen other card counters throwing away their money, trying to recoup their losses. Not me. I had a plan. I stuck to the plan. I executed the plan from Monday to Friday and never did I gamble my money away.

I was lucky. Risk of ruin was too high with such small capital.

Other advantage gamblers came and went, but I was still playing from 1PM to 5AM the next morning. I knew I had an edge and I just needed to play undetected. But I also needed the money, so I didn’t leave the tables when heat was up. And that’s how my domestic blackjack career ended.

Minor lesson: Always protect your investment as an entrepreneur when the heat is up.

I didn’t pursue the same career abroad. I needed money that I didn’t have. *Variance* would probably kill my dreams by that time. It was time to reconsider my life.

My bankroll now stood at 5-figures.

I went back to university, but other classmates had moved forward. I was left behind. I couldn’t be the first of my class to get the diploma, nor with the best grades.

I then discovered [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/). And I might have been ****one of the first and the best sports traders** at that time.

Minor lesson: ****Stay humble**, but don’t forget the psychological boost of the occasional bragging.

When you are first at something, you are usually the best as well. ****There’s no competition**, really. That’s how it felt when I traded the betting odds at horse racing markets of Betfair. It was like only a handful of people were also doing the same. Most were punters, taking advantage of the higher odds.

What happened? My bankroll skyrocketed.

What’s that smell? Oh, yes, ****that’s success**.

Lesson: Be the first and try to stay ahead when competitors flock in.

## Self-improvement never ends in entrepreneurship

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/idea-execution.jpg)

When you are the first entrepreneur with a brand new idea in your niche, things are simple. You just need to ****execute that idea** and watch the money pour.

At some point though, other people will *copy your idea* and improve your methods most likely. Hence, you have a ****limited time of success**.

Then again, if you are the best at something, that doesn’t mean you’ll always be the best. New, skillful entrepreneurs will enter your niche world. Some will overcome you. That’s why as an entrepreneur you have to ****keep up with the competition**.

Advantage gambling have taught me that.

Letting the word out as being the first will increase your competition. Increased competition may [make the market more efficient](http://www.betstories.com/2014/05/30/betting-system-inefficiency/). Then ****there’s no edge for anyone**. In the meantime, staying at the top is as hard as climbing to the top. While you are resting assured of your success, others will push you down and take your place.

****Entrepreneurship is a war**. You win some battles and lose some others. But entrepreneurship can also be fun, as long as you remember another important rule: [Adapt or die](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/how-to-make-a-business-plan-online-investing/).

Intro image: [YouTube – Danny Macaskill: The Ridge](http://youtu.be/xQ%5FIQS3VKjA)
### Predicting how odds move? This betting tool claims it can!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betting-tool-predicts-odds-movements/
Last updated: 2024-05-13T10:58:46.000Z
Sports betting has changed significantly, since it went online. Betting exchanges allow you now to bet on odds movements and predict drifting or shortening odds, converting sports betting into a new kind of trading, called [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/). Sports traders are now looking for ways and tools to make better forecasts for future odds fluctuations. This betting software claims it can help them!

People from **OddsForecaster.com** first contacted me in March and let me know of their betting tool. Their offer included a voucher that would allow me to test their product for a couple of weeks. Should I find it valuable, I was more than welcome to write a post in my blog. Free advertising, huh?

Although my free time is somewhat limited, especially at that time when we were expecting [a baby in the family](https://jimmakos.com/2014/04/work-from-home-newborn-baby/), I wrote in this blog that I was going to [try out aforecasting tool that predicts Betfair trends](https://jimmakos.com/2014/03/forecast-betfair-trends/). That article went on to become **one of the most commented blog posts** I have ever published at JimMakos.com!

Yet, I never came back to share my experience with OddsForecaster, no matter the interest that blog readers expressed via comments or emails! Sometime in the summer, people from OddsForecaster.com returned. They contacted me once again regarding some recent updates they had performed on their website, which included new videos.

I have only just today sat down and watched one of them, despite having their email in my To-Reply list for almost 6 months now! Not much consistency, as I have to improve my communication skills.

The time has finally come for my verdict.

## Is OddsForecaster that good?

That is for you to decide. Since I am in Greece at this time, [I have no access to Betfair markets](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/how-betfair-changed-my-life/). At least, I cannot bet or trade.

So, *how* was I supposed to try it back in March?

I can still check out the Betfair charts, like any other regular Internet user can. It’s just that I don’t have access to my Betfair account. But that is not needed, if I merely want to **check out the performance of this betting tool**. All I had to do was log in to OddsForecaster website and monitor the odds action at Betfair next to each other. By comparing the forecasts with the real behavior of the odds, I could make up my mind, whether the tool was able to accurately predict the future or not.

From the brief testing I conducted, the betting tool *did* predict correctly several drifters and steamers in horse racing markets. But then again, it failed to do so in other instances. So, what’s the verdict?

Admittedly, we need an adequate sample size to come to safe conclusions. I only kept track of the tool’s performance for a couple of days. That’s not even a week, despite my 2-week voucher. In effect, that’s about 40 races or so.

> *Too few* for any kind of verdict.

A sample of at least 300 races is necessary and even then, we must formulate a sound strategy to follow in our testing. Otherwise, we will inevitably remember the good forecasts, skewing the results and feeling lost in the process. For example, what constitutes a good prediction? A movement from 2.50 to 2.40 or to 2.00? Should the odds just follow the predicted trend, or match the exact foreseen price? What if odds reverse and go to the opposite direction before in-play? Should we test the tool for in-play predictions to begin with?!

We need to have answers ready for these questions before even putting the tool to the test.

You may take a look yourself of the tool’s capabilities by watching the available videos at [OddsForecaster.com](https://oddsforecaster.com/). Remember that no tool can predict any kind of market flawlessly at 100% and that cherry-picking is essential, when marketing a product. That should not deter you from trying the betting tool It just serves as a reminder that all that glitters is not gold. Learning a tool inside out is paramount, in order to make the most out of it and surely, **gambling isn’t easy money**.

Here’s [their latest video](http://youtu.be/TrfPvye43gQ) from their YouTube channel. This blog’s intro image is taken from that video.
### How a US-based Startup can Save European Entrepreneurs Money
URL: https://jimmakos.com/us-startup-save-money-europeans/
Last updated: 2020-12-19T17:59:50.000Z
Three words: *VAT, currency rates*.

I am based in Greece, a small country in the South Europe often making into the headlines for its sovereign debt and economic crisis. Greece is a member of European Union and much like other European countries, we use the Euro currency for buying and selling stuff.

****Euro is quite expensive** compared to US dollar.

Another common characteristic with other members of EU is that we pay VAT, standing for Value-added tax, in about every transaction we make. The VAT rate isn’t the same everywhere and fluctuates between 15 and 25% more or less. Therefore, every time we buy something, we pay 23% VAT here in Greece.

****Europeans pay VAT** even when buying online.

Sellers are obliged to charge the corresponding VAT, depending on the buyer’s country of origin. So, if I order something from Amazon and my billing address is in Greece, Amazon.co.uk charges me 3% more (UK’s VAT rate is 20%) and Amazon.de adds 4% (Germany’s VAT rate is 19%).

Of course, things get even more expensive if Europeans order from US-based Amazon or Asian dealers due to *customs*. We get a “look but don’t touch” feeling whenever we stumbled into a product that is sold remarkably cheaper overseas, such as digital cameras.

Did I mention that USA has no federal VAT and only state-specific sales tax?

## If you are a Europe-based photographer, you need to move to USA

Not just because of the cameras, lenses and other gear found cheaper on the other side of the Atlantic, but because of the cost of online services and software. Although I’m not a photographer, I think the following example quickly demonstrates why ****establishing a startup in USA is cost-effective** among other things.

You all have heard of *Photoshop*. Recently, Adobe introduced [Creative Cloud](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html). Filmmakers, illustrators and photographers can acquire licenses for the complete Adobe product line in a more affordable way.

If you are based in Europe, the complete ****Creative Cloud plan will set you back 740 euros**.

But if you switch to US dollars, the same plan comes down to $600! With the current EUR/USD rate at 1.31, that is equal to ****455 Euros!**

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/adobe-creative-cloud-price-comparison-eu-us.png)

Go ahead and compare Adobe’s plans yourself from the comfort of your home. You can do so by selecting different currencies at the Adobe website.

Now, it’s one thing to confirm the price difference and another to actually order in the currency you’d like. That’s where your startup comes in.

## How the US-based startup saves you money

Running a company for your business has a lot of advantages, one of which is ****separating your business expenses from your personal ones**. Consider your startup a separate identity, both online and in the real world. Your startup can market your product, can sell your photographs, can promote your films.

Your startup can also buy online products and services, such as the Adobe’s Creative Cloud. And by being based in USA, your startup has several US bank accounts and US-issued credit cards, which can be charged online when buying goods for your startup’s needs.

Guess at what price your future US-based startup is going to buy an annual Creative Cloud plan, even if you are based in Europe.

Of course, running a business or a startup isn’t always bells and whistles. There’s an upfront cost for setting it up and accounting costs to mention a few setbacks. Yet, almost every day I keep running into ****benefits of having a US-based startup**. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am about to save $400 and use Photoshop for editing my photos and Premier Pro for my upcoming videos.

*PS: This post was originally published in my [Medium account](https://medium.com/@jimmakos) in August 2014\. Hence, the difference in EUR/USD quote.*

Photo via [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/gauri%5Flama/2790605489).
### Improve your Videos with RED Giant software on Sale
URL: https://jimmakos.com/red-giant-sale/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:35:04.000Z
RED Giant is running a year end sale till Christmas. Yet, only for 24 hours, we can buy any RED Giant product with 40% discount! I will be using RED Giant software, such as Colorista II for my future videos that I publish at [**YouTube** ](https://www.youtube.com/c/JimMakosCom)and [**Vimeo**](https://vimeo.com/jimmakos).

I first bumped into RED Giant when **I purchased a RODE mic**, in order to improve the sound of my videos. In particular, my voice recording. Until then, I used to record my videos with my smartphone (a Samsung Note 2) with the built-in microphone. That resulted to mediocre video quality and crappy sound quality, despite recording in 1080p.

Upon deciding to invest in a DSLR in 2014 (a Canon 70D), I opted for a RODE Smartlav mic.

![canon-70d-rode-smartlav-mic](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/canon-70d-rode-smartlav-mic-1.jpg)

The RODE Smartlav microphone connects to my smartphone, which now records only my voice with almost no background noise. A perfect and affordable solution for any amateur videographer. However, given the sound is recorded separately, I need to sync video and sound in post production.

Enter *RED Giant software*.

When purchasing a microphone, RODE offers RED Giant audio/video sync software, PluralEyes, **for free**. At least that was the case when I bought the Smartlav for $60\. And when I found out that PluralEyes went for no less than $199, my surprise was obvious.

I’ve been using PluralEyes for months now and you can notice the difference in my **latest videos on online poker**.

Lately, I’ve been researching about *videography*, as I’m interested to get back on track with writing online and video blogging. During that research, I learnt a lot from photography and cinematography experts, such as [**Philip Bloom**](http://philipbloom.net/).

Almost everyone seems to be using RED Giant software, **Colorista II** specifically for color correction. Other popular software include *FilmConvert* for introducing a film look to your video and *Neat Video* for noise reduction, if you shoot at high ISOs (in the dark). I have those apps in my wishlist, but haven’t yet pulled the trigger, since I purchased RED Giant Color Suite only yesterday night and have been an Adobe Creative Cloud user for less than a month, still finding my way around LightRoom and Premiere Pro.

RED Giant PluralEyes normal price is $199 but for previous customers, it drops to $79\. At the same time, significant discount is also offered to RED Giant customers for other products, such as Color Suite that costs a whopping $599! As shown in the image, the subtotal of my order came down to $378 from $798! Thank you RODE!

At the same time, the 40% sale saved me $151 more and for about two hundred bucks, I upgraded PluralEyes and got RED Giant Color Suite that professional videographers use! Thank you RED Giant.

![red-giant-color-suite-order](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/red-giant-color-suite-order.png)

If you are into videography, hurry up as the [**RED Giant**](http://www.redgiant.com/) 40% coupon savings only last for 24 hours! Or, you can wait and watch my next video, where I hope I’ll be making good use of RED Giant’s Colorista, PluralEyes, Looks and Denoiser among others.
### 4 Lessons from my First Week in Forex Trading
URL: https://jimmakos.com/4-lessons-from-my-first-week-in-forex-trading/
Last updated: 2020-12-10T10:52:57.000Z
I went full-time [forex trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/forex-trading/) this week. I was glued to the screen 5 days straight and traded from the moment I woke up to the time I went to bed. During the necessary breaks for lunch, gym, family and bathroom, I stay connected with the forex market via my smartphone, modifying and executing orders. And these are the 4 lessons I learnt by doing all that.

## A forex newbie?

Not by a longshot. The first time I demo’ed forex trading, it was back when [Refco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refco) was considered one of the most popular forex brokers. For many of you the name might not ring a bell, as the company went bankrupt shortly afterwards in one of the first shocks in modern retail forex times. Since then and for the last 5 or so years, I have been trading forex at [Interactive Brokers](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/tag/interactive-brokers/). So, no, I am not a newbie in forex trading, yet it was the first time I took it so seriously as to become a full-time forex trader for a whole week.

And it surely was both fun and exhausting. Both mentally and physically. But it had some good days.

![forex-profit-and-loss](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/forex-profit-and-loss.png)

## Lesson 1: Don’t trade in tiny timeframes

Let me start by giving you a ****brief layout of my trading setup**. Here’s a screen grab as I was shorting EUR/NZD.

![eurnzd-forex-trading](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/eurnzd-forex-trading.png)

I use 3 charts: the daily, the hourly and a fast one, usually the 5-min or the 3-min chart. Occasionally I will go even faster, down to 1-min chart, but that is an exception. I start with a glance to the daily chart to catch up with the long-term trend, move down to the hourly chart to pinpoint support and resistance levels via trendlines and pivot points and then use the third chart to pick my entry point. For the most part, my entries are limit orders, waiting for the market to pull back or expecting a likely reversal after an established trend.

And then comes the ****news**. Forex news range from insignificant to VERY significant. Depending on the importance of the news, currency pairs may react violently or not at all. When it is the former, the market goes haywire.

It was one of those occasions (the violent one) that made me lose a day’s profit, due to ****overtrading**. Since the 5-min chart was unusable printing big red and green candlesticks with long tails, I switched down to 1-min chart. Long story short, I found myself trading at *10-sec charts*!

For many traders, those charts are full of noise. You cannot make predictions because of the noise, that is price action that does not seemingly follow a pattern.

Yet, when hot news hit the market, ****trends do develop** even at those timeframes. The problem is you’ve forgotten the big picture, aka the 5-min chart or the hourly chart. Things happened so fast, that I traded way too much, changing direction in seconds’ time. It was only when I stepped off the gas and went back to the 3-min chart, that I realised I have been trading in the middle of a chaos. Should I have stayed on a slower pace, there were some obvious support and resistance levels that I could easily pick some money from. Instead, I elected to trade in-between those key levels, as the market struggled to find direction and bulls were fighting bears.

So, I will never go to multi-second charts again, even when my broker offers them. **The 3-min chart is just fine** if I want to trade a lot and quick.

Continue reading at [TradingGraphs.com](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2014/11/22/4-lessons-forex-trading/)
### Myths and Tips about Casino Games
URL: https://jimmakos.com/casino-games-myths-tips/
Last updated: 2024-02-04T15:01:01.000Z
If you win a lot of money on your first visit at a casino, they will offer you a free room for the night. That is a *fact*. You should accept the welcoming gesture but here’s a **tip**: don’t wager any more money. You were lucky to make so much money at the first place, since they say casino newcomers are *always* lucky. That is a **myth**. At least half of newcomers will lose money. And even for lucky ones such as yourself, you are going to give it all back, the more you keep playing.

Gaming in a casino isn’t easy money. That is also a myth. And Lady Luck isn’t blind, either. She favors the casino, because it has an edge against you. Surely, it seems a tiny one when you compare 2% with any other percentile. But try multiplying it with the total amount of money you are going to bet on your next visit. You see, the casino takes off 2% of every wager you place. That’s how they stay in business.

At first glance, that edge isn’t obvious. Say, you bet $10 on roulette’s black and you win. Where’s the edge? Nowhere, because truly you were lucky to win the first spin. You bet again on black and win another tenner. After 10 spins, you’ve won half of them so you have broke even. Still, no edge for the casino, right?

Now, after 3 hours of playing at the roulette tables, you’ve won 49 out of the 100 ball spins. You are now down $20, while totally wagering $1,000\. Here’s the casino’s edge. But how did that happen?

During the 100 spins, the ball landed twice on zero. Thus, whatever the color you picked, you lost. You didn’t mind at the time, because you only lose a bet. However, in the long run casino has made money due to that ball’s landing! And that’s where its profit is coming from. You certainly didn’t play all alone at the roulette. All the gamblers around you, were paying 2% to the casino for having fun. They didn’t notice, until they returned their chips for money.

Yes, some left as winners and a few may have tripled their money! Those gamblers were the lucky ones. The rest left with less money. Some even left with empty pockets! In total, the casino won 2% of the money wagered by all gamblers. If you lost exactly 2%, you were neither lucky nor unlucky. Your loss is exactly the amount of money you were supposed to lose. But if you won 5%, Lady Luck will make sure you won’t stay that lucky for long!

There are a lot of myths such as this one regarding casino games and games of chance. Gamblers are prone to superstitions, prejudice and misjudgment. In blackjack, no one ever hits 16 if sitting at the last seat, contrary to blackjack’s [Basic Strategy](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/). They believe they have an ‘edge’ by letting the dealer bust with the next card. What they do not understand is that by standing on 16, they increase casino’s edge. Maybe not much, but still they are throwing money away. More money that they were expected to lose.

As soon as you stop believing these myths and follow helpful tips, you’ll stand a better chance against the casinos. Casino guides usually publish news about the newest slots that casinos introduce, but in-between those articles, you’ll find tips that will not only save you money but even help you beat the casino games.

One step at a time though. Before beating the casinos, questioning and busting myths while studying casino tips will improve your gaming skills, eventually decreasing casino’s edge against you. Upon minimizing that edge, it’s your turn to come up with a strategy that will guarantee a positive edge for yourself. Card counting in blackjack is one of those strategies.

Image by [Jamie McCaffrey](https://www.flickr.com/photos/15609463@N03/14215459553)
### Are you Persistent Enough to Beat Casinos?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/persistent-beat-casinos/
Last updated: 2024-01-04T13:42:55.000Z
I used to spend 16 hours on a daily basis playing blackjack in land-based casinos when I started gambling. Of course, I wasn’t gambling per se, otherwise I wouldn’t be here writing about how I beat the casinos. As I was developing my card-counting skills, casinos noticed me and it wasn’t long before they forbid me from entering. Until they did though, I enjoyed spending endless hours on their blackjack tables.

Why? **Because I was winning**. And winning money is a highly intoxicating feeling.

As you probably know, making money in gambling makes you feel at the top of the world, even if Lady Luck looked after you for *just* one day. Now, imagine you were guaranteed to make money almost on a monthly basis by doing what you enjoyed: playing cards and gambling.

Wouldn’t you put everything back to *chase that dream*?

That is what I did, as I realized the advantage that card counting and shuffle tracking offered me. Those two techniques are used by blackjack players around the world to constantly turn the odds in their favor. Unfortunately though, casinos are aware as well, thus skillful players need to avoid detection. Avoiding detection when you are spending too much time in the same land-based casino sounds hard, doesn’t it?

Wait; why should you, as a *card-counter*, spend that many hours playing blackjack?

Simply put, because you must put the hours in, in order to prove you are a worthy card-counter. You see, card counting may seem easy at first. You just have to add or subtract a number, for each playing card you see on the table. Easy, right?

Maybe when practicing at the calmness of you home, it is easy. Yet, when you try counting cards in the heat of the game, you are easily distracted and can lose the count, not to mention that you also have to calculate your bet sizing, announce your actions and be as social as possible. That’s how you avoid detection, remember? **By acting as a regular losing casino player**. By keeping a low profile and gluing your eyes on the cards instead, red flags are raised all over you. You won’t last long.

No matter how social you become though, you are still counting cards and beating the game. Maybe you are unlucky and start with a bad run. No matter how hard you try, the deck is cold for you. Eventually though, as long as you keep mistakes to the minimum and apply *proper money management*, your long-term success is guaranteed. And that success comes **only after you play thousands of hands at blackjack**, so that variance eases out.

That is the reason I kept on playing blackjack for endless hours. I wanted to have an adequate sample of data, that would prove whether I would be a winning player or not. That sample of hands is difficult to increase, as you play on a single blackjack table at land-based casinos. Yes, [online casino sites](http://www.realmoneyaction.com/) do allow you to play at multiple tables at the same time, effectively collecting much more data for hand analysis. You think I wouldn’t prefer staying home in my pajamas, beating online casinos for twice or three-fold my winrate?

Unfortunately **card counting at online casinos does not work**, even after they introduced live dealers as I demonstrate [in this post](https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/)! At least, not in the magnitude that does in brick and mortar casinos.

Thus, I was stuck at visiting my local casino Monday to Friday, playing non-stop for 10+ hours. I don’t complain, as it has been the way I built my bankroll that I used later for sports trading and [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). It is the very same bankroll that enabled me today to turn away from gambling and start a new company.

So, whatever you do for a living, if you really need to make money, you just need to be persistent and put in the hours. Contrary to popular belief, **there’s no easy money**. Not even in gambling; far from it.

*Photo via* [*Flickr*](https://www.flickr.com/photos/s3a/415022875)
### Why Scottish Referendum Odds are Beating Polls
URL: https://jimmakos.com/scottish-referendum-odds/
Last updated: 2020-12-08T12:38:45.000Z
News about Betfair paying out on Scottish ‘no’ vote is all over the internet today. Did a bookmaker just decide on Scottish independence referendum 48 hours earlier? No silly, it’s the *betting market* that is deciding and we can all see that at the Scottish referendum odds’ charts!

Obviously this is a strong move by the betting exchange, most probably done for ****advertising**. Paying out on a hot political topic can easily propel your business to headlines as demonstrated here by the fine example of Betfair. Kudos to the marketing team! I’m assuming they would have spent a hefty amount of British pounds for the same publicity and exposure.

Now, given the Scottish referendum’s popularity, it was inevitable for many readers to restrain from commenting on the story. Even journalists, totally ignorant of the gambling mechanisms and betting markets’ efficiency and inefficiency, didn’t just report on the story but shared their own views. And most of them are false I’m afraid.

Unsurprisingly, most are comparing [recent polls’ results](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11045624/Scottish-independence-referendum-poll-the-latest-tracker.html) with Betfair’s decision. How on earth can a betting operator decide on the winner so soon, while polls speak of a close battle between ‘yes’ and ‘no’? First, it’s for advertising as I mentioned. And second, it’s bettors’ money that is deciding. ****9 million pounds of them!**

Here are the betting odds’ charts of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ vote on the independence referendum in Scotland.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/scotland-referendum-odds.png)

See? People have been betting on the referendum’s result for quite some time. As interest is picking up, betting volume is steadily increasing as indicated by the grey area at the charts’ bottom. In simple words, more people are betting on the outcome, submitting even bigger bets.

Did you notice the £75,000 bet on ‘no’ vote?

Yet, **Scottish referendum odds are little affected the past few days**. Even the polls release didn’t affect the odds, which are currently at 1.27 and 4.50\. Didn’t all those bettors hear of the poll results?

Of course they have. Some were influenced by them, some were not. The betting market though is keeping a balance between them, like free market keeping a balance between supply and demand. And when it comes to market’s efficiency, I strongly believe money is a decisive factor.

Answering to a poll costs nothing. But putting their money where their mouth is, makes a stronger point.

[Betfair themselves talked about the confidence](https://betting.betfair.com/politics/scottish-independence-referendum-betting/scottish-independence-betting-betfair-sportsbook-pays-out-early-on-no-160914-51.html) that political betting markets inspire. They even brought up ****the 2012 US elections** as an example. Funny, I wrote about them 2 years ago as well. And even then, polls again contradicted the bettors’ judgment.

Guess what: Betfair US election markets were correct *again*! [Here’s how Imyself didn’t believe US polls](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2012/10/09/obama-favorite-win-election-romney-lead-poll/) and explained why Obama was still a big favorite to win the US Presidential election, despite Romney’s lead in polls.

Is the ‘no’ vote decided? Well, no. But it’s not because we are still 2 days before the referendum. It’s because the ‘no’ vote is currently trading at 1.27 odds. And until it drops down to 1.01, there’s a small chance the ‘yes’ vote to come out in front. However, as long as the Scottish referendum odds do not reverse their trend and the ‘no’ vote does not trade above 1.50, ****Betfair bought themselves free publicity** by paying out a little earlier.

Image by [Kyoshi Masamune](https://www.flickr.com/photos/kyoshimasamune/14522798900)
### My new video: When to sit out in poker and end your session
URL: https://jimmakos.com/end-poker-session-video/
Last updated: 2020-12-08T12:47:17.000Z
How much money are you willing to lose before you leave an online poker table? How much risk can you tolerate, before you begin spewing your chips? Winners in poker are made when they take their money and stand up, not when sitting down.

## ****When is the best time to stop playing and quit your session?**

This question haunted me when I started playing blackjack at the land-based casinos. No, I wasn’t gambling my money away; I was card counting and had a proven edge over the casino.

At times though, lady luck, also known as variance in professional gambling, was looking after other players, and I was losing a lot of money. Still, that didn’t prevent me from playing. I didn’t return home waiting for the next day to sit back down to the blackjack table. After all, luck and gambling don’t have ‘days’.

For a moment let us assume I did leave the casino, when I lost, say $2,000\. When I would get back to the casino and dealer dealt my first hand on the following day, it would still be the very next hand since my last hand of the previous day! The only thing that changed is that I rested, and I was feeling more energetic and concentrated. It would make no difference though to variance.

The same principle applies to online poker. You may stop playing poker one night and resume playing two days later. As far as risk and money management concerns, nothing has changed. It’s like you never stopped! Simply put, if you played a thousand hands on Friday, the first hand on Sunday is your 1001st hand. You shouldn’t change anything as long your strategy is a profitable one of course!

## ****What’s a good reason to quit for the day then?**

Tilt. Fatigue. Life. Three good reasons to leave the poker table.

Continue reading my original post at [PokerTape.com](https://pokertape.com/2014/07/stop-playing-poker/)
### Why Cash Out in Sports Betting will Cost you Money
URL: https://jimmakos.com/cash-out/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:20:56.000Z
The latest trend in sports betting is called Cash Out. This tool offered by betting operators allow bettors to secure their profits or minimize their losses before the referee’s final whistle. Yet, by Cashing Out, they are effectively making bookmakers richer.

Let’s see why.

First, explaining Cash Out is in order with an example in [football betting](http://www.betstories.com/tag/football-betting/). Say a football game is going in favor of a bettor. During live betting, they are able to take their profits earlier by using the Cash Out tool. Of course, they stand to make a bit less money than their initial reward, depending on the odds they decide to execute the order.

On the contrary, if their selected team is struggling and has already conceded a goal or two, the bettor can now minimize or keep their losses under control by Cashing Out. Again, the affected total risk amount depends on the available odds at that time and obviously, they cannot save their whole wager.

Say you bet 10 euros at 3.00 and in-play odds have now shortened to 2.00\. Hurray! Cash Out offers you 15 euros (instead of 30) to get out and take your profit. No more feeling stressful each time your team is defending till the end. If on the other hand odds drifted to 5.00, Cash Out gives you 6 euros back to abandon the game before it’s really too late and lose 10 euros. By doing so, it “seems” you are saving 4 euros.

Sport bettors are easily tempted by Cash Out. Known for their impatience, gamblers want to take profits as soon as possible, while they are always scared of losing money. Both tendencies lead them to try Cash Out and probably get addicted to it.

So, *where is the catch?*

Continue reading my original post at [BetStories.com](http://www.betstories.com/2014/08/12/cash-out/)
### A simple EUR/USD trading plan that might work!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/eurusd-trading/
Last updated: 2020-12-08T13:03:29.000Z
EUR/USD hasn’t closed at 1.3350 or lower for almost a year. That is a fact. And based on this fact, I am planning on going long. Continue reading for the most simple, almost naive approach to forex trading.

I am not an active forex trader. As a matter of fact, I do not trade regularly any more, due to lack of time. Yet, from time to time I scan the forex charts, looking for a promising setup. This one on EUR/USD chart I’d say is ****safe that promising**. For one good reason:

> EUR/USD hasn’t closed below 1.3350 for almost a year.

Yes, I like repeating myself, because you are likely reading this post in fast-forward and I need you to, at least read the line above. After all, it’s the article’s main point.

Today, Euro is trading for 1.3380 US dollars.

Continue reading my original post at [TradingGraphs.com](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2014/08/11/eurusd/)
### Hamilton or Rosberg? Who will win F1 drivers’ championship?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/hamilton-rosberg-f1-drivers-championship/
Last updated: 2020-12-08T13:12:04.000Z
I am a big fan of Formula 1\. I rarely miss a race. Yet, when it comes to predicting the winner of the drivers’ championship 2014, F1 news and lap times don’t make a difference. I simply apply ****basic technical analysis on betting charts**. So, how do Hamilton’s and Rosberg’s charts look like at Betfair?

![formula-1-drivers-championship-betting-charts](http://36l7d937do29qowxd2mhii21.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/formula-1-drivers-championship-betting-charts.png "Hamilton or Rosberg? Who will win F1 drivers’ championship? 3 | Jim Makos")

Both charts show declining odds. No surprise there as the Mercedes drivers have topped the racing results’ tables quite often this season. As a matter of fact, the 2014 title will be decided between the two, unless something extraordinary happens in the remaining races.

Rosberg currently is in the first place of the driver standings with 190 points, followed by Hamilton of course, just 14 points short. Only Ricciardo holds a three-digit score (106), while Alonso is in fourth place with 97 points.

But, enough with the facts, on to the prediction!

Continue reading my original post at [BetStories.com](http://www.betstories.com/2014/07/25/f1-betting-hamilton-rosberg/)
### Gambling industry silently renames itself to Gaming industry
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gambling-or-gaming/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:28:54.000Z
I’ve been an active member of the online gambling community for more than 10 years as a [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/). I noticed lately that the term ‘gambling’ tends to be substituted by the word ‘gaming’ both in the news and in marketing campaigns. **Is it because ‘gaming’ sounds more… innocent to the public than gambling?**

Gaming is pretty much connected to… games, obviously! Although people have blamed specific video games for encouraging violence and illegal activities (even gambling itself!), video gaming is regarded as a safe hobby in general. Just look at popular games at social media like Facebook or the top games in Android and Apple stores. With millions of people playing Angry Birds or Farmville, gaming is not only an acceptable word to use, but also appeals to the majority of people in the online world.

Gambling on the other hand is not a nice word to use or read. Even search engines like Google do not favor websites incorporating the term ‘gambling’. Take it from a man managing three gambling blogs! That’s justifiable due to the horror stories of degenerate gamblers and some shady people in that line of work.

Yet, let’s not forget that **gambling is primarily a form of entertainment**.

Surely, you cannot go bankrupt by playing Angry Birds. I haven’t heard of gaming addicts either, but I’ve heard of gamers spending endless hours on particular games. Even I myself have probably played Football Manager for months. And I’m talking about hours of actual play. Isn’t that a waste of time if not plenty of lost opportunities?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/gaming-addict.png)

Most helpful Football Manager review at Steam. Notice the hours on record.

No, **I’m not defending gambling**. Far from it, as I always try driving people away from gambling, unless they can prove their edge. I just try to figure out why the gambling industry has suddenly been renamed into ‘gaming industry’.

I no longer read of bookmakers, gambling companies or online gambling news. They have converted into gaming operators and gaming news. At times I’m confused of an article’s title that includes the term ‘gaming’. Is it a post about [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) or the video gaming industry?

The featured image usually spills the beans for anyone in doubt like myself. Still, hasn’t anyone else noticed this behavior change/internet trend that slowly makes the term ‘gambling’ obsolete? For the time being, **gambling is a much more expensive keyword to bid on in online advertising than ‘gaming’**. The question is for how long, though!
### Is your personal life safe when writing tips for gambling?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/personal-life-writing-gambling/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:36:27.000Z
As I feel a bit tired discussing about gambling, investing and making money all the time for the past 10 years, I thought of starting to write about other stuff I like, under my real name this time. After all, I do have hobbies other than finding the lows of a stock price, predicting which betting odds are going to drift or deciding if folding Jacks preflop in online poker is the right move! What I found out frightened me.

**I was all alone out there!**

But I do prefer that loneliness than ‘business acquaintances’ keeping an eye on **my personal life**.

*‘Jim Makos’* is my **pen name/pseudonym** I have used online since the 90’s and is now pretty much affiliated with the gaming business. I’m not talking about the video gaming business. I am not surprised that the name is so closely connected to sports betting, poker, stock trading and all things gambling. After all, I constantly target those exact keywords when I am writing. That is because I love taking well calculated risks and putting my money where my mouth is.

> In the pursuit of happiness I strongly believe you should do what you love doing.

That is what I have been doing for quite a long time. Yet, this daily involvement in the gaming industry has started to feel like a huge rock on my shoulders. Sure, I find it fascinating that I have met hundreds of people online and I land writing jobs due to my gambling adventures. I am thrilled when my posts receive comments or people are talking about them on social media.

There comes a time though, that I need to speak up about my family, my home, my recent walk in the park.

*I do have a life.*

But that personal life cannot be linked to my business life like in other niches.

## Why writing about gambling is different

Gambling is a strong negative word compared to, let’s say, [photography](https://jimmakos.com/photography/). Being a photographer is a perfectly acceptable profession by society and your friends won’t mind if your photos fill up their Facebook wall. That goes the other way around though. As a photographer, your work will attract fans and followers, who will in turn **sneak into your personal life** one way or another.

Still, you probably don’t run a huge risk by sharing your lovely family photo in public as a photographer.

However, in my niche’s work of line, you’d better protect the ones you love. Your following as a ‘gambling expert’ includes some strange people, not to mention Big Brother watching you. Yes, I guess with all the NSA/Snowden thing, everyone might feel a bit insecure nowadays.

In the gambling industry, you have a few more reasons to worry about.

Photography is about taking pictures. Gambling is about making money. **When money is involved, things can get ugly.**

In photography, people are looking for an expert to learn how to take beautiful pictures with their cameras. The photographer won’t be taking pictures *for them*, he/she is just teaching them the tricks. No one will blame the photographer if they don’t succeed using their cameras in the most effective way.

In gambling/investing, people are looking for an expert **to make money**. Some are willing to listen and make their own decisions. Others though are simply waiting for the expert to make money *for them*! They are expecting tips that guarantee a profit. They think that by pressing a couple of buttons on the screen, they’ll make money. Yes, those people are expecting miracles.

Still, that’s not the real problem in gambling.

## What happens when people lose money because of your writing?

No one likes losing money. In photography, people are *spending* money for their hobby. In gambling, people *think* that they are losing money for their hobby, whereas they are still **spending** it. The odds are so heavily stacked against gamblers, that they really do not stand a chance.

Yet, isn’t it the same in photography or in any other business? Of course it is!

There must be millions of people owning a camera. But how many do they actually make money from photography? I bet it’s a small percentage, just like winners do not account for more than 5% of gamblers.

The rest are losing money. It’s not the expert’s fault, it’s their own. Unfortunately, people are looking for someone to blame when their wallets are getting empty. At least in photography they still have a camera and expensive lenses to use, despite being broke.

**In the investing world, by being careless and blowing off your capital, you are really left with nothing.**

Well, you do have the so-called expert to hunt down for your misfortune. After all, in your opinion he/she dragged you down to the money pit. You are so short-sighted by your anger to accept your inability to become a better player, that you believe there must be *other* **excuses** for your failures.

Maybe online poker is rigged or [poker tax makes the game unbeatable](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/gambling-tax-quit-online-poker/). Perhaps bookmakers are too afraid of you and do not offer valuable odds. How about games getting fixed because of your betting patterns? Even when investing, you get the feeling of big sharks and canny traders **stealing your money** every time you buy a stock, or trade EUR/USD.

Those excuses **won’t make you a smarter gambler, investor or poker player**. Blaming the tipster won’t either.

Still, I do not desire letting these people into my personal life. As a blogger and writer, I need the readers and the audience. If it were for another niche, I’d welcome my followers to my other writing attempts. For good or bad though, I’ll try my best to keep my personal life away from the gambling world.

P.S.: I wrote this article a long time ago but never published it. Since I wrote it though, I decided to postpone my other plans. Maybe some other time…

*Image: MrWallpaper*
### How do you work from home with a newborn baby?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/work-from-home-newborn-baby/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:44:23.000Z
You don’t. Since my daughter was born 2 weeks ago, I managed to write *one post*. Just one and it wasn’t a difficult one either. When you make a living as a blogger, that is worrying. Even staying active at social media was a challenge these days. If you are struggling concentrating to your work when your newborn baby comes home, you are not alone. I’ve been there, and still doing that.

Obviously I expected a slowdown in my work schedule. I even accepted the fact that for some days ****I wouldn’t work at all**! Should you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you understand how mind-blowingly unacceptable that would be.

Of course, becoming a dad is a great thing. I wanted to spend a lot of time with my baby during her first days at home. And I did and still do, but there comes a time that you need to find a balance between family time and work. After all, bills haven’t stopped coming in.

Working from home though *complicates* things.

I don’t go out to work, as I suppose most of you do. I stay at home and work in my office. The office is a small room of a one-bedroom apartment. I am about 7 meters away from the bedroom where the baby sleeps. Or pretends to be sleeping to say the least. Fortunately, she only cries when it’s time for breast feeding. Which is the moment she wakes up!

You can imagine, how having a baby crying in your home when you try to work, is not the ideal working environment. Even more, a baby needs a hug, bath and diaper changing to name the most crucial needs of a newborn human being. My wife and I have decided to take care of all that by ourselves. No grandparents will get involved whatsoever, therefore we are avoiding their disapproving looks, judgmental remarks and 1980’s-originated suggestions.

That’s one side of that coin though. The other one is ****severe lack of sleep** and failure to make whatever plan.

Working from home and taking care of your newborn baby with your spouse do not seem to get along. As a dad, I have to help bathe the baby, change her diaper and put her to sleep. As a blogger, I have to keep up with the news, find interesting stories to comment on, search for hot topics and decide what I will be writing about. That task may take an hour or more, yet it *can* be interrupted for changing a diaper.

The task that should not be interrupted is writing the article. I have to put my thoughts on paper, pick an eye-catching headline, come up with an image to accompany the article, do some SEO and finally share the post with the world. That last part is done efficiently since [I moved over to Google+](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/) and used [Friends+Me](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/) service, which saves me a lot of time.

The rest though keeps me glued to the screen. Otherwise, each time I have to leave my office, I find myself ****re-reading my half-finished project** from the beginning. That may double or triple the required time to finish the post. After 10 or more interruptions however, a blogger will lose his mood to finish the damn piece.

So, how do I work from home with my newborn baby in the room next door? I am still trying to figure it out, as this very article is my first attempt to make a comeback. If you have any suggestion, apart from renting a new office or moving to a bigger apartment, feel free to leave a comment.
### Over-taxation of Online Gambling is as bad as Overtraining at the Gym
URL: https://jimmakos.com/taxation-gambling/
Last updated: 2024-02-12T10:30:22.000Z
Is Betfair going to return to Greece any time soon? That is the most common question I receive in my inbox. Obviously, my crystal ball cannot answer that.

Are they really looking forward to returning to any country that drove them off due to regulations? I doubt it, although [they did acquire a gaming license to Bulgaria](http://pokerfuse.com/news/industry/betfair-receives-bulgarian-online-gaming-license-27-02/). So maybe there is hope after all, but **only if countries ease off the taxation**.

That is understandable.

With a 15% tax on revenue, Bulgaria sent most gaming operators out of the country. Since they revised their legislation and introduced 20% tax on profits (i.e. gross gaming revenue – GGR), top brands like [Pokerstars made a comeback](http://pokerfuse.com/news/industry/pokerstars-becomes-first-online-poker-room-to-be-awarded-bulgarian-license-19-02/). It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that **over-taxation makes business plans useless**.

Yet, that is how things work it seems.

European countries noticed a couple of years ago that online gambling revenue has been on a steady uptrend the last decade. They also noticed though that most online bookmakers were operating overseas, meaning **gaming operators paid taxes elsewhere**.

“That can’t be right,” the financial advisors thought.

They began [regulating the online gaming market](https://jimmakos.com/2013/02/online-gambling-in-europe/), which practically meant issuing licenses at a cost. No license, no game. Gaming operators had to acquire a license to continue offering their services to residents around Europe. Acquiring a license though meant additional cost. And in gambling’s case, the cost came down to *heavy tax*.

> Oh, these companies has saved a lot all this time, **let’s over-tax them!**

Ehm, **fail**. Most bookmakers decided they were not interested after all. And how can you blame them, when over-taxation brought profit margins to their knees? If you sell a product for $100 and your net profit is $25 long-term, how can you accept paying 30% tax on revenue (GGR)? **Your business will run out of money mathematically**.

Bulgaria proposed 20% tax on GGR and got gambling companies back. They will in turn contribute to the nation’s GDP and everyone will be happy. Bookmakers will increase their revenue by accepting Bulgarian gamblers, Bulgarian administration’s cashier will benefit from the additional income and Bulgarian citizens will be able to bet or play poker at their favorite company, joining millions of other people abroad.

A **win-win-win scenario**.

Greece on the other hand believes that a **30% tax on GGR** still allows a viable business plan. Yet, big gaming companies are no longer accepting players residing in Greece for 15 months now. They must be nuts to leave a market worth €250 million, huh? One of them is Betfair; but that is also part of the “no betting exchanges allowed” part of the Greek legislation. Go figure.

As if that wasn’t enough, Greek law also prohibits any “commercial communication” with unlicensed operators. In plain English that means **Greek webmasters cannot advertise or promote** [blacklisted bookmakers](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/online-gambling-in-greece/). Again, it makes no sense after all to advertise a company that doesn’t allow customers from your country. You will get no new registrations and the company itself will not be interested.

So, why bother?

Greek news media and sports websites that relied on these advertising deals have now limited options. They can only promote a handful of licensed companies. These companies on the other hand do not have to compete with well-budgeted big companies for the available advertising spots. **Less competition, less advertising cost, less revenue for the media**. With less money coming in, news and sports sites need to cut money going out, which leads to jobs cutting.

What does over-taxation of gaming companies accomplish?

- No interest for a license, companies leaving the country. **People cannot bet** at world-class companies.
- Less revenue, less tax and ultimately **less money for the government**. Was that the purpose of the whole regulation thing?
- Fewer jobs, **increased unemployment**. Congrats!

A *lose-lose-lose* scenario.

Lawmakers have also included fines for anyone disobeying the law. Is it a crime to wear Betfair-branded t-shirts at the local gym, if you are not involved in a commercial deal? I am sure it is not. Look elsewhere for the crime conducted.

Just like overtraining at the gym is bad for your muscles, **over-taxation is bad for everyone’s business**.
### Trying out a Forecasting Tool that Predicts Betfair Trends
URL: https://jimmakos.com/forecast-betfair-trends/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:49:30.000Z
Wouldn’t it be great if you could ****predict Betfair trends** without spending hours on research? You just back the odds that are destined to shorten or lay the odds that are predicted to drift. Lean back to your chair and enjoy your coffee, while the market confirms your prediction. Then, you close your trade and move on to the next market of the betting exchange. Easy, huh?

That is exactly what a ****forecasting tool** promises to do. Its developers contacted me last night, offering me the chance to try out their tool for a whole week. Would you pass this offer, which I estimate at *£500-2,500* (steep price to pay, I know)?

I certainly did not and as I wait for directions, I spent some time on their website. I am afraid I will not disclose where you can check out the forecasting tool, before I make sure it is worth of your time. I do not want to be the reason you paid for a questionable product. That is why I never disclosed the [tipping service I testedagainst market’s efficiency](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/black-box-football-betting-system/) by the way. ****Because it sucked**, like many others out there.

The forecasting tool is based on an *algorithm*. With that said, the tool is able to give a prediction of the betting odds available at ****post time**. Say for example that a horse is trading at 6.60\. The forecasting tool estimates that odds will fluctuate around 4.20 a couple of minutes before the race starts. Thus, the tool expect odds to *shorten*.

In simple words, the forecaster promises to ****predict steamers and drifters**.

Of course, ****it does not have to make an accurate prediction**. With all that space betting odds are predicted to travel, the tool will make me money even if odds shorten down to 6.00 or 5.00\. Like in the Southwell race below.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/forecasting-betfair-trends.png)

Assuming I backed £1,000 at 6.60 and laid the same amount of money at 5.00, I now secured a profit of £1,600, should that horse wins the race! By [greening upat Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/always-green-up-betfair-but-why/), the profit runs down to £320 no matter the winner. Do that for 15 races per day and you see the ****potential of successfully predicting Betfair trends**.

Unfortunately though, the forecasting tool ****does not predict all races**. The algorithm depends on several factors and data points, such as liquidity. Depending on the analyzed data, it will alert you when it shows up on a race.

The developers also expect ****experienced traders to reap the rewards** of the forecasting tool and I must agree. Besides, this is how they found me and I suspect it is down to [my YouTube video of Betfair trading](http://youtu.be/t%5FGaL8VPFGw). Although beginners will benefit from their services, they are short of two things in my opinion: *discipline and money*.

Inexperienced bettors and traders implement a ****poor risk to reward approach** when gambling online. While they try to make millions with a dime, in fact they are risking a lot to win small! This is done in various ways, one of which is by *chasing losses*. By [chasing losses and not letting winners run](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2012/09/20/football-trading-cut-your-losses-let-winners-run/), beginners’ risk-to-reward ratio suffers dramatically.

Since they also fail to make good predictions and their success rate is below par, ****their bankroll eventually dries up**.

Still, they were already short on cash. In the example above, I used a hefty amount of money to take advantage of the forecasting tool: one thousand pounds. I take it beginners cannot afford that kind of money. Yet, even if they had the money, they would be ****hesitant to place such a big bet**, afraid of losing it. Of course, in trading, you can cut losses early, but that is where discipline comes in.

Beginners will often keep the position open for a lengthy period of time, if the odds move against them. By the time they decide to take the loss, it is already too late. Their praying did not pay off. And that is when their ****risk to reward suffers greatly**, not to mention if they let an open trade go in-play and lose the whole position! An experienced trader would *never* allow himself suffer such a loss.

I expect to share my view on the forecasting tool in the next weeks, given there is some merit in doing so. In the meantime, I would suggest you read these posts I wrote before, or you can check out [my Betfair trading guide](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) for beginners:

- [You can make money fast in gambling, but you will lose it even faster!](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/make-money-fast-gambling/)
- [Does technical analysis work in Betfair charts?](https://jimmakos.com/2009/12/technical-analysis-really-work-betfair-trading/)
- [Managing your bankroll efficiently in sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/money-management-betfair-trading/)

How much would you pay for a forecasting tool that promises to reveal Betfair trends to you? Do you think many people utilizing the tool would harm the results? Let me know in the comments below.

You may find my verdict for OddsForecaster at [this blog post](https://jimmakos.com/2014/12/betting-tool-predicts-odds-movements/).
### Kickstart Your Web Development Adventure with These 4 Simple Steps
URL: https://jimmakos.com/web-development/
Last updated: 2025-10-14T10:26:48.000Z
Web development is as easy as following these four steps. In no time at all, you can have a beautiful, reliable, and fast website at a minimum cost.

In the realm of [web publishing](https://jimmakos.com/web-publishing/), creating a digital home is essential, as relying solely on social media is akin to building on rented land, where the rules can change, and ownership is never truly guaranteed.

Building a website for your business or creating a personal blog to share your thoughts with the world is **easy**. Almost *no programming skills* are required, although you need to learn the basics of web development. More specifically, you must become familiar with *domain registration, web hosting, and WordPress*. And you are going to **learn all that today**, here.

I know it is easy because, [as a web publisher myself](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-a-living-web-publisher/) for more than 15 years, I created so many websites by learning everything online **for free**. I am sure you can manage that too! And I suppose it will be easier because I have collected everything that helped me through the process in the lines below. Therefore, read on, and by the time you will finish reading, you will have a pretty clear view of how to start and where you are heading to.

As in other pages of this blog, I am recommending some products or services below that I have personally tried and continued using for my web development needs. I do not include anything unknown to me.

## Jumpstart your web development career by registering a well-thought-out domain name

> Building a content website in real estate terms:  
>  
> You buy land (domain). Location (name) is everything.  
>  
> You build a building (website).  
>  
> Expert(s) share knowledge in offices (pages).  
>  
> People visit the offices (traffic).  
>  
> Install billboards outside (advertising).[#webdevelopment](https://twitter.com/hashtag/webdevelopment?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [September 30, 2018](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/1046247377412255744?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

I have avoided building websites at free services such as Blogger (domains ending in *blogspot.com*). I suggest you do the same. You are creating something valuable. Why not keep that value to yourself?

Yes, **I strongly recommend registering your own domain**.

Besides, if you are creating a website for your business, your domain is part of your business. You would not rent a small corner in another company’s office to run yours, would you? You would rent a whole office to yourself. So, *buy a domain!*

**Buying a domain is easy**. You pick a domain registrar, open an account and begin buying domains. You will quickly see the point of registering multiple domain names for your business or blog, even with extensions like .net or .co. For example, I own both jimmakos.com and jimakos.com (noticed the typo?) and jmks.co for [my URL-shortening service](https://jimmakos.com/2017/04/link-shortening/).

Nevertheless, restrain yourself from *overspending*.

## Pick a reliable and affordable hosting company for your website

Now that you bought the sign (domain name) outside your office, it is time to rent the actual office where the sign will hang. This is the time when web hosting comes in.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/how-web-hosting-works.gif)

How web hosting works \[Courtesy of [AustinSeoGuy](http://www.austinseoguy.com/)\]

Consider hosting like renting an office, where you will place all the furniture and equipment you will need to run your website. The more equipment you need and the more customers your website will serve, the bigger the office needs to be. Hosting companies offer a wide variety of hosting plans which makes finding a plan tailored to your needs a certainty.

In general, there are three types of hosting plans:

1. **Shared hosting**: you share a server with thousands of other customers. Like renting a 100-square-foot office in a skyscraper.
2. **Virtual private server or VPS hosting**: you share a server with a bunch of other web entrepreneurs. Consider that as if you are renting the whole floor of a skyscraper. You can even rent out small offices to other webmasters who are looking for shared hosting plans!
3. **Dedicated server hosting**: you get a whole server just for yourself, meaning a computer is somewhere operating exclusively for running your website(s). You guessed it; you get a skyscraper under your name!

After you decide which hosting plan suits you (for 99% of people visiting this page, it should be *shared hosting*), you must instruct your domain to load the website from the server you purchased. Do not worry; it is much easier than it sounds and definitely easier than hanging a huge sign outside of your office! Many domain registrars allow you to host your website with them, making the process entirely automatic.

Personally, I have used both shared and VPS hosting plans. I would recommend a shared hosting plan when you are starting out to keep your costs as low as possible. Once your idea attracts attention and your website gets some traction, it's time to upgrade. A telltale sign for upgrading your hosting is when your page's visitors experience slow loading times or [your website is down](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/vps-hosting-comparison/)!

## Install WordPress or Ghost for Content Management

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/wordpress-back-end.png)

I have become a huge fan of WordPress – [sorry Joomla](https://jimmakos.com/2010/09/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/). WordPress is a perfect content management system that will work both for your blogging and business needs. Do not be afraid to create a company’s website with WordPress. In fact, **WordPress is great when you are starting out in web development**.

Installing WordPress will not take more than 5 minutes. You now have power, water, and a telephone line in your office.

In recent years, I've been migrating my websites into [the Ghost content management system](https://jmks.co/ghost).

Your office looks dull on the outside, though. A mere sign on the door (domain name) is not enough to invite people in, no matter how cool it sounds. You need a *stunning* front. In other words, an **attractive WordPress Theme that *loads fast***.

## WordPress and Ghost Website Templates

Website templates, often called themes, are pre-designed layouts that help you build a website quickly without needing to design everything from scratch.

These templates come with built-in features, such as different page layouts, colors, fonts, and sometimes even interactive elements. Instead of worrying about coding or design, you can focus on adding your content and personalizing it to fit your brand or style.

When it comes to choosing platforms, **WordPress themes** and **Ghost themes** are two popular options for web publishers.

WordPress is one of the most widely used website builders, offering thousands of themes that cater to any type of site—from blogs to e-commerce stores. WordPress themes are versatile and easy to customize, making it a favorite choice for many. 

On the other hand, Ghost is a more minimalist platform designed specifically for bloggers and content creators. Ghost themes are simple, clean, and highly optimized for speed, giving a more streamlined experience for those who prioritize content over complex features.

I use WordPress and Ghost templates because they make web development faster and easier. With WordPress themes, I have access to a huge library of designs, making it ideal for a more feature-rich site.

Meanwhile, Ghost themes allow me to focus on content delivery with less distraction, offering a smoother and faster experience for readers. Both platforms offer different strengths, so depending on the project, I can choose the theme that best fits my goals.

## Finally, improve user experience with website tools

Now that you have an attractive office with all the necessary equipment installed, it is time to let the world know about your office. There is no better way to do that other than creating useful, mind-blowing content. **Content is king**.

Still, you can further improve your website’s functionality with the help of the tools I include further below in this article.

By completing the four steps I described, you should have a **beautiful, fast, and practical website in a few days**.

Yet, you are just beginning in the web development world. You have a lot of things to learn. I am *still* learning myself, despite managing more than ten websites at this time!

## WEB DEVELOPMENT TOOLS AND RESOURCES

In the dynamic world of web development, having the right set of tools and resources at your disposal can make all the difference in transforming a blank digital canvas into a **vibrant, engaging, and functional website**.

My journey through web development has been a *rewarding* adventure. It is filled with learning and experimenting with various platforms and services to find what works best for achieving a beautiful, reliable, and fast website at minimal cost. Through trial and error, I've curated a list of websites and services that have been indispensable in my web development endeavors.

These resources cover a wide spectrum of needs, from domain registration and web hosting to content management systems and user experience enhancements. Each tool or service has been personally tried and integrated into my workflow, ensuring I recommend *only* what I have found to be truly valuable.

Whether you're laying the foundation of your digital presence or looking to elevate an existing site, the resources I'm about to share are designed to **streamline your web development process**, making it as efficient and effective as possible.

As we delve into these resources, remember that web development is a journey of constant learning and adaptation. The tools and services listed here have not only facilitated my growth as a web developer but have also empowered me to create meaningful, impactful digital experiences.

Let's explore these tools together, each chosen to guide you through the four easy steps to developing a website that stands out in the digital landscape.

👉

**Some links below are affiliate links. By clicking on them, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read on my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.*

1. [WP Engine](https://jmks.co/wpengine): After a decade of hosting my websites elsewhere, I could finally relax by the time I moved over to WP Engine. It's expensive, but you get what you pay for. Only for WordPress-based websites.
2. [Shortpixel](https://jmks.co/shortpixel): Time is money online, and ShortPixel cuts down the loading time of our images. No more do I have to manually reduce the file size for every image I include in my articles, as ShortPixel automatically generates web-optimized images on the fly.
3. [WP Rocket](https://jmks.co/wprocket): Speed is money, as well. A fast website not only keeps your visitors happy but also helps your website rank higher in search engines. I've tried all the top caching plugins for WordPress that can speed up my websites, and WP Rocker is my favorite by far.
4. [Iubenda](https://jmks.co/iubenda): I use them for complying with laws worldwide via their cookie solution and other services.
5. [DigitalOcean](https://jmks.co/digitalocean): For any tech-savvy web developers out there. Setting up a server by myself to host my own URL-shortening service was probably the thing I'm mostly proud of to this day.
6. [Themeforest](https://jmks.co/themeforest): Most of my websites, including my personal blog, are built on a theme purchased from Themeforest marketplace.
7. [ElegantThemes](https://jmks.co/elegantthemes): I have sometimes used their beautiful themes on my WordPress websites.
8. [StackPath](https://jmks.co/maxcdn): Before I hosted my WordPress websites with WP Engine, I used StackPath (then MaxCDN) to have my content cached and accessible closer to my end users for a better user experience.
### Working from Home Tips that Increase Productivity and Save Time
URL: https://jimmakos.com/working-from-home-tips/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:48:11.000Z
Working from home can be rewarding but at the same time, it can become a burden. By having a plan and sticking to simple rules, you not only [become more productive](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/productive/) but also have more free time to enjoy life. Freedom and making myself a boss is some of the reasons I work from home. By following these working from home tips, I managed to improve the workflow and make the most out of my time.

## Organize your workspace and time wisely early on

![Does your workspace look so tidy? Image via Flickr](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/working-from-home-tip-workspace.jpg)

Does your workspace look so tidy? Image via [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/candlescents/3670671547/)

When starting out as a work-from-home man or woman, you are feeling a bit lost. In the beginning, there is not so much to work on. Depending on the line of work, you strive to find new projects, employers to hire you and generally to be noticed. Yet, by the time you stand out from the crowd, jobs come pouring in. That is *not* the time to get organized! ****You are already late.**

Instead of postponing or cancelling projects and *missing deadlines* to put things in order, you would better organize both your workspace and time beforehand. Organizing includes basics such as:

1. ****A clutter-free desk**. You need an office that gives you a warm welcome each time you sit down to work. Do not be afraid to spend on a good chair.
2. ****Properly managing your work’s tools**. If working from home means working on a computer, organize the hard disks and put everything in folders, so that you minimize the time searching for daily-used files!
3. ****Using a task scheduler or organizer**. Write down things like appointments and deadlines. Put emails into your To-Do list.

## Do you need minimum and maximum weekly working hours?

Personally I love waking up very early in the morning, sometimes even in the night. I usually leave bed by 6AM but half of the times, the clock shows 4AM! Working from home can become difficult if you are having a family or generally, if you are not home alone. Still, even then, as long as you enjoy what you do for a living and are able to work in your pyjamas the minute you wake up, you will have no trouble waking up so early as a bachelor. For me sleep is just a necessary body function to fill my batteries with fresh energy and ****take a break from work**; a break that I find too difficult to take under normal circumstances.

What happens after you wake up? Do you have a [time schedule](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/)? How many hours are you going to work during the day? Do you feel 8 hours are enough to get things done? Should you split that time up into 4-hour or 2-hour sessions? ****How about setting maximum weekly working hours?** Those are decisions you have to make right from the start.

In my opinion, setting working hours is a *personal* preference. ****I do not force myself into working specific hours per day** or sticking to a 9-5 type of schedule. There are days when I do have a lot of work and find myself working throughout the day (and night), while there are also days when I can take the whole day off. Yes, working from home does entitle you to take days off, however it is too difficult to do it when your work is next to your living room!

Go with a *plain time schedule* and adjust accordingly as you move along.

## Methods to avoid distractions while working from home

![How many distractions can you see? Image via Flickr.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/working-from-home-distractions.jpg)

How many distractions can you see? Image via [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/samwebster/4115739240/).

One of the most common working from home tips is ****avoiding distractions**. Visiting the kitchen too frequently for a snack, talking with your partner, watching TV, picking up non-work related phone calls, and even taking care of the garden are considered distractions. Besides, some of those distractions are also not good for your health, given work from home *seldom* puts you on your feet.

- ****Leave those activities** for your recreation time.
- ****Do not answer phone calls** that are not business-related while you are working.
- ****Restrain yourself from leaving your workroom** and always have a bottle of water close to you.
- ****Talk to your partner**, family members or other residents about your need to work undisturbed. If you do not discuss with them, how would they know the significance of quietness for you? Talk *now*, so that you avoid talking hundreds of times later!

## Tips for computer eye strain relief

![Computer eyewear by Gunnar.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/computer-eyewear.png)

Computer eyewear by [Gunnar](http://www.gunnars.com/).

This is a bonus working from home tip, in case your work puts you in front of a computer screen for hours like me. You may have heard of computer glasses. These are similar to normal pairs of glasses, although you wear them only when working on a computer. Their job is to protect and relax your eyes, so that you do not feel so tired by looking at the screen for so long hours.

Yet another solution comes free!

F.lux is a free software that installs in your computer and runs automatically on boot. It identifies your time zone and ****adjust monitor’s colors and temperature according to the sunlight**. Depending on the artificial light you have in your room after sunset or during night, you can further fine-tune the color adjustments for an even more pleasant working environment. Allegedly, you can sleep better by using F.lux, but I have not noticed a difference to tell you the truth.

> Download the software from the [F.lux website](http://justgetflux.com/) and find out yourself.

Those are four working from home tips that have helped me take on more jobs, improve my working conditions and spend less time on time-consuming chores. By eliminating activities that you do regularly and automating others, you produce more and better results. Alternatively, you can keep your production rate unchanged but have more free time for yourself and your family.

What other working from home tips would you suggest to a beginner? Let me know in the comments below.

*Image via [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/ishane/2478049891/)*
### Why I joined BettingExpert, the Social Network of Sports Betting
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bettingexpert-social-network-sports-betting/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:49:27.000Z
BettingExpert welcomes all visitors by introducing itself as the social network of sports betting. Moreover, they offer ****monthly prizes worth £3,000** to the best 40 tipsters. Yet, that’s *not* the reason I joined BettingExpert today.

The past months I have become a lot more active at social media and generally on the internet. I am discovering my creative side of myself, as I realize that [writing about gambling is a lot more fun than gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/writing-about-gambling/) itself! That doesn’t mean though I have stopped risking my hard-earned money online. It’s that my main concern nowadays is to tell interesting stories, share any knowledge I have acquired and, most importantly, *discuss* with like-minded people.

People interested in online gambling and specifically in sports betting usually search for betting tips. Not how to improve their betting skills, unfortunately. And although that is not beneficial for them in my opinion, I totally understand their purpose; [to make money fast](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/make-money-fast-gambling/). And finding the best tipster online is promising exactly that.

No, I’m not trying to prove I am the best tipster out there. Because I am not. Because I am not even a tipster! I am not used sharing any betting tips or [betting according to other people’s tips](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/never-use-betting-tips-invest-my-money/).

Yet, ****people are looking for betting tips**. There’s no doubt about that. And in order to get in touch with them, I’ll need to provide some from time to time. But *my philosophy* does not allow me posting any tips, without explaining first my reasoning for my betting tips. I have shown my reasoning and betting philosophy in my Greek blog. And as I am now translating those posts day after day and have them published at [my English-speaking betting blog](http://www.betstories.com/), it’s time to get closer to sports bettors.

****That is why I joined BettingExpert**, which promises to become the social network of sports betting. If it succeeds, more people will see my tips, will join the discussion and eventually, connect with me. That’s my goal.

No, I’m not building a following. I’m connecting. I’m interacting.

So, today I posted my first betting tip. Let’s see *how* you do that.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/bettingexpert-tip.png)

### How to post your first betting tip at BettingExpert

My first attempt to publish a betting tip *failed miserably*. As it took me too long to get familiar with BettingExpert’s user interface and compile my post, the game in question started. This is the message I got when I clicked on the publish button, ****after spending at least half an hour** to learn the whereabouts of the post tip form.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/bettingexpert-tip-fail.png)

Ok, that didn’t go as planned. I moved on and found another game I was happy to give out a tip for. It was the friendly game between Mechelen and Oud-Heverlee. I’m sure some of you may have never heard of these teams! Believe me, I haven’t either, but if you [read my tip](http://www.bettingexpert.com/tip/436277-kv-mechelen-oud-heverlee), you will understand why ****that doesn’t really matter in my betting strategy**.

****1\. Load the so-called post tip form**. In the first screen you’ll see, you can search for the event you are interested in. By making the appropriate selection, the rest of the fields are automatically filled with the corresponding details. Next comes our prediction.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/select-sport-bettingexpert-social-network-sports-betting.png)

****2\. Describe your betting tip**. What kind of a bet are you suggesting, does that apply to half or full time, what’s your prediction? You also have to decide the bookmaker you are preferring to bet with. Although *it makes no sense* to me to choose a bookmaker with lower odds than the competition, you still have a variety of choice. Finally, pick your stake from a scale of 1 to 10\. My choice is always [flat betting](http://www.betstories.com/2014/01/03/best-staking-plan/) and I elect the maximum stake available.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/prediction-bettingexpert-social-network-sports-betting.png)

****3\. Write your analysis**. Here’s the *discouraging* part for most tipsters; your tip must be accompanied by an analysis of *100 words minimum*! The majority of so-called experts don’t care explaining the reasons behind their tip. They just pick tens of games so that they can brag when they succeed in some of them later on. Thus, there’s no time or willingness to justify their picks. BettingExpert does an excellent job here as far as I am concerned, ****driving away the less talkative tipsters**. True, if you want to be remembered as a social network, you need communicative members in your network. Also, BettingExpert warns you that ****they won’t be accepting duplicate content**. So, you’d better rephrase your original blog post in case you shared your tip elsewhere first.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/analysis-bettingexpert-social-network-sports-betting.png)

****4\. Time to publish your tip**! The last tab is about reviewing your tip and making sure you’ve not made any mistakes. By now you must have spent at least 5 or so minutes, filling the form. *Don’t let 30 seconds ruin your betting tip*. Pay attention to every detail you see at this page.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/publish-bettingexpert-social-network-sports-betting.png)

That’s all! Your betting tip will be shown to the public after it’s approved by the stuff. Or at least that’s what I think, since my own tip was “waiting for approval” at one point. Good luck!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/good-luck-bettingexpert-social-network-sports-betting.png)

What do you think? Will BettingExpert succeed in becoming the social network of sports betting? Let me know in the comments below and [don’t forget toconnect](http://www.bettingexpert.com/user/profile/jim-makos) if you create a new account! For the record, I lost that tip (draw).
### Is Google Glass coming to Greece?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-glass-greece/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:44:35.000Z
Greece may be one of the first European countries to welcome Google Glass. Or maybe not, since Glass’ European release is allegedly years away. Yet, rumor has it that **Google may have found a partner in Greece for their Glass product**.

A partner that is rumored to be supported by American and other very well known investors.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-glass-greece-600x297.jpg)

According to a news story in Greece, a company known as **Cosmos Club** is looking to bring Google Glass to Greek customers. However, the news is more about the company’s attempt to enter the gambling market in Greece, rather than the introduction of the Glass product to Greek consumers. Hence, there is really very little information about the plans or any kind of discussions or agreement between Cosmos Club and Google.

### Wait, what does gambling have anything to do with Google Glass?

Yet again, I find myself talking of two entirely different things in my blog, which mysteriously cross paths. Technology and [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

Cosmos Club has partnered with UK’s **BetShop** to operate online gaming internet shops in Greece, according to reports. Despite the domestic gaming operator’s monopoly (OPAP), the company, formed in 2013, is determined to operate up to 600 Internet cafés in Greece, allowing their customers to bet online. However, public will only have access to the [24 gambling companies which hold an interim gaming license in Greece](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/online-gambling-in-greece/).

As the story develops, more news surface about Cosmos Club’s CEO and his surroundings, both positive and negative.

There are even rumors of the company actually partnering with OPAP itself to provide **OPAP’s online betting services**!

And what’s more, reports say that there may be **American investors and very famous people** who support the whole enterprise. And they are so powerful, that the company may become Google Glass’ distributor in Greece.

No, I won’t disclose any names before I make absolutely sure there is enough evidence that it’s not just that; rumors.

### It’s all Greek to Google Glass

Is it *too early* to discuss about Google Glass in Greece?

I suppose so. But it’s not just Greece. According to [DigitalTrends](http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-glass-european-release-may-be-years-away/), **Google Glass’ European release may be years away**. The main concern is its voice recognition, which apparently only understands the American accent only. Even UK residents cannot yet enjoy wearing Google Glass, despite of speaking the same language!

Andy Boxall, DigitalTrends’ author, also mentions in his post of Google’s difficult task to find a willing partner through which to sell Glass. Maybe Cosmos Club fills that empty spot. Until then, Europeans (Greeks included) may [sign up as a GlassExplorer](http://www.google.com/glass/start/how-to-get-one/)and hope.
### Greeks to pay online poker tax as Pokerstars acquires gaming license
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-poker-tax-greece/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T18:50:49.000Z
Greek online poker players are liable to pay up to 20% withholding tax at Pokerstars on their daily profits, starting today. The breaking news came yesterday night through an email sent by Pokerstars and FullTilt Poker to their Greek customers.

According to the email and the FAQ page that Pokerstars published for this matter, Greek players will now access Pokerstars poker client through the new domain, pokerstars.gr. Along with fulltilt.gr, ****these two domains are now legally operating in Greece**, after Pokerstars partnered with Diamond Link Ltd to jointly operate the domains under the necessary Greek gambling license.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pokerstars-gr-600x244.png)

Diamond Link is one of the 24 companies that hold an *interim* gambling license in Greece – read more about the new [Greek online gambling regulations](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/online-gambling-in-greece/). Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if [the licenses are revoked in the future](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/greece-regulating-online-gambling-suspending-licenses/), given ****they were issued temporarily** until the new gambling regime would be settled. Something that is still work in progress after 2 years, since the legislation’s introduction!

### Why Greek players are subject to online poker tax

The first and most crucial consequence for Greek players is the players’ withholding online poker tax. According to the [Greek gambling law](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/greek-online-gambling-law-tax-on-gambling-winnings/) applied to sports betting, poker and casino games, ****gambling profits exceeding €100 are subject to tax**. For example, if Greeks bet €0.30 on a sports event (the minimum accepted bet) and win €400, they are liable to pay 15% tax, or €45\. The tax increases to 20% for any gambling profits that exceed €500.

Yet, there has been quite a debate about how to calculate poker profits and subsequently, ****how to tax online poker games**. Till yesterday a player’s poker session was defined as the time between logging in and out of the poker client. In other words, how much time a player spent logged in.

Pokerstars clarified in their FAQ page that ****the withholding tax will be charged per calendar day**, starting at 7AM local time.

Thus, a poker player residing in Greece who plays for 3 hours on Monday evening and wins €500, will be taxed €60\. Pokerstars will automatically deduct the tax from the player’s funds on Tuesday morning. Say the same player wins again on Tuesday about €1,000\. The tax now comes down to €160!

As a result, ****their gross profit would be €1,500 but their net profit would be €1,280 after tax**!

Let’s assume now that they lose €1,300 on Wednesday. They would still have been profitable before tax, but due to the recent changes, they are now almost a breakeven player! Over at [twoplustwo forum](http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=41115472&postcount=100), players are worried that ****the tax effectively amounts to 40% of all poker winnings**!

Although this tax is imposed on poker players directly, [any kind of tax imposed on the online poker industry will hurt your winrate](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/gambling-tax-quit-online-poker/) one way or another.

### No major online poker tournaments for Greeks!

But there’s more unfortunate news for Greek online poker. Since November 20, Greek Pokerstars players noticed they couldn’t register to major tournaments, like the popular MicroMillions. It turned out that Pokerstars had already decided to restrict access to those tournaments, which was confirmed yesterday night. In effect, ****Greek residents are not able to play any major online poker tournament** at this time, other than the ones restricted to Greek players.

According to reports though, this ring fenced policy does not apply to *cash games*, where Greeks can still compete with foreign players. Question is, ****for how long?**

This is the email that Pokerstars sent to their Greek customers:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pokerstars-email-online-poker-tax-greece.png)

Pokerstars and FullTilt poker players living in Greece are enraged of this development. They complain both about the **unfair tax and Pokerstars**, who implemented the change without a warning. At the time of writing plenty of Greek players are reporting they are considering to withdraw their money. At least, withdrawals seem to be processed in a timely manner.

Another question is how Pokerstars operated the previous months and why these changes took place now.
### Why Betfair should create a social platform like TradingView
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-social-platform-tradingview/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:28:34.000Z
Betting trends can easily be spotted at Betfair charts. Odds movements may predict smart money’s betting preferences or bookmakers’ mistakes. That’s why **gamblers are interested in odds movements** lately.

However, the charts that Betfair provides are way too simple. Perhaps it’s about time Betfair update their charting and offer **HTML5 charts**, like TradingView. And since we are on TradingView, perhaps **creating a betting social platform**, while updating their charts at the same time, will boost Betfair’s revenue.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfair-charts-tradingview-stock-charts-600x274.png)

**What can Betfair learn from TradingView**, the social network for traders created by Multicharts?

## Multicharts and TradingView

Multicharts trading platform is software for charting, backtesting and automated trading. You can connect it with your favorite stock, forex or futures/CFD broker and trade using its quick and advanced charts.

Thus, **Multicharts platform is in fact a product**.

The Multicharts company launched *TradingView*, a social network for traders. [TradingView is free to use](http://jmks.co/tradingview) and you can get real-time quotes for a bunch of assets, like forex, commodities or stocks even if you are not a trader. Perhaps it’s not the most accurate data out there, but at this price (free) we really can’t complain, can we? Besides, its main purpose is to bring traders together, not let you trade via TradingView.

Thus, **TradingView is a free social platform**, where traders are socializing and talking about investments and charts specifically. Check out [my own TradingView profile](https://www.tradingview.com/u/JimMakos)!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tradingview-social-platform-apple-stock-600x356.png)

## Betfair and its future social platform, BetTradeView

Betfair is a *betting exchange*. You can either bet or trade sports betting odds. Lately Betfair has been focusing on its Sportsbook product, but we will ignore that in this post. Betfair makes money by charging commission on any trade that is carried out at the betting exchange.

Thus, **Betfair’s betting exchange is a product**.

Like in any other exchange in the world, prices fluctuate. These price fluctuations are presented in charts. However, **Betfair is offering basic charting**. In fact their charts are so basic that charts are nothing more than JPEG images! And as if that wasn’t enough, charts’ data is delayed as well!

That created a new market. Third-party software like [BetAngel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) provides advanced charting and real-time quotes to keep betting traders satisfied. But they come at a price. And they often put new gamblers off. They have trouble understanding the meaning of a betting exchange, [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) or betting charts, therefore they look elsewhere to risk their money. They are eager to trade or bet; they are not looking to read technical stuff.

So, how about a betting social network like TradingView, where **gamblers will have access to advanced charting, real time quotes and will also socialize with other gamblers**? Let’s call that BetTradeView.

Thus, Betfair’s hypothetical **BetTradeView is a free social platform**, where bettors can glance at betting odds’ movements and discuss sports events with other like-minded bettors or sports traders.

### Why would I join Betfair’s social network?

Yes, I know. There are a bunch of trying-to-be successful betting social networks. For as long as I have dealt with gambling matters though, I have never joined such a social network. Like (almost) everyone else, I’m using Facebook or [Google+](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/) preferably to share my gambling stories, tips or blog posts. Why would I join such a new social platform?

> For the same reason I joined TradingView!

No, I do not use Multicharts for stock or forex trading, despite the fact I have demoed their product and I am an active forex and stock trader (more at my trading blog). Yet, I joined their social platform, due to the **free charts, almost perfect quotes and ease to share my thoughts**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tradingview-chart-600x345.png)

Why can’t Betfair create something similar to attract more customers?

### Will Betfair benefit for its own social platform?

Has TradingView led Multicharts to increase their customer base? I really don’t have a clue. Still, I use their social platform on a daily basis to check [Bitcoin value](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2013/11/17/bitcoin-value-increase-500/#.UotZGcRkOak), EUR/USD chart or a stock I’m following. Who knows? Maybe one day I may become a customer of theirs. In my opinion, it’s a great marketing effort that would certainly convert some TradingView users into Multicharts customers in the long run!

No, gamblers do not want just another social platform to brag about their winnings or share their tips. They already have popular [social networks](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/) to do that. They already have their friends and followers there.

### So, how can a new betting social network interest them?

By providing what Betfair cannot provide for 10 years now: **Meaningful and up-to-date charts!** After 10 years, Betfair should offer HTML5 charts instead of JPEG images!

I can access 5-year worth of Bitcoin price data at TradingView in just two clicks by the time I switch my computer on! I can draw trend lines on that chart in a matter of seconds and write a few lines about my idea. I can immediately share that idea+chart at Twitter, Facebook or [StockTwits](http://stocktwits.com/jimmakos)! It won’t take more than a minute or two to spread the word.

**Imagine if gamblers could do that for today’s World Cup playoff game!**

I would load Betfair’s social network, check out today’s games and liquidity and load the advanced chart of England’s betting odds! The chart would provide a more detailed view of the matched bets and I would be able to apply technical analysis. In an instant, I would share my chart at my social profiles and everyone would visit my post at Betfair’s social platform. From there, they could post a reply, agree or disagree with me and, why not, register in Betfair and place a bet to prove me wrong!

They themselves would share their own idea to their Facebook friends by including the relevant chart. And guess what: much like TradingView includes their logo in the bottom right corner of every chart, **Betfair would enjoy even more exposure** by doing exactly the same thing!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfair-tradingview-charts.png)

Have you seen my latest updates at Google+ or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosdotCom)? **They are mostly TradingView’s charts and Betfair charts**. You see, I am talking about price movements all the time, no matter if it’s about stocks, forex, orange juice, coffee, oil, pork bellies or football games! But I take it most of my followers comprehend TradingView’s charts, despite of being mostly interested in sports betting.

Come on Betfair! Spend some of your money to create a fascinating **betting social network with useful and super-fast HTML5 charts** like TradingView! Besides, the data is already in your own servers! It’s not like you are going to pay extra to third-party data vendors.

Would you join such a betting social platform? Are you happy with Betfair charts or would you like more advanced charting offered for free by Betfair? Let me know in the comments below.
### Link Google Blogger to Google+ to resurrect your Blogspot comments!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-blogger-plus-blogspot-comments/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:44:55.000Z
When you connect your Blogger account with your Google+ profile, **the comments you made the last 10 years at Blogspot blogs will automatically link back to your Google+ profile!** Isn’t that great?

Do you have a Blogger account? You do, if your blog ends with *blogspot.com*!

I don’t know if that feature is a new one but I doubt it is. Scott Dunroe at Google+ Blog talked about linking Google+ with Blogger 2 years ago! On the other hand Chris Lynch explained briefly just a month ago, why linking Blogger with Google+ **will create a more powerful social platform**.

I myself have only found out of the connection an hour ago when I wanted to…

## Comment on a blogspot’s post with a Google account

When you write a comment at a blog hosted at Blogspot, which is Google’s blogging platform since 2003 when they bought the Blogger service, you have the option of choosing an account to post from. LiveJournal, WordPress, TypePad are a few. You can also **comment anonymously** (if the blog allows it) or add your name and your blog’s URL.

Of course, **you can comment using your Google account**.

Until today, I usually commented using my Google account. To be precise, I commented using my Google Blogger account, as that was the only option by Google. Doing so, the author’s name (that is “Jim Makos”) would link back to my Blogger’s account. Yet, I didn’t have any blogs at Blogspot as I prefer hosting my own domains, but it was nice to see my Blogger profile views’ count increase!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-products-blogger-236x300.png)

So, today, as I was about to post my comment at a blog hosted by Blogspot, I noticed that **my Google Blogger account wasn’t connected with my Google+ account**! That’s strange, I thought. As I have been very active at Google+ lately and given the fact that Google has introduced all their products at the top of Google search, I expected to be able to post using my Google+ profile.

## Linking Blogger account with Google+ profile

It turns out you have to link your Blogger account to your Google+ profile, in order to post as the name you use at Google+. As I hadn’t uploaded any profile photo in my Blogger account, it was easy to tell the difference and notice that those were two unlinked accounts! Linking isn’t more than two clicks away, in order to **switch from your Blogger profile to Google+ profile**.

If you change your mind after the switch, you still have up to 30 days to revert back to your Blogger profile. After that, your Blogger profile will be deleted. Read more at [Google’s FAQ page](https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/1375600?hl=en).

And there I was, having linked Blogger to Google+ and all, ready to submit my comment at the original Blogspot article. Aaaand… done!

Cool, my comment was posted immediately and my Google+ profile photo was next to my name.

> Wait a minute!

**When I hover my mouse on my name, the link points back to my Blogger profile**! Hm, let’s click that.

And voila! **Google auto-redirects to my Google+ profile**!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/connect-blogger-google-plus.png)

\[Photo credit: planetofthepenguins.com\]

And you should care about this, because…?

Have you been commenting online a lot the past few years? The past TEN years, since Google bought the Blogger service? Do those comments appear in blogs hosted by Blogspot? In other words…

## Do your comments appear in domains ending in blogspot.com?

Yes, I bet they do!

Now, all those comments at Blogspot websites, featuring your name as the commenter, will link back to your Google+ profile!

**Will that help your Google+ profile rank higher?** There are far more experts than me out there to answer that question.

I just find it cool that whoever reads a comment I left ages ago in a forgotten Blogspot blog, will now keep up with my more recent news. Not to mention that they will find it a lot more encouraging to connect with me via Google+ instead of a Blogger profile! Besides, **there wasn’t a way to connect with a Blogger profile** after all, apart from sending an email, was there?

Tl;dr? To sum up:

> If you have been commenting a lot at Blogspot blogs, connect your Google Blogger account with your Google+ profile. **Those old comments will now link back to your Google+ profile using your name as the anchor text.**

Have you made the [move to Google+](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/) yet or are you still spending your time at Facebook? Do you often leave a comment after reading a story? Why don’t you do that in this post, by having a word below!
### I cannot get my Google+ custom URL because my blog beat me to it!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-custom-url/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:45:34.000Z
A recent update allows Google users to get a Google+ custom URL for their profile or Google+ pages. However, in some cases they are not offered their preferred custom URL, requesting them to add additional characters or numbers! And sometimes their favorite custom link is being offered to their Google+ page! This is my personal adventure that just began at Google+!

But wait!

## Why would you want a Google+ custom URL in the first place?

If you are wondering just that, it means you are new to Google+. Google’s social network uses a 21-digit number to identify the users; and pages. So, when you register a Google+ profile (you have already done so, if you have a **Gmail** account), your profile’s link looks like this:

**plus.google.com/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Those X’s are just random numbers, designated to your profile.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-plus-profile-url-600x92.png)

Each time you want to hook up with people online and direct them to your Google+ profile, you need to link to that ugly URL. It’s not that you have to remember 21 digits. Besides, you’ll seldom speak of that link, rather than type it (or usually paste it). It’s just that it looks ugly. And if there wasn’t an alternative, this wouldn’t be an issue.

But now that Google+ update offers the alternative, users are going crazy when they can’t get the custom URL matching exactly their name. One of them is me!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google--custom-link-600x131.png)

Since the update, you can change that 21-digit number to a real name, like **+JohnDoe or +JimSmith or +AnythingYouLike**. As long as it is offered to you, that is! Because initially, Google gave just one option for the custom URL. Take it or leave it.

Initially, only my Google+ pages were offered a custom URL, while my Google+ profile did not feature the option shown above.

## The latest Google+ update allows you to add a suffix

This week Google+ allowed users to add characters after the suggested custom URL. The case seems to apply only if your name is common with other users (or pages). If you have been *unlucky* and your parents named you without giving it much thought, you are *lucky* when it comes to Google+! Your custom URL will certainly match your peculiarly-looking given name (or the name you are using at Google+).

The problem arises when you have a commonly used name at Google+. It turns out my pseudonym, Jim Makos, is one of them.

Still, I have the option to get that custom URL! Alas, not for the purpose I want it! At least I am now thankful my Google+ profile can change to a custom URL.

## My favorite custom URL is booked for my blog!

I cannot get the custom URL for my Google+ profile, because my blog’s Google+ page may do so! Here’s an image that pretty much explains my dispute.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-plus-custom-url-600x307.png)

My blog is offered the desired “google.com/+Jimmakos” (I had already sent a feedback to Google last month, requesting that custom URL to be offered to my profile – obviously, that wasn’t what I had in mind!). However, I may opt for the second alternative and add a suffix after that. I would pick +JimMakosBlog in an instant, if that guaranteed I would be able to get +JimMakos for my personal profile! I am afraid though, that upon doing so at my blog’s Google+ page, +JimMakos may end up to another user. And that would be a disaster!

**At least at this time I have the option to get that pretty custom URL after all!**

At the same time, my personal profile only has one option: to add a suffix after the +JimMakos custom URL! I thought of +JimMakosGR (I am Greek, read more [**about me**](https://jimmakos.com/about/)) or +JimMakosWriter. Still, I don’t want to associate my birthplace with my online name, nor do I want to link what I do with my custom URL. Who knows, maybe one day I end up as a photographer!

> +JimMakosWriter: Taking photographs for a living.

I bet that wouldn’t sound right.

### What if I delete my Google+ profile and convert my blog’s page into myself?

Let me explain my way of thinking on that.

My real name isn’t Jim Makos. It’s just a pseudonym I use since 1995 when I registered my first email address (you did read about me, didn’t you?). In 2005 I went on and register this domain, jimmakosdev.wpengine.com. For the last 10 years or so I have been building on my pseudonym, mainly by writing articles for partners. At the same time I registered Jim Makos at [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosdotCom), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/jimmakoscom), [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmakos) and other [social networking sites](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/), despite of me choosing [Google+ as my main social sharing media](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/).

> If you are interested in your *online presence*, I suggest you **pick your favorite name and stick with that**, whenever you register a new account anywhere on the internet. Even at forums or when you are leaving comments.

Thus, I am widely known online by my pseudonym. That was my goal right from the start. But time went by and Google introduced [Authorship](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/stand-out-google-search-results-authorship-markup-rel-author/). So, every post I make online, every article that is published under my name in partnered websites links back to my **Google+ profile**. Google identifies the author of these articles as Jim Makos, the name I opted for my **Google+ profile**. After all Google+ isn’t a social media, it’s an identity platform!

Google asks when it visits a post: Who wrote that piece? Upon reading the byline of the posts, it comes across: “By Jim Makos”. And that connects back to my **Google+ profile**.

Got that? Google+ profile! Not Google+ page.

### Could the Google+ page be used in Authorship markup to identify the author of the content?

Till now I haven’t got a clear answer. If that’s feasible, I would convert my blog’s Google+ page to my pseudonym (in effect, my alias will be linked to a Google+ page instead of a profile) and get my favorite custom URL that is already waiting for me to grab. From that moment on, I would use that Google+ page as myself and get rid of my profile.

Two problems:

1. **I will lose all of my followers**. I need to let them know of the change and pray that some of them will understand what is going on and make the move to my Google+ page. But [time is precious](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/productive/) for people. I should spend mine to rectify this issue, not theirs.
2. **What happens to my blog’s page used as the publisher of my posts?** According to the authorship markup, apart from identifying the author, the coding also identifies the *publisher* of the content. Therefore, Google identifies me as the author and my blog’s Google+ page as the publisher of my blog posts. Like the one you are reading right now. What will happen when Google revisits my blog posts and find out that the publisher is now the author and *there is no publisher*?!?

Have you got any advice for me? Have you been on Google+ lately and were you offered a custom URL? What would you choose for a suffix in the Google+ custom URL? Let me know in the comments below.
### How to be Productive While Working from Home
URL: https://jimmakos.com/productive/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T17:50:01.000Z
I spotted a nice image at Google+ today. It is an infographic about **how to be productive**. Since I am hitting my productivity’s lows nowadays, the advice and tips contained in that image appealed to me so much, that I had to write about it.

Maybe it makes you more productive as well.

![How to be Productive (Photo: Funders and Founders)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/how-to-be-productive-600x485-1.png)

How to be Productive (Photo: [Funders and Founders](https://plus.google.com/u/0/105350639723048161295/posts))

## Staying productive while working from home

By now you all know what I do. Working from home, although a dream job for most people, isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sure you have flexible working hours, no bosses and freedom. But after a while you realize you have to begin actually making money, you have to push yourself harder, you have to work more hours, you have to become more productive. It turns out that you don’t have flexible working hours (if only you could work 24 hours a day), you have no freedom (sorry friends, too busy working at home) and **you have the worst boss in the world** (yourself)!

The first time I realized all this was several years ago. Today, I still feel the same way. So, here are some of the tips shown in the image that I believe will make me more productive.

Thuth be told, a couple of those tips slipped through my mind at times. Maybe this infographic convinces me to put them to the test!

## The 80/20 rule in productivity

This famous rule is also known as the pareto principle. It can apply to many fields, like for instance in social media, where 80% of your content should be informational, and only 20% should be self-promotional. The rule applies to [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) as well, according to this well-written article of [PokerNews](http://www.pokernews.com/news/2007/05/poker-shrink-vol-42-pareto-principle.htm):

- Pareto Poker Principle #1: 80% of your wins comes from 20% of your opponents.
- Pareto Poker Principle #2: 80% of your profit comes from 20% of your plays.

The past few years I have noticed this: 20% of my work in any field (being either gambling, investing or writing and [blogging](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/)) is responsible for the 80% of my results! This means that only 20% of my efforts produced most of my success (if any). The other 80% of my attempts, although time-consuming, produced just one-fifth of any accomplishments (or nothing at all)!

### Decide the outcome before even starting

This is so true when we discuss about investing or gambling! Do you start gambling with real money? Do you want to trade stocks without first thinking of a plan? That’s a sure way to the poor house.

Always write a strategy or [business plan](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/how-to-make-a-business-plan-online-investing/), back-test and forward-test your strategies and only when you know of the desirable outcome, should you risk your hard-earned money.

## Saving time by eliminating trivial decisions and learning to ignore

Oh, the time! You wish the day had 48 hours but unfortunately it doesn’t. But even if it did, our lifetime on this planet is limited.

> Life is simple, short and we only live once!

So, we should try to make the most out of it!

- **By eliminating trivial decisions like what to wear, we save time**. That isn’t such a big issue when working from home. Still, knowing what to wear for the gym in the morning allows me to save a couple of minutes later when I am working.
- **By learning to ignore we save time**. Ignoring may be misunderstood as indifference. We are not indifferent of our loved ones; we just ignore stuff that are really not that important. So, excuse me for not listening to boring stories or how wonderful the braid maid’s dress was! I have more important things going back and forth in my mind, thank you very much.

The infographic continues on time-saving techniques like:

1. Get delivery.
2. Set a [daily routine](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/).
3. No meetings unless they are decisive.
4. Do not answer the phone.
5. Tune out the news.
6. Limit email replies to one per minute.

These are all fine suggestions, but I have some doubts over a couple of them. Like for example **delivery food** which isn’t usually healthy food. Yes, we save time but don’t we want to feel energetic and healthy when working?

**Do not answer the phone** unless it’s an emergency, or **limit email replies** (even avoid replying!). True, I hate talking on the phone. It distracts me. I do not like meetings either. Yet, at some point, I need to go out with friends and socialize in the real world. Try calling your friends and arrange a meeting after you have turned them down innumerous times or did not return their calls! Oh, and get a crystal ball to be able to tell emergencies from others!

Regarding replying to emails, **I am always getting back** to all the people who contact me! And I do spend more than a minute for each reply, no matter the cost. That’s why I am writing and networking online, remember? To communicate with people sharing the same passions or hobbies! Why would I ignore them in the first place? However, I do delay replying to them and I mostly reply during weekends.

**Tuning out the news**? Ok, that may be a bit of a shocker for most of you, but I tend to agree there. Just not entirely. I remind you that it’s an infographic and Anna tried to squeeze everything inside in such limited space. So, by suggesting to tune out the news, perhaps she wanted to emphasize the importance of not spending all your free time reading the news! It’s too easy to get absorbed by the news and visit one website after another, jumping from one news story to the next, mixing it up with funny videos and strange photos.

Yes, we all do that. **And it’s unproductive**. If I feel carried away by the infinite source of information circulating on the internet each day, I close all tabs of my web browser immediately. There’s no easy way to say: “that’s the last story I am reading today, I will quit as soon as I read it”. Because it won’t be! Stop reading any more news and begin working! Besides, you already know of the most important news of the day. Carry on with your real work!

Of course, the best advice regarding time is: **Treat time as your money**.

## I have to get up, can’t afford to sleep more, need to be productive

This is how I greet my wife in the (very) early morning almost every day. And it’s not good. And I know it’s not good. Yet, I still do it.

That’s why I want to talk about the “**sleep more**” and “**take naps**” advice in Anna’s infographic.

I feel like sleep time is a waste of time. My body of course disagrees and makes a point late in the evening, forcing me to lay down. I give in but when I open my eyes at a random time during the night, I always check the clock. If it’s past 4AM or if I have been asleep for at least 6 hours, I am leaving the bed.

Why? Because my work is just 10 meters away from the bed. In a matter of minutes I can be up and working. And have I told you **how much I enjoy my work**?

Therefore I like to get up too early in the morning. That wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for two things:

1. **At noon I feel exhausted** naturally. I restrain myself from taking a nap though and continue working on the computer. I suppose I would have more energy at noon if I hadn’t woken up so early.
2. I am too tired to stay awake past 9PM. Although I am managing to lie down at 11PM, **I cannot concentrate enough during the evenings**.

So, there are two periods during the day when I cannot perform as good as the rest of the day: at noon and late at night. Anna suggests **taking a nap**. However, when there’s a family around the house, it’s not so easy to just “take a nap” whenever you feel so. In addition, working from home requires quietness. And when the house is quiet, it’s not the time to take a nap! It’s time to work undistracted!

And now if you’ll excuse me. I need to decide which unused clothes I am going to discard. Oh, wait. I know! None! And that is why **I will never be the most productive person**! Too bad.
### Gambling tax will make you quit online poker sooner
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gambling-tax-quit-online-poker/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:08:07.000Z
Never be a quitter! Winners never quit and quitters never win. A solid advice. But regulations in Europe have introduced a new kind of tax, a ****gambling tax**, which sooner or later may push you away from the online poker world.

Europe has been over the top to regulate the online gambling industry for good. Poker does fall under this category, despite the fact that it’s considered a skill game by many; and it is! And how exactly do European countries stick to the plan that European Commission has laid down? By keeping their residents inside the borders and implementing ****ring-fenced poker games**.

This of course has already taken its toll to the online poker market, since Frenchmen and Spaniards for example cannot register to worldwide poker tournaments or cash games. At least, as long as they are playing online poker from their homeland.

“Well, each to his own! I can still play online poker! Why do you suggest I may need to quit poker?”

Alright, so you don’t care that if you are visiting a European country that has implemented the ring-fenced poker system, you might not have access to the poker games you are used to. Fair enough. Also, you don’t mind visiting USA, where online poker is still prohibited. Cool. How much time will you be spending on a foreign country after all, right?

I’ll assume you are coming from a country, where the gambling industry is a respectful business. I think we will agree that UK is the country that has ****the most gambling-friendly laws**. So, if you are a poker player coming from UK or any other country, which hasn’t gone hunting down online bookmakers and poker rooms, you are assuming you are saved from the regulation turmoil.

## Enter the gambling tax

Even UK is planning on charging the offshore gaming operators a *gambling tax* in December 2014.

“Phew, that was close. They are after the companies, not the players” you may think.

Not so.

You see companies have ****a business plan to make money**. This plan was created having offshore taxation in mind (as low as 1%). Now they will be forced to pay up at least 15% of their gross gaming revenue to the UK taxman, not to mention other European taxmen.

## How will this gambling tax affect players?

Alex Rousso gave a [very good explanation](http://www.bluffeurope.com/PokerMagazine/How-will-the-new-gambling-tax-affect-you-%5F144.aspx) last week. According to him, money-losing players will be the ones mostly affected. And poker companies are excited of them. They are the ones feeding all the sharks and break-even players with their hard-earned money, keeping the poker games rolling. Money-winning players and poker operators are the ones eating up this money.

Now it will be a third drain of that resource. And poker sites will certainly protect their margins after the introduction of the gambling tax. Therefore it may not be a taxation imposed on rake, but one way or another it will affect the rate at which bad players are losing their money, since now poker sites would be looking to cover the extra cost. Increasing the rake sounds the quickest solution.

The new tax will also lead the poker operators to cut down their marketing expense, thus less added value to prize pools or even land-based events.

## What does all that mean for the money-winning poker player?

Alex suggests, and I agree, that poker sites will do everything they can to keep money-losing players into the mix. They are, after all, the ones who provide the liquidity, the juice that lures more people to try their luck in poker. If they begin losing at a much faster pace due to the gambling tax, they will quit playing poker much sooner. The players’ pool will dry up of fish (money-losing players) much quicker and as a result, the winrate of good regular players will drop as skilled players’ percentage will dramatically increase.

But wait, there’s more.

How do ****poker sites keep money-losing players at their virtual tables**? By decreasing that skill! According to Alex, that means more anonymity, disallowing poker software, obstructing HUDs, disabling data-mining and so on. Sharks will have a much more difficult task to extract value from bad players.

### Will you still refuse to quit poker?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-winrate-shift-600x470.jpg)

While money-losing players will experience heavier losses, the break-even player will gradually turn into one of them! The bell curve of the winrate will slightly shift to the left in terms of BB/hour. The average winrate will decrease and in the end, ****all players will be affected by the new gambling tax**. Even professional micro grinders, who will add more tables and drop down a level, may give up as the rake might be too high to overcome as Alex states.

\[box type=”info”\]****A note about that bell curve**: blue and red zones will remain unchanged, since the deck of cards will still be cold or hot in the same proportion as before. As I edited the original bell curve (Earth temperature rising), I saved time by leaving those areas unchanged. Sorry for that.\[/box\]

Do you believe you will still be playing poker and making money after the introduction of the gambling tax? Are you that good? Or do you think that poker sites won’t pass the gambling tax to the players, one way or another? [Is poker dying](https://jimmakos.com/2013/06/poker-is-dead/) really? Let me know in the comments below.
### I just want to play video games, taking a break from work! Can I?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/i-just-want-to-play-video-games/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T07:05:15.000Z
Don’t you need to step off the gas in your life at some point during your work day? Between writing and gambling, between posting at social media and trading stocks and forex, **I just want to play video games**, no matter how unproductive that feels! Guilty as charged.

Today as I sat down to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Suzuka, Japan, I thought of doing a side-by-side comparison with my favorite racing simulator, **iRacing**. So, I put the steering wheel on the desk, loaded iRacing, drove a lap at Suzuka bringing my virtual Formula 1 car at the start line and waited for the real F1 race to begin. I then took some photos of my computer screen with [my Samsung phone](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/blogging-investing-samsung-galaxy-note-2/) to show the similarities between the real and virtual racing.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/iracing-formula-1-suzuka-600x423.jpg)

The whole drill took me about 15 minutes and 5 more to [write the story](https://plus.google.com/u/0/104941013638539474491/posts/DavfV4jyNxJ) I shared at my social networks. Fortunately I didn’t have to upload the gallery more than once, as **that is done automatically**. You may read more about that in my most recent post about why I have been [sharing my thoughts exclusively at Google+](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/google-plus-social-network/) nowadays.

That post received [a comment at Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=527647597320718&set=a.469004476518364.1073741827.468540843231394&type=1&theater&notif%5Ft=photo%5Fcomment) though, wondering how it is possible for me to find free time even for gaming.

The truth is, **I don’t**.

## If only I had the time to play video games!

After I completed this minor iRacing project, I disconnected the gaming gear and even quit watching the Formula 1 race. The wife had just brought breakfast at home and we did spend about an hour sitting at the balcony, before I sat down at my office desk once again, to write these words. On a peaceful Sunday morning.

(Now it’s night time, since I am in the process of editing this post, adding the final touches. True, this post took almost a day to be published, due to a pretty busy day. And that’s a Sunday!)

You see, I think *24 hours are way too short* to make the most out of my day. **I am sure you have the same feeling**. Even 48 hours seem not enough to accomplish all those things you want in your life. Take me for example. I spend:

- 2 hours almost daily hitting the **gym** in the morning or biking/walking. Cooling down and bath time included.
- At least 10 hours **working** on the computer even on weekends. Work includes answering emails, discussing advertising and partnership deals, filing my company’s paperwork, blogging obviously, becoming active at social media by participating in discussions and writing short posts there, keeping fans and followers connected. And I have only just started. The work list also includes reading other gambling blogs, finding new [investing ideas](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/online-investing-for-income/), monitoring the US stock market, trading the US markets and forex, keeping an eye on sports and online poker (occasionally playing too), writing for partners and taking care of every other miniscule detail, in order to be well informed about the online investing and gambling industry. Computer time is also needed to pay bills online, solve computer problems my relatives deal with and of course [upgrading my computer](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/windows-8-desktop-pc-four-monitors/) from time to time.
- An hour for **eating** breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. And I am being optimistic here, since those oranges aren’t going to be squeezed all by themshelves! Not to mention keeping the kitchen clean after each… raid!
- A vague amount of time for eating out, going out with friends, watching a movie at home now and then and generally **socializing** in the real world!
- An unpredictable amount of time for taking care other stuff for the **family**, like paperwork at civil service offices, visiting doctors, taking the car for service and… watering the plants (yes, that takes me about 20 minutes the least each week!). If you happen to have children, I assume your schedule to be a lot more hectic. I myself will find out about that next year.

I suppose most people’s daily schedule is similarly **crammed**. So, how on earth did I fit video gaming in my daily routine?

I didn’t!

That’s why I am complaining all day long to my wife that I constantly run out of time! If only I could play video games daily. Yet, I feel so **guilty** of not being productive each time I sit down and play a video game that I seldom do it nowadays, despite having noticed that [video games improve my investing](https://jimmakos.com/2013/07/how-video-games-better-investor/)!

Do you feel the same?

Jared Bates posted this at his Google+ feed. It’s like me talking there!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-plus-play-video-games.jpg)

## Priorities, priorities, priorities!

Today I talked this very thing with the missus. How is it possible to find the time to do all the things you love?!

The answer? You just do a little bit of everything.

Sure, but that goes against the general idea, which states:

> You have to specialize if you want to succeed.

She herself insists that in order to excel in something, you have to focus on that particular thing. You want to be a good gambler? Focus on gambling. You want to be a good investor? [Focus on investing](https://jimmakos.com/2013/07/how-to-focus-on-investing/). You want to be a good stock trader? Focus on stock markets. And if you want to be an excellent US stock day trader, you must focus on daily charts of NYSE stocks specifically!

Indeed, you have to be **that choosy**, if you want to [make money in gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2008/09/make-a-living-from-gambling/). And even then, you are going to trade 5 to 10 stocks at most! Specialization is equally important in online gambling and investing, as in other fields of work. Narrowing down your options will turn you into a profitable gambler sooner than later.

Thus, we do have to put **priorities** in our [daily schedule](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/), even for the smallest thing. Personally, I have reduced my sleep and gym time, to make room for more blogging, investing and [social networking](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/).

But even if I had just a single thing to do during the whole day (be it blogging, or gambling, or gaming, or… cooking!), that also needs fine-tuning. Here’s a good example the wife told me today:

“If I only read books all day long, **I would quit in case I simultaneously read 10 books**, jumping from one to another!”

Whoa, that was so well put, that in fact led me to write this very post!

Although we do have to focus on the things we care the most, **we also have to do it right!**

## Can I be the best video gamer, writer, gambler and investor all at the same time?

Undoubtedly, no.

Do I want to be an excellent iRacer? You bet I do, but at this point in my life, I simply cannot spend so much time in iRacing or any other video game for that matter. Do I want to be a good poker player? Sure, who wouldn’t, right? Still, I need to spend a lot of my time reading books and taking part in online poker discussions, while improving my poker skills, if I want to beat the opposition.

How about becoming the best stock or forex trader, the best gambler, the best gamer out there?

That all sound wonderful, but I’m convinced they cannot be accomplished all at the same time. And because of that I am only trying to become a [good writer](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/writing-about-gambling/) in general for the time being. That won’t be easy, I am sure, since I am not a native English speaker. Then again, why shouldn’t I try improving my writing skills, while sharing what I have learnt the past 10 years gambling and investing? Perhaps, newcomers in the online gambling world will appreciate the help.

In the end, it’s now how I say it, rather **what I say**!

Nevertheless, writing about video games is still considered writing the last time I checked. So, why won’t I write occasionally about other hobbies I enjoy, like video games or web designing? We might share the same hobbies other than gambling after all. Or perhaps you just found me searching for video games. Please, stay away from gambling. and come back only when you have done your homework and know how gambling really works.

So yes, no matter how much packed my daily schedule is, I will always try doing what I love the most. And in the meantime I will also spend some time on my favorite non-money-making hobbies, even if that feels unproductive. *I just want to play video games*, people…
### Google+ for the win! Why I moved to Google Plus and you Should too
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-plus-social-network/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:25:18.000Z
Two months ago I made the move over to Google+ for good and began sharing my thoughts exclusively at Google’s social network. I strongly believe **Google+ will dominate the social media world**, but until that’s a proven fact, I find myself discussing about the pros and cons of joining Google Plus. Mostly pros though, as I am heavily biased. You’ve been warned.

One of those discussions took place naturally at **Google+**. Upon sharing an interesting image of MarketWatch about a comparison between Twitter and Facebook financial data, a friend of mine posed the following questions:

1. How much time do we have to **wait** until Google+ takes off?
2. Doesn’t the competition (mainly Facebook I suppose) prepare any **countermeasures** against Google?

I was so excited to share my thoughts on these two specific issues, that I wrote a pretty thorough comment. I’m pasting a bit of that comment found at the [original Google+ post](https://plus.google.com/u/0/104941013638539474491/posts/7XsvcPdmNZd), where of course you are more than welcome to *join the conversation:*

### Why bloggers will convince more people to join Google+

Regarding the first question, **you don’t have to wait**. Why wait when you can join/act now in the Google+ craziness! Even if it doesn’t take off, your presence in Google+ will still be beneficial for you when everyone else will be able to comment on Youtube and non-Google+ users won’t. And that is just one example. Check out the 5th and 6th point of [this post](http://searchengineland.com/how-will-google-hummingbird-impact-links-here-are-6-ways-173702).

In fact, why don’t you read the whole article from the start? Google has made crucial changes as of lately (code named **Hummingbird**) which already have a big impact on the blogging industry. Obviously people not in the industry could not care less.

I totally understand Facebook and Twitter fans, who don’t see the point of becoming active in *yet another social network*. But think about it: if every online author, blogger and writer eventually joins Google+ and uses it as their main sharing tool for their posts, **wouldn’t their followers and readers mimic that?**

Online writers and bloggers will definitely share their posts at Google+ due to **better rankings at Google search engine**. And sooner or later they will become either addicted to Google+ (myself including) or get tired of sharing and discussing about the same post/subject in other social networks.

Let’s pause that comment for a minute.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/social-media-evolution.jpg)

## How I moved to Google+ and kept my Facebook and Twitter followers happy

As [I have turned into writing](https://jimmakos.com/2013/10/writing-about-gambling/) after 10 years of gambling and investing online, I now have to keep track of the **new trends in writing and social media**. A year ago I was introduced to [authorship markup](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/stand-out-google-search-results-authorship-markup-rel-author/) and began building on my [author rank](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/better-blog-ranking-link-building-google-plus-authorship/). Nowadays I constantly bump into numerous suggestions that as a blogger and online writer, I have to use Google+ for various reasons. So, if I want my voice to be heard, I simply *must* become active on Google+. As simple as that.

That doesn’t mean though that I totally abandoned my accounts at other networks. In fact, I prepared my move over to Google+ by [converting my personal Facebook profile into a business page](https://jimmakos.com/2013/06/convert-facebook-profile-business-page/). And some time ago I found [a great online social networking tool](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/) that **automatically shares my Google+ posts to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages for each of my blogs**! That’s a huge time-saver, that also made me *write more new posts*, instead of copying the same message over and over again across all social networks.

Let’s go over to the second question, again pasting part of my original comment.

![google-products-600x260](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-products-600x260.png)

## Google+ is bringing all Google products together

You say countermeasures, I say **top search engine**. Google search rankings are responsible for 70% of my blogs’ traffic. Although not diversifying my traffic’s origin is bad, I am sure the majority of blogs get a huge amount of traffic from Google search.

How can rivals beat that? By creating a new search engine? *Now?* And expect to dominate? Google is already there. They are just using the popularity of their search engine to **bring all Google users to their social network, Google+**. And judging by the recent updates and forthcoming ones (like Youtube commenting system), I strongly believe they will succeed.

Recently I talked about the likely impact this [new Youtube commenting system will have in combination with YouTube Live product](https://plus.google.com/u/0/104941013638539474491/posts/877uGNoYjnc)! Imagine watching live TV and commenting on the breaking news or the movie you are watching with other viewers! Or say you watch the NBA final or a FIFA World Cup football game and want to share your predictions with other fans, who are all watching the event at the same time with you!

How awesome would that be?

And let’s not forget their PPC product, Google AdWords and AdSense. Maybe it’s not the best one out there, but **have you seen the advertising strategy and revenues of Facebook or Twitter**? Even if Facebook make huge steps forward not only in terms of advertising but in terms of user-friendliness and user experience, Google has so many successful products already.

Think about it: When was it the last time you checked your *Facebook email*? And how about **Gmail**? Case closed I think.
### The Ups and Downs of Arbitrage Betting and Trading
URL: https://jimmakos.com/arbitrage-betting-trading/
Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:00:40.000Z
Arbitrage betting is an *almost* risk-free way of betting on sports. Arbitrage trading is likewise an *almost* risk-free way of trading any kind of financial instrument. Noticed the word “almost”? That is because you still stand to [lose some money](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/make-money-fast-gambling/). And **that is not the worst thing it can happen in arbitrage**.

But let’s just start from the **advantages of arbitrage betting**.

- People have made a lot of money in arbitrage. Some still make a lot of money. Thus, I think new arbitrageurs can be profitable even today.
- By the time arbitrageurs have placed their bets, **their profit is guaranteed**. No need to wait for the final whistle.
- There is zero chance that arbitrageurs will lose money from the particular game. That is because *they have bet on every possible outcome* of the game.
- Given the infinite number of sports events around the globe, new opportunities for arbitrage betting will constantly arise, especially as more and more people are introduced to betting or gambling in general.

**These advantages apply as well to arbitrage trading**. Much like arbitrage bettors are looking at sports events, arbitrage traders do the same when trading stocks, forex, bonds, commodities, derivatives and other financial instruments, looking at the markets worldwide.

## Don’t dig into arbitrage betting before reading of the disadvantages

The reason I am talking today about arbitrage, is an email I received from a visitor of my [gambling blog](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/). They are considering a career in arbitrage trading in particular.

I myself haven’t spent more than a month taking advantage of fluctuating odds and prices when trying out arbitrage. That was almost 10 years ago! So, yes, I am far from the **arbitrage expert** you were expecting to be talking here. Yet, my little experience has taught be enough to recommend anyone against arbitrage betting or trading. Here is why:

- You must be **quick** to find arbitrage bets.
- You must be *super quick* to find arbitrage bets. Yes, so quick that I had to write it twice for emphasis!
- While there are services, which let you know when there is an arbitrage opportunity, **they come at a cost**. And I have heard that by the time you get to hear of that, it’s already too late.
- Many bookmakers do not welcome bettors, who follow an arbitrage betting pattern. As a result, they may limit the stakes they are accepting from you or even forbid you to continue betting with them. Worst case scenario? To **confiscate your money**. Yes, that’s happened before.
- An arbitrageur has to open accounts with several betting or trading companies. These accounts also need **sufficient funding**. This funding will probably max out your credit card(s).
- **Constant money moving**. You can’t expect the results to even out among the bookmakers. At one point, an account of yours will be full of money, while the rest will be depleted. Moving money around does not only mean extra commissions with banks, but may also arise *suspicions*.
- And last but not least, you can still lose big chunks of money if you don’t pay close attention when placing your arbitrage bets.

Let me tell you my short story about **when I finally decided to quit arbitrage betting**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betting-odds-arbitrage-betting-600x387.jpg)

As I was getting really tired the past few weeks, surfing around looking for sure bets as they are commonly known, I had found a really generous one at a golf event. That was my first (and last) bet on a golf game.

Two golfers were competing at a golf course, when I noticed the divergence of the betting odds between Betfair and another online bookmaker. Usually **the ROI of a sure bet is about 1 to 2%**, although you may stand lucky occasionally and find a 4 or 5% gold mine!

In my case the guaranteed profit was even better than that!

As quickly as possible, I had my Excel spreadsheet calculate the stakes and I submitted my bets concurrently at the two betting operators. What a relief! My bets were both accepted and I just had to wait for the game’s result before I got paid. Because I was going to get paid for sure, **I had just bet on both golfers**.

Oh, wait. What’s that at Betfair? A third possible outcome you say?

**A DRAW?**

And that is when the emotion of relief converts into **panic** in a matter of nanoseconds!

I spent the following 5 minutes deciding how to react. I could let the specific bets as is and make a profit, unless the games ends a draw. Because that is when I was going to lose a hefty amount of my total bankroll! As I am not used to gamble with my money (I know, it sounds peculiar, but by the time gambling becomes an investing, you stop gambling with your money), I reluctantly gave away some of my future profits to cover the losses of a likely draw.

Of course, my bets now resulted to a loss, no matter the final outcome of the golf game. And no, the game did not end a draw but it still was a great lesson for me. A lesson that made me withdraw all of my funds from all the bookmakers, except Betfair. And two months later I began [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/), **leaving my arbitrage betting days behind**.

People usually **focus on the bright side of any investment**, like in arbitrage betting or trading. Their sole worry is just how much money they can make but they neglect the fact that they can also lose money, even in this advertised as risk-free investment.

If you are going to give [arbitrage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbitrage) a shot after all, be very careful and **begin betting or trading small**. Lessons can come cheap. Keep your capital safe for when you are more experienced.
### Did your betting system fail? That is a step closer to success!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betting-system-fail/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:08:55.000Z
Did your betting system fail? Admitting the failure of a betting system just brings you closer to the successful betting system that is waiting to be found! The sooner you aknowledge the failure, the better.

Perhaps you remember a [football betting system I began to test](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/black-box-football-betting-system/) 2 months ago. That betting system failed miserably, ****crashed and burnt into flames** but I wasn’t surprised. Been there, done that a hundred of times. And that is why you should first try a betting system on paper, before risking your hard-earned money.

You see the blue line in the graph below? That is the line of the cumulative value that the system’s bets were supposed to be amassing. In simple words, I should have made 80 units after placing 175 bets (x axis). Instead, I lost about 40 units (orange line). And when I see such a divergence, I know it’s time to call it a day. ****So long black box football betting system**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betting-system-graph.png)

Thus, I no longer needed to renew my $9 monthly subscription to the tipping service. Although I wasn’t following their tips per se, I did make use of the statistics and calculations that provided to their customers. And judging by the graph above, ****I doubt they are able to predict football games better than the crowd**.

> In that case, the orange line should have been in the graph’s positive territory.

As *I hate giving bad publicity*, I won’t reveal the website in question. Each to his own. Maybe their tips stand a better chance than their probabilities’ calculations. But as far as I am concerned, ****these calculations are flawed**.

### Was it a bad betting system?

Not necessarily. It was certainly a very *simple* one though, as, believe it or not, ****most successful betting systems are**! No need to become a rocket scientist. You just need to bet smart and work equally smart, in order to devise a profitable betting system.

In this case, the difficult part of the betting system was already done by the subscription-based website. That part was calculating the expected odds of the football games. Maybe they used neural networks or a very complicated formula to estimate the odds. Or maybe it was a very simple one! Who knows.

That is why I put it to the test and bought that knowledge of theirs by subscribing to their service. Instead of spending my time thinking of yet another way to use football stats, I gave their service a shot.

Apparently I wasn’t expecting some kind of ****miraculous Return-On-Investment**. 5% would be enough, 10% would have been great. 80 units profit after 175 bets was seriously drawing a line there. That’s almost 40% ROI, way past the ROI of the best tipsters online!

My work was essentially done by the time I had access to their estimates. I merely had to enter their values in an Excel spreadsheet and track the results. If the expected probability multiplied by the decimal odds of the football games gave a result higher than 1, I considered that a value bet. Otherwise, I would ignore that game.

\[box type=”info”\]****Here is a quick example**: You bet on heads or tails at a coin flip. I offer you 2.10 odds. 50% multiplied by 2.10 results to 1.05 which is greater than 1\. That’s a value bet right there!\[/box\]

As simple as that. I told you. The difficult part is to **estimate the true odds of a football game**. The easy part is usually finding the highest odds available, thus the *best value bets online*. And as long you are constantly placing value bets, sooner or later you will be a winner in sports betting.

Admitting a betting system has failed in time though will have you look out for another one much sooner. That is yet another betting system to test its performance. ****Be patient**. You never know when the next betting system will be the special one! [Don’t give up](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/quit-gambling-start-blogging/)! I certainly won’t.
### Greece to restart regulating online gambling by suspending licenses
URL: https://jimmakos.com/greece-regulating-online-gambling-suspending-licenses/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:04:21.000Z
Authorities are considering to restart the online gambling regulation in Greece. That means ****suspending the licenses** they have issued to 24 online bookmakers and offering brand new ones! Yet, there are worries the whole process will take considerable time, until the new licenses are issued, giving an *unfair* advantage to the country’s gambling company.

At least, that is the *speculation* of Greek media and forums focused on online gambling. Greek gamblers are worried that the gaming commission will not act in a timely manner, giving the opportunity to the domestic gaming company, OPAP, ****to take full advantage of its monopoly**, while online bookmakers will be waiting to apply for the new licenses. And that is an issue for people who are used to bet on sports online, since OPAP’s online betting platform isn’t yet available.

Their only choice? To bet over the counter at OPAP betting shops. And for many of them, that is not acceptable.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/opap-betting-shop-600x400.jpg)

Betting shop of Greek gambling operator, OPAP.

## Regulating the online gambling market in Greece since 2011

Let’s see a quick summary of what has happened in Greece as far as online gambling concerns.

Greek lawmakers wrote down the legislation of gambling back in September, 2011\. A year went by and in December 2012 the ****Greek gaming commission announced hefty fines** for bookmakers, who were breaking the law. That made popular gambling companies, such as Bwin, William Hill and Betfair, to [quit the Greek gaming market](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/how-betfair-changed-my-life/). Still, some companies continued to operate holding temporary gambling licenses acquired in late 2011\. These are known in Greece as the allegedly *legal online bookmakers*.

In April 2013, the Greek commission issued a long-awaited [black list](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/online-gambling-in-greece/) of all the non-licensed gambling websites/domains that Greek internet service providers should ****block the access** to for Greek residents. Obviously the 24 licensed bookmakers were in the clear. People were pretty furious for not being able to access the black-listed domains, but eventually the majority of online players moved over to the aforementioned 24 gaming companies.

In the meantime, the state-owned gaming company, OPAP, was being privatized. The state agreed to sell almost all of its stake (33% out of 34%) of OPAP to Emma Delta. ****That privatization deal is going to be finalized on Friday** according to reports. That has aroused speculation whether a private monopoly is sustainable under these circumstances and especially in European Union. OPAP is licensed to conduct any lotteries and sports betting in Greece for the last 55 years and wants to make the best of its monopoly in online betting as well.

### Revoking the gambling licenses and issuing new ones

So, according to speculations Greek authorities will announce the revocation of any previously-issued licenses and begin issuing new ones. ****The new licenses are expected not to be more than 10**, effectively allowing just 10 online bookmakers at most to operate in Greece.

Question is how much time the gaming commission will need for issuing the new licenses. And the longer it will take for restarting the regulation of the Greek online gambling market, the longer ****OPAP will be the only gaming company that operates legally in Greece**.
### Is Writing about Gambling better than actual Gambling?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/writing-about-gambling/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:53:39.000Z
Writing about gambling topics, such as online poker, sports betting or stock trading has been a blessing for me. After a decade of putting my money at risk, I have found a great way to ****become once again creative**. Although it has been a rather difficult way to make a living until now, I am enjoying every minute of it!

### How did I end up writing about gambling?

If you look at my background (find it at the [about page](https://jimmakos.com/about/)), I had already been an active gambler for about 3 years before I launched this very [gambling blog](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/). By the time I did that, I was totally ignorant of how the internet works, when it comes to blogging and marketing my articles. I was struggling to create HTML pages with Microsoft Frontpage (it sucked, I know), instead of ****publishing useful content**.

Time went by fast and in 2008 I gradually learned how to blog more effectively. Still, the progress I had made wasn’t enough to justify any landing jobs for my writing. Fortunately, I had already been blogging in Joomla, only to end up as a *WordPress blogger* a couple of years later.

Meanwhile, though, I had been quite successful in my online gambling endeavors (here’s an [interview of mine](http://sportstradinglife.com/2011/11/jim-makos-how-i-made-e100k-from-betfair-trading/)), which increased my popularity among gamblers. Word of mouth probably led some industry professionals to take notice of me and my subpar blog and I began writing for reputable websites. The ****Betfair Greek blog** is one of them, despite the fact that the new [Greek regulations of theonline gambling market](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/online-gambling-in-greece/) have pulled its plug nowadays. Sorry, those posts are nowhere to be found, except for my hard drive. And besides, they were written in Greek (remember? I am a Greek native speaker), so why would you care?

Why a blog by Betfair? Because [Betfair changed my life](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/how-betfair-changed-my-life/)!

Having written lots of articles for that blog and having made some encouraging advertising deals at my personal blog which was hosting all of my English posts, I spent a lot of time ****improving my writing style** and most importantly learning about search engine optimization (SEO). Thus, my blog posts began to gain in popularity, I launched new blogs such as [Trading Graphs](https://www.tradinggraphs.com/) where I discuss finance and even uploaded tens of videos at [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/jimmakoscom).

It’s been a couple of years now that ****I am focusing more on writing about gambling than actually gamble!**

### What’s better, gambling or writing for a living?

Hands down, ****writing for a living is a lot less stressful** than [gambling for a living](https://jimmakos.com/2008/09/make-a-living-from-gambling/)! Besides the costs of hosting my blogs and outsourcing technical stuff, the money I risk in writing is not comparable with gambling risks by a mile. And even if I take into account the extra costs for lawyers and accountants, since I have *incorporated* my blogging business, I am looking at roughly $5,000 in total annual risk. That’s not even comparable to a severe drawdown in the investing world!

While I can’t [lose 30K dollars in a day](https://jimmakos.com/2010/01/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/), I do have to make plans for my writing expenses. But in the end, the money I spend while blogging and writing about gambling is meant to just make my writing life easier and more productive. It’s not like I am betting on my next post, rather than ****investing in my writing career**.

Time also comes into play. I can ****make my own schedule** without depending on sports events taking place around the world.

For example, if you want to be a successful sports trader and trade horse racing markets, you must sit down and trade during the UK horse races. That should eat up about 4-5 hours of your afternoon every day. Or if you are trading US stocks, you should be trading at least in the first and last couple of hours of US trading sessions (meaning early in the afternoon and late evening if you are based in Europe).

Sports betting will also tie you down to the chair, especially if you are betting during the events (known as *live betting*). And if you fancy bets on different sports, like football, tennis, and horse racing, you will quickly feel that 24 hours are simply not enough to bet on all that and have a life at the same time! Don’t expect to [fitall that in your daily schedule](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/)!

There’s a ****catch** of course on all these. And it’s called *money*.

### How much money can you make by writing about gambling?

Depending on the time and effort a writer spends on their writing, they could be looking to make from a couple of hundreds to thousands of dollars. Don’t get over-excited, ****I am not the Dan Brown of gambling**, raking millions of dollars from gambling books! Besides, I haven’t authored one; yet!

Writing though can provide a ****steady flow of income**, instead of sudden influxes of money experienced in gambling. You actively write in your blog, you sell some space of your blog to advertisers, while at the same time you make contributions of your writing to other websites. The more writing you do, the better. But that’s not entirely true. Let me rephrase that.

> The smarter the writing you do, the more money you make per word you type in!

Surely, I could write for 16 hours a day. But that’s not writing in a smart and effective way. I’d rather write just one article today (maybe *this* is it?) but make the best out of it, instead of writing 6 mediocre posts that will be quickly forgotten in the lightning pace of the internet.

And may I remind you that writers do need to be actively engaged to [social networking sites](https://jimmakos.com/2013/09/online-social-networking/) on a daily basis, in order to let the world know of their work? Something that’s unnecessary and frankly not worth the risk, if you are gambling. If you make money in online gambling, keep it to yourself, unless you want to sell your tips, run a subscription-based site, or become… ****a gambling authority**!
### Online social networking: Stop wasting time manually updating profiles
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-social-networking/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:11:07.000Z
Are you tired sharing your same thoughts at different social networks? Do you find annoying, copying the same exact message from Facebook to Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+ to reach out all your friends or followers? *Online social networking can become a tedious and time-consuming task*. Here is how I finally put an end on wasting my precious time deciding where I was going to post my next status update.

I use [Friends+Me application](https://jmks.co/friendsplusme) to link my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles to my Google+ account. This means that whatever I post at Google+, it is almost immediately shared at the other online social networks. Obviously, ****I now use Google+ exclusively for my online social networking needs**, sharing my opinion and sparking new discussions.

That is also a good thing for my blogs. Writers and bloggers are benefited by a reputable Google+ profile, since Google has introduced the [Author Rank](http://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2013/06/24/how-to-use-google-authorship-and-author-rank-for-your-business/). Becoming an authority on the web will likely bring more followers, which in turn will bring more partnerships and more business towards your way. Not to mention that your new post is probably going to be visited by more readers, by [standing out at the search results](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/stand-out-google-search-results-authorship-markup-rel-author/).

In other words, ****successful online social networking will improve your online business** one way or another. That is why I didn’t mind for the yearly subscription fee of $49,99 of Friends+Me service.

Let’s face it though. Not everyone is making a living online and most of you are just socializing via the popular online social networking sites. I am sure professional writers will have already found a suitable solution to their needs by now, like Mike Elgan who actually ****uses Google+ for daily blogging** with big success!

So, what are ****your benefits** of maintaining an active Google+ and letting your other online social networking profiles be updated by third-party software like Friends+Me? Don’t worry, Friends+Me is free if you just want to link your Google+ profile and not your business Google+ page.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/online-social-networking-sites.png)

### ****Saving time by posting an update on a single online social networking site.**

You post a new status at Facebook. Then copy your words, login to Twitter and… tweet! Over to LinkedIn, pasting your text. Submit. Next, Google+. You have already logged in automatically to your Gmail account, so that’s one step less. Still, you need to paste your message and share it.

Instead of all that, you start by ****sharing your thoughts at Google+ social network**. Presto! Your status update is now copied automatically to all other online social networks. Cool huh?

### ****Automatically formatting your message to fit each social network.**

When you paste your original message to other social networks, you may be prompted to change it. How so? Easy. Think of the ****character restriction of Twitter**. If your message at Facebook was 200 characters long, you must shorten it before you tweet it. Period.

Okay, cutting out words of your message that you try to deliver to the world is the most annoying thing. How about the ****formatting**, like paragraphs, bold and italics or including multiple links in your post? I know, short and to-the-point messages usually get the most attention. But what if you really need to explain something in detail, or you want to elaborate using more than 160 characters!

No, I don’t think tweeting 4 messages in a row ending with “continued to next tweet” will appeal to your followers!

### ****Keeping your photos at one place.**

Maybe you want to provide more proof for your statement, by attaching both an image and a link! Where should you upload that image? Until now, *everywhere*. Soon you will end up with the same photo gallery all over your online social networking profiles!

Do you really keep 5 folders in your local hard disk with the same exact photos in them?

No, I didn’t think so. And now one photo gets all the likes, tweets and pluses in just one place. Would you rather have 5 identical photos with 10 likes/shares/tweets each, or ****a single photo with 30 shares and 5 comments**? That brings us to the next point.

### ****The discussion is not spread out to 4 different online social networks.**

A friend of yours commented at your Facebook status. You reply to them. Another comments on your tweet. Two more ask questions on your Google+ update. A professional wants to know more at LinkedIn. Some of those comments may look alike. You are now ****forced to give the same answers at 4 different social networks**!

Not only you have wasted time to post your update, but you now waste quadruple time to get back to every commentator! Some of those discussions are even focused on the same subject. ****Why don’t you bring all those people together in one single discussion**? Most probably the discussion will attract even more comments than before!

What if speed is equally necessary?

### ****Quickly sharing something important.**

You have that spectacular idea that you desperately need to share with your friends. You absolutely have to let all the world know of the news you just heard. Quick, open up Google+ and type in the breaking news!

Done. ****Every Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn user is now informed**. Move on to your next story, or build on that news you have just shared, by posting updates as comments. You can also edit your original story, correcting that typo you made, trying to speed things up.

The benefits of using actively a single online social networking site and having the rest of your social networking profiles automatically updated are overwhelming. ****Take it from a guy that has shared hundreds of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ updates**. Granted, the majority of those were promoting my writing or my blogs. Building reputation is paramount in [writing online](https://jimmakos.com/2015/02/pseudonym-for-writing-online/).

Yet, that wasn’t always the case. At times I had so many news coming my way that I had to filter them out, or combine them in just 150 characters! I also didn’t want to post too often, like 5 or 10 minutes, driving my friends and followers away. I am not some kind of news room! In addition, speed is crucial when spreading the news. And in the end, comments kept appearing all over the place. Where should I reply first? Oh no, the same question for the 10th time? Come on!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/online-social-networking-done-smart-300x225.jpg)

Still, all those benefits truly apply to you as well, as a *regular Internet user*. No offense, but if you don’t use Internet for business, for income or for self-promotion, you are probably just killing time, looking for news, gossip talks and useful information that will make your (real or virtual) life easier. And that is what I am talking about here; **improving your virtual social life**.

However, you never know when your business will also call for web involvement. And it would be better to have built a reputation online when that time comes. So, ****start today by bringing all your online social networking profiles together**. You’ll thank me later!
### Multilingual blogging: How to drive your confused readers away
URL: https://jimmakos.com/multilingual-blogging/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:12:47.000Z
I am blogging about gambling both in English and Greek. This ****multilingual blogging has been a burden** when building a community. Greek audience wants to read Greek posts, while English-speaking followers can’t understand a single Greek word I am tweeting. So, how do I manage multilingual blogging?

I don’t.

But let’s take my blogging from the beginning.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jim-makos-domain-registration.gif)

Back in 2005 I registered this very blog, meant to become my personal blog. I started blogging in English, wanting to get in touch with fellow gamblers from around the world. I had no idea of blogging and in all honesty I must have posted some terrible posts, that didn’t exceed 100 words! I know, ****a total SEO disaster**!

Remember though, [Google Authorship Markup](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/better-blog-ranking-link-building-google-plus-authorship/) didn’t mean anything back then!

Anyway, my blog (blogs were still known as “websites” back then, duh!) gained in popularity mainly due to regular updating. Although new posts were short and more often than not they were just 2 lines of words accompanied by an image, people seemed to eagerly wait for my updates that were usually posted in the evening. Back then ****I used to post my daily P&L screen** when I had finished trading at Betfair.

That is something I no longer do and ****I would strongly suggest you avoid it as well** if you are bragging about your profits. Don’t be afraid of admitting of your losses though. But that’s another story.

Long story short, Greek visitors heard of [my gambling blog](https://jimmakos.com/start-here/) and began spreading the word.

Why would Greek visitors make any difference? Because if you read [my about page](https://jimmakos.com/about/), you’d know by now that I myself am Greek!

So, they began asking me ****if I could translate my popular posts in Greek**. Obviously not the single-sentence posts but the more juicy ones. The posts where I described how I traded or pointed out the importance of [correct moneymanagement in Betfair trading](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/money-management-betfair-trading/).

And then things went wild for my blogging, because, believe it or not, *I convinced myself to publish the same article in two different languages*!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/multilingual-blog-jim-makos.jpg)

****I had become a translator apart from blogger**! Believe me, it’s surely an exciting feeling to press the publish button when you have finished editing a post, but at the same time it’s a nightmare thinking that I had to do it all over again from the beginning! Perhaps I didn’t have to think of a new topic, start from scratch or be original, but that didn’t mean it was an easy task.

It was more like a tedious task.

Concurrently, my gambling blog had been converted into a multilingual blog, offering two editions. The EN(glish) and the GR(eek) one. As if my blog was *that popular*! We are talking about 200 visitors per day max!

Apart from forcing me to think twice before blogging (for every idea that crossed my mind I had to write two articles to please every reader!), ****that created all sorts of problems SEO-wise**. The multilingual blog now featured a different URL for the same article depending on the written language.

Yet, the URLs only differed in that tiny detail: the language abbreviation. The original post featured the “en” letters while the Greek one changed that to “gr”. That was all. The actual post’s title was still used for creating the rest of the URL for both articles!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/disappointed-man.jpg)

How bad was that? Well, it’s a pity I don’t have a [Google Webmaster Tool](https://jimmakos.com/2011/11/google-webmaster-tool-hacking-joomla-website/) screenshot available to show you the ****countless warnings for duplicate content my blog was generating**! Not to mention that the EN version of my blog was a perfect duplicate of the actual homepage! Come to think of it, it was a miracle my blog climbed up to Pagerank 4 at one point!

Fast forward to today, I have separated my English and Greek blogging activities since 2010\. By creating a Greek blog, Greek readers no longer need to keep an eye on my English blog. At the same time, non-Greek visitors are worried no more if they bump into a strangely-written post by mistake.

### So, what is now the problem of multilingual blogging?

You see, it’s not 2005 anymore. That means sharing your posts at social media, being active at Twitter and promoting your content at LinkedIn is important for your blog’s success. For your words to reach out more readers.

“Great, what’s wrong with that?”

It’s not wrong, it just complicates my communication skills.

Let’s explain why.

By the time I finish writing this post and publish it in my blog, I will share it to my Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, StumbleUpon and Digg account. Of course I will use a small description in English when sharing, giving a few more details about this post. Hopefully those details brought you here!

All is well, right?

Wrong!

There are Greek friends in my Facebook, Greek followers in my Twitter, Greeks in my Google+ circles, Greek professionals in LinkedIn. They won’t be attracted by the English title nor description. I might sound snob by the way, writing in English when they know I am Greek.

But that is not the problem!

****The real problem appears when I blog in Greek!**

Greek people do speak or understand English. They won’t have trouble understanding the meaning of my status. They may be reluctant to read my new post, sure, but hopefully some of them will give it a try. Some may have trouble understanding every word of it, but in the end they know what I am talking about.

I bet Europeans, Americans, Australians, Asians and Africans don’t speak Greek. And my blogs’ traffic does come from all the continents! So, when I share my new Greek blog post, ****they have absolutely no idea what I am talking about** if I shout it in Greek! Zero. Nil.

“Well, ok, you want Greeks to read your Greek posts and everyone else to read the English ones.”

That’s not entirely true. I seem to publish stuff in my Greek blog that appeals to people abroad. Don’t take my word for it, I can show you ****my Greek blog’s traffic**. It’s not some kind of secret.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/greek-blog-traffic.gif)

As expected, traffic from Greece pretty much blows everything else into pieces. Yet, visitors from Europe and US do take a peek inside! And since I began tweeting and sharing my posts using English descriptions so that I don’t drive English-speaking followers away, ****I noticed an increase of foreigners in my Greek blog**.

The encouraging statistic of the image above is that Russians, Germans and British visitors do spend time in my Greek blog! Note, there is almost nothing written in English in there! I just hope online translators don’t make my posts more complicated than they already are.

Still, I wouldn’t worry too much if I didn’t receive the following request almost *daily*:

### English version please?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/translate-multilingual-post-300x147.jpg)

I find it *easier to blog in Greek*. That leads me to write more often in Greek throughout the day about online gambling’s rock-solid facts, statistics of the gambling industry, comparison of earning reports announced by gaming operators and so on. As you see ****the topics are not necessarily targeted to the Greek gambling industry**.

Therefore, fans from abroad are interested to read that last blog post of mine. Even if it is written in Greek. They will still try reading it! *Remarkable*.

## What is the solution if you blog in multiple languages?

Unfortunately *I haven’t found it yet*.

I contemplated ****creating separate social media accounts** for my Greek mumblings. Doing so, Greek followers, fans and readers would connect with me through the new profiles. Non-Greek readers would no longer read a Greek status update from me via my original profiles and I wouldn’t scare them off.

There were two issues.

- The most important was ****starting all the way from the beginning**, creating new profiles, choosing new nicknames and eventually make myself heard, so that Greeks moved over to my new profiles. I am talking about A LOT of work and I am still *doubtful* of the final outcome.
- The other issue is that ****I would have two official profiles** for Jim Makos, the writer/blogger, each in different language! That doesn’t sound right, does it? It would look like I have a bipolar personality disorder or something. *Even world-class non-English writers don’t do that*!

On the other hand, it has been just 3 months since [I converted my personal Facebook profile to a business page](https://jimmakos.com/2013/06/convert-facebook-profile-business-page/)! No more changes please.

So, what do you think? What would you do if you blogged in two languages? What do you do if you manage multilingual blogs? What do you suggest? Let me know in the comments below.
### Black box football betting system against market efficiency
URL: https://jimmakos.com/black-box-football-betting-system/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:54:58.000Z
The football betting system that I have decided to test is totally different than any other betting system I have tried before. There are two reasons for that:

- I am using statistical data that is presented in a website. ****I have no idea how this data is calculated**.
- The access to the website is restricted to subscribers. Thus, ****I have to pay a monthly fee**, in order to acquire the valuable data.

So, I have to pay some money in order to build my football betting system, since my predictions will be based on these statistics. On top of that, by not knowing how the data is being processed, I am building a betting system that looks like a *black box system* as a result.

### What is a black box football betting system?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/black-box-300x127.jpg)

A black box system is a betting system that we can’t really know what is happening inside. It’s like those betting systems that promise millions, but go on to sell for just $49! You are not allowed to peek inside the system. You are supposed to only receive football betting tips in your email and be done with it.

Of course *the tips should make you money*. As long as your betting account is increasing, you are not expected to ask annoying questions. Which is [why I never use betting tips to invest my money](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/never-use-betting-tips-invest-my-money/).

I was never fond of this kind of betting systems. I don’t really care if I could be a millionaire in a month. I want to improve my sports betting skills, I wish to become a profitable gambler by relying on my own powers. On my personal knowledge. On the experience I acquire by creating my own betting system. Much like [when I used the tennis ranking system for betting during the Australian Open](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/betting-australian-open-tennis-ranking-system/).

### So, why building a football betting system that resembles a black box?

Because it’s only the football data that I have now access to, that is similar to a black box betting system. By the time I can use this data for a specific football game, my football betting system is out in the open. It only needs to find the appropriate value bets.

As long as ****the payout odds are more generous than the calculated probability of an outcome**, the betting system prompts me to place the bet. That is *what a value bet is* in simple words. Finding odds to bet on that are bigger than the calculated probability of a draw, a home or an away win.

Still, why should I have my betting tips depend on data that someone else comes up with?

Because the developers of the website in question are supposedly using advanced mathematics and statistical analysis to get the job done. One of the numerous methods they are using is called neural networks. I have quite an experience of these networks and I have tried them before in my sports betting ventures. I also blogged about them in my [Greek betting blog](http://www.stoiximaonline.com/2011/02/pos-kataskevazoume-systima-neyronikon-diktyon-excel/) (use an online translator).

Their well-designed website and the impressive presentation of their work convinced me to try them out as well.

### How am I going to test if the football data is accurate?

One creates a football betting system to make money in the long run. That is what I am about to find out. By writing down all the required data in an Excel spreadsheet, tracking results and P&L I will eventually be able to conclude whether the subscription-based website is actually worth it. If they can actually predict the football games better than the market.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/football-betting-system-excel-spreadhseet.gif)

How will that happen? Let me explain that now.

### Market efficiency in sports betting

You see, the bookmakers’ odds show the percentage of betting volume that each outcome is expected to attract. ****Bookmakers don’t predict the real probability of each outcome of the football games**. They predict how many people will bet on home win, on away win or on the draw. If the home win is available for betting at 2.00, half of the money wagered on the specific game is expected to be placed on the home win.

But odds rarely stay the same. They tend to change as time goes by and as we are heading towards kick-off time. That is because more and more people are betting of the game, creating an imbalance caused by the fact that people have different opinions and ultimately, predictions. An imbalance that bookmakers need to smooth out by altering their odds. By doing that, people will be finding more attractive a bet on a different outcome. Eventually the market will find new balance, till fresh news, rumors or announcements are made public.

In the end, after analyzing decades of sports betting data, the conclusion of betting experts is this:

> People are betting in such a way, that ****the final odds reflect the true probability of the game’s outcome**. This is called *market efficiency*.

So, let’s say a bookmaker offers the bet on home win at 2.20\. After a day of betting, the home win’s odds are down to 2.00, just a couple of minutes before kickoff. Thus the true probability of the home team winning the game is 50%, since market is efficient. Those who were quick enough to bet at odds higher than 2.00, have been value betting! By betting at 2.20 while the real probability is 50%, their bet’s value is 10%. In theory, that means they win 10c in the long run for every dollar they bet.

Ok, now that we have explained market efficiency and why people tend to predict football games accurately more often than not, let’s go back to the football betting system.

### The results of the football betting system will prove the data’s efficiency

According to the data I am paying for, there were value bets available on yesterday’s Champions League matches. As there are on today’s Europa League’s ones. This data allows to calculate the theoretical value of each bet, depending on the odds I am betting on. After the conclusion of yesterday’s games, the expectancy of the value bets results to a theoretical 60% ROI – that is Return-On-Investment! That stands for 60c winrate for each wagered dollar! Although impressive, I am betting it is unrealistic. I would be delighted if the real performance was even a quarter of that!

Even more surprisingly, the system did really well yesterday, winning just a tad more than that.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/football-betting-system-pl-graph-expectancy.gif)

I am using a flat betting system when I am testing a betting system. That will allow me to analyze the system’s performance better in the future. At this point one could claim that the data is reliable as the actual P&L is about the same as the theoretical expectancy of the bets.

Yet, the sample is miniscule. I will need to collect data for at least 200 or 300 games. Safe conclusions can be made after 1,000 or more bets. Until then, I will keep track of this football betting system. And before I can be sure of the data’s efficiency, which will also prove that the website’s developers can predict football outcomes better than the market overall, there is no need to reveal the subscription-based website.

But I will come back with my findings and likely confirm the market efficiency once again!
### You can Make Money Fast in Gambling. But you will Lose it even Faster!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/make-money-fast-gambling/
Last updated: 2020-12-19T18:07:57.000Z
You can make money fast in gambling. Faster than you think. Surprised? Why, that is the truth. Yet, it is also true that you are going to lose even more money in the long run. Disappointed?

You could be betting on sports, trading stocks or currencies, playing poker or blackjack. You can make money from all that on the very first day! Is that fast enough? Does that mean you are going to be profitable for the rest of your life? Of course not.

> In fact, 90% of you will end up losing.

Don’t take it personal. It is just how gambling is set up. Come on, you have heard it before:

*The house always wins*.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/make-money-fast.jpg)

Image: thiscannotbemylife.wordpress.com

For 9 out of 10 gamblers, that statement is spot on. For the singled out gambler, it isn’t. He or she will either break even or manage to make money from gambling. However, ****even *they* won’t make money fast**, if that is what you are asking.

Do you want a better analogy?

90 out of 100 gamblers will lose money by gambling in the long run, 5 will break even, 3 will end up small winners and only two out of 100 gamblers will see their names at headlines! Why headlines?

## Because it sure is very difficult to win big in online gambling. Let alone, fast!

Did you actually mean to ask how to make money fast or how to make a lot of money? Because, making money fast doesn’t necessarily mean to win big. And when I say big, I mean to make a comfortable living out of stock trading, online poker, sports betting or by becoming a card counter at blackjack.

[SportsTradingLife.com](http://sportstradinglife.com/2013/04/how-long-does-it-take-to-be-a-profitable-betfair-trader/) discussed months ago **how long it takes to become a profitable Betfair trader**. First things first: [What is Betfair trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/)? Go read that if you haven’t heard of that before. I’ll wait for you…

Ok, now that you have an understanding of what sports trading is, let’s return to that question.

## How long will it take to start making money?

The issue here isn’t how long it will be before you make money, rather than for how much longer you are going to make money, if you are finally successful.

At SportsTradingLife’s post they are quoting Centre Court Trading.

> Expect to be learning for years.

While that is true, I am a bit skeptical. Not that I don’t agree with that, but let’s face it. In what line of work are you not expected to be learning? To be adapting? To keep up with the industry’s standards? To evolve and learn new tactics, new methods to improve your work? For years to come.

Can you imagine a surgeon operating in the same exact way for 35 years, or a teacher educating your children nowadays with absolute zero knowledge of internet, just because internet wasn’t so evolved in the 90s? How about an engineer building bridges or your home, based on what they learned 15 years ago.

Sure, the fundamentals are still applicable. Surgeons still need to cut through with a scalpel, teachers still teach algebra and engineers still have to start from the foundation of a construction. But new technology and new techniques will make their job easier and more efficient.

## And if they don’t improve their skills, their competition will

And then, patients will look for another surgeon, parents will search for better schools and you will employ an engineer who will build an inexpensive sturdier house quicker!

In gambling terms, your strategy will no longer work. You will stop making money because the competition play/trade/bet better and smarter than you. Finally, you will end up wondering what went wrong, cursing your luck.

****Believe me, luck is totally unrelated.**

Now you are not worried why you don’t make money fast, but why you don’t make any money! You are back to ground zero.

Hence gamblers, investors and traders never stop learning their craft. Much like any other craftsman.

## You can make money fast in gambling right from the start

So, let’s go back at the very first point of this article. I told you that you can make money fast, even from day one. Luck does have an effect on that though. Half of you will be lucky to get away as winners on their first day of gambling, while half of you will return home empty-handed. Doing the same exact thing. How is that possible?

Let me explain.

### Variance will decide who wins or loses

Variance. What is that, right? Flip a coin. Tens of times. I bet the results won’t be heads-tails-heads-tails…. In other words, the coin will not land on either side half of the times, and even worse, it won’t follow that exact pattern, switching back and forth between heads and tails.

The same principle applies to you. Some of you will win, some will lose, some will have 3 winning days in a row and a few unfortunate souls will be losing money for 5 days straight!

Now, remember what I told you:

> 90 out of 100 gamblers will end up ****losers**.

Those people who were lucky enough to make money fast for 3 consecutive days are probably among those losers! And that is because their strategy is flawed, their money management is non-existent and they cannot stop gambling when the odds are against them. For them, there is no turning back, unless they quit and begin studying the mathematics of gambling. They are like doctors who haven’t studied medicine for more than a year.

I am sure they won’t be good gamblers as they wouldn’t have been good doctors. Don’t be one of those.

On the other hand, those unlucky ones who experienced the longest losing streak could be the big winners there. Can you rule that out? It’s really too soon to say. Variance is testing their patience. For them it seems like the coin always lands on the wrong side.

Eventually, they will manage to make money in the long run though. Not because of their luck, but because of the proven record of their profitable strategy, because of managing their money properly and because of having the discipline not to gamble away their money.

They didn’t plan to *make money fast*. Their plan was to ****make money in the long run**.

## Making money isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/running-on-money.jpg)

Photo: entrepreneurhandbook.co.uk

Personally I have been none of those gamblers. Variance was kind to me and my bankroll began climbing right from the start. Even when my risk of ruin percentage was through the roof. Even when I was taking bigger risks than my capital afforded.

Have I been super lucky? Of course I have.

But remember.

I always had a [strategy](https://jimmakos.com/2011/09/does-your-trading-strategy-work-horse-racing-markets/) that guaranteed I would make money in gambling. It was just that I wasn’t bankrolled enough to sustain big drawdowns, when I was [counting cards](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/) at the casino. As most young gamblers are.

So, if you have found that strategy, it won’t be long before you become profitable in gambling. But if you haven’t, please [stay out of gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/quit-gambling-start-blogging/), stop wondering how you could make money fast and come back when you have tried your strategy on paper. You would still have money to invest in your strategy. Money you saved by not gambling randomly, based on your ego, trying to *make money fast*.
### Betfair account security could use some tweaking
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-account-security/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:05:17.000Z
Attention, your Betfair account may have been compromised.

That was the warning, which the customers of a popular Betfair third-party software received in their email address yesterday. The manager of A Geek’s Toy, the Betfair software in question, also informed them that they are offering their software free of charge at least for one month, as they simply don’t trust Betfair’s security mechanisms. [A Geek’s Toy](http://www.geekstoy.com/) (AGT) was available for £29 that granted you access to the application for 3 months.

I myself have used the software several years ago. I recollect that is was easily one of the quickest 3rd party Betfair application out there, even faster than [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/). It may have lacked a couple of features, but all the bells and whistles were there, such as the ladder interface and the charting. Yet, it was the speed of trade execution and excellent refresh times that made me use it for quite a long time.

Ah, that speed. It couldn’t be matched. And I had used extensively Betfair software that can be found in their application directory. RacingTraders, Bet Angel, Fracsoft, BFexplorer, Betting Assistant, Fairbot and BetLab to name a few! AGT had no match in that field. And when 100 or 200 milliseconds are all that is needed to make money by trading the odds at Betfair, speed is crucial.

But enough of my praise for AGT. Let’s talk about the breach of Betfair’s security.

## Your Betfair username and password may not be safe when using Betfair Certified software products

What I understand by reading the email and a couple of other online reports, is that the security breach of Betfair seems to make their API vulnerable. Betfair API, which stands for Application Programming Interface, is used by third party vendors, in order to grant their customers access to Betfair via their applications and pull markets’ data.

It’s that API that allows the advanced charting of these products.

It’s also **responsible for stealing your Betfair username and password**.

According to [this forum thread](http://www.geekstoy.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10103), another third party Betfair product experienced some serious flaws and security breaches. Allegedly its customers had their accounts seriously compromised in some way.

*For at least 5 months*!

And **Betfair didn’t detect anything all this time**!

It was this fact that led AGT’s administrators to offer their product for free, until their confidence to Betfair has been restored. Can you blame them?

## How Betfair can offer more security

Betfair does offer some kind of security. It’s a security tab in your account details. Betfair customers can find out if their accounts have been accessed by someone else. The security tab includes the last 10 or so IPs their account has been accessed from. So, for instance if they live in UK and they see an IP from another country, that should raise flags.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfair-security.gif)

Contacting Betfair would be the least you should do. However **Betfair could do more than simply tracking IPs**. Not to mention blocking your account due to failed login attempts made by others, leading you to spend valuable time on the telephone.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/security-token.jpg)

RSA Security token: That’s the small thingy, which displays (usually) a 6-digit code every time you press it. Alternatively it always displays a code that changes automatically every minute. Secure e-banking is done with this security token. Secure access to your stock trading account is done with such a security token. Secure logging to your PokerStars account is done with this security token. How about securely accessing the Betfair account with that? I’m sure it won’t cost much and would become quite popular to Betfair users. Of course Betfair could offer it for free… Just a thought.

- **Passcode card**: Ok, Betfair could surely afford the passcode card. It’s nothing more than a plastic card having 200 numbers and codes printed on its sides! Nothing electronic on this card, no moving parts, nothing. It’s a simple card that is used by one of the popular online brokers, Interactive Brokers. It’s the card that guarantees no one will access traders’ accounts without this card. And I suppose you can imagine how much money traders need when they trade at stock markets or forex. Let’s just say that for you to simply open an account with them, you need to deposit $10,000\. Other brokers require 5 times more! And they more or less use such a device to protect their customers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/security-passcode-card.jpg)

Can Betfair afford this passcode card? Well, I’m sure they could afford sending a printed piece of paper if they run out of plastic.

## How you can protect your Betfair account all by yourself

Actually it’s not just Betfair’s fault. People are totally ignorant of the risks of sharing information on the internet. They are picking simple real-word passwords so that they can remember them (although they do forget!). They use the same password in every account of theirs. They don’t see the point of typing the captcha code. But when their accounts are compromised, it’s the company’s fault – oh man, how did *this* happen?

If you feel safe out there, please spend 5 minutes of your time to [read MatHonan’s story](http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/) on how he almost **lost everything when his Gmail account was hacked**. Mat is a senior writer for Wired.com and a reporter of Gizmodo.

## Here is my advice about how you can protect yourself online

- **Typing extra letters before and/or after you typed your password**. The enemy here is called *keylogger*. It’s some kind of virus, of suspicious software that was installed in your computer when you accidentally opened that strange website. It continuously tracks your typing and records every key you press. By doing so, it fills a file with all that information and occasionally it sends it out to its creator.

So, when I type:

b-e-t-f-a-i-r-.-c-o-m followed by u-s-e-r-n-a-m-e and p-a-s-s-w-o-r-d-ENTER

It doesn’t take a genious to figure out how they could take advantage of that information. So type every password like:

m-u-m-b-o-p-a-s-s-w-o-r-d-j-u-m-b-o

Use any letter or symbols you want, and mix them with several backspace strokes.

- **Don’t use the same password EVERYWHERE**! The issue is how you are going to remember all those passwords, correct? Create a text document where you are going to write down your passwords. Save that document in your USB stick and encrypt it. Connect the stick to your computer only when you need it. Don’t leave it connected and it would be a good idea not to name the file *passwords.txt*.
- **Use special symbols for your passwords**. Symbols like the dollar or pound sign, @#%&\*() would do just fine. Again, combine those with some word you could easily remember. Like *pa!@ss#$wo%^rd&\**. Add some numbers.
- **Change your password periodically**. Yes, we’ve heard that before. Websites also remind us of that with annoying messages. Who changes their password though, huh? But they are right. We do need to change it from time to time. So, do it.

If Betfair offers better security options (anything will do at this point, the my security tab isn’t actually considered protection) and Betfair customers take their security seriously by following the advice above, I bet we would be living in a more secure cyber world. And if that fails (what is done can always be undone), they would have every right to nag. Until then, Betfair should really win their partners’ confidence and trust back.
### Bringing back memories with old trading videos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/old-trading-videos/
Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:02:33.000Z
As I am trying to tidy up my blog and get rid of all the mess that has been sitting idle online for years, I came across some old videos I had recorded about sports trading. Although some were included in posts as attachments, **I never uploaded those old trading videos at Youtube**. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I uploaded the videos in a Flash format (can it get worse than that?) and scanning my local hard drive proved futile, as I was unable to retrieve the original AVIs (yes, it can!).

So, is uploading the SWF files to Youtube worth it, given not only that they are in a very bad shape, but they are also outdated?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/old-videos-300x243.jpg)

Before you answer, may I interest you in watching some of those old trading videos? Mind you, you’ll need Flash and/or Media player plugin for your browser. I told you, they are OLD! And most of the trading has been done with Bet Angel software.

- Recording a trading session (December 2007). One of many!
- [How to make money in an inactive Betfair market](https://jimmakos.com/2008/10/how-to-make-money-inactive-betfair-market/) (October 2008). I wouldn’t call it inactive now!
- [How to make money from a breakout](https://jimmakos.com/2008/11/betfair-chart-how-to-make-money-breakout/) (November 2008). Hm, it seems I have made another video about breakout more recently, but I haven’t written a post about it as far as I can remember. [Watch it at Youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=%5FPsGQfFgp-s).
- [Trend is your friend](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/sports-trading-trend-is-your-friend-in-betfair-trading-video/) (January 2009). Ok, this one is special. You **have to download it**, in order to watch it! I must have deleted the embed code in the post! Duh! Look for the download link at the end of the post (font size is about 5px!).
- Drawing trend lines while trading (July 2009). A favorite video of mine. If only I had uploaded it to Youtube. Or have I?
- [Momentum trading at Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/2009/08/scalping-momentum-trading-multiple-trades-small-profit/) (August 2009). The download link says: “Download or wait for the video to start”. I guarantee that no matter how long you wait, no video will load. Click on download as soon as possible.

All those posts were more or less created back in the days I blogged with Joomla and I have preserved them when the blog was converted into WordPress.

### Making some new friends with my old trading videos

Apparently, people keep on subscribing to my [Youtube channel](http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmakosCom). Despite the fact that it’s been months since my latest upload and more than a year since my last sports trading video! So, why not adding some more value there, huh?

Well, **I doubt these old trading videos can be much of a value nowadays**. Betfair is not operating in several European countries, liquidity must have dropped and competition must be even fiercer than it used to be when I recorded those videos. Why would anyone want to watch me trade the horse racing odds other than for historical reasons?

You see, *history repeats itself*. You can’t argue about that.

New opportunities arise, complete their circle and disappear right at the moment a new opportunity comes up. Those who take advantage of those opportunities early on are the biggest winners. As time goes by, more and more people hear of the new idea and the edge instantly diminishes. Granted it’s not so dramatic as it sounds, but eventually the **money pool dries up**.

By the time everyone is fighting for pennies metaphorically speaking, open-minded investors have already moved on. While they are exploiting a new field of investing, the people who have been left behind to the previous so-called opportunity, are too stubborn to accept the fact that they are too late to the party.

Thus, sports traders who are struggling at beating the [sports trading game](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) at the betting exchanges these days, maybe would be interested to watch how effortless sports trading had been in the past. That is why I am considering of uploading those old trading videos. In fact, it’s the only reason. I can’t think of anything else.

OK, perhaps to bring back life to my channel would be another reason, preparing the subscribers for more videos – hopefully more valuable. And how about rewriting those old posts that accompany the trading videos? Sure, if the day had 48 hours, why not!

So, should I spend my time publishing those videos to bring back memories, or should I aim creating content that is up to date and offers some kind of value to the regular investor/trader? You tell me in the comments.
### What’s happening with online gambling in Greece?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-gambling-in-greece/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:51:14.000Z
In brief, the [Greek online gambling law that was set to take effect on December 5, 2012](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/greek-legislation-online-gambling-sites/) was postponed several times and it was only this month, August 2013, that finally Greek gamblers began noticing its consequences. The Greek gaming commission announced ****401 blacklisted online bookmakers and poker rooms**, which Greek residents will no longer be able to access. Furthermore, ****internet service providers began blocking the domains** mentioned in the commission’s black list on August 7.

Check out the [Greek black list](http://www.gamingcommission.gov.gr/images/apofaseis/lists/black%20list0001.pdf) of online gaming operators.

I am sure, in case you are truly interested in Greek online gambling, that you must have already heard of the [30% tax on bookmakers’ gross revenue](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/greek-online-gambling-law-tax-on-gambling-winnings/) along with the 10% on players’ winnings, which are proposed by the new law. The first one has already driven big online gaming companies away from Greece. Betfair was one of the first to go but not [before it changed my life](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/how-betfair-changed-my-life/)! William Hill also quit the Greek gambling market but ****24 companies did apply for a gaming license**, despite the discouraging terms. Evidently they acquired a *temporary license* that may expire any day!

Meanwhile online gamblers are worried of the ****10% tax on their profits**. They rightfully believe ****it will seriously affect their profitability**, as the tax is going to be applied on every gaming session, which cannot last more than 24 hours. For instance, let’s say a Greek gambler logins at their favorite poker room and plays for 2 hours. He wins $100 but the poker room is obliged to cut $10 from that due to the players’ tax. He re-logins two days later and wins $100 more by playing 3 hours. Again the poker room will deduct $10 from their winnings. Even if he hadn’t logged out, the tax would still have applied in the second session, given it had been more than 24 hours since the last time they played.

### The revolution of online gambling in Greece

No, I’m afraid I am not talking about some kind of groundbreaking gambling idea which a Greek innovator came up with! I am talking about the ****anger of Greek gamblers expressed in Greek websites and forums**. I suppose news sites outside Greece will fail to report that. Gamblers are furious about the recent blocking of bookmakers’ web addresses, considering it a ****violation of their freedom**. Their freedom to surf online. They are even discussing of terminating their internet broadband connections, so that the ISPs change their mind. Obviously that won’t have any effect in my opinion, since ISPs must act according to the law. Apart from the fact that we are not talking huge numbers here, as far as the angry gamblers concern. I don’t expect them to be more than a few hundreds and only a few do protest loudly.

****Greece is just one of many countries that are in the process of regulating online gambling. These regulations have changed the** [online gambling map of Europe](https://jimmakos.com/2013/02/online-gambling-in-europe/)!

Are Greek players truly restricted to gamble at the 24 licensed gambling operators? Yes, at the time of writing they are. And not just them, every tourist that visits Greece will have trouble accessing their online gambling accounts! But wait, there’s more. Rumors say that in a couple months’ time their licenses will be revoked, giving the absolute gaming monopoly to the domestic bookmaker, OPAP. Although that is just a rumor, it fuels more controversy in gambling forums. Greek residents sound unwilling to comply when they are being ordered not to gamble at popular online bookmakers, and ****even more unwilling to return to the domestic gaming operator**.

### So, is the Greek gambling revolution coming?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/greek-clubs-bouzoukia-300x201.jpg)

Not the kind of revolution Greeks need

I guess not. Have you noticed any ****serious revolution due to the austerity measures**? Have you heard thousands of people running to the streets after the severe cutbacks of their salaries or pensions? Suicides have increased, businesses close down every day and unemployment has skyrocketed. Yet, bars, beaches and cafés are packed with people. I can’t see those people revolting any time soon because their gambling rights have been restricted.

There are much more significant reasons to fight for instead of online gambling!
### A VPS Hosting Comparison while my Blogs were Offline
URL: https://jimmakos.com/vps-hosting-comparison/
Last updated: 2022-12-29T05:15:58.000Z
You might have noticed that **all of my blogs went offline** yesterday. My hosting provider, [**HostGator**](http://secure.hostgator.com/~affiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=jimmakos), experienced some serious problems with their data center at Utah, which also led other hosting companies to face similar issues. Bluehost, HostMonster and JustHost all went down in flames for more than 10 hours at some cases.

That was more time than you’d ever need for a **VPS hosting comparison**. And that’s exactly what I did, while I was waiting for my blogs to go back online.

I didn’t plan to move my business away from HostGator prior to this outage. I also didn’t intent to jump ship due to this lengthy downtime, as I tweeted yesterday afternoon.

> My blogs are down all day due to [@hostgator](https://twitter.com/HostGator?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) issues. All businesses have their ups and downs. I miss my emails but I'm staying loyal to them.
> 
> — Jim Makos (@JimMakosCom) [August 2, 2013](https://twitter.com/JimMakosCom/status/363327300227448833?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw)

[**HostGator support had been excellent**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/virus-infected-websites-excellent-hostgator-support/) for years from where I stand and I wasn’t going to bail on them on the first misfortune. Technology isn’t perfect and machines do break down. That is a risk a webmaster is expected to take. **Hosting companies do promise 99.9% uptime** though, yet that’s hardly the case. Of course promises are meant to be kept, but we all know that statement is more of an advertising thing. Would it really be that terrible if your blog went down 5 times for 2 hours each per month? That’s about 98.5% uptime. And I am sure you wouldn’t notice half of those times. I am talking about the amateur blogger and wannabe webmaster here, not some kind of enterprise website here. They use their own servers, not a rent-for-5-dollars-per-month server!

> 99.9% uptime guarantees an operational website won’t go down more than 48 hours in the next 5 years.

On the other hand, webmasters and bloggers pay for a service. That service includes the best uptime possible. And when that service isn’t delivered, complaints are filing. It’s inevitable. Especially when **that service isn’t provided for hours**. And more specifically when online support, customer service and chat availability are nowhere to be found.

I bet that if the downtime was shorter, it wouldn’t be one of the tops stories in webmasters’ forums today. Even now that the data center’s outage lasted more than 5 hours, I believe the whole story will be forgotten by most site owners in a couple of months’ time. It’s in the human nature to move on. Those who decided to change their hosting company, **they already did** yesterday. Some will think it over the following week. And a few will probably take their websites elsewhere during August. But if HostGator and other hosting companies don’t experience such issues till the end of 2013, the rest of their customers will keep their websites hosted with them. Have you done a brief research online about the **best hosting company**? I’m sure HostGator will pop up in the results.

That doesn’t mean though that we shouldn’t do our homework. Since I transferred my blogs [**from shared hosting to VPS hosting**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/transfer-shared-hosting-vps-hosting-better-security/), I didn’t see the point of comparing other VPS hosting plans with HostGator. As I had already spent considerable time setting up the Virtual Private Server, and given I was more than fine with HostGator services, I had no doubts that I had made the right decision. Since yesterday, I began doubting. And that should be worrying for any hosting company.

### Doing a VPS hosting comparison. Are HostGator’s VPS plans perfect?

We don’t live in a perfect world, so finding a perfect VPS hosting plan is a myth. Now finding the most *suitable* **VPS hosting plan**, that’s a lot more possible and what we should aim for, as in most things in life. I’m not going to discuss what is the best VPS hosting for your own website, but I will show what I found out yesterday price-wise, as I compared the VPS offerings from several hosting companies. Companies, that I hadn’t ever heard of.

I obviously compared apples with apples. So first, the HostGator VPS hosting plan I am currently using for my blogs (about 5 to 10). The (Linux) plan includes CPanel and 2 IP addresses.

![vps-hosting-plan-hostgator](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/vps-hosting-plan-hostgator-1.jpg)

### MediaTemple and iPage as HostGator alternatives

Searching online for **HostGator alternatives**, GoDaddy was receiving too many negative votes, while steering away from other [**EIG**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance%5FInternational%5FGroup) hosting companies seemed to be recommended by most. I was quickly introduced to iPage, MediaTemple and AnHosting. Since AnHosting doesn’t offer VPS web hosting, let’s do a **VPS hosting comparison** between the first two, regarding their equipment and pricing.

![vps-hosting-comparison-ipage-media-temple](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/vps-hosting-comparison-ipage-media-temple.jpg)

There are discounts for these hosting providers as far as their VPS hosting plans concern. First month is half price at iPage, while you get 2 months free at MediaTemple if you sign up for a year. At first glance iPage offers more juice for less dollars. Yet, you get what you pay for according to posts online ([**here**](http://www.coupons4hosting.com/iPage%5Fvs%5FMediaTemple) and [**more importantly here**](http://themeforest.net/forums/thread/which-webhost-is-better-ipage-or-justhost/87088)). MediaTemple reportedly has more uptime and faster loading times. That is left to be tested by each one of you. For me at this point **iPage is significantly cheaper than HostGator yet with more resources** and MediaTemple is expensive.

Judging by the mentions of these two hosting companies, I suppose they are two of the most popular to host your websites with. Popularity is a big factor for some (such as myself). I’d rather **not be alone when my hosting provider experiences downtime** such as Hostgator. At least I’m on the same boat with others!

### WP Engine and A Small Orange. No, we didn’t change subject!

There are two more hosting companies that got my attention regarding my WordPress hosting needs. One is WPEngine and obviously they are **experts at hosting WordPress websites**. Most bloggers though consider their service quite expensive.

![wpengine-wordpress-web-hosting](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/wpengine-wordpress-web-hosting.jpg)

The other one is A Small Orange! Yes, that is the name of the hosting company, believe it or not! Their products and prices are quite competitive. **Using SSD hard drives for web hosting** is what made me spend a lot of time in their website and wonder if [**SSD hosting**](http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1143918) is actually better when it comes to hosting WordPress blogs.

![ssd-web-hosting-by-a-small-orange](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ssd-web-hosting-by-a-small-orange.jpg)

If HostGator fails again or I notice subpar performance of their VPS hosting service, iPage and **A Small Orange** would be on top of my list. Until of course I do a more extensive research for both of them.
### How to Focus on Investing: Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-focus-on-investing/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:40:10.000Z
There are all kinds of investing you can do online and if you have been a regular reader of my blog, you should have learnt by now that I consider internet gambling, such as online poker or sports betting, an **investment** like forex or stock trading. In my last post about [**how video games have improved my investing skills**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/07/how-video-games-better-investor/) a commenter wondered how much profitable investing can be, when you try making money in all those areas at the same time. So today I’ll show **how to focus on all those kinds of investing**, why you need to **diversify your portfolio** and why you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/focus-on.jpg)

### Focus on one investment at a time

Joe decides to focus on **stock trading**. He focuses on studying the markets every day and reading a couple of books per week, so that he improves his trading skills. Undoubtedly he will become a better stock trader, although **that doesn’t mean that he will be a profitable one**. Yet, there will be a time when he knows stock trading inside out. He is now an expert in stock trading and spends most of his time and money, searching for stocks to buy. He rests in weekends and works during the week.

By the time he has learnt so many things about investing in general, he figures out that the same principles apply to other kinds of trading, such as **futures or forex trading**. If he is to focus on just one investment, he should avoid them. However his portfolio isn’t diversified and his entire bankroll is used for buying stocks. Although he may have been profitable, he surely misses investing opportunities that arise in foreign exchange or options exchange for example. Wouldn’t it be great if he spent one third of his bankroll on buying some tech stocks, one third on predicting an uptrend of EUR/USD and one third on gold or oil futures? That way **his bankroll is more protected against a downtrend** occurring at the stock markets.

Meanwhile, Bob decides to focus on playing blackjack as a card counter. He learns [**basic strategy**](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/) and practices [**card counting**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/) for days before he takes his money to the local casino. Eventually he is making a killing there and the casino prohibits him from entering the premises. He begins travelling to other casinos, but his name is soon found in all casinos’ black lists. **His blackjack career is over**. Now what? Focusing on blackjack has left him unemployed. Yet, instead of trying his “luck” at casinos abroad, he is in a much better position than he appears so.

He has already studied about bankroll management, expectancy and mathematical simulations. Risk of ruin calculations and expected value sound too familiar. Thus, he moves on to [**online poker**](https://jimmakos.com/poker/), where all that define a winning player. He doesn’t have trouble finding his way at poker tables, and perhaps during the breaks of live poker tournaments, he counts cards at the blackjack table nearby. Making some +EV bets when the true count is over 5 would add some more dollars to his bankroll. **His bankroll is now used for both poker and blackjack**.

### Focus on multiple investments

Joe meets Bob and quickly conclude that **making money on stock and forex trading is pretty much like making money by playing blackjack or poker**. Kim, a professional sports bettor, overhears their conversation and joins them, by making a point that:

\[box type=”info”\]Value betting is exactly the same as value investing or placing bets on Blackjack tables with positive expectancy.\[/box\]

By exchanging information the following days, the three investors have all become experts in online trading, **sports betting**, online poker and blackjack! Now, which one should they focus on?

> Focus on the investment that makes you the most money, but don’t neglect others.

Joe continues making his living at the stock markets, Bob takes the money from the fish at poker tables and Kim constantly searches for value bets at sports. Joe occasionally sits down at low stakes poker tables. Bob heard from Joe that Google stock is about to hit new 52-week highs and invests some money for a quick win. He is not interested in long term trading, but he will take advantage of such information. Kim in the meantime let others know that Rafael Nadal’s betting odds are falling lately and recommends a value bet as long as the odds are still generous. Kim also registers at poker tournaments and also took a shot at the Google stock.

Now imagine Joe, Bob and Kim are all the same person. **You**. You know how to trade stocks, forex and futures, you know how to count cards at blackjack, you know how to exploit a loose passive player at poker and you know how to spot value bets at sports events around the world. It’s not that hard as it sounds, **they are all based on the same mathematical formulas and concepts**. Granted you need to become an expert in any of those, if you really want to make a lot of money. Still, placing value bets from time to time while trading wisely and playing poker, only whenever the tables are soft, wouldn’t hurt your capital. In fact as long as you remain disciplined, you’ll be profitable in all those areas of investing and diversify that capital.

### Focus on success and collateral rewards

Where should you, as an investor, focus on? Trading, poker, blackjack or sports betting? Well, **you should really focus on success**. If you can make X money at trading and 2X at poker, obviously you should risk more money on the felt, but don’t forget to load your broker’s platform once or twice a day. Don’t forget that you still are a successful trader. **Since you apply proper bankroll management**, your money isn’t tied to poker and you have money to invest away from the poker tables. Take advantage of some uptrends or breakouts and return to online poker. If by trading you begin making 3X money, time to take your business to finance. If you can no longer beat the opposition at online poker, withdraw that money and increase your positions at trading or spend some time at sports betting. In the end, your winrate and success will tell you where most of your money and time should be spent on.

At the same time, you might feel exhausted by all that investing and you discover the creative side of yourself. You create a blog and begin sharing some of your experience there, whenever you want to take a break from the frenzy world of [**online investing**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/online-investing-for-income/). Suddenly your blog becomes more popular than you expected. People comment on your articles and you receive a lot of emails, some of which are by advertisers willing to buy some space in your blog. It’s time to **form a company for your blog** and accept their money, providing yourself another source of income! At that time stock brokers, bookmakers and poker rooms contact you offering writing jobs due to your popularity. Now you’ve become a blogger and author in addition to an investor! Who knows, maybe [**you’ll quit gambling and start blogging**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/quit-gambling-start-blogging/) professionally!

At first I focused on playing blackjack, then on sports betting, then on online poker and lately on trading and blogging. You never know what the next step will be and you can’t predict in which field of your expertise the next opportunity will come. It’s up to you to decide where you should focus on and what makes you more money. But it’s not the money that counts.

> Focus on finding the joy in your life.
### How Video Games make me a better Investor
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-video-games-better-investor/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:04:21.000Z
How does video gaming relate to investing or gambling? Actually it doesn’t but **video games have helped me become a better investor** either by playing games related to finance or gambling, or by taking a break from a stressful investing session. Apart from being a relaxing experience that can help me blow off steam, I am also turning to video gaming whenever I feel the urge for a snack. Instead of gaining some unnecessary pounds, I burn a couple of calories driving a virtual sports car!

I have been a video gamer since I got my first gaming console, an Atari 2600 and even when I transitioned into a PC user with the help of a monochrome Amstrad 1512\. After spending countless hours gaming on my favorite computer while growing up, [**winning my first money at the blackjack tables as a card counter**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/), forced me to quit video gaming 10 years ago. From that moment on **I considered video gaming a total waste of time** and every time I felt nostalgic and fired up a game, I had the feeling that I should be making money instead of mindlessly shooting up virtual enemies on the screen. Until recently.

![torchlight-ii-video-game](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/torchlight-ii-video-game.jpg)

Torchlight II is an RPG video game I purchased during Steam’s summer sale.

Blogging or investing for a living is a stressful business, no matter the numerous articles you’ll read that **making money from home** can be an easy task for everyone. Surely you don’t have deadlines, you don’t have a boss, you can take your work wherever you go and travel while working. Most importantly it sounds like you don’t have a [**tight daily schedule**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/), you may work whenever you want. The truth is that although there is some kind of freedom that most would envy, you soon realize that **your time isn’t really unlimited**. If you want to be successful, you start spending time reading the news, catching up with the latest industry changes, studying new strategies, learning from other bloggers, investors or entrepreneurs and getting up to date in order to always have an edge against a worldwide market. And of course you still have to actually risk your money, pick the stocks that are hopefully going to pop, invest in forex, play [**online poker**](https://jimmakos.com/poker/), write your next post and reply to the advertisers’ emails. Not to mention interacting with your community by replying to your blog’s comments, getting your social media accounts active by sharing useful news and tips that will attract more followers and keeping your computer and other tech gear in an operational status with top notch functionality. You end up being a boss, an author, an investor, a gambler, a student, a secretary, a technician and a marketing person all at the same time!

But since you love what you are doing, that doesn’t bother you.

![scrooge-mcduck-don-rosa-love-work](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/scrooge-mcduck-don-rosa-love-work.jpg)

Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa

Now one of the great things of being an investor/trader/gambler/blogger is that you can decide to take a break whenever you feel tired or fed up. Until now those breaks meant for myself visiting the kitchen and eating some snack while reading more news at a mobile device, such as a smartphone like [**my Samsung Note 2**](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/blogging-investing-samsung-galaxy-note-2/) or a tablet. So even when I took a break, it was like working in a more relaxed way. My mind was still set on the market’s news, searching for important bits of news I’d missed. **That wasn’t the break I needed**. So I gave video gaming a go and it turned out *fantastic*.

- Keeping a close eye on the video gaming industry all those years but not actually playing a single game, I was always looking forward to killing some time there. Time is money and **no one in their mid-30’s affords to spend time playing video games**. However I found out that after an hour of video gaming, I returned to the markets rested, clear-minded and more enthusiastic to get back in! It was like I had found all the missing energy that was depleted from my mind and body the previous hours. I may have spent an hour that didn’t make a single dollar, but the winrate of the following hours more than made up for it!
- The games I had my eyes on for several years ranged from strategy games like Civilization 5 or **SimCity** and Role-Playing games like XCOM Enemy Unknown or Torchlight II, to platform games like Mark of Ninja and (my all-time favorite games) adventures like Monkey Island series or Resonance. My word of advice is to **go for games that don’t require hours just to learn how to play them**! While we do kill time by playing those video games, that time is valuable and we shouldn’t spend it by reading manuals and how-to’s! I myself need a game that loads fast and puts me into the action in a matter of seconds. If I needed to spend more time studying, I wouldn’t close my stock broker’s trading platform, thank you very much! Although I do prefer not so challenging games, I occasionally go for some practice or qualifying sessions at [**iRacing**](https://jimmakos.com/2011/08/flight-racing-simulation-ati-eyefinity/). Yet, given the fierce competition of that online video game, I usually elect to drive the virtual circuits in weekends, when the markets are closed. **Driving even at the virtual world sometimes can be more stressful than trading stocks or forex**! I also stayed clear of Football Manager games.
- The ***similarities between video games and gambling games may be overwhelming***. Let’s consider Civilization or SimCity games for example. Those strategy games are based on mathematics, believe it or not. I would describe them as statistics battle games. Players need to find their edge over their opponents and target their weak stats. In poker terms that weak stats are known as [**leaks**](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/my-2011-poker-leaks-hold-em-manager/). So as a result, **being a good player at strategy video games will likely make you a good poker player**. It’s no coincidence that during their lives, famous poker players like Elky were top players at StarCraft or similar games. But the similarities don’t end there. 15 years ago I used to co-play [**Billionaire II**](http://www.download-free-games.com/board%5Fgame%5Fdownload/billionaire2.htm), a more-than-average complex monopoly game that featured bond and stock buying! That was probably my first contact with stock markets! Despite the fact that eventually any money invested in the game’s financial markets would yield profits as long as you were patient, I was so excited that I’d rather play that “simple” game instead of popular games of that time.
- Finally, **video gaming kept me away from the occasional visit to the kitchen’s fridge**. Staying healthy and fit is very important if you want to be successful in investing. It’s also quite difficult given that investors and traders are lured into sitting at their desks for hours. Personally I hit the gym early in the morning at about 8am, but staying at home during the day made those “snack raids” quite tempting, effectively ruining a part of my daily exercise. Thus, completing a quest at a Role-Playing game or solving a couple of adventure puzzles sounded more beneficial to me.

I am curious whether this post will mostly be read by video gamers or gamblers! Have you more experience as an investor or as a gamers? And do you spend time playing video games when taking a break from your work? Let me know in the comments below.
### Poker is dead. Long live the poker!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-is-dead/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:15:49.000Z
I may have quit playing poker for months, but what happens with the rest of the poker players? Do they continue to grind out, are they still found at high stakes tables, do they keep on registering in hundreds of online tournaments? This kind of questions made me do a brief research about poker’s popularity, during of which I discovered that others also wonder: ****Is poker dying?**

The general impression is that ****poker has certainly changed**. Since the [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) boom of 2003 – 2006 and Moneymaker’s win at WSOP quite a few happenings took a toll on online poker, such as the 2006 UIGEA that drove away the top poker room back then, PartyPoker, the UltimateBet scandal, the termination of several TV shows about poker and of course [Black Friday](https://jimmakos.com/2011/04/pokerstars-ept-grand-final-madrid-package-black-friday/) events. All these slowed down poker’s popularity so much, that according to the graph below, ****poker is reporting a dramatic drop of 33%** during the previous couple of years!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-popularity.jpg)

Poker seems to be back to 2007 in terms of players actually playing online poker. It would be nice if that applied to online competition as well! Many believe that the game has toughen up, as good regulars have further improved their skills, mediocre players have become good players and bad players have either took their game a level up or lost their interest. No money, no honey and plenty of poker pros have gone looking for new investments elsewhere, as their Expected Value decreased. Who could blame them?

****Poker rooms have done their share for online poker’s decline**. For example, I keep reading that many poker rooms have reduced or closed down their high stakes tables of No Limit poker (10/20 NL or 25/50 NL), so that they ****prevent their degenerate and self-destructive poker players from burning up their cash quickly**! The same drunk poker player, who would otherwise lose his $20-30K poker bankroll in 10 hands of 25/50 NL, is now forced to lose it playing 300 or 400 hands at 5/10 NL. That way the ****poker room will rake more hands** and subsequently make more money from the drunk player, who would lose his money no matter what. And obviously there is no worse thing for a poker room than bankrupt customers! No money… no rake! Other news also hurt the reputation of online poker rooms, like [PartyPoker segregating player pools based on win rate](http://www.onlinepokerreport.com/6136/party-poker-segregating-player-pools-based-on-win-rate/)!

Poker popularity’s decline has even accelerated in the past 3 months, as the following PokerScout graph proves.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/weekly-poker-decline.jpg)

## What will save the poker from dying?

During my brief research about dying poker, I found reports of developments that can ****resurrect online poker**. The most popular has been the legalization of online poker in US, which will give the kiss of life to poker by making a lot of banned US poker players return to the poker tables. There have been many reports of legalizing online gambling in USA lately putting [888 and Bwin.Party in the front line for a likely US market return](http://www.tightpoker.com/news/888-poker-and-bwinparty-poker-get-ready-to-enter-us-market-3357/). Rumors consider October the month that ****online poker will be once again allowed in USA** but I wouldn’t personally be that optimistic. Take a look for instance the analysis of monthly results of Nevada casinos concerning poker revenue conducted by the [University of Nevada](http://gaming.unlv.edu/reports/nv%5Fpoker2004%5F2011.pdf), which shows that poker in general has become steadily less profitable.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nevada-poker-2004-2012.jpg)

Some claim that reduced rake, better marketing and more deposit/reload bonuses will keep people betting, raising, calling and folding hands. On the other hand, there is great turmoil especially [in Europe where gambling is being regulated](https://jimmakos.com/2013/02/online-gambling-in-europe/) in an attempt to control the billions of the online gambling market. Depending on the tax that will be imposed to licensed poker rooms’ revenues and poker players’ winnings, online poker will suffer a minor or major blow. I am afraid that poker’s death will come quickly in that manner and its popularity will greatly suffer, given that games will become even less +EV with ****most of the profits ending up as taxes and rake**.

Today regular poker players sit down at 10-max tables knowing that they will be up against 8 good nits/LAGs players, trying to take the money out of a single fish. Would they still be joining the game if they knew their winnings would be taxed at the end of the session? They wouldn’t have an objection to ****pay their taxes on their annual earnings**, but taxing each poker session or tournament will bring even the best poker player down to his knees.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-is-dying-150x150.jpg)

Like every investing opportunity, poker seems to have completed its cycle and the big winners are the people who played online poker 5 or 10 years ago. It’s now quite likely that poker will plateau keeping a balance between fewer and more skilled winning players, breakeven players who will come out ahead due to VIP programs and even more losing players that used to be breakeven players. ****Poker will certainly not die** but it will never be the same as the poker we once knew in 2004\. Because ****that poker is dead**.
### Card Counting Nearly Works in Live Blackjack Online
URL: https://jimmakos.com/live-blackjack-online-card-counting/
Last updated: 2026-08-23T06:17:23.000Z
I had no idea that live blackjack online tables feature a “shoe” and not an automatic shuffle machine! I noticed it today when I checked my balance of my (almost forgotten) account at an online bookmaker that advertised their live casino games in their home page. I thought that maybe skillful gamblers can make money by card counting at these games, so I joined and tried my “luck”. The short answer is that **card counters may be able to make money** in the long run playing live blackjack online, but due to the slow speed of the games and the very bad penetration, they should better look for better investments elsewhere.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/638b3fe5-67a1-4f0f-8a53-8850f34ee5e2.jpg)

At first it was a pleasant surprise to find out that I could once again **practice my card counting skills**! It has been 10 years since the last time I visited a real casino and counted cards (read some [stories about my blackjack career](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/)). Fortunately I still remembered the basic strategy and the Hi-Lo counting system, although I seem to have forgotten all the variations according to the true count. Anyway, long story short, I decided to sit down at one of those live blackjack tables, while I would be searching online for other card counters’ opinions related to these games.

It turns out that most of them complain about the **speed of the games**. True, just 20 hands had been dealt during the hour I spent playing live blackjack online. What is even worse is the fact that the 7-seat tables are usually full, even the ones of high stakes (50 euros minimum!). That really slows the game down.

Another discouraging fact is that **players are only allowed to bet on their own hand or spot**. At real casinos card counters usually bet the minimum on their hand when the odds are against them and place more bets (bigger as well) on other people’s hands when they have an edge versus the casino. In order to make money at blackjack, we need to increase our betting substantially when the “true count” number is more than two. At live [online blackjack](https://stake.com/casino/games/blackjack) tables I wasn’t able to place bets to hands dealt next to me, or open another spot (or “box”).

To get you an idea, I would very much like to bet 5 euros per round when the casino’s edge is 0.5% against me (costing me about 2.5 cents per hand) and bet 50 euros at 3 different spots (for a total of 150 euros) when my edge is 0.5% against the casino (winning 75 cents per round). If the true count reached over 4 (more than 1% edge versus the casino), I would be willing to risk 300 euros on a single round for a nice 3-5 euros net profit in the long run!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/true-count-advantage.gif)

True count is the number card counters calculate when they **divide the “running count” by the number of the remaining decks**. For example, if the running count is +8 and there are 4 decks still in the shoe, the true count is +2\. Card counters use that number to decide how much money they would bet and whether they need to change the [basic strategy](https://jimmakos.com/blackjack-basic-strategy-chart/). Hitting or standing on 16 against the dealer’s Ten is one of the changes that comes to mind.

Therefore, one of the most important parts of the game is knowing **how many decks there are on the blackjack table**. I estimated that it must have been 6 decks of cards at the table I was playing at. What’s even more important though is **where the dealer places the cut card**, which will signal the end of dealing the “shoe”. If they place the cut card towards the bottom of the shoe allowing 5 decks of cards to be dealt, the penetration is 16.6% (1/6) and is considered a favorable situation for the players. Depending on the penetration, the players’ edge vary accordingly.

*Penetration* is important because if the running count is, say 12 and the cut card is about to be dealt before the last remaining deck, we know that there are a lot of high-value cards (tens, kings, aces, etc.) in the remaining 52 cards. On the other hand, if the cut card is placed at the last 2 remaining decks, the high-value cards are scattered over 104 cards. For all we know, they can all be found at the last deck!

It turns out that when I compared casinos, **most online casinos set the penetration of their live blackjack games at 50%**! That means 3 decks of cards won’t be dealt out of 6! If the decks were 8, four decks wouldn’t be dealt! That is a very big disadvantage and combined with the slow speed of the games, it made me stand up and leave the table. Not before though I was dealt three 7’s!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/live-blackjack-online-table.jpg)

The [odds of that happening](http://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/appendix/8/) is 0.04%! Once upon a time when I was playing blackjack at brick and mortar casinos, I was dealt that **very same hand twice the same night**! The casino was offering a bottle of wine to any player hitting three 7’s, so I and my friend certainly didn’t leave the blackjack room empty-handed!

Although it works, slow-paced games and bad penetration make card counting on live blackjack online tables pointless, if not risky. Save your time and money.

💡

Read here to learn [how to count cards in blackjack](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/)!

##
### Why I converted my personal Facebook profile to a business page
URL: https://jimmakos.com/convert-facebook-profile-business-page/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:19:49.000Z
Mixing business with pleasure should be avoided as they say and that is what happened with my Facebook account. In addition, the Facebook business page of this very blog had converted into a showcase of my recent publications, including articles written in Greek, which I understand confused my Facebook followers. So, if you yourself are an active **multilingual blogger** like me and want to promote yourself in a more professional way, **I suggest converting your personal Facebook profile to a Facebook business page**. Something you should have done from the beginning.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/convert-personal-facebook-profile-business-page--1-.gif)

Yes, an easier way is to set up a Facebook page for your business’ endeavors and leave anything personal to your… personal account (sigh). What is the problem with that? Read on.

In my case, I began by creating a website (the one you are currently reading this post) to let the world know of my online adventures. Back in 2005 there was no Facebook or at least it wasn’t that popular. I initially began **writing in English** in this website and eventually ended up writing more posts than I could ever imagine for various publishers, websites and blogs. All those posts needed [some kind of promotion](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/facebook-starts-charging-extra-promote-posts-pages/) and by the time Facebook and Twitter went mainstream, I used their services to **let my readers know where I recently published a new story**.

If you are a dinosaur like me who started their online blogging career with a website *before creating a Facebook account*, chances are that **you created a Facebook business page for your website**, thinking that it would act as another way to [increase your blog’s traffic](https://jimmakos.com/google-analytics-wordpress-permalinks-determine-blogging-performance/). If you have succeeded in your blogging and partnered with other blogs or websites, I suppose you either chose to reference your new articles in your personal Facebook profile or in your website’s Facebook business page. In either case, that is not a wise idea.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/facebook-friend-list.jpg)

First, if you share your stories in your personal Facebook account, **your (real) friends might get a bit annoyed** of you spamming their news feed and/or wall. Not every friend of ours is really interested in our hobbies. Real-life friends are in Facebook for a totally different reason than virtual friends. The latter might get excited by your newest article, which might have explained how they could make money in a second and told of riches beyond their wildest imagination, but the former would be more interested if you shared your daily workout at the gym! Surely you could create “friends’ lists” sharing specific posts to each one, but that would take time not only creating them, but also every time you wanted to share a simple sentence! I myself have gone through that path, and **I strongly suggest against it**.

Second and moving over to the Facebook business page, that was created having your own website in mind. It wasn’t meant having that page as a presentation of your blogging or authoring. People pressed the “like” button to [become a fan of the website](https://jimmakos.com/2010/06/my-facebook-fan-page/), where they found useful tips or enjoyed your writing. They didn’t expect to read statuses about irrelevant topics or even worse in an entirely unknown language! That is exactly what happened in my page when fans responded to my blog posts:

> “It’s all Greek to me!”

And who could blame then, since the **updates and posts were actually written in Greek**! Some of the fans may have come from Greece and welcomed the updates, but the majority of the fan base must have driven off by that. So, I was looking for the best solution that would allow me to **distinguish my blogging business from my personal blog** and at the same time use Facebook to share my daily thoughts only with my real friends.

### Introducing the conversion of a Facebook personal account to a Facebook page

I have been using an alias for my blogging. The same alias I have been using since **I first connected to a 1995 BBS** (bulletin board system; I told you I am a dinosaur) and the same I chose for my Facebook needs. Also the same one that was used for this website: j-i-m-m-a-k-o-s.com. What do you know, **my online identity is Jim Makos**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-web-search-result-author-information.gif)

As my online blogging business grew, so did my alias. From creating Twitter and LinkedIn accounts to using the [authorship markup via Google+](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/stand-out-google-search-results-authorship-markup-rel-author/), that “Jim Makos” thing was easier identified. The few readers that spent a couple of minutes at my articles began recognizing the name and some were searching for it at Facebook. And that is how **my virtual friends quickly overcame my real ones** and how I was invited to become a member of innumerous Facebook groups.

Enough was enough. No more becoming “friends” with strangers or websites promoting (awfully) their business. I would even be afraid of activating the chat at Facebook, risking to get contacted by totally strangers who would ask me endless questions. Therefore I began looking around and came across a well-written post by [Ken Morico](http://kenmorico.com/blog/how-to-separate-personal-and-business-with-facebook-pages) about converting your Facebook profile into a Facebook business page. He mentions:

> “Yes, you can \[convert your facebook personal profile to a business page\], but this isn’t a great option. If you want to convert a personal profile to a business page it’s probably because it wasn’t setup properly.”

Yeap, that’s me. But when I decided to open a Facebook account, I really didn’t expect that I would turn out to be a **part-time blogger**, posting articles at other blogs or discover my **web designing skills** along the way and publish new blogs! So, yes, I admit that **my personal Facebook profile wasn’t set up properly**. And that is why I opted to go that way.

### What do I get by converting my personal Facebook profile into a business page?

Now I have a [Facebook business page for my alias](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosdotCom), where I will share all of my posts, no matter the subject or the language. **Fans are “liking” a blogger/author’s page**, so they should expect news of fresh publications of that author. No surprise for them. You want to keep up with Jim’s latest articles or investing ideas? Be sure to “like” his Facebook page.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Personal-Facebook-profile-converted-business-page.jpg)

At the same time [this blog’s Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosBlog) will be free of confusing posts and non-understandable updates. The blog’s Facebook fans will be notified **strictly only when a new post at JimMakos.com is published**. Not each time Jim Makos decides to share his thoughts of the economy in a Greek blog or give his opinion of the latest Apple’s earnings report! You can find all that in his business page as a blogger/author.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jimmakos-com-facebook-business-page.jpg)

Finally I can once again use Facebook as I was intended to, sharing photos when biking, tagging real friends in meetings, checking-in wherever I go or posting my latest results in iRacing! Or using bad language and swearing. Or giving marriage advice. In other words I can make a fool of myself **without the risk of hurting my business Facebook profile**. Or worrying if CSI is watching my back. **Free at last**! (Sorry, I am not looking for “Facebook friends” any more)
### How to make a business plan for online investing
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-a-business-plan-online-investing/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:03:03.000Z
Do you really need a business plan when investing online? I thought I didn’t, until my way of living interfered with my investments and severely affected the efficiency and results of my investing. Yesterday I discussed how to fit online investing in your daily schedule and towards the post’s end I suggested *making a plan before investing* your first dime. So, today I thought to pick up where we left off and see **how to make a business plan that will guarantee less stress while investing online**.

First and most importantly we have to decide **what kind of investing** we are interested in. As we explained yesterday, our [daily schedule](https://jimmakos.com/2013/05/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/) will greatly influence our decision. But it’s not just our family duties or day job that will force us to give up some of the options available. Investing is about *making money*, correct? So, shouldn’t we first find out if we can actually make money by investing online?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker200k-300x167.png)

We have heard stories that there are people [making a living from gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2008/09/make-a-living-from-gambling/). Sorry, I meant to say investing. In fact, investing and internet gambling can mean the same thing! Anyway, traders, bettors and poker players brag about theirprofits, so they seem to be able to make money out of stock trading, sports betting or online poker. I regard all of them as **investors**. Actually the ones that beat their game. Because the rest of them just give away their money to online brokers, stock and sports exchanges and to the opposition. We don’t want to be one of those (chances are you are going to fail in the beginning), we should really try and belong to the elite group of winners.

So, we spend a lot of time studying books, reading endless forum threads and finally come up with a proven, confirmed and verified winning strategy (**backtesting your system** is absolutely paramount). According to that strategy and in combination with our daily schedule we can now answer the following questions confidently:

- Will we trade stocks?
- Does forex trading appeal to us?
- Should sports betting be our top priority?

Those are some of the [online investing ideas for income](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/online-investing-for-income/). You may have found some other kind of investing ([photography maybe?](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/investing-in-photography-make-money-online/)) where you do have an edge and you are able to exploit your opponents. Remember, **other people must lose money before you begin making some**, so you need to be better than your opponents, whatever the investment (even in photography, customers buying photos from a newcomer such as yourself (bringing new ideas and techniques) means that established professionals will experience a decrease in sales).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/stock-photography-as-investment.jpg)

Now that we do know we have the time and way to make money investing online, let’s move on and **write a business plan**. Nothing too fancy, a draft business plan will do just perfectly.

Don’t get worried of the term “business plan”. It’s just a plan that will keep you on track during the bumpy ride of online investing! There will be **downswings and drawdowns** that will test your discipline and patience, not to mention your financial security!

### How to make a business plan for investing online

1. Write down **how many hours you are expecting to spend investing online per investing day**. Remember, you already did that when you organized your daily schedule. Also an investing day for stock trading is a day when the stock market is open, while investing days for sports betting should mostly be Saturdays.
2. How many **investing actions** will you take during those hours? In other words, how many stock or forex trades are you going to make, how many bets are you going to place? Count the times you are risking money.
3. Calculate the **average risk per investing action**. That is the money you are supposed to lose if the stock price plummets or if the team you picked loses the game.
4. Multiply the number of actions per day with the average risk. You now know how much money you are going to risk through the day. That number is known as **daily turnover** or just turnover.
5. Calculate your **daily expected profit**. It’s not as hard as it sounds. You just multiply the turnover with your edge (percentage). You *did calculate your edge*, right? If not, go back to your investing strategy. There are crucial things missing. So, for example if your edge is 1 per cent and your daily turnover is a thousand dollars, you are expected to make 10 dollars per day. The size of the edge differentiates in accordance with the investment.
6. Finally multiply that expected profit with the investing days of the month for the **expected monthly income**. 12 times that equals to your expected profit by the end of the year.

Our **business plan for online investing** now includes the following key metrics:

- Type of investment.
- Time spent.
- Expected income.

According to our business plan, we are an investor of X/Y/Z, who needs T hours per month to make M dollars per month. Was that too difficult? Surely it was much easier than finding your edge and developing a winning strategy! Yet, so many investors **neglect writing down a business plan** and have no idea where they stand by the year’s end. I suppose it’s not that they don’t know how to make a business plan, rather than not seeing the point of it.

\[box type=”warning”\] Don’t forget, online investing is like any other business, that is **why we need a business plan**!\[/box\]

This business plan will also raise flags in case the strategy *underperforms*, leading us to revisit it and possibly make some changes. You know that saying?

> Adapt or die

The stock markets and the gambling world is a living creature, always developing, always changing. If we do not adapt, our winning system will experience decreased profits or it may convert into a losing one! Once upon a time a “buy and hold” strategy was sufficient to show a profit in stock trading (I guess), 3betting preflop increased the winrate enormously in online poker, [trading horse racing betting odds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t%5FGaL8VPFGw) was easily done than said (or shown). And if we don’t have a business plan because we haven’t spent 5 minutes to learn how to make a business plan, we are driving towards a cliff without even knowing it! So, write down a business plan and also a **backup plan**, just in case your investing career ends prematurely!
### Gambling and investing in your daily schedule. Can it be done?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gambling-investing-daily-schedule/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:51:54.000Z
I love waking up in the early morning and begin investing right from the start of the day. The mind is clear, I am well rested and eager to spot the first investing or gambling (for many) opportunity that will set the ball rolling for the day. Now I understand that is not the case for most readers who do have a day job. How can we **fit our gambling or investing activities in our daily schedule**? There will be sacrifices along the way, that is for sure.

First of all, *I don’t have a day job* and I myself find it difficult to fit everything in the daily schedule. There are so many fields of interest when **you try making money online by investing**, that spending 6 or 7 hours sleeping may sound like a waste of time! Yet, a good sleep is necessary if you want to recharge your batteries and have the energy to keep on risking money all day long. So, let’s start with that.

### Does your daily schedule allow you to gamble online?

- **Sleep**: Apparently 8 hours of sleep is recommended for healthy living, but I have cut it down to 6 or 7\. I do sleep rather early (at about 11PM) but **I normally wake up at 5:30 or 6 without an alarm**, believe it or not. I honestly look forward to waking up and continue where I left off the previous night! So, I guess 7 hours of sleep is an acceptable figure and the 24-hour day quickly decreases to 17 hours.
- **Eating**: What was that Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko used to say in the original **Wall Street movie**?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/lunch-is-for-wimps-gordon-gekko-wall-street-1.jpg)

Lunch is for wimps

Assuming we have breakfast, lunch and dinner and we don’t cook for our meals (hint: married), eating would cost us 2 hours of our daily schedule. Obviously if we are used to eating out, that will cost us more time, not to mention money! But let’s just leave eating time at 2 hours as an average number, including snacks. 15 hours left.

- **Going to day job**: Given my background I will make quite a few assumptions here. I suppose very few people work on the building next door. Thus, half an hour of commuting to go to work should be enough. 30 minutes includes the time to get dressed (no need to take your pijamas off when you stay and **work from home**), walk to the car/motorbike, start engine, drive through rush-hour traffic, park and walk to the office. Double that time for the return trip and that’s **another hour spent of our daily schedule**. We are down to 14 hours.
- **Day job**: A day job would cut down about 8 hours of the day on average. There are now just 6 hours available for investing or [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) away our money!
- **Family/Friends time**: We do want to socialize right? Unless you are really the lonely kind of person who doesn’t care of door bells or return calls, you will want to share a story with your friends or spend valuable time with your family. Sometimes you may not meet and talk to anyone, but from time to time you’ll sit down and talk for a couple of hours – or listening to boring chit-chat. I will take an hour off your day for doing that on average. And I totally neglect the time needed for **shopping, groceries and picking up milk**. 5 hours left.
- **Gym**: I can’t stress enough the need for exercising. Most importantly if your day job puts you behind a desk for 8 hours, **you really need to hit the gym** or at least spend time walking, running or biking. One hour per day will be enough. Even if walking for just half an hour might sound a lot, you have to take into account the time spend to prepare for the activity and bath time. So, there are still **4 hours to try making money online**!

### 4 hours for sports betting, stock market, forex, poker online? Think again!

Is that a lot for gambling? Well, 4 hours are really not enough **if you actually want to come out a winner from the investing world**! First you need to decide on the gambling activity you are going to focus. Depending on your daily schedule, your options will be limited. For example, if your day job is during the time the stock market is open, [stock trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/stocks/) **is out of the question**. If you are working in the afternoon/evening, you’ll find out **poker rooms are rather empty in the morning**. Peak times for [online poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) are usually at night time when the family is asleep.

How about **sports betting or forex trading that are available 24 hours**? Well, that is not entirely true. If you are based in Europe, most probably you’d be more familiar with European sports. Therefore, by the time you sit down at your computer at say 8PM, some football games will have already started, leaving you less games to bet on. Betting on US sports while living in Europe? You are going to turn into a vampire and sleeping at 3AM isn’t actually a healthy living, especially if you need to wake up at 7! Forex on the other hand isn’t that active all day long. You will find out that there are periods during the day that nothing seems to be moving. Spending your 4 hours of free time watching the market trying to find a direction, isn’t the best [forex trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/forex/) strategy. Straight lines aren’t exactly the perfect setup to trade! If money doesn’t move the markets, there is really nothing to take advantage of.

> Someone needs to lose money, in order for you to make money!

**You also need time to prepare for your investing or gambling**. You don’t just sit down and start betting in the dark! You’ll have to read news, check on the latest teams’ updates, keep up with what you missed while being at work and finally consult your favorite tipping website. All that takes precious time and 4 hours will quickly feel like 5 minutes! Have you heard of a story that will drive EUR/USD up? Quick, login to your trading account and buy some Euros. Wait, the chart shows a decline, how come no one seems to respect that story you read about? Are you going to **trade against the trend**, trusting the story? Or are you going to [follow the trend](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/sports-trading-trend-is-your-friend-in-betfair-trading-video/) and dismiss the news you’ve heard? It’s now decision time, and what do you know!

> Desicon making also takes time!

The phone rings and you need to pick up your son, because your wife is stuck at work. Your schedule becomes tighter but now **you risk losing your concentration**. And apart from time, you need to be well prepared and focused before spending even a dime on online gambling! Before deciding how to fit your gambling activities in your daily schedule, I suggest **you make a plan**. Then you’ll feel more conformable, your family and friends will not disturb – hopefully, and *you really stand a better chance to make money*. But before you try adapting your daily schedule to your [professional gambling](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) needs, **I strongly recommend spending more time studying the markets and reading books**. When the time comes to risk your first dollar, *all that time will pay off*.
### A cold call with AK preflop is the best poker strategy (sometimes)
URL: https://jimmakos.com/cold-call-ak-best-poker-strategy/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:21:13.000Z
Did I just suggest calling preflop with Ace King? No, I merely reminded you that ****you can also cold call preflop with big slick** as an alternative to raising. Folding is obviously out of the question, but what about calling for a change, instead of ****raising the pot automatically** every time you look down at AK? Besides confusing your opponents at the online poker tables, you can also *lead them to make more mistakes*. Like folding Top Pair/Top Kicker!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/big-slick-folds--1-.jpg)

Of course raising with this premium [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) hand is almost always the correct play. After all, it’s a premium hand, right? We are supposed to ****raise for value with premium hands**, such as Aces, Kings and Queens. Yet, if we always raise with AK, suited or not, we don’t mix up our game. Other players at the table will easily read our hand when firing 2 or 3 barrels at an Ace high board. Even worse, if we cold called preflop, AK is certainly out of our range if they have never seen us do that! Thus, they wouldn’t have to worry about the nut straight on a QJT board! And that is a small giveaway of our hand that can cost us money from time to time.

The opposition will have trouble reading our hand if we occasionally cold call their preflop raise with a premium hand. Note that I am not talking about slow playing our premium hand here. Against bad players ****we must raise Ace King every time** we hold such a monster hand, since bad players are expected to call our raises out of position ridiculously often! Therefore, we should begin building up the pot and extract value from the very first round of betting. But what about regulars and competent players?

Let’s see the following hand (shared via the [BoomPlayer](https://jimmakos.com/2012/05/sharing-poker-hands-pokerstars-boom-hand-replayer/)).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/cold-call-ace-king-poker-stars.jpg)

<http://www.boomplayer.com/poker-hands/Boom/3193561%5F8700AC8F76>

A good regular player open-raises preflop from Under-the-Gun position. His range includes mostly premium hands and he hasn’t yet shown some kind of fancy play from that position, like opening small [suited connectors](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/poker-games-strategy-video-suited-connectors-blinds/) or Axs. Against his tight range the Big Slick beats only Ace Queen, which he will fold in case we 3bet. So, by raising there we stand the risk of confronting with a 4bet and possibly risking our stack against a range that beats us about 80% of the time (20% we hold the same hand).

We cold call and flop comes a dry Ace high board. Not surprisingly UTG bets, which he would do with any Ace and sometimes with KK/QQ or any bluff hand, taking advantage of the scare card (the Ace). We could have called and let him bluff, in case he is the super-aggressive type of player who 3-barrels with air. But he is not and we elect to raise, as we would have done with A5/A2/34/22/55 trying to get value from his AK/AQ or with air, trying to force him to fold Queens, Kings, Jacks or even Ace Jack. Villain knows that our range includes those hands, so we can represent them easily and let them guessing of our hand.

He calls and we only have to worry about Aces having hit a set, although the chances of that are really slim, given we hold the 4th Ace in that case (22 or 55 are more likely). Turn is a relatively safe card, since we would expect him to have folded AJ and Jacks by now. If our turn bet is raised, ****we are done with the hand and have an easy fold right there**. Remember, villain should have put us on a set or two-pair hand by now, thus his turn raise would be made strictly for value. If he wants to catch us bluffing, he should just call and let us bluff all the way to the river.

Villain folds showing Ace King. ****Is that really a mistake (the fold, not the show)**?

Consider playing with hands face-up. We know each other’s hand, so we would go to the river no matter what (unless someone hits a flush). Our turn bet would not drive him away since he holds the same hand.

> Are you nuts? Why are you betting into me with the same hand? I’m not going anywhere! Call!

Instead by folding [he makes a mistake](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/poker-games-strategy-learn-how-to-play-poker-video/) and we take a pot that would not go to our side if we had chosen to raise/3bet preflop (split pot and having hard time calling down his preflop shove).

What do you think of cold calling with AK in position? Should it be avoided? Have you ever folded top pair/top kicker in the villain’s spot? Let me know in the comments below!
### Windows 8 desktop PC with four monitors. Does it work?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/windows-8-desktop-pc-four-monitors/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T07:01:07.000Z
Since upgrading my Windows 7 desktop PC, **I decided to go with Windows 8**.

The negative reviews and comments suggested I should steer away from the latest version of the Microsoft’s operating system, especially when deciding to install Windows 8 on a desktop computer with no touch-screen monitors. On the other hand, I didn’t want to setup (and buy) Windows 7 on the brand new motherboard, which is expected to last 3 to 5 years. So, I opted for a fresh install of Windows 8 on my quad monitor desktop PC.

It turns out that setting up Windows 8 with 4 monitors is a bit easier than Windows 7.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/windows-8-desktop-copy.jpg)

Initially, I had doubts about whether a 4-monitor setup will really work on a Windows 8 desktop PC or if upgrading to the newest version of Windows will have any benefits over [Windows 7](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows%5F7), when expanding my workspace to 7680×1200 resolution (24-inch monitors of 1920×1200 resolution each). One of the most common problems Windows users come up with when using a multi-monitor desktop computer, has been the taskbar that is only shown in the main display. In plain words, when you fire up an application and move it to a secondary monitor, the shortcut shown in the taskbar doesn’t move to the secondary monitor; that is because there is no taskbar at the bottom of that display after all! Although there are third-party solutions that extend the taskbar to other monitors via software, they don’t come for free. Additionally the “Start” button and clock remain on the main display. Microsoft fortunately listened to those users and Windows 8 does offer some additional options when the user accesses the taskbar properties in their Windows 8 desktop PCs.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/windows-8-taskbar-properties.jpg)

Did I just say “Start” button? Many PC users have tried Windows 8 before and most of them complained about the removal of the user-friendly, cute and easily accessible Start button. I have been a Microsoft Windows user since… Windows 3.10 and I myself have been quite familiar with the Start button.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/start_keyboard_windows_key-300x218.jpg)

I expected a challenge when Windows 8 loaded for the first time, but it was a matter of minutes, before I began using an alternative “Start” button: the Windows key found in almost all keyboards between control and alt keys! In fact, it’s even quicker than dragging the pointer all the way to the bottom left corner of the display! And when you work on four monitors, that can be quite an area for the pointer to travel; the mouse pad might be too small sometimes (hint: change your mouse scanning sensitivity – DPI)!

Yet, by working on a Windows 8 desktop PC with 4 monitors, another question pops up: Where (and how) does the boot-up screen load when pressing on the Start key? If like me you set up your multimonitor desktop computer with ATI Eyefiniti, you end up with a large (5760×1200) display instead of 3 separate monitors of 1920×1200\. In that case, Windows 8 start menu takes up all three monitors of the Eyefinity group.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/windows-8-desktop-start-four-monitors.jpg)

If you don’t want to use Eyefinity in your Windows 8 desktop computer, each monitor can be used separately but you give up on the Eyefinity functionality (most notably in gaming). In my case, the fourth monitor offers an alternative place to feature the Windows 8 logon screen and allow me to keep Eyefinity enabled (that glowing mouse is a [Logitech G600](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/logitech-mouse-not-working-g500-g600/)).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/windows-8-desktop-start-single-monitor.jpg)

All this can be easily handled by either the Windows 8 display properties or via your graphic card’s properties. What I also find quite useful is the display-split function, that allows me to keep the Twitter feed (or any other application) in a pre-defined portion of the screen. Now I can access Twitter instantly on the one third of my left-most monitor of the Windows 8 desktop PC, while checking my emails via Outlook 2013 (taking advantage of the subscription offer of Office 2013 for up to 5 licenses for €100/year). That applies even when I am racing at iRacing on the other 3 monitors, although I switch over to iSpeed to keep track of my best times and other car details.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/windows-8-office-2013-split-display.jpg)

So, can I continue working on my Windows 8 desktop PC as I used to when Windows 7 was installed? Obviously yes and I must admit it is even more comfortable. Playing poker online, trading stocks and blogging haven’t changed a bit. I certainly don’t miss the Start button, I welcome the display-split functionality and I enjoy gaming with graphics set at maximum settings. But that is due to the new Intel i7 3770, which replaced the good old Q6600\. Oh, did I mention that 4 monitors run on just one ATI graphics card (an ATI 5770)? That is because the fourth display is actually driven by the CPU itself, leading me to move the ATI 5450 to the living room’s Home Theatre PC (HTPC). Well, I guess I will be discussing about that in the next post!

Photos taken with a [Samsung Note 2](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/blogging-investing-samsung-galaxy-note-2/).
### The (short) history of my (sick) poker setup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-setup/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:21:56.000Z
That’s my 4-monitor poker setup [I shared at Twitter](https://twitter.com/jimmakoscom/status/269862223676051458/photo/1). My computer setup allows me to blog, invest and trade stocks effectively. It also allows me to play poker more efficiently. Much more efficiently than most online poker players. And it didn’t cost me a fortune, buying and selling tens of monitors or computers in the process! For example, [André Coimbra posted the history of his sick setup for Pokerstars](http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/team%5Fpokerstars%5Fonline/2013/the-history-of-my-sick-setup-131929.html) and I truly lost count of the poker setup’s changes in 4 years’ time! Come on people, have some plan before investing in technology for crying out loud!

Although this kind of post should normally fit into the “technology” category, I opted for the “poker” category as my main subject here is [why successful poker players neglect on their computer setups](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/make-money-poker-invest-multi-monitor-computer-setup/)! Or at least don’t plan ahead when spending their money on computer stuff. Yes, I know, “easy come, easy go”. The cost of a large 30’’ monitor might be the equivalent of playing at mid-stakes of poker for just a couple of hours (EV adjusted winnings), but come on! That isn’t an excuse for building a new computer setup every year! Build and forget! It shouldn’t be that hard to find the most suitable setup for playing poker online *before* spending on new screens!

### History of my poker setup

So, what is the short history of my sick poker setup? As a side note I don’t consider it a “sick” poker setup; I just include the word for SEO reasons, meaning the keyword “sick setup” is being quite popular lately in search engines due to the Pokerstars’ contest! Sick, huh (no pun intended)?

I began playing poker on an Acer laptop. Sorry, no photo. It must be lying at the attic somewhere. Besides, I only spent about a couple of months playing poker on a laptop. I quickly moved to a desktop computer with a dual monitor setup. That was in 2006\. André hadn’t even started playing back then according to his post. Not that it makes a difference as I presume he is far more successful in poker. I’ve since become a poker dinosaur!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/dual-monitor-poker-setup.jpg)

Fast forward to 2011 and [I add 2 more monitors to the previous setup](https://jimmakos.com/2010/04/quad-monitor-setup-installed/). Unbelievable, right? Me doing business with the same setup for 5 years! I also exchanged parts between the media server of the living room (newer, bought in 2009) with the desktop computer in my office.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-sick-setup.jpg)

As a result, the 2006 desktop computer is now used as a media server for the family and occasionally for playing games with friends. The office computer used for poker among other things is powered by a 2009 CPU, a 2011 graphics card and a 2012 SSD hard disk. Two of the monitors are still the ones I originally bought in 2006, still in perfect condition (knock on wood).

And that is the history of my sick poker setup concluded. Period. The end. No need to burn more cash! And you’ll probably agree that André’s 2013 poker setup is pretty much alike, with fewer but larger monitors. If only though my wife would also make Supernova like André’s girlfriend! Then I too would lend some of my old monitors to her, like André did and replace them with 30-inch ones! We all tend to keep the new stuff to us, eh boys? It’s a man’s world!
### Logitech mouse not working; how much for a Logitech G600 mouse?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/logitech-mouse-not-working-g500-g600/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:24:59.000Z
My Logitech mouse is not working perfectly lately and I have decided to replace it with a new Logitech G600 mouse. The old mouse is a Logitech G500 with symptoms of the so-called “double click problem”. In brief, the mouse responds with a double-click each time you single-click. Well, maybe not every time, but I estimate half of the clicks are regarded as double-clicks. That can be disastrous and may cost dearly when playing poker or even worse when investing in my case. It’s also quite annoying when surfing the internet, highlighting text, capturing screen shots, playing games (like building in the wrong places at [SimCity](https://jimmakos.com/2013/03/sim-city-2013-gambling-city/)) and clicking all sorts of buttons. For all these reasons I opted for a Logitech G600 replacement mouse, which won’t break the bank.

The Logitech G600 mouse can be found for 70-80 euros or 65 pounds, shipping included. Surprisingly, there isn’t significant price difference between online and retail stores. Yet, I grabbed mine from an Ebay seller that offered the Logitech mouse for 55 euros! That is even cheaper than a brand new G500, my broken Logitech mouse!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ebay-logitech-mouse-g600.jpg)

I usually do a lot of research before spending my hard-earned money on anything, even for items with a price tag less than 10 dollars. In this instance though I didn’t spend much time reading reviews about the Logitech G600 or watching video reviews. Given my overall satisfaction of other Logitech products, it didn’t take much research before convincing myself to buy the specific Logitech mouse. I could have watched the following 30-minute video review, but I was too busy searching for the lowest price available.

On the other hand Logitech mouses are not perfect. They do wear out. The Logitech G5’s tracking beam that I bought in 2006 failed a couple of years ago and its replacement, G500, is experiencing the double-click issue I described above.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/logitech-mouse-g500.jpg)

The double-click problem of the Logitech mouse is so common for this particular model, that there are many helpful posts online about [how to fix your double-clicking mouse](http://www.redferret.net/?p=31008) by yourself ([Do-It-Yourself repair](http://www.overclockers.com/mouse-clicking-troubles-diy-repair/))! Of course that fix will void the warranty, so you’d better contact Logitech first before reaching for the screwdriver. Although I did open my Logitech mouse, I didn’t go through the whole process and re-assembled it, so that I can continue working until my new Logitech mouse arrives!

My previous experience with malfunctioning Logitech products was a Logitech remote control. The control’s infrared beam was dead after a year or so. I sent an email to Logitech support attaching a video back then, where I explained the problem. I held the Logitech remote control next to a random (Samsung) remote control pointing to the web camera and pressed some buttons on both devices. It was pretty obvious that the Logitech remote wasn’t transmitting anything ([How To Test a Dead Remote Control using a Digital Camera](http://rob.brooks-bilson.com/index.cfm/2006/8/23/How-To-Test-a-Dead-Remote-Control)). Logitech support confirmed the device’s fault and sent me a new remote without me returning the faulty one or charging me for shipping! Two thumbs up for Logitech support!

Another device that has failed is the [Draytek router](https://jimmakos.com/2009/10/draytek-2710vn-recommended-wireless-broadband-router-with-voip-adsl-speed-upgrade/) I recommended in the past!

Maybe I should have checked my Logitech G500 receipt before removing the screws. Logitech usually offers 3-years warranty for their mouses, so I might have got a replacement for free. Honestly I don’t remember when I bought the faulty Logitech mouse. This time however I am making sure I don’t forget when I bought my Logitech G600 mouse with this very blog post! Hopefully I won’t be linking back to this article in the next 3 years!
### Build a gambling city with Sim City 2013: Learn from the best!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sim-city-2013-gambling-city/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T07:04:35.000Z
One of my favorite video games has always been SimCity. The latest installment, SimCity 5 or Sim City 2013, allows players to build a gambling city, and by that I mean a city that focuses on gambling. The city’s main revenue is expected to be coming from casinos that players build. The feature is called “specialization” and it includes 5 more areas of expertise, like mining, drilling, trading, electronics and culture. As I am quite familiar with [**gambling**](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) in the real world, it would be fun to try my skills and actually manage an entire gambling city in the digital world!

The last time I played a version of SimCity was SimCity 4 Deluxe, which was published in 2003\. Ten years later Electronic Arts and Maxis decided to create a new promising SimCity game, but the game release must have been one of the worst ever, given the negative reviews online about EA’s server issues and not being able to play single game without an internet connection. That didn’t cause much damage to EA at the stock market though, as EA stock has gained 20% this year.

![electronic-arts-stock](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/electronic-arts-stock.gif)

Back to building a gambling city in SimCity 2013, it was a bit of surprise for me to find that feature in the game, as Simcity is played by mostly youngsters. Society has been trying to keep teenagers away from gambling for years.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/simcity-2013-gambling-city.gif)

Obviously it won’t be a life-changing experience for young players getting accustomed with building casinos and creating a virtual gambling city. I’m not saying that they would turn to gambling because of their success in this video game. After all it’s about gambling as a business and not as a hobby, meaning they have to manage casinos’ income and expenses. Yet, by having gambling take such a big part in SimCity might generate some talks. It’s one thing to allow players to build a casino to help the digital city’s funding (and increase its crime rate like in early versions of Simcity) and another to have an entire city’s success depend on gambling!

Say for example a 11-year-old Simcity player create a profitable city that is specialized in trading. Perhaps that would lead them subconsciously to pursuit a career in merchandizing. Imagine the same scenario in gambling. I suppose it would be more tempting to become a gambler rather than a casino businessman!

Anyway, enough with the “responsible” talking! Simcity experts have already uploaded numerous videos online, showing how to manage your sim city profitably and sharing their gameplay strategies depending on the specializations. It turns out gambling as specialization in Sim City is regarded as tourism and experts use strategies that are best employed by tourist guides. For example, SimCity 5 producer goes on to explain in this first sneak peak of the game back in October, how building a railroad station next to his new casino immediately showed a profit for the gambling business.

Jump to 7:00 of the video:

But that was just an introduction to the gambling specialization of Sim City and admittedly right to the point. For a more thorough analysis of the Sim City gambling specialization, there are a couple of Sim City gambling guides at Youtube. For instance, in the next 5 minutes of the tutorial video made by IGN Entertainment, SimCity players are advised to begin investing in a gambling city only after they have created cities with enough population to spend money on the casino business. Otherwise their casinos will just hurt their monthly budget.

After spending some time reading reviews about [**Sim City 2013**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCity%5F%282013%5Fvideo%5Fgame%29) and watching a couple of videos, I am putting SimCity in my [**gaming**](https://jimmakos.com/tag/video-games/) watchlist. The game is selling for about 50-60 euros, while the deluxe edition goes for 80 euros, which I find quite expensive. For the time being I might re-install SimCity 4 and wait for the price to come down. Until then I may do a research and come up with my personal Sim City gambling strategy by the time I build my first cities at SimCity 5!
### Why I never use Betting Tips to invest my money
URL: https://jimmakos.com/never-use-betting-tips-invest-my-money/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:05:03.000Z
Since there are a bunch of websites offering paid or free betting tips, it’s tempting for gamblers to invest their money using these tips. After all, all the hard work of studying the games, analyzing the stats and doing the necessary research is already completed by the betting experts. Sports bettors only need to follow their betting advice and bet according to the tips sent to their email address. What’s that, too easy to be true?

The idea of this post first crossed my mind when I read the excellent article by Trent Hamm discussing [why he never uses stock market predictions to invest his money](http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2013/03/09/why-i-never-use-stock-market-predictions-to-invest-my-money/). Now you know how I ended up with this post’s title! In summary, Trent claims that if by any chance he had a profitable strategy in stock market, he would no longer be able to get great returns, as soon as he shared his strategy with anyone. He asks his blog’s readers the very common question I usually address to friends:

> If you had found a secret way to make money year in and year out, would you tell anyone that secret?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/sports-betting-tips--1-.jpg)

Why try to make money by selling tips, when you’d make far more money by keeping them to yourselves! Although he refers to investing tips, the same discussion can be made regarding sports betting tips. If you had found a winning betting strategy, would you sell your knowledge instead of actually make money by adopting your own strategy? Why not take advantage of your skill to find value bets and restraint yourself from inviting people to improve their football or horse racing betting?

There is a saying that goes like: if you can’t win, teach. Making money from online betting or gambling in general isn’t for the faint-hearted. On the other hand, making money by selling betting tips is all about marketing. The betting experts just need to persuade people that they are good in tipping winners. A fancy website, a well-designed promo webpage, a couple of testimonials and an impressive ascending Profit & Loss graph are enough to convince desperate gamblers to subscribe to the tipping service.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/invest-money-privately-254x300.jpg)

Of course that is not the whole truth. As Trent mentions in his post, a private hedge fund is far more trustworthy and his second choice after securing his family’s wealth. Obviously a few people will get to know of the fund, since they wouldn’t want to spread the word around and lose their edge. That makes it difficult to find such a fund and be allowed to invest your money. Likewise, there are private groups of sports bettors who don’t welcome newcomers and keep their secret strategies to themselves. They share their knowledge among the group and are able to bet at value odds before bookmakers are forced to change their lines due to the demand. If hundreds of people heard from your tipping service that Arsenal’s odds at 2.50 should have been 1.70 before you placed your bet, you could have trouble finding acceptable odds yourself in a matter of minutes.

I tend to agree with Trent there when he says to avoid falling for people trying to sell investment strategies or tips. Do your homework, study the mathematics behind the game of sports betting and improve your own skill to tip winners. And if your betting tips are unsuccessful, you can always teach people how to do it!
### Blogging and Investing with a Samsung Galaxy Note 2
URL: https://jimmakos.com/blogging-investing-samsung-galaxy-note-2/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:38:21.000Z
I pulled the trigger and bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in Christmas time. After 3 months of using the Samsung phone I am more than convinced that I made the right choice. Although the Note 2 is considered a mobile phone, I mostly use it for managing my blogs and taking care of my investments while away from office. Blogging from a friend’s house or investing in the stock market and betting on sports when travelling is now just a couple of… swipes away!

The first time I came across the new Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phone was back in October. A good friend of mine had just let me know of the soon-to-be-released smartphone, that he himself was planning to purchase. Youtube videos featuring the Samsung phone were already online along with some very promising previews of the Samsung product. Those very videos, previews and reviews led me to consider [replacing my Sony Ericsson mobile phone with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/samsung-galaxy-note-2-sony-ericsson-mobile-phone/). Yet, the new Note 2 was priced quite high, although the phone was getting cheaper every week due to new offers made by retail and online shops. I was also able to find the [Galaxy Note 2 considerably cheaper in French Amazon](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/samsung-galaxy-note-price-comparison-amazon/).

Still I didn’t pull the trigger until Christmas time when Samsung made an offer I could not refuse. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 was selling for €550 at that time at local shops and Samsung offered a €100 discount, deposited in the customers’ bank account! In effect, I could now buy the Samsung phone for €450! Funny thing is that in October I had told my friend that I was not going to buy that phone for anything more than €450! Given I considered that a fair price, I have been a Samsung Note 2 owner ever since. And I haven’t regretted it for a minute!

## Investing with a Samsung Galaxy Note 2

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-note-2-investing-stocks.jpg)

Buying or selling stocks via the Galaxy Note 2 is very easy. Of course my broker’s mobile software also helps. [Interactive Brokers](http://interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=1300) offer a very user-friendly solution to their traders who need to have access to their portfolio wherever they are. The software is available for all platforms including Android phones apart from iOS and Blackberry. The big screen of the Galaxy Note 2 is a huge plus when it comes to placing orders, accessing the market’s depth via the BookTrader and even when analyzing the charts! I cannot imagine how difficult it would have been to trade stocks on the small touchscreen of my Sony Ericsson Xperia phone!

Investing also refers to internet gambling as I have previously discussed. Thus, placing bets online via the Samsung Galaxy phone is also an easy task, depending on the bookmaker’s website or Android application. I suppose the Note 2 doesn’t offer such a big advantage here as with online trading, but some cool options, like the multitasking bar come in handy when you want to access your Excel spreadsheet to confirm your bets. If you take your [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) business seriously and keep track of your betting activity, these features will save you both time and effort.

## Blogging with a Samsung Galaxy Note 2

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-note-2-wordpress-blogging.jpg)

When it comes to blogging, using the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is similar to always carrying your laptop with you; or even better. You see with a laptop you actually need to *type words* in order to write your next post. With the Note 2 you simply *speak the words*! With a couple of neat Android apps that allow compiling SMS, emails or any document via speech recognition, bloggers can now dictate their next blog post! Still, that is possible with almost any new Android smartphone.

What I found extremely helpful was the ease of publishing guest posts sent in my email address. Receiving posts from my blogs’ co-authors, editing their DOC or RTF files on the fly, copying and pasting their words into WordPress and managing the posts’ images are all now accomplished from the 5.5’’ Note’s touchscreen. I no longer need to carry my 4lb laptop when going for coffee or visiting friends. I don’t have to worry any more if a co-author will send me a post that features breaking news and need to publish their post in the next couple of minutes while I am on the road. Sure it may take some more time to complete the whole task compared with a laptop. However I prefer carrying around my mobile phone instead of a heavy laptop bag, especially in summer time!

Since I [bought a Fujitsu T900 Tablet in 2010](https://jimmakos.com/2010/10/fujitsu-t900-tablet-pc-my-best-buy/) I consider the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 my next best purchase! Perhaps I am missing the small size of my previous [Sony Ericsson Xperia x10 mini pro](https://jimmakos.com/2010/07/my-new-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro/), but I am glad I made the change. Apart from the increased functionality and infinite features the Samsung phone offers, being a lot less stressful when away from office is truly priceless. And I owe that to the Samsung Note 2!
### How to change loading order of WordPress plugins
URL: https://jimmakos.com/wordpress-plugins-code-loading-order/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T17:54:37.000Z
**Building a website** with WordPress eventually leads to installing numerous **WordPress plugins**. Although bloggers are advised not to use a lot of plugins in their websites due to [reduced loading page speed](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/perform-page-speed-tests-at-webpagetest-com/), there are a couple of must-have WordPress plugins that not only make the blog more attractive, but also improve the blog’s user experience, like related posts, sharing buttons or comments. One of the problems bloggers often deal with is about the **loading order of the WordPress plugins**, specifically in the end of their posts. How can WordPress users change the order of those plugins?

The answer lies inside the **WordPress plugins’ code**. The line that is responsible for the loading order of the plugins at the end of the posts should be similar to the following:

```
add_filter( ‘the_content’, ‘filter_function_name’, XX )
```

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/wordpress-logo-300x186.png)

Note that XX represents a number according to which the specific plugin is loaded. As an example I will use the plugins I am using for this blog. At the end of each post I am including a bar of social buttons, a related posts plugin, a subscription plugin, an author plugin and the Disqus commenting system. Most often than not the comment section in a WordPress theme is well defined and the commenting system finds its appropriate placement without any change in the code. What happens though when at the end of your last paragraph your plugins load in an undesirable order?

When I first installed the aforementioned plugins, I got the author box first, social buttons, related posts and finally the subscription sign-up. Obviously I wanted social buttons to load first, since readers would find it convenient to share a useful article immediately after they finished reading it. In addition, the plugin that should load at the bottom end of the posts’ content would be the author box, given the blog is my personal one, thus readers would already expect **me** to write most of the posts! No need to force readers reading my bio repeatedly and possibly driving them away from the blog.

## Changing the WordPress plugins’ loading order in posts

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/wordpress-plugins-dashboard--1-.gif)

Decide on the exact order of the plugins. Duh!

- Go to the plugins’ editor inside the WordPress blog’s admin dashboard.
- Edit the php file of the plugin you want to load first – in my example the social media buttons’ plugin.
- Search and find (ctrl+f usually) the code above – search for “filter” and scan through the results until you find a line similar to the code. Pay attention to the term “content”, because you’ll find some instances referring to the “excerpt”.
- Add or change the XX value to 10\. Save the file.
- Edit the php file of the plugin you want to load second.
- Follow the same steps and add/replace XX value with 200\. Click save.
- Continue the process for each plugin, using a higher number each time for the XX value. The plugin that will load last should have the highest XX value.

Experiment with the values until you get the desired result of the loading order. I am in no way a WordPress expert and definitely not an expert in PHP code. Yet, I have encountered this specific problem in almost all of my blogs and given I found this solution recently on my own, I thought to share it with other WordPress bloggers. There is also a WordPress plugin by [Reveloper.com](http://reveloper.com/wordpress-plugins-order-plugin/) that claims to load WordPress plugins the way you need them. However due to developer’s lack of time, users report the plugin does not work since the latest WordPress updates.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/plugins-order.jpg)

If bloggers use WordPress to build their website, sooner or later they will face this kind of issue. I guess if they aren’t afraid of some minimum coding, changing the loading order of *WordPress plugins* should not take more than 5 minutes. And now readers can share the post right at the end of the posts’ last sentence! Neat huh?
### Online Gambling in Europe: Where to relocate
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-gambling-in-europe/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:26:35.000Z
What goes on with online gambling in Europe? Thinking of relocating in Europe to carry on your online gambling activities? I am sure the gambling map of [GamblingCompliance](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201106/20110615ATT21465/20110615ATT21465EN.pdf) will come in handy before you decide what country you are moving in. The map shows the European countries where internet gambling is either regulated or prohibited as of 2011\. Western Europe seems to welcome online gamblers at first glance.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/europe-online-gambling--1-.gif)

According to the study, European countries have begun regulating the online gambling market during the past few years and the map is continuously redrawn. During 2011 the following countries regulated the internet gambling market, began discussions or passed legislation.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/europe-regulating-online-gambling.gif)

This continuous regulation of online gambling has led to the 2012 map of Europe’s internet gambling market that is published in [another GamblingCompliance’s study](http://www.gamblingcompliance.com/files/MBII%20Exec%20Summary.pdf). The map confirms that UK is the only European country to offer an open gambling market, while most of the countries require online bookmakers and online casinos to acquire a local license.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/europe-map-regulating-online-gambling-2012.gif)

European countries seem to adopt the Italian model of regulating the online gaming market. Italy, the pioneer of ring-fenced markets, has greatly influenced other countries to impose website or/and payment restrictions to their residents, who are blocked from accessing unlicensed gambling operators. Although the study does mention that website and payment blocking can be circumvented, the experience coming from the ring-fenced markets suggests that these methods inform customers whether a website is legal or illegal in their jurisdiction and differentiate legal and illegal offers. At the same time, regarding gambling tax UK announced [a shift from point of origin to point of consumption regulation](http://www.olswang.com/articles/2012/2012/12/uk-point-of-consumption-gambling-tax-moves-one-step-closer/), so that the betting duty would be payable wherever the gambling operator is located.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/europe-online-gambling-restrictions.gif)

Drawing of the map of *online gambling in Europe* is far from finished. With plenty of countries still in the process of regulating the online gambling market, we should expect a redraw of the map by the end of 2013\. Meanwhile, a couple of US states (Delaware, Nevada and possibly New Jersey) have legalized [online gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) lately and most probably it would be the time to begin drawing the US map of internet gambling as well!
### US, Australia and Europe going after gambling industry
URL: https://jimmakos.com/us-australia-europe-going-after-gambling-industry/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T19:00:48.000Z
Gambling and specifically online gambling seems to be under fire in USA, Australia and Europe. Government officials make statements against online sports betting every day, commissions go after prediction markets and introduced laws prevent people from accessing online bookmakers when their websites are in foreign countries. Is it the end of online gambling as we know it?

It feels like we are not living in such a free world after all. As Fred Foldvary states at The Progress Report:

> “In a completely free society, with a pure free market and true free trade, there is no restriction or tax on peaceful and honest human action.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/no-gambling-150x150.jpg)

I strongly recommend reading his latest article that deals with the recent US ban from predictions market. According to the US law, U.S. persons are no longer able to engage in InTrade predictions trades! Note that although InTrade is located in Ireland, U.S. government prohibits U.S. persons from holding an InTrade account world-wide! I first found InTrade when discussing about [predictions of 2012 presidential election](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2012/08/13/political-futures-trading-presidential-election-prediction/). What a coincidence to read Foldvary’s words:

> “In fact, the Intrade market for the U.S. presidential election of 2012 correctly predicted the win by Obama, whereas the polls were evenly split.”

I myself had also talked about the [divergence between the markets and the polls](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2012/10/09/obama-favorite-win-election-romney-lead-poll/)! Other than that, Foldvary makes some excellent points about freedom of expression and reading, along with interventions that reduce the efficiency of the economy. “Keep adding more rocks, and eventually the ship will sink”.

But it’s not just the U.S. ship that is getting overloaded. The anti-gambling campaigner and independent senator in Australia, Nick Xenophon, said **sports betting across the country should be banned**. That naturally led to online bookmakers’ warning that betting ban will increase the power and potency of match fixers targeting Australian sportmen. Australian Wagering Council boss, Chris Downy, argued a ban against online betting would lead to the spread of illegal bookmakers with no obligation to inform law enforcement agencies of any irregularities. Furthermore, a betting ban would also cripple the entire gambling industry, as Punter Paradise’s chief executive said. Although his business is based on advertising, they do attract gamblers who are interested in placing bets and looking to buy (or sell) tips and access form guides and live results.

In the meantime, I am sure you have all heard that European authorities are trying to regulate online gambling in some countries. Betfair has revoked access to all Greek punters and they stopped offering their exchange service to Germany. Numerous other online bookmakers have also withdrawn from the Greek market, while regulators have made online gambling a risky business in Italy, Spain and Belgium among others. For instance, it’s been two months when Bwin.party’s co-CEO was detained by Belgium authorities. [European Union’s plan for online gambling](http://www.mondaq.com/x/216894/Gaming/New+European+plan+for+online+gambling) has put online gambling regulation on the UK government’s agenda as well.

What do you think? Would a fully regulated gambling industry operate more efficiently in US, Australia or Europe?
### Responsive web design recommended by Google Analytics mobile report
URL: https://jimmakos.com/responsive-web-design-recommended-google-analytics-mobile-report/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:45:50.000Z
According to my Google Analytics traffic report, all of my blogs are being accessed via mobile devices on a daily basis. Most importantly about **10% of my blogs’ traffic is coming through smartphones or tablets**! Is that enough to update a blog with a new template featuring a responsive web design?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-analytics-mobile-report.gif)

Wait, what is a responsive web design? I myself hadn’t heard of the term until I recently decided to change the templates of my blogs, mainly for [speeding up the websites](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/perform-page-speed-tests-at-webpagetest-com/) and removing unnecessary code. In case the blogs are created via WordPress changing templates (or themes as they are called in WordPress isn’t as hard as it sounds. At the same time a new template that has been recently published, would most probably incorporate the latest trends in blogging and include up-to-date features. That is why I searched for 2013 WordPress themes and stumbled upon web design software that used the responsive design.

So, responsive web design refers to templates or themes that are created for mobile-friendly websites or blogs. This kind of web design basically changes on the fly the dimensions of the content area, the images and any other elements of the web page such as menus, so that people accessing the website via smartphones or tablets can see the whole page without zooming in or out. Personally I really enjoyed reading the posts without scrolling horizontally or zooming in trying to fit the text area inside my Android’s phone display limits. In addition, I could now actually see the images of the posts without zooming out while reading the text. The blog is automatically resized to the display’s viewing area, which I am sure visitors will find very eye-appealing. Try it now by resizing this very post!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/responsive-web-design.gif)

And here comes the Google Analytics report that shows an increased bounce rate by visitors using mobile devices, when the blog didn’t feature a responsive web design! By the way, high bounce rate means that visitors are quickly leaving your site. (

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/941fe544-7d39-4570-ad6d-3daac33fc50e.gif)

Would the new responsive WordPress theme of my blogs decrease the bounce rate? Honestly, I am not sure and there is not sufficient data yet for any meaningful Analytics report. At least I have tried to offer a better experience for any traffic originating from a tablet or mobile phone. I still have to focus on creating useful content as every blogger should do in the first place!
### My Poker Odyssey at High-Stakes & Practical Resources
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker/
Last updated: 2025-10-14T10:22:07.000Z
I have been playing online poker since 2006 with moderate success.

I may not have made it to the high-stakes games as a regular player, and you won’t see me on TV, but at least **I have not lost money**.

And while that is not something to brag about, I’m happy as things turned out.

I used to play a lot. A LOT. I’m talking about 10K+ hands per day! For weeks.

By **multitabling up to 12 tables** that wasn’t as much as it sounds. Besides, when you are playing good and running hot, there is really nothing to stop you from playing even more.

Well, in fact, there is and it’s called *variance*.

Let me share my short poker story with you and how I’ve gone from being a $25NL player to becoming an almost regular at 10/20 and 25/50 NL tables, **sitting down with $5,000 stacks**, and going back all the way back to $25NL!

Fasten your seatbelts; it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

## Coin flipping for thousands of dollars in online poker

Back in 2006 poker was relatively easy, compared to today’s conditions. The opposition wasn’t that tough and poker tracking software or HUDs weren’t *that* popular. Yet, it wasn’t until 2008 that I began spending serious time on poker tables on a daily basis.

I was still playing at micro stakes up to $50NL with the occasional try-my-luck jump to $100NL tables for a couple hundred of hands. I still remember the hard time I had, failing to **increase my poker bankroll past the $3,000 mark**. At that time, I had moved from PartyPoker to PokerStars, despite hating Stars’ interface. I couldn’t miss the opportunity though, as most players were playing there.

I quit a non-poker related project I was working on with some friends in 2008 and suddenly I had a lot of ‘free time’ in my hands. I literally decided to try going **full-time in poker** overnight! That was in October 2008.

Unbelievably, in 2 months’ time **I was up to $1,000NL**! That’s $5/10 blinds. Now, the try-my-luck jump was done at 2K no-limit tables! I was competing with some of the most famous online pros out there!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/poker-pros-villains.png)

Mind you, that was all done from a mere deposit of $500.

No, I am afraid you’re wrong. **It wasn’t luck**. It was about studying, doing my homework and managing my money correctly.

> Luck has almost absolutely nothing to do with [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/).

So, I even tried 5K tables when things started going wild. That’s when I had my **best ever month in poker** as well, having days of winning or losing thousands of dollars!

Days? Try hands.

The poker hand that will haunt me forever was a bad beat at 5K NL, when my Aces lost to AK. We were 200BB deep, thus the preflop pot rose to more than $20,000 (too bad I spent the last hour searching for the hand history unsuccessfully)! I believe my poker ‘hotness’ dried up then. Someone had just turned the doom-switch on.

## Going back to square one

From that moment on, I ran really bad. Really, really bad. This is when luck DOES influence gambling, but just a little. My real winnings were dropping fast, while my expected winnings were supposed to climb. The deck was colder than North Pole.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/variance-graph.gif)

Variance had been costing me almost $100,000 in 2010!

Inevitably, I moved down as money management dictates. I dropped to 1K, $600 and eventually to $400NL before I started withdrawing my money.

I was *that* disappointed. **I felt I could not win anymore**.

And that was the truth! I couldn’t!

I admit I wasn’t proud of my game beforehand. Running hot certainly boosted my confidence and didn’t let me see some serious leaks in my game, as I was moving up levels. But now, it was not just that I was running bad. I was playing really bad! Really, really bad. My game had seriously been affected by the variance. By giving up a lot of pots and becoming over-aggressive, I was spewing money all over the place. Combined with being ‘unlucky’, **my bankroll was depleting fast**.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/jim-makos-gsop-poker-tournament.jpg)

I even played live poker tournaments (GSOP Greece, EPT7 Madrid) with no luck. (Photo: [Pokerland.gr](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150334103378172&set=a.10150334099628172.355394.110147128171&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xfp1%2Ft1.0-9%2F319613%5F10150334103378172%5F1304700505%5Fn.jpg&size=960%2C642))

Fortunately, taking my money away from the tables while I was still ahead, was probably **the wisest choice I ever did in online poker**. What followed though, was one the dumbest things I ever did and involves online trading. Nevertheless, that’s another story – to be written.

My poker accounts remained empty for quite a long time. Years maybe. News also didn’t let a glimmer of hope for my return, as discussions of countries introducing gambling taxes were constantly gaining momentum. Eventually, rumors became reality here in Greece and Greeks are now obliged to have tax deducted from their DAILY winnings up to 20%! Read here [how this gambling tax might make you quit poker](https://jimmakos.com/gambling-tax-quit-online-poker/), despite being a winner.

Thus, an even wiser choice of mine was to avoid spending any more time with online poker all this time.

## The comeback to online poker

If you’ve played online poker, you know of the love-hate relationship. You win? You are in love with poker, can’t stop playing. You lose? Ok, that was the last hand you played, enough is enough.

In general though, if you like playing card games, ignoring the online poker world is out of the question. Getting dealt of a hand is just 2 clicks away, not to mention the challenges that await you. It’s not just the thrill of making or losing money, it’s **the thought process and skills you have to develop**, in order to solve the poker puzzle.

By solving that puzzle, **you not only make money to live off**, but you also gain popularity and land jobs. Writing jobs about online poker like the ones, I am taking on.

Apparently, I cannot write about online poker without actually playing the damn game! Unless I keep a nostalgic tone in my posts and talk about the ‘old days’ of poker, I need to stay up-to-date with poker happenings, new technologies and trends that develop in the online poker industry. Yes, sure Jim, the game used to be easy, continuation-betting was enough to make you money, yada yada yada, let’s move on; **what can I do NOW to win in poker?** See my point?

That was probably the main reason I came back to poker. To write and create videos about online poker. Yet, but doing so, the love for the game is growing back inside me. So, who knows. Maybe one day I will make it back to the high stakes. Until then, you will find me at micro stakes of popular poker sites.

## Online Poker Resources

Through the years of flopping monsters, turning gutshots and rivering 2-outers, I have used a lot of poker-related products and services. Below you will find poker resources that **I have personally tried and strongly recommend** you give a shot.

***NOTE***: By clicking on the affiliate links, you not only help me pay this blog’s bills, but you also show your appreciation towards any helpful tip you read in my website. Besides, you don’t have to use the links if you don’t like. The price is the same whether you use the link or not.

### Poker Software and Tools

- [Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager): To track my performance, review my stats, and do hand analysis, I use this piece of software. Currently, in its third version, Holdem Manager is an award-winning poker software that increases win rates while providing players the fundamental edge needed to move up in limits.
- [PokerTracker](https://jmks.co/pokertracker): As an alternative to Holdem Manager, you can track, analyze and help improve your online poker game with PokerTracker. I have been a happy PokerTracker3 customer before converting into an HM2 user. It doesn't make much sense to have both, but you can't go wrong using either of them.
- ***Leak Buster*** \[The app that I used redirects to HM now\]: Developed by a team of winning professional poker players for poker players at all stake levels, it expertly guides you to fixing your most costly poker leaks. I keep checking for leaks today, although I first used it in 2011 [to find my leaks back then](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/my-2011-poker-leaks-hold-em-manager/).
- ***NoteCaddy*** \[Now part of HoldemManager\]: This HoldemManager add-on takes notes for you. Not just any notes, relevant notes based on actual hands – not stats. NoteCaddy reads hand histories, understands what happens, and takes notes on behaviors that are significant. NoteCaddy can identify patterns and frequencies that will help you understand the way your enemies play.
- ***NoteCaddy EDGE*** \[not working as of 2023\]: The tool utilizes HoldemManager and NoteCaddy to the max in order to provide you with tons of useful information that will increase your edge at the tables. Use badges and professional popups to exploit your opponents and analyze your own hands to find leaks in your game.
### Tips for Wordpress Admin Login Security
URL: https://jimmakos.com/tips-for-wordpress-admin-login-security/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:46:01.000Z
WordPress plugins like Limit Login Attempts increase security of **WordPress blogs** regarding **admin login**. The plugin sent me an alert today that there have been several IP lockouts after they tried to login and hack one of my WordPress blogs. This comes only two weeks after I moved to [VPS hosting for better security](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/transfer-shared-hosting-vps-hosting-better-security/); a fact that is certainly worrying. Fortunately this time I have increased the **WordPress security** of my blogs as I don’t want them to get hacked twice. The **WordPress plugin** informed me that 6 different IP’s have tried logging in unsuccessfully. They all tried to login using **admin** as username!

### First tip: Rename the default admin WordPress account

During **WordPress installation** you usually don’t have the choice to select the default username with administrative access. WordPress picks “**admin**” as the default username to access for the first time your new WordPress blog. However that results to serious vulnerability in terms of WordPress security. Hackers now have just one task to infiltrate your blog and that is finding your password. Why make it easier for them when there’s a choice to change the **admin username** and force them to guess two things instead of one?

The easiest method to disable admin login is to create another account as an administrator and delete the default admin one. Most bloggers will find it more difficult to access their mySQL databases and change the “admin” username. Yet if you are adventurous, you should access your domain’s cPanel, login to phpMyAdmin, access your WordPress database and browse the (prefix)\_users database entries. All you have to do is edit the admin account and change the “user\_login” field to something more complicated than the default WordPress choice.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/admin-account-mysql-database-wordpress.gif)

### Second Tip: Install Limit Login Attempts WordPress Plugin

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/admin-login-logged-ip-300x153.gif)

Limit Login Attempts is a WordPress plugin that has been rated 5 stars by many WordPress users, proving it is one of the most useful **WordPress plugins**. It actually limits the times you can try logging in when you input wrong passwords. In other words it is a great tool against brute-force attack. This method is very common and is mainly used in order to gain access in the WordPress installation. The plugin lets you define how many login attempts are allowed until the IP is locked out for 20 minutes. If the villain behind that IP is locked out 4 times, the admin is notified via email and the IP is forbidden access to the **WordPress admin login** screen for 24 hours. That is how I found out about the failed login attempts in the first place.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/limit-login-attempts-wordpress-plugin.gif)

Unless you share your username and/or password of your WordPress installation, these tips will surely increase your blogs’ security against hackers gaining control of your **WordPress blogs**.
### Payment Methods and Return-On-Investment of Facebook Promoted Posts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/payment-methods-return-on-investment-facebook-promoted-posts/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:46:16.000Z
Get more people who like your Facebook page to see this post. By paying. Real US dollars. Since I found out [Facebook charges to promote Business pages’ posts](https://jimmakos.com/facebook-starts-charging-extra-promote-posts-pages/), I decided to spend some time exploring the limited available options. It turns out I cannot change the amount of money, as the pull-down menu leaves me with no other choice. It may come down to the fact that none of my domains‘ Business pages have more than 2,000 fans. Perhaps there is some kind of a discount, in case you need to promote your updates to more people. Whatever the total cost, the available payment methods are the same as the funding sources for Facebook Ads. Therefore, if you happen to have advertised your product in Facebook, you already have a payment method enabled. That would be Paypal for me.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/facebook-payment-options--1-.gif)

You either need a credit card, a Paypal account or a Facebook Ad Coupon. It’s quite understandable that promoted posts are in fact a kind of advertising, so no surprise there. I find a bit disturbing though the fact that charging your credit card or Paypal account is just a simple click away! Instead of clicking on “Post”, you click on “Promote” and “Save”. Voila! You have just been 5 dollars poorer!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/facebook-charge-posts-options.gif)

What about the duration of the post you promote? It seems like Facebook will hunt down your business page’s fans for three days until your post reaches them. On the fourth day I suppose your post is history, much like your 5 dollars! Eventually – and hopefully – the post will reach 2,800 fans as the image shows. Those 2,800 fans will convert into incoming traffic depending on the success of your post (measured in Click-Through-Ratio or CTR %) and in the end some of them might click on an advertisement in your blog (conversion rate). That’s when you can calculate the Return-On-Investment ([ROI](http://www.508fi.org/learn/return-on-investment)) and discover whether the cost is justified. I guess if you promote your own product through the Facebook business page, the ROI increases significantly.

Say 10% of the fans visit the landing page directed by the post (that would be about 300 visits) and 10% of the visitors click on an advertisement of $0.20 cost per click. You then would have made 6 dollars or 20% ROI! But if 5% of the fans visit the page in question and just 2% of them decide to offer you $0.20 in the form of advertising revenue (average CTR% is usually 1%), your loss comes down to $4.40! Thus, before you click on the promote link, take a break and complete these simple calculations. There may be some sort of expected value (+EV) in paying Facebook to promote your posts!
### Facebook Starts Charging Extra to Promote Posts in Pages
URL: https://jimmakos.com/facebook-starts-charging-extra-promote-posts-pages/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:35:47.000Z
There were talks lately that Facebook was going to charge for every post. What a joke, right? Well, it turns out Facebook has just switched on the extra cost for delivering your posts made from your Facebook page to a larger audience. It seems I am still able to post in my Facebook pages, although the post will reach less than expected fans. Most probably that’s why a new “XXX people reached” message was shown in the most recent posts made in Facebook pages. We now know that in order to promote our post to more people, we need to actually pay Facebook! They even suggest a $5 extra so that 2,800 – in my case – fans read the new post! I guess those disappointed Facebook shareholders need the extra money after the IPO disaster!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/facebook-promote-page-post--1-.gif)

I haven’t done any research about this new option of Facebook. I was about to share something with my Facebook page’s fans when I noticed the “Promote” link. Clicking on that link, Facebook was kind enough to inform me that I could now reach more fans by simply clicking on a single button. Of course my [Paypal](https://jimmakos.com/2011/11/how-eu-regulations-limit-access-paypal-account/) account would suffer a 5-dollar loss, but who cares when the post is reached by more fans! Well, I do. Facebook’s success depends on sharing information between friends and fans. Charging extra for sharing updates is more or less the same as a free tipping service who kicks off a subscription service. Traffic drops significantly (down to even 10%) but visitors are now customers willing to pay for the service. And it’s not like there are no other free tipping services. Accordingly, there are plenty of (still) free social networks, like Twitter and Google Plus to move my online business. I’d happily do that and I suppose I’m not the only one.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/facebook-people-reached-message.gif)

I’ve also advertised a couple of websites through Facebook Ads in the past. The result? A financial disaster like the recent [Facebook IPO](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/stocks/charts/quick-look-facebook-ipo-zynga-morgan-stanley), when first day buyers invested in a $40 stock and watched their shares lose 40% in 2 weeks’ time! I am not going to advertise in Facebook for years to come and I certainly won’t be paying Facebook to promote my new posts to more people, so that (NASDAQ:FB) shareholders win their money back – if ever. If my [blog](https://jimmakos.com/)’s content is attractive, word of mouth will increase my blogs’ traffic. It’s not like I need to spend money on Facebook’s service to annoy other Facebook users. I’d better buy some text links at reputable websites and increase Google pagerank, instead of costly Facebook promotion. After all, Facebook needs us, we don’t need Facebook. At least, for the time being the extra charge for promoting posts is applied at Facebook pages and not users (imagine you pay $5 for every time you “like” a post!!). That’s enough for me to say:

Goodbye Facebook, welcome Google+!
### Google Analytics and Wordpress Permalinks Determine your Blogging Performance
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-analytics-wordpress-permalinks-determine-blogging-performance/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:16:45.000Z
**Blogging** is all about writing great content, right? **Google Analytics** can determine if your old posts were well-written, but your **permalinks** need to include the publishing date so that Analytics can sort the **posts by date**. **WordPress permalinks** do exactly that by including the year, month and day the posts were published in the blog. Unfortunately some bloggers –count me in – might have selected the permalinks that include the posts’ category for better SEO results, making it much more difficult to find out your **blogging performance**. In case though you have opted for the standard permalinks’ format, you are in luck!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/wordpress-permalinks-settings.png)

I began actively [blogging](https://jimmakos.com/) again a week ago. Before I did, I thought of how my posts will perform and whether I should spend time on blogging. Nowadays there are 3 blogs I concentrate my efforts on; therefore I figured I must post one article in each blog every day leading to 3 new articles on a daily basis. After all, that is the recommended posting frequency for any aspiring blogger. My goal is not missing a single day for a whole year which will result in about 1,000 posts until February 2013 – if the world exists by then! What would a good performance of those posts be in order for me to be happy?

Usually blogging efficiency translates into traffic, monetization and ultimately money! Forgetting about monetization, which needs extra time and effort, I assumed that by March 2013 ten visitors will read each of those 1,000 articles of mine per month on average. Admittedly some posts will never been read again but although outdated, some others will still be popular because of comments, blog reactions and linking back, eliminating the low performance of others. So, if I don’t post anything during that month or the following ones, my blogs would have gained 10K monthly visitors exclusively due to the specific posts. Obviously this blogging activity will have an impact on the blogs in general, such as increase in readership, rankings and exposure given that nothing will go wrong but I’m willing to forego all that. Yet, my assumption sounded rational and now I had to interpret those figures into cold cash!

Those 10K visitors will hopefully each read one more page before leaving my blog, resulting to 20K pageviews/month. Now let’s say for every 100 pageviews there is one click on an advertisement (1% click-through-ratio is the standard) which corresponds to 200 clicks/month. Charging $0.50 per click (cost-per-click number is a pretty debatable statistic but I believe I am being humble there), blogging every day for a year will eventually earn me at least $100 per month in the future. That does sound promising and I consider blogging a lot more creative than [playing poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) or [investing](https://jimmakos.com/investing/) in the stock market, which I normally do!

After thinking of all that, it was time to look in the past and determine if I was anywhere close to reality. The only blog where I use permalinks that include the publishing data is here at jimmakos.com. When I was installing **WordPress** after a complete wipeout of the server, I had already disliked the long **permalinks** of my other blogs. My decision had been made and I chose to go for the typical permalink reading year/month/day and the post’s name. Several months later I’m able to find out the performance of that blog posts with the help of Google Analytics. Bear in mind though that I have copied from my previous Joomla installation only the most popular of the old posts, skewing the final results. Also I had already made the [Joomla vs WordPress comparison](https://jimmakos.com/2010/09/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/).

In today’s blog there are 27 posts of 2007, which have been read 837 times during the last 30 days. Blogging performance for 2007 is 31 reads/post. The 30 posts of 2008 did a lot better as they are responsible for 1881 pageviews in the last month, resulting to 62 reads/post. At this point it’s obvious my 10 reads/post assumption was completely wrong.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/2008-blog-google-analytics-traffic.png)

However, moving on to the most recent 2011 data, Google Analytics shows that my 70 posts were read just 1,581 times for a 22 reads/post figure. The reason is of course that I now include almost all of my blog posts that I published last year, instead of adding up just the most popular ones. Yet, it seems that 20 reads/post would likely be my initial goal in this year’s blogging activity.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/2011-blog-google-analytics-traffic--1-.png)

Why don’t you compare your own blog posts and see which year your blogging performed better? Perhaps you’ll witness an improvement in your blogging skills, or you need to go back to see what you did better in the past. In any case, measuring your blogging performance with **Google Analytics**, if you add the date in the **WordPress permalinks**, is quite easy and gives objective criticism about your **blogging** and domain business.
### Better Blog Ranking and Link Building with Google Authorship Markup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/better-blog-ranking-link-building-google-plus-authorship/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:23:23.000Z
Two months ago I explained [how Google Plus Authorship Markup can help your blog stand out at Google search results](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/stand-out-google-search-results-authorship-markup-rel-author/). It turns out that linking your **Google plus** account within your posts not only boosts your blog’s ranking but also increases the likelihood advertisers wanting to buy links from your posts! At least that’s what a case study by Orit Mutznik revealed. Orit, an experienced SEO and blogger, was the first to let me know of authorship’s power. She has helped several bloggers incorporate the **authorship** markup inside their posts, perfecting the **link building** process since the outbound links are now much more valuable in Google’s eyes! Who needs **Pagerank** when you could have a high Author Rank?!

Well, that statement is not exactly true but it does prove the value of **author** rank. For years website owners and bloggers have manipulated Google pagerank for better **blog ranking**. Now Google has come up with a plan and Google plus is here to help. I can’t count the times I have found duplicate content of my blogs in several online domains. Imagine if there was a way for Google to know beforehand who the original author was. It would then rank duplicate content lower and the original post would most probably appear in search’s top positions. Making use of the author rank Google now discriminates the articles, recognizing the author of the original post and adding points to his authoring reputation. Thus, a high author rank would lead to better post ranking. Combine that with a good blog Pagerank and you have the perfect combination for your blog ranking!

On the other hand author rank will help when building a new blog from scratch as well, as long as you are a reputable author. Given the fact a new blog will have null Pagerank, your first posts won’t go unnoticed by Google, since it already regards you as a high-valued author! Perhaps they will boost the new blog’s pagerank quicker, although that is left to be proven. For the time being though, every post you make has a link building value for advertisers who are looking for incoming links. Despite the fact that the link may be coming from a low ranking URL pagerank-wise, the link would still have enough value depending on your author rank! And better ranking usually means money!

For example, Orit’s study proved that blog pages, which had backlinks from authored blogs or posts, ranked much better (top position for weeks) than blog pages created on the same date and targeting the same highly competitive keywords, which had the same number of backlinks albeit not from authored blogs! Authorship is beginning to make sense online and Google plus has finally found some use! Reputable authors need to be careful now, since keyword stuffing and excessive linking from their posts might actually harm their author rank. And when it comes to link building, blog and author rankings are crucial.
### Paid Post as a Sign of Targeting Wrong Keywords
URL: https://jimmakos.com/paid-post-sign-targeting-wrong-keywords/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:46:37.000Z
You know there is something wrong with your **blog** when you are asked to publish a porn-related post! I was offered a pre-written paid post to have it featured in my gambling blog today and although the money is good during the economic crisis, I’d rather keep my blog away from the porn industry. However, a **paid post** of a different niche should be considered as a sign that your blog targets the **wrong keywords**. How can that be possible? Well, it’s called **hacking** and I have already been a hackers’ victim when I used [Google Webmaster Tool against my hacked Joomla website](https://jimmakos.com/2011/11/google-webmaster-tool-hacking-joomla-website/)!

Since then I have deleted all the files in my server and reinstalled Joomla as a content management system and **WordPress** as my blogging system. I thought I was fine until this morning, when **Linkworth** informed me of a pending linkpost offer. Featured blog posts are often purchased as part of a **link building** strategy. My enthusiasm was quickly diminished as I saw that it was about publishing an article using the keyword “porn” as its’ link target! I visited **Google Webmaster Tool** to check out that everything was ok and apparently the top 2 keywords that Googlebot finds when crawling my site are still the ones it did before!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/linkworth-linkpost-wrong-keywords.png)

I guess “download” and “movie” keywords have forced my blog to get ranked well in those keywords. At least better than what I would have expected, as I rarely use both of these **keywords**. The advertiser wants to combine those popular keywords with his own and that is why I guess I was contacted in the first place. Unless of course my website and blog have been once again hacked and “porn” will eventually become my blog’s top keyword! That would surely be a nightmare.

And obviously, I’m not adding that specific keyword in the keywords’ list of this post!
### Transfer from Shared Hosting to VPS Hosting for Better Security
URL: https://jimmakos.com/transfer-shared-hosting-vps-hosting-better-security/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T18:36:55.000Z
Moving my domains from HostGator shared hosting service to VPS – Virtual Private Server – has been quite an experience during last week. I made the decision due to allegedly improved security that a VPS or a dedicated server provides compared to shared hosting, since [my websites were malware-infected](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/virus-infected-websites-excellent-hostgator-support/) the previous weekend. Domain transfer completed in about 2 days regarding DNS propagation, having already instructed HostGator to move 4 of my websites such as jimmakosdev.wpengine.com. HostGator offers free transfers when you upgrade your hosting account, depending on the new hosting package. As I opted for VPS Level 4, I got 40 free transfers, far more than the websites I administer.

Although I have previously installed Linux in my desktop computer (Ubuntu), this was my first serious attempt to learn Linux. I failed miserably. I expected the domain transfer to go as easy as possible and while I wasn’t wrong on that matter, the websites and blogs’ transfer has been another story. I have purchased cPanel as well, since I kept reading everywhere it was the most user-friendly software and I have also been quite familiar with cPanel via the shared hosting package. Additionally the VPS package includes a fully managed server, meaning that HostGator can assist me by taking care of almost all my hosting needs. Being a newbie in dedicated servers and Linux, the 3 tickets sent to HostGator support over a 6-days period prove that was a wise decision!

**Sunday**

I got the usernames and passwords that grant me access to my server after paying up the monthly fee! Super exciting! I login ready to make the domain transfer by myself. “Failed to authenticate”, “wrong password” messages and the link “Forgot your password?” doesn’t work. First ticket on its way and I get a reply that my VPS was set up wrong. Waiting a whole day for confirmation that everything is up and running before retrying.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hostgator-ticket-vps-hosting-misconfiguration.png)

HostGator support replies to one of my tickers

**Monday**

This time I can login after being informed by HostGator that the server is good to go! Once again exciting, but the thrill quickly goes away once more as I get presented with the Parallels Power Panel! Ehm, what’s this now? Ah, it’s where I check out my server’s status concerning its resources. CPU load at 0%, used RAM at about 5% and plenty of free disk space to accommodate my blogs. At the bottom of the resources screen I can check out the network usage, in other words the bandwidth. I had already [calculated my blogs’ bandwidth](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-much-bandwidth-does-your-blog-use/) but it seems I was referring to monthly data transfer instead of bandwidth! This new for me panel also includes “Packages”. I guess that’s the system files that occasionally need updating, can’t spend more time on those, time to hit cPanel!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/parallels-power-panel.png)

cPanel you say? What are all these options on the left!? Fortunately I was lucky to find “List Accounts” and create a new account for each of my domain, which is the recommended procedure for better security. Next step, transferring jimmakos.com website in the new server, eager to test the server’s speed and compare it with my shared hosting plan! Fast forward, I never succeeded in doing that of course! Apart from moving files and databases through FTP, I can’t say I was *that* successful in completing the transfer. That is when I heard of the included free transfers and I was off sending my second ticket to HostGator, asking for a transfer.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/whm-vps-optimized-cpanel.png)

**Tuesday**

I began building one of my websites from scratch. The already developed website that resided in my old server had been seriously flawed, according to the [keyword list at Google Webmaster Tools](https://jimmakos.com/2011/11/google-webmaster-tool-hacking-joomla-website/). The website was running on Joomla and it was time to redevelop it in WordPress. I spent the whole day installing WordPress plugins, populating databases and moving stuff but in the end the new website was fully functioning. In the meantime I got a reply from the HostGator Migrations’ staff that my domains’ transfer had been scheduled. I assumed there would be an update in a couple of hours.

**Wednesday**

It was time to read about VPS software, while I was waiting for the transfer. Oh my! It all looked like a totally foreign language to me! I made every effort to get the hang of it, but I am embarrassed to report that till today I haven’t got the slightest clue of how to make the most of my server! I studied a lot about Apache, cPanel packages and Linux code but obviously it isn’t as easy as learning WordPress! Coming from times of Quick Basic, GW-Basic and MS-DOS, I didn’t want to get back to learning how to program! Maybe working on Windows for more than a decade made an impact on my programming skills, as in the past I found programming fascinating! I haven’t ever used Visual Basic, let alone more difficult languages like C++ (I had also registered in a C++ Programming class for a semester back in University but never attended!).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/xcache-install-guide.png)

On that specific day HostGator support got back to me, asking me if they were allowed to delete any files I had already uploaded and whether I’d like to have my main website moved (wasn’t included in the 4 transfers I asked for). So, the transfer was still on hold! Come on, it had already been 3 days of me not updating any of my blogs. I kept reading that you may have been updating the old database while the hosting provider moved mySQL databases, leading to lost data and ultimately forcing to copy the missing posts to the new database. At that time I was moving another domain and installing Joomla, only to find out that Joomfish doesn’t support Joomla 2.5 for multi-language blogs at the time of writing. Given the fact that it’s about an already developed – and possibly hacked – website of a friend of mine, I began thinking that maybe it was also time to convert it into WordPress. Additionally, the main website that I used in my shared hosting plan was also built in Joomla and it was that very same website that hackers attacked first to gain access to my server! That was why I was planning on abandoning it – very low revenue and miniscule potential – and one more reason to stop developing Joomla websites.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/dns-propagation-check.png)

**Thursday – Friday**

The final two days of the transfer from the shared hosting account to VPS hosting involved a seamlessly transfer of 4 of my main blogs in 4 hours, since I was contacted by HostGator that the transfer had begun, and DNS propagation which lasted a day felt like an eternity! HostGator transferred FTP and email accounts, whole bunch of data and also made sure the websites were fully functional. I got well-written instructions of how to setup my hosts file in order to check out the new server before changing DNS nameservers and going live, while I was prompted not to delete my old account before I made sure the websites in the VPS were correctly deployed. The hosting transfer had finally been completed and I changed the GoDaddy nameservers to point to the new server’s IP addresses. From that moment on I must have checked the DNS propagation progress a million times via various DNS propagation testing websites, have restarted my router a hundred times and pinged domain addresses in command prompt a billion times! Meanwhile I studied about Google Page Speed and YSlow grades, installed Smush-it plugin to cut down images’ sizes, learnt how to speed up WordPress via opcode caches like eAccelerator and tried to improve loading times of my WordPress blogs. That’s also when I sent my third and final ticket to HostGator, asking about cache options and how to have that installed in my server. HostGator strongly recommended against installing advanced caching systems on servers smaller than Level 5 VPS’s. My conclusion was that if I am serious about the domainbusiness, I will need to hire a web developer at some point in the future.

It was Friday night when all domains’ DNS resolved correctly here in Greece and was able to publish posts once again. Perhaps a VPS hosting package is overkill for my blogs’ traffic, but I consider it a valuable investment to better secure my domains – apart from generating stronger passwords along with installing security and backup WordPress plugins. Maybe my future blogging performance drives the server to its limits and makes me reinvest in dedicated servers. Until then I’m perfectly happy of paying 10% of my blogs’ earnings in VPS hosting.
### Enable Gzip Compression with EasyApache
URL: https://jimmakos.com/enable-gzip-compression-with-easeapache/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:06:44.000Z
Speeding up a WordPress blog includes enabling Gzip compression via EasyApache on Linux servers. Since I [transferred my websites to VPS hosting](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/transfer-shared-hosting-vps-hosting-better-security/), I focused into speeding up my blogs, but I quickly found out that I had to mess with Apache interface. If cPanel is used for managing the server, EasyApache is an easy way to enable Gzip compression and bring your blog’s size and loading times down. Google Page Speed takes account of Gzip compression, so we’d better enable compression to get a higher grade and possibly better ranking in search engines.

As I was researching about enabling Gzip compression specifically in WordPress blogs, I came across several plugins that promised to do exactly that. However, installing many plugins in a WordPress installation will eventually hurt the blog’s speed. Besides I also kept reading that Gzip compression has to be enabled for the server in question, so I assumed no matter what plugin I was going to use, I had to find out if Gzip compression is actually enabled for my virtual private server. It turns out it wasn’t. Find out if your own website is compressed [here](http://www.gidnetwork.com/tools/gzip-test.php)!

Running a website on Apache meant I had to go through some code that I wasn’t familiar with. Fortunately EasyApache is there to help newbies like me who are also afraid of messing with server settings. At first I was quite skeptical as to what EasyApache does exactly, but it turns out to be a rather safe route to begin optimizing your server. First you have to find it through the tens of options that your WebHost Manager offers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/easeapache-cpanel-intro-screen.png)

Notice that there is already a default profile loaded by your hosting provider. So we just have to add Gzip compression in that profile, save the profile and build the profile. The tricky part is that there is no clear “enable Gzip compression” option to just tick it! The module you are looking for is called Deflate (mod\_deflate) and isn’t included in the short options list you get to see when you first access the EasyApache! Mod\_Deflate is found in the exhaustive options list as a built-in module that is waiting to be enabled! Enabling Gzip compression means enabling mod\_deflate, saving and building the profile. Building will last about 30 or minutes and you still have access to your websites the whole building time. I guess if something goes wrong, you can revert back to your default profile that had no errors.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/mod-deflate-easeapache.png)

After enabling Gzip compression in EasyApache I didn’t need to install any plugin to my WordPress blogs! According to testing sites, all of my websites are now being compressed by Gzip compression to about 80% and Google Page Speed also acknowledges that increasing the grade!
### Perform Page Speed Tests at WebPageTest.org
URL: https://jimmakos.com/perform-page-speed-tests-at-webpagetest-com/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:31:28.000Z
Since Google adopted website speed into their ranking formula two years ago, every blogger worries about their page speed and website loading times. Making money by blogging is all about content and invaluable content will keep visitors inside your blog, no matter how long they have to wait until your page completes downloading. But the chances you are creating marvelous pieces of information right from the start are close to zero, so bloggers should pay attention to page speed and spend some time for website speed optimization. Increasing your website’s speed will keep your readers happy and willing to check out a couple more pages before they leave your blog, increasing the pageviews/visit statistic while blog’s traffic will benefit in general as well. Here is a website where you can perform page speed tests and find out exactly how much delay your blog causes when loading and what parts of your blog needs optimizing.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/test-website-performance-web-page-test.gif)

The website is the one Google recommends for page speed tests, webpagetest.org. Don’t expect bells and whistles, webpagetest.org is a simple website providing all the necessary information you need to know. You may login with your Google account in order to keep a history of your speed tests but that is not required to check out your page speed. First you enter your website URL and choose a test location and a browser. Depending on the test location different browsers are available. If you know in what part of the world your server is situated, you’d better select the nearest test location for better results. On the other hand, if your website targets a specific country (say Greece in my case for some of my blogs) but it loads from miles away (USA for example), you should test from a location nearest to that country. Since Greek people were the majority of my blogs’ visitors, I wanted to know how fast they themselves could see my websites, not some random American who accidentally came across my site. That’s why you need a CDN (content delivery network) if your server is accessed worldwide in the first place.

I personally choose Internet Explorer 9 as the test browser. Google chrome may be faster when accessing and rendering a website, but this is not about fulfilling our ego by verifying a lower than actual page speed. It is about page speed that the vast majority of your readers get, and that majority uses Internet Explorer, like it or not. If the page speed is good with IE9, it will be even better for those who surf with Google Chrome. Thus, testing with Internet Explorer is a better choice in my opinion.

There are a couple more options under the Advanced Settings you should check out. Leaving connection speed at DSL (1.5 Mbps) seems ideal, as not many of the visitors surf the net with 24Mbit lines. Remember, the page speed refers to your page’s real visitors. You may dig into your Google Analytics account and see for yourself what kind of broadband speed they actually use to make a better decision. Yet, DSL 1.5Mbits seems like a safe bet. Enter “3” for number of test to run for better average results. Increasing the sample of page speed tests adds credibility to the results, exactly like when having a betting system with 10 games and another with 1,000 games. Keeping the test private is a personal preference and I have that option ticked as well.

### What you should look for when the page speed test is complete

The page speed test usually takes about 1 minute per running test. When the speed test is complete, you see 6 letter boxes on the top right corner and a small table in the middle of the screen with some numbers. The letters you are looking for are A’s. F’s being the worst performance are colored red, while the last box is either an X or a tick, depending on whether or not you are using a CDN for your page. Clicking on each of the letters will load a new page where several recommendations for optimizing your website will help improving the page speed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/page-speed-test-improve-webpagetest--1-.gif)

Inside the table the most important number is the Load Time. That one shows how many seconds are needed until your page loads. The smaller the better of course. If you are using some kind of content management system like WordPress or Joomla and you are not using a caching system, don’t be scared if you see figures over 20 seconds in the First View row. Repeat view page speed shows the seconds lapsed until the page reloads after the first visit and that is how fast your page is for returning visitors.

Your aim during website optimization is to bring those numbers down to 5 seconds or better. Google sets that limit for fast performing websites, defining all websites that load slower as “slow websites”, hurting their overall rankings. We’ll talk about website optimization in a future post. Until then, get rid of those PNG and JPG images out of your homepage, use Yahoo’s smush.it service to cut down images’ size and [enable Gzip compression in your server](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/enable-gzip-compression-with-easeapache/). Regarding caching systems for CMS’s, take a look at Total Cache plugin for WordPress and JotCache for Joomla websites. These will get you started.
### Stand out at Google Search Results with Authorship Markup (rel=author)
URL: https://jimmakos.com/stand-out-google-search-results-authorship-markup-rel-author/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T07:07:26.000Z
**Google Authorship markup** can make your blog post stand out from other results in Google search. All you have to do is add your Google Plus profile link somewhere in each post of yours and include **?rel=author** at the end of that link. The authorship markup isn’t something new but I heard it this month for the first time by an advertiser who contacted me recently regarding a new deal (Emily M. – Many thanks for that!). I implemented the new code two weeks ago in all of my blogs but I just noticed the result in a Google search I completed, so it takes time to come into effect. Besides, **Google** states that they don’t guarantee to show **author information** in Google web search results according to their [guidelines](http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1408986&topic=2371375&ctx=topic).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/e4a0da6e-89e2-41b9-a872-4423e9389798.gif)

Most blogs feature a small biography box at the end of each post. Including your Google Plus profile link there is usually the best choice. There are many plugins for both WordPress, [Joomla](https://jimmakos.com/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/) or other content management systems which offer this feature, but you must not forget to add **?rel=author** at the link’s end. This is how my **Google+ profile** link looks:

*plus.google.com/1049\[…\]1?rel=author*

To check out if you implemented authorship markup correctly, visit [Google’s testing tool](http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/richsnippets).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/rel-author-google-results.gif)

Since I own several blogs, Google is able to show all of my posts right at the web search page! Say a random search brings up a post written by me. Clicking on “More by Jim Makos” will load a new search result page featuring all of the articles Google has found authored by me! Then people can search any term they like and find out if I have posted something similar. For example, I searched for “sports trading” and posts from both of my **blogs** appear in the results’ page! There’s also my Google Plus profile page at the right column, driving people to add me in their circles!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/author-google-results.gif)

Cool, isn’t it? +1 for **Google Plus** from me! Take that, Facebook!
### Card Counting Stories from the Blackjack Tables
URL: https://jimmakos.com/card-counting-stories-blackjack-tables/
Last updated: 2024-10-29T18:20:18.000Z
The recent post about how to become a professional card counter in Blackjack brought back memories from my first gambling activity. It was the year 2003 when I began playing blackjack, counting cards while standing behind the players on the table. My bankroll didn’t allow me to sit down to the blackjack tables, therefore I had to spend hours in the casino and risk my money only when the true count was extremely favorable. Some months later I finally was able to get dealt cards and that’s when these card counting stories took place.

The card counting method I used was the simplest one, called hi-lo. You add 1 for every 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 card and subtract 1 for every ten, ace or face card. Then you have to divide that running count by the actual remaining decks to calculate the true count. That true count is the real deal, since it implies what your edge is and how much money you should bet in the next round.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/f48d5126-4ca6-4ee4-affb-afda83b728dc.jpg)

So, Blackjack card counters always have a couple of numbers in their heads. If you have seen the movie “21”, there’s some great pictures of card counters’ heads with numbers hovering around them. That is exactly how it feels like. They may be discussing with friends, asking the waitress for a drink or scanning the casino for “heat”. Heat means that they are spotted by casinos’ security and they should stay out of trouble, since card counters are not welcome in the casinos. After all, these customers are there to take money, not spend it. No matter what they do, they always think of numbers.

There are times though that card counters get distracted. I remember that the most difficult question to answer during card counting at blackjack tables was: “What time is it?”. Sure, it’s seven thirty. Ok, back to card counting. Wait, what was that, true count 7? Or thirty? No, it can’t be thirty, that’s way too high. It must have been seven. Yes, true count is seven. Seven means I should bet my highest stake. Cool, let’s make some money. Hm, that’s interesting; none of the other card counters in my table is increasing their bets. Maybe I am wrong? Dealer began dealing the cards, a lot of small cards on the table. Oh man, now I remember, true count was minus two, that’s why my left hand is showing the sign of Victory under the table!

Asking fellow card counters of the true count is advisable, if I happen to lose the count. However I must not ask loudly: “What is the running count, sir?”. If I weren’t spotted until then, chances are I was going to really fast! Therefore, I and some friends had thought of some nicknames to share the true count. The easiest way to do was asking the dreadful question about the time! Only this time the other guy knew what the meaning of the question was. Besides, we all wore watches! “Time is 3 o’clock”. Great, now I knew the running count was 3\. Play was carrying on with the dealer wondering how on earth it was 3 o’clock when his shift began at 6PM!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/moutza-ellada.jpg)

Additionally, there was a nickname particularly for running count “5” which doesn’t make much sense, unless you are Greek: “Mujahedin”! Ok, you all know that Mujahedin (or Mujahideen) is a military force of Muslim guerilla warriors engaged in a jihad. What does that have anything to do with Blackjack?! You see, “muja” or “moutza” is one of the rudest and most common Greek gestures. Perhaps we Greeks learn it before we even speak in our lives for the first time! We all use it from time to time! Perhaps if you’ve visited Greece and driven a rented car, you were shown the “Mutza” from other drivers, especially if you aren’t a famous street race driver like us! Anyway, this gesture shows 5 fingers as the image shows and that’s why we used that in case the running count was five.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/moutza-greek-movie-300x225.jpg)

Moutza was quite popular in old Greek movies

No, we didn’t give the “moutza” to let them know of the count, we said “Mujahedin” or “double Mujahedin” for count “10”! Showing the “mutza” to the other card counter isn’t recommended during play, even when he stands with 16 from last position!

Card counting strategies can be far more complicated than hi-lo strategy. Sophisticated strategies require side-counting of aces, adding fraction values like halves and not round numbers depending on cards visible on the blackjack table and so on. A good friend of mine, who used to accompany me at the casino – hi Petros – tried at one point learning [how to count cards](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-count-cards-in-blackjack/) using one of the most challenging card counting methods, called the Wong Halves. Although he aimed at increasing his edge, it was quite funny to see him trying to complete the calculations while the dealers mucked the cards quickly.

– 8, sir.

– Hit

\-15

– Hit

– 16

– Hit

– 25, too many sir.

– Wait, wait…. Mmmmm… ok! Oh crap, you already mucked the next hand! What was that last card? A nine or an eight?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/man-thinking.jpg)

Another funny thing about counting cards at blackjack is that newbies are so much focused on the cards, they are staring at the table too much! They don’t even care if the casino is on fire; they are truly absorbed by the dealing of the cards. That is the easiest I guess way to point out the card counters other than the bet sizing. Players who keep their hands on their mouths while counting or rubbing their foreheads trying to decide whether they should double that A7 or not is what a professional card counter wouldn’t do. We have all been there but never do that anymore. Experience comes with practice.

The last story is about helping out other card counters by sharing the true count with them from a nearby table. I count cards at a table but the dealer is currently shuffling the cards. A card counter from the next table signals me and tells me that the time is already 4 sharp! Cool, I’m off for a couple of rounds to his table, since the true count is already four! Like bees on honey, several more card counters approach the table. The bets quickly size up to the maximum available and the pit inspector gets notified by the dealer. Heat is building up, but the true count is too damn high for any card counter to leave the table. We need to make money and exploit the edge. The cards are dealt, blackjacks are hit, the shuffle card signals the end of rounds and we all return to our tables. The buzz has ended, naive blackjack players wonder what just happened while card counters’ pockets are filled with chips. It’s time for the pit boss to take down our names. Only we have already left the building!
### Virus Infected Websites, Excellent HostGator Support
URL: https://jimmakos.com/virus-infected-websites-excellent-hostgator-support/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:31:09.000Z
All of my blogs and websites were infected by a trojan virus this weekend. HostGator, the hosting company of the websites, were unbelievably supportive and although I contacted them on Sunday, they responded within an hour letting me know that they had completed the scanning process! It turns out that the same virus has infected all of the Joomla and WordPress installations, mainly because I hadn’t been keeping the software updated. Lesson learnt and obviously my deploy-and-forget method needs revising! How did the hackers get access to the server? According to HostGator – and I quote here – this was done via a set of stolen passwords.

I posted on Friday [how to determine your blogging performance](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/google-analytics-wordpress-permalinks-determine-blogging-performance/). Inside that post I showed my future plan regarding my blogging activity and what kind of profit I am expecting by publishing 3 articles per day. It’s been a week that I resumed blogging and I was really excited to feel creative once again! Hackers made sure to place a stepping stone in front of that path!

I had already noticed that some of my friends’ blogs that I host in my shared hosting account along with some of mine had been performing rather poorly. Google Webmaster Tool pointed that out and I decided to dig into the code on Saturday. Things were just fine until late at night when I began messing with the WordPress installations. I had spent most of the day reading about domain security and how to protect your WordPress blog. I had also updated my old Joomla websites to 1.5.25 version, although the most recent on is… 2.5! It’s quite a hassle to update your Joomla blog from 1.5 to 2.5 and I considered that work in progress. I began setting up automatic backups and security plugins for WordPress when I found out that a crucial file in one of my blogs had some worrying issues. That file was of course “.htaccess”.

If you have your own personal blog or some kind of a website and you use Linux, you already know how important that file is. For the rest of the readers I just need to tell you that this file is responsible for URL creation and redirections. So, if that htaccess file gets hacked, your website is in trouble link-wise. Fortunately no visitor coming to my blogs probably noticed anything but there was evidence that hyperlinks pointing to Russian websites were being injected into my blogs. I began studying and learnt about the very popular WordPress timthumb hack which seemed to have caused the issue. I dealt with it but Bulletproof Security plugin for WordPress had trouble keeping the .htaccess locked! Whenever I recreated it and made that secure, it got infected with the Russian code in a matter of seconds. I went to sleep at around 1am and figured it would be a problem I will deal with in the morning, after all the blogs are functioning properly. Oh my, how wrong I have been!

Waking up on Sunday morning the first thing I did was to check my blogs’ traffic. Traffic was decreased by 70% on all of my websites! Ok, that doesn’t sound good, right? Wait, there’s more. Upon checking the referrals of the visitors – meaning the source that drove readers to my blogs – there was a major source missing. That was Google search engine! My blogs had been receiving absolutely NO TRAFFIC from Google since Saturday night! And if that wasn’t enough, upon clicking on a link in Google, Facebook or elsewhere, the visitors would end up in the Russian websites which of course would try to infect their own machines! Hopefully you all have installed Antivirus software in your personal computer! Anyhow, visitors would find my blogs only by entering the domain name in their browsers, no incoming links for me!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-analytics-traffic-drop-virus.png)

After excessive research, I had to find some “php” files created by the hackers, which went on and kept the htaccess file from being corrected. Whatever I did on the htaccess files, those php files would make sure the hack would reapplied. The situation got even worse when I discovered that my Joomla websites were infected as well! In the end, all of the websites I hosted were infected ([check out yours](http://sitecheck.sucuri.net/scanner/)) and I was unable to clear the virus. I needed help and I contacted HostGator support.

John T. from HostGator support got back with some worrying but at the same time thrilling news. He had found 10 or so php files which contained the virus and had them deleted! He had also found injections in more than 15 .htaccess files, that I was unaware of, since I was mainly dealing with the htaccess files found in the blogs’ root folder. According to HostGator support the attacker was able to gain direct access first to my Joomla admin page and then to my WordPress admin page by stealing passwords! His conclusion of the email was that I needed to attend the outdated Joomla and WordPress installations in order for the websites to return back to normal. Finally he included all the logs in the email and had changed my passwords for better security.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hostgator-support-email-virus-malware.png)

At one point during Sunday I began thinking of giving up all of the blogs, deleting all facebook and twitter accounts and terminating my blogging career. I call that Blogging Tilt, sort of poker tilt! It’s frustrating enough to keep your blogs running perfectly and writing new interesting posts with SEO practices is already time-consuming. Having to deal with virus infected websites is simply the coup de grace. Fortunately HostGator provided excellent and outstanding support! Even when I noticed that one of my newly deployed blog was also infected, they created a new htaccess file by themselves that fixed the problem! Right now I’m extremely satisfied of my decision to host my blogs with [HostGator](http://secure.hostgator.com/~affiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=jimmakos)!
### 4 Reasons to Quit Gambling and Start Blogging
URL: https://jimmakos.com/quit-gambling-start-blogging/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:22:23.000Z
One can find no reason to quit gambling, as long as they [make money in gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). Things though become a bit more sorrow when money is lost day in day out. Quitting gambling isn’t easy when one has been gambling for years and even more if they are used to being profitable. Blogging offers a creative way out of gambling, a hobby that certainly won’t cost that much compared to gambling. Why should you quit gambling and start blogging?

### Losing money

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/i-quit-board.jpg)

That’s a no-brainer. If gambling loses you money, why keep doing it? Sure it is a form of entertainment, but would you disagree that is a costly one? We all have dreamt of making millions by gambling online sitting at our desk, yet dreams come cheap. Reality can be quite painful when one checks his online bankroll and constantly make new deposits. Quit gambling and keep your money in your pockets. Blogging on the other hand won’t cost much in the beginning at least (before changing your blog’s [hosting plan](https://jimmakos.com/vps-hosting-comparison/)), and one can continue dreaming making tons of money, since plenty of people have become professional bloggers making a living out of blogging online.

### Tilt

Tilt is the psychological state when big losses have a tremendously bad effect in our calmness and one starts betting uncontrollably. Tilt usually refers to poker, since bad beats more often than not cause tilt situations. However tilt can happen in every aspect of gambling, such as losing in sports betting for several days in a row. Bankrolls get erased in a couple of minutes and items on the desk like the keyboard or mouse are broken, as anger leads tilted players to irrational behavior. Losing in gambling might sometimes lead gamblers to even harm themselves or get angry with their families and friends, although those are extreme situations. Blogging on the other hand can’t possibly be that frustrating. By quitting gambling you effectively quit tilting.

### Creativity

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/i-quit-pen.jpg)

We all admit that gambling is the least creative hobby. We neither create anything, nor do we provide some kind of service to society. Creativity is often missed for people actively gambling in their daily lives and blogging can fill that gap. I myself have been blogging for years, in order to feel more creative instead of spending money in gambling.

### Time

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/time-is-money.jpg)

Now, time is perhaps the most precious asset and I suppose plenty of readers will agree with me. Trying to make money in gambling or even become a professional gambler is very time-consuming. It’s a career actually that will consume all your energy apart from time. Endless nights are spent building a betting system, family trips are cancelled due to popular football games taking place during weekends and avoiding exercise in gyms or even walking, so that we discover the Holy Grail of gambling, are just a few sacrifices an active gambler makes. Devotion and dedication are certainly needed if one’s goal is to succeed not only in gambling, but in other making-money hobbies or jobs as well. Yet, making money in gambling is a lot more difficult, maybe because if one finds a scalable winning method, they only need to increase the stakes to make even more money!

Making money in blogging on the other hand isn’t that hard. Again, time will play a crucial role in a blogger’s success, since the more time they spend blogging and promote their blog, the more successful they become. Still, time isn’t spent without cause. In the end of the day, you would have written two or three new articles that will get read by thousands of people, you would have improved your blog’s design making it more eye-candy and you would have added more options to get connected with people, further strengthening your online presence. In gambling, hours and days may be spent without meaning and in the end gamblers will question their abilities to make money. That is when they will begin asking themselves if it’s time to quit gambling.

Before you start blogging, read [how to register and develop keyword-targeted domains](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-register-develop-keyword-targeted-domains/), so that you make the most out of your blogging time.

Have you ever thought of quitting gambling and start blogging? Have you been gambling for years and decided to quit lately? Would you rather write instead of gambling? Let me know in the comments below.
### How Betfair changed my life!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-betfair-changed-my-life/
Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:03:21.000Z
Betfair is withdrawing from Greece and I won’t be able to even login to my Betfair account in December, according to the [Greek gambling law](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/greek-legislation-online-gambling-sites/). When I first registered this account back in 2004, I never expected I would be posting such an article in my personal blog. Besides, I didn’t even have a blog back then and Betfair was in fact the reason I created it in the first place! Now that I think about it, I owe my blogging adventures to Betfair as well! 8 years later and here I am saying farewell to the betting exchange, an idea that made many of my dreams come true!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfair-logo.jpg)

When I visited the Betfair website for the first time in my life, I honestly hated the interface showing blue and purple boxes. “What are all those prices moving around?” I asked myself and quickly surfed away. I didn’t understand the whole meaning of being able to ask for a better price to back and to offer a lay bet! I am ashamed to confess that I only used my Ladbrokes account at that time! Totally newbie, huh?

I should remind you or perhaps let you know if you are just visiting my blog for the first time, that I had just been kicked out of the casinos here in Greece after “making a killing” in Blackjack (check out [more about me](https://jimmakos.com/about/)). Well, truthfully I hadn’t caused that much damage, although during the last month (November 2002) I had made €10,000 by playing 12 hours on a daily basis (risk of ruin was through the roof by the way, as my bankroll was just a couple of K’s). I was still a University student (Chemical Engineering, don’t ask) and I was looking forward to making somehow at least 5% of what I was making by playing Blackjack before. However 6 months passed and my attempt was a total failure, studying a lot about sports betting and stock trading in the meantime.

Then I came across a method of betting, known as arbitrage! Cool, I thought, I just need to be quick and take advantage of odds’ imbalances among different online bookmakers. Given my Betfair account is dated back to May 2004 and I tried arbitrage around that time, I suppose that was the main reason for opening an account in Betfair. I guess the “20% better odds” advertisement made a difference in my early betting days! Long story short, I quit arbitrage a couple of weeks later due to all possible problems that arbitrageurs are dealing with even today.

Now I was left with multiple accounts in many online bookmakers and one at a so-called “betting exchange”. Back to the drawing board, I stumbled upon a website (racingtraders.com), the owner of which had uploaded a 10-min video of him trading Cheltenham’s horse racing odds! Adam Todd was showing how he made money before the race even started! I was now officially hooked and my journey to Betfair trading had just begun!

That is how all started for me in Betfair. Over the years, I improved my trading methods, I spent countless hours trading the horse racing odds and began posting my experiences in this very blog. In the beginning I was just publishing my daily profit and loss statement, showing that I was making money in almost every horse race! Meanwhile I never needed to deposit money again and I ended up driving a new car (still own it)! Then advertisements came in, I was offered a blogging spot in the official Greek Betfair blog (you won’t find half of the articles I published there for some unknown reason, unless you know how to search for them in Google) and people were considering me as a Betfair trading expert, who posts Youtube videos of [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)! Although I moved on to online poker and trading stocks and forex, I never stopped discussing about betting trends and odds fluctuations in Betfair markets, even when [I quit trading horse racing markets](https://jimmakos.com/2011/09/does-your-trading-strategy-work-horse-racing-markets/) or now that Greek lawmakers were determined to put an end to the magic journey.

Betfair is not only about making money though. If it hadn’t been for Betfair, I might have been a Chemical engineer by now, either looking for a job or worrying about the austerity measures and cutbacks of the salary. Sure I could have landed a dreamy job, but how often do those come by? I would also have to depend on my parents for a couple more years until I graduated or finished my PhD (long shot) and most probably I wouldn’t have been married. Because Betfair offered me the choices I wouldn’t normally have otherwise. I was 25 years old and independent because of Betfair!

Betfair taught me to stand on my own two feet, to have the strength and confidence to try things, to invest in myself. Betfair showed me a different world, a world that anything is possible as long as you truly believe in yourself and your skills. If it hadn’t been for Betfair, I would still wonder what bid and ask mean, why stock charts are used for and how traders make money by trading EUR/USD! I quite probably wouldn’t have created any website and wouldn’t know how easy it is to get a blog running in a matter of hours. I wouldn’t have learnt about blog monetization, search engine optimization or link building. Buying and selling domains for profit would be unheard of while daytrading, futures trading and [technical analysis](https://jimmakos.com/2009/12/technical-analysis-really-work-betfair-trading/) would still remain a mystery for me.

Betfair made me realize that you can make money by online trading, no matter the security you are trading. I traded horse racing odds for years before I found out that there is flat and jump racing! Then moved on to trading Formula 1 odds, tennis and even [elections](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/2012/06/07/greek-election-june-2012-prediction-confirmed-nd-syriza-even-odds/)!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/french-open-2011-trading-nadal.png)

I made new friends because of Betfair, believe it or not! Friends that are also mentioned as “fans” in Facebook or “followers” in Twitter are all friends sharing the same interests and passion with me! I am now contacted by people from all over the world and I am always surprised when a new email arrives from a country thousands of miles away! Answering questions, debating in an online forum or even meeting up with new people that would otherwise be total strangers to me were all made possible by my “success” in Betfair trading. Who would have heard of a young Blackjack card counter in Greece?

Quite frankly though, Betfair made me realize how to become an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.

And for all that…

> **THANK YOU BETFAIR!**

I hope I meet you again.
### Using online poker software to review your hands
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-poker-software-review-hands/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:36:28.000Z
Online poker software can help us sort out those poker hands that cost us the most and hopefully plug some leaks! By reviewing last night’s poker session, players may find out that their poker bankroll could have increased if they hadn’t made expensive mistakes. That is how I discovered that I could have avoided losing 7 buy-ins over the past 3 days, since I restarted playing [texas holdem poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) at Full Tilt Poker. I simply reviewed the first 10 hands that cost me a full buy-in and I already knew that I could have at least broken even.

Ok, first the embarrassing news. I lost money 3 days in a row playing at 50NL!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-poker-stats.gif)

Here is the even more embarrassing poker graph (source: [Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager) poker software):

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-poker-graph.gif)

I seem to have trouble getting back on track playing cash games. Generally I am not in the mood to gamble, given the recent [Greek legislation about online gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/greek-online-gambling-law-tax-on-gambling-winnings/). Since Full Tilt Poker began operating again however, I was looking forward to sitting down again at one of the tables that the eye-appealing software of that poker room offered. Now before I tried my luck once more, I needed to review my poker hands in the Holdem Manager poker software to determine whether it was lady luck to blame or me. And poker stats never lie (read about my favorite [poker stats color-coded in my poker HUD](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/)).

When reviewing poker hands, I prefer sorting them in money won/lost order. That way I am able first to check out the hands I lost most of my money with and then move on to see if I could have played any better the winning hands. So, here are my losing hands of the previous 3 days that cost at least a whole buy-in.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/losing-poker-hands-holdem-manager-software.gif)

When you review those losing hands, keep track of the money you would have saved if you played correctly each hand. For instance, let’s see the first hand of that list.

I open-raised from UTG with a suited connector (87s), which isn’t obviously the optimal play. Upon reviewing the hand, I notice that two not-so-good players are sitting at late position, both playing more than 35% of their hands. That should have forced me to fold my hand easily, if I had paid more attention to the table, since I would be expecting a lot of action by them. And it’s not recommended to go to a battle holding such a hand out of position! Button and small blind joined the pot and the flop gave me a flush draw and a scare card to force my opponents out of the hand. The button called my continuation bet and I still can’t find a good reason to bet that turn, given the button calls the flop bet only 30% of the time and never folds the turn! Yet I fired the turn continuation bet, button min-raised me and I went all-in! My chance of winning that big pot was merely 18%.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-poker-hand-replayer.gif)

So, how much money could I have saved if I had played this hand differently? On turn I could have folded to the min-raise, saving me $50 or a buy-in! How about if I hadn’t played this hand at all from the beginning as I was supposed to? That would save me $67.70, since effective stacks were 135 big blinds! Thus, instead of losing 7 buy-ins, I would have ended up losing “just” 5.5! When I reviewed the rest of those 16 hands, I found out that I made more mistakes that ultimately led me to have lost so much money!

Before you curse you luck for losing money in Texas Hold’em poker tables, my advice is to review your losing hands in your favorite online poker software. You’d be surprised to discover how much better you could have played each hand and how much money you would have saved! It would only take 5 or so minutes to fully review 10-15 hands but by doing so you might find out that there is still a lot of room for improvement.
### Greek Online Gambling law imposes Tax on Gambling Winnings
URL: https://jimmakos.com/greek-online-gambling-law-tax-on-gambling-winnings/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:32:05.000Z
Internet gambling in Greece is expected to change dramatically on December 5, when the [legislation about online gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/greek-legislation-online-gambling-sites/) comes into effect, according to officials’ announcement. The Greek law will impose a tax on gambling winnings that come from either online betting or online poker, while 30% taxation on betting sites’ gross profits is also scheduled. Online gambling sites will have to either buy a license that will automatically require them to pay taxes retrospectively for profits made in 2010 and 2011, or terminate their operation for Greek residents. In the meantime Greeks will see their gambling profits shrink, as they will be charged 10% tax on their gambling winnings, both offline and online.

### 10% tax on gambling winnings

The 10% tax on gambling winnings will be applied on every single sports bet and on payout of a poker tournament. Is the taxation going to affect a winning betting strategy? Of course!

Say a profitable online betting system has a Return-on-investment (ROI) of 5%. For simplification reasons, I assume the system predicts 52.5% correctly the outcome of a sports event that pays 1 to 1 (even odds). Thus each of the 525 bets will win one unit, while 475 losing bets will cost one unit as well. The total winnings come down to 50 units of 1,000 total wagered units.

By imposing the 10% tax on gambling winnings, the correctly predicted 525 bets will now result to 472.5 units profit, therefore the betting system is no longer a winning system!

Things will be even worse for higher average odds! For example, my online betting system’s strike rate is 21% on average odds of 5.00\. Again, my system’s ROI is 5%. However, this time my ROI after tax will decrease to minus 3% after the taxation of the winnings! 210 winning bets will pay out 756 units instead of 840 before tax, so by taking 790 losing bets into account, it won’t be profitable to bet on long shots!

### Gambling tax on poker tournament winnings

Usually a good poker player’s ROI in online poker tournaments is close to 100% and the In-the-money (ITM) percentage is almost 20%. Yet, I’ll assume of a poker player having a 50% ROI and 20% ITM%. They buy into 1,000 tournaments for $10 each, resulting to $5,000 total winnings. They have lost $8,000 when they didn’t cash out in 800 tournaments, but won $15,000 in the rest. 10% tax on those gambling winnings will cut down their ROI from 50% to 35%, since $1,500 will automatically be deducted from their winnings! The tax on gambling winnings will now cost 30% of their net profit!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tournoua-poker-statistika-roi-itm.gif)

The Greek gambling community is quite upset by the recent announcements regarding the taxation of [online gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/). The same taxes will also apply when gambling at the local bet shops of OPAP SA, the company that has the gaming monopoly in Greece. Government launched the sale of almost all of its 34% stake in OPAP, attracting 8 offers in total on Friday, as part of the conditions of Greece’s bailout. The new tax on gambling winnings is said to reduce OPAP’s EBIDTA earnings significantly from €730m (2011) to projected €200m (2013), as more Greeks will [quit gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/quit-gambling-start-blogging/) when they realize they lose money quicker by betting in the same way as before!
### Greek legislation against online gambling sites
URL: https://jimmakos.com/greek-legislation-online-gambling-sites/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:25:51.000Z
Are you visiting Greece and planning on betting in your favorite online gambling site? Greek legislation that will come in effect on December 5, prohibits players from accessing their betting accounts, in case their favorite gambling site is one of the sites, which haven’t acquired an operating license in Greece. This is all part of the general [gambling regulation that takes part in European Union](https://jimmakos.com/online-gambling-sites-affected-regulations-legislation/) that has recently led Betfair to quit offering their exchange services in Germany. Nothing is certain though despite the announcement of the Greek gaming commission, which warns players, gambling sites and internet service providers that they will be breaking the law in December and will be fined.

It all started a year ago when Greek lawmakers thought or regulating the online gambling market in Greece, due to millions of euros leaving the country. According to the law in Greece, residents of Greece shouldn’t bet online and should only gamble in the domestic Greek gambling company, OPAP, that also has the gambling monopoly in Greece. However several difficulties prevented the law from coming into effect, mainly because it was quite difficult to tax online gambling sites and in addition because merely a few of them actually applied for a Greek license. The law was quite vague and imprecise about the way the winnings were going to be taxed, thus Greek poker players and online bettors had doubts of the proposed legislation. Greeks continued playing poker, betting on sports and gambling in a high quality and secure casino online with no remorse!

Now, a year later and Greek lawmakers return much stronger this time, as they have already decided on the fines of law-brakers. Unlicensed online gambling sites will be fined 20,000 euros per day during the first week of operation and 40,000 euros per day after that first week. The same applies for the third-party websites that will advertise unlicensed gambling sites with the exception of doubling that fine. Internet service providers (ISPs) that will allow access to the IPs of unlicensed online gambling sites will also asked to pay a fine of 50,000 euros per day during the first 7 days and 100,000 euros each day afterwards, while customers who gamble online in unlicensed sites will be fined 1,000 euros per gambling activity. Fines can reach hundreds of thousands of euros in case gamblers are not adults.

Today 24 gambling sites have acquired a temporary license to operate in Greece but very few of the worldwide popular betting, casino or poker sites. I suppose online gambling in Greece will be much more often in the news’ headlines during the following 30 days, while all of Greek gambling blogs will discuss of the legislation. Subscribe to my blog or follow me in Twitter or Facebook to read the updates of the legislation about online gambling in Greece.
### Poker Games Strategy Ep.6: Scary board in Heads-Up
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-heads-up-video/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:35:33.000Z
Heads-up poker is considered the ultimate poker game! Sometimes though, we can find ourselves playing heads-up at a 6-max table, when tables are breaking up, 4 players are sitting out or waiting to post the big blind. It’s not that rare to end up playing heads-up [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) and you’d better be prepared, in case you are dealt a premium hand like in the poker hand I’m discussing about in the 6th episode of the video series about online poker strategy! It’s easy to learn how to play poker holding Aces or Kings, but what happens when a scary flop or turn kills the action or even worse puts you in an awkward position? Now imagine that effective stacks are 200bb and you are also out of position. Not the best scenario for a premium hand, unless you hit a set!

You won’t find me playing heads-up poker that often and especially against a good regular player like in the hand in question. However we used to play 4-handed poker before 2 players decided to sit out and another lost their entire stack. The cards were dealt and I looked down at Kings. The button was a 22/17 regular semi-loose aggressive (sLAG) player playing almost optimally in all streets. That is why almost all of their stats are colored blue in my Holdem Manager [heads-up display](https://jimmakos.com/2012/05/holdem-manager-hud-color-range-optimal-poker-stats/) (HUD).

The sLAG opponent min-raised and I 3bet almost immediately. You could argue that since we were playing deep-stack poker, I should have raised more, probably $3, and you would be correct. Anyway, button called and the flop included an Ace, the only card that you don’t want to see when you hold Kings. Standard, right? Been there, done that.

There were now two ways for me to play my Kings: the aggressive way and the passive way. If I chose to play passively, I would check and call a bet on flop. Yet, since I had already 3bet preflop, I opted to keep up the aggression and bet. What would my bet accomplish against a sLAG player? Obviously not a fold from any Ace. But they might continue with tens, Jacks or Queens if they regard me as an aggressive player and don’t respect my betting that much. Calling with KQ of clubs was also likely. If they raised me, I would probably give up the pot against them.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-strategy-video-kings.jpg)

I was called and turn was a very good card, giving me a set but at the same time completing the flush draw. Should I have been worried of the flush on turn? I already mentioned that KQ of clubs was in their range. As the King of clubs was now on the table, it was 99% certain that they didn’t have the flush. What kind of suited cards would they call a 3bet preflop and just call the flop bet? Only KQcc and maaaybe QJcc. If they had T9cc or 98cc for example, I would expect a raise on flop by such a sLAG player, trying to fold out better hands like KQ or Jacks. Thus, I was only afraid of their Aces at this point, but I was not going to let them any free cards, in case their AQc or AJc hit a flush on river! Since they wouldn’t fold at this point with those hands or a lower set (nines or fives), I bet big so that I can shove easier on river. An argument for a check raise could be made here as well.

River was a blank and I stick to the plan by shoving my stack. Villain thought for more than half a minute, using their time bank before they decided to fold. Checking was definitely out of the question, since it would be suspicious to check a blank card after showing so much strength.

Next time you hold a premium hand and the board scares you, don’t let your emotions affect your poker game. Keep in mind of your opponent’s possible range and don’t hesitate to fold your hand even at heads-up, if the action implies you are beat.
### Poker Games Strategy Ep.5: Learn how to play poker from mistakes
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-learn-how-to-play-poker-video/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T04:18:36.000Z
The 5th episode of the video series about online poker strategy proves that mistakes are inevitable. Yet, the best way to *learn how to play poker* is actually by trying to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again! Making money in any [online poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) game is all about who makes the most mistakes. If we constantly play wrong, we donate money to better players who exploit our mistakes and weaknesses. By reducing the mistakes we make, the opponents return some of our money but we are still losing money. Making no mistakes while leading our opponents to make a lot of them is the perfect ****poker strategy** to take all their money!

In the poker hand I’m discussing in this video it’s in fact me who makes a costly mistake. Although I do have the position at the table – and that is the button – I fail to fold my hand when it’s pretty obvious I’m behind. My hand is AK offsuit and preflop the player at middle position open raises. Normally a raise here should be the optimal play. However, given the tightness of the preflop raiser who has played only 2 hands in the last 30 orbits and due to me having position against them, I elect to flat call their raise. It would be easy to play with AK in position after all, even against a tight and possible good player. The preflop action is complete with both players at the blinds calling the raise as well. It’s a 4-way pot.

The flop is a great flop for my hand. With no flush draws and very few straight draws, my top-pair top-kicker hand is going to get plenty of value of worse Aces, maybe a couple of premium hands like Jacks, Queens or Kings who can’t find the fold button, a straight draw like 76 or an eight. How is it possible that a player holding 98 for example could actually call my bet? Well, perhaps my bet on that flop and sitting at the button would be considered as a bluff trying to take down a nice pot. Bad news is that all the players in the pot are regulars or good players. Small blind is the player I’m mostly afraid of, but big blind is also a very aggressive player who might give me trouble. It’s him who calls my bet while the rest fold.

Since he is a somewhat tight player, his call is a bit worrying but at that point their calling range is many Aces (even A2) and sets. Given their aggressiveness, I would have expected a raise if they held some peculiar kind of a straight draw and players like them usually fold medium pairs, like nines or an eight. They would have also raised with a two-pair hand (like A8 or A5), hoping to get value from hands like AT or AJ. I suppose they didn’t think my hand is that strong. So, worse aces and sets.

On turn their A3 has picked up two-pair, and A2 or A4 have picked up a straight draw. They check and now it’s up to me to either check behind or bet. If they had been a very loose player, my bet would be better justified. My turn bet will likely now get value only from AT or AJ but those are all the hands that I’m actually getting value from, regarding this tight player. I guess they are capable of folding A9 or worse at this point and they would reraise me, should their hand have improved or picked up those straight draws. In case of a reraise, I would have to make a tough decision and probably a fold should be advisable. So, there is one minor mistake I make by betting that dry board. Big blind surprisingly just calls and I am now more than convinced that I’m already beat!

River is a blank since I already explained that they are not drawing for a straight. If I were behind on turn, I am still behind on river. I was planning on checking that river but I am confronting with a pot-sized lead bet! Here is where I make the biggest mistake of the day by calling that bet! Villain was already playing with their hand face-up but I myself couldn’t let go of my hand. That’s a mistake called “married to your hand”! The big blind has either a set, letting me bet into them the whole way or a two-pair hand (like A8) that wants to get paid with on river, correctly assuming that I was going to check that river behind. Donating to good players should also be avoided, since a payback would be more difficult than playing agaisnt bad players.

What did we learn of this poker hand? Always listen to ourselves and stay true to our belief. I sensed I was behind on turn and I should have folded on river. The river bet should have made my decision even easier, but instead I lost more than half of my stack on river! The sooner we learn how to play poker by avoiding costly mistakes, the quicker our online poker bankroll will increase.
### Investing in Photography to Make Money Online
URL: https://jimmakos.com/investing-in-photography-make-money-online/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T18:56:43.000Z
Photography is a hobby that can make you money. At least that is what I keep reading in websites about photography! Although I have never dealt with photography, the recent poker videos I recorded and published in this blog changed my view towards photography. I have been [gambling for a living](https://jimmakos.com/2008/09/make-a-living-from-gambling/), which led me to [blogging](https://jimmakos.com/2012/12/quit-gambling-start-blogging/) for extra income and now I am looking into investing in a camera and lenses. Apart from improving the quality of my videos, having a keen interest in investing in photography generally may bring up new opportunities for income diversification.

I admit that I was getting a little bored when I listened to friends talking about photography. I believed that taking photos shouldn’t be that hard and I couldn’t justify the cost of expensive photographic equipment.

After 3 days of extensive research on photography I must say that I was completely wrong! Of course technology has moved on since I last held a film camera and I am surprised that digital cameras used for taking photos are actually excellent cameras for shooting videos!

You may have noticed that I try uploading high-definition videos in [my Youtube channel](http://www.youtube.com/user/JimmakosCom). I truly believed that my Logitech camera recorded in 720p but only when I completed the [3rd episode of the poker video series](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/poker-games-strategy-squeeze-play-video/) did I realize that the camera in fact enforces upscaling during the recording! That and the fact I received a couple of complains about the sound of my videos made me begin searching for an alternative solution when recording my poker sessions. Long story short I have almost decided on a Canon dSLR 60D camera and a 50mm prime lens to start with.

The quality of the videos I record in the future will certainly benefit from this purchase and will probably attract more viewers and visitors to my blog, but that got me thinking. Spending a thousand euros on photography equipment just for gambling videos isn’t justified. I must take advantage of the equipment elsewhere. And that is called stock photography.

In short, learning photography and spending time in this new hobby of mine will probably result to a lot of photo-shooting! Some photos will perhaps be better than others. Uploading them to a stock photography service and creating a portfolio might in fact bring a couple of sales! I’m not talking about serious money, just 20 or 30 dollars and I would be more than happy during the learning curve. This would be my first step in case I decide to invest in photography. But that’s not all. How about a blog about photography?

Well, yes, I’m not pioneering here! There are thousands of good-looking blogs about photography. However, given my past experience of blogging, why not investing in a new blog as well? The cost of a new blog compared to the cost of the camera is truly minuscule. Therefore, why not publishing a post or two per week about what I learnt about my new toy? Did I mention the cost of advertising of “photography”? It turns out that according to Google Keyword Tool, photography isn’t such a cheap keyword. Of course it’s nowhere near the advertising cost of financial terms like stock market or trading, but there is hope for some extra income from a creative hobby.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/photography-keyword.gif)

So there you have it! Investing in photography for income means stock photography and blogging for me. Should I invest in a new Canon camera, I would definitely resurrect my istockphoto.com account and install [WordPress](https://jimmakos.com/2010/09/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/) in a new [domain](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/how-to-register-develop-keyword-targeted-domains/). Until then I will keep studying about aperture, focal length and exposure!
### Poker Games Strategy Episode 4: Let them Bluff!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-episode-4-bluff/
Last updated: 2024-07-23T08:27:43.000Z
You are defending from the blinds against a super-aggressive player sitting at late position. You look down at QJ off-suit. Should you fold, call or raise? I say: “Let them bluff”! Playing [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) out of position can be a bit tricky and can cost money, especially when defending with no premium hands. I have already shown [how to defend with suited connectors](https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-video-suited-connectors-blinds/), but what happens when your hand can be easily dominated? The fourth episode of the video series about online poker strategy discusses such a poker hand, making use of some amateur magic tricks! I have deliberately slowed down the speed of the video, since I am just too fast performing the tricks! Lol!

The range of the hands that a player, who steals a lot, plays is very wide and includes a lot of air, drawing and weak hands. Holding a medium hand like any hand with face cards is going to act both as a bluff catcher but also as a [value betting hand](https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-video-value-betting-medium-hands/) if it’s improved like the hand in the video. Weak players will often chase their draws aggressively and can’t really find the fold button when they are under pressure. In addition, they believe they should keep on betting no matter what, as that is the correct strategy they should apply according to all poker training sites, although they don’t fully understand the meaning behind aggression. Most often that strategy of theirs is the reason for getting them trapped.

On the other hand, playing out of position might be dangerous for some inexperienced players. As I discuss in the poker video, board texture is very important and you might have to make some hero calls if the cards don’t go your way, or even give up a nice pot. Try to keep the pot under control as much as possible, since you don’t want to invest a lot of money before bluffed out of the hand! For instance, if no Jack or Queen had been on flop, I would be willing to just call the flop bet and try floating, instead of trying to rebluff with 6 or less outs!

What is your poker strategy when defending from the blinds against an aggressive player? Do you think I should better call on flop instead of raising for value? Do you agree with the turn action? Let me know in the comments below.
### Poker Games Strategy Ep.3: Setting Up Traps against Squeeze Play
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-squeeze-play-video/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:39:41.000Z
In the third episode of the poker video series about online poker strategy, I’m discussing about squeeze play and how to set up traps against super-aggressive players who overdo it! Squeeze play is not such an advanced poker strategy, although you need to be careful when you try it. In simple words, when you have position against the preflop raiser and a caller, you 3bet hoping that the initial raiser gives up, since the caller who is “squeezed”, would rarely continue, donating their dead money. In the poker hand described in the video the squeezer is actually at the blinds and I’m the caller. Watch what happens when I setup a trap with a premium hand against the fish who squeezes and 3bets more often than they fold!

As I explain in the video, this is not the standard way to play a premium hand in [poker online](https://jimmakos.com/poker). However it’s the only way to keep bad players contesting for the pot and giving them the chance to bluff, when they don’t have any outs! They also don’t know how to use squeeze play effectively, since they opted to squeeze with an off-suit gapper hand that rarely flops well when they are called. Their only hope is to hit a straight or trips, otherwise it would be difficult for them to continue, especially out of position.

I suppose an even bigger mistake is when they call my 4bet out of position. Squeeze play besides isn’t a bad play and it should be included in any poker player’s arsenal. Yet, squeezing out of position is a tricky one and they should either shove or fold when confronting with my 4bet surprise! In case they believe I bluff a lot (4bet bluff against squeezing) and try restealing the pot, they should shove, forcing me to fold a better hand than theirs, such as T9s or QTs. On the other hand, if they think I’m capable of setting up traps against squeeze play, folding is the correct decision.

Do you utilize squeeze plays in your poker game? What is your defense against poker players who squeeze a lot? Let me know in the comments below.
### Poker Games Strategy Ep.2: Value Betting with Medium Hands
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-video-value-betting-medium-hands/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:39:06.000Z
Value betting with medium poker hands is discussed in the second episode of the poker strategy video series. One of the first lessons in online poker is value betting with strong hands, especially against bad players and calling stations. How about value betting with hands that have medium showdown value like second pair? How about calling down with a medium hand a check-raise of a fish? That may not sound as great strategy, but we will be surprised to find out we are in front most of the times! Like in the poker hand I’m showing in this video.

I’m sitting at the same table I was playing at the [episode 1](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/poker-games-strategy-video-suited-connectors-blinds/)! The opponent is right next to me and in this hand he is at the Under-The-Gun position (UTG). After 65 hands his VPIP is more than 50%, while his aggression factor is zero! An interesting statistic that will come in handy regarding the specific poker hand is that he almost never folds on flop and actually never on turn! The opponent has serious leaks that lead to a very bad Won $ at Showdown percentage (25%). Find the [optimal poker stats here](https://jimmakos.com/2012/05/holdem-manager-hud-color-range-optimal-poker-stats/).

They open 3 times the big blind and I look down at King Seven offsuit. I rarely play this hand from that position, but given the action I’ll be trying to isolate the fish and play a pot against him. That is why I 3bet them, preventing from other regulars to take part in the hand. Calling would also give better odds for them to call in position with drawing and medium hands and in case someone attacked with a 3bet, I would not be able to defend with such a medium poker hand.

The isolation 3bet worked and after villain’s check it’s up to me to either check behind or continue betting. The flop has given me second pair and a flush draw, increasing my pot equity considerably. There are two issues if I elect to check behind. First, I offer a free card to villain that might help them and I’m also giving up the chance to take down a nice pot with a lot of dead money into it. Betting on the other hand will allow me to remain aggressive, potentially lead my opponent to make more mistakes and finally conceal my hand, as that is the same exact action I would be taking in case I held Aces, Kings or Queens. Villain calls and turn is a blank.

His call didn’t set any alarms on, since he only folds 25% when facing a continuation bet! But from what hands could I be possibly taking value from? Most probably drawing hands like straight draws (T8, J8, JT), worse flush (and combo) draws (QJs, QTs, J8s, JTs) and perhaps some overcards (AQ, AJ, AT, KQ), which they can’t fold. Besides, they only fold 33% preflop against a 3bet, meaning that these hands are likely to be in their 3bet-calling range! Since the turn didn’t change anything, I don’t want them to draw out against me and continue taking value against some of the mentioned hands. Shoving there is also an option since his stack is close to the pot’s size, otherwise a smaller bet than the one I make would induce some bluff-raising. Yet they opt to check-raise all-in but I’m not going anywhere, given their check-raise stats!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/postflop-stats-aggression.jpg)

In case I’m behind (set, overpair or a nine) I still have plenty of outs. It turns out that I was actually in front during the whole hand, when they showed JTs for a straight and flush draw! My pot equity was 72% on flop…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pot-equity-flop.jpg)

…and it increased to 80% on turn!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pot-equity-turn.jpg)

Should I have checked behind on flop or even worse on turn, I would have given up my pot equity and wouldn’t have maximized the value I could generate against the specific poker player. They would also fold to any river bet, since they would have missed their draws and maybe only a Jack or Ten would be enough to call me down.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/expected-value-poker-hand.jpg)

This poker hand explains why we should always take fish to valuetown! Even with medium hands we should try to isolate and play many pots against bad players, as we can extract plenty of value from them. We should also be not afraid to call down their aggressive moves. They apparently don’t know how to fold chasing draws and attacking with no folding equity! My EV-adjusted profit of this hand was about $11, although I did make 20 dollars. Too bad the villain left the table, as soon as they lost the hand.
### 5 Online Investing Ideas for Income
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-investing-for-income/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:32:38.000Z
I have been making money investing online over the past decade by trading, playing online poker, betting on sports, blogging and playing blackjack at casinos! Investing in casino games was how I first got into gambling and it’s the only investment that was not carried out online. I then moved on to online trading for a living at Betfair that also led me to begin blogging and ended up playing [high stakes poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/). During those years sports betting systems also supplied a side-income and nowadays stock trading and online blogging are the main areas where I am investing for income.

### Investing in Casino Games

I began experimenting with gambling by learning how to card count at the blackjack tables. I am talking about land-based casinos here that don’t feature automatic shuffle machines. For most, investing in casino games doesn’t sound like a promising investment, yet that is how I increased my initial bankroll ten times as I describe in [my about page](https://jimmakos.com/about/). Obviously I got quite lucky, although being a card counter and using shuffle tracking techniques did allow me to have an edge against the casino when playing blackjack.

How about investing in online casinos nowadays? Personally I don’t know of any casino game that players can make money online in the long run. The only investing idea that could provide some kind of an income for a short time is called bonus hunting. Pretty often online casinos make new offers that include new deposit bonus or welcome bonus, in order to attract new customers. These casino bonuses are usually quite generous, although bonus hunters need to spend quite some time playing at the casino online. As soon as the bonus is redeemed and money can be withdrawn, players move on to the next bonus, effectively trying to take advantage of every offer that different online casinos make from time to time.

### Investing in online trading

That is one of my favorite investments and my best investing idea till now, since it provided for me a substantial income for 3 years! Trading any kind of security is pretty much the same, as long as one knows that they do have an edge. While [Betfair trading](https://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) was quite profitable for me 7 years ago, nowadays stock and forex trading are becoming a lot more popular that before. Online investing in trading can make a lot of money, unless traders are investing based on emotions. Cold trading and following a plan or a trading strategy along with [money management](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/money-management-betfair-trading/) are the necessary investing tools, in order to [make money trading online](https://www.tradinggraphs.com/2012/10/15/online-stock-trading-make-money/).

### Investing in online poker

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-wsop-tournament-winner.jpg)

Online trading may be becoming popular, but poker has given a new meaning to the word “popularity”! New poker sites are popping up every year and turnover worldwide continues to increase. New players are constantly being introduced to the poker games and money exchanges hands every second on the virtual felts! [Long-time winners](https://jimmakos.com/2009/06/how-much-money-make-online-poker/) prove that not only one can invest in online poker, but also one can take up a professional career in poker, either as a cash game or a tournament player. If you are also looking to make it to the headlines by investing online, winning a couple of major poker tournaments is the easiest way to go!

### Online investing in sports betting

Flipping a coin and betting at even odds won’t get you far. Betting on a football team at even odds when that team wins 55% of the time will make you money in the long run. Value betting is how to make money when investing in sports events. The edge can be as low as 1% and there are rumors that there are betting systems of 25% profit yield! My personal investing story of sports betting speaks of a very promising betting strategy on football games that forced me to **question maths** at one point, when the drawdown erased half of the profits! Sports betting is one of the online investments I rarely deal with nowadays, but you might want to read [how to build your own betting system](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/how-to-build-betting-system/) in a post I wrote 5 years ago!

### Online investing in blogging

Almost everyone these days think they should start a blog and finally share their thoughts with like-minded people. In the process they could make money as well, according to several inspirational bloggers. In fact blogging could make you money and can be regarded as a form of online investing, although it’s not as easy as it looks. New bloggers need to be well prepared and consider spending a lot of time and effort building their blogs, if they want blogging to pay their bills. Most of the times, owning a blog doesn’t cost much, but like most investments one would need to invest money in their blogs, in order to stand out from the crowd.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/blog-advertising-earnings-300x167.jpg)

Before [investing in a hosting plan](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/vps-hosting-comparison/), a tip that won’t cost you anything is to pick carefully a [keyword-rich domain](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/how-to-register-develop-keyword-targeted-domains/) for your blog. Deciding next on the [blog software](https://jimmakos.com/2010/09/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/) also comes free and it’s when you begin promoting your blog by link building that expenses begin piling up! Remember though that content is king when it comes to making money from your blog. You might find inspiration of the [Mashable.com success story](https://jimmakos.com/2010/07/how-to-make-money-blogging-mashable-way/)!

These are the five online investing ideas I have been dealing with over the past 10 years! I’m grateful that most of them have been profitable for me, and although mistakes cost dearly in these investments, rewards can be extraordinary! Have you been investing for income or do you know of other online investing ideas? Let me know at the comments below.
### Poker Games Strategy Ep.1: Suited Connectors from the Blinds
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-games-strategy-video-suited-connectors-blinds/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T04:35:04.000Z
This is the first episode of a video series about online poker strategy. The video of the poker table is recorded while I am playing [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) online at one of my favorite poker sites, Poker Stars, and I add the narration afterwards. During this episode, I’m discussing how to take advantage of an interesting poker hand, called suited connectors, out of position and specifically from the blinds. I’m up against 3 other players attacking them from the small blind, although I consider none of them more competent than me. I suppose you will agree with me in the conclusion of the video.

So, let’s examine my opponents in this hand. Big blind is a very tight player with a VPIP of 13, which means they only play 13% of their hands! Their stack is one third of the maximum buy-in and unless he is a pro short-stacker, I have nothing to worry about them. The Cut-off looks like a fish playing more than half of their hands and attacking on all streets! For most people this player is considered a maniac and value hands go up tremendously against such a player. Finally at the Button there’s a passive player, whose aggression factor is almost zero! The only player that has a full stack in front of him is the cutoff.

After the first two players from the early and middle positions fold, cutoff open raises for the standard bet size: 4 times the big blind. Button calls and with two mediocre to bad players already in the pot, I am not afraid to cold call out of position holding suited connectors, an action that might provide attractive odds for the Big Blind to come along with his medium hands given they are extremely tight.

The flop is an excellent flop for my hand. I have an open-ended straight draw, a flush draw and a straight flush draw along with middle pair! One option would be to check and raise when one of the three opponents bets. Assuming I check, Big Blind checks and Cutoff bets. No matter the reaction of the Button, my check-raise would certainly chase the Big Blind out and I very much would like him into the pot at this point, giving me better odds for my multi-draw. Thus I choose to lead bet for 80% of the pot, willing to get calls from all possible draws or pairs.

Big Blind calls, adding almost 14 big blinds more in the pot and preflop-raiser min-raises! That almost always means a strong hand. Button gives up and action is back at me. Calling out of position is not an option, since my pot equity will obviously be reduced on turn, unless I hit one of my draws, which would surely make the cutoff slow down or even quit the hand. But how much is exactly my pot equity given the villain holds top pair?

66%. I need to get all my money into the pot right now! Folding is also not an option, therefore I raise all-in, hoping to get a call from cutoff. I already consider big blind’s money as dead money and even if cutoff holds a monster (set or made straight), I still have plenty of outs to make a better hand.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-suited-connector-out-of-position.jpg)

Cutoff calls and the turn is an Ace, giving him two pair! Let’s go back and say I called instead of shoving. My pot equity would now have been decreased to 36% and I could barely call a full-pot bet by cut-off. In case he overbet, I should fold giving up such a good hand!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-suited-connector-out-of-position-turn.jpg)

River completes my straight draw and I take down a nice pot. While I won more than 100 big blinds in this hand, the actual expected value of the hand is about 40 big blinds ($10) and it’s the most EV one could extract in this situation.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/expected-value-holdem-manager-suited-connectors.jpg)
### Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Price Comparison at Amazon: France is cheaper than UK or Germany
URL: https://jimmakos.com/samsung-galaxy-note-price-comparison-amazon/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:13:10.000Z
Ordering the Samsung new mobile phone, Galaxy Note 2, from French Amazon marketplace is a lot cheaper that ordering the phablet either from German or English Amazon website! The quick price comparison I completed among the various Amazon websites revealed that delivering the new Samsung Note to Greece is 30 euros cheaper when purchasing from France compared to Germany, and a hundred euros cheaper than UK!

![samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon.gif)

Upon reaching the final step of the checkout at Amazon, I can buy the [**Samsung Galaxy Note 2**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/10/samsung-galaxy-note-2-sony-ericsson-mobile-phone/) for EUR584 including package and shipping costs to Greece when completing the checkout at the French Amazon.

![samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon-fr](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon-fr.gif)

Moving on to the German website of Amazon, I need to spend EUR616 for the same mobile phone – by the way, it’s called phablet as a combination of the words tablet and phone.

![samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon-de](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon-de.gif)

The most expensive Galaxy Note 2 can be purchased from the English website of Amazon for EUR689!

![samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon-co-uk](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-note-2-amazon-co-uk.gif)

Excluding shipping and packaging costs, the Samsung mobile phone is still cheaper in France (EUR558), comparing the Samsung mobile price among the Amazon marketplaces. For the time being I’m patient enough to let the dust settles and wait for the mobile’s price to come down to at least EUR500 before considering to buy the Note 2.

Did you know that the popular Samsung galaxy S3 can be purchased for about EUR450 nowadays when it first sold for about EUR600? And it was released just 4 months ago!
### Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Replacing my Sony Ericsson mobile phone
URL: https://jimmakos.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2-sony-ericsson-mobile-phone/
Last updated: 2024-07-23T08:25:14.000Z
Although replacing my mobile phone wasn’t in my immediate plans, the new phablet by Samsung, Galaxy Note 2, is quite tempting. The term “phablet” comes from combining the words “tablet” with “phone” and by reading the various Note 2 online reviews, it seems that the latest technology by Samsung will dominate the mobile market for quite some time. So, why do I consider the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 to be one of the best mobile phones for an active blogger and investor like me?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/sony-ericsson-p800.jpg)

Let’s take you back for a moment and discuss about the time when I owned a Sony Ericsson P800\. Sony’s mobile phone had a touch screen that only functioned though via the plastic pen accompanying the phone. While I truly enjoyed using that mobile phone for 4 years, I was really missing the simplicity of a “normal” phone.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nokie-6111-mobile-phone.jpg)

That’s why I replaced it with a Nokia 6111 when its screen was damaged due to a fall. Nokia’s tiny size came in handy, although now I felt like I was only able to just make… phone calls! 3 years later and when every friend of mine was buying phones with large screens (4 inches and up), I opted again for a Sony Ericsson mobile phone, the [Xperia Mini pro](https://jimmakos.com/my-new-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro/).

I could now have internet access on my phone, a usable touch screen compared to P800 and plenty of functionality that any Android phone provides, while the phone still made it into my pocket. Yet, the greatest asset of the Sony mobile phone was undoubtedly the sliding keyboard. Tweeting and sharing on Facebook was done quite easily, writing messages didn’t take more than a minute and it was like having my old Nokia 6111, only the functionality was 100 times better! I thought I would use this great phone for years to come.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/sony-ericsson-xperia-mini-pro.jpg)

As a blogger and an administrator of quite a few websites, I occasionally need to publish new posts while I’m on the move, especially when co-authors send me new posts and I am away from my desktop computer. That was the first time I thought that I needed something more than a phone. The [Fujitsu tablet pc](https://jimmakos.com/fujitsu-t900-tablet-pc-my-best-buy/) I bought 2 years ago at a great price proved to be quite heavy to carry it around wherever I went, although I truly regard it as an excellent laptop and tablet combination. Yet, it turned out that I only used the tablet’s capabilities for drawing and learning how to sketch. I even thought of investing in web comics at one point!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/samsung-galaxy-bluetooth-keyboard.jpg)

I suppose the new technology of Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will allow me to publish new posts in my blogs, given not only the large screen size but also the multitasking feature. The pen will also help when it comes to precise clicking on options when publishing and the optional Bluetooth keyboard will prove a helpful tool, as long as I want to add keywords or make changes to the posts.

Apart from blogging, Galaxy Note 2 will likely be better than the Xperia Mini pro when I access the stock markets using the Interactive Brokers Android application. After all, that was the real reason when I was researching for the best mobile solution for online investing and almost decided on the Apple iPad! Assuming the application will work on the larger screen format and resolution, stock charts and trading options will be much clearer and accessible. I guess even accessing Betfair for [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) would be perfect, although we are still waiting for an Android application to play [online poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/)!

The possibilities of the Note 2 for a blogger and investor seem endless and hopefully I will talk more about these, when I get hold of the new Samsung tablet… oh, sorry, meant to say phablet! I surely miss the Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro though.
### Received a Payment from LoudLaunch link service – Bonus included!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/received-payment-loudlaunch-link-service-bonus-included/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:47:15.000Z
I have finally received a payment from LoudLaunch since[ the last time I discussed about the specific link building service](https://jimmakos.com/2012/07/loudlaunch-no-pay-guest-blogging-posts/), which also included a much welcome bonus! Therefore I figured I should let my blog’s readers know in case their payments have also been delayed. It turns out LoudLaunch was in a relaunch/rebranding phase in the last 2 months according to their CEO, Toni Atkinson, that led numerous emails to go unanswered and quite a lot of payments to put on hold. Inevitably several bloggers were discouraged to continue working with LoudLaunch and who could blame them? Building a blog or a website isn’t easy or doesn’t come cheap as it looks and sharing guest blog posts to your dedicated followers is one of the few ways to make money from blogging, especially if your niche is gambling. Thus bloggers need to be assured that they are going to be paid for the provided service. LoudLaunch did pay me in the end and I expect them to be paying on time from now on.

Remember when I complained that I continuously tried contacting LoudLaunch to find out about my payment’s status in June? Toni was kind enough to make that up for me, not only by apologizing in almost every email he sent me the past week (more than 3!) but also by including a $25 bonus! Apologies may sound convenient and easy to make but sending extra money is top notch! LoudLaunch acknowledged their mistakes in the best possible way and they have won me back. I’m delighted to have received both my payment and the added bonus and I’m looking forward to doing business again with the link building service. Depending on the next deal I strike with LoudLaunch and the payment’s delivery time, I will keep you updated, in case some readers are still doubtful.
### LoudLaunch Not Paying for Guest Blogging Posts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/loudlaunch-no-pay-guest-blogging-posts/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:47:40.000Z
[Read the follow-up about how I finally received the payment from LoudLaunch!](https://jimmakos.com/2012/07/received-payment-loudlaunch-link-service-bonus-included/)

I have decided never again to do **link building** business with **LoudLaunch**, since they didn’t pay for 3 **guest blogging** posts I published for them. I was contacted by Toni Atkinson in mid-May sharing their interest of submitting guest posts in my gambling blog for link building purposes. Given that Toni signed the email as the president and CEO of Loudlaunch.com I had no doubts of the email’s source. I let him know of the guest posts’ guidelines and requirements and also of other domains where I could host his guest posts. He came back to me with 3 guest posts, which I published the following day in three different blogs of mine. I hopefully expected a prompt payment, but given the fact that most advertisers delay payment, I wasn’t worried when I didn’t hear from him for a week.

In late May I sent him an email asking politely if he had any news about the payment. That email didn’t get reply so 3 days later I began my research online about LoudLaunch. The results were quite frightening. Several posts claimed the specific **SEO link building service** had turned into a scam and didn’t pay any fees for the published guest posts. There are so many mentions and complaints about the quality of the LoudLaunch **link bulding service**, that I quickly sent out an email to Toni, informing him that I would share my experience with my blogs’ readers, quite possibly hurting his service’s reputation. Toni got back to me in a matter of hours and I was relieved to read that he thought my payment had been taken care of and that he was on his way to submit the payment.

Alas, since you are reading this you know I never got a payment, nor have I heard of Toni again. That was the last communication I had with him and my next emails still wait for an honest reply. I know of a couple of reputable **SEO link building services** and I guarantee that LoudLaunch isn’t one of them. I frankly don’t know how Toni keeps on doing link building with so many negative comments appearing in Google search, but I am now sure I won’t be trusting him again for publishing any guest blogging posts. Unless he is willing to forward the payment even with a 2-month delay!

I haven’t yet unpublished his posts from my blogs. Would you recommend doing that? Also, have you done business with LoudLaunch in the past? Leave a comment if you yourself have lost money by **link building services**.

***Update***: Ten days since the publication of this article Toni contacted me and I received a payment, including a bonus actually (about the cost of a guest post)! Here’s his email:

\> Hello Jim,

\> Please accept my apologies for the delay in your payment.

\> We finally got back to catching up with our emails and blogger outreach items today after being buried in code preparing to launch our new site, and Angie, our manager, discovered a few emails we had not attended to yet.

\> I have sent payment just now, through paypal, please confirm that you received it.

\> I hope you will continue to work with us as I’d like to add you to our system, and hope you understand that at worst, we were disorganized over the past month as we worked toward our re-launch/re-branding and do not intend for you to be inconvenienced in any way.

\> Thanks

\> Toni

I consider that an honest reply. Hopefully Toni won’t need to send these emails in the future
### Online Gambling Sites Affected by Regulations and Legislation
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-gambling-sites-affected-regulations-legislation/
Last updated: 2026-10-16T17:29:11.000Z
Online gambling sites seem to struggle against new European and American legislation that tries to regulate the [gambling](https://jimmakos.com/gambling/) market.

Sports betting companies and bookmakers were hit in Europe when Italy and recently Spain introduced new legislation that requires purchase of license in order to operate in those countries, which effectively leads to taxation of the gambling sites. Greece almost passed a relative legislation this winter but due to the country’s economic and political instability the result is somewhat confusing. 

Other online gambling sites like poker rooms were severely affected by the events of “[Black Friday](https://jimmakos.com/2011/04/rumors-say-pokerstars-will-not-honor-ept-packages/)”, when American authorities seized 4 of the biggest online poker rooms and eventually managed to prohibit US citizens from accessing their online poker accounts. New Zealand's online gambling license will come into force before the year 2026 and many casino operators that are available today will likely disappear when the new licensing system is in place.

The once free online gambling market looks like it’s headed towards a fully regulated market.

This significant trend of the online gambling industry looks set to continue as the percentage of European regulated market revenue is predicted to rise to 60.1% in 2012! Quite a few well-known online gambling sites have closed down like Eurobet on the 30th of September 2011\. [Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/2009/12/technical-analysis-really-work-betfair-trading/) and other betting exchanges are converting into standard bookmaking because “betting exchanges are prohibited” according to the suggested legislation. Others are struggling to survive due to the proposed taxation. In the meantime they are losing customers, who are also taxed by the regulators and are driven away to unlicensed gambling sites. Fake IP’s and virtual server services experience a steady increase in popularity by gamblers looking to maneuver and avoid the legislation’s effect. Even pro poker players are moving abroad in order to keep playing in the poker rooms where they believe it’s more profitable for them!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/eurobet-closed.gif)

Benefits of a regulated online gambling market include mainly the security of funds and confidence of money withdrawals. In an unregulated gambling market several horror stories of gambling sites not paying customers’ money – especially when they are long-time winners – have surfaced during the last decade, hurting the credibility of online bookmakers. Sure it’s not fun to win money by studying the markets and risking your hard-earned capital and then receiving an email that your account has been terminated. On the other hand if you are THAT good to make money in the long run, you must have already thought of these risks and prepare counter-measures.

Yet a fully regulated market of online gambling would eventually kill any chance of profitable investment for gamblers – yes, you can [make money from online gambling](https://jimmakos.com/2008/09/make-a-living-from-gambling/)! Corporate taxes and taxation of poker players and sports bettors will definitely hurt the odds and players’ edge, leading to even less revenue for the online gambling sites. Although gambling industry does have very high returns and they can afford taxation at some extent, only 5 to 10% of the customers are able to either make money or at least break even. In a regulated gambling market I assume that online gambling sites will be full of losing players in the end. Not that they are not welcome by them, but they do need some winners to get heard of.

Besides, we always hear of new lotto winners that turn into millionaires and gamblers picking 10 draws correctly and making tens of thousands. Still, we never hear of people losing one day after another and going into debt critically affecting their lives. I’m afraid we won’t be hearing of neither of those in the future that much
### Sharing Poker Hands via PokerStars Boom! Hand Replayer
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sharing-poker-hands-pokerstars-boom-hand-replayer/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:34:36.000Z
Sharing poker hands online hasn’t been easier before! PokerStars has launched Boom! Hand replayer where poker players can post and share their big bluffs, huge pot wins or bad beats! For regular poker players like myself who also blog about their **Poker hands**, the hand replayer is truly a gift since posting and including hand histories in social networks or in blog posts hasn’t been exactly that convenient. With Boom! Hand replayer I can now publish almost instantly the poker hand right from the poker table, tweet it and even embed it later in my blog, should I want to comment on that! On behalf of several poker players/bloggers, thank you **PokerStars**!

![boom-poker-hand-button](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/boom-poker-hand-button.gif)

How easy is sharing your latest poker hand you played at PokerStars I hear you ask. No more than a two clicks away. While you play either a cash game or a tournament, the hand summaries are shown in the chat box. Right next to each hand’s summary you’ll notice the trademarked sign of Boom! replayer. Clicking on it leaves you with two choices, either to share the poker hand at the Boom! website or with your Twitter followers! Given the fact you can login to Boom! by linking to your twitter account, there’s even no need to create a new account at Boom! Just use your existing account from Twitter, pick your screen’s name – can be different than your actual PokerStars nickname – and off you go!

![boom-player-sharing-poker-hand](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/boom-player-sharing-poker-hand.gif)

Before I tried Boom! hand replayer from PokerStars, I had been blogging about [**online poker**](https://jimmakos.com/poker) in my **WordPress** blog. Posting hand histories or images from **Holdem Manager** replayer screen had been a tiresome task and readers find it difficult to keep up. I know I have, when reading posts about poker analysis, even with properly formatted hand histories. Yet, I was trying to make my posts as easily-read as possible. Now I can simply embed the poker hand in my blog post by simply pasting the embed code where appropriate. Check out [**my first poker hand I shared with Boom**](http://www.boomplayer.com/en/poker-hands/Boom/132176%5FE912F29CB3)! and vote/like it!

Boom! hand replayer offers two sizes of their embed codes: the standard (640 pixels width) and the small (400px width). Since most blogs are 960 pixels wide and the sidebar’s width is about 300 pixels, that leaves 650 pixels (with margins) for the content. This means including the standard size of the replayer won’t cause much trouble to most blogs out there.

Facebook and Google Plus are both missing from the sharing options though. I suppose they will be added on. Besides, there’s plenty of room below Twitter for other social networks to be used for connecting with [**Boom! hand replayer**](http://www.boomplayer.com/).
### Maximize Poker Hand’s Expected Value against Fish
URL: https://jimmakos.com/maximize-poker-hands-expected-value-against-fish/
Last updated: 2020-12-15T13:38:02.000Z
The best poker strategy to maximize expected value when we are against fish is to value bet big, since bad poker players tend to call down very lightly. That is exactly what I did yesterday when daily EV adjusted winnings at $100NL poker tables exceeded $800\. The first hand described below is the perfect example of extracting the maximum value out of a Top Pair/Top Kicker hand. I also include one more hand that I played yesterday, which is based on value betting as well, although villains’ stats aren’t that fishy.

Poker Stars, $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold’em Cash, 6 Players

BB: $100 (100 bb)

**Hero (UTG): $102.50 (102.5 bb)**

MP: $315.22 (315.2 bb)

CO: $92.29 (92.3 bb)

**BTN: $324.16 (324.2 bb)**

SB: $136.76 (136.8 bb)

**Preflop**: Hero is UTG with Q

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

A

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

Hero raises to $3, 2 folds, BTN calls $3, 2 folds

**Flop**: ($7.50) 4

![ of clubs](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/club4.gif)

Q

![ of clubs](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/club4.gif)

3

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

(2 players)

Hero bets $7.16, BTN calls $7.16

**Turn**: ($21.82) 6

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

(2 players)

Hero bets $20.84, BTN calls $20.84

**River**: ($63.50) 7

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

(2 players)

Hero bets $71.50 and is all-in, BTN calls $71.50

**Results:** $206.50 pot ($2.15 rake)

Final Board: 4

![ of clubs](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/club4.gif)

Q

![ of clubs](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/club4.gif)

3

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

6

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

7

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

Hero showed Q

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

A

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

and won $204.35 ($101.85 net)

BTN mucked J

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

Q

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

and lost (-$102.50 net)

![top-pair-value-bet-river](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/top-pair-value-bet-river-1.gif)

Standard preflop action against the 55/9/1 fish had me open with AQs from UTG position getting the call from the Button. Flop included a couple of draws like A5, A2 and a clubs flush draw, thus I wanted to also extract value from those hands, apart from Qx and mid pairs (55-99). The continuation bet was almost full pot with Button calling it, increasing the pot to €22\. Turn card now offered a possible flush draw for diamonds (like QJ/QT of diamonds) and a 5 now had an open-ended straight draw. There was no reason to ease off the gas and I fired a second bet close to full pot again. Button called and the river completed both the diamond flush and the 7-high straight. Obviously the river card is a rather scary card for me, despite the fact that I highly expected the fish to hold a Queen or a missed flush draw than diamonds or a five. Given the specific fish I was willing to shove my stack getting a call from 88’s, 99’s and a random Queen than letting him check behind and miss a tone of value that I was building up during the whole hand. That’s what I did and fish couldn’t find a fold holding top pair.

Poker Stars, $0.50/$1 No Limit Hold’em Cash, 6 Players

BB: $87.75 (87.8 bb)

UTG: $103.32 (103.3 bb)

**MP: $125.11 (125.1 bb)**

CO: $124.70 (124.7 bb)

BTN: $287.44 (287.4 bb)

**Hero (SB): $103.50 (103.5 bb)**

**Preflop**: Hero is SB with K

![ of clubs](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/club4.gif)

K

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

UTG folds, MP raises to $3, 2 folds, Hero raises to $12, BB folds, MP calls $9

**Flop**: ($25) 6

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

6

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

4

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

(2 players)

Hero bets $19.10, MP calls $19.10

**Turn**: ($63.20) 2

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

(2 players)

Hero bets $48.32, MP raises to $94.01, Hero calls $24.08 and is all-in

**River**: ($208.00) 7

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

(2 players, 1 is all-in)

**Results:** $208.00 pot ($2.80 rake)

Final Board: 6

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

6

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

4

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

2

![ of diamonds](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/diamond4.gif)

7

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

MP mucked 9

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

9

![ of spades](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/spade4.gif)

and lost (-$103.50 net)

Hero showed K

![ of clubs](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/club4.gif)

K

![ of hearts](http://pokertools.holdemmanager.com/images/emoticons/heart4.gif)

and won $205.20 ($101.70 net)

![top-pair-value-bet-oop-3bet-pot](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/top-pair-value-bet-oop-3bet-pot.gif)

The second **Poker hands** that drew my attention this morning for publishing this article involved a 26/16/0.9 player. He is apparently quite aggressive preflop by opening a rather wide range but doesn’t like to bet post flop. He is also never folding against preflop 3bets! That’s why I wasn’t surprised when he called my 3bet preflop. The flop couldn’t have been more dry and I fired a big continuation bet, since villain was folding 29% to cbets, meaning a possible float was well in his calling range. Indeed he called and turn wasn’t fortunately an Ace that would either kill the action or put me in trouble. Again I fired big, although I should have shoved, since my stack was just a bit over the pot. I should either shove or bet 40% of the pot letting villain get excited and try a shove himself. Nevertheless he actually put all his chips in the middle and I took down a nice pot with my Kings against his Nines!

Value betting against fish or when exploiting leaks is one of the best **[poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker)** strategy we can follow to extract maximum value of our hands. Increase your regular sizing of value bets when there’s a fish in the hand and your winrate will thank you for that!
### Donk Bet, Call or 3bet with Overpair Out of Position at Poker Micro Stakes
URL: https://jimmakos.com/donk-bet-call-3bet-overpair-out-of-position-poker-micro-stakes/
Last updated: 2020-12-15T13:38:18.000Z
A recent discussion with a friend who plays regularly **[poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker)** at micro stakes ended up on a debate whether a donk bet, a call or a 3bet is actually the best option when we are out of position against an aggressive regular poker player. We have all been there: called preflop with mid pair from the blinds – something like 55 to 99 – and the flop is a 6 high board. What is out optimal strategy against aggressive players who will likely fire a continuation bet? How does that strategy change when facing two or more players and what happens when passive opponents are in the hand?

![flop-overpair-out-of-position-poker-holdem-manager](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/flop-overpair-out-of-position-poker-holdem-manager.gif)

The hand in question involved a 35/24/0 (VPIP/PFR/AF) player who opened from Under-The-Gun position, a regular 23/10/1 (31 hands) calling from the Button and hero calling with 88’s from Small Blind. The flop came 2h4h5c giving hero an overpair but with limited information of villains’ range. He opted to check, the UTG checked but the player at Button bet about 65% of the pot. At that moment my friend wondered whether he should 3bet or – to my surprise – **fold**! He never thought of calling that bet for even one moment holding an overpair. He was afraid the regular player was either bluffing with air or they were really strong. Therefore hero wanted either to increase the pot and push him out of the hand (air obviously folds), or fold against their monster hand. He explained to me that if he was going to call and villain had air, he was in fact letting them see the turn for free and perhaps hit a hand. I myself don’t consider the turn a free card when villain has already bet but that’s not our point now.

My recommendation was a **donk bet** of 50% of the pot right from the street’s beginning. The flop was good for our hand having missed a set, which of course would have been the ideal one. If we are going to fold at such a low board, maybe we should begin folding mid-pairs out of position preflop. Calling middle pairs for set value as the sole purpose doesn’t sound a profitable poker strategy, at least for me. A donk bet would hopefully get value from worse hands like A2, A4, A5, 66, 77, 65, 43 or get calls from straight or draw chasers (many hands in that category). Since hero was against 2 opponents out of positions, his bet would be considered a strong bet and any raise would lead him to an easy decision – fold! If the donk bet would have been called, hero would evaluate the turn card and proceed from there.

How about **3-betting** the regular player? I would strongly disagree with that action, since we drive away all worse hands and pay up all better hands. If villain had air, why not calling his bluff? If they were too aggressive, that’s another reason to **call** down 2 or even 3 streets! By 3-betting them we would actually force them to play correctly and we only make money when opponents make mistakes. Folding his air against hero’s 3bet would be the correct decision and calling or shoving with a set/made straight would obviously be the correct one as well. Even by shoving with the nut flush draw (plus overcards) they make money from us (50-50 chance and we might occasionally fold). Villain would never make a mistake there and hero won’t make any money by 3-betting.

![donk-bet-poker](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/donk-bet-poker.jpg)

What about if hero was against just the reg? Would the donk bet be the best option? Well, now villain would be the preflop raiser and we expect a continuation bet more often. Depending on the villain’s [**poker stats**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/05/holdem-manager-hud-color-range-optimal-poker-stats/) and specifically Continuation Bet Percentage we would either donk bet a relatively passive player or call the continuation bet of a relatively aggressive player. If hero has been active in that table, perhaps a 3-bet could be profitable when villain calls down with something like A5, but variance will increase substantially.

A final note about the donk bet. I never suggest a donk bet for information or to find out “where we stand”. I donk bet to get value from worse hands that may check behind or are willing to call with overcards (like KJ on this flop). Another reason to donk bet relatively low is to take down the pot’s dead money. Betting 50% of the pot, we need villains to fold more often than 35% to make a profit right there! Depending on whether you also donk bet a flush/straight draw, you should adjust your play accordingly in order to either get a fold when you are weak (donk bet as a bluff) or get a call when you are strong (donk bet as a value bet)!
### Holdem Manager HUD: Color Ranges of Optimal Poker Stats
URL: https://jimmakos.com/holdem-manager-hud-color-range-optimal-poker-stats/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:45:47.000Z
Since I discussed [color-coding your Holdem Manager HUD](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/), I kept reminding myself to also post the ****color ranges for individual poker stats**. A couple of readers who are new to poker contacted me for the same reason as well and today I finally decided to publish the *optimal range* of each statistic.

You see, when I began playing online [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) and studied about VPIP, PFR and W$SD% stats ****I had trouble finding the correct numbers for each of those**. We all read that having a high VPIP is a no-no and a quick way to the poor house, but what does “*high* VPIP” exactly mean? Granted if you have been doing your homework, you already know that optimal VPIP percentage is between 18 and 22 at 6-max tables. But what about 3bet percentage, or steal, or even Fold to Turn Continuation Bet?

Reading a bunch of stats in your poker HUD doesn’t help much ****unless you know what those figures *actually* mean**.

For the *impatient* poker players out there, you can download my personal Holdem Manager HUD including all the color coding you’ll read further below and import it in your poker software.

First I need to make a reference to the ****LeakBuster application of Holdem Manager**.

[LeakBuster](https://jmks.co/leakbuster) is a small add-on of HEM 2 which promises to find your leaks when it scans your poker hands. Unfortunately you have to pay to grab it but several players have found it extremely helpful. Obviously, the more experienced player you are, the less use you’ll find of the software.

All that LeakBuster does is compare your personal statistics to the optimal ranges and point out ****the stats that deviate from the average expected figures**.

Still it’s packed with many analysis’ pages and sophisticated filters that will definitely make an impact in your game, especially if you are a losing player. You could manually create these kinds of filters, but ****what you pay for is the time and effort** to do all that.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hud-2-default-vpip-color.gif)

But enough with LeakBuster. Let’s move on to the HUD and the ****optimal ranges of the stats**.

Open Holdem Manager 2, go to HUD options and then select Stat Appearance from the left vertical menu. Default 2.0 HUD should have already been chosen, so you already have some stats to work with.

First, an example with VPIP statistic:

*TOT VPIP: 14/18/25/31/inf*

Alright, what does that mean? TOT VPIP is of course Voluntarily Put (money $) In Pot %. If that percentage is low you are playing tight, if it’s high you are playing very loose – and *probably* losing money. Clicking on that VPIP, you’ll notice three colors on the right, red for less than 15, orange for 15-30 and green for more than 30\. ****These are called color ranges**.

However this range is a very general one, as you can’t adapt your play whether the villain has a 16% VPIP or 28% VPIP.

What you need to do is ****create two additional ranges and change the ones found already**. Set red for Less than 14, orange for between 14 and 18, blue for 18-25, yellow for 25-31 and green for more than 31%. Now each time you meet a player with a red VPIP stat in your HUD, treat that person as a super tight player.

Note again, I’m talking about 6-max games. When another player’s VPIP stat is colored green, you instantly know he is playing very loose; go for value against him.

The colors I have used in all of my HUD’s stats follow the same pattern, ****red-orange-blue-yellow-green going from low’s to high’s**. Depending on the stat in question, red may lead to a *different* strategy.

For instance, a red VPIP means villain plays few hands but a low SB Fold to Steal (also red) means they are playing a lot of hands from the small blind. Therefore we have to continue with only premium hands against this opponent, except when he is defending from the small blind!

Here are all the stats and their color ranges in my Holdem Manager HUD:

****TOT PFR**: 10/14/20/25/inf

****TOT 3bet**: 4/5.8/9/12/inf

****TOT 4bet Range**: 1.6/2.8/inf (3 ranges)

****EP RFI**: 9/13/19/23/inf

****MP RFI**: 11/17/22/26/inf

****PostFlop AggFactor**: 1.8/2.3/4.1/5/inf

****PostFlop Agg%**: 28/34/40/47/inf

****Turn Agg%**: 22/27/37/44/inf

****River Agg%**: 19/22/30/36/inf

****TOT Fold to 3bet**: 45/67/80/86/inf

****Flop Cbet**: 53/62/75/80/inf

****Flop Fold to Cbet**: 40/48/63/68/inf

****Turn Cbet**: 31/39/53/58/inf

****Turn Fold to Cbet**: 30/36/48/56/inf

****WonSD%**: 49/51/58.6/61/inf

****TOT Steal**: 28.5/31.28/40.2/41.8/inf

****SB Fold to Steal**: 75/89/inf (3 ranges)

****BB Resteal**: 7.6/13.6/inf (3 ranges)

****TOT Squeeze**: 4.5/7.6/inf (3 ranges)

Regarding the poker stats with just 3 color ranges, I would choose red – blue – green to define them.

In conclusion, when a villain’s stat is shown in blue, they are playing optimally on that particular section of the game. This means when you play against a player with blue TOT Steal%, you need to pay close attention to their game each time they try stealing the blinds, since they are stealing at the optimal frequency percentage!

See [how this poker HUD is finding my leaks](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/two-poker-leaks-hud-cost-money-8bi-day/)!
### Resuming Poker Blogging after Creating New Databases in Holdem Manager
URL: https://jimmakos.com/resuming-poker-blogging-creating-new-databases-holdem-manager/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T18:53:58.000Z
My poker blogging surely went south since it’s been a month since I last updated my blog’s poker section. During this time I visited Skyros island for a week and when I returned, I ordered a new solid state disk (SSD) for my desktop computer. I have thought of formatting and re-installing Windows for quite some time and by the time I made my decision, I also decided to do it the proper – and modern – way and invest in an SSD. That also meant I had to create new poker databases in [Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager) 2 and re-import 3 million poker hands, as I am not such a big fan of database exporting and importing. I also managed to play 10K hands at 100NL stakes this month, winning at a rate of $100/hour up to now. That’s well into [my plan’s limits of returning to 200NL poker tables](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/43-dollars-per-hour-poker-micro-stakes-7bi-day/) by the end of May!

Although you may not be interested in computer technology, you might have heard of new computer disks which offer much faster speeds of reading and writing data. They are called SSD’s and are getting quite popular lately, since the first models’ flaws have been overcome. However speed and owning the latest gadgetry come at a price. Solid state disks cost much more than common hard disks, despite the latter’s price increase due to the drive shortages that floods in Thailand caused some months ago. Anyway, I installed Windows 7, Holdem Manager 2 poker software and PostgreSQL in the [Intel 120GB SSD](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YQ9RQC/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fsp%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=gambblogjimm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B006YQ9RQC) to make the most out of the new drive. I also created the new database into the SSD for faster hand importing and quicker data access to stats and graphs. Yet, I only imported the last 150K or so hands into that database. The rest of the 3 million hands were imported into a separate database, which I created into my old 150GB Western Digital Raptor hard disk that had now been completely formatted – not “quick format”. Doing so I am now able to access all of my previous [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) history when I need to go back in time, and at the same time use on a daily basis a database that actually works!

Holdem Manager software meanwhile has a couple of issues lately, most notably the inconsistency between the poker stats and EV graphs. Many forum posters over at HEM website complain about the wrong EV line at the graphs. I also noticed that bug and we are told that it will get fixed in future updates. Yesterday there was a new update announced but doesn’t seem to take care of this problem. However there was a worrying intro text in the update pop-up window that let us know we had to re-import hands since update number 6745 due to stats being imported wrong! An update that rolled out on April 27th! That is quite unacceptable, as it means I have to re-import all hands since the format took place in May! Other HEM users won’t have such a big problem; they just need to purge their databases using a data range from April 26th to today’s date. Thankfully I haven’t deleted the poker hands which are kept in a third hard disk (true, I’m well organized!).

*Quick Update: It turns out they are referring to hands actually *played* since April 27th, so no need to re-import hands older than that.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/purge-HEM-database.gif)

Back to my online poker performance, I moved up to 100NL this month after a quite bad end at 50NL tables last month. I did make about 2K dollars playing for almost 60K hands there but the expected value winnings are close to 1.1K. That is far from my expected performance. Still I decided to make the move and promised myself I won’t be playing poker when I’m travelling! Lol!

The first 10K hands at 100NL went pretty well as you can see at the image below. I’m also including the graph, although it’s obviously wrong. By reading the HEM forum posts I know that the EV adjusted winnings are correctly shown in the stats rather than in the graph. I suppose currency conversion (EUR to USD) is implemented into those figures.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/100nl-poker-graph-10k-hands.gif)

My poker blogging surely went south since it’s been a month since I last updated my blog’s poker section. During this time I visited Skyros island for a week and when I returned, I ordered a new solid state disk (SSD) for my desktop computer. I have thought of formatting and re-installing Windows for quite some time and by the time I made my decision, I also decided to do it the proper – and modern – way and invest in an SSD. That also meant I had to create new poker databases in [Holdem Manager](http://www.holdemmanager.com/affdata/Jimmakos-com/HEM/) 2 and re-import 3 million poker hands, as I am not such a big fan of database exporting and importing. I also managed to play 10K hands at 100NL stakes this month, winning at a rate of $100/hour up to now. That’s well into [my plan’s limits of returning to 200NL poker tables](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/43-dollars-per-hour-poker-micro-stakes-7bi-day/) by the end of May!

Although you may not be interested in computer technology, you might have heard of new computer disks which offer much faster speeds of reading and writing data. They are called SSD’s and are getting quite popular lately, since the first models’ flaws have been overcome. However speed and owning the latest gadgetry come at a price. Solid state disks cost much more than common hard disks, despite the latter’s price increase due to the drive shortages that floods in Thailand caused some months ago. Anyway, I installed Windows 7, Holdem Manager 2 poker software and PostgreSQL in the [Intel 120GB SSD](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YQ9RQC/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fsp%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=gambblogjimm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B006YQ9RQC) to make the most out of the new drive. I also created the new database into the SSD for faster hand importing and quicker data access to stats and graphs. Yet, I only imported the last 150K or so hands into that database. The rest of the 3 million hands were imported into a separate database, which I created into my old 150GB Western Digital Raptor hard disk that had now been completely formatted – not “quick format”. Doing so I am now able to access all of my previous [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) history when I need to go back in time, and at the same time use on a daily basis a database that actually works!

Holdem Manager software meanwhile has a couple of issues lately, most notably the inconsistency between the poker stats and EV graphs. Many forum posters over at HEM website complain about the wrong EV line at the graphs. I also noticed that bug and we are told that it will get fixed in future updates. Yesterday there was a new update announced but doesn’t seem to take care of this problem. However there was a worrying intro text in the update pop-up window that let us know we had to re-import hands since update number 6745 due to stats being imported wrong! An update that rolled out on April 27th! That is quite unacceptable, as it means I have to re-import all hands since the format took place in May! Other HEM users won’t have such a big problem; they just need to purge their databases using a data range from April 26th to today’s date. Thankfully I haven’t deleted the poker hands which are kept in a third hard disk (true, I’m well organized!).

*Quick Update: It turns out they are referring to hands actually *played* since April 27th, so no need to re-import hands older than that.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/purge-HEM-database--1-.gif)

Back to my online poker performance, I moved up to 100NL this month after a quite bad end at 50NL tables last month. I did make about 2K dollars playing for almost 60K hands there but the expected value winnings are close to 1.1K. That is far from my expected performance. Still I decided to make the move and promised myself I won’t be playing poker when I’m travelling! Lol!

The first 10K hands at 100NL went pretty well as you can see at the image below. I’m also including the graph, although it’s obviously wrong. By reading the HEM forum posts I know that the EV adjusted winnings are correctly shown in the stats rather than in the graph. I suppose currency conversion (EUR to USD) is implemented into those figures.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/100nl-poker-graph-10k-hands--1-.gif)
### Tilt Issues and Bluff-raising River Card, -9BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/tilt-issues-bluff-raising-river-card-9bi-day/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:12:08.000Z
Wednesday may have been a breakeven poker day but yesterday I managed to lose 9 buy-ins at $50NL tables. Yes, that’s right, a $450 EV adjusted loss. Am I a great poker player or what? Obviously I experienced some tilt issues during the two sessions that I completed at the **online poker** tables of **Pokerstars**. My steal percentage increased by 10%, folding to continuation bets frequency dropped by 15% (!!) and defending blinds or calling 3bets stats were significantly higher. The orange EV line was going straight downwards and I quit playing before I completed 3 hours of play. As a friendly advice, don’t continue playing when you don’t enjoy playing poker. Aggressiveness also led to some interesting bluff-raising actions.

![12-apr-poker-graph](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/12-apr-poker-graph-1.png)

I am not considering myself as a poker player that is seriously affected by tilt. I rarely let emotions overcome my strategy, no matter the game being poker, sports betting or trading. However Thursday has been one of those days when I feel everything is going wrong. With such bad psychology, it was inevitable that I wasn’t going to play optimally. I played more Hold’em Texas poker than… Fold’em Texas poker. I was going to showdown 30% of the time with noticeably bad cards. There was really no hope for me to cut back my losses, as the more I tried, the more I wanted to win pots, not willing to give up any hand. And that is a very bad poker strategy.

Still, there are two poker hands that I’d like to discuss. The first hand was QTs which I opened from UTG 5-handed. A 31/22/5.7 player calls from the Big Blind and the 345 rainbow flop goes check-check. Villain checks the 8s which also gives me a flush draw and still holding two overcards. Of course you almost must bet the turn card when it’s checked for a second time. Villain calls and they actually bet half pot on Kd river! Having no showdown value I regarded that bet as a blocking bet with a holding like A3/A4/A5/56/57/46 which wants to go to showdown cheaply. Villain defended a lot from the blinds and they were pretty aggressive, so I decided a bluff-raise would show a profit in the long run under these circumstances. Additionally the King was a great card to bluff and villain was firing river cards very often (45%) as well! Villain folded and I took down the $10 pot with complete air.

![poker-river-bluff-raising](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-river-bluff-raising.png)

During the second hand, I reraise preflop from the Big Blind with Queens against 2 villains at early position. UTG folds but the fish (83/17) at MP quickly calls, no surprise there. Fish was also short-stacked with just $10 left when the flop came King-high and the pot was already $15.75\. Betting that flop would surely lead them to fold their 75s, so instead of being aggressive, I let him try to bluff me. Of course, I wasn’t going to go anywhere against his bluff, as more often than not they won’t show a King there. Another example of [**bluff-catching at poker**](https://jimmakos.com/catching-river-bluffs-thin-value-bets-3bi-day/).

![catching-bluff-fish-poker](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/catching-bluff-fish-poker.png)

I’m going travelling to Greek islands tomorrow and I don’t expect playing [**online poker**](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) that much over the next week. I will still try posting a couple of updates though, in case I do play from my laptop or hear of interesting **investing news**.
### Recouping Weekend’s Losses, +11BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/recouping-weekend-losses-11bi-day/
Last updated: 2024-06-09T16:28:00.000Z
Two losing days during the weekend cost 5 EV buy-ins at micro stakes, while the actual losses were more than five. Monday on the contrary was a great day, running very well and I managed to recoup the weekend’s losses and make even more. I completed 3 sessions at the poker tables yesterday, two 2-hour sessions and one that lasted 3 hours for a total of 7 hours of actual play. Each of those seven hours brought about $75 in EV adjusted winnings for a total of almost 11 buy-ins. I was also quite lucky to run even better and win more than 16 buy-ins!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/april-beginning-poker-stats-hem2.gif)

[Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager) poker software has some issues regarding the **s**ummary tab. For example, total session length is 20 hours, which is far f**r**om the truth. Adding up the sessions’ minutes gives more than 40 hours. What’s more clicking at the sessions’ tab to check out yesterday’s individual session, the EV adjusted winnings seem to miss a buy-in, although the number of hands remains the same! For the time being I’m going with the Sessions by Day tab and maybe [I’ll have a look at Poker Tracker software](https://jimmakos.com/finding-leaks-poker-tracker/) to find out if there are any errors there as well.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/9-april-holdem-manager-poker-stats.gif)

Monday was the first day I played at midnight (Eastern European time – GMT+2). Besides the increased available poker tables, the games were notably softer. Fish calling down 2 streets and giving up on river (I recall [bluffing the river](https://jimmakos.com/catching-river-bluffs-thin-value-bets-3bi-day/) countless times), super [aggressive players](https://jimmakos.com/dealing-with-aggressive-poker-players-out-of-position-4bi-day/) having problems when facing a semi-bluff (or total air) raise and very tight ones who seemed to play fit or fold and were easily pushed away from the pots. I can also remember a couple of players who played all of their hands! Yes, that is a 100% VPIP statistic for over 100 hands with almost zero 3bet-fold percentage! At times I was raising Q9o against them for value!

I found out that peak hours at Pokerstars are between 21:00 and 23:00 EET, since at 1AM there were 180K players online, reduced from 250K a couple of hours earlier. No wonder the games’ softness at that time with such a huge players’ pool.
### Dealing with Aggressive Poker Players Out of Position, -4BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/dealing-with-aggressive-poker-players-out-of-position-4bi-day/
Last updated: 2024-06-04T07:05:51.000Z
Aggressive players with position against me hurt my winrate during yesterday’s play at 50NL poker tables. I lost almost 4 buy-ins in Expected Value by not playing well and trying to recoup my losses. At one point I managed to show a profit, but quickly gave it back and decided it would be a 3-hour session, due to family business. The plan for today is to play some big Sunday’s tournaments like the **Pokerstars** Warm-up and still complete a 4-hour poker session at micro stakes. Only this time I’ll try to avoid making the same mistakes as [**last Sunday**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/starting-over-micro-stakes-poker-moving-up-to-50nl/), when I added more tables than I should.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/7-april-poker-graph-stats-holdem-manager-2.png)

If you have been playing [**poker**](https://jimmakos.com/poker), I’m sure the following scenario has come up several times. You open with a premium pocket pair (QQ+), you get called by a poker player at last positions and the flop is a very wet board with straight and flush draws. You still hold an overpair and your continuation bet is quickly raised by the villain. You are out of position against a pretty aggressive poker player and not sure what to do against his raise. If you are using a [**poker HUD**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/), checking some stats might help you make a better decision. For example, when the button raised in the hand shown in the image below, I noticed two of his personal stats.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/raise-out-of-position-aggressive-holdem-manager-hand.png)

1. **Aggression Factor**: 4.3
2. **Flop Fold to Continuation Bet**: 36%

Maybe aggression factor is a general statistic that doesn’t help much. Still, it’s well into the upper limits of a proper **poker strategy**, defining the villain as a very aggressive player. The best strategy against super aggressive poker players is to call down with value hands letting him do the betting – including many bluffs and bad hands – or attacking back with bluffs.

The second stat is more important in this occasion. The ideal range of Flop Fold to Continuation Bet stat is 48-63% with anything below 40% or above 68% being a serious [**poker leak**](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/two-poker-leaks-hud-cost-money-8bi-day/). In simple words that 36% figure meant that he might be semi-bluffing with a flush or straight draw more often than raising with a set, a made hand or another overpair. That’s why I should not reraise him and call his shove on the flop, which I did. Perhaps I’m results-orientated but the best poker strategy should have been calling his raise and evaluate the turn. The next card was a King, which he would obviously bet again and I would have an easy decision, although acting a bit weak with my Queens.

The only detail that is in my favor is the fact that no Queen was a club. If I held a card of clubs, it would have been one more reason to call instead of raise, cutting down their odds of hitting their possible flush draw. It’s one of those poker hands when you feel lost, but you should not. You must have decided from the beginning how to react in any possible reaction coming from certain villains and stick to that strategy. If aggressive poker players give you trouble out position, maybe it’s time to tighten up and become more passive but at the same time excel your (re)bluffing abilities.
### 43 Dollars per Hour at Poker Micro Stakes, +7BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/43-dollars-per-hour-poker-micro-stakes-7bi-day/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:21:05.000Z
A quick post of yesterday’s +7 buy-ins day at $50NL, including some hopefully interesting ****poker stats**. Friday has been the fourth winning day in a row this month playing at ****micro stakes**. I ran at 16bb/100 or 8BB/100, although the W$SD% stat was disappointing at just 46%, hurting my overall W$SD% that is one of my [poker leaks](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/two-poker-leaks-hud-cost-money-8bi-day/)! I have managed to play 5 hours on average for 6 days in a row with only one [losing day](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/5-buy-in-downswing-micro-stakes-tens-vs-queens-analysis/) (Tuesday). During the 24.5K hands the EV adjusted winrate reads 10.55bb/100, which is exactly the same as my maximum expectation of 5BB/100! In fact, I didn’t believe I could perform better than 4BB/100 at micro stakes nowadays.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/6-april-poker-graph-stats-holdem-manager.gif)

When [I moved up to 50NL](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/starting-over-micro-stakes-poker-moving-up-to-50nl/) poker tables, I had already set my maximum possible winrate of 25NL at 5BB/100\. Therefore moving up stakes would likely lead to less profitability, due to more difficult opponents. Yet, here I am making 5BB/100 in 25K hands that isn’t such a small sample after all. Still I’m sticking with the initial plan of playing at 50NL for 50,000 hands before considering moving up to small stakes (100NL). The Expected Value winrate is about $43/hour, almost earning a whole buy-in per hour. When I move up to 100NL, I’d be targeting a $70/h winrate and hopefully by the time you see me at $200NL again after so many months, my profit target will be set at half a buy-in per hour.

If I can keep up at this pace and my performance is inside those limits, I should move up to 200NL in May and will likely stay there for many weeks, before even thinking of a return to medium stakes
### Two Poker Leaks at HUD that Cost Money, +8BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/two-poker-leaks-hud-cost-money-8bi-day/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:23:08.000Z
Net won figure of yesterday’s poker performance reads $740 at $50NL tables but the EV adjusted winnings were 8 buy-ins, ranking the day as the most profitable one, since I began posting again about [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker). 

![5-apr-poker-graph-holdem-manager](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/5-apr-poker-graph-holdem-manager.png)

Obviously I ran pretty well for 7 buy-ins above Expected Value, so a correction is very likely the next days. Hitting many draws and monster hands placed me for a while in the first spot of the top poker winners for the day, shown in the image I posted in [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=359383584104622&set=a.122992384410411.10850.121749454534704&type=3). Perhaps better [table selection](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/table-selection-waiting-lists-pokerstars-4bi-day-50nl/) led to this result, but I still have to fix some poker leaks. It seems I go to showdown with bad hands more often than not and I am also more aggressive on Turn than I should be. And those two leaks are indicated in the Holdem Manager’s poker HUD I’m using.

First, a few words about the [color-coding of my Poker HUD](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/). Any stat you see in the poker software colored in blue indicates a perfect figure. I can find an edge though against my opponents whenever I see a red or green statistic. Small leaks are indicated in orange and yellow color. Regarding my stats at the poker HUD, we can see two stats in green:

1) 4.4: 4bet Range

2) 8.2: Squeeze Frequency

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/d44d187c-3bef-4d18-a631-dec5df9d47a9.gif)

Those two stats are not that important and they need a huge sample to actually have a meaning. I am not worried about them yet. However I am concerned about the two stats indicated by the arrows in the image above. Those include the Turn Aggression Frequency (37%) and the Won $ at Showdown % – W$SD%(49%).

It seems like I am firing a lot of turns. I do that more frequent than I should with bluffs or by value betting a worse hand. Both actions have an impact as a consequence to the showdown statistic. I end up showing air or losing hands by the time the cards are revealed, leading to a low W$SD%. A proper range would be 51 to 59%.

Other poker players can exploit those two [poker leaks](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/my-2011-poker-leaks-hold-em-manager/) of mine by calling down more often on turn with medium hands or bluff-raising me on turn or river. Of course, now that I know of those poker leaks, I am already taking action to have them fixed. For example, during yesterday’s 5-hour session, my turn aggression was reduced to 35% and the W$SD% was increased to 55%. But since I ran better than expected, I should improve them more.

Here is the poker graph of the first 5 days of April at $50NL, taken from [Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/3ffba353-39bd-4fd1-9730-f4a999a2d188.gif)
### Table Selection and Waiting Lists at PokerStars, +4BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/table-selection-waiting-lists-pokerstars-4bi-day-50nl/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:52:01.000Z
Pokerstars gave me a 4 buy-ins birthday gift yesterday, which in fact didn’t surprise me at all! Is it just a coincidence that I was born on the fourth day of the week (beginning with Sunday, Wednesday is the 4th day), on the fourth day of the fourth month at 4:00 and on my 33rd birthday I made 4 buy-ins? Let’s sum it up, Wednesday, 4/4, 4AM and I won 4 buy-ins. Is it just me or is there something going on with the number “4” in my life? I just hope I’d be playing high stakes when I celebrate my 44th birthday and Pokerstars let me run at 44bb/100 on that day!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/4-apr-poker-graph-holdem-manager.gif)

I have talked about Poker hands in the past few posts but this time, table selection is what troubled me the most yesterday. I was playing for 90 minutes when Pokerstars announced a server restart. Those restarts allegedly last only 15 minutes and you are not obliged to leave your seat according to the usual announcement. Of course none of this happens, since restarts take about 40 to 50 minutes on average by the time the poker lobby is fully operational, and while you wait, a network status bar let you know that the server is down and eventually inform you that you cannot connect to Pokerstars. Then the application quits automatically. Been there, done that before so I logged back in after an hour or so, just as poker tables were getting filled by people eager to resume playing.

Due to the server restart, no table stat is available. You just sit at a table, wondering what the average PLRS/Flop% will be. That table statistic is the most important one as an indication of how loose a poker table is. Your winrate goes up as long as you play tight against fish and very loose players. That strategy is the easiest and most common one when you start playing [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker). As the tables’ list built up, I noticed that I had sat at one of the best available tables at that time with plenty of fish around me! 3 villains were playing more than 35% of their hands (VPIP%)!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-table-selection-loose.gif)

After 10 minutes of play the table’s waiting list included 22 players, who wished he had sat down right from the beginning! Eventually the bad players lost their money or left the table and they were replaced by regulars. A couple of minutes later I also left the table, since there wasn’t such a big advantage any more against the opposition. That got me thinking about waiting lists and table selection at Pokerstars.

When I register myself in a table’s waiting list, I choose tables that have a relatively high PLRS/Flop percentage. However, I find myself placed at the bottom of a long waiting list. By the time a seat becomes available for me, the table is no longer a gold mine. 5 regulars who had found a seat through the waiting list, are now confronting each other on a table that SOME TIME in the past used to be a very loose table. If I sit down, I need to find those minor edges to exploit in order to make money and not get killed by rake. So, how do we table-select using the Pokerstars lobby more effectively?

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-stars-lobby-tables.gif)

I’m not talking about rocket science here, it’s just simple observations I made while playing yesterday. I have highlighted green the tables that I used to add myself to the waiting lists and will no longer do so. 4 or 5 other regular players have beat me to it, meaning that I will sit down against them by the time Pokerstars let me know a seat is reserved for me. I have also highlighted red the tables that I’m now more willing to sit down if I get called by the poker software. With just one player in the waiting list, I will likely sit down and play against the very same people that had that table’s PLRS/Flop% stat go that high. Finally I’m much more ready to take my chances and reserve a seat at the new table on the bottom (Medusa II), than joining a table full of regulars!

Table selection becomes very important as you move up the tables, although by the time you make it to the high stakes, there are really no options and you have to deal with very good players. Until then, I’ll try maximizing my winrate by better table selection and fixing my two big poker leaks, which I’ll discuss tomorrow! Can you point them out in the poker HUD of the image above – [color codes](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/) will help you.
### Catching River Bluffs and Thin Value Bets, +3BI Day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/catching-river-bluffs-thin-value-bets-3bi-day/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:25:05.000Z
Catching a river bluff and a thin value bet are two poker hands of my yesterday’s session that helped me win 3 buy-ins at $50NL PokerStars tables. Once again I’m talking about the EV adjusted winnings and not the actual ones, since I’d be bragging about a 7-buyin day! 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/3-apr-poker-graph-holdem-manager.gif)

I also noticed that the poker graph shows somewhat different results. I suppose that comes down to the EUR/USD conversion rate and whether it is applied only in poker stats and not when drawing the lines, or the other way around. As long as the orange EV line is going up, I’m happy.

It’s been 2 days since I started posting about [my poker plan](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/starting-over-micro-stakes-poker-moving-up-to-50nl/), and I am already breaking one rule: play 4 hours daily. For two days in a row I managed to play for almost [6 hours each day](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/5-buy-in-downswing-micro-stakes-tens-vs-queens-analysis/), but I think I won’t keep up. It’s nice when you have extra free time and want to make the best out of it, but eventually fatigue will have an impact on your performance – and health. On the other hand, I’m expecting some days to be less productive, like today for example that is my birthday! Yeap, I’m turning 33\. I wonder if Pokerstars’ dealers will be nice to me today!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/river-bluff-flush--1-.gif)

First poker hand I want to talk about is catching a river bluff coming from a passive fish. The action went like this as the image is… well, stationary! Fish opens from UTG+1, I (SB) and the big blind call. Flop was checked by all players and I fired the turn (80% pot) with mid-pair, flush and straight draw. Two villains call and river completes my flush. Since the flush was close to the lowest possible, I decide to check-call, not willing to bet-fold into 2 players, in case anyone had a higher flush, which was certainly in their range. So, fish bets 60% pot and obviously I’m calling, going with my initial plan. Big blind folded and I took down the $37 pot. If I went on and bet that river, both villains would have folded, losing that $11 the fish decided to risk on his bluff. Aggression is paramount in [online poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker), but don’t overdo it missing some chances to win extra bucks.

On to the next poker hand, I call UTG’s raise out of position from the Big Blind. The villain is another passive fish who opened A8o from early position. A sure way to the poor house. I donk bet the flop wanting to get some value from his floating hands (I don’t expect him to fold his AK-AT/KQ type of hands or flush/straight draws) and if called, I do have some outs. Turn is apparently a great card, although I might be against a higher straight. Against a fish, I’m willing to go all the way to showdown though. I bet the turn (70% pot) and villain just calls. There are a lot of poker hands in his range that he can do that with, like two-pair, a set (88 perhaps?), AT for a straight draw, still chasing his flush draw, etc. I consider my action a value bet, which gets called. River is a blank and now I pause for one second.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/fish-thin-values--1-.gif)

That river didn’t change anything and betting into the villain for the third time is certainly justified. However we’ll fold all his missed draws and his floating hands. We can let him instead try a bluff like in the poker hand above, or maybe he thinks he can extract some value with his set now that we’ve shown weakness. There are two stats pointed out in the [poker HUD](https://jimmakos.com/2012/02/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/), which made me decide to check the river. The first is known as river aggression and villain’s was 50%! He is definitely super aggressive at the last street, meaning he is betting more bluffs and thin value rather than big hands. Another important statistic was his W$SD%, which had been 29%! A good W$SD% is between 51 to 59%, so the fish obviously goes to showdown with air, low pairs, missed draws and bad hands in general. I have no reason to raise his bet and I take his extra $11.5 he was willing to put down into the pot. As if he wanted to give me his birthday present earlier!
### 5 Buy-in Downswing in Micro Stakes, Tens vs Queens Hand Analysis
URL: https://jimmakos.com/5-buy-in-downswing-micro-stakes-tens-vs-queens-analysis/
Last updated: 2025-01-07T10:10:19.000Z
Murphy’s law states that by publishing your poker winnings, a downswing is expected in the near future. Since [my poker start over at micro stakes](https://jimmakos.com/2012/04/starting-over-micro-stakes-poker-moving-up-to-50nl/) went public on Monday, I suffered a 5 buy-in downswing during yesterday’s 6-hour poker session. It was actually three 2-hour sessions for 6 hours of total play, as breaks are necessary to avoid losing focus to the tables. The day started pretty well, winning 2 buy-ins at $50NL 6-max during the first session (with a short break in-between), followed by a mediocre breakeven session. I would have called it a day, as my initial plan was to play for 4 hours per day. Yet, it was of those rare days when I do have some free time in the evening (Eastern European Time here) and I decided to go for another 2-hour session, losing all the day’s winnings and more.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-graph-holdem-manager-2-apr--1-.gif)

You may notice that I’m talking about downswings which do not keep up with the actual winnings shown in the poker stats of Holdem Manager. If you look at the green line of the poker graph in the image above, I should be talking about an 8 buy-ins downswing. However I’m mostly interested in the orange line that represents the Expected Value (EV) of my bets. That line had a high of $420 and then plunged to $170, losing $250 or 5 buy-ins. If that EV line is going upwards, time will take care of the green line, as long as I am properly bankrolled. Besides, it is the EV line that implies whether you are a good [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) player or not.

Moving on with yesterday’s performance, I surely made some important mistakes. For example I recall 4-betting and calling with Tens a loose player’s shove out of position preflop. Although it was a Cut-off vs Button war where loose 3bets are expected (but not from this one – 5.8% 3bet), maybe calling with Tens may have been a better choice. On the other hand, playing against an aggressive player out of position with Tens, not many flops will allow me to continue, leading to some hero – and expensive – calls. It turns out that villain had a mere 1.8 aggression factor which certainly places him in the passive category. If I paid more attention, I would have opted to call and give up scary flops, if he decided to continuation bet.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tens-queens-poker-shove.gif)

Calling with Tens against – what turned out to be – his Queens, lost me $32 in Expected Value. If I had decided to fold to his shove, my move would mean -$12.5, therefore keeping $20, almost half a buy-in! Folding a poker hand like Tens against a 0% 4-bettor is also justified I think! Now, what about calling out of position instead of 4-betting? $5,25 would go into the pot preflop. The flop was Kd63d – none of my Tens was a diamond – and I would expect a check behind by the villain. Obviously if he bet that flop, I would have folded (–$5.25 EV so saving 7 more dollars!). Turn was a 5d completing the flush and I would either bet small once (half-pot) into the $10 pot and give up in any case ($10 –EV in total, even better than 4-betting and folding), or fold to any aggression (losing just the initial 5 dollars). So, my five options were:

1) Calling a shove = -$32EV

2) 4betting and folding to his shove = -$12.5EV

3) Calling OOP and firing once on turn = -$10.25EV

4) Calling 3bet and giving up = -$5.25EV

5) Folding to 3bet = -$1.50EV

Since villain’s 4bet/5bet range included just premium hands, it would have been a coin flip (AK) in the best scenario. I consider my move a crucial mistake that cost me at least half of a buy-in. Try adding that kind of costly mistakes up and you’ll quickly find your [poker leaks](https://jimmakos.com/2011/12/my-2011-poker-leaks-hold-em-manager/)!
### Starting over from Micro Stakes Poker, Moving Up to $50NL
URL: https://jimmakos.com/starting-over-micro-stakes-poker-moving-up-to-50nl/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:27:21.000Z
You might remember me playing poker at high stakes, [winning $17K pots](https://jimmakos.com/2010/01/my-biggest-winning-pot-online-poker-straight-worth-17000/) and [losing 30 grand in one day](https://jimmakos.com/2010/01/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/)! Those poker days have come and gone. Poker hasn’t been exactly my favorite hobby during the past months, focusing on [trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) and website development instead. Reasons include Black Friday events and consequences, law changes in many European countries and obviously the 2010 downswing that led to extreme lack of confidence. I decided to start over in mid-March and since my online bankroll in Pokerstars and PartyPoker is rather small, I went on and began at micro stakes. 10 days of $25NL and 25 hours of 8-tabling play resulted to the graph below.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/25-nl-poker-graph-bb.gif)

At least there’s still money to be made at micro stakes level! I ran and played quite well hitting a winrate of 6,45BB/100\. That is [PokerTracker](https://jmks.co/pokertracker)’s Big Bets per 100 hands, since my nowadays favorite poker tracking software, [Holdem Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager), shows winnings in terms of big blinds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-stats-pokertracker-holdem-manager.gif)

Anyway, I suppose I could have added the BB/100 column in Holdem Manager interface. Meanwhile I do have important leaks that need to be filled like the W$SD% statistic, if I’m going to move up levels. Micro stakes’ rake on the other hand is quite expensive, so I moved up to $50Nl where I plan to stay for at least 50,000 hands, trying to catch up with the game. I read a lot about how [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) has changed over the last years, but at this point I’m more interested in improving my poker skills rather than pointing out the differences.

4 hours of play is my daily target nowadays, which equals to about 3,000 hands. I did just that yesterday, although I registered in a couple of tournaments at the same time, leading to fewer hands per hour. I don’t want to add more than 8 simultaneous tables as I have witnessed huge impact on my game if I go for 10 or 12 tables. At times I was playing at just five $50NL tables, while taking shots at 3 other poker tournaments, in one of which I ended in the money (192nd place at Pokerstars Warm-up) for a $560 win. I also tried to get into the €530 EPT Grand Final satellite but I almost bubbled two qualifying tournaments. Maybe I’ll be luckier next Sunday.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1-april-poker-graph-holdem-manager.gif)

$50NL went better than my predicted performance of about $40/hour (I’m interested only in the EV graph as you should if you play cash games). If I’m to win less than $25/hour I may well go back playing at micro stakes of $25NL. I’m expecting a drop in the winrate as I move up levels, keeping to the same strategy: 8 tables at the same time, 4 hours per day. Most likely I will be moving up levels until I earn less per 100 hands, therefore going back down to the previous level and staying there.

I’ll try keeping up with a daily poker performance in April, so don’t forget subscribing to my blog’s feed.
### How Much Bandwidth Does your Blog Use?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-much-bandwidth-does-your-blog-use/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:31:50.000Z
It’s always useful to know how much bandwidth your blog actually uses to deliver your precious posts to your loyal readers. Although most popular hosting companies offer unlimited bandwidth, there are times like speeding up your blog when you really need to know how much gigabytes per month or per day get transferred from your blog. The latest trend in speeding up a blog is called Content Delivery Network. In simple words your blog is mirrored to several servers across the globe and visitors view a cached version of the blog saved in the nearest server, leading to substantially lower loading times. Before you sign up with a CDN service though, bloggers have to calculate their blogs’ bandwidth in order to determine the CDN cost.

Many websites include the necessary calculations – and assumptions – you need to make in order to calculate your blog’s bandwidth. Take the number of pageviews per month, multiply by the average size of your blog’s pages and then double up that figure. So, if your blog gets 20K pageviews each month and the average page’s size is 1MB, your blog uses 40GB/mo in bandwidth. However, due to web browsers’ caching function the real number drops to 3-5GB/mo for a blog that accommodates 50-300 visitors a day. Google Chrome’s developer tools come in handy here, as they provide both the loading times and size of any loaded web page. You should empty the cache from Chrome’s history for best results.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-chrome-developer-tools.png)

If you are not fond of manually calculating your blog’s bandwidth, there’s help available. If your hosting provider offers the Cpanel service, you will most likely find that your blog’s bandwidth is tracked daily along with other traffic details by Awstats. For instance, my financial blog, tradinggraphs.com, used about 5.5GB on average per month last year.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tradinggraphs-bandwidth.png)

Cpanel though offers another useful graph regarding bandwidth. There’s an icon titled “Bandwidth” in the Logs section and clicking on that brings up an even more clear view of your blog’s activity. Since I host multiple domains with [Hostgator](https://jmks.co/hostgator), I was presented with the total bandwidth stats of all of my blogs or websites. My domains’ bandwidth averages at 2GB/day, meaning that the annual bandwidth for my blogs is around 700GB. Obviously we are only interesting in HTTP transfers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/blog-bandwidth-cpanel--1-.png)

How does bandwidth determine how much money bloggers need to pay for speeding their blogs? A CDN service charge their clients in terms of terabyte transferred from their servers. More specifically bloggers can compare different CDN plans where cost per GB is usually shown. For example, Amazon CloudFront costs $0.12/GB in US and Europe – more expensive in Asia and South America – while over at MaxCDN they charge $0.07/GB in US. Bloggers can also make use of a CDN for free called CloudFlare, but you know what they say: You get what you pay for. Reviews about the free CloudFlare may be positive, but they also note the superiority of paid-for CDN’s.

In conclusion, using a CDN to speed up all the domains I host with Hostgator would cost me about $50/year. And determining my blogs’ bandwidth helped me reach that conclusion.
### How to Beat Different Opponents by Color-Coding your Poker HUD
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-beat-different-opponents-color-coding-poker-hud/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:34:33.000Z
A poker HUD, or Heads-Up-Display, is extremely useful in beating your opponents when multitabling your favorite poker room. Setting your HUD correctly will lead you to identify bad players quicker and avoid regulars who have an advantage against you.

Color-coding the poker stats you have at your disposal will increase the HUD’s effectiveness and hopefully your winrate. What is the use of displaying numerous of statistics if we don’t know their meaning, or how we should respond and adapt our playing style?

By following some basic rules and spending a little time into color-coding the stats in your favorite poker tracking software will definitely make an impact on your game and possibly even lead to adding one or two more tables!

![HM2-poker-hud](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/HM2-poker-hud-1.png)

I have been a customer of Poker Tracker since 2006 but I use [Holdem Manager 2](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager) nowadays. I have also applied the HUD that [Leak Buster](https://jmks.co/leakbuster) offers with the subscription but added some additional stats. After color-coding all those stats, it’s now easier to find opponents’ leaks and exploit their mistakes. Let’s see some of those.

Before we begin I need to explain the stats you see in my HUD.

1. The first line shows VPIP/PFR/3bet/4bet Range/OpenEP/OpenMP.
2. The second line reads AF/Agg%/TurnAgg%/RiverAgg%/Foldto3bet.
3. Third line is useful for continuation bets, as it shows FlopCB/FlopFold2Cbet/TurnCbet/TurnFold2Cbet/Hands/WonSD%.
4. The bottom line includes TotalSteal/SBFold2Steal/BBResteal/Squeeze.

Any statistic that is shown in blue is in accordance with the average figure and usually the opponent doesn’t make a mistake there. Poker stats, that are shown in yellow or green, deviate from the average upwards and poker stats shown in orange or red deviate downwards. Therefore I look for exploiting those specific stats and adapt my strategy according to those numbers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/aggressive-opponent.png)

Playing against an opponent of these stats means I have to deal with a very aggressive player. He is opening a lot (30%) in general but even from early (22) and middle position(23), he is 3betting a ton (13.3), his aggression factor is obviously skewed upwards (4.9), he is double-barreling often (56) after continuation betting almost all flops (89) and he is not that strong at showdown. 

Additionally he is usually stealing with a wide range (45), he defends a lot from the small blind and 3bets more often than usual from the big blind. He is also rarely folding on turn (25) when they double-barrel him.

Having all that in mind, the best strategy is to open up our range a little when in position against this opponent and call him down lightly. We also need to rebluff him occasionally and depolarize our range, trying to steal his blinds with value hands.

If we are out of position we should either tighten up or be ready to go to war by 4betting/bluffing often, but in position and having the initiative we should double-barrel – also known as firing a second continuation bet on turn – only with value hands and never try bluffing him out of the hand.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/reg-poker-HUD.png)

Comparing the previous opponent with the next will make you understand why we don’t want to play with regular players.

In this example we obviously have to deal with a reg. Notice how many of his stats in the HUD are color-coded blue! The minor edge we can find is probably on the turn where he fires a lot (60) but also folds a lot when confronted with a continuation bet (50).

One more mistake is that he folds a lot from the big blind and doesn’t resteal, so we should try stealing more when he is at the big blind and quickly fold all hands except premium ones when he 3bets from BB. In order to gain more edge against this reg, we need to analyze specific hands and take notes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/passive-poker-HUD.png)

Finally, let’s take a look at a rather passive poker player. Here the HUD shows that the opponent has serious issues regarding continuation bets and aggression in general.

He is easily got off his hand as he goes to showdown only when he is strong (61) and while preflop his game is fine, his postflop one needs many improvements. He is very passive both at turn (19) and river (14) making him an excellent candidate to try out bluffs with total air.

When we face a continuation bet from him we should better continue only with our very strong and value hands, since we already know his hand is strong enough to let him bet into us. If we opened preflop and can’t shake him off his hand by the flop, we must double barrel as he is folding more often than average (67). 

Concerning stealing, he seems to be stealing with good hands (24) so we need not to defend against him from the blinds. In the event of seeing him squeezing, we have to continue only with our top value range as he never tried squeezing in 830 hands!
### Win a Copy of Dave Farrar’s Book, “The Perfect Punter”!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/win-copy-dave-farrar-book-perfect-punter/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:10:19.000Z
My blog contest awarding three copies of Dave Farrar’s book “The Perfect Punter” has ended! Congratulations to the three winners who will get notified by email about how to get hold of their prizes! 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/congratulations-notification.png)

The book giveaway began 40 days ago and 3 winners were picked among 70 entries randomly by Punchtab.com itself. I was worried about how to pick the winners but fortunately the website offers as many random picks as you wish, if you happen to host your giveaway with them. So, clicking three times the “pick a winner for me” button got the job done without any hassle. You also have the option to contact the winners immediately after picking and you get the message along with their email addresses in your inbox as well for follow-up. I will surely use Punchtab for my future blog contests. In the meantime check your inbox and if you have been contacted by Punchtab on behalf of [Jimmakos.com](https://jimmakos.com/), enjoy your new book!

---

*Previously:*

New blog contest! I’m giving away 3 copies of Dave Farrar’s new book, The Perfect Punter! Dave Farrar commentates on football for ESPN and was the chief football commentator on Eurosport for 10 years. His journalism covers a wide range of sports, with a regular focus on how to become the perfect punter. Now, he is publishing his gambling story taking place in major sporting events such as US Masters Golf and the FIFA World Cup, the Cheltenham Festical along with boxing in Eastern Europe and cycling in Italy! You don’t have to be a gambler to enjoy Dave’s story, just someone who knows a little bit about making mistakes and wants to know a lot more about sport.

I was contacted by Ellen W. on behalf of Bloomsbury Publishing who are publishing Dave Farrar’s first book. They were kind enough to offer 3 copies of “The Perfect Punter” and I’m giving them away in a simple blog contest. All you have to do is follow me in Twitter, become a fan or share this post with your friends and you will be automatically entered in the contest. You’ll actually win multiple entries if you do all that! Be sure to use the form below!

Winners will be notified by email and copies of the book will be sent directly by the publishing house located in London. Bloomsbury Publishing house is well known for publishing Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling over the past decade!
### Back Testing Tennis Betting System in 5,000 Matches
URL: https://jimmakos.com/back-testing-tennis-betting-system-in-5000-matches/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:36:21.000Z
Back in 2009 I had developed a [tennis betting system based on rankings](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/betting-australian-open-tennis-ranking-system/). I had used a mathematical formula I found in a publication of 2002\. The calculations weren’t difficult and back testing the system using a sample of 600 tennis matches in an Excel spreadsheet proved worthwhile. Apparently though, I must have done that back testing in a bit of a hurry, as there were a couple of mistakes in the conclusions and graphs. I was reminded of that tennis betting system by John S. who sent me an email, wondering why I was worried of placing lay bets at big odds and didn’t omit those specific bets. So, I revisited the betting system this morning finding out that the system is profitable only if bettors lay at short odds – like a bookmaker does – or bet at bigger than average odds. No surprise there I suppose!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tennis-ranking-formula.png)

The formula that Klaassen and Magnus included in their [publication](http://www.hse.ru/data/695/551/1234/Magnus.pdf) and was the basis of my tennis betting system uses the tennis ranking system and introduces a constant, λ, which is 0.3986 in men’s singles and 0.715 in women’s singles. The spreadsheet I created calculated the probability of each tennis player to win each game and depending on the average odds found in the database, it was able to prompt the value bets I needed to risk my money on. Initially though, my back testing conclusion was that the system was profitable only if bettors bet against those value bets. In other words trying to turn a losing system into a winning one, since if one bet on the value bets, they would lose in the long run.

In that old post, I have published a rather impressive graph towards the article’s end, giving high hopes of the system’s profitability. On the other hand, due to having developed the system quickly, I assumed layers would have a steady profit target, risking different amounts per bet. While they stood to win 10 euros in each match, if they laid at 10.0 odds, they would risk 100 euros! That contradicts the flat betting system I always recommend of when back testing a new idea in gambling. We should always aim to risk the same amount of amount, instead of targeting the same profit out of each bet.

Today I spent some time on that excel spreadsheet, corrected the mistakes and found out that if one risks 10 units per lay bet, they will make some money in women’s matches but will break even in men’s matches. I used once again the sample of that old spreadsheet, meaning I had 600 Australian Open games to work with. I noticed though that the tennis betting system performed much better in WTA matches and that led me to download all 2010 and 2011 WTA games’ details. The database now consists of 5,000 women’s single matches taken place all over the world during 2010 and 2011\. The results were astonishing as the forecasting formula calculated value bets of 6.1% +EV!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/lay-tennis-betting-system.png)

Ok, been there, done that a million times and by the end of the day I always find a minor detail I have skipped or a small calculations’ mistake I didn’t pay attention of. This time the betting system was profitable due to laying at short odds. The tennis database of tennis-data.co.uk includes the average odds of popular bookmakers. Therefore I had been placing lay bets at bookmakers’ short odds, comparing to a betting exchange. Although I included 5% commission in the calculations, the profit was still quite exceptional. Since I wouldn’t be able to lay at those odds, I had to try and back the opponent’s odds and find out how the system would perform.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/back-tennis-betting-system.png)

Obviously the results were disappointing, as I was now backing at somewhat short odds, again comparing to a betting exchange. I was now losing 6% of my money in each bet, resulting to a loss equal with the profit I made earlier. Some can say that the mirrored graphs prove the market’s efficiency in tennis matches. If we laid at bookmakers’ average odds we would win but would break even at a bit higher odds. If we backed at bookmakers’ average odds we would lose, but again break even at a bit higher odds. The market seems to be efficient enough and drive the odds close to the true probability. From that point on, bookmakers adding their vigorish eliminate much of the value punters could find in a zero-sum game. At least that is the case with the specific tennis system.

Maybe I will spend some more time comparing bookmakers’ odds with Betfair’s ones, but I don’t expect the system to have a better ROI of 3% or so in the best scenario. Unless the betting exchange’s odds are much closer to the ones of bookmakers, but I highly doubt it.
### Giving Back Money You Won by Mistake
URL: https://jimmakos.com/giving-back-money-you-won-by-mistake/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T18:52:55.000Z
Back when I traded the odds of horse racing markets in Betfair, a mistake of mine instead of costing me money actually won EUR800! Unfortunately I don’t have the screenshot of that event, but I feel it was just yesterday that happened. I had been trading the odds of the next race’ favorite horse, when I got carried away and found myself with an open position in-play. Although Murphy’s law says that you’ll lose money each time you let your trade run in-play, this time I was lucky enough to make money out of my mistake! I had lost a few thousand euros in the same exact way in the past, so I expected to feel great if I won. However, I felt it was so unfair to have won that much money, I went on and lost it right at the next horse race! If only I could give the money back to the exact same punters! Talking about justice or what?!

Whenever I bring up this discussion with friends, they all think I was crazy to lose the money because it was lucky to win it in the first place. Obviously money won by mistake has the same exact buying power as every other banknote. Yet, I didn’t regard that money as rightfully mine, sort of stolen money! I have never regretted losing the money and went on trading in the same exact way, trying to average my profit at 10 euros per race. You see now that 800 euros meant 80 winning horse races but I’m sure that each time I would peak at my Betfair account, I would have always reminded myself how lucky I had been to win a large percentage of that. In case you are wondering, I managed to lose the money in the same way I won it, by letting a trade run in-play.

Why do I consider now a good time to share the story with you? I’ve been reading for the third time the comic series by great artist Don Rosa, “The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck” and its “companion”. I believe the specific comics are truly a huge inspiration for anyone who wants to make something big out of his life. Anyway, in the 7th chapter titled “Dream Time Duck of the Never-Never” young penniless Scrooge is found in a cave with a huge opal worth millions. Before leaving the cave, the idea of getting quickly rich by just having been lucky to have survived a flood next to such a valuable object crosses his mind and almost decides to give up being a prospector and become instantly rich. Of course we all know that was not the case with Scrooge McDuck.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/scrooge-get-rich-quick.png)

Apparently I didn’t find my own million-dollar opal when I won EUR800 in a couple of minutes. That amount of money wouldn’t make a difference in my way of life anyway. Still, would I prefer making a couple more “profitable” mistakes and reach my own goal, or would I rather become successful by hard work? Would you prefer winning the lottery instead of placing +EV bets day in day out? I myself look for huge jackpots in lotteries before taking a shot, so it would actually be a +EV bet! But it’s all the way to daily work for me, no lucky mistakes or else I’m giving it back!
### Make Money in Poker? Invest in Multi Monitor Computer Setup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/make-money-poker-invest-multi-monitor-computer-setup/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:20:20.000Z
It amazes when successful poker players post their computer setups, which are full of monitors of different display sizes along with a couple of laptops! If you are making money playing poker, invest some of the winnings to buy a proper multi monitor setup for God’s sake! Bragging about recent online poker tournament wins and how you made thousands of dollars this year, but at the same time showing a desk full of monitors ranging from 11-inch to 27-inch displays is truly priceless. Next time you win a couple of thousands, spend some of that to buy at least a proper dual monitor setup or more if you need it. But please stop playing online poker and spending thousands on tournaments’ buy-ins at cheap and old displays just because they were lying around your house and can’t find the time to learn [how to setup a multi monitor setup](https://jimmakos.com/2010/04/quad-monitor-setup-how-to-build/)!

I started playing online poker on my laptop back in 2006\. Since I wasn’t making any money then, it would be a bad investment spending money on new monitors. As years went by, I managed to add more tables while improving my poker skills and finally began increasing my poker bankroll. However opening more than 4 poker tables and multi tabling at online poker rooms quickly had me thinking of building a [dual monitor computer setup](https://jimmakos.com/2009/08/photos-professional-gamblers-working-office/). Although you can connect a monitor to your laptop, I opted to build a desktop computer for more power while sacrificing mobility. I guess that is how most poker players remember their first steps in poker industry. Starting playing from their laptops and moving to multi monitor setups when they made money surely sounds familiar for most.

Yet we see photos posted by poker players around the world of their working desks full of new and old monitors combined! I totally understand the cost and time needed to build a multi monitor setup in your office, when you keep trying to become a winning [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker) player. Investing in improving your skills should be your top priority. However if you have proven profitable over a long time, why limiting your knowledge and skills by playing at a really awkward environment? Poker players know that adding more poker tables and tournaments and playing profitably at the same time will increase their hourly win rate. Does though playing at a 24-inch monitor next to a 14-inch laptop really help?

Winners at online poker tournaments can make 20, 30 or more than 100,000 US dollars annually. A quad monitor setup including four 24-inch displays costs less than a thousand without the computer. Spend a thousand more for that and you got yourself a great computer setup that will make your life and work easier for years to come. Besides, what’s the meaning of bragging about your recent $20,000 win at poker tournaments, if you are still saving money by using old and small displays? Some won’t believe you actually make money, and a professionally looking office desk will dispel any doubts.
### Nanonoko World Record Attempt at Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure
URL: https://jimmakos.com/nanonoko-world-record-attempt-poker-stars-caribbean-adventure/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:10:48.000Z
I have played thousands of poker hands with Randy Lew, also known as Nanonoko at online poker tables. Now Poker Stars will try to increase their popularity and possibly attract even more customers by having Nanonoko attempt to set or break a Guinness World Record at the Caribbean Adventure, PCA in short. Poker Stars have already tried something similar when ElkY set the record for most online poker tables played in one hour. Now it’s up to Randy to bring their name one step forward once again. However they haven’t yet decided what kind of world record they want him to set; they have asked for suggestions and they will credit a $215 entry for the best idea at the [twoplustwo forum thread](http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29/news-views-gossip/help-choose-randy-nanonoko-lews-world-record-attempt-1138871/).

The most common suggestion for a poker-related Guinness World Record in that thread must be the most poker hands played in an hour (or day!) profitably. There are a couple more interesting ideas, like most opponents defeated in an hour. Hilarious ideas aren’t going to be missed, such as most times open shoving J5 and showing a profit. For anyone not knowing Nanonoko’s playing style that may come as a surprise, but four or five betting/shoving with total air is one of his favorite poker moves. Tilting opponents when he hits is probably the reason for some of these ideas. I myself have been a victim of those all-ins.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nanonoko-timeline-stars-usd.png)

It’s been ages since I last confronted Nanonoko. We used to play against each other at $2-4 and $3-6 poker tables at Poker Stars but also at much higher stakes up to $25-50 No Limit 6-max tables. Since then my [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker/) career took a dive and I was forced to drop down to much lower limits, while Nanonoko was on his way to make 2 million dollars playing cash games!

Some of that money came from my bankroll; $12,278 to be precise.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/nanonoko-player-vs-player-poker-tracker.png)

Randy is one of the few poker players I greatly respect. He is best known for his ability to multi-table profitably up to 24 tables and keeping a loose aggressive style instead of being a nit. His winrate is also remarkable and I would bet he continues to make money at Poker Stars tables for years to come. Poker Stars on the other hand have also managed to dodge the [Black Friday](https://jimmakos.com/pokerstars-ept-grand-final-madrid-package-black-friday/) bullets, avoiding events like Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet bankruptcies and Full Tilt Poker lockout. Poker Stars was the single one poker room out of the four the US Department of Justice turned against in April 2011, that still remains in business and have been the home of more than 40 million online poker players! More than 250,000 players play at the same time at peak hours there.

PCA and a possible Guinness World Record couldn’t have come in a better time for Poker Stars. Picking Randy “Nanonoko” Lew for setting the World Record is a promising and well-thought decision, after the breakthrough win for Nanonoko at APPT Macau a month ago! They couldn’t ask for more having the APPT Macau 2011 Champion attempt a Guinness World Record at Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure! Best of luck, Randy!
### My 2011 Poker Leaks at Hold Em Manager
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-2011-poker-leaks-hold-em-manager/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:51:25.000Z
****Hold Em Manager** 2 and Leak Buster found my poker leaks that cost me $18,000 in 2011! I have used *[Poker Tracker as a poker leak finder](https://jimmakos.com/2008/05/finding-leaks-poker-tracker/)* in the past, but poker software has greatly improved since then and nowadays I use Hold Em Manager to find any kind of poker leak that costs money in the long run! It seems I have been playing super aggressive poker in the mid-stakes no limit cash games since I moved down from *high stakes* tables. My biggest poker leaks are found at 3bet/4bet situations and I definitely have a serious poker leak at turn aggression. Here is the list of my worst poker leaks found with ****Poker Leak Buster**, a ****poker Hold Em Manager** application.

![cash-poker-games-winnings](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/cash-poker-games-winnings-1.png)

First some general poker leaks before I discuss the leaks by position. It seems that 2011 has been the year I got my W$SD% down to 45%. The won-dollar-at-showdown percentage needs to be at least 50% if I want to be a profitable ****Texas Holdem** poker player. That can be corrected by folding marginal hands earlier and calling down better hands at showdown. My increased squeeze percentage is also a major poker leak and I seem to attack my opponents a lot, especially out of position. The squeeze% is 10 while it should be 7.5 or lower. That also led to increased 3bet% which needs to be reduced a little. A couple of more poker leaks are 4betting a lot and not folding easily against continuation bets when seeing the flop.

As far as poker leaks by position are concerned, I really need to call from the blinds more marginal hands at river, where my call efficiency percentage is through the roof. That means I only call at river with the top of my value range hands and give up spots when I’m probably still ahead! I need to reduce aggression and squeezing from those positions and really give up trying to resteal with offsuit and suited connectors! 4betting more from the big blind came as a surprise as a recommendation from the ****Holdem Manager** poker software!

Regarding early and middle positions, tightening up the opening range, reducing turn aggression and calling more often at river will help to correct my biggest ****leaks at poker** from those positions. However the cutoff position is the position which I seem to have my biggest poker leaks. I seriously have to reduce my squeezing, 3betting and 4betting percentages, and the turn aggression. Opening with connectors from the cutoff position is actually showing a loss for my ****poker game** and I still must call more marginal hands at river! Extra care should be taken when squeezing with AT-AK and occasionally calling instead of raising must be included in my arsenal!

Another ****leak in my poker game** is open-raising more than 55% of the hands from the button! Having a tight image from early position and a loose one from the button is the perfect poker strategy at cash games, but I kind of overdo it! The usual poker leaks exist here as well, such as squeezing and 3/4betting don’t seem to do much good to my winrate!

Moving on to my ****leaks at poker hands** specifically, problems exist when cold calling out of position with QTo-ATo and QTs-KJs, I guess defending from the blinds. Leading some pots and check raising missed pots by late position raisers should improve my winrate, but reducing cold calling has to be my starting point! Offsuit and suited connectors alike are losing hands for me in total, as I tend to overbet with them. I should be looking going to battle (calling) with them against weaker opponents and (3bet and semi) bluff stronger ones.

The last important poker leaks that need immediate remedy are 3betting, 4betting and calling 3bets. Reducing all of them should stop losing me money and I also need to 3bet more with K2-K9s, Q2-Q9s and J2-J8s instead of their offsuit counterparts and connectors. I guess the connector hands give me the most trouble. 3betting bluffs with suited Ax ****poker hands** also have to be abandoned. Poker leaks at calling 3bets include losing money when calling with pocket pairs 22-77 and with small Ax’s. I should be looking to 4bet more with A2-AJ hands instead of calling, and 4betting with connectors!

The ****poker leaks** Hold Em Manager and its application, ****Poker Leak Buster**, found in my 2011 database of 250,000 poker hands are really important. I have not much experience using those pieces of ****poker software**, having been a loyal customer of Poker Tracker for 5 years! Yet, I believe there is great potential in ****Hold Em Manager** now that HEM 2 edition is out. Many users have complained that they rushed out and the software has a lot of bugs, and while that is mostly true, I kind of like the applications that accompany the [Hold Em Manager](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager), such as Leak Buster. I have purchased the combo versions of both, including support for Omaha games apart from Holdem [poker](https://jimmakos.com/poker), although I have not played a single hand at Omaha poker! If you were looking for a ****poker leak finder**, you can’t go wrong trying out the trial of [Leak Buster](https://jmks.co/leakbuster)!
### How to Register and Develop Keyword-Targeted Domains
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-register-develop-keyword-targeted-domains/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T18:37:38.000Z
As a domainer, I need to **register** and develop **keyword-targeted domains** in order to make money. By studying popular practices and tips by other webmasters, I learnt **how to register a domain name** which is keyword rich and can easily be monetized. PestleAnalysis.com is a domain I bought in 2010 after **SEO keyword research**, but I have neglected building a website. I finally decided to develop the domain by **designing a website** using **WordPress** and buying a couple of articles at Elance. These are the steps I am following to turn my domain into a profitable investment.

## How to Register a Domain Name

My first advice: Don’t register the first attractive **domain name** you find available! Picking up a domain that cannot make money unless you REALLY spend a lot of time and effort isn’t exactly the brightest idea when you are starting up in the domain business. Whether you want to create your personal website, a niche blog or a mini-site, you are better off registering a domain name that is keyword rich. Google Keyword Tool will help your SEO **keyword research** greatly.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/keyword-tool-results-pestle-analysis.png)

Since I had found that the domain PestleAnalysis.com was available – don’t ask me how I ended up there, can’t remember – I entered the two keywords as a phrase in the Google Keyword Tool. I ticked the option to receive ideas closely related to my search terms (in other words, phrases including exactly both of my keywords) and I selected \[Exact\] under the match types. Since I expect PestleAnalysis.com to work best and rank in the first places of search engines under the exact keywords of the domain name, I wanted to find out the potential of such a domain name. The results of the SEO keyword research turned out to be quite impressive in terms of search volume (12,100), but quite bad in terms of Cost Per Click (EUR0.62). The advertising competition is also ranked as “Low” so no day dreaming of designing a website that will make millions.

In brief if the domain likely ranks first when people search “pestle analysis” and 30% of those click on my domain (20-35% click through the first result of any search), the domain’s traffic will be about 3,500 visits per month. Setting an average pageview per visit around 1.5, that equals to 5,000 pageviews per month. Assuming 1% click through ratio – that is 1 out of 100 click on an advertisement – I am expecting about 50 clicks per month and given the cost per click, the final result is around EUR30 per month. As the domain name registration cost $7 per year and the annual hosting cost is calculated at $10, I would consider that domain name registration as a profitable investment. However the costs increase as long as I’m outsourcing the content of the website. Having a profit target though helps to work out a budget and keeping myself inside its limit.

## How to invest in the website design

Now that you’ve got yourself a relatively rich in **SEO keywords** domain name, it’s time to invest in website design. Depending on the website you want to develop on that domain of yours, you need to install the appropriate software. I opted for Joomla when I created the front page of my [personal website](https://jimmakos.com/), but I consider WordPress a much easier piece of software to design a website quickly and effortlessly.

> Read more about [comparing Joomla and WordPress as blogging software](https://jimmakos.com/2010/09/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/cpanel-quick-install-fantastico-de-luxe.png)

Installing WordPress is done in seconds using QuickInstall or Fantastico De Luxe utilities found in your hosting provider’s Cpanel. Then comes installing a WordPress template or using the built-in one and it’s time to fill the website with content. In case you are creating a personal website or a niche blog discussing your hobbies, you will be writing the articles yourself. However in PestleAnalysis.com case I have no idea what Pestle Analysis is. I found out that PEST analysis is an even more popular search term to include as a major SEO keyword into my domain keyword list. Anyhow, I’m going to hire authors to write some articles on pestle analysis for me. I use Elance for hiring contractors and my job offer has already attracted 7 bids.

As the website will be running at least until its expiration date (2015) and having invested about $100 or so when I registered and hosted the domain name, I’d be happy to invest a little more for SEO articles that will help rank the website a bit quicker. A little more keyword research will provide the necessary titles of the posts, while sending keyword targeted articles to other websites including backlinks to my website might give a SEO ranking boost.

When the question how to register a keyword-targeted domain comes to mind, it’s always best to first pay a visit to [Google Keyword Tool](https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) and try out that phrase you thought of before you register a domain name. Doing so you stand a better chance to make money from your domain, rather than having it sit idle in your GoDaddy account!
### My Online Poker Rankings for 2011 - Tournaments
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-online-poker-rankings-2011-tournaments/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:46:47.000Z
According to ****official poker rankings**, I have won $25,000 in ****online poker tournaments** in 2011\. That places me 80th in the Greek ****online poker rankings** of this year, although they don’t track my Ongame results, leaving about 3K out of the equation. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker-stars-online-poker-rankings.png)

Although the best cash happened at Full Tilt Poker taking down the [first place](https://jimmakos.com/2011/03/final-tables-preparing-greek-poker-cup-loutraki/) for $14,000, the [EPT Grand Final satellite win](https://jimmakos.com/2011/05/live-updates-european-poker-tour-grand-final-madrid/) at Poker Stars stood out, where my rank is about 5,000th, far away to compete with poker tournament pros. I also ran exceptionally at the Ongame network of poker sites, making into the money in 8 out of 15 tournaments (huge sample!) and winning more than $3,000 for a 121% ROI! I played an ****online poker tournament** back in October for the last time, but that doesn’t shock me as I don’t really like ****playing poker tournaments** for endless hours.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ongame-online-poker-rankings.png)

My 2011 *online poker rankings* aren’t going to improve until the end of the year, but they won’t get worse either. I’m not planning on spending another buy-in on any poker tournament in December, focusing on improving my poker skills at cash games, as I am really disappointed by my poker game there. Online poker tournament winnings were welcome in 2011 when I played awfully both in cash games and in ****live poker tournaments**, such as EPT Grand Final and [GSOP Live Greece](https://jimmakos.com/2011/10/gsop-live-greece-twitter-facebook-updates-on-the-move/). Although I hate travelling and the participation in *live poker tournaments* was the motivation to travel with the wife, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try my best. In fact I didn’t like ****live poker** either! There, I said it!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/f91efccf-a98b-40fe-a752-513a329e037d.png)

Greek Online Poker Rankings by Pokerland.gr

I’m not that optimistic for the future regarding online poker tournaments. [Black Friday](https://jimmakos.com/2011/04/pokerstars-ept-grand-final-madrid-package-black-friday/) events have caused quite a stir in the ****poker** industry and if I was an ****online poker** tournament pro, I might be worried about my job. Discussing the matter with poker players, the majority of them don’t consider the events that bad though; on the contrary they think they will boost poker revolution even more. I fail to see how worldwide poker tournaments such as Poker Stars Sunday Million will be successful when more countries limit access of their online poker players inside their borders, but maybe it’s just me. Others don’t believe the legislations about online gambling will take effect in the end. Either way, trust in ****online poker** has certainly diminished, at least from my part having withdrawn almost all of my funds from Poker Stars, the poker room where I once spent 10 to 12 hours daily achieving Supernova status for 4 consecutive years and even trying for [Supernova Elite in 2010](https://jimmakos.com/2010/01/pokerstars-supernova-elite-2010-goal-online-poker/).
### How EU Regulations Limit Access to your Paypal Account
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-eu-regulations-limit-access-paypal-account/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:49:43.000Z
PayPal emailed me today that they are required to limit access to my **PayPal verified account** if I don’t confirm my account information. ****EU regulations** require PayPal to collect some of their customers’ information, so that they provide a safer platform and help prevent illegal use of its services, such as ****money laundering fraud**. Since my account was already verified, my online research came up with stories about closed PayPal accounts, inaccessible **PayPal money** and PayPal fraud. In the end it all comes down to answering a multiple choice question whether you are an individual customer, a sole proprietor or some kind of business. Most say that upon answering that question, you’ll be asked to provide identity proof, utility bill as a proof of residence address and link your PayPal account with a bank account and a credit card. I wouldn’t know as I have already done all that back in 2008 when I upgraded my PayPal Personal account to a Premier account.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/paypal-email-eu-regulations.png)

The timeline of complying with EU regulations and verifying my PayPal information began by receiving the email by **PayPal**, letting me know that I must complete the account update by 27th of February 2012\. After making sure it wasn’t a phishing email that needed to be forwarded to PayPal security email address for possible **PayPal fraud**, I logged in to my PayPal verified account.

To my surprise no message popped up and I was using PayPal just like every other day. Still I wasn’t relaxed and started looking around and doing my favorite research online. It turns out many PayPal users had received the same email about EU regulations during the last 2 years, but almost all of them ended up providing the necessary documents as a proof of their personal information, something they hadn’t done to start with. That was not my case. Most had been contacted due to reaching the transaction limit of 1,900 British pounds, or the USD2,500 equivalent. I had long passed that transaction limit but I still read some messages. The answer to their problem was to provide one of the missed documents or link a bank account or credit card, easy as that. Of course the posters were mostly worried whether PayPal was safe to use. “**Is PayPal safe**” was the most common question I came across, followed by “I’m leaving PayPal after X years”. There were also 2 horrifying stories, according to which the PayPal account holders had ****limited access** to their funds for 180 or 270 days before they could withdraw the PayPal money. They weren’t allowed to do business with PayPal anymore and the withdrawal was the only option to them, but not before 6 or 9 months had lapsed!

A couple of webmasters, freelancers and [entrepreneurs](https://jimmakos.com/) kept asking what would happen when they clicked “continue” or “proceed”. Yet, I wasn’t able to find that message. I thought of giving another try and while keeping an open tab after my successful login to PayPal, I re-logged in with another browser. I had just read that I had to access the “Resolution Center” from the top menu to complete the verification, when I landed on the following message right after my second login. “Need information to comply with EU regulations” and other stuff is written on that PayPal message, but there’s a significant difference between that message and the original PayPal email I received. The dates didn’t match!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/paypal-update-eu-regulations--1-.png)

So I clicked “Update now” and I would decide later whether I would complete the questionnaire or not. Notice the photo of the elegant chick next to the message, trying to persuade you it’s the right thing to do!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/paypal-update-eu-regulations-options.png)

And here we are! Confirming my **PayPal account information** was answering a simple yet complicated question. Was I an individual customer, a sole proprietor or a business? Off to my online research I was. Results aligned towards choosing the individual customer, unless you had registered some kind of business at your country of residence. As that is not the case, I moved on and expected the following message to prompt me sending some photo ID, proof of address or another credit card, although I found it very strange to send the same documents I did a couple of years ago. Clicking the “continue” button had the following result.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/paypal-update-eu-regulations-completed.png)

I believe this is the time when other PayPal account holders get the message of sending necessary documents to verify their personal information according to EU regulations. Having done that, I could once again access my PayPal account’s funds. Had I lost access to that at any point? No. Even during following the steps, I constantly checked my PayPal account via the first tab where I had logged into my PayPal account before dealing with the messages. It seems even if you click “proceed”, “continue” or “update now” you always can revert back and complete the verification steps at another time but before the deadline. You can even repeat the process! However, some PayPal customers complained that they lost access to their money until they provided the aforementioned documents. Have that in mind, in case you haven’t sent any of those, and quite possibly haven’t got a **PayPal verified** account for yourself.
### Contacted to Buy Tennis Betting System for EUR5,000
URL: https://jimmakos.com/contact-buy-tennis-betting-system-eur5000/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:52:38.000Z
A Betfair bettor selling a tennis betting system contacted me in 2009\. EUR5,000 was the initial price to buy the sports betting system from him but eventually the deal came down to EUR750 upfront payment and EUR750 more if the betting system made me at least EUR2,000\. In the end the deal was off and I never got a hold of any part of the tennis system other than a couple of screen shots. I don’t know what happened to the system’s seller, who at one point managed to find an investor who was proven rather untrustworthy. Here’s the brief story of the emails we exchanged.

The seller introduced to me as a Master student in Financial Economics doing his thesis on analyzing in-play tennis betting market. He claimed he spent a lot of time on determining fair value odds using data from Wimbledon 2007 and 2008 tennis games. His model was based in Excel and the only inputs that needed updating during the tennis game in question was the score line. Doing so the model automatically would calculate the fair odds – theoretically true probability in other words – and I should be looking to value bet any odds the market offered. Trading was an option but also letting the bet run would be proven profitable according to the seller. He was looking to sell the tennis betting system to just one person for EUR5,000.

Obviously I had my doubts.

I am constantly contacted by people who are interested in selling me their bullet-proof betting systems. I went on and asked a couple of questions in my next email, regarding maximum drawdown and ROI of the system, backtesting possibility, forward testing results, whether it was a black box or I got to see the formulas inside the Excel spreadsheet and so on. He replied making it clear all information and data of the betting system was accessible, no black box. He explained to me how he had backtested the system and even how he was placing small bets according to the system and showing a profit. The screen shot of the betting results was very promising with small fluctuations around the expected value (EV) of the bets.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/results-with-ev.jpg)

Tennis betting system: Results with Expected Value Line

Having been a bit busy the following week I did not reply to that lengthy email and the seller came back at me. Interestingly enough he had lowered his selling price of the tennis betting system to EUR1,500 after “discussing with some friends who found the price ridiculously high”. He also had thought of creating a subscription service in order to better monetize the tennis betting model, but he was running short of time and firmly believed selling it would be his best option. I then contact him informing that another option would be to pay EUR500 upfront and a thousand more when the system was proven profitable by winning at least EUR2,000\. He replied within a day suggesting EUR750 upfront payment and EUR750 in the event of me winning couple of thousands euros. He suggested using Neteller for the money transaction. Due to having holidays at my country during that time, I asked for some time to think about it.

2 weeks later the tennis betting system’s seller let me know that he had found a buyer and had completed the transaction of EUR5,000! I congratulated him for the sell, but 2 months later I had again news from him! The investor turned out an untrustworthy buyer, since he had paid just EUR1,500, promising he would deliver rest of the funds after testing the system. No word from him led the seller to get back to me, claiming that the tennis system was once again available and the buyer didn’t have exclusive rights, as they were dishonest. This time he asked for EUR1,500 upfront and pleaded not to disclose any information about the system in my blog. Well, sharing information I would have paid EUR1,500 for isn’t something I usually do! He also urged me to reply soon as Wimbledon tennis tournament was about to start and would be a perfect opportunity to make money using the tennis betting system.

I once again didn’t reply and his next email informed of a value bet his betting system had calculated at that time. In all honesty I backed that betting tip @2.60 and watched the odds shortening @2.20 before the game even started! However I wouldn’t base a EUR1,500 decision on a single bet, no matter the impressive result. The next day I got what turned out to be his last email. He was not looking to sell the system, rather mentioned how he used the betting tip and let his bet run till the end.

I have not heard of the seller since then. Perhaps if he is around here and reads this post, he will drop me a line and let me know how he is doing.
### Online Plagiarism Checker found 92% Plagiarism in Expensive Article
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-plagiarism-checker-92-plagiarism-expensive-article/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:13:39.000Z
I use **Copyscape** as a plagiarism detector of purchased articles meant to be published in my blogs. **Free plagiarism check** is available at Copyscape, but you need to purchase credits if you are serious about plagiarism detection so you don’t end up publishing duplicate content. You’d wonder why professional article writers would ever provide duplicate content, jeopardizing their credibility. Accepting simultaneous assignments and projects might be the first reason that comes in my mind, but as an administrator I find it extremely disturbing to pay for articles, that is far from original. And I’m not talking about 10 or 20% of the text having being copied by other sources. I just paid for an article that hit 92% in the **online plagiarism checker**!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/copyscape-comparison.png)

I normally check for plagiarism right before the publishing of a recently purchased article. However, several writers have earned my trust through long time partnership, and I used *Copyscape* periodically, since I didn’t want to spend credits on trustworthy articles. Not that credits are that expensive. It costs about $0.05 for plagiarism check up to 2,000 words, so the budget won’t get hurt. Yet, after forty-four 100% original submitted articles by this particular provider, it never crossed my mind that the final article would be 92% copied from another website! The **plagiarism check** was done this morning, while the article was sent to me on Friday, when our partnership ended after 2 months of excellent co-operation.

> Copyscape Premium offers the most advanced plagiarism search on the web.

It’s not the first article though that fails in **plagiarism detection**. Quite a few article providers have occasionally sent me originals that weren’t 100% original. I really don’t have a problem when up to 10% of the text is pasted by another website. I do have an issue though when that is the case for all submitted articles, although a simple warning of terminating the deal is sufficient to get the writer back on track. Obviously I know that cheap articles will be mostly rewritten articles, combining several paragraphs from other respectable posts. The thing is the articles for finance don’t come cheap, if you want quality articles. Otherwise, you’ll be better hiring authors from Asia than doing business with expensive Europeans and Americans. At least in that case you get 3 articles in the price of one! Surely the **online plagiarism detector** such as Copyscape must work overtime, but you get what you pay for. And when you pay a respectable amount of money, you expect top quality articles.

You can do some free plagiarism checks at Copyscape or other plagiarism software to find out if the content of your [blog](https://jimmakos.com/) has been copied to another website. If that is the case, you’d better contact the blog’s administrator and nicely request either for a link back to the original article, or removing the copied material. If you are looking for purchasing original articles for your blog though to help it rank better at certain keywords, **free plagiarism detection** is out of the question.
### Google Webmaster Tool against Hacking your Joomla Website
URL: https://jimmakos.com/google-webmaster-tool-hacking-joomla-website/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:54:59.000Z
Top keywords at Google Webmaster tool showed me that my Joomla 1.5 website had been hacked. I have no clue how to hack websites but I know of search engine optimization, and I understand something is wrong when “download” and “movie” are my top keywords in significance in Google webmaster tool!

![google-webmaster-tool-keyword](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/google-webmaster-tool-keyword-1.png)

My Joomla 1.5 installation was getting old and I didn’t care to update it the last months, leading to some serious hacking taking place in my website. First they attacked and hacked all of my websites’ .htaccess files but fortunately I always keep backups. Lately my domain’s pagerank dropped to 2 and it was time for drastic measures. Having restarted my website from scratch today, it’s no surprise that I have seen hits at content URL links I never even knew they existed!

The top keywords of my domain used to be trading, poker and betting, perfectly matching my gambling blog’s theme. However, when I logged into Google webmaster tool a month or so, I noticed my domain was being ranked for “download”, “movie” and “watch”. No matter how hard I dag into my server’s files, I couldn’t find a trace of those keywords, although I have come across that kind of hacking when I’d checked the .htaccess file at my server’s root path. Not this time so I made the big decision to delete the whole Joomla 1.5 installation and start over using Joomla 1.7 along with a [WordPress blog](https://jimmakos.com/).

After a week of installing templates, copying articles and tidying up SQL databases, the website is up and running today, knowing that everything is clean once again. Yet, Joomla 1.7 has a nice redirect plug-in where the webmaster or administrator can check incoming links leading to error pages such as 404 – page not found. Suddenly the plug-in’s list got filled with links to articles that I didn’t recognize! Given the fact those links were actually indexed and cached in Google search engine, I was able to visit some of them. Here is one of them:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/hacked-website-post.png)

Hacked unknown Joomla post

There’s no question they know how to hack websites! I still miss the point though of hacking small websites such as mine. Obviously the content includes text links that work in some mysterious way in favor of the attackers but I’m totally ignorant of their hacking methods! What I did find out though right before writing this post, is a hacking method called sql injection. I have not researched for it, but when I did the search engine optimization for this post the term “sql injection” kept appearing. The significance of this keyword is strong with 74,000 exact monthly searches. I believe sql injection could be one of the methods attackers used to hack my website in order to create new content without me knowing about it! I’ll probably do a research and come back to this issue.

For the time being I’m glad I kept on checking the Google webmaster tool from time to time, as it was the main reason for finally pulling the trigger and cleaning up my domain and website. Hopefully it will lead to a Pagerank increase sooner or later, but it will surely take time, now that every indexed URL link has been changed! Don’t worry; I have inserted 301 redirect rules in the .htaccess. I just wish they don’t hack my website again anytime soon!
### Holdem Manager 2 Beta Installation
URL: https://jimmakos.com/holdem-manager-2-beta-installation/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:14:03.000Z
I received my [Holdem Manager 2 beta code](https://jmks.co/holdemmanager) this week in my mailbox and I’m happy to report that Holdem Manager 2 installation took less than 2 minutes even after setting up the PostgreSQL database. HEM 2 setup allows you to import either your Holdem Manager 1 or Poker Tracker 3 database as soon as the installation completes. Import time shouldn’t take long running at 380 hands per second given you don’t have an enormous database. At the time of writing beta version 2.0.0.5300 of Holdem Manager 2 was installed, which is expected to be improved. Besides, upon loading for the first time, HEM 2 informs me that tournament report load times are very slow and will be fixed in next release!

When you open a free account at Holdem Manager website, you can apply as a beta tester of HEM 2\. I don’t really know if buying the older version of Holdem Manager is a requirement in order to be accepted as a beta tester, as I had already purchased HEM prior to requesting access to the beta version. Anyhow, one month since my application, I received the serial key today along with the download link of the setup file.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-2-install-setup.gif)

The HEM 2 splash logo upon running the setup executable file talks about the art and science of winning poker, which apparently is Holdem Manager new software. I haven’t yet tried anything on HEM 2 beta, because I began writing this post the minute the installation was completed. However, the poker software looks promising, given the fact it’s much more stylish than the predecessor; and this coming from a Poker Tracker 3 customer!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-2-install-setup-2.png)

Importing your existing database of poker hand histories is essential if you want to experiment with the software right from the start. I suppose if you are looking to try out the beta version, you already use either Poker Tracker or Holdem Manager and have some experience with poker tracking software. Of course, you can always start testing HEM 2 with an empty database, although your limited sample would keep most lists empty.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/holdem-manager-2-import-database-2.png)
### GSOP Live Greece: Twitter / Facebook updates on the move
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gsop-live-greece-twitter-facebook-updates-on-the-move/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:36:09.000Z
I’m leaving tomorrow for Porto Carras to play in the GSOP Live Greece. [Grand Series of Poker](http://www.gsoplive.com/events/portocarras/) is a live poker tournament who visits Greece for the first time hosting an event of 400 poker players from all over the world paying $1,500 as buy-in. Since I have won a seat through a Partypoker satellite, I’ll be competing wearing their logo. That’s a change since I always played live poker tournaments as a Pokerstars qualifier like [EPT Grand Final at Madrid](https://jimmakos.com/2011/05/live-updates-european-poker-tour-grand-final-madrid/). If I hadn’t sold through twoplustwo.com my [second GSOP package from Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/2011/09/gsop-porto-carras-greece-package-for-sale/), chances are the wife might have been a participant in this tournament. Now we’ll be travelling tomorrow morning to “sunny” Chalkidiki – the weather here has seriously gone bad lately and no improvement is expected earlier than Thursday. Hopefully players from abroad won’t be disappointed when arriving at Thessaloniki’s airport tomorrow.

Buses will be waiting for them at the airport leaving every 1.5 hour according to [transport schedule](http://www.gsoplive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/GSOP-Live-Greece-Transport-Schedule.pdf), transferring them to Porto Carras, the venue of the GSOP Live Greece. Meanwhile, a new poker room with 20 tables has been announced by the luxurious hotel to host the live poker tournament. Porto Carras has been one of my favorite destinations during summer Autumn is also a great season to visit Greece, but unfortunately the weather isn’t helping with temperatures not exceeding 12 degrees of Celsius during rainy days. Hopefully hot table action will keep up warm, until the sun shines again in the end of the week as predicted.

I’ll begin the 1.5 hour drive from Thessaloniki to Porto Carras tomorrow at about 10am – have 2 empty seats and plenty of baggage space for anyone interested – so I am expecting to update my Twitter and Facebook accounts 2 hours later or so, depending on weather conditions. Traffic won’t be an issue during this time of year in Chalkidiki. If you are interested in keeping an eye on the GSOP Live Greece event from a poker player’s point of view, social network services will host my updates. Updating a blog is obviously more complicated and replying to any questions from foreign friends is always done quicker through them. Finally, if you are visiting Greece for this poker tournament and have any late-minute questions, let me know!
### Does your Trading Strategy Work in Horse Racing Markets?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/does-your-trading-strategy-work-horse-racing-markets/
Last updated: 2025-06-09T05:20:51.000Z
I often receive emails questioning why I have given up [trading the horse racing markets at Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) and whether a trader can make money nowadays trading fixed odds of the favorite horse. The fact that I cannot make it pay anymore doesn’t mean other traders are unsuccessful as well. It means my trading strategy is no longer profitable for me. Did the strategy have flaws or were the markets that easy to trade back in 2005? Maybe it’s because broadband internet connections have improved dramatically over the past few years worldwide and [the technology advantage is obsolete](https://jimmakos.com/2009/05/does-internet-speed-affect-your-betfair-trading/).

The fact is though that my trading method is simply doomed to fail and here is the proof!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/horse-racing-trading-betfair-pl.png)

From time to time I wander around the horse racing markets at the betting exchange and try to resist trading the odds. Yesterday I decided to try one last time the trading act, since I have received a couple of encouraging screen shots of another Betfair trader who wins more than €70,000 per year. I failed miserably as you all may see from my yesterday’s profit and loss screen shot in the beginning of the post. There was simply no point in continuing trading the markets for the day, as I lost 4 out of 5 races.

Some would say that it could have been bad luck, bumping into the difficult markets of Monday. Truth is ****you know when your strategy isn’t working**, you just see it in front of you. You enter the market and seconds later the odds move against you. You trade out only to see the odds move back up, towards the way you predicted. You wait and begin trading once again but it seems like either someone is quicker than you and your bet isn’t matched or they are smarter than you and when the bet is matched, the market moves unpredictably.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/winning-horse-racing-trading-betfair.jpg)

[Support and resistance](https://jimmakos.com/2009/03/support-and-resistance-candlesticks-betfair-charts/), technical analysis and trend lines you say? Sure, they are all there and boy, have I not discussed about them a lot.

Betfair graphs aren’t the most effective charts to [apply technical analysis](https://jimmakos.com/2009/12/technical-analysis-really-work-betfair-trading/) on, but they do offer some help. In the end though, it is all about the profit and loss screen. 

Losses because I laid at the support level, and a [support level breakout](https://jimmakos.com/2008/11/betfair-chart-how-to-make-money-breakout/) happened shortly afterwards. Losses because there was a false breakout and the support eventually held up but I was too stubborn to accept that. Trend lines which break and there is no sufficient odds’ fluctuation to make up the losses I accumulated during the first 5 minutes of trading the horse race.

It’s becoming frustrating, and ****frustration is a sure way to disaster**.

To all newcomers in the Betfair trading world, this article is not about the impossibility of winning by trading the odds and [unbeatable horse racing trading](https://jimmakos.com/2008/02/horse-racing-trading-still-beatable/). It is about the markets’ potential for any trader to turn a profit.

When there are price movements and crowd psychology involved, there is always room to make money. What worked for me and doesn’t work anymore ****may actually work for you**. Or alternatively what works for you may not work for anyone else! 

Shocking huh? Well, you just need to **find out that specific winning strategy** and apply it on the horse racing markets or anywhere else you see fit.

And don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot make money these days. The final judge would be the P&L screen of your Betfair account and [mine has certainly made its point](https://jimmakos.com/2012/11/how-betfair-changed-my-life/).
### GSOP Porto Carras Greece: Package for Sale
URL: https://jimmakos.com/gsop-porto-carras-greece-package-for-sale/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T02:59:48.000Z
I won 2 GSOP packages for the forthcoming live poker tournament taking place at Porto Carras Grand Resort in October and I’m putting one of them for sale. The package includes the $1,650 GSOP Greece main event buy-in and 5 nights’ accommodation at Porto Carras Hotel for a total of $2,900\. The two packages come from Partypoker and Betfair, and since the Partypoker GSOP package isn’t transferrable, I am left with the Betfair one. If you are interested, send me an email or leave a comment with your offer. Best offer wins the package.

I will be making an announcement to several poker forums during the week which will hopefully lead to more bids. Although most of the offers in such occasions refer merely to money, there’s the possibility to accept an offer including a portion of the winnings. For example, your offer can be something along the lines of: $X,XXX and YY% of your GSOP winnings. I most often than not do business via Paypal, Moneybookers or Neteller but I can also accept a money transfer through Partypoker or Pokerstars. So, let me know if anyone out there is interested in the Betfair GSOP Greece package.

### GSOP Greece:

- · The GSOP Greece promotion will commence at 00:00 ET, on 22nd August, 2011 and will end at 23:59 ET on 25th September 2011;
- · Players must be a minimum of 21 years of age to play in the GSOP Greece main event
- · Transportation will be arranged from Thessaloniki airport to Porto Carras Grand Resort.
- · The GSOP Greece Main Event takes place from 12th – 15th October, 2011

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/gsop-betfair-porto-carras.gif)
### Flight and Racing Simulation on ATI Eyefinity
URL: https://jimmakos.com/flight-racing-simulation-ati-eyefinity/
Last updated: 2024-06-06T07:05:34.000Z
I have always been a PC gamer but never a huge fan of flight simulations or racing games. Owning a multi-screen setup and watching some Youtube videos made me realize the gaming potential of a triple monitor setup, which up to now has been used only for work. Although the PC is not a high-end machine, it gets the job done easily. An ATI HD5770 powers and extends the desktop workspace on 3 Dell 24’’ monitors, allowing ATI Eyefinity technology to push screen resolution up to 5760×1200\. Up to now I got hooked to Wings of Prey and iRacing.com simulators both of which are very addictive games!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/flight-sim-wings-of-prey-ati-eyefinity.jpg)

The greatest thing about ATI Eyefinity in flight and racing simulations is the fact that the gamer is able to have a wider angle of view. This ability offers the advantage of seeing enemy aircrafts or opponents’ cars on your sides, adding a lot of depth and realism to the whole pc gaming experience. Besides of being an eye-candy technology, it is considered a gamer’s edge compared to other players not using such technology. I seem to agree since ATI technology helps for instance to brake at the right time when side-by-side with another car at iRacing. Obviously the edge is even bigger when playing first person shooters but I’m not into those kind of games any more.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/racing-sim-iracing-ati-eyefinity.jpg)

In order to enable ATI Eyefinity you need an ATI graphics card with a DisplayPort connected to the middle monitor of the triple monitor setup and 2 DVI connections to the other monitors. It’s not rocket science but can lead to spending money on a new monitor to fulfill the DisplayPort requirement. Other than that, the last thing you need to do is to group your monitors in the ATI Catalyst control panel so that the large resolution is enabled and selectable in-game.

If you are one of the lucky ones to own a multi-screen setup with your computer, go on and try out a flight or racing sim having enabled ATI Eyefinity. It’s a new experience for old gamers who used to play in CGA monochrome screens! If you need a break from your work like me, PC gaming is worth it with today’s technology!
### Making EUR53 by Trading Before the Race Starts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/making-eur53-trading-before-race-starts-video/
Last updated: 2024-05-26T13:31:17.000Z
Today in Wolverhampton Racecourse I traded “Tugalu” horse and made **EUR53**. The odds didn’t drift nor steam but rather hovered around ***4.50***. Yet, there were some nice scalping opportunities which could be exploited in order to make money before the horse race even went off! Here’s the video capture of my trading moves made with [Bet Angel Professional](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/).

Here is the final outcome:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tugalu.gif)
### Reduce Spam by Removing Guest Commenting in IntenseDebate
URL: https://jimmakos.com/reduce-spam-by-removing-guest-commenting-in-intensedebate/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:14:24.000Z
I have installed the IntenseDebate comment system in many blogs and I constantly received a lot of spam comments, although I had activated all of the spam filters available at IntenseDebate. Those spam comments came from guests leaving almost identical comments day after day, including links to their commercial websites. Until now you couldn’t disable guest commenting without also removing the option to login via the most popular social networks, Facebook or Twitter. It was about time IntenseDebate figured out a way to do just that, since most visitors do have a Facebook or Twitter account, which will use willingly to post their comment in your posts instead of as a guest.

Bloggers like comments, that’s a fact. Receiving comments in your posts is not only rewarding and fun, but also the best way to interact with your blog’s visitors. However spam comments destroy the whole experience. While my blogs aren’t anywhere near to viral or even popular, I did get about 10 or so spam comments every day in each of my blogs! And although deleting them wasn’t such a difficult task – select all and mark as spam – the one worrying thing was that I could possibly delete a useful comment coming from a loyal visitor. That led to scanning all comments in order to make sure I don’t drive away any visitors by removing their meaningful comment.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/intensedebate.png)

Time is money and obviously no blogger wants to spend their time reading tens of spam comments, instead of adding new content in their blog. IntenseDebate finally thought of a solution to the problem by offering the option to remove guest commenting from their comment system. Previously, IntenseDebate adopters had the option to allow comments only from WordPress or IntenseDebate users. That wasn’t so acceptable since most casual internet users don’t use WordPress, let alone IntenseDebate. They just surf the net and when an interesting post attracts their attention, they just need the easiest way possible to leave their comment. Creating new accounts and logging in via networks they come by for the first time is a no-go and will eventually drive them away from your blog. So, logging in with their Facebook or Twitter accounts was simply a must have as the majority of internet users do use social networks and won’t have an objection sharing their identity, while contributing with a smart comment.

In the end, removing guest commenting from your blog’s IntenseDebate comment system won’t just reduce spam from your inbox but also let your blog populated by valuable comments that will certainly add up to your blog’s value. Here is the code you need to add to your custom CSS page to get rid of guest commenting.

```CSS
#idc-container-parent #idc-container .idc-postnav-label,#idc-container-parent #idc-container
.idc-c-m.idc-signup {
display: none !important;
}

#idc-container-parent #idc-container
.idc-postnav-list {
margin: 5px 0 8px;
}
```
### Aged Domains Make Money Long Term
URL: https://jimmakos.com/aged-domains-make-money-long-term/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:13:01.000Z
It seems like an aged domain along with good website development is a sure way to the bank for any blog owner. Comparing my other blogs with my gambling and sports blog here, I find out that Jimmakos.com generated revenue is significantly higher than what my [greek betting blog](http://www.stoiximaonline.com/) or [online trading blog](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/) makes per month. Even without updating that often the sports blog makes more money than blogs updated almost daily. And as far as picking up a good domain for your blog, Trading Graphs is by far a better name for a trading blog than… Jim Makos! Yet, Google Adsense monetizing that blog falls very short compared to jimmakos.com revenue, despite the encouraging Adsense earnings’ increase as the trading blog matures.

When I started up this blog in 2005, I never thought of monetization and actually making money out of writing my personal experiences in the gambling world. It took me 3 years to discover that blogging can be some sort of additional income, when a couple of advertisers contacted me for private advertising deals that averaged at about $30/month each. Since then I learnt how to post more efficiently and studied a bit about search engine optimization techniques. That led to even more advertising deals which put me off any affiliate programs I had joined reluctantly. Nowadays those deals have come and gone and returned keeping me busy selling off advertising space in the form of text ad links, banner placements and promotional articles. Starting up new blogs brought more revenue as some advertisers were willing to partner with those as well, but of course the prices were far lower than jimmakosdev.wpengine.com deals.

Given the gambling nature of almost every blog I own, I was forbidden to use Google Adsense. Some other gambling bloggers do business with Google, but there is always the risk to be penalized and even have your account closed. I prefer not taking that risk and following Google’s advertising service guidelines. Peculiarly online stock trading or currency trading isn’t considered gambling; therefore TradingGraphs’ blog monetization is done with Google Adsense, but after 150 or so published posts the revenue is close to nothing. Tradinggraphs.com is quite young in relation to Jimmakos.com proving that age has great impact in money terms, while picking up great keywords and building a WordPress (aka Google friendly) blog come second. Maybe when the content builds up to this blog’s extent, the comparison would be more honest.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/stoixima-online-traffic.png)

Last but not least comes my Greek betting blog. I’m co-authoring that blog with some other friends of mine, bringing the total published posts to 500 in less than a year. We saw the quite welcome traffic’s spike in the beginning of that blog but since then the audience stayed pretty much unchanged, ranging between 150 to 250 visits per day. New content didn’t help although I kept receiving emails for 5 years to start posting in Greek! Greek visitors of Jimmakos.com seem to prefer my English-speaking blog! Anyhow, blog monetization is done through affiliation and some private deals but nothing extraordinary. The blog may be only 2 years old but it was almost daily updated, something that never happened with Jimmakos.com! Still, with 2 posts in the last 2 months, jimmakosdev.wpengine.com far outperforms comparing to more than 30 posts in the last 60 days at StoiximaOnline.com (betting-online in Greek). Besides, Greek advertisements are quite cheap, judging by another Greek blog I own about spear fishing.

Finally, I should mention that I have never done any special promotion for any of my websites, except one month of Facebook advertising for the Greek betting blog.
### Good Idea to Invest in Web Comics?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/good-idea-invest-in-web-comics/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:15:34.000Z
This post might come as a surprise for most of my investing blog’s readers. Lately I have been exploring various new areas for me to invest and given I wanted to make the most out of my [Fujitsu tablet PC](https://jimmakos.com/2010/10/fujitsu-t900-tablet-pc-my-best-buy/), I searched about the comic world and particular web comics. I have been reading comics for as long as I can remember myself, mainly Disney’s magazines, Asterix and Lucky Luke. Drawing on the other hand was never my biggest talent. However I have recently purchased a lot of [Don Rosa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%5FRosa)’s stories about [Scrooge McDuck ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FLife%5Fand%5FTimes%5Fof%5FScrooge%5FMcDuck)and decided to find out more about the comics business. It turns out it is not regarded as a get-rich-quick business. Actually it isn’t a get-rich business at all!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/scrooge.jpg)

I keep reading online that the comics industry is struggling, mainly due to declining demand for printed comics over the last decades. Web comics on the other hand looks more promising but you have to take into account the fact that it is very crowded according to many comics’ designers and artists. In the end, there are so many comics’ drawings circulating over the internet, that almost no one is getting paid via some kind of a contract. Most are publishing their drawings for free and rely on advertising to make some buck, much like the blogging business. Still I think drawing is more difficult than blogging or writing in general, but maybe that’s just me who can’t draw freehand!

Anyway, in case you are interested in drawing and own a tablet PC like me, take a look at [Autodesk Sketchbook Pro](http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=6848332&siteID=123112). It is considered one of the best sketching software to get you started. Of course you can still draw with a desktop PC, but most artists draw using a Wacom pen pad instead of the mouse.

Will I be looking more into the comics’ world? I guess not, as far as investing hard cold cash at least or time! Perhaps drawing can be a hobby of mine that actually doesn’t aim to bring money at home for a change! If I ever give up investing, blogging and gambling all together, I could perhaps think of myself sitting on the balcony trying to draw my first comic. But then again writing a book comes first in my to-do list!
### Live Updates from European Poker Tour Grand Final Madrid
URL: https://jimmakos.com/live-updates-european-poker-tour-grand-final-madrid/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:15:56.000Z
Facebook and Twitter is the favorite choices of many poker pros, who will use the social networking websites to communicate with their friends and fans, in order to keep them updated of their performance in the EPT Grand Final poker tournament that is starting on 7th of May. That is why I also have setup my mobile phone to easily update my personal pages in those sites, as long as there is internet connectivity inside the Gran Casino in Madrid. So, if you want to keep track of what is going on in my trip and how I am doing stack-wise in my first European Poker Tour Main Event, feel free to [follow me in Twitter](http://twitter.com/jimmakoscom) and check on my [Facebook Fan page](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosdotCom/).

I will hopefully be able to post images and videos along with regular text, adding more to the remote experience. However as I am new to twitting via phone, I’m not sure if I will manage that. Texting on the other hand seems much easier, so I will stick to that for the time being. The updates will mainly include my stack size compared to the average stack of the other tournament players and possibly some hands played at the tables. Of course, you can keep track of the EPT happenings straight from the Pokerstars blog. Still, I’m not expecting to be noticed except if I sit next to Barry Greenstein or bust out right before the money. So close friends and family will keep an eye on my twitter account to know exactly how I am doing.

I’m playing on Day 1A of the European Poker Tour Grand Final Main Event, that is on Saturday, May 7th. I will be having a day break on Sunday and play will resume on Monday until Thursday. If I bust out in any of those days, I will be looking to register in the Side Event of the next day – if not the same. Other than tournament updates, our experience as tourists in Spain is very likely to be shared, as we will pay visits to museums, city’s centre and quite possibly Toledo.
### Travel Costs for EPT Grand Final Madrid
URL: https://jimmakos.com/travel-costs-for-ept-grand-final-madrid/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:16:48.000Z
It’s been a few days since I posted my disbelief that [PokerStars would honor the won EPT packages](https://jimmakos.com/2011/04/rumors-say-pokerstars-will-not-honor-ept-packages/), but I have been assured by a PokerStars Online Pro Challenger that EPT Grand Final in Madrid will take place as planned. Additionally, many twoplustwo.com posters have verified the same, after contacting with PokerStars stuff so I went on and booked my flight to Spain. I’ll be travelling with Swiss Air, although Alitalia was also a reasonable and cheaper alternative but some friends of mine had issues with their luggage. I’ve picked Swiss Air due to the fact I will be arriving in Madrid early in the morning and leaving late in night.

The flight cost for the travel from Greece to Madrid and back is calculated close to EUR500 for me and the wife. Alitalia charged EUR450 for the same flight plan. Lufthansa, Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air were a bit more expensive, given the fact I had to arrive first in Athens but their travel times weren’t that suitable either. Now we will be landing in Madrid after a 5-hours flight with transit in Zurich.

Further travel costs include the taxi drive from the Barajas airport of Madrid, which is expected to be close to EUR60 total for the arrival and departure day. Other than that and if everything goes to plan the travel costs won’t include anything more. Since PokerStars have promised bus shuttles every 15 minutes driving the European Poker Tour players back and forth to their hotels for free, travel expenses will most probably be restricted to food and subway transportation for sightseeing.

So, if you happen to be in Spain while EPT Grand Final is on, drop me a line!
### Rumors say PokerStars Will Not Honor EPT Packages
URL: https://jimmakos.com/rumors-say-pokerstars-will-not-honor-ept-packages/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T18:49:08.000Z
Surely EPT won’t be brought to us by PokerStars.com! According to several twoplustwo.com posters, EPT Packages for San Remo or Madrid won’t be honored by PokerStars in the end. Replies by pokerstars.eu say that they can’t verify if players who won the EPT packages are actually registered in the poker tournaments, although there was one reply by VIP staff that claim otherwise. The current situation is worrying, especially for US players who have already made trip arrangements and are coming over to Europe for the European Poker Tour. I myself haven’t booked a flight yet for Madrid and in all honesty, I don’t see that happening.

[Black Friday](https://jimmakos.com/2011/04/pokerstars-ept-grand-final-madrid-package-black-friday/) has seriously affected a lot of poker pros and semi-pros’ lives. A lot of US players complain that they are now jobless in their mid-twenties, having quit college or jobs for a poker career. With the unemployment in USA closing to 10%, they will surely face problems in their future plans. Someone could say that since they are pro poker players, they should have made enough money to both invest and live off. However many players had the biggest portion of their bankroll online, and since the US Department of Justice has seized many of PokerStars and Full Tilt’s bank accounts, they won’t be seeing their funds anytime soon.

News on poker come out and a very small pace and we are all wandering among many poker forums and websites, searching for the latest poker news regarding the safety of our accounts and online poker rooms’ existence. At the same time more than 100,000 players combined continue playing at the two biggest online poker rooms. Maybe there’s light in the end of the tunnel, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

I had registered myself in the EPT Grand Final and had picked Westin Palace Hotel for stay via the PokerStars system (regonline.com) on Thursday, just a day before Black Friday. Since that day was the first anyone who had won an EPT package could register themselves, I doubt PokerStars will have made any arrangements for EPT Madrid, either hotel reservations or EPT Main Event registrations. I will just have to wait and see how EPT San Remo works out.
### PokerStars EPT Grand Final Madrid Package and Black Friday
URL: https://jimmakos.com/pokerstars-ept-grand-final-madrid-package-black-friday/
Last updated: 2024-06-04T07:11:57.000Z
It must have been the worst time ever to win an EPT Grand Final Madrid seat right before Black Friday of online poker. My package that includes 7-night accommodation, EUR10,600 buy-in and EUR750 for expenses is already in jeopardy, although PokerStars claim that the money and packages are safe. After last Friday’s events when the leaders of online poker, PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet Poker took a hit and FBI seized their .com domains, poker has certainly changed in the way we knew it. I sympathize the Americans who can’t play their favorite game anymore, apart from the fact that it’s going to take more than 2 years to get hold of their funds again, if ever. A crucial week for online poker has just begun, although pessimism is found in every post online.

I have already talked about Black Friday’s events in my [Greek gambling blog](http://www.stoiximaonline.com/) and how has affected the online poker industry. Being a PokerStars Supernova for quite some years, I happen to stay in touch with a couple of PokerStars representatives, who obviously claim that European players are not affected. Thing is, if PokerStars is put to the wall and face bankruptcy, everyone’s money is at risk. The case is ever worse for Full Tilt I guess, as reportedly they have more funds in US banks than PokerStars. Poker forums are full of American people willing to insure their online account, paying a high premium (even 40% of their online bankroll) for the service. Anger and depression is all over the place, from people trying to make it to the Supernova Elite VIP level to regulars to much lower stakes. More specifically winning online tournament players face major problems, as they are essentially out of job, as is most pro poker grinders.

During the weekend I’m surprised that there is apparently very little news coverage by major poker websites. For example, pokernews.com has not been updated since Friday! Of course well known online poker players have not made any statements, while there are conspiracy theories appearing as time goes by, based mainly on the recently introduced multi-entry Full Tilt tournaments, triple guarantees week and Rush Poker, methods that were targeting rake increase, as if they already knew what would happen. On the other hand US players find it the most suitable time to bond together and try fighting back. Interestingly enough, QuadJacks has been broadcasting live the last 50 or so hours, featuring reputable poker players and twoplustwo.com posters discussing the awkward situation the US Department of Justice has put them in.

I find myself yet another time to deal with career change! After the installation of automatic shuffling machines at the BlackJack tables and quitting Betfair trading for poker, I must know turn back to either [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) or try improving my financial trading skills and methods. Surely there is blogging for side income, but even that needs a lot of improving in order to make a decent living. I could continue playing online poker without US competition – many claim the games are much softer, something which I witnessed in Sunday’s tournaments last night – but honestly I am not in the mood of continue making a living in the gambling field which is turning into a minefield lately. Almost every government in the world is trying to tax the winnings or restrain the gambling activity, and although I highly expected Greece to follow France’s example, I was frightened to see USA taking similar and even harsher action.

For the time being, I’m more concerned whether I will eventually make it to the EPT Grand Final and PokerStars honoring the winners’ packages. Time will tell.
### 2 Final Tables During the Weekend Preparing for Greek Poker Cup at Loutraki
URL: https://jimmakos.com/final-tables-preparing-greek-poker-cup-loutraki/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:19:54.000Z
I haven’t been a poker tournament player as I prefer playing cash games. I only register in major Sundays’ tournaments in case lady luck decides to let me win one of those. Last Sunday I also played the satellite tournament (€100 buy-in) for the €1,100 Greek Poker Cup in Casino Loutraki, the largest live poker tournament held in Greece up to now and I actually won a 5-nights hotel package along with the seat of course. That was the reason why I began studying once more about poker tournaments and practicing almost daily the past week to improve my tournament skills. Making to the final table of 2 poker tournaments the last weekend and taking down one of them made me believe that I might have a chance hopefully in Loutraki!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Greek_Poker__Cup_Pokerstars_Satellite.png)

First, a few comments about my play at the Greek Poker Cup satellite tournament. To tell you the truth I wasn’t that eager to travel 600km in order to play my first live poker tournament. Besides I haven’t yet played a single hand in live poker on the cash tables of the local casino. Online poker is much more convenient. Of course live poker has other benefits which I will find out in 2 weeks’ time. With that in mind, my goal was to make it into the money regarding the satellite tourney, which I thought was easier than other tournaments, since Greek players are below the worldwide standards judging by the play of the majority. Indeed I managed to get paid and from that point forward I was somehow trying to bust out before I won the package. The hand that was decisive was a couple of orbits before the end of the tournament, when holding Kings I called the chip leader’s 3-bet shove from the button, making a foul play nonetheless. Even with Aces it’s probably a fold as one or two players were busting out soon and I was the second player in chips. The chip leader actually had Aces but I managed to show Quads, acquiring a huge chip lead. From that moment on I think I didn’t play a single hand, while surfing the net searching for the Hotel’s whereabouts and travel instructions.

However, that win made me resume my Deucescracked.com subscription and began watching poker videos about tournament optimum strategy. I honestly haven’t been a good poker tournament player. Although I have played a bunch of tournaments mainly during the start of my… poker career, I never improved my skills to the level which is required to become a winning tournament player. This time, as the Greek Poker Cup will have a lot of publicity and I don’t want to bust out first, I decided to at least prepare as much as possible.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/35K_GTD_Pokerstars_Tour_3rd.png)

So, the last week I have been playing about ten or so tournaments every day while watching 3-5 videos per day. I already knew about tournament play terms such as ICM, but the videos really helped me improve my style of play. Given the experience I have already gained playing at the higher stakes of cash games, the videos made an immediate impact on the results. The biggest proof is the cashing out and final tabling at two tournaments at Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker of large fields (2,000+ players) on Sunday. The final tables took place almost at the same time and most peculiar thing is that I won the one where I was the shortest stack at the final table, while finishing third in the one where I was a chip leader (twice the stack of the second!).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/42K_GTD_Full_Tilt_tour_1st.png)

Those final tables meant a $25K win and although it isn’t huge, considering I spend about $1.5-2K every Sunday in buy-ins, it is surely a welcome bankroll’s boost! Hopefully it’s the start of many more final tables to come!
### Economic Crisis: Is it over for blogging?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/economic-crisis-is-it-over-for-blogging/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:20:34.000Z
I have noticed lately an increase regarding my sports blog’s monetization and advertisers’ interest towards my personal page. When economic crisis hit the markets a couple of years ago, there was a noticeable decrease in the blog’s advertising revenue. Initially I thought it was due to the fact my blog’s pagerank had experienced a drop(PR4 to PR2 in 2-3 weeks), but given the fact that it’s a long time since it came back up to PR3, I suppose economic crisis also was to blame for the termination of several advertising agreements. Nowadays I really struggle keeping up with all the emails asking for some kind of cooperation, although I don’t complain! Hopefully it’s the beginning of a new promising era and I wish other betting and gambling blogs experience the same effect.

Advertisers started coming as suddenly as they disappeared some years ago. I recall there was a time when all the deals were expiring and no one was willing to renew. Banners and text links kept dropping off and revenue was decreasing rapidly, meaning a loss of more than 50% of my blog’s income source in 6 months’ time. Funnily enough the same happened to a couple of other blogs I own at that time, although they still haven’t shown signs of bouncing back. Blogging seemed like a hit-or-miss prospect but now I believe crisis also affected web business online. Besides I never lowered my advertising rates, even when advertisers were leaving my blog. I highly expected the [Google Pagerank to come right back up](https://jimmakos.com/2008/09/blog-page-rank-increase/).

I can’t recall why my blog’s pagerank had fallen. I do recall though what I did to improve it. I redesigned my blog, leaving out all the outbound links that were placed in accordance to link exchanging done throughout the first 3 or so years of blogging and cleaned up the blog’s sitemap. I also tried to include banners implementing the “no follow” tag in order to further increase the followed outbound links and I began blogging more often. Truthfully I haven’t keep up to the task lately, judging by all the guest posts appearing the last 2 months in my blog. I have focused lately to my recently created blogs (StoiximaOnline.com and TradingGraphs.com) as well and somewhat neglected my personal blog at Jimmakos.com. Still my sports blog is performing better day by day and I found the motivation to start blogging again.

Nowadays I mostly do business in the form of promotional articles and text ad links insertion. Advertisers are also interested in banners as well, but they seem to underperform. If your blog can’t satisfy the advertisers’ expectations, try and offer them one extra month free of charge in case the banner performs better and they renew. It’s better to keep a customer happy, than trying to find a new one. Generally experience makes a difference and if blog monetizing is what you are lacking of, keep on reading online about useful tips and advice about how to better monetize your blog. Although it may not be the most steady income source, more and more people will find eventually the web’s power and will want the best exposure available. Have your blog ready!
### Fujitsu T900 Tablet PC: My Best Buy!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/fujitsu-t900-tablet-pc-my-best-buy/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:12:37.000Z
I have been using my new **Fujitsu T900** for 2 days now, surprised by the **multi touch** capabilities and the excellent computer power of this **tablet laptop PC**. Before buying the Fujitsu tablet, I researched about laptops online as my previous Fujitsu P7120 died a week ago. My main target laptop would be a **tablet** as their technology seems to have matured and they offer more capabilities than normal laptops. I was looking primarily to **Asus T91MT** and **Lenovo S10-3T**, both at €500 price tag, then moved up to **Fujitsu T5010** for €350, to end up with the Fujitsu T900 for the cheapest price I could find worldwide! Admittedly the price, the computer parts in it and the fact I regard the **Fujitsu** brand one of the best laptop makers led me to this purchase.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/lenovo-s10-3t.jpg)

The **Asus** and **Lenovo tablets** are quite small, featuring 8.9 inches multitouch screens, while only Asus offers a pen with their tablet PC. On the other hand I kept reading better reviews regarding the **Lenovo S10-3T tablet**, but the lack of pen and complaints about the monitor quality persuaded me that the light weight tablet laptops still need improvements. Besides, their CPUs, an Intel Atom chip, couldn’t hold up to the tasks I was interested in. I was mainly looking for a small and light laptop, possibly with a touch screen but not required, that could do web browsing, word processing and light web word effortless. Unfortunately they still have limitations even at these simple tasks, although their battery life is quite good and you can’t go wrong if you are looking for web access on the go. They are extremely orientated to mobility, weighing under 1kg but I could go for a heavier **PC** for some extra money.

I then began looking for a normal laptop and gave up the whole idea of a tablet PC. My sole touch experience has come from my recently bought [Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro](https://jimmakos.com/2010/07/my-new-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro/), although I did own an Ericsson P800 almost a decade ago! Hewlett-Packard laptops seemed reasonably priced and offered good value for money. I have bought quite a few **HP laptops** in the past for relatives and didn’t have a complaint from anyone, so that would be my choice if I bought a laptop. At around €600 I could get a quite fast laptop that could have the job done. But then I came across **Fujitsu T5010**, another **tablet PC**, which I have been researching about 2 years ago. Nowadays the tablet’s price has dropped below the €1,000 mark and I began reading reviews about that, as the price difference wasn’t significant.

I had already read very favorable reviews for the Fujitsu tablet years ago, so I was only interested to find out if the screen offered **multi touch** capabilities and what kind of computer parts were included for the €850 price tag in Greece. It turns out the computer power of the **T5010** was almost equivalent with the contenders at that price, offering though an active digitizer screen and long battery life. I decided at that point to go for the T5010 which has been the choice of many professionals in the online business, and the €350 difference from ASUS and Lenovo tablet PCs was surely justified.

If T5010 is priced lower than ever, which is the most powerful tablet PC of **Fujitsu**? It turns out the Fujitsu tablet range has been populated by a couple of more tablet PCs. **T4310** and **T4410 tablets** were also the laptops I had searched about in the past but their prices exceed the €1,500 and I certainly didn’t want to spend once again a fortune for a laptop (the P7120 cost €2,100 4 years ago, a sad story). However they are not the only tablet laptop PCs Fujitsu offers to the public. Their top tablet nowadays is the **Fujitsu T900** and I started to do a little research about this laptop. I quickly found out that they are being sold at Ebay, Amazon and the likes for more than €1,700 and I soon went back looking to the T5010.

While deciding on the Greek online shop I would place my order with, I found out that one of the most popular **e-shops** in Greece is selling the **Fujitsu T900** for €1,299! Now, there would simply be a catch, I thought. I discovered that all other Greek shops (a few though, as Fujitsu is not that popular in Greece) sell the T900 for €500 more, so if I was to even look at this tablet laptop, I should do that with the online store with the great price. At first, I thought the catch should be the screen. The **Fujitsu T900** was advertised having an **active digitizer** and no mention whether the screen was a glossy one or a matte anti-glare screen. The laptop is sold abroad with that kind of specs, and I didn’t want to buy a **tablet PC** with an inferior touch screen. So, I said that the price difference comes down to the screen quality and, although the CPU, RAM and hard disk were far superior to the T5010, I didn’t want to spend €450 more for just that.

Before I make up my mind about the T5010 though, I decided to send the online shop an email, asking about the T900’s screen. We Greeks are infamous about our mistakes even worldwide, so the product description might have been wrong. And boy it was. The e-shop replied to me the next day, informing me that the Fujitsu T900 tablet PC included an **anti-glare screen with dual digitizer** capabilities! Ok, now we are talking about a **tablet PC** sold at major worldwide online stores for €1,700 or more! I immediately ordered a new T900, since 4 of them were actually available at my city! I could have my new **tablet PC** in a couple of hours for a really great price.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/eshop-fujitsu-t900.png)

Upon visiting the shop to pick up my order, I was extremely skeptic. Once again, I was being cautious not to spend a lot of money on a machine that might probably not have what I buy it for. When they presented me with the box containing the **Fujitsu T900**, I went on and checked its specs mentioned above the barcode just to be sure. An Intel i5-520 CPU running at 2.4GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB 7200RPM hard drive and **Dual Digitizer**! Great! The Fujitsu T900 was exactly what I was expecting for, and… Oh, wait a minute. What’s that in the specs? A 2MP camera!?!?! Well, that camera was never mentioned neither in the product description, nor in their email! No T900 found online featured a camera! I couldn’t be happier, although obviously a web camera was the last I needed on my laptop. But I didn’t refuse getting it as a bonus!

That is how I ended up writing this post on my new **Fujitsu T900 tablet PC**. Do I believe it’s an expensive machine? I surely do, if you are going to spend about €2,000 for that. €1,300 seems very reasonable on the other hand and if you are getting the specs above, I truly think you are buying one of the best tablets if not laptops nowadays. So if you happen to be in Greece these days and looking for a laptop, you’d better hurry and pick up a Fujitsu T900 for €1,300\. I even thought about buying all T900’s and selling them at Ebay! And I’m not going to omit the **dual digitizer**, **multi touch** anti-glare screen and the 2MP camera on board in my product description!
### Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro Outdoor Night Video
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-outdoor-night-video/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:15:59.000Z
Following up my recent review of my new [Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro](https://jimmakos.com/2010/07/my-new-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro/), I recorded a video outdoors during the night. During the half minute video footage, I am watching live streaming video of the Mundobasket 2010 bronze medal game between Serbia and Lithuania on a 4-years old Fujitsu-Siemens P7120 laptop sitting at the balcony. The service is provided by Woop.gr which offered free High Definition real time video of the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Recording with the small Sony Ericsson mobile phone was piece of cake, switching the camera from photo to video mode in a second and turning on the flash light. The video is recorded with the LED flash on and you can see that it actually does a great job casting enough light to show objects nearby. I found the video quality quite good and the sound was recorded perfectly. Moving the video file (3gp filename) from the Xperia X10 mini pro to my desktop computer was done in a couple of seconds, although I could upload it to Youtube right from the mobile phone. When a video is recorded, there is an option to share the video via Gmail, other email service and Youtube, given you have already setup your Youtube account in X10 mini pro.

Apart from the excellent job the Sony phone did, I was really surprised by the Fujitsu-Siemens P7120 laptop’s performance. I purchased it in 2006 and I could watch the basketball game in 720p High Definition quality, while running Skype, MSN Messenger and a couple of web browser’s windows. Note that the video is in fact a live streaming video from Woop.gr using Google Chrome running at full screen. I also had an old web camera attached and connected, also working at the time of recording.

Although the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini does have bugs specifically with its Bluetooth module and does not synchronize with Microsoft Outlook, it is a mobile phone that can do many more tasks quickly and efficiently, considering its size.
### Wordpress vs Joomla: Best Blog Software for gambling blog
URL: https://jimmakos.com/wordpress-vs-joomla-best-blog-software-gambling-blog/
Last updated: 2020-12-14T19:47:13.000Z
Joomla has been my favorite blog software but working with WordPress makes me reconsider. I have built more than 5 websites using Joomla as my content management system but lately I have converted 2 blogs from Joomla to WordPress and found it easier, faster and more user friendly. Besides, you’ll need coding skills for both, if you want to create a great looking blog, so why spend your time over the steep learning curve of Joomla, instead of mastering PHP, CSS and HTML code?

My first Joomla blog was this very website, Jimmakos.com. At the time most WordPress blogs looked like Blogger blogs showing tens of posts in the first page, that seemed to never have a footer section. I wasn’t fond of that, so I opted for Joomla as I could find beautiful templates and really wanted to be different from other gambling blogs. Then came BetStories.com, a website aiming to collect all the latest betting news from gambling blogs, and moved on to install Joomla at several other websites of mine, not relating to gambling though. I began using Joomla 1.0.3 as I can recall and nowadays Joomla creators have announced the 1.5.20 version. Of course I kept updating all my blogs to the latest Joomla release, and there were times when I re-installed Joomla, in order to start over and build even better blogs. Reinstalling Joomla and using a new template is not that big of a deal if you know what you are doing, but I will probably discuss the matter some other time.

The past few months though I came across some exciting blogs, which do rank excellent in search engines and are regarded as top notch blogs. I was surprised to find out that they were created with WordPress, so I began installing WordPress in my online server to learn how to use it. The first two attempts ended in deletion of the WordPress folder, as I couldn’t understand how the templates worked. Last week though I gave it another go and finally managed to comprehend the logic behind WordPress. I have now converted two websites from Joomla to WordPress and I must say not only do they look prettier, but are also easy to administer.

In the battle between Joomla and WordPress, there are a lot of articles online suggesting WordPress for casual bloggers and Joomla for a more complicated website. They often mention Drupal as the ultimate content management system, but I have no experience with that. Although I mostly agree with that, I believe that if you devote time and have the will to go beyond limits, both WordPress and Joomla can be used to build one of a kind websites or blogs. However, WordPress is far easier to get the hang of and you can quickly start editing the PHP files for more enhancements. You won’t spend so much time as with Joomla understanding how the articles get published, why so many plugins are needed, how the template is structured, which php file to edit and where the RSS feed link is.

My recommendation for a new blogger is WordPress beyond doubt. If you are willing to invest time in your blog, you could end up managing a blog as big as [Mashable](https://jimmakos.com/2010/07/how-to-make-money-blogging-mashable-way/) and ultimately make a good living of it. On the other hand, there are some great websites built with Joomla, such as the Gazetta.gr which shows what Joomla is capable of. Total respect to the designers. The choice is yours of course but the remarks above come from a fellow blogger, just like you, who has spent hundreds of hours working with Joomla and tens of hours working with WordPress.

And if you happen to think of a great idea, don’t hesitate to contact me and perhaps build it together!
### Texas Hold'em Poker to be allowed in Greek Casinos this month
URL: https://jimmakos.com/texas-holdem-poker-allowed-greek-casinos/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:23:34.000Z
2 years ago I had posted a story about rumours that [texas hold’em poker was about to be allowed in Greek casinos](https://jimmakos.com/2010/09/texas-holdem-poker-allowed-greek-casinos/), but evidently that was not the case. Now such a development seems more favorable, as popular Greek poker forums claim it is a matter of days until the law is published in the government’s newspaper. Additionally, people have managed to take photos from the currently constructing poker rooms in Greek Casinos, further strengthening the speculation. The question is whether Greek online poker players will leave their office chair to visit the casinos.

Playing texas hold’em poker in Greek casinos has been a never ending dream for many Greek players, who are impatient to try their luck in real poker tables. Although I have not played a single poker hand in a real table, I certainly understand it would be a whole different experience. Professional players believe it will be like finding the goose with the golden eggs, since many recreational gamblers will join in and lose their stacks in a matter of minutes playing very bad poker. That is very probable and big gambling names are expected to take part in the beginning, punishing every little mistake the opposition makes. Considering they are capable of taking advantage of every minor mistake and there will be huge mistakes made by players used to playing blackjack, slot machines or roulettes, we are talking about a massacre.

On the other hand though, casinos don’t want to lose the money those people would spend in casino games otherwise. A gambler who loses thousands at roulette tables, will still lose his money on poker tables. However his money will end up to the good poker player, who won’t go on and spend it in roulette, but rather take it home. That is an unacceptable development for the casino administration who are afraid of taking a hit profit-wise.

That is why they applied pressure to the government as far as rake concerns. Rumors claim that the applied rake will be very high, allowing just a couple of players to leave as winners from a ten seated table. All that remains to be seen of course, but I won’t be surprised to find out that both government and casinos wanted to take as many money as possible from the new trend called texas hold’em poker.

See you at the poker tables, although I will continue spending most of my time playing online poker in my pyjamas!
### Ranked 1st at Top Online Poker Winners Today at 100NL
URL: https://jimmakos.com/ranked-1st-top-online-poker-winners-today-100nl/
Last updated: 2023-11-23T10:18:44.000Z
According to pokertableratings.com, my performance at 100NL tables today was top notch as I won 12BB/100 for almost 7,000 hands. Compared to all players from the most popular poker rooms I managed to make the most and be the top winner at 100NL for the day.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/topwinner100nl26082010.jpg)
### How multitabling and rakeback affects winrate in poker strategy
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-multitabling-rakeback-affects-winrate-poker-strategy/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:24:30.000Z
Playing at 6 poker tables with a winrate of 3BB/100 is the same as playing at 12 tables with a winrate of 1BB/100\. That means that if you double the poker tables you play simultaneously, you don’t need to play that well in order to make the same amount of money in the same duration of time. On the contrary, if you halve the number of poker tables you multitable, you need to triple your winrate, meaning to improve your poker skills by a factor of 3\. The above is true only if we take rakeback into consideration.

Before I prove why the above statements are true in poker strategy, I need to pinpoint the importance of rakeback. Rakeback is usually a percentage of the rake a poker player is paying to the poker room. That percentage varies according to the rakeback deal and the poker room, but an acceptable figure is about 30%. 30% rakeback more often than not is equal to a winrate of 1BB/100 at 6-max tables. In simple words, if a poker player is breakeven, he would still make money due to rakeback. That amount of money would be 1BB per 100 playing hands. For example, if I would play at 200NL 6-max tables and broke even over 500,000 hands, I would have made $20,000 exclusively due to the rakeback deal. Another important detail is that BB stands for Big Bet and not Big Blind, that is double the Big Blind known also as PTBB (PokerTracker BB).

A poker player is playing 6-max tables No Limit Hold’em poker and his poker strategy aims to play 50,000 hands per month. He is only playing on working days and can play competitively up to 6 tables at once. On average a 6-max table provides 100 playing hands per hour, so he needs to play 4 hours a day for 22 days in a month. In the end, since his winrate is 3BB/100 and his rakeback is about 1BB/100, he will win 2,000BB or 40 buy-ins in the end of the month.

Consider now the same poker player who decided to double his monthly hands. He doesn’t want to play more days or more hours, but he is willing to sacrifice his winrate. Playing more tables would mean that he won’t be able to pay close attention to the opposition, would have trouble taking detailed notes and some of his hands would be auto folded since he would time out occasionally. All these would definitely have an impact on his winrate. How much impact should his winrate sustain before he makes less money than before?

He is now playing 12 6-max NL tables at once, 4 hours per day, 22 days per month. In order to make 40 buy-ins in 100,000 hands, he needs to win 2,000BB, so a winrate of 2BB/100 is acceptable. Again rakeback is 1BB/100, therefore he only needs to win 1BB/100 and he would make just the same amount of money as before.

Assuming he improves his poker skills and manages to adapt to the fast paced game now that he plays double the number of poker tables, a winrate of 3BB/100, added to 1BB/100 of the rakeback, would win him 4,000BB, or 80 buy-ins. Tripling his winrate would just double his winnings.

Let us now assume that the player decides to go back to playing 6 tables simultaneously and focus on improving his poker game a lot more. In the beginning he was winning at a 3BB/100 winrate and he is now pushing himself to the limit for a 6BB/100! Winning 6BB/100 with a 1BB/100 rakeback over 50,000 hands in a month, would win him 3,500BB or 70 buy-ins. Compare it with 3BB/100 winrate playing at 12 tables and you can immediately understand why improving your multitabling skills is more important than improving your poker skills! Additionally, consider the huge winrate’s improvement from 3BB/100 to 6BB/100, which would not be sustainable in higher stakes for sure.

In conclusion, adding more poker tables and playing worse could make a poker player more money, than improving his poker skills and not playing more tables at the same time. Another important conclusion is that rakeback has a huge effect on the winrate of a poker strategy.
### How to make money blogging: the Mashable way!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-money-blogging-mashable-way/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T18:48:15.000Z
Mashable is a news blog created by Pete Cashmore in 2005 and is now one of the top blogs in the world. His success story can become a lesson for all bloggers who are eager to learn how to make money blogging online. It is one of the blogs I visit to get blog layout ideas and news on new blog improvements. Although his blog is a WordPress blog and mine is based on Joomla, the thought process behind blogging is the same: content is king, good layout will keep readers from leaving and social media buttons will increase the loyalty of your visitors. Today I thought about looking how Mashable looked like in 2005 when Pete published his first posts and how his WordPress blog was developed during the last 5 years.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/mashable-like-logo.jpg)

I used the Internet Archive Wayback Machine for tracking down the old versions of Mashable blog. This blog flashback of Mashable starts on [July 30, 2005](http://web.archive.org/web/20050730090446/http://mashable.com/). Pete Cashmore had written his first 17 posts by then and the blog layout screamed that the blog was just starting out. No ads other than a top Google Ad banner, no footer section, no logo, no links and just 3 RSS readers in the front page. The categories included all sort of things like “Pointless Fluff” which I guess was dropped out.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/mashable-blog-july-2005.jpg)

[6 months later](http://web.archive.org/web/20051214010230/http://www.mashable.com/), Pete’s blog had its own logo (although not the “M” letter), top banner was deleted, an “about” section had been added to the right column along with contact and LinkedIn details. What’s interesting is the amount of posts added during those 6 months and it is a good answer when bloggers wonder just how many posts they should publish in their blogs on a daily basis. Given that more than 400 articles were published in Mashable blog, Pete’s suggestion would be to add about 2 to 3 posts in your blog each day. Another big change to Mashable by that time was link exchanging. Notice how many links are added in the right section of the blog. A sign that link exchange did work back then, if you wanted your blog to get heard of.

By [July 2006](http://web.archive.org/web/20060701165558/http://mashable.com/) Pete had changed his blog’s layout. The two column right section was replaced by one column, a very common layout of even today’s blogs. The latest logo was replaced by a puzzle piece, there are links now on top and footer area and Mashable now uses Feedburner service for RSS. On the other hand the categories list had been removed and a top menu of just 2 tabs had been added. Later that year, at[ Christmas time](http://web.archive.org/web/20061225045326/http://mashable.com/), Pete had included a MySpace button in the footer of Mashable, there were 7 tabs at the top menu, including Facebook and Youtube channel, the second column at the right area of the blog had returned featuring his first advertisements and there was a Social Networking competition running at Mashable. The last post in the front page calling people to vote for their favorite niche social network was commented 1272 times! The blog’s traffic must have already been through the roof! Unfortunately the traffic stats of sitemeter included in Mashable wasn’t allowed public access.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/mashable-logo-2007.jpg)

During 2007 Mashable blog’s moto appeared for the first time, “Social Networking News”, although it has changed to Social Media News nowadays. The footer area is being crowded by more links and information, while there are 213 pages of posts according to the front page at [mid-July 2007](http://web.archive.org/web/20070701102250/http://mashable.com/). If you check out the blog 6 months later, the pages have increased to 471! Since there are about 15 posts in each page, we are talking about more than 3500 new posts in 6 months, increasing the number of daily posts to 20! If you check out the front page on [December 11, 2010](http://web.archive.org/web/20071212043121/http://mashable.com/), there are 16 posts added that day just at the front page! By that time though, Pete wasn’t alone any more in Mashable. There are quite a few authors contributing with their articles to Mashable, increasing the blog’s value.

In [April 2008](http://web.archive.org/web/20080404010450/http://mashable.com/) content is still going strong, with more than 900 pages of posts. Mashable’s community has been increasing according to the social media widgets and we have trouble finding an article of Pete in the front page, a sign that the blog is now in full operation without the need of its creator. Since then there isn’t any record in the Wayback Machine.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/mashable-blog-july-2010.jpg)

What I have learnt watching how Mashable evolved through the time? Add valuable content in your blog daily and socialize online. If you want to know how to make money blogging, a good advice is to look how successful blogs looked in the past and follow their progress through time. It’s what I often do to find out what is more important, content or looks. And the answer is pretty obvious I think.
### My new Sony Ericsson Xperia x10 mini pro
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-new-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:26:19.000Z
The replacement of my old phone is a new Sony Ericsson Xperia phone, called X10 mini pro. It is an Xperia phone based on Google Android mobile software and although Bluetooth issues exist and no Outlook sync option is available, I’m quite satisfied by my smartphone mobile. It is fast, easy to use and best of all I love its looks. The main reason to buy this Xperia mini pro phone was the size, while the mobile wireless features, Google applications and the keyboard certainly helped making up my mind.

As I have written in the past, I was looking for a couple of mobile solutions to aid me in my stock trading, online poker and blogging in general. Apple Iphone 4 was surely one of them, but the price didn’t define it as a cheap mobile phone. Do I consider the Sony Ericsson a cheap mobile solution? Well, for giving me a very good touch screen, wifi, bluetooth and GPS, along with an easy to type keyboard and all these in a mobile that fits in my palm, I could have paid a bit more than €299\. I may have ended up with the Apple mobile since I had downloaded iTunes a while ago, but giving away more than €1,000 for a mobile which loses reception didn’t seem rational. On the other hand this buy of mine was indeed an impulsive action, as I bought the Xperia mini pro phone from a retail store rather than an online store and without first searching every forum and blog about opinions, reviews and problems.

Problems do exist with this mobile and I was only aware of the mediocre battery performance. I had read it can last up to 36 hours. Well, come on, obviously the battery isn’t its full operational status in the first days and people do get busy with their new mobile phones, using every wireless feature they offer for hours. In fact, it is the first time I buy a mobile and I spend so much time with it the first day. I have owned a Sony Ericsson P800 in the past, but this little thing is a love at first sight. However all didn’t go as planned right from the beginning.

I had it fully charged through my desktop computer’s USB and then I wanted to do the first thing a businessman should do with his new phone. Connect it to the mobile software and sync his contacts. Apparently that’s how I lost 2 hours of my day yesterday. You see the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro was found by my computer’s bluetooth, did pair with it but in the end the message that the phone couldn’t connect came up. I must have tried for more than 10 times when I said, let’s hook it up with USB. Again the same ending. I was getting worried, but fortunately it does connect via USB, it just need its time! Anyway, moving on and browsing innumerous forums online, I found out about the bluetooth issue and how you can overcome it by installing Android mobile applications. Although I installed the best rated Google application, I still haven’t solved the problem.

Then came the problem about syncing the Outlook contacts with the mini pro. I will leave out the details and say that the best solution I have found and done is exporting your Outlook contact list as Excel CSV file through Microsoft Outlook, create a Google account, creating a Gmail account (not the same thing), importing that Excel CSV file into your Gmail contact list, setup your Gmail account into your Xperia mini pro phone and sync your mini pro contact list with your online Gmail contacts. Sounds like a lot of trouble? Trust it is the easiest, fastest and risk free solution.

I will be using my new Xperia X10 mini pro phone over the next days a lot, linking my Youtube and Google accounts and setting up connections with Facebook and Twitter built-in mobile applications. I will keep you updated of any findings in case you were interested in investing in a new mobile phone.
### My Facebook Fan Page
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-facebook-fan-page/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:37:02.000Z
I finally found again the motivation to get occupied with my blogs and websites after 1 month of inactivity. One of the immediate actions I had to do is creating my one Facebook Fan Page, as it has been something I planned to do a long time ago. Writing and adding content in various scattered blogs online, I needed a place where I could publish all my posts without thinking the correlation among them. A Facebook fan page was just the thing and additionally it helps promoting the stuff and interacting with the readers much more efficiently.

Creating a Facebook fan page wasn’t that hard. I had already built an application for my other new trading blog, [tradinggraphs.com](https://www.tradinggraphs.com/). It was in fact easier than that and offers plenty of features to promote yourself! So now whenever I decide to write anything new either in any of my blogs, facebook or in a forum, I’m going to publish the link in my fan page’s wall so that my loyal fans don’t miss anything I say online! That has been a request by many readers for a long time and although I did have a [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JimMakosdotCom/) and [Twitter](http://twitter.com/jimmakoscom) account, they didn’t provide the flexibility I needed. Besides I don’t want friends that don’t share my passions to get annoyed by my gab.So if you are one of my blog’s readers who would like to keep in touch with me, I invite you to visit my Fan page and officially declare yourself a fan! I would love to connect with all my friends online, read some of your comments there and maybe start some kind of discussion.
### Mobile solution of online investing: Iphone, Ipad, smartphone or laptop?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/mobile-solution-of-online-investing-iphone-ipad-smartphone-or-laptop/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:16:16.000Z
Since I started trading stock markets overseas, I faced the problem of trading on the move. Online trading is just a part of online investing though, since online betting and poker can be done outdoors as well. The past few weeks I keep searching for the best mobile solution, so that I can keep track of my online trades, placing crucial bets at the right time and not missing that important online poker tournament. Will an Iphone or a WinMobile smartphone be adequate or should we opt for a laptop or the fresh Apple Ipad?

I’m sure that online investing when outside is a major concern for anyone serious about the online gambling business. Back when I followed my own betting system I needed internet wherever I happened to be, since I had to place bets minutes before the kick off. My laptop and a 3G mobile connection did the trick and worked just fine. However I had to carry a laptop all the time, and although the laptop had been relatively light (1.6kg) it didn’t help when I needed to attend some kind of formal event. Just imagine pulling out a laptop and working on it for 30 minutes during a wedding for example.

However closing trading positions on the move can be done via a smartphone or an Iphone. Not such a big deal, you just setup an alert and given your phone has internet connection, you can send a trading order while you are shopping at the supermarket, saving you big money when that stop loss is hit. But a smartphone or the popular Iphone can’t be much of a help if you are also interested in playing online poker. You do need a laptop if you don’t want to miss the poker tournaments on Sunday and socializing keeps you away from home.

Ipad on the other hand does offer a bigger display but you can’t do much more than what you can do with an Iphone. I have watched a couple of video reviews and I believe working with a laptop offers much more flexibility, specifically in online investing. Surely it’s an innovation and keeps you online, but what is the point if no poker room currently supports it? You are left with a big Iphone as many have suggested.

Smartphones with Windows Mobile as operating system offer a bit more capabilities to the online businessman, meaning you can run Excel, watch a trading graph and send an email all at the same time but aren’t all those done much easier with a laptop? Besides, Interactive Brokers have a much better [mobile solution](http://interactivebrokers.com/en/pagemap/pagemap%5Fmobiletrading.php) for Apple products than trading via WAP through a Windows smartphone. But the laptop can’t be on all the time, the battery will be dead in 10 hours at most. So you will miss that crucial alert from your stock broker to get rid of the falling stock. You need something big but small at the same time.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/interactivebrokersmobilesolution.jpg)

Another solution is having a 3G mobile contract to your Iphone or smartphone, so that you are always online and at the same time carry a laptop for more maneuverability. That seems to be the best mobile solution for online investing, but you do realize you will carry a phone AND a laptop all the time. Not the perfect solution, but at least you are able to keep on investing on everything, being either stock trading, online poker or sports betting.

Personally I’m still confused. I hope you aren’t more confused than before reading my article! Oh, did I mention that I need to blog as well and keeping up with the domain business when out of office? The tip of the iceberg…
### Quad Monitor Setup: How to build
URL: https://jimmakos.com/quad-monitor-setup-how-to-build/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:33:44.000Z
I have used a dual monitor setup for 3 years before I setup a quad monitor arrangement on my desk. I am still using an Asus P5W Deluxe motherboard with an Intel E6600 Core 2 Duo CPU and 6 GB of RAM. Two hard disks, a Western Digital Raptor and a 500GB one, keep my files in place and a 750W Silverstone power supply unit keep everything running. My graphics card has been an ATI 1950XTX since the beginning of my build in 2006, which has been accompanied by an ATI 5770, that drives 3 of the monitors. Here is how to build a quad monitor setup as an upgrade of your PC.

My old VGA card 1950XTX has driven 2 Dell 24” Ultrasharp 2407 monitors through its 2 DVI outputs for 3 years. The 1950XTX was placed in the first PCI Express slot of the Asus P5W motherboard which is a PCI Express 1.0 x16\. Since the Asus motherboard has another PCI Express slot, I decided to keep the 1950XTX card and move it to the second PCI-E slot. If your motherboard features 2 PCI Express slots, you can install 2 VGA cards, but depending on the motherboard the slots’ speed might be affected. For instance, the ASUS P5W motherboard can drive a VGA card in the first slot at PCI-E x16 speed, but when 2 VGA cards are installed, the graphics cards will run at x8 both. Check your motherboard specifications for that matter. Find out the [differences between PCI-E 1.0, 2.0 and 2.1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI%5FExpress).

Now, I have also read that installing 2 ATI cards at Crossfire mode they will run at x8 as well, but when Crossfire is disabled, the Radeon cards will run at x16 and x4 respectively. That is not the case with my ASUS P5W motherboard. The following image is the proof.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/everestpciexpress.jpg)

So, my old ATI VGA card had 2 DVI outputs. The new ATI 5770 card has 2 DVI outputs, an HDMI and a Displayport connector. If you thought that you can use all 4 outputs at the same time, so that you can setup 4 monitors driven by the same graphics card, guess again! You can either use the displayport and 2 of the other outputs. You can connect DP – DVI – HDMI or DP and 2 DVIs. So I needed the old ATI graphics card, 1950XTX. Also, connecting the Displayport to one of your monitors and 2 more monitors to the other connectors, you can enable [ATI Eyefinity](http://www.amd.com/uk/products/technologies/eyefinity/Pages/eyefinity.aspx), which stands for spanning a game to 3 displays. Since I am not that interested in gaming on this rig, I haven’t experimented yet.

Building my quad monitor setup didn’t include much work. Opening the PC case (a Lian-Li) and installing the ATI Radeon 5770 has been piece of cake. The Silverstone PSU provided enough juice to power both heavy duty Radeon cards. What you should look for at your PSU’s specs is the total amps at the 12v rail. For example my 750 watt PSU has 4 PCI Express cables at 12v of 18A each. Given that the ATI 1950XTX needs 30A and 5770 requires somewhat less, I was pretty ok. Note that when the other 12v power cables are not connected, the Amps are added up. So, in case the graphics cards need more power, there are 72A coming out of the Silverstone power unit in total.

Although I expected the quad monitor setup to run smoothly right from the beginning, that was not the case. The problem was the ATI software. I had connected a Dell Ultrasharp 2410 via 5770’s Displayport, a 2410 and an old 2407 via DVIs of the 5770 and another Dell U2407 through 1950XTX’s DVI, Windows 7 64bit did not output to all 4 monitors. I had just 2 displays on, while the other two remained at standby mode. In control panel and specifically in display properties, the ATI 1950XTX was still there and the Radeon 5770 was recognized as VGA Standard adapter. Thing was that the 2 displays that were on was powered by the 5770! Anyway, I went on and installed the latest ATI display drivers and Catalyst 10.3\. And that’s when you might run into trouble.

ATI has stopped supporting old graphics cards and moved them under a “Legacy driver” status. Old VGA cards are considered those capable of DirectX 9.0\. So, when I installed the newest ATI display drivers and the newest Catalyst software from the official ATI website, the Radeon 5770 was working excellent powering up 3 monitors, but the 1950XTX wasn’t working at all, featuring the dreadful question mark in Windows device manager. The message I got was that the card stopped working and Windows had encountered an error (Code 43). It took me a long time to figure out what was going wrong and how to fix it.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/win7devicemanager.jpg)

Eventually the issue was the software. This is the workaround I did and now all four monitors are working perfectly. I uninstalled all ATI software. I then installed Catalyst 9.3 which supports the DirectX 9.0 Radeon cards and also installed the display driver that supported my old VGA card. Still, no 5770 support of course, seen as Standard VGA adapter. Then, I installed the newest display driver which had the same result as before, 5770 ok, 1950XTX no go. that is where the tricky part comes in. You have to open up the properties of the old VGA card and click on the “Roll Back driver” so that the working driver gets in place again. You can have a Radeon 5770 and an 1950XTX working together fine.

The only problem is that ATI Catalyst keeps crashing on startup and cannot be loaded afterwards, so I uninstalled it. You can setup your quad monitors through the display settings of Windows 7 concerning the arrangement. You can also install a mutli-monitor software called [DisplayFusion](http://www.binaryfortress.com/displayfusion/) which has some nice features, like a spanned taskbar to all monitors.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/win7-display-resolution.jpg)

So, if you have a 4 or 5-year desktop computer that still is adequate to your needs, you can have 2, 3, 4 or even 5 monitors hooked up if the motherboard and PSU allow it. Regarding online trading, blogging and online poker, the advantages far outweigh the time and effort spent for building a multi-monitor setup.
### Quad monitor setup installed!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/quad-monitor-setup-installed/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:33:16.000Z
I have finally received my new 24” Dell monitors this morning and have just finished installing my quad monitor setup! Everything seems to be working fine and the new monitors are in excellent condition. I liked the touch buttons on the right and the Preset Modes, currently Adobe RGB selected. Packaging was very good and all in all I am very pleased by Dell once again. I have also purchased an ATI 5770 graphics card to drive 3 of the 4 monitors.

Well, I am including a couple of photos from the my new monitor setup but I’ll be back with a more detailed article during the week with even more photos. It wasn’t as easy as I expected it to be but I am very satisfied by the final result.

Now, what are the latest game demos available?…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/quad_monitor-2.jpg)
### Buying new monitors for my computer setup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/buying-new-monitors-my-computer-setup/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T05:35:59.000Z
After working with laptops for some years, I went on and built a desktop computer about 4 years ago, which included dual monitor setup. Two Dell 2407 monitors were my choice and haven’t regretted at all. They have been excellent monitors throughout this time, offering plenty of workspace for either trading or multitabling at poker. I decided to buy 2 more monitors and setup a quad monitor setup. After a long research I chose once again 2 Dell Ultrasharp 2410 monitors, the newest model of my old monitors.

I have launched a new [online trading blog](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/) some weeks ago, since I started trading the stock exchanges abroad and forex using [Interactive Brokers](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/stocks/trading-graphs/1-stock-trading-with-interactive-brokers) as my broker. Although I’m still testing out things, the need of more workspace soon emerged and adding a monitor or two seemed inevitable. Besides, the quad monitor setup will help me multitable more efficiently at online poker and I have also some more ideas for making the most out of the new monitor setup. One of those ideas is to use one of the monitors for Twitter, Facebook and other social networks along with the administration of my blogs, so that I add content while I do stuff on the other 3 monitors. In that way there will be a constant flow of updates and news on how I am doing throughout the day. I think it would be interesting to find out how that turns out.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Dell_U2410-278x300.jpg)

The difficult part was to decide on what kind of monitor setup would be ideal for me. After a long research online for the best monitors regarding my needs, I was between Dell 2410 and Dell 2711, a new 27′ monitor that offer 2560 x 1440 resolution. I was thinking of moving to a triple monitor setup, with the centered monitor drawing all the attention. For that reason I was considering the 27′ monitor and because its price was somewhat reasonable while the reviews are all praising it. I could buy it for 675 euros from a Greek store, although German and English amazon had it available for 1,000 euros! However, I went for the 2410 since having a monitor of bigger resolution in the middle, would make my life difficult when moving windows from one display to another.

As I had made my mind on a Dell Ultrasharp 2410 (for 465 euros), I thought of buying two. I don’t know why I always end up buying more than one when I decide on a piece of equipment. Maybe it’s because I have spent so much time searching for it, so I believe I should take advantage of all that work and buy more! Haha! Anyway, I believe the quad monitor setup would be even more beneficial that a triple one. I have not yet decided on how I would place the monitors. I surely won’t be placing them in a square layout with two below and two above, as I don’t want to block the sea view from my office. I am thinking more in the lines of an upside down “T”, meaning triple monitors setup in a row and one additional monitor above the center monitor, or 4 monitors in a row. Thankfully, the office I bought 2 years ago offers plenty of desktop space. In addition, 4 monitors of 1920 x 1200 can fit horizontally exactly above of 3 monitors of 2560 x 1440, in case I need even more space in the future. That would be 2 rows of monitors with total resolution of 7680 x 2640!

I am expecting the monitors to arrive today or tomorrow and I will publish some photos as soon as I add them to my dual monitor setup.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/3x1landscape_plus1_242w.png)

Concerning the dual monitor vertical desk stand that I may need for the upside down “T” setup, I am looking at the famous [Ergotron product line](http://www.ergotron.com/tabid/159/default.aspx) and might buy one for 260 euros found in a Greek retail store. I might also give it a go and contact Ergotron themselves to offer me one for free in exchange for the advertisement! I will also need a graphics card but I have not made my mind on that yet. Should I add an identical VGA card as my media center/Home Theatre PC so that I crossfire them in the future? Should I look for a cheap secondary card with dual DVI outputs, or replace my ATI 1950XTX that already hooks up the two monitors via DVI with a QNY card with quad monitor connectivity feature? There’s also the new [ATI Eyefinity](http://www.amd.com/uk/products/technologies/eyefinity/Pages/eyefinity.aspx) gaming feature that might come in handy, although I don’t like to mix business with pleasure and have not played more than 10 hours in my office computer the past 4 years. Decisions, decisions, decisions…

This is how my [office with dual monitor setup](https://jimmakos.com/2009/08/photos-professional-gamblers-working-office/) looks like before the new monitors.
### Forex Broker: Opening an Interactive Brokers account and a new trading blog
URL: https://jimmakos.com/forex-broker-opening-interactive-brokers-account-new-trading-blog/
Last updated: 2022-12-29T05:12:31.000Z
I opened an Interactive Brokers account last week and plan to use them for stock and forex trading. That was a big step I had in my mind since 2005, when I was online trading in the Betfair markets. I have done a huge research on Forex brokers and decided to go with what seems the best online broker. I’m also considering blogging about online trading in a new blog, should I do it?

Ok, my recent news first. I have been researching for an online trading broker since I don’t know when and have read a lot about the differences between so-called ECN brokers and bucket shops. I have got an Oanda account since 2007 where I practiced with real money, which is now almost gone. I couldn’t care less of course, but now things are much more serious. That’s why I chose to go with the ECN route and try my best there. After all forex trading is not my only trading interest.

I have been stock trading in the Greek stock market as you might have read in my blog. Commission of the Greek brokers is through the roof and I’m really feeling like a sucker every time I login to my trading account. Well, no more. Commission here is about 0.4% on buying orders and 0.6% on selling orders. That is 1% commission on a full trade. Compare that to just 0.2% for most European stock markets via Interactive Brokers and you get the idea. But that’s not all.

You see – and I hope Greek traders do read this – the commission for trading in foreign stock exchanges has also got a… cap! Yes, that’s right, there’s a maximum commission you are asked to pay in each order of yours. For most exchanges the maximum commission is 29EUR. So if you are trading 100,000EUR in each trade, your effective commission is just 0.06%!

Margin accounts are also available at Interactive Brokers. On the other hand, a Greek bank is actually charging you for having a margin account, like taking a loan! Thanks but no thanks. And finally you can short sell when you open a trading position, that is winning when a stock price falls. Short selling is not available in the Greek stock market, believe it or not. I think it is available only in the derivatives market, but I haven’t dealt with those. So, when the big economic crisis hit Greece in 2009 and the stock market lost 50% of its value, I just waited the trend to reverse.

Well, it’s no surprise that the Greek stock market is not offered at Interactive Brokers. And which European stock market offers no cap to their commissions unlike the others?

Spain.

You get the picture. I’ll be trading mainly stocks and forex with Interactive Brokers who require a $10,000 initial deposit, so they are not for… recreational traders.

I’m also thinking to stop posting trading articles in jimmakosdev.wpengine.com and create a new trading blog, sharing my trading experiences there. To be honest it is just a part of a big move I’m considering to make the last months. Quit writing for my personal blog, jimmakosdev.wpengine.com, and take my business in other blogs. In other words, to create a poker blog dedicating to my poker activities, an online trading blog and a blog about domain business and web designing. Jimmakos.com, although is increasing in readership and traffic stats, is not helping with that domain name. It is just too personal. People can’t find me easily when searching about trading, poker, betting or blogging since no English word is in the domain name describing any of those.

Well, maybe if I end up becoming too famous, it will serve its purpose! Until then I will keep posting my personal views in matters I won’t have to discuss in the other blogs. Designing 3 new blogs won’t be that easy and requires time, I just hope it’s worth the trouble.

Now, should I blog in English or in Greek? That’s the question…
### How to record your own online poker videos
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-record-online-poker-videos/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T16:01:16.000Z
If you want to record a video while playing online poker, you will need a screen recording software. You can record a part or the full screen of your monitor and even add voice narration, music and cool effects. You may also include yourself captured by your web camera and add other video sources using the picture-in-picture function. And if you want to be famous and your poker videos to be really popular, you should upload them to Youtube and other poker community sites.

There are many educational, instructional and training websites about online poker, some of which have huge directories of poker videos. Although it’s fun watching other players’ poker play, it is even more fun to discuss your own style of play and receive comments about your poker video.

There are 2 available pieces of screen recording software. The first, [Camstudio](http://camstudio.org/), being an open source software is a free video recording software and enables you to record the screen and your voice. The second is called [Camtasia Studio](http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp) and is a commercial product. Since you usually get what you pay for, Camtasia Studio is full of capabilities and is known for its ease of use and functionality. If you need a sample of work done with Camtasia Studio, you can watch my recently published poker video series at Youtube. As I recorded each episode, I experimented with the various tools available and was even able to add captions for non Greek viewers.

If you want the best video quality for your poker videos, you should capture in a high definition resolution (say 1280 x 720, which is 720p) or keep at least the same aspect ratio so that when resized, the final outcome does fit exactly at 720p resolution. If you actually produce a poker video in that resolution, your video will be available for viewing at 720p on Youtube, which would add the “HD” watermark on your video. Another advantage of such a resolution is that you can play many tables and fit all of them without losing video quality.

Finally, you should produce your poker video as an Mpeg-4 (MP4) format for optimized size and quality.
### An interview of a Stock Scalp Trader that shocked me
URL: https://jimmakos.com/interview-stock-scalp-trader-shocked/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:30:47.000Z
I was trading the Betfair betting markets some years ago and my technique was towards scalping, so reading about an interview of a stock scalp trader sounded interesting. However I was totally shocked of what the stock scalper confessed in that interview given to the popular community web site for traders, trade2win.com. I was so amazed that I no longer wish to open a trading account overseas. I might have taken a shot at the US Level 2 stocks, or try scalping foreign financial markets, but he has convinced me otherwise. If you read the interview, you would probably be persuaded as well!

I always find exciting to read about other gamblers’ achievements. In general, reading about the life of another gambler results in finding a lot of common things with mine. Those kind of stories are rarely heard and are not that popular, so whenever I am lucky to bump into one, I make sure I have at least a peak. This time however was more than a peak since during my reading, I found out that it is not such a fair competition after all. I may be wrong and have misunderstood, but whatever is the truth I am nowadays much more reluctant in investing in stock markets.

[The interview of the stock scalp trader](http://www.trade2win.com/knowledge/articles/general%5Farticles/interview-with-us-stock-market-scalper/?r) is a long one but in the middle he mentions:

> “I still have to pay because my route allows me to bypass the thickness in the book and I route it straight out into the NYSE floor where there is a specialist who tries to match my shares.”

Note that the “thickness in the book” is actually the depth of market, or rather the queue of orders! After a bit of explanation, the interviewer himself wonders:

> “You said you can actually bypass the order book queue so by that, and correct me if I’m wrong here, but you’re saying that if you’ve got six or seven levels of orders being shown on a level two screen, and you’re at the seventh or eighth level, you could get filled quicker than the people above you.”

Now, imagine my face expression when I first read “bypass the order book queue” and then the trader’s simple answer “Yes”! If you ask me, that is totally unfair in my book. But since I’m not a US stock trader I couldn’t care less. However, that got me thinking about the Betfair order book queues. If you have followed my blog the last years, you know now that I have stopped trading in Betfair since I couldn’t win any more. I did make money for about 2 and a half years trading the horse racing betting odds prior to the start of the races. I never traded in-play and made a profit every month starting from July 2005 to autumn 2007\. In late 2007 and in the beginning of 2008 I obviously couldn’t make it pay any more as it seemed I was constantly a tiny fraction of a second slower than others. Therefore, I quit.

I blamed the other traders for being quicker than me. I also blamed them for improving their trading skills and being able to pinpoint the trends better than me. I finally blamed my internet connection’s speed since [internet speed does affect trading](https://jimmakos.com/2009/05/does-internet-speed-affect-your-betfair-trading/). But I never ever thought of someone being able to bypass the order book queue. Because if I thought of that I would given up much faster.

Today I am being naive and still don’t believe it can be done. Remember, I’m always speaking of bypassing the queue prior to the start of a game. Whatever happens in-play and whether someone has faster pictures than Betfair is irrelevant to me. But what still shocks me is what the US stock scalp trader made known to public via his interview. I assure him that he has persuaded me never to risk my money scalping the US markets!
### Online Poker stats for your Poker HUD
URL: https://jimmakos.com/online-poker-stats-poker-hud/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T03:31:59.000Z
Adding important poker stats in your poker HUD can increase your poker bankroll. A poker HUD, or poker Heads-Up-Display, is a poker software of online poker player stats that show up around the player’s nickname while you play. Those poker statistics help you make the correct play and decision leading to bigger poker winnings. The poker hud can also assist in multitabling, thus playing a lot more poker hands simultaneously, since by just looking at the online poker stats you immediately know what type of poker player he is. Here is my recommended poker hud layout.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/img-300x225.png)

I’m a Pokertracker user for several years and although I have not tested any other poker tracking software like Holdem Manager for instance, I strongly recommend using it while you play poker. Pokertracker 3 is the latest version of the software adding more features and improving tracking performance. One of the most important features was the inclusion of a poker HUD in poker tracker 3\. Initially poker HUD was a standalone poker software that worked with pokertracker 2 but there were issues regarding data retrieving and quick poker stats updating. Nowadays both poker tracker and poker HUD make use of the same poker database with all the online poker players stats, resulting to minimum delays in HUD updating.

As a poker player you need to figure out though what kind of poker statistics will make you the most money in the long run. Adding VPIP and PFR poker stats for every poker player in your poker HUD is a start but there are many more poker player stats which will help you play better and build your poker bankroll. 3betting frequency, folding to turn continuation bets and WtSD% are equally essential. So, you need to carefully build your own poker hud layout or select and customize a made one. I went for that route and chose one of the best poker hud layouts I could find.

The poker hud layout I’m using the latest months is called “Advanced Hud M3” and it is targeted to cash games. If you are a tournament poker player this HUD layout won’t be much of a help, but if you are a cash poker player this layout is a must. The layout’s author, Kraada, has done an amazing work but there are room for improvements or for additions you yourself believe that will come in handy in your play. The Advanced poker HUD layout can be downloaded from the [Poker Tracker website](https://jmks.co/pokertracker). You can also see it in action in my recent Pokerstars High Stakes Poker video series.

If you are a single-table poker player then a poker HUD is not that important as you can keep track of all the players’ habits. However, if you are interested in multitabling and playing many hands to increase your hourly winrate and build a poker bankroll, I think a poker HUD saves you time, money and make you a better poker poker player.

Check out my previous [poker hud setup](https://jimmakos.com/2008/07/poker-hud-stats-how-to-choose-arrange/).
### $30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/30000-loss-worst-losing-day-ever-online-poker/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:59:54.000Z
![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/21janpt3stats.gif)

I kind of expected such a day. After all I had moved up to $25-50 NL tables and a 6 buy-in downswing was inevitable. I’m happy though since I didn’t play bad and most of the money were lost due to bad beats. Here are a couple of interesting daily and monthly graphs and stats, along with a couple of my worst bad beats I experienced yesterday.

Well, in fact I didn’t lose 6 buy-ins at $5,000NL tables. I lost just 4 but I lost about 6 buy-ins at $2,000NL. Fortunately I won 3 buy-ins at $1,000NL but also lost 3 buy-ins at $600NL. Although I made $3,500 in the first 300 hands of the day, I finally lost $30,000 when the 5,560th hand was completed. That’s when I decided to call it a day.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/21janpt3graph.gif)

As far as my EV graph concerning, it doesn’t seem that good, being just one grand above zero in the end. That tells me I didn’t put my money in well enough. On the other hand though, the blue line is devastating. I should have NOT lost $22,500 of that money. My expected daily loss should have been about $7,500\. It might not be that good either, but comparing to the 30 grand I lost, I would very much prefer that!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/21janevgraph.gif)

Yesterday was not the only day of the month that I was unlucky. January hasn’t been that good in terms of luck, since I’m running many buy-ins below my expected EV. When you are expected to win $30,000 just from all-ins and you end up losing $13,000, that can’t be good neither for your bankroll, nor for the monthly winnings. Obviously I’m a loser in January and my self-confidence has almost hit rock bottom. But I know it will turn around eventually, it just one of those days when you run bad, the cards set you up (set over set, and so on) and you can’t win a single pot. I am just looking forward to the days when you hit everything! Because I know they’ll come again.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/jan10evgraph.gif)

Now for the bad beats. My worst bad beat was certainly my AQ vs AJ hand when the Jack hit on river losing me a $10,000 pot.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $50.00 BB (6 handed)

****saw flop** | ****saw showdown**

SB ($9241)  
****Jimmakos (BB) ($5869)**  
UTG ($5000)  
MP ($8492)  
****CO ($5000)**  
Button ($7684)

****Preflop**: Jimmakos is BB with Q

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

  
*2 folds*, CO bets $150, *2 folds*, Jimmakos raises to $550, CO calls $400  
****Flop**: ($1125) 8

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

, 2

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 76 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 77 | Jim Makos")

(2 players)  
Jimmakos bets $600, CO calls $600

****Turn**: ($2325) 9

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 76 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 77 | Jim Makos")

(2 players)  
Jimmakos bets $1350, CO raises to $3850 (All-In), Jimmakos calls $2500

****River**: ($10025) J

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 1 all-in)

****Total pot:** $10025 ****| Rake:** $3

Results:  
Jimmakos had Q

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

(one pair, Aces).  
CO had J

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 76 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 77 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 76 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 77 | Jim Makos")

(two pair, Aces and Jacks).  
Outcome: CO won $10022

A classic bad beat also happened at $2,000NL when my Aces ran into Kings and went all-in preflop. Guess what happened. No, his kings didn’t hit a set, my aces hit a set in fact. If only they hadn’t.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (6 handed)

****saw flop** | ****saw showdown**

****Button ($3373)**  
****Jimmakos (SB) ($2674)**  
BB ($3350)  
UTG ($2000)  
MP ($2030)  
CO ($3637)

****Preflop**: Jimmakos is SB with A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

  
*3 folds*, Button bets $60, Jimmakos raises to $220, *1 fold*, Button raises to $480, Jimmakos raises to $900, Button raises to $3373 (All-In), Jimmakos calls $1774 (All-In)

****Flop**: ($5368) 10

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

, J

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 76 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 77 | Jim Makos")

, Q

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 2 all-in)

****Turn**: ($5368) A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 2 all-in)

****River**: ($5368) 7

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 76 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 77 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 2 all-in)

****Total pot:** $5368 ****| Rake:** $3

Results:  
Button had K

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

, K

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(straight, Ace high).  
Jimmakos had A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

(three of a kind, Aces).  
Outcome: Button won $5365

The final bad beat was when AQ beat my Kings. Standard…

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (6 handed)

****saw flop** | ****saw showdown**

****CO ($3072.50)**  
Button ($3086.50)  
****Jimmakos (SB) ($2414)**  
BB ($2000)  
UTG ($4766)  
MP ($1990)

****Preflop**: Jimmakos is SB with K

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

, K

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

  
*2 folds*, CO bets $60, Button calls $60, Jimmakos raises to $280, *1 fold*, CO raises to $560, *1 fold*, Jimmakos raises to $960, CO raises to $3072.50 (All-In), Jimmakos calls $1454 (All-In)

****Flop**: ($4908) 5

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 68 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 69 | Jim Makos")

, 9

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 2 all-in)

****Turn**: ($4908) J

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 2 all-in)

****River**: ($4908) A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

(2 players, 2 all-in)

****Total pot:** $4908 ****| Rake:** $3

Results:  
Jimmakos had K

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 70 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 71 | Jim Makos")

, K

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(two pair, Aces and Kings).  
CO had Q

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

, A

![$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 80 | Jim Makos](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif "$30,000 loss! My worst losing day ever in online poker! 81 | Jim Makos")

(flush, Ace high).  
Outcome: CO won $4905
### My biggest winning pot at online poker - A straight worth $17,000
URL: https://jimmakos.com/my-biggest-winning-pot-online-poker-straight-worth-17000/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:59:29.000Z
Playing at the high stakes tables at online poker rooms can be expensive but rewarding as well, since you stand to win or lose big pots. A few days ago I experienced [my worst bad beat losing a huge pot](https://jimmakos.com/2010/01/poker-hand-lost-17300-pot/). This time though I did win an enormous pot comparing to what I used to play for. The hand took place at $5,000 No Limit 6-max tables at Pokerstars.com and it was a 3-way pot. Although I didn’t actually have a hand, I managed to show a straight at showdown. Here’s how!

## PokerStars, $25/50 NO Limit Texas Holdem Cash Games, 6 Players

Board:

I\_WILL\_MUCK (UTG): $5,075Halozination (CO): $5,000Domce (Button): $12,275.50TheRogueAce (SB): $18,689.50Gkastone (BB): $8,410FiSHeYe1984 (UTG+1): $7,538Dealt to: GkastonePre-flop:FiSHeYe1984 raises to $150, I\_WILL\_MUCK calls $150, Halozination calls $150, (2 folds), Gkastone calls $100,

Flop:($625) (4 Players)

Gkastone checks, FiSHeYe1984 bets $450, I\_WILL\_MUCK calls $450, (1 folds), Gkastone calls $450,

Turn: ($1,975) (3 Players)

Gkastone checks, FiSHeYe1984 bets $1,250, I\_WILL\_MUCK calls $1,250, Gkastone raises to $7,810 and is all-in, FiSHeYe1984 calls $5,688 and is all-in, (1 folds), Gkastone returns $872,

River: ($17,101) (2 Players)Results:Gkastone Showed

FiSHeYe1984 mucked ,  
Gkastone wins $17,098

FiSHeYe1984 is a very well known and good poker player. I didn’t want to play many pots against him, especially since he had position against me. Holding a suited connector at small blind, I normally fold and occasionally raise preflop on the specific action that occurred at the time but this time I opted to just cold call. Being deep also helped me make my mind. I don’t recommend such a play and it’s something I must have done 5 times most in my poker career. As it turned out, it was one of those rare moments that the hand pays off. Sort of.

The flop gave me an open straight. I checked and depending on the action I would either call or check raise. FiSHeYe1984 bet out and I\_WILL\_MUCK made the call likely with a draw, a pocket pair or he just floated. However his call gave me odds to chase my straight draw so I called as well.

The turn gave me even more outs as I could now hit the flush and take the pot down. Yet, my flush might not be the best flush out there, but at times like that you can’t fold a flush if you do hit. UTG bet out again and I\_WILL\_MUCK called once again. I now put him on a draw since he was giving me the odds to chase too. I really didn’t worry for him at that point at my sole opponent was FiSHeYe1984\. He could have either double barreled with overcards, or hit something hard, or had an overpair. I could call and shove in case I hit any of my draws. However check raising would show huge strength and might actually fold out a much better hand, like tens or even AJ. Anyway, I raised all-in and after much thinking FiSHeYe1984 called while I\_WILL\_MUCK folded as predicted.

My hand was indeed behind against FiSHeYe1984’s AJ that had turned top pair. However my pot equity was 29.5% and both of my draws were alive. Fortunately the river gave me the straight and I won my biggest pot in online poker.

Of course, online poker can remind that can be cruel from time to time and a couple of hands later the following hand took place. We can’t win them all, right?

Hand converter-Pokerhand.org

## PokerStars, $25/50 NO Limit Texas Holdem Cash Games, 5 Players

Board:I\_WILL\_MUCK (UTG): $5,150Halozination (CO): $5,000TheRogueAce (Button): $18,714.50Gkastone (SB): $18,792FiSHeYe1984 (BB): $5,000Dealt to: GkastonePre-flop:(1 folds), Halozination raises to $150, TheRogueAce calls $150, Gkastone calls $125, (1 folds),

Flop:($500) (3 Players)

Gkastone checks, Halozination bets $388, (1 folds), Gkastone raises to $1,350, Halozination raises to $4,850 and is all-in, Gkastone calls $3,500,

Turn: ($10,200) (2 Players)

River: ($10,200) (2 Players)

Results:Gkastone ShowedHalozination Showed

Halozination wins $10,198
### Pokerstars Supernova Elite: My 2010 goal in online poker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/pokerstars-supernova-elite-2010-goal-online-poker/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:58:34.000Z
Supernova Elite is the ultimate Pokerstars VIP status and it can achieved on a yearly basis. I have constantly been achieving Supernova status in the last years and I have set one of my primary goals for 2010 to become one of the few Supernova Elites at Pokerstars. By becoming a SNE I will enjoy the outstanding rewards that come with the top VIP status and make more money cashing out bigger milestone bonuses. The task won’t be easy but I will surely try my best. Let’s take a closer look at the Pokerstars Supernova Elite awards in detail and how many hours I need to play online poker at Pokerstars.

## Supernova Elite Awards:

| Benefit:                              | Details:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 400% FPP Multiplier                   | You earn 5 FPPs for every 1 VPP earned                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Milestone Cash Credits                | As you reach various VIP Milestones you can purchase special cash credits                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Supernova Elite VIP Store Access      | Ability to purchase exclusive Supernova Elite merchandise from the VIP Store using your FPP credits                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| VIP Stellar Rewards                   | Cash rewards available in the VIP Store as you reach designated levels of yearly VPPs                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| Weekly VIP Tourneys                   | $30,000 tourney (Saturdays at 14:30 for 100 FPP buy-in)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| Monthly VIP Tourney                   | $100,000 freeroll (Last Saturday of each month – free entry)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Quarterly VIP Tourney                 | $1 Million tourney – Feb 6th May 1st Aug 7th Nov 6th – free entry                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Free entry to selected major tourneys | As a Supernova Elite you will automatically be given free entry to the WCOOP main event. You may also choose one of the following two options:Option A: Any two packages from PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, WSOP\* Main Event, EPT Monte Carlo, APPT Sydney.Option B: Any one of the above packages plus $10,000. |

In order to earn the rank of a Supernova Elite VIP, I must accumulate 1,000,000 VIP Player Points (VPP’s) during 2010\. Earning the first 100K VPP’s means I keep my Supernova status until February 2011 and win all Stellar Rewards.

| Yearly VPP: | Stellar Reward: |  |
| ----------- | --------------- |  |
| 750         | $10             |  |
| 1,500       | $10             |  |
| 2,250       | $10             |  |
| 3,000       | $10             |  |
| 4,000       | $10             |  |
| 5,000       | $50             |  |
| 10,000      | $50             |  |
| 15,000      | $50             |  |
| 20,000      | $50             |  |
| 25,000      | $50             |  |
| 30,000      | $50             |  |
| 35,000      | $50             |  |
| 40,000      | $50             |  |
| 45,000      | $50             |  |
| 50,000      | $100            |  |
| 60,000      | $100            |  |
| 70,000      | $100            |  |
| 80,000      | $100            |  |
| 90,000      | $100            |  |
| **Total**   | $1,000          |  |

By the time I reach 100K VPP’s, I will also be hitting the first milestone bonus and will eventually win all of the VPP milestones, making about $30,000 just from the bonuses.

- $1000 at 100,000 VPP
- $3,400 at 200,000 VPP
- $3,600 at 300,000 VPP
- $3,800 at 400,000 VPP
- $4,000 at 500,000 VPP
- $4,400 at 600,000 VPP
- $4,600 at 700,000 VPP
- $5,000 at 800,000 VPP

According to FPPPro, earning 1 million VPP’s and the Supernova Elite title is valued at $102,700 to $135,800 depending on the starting VIP level. Since I will be starting as a Supernova and I will be converting FPP’s to $4,000 bonuses, the total extra money my effort will bring is $113,000 according to the Pokerstars VIP calculator.

The duration of the task is expected to be less than 12 months. If I am to achieve Supernova Elite status on 31st of December, I need to make 2740 VPP’s per day. The more I make per day, the sooner I will become a SNE. To keep track of my progress I am including a VPP meter in my gambling blog’s front page.
### A poker hand that lost me a $17,300 pot
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-hand-lost-17300-pot/
Last updated: 2023-10-01T13:03:17.000Z
Yesterday night I was playing cash games along with a couple of big tournaments at Pokerstars. One of the poker tables was a $5,000 No Limit and I was doing pretty ok, until I got dealt Aces on the button. I ran into Kings in that poker hand and in the end we pushed all our chips in the middle preflop. The poker hand’s pot reached 17 thousand dollars and I consider it to be my biggest bad beat in terms of money in my online poker career. Here is the poker hand where I lost my biggest ever pot.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $50.00 BB (4 handed)

SB ($10764)  
BB ($11771)  
UTG ($5000)  
Jimmakos (Button) ($8568)

**Preflop**: Jimmakos is Button with A![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif), A![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif)  
UTG bets $150, Jimmakos raises to $450, *1 fold*, BB raises to $1000, *1 fold*, Jimmakos raises to $2300, BB raises to $11771 (All-In), Jimmakos calls $6268 (All-In)

**Flop**: ($17311) 7![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif), K![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif), 4![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/club.gif) (2 players, 2 all-in)

**Turn**: ($17311) 6![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif) (2 players, 2 all-in)

**River**: ($17311) 4![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif) (2 players, 2 all-in)

**Total pot:** $17311 **| Rake:** $2

Results:  
Jimmakos mucked A![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif), A![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/diamond.gif) (two pair, Aces and fours).  
BB had K![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/spade.gif), K![](http://www.flopturnriver.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/heart.gif) (full house, Kings over fours).  
Outcome: BB won $17309
### Does technical analysis really work in Betfair Trading?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/technical-analysis-really-work-betfair-trading/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:26:48.000Z
Technical analysis is popular in financial markets like the stock market.

Since Betfair is a betting exchange and odds fluctuate like stock prices, one could say that technical analysis may also be applied to the Betfair betting charts.

[Sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) has quite a few differences compared to stock or forex trading. But basic technical analysis tools should work just the same. 

Still, many Betfair traders continue to doubt the effectiveness of support and resistance levels or reversal patterns and dismiss technical analysis.

> Are you one of them?

## Betfair traders doubtful over technical analysis

A large proportion of my blog’s traffic seems to be coming from forums or websites discussing Belfair trading and technical analysis in particular. They are usually internet places where Betfair traders discuss their own strategies. More often than not, the original poster wonders whether a Betfair trader could apply technical indicators and tools on Betfair charts profitably.

My trading blog gets mentioned somewhere along the discussion taking place but the replies that follow are almost all pessimistic about technical analysis’ profitability and capability in correct predictions.

So it was about time I shared my own view about the subject.

## What I think about technical analysis

Obviously I think [**technical analysis**](https://jimmakos.com/technical-analysis-betfair-horse-racing-charts/) works in Betfair trading.

Why?

Well, if I get asked whether technical analysis works in stock trading, what would I respond? Of course, it works there as well.

Again, why?

Odds and stock prices move due to news, facts, financial or betting data, and certainly due to the crowd’s psychology.

💡

Technical analysis helps us in finding out quickly and easily the psychology of the traders or bettors.

If we see a declining trend line in a horse’s Betfair chart, we are certain that something influenced the crowd to bet a lot of money on that horse. We may not know what triggered those bets, but whatever it was, it surely led the odds to shorten.

Surely, the indicators don’t always work.

We may enter the market at the end of a rally, or open a trade at a false reversal point. A loss is almost certain in both situations and sequential losses will make the trader’s mind lose focus and will result in loss of confidence.

The trader will stop trusting technical analysis and try to find other profitable ways to make money in Betfair markets. But we all know everything I already said. How come I believe technical analysis works in betting markets?

## Technical analysis is just a tool

Technical analysis is a way of predicting the odds movement.

Sometimes it will predict correctly, sometimes it will make a mistake. False predictions are expected! Technical analysis, like EVERY OTHER prediction method, has its percentage of success.

If it could predict whether the odds will climb or fall 100% of the time, it would be the Holy Grail, the Golden Goose, and so on.

There is no such thing.

It is just one of many methods of odds or price prediction. A trader could also predict an odds movement by looking at the weather. If it was sunny, he would start by laying, predicting a drift. If it was rainy he would expect a price drop.

Does that make sense?

I'm sure their method would raise eyebrows, and more traders would question it. However, if their method succeeds more than 50%, why blame them? They're making money, for crying out loud!

## Keep technical analysis simple!

Regarding technical analysis, many posters claim that [support and resistance](http://www.betstories.com/support-and-resistance-sports-trading/) lines don’t work in Betfair charts. Betting markets don’t behave like the financial markets so we can’t use the same tools.

I agree with them that Betfair charts don’t provide enough data or are easy to plot many indicators on (maybe [TradingView should step in](https://jimmakos.com/betfair-social-platform-tradingview/)?). However basic elements of technical analysis like support and resistance lines or trend lines can be drawn.

Now, how effective are they? It really depends on the trading strategy.

If a trader trades for a couple of ticks, he might get outplayed by 'trading noise'; small random odds movement which will lead to closing his trading position early.

If, on the other hand, he is willing to risk 10 ticks to win 2 when the odds line reaches a major support or resistance level, he will have a lot of small winning trades and a few big losing ones. However, if he succeeds in winning trades more than 85% of the time, he will make a profit in the long run.

8.5 times out of ten, they will make 2 ticks (17 ticks), 1.5 times they will lose 10 ticks (15 ticks). In the end they will be making 0.2 ticks per trade in the long run. Cha-ching!

## Every analysis is different

Does technical analysis work for another trader that uses the same support and resistance levels but applies a different approach. Perhaps [they use candlesticks](https://jimmakos.com/support-and-resistance-candlesticks-betfair-charts/) and risk 5 ticks in order to win 3 with 60% probability?

No, it doesn’t because 6 times they will make 3 ticks (18 ticks), 4 times they will lose 5 ticks (20 ticks). They will be losing 0.2 ticks per trade, thus they will never look to technical analysis again.

It’s not the analysis that has flaws though, it’s the trading system itself.

Technical analysis provides us with the tools. It’s up to us to make them work and make money out of them.

By studying a little about technical analysis, we will get quickly familiar with trend lines, reversal, and continuation [**pattern formations**](https://jimmakos.com/pattern-formations-entry-exit-points-betfair-graphs/).

The next step is identifying them on the real Betfair charts, which again is not that difficult. But then comes the most challenging aspect of applying technical analysis to Betfair betting charts: analyzing the success percentages, winrates, and probability odds of different trading systems until we figure out the profitable trading strategy. 🤯

Oh, of course, there is one final step. [Proper money management](https://jimmakos.com/money-management-betfair-trading/) and being disciplined enough to follow our trading system’s rules. 🙂
### Draytek 2710Vn: Recommended wireless broadband router with voip after ADSL speed upgrade
URL: https://jimmakos.com/draytek-2710vn-recommended-wireless-broadband-router-with-voip-adsl-speed-upgrade/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:09:43.000Z
After deciding to upgrade my adsl line this week and moving up to 8Mbps, the maximum DSL speed available in my area, I encountered a lot of disconnections and finally my 2-year adsl router could not stay connected for more than 15 minutes. I had already done my online research on modem routers and had made my mind on the Draytek Vigor 2710Vn. I read a lot of good reviews about Draytek routers and although they are considered one of the most expensive broadband routers, I bought and installed mine today. I opted for the wireless router of the Draytek 2710 series which, apart from being a voip router, also offers N-draft (802.11*n)* connectivity. If you also deal with low adsl noise margin and high adsl attenuation, I highly recommend this wireless broadband modem router.

My old wireless broadband router was a Philips manufactured just for the Greek market. It was the CGA5720 model although the official Philips model is named as CGA5722\. I originally purchased that when I installed an ADSL line at my girlfriend’s apartment but I wasn’t so fond of that move from the beginning. However the Philips router performed quite well during the last years. The problems started when I upgraded the ADSL speed from 2Mbps to 8Mbps this week. The telephone company had already stated that due to the from their telephone center they could not guarantee speeds more than 8Mbps so I forgot the idea of having a 24Mbps line installed and opted for the next available adsl upgrade. Although I knew I shouldn’t expect breath taking speeds, no one had warned me of the disconnections due to failed ADSL synchronization the higher speed would result to.

On Thursday the broadband router encountered a lot of disconnections from time to time and I had trouble playing online poker so I quit for the day. Still at night the performance was sufficient and I stopped worrying until I woke up on Friday. After playing for about 2 hours early in the morning (6-8am local time) the Philips router never again kept the connection online for more than 15 minutes making impossible even the simplest net surfing, let alone risking money on the poker tables. After a lot of tries to surf the net efficiently, I found out a lot of thing about the ADSL line, like the signal to noise ratio and the adsl attenuation. Those two numbers can mean a lot if you have trouble with your broadband router and your adsl connection.

The higher the signal to noise ratio is, the better for your connection. You’ll experience disconnections very rarely if that figure is 20 or more. The adsl attenuation should be as low as possible but it is not that important. However if it is 60 or more then you might deal with a couple of problems. Those figures are dependant of the actual distance between your home and the telephone company. The further you are, the worst for your adsl line. Due to this distance, your adsl speed is also affected and it is limited if you are far away.

How can you find out these numbers for your own adsl line? You should access your broadband router’s interface and check out something that reads like adsl status, or adsl statistics, or line parameters, etc. You can check my Philips’ page below:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/philipsstats.jpg)

Of course you are more interested in the downstream stats rather than the upstream. You can see in the image that although I’m paying for an 8Mbps ADSL, my modem router connected at 4.2Mbps data rate. Not that great but I was meant to expect such a performance. Honestly, that didn’t matter to me that much. The continuous disconnections were really irritating and were killing my business. The reason for that was most probably the noise margin which read 6 for the downstream. Anything below 6 is considered a bad number and you should check your phone line for noise, call a technician, yada, yada, yada.

Searching online for bad phone lines, recommended modem routers and broadband routers that can handle bad lines you will surely bump into Draytek routers. I had never heard of them but apparently they have won a couple of awards lately as the best broadband routers available in the market. So, I had found the brand of my next broadband router. Deciding on the model, I wanted a wireless router and since n-draft is the latest addition in wireless connectivity, I went for the Draytek Vigor 2710Vn. This vigor router is also a voip router which means you can connect a Voip phone in your modem router along with your normal phone. I am planning on having a Voip phone sometime in the future as you get unlimited free calls with a couple of voip providers these days.

Let’s take a look at the unpacking of the Draytek router.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1947.jpg)

The original box.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1952.jpg)

The side view of the box indicating the actual model (2710Vn Annex A) and the model comparison chart for those who are looking for a cheaper Draytek router.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1953.jpg)

Opening the box. You can install the Draytek router on the wall.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1954.jpg)

The actual router’s packaging. I was impressed by the packaging overall.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1956.jpg)

Under the Draytek router you’ll find the line and ethernet cables, three antennas, the stand for vertical placement and some screws for wall mounting.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1957.jpg)

The whole box contents revealed. Everything in nylon bags. Neat.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1958.jpg)

Quality Check that no one has used the router after production.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1959.jpg)

Surprise! After opening the nylon bag of the router, the Draytek Vigor is once again protected from scratches and the like by even more nylon! A very good packaging all together.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1960.jpg)

The antenna holders are protected as well with small plastic caps!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1963.jpg)

Installation of the antennas. They can pan and rotate.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1966.jpg)

The bottom of the router. From left to right the phone line (not the ADSL line), two phone lines (phone and Voip phone), power connector and switch.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/IMG_1968.jpg)

Side view of the Draytek router. Wi-fi switch (enable/disable), ADSL line, 4 ethernet inputs and a USB for USB sticks and external hard drives.

Now, after using the Draytek broadband modem router for almost a day, I have experienced zero disconnections and the SNR has actually increased to 8 using the exact same connections! I have also done the firmware update as every enthusiast PC user does with his equipment as soon as they buy it!

Model Name : Vigor2710 Series

Firmware Version : 3.3.0.1\_232201

Build Date/Time : Aug 21 2009 15:14:11

The Draytek 2710 router is a wireless modem router which I highly recommend if your phone line is problematic and results to occasional disconnections.

Other than the router’s performance, the 2710 offers a lot of functionality and has a lot of precious features you’ll come to appreciate.

However there are a couple of difficulties I came across upon installing it. Firstly I lost the Caller ID functionality of my original phone. After some workarounds I wasn’t able to re-enable it so I disconnected it from the router and reconnect it to the wall socket with a filter in-between. It seems the Caller-ID depends on the country-specific telephone system but I didn’t manage to find out a solution, since Greece is not in the country list of the router’s software. Additionally I found out that only FAT32 usb sticks or hard drives are supported. I connected an NTFS 120GB external drive but wasn’t recognized. The same happened when I connected my new Corsair 32GB Voyager USB stick which is also formatted in NTFS. I don’t want to use FAT32 storage since I mostly transfer files over 4GB which FAT32 cannot handle.

Still, I’m very happy with my new wireless broadband router. Currently the Draytek router connects with my Media Center computer, the DENON 3808 AV Receiver and the Panasonic BD35 BluRay all found in the living room while I connect wirelessly with my main computer in the office and with two laptops. I’ll also look into building a small NAS to access my files via internet.

The broadband router modem is very important in online gambling. Read more in my article about [**how internet speed affects your online trading**](https://jimmakos.com/2009/05/does-internet-speed-affect-your-betfair-trading/).
### Everest and Logitech G15 LCD Keyboard: Speed and Temperature Setup
URL: https://jimmakos.com/everest-logitech-g15-lcd-keyboard-speed-temperature-setup/
Last updated: 2024-08-04T06:16:42.000Z
While I play online poker and my poker software imports hand histories, I noticed serious lag occasionally. I first thought it was due to hard disk performance but I found out that the CPU load reached 100% from time to time. The computer didn’t respond for a couple of seconds and I was forced to sit out at the poker tables, losing money since my hands were automatically folded. To track down my machine’s parts’ speed and temperature I am using Lavalys [Everest Ultimate Edition](https://secure.avangate.com/affiliate.php?ACCOUNT=LAVALYSI&AFFILIATE=8515&PATH=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lavalys.com%2Fproducts.php%3Fps%3DUE%26page%3D10%26dlid%3D35%26lang%3Den) which can cooperate with my Logitech G15 keyboard. I have now setup the Logitech G15 LCD to always display important sensor data. Here is how I arranged my G15 LCD display.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/logitechg15lcd.jpg)

I bought my Logitech G15 gaming keyboard back in late 2006 and it keeps performing outstanding. It has got a lot of advantages like the G15 G-Keys as well as the LCD situated at the top of the keyboard. I have heard that this keyboard is a favorite choice of gamers – after all it is named as a gaming keyboard -, but I opted for the Logitech G15 because of the functionality towards my online gambling and blogging business. The LCD may seem like an eye-catching little gadget of the keyboard to attract buyers, but in my case it is quite useful. Although many online gamers use it to display various data while they are playing their favorite games, I mainly use it to keep track of my computer’s sensitive data like temperature and speed.

However, you cannot add those useful data to your LCD with no other software than Lavalys Everest. There is actually an option in the software’s preferences where you can enable Logitech keyboard LCD support which of course is unavailable if you don’t connect such a keyboard. Upon ticking it, you can then add LCD items where ever you like and as much as you want. You can format the font type and size, the text alignment and even the colors in case your LCD is not monochrome like mine. Here is how I setup my Logitech G15 LCD with Everest Ultimate.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/everestlcditems.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/everestlogitech.jpg)

I also included the actual coordinates of each LCD item I added, in case you want to reproduce my exact arrangement. Let’s see what sensor data I have added to my G15 LCD display.

First comes the CPU utilization next to the date. Then comes the RAM utilization along with the total Up time of the computer. These numbers are very useful while doing anything on the computer, since you can see if something eats up all your resources and your machine actually slows down. It is also a good example to check out if there is something running at the background while you have no idea of that. Close all applications and check out if the utilization numbers rise above 50%. You’ll know by then you should check out the running processes for more information.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/G15LCD-1-300x225.jpg)

In my case two postgre processes were using almost 100% of the CPU which were causing my PC to freeze. Online poker is risky by default, you don’t need to add any more anxiety to your poker business! Postgre SQL is the database software many popular poker software use while importing hand histories and generating stats.

The G15 LCD displays my Core 2 Duo CPU each core’s temperatures, which can climb above 50 degrees in the summer or if the CPU load is heavy. If that is the case, I turn up my PC case’s fan speeds to decrease the temperature inside the case. If the CPU temperatures are normal, I try running them at the lowest speed to keep the noise as low as possible. Working for more than 10 hours beside a noisy computer on a daily basis is not something I am looking for. A silent PC was one of my top priorities when building the machine.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/G15-LCD-2-1.jpg)

Moving on we can see the hard disks’ temperatures. I use a Western Digital Raptor for the operating system and applications and another WD for media files and storage. While these temperatures shouldn’t worry me, it’s nice to have them available at all times. Finally I have included the motherboard’s chip temperature next to the graphic card processor’s data. This is more important when I occasionally play a game to watch when the GPU’s fan kicks in and how hot the GPU can be.

Obviously all this data is also very important when overclocking your system. But this is not the case in this article. I have come to realize how valuable a diagnostics solution like Lavalys Everest Ultimate is and I suggest you combine it with a Logitech keyboard that incorporates an LCD display for maximum efficiency. When multitabling at online poker, there is really no room to display this precious data on a [multi monitor setup](https://jimmakos.com/2009/08/photos-professional-gamblers-working-office/) and besides you should focus on your poker game. The Logitech G15 LCD with Everest Ultimate edition is the best solution for keeping an eye on your machine’s speed and temp

##
### Political betting based on election polls in Greek Election 2009
URL: https://jimmakos.com/political-betting-election-polls-greek-election-2009/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:48:21.000Z
Can election polls be trusted when betting on politics? Greek Election 2009 may provide the answer needed for political betting. The 2009 election results will be known on 4th of October but until then there are a lot of published polls that proclaim an easy win for PASOK. By scanning them and comparing the available betting odds, we could make money by betting in Greek politics!

Firstly, let’s take a quick look at some betting odds that a couple of bookmakers and betting exchanges offer. Expect.com offer 1.01 for PASOK’s win and 30.0 for ND while William Hill’s odds are 1.02 and 10.0 respectively. Betfair, the leading betting exchange, was one of the first to open a Greek Election betting market and PASOK is trading at 1.04 while ND has gone through the roof at 25.0\. There are a couple of special bets in Betfair regarding this election, like how many seats PASOK will secure and what will be the percentage difference between the two political parties. The favorite vote percentage handicap is 7% or more for the time being!

Now, let’s see some of the election polls which have been published the last weeks in various newspapers and television channels.

The ALCO survey conducted for *Proto Thema* paper gave PASOK a 6.3% lead. In particular:

PASOK 34.2%

ND: 27.9%

ΚΚΕ 7,1%

LAOS 5%

SYRIZA 3,2%

Greens 2%

The Kapa Research poll commissioned for *Vima tis Kyriakis* paper suggests a 6.7% gap between the two major political parties. In particular:

PASOK 30.8%

ND 24.1%

ΚΚΕ 7.1%

LAOS 4.3%

SYRIZA 3%

Greens 2.4%

The MRB poll conducted on behalf of *Real News* paper gives PASOK a 6% lead. In particular:

PASOK 33.3%

NDΝΔ 27.3%

ΚΚΕ 6.9%

LAOS 6.2%

SYRIZA 3%

Greens 2.1%

Finally, an interesting election poll has been published at TV Xoris Synora. It is the only poll that I could find more details about how they actually conducted the poll. Upon reading the survey’s detailed pdf, the sample of the poll was 2,118 people, at least 18 years old, there were 3 periods that the poll took place (700 people between 7 and 8 September, 700 people between 9 and 10, and 700 people between 11 and 14 September), the maximum statistical error is 3.77% and they used Curve Estimation for the Greek election results’ prediction.

Since PASOK’s odds are lower than the last article of mine about [betting on politics](https://jimmakos.com/2009/09/greek-elections-2009-betting-politics/), it seems that both bettors and traders trust the election polls and believe there is little risk betting on Greek Election 2009.
### Greek Elections 2009: Betting on politics
URL: https://jimmakos.com/greek-elections-2009-betting-politics/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:47:29.000Z
Yesterday evening Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece, made an announcement regarding the next Greek Elections which will most probably take place in early October. Thus, rumors that his party will not complete their 4-year incumbency as the ruling party are verified and every poll shows the opposition to be up to 6% ahead in the forthcoming Greek election. Betfair was quick once again to add a special betting market under their politics section, and for the time being the only available bet is which party will have the most seats in the next parliamentary election. If you trust the election polls, PASOK seems like a sure bet offering 1-10 odds.

I was with friends last night when we heard of the breaking news about the greek election and I was the only one who didn’t believe it at first. What disturbed me the most though was how fanatically my friends were discussing about this election. It really is sad to see young people become narrow-minded and actually believe their supported party will turn the tide. I don’t have the slightest problem to have our government changed, but nothing guarantees us a change. Far from it in fact.

The party which is now a favorite in the Betfair betting market governed for many years before the conservative party took control in 2003’s elections. After something like 22 or so years of the so-called socialism since 1981 (with a small break between 1989-1992), Nea Dimokratia – Karamanlis’ party – had their chance to show what they were capable of. Inevitably faults were made during the last 6 years and it seems like everyone wants to trust once again PASOK’s political party. Sure, no problem with that but my friends were so sure their party is much better, that they truly believe they are a lot different than the ruling party. They miss the whole picture though, that everyone up there is much or less the same, and the big change can be made by the crowd, the “simple” people.

However, I can’t in fact expect something to really change, judging by my friends’ attitude. If people of 30’s are so fanatically connected to the political parties, unable to really open their eyes and see the truth, all hope has died I’m afraid. Certainly people that have been with a political party for 30 or more years are never to quit on their beliefs and that is acceptable, although it still happens. But to see friends, that I know for more than 10-15 years, become stubborn as hell and for what, for politics for crying out loud, is the biggest disappointment of all. As if they are going to make money at last now that “their” party will have the power. Oh my!

Now, after the election announcement every website or newspaper linked to the opposition are already feeling winners. They are about to get the biggest part of the cake after 6 years. Their time has finally come! Hurray! Even their stocks skyrocketed this morning in the Greek stock market. Take DOL for example, which is the most known editorial company adjacent to PASOK. I planned on buying it this morning while I would carry on my stock trading business. Yesterday’s close was €1.87 and it opened at 1.90, while in a matter of minutes it reached €2.00 for a 7% rise! I’m not going to buy at that price. My goal was set at €2.00 if I had bought at 1.87\. Maybe I’m wrong and I should jump on the wagon, in what seems a “sure” uptrend. For the time being I’ll stick to my swing trading rules.

Meanwhile, Betfair will surely add more betting markets to their Politics section regarding the Greek election of 2009\. Until then we can only wager on the most seats political betting market. If you trust the polls, it seems like a safe bet.

Read the follow up to this article: [Political betting based on election polls in Greek Election 2009](https://jimmakos.com/2009/09/political-betting-election-polls-greek-election-2009/)
### Photos of a professional gambler's working office
URL: https://jimmakos.com/photos-professional-gamblers-working-office/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:10:25.000Z
As a professional gambler for more than 5 years I have realized that you need a well organized and full of space working office. You need a reliable computer setup, a well positioned monitor setup, useful peripherals and a comfortable chair.

 The working office will help you make more money than a simple desk, a monitor and a hard chair, simply because a professional gambler needs to sit in front of the computer screen for many hours during the day and needs a welcome office. The multi-monitor setup will also help to arrange many windows as it is necessary for profitable online trading, playing online poker or writing articles in blogs, just like this one!

Now, I have already shown you my working environment as a professional gambler a couple of years ago. Since then I moved in another apartment where I am able to sit in my private working office. A professional gambler surely needs privacy as he doesn’t afford to be distracted in any way. Although he doesn’t need a big room for an office, he certainly needs a big working space to feel comfortable and not get tired quickly. For that reason I went for an office with a corner so that I can lay my arms at least up to the elbow. There are many articles online describing a condition known as RSI, which stands for [Repetitive Strain Injury](http://www.safecomputingtips.com/blog/healthy-computing/how-computer-use-can-cause-arm-pain-and-how-to-reduce-it/). I was able to avoid suffering from that in my previous office setup due to the big desk’s depth. I was sure I wasn’t going to change that.

My computer setup includes the very same computer I am using since September 2006 with just an addition of 2 more RAM modules, which brought the RAM figure to 6GB that is plenty for multitasking in Windows Vista environment. That is exactly what a professional trader, poker player or blogger should aim for, multitasking. You constantly need to open up many applications, web browser’s windows and little utilities that are used for this or that. So, in case you are into professional gambling, your main goal is a lot of RAM rather than a lot of processing power, unless you plan on running many simulations. And by simulations I usually mean stock trading backtesting.

If you are into sports trading or betting, you will of course need a couple of web browser’s windows to watch several things while you are betting or trading in other windows. If online poker interests you most, multi tabling in online poker should become second nature in weeks. And if you write posts in your blog frequently, you will need a lot of working space to lay out a word processor, a couple of web browser’s windows to surf, an FTP client and an image processing application. All above make a multi monitor setup a necessity.

My dual monitor setup allows me to play 12 tables of online poker at once which leads in a bigger hourly win rate. It also allows me to check out many trading charts at once which saves me time on finding my next trade, and we all know that time is money. Finally blog posting is done easier and much more flexible which leaves me relaxed and calm to continue gambling when the writing is finished. I strongly recommend a dual monitor setup as a minimum although I’m thinking of adding one or possibly two monitors more. If you are going to trade in-play betting markets, a TV set is also essential to keep up with the pace. Besides, a TV will also help keeping up with the news as long as you are depending on that.

My recommendations also include a sophisticated keyboard like my [Logitech G15](http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/logitech-g15.html) I’m using, which has a lot more buttons that normal keyboards. Additional keys are constantly used by me in assigning shortcuts I am pressing more than hundred times per day. For example I have assigned to the extra keys the copy and paste functions, quick language selection (my blog is multilingual and I also write in Greek blogs or sites), shortcuts for calculator, web browser, FTP client and other applications I use every day. That saves me a lot of time editing and posting articles in my blog, in forums or replying to my emails. My mouse is also made by Logitech and you can change its weight depending on your personal preference. In my case I have removed all the tuning weights and made it as light as possible. Here is a review of my Logitech G5 mouse.

My office chair used to be a proper chair for good posture but it was rather cheap (about 100€). Now that I’m sitting on a €500 chair I completely realize the difference between them. If you are tight in your budget, I recommend investing more money in the chair since being healthy is more precious than being rich. What’s the point in buying the best computer that will make you a couple more money, when not sitting right and comfortably will probably make you irritated or send you to a physio? I wonder all the time when I see pictures of other people’s offices, where they have a tremendous computer setup but keep on sitting on bad chairs.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-00-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-24-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-02-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-07-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-11-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-16-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-21-150x150-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/progamblingworkingoffice-01-150x150-1.jpg)
### Bullish Reversal Candlestick Patterns
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bullish-reversal-candlestick-patterns/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:42:54.000Z
The bullish reversal candlestick patterns are important formations in technical analysis and help to identify changes in direction of price action. According to their reliability they are divided among three categories but most of them require bullish confirmation and an existing downtrend. Of course, other aspects of technical analysis should be used besides candlesticks for better results. Most importantly though a candlestick reversal pattern does not necessarily suggest a complete reversal in trend, but rather a pause in direction or sideways trading.

## High Reliability

### Morning Doji Star

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Morning-Doji-Star.gif)

In a downtrend, the market bolsters the bearish trend with a long black day and gaps open on the second day. However, the second day trades within a small range and closes at or near its open. This scenario generally shows the potential for a rally, as many positions have been changed. Confirmation of the trend reversal is given by the white third day.

### Bullish Engulfing Pattern

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Bullish-engulfing.gif)

This pattern must occur after a signifcant downtrend. It occurs when a small bearish candle is engulfed by a large bullish candle. This signals a possible reversal. Ignore the wicks. An even stronger signal occurs when the bullish candle engulfs the bodies of two or three previous candles.

### Three White Soldiers

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/three-white-soldiers.gif)

With this pattern, there will be three long white days in a downward trend; each day will close at consecutively higher rates. This usually reflects fortitude in the future market, since a trend reversal is in progress that is building on moderate increases in the market. This bullish trend offers a high reliability rate.

### Piercing Line

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Piercing-Line.gif)

In a downtrend the market gaps open, but rallies strong to close above the previous days midpoint. This pattern suggests an opportunity for the bulls to enter the market and support the trend reversal. The Piercing Line pattern is the opposite of the Dark Cloud Cover.

### Kicking

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/kicking.gif)

This Bullish Kicking Pattern is a strong sign showing that the market is headed upward. The previous market direction is not important for this pattern unlike most other candle patterns. The market is headed up with the Bullish Kicking Pattern as the prices gap up the next day. The prices never enter into the previous day’s range. Instead they close with another gap.

### Abandoned Baby

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Abandoned-baby.gif)

A reversal pattern characterized by a gap followed by a Doji, which is then followed by another gap in the opposite direction. The shadows on the Doji must completely gap below or above the shadows of the first and third candle.

### Morning Star

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/morning-star.gif)

In a downtrend, the market bolsters the bearish trend with a long black day and gaps open on the second day. However, the second day trades within a small range and closes at or near its open. This scenario generally shows the potential for a rally, as many positions have been changed. Confirmation of the trend reversal is given by the white third day.

## Moderate Reliability

### Dragonfly Doji

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/bullish_dragonfly_doji.jpg)

The market is in an overall bearish mood characterized by a downtrend. Then market opens and sells off sharply. However, the sell-off is suddenly abated and the prices reverse direction and start going up for the rest of the day closing at or near the day’s high thus leading to the long lower shadow. The failure of the market to continue in the selling side reduces the bearish sentiment. Now the shorts are increasingly uneasy with their bearish positions. If the market opens higher next day, many shorts will have a strong incentive to cover their short positions.

### Long legged Doji

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/long_legged_doji.gif)

Long Legged Doji shows that there is a great deal of confusion and indecision in the market. This particular pattern shows that the prices moved well above and below the day’s opening level, however they finally closed virtually at the same level with the opening price. The end result is only a little change from the opening price despite the whole volatility and excitement during the day that clearly reflects that the market lost its sense of direction.

### Gravestone Doji

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/gravestone_doji.gif)

The market opens below the closing price of the previous day. Then there is a brief rally but the rally is not enough to send prices over the closing price of previous day and prices then reverse direction and fall down to the day’s lows. This movement however leaves shorts in a losing position creating the potential for an upcoming rally. It may not be clear why it signals a potential reversal. The answer has to do with what happens over the next session. If the next day opens above the real body of the Gravestone Doji, it means those who shorted at the opening (or closing) of the Gravestone day are losing money. The longer the market holds above Gravestone Doji’s real body the more likely these shorts will cover. The short will then spark a rally by covering their positions, which also encourage the bottom pickers to go long. The Gravestone Doji represents the graves of those bears that have died defending their territory.

### Doji Star

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/doji-star.gif)

Usually a star that follows a long black candlestick in a downtrend indicates a change in the market environment. Bears were in control during the downtrend but now a change is implied by the appearance of a star that shows that the bulls and the bears are in equilibrium. The downward energy is dissipating. Things are not favorable for continuation of a bear market.

In a downtrend, the market bolsters the bears with a long black day and gaps open on the second day. However, the second day trades within a small range and closes at or near its open. This scenario generally shows the potential for a rally, as many positions have been changed. Confirmation of the trend reversal would be a higher open on the next trading day.

### Harami Cross

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/harami-cross.gif)

After a long black day at the low end of a downtrend, the market opens higher than the previous day’s close and closes at the open. The Harami Cross indicator is more definite than the basic Harami indcator, and signifies a reversal for the bulls.

### Matching Low

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/matching-low.gif)

Market continues to move down as evidenced by first black candlestick. Next day; prices open at a higher level, they then continue to go up during the day but the day closes at a price which is equal to the closing price of the previous day. This pattern suggests a short-term support. Shorts should be aware of this fact. If they ignore Bullish Matching Low Pattern as a possible reversal signal, they may pay for it soon. Two days closing at the same price is indicative of short-term support and this support may be followed by a reversal on the next day of trading.

### Tri Star

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tri-star.gif)

In the case of a Bullish Tri Star Pattern, we have a market, which is in a downtrend for a long time. However the weakening trend shows itself by the fact that the real bodies are probably becoming smaller. The first Doji is a matter of concern. The second Doji clearly indicates that market is losing its direction. Finally, the third Doji warns that the downtrend is over. This pattern indicates too much indecision leading to reversal of positions.

## Low Reliability

### Harami Pattern

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/harami-bullish.gif)

When a long black day occurs at the ending of a downward trend, a white candlestick will open that is higher than what the previous day closed at. Prices will rise and many shorts are covered, this will encourage even more investors to buy. This pattern is usually confirmed when the next trading day’s candlestick follows the reversal trend.

### Hammer

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Hammer.gif)

Hammer candlesticks form when prices moves significantly lower after the open, but rallies to close well above the intracandle low. The resulting candlestick looks like a square lollipop with a long stick. A hammer indicates that the market may be attempting to find a bottom, and that buyers are strengthening their position. The hammer is the opposite of a hanging man.

### Inverted Hammer

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Inverted-hammer.gif)

An Inverted Hammer indicates that the prior downtrend is about to end and may reverse to an uptrend or move sideways. The Real Body of the Inverted Hammer should “gap” away from the Real Body of the previous session. The greater the size of that gap the more important the Inverted Hammer. The Upper Shadow of the Inverted Hammer should be as large as possible. The larger the Upper Shadow, the more important the Inverted Hammer. The Inverted Hammer is the same as an Shooting Star, only the Inverted Hammer appears at the end of an downtrend, whereas the Shooting Star appears at the end of an uptrend.

### Belt Hold

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/belt_hold.gif)

The bullish belt hold often signals a reverse in investor sentiment from bearish to bullish. Since this trend occurs frequently but is often incorrect in predicting future share prices, it is rarely perceived to be useful. As with any other candlestick charting patterns, more than just two days of trading should be considered when making predictions about trends.
### Scalping or Momentum trading: Multiple trades of small profit
URL: https://jimmakos.com/scalping-momentum-trading-multiple-trades-small-profit/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:41:31.000Z
After spending some time at the beach last week, I returned and took a shot at trading the horse racing markets at Betfair before the start of the races. I did not use technical analysis that much but rather watched the momentum developing and scalped the betting odds. The result was to make multiple trades of small profit and in the end after one hour of trading the result was a 4% increase in my Betfair bankroll. I was used at this kind of trading back in the good old days and I decided to resume my trading activities at Betfair after a long time.

The trading video may not have commentary but I expect you will find it interesting, as I’m drawing trend lines and support and resistance lines while I’m trading, pretty much like my last trading video when I drew technical indicators and commented at the same time. In today’s video, I also draw a couple of other pattern formations such as a triangle.

Here is my yesterday’s trading performance using a 500€ trading bankroll:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/090809racingtradingpl.gif)
### $50NL 6-max Betfair Poker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/50nl-6-max-betfair-poker-video/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:40:24.000Z
I played at the Betfair Poker tables yesterday and recorded my session on behalf of the Greek Betfair Blog. I prefer publishing articles there, but this time I opted for a 50-min poker video of me playing at $50NL 6-max poker tables. As I am discussing in the poker video, my main target are the players who make the biggest mistakes in no limit short-handed poker, such as limping preflop, calling down with bottom pair, never folding their top pair, chasing draws without odds, etc. We should better value bet those opponents than try to bluff them out of the hands. Of course, we should still take advantage of our position and fire continuation bets on safe boards. I hope you find it interesting.
### How much money to make from online poker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-much-money-make-online-poker/
Last updated: 2021-07-19T13:54:04.000Z
Very often I get asked how much money a player can make playing online poker. It depends on the type of poker game and the limits he is used to play. 

With proper bankroll management, sticking to some simple rules and studying the game and the opponents he is expected to make from 1000$ to 150,000$ or more per month. Read on to find out how to apply correct money management and how to build your bankroll by moving up limits in online poker.

> The article is based on No Limit Texas Holdem Poker and more specifically for 6-seated tables.

A winning poker player is expected to make between 1 to 5 Big Bets per 100 hands. A big bet is double the Big Blind. For example, if the player plays at 50NL (0.25/0.5), the Big Bet is 1$, so he is expected to win 1-5$ per 100 hands. If he plays 6-max tables, he will usually play about 80-100 hands per hour average. If additionally he is capable of playing up to 8 tables simultaneously, the he would most probably play about 700 hands per hour, meaning about 7-35$/hour. By completing 5 hours of play per day, it means he would have played 3500 hands per day or around 100,000 hands per month, making 1000-5000$ per month at 50$ NL poker.

Upon starting out he should apply proper money management so that his bankroll can sustain big drawdown. A good rule of thumb is to always have 60 buy-ins of the limit you are playing. For example if playing at 100$ NL tables, you should have 6000$ minimum bankroll. In order to move up to 200$ NL tables, you should make 6000$ more. By having 12000$, your bankroll will be ready to allow you to move up limit.

We should not forget the rakeback availability. Many poker sites offer rakeback which means returning some of the commission back to the player. This rakeback is often about 30% of the commission the player has paid. On the other hand some poker sites like Pokerstars.com give out loyalty points to their customers which can be redeemed to money, instead of offering rakeback to the players. If you reach Supernova level in Pokerstars, you are expected to make about 30-35% of the commission back. Each point you earn by playing is worth 0.016$ (at the currently available cash bonuses rate).

So, let’s say a poker player starts off from 100NL poker tables with 6000$. Here’s a table showing how much money he is expected to make per month playing 100,000 hands (about 5 hours on a daily basis):

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2021/07/poker-limit-rakeback-bankroll-management.png)

Moving up from 100NL to 200NL may take two weeks or even 2 months. Moving up from 200NL to 400NL needs about the same time, while moving up to 600NL from 400NL may take one week to 1 month. And moving from 600NL to 1000NL may take 10 days to 40 days, depending on the actual win rate. So, in conclusion, a winning poker player starting with 6,000$ may need 7 weeks up to 7 months to move up from 100NL to 1000NL, given that he plays 100,000 hands per month.

**July Update**: Due to the recent comments this article received, I feel obliged to post a couple of screenshots that show that online poker can be profitable and the win rates I am discussing above are possible.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-3.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-7.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Stats-2.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-4.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-5.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-8.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-1.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-2.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/June-BBV-Graph-6.png)
### Betting graph technical analysis of Royal Ascot horse racing markets
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betting-graph-technical-analysis-royal-ascot-horse-racing-markets/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:37:04.000Z
Nowadays there is huge interest for betting in horse racing due to the Royal Ascot taking place and a lot of money is risked on those betting markets. The volume traded in Betfair Ascot’s markets almost always exceeds the one million mark, differentiating their odds movement behavior a bit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/smallbannerjimmakoschart4.jpg)

Let’s take a look at a couple of betting graphs from yesterday’s horse racing and try analyze the odds movement in Royal Ascot races using technical analysis fundamentals.

At 15:30 there was a horse race taking place at Hamilton and this is how the betting market looked a minute before the off:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ham1730racemarket.gif)

In the end Jenny Potts came out as the race’s winner but that is of little importance for us. Since our main interest is the odds movement right before the race’s off, there were 2 very interesting betting graphs in that particular race. First, Salerosa which was the favorite horse started trading at 2.60, drifted to 4.80 and finally dropped back down to 2.90 right before they start running. Here is the betting odds chart:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ham1730racefavorite.gif)

The starting uptrend was quite fast and usually such a violent odds movement means irrational and nervous trading moves, which most of the times result to a total correction by the market. It was such a scenario in this horse race, since during the last 10 minutes before the off, the trend was a steady downfall. The uptrend was apparent where it was expected to end, and indeed the trendline was verified when it was finally broken and the trend not only ended but it also reverted. When the uptrend had ended, it was logical to think that it may reverse just a little in order to absorb the traders entering the market late. However that reversal transformed into a main trend that moved the betting odds down to 2.90!

I believe the betfair graph above is a fine example that we can make money trading the Betfair horse racing markets before the off.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ham1730raceoutsider.gif)

However it was not the only interesting chart of the horse race. Grethel’s odds experienced a much more impressive movement , climbing from 6.00 to 35.0! Remember, we are still talking about trading before the off! The main trend wasn’t threatened until the last seconds before the race started, when we should have been closing out trading positions or not even thinking of reentering the market. The uptrend verification occurred at least 3 times, while the last verification point (around 22) was a good opportunity to lay and close out higher. Generally speaking, the points where the odds hit on the trendline (verification points) and the odds continue moving in the same direction, are very good entry points for initiating a trade.

The next horse race was Royal Ascot’s and here is the betting market 1 minute before the off:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ascot1745racemarket.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ascot1745racefavorite.png)

Tartam Bearer’s odds being the favorite developed a downtrend as we can see from the betting graph below. The trendline was verified here as well multiple times, and all the trades started at those points would result in profit, given that we traded out when the trendline was broken at 2.50 1 minute before the off. Due to the big volume traded in that market in comparison with the previous horse race, the betfair chart indicates a much more calm movement with less rapid movements and ups and downs. The reason for that is the capability of the particular betting market to deal with very big bets that are submitted. The bettors’ and traders’ interest in that market was more than obvious.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ascot1745raceoutsider.gif)

However, even at such horse races where the liquidity is phenomenal, big odds movements that are not expected, do happen. For example, Virtual drifted from 15 all the way up to 24\. Laying at 15 and backing at 24, we would stand to win 64% profit! How do we come up with that number?

Let’s say we laid 100$ at 15, so we would risk 1400$ if Virtual won to win 100$ if it eventually lost. We would then back Virtual at 24, so if the horse wins we make 2300$ and if it loses, we lose 100$. In case Virtual loses we make (+100-100=) nothing, lose nothing. In case it wins, we make (-1400+2300=) 900$. 900$ of 1400$ that we risked is 64% profit. If we then go on and green up (split the profit equally to all horses) by laying 37$ at 24.0, we would have won 37$ no matter the outcome!

This article was originally written in Greek and published in the Greek Betfair Blog.
### Looking for a tennis betting system
URL: https://jimmakos.com/looking-for-tennis-betting-system/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:35:18.000Z
Searching in google for a winning tennis betting system didn’t help at all. The first 3 pages returned advertising pages and affiliates’ links to so-called amazing tennis betting systems that guarantee instant profits.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/smallbannerjimmakosrollandgarros.jpg)

I understand that internet offers great potential for everyone to make money following different routes, but I was just looking for tennis gamblers sharing their knowledge and possibly their experience testing several betting systems. I will keep on searching though for ideas to include in a tennis betting system I am interested in.

It is not the first time tennis betting attracts my attention. In the past I published a tennis betting system that was based merely on a simple formula, making use of the [tennis ranking system](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/betting-australian-open-tennis-ranking-system/). While that was obviously a quite simple betting method, I had found an idea of how to include the ranking system in a tennis betting system. In a similar way I wanted to find out other formulas which would help me predict the tennis matched more efficiently. What a better way to search for tennis betting systems in google.

I was really disappointed to see that the first 30 or so results pointed to promoting pages. Go ahead and search for yourself, you will find awesome betting systems making you money in a minute, betting systems that promise to reveal secrets untold for centuries and testimonials of people from all over the world. If you however target a specific tennis betting system and search for it, there is a great chance you will read forum posts that drive you away from the betting system. They claim that most of these betting systems only explain and use martingale systems or other non profitable methods and they usually provide information that is already available for free online. Of course the most usual question you will come up with is, why the original designer of the betting system is giving away his betting system for a couple of dollars. Although I agree with them and I myself would ask you the very same question, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a tennis betting system needs to sell for hundreds of dollars to persuade the buyers. Would you prefer spending a fortune on a betting system that looks like any other that sells for $30?

I am looking for gamblers who have put a few tennis betting systems to the test. The betting system doesn’t need to be a winner in the end. Combining genuine ideas from many tennis betting systems, maybe I’ll come up with a profitable tennis betting system applying formulas that use statistical data from tennis games. That is how I have already tested a few football betting systems in the past. The question is whether I will make them public in the end or opt to sell them online! Just kidding…
### Does internet speed affect your Betfair trading?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/does-internet-speed-affect-your-betfair-trading/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:34:43.000Z
Having started trading the Betfair markets with a dial-up internet connection in 2004, I can guarantee that your internet speed matters a lot in your trading performance. Apart from having fast refresh times which means always knowing what is going on, your orders are executed much faster. Broadband speed is very important if you trade in-play markets or if you are into scalping, but if you are a positional trader or maybe you prefer swing trading, speed is not what will make you rich after all.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/smallbannerjimmakosspeed.jpg)

I always considered myself a Betfair scalper. Scalping is a form of trading that involves very quick trades that expose your bets less theoretically. Since your trades do not last more than a couple of seconds, you are less likely to get caught up in a major reversal. Additionally you aim for a couple of ticks profit and your stop loss is really very narrow, not risking more than 2 to 3 ticks at most. Small profitable trades add up in the end of the day and you can come out a winner with somewhat small risk. Because you enter and exit the markets in a fast way, internet speed is essential both for executing your orders and for being able to quickly spot a scalping opportunity. When I traded with a 56k dial up connection I had really a tough time to watch the markets, but since I used a broadband connection (384k at first, upgraded to 1MBit and nowadays 2MBit) I watched my profits skyrocket.

During the last years, Betfair trading has become more difficult for me. I had trouble entering the market in time and more importantly I experienced big losses due to not being fast enough in exiting a losing trade. Money kept filling up and emptying the blue and purple boxes of betfair markets in a more frenzy way than in the past, and I had to adapt my trading style if I wanted to keep up with the pace of other traders. Although I was using technical analysis right from the beginning to spot forthcoming odds movements, I started converting my scalping style into a more swinging style. I kept my trading position open for longer periods and was able to grab bigger movements. Now, in that case internet speed is again important but not THAT important. If you are going for a 5 or even 10 tick profit, you won’t mind that much if you lose 1 tick every 5 trades due to slow internet connection. Whereas in case of scalping 1 tick is about 50% of your average profit and you don’t stand a chance if you keep losing that due to your bad internet connection. If you’d rather be a positional trader, that is targeting for very long movements, and you are exposed to the market for minutes or even hours, it is understandable that speed has very little impact in your trading style.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/speedtest500mbit.png)

In conclusion, the faster your trading style, the better the internet speed you should have. Do not underestimate it or else you really don’t stand a chance against the bigger sharks lurking in the betfair markets. I myself never believed internet speed can matter that much in succeeding in Betfair trading, but I was mistaken. And if you believe you are fast enough, check out the following picture I found in the [Betangel forum](http://www.betangel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=93) this morning!
### How to use betfair graphs in long-term football trading
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-use-betfair-graphs-long-term-football-trading/
Last updated: 2024-02-23T11:00:20.000Z
Applying technical analysis on Betfair graphs can make money by trading even long term football events. Champions League 2008/09 has reached the semi final stage and upon looking at the 4 teams’ betting graphs regarding the winner of the competition, we can draw basic trend lines along with support and resistance lines. Technical analysis will help us to prepare our trading strategy and even predict the two teams which will reach the Final. Still, long term trading is all about making money before the event ends and the Betfair graphs offer tremendous help.

> Learn about [Betfair trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) and read the latest news about [sports trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/sports/) in my new trading blog!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/barcelonaCL2009.gif)

Starting out with the Barcelona’s betting graph, we notice the constant down trend of the betting odds, which shows the general trend of the betting market, although it decelerates. We shouldn’t forget that as the odds shorten, the shortening is of greater importance, since a decrease from 2.00 to 1.50 is a lot more important than a decrease from 10.0 to 7.0\. Taking into account the down trend lines, there was a stabilization at around 4.00 and a support level at 3.50 which was broken and the odds shortened to 2.50\. A second triangle has formed while the main down trend line continues to be valid. Barcelona is undoubtedly one of the big favorites for the title. We can risk making a prediction that their odds will fall from 2.50 to 2.00 if Barcelona starts the game well in the next leg against Chelsea. So instead of trading that game on 28th of April, we can keep an eye on this market as well. Alternatively if Barcelona doesn’t play well and the odds drift above 3.00, we can predict an elimination of Barcelona during the semi final stage.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ManutdCL2009.gif)

Manchester United’s Betfair graph shows some interesting signs of technical analysis. Trading after a double top in the beginning of the Betfair chart would mean taking advantage of the imminent down trend, since a double top formation is a major sign of trend’s reversal. The down trend did happen moving the odds from 8.00 to 3.00\. That was another fine example of successfully applying technical analysis on graphs of long term betting markets in Betfair. The odds touched 3.00 but then they overcome the trend line and climbed to 6.60 where the last support level was found, converting into a resistance level. That was another good timing to enter the betting market downwards. The odds once again shorten to 3.25 but fail to reach 3.00 this time, proving that the last time they did was an [exhaustion formation](https://jimmakos.com/2009/04/pattern-formations-entry-exit-points-betfair-graphs/). So, we notice that the odds range between 3.25 and 6.60 (or 3.00 and 7.00). When such a situation arises, the safest trading is to be patient and enter when one of the boundaries is broken. A less safe trade would be to trade between those limits but long term betting markets don’t allow significant odds fluctuations in a trading channel.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ChelseaCL2009--1-.gif)

Chelsea’s Betfair graph is of great interest regarding both trading and betting. Let’s analyze every odds movement and draw conclusions based on technical analysis. The betting odds started shortening up to 5.50 where they found support. Then the odds drifted to 12.0 rather quickly and they retraced to 6.80\. The odds touch once again 12.0 (almost a double top formation since the movement was rather violent), retrace again to 6.80 and retry to reach 12.0 but fail. That failure was a very good sign of an imminent down trend, which led the odds below the previous support level. Afterwards, the support level converts into a resistance level and the odds shorten to 4.50\. Nowadays the odds drift up to 5.50 where the initial support level was found. Eventually the odds may meet resistance at that point. Most certainly resistance is found at 6.80\. In my opinion Chelsea’s betting graph speaks of a down trend which may lead the odds even below 4.00\. On the other hand, we never forget the resistance level at 6.80 for minimizing our losses.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ArsenalCL2009.gif)

In the last Betfair graph, we notice that Arsenal’s betting odds have drifted up to 36.0! Because of the large fluctuation we can’t draw safe conclusions, since the graph hasn’t got the necessary detail in the last half of it, making the applying of technical analysis very difficult. The only certain level we can draw is the level found at 10.0 which has been changed from support to resistance. However the lack of detail afterwards makes the drawing of trend lines and indicators impossible.

As a conclusion, we could say that the safest trading exists on Barcelona’s odds, while I believe there is a good opportunity on Chelsea’s as well. However we should remind ourselves that it is a football bet we are talking about. Barcelona meets Chelsea in the semi final, making the encounter very interesting considering the analysis above. In the event of odds shortening of one team, there will take place simultaneously an odds drifting on the other team. Personally I’ll wait for the first leg’s outcome before I start a trade, since the odds will reveal the forthcoming trend. Still, we can open a position during the in-play betting of the semi final leg. If Barcelona presents a strong team in the playing field, the odds will overcome the support level, while Chelsea’s will break above the resistance level. On the contrary, if Chelsea plays well, their odds will start shortening verifying the analysis above, while in the same time Barcelona’s odds main trend will have reversed!

So, in the next fixture of Champions League don’t forget to keep an eye on these Betfair graphs instead of blindly betting on the match odds. I think there will be some nice opportunities to make money.
### Pattern formations with entry and exit points in Betfair graphs
URL: https://jimmakos.com/pattern-formations-entry-exit-points-betfair-graphs/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:32:49.000Z
We already talked about support and resistance levels and trendlines when applying technical analysis in Betfair graphs. Pattern formations though are literally hundreds in technical analysis. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/smallbannerjimmakoschart2.jpg)

Given the fact that Betfair graphs don’t provide the necessary detail like stock charts, a thorough study of formations and technical analysis isn’t needed apart from basic terms. Despite that, we need to know and recognize a couple of pattern formations since they are often in Betfair’s horse racing betting graphs.

> Learn about [Betfair trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) and read the latest news about [sports trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/sports/) in my new trading blog!

To begin with, we’ll quickly take a look of a betfair graph where the trend is constant and is never interrupted prior the start of the horse race. We can also notice a trend acceleration seconds before the official start time of the race, mainly due to traders closing their open positions and bettors who have waited until the last moment to verify the crowd’s general belief. Besides it is the last chance for someone to bet. Some bettors don’t want to reveal their bets too early. Of course in the given example, the odds might have seemed too low for their taste in the end.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/trendingbetfairgraph310309.gif)

Moving on and without diverging a lot from the previous example, I have drawn a couple of lines in the following Betfair graph. If you have been reading my previous articles regarding technical analysis on Betfair graphs, you’ll easily point out the support and resistance levels and the trendline as well. In this specific chart, I also drew the uptrend channel with orange lines. I guess it is easily understood how I did that. But I have also included a candlestick formation in this graph highlighted in a circle. That candlestick formation exhibits the layers’ last attempt to move the odds even higher but they fail to succeed. It is the last sign of trend’s strength which is exhausted at that point (exhaustion bar). That particular formation is a reversal sign of the trend, or at least a sign that the trend has ended and may now enter a ranging channel. If we had laid in the beginning, it would have been a great time now to exit. Afterwards, the inactivity of the odds movement following would be another good signal to exit our trade. And if that wasn’t enough to persuade us, the interruption of the main trendline is the last verification sign that the odds are going to fall. And they fall up to the support level as expected.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/trendlineexhaustionbetfairgraph310309.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/symmetrical_tri.png)

In the Betfair graph below we stumble upon one of the most known pattern formations in stock charts. The ascending triangle, that is formed if we connect the highs and lows of the odds, will show us the predicted odds movement. Predicting that movement doesn’t seem that hard, since the uptrend side of the triangle sets the trend, while the horizontal triangle’s side is the resistance that is about to be broken. Obviously it isn’t absolutely sure, but most of the times the scenario is repeated. Additionally, a similar kind of prediction can be made in case the triangle is inverted (descending triangle). There is also one more triangle formation that I need to be mentioning, the so called symmetrical triangle.The odds movement continuously calms down up to the triangle’s top. At that occassion the odds movement can be predicted when the price breaks either side, which would mean either a continuation of the trend or a reversal. At the specific example, I have also drawn the trendline that follows (green line), which will signal our trade’s exit.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/trianglechart300309.gif)

In the last betfair graph, apart from support and resistance levels, we come up with another very important element of pattern formations in charts. It is about the odds’ failed attempt to reach the previous high or low. Pointed out by the arrow, the odds couldn’t reach the resistance level for a second time. They tested but failed. It is one more sign that the odds will go lower. Similar chart formations are double up or double bottom, which can be seen when the odds manage to hit the previous high or low respectively. In both situations, the signals are regarded as reversals but you need confirmation from other signals as well. Another similar approach is the so called “knock three times”, that is when the odds reach a support or resistance level 3 times. Again that would be a reversal sign.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/failedtopbetfairgraph310309.gif)

Generally, a trendline’s interruption is the best exit point in our trading strategy, as we saw in the 2nd example. Support and resistance levels should be considered in Betfair graphs more for entry points and for better odds movement prediction. All those chart pattern formations weren’t created by luck but they are based on the traders’ psychology. We will talk about that in the future.
### Support and Resistance of Candlesticks in Betfair Charts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/support-and-resistance-candlesticks-betfair-charts/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:31:47.000Z
We talked about support and resistance levels in Betfair horse racing charts but how about candlesticks formations in the graphs? The candlesticks provide more detailed charts and a lot more information, but if you are not aware of them you shouldn’t worry.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/smallbannerjimmakoschart.jpg)

We can still make money trading in Betfair using trendlines, support and resistance lines using candlesticks without having a clue about them. At least for the time being as I will be explaining more about candlesticks’ formations in a future article.

> Learn about [Betfair trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) and read the latest news about [sports trading](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/sports/) in my new trading blog!

Candlesticks are used as an alternative way of drawing a chart. Instead of a simple line corresponding to the odds movement like in the original Betfair graphs, candlesticks offer more detail to the Betfair chart. However we may still draw trendlines and apply technical analysis on them as we did in the post about the [support and resistance levels in betfair graphs](http://www.betstories.com/2014/01/10/support-and-resistance-sports-trading/). Today I’ll be analyzing the Betfair charts of 5 UK horse racing betting markets.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16102703betfairgraph.gif)

Starting out, Lavender Track was the favorite in the race at 16:10\. There was a support level at 2.00 as I have shown in the previous article, which converted into a resistance level afterwards. A part of the original betfair graph is shown in the betfair candlestick chart below, since the drawing of that chart is done in real time and as long as I watch the specific horse race. During the last 10 minutes before the off, there is a down trend up to 1.85 which is instantly defined as the odds support level. In the following minutes the odds retrace to 1.90 which is then defined as the resistance level. The odds are ranging between 1.85 and 1.90, verifying the support level at 1.85 but they break the resistance found at 1.90\. At that exact moment it is an excellent opportunity for a profitable trade, taking advantage of the imminent uptrend of course. The red resistance line at 1.90 will be converted into a support line (green) which will be also verified towards the end of the chart. Additionally, the already established resistance line at 1.95 is overcome and has become a support line. However, the odds climbed up to 2.00 where they found the resistance level we had drawn in the main Betfair graph and fell back. At that point it was another good chance to make money trading the downtrend, since it is very rare to break a support or resistance level which is verified in the long term Betfair graph. Backing at 2.00 and laying at 1.95 would secure some profit, while a more risky Betfair trader would have waited and closed his trading position a little lower, towards the next support level found at 1.90\. Personally I lost money trading this horse race since the third time the odds touched 1.90 during the first quarter of the chart, I backed the horse with the intention to lay at 1.85, but I picked the wrong time to do it as the resistance was broken. When something like this happens we have to get out as fast as possible. It wasn’t my only trade in that race, but it was the one that cost the most.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16202703betfairgraph.gif)

Looking at the charts at 16:20, there is a resistance level in Betfair’s graph at 1.55 or so which is verified in the candlesticks chart below and is never broken. Upon breaking the resistance at 1.47, the odds are ranging between 1.47 and 1.52\. By the time the 2 limits are verified, the betfair traders could trade 3 or 4 times between those levels winning 2-3 ticks each time. When most bettors or traders would consider the odds as steady, we would have been able to win 5 to 10 ticks.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16352703betfairgraph.gif)

Moving on to the horse race at 16:35, we instantly figure out that we are before a whole different betfair graph. While the odds were “ranging” in the previously mentioned chart, in this race the favorite’s odds are in an obvious uptrend, they are “trending” that is. There are at least 3 levels of resistance that are overcome and become support levels as the odds climb to higher highs, a strong sign of an uptrend. The uptrend is verified by the orange trendline which is drawn if we connect the low peaks. When the odds break this trendline at around 7.20, it is an indication that the trend is most possibly over and the odds will most probably enter a “ranging” phase. Yet the remaining time until the off doesn’t allow more trading, but we were given plenty of trading opportunities. In the specific horse race I backed at 5.00 when the odds reached the resistance level but that wasn’t enough for the odds to bounce back down and as soon as the odds climbed above it, I traded out securing a… loss! A few moments afterwards I was about to lay at 5.50 when the odds retraced to the orange trendling, but family business was calling me and I wouldn’t do any more trading for the day. During the following races I didn’t trade at all but I kept capturing the graphs and odds movements.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16452703betfairgraph.gif)

At 16:45 the favorite horse’s odds were in a strong uptrend right from the beginning as the Betfair graph shows, but the trend was gradually losing speed. During the 10 minutes we are interested in, the resistance of 2.50 was broken and become the support (green to red line), which helped us in our future trading. I believe the odds bouncing off that support line offered a great chance for profitable trading by laying first, having already been verified as a resistance level during the uptrend. On the other hand, I also believe there was a trap at 2.74 when the resistance line was broken for just 2 ticks but the odds didn’t move any higher than that. That formation alone was a major indication that the uptrend had ended. That odds movement reveal a last attempt made by layers to move the odds even higher, but they were unable to do so due to the backers’ orders.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16552703betfairgraph.gif)

Finally, at 16:55 there was a downtrend which is verified by the trendline created if we connect the higher peaks of the odds movement. As we already saw in a previous chart, when the odds break the trendline, the trend is no longer valid. In this instance a new trend was formed which led the odds back where they began from. I would say that the fair odds were found there but due to some events, many backers were convinced that there was value at those betting odds. However the market corrected that possible anomaly and retraced the odds back to the original price. As a good trade I would consider backing at 3.25 during the downtrend and exiting at 3.15, while we could also enter the forthcoming uptrend when the odds broke the trendline, by laying at 3.20 and backing at 3.45 or so.

So, we examined 5 horse race more applying technical analysis and using candlestick charts with much more detail. Although we haven’t talked about their advantages, we proved that they provide a lot more information in their formations, which can lead in better trading predictions in Betfair. For yet another article we commented on the basic principles of technical analysis such as trendlines, support and resistance levels and I firmly believe that they should be considered as a big help in predicting the odds movements in Betfair. Next time I’ll be focusing more in the candlesticks charts and formations that the [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) trading platform offers to Betfair traders.
### Technical analysis: Support and Resistance Levels in Betfair Graphs
URL: https://jimmakos.com/technical-analysis-support-and-resistance-levels-betfair-graphs/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:30:28.000Z
Betfair trading is all about odds movement. By learning basic terms of technical analysis like support and resistance, and applying them to Betfair graphs, we are able to make money by correctly predicting them.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/smallbannerjimmakoshorses.jpg)

I included 7 betfair graphs from yesterday’s horse racing betting markets in this article and I try analyzing and discussing the various support and resistance levels in them. I used to study about technical analysis in the past years when I traded the Betfair UK Horse racing markets and I applied the same knowledge back then to make about 10,000 euros per month. I’m not sure if they can be applied profitably in today’s markets but they will certainly help you understand and predict the odds movements more efficiently.

> Learn about [**Betfair trading**](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) and read the latest news about [**sports trading**](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/sports/) in my new trading blog!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1620ling240309.png)

At the 16:20 horse race the favorite horse was Flying Lady. The betting odds graph started in a downtrend moving the odds from 4.00 to 2.60 initially. Later on the odds retraced and almost reached 3.00\. If we take a look at the previous peak on the black trendline, that peak was at 3.00\. We could have expected a retracement up to that point, since the down trend was interrupted when the odds broke above the black trendline. After the second touch at 3.00, we are now sure that 3.00 is the resistance level of the betting odds and we don’t expect it to be overcome, unless the odds resume an uptrend. In the following minutes the odds fall down to 2.50 only to climb once again up to 3.00 and end up at 2.75 right before the start of the race. The competent betfair trader could possibly take advantage of the steaming odds from 3.00 to 2.50 once the resistance level was confirmed, while a second profitable and successful trade could have been made during the last move from 3.00 to 2.75.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1630lsedge240309.png)

In the next horse race, the horse called Presque Perdre started the race at 1.64, while the betting odds had previously ranged between 1.75 and 1.60\. Once again we had a confirmation of the support level quite a few times, making the trading to seem quite easy laying first and backing later whenever the odds touched 1.60\. A second resistance level could have been considered at 1.70 afterwards, although a much safer trading would have been to lay at 1.60 and closing the position a couple of ticks above, securing small profits.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1640lsthl240309.png)

At 16.40, Killard Point offered enough trading opportunities for profitable trading before the start of the race. Right from the beginning we confirmed the resistance level at 2.50 and the support level at 2.00\. So, when the betting odds reached 2.45 where the green trendline begins, we could back the horse and make money from the downtrend up to 2.00, while if we were wrong, we would have placed our stop loss at 2.55\. In other words we risked 5 ticks to win 20\. In the end we would have won the whole downtrend of the odds, although we could have split our trading into smaller trading moves. An example of that is when the betting odds found a support level at 2.20 (blue line). When the odds moved below 2.20, the support level converted into a resistance level. In the main betting exchange interface we see that the betting odds have moved below 2.00 and have reached 1.95, but 30 seconds before the start of the horse race, it isn’t the most appropriate time to open a trading position having very few seconds to complete our trade.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1650ling240309.png)

During the horse race at 16:50 the betting odds literally plumbed. In the beginning of the downtrend the odds found some support level at 1.80, but the retracement to 2.00 wasn’t strong enough to stop the forthcoming continual of the downtrend. When the odds retracement is relatively small in comparison with the move that has preceded (2.75 to 1.80), it is a good sign that the trend has neither ended nor lost speed. Indeed the cautious betfair trader would have backed at 1.75 when the odds broke below the support level at 1.80, while a more risky trader would have already backed the horse at 2.00 for bigger profits. From that point on and like in the previously mentioned betfair graph, the odds ranged between 1.50 and 1.60 where they found support and resistance. Safe trading could have been made by backing first at 1.50, since it wasn’t expected to be overcome having the odds touched 1.50 so many times. Surely the profits wouldn’t have been that significant as in the initial downtrend, however that doesn’t mean there weren’t trading opportunities.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1700lsedge240309-1.png)

At 17:00 there was the most predictable odds movement, when the favorite horse called Finlays Footsteps climbed from 4.00 to 7.00 losing at the same time the favorite place. In the beginning of the betfair graph, the odds have found support level at 4.00 and they entered a strong continuous uptrend. When the horse racing betting odds show such signs, the worst a trader can do is to back that horse. If we couldn’t predict the uptrend at 4.00 or 5.00, we still had a chance for 2 profitable trades when the odds traded at 6.00\. The odds found resistance level at 6.00 but when they overcome it, the resistance level converted into a support level and the odds moved twice from 6.00 to 7.00 afterwards. Always have in mind that when a level is broken, it is converted in the exact opposite kind of level. While the odds had difficulty overcoming 6.00 after a strong uptrend, they never fell below upon breaking the resistance level.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1710lsthl240309.png)

At 17:10 the betfair graph starts like the previous one with the support level found at 2.90, but this time the odds broke below the support level which was a major indication of a forthcoming downtrend. The odds moved continuously to lower lows until they found support at 2.40\. Then they retraced up to a resistance level at 2.70\. I believe there was a good trading opportunity when the support at 2.90 was broken, while it would have been difficult to predict the following weak uptrend.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/1720ling240309.png)

Finally in the horse race at 17:20, the odds didn’t trend but rather ranged between 2 levels. Upon reaching 3.30 for the third time, I think that would have been a safe trade by laying there and closing at 3.70\. At that time, it would have been another safe bet to back at 3.70 and make money from the forthcoming fall. In the end of the graph the support level’s break is of little importance, since the remaining time until the start of the race is simply too short to be trading.

We analyzed 7 betfair graphs in UK horse racing for better understanding and prediction of the betting odds movement. The methods of technical analysis don’t stop to terms like support, resistance and trendlines, but they contain innumerous indicators, oscillators and formations. However, on one hand the available basic betfair graph doesn’t allow for deeper analysis, while on the other hand by using the most simple terms of technical analysis, it is possible to predict odds movements and make money in betfair trading.

Interested in more [**technical analysis for betfair graphs**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/11/technical-analysis-betfair-horse-racing-charts/)?
### Bluff shoving and out of position aggressiveness
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bluff-shoving-out-of-position-aggressiveness-video/
Last updated: 2023-12-06T04:48:43.000Z
This poker video was recorded for the Betfair.com Greek Blog and I play 2 6max 50NL tables. During the 50 minutes that the poker video lasts, I attack out of position, I check raise a straight draw, I push all my chips in as a bluff and my queens lose to aces. You may also hear me commenting on my moves, but I need to elaborate a little more.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfairpoekr50nl.gif)

First of all, you’ll see me raise out of position preflop when a lot of limpers have limped. This is because they will rarely confront you while you can make more money when they will easily fold to your continuation bet. Only once did I run into AQ, but the opponent won the minimum and he risked losing the hand on river. Generally 50NL poker players push all-in only with premium hands and most of the time they will just call with the rest.

In this poker video a villain used a blocking bet on me. A blocking bet is useful when you hold a mediocre hand and believe there is some showdown value but you don’t want to call a big bet out of position. So he leads small the river holding a middle pair. Although I would usually raise that blocking bet holding TPTK, I wanted to show you that he indeed had a medium hand. I carry on playing while discussing why my continuation bet on the flop was right mathematically.

There is another interesting hand in this poker video when I hold AT against button’s QQ. I flopped an OESD and I took for granted that the Ace was also an out for me. That was the case in the end but no ace and no straight for me. During the video I say that I had 8 outs for the straight and 3 outs for a pair of aces. That’s a total of 11 outs, which means 44% (=11\*4) to win the hand if he is holding KK. However, QQ needs one 10 out of 3 10’s in the deck to hit a straight and canceling all my outs. So, 44% is wrong actually and the true probability of me winning the hand is 32%. When I check raise the flop I expect AK to fold and maybe AQ. Those were the hands the villain might have 3bet me preflop, while against KK I wasn’t in such a bad shape. What I certainly didn’t want to see was AA and a set (JJ).

Regarding the hand with QQ vs AA, I guess there was no way out with that kind of flop. Finally, in regards of my 5bet with 64s from the blinds trying to fold out probable holdings like Aj, AQ, TT, JJ, I was unfortunate to run into queens which never fold from late position. 64s is a hand that won’t be dominated like AQ. Additionally, the same suit adds up some more outs. Such moves are usually done in higher stakes, however I don’t think they will have that success in 50NL, since if we will face a 4bet, we would almost always be against AK, QQ+.
### Betfair trading in football betting can make you money before kick off
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-trading-football-betting-make-money-before-kick-off/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T11:15:46.000Z
G10vanni7, a Greek Betfair trader, has just published in his betting blog an image proving that trading football games before the kick off can make you money. Most betfair traders trade the UK horse racing markets while others prefer trading the odds during a football game, when the in-play odds move a lot. However, another possibility for profitable trading in Betfair is trading the fixed odds before the football game starts as g10vanni7’s picture proves.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/kaseth-300x241-1.jpg)

I myself have discussed about the [trading options](https://jimmakos.com/charts-trading-opportunities-in-play/) available before kick off in an article based on the Champions League Final in 2007.

Obviously, the odds movement wasn’t as spectacular as this one, but there were still possibilities for making money. G10vanni7 matched a lay bet yesterday night on Ethnikos Piraeus at 1.57, and closed his trading position this noon at 1.75 securing him a profit before the game kicks off.

Although the amount of money won isn’t such a big deal, the profit percentage is outstanding! We are talking about a 17.1% win whatever the football game’s result!

There’s no better proof that [sports trading](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) instead of betting in football games before the kick off is profitable than this image! Nice trading g10vanni7!

If you are also wondering what the betfair graph of Ethnikos looks like, here’s the screenshot of the chart:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/kastoriaethnikosgraph.gif)
### Bet Angel and BFExplorer: Sports Trading Software in Betfair
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel-bfexplorer-sports-trading-software-betfair-video/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:26:20.000Z
If you are looking for sports trading software in Betfair, here is a side to side comparison of [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) and BFExplorer. I traded 3 horse racing markets using both trading platforms and recorded today’s trading video. Both trading programs have charting capabilities, adequate refresh rates, ladder interface and quick response times. Everything a serious sports trader should have in his arsenal.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betangelvsbfexplorer.jpg)

Although I submitted my orders through Bet Angel Professional, the profit would probably be the same if I had used [BFExplorer](http://www.bfexplorer.net/)‘s trading program. Surely a trading software isn’t that essential for Betfair trading. I have already shown in past trading videos how to make money trading with Mozilla Explorer or any other web browser. However, a sports trading software will give you even more edge in your trading or scalping, considering the charting tools and speed of a trading platform. One-click bet submission will put you ahead of the competition and real-time charts will help you point out the resistance and support levels.

Alternatively you can read the [trading software comparison](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/software/charts-software/22-betfair-trading-software-comparison-bfexplorer-pro-vs-betangel-pro-video) at TradingGraphs.com.

Regarding my actual Betfair trading in today’s sports trading video, I followed the money and made use of the support and resistance levels. Especially in the 16:45 race, the resistance level found at 4.80 was proven quite worthy, leading me to trade profitably. Notice though that although I’m eagerly waiting to submit the order as soon as the uptrend reverses, I still don’t manage to place my order first. Immediately I move my order one tick below in order to get it matched and profit from the odds movement. I believe that is a remarkable example of a Betfair trader’s required speed. Other than that, favorites, which are traded at 1.30 or lower, attract a lot of liquidity with minor odds movement. Patience and caution are the requirements of a sports trader under those circumstances.
### Sports Trading: Trend is your friend in Betfair trading
URL: https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading-trend-is-your-friend-in-betfair-trading-video/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:26:07.000Z
Trend is your friend and today’s sports trading video is a prime example of that. Betfair trading is not that difficult if we follow simple rules when trading the horse racing betting odds with [**Bet Angel Pro.**](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) In this Betfair trading video I traded 2 horse racing markets with small stakes and while the first horse race didn’t go that well, the estamblished downtrend in the second one made online trading easier for me. If only I hadn’t believed in that last Breakout formation in the chart which cost me half of my winnings, although [**Breakouts have made me money before**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/11/betfair-chart-how-to-make-money-breakout/)!

I have uploaded almost ten **Betfair trading videos** up to now and I think those who are just starting out trading the odds in Betfair might have got some clue as to how the betfair markets behave and how we can **make money** from them even with Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Online trading may look difficult in the beginning but if mastered, the skilled [**horse racing trader**](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/meet-horse-racing-traders-make-more-than-1000-pounds-day/) will make serious money. Enjoy the video and leave any remarks or questions as a comment below.
### Meet the horse racing traders that make more than £1,000 a day
URL: https://jimmakos.com/meet-horse-racing-traders-make-more-than-1000-pounds-day/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:09:07.000Z
Horse racing trading in Betfair can make a lot of money if you know how to trade. Obviously these Betfair traders are very good at it and they are not shy about it! They show their daily winnings in their gambling blogs, where they have set their goals to make more than £100,000 this year! By having days that they won £1,000 or more I can’t see how they can’t accomplish that!

The two horse racing traders I’m talking about are Adam Heathcote and John the “Preracetrader”. While John is trying to turn £1,000 into £100,000 in 12 months, Adam has set his goal at £150,000\. Setting goals isn’t that spectacular but winning more than £1,000 in a daily basis by trading the Betfair horse racing markets before the off is surely amazing! Don’t take my word for that, take a look at some of their screenshots posted at their trading blogs:

Taken from [**John’s trading blog**](http://preracetrader.blogspot.com/):

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16109.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/14109.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pl3.jpg)

Taken from [**Adam’s trading blog**](http://adamheathcote.blogspot.com/):

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/15-01-2009-17-07-09.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/27-01-2009-20-40-37.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/26-01-2009-18-28-21.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/16-01-2009-20-23-49.jpg)

Many horse racing traders have found the Betfair betting markets getting difficult each year but that is apparently not the case for these Betfair traders. I guess we all have a lot of questions for them, so send them in by emailing or commenting in the trading blogs.
### Betting in Australian Open Tennis with Ranking System
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betting-australian-open-tennis-ranking-system/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T15:05:55.000Z
Most bettors are betting on the **tennis** matches at the Australian Open 2009 nowadays. I came across a publication which discusses about forecasting the winner of a **tennis** match and I back tested the suggested mathematical formulas using the historical data from the previous Australian Open Championships. While this is the first formula I found to make use of the world **tennis** **ranking** **system**, the results in my Excel spreadsheets are disappointing.

The publication about [**forecasting the winner of a tennis match**](http://www.hse.ru/data/695/551/1234/Magnus.pdf) is 11 pages long but you don’t need to read them all. The mathematical formula we are interested in is in the 5th page and is the (4) formula. I went on and created the Excel spreadsheet where you can input the **ranking** of two **tennis** player competing in the **tennis** match you are going to bet, and the sheet will automatically calculate the estimated probability the highest ranked player to win the game.

You can **[download the Excel file here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17SyOVLXF67KpqEyC01liF1Tbcuvzpb2brje-gqtyyyI/edit?usp=sharing)**.

For back testing purposes I used the invaluable data found at [****Tennis\-Data.co.uk**](http://www.tennis-data.co.uk/ausopen.php) and I considered the Australian Open statistics since 2006 season. So, betting in 400 games in the Men’s **Tennis** Championship during the last 3 years using the formula above, would lose us a lot of money.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/backforranking.png)

If you think that by backing the opposite outcome will make you money, guess again. Commission is the big winner here, since we still lose money by backing the other **tennis** player, betting as if the formula picks out the loser. I should note here that I took into account the average bookmakers’ odds and I applied 5% more commission on them, making it a bit more expensive.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/backagainstranking.png)

However, if we lay the initial selection, we will make money. How’s that possible? Well, when I backed either **tennis** player, I used a fixed amount of money to risk on each bet, €10\. When laying I aimed for a fixed amount of money to be won instead of risking, again €10\. In this situation, there are times that I risk a lot more than €10 since laying at odds over 10, we risk more than €100 to win €10\. Considering that the sample was a bit small and just a few big outsiders won a couple of games, the graph is justified. 3 or 4 losing bets of 15.0 or bigger odds would wipe out all my winnings.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/layagainstranking.png)

Nevertheless, if you were searching for a formula to calculate probabilities from the **tennis** world **ranking** **system**, you may give it a go and see for yourself. A final warning if you are going to test it in the women’s championship, as the “λ” constant needs to be changed to 0.7150.

And if you happen to make some money using a strategy based on this equation, don’t forget to leave a comment.
### Always green up in Betfair, but why?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/always-green-up-betfair-but-why/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:48:35.000Z
Either betting or trading in Betfair, we should always green up to control our bankroll’s variance. Instead of staring at our screen after accumulating profit or loss on our selection and hoping it either wins or loses respectively, we should be creating a green book in the Betfair markets. Our gambling bankroll will thank us for that.

I have already shown [how to trade in Betfair in simple steps](https://jimmakos.com/2008/08/betfair-trading-how-to-green-book/) and [how to green up in Betfair](https://jimmakos.com/2008/08/betfair-trading-how-to-green-book/) in the end. In this article I will explain why greening up in Betfair will help our bankroll withstand the swings. I will consider 2 different betfair traders in this example who sit next to each other and they trade in exactly the same way. Their only difference in their trading style is that the first one ALWAYS greens up while the second trader never does. So, let’s assume they trade profitably in 100 races (exaggerating example of course). The first trader’s bankroll will increase in the following way:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/greenuptraderA.jpg)

Trader B won’t win anything in most races though, since his selection won’t win every race and when it doesn’t, he wins $0.00, that is the amount on other horses. His bankroll will also increase in a slightly different way, something like this:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/nogreenuptraderB.jpg)

In the end both traders show about the same profit. The reason behind this is that the probability their selection to win each race is usually around the odds of their selection just before the race. For instance, if a horse is traded at 2.00, then it will win the race about 50% of the time. Out of 10 races trader B will win X amount 5 times while trader A will win X/2 10 times, since he greens up, dividing the total amount by the odds at that time (2.00).

Up to now everything looks fine and we can agree that there is no big difference in the performance of the two traders. Things change a lot if they lose in some races. Let’s say that in 10 races the horse the two traders traded was at 5.00 odds. They lost $100 in 5 races while they won the same amount in the rest. Trader A greens up and loses $20 in 5 races no matter the outcome, and wins $20 in the other 5\. He finally breaks even.

Trader B on the other hand does not green up. Each horse has about 20% probability to win each race. The trader will win 2 races. If he is “lucky” and the horse wins when he traded profitably, he will win $200\. However, if he is “unlucky” and the horse wins when he traded unprofitably, he will lose $200\. At the same time I remind you that trader A had broken even. Who was right?

Both! The issue is how they handle the variance in their bankrolls. If they want as little variance as possible, they have to green up all the amount and in every race. If not, they can leave the amount they have won or lost untouched and their bankrolls will look like this:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/10/ComparetradeAvsB.jpg)

In the end of the day their performance will be about the same, unless trader B is extremely “lucky” or “unlucky”. The more races they trade though, the closer the final result for both traders. Because I have yet to meet someone who likes the swings of their bankroll, my advice is to always green up your profit or your loss.

ATTENTION though! Pay a lot of attention now! NEVER green up only your wins and let your losses run. Do not be selective in your greening up, decide if you are going to green up or never green up. If you begin to pick the races you green up, you jeopardize picking out your losses when the horses win and win the small amounts when you green up and the horses win (since only then you’ll be greening up). On the other hand, if you decide not to green up your profits, you may lose the profit you had secured when that horse loses, but you will always suffer losses when you have done bad trading, since you would have been greening up.

Stay faithful to yourself and your decisions and let statistics take care of your bankroll’s variance!
### Money Management in Betfair Trading
URL: https://jimmakos.com/money-management-betfair-trading/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T11:30:16.000Z
Successful sports trading in Betfair or any other online sports betting exchange depends a lot on proper money management.

It may seem important only to pick up the movements of the online betting odds correctly, but applying money management to trading the online betting odds will make money for [serious sports traders](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/). If we are just starting out trading the odds, managing our betting bankroll will certainly make us last a lot longer in this trading game.

## Starting Bankroll for Sports Betting or Trading

To begin with we should define a starting online betting bankroll. We will use this money exclusively for trading and we won’t be upset if we lose it. If that happens, we will consider it as the fee we paid to learn about money management and how to trade correctly.

However if we are proven to be good in trading, we would increase our capital without the risk of losing it and actually make money. Whatever the scenario, having put aside a specific figure for our available capital helps a lot in various ways and it looks a lot more professional.

### Managing our Betting Bankroll

Now that we have defined our trading capital, we divide it in 50 equal parts.

For example, if our trading bankroll is $500, we split it in $10 bills. If our bankroll is €1000, we have 50 parts of €20.

> The reason behind this is to always risk no more than 2% of our bankroll at any time.

Risking that much of our betting bankroll means that we will continue trading even after 40 losing trades.

Variance can kill our trading game and we should properly think of our money management plans, so that we can continue testing our method or change it and try something else, but with a sufficient bankroll to work with. We then go on and divide our bankroll left again in 50 equal parts. For every new trading strategy we try, we always start by splitting our trading bankroll in 50 parts.

[Bankroll Requirements and Staking PlanHow much money should my betting bankroll have? And why is flat betting plan the best staking plan?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1526304640581-d334cdbbf45e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNhc2h8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE5NzU2OTQ1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://jimmakos.com/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/)

The biggest the risk you want to take, the fewer those parts should be, meaning increasing the percentage of your bankroll you stand to lose in each trade or bet. 

For instance, you might find more appropriate to risk 5% of your available trading capital in each trade, which would lead you to divide your bankroll in 20 equal parts. However, a bad run of 20 losing trades would wipe out your whole bankroll.

💡

My opinion is to always start out with 2% of your capital and to increase your risk after 500 completed trades and a proven winning trading strategy, targeting higher returns and making money.

## Picking our Favorite Sport to Trade

Now that we have defined our trading bankroll and know the percentage of it we want to risk in each bet, we decide on the sport we’d like to trade in. This is purely a personal choice and it depends on the sport you expertise or have good knowledge of.

That is if you don’t know what “game” means in tennis, trading in-play tennis matches shouldn’t be your favorite choice. On the other hand, trading horse racing markets before the off like in my [trading videos](https://jimmakos.com/2013/08/old-trading-videos/), you can base your trading on news, statistics or in your technical analysis skills from your past financial trading experience.

In other words, you don’t have to know a lot about the details of a sport depending on your method. I myself found out that some race courses are for jump racing while the rest are flat racing only after one year of full trading the UK racing markets! It was a mystery for me why so many horses fell down before the finish line running on a flat track! However, I knew right from the beginning about good money management and was able to make money.

## Setting a Stop Loss for Every Trade

The next step we should be taking is defining our stop loss, the point that is we would close our trading positions. The stop loss is always defined in comparison with the amount we enter in each trade. Let’s examine an example for better understanding.

Let’s assume your trading bankroll is €1,000, you’ll be risking 2% in each trade and you’ll be trading in-play footbal matches.

You have a very basic trading strategy, starting by backing your favorite team and want to apply money management. In the upcoming football game between X and Y teams, X team is traded at 2.00 betting odds. You begin your trading by backing €100 at 2.00\. Given the fact that you risk 2% of your €1,000, if the odds reach 2.20 you should exit the market since by laying €100 at 2.20 you’d have lost -€20.00 on X team. So, your stop loss is 2.20.

> This is not the whole story, though!

There is a relation between the stop loss and the betting odds movement. If the X team’s odds were 1.50, your stop loss would be 1.70\. But moving from 1.50 to 1.70 there are 20 steps, the so called “ticks”.

Moving from 2.00 to 2.20 there are only 10 ticks (2.00-2.02-2.04-…-2.18-2.20). So, while in the 1.50 occasion you risk €20 on a 20 tick movement, in the other situation you risk the same amount on a 10 tick movement. That is why we should change our stop loss depending on the ticks’ value. Instead of 2% of our capital we will define our stop loss at a 10 tick movement. You can obviously put your stop loss wherever your strategy tells you better. After defining the number of ticks of your stop loss, you should calculate those ticks’ value to be equal to 2% of your bankroll.

If for instance you have 10 ticks as a stop loss, each tick should be valued at €2.

Let’s do a small revision so that we don’t get lost in the money management maze.

We have €1,000 as our trading capital, we risk €20 per trade and our stop loss is 10 ticks. Depending on the team’s odds, we now calculate the amount we should be trading according to the odds as follows:

1. 1.01-2.00: We trade €200 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss.
2. 2.00-3.00: We trade €100 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss.
3. 3.00-4.00: We trade €40 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss.
4. 4.00-6.00: We trade €20 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss.

### How Stop Loss Orders Change if we Green Up

If now [we intend to green up](https://jimmakos.com/betfair-trading-how-to-green-book/) on all the possible outcomes of a game, we can increase the above amounts by just a little, since in the end we won’t be losing €20 but less after greening up.

For example, €20 loss at 1.50 would mean that by backing €13.3 we would lose €13.3 whatever the outcome, while €20 loss at 4.00 would mean that by backing €5 we would lose €5 whatever the outcome. In other words, we should be trading with 2.66 (=4.00/1.50) times more money at 4.00 than at 1.50 so that the final loss would be equal.

Because maths can be confusing at times, we will calculate the final amounts we should be trading with, according to the mean price of the betting odds.

1. 2.00-3.00: 2.50/1.50 = 1.66 times the amount we calculated earlier.
2. 3.00-4.00: 3.50/1.50 = 2.33 times the amount we calculated earlier.
3. 4.00-6.00: 5.00/1.50 = 3.33 times the amount we calculated earlier.

In conclusion we will be trading with the following amounts:

1. 1.01-2.00: We trade €200.
2. 2.00-3.00: We trade €166.
3. 3.00-4.00: We trade €93.2.
4. 4.00-6.00: We trade €66.6.

By trading the above figures and greening up in the end, we will always lose €13.3 in case of losing. We wanted €20, remember? We just have to multiply the above numbers by 1.50 (=20/13.3). So, for a trading bankroll of €1,000 and 10 ticks stop loss:

1. 1.01-2.00: We trade €300 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss after greening up.
2. 2.00-3.00: We trade €250 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss after greening up.
3. 3.00-4.00: We trade €140 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss after greening up.
4. 4.00-6.00: We trade €100 so that a movement of 10 ticks to result in €20 win/loss after greening up.

Depending on your bankroll, the % you want to risk per trade and the stop loss, you can change the figures above. If you have €500, you halve the figures. If your stop loss is 5 ticks, you double the figures. If you risk 6% of your bankroll, you triple the amounts.

## Download my Money Management Spreadsheet

Because time is money, [I have created an Excel spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ASCqEq-4R4krJ8gqW-dg-sYjDq-TZPs39il2J7MoeVM/edit?usp=sharing) with all the above calculations for proper money management. You simply enter your available online betting capital, the percentage you want to risk and your stop loss, and the sheet automatically calculates the amounts you should be trading depending on the odds and considering you will green up in the end.

Happy trading!
### Technical Analysis in Betfair Horse Racing Charts
URL: https://jimmakos.com/technical-analysis-betfair-horse-racing-charts/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:52:26.000Z
Technical analysis can be applied in Betfair betting markets and many Betfair traders make money trading with it. Here are the Betfair charts of the favorite horses of 6 horse racing betfair markets which took place yesterday. Besides the odds movement, I have added to the Betfair graphs some technical analysis’ elements, mainly trendlines, support and resistance levels. In that way I can discuss how to apply technical analysis in Betfair showing real examples.

Learn about [**Betfair trading**](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/betfair-trading/) and read the latest news about [**sports trading**](http://www.tradinggraphs.com/category/sports/) in my new trading blog!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/technicalanalysisbetfair1.png)

We start with the race of 12:50\. Son of Flicka initially had a downward trend moving its’ odds from 2.00 to 1.75\. At that point the odds “bounced” and we could easily see that, since the odds broke the blue dashed line that was defined by the previous highs. In the same way we draw the trendline that shows the forthcoming upward trend by connecting the previous lows. Additionally, 1.75 will be the support level, which if we look closely, the odds have bounced off in the beginning of trading. All those defining peaks in a Betfair graph obviously are very important in technical analysis.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/technicalanalysisbetfair2.png)

At the 13:00 race the Betfair chart shows the odds movement even after the start of the race just a few seconds before the horses cross the finish line. In the beginning of the graph the odds have met support at about 2.20 and they find it difficult to fall below it, although the highs are getting shorter and shorter. That is a major indication that there will be a strong trend as soon as the support level is broken. Indeed, the odds movement proves that and the odds reach 1.65 in just 2 minutes’ time and all that BEFORE the horse race starts. That happened when the support level at 1.65 was broken. If you ask me whether we can apply technical analysis in trading in-play horse racing markets I won’t answer that now. But if you dare try it and you are quite fast in trading, you might succeed.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/technicalanalysisbetfair3.png)

At 13:20 we had a very interesting graph with a lot of opportunities for profitable and probably easy trading. In this chart we can understand when a trendline accelerates. Notice the first blue line which bends upward when we connect the lows of the odds; an indication that not only a trend has been established, but it will speed up. That is the case, since in a couple of seconds the odds skyrocketed from 4.70 to 6.60! In the following minutes the odds move inside a “tunnel” that is defined by the support and resistance levels.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/technicalanalysisbetfair4.png)

In the next Betfair chart we can see that when a resistance level is broken, it will be most probably converted into a support level. Notice the first blue horizontal line. That is a difficult graph to use for trading afterwards, since while the trend is facing down and the support level is broken, the odds move suddenly back up. If we had applied a stop loss, we could minimize our losses. However, if we had defined a stop loss at the resistance level, we would have caught the downward trend, since the resistance level was not broken. At this point I should point out that usually we don’t take into account the sudden peaks above or below the resistance or support lines.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/technicalanalysisbetfair5.png)

At 13:40 there was a steady upward trend defined by the trendline connecting the lows, which reverted and the following downfall would lose speed according to the trendlines. We should also see that the support level at 2.25 never broke.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/technicalanalysisbetfair6.png)

In the last betfair chart showing the odds of the 15:50 race I would say it was a difficult race to trade the favorite. Although the support level is more than obvious, it would be impossible to notice the first downward trend without a major indication, while the second trend was also not so apparent. On the other hand, since the odds started falling again from 2.40, it could have been a good opportunity to back and close our trading position at the support level.

You can see how technical analysis applies in real-time by watching the following trading videos:

- [**How to make money from a Beakout**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/11/betfair-chart-how-to-make-money-breakout/)
- [How to make money in an inactive Betfair market](https://jimmakos.com/2008/10/how-to-make-money-inactive-betfair-market/)
### Betfair Trading: How to make money from a Breakout
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-chart-how-to-make-money-breakout/
Last updated: 2023-12-16T19:22:58.000Z
Betfair charts help a lot in Betfair trading without doubt. [**Bet Angel**](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) goes even further providing real-time charts with candlesticks. In this betfair trading video I show you how to make money when a breakout occurs in the betangel’s charts and how to spot the odds’ trend. Once again I’m trading the horse racing markets in [**Betfair** ](https://jmks.co/betfair)before the start.

Right from the start of the betfair video, the so-called “breakout” has already happened. A couple of minutes before my recording the horse’s odds were moving between 2.90 and 3.15\. The odds have touched each price twice, making them even more important and defining those figures as the support and resistance levels. Seconds before the recording we notice that the odds have broken the support level at 2.90 and they have started falling. From that moment on I consider the odds to be in a downward trend, which would lead me to always back first in order to lay at a later point. I will never trade in that specific betfair market with the intention to see the odds drifting, the chart has spoken!

At about 2 minutes before the race’s off, we see that the betting odds are starting to drift back up and I’m left with an unmatched lay at 2.68\. Since the odds have bounced off at 2.68, they have found a new support level at 2.68, while at the same time the previous support level (2.90) has now become the new resistance level. I’m highly expecting the odds not to drift higher than 2.90\. For that reason when the odds reach 2.86 and begin falling down once again, I re-enter the market and manage to make one more profitable trade according to my initial impression; that is the downward trend. However I move my unmatched bet higher so that I close my open position, since I am used to follow one simple rule: not to have an open position for too long. At that moment the trend seems to have lost some of its speed, so there is no need to risk my open position. Besides I will be able to start a new trade with a clearer mind.

As time goes by, the amount of money start to pile up in the pink betangel’s squares and the weight of money pushes the odds further down. I do one more trading from 2.72 to 2.68 making some more money. Although the chart screams that the support level at 2.68 will be also broken and the trend will be accelerating, there are only 30 seconds until the race begins, so I have to green-up [**(how to green-up**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/08/betfair-trading-how-to-green-book/)). Notice that as soon as the odds break the support at 2.68, they almost reach 2.50 in 40 seconds’ time when the video ends, proving that the initial breakout I had spotted gave all the information I needed. And that is to always follow the trend which in this situation was a downward trend. This is the most useful advice I have to give to betfair traders; always follow the trend.

In case there is no apparent trend, take a look into another trading video of mine showing [**how to make money in an inactive Betfair market**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/10/how-to-make-money-inactive-betfair-market/).
### Betfair Premium Charge: How much would I pay?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-premium-charge-how-much-pay/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:48:29.000Z
A huge discussion is taking place all over the online betting and trading forums about the Premium Charge Betfair have introduced last month. The charges led successful traders to flee over to Betdaq but liquidity isn’t there; yet. Out of curiosity, I looked at my 2005 betfair trading stats to find out how much more would I pay if the Premium Charge would have been applied back then. It turns out that Premium Charge would have a huge impact in my Betfair winnings.

If you are not familiar with the new Premium Charge Betfair applied to their commission structure, you can read the Premium Charge summary below:

## Premium Charge Summary

You will only be considered for the Premium Charge if, over the previous 60 weeks, you satisfy the following criteria:

- Your account is in profit;
- Your total charges generated are less than 20% of gross profits; and
- You bet in more than 250 markets.

Two further conditions reduce the likelihood that you will be required to pay the Premium Charge:

- Any single win that constitutes more than 50% of your gross profits over the previous 60 weeks will be excluded from the calculation; and
- Each customer will have a 60 week allowance of £1,000 against the Premium Charge.

Each week the customers who meet all the conditions set out above will be charged the lesser of:

- The difference between 20% of the previous week’s gross profits and the total charges generated during the week; and
- The difference between 20% of the previous 60 weeks’ gross profits and the total charges generated during that period.

You can read more in the [**Betfair Charges**](http://content.betfair.com/aboutus/?product=exchange&sWhichKey=Betfair%20Charges) page.

I rarely trade the horse racing markets but in 2005 betfair trading had been very profitable to me and I kept all my performance stats in excel spreadsheets. Those stats include how much money I made each month, how much volume I traded, how many horse races I traded and how much commission did I pay. Every single month was a profitable one so I have got a good sample to calculate the average commission I paid. My Betfair trading was done in the last 10 minutes prior to the races’ start and I never traded in-play. My available bankroll to make that money was €6,000 at all time, withdrawing the winnings almost every month.

What I found out is that Premium Charge would cost me 10-15% more money. The commission I paid to Betfair ([**how to calculate your Betfair commission**](https://jimmakos.com/2007/11/calculate-commission-betfair/)) each month was about 5-8% of my total winnings from betfair trading. According to the new charges I would pay 20% since I fulfill all the criteria: My account was in profit, my total charges were less than 20% of gross profits and I had traded more than 250 markets in the last 60 weeks.

So, say a Betfair trader made €106,000 in 2005 and paid Betfair €6,000 in commission. His net profits would have been €100,000\. If Betfair Charges had been introduced back then, he would have paid €21,200 meaning €84,800 in net profits. The Premium Charge would have a 15.2% impact on his Betfair winnings! That is surely a lot in my book.If I also take into account my trading volume which exceeded €5million per month, I can’t think of a better way to “reward” a Betfair trader who provides liquidity.

If Betfair increased their 5% commission to 10%, it would still be more profitable for the successful Betfair trader than this Premium Charge. However, that would drive away ALL the bettors and the not so successful traders which obviously Betfair didn’t want. So, in other words Betfair kept the commission fixed to 5% (or lower) for everyone to feel happy but the most successful traders or bettors, who in fact charge them more than 15%! Of course if you lose or win just a little from the Betfair markets, you won’t pay more. What a surprise!
### How to make money in an inactive Betfair market
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-make-money-inactive-betfair-market/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:47:03.000Z
“Buy low and sell high” is the general concept in Betfair trading. The issue though is that sometimes the Betfair markets seem inactive and the odds don’t move that much, fluctuating just a few ticks around a mean price, making it difficult to make money. The solution that is described in this trading video is to trade just one tick at a time, usually a method that is known as scalping. You’ll need a trading platform for this trading technique from Betfair Developer Program. My favorite is [**Bet Angel Professional**](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/inactivebetfairmarket-300x221-1.gif)

The race that I traded in the video and managed to make money is the 16:50 race at Yarmouth on Tuesday, 21 October. My favorite trading timeframe is the last 10 minutes before the race begins and I close all my open positions 30 seconds before that. 7 minutes before the start of the specific race we witness a general upward trend in the Betfair chart on the left hand and we always keep that in mind throughout the trading. Let’s discuss my trading moves and the reasons that led me to them.

At first, notice that I trade using the amount of €100\. To do that a bankroll of €500 is required. This is because in the event I begin my trading with a LAY order, I would need (4 \* 100)-100 = €300 liability. In case the betting odds drift to 4.90, I would need to have €390 available. Generally it’s good to have enough money power. I will explain in later videos why we should have 3 times that amount. For the time being though, a bankroll of €500 is sufficient to make the money I am making in this trading video.

Additionally, I should say a few words about the available charts found in the video. The chart on the left hand is the official Betfair chart. The one on the right hand is the one Bet Angel Professional offers, where I have selected the default view of candlesticks and 5 seconds regarding the refresh rate. This charting view gives us a better and most accurate real-time market view, so that we recognize easier and quicker a trend or a change of trend.

6 minutes prior to the race’s start I haven’t made any move. I should note that one of the essential requirements of a successful trader (either in Betfair or generally speaking) is patience. “Patience is a virtue”. My first trading happens 4:40 before the race begins and I place a LAY order at 4.00\. The reasons for that are quite a few. First of all, looking at the right chart we see that the odds have reached 3.90 three times and were unable to go lower than that. 3.90 is the figure the odds find support speaking in terms of technical analysis, and since they have done so 3 times, it is much more important than if they did that just once. Also, the white bars (meaning price increase) are far more than the dark ones, which means the odds might be in a drifting trend. The depth market, that is the amount of money in the blue and purple boxes, was very important to make the decision to lay at 4.00 as well. The purple boxes (the money available to lay, the traders/bettors in other words that want to place a back order on the horse) were significantly decreased, while on the other hand big money have been placed at 3.90 in relevance to the market’s liquidity and other boxes. In a few words, we can regard 3.90 as our stop loss, our exit in case the market reverses. Finally, we don’t forget that the general trend of the Betfair market is upward.

We see though that I wasn’t quick enough and my lay bet is on hold. However I don’t cancel my order because I anticipate a price drop to 4.00 and then a drift once again. Besides, there are €2,000 more at 4.00, which is a good sign. The odds at 4:18 have drifted to 4.30 and I transfer my order there , just like placing a new order at 4.30 and cancelling the previous one. Pay attention as this is one of the most dangerous trading moves you can do since we have placed a bet much higher than our initial order and maybe the odds suddenly fall back to 4.00\. That would lead us to lose 3 ticks when we could be break even. As soon as my lay is matched, I place immediately a back order at 4.40 aiming to make one tick and I manage that. If I the lay at 4.00 would have been matched, I would probably wait for a few seconds as I had the safety net placed at 3.90\. Now that I don’t have that and odds don’t seem too strong to drift higher than 4.40 (according to the Betfair chart), I close my trading position at the best possible price in my own opinion. Later in the video you’ll see the odds never touched 4.40 again until the start of the race. To trade out in just one second not only made me some money, but also prevented me from losing big.

That trading was profitable and I made €10 on the favorite horse, which meant €2.5 on all horses in the event, after I would green up. We continue watching the video and it is now 3 minutes before the race starts. I place a back bet at 4.10 having in mind to place a lay bet at 4.00 as soon as the odds bounces at 3.90, which I already know that will be the case. The odds fall lower than 4.00 but don’t reach 3.90\. Is that a sign of a drifting? Not so I would say since we have seen the odds drift up to 4.40 for three times and being unable to go higher. Speaking in terms of technical analysis, 4.40 is the resistance level. I was able to predict at that point that the odds would move in a “tunnel” between 3.90 and 4.40\. However, I see now that the odds don’t touch 3.90 which means the tunnel is getting narrower, so I expect the same regarding 4.40\. Personally, after all those years’ experience of trading the horse racing markets in Betfair, I would predict odds movements between 3.95 and 4.10 with occasional bursts to 4.20\. Obviously, a sudden odds movement further than those limits would automatically mean the start of a new strong trend.

So, as soon as 4.00 is “emptied”, I begin my second trading with a lay having already placed a back order at 4.10\. Since I don’t anticipate any volatility, I take advantage of this… price “shaking” between 4.00 and 4.10\. The trading is completed in a matter of seconds, winning me €10 more. In the following seconds I try the same exactly trading technique. However, being open for more than 20 seconds (now I guess you understand how big timeframe is 20 seconds in horse racing markets in Betfair) was quite dangerous to my trading, and the boxes get filled up again to show an imminent upward trend. Note that I’m ready to move my order higher so that I trade out immediately with the least possible loss. I certainly have always in mind that I am expecting movement between 3.95 and 4.10 but there is always the possibility the odds break those limits. If that happens, I’d better enter the market in time towards the direction of the newly created trend. Indeed, I trade out at 4.20.

> It is much more profitable to sacrifice one tick and begin a new trade as soon as the resistance level is broken than to wait the odds to come right back down for just one tick profit.

Now, I was ready to submit a lay bet when the odds reached 4.50\. In the end, the resistance level holds up and we are very sure the odds will fall back to 4.00 when the blue boxes lose their money. 50 seconds prior to the race’s start I submit my back order at 4.10 and lay at 4.00\. 30 seconds before the race begins it is very rare to see a new forming trend, so 4.00 will be the mean price of the horse’s odds.

In the end of my trading, I have accumulated €20 on Taazur, which I distribute evenly on all horses by laying €5 at 4.00 ([**How to Green Up in Betfair Trading**](https://jimmakos.com/2009/01/always-green-up-betfair-but-why/)) and move on to the following horse race. In conclusion I did 4 trades, 3 profitable and 1 unprofitable and all of them won or lost 1 tick. The final outcome is to win €5 in 10 minutes using a €500 bankroll. If we accomplish that in 10 races every day, we would make €50\. Not that bad I say.

When you see odds not moving and remain still, don’t quit your trading’s efforts. Patience and persistence will reward you. Focus on small movements, find the support and resistance levels and you will find horse racing’s trading easier.
### My Blog's Page Rank Increased!
URL: https://jimmakos.com/blog-page-rank-increase/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:45:27.000Z
Apparently the search engine optimization I”ve been doing lately has led to an increase of my sports blog”s page rank from 3 to 4 today! Although I didn”t buy any text links from top search engine ranking websites with higher ranking, the link exchange with gambling sites and blogs of similar pagerank certainly helped my sports blog. Additionally, my Alexa link popularity increased while the traffic rank seems steady below 400,000\. I managed to improve my page rank after studying a lot about search engine rankings, keywords, seo tools and reciprocal link exchange. What does this increase of my page rank mean though?

First and foremost the increase of your sports blog”s page rank will make your blog more attractive to potential advertisers, thus more advertising income for you. At the moment I have several advertising deals taking place mainly in the front page of my sports blog. Those agreements were made while my blog had a pagerank of 3 and the rewards were satisfactory. The fees will definately increase in the following advertising agreements by a big percentage since they will be more willing to pay a higher price. Improving the pagerank by one unit may not seem like a big deal but in search engine rankings it is. Pagerank is the most accepted ranking algorithm worldwide and almost all advertising is based on it.

[**Wikipedia article**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PageRank) on Pagerank:

> A PageRank results from a “ballot” among all the other pages on the World Wide Web about how important a page is. A hyperlink to a page counts as a vote of support. The PageRank of a page is defined recursively and depends on the number and PageRank metric of all pages that link to it (“incoming links”). A page that is linked to by many pages with high PageRank receives a high rank itself. If there are no links to a web page there is no support for that page.

> Google assigns a numeric weighting from 0-10 for each webpage on the Internet; this PageRank denotes a site’s importance in the eyes of Google. The PageRank is derived from a theoretical probability value on a logarithmic scale like the Richter Scale. The PageRank of a particular page is roughly based upon the quantity of inbound links as well as the PageRank of the pages providing the links. It is known that other factors, e.g. relevance of search words on the page and actual visits to the page reported by the Google toolbar also influence the PageRank. In order to prevent manipulation, spoofing and spamdexing, Google provides no specific details about how other factors influence PageRank.

Then comes the link exchange. Up to now I have been contacted by webmasters or link builders, people who promote websites, and have exchanged links with them. This link exchange is done among pages with good pagerank and the idea is to collect many text links targeting the page you want to improve its ranking. People often offer linking from pages with same pagerank as yours and ask to put up a link on your page driving traffic to more established pages, that is with much better pageranks. Therefore, I used to receive linking to my sports blog from PR3 pages. Now I am able to ask for better link exchange which means reciprocal links from PR4 pages which will lead in higher search engine ranking.

Finally Google will crawl the blog or site more often due to the increased inbound or incoming links.
### Trading Exchange Games: All Green before River
URL: https://jimmakos.com/trading-exchange-games-all-green-before-river/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T14:23:58.000Z
Except for the popular sports, there are other games in Betfair that we can do trading at, such as Poker, Blackjack and Baccarat, the so called Betfair Exchange Games. Regarding X-Holdem, today I’ll discuss a situation showing how to profit by trading from flop to turn before the river card is known. By profit I mean an all green screen where we make money regardless which hand wins in the end.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/joinnow_introductionimage_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1.png)

In the image above we see the turn and how the betting odds were at that moment. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to capture the flop’s betting odds, which were 1.40 for hand1\. During the flop (before the 3rd King appeared) hand1 was in front and in order to become an outsider, the turn card should either be a 3 or a Q. I have to note that if an eight came up on turn, then the favorite would still be hand1 along with hand4\. In any other turn card, hand1 would remain the favorite for this game.

There were 2 treys and 3 Queens remaining in the deck. That were 5 cards total we didn’t want to see on turn. An easy calculation to have in mind so that we find out the probability any of those cards appear on the next street, is to double that specific number. In the example here, 5 multiplied by 2 means 10% a 3 or a Q shows up on turn. Therefore, hand1 would remain the favorite by 90% probability.

Let’s say we had backed hand1 at 1.40 betting odds. When the turn cards is the 3rd King, we can lay hand1 at 1.20 and secure a profit before the river card. How?

If we had backed $100 on hand1 at 1.40 and now we lay $100 at 1.20, we would have secured $20 profit on hand1 and zero losses on the other hands. Laying now $16 more on hand1 we would secure $16 profit on all possible outcomes.

In other words, we risked $100 in order to win $16 with 90% probability. Out of 10 times we follow the above scenario, we would stand to win $16 9 times (=$144) and we would lose $100 once. Additionally, in the worst case a Queen or a trey appeared on turn, we could still decrease our loss (just a bit though) since the hand1’s betting odds would be around 15.

Finally, in case the turn card was a heart, hand1’s betting odds would be even lower since it would draw to the nut flush, given it has the higher heart card among the other hands.

Let’s take a look what happened at the river.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/joinnow_introductionimage_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1_1.png)

Hand2 would also win if a 4th King was the river card, while all hands would be winners if the river was another seven (everyone would have KKK77 in that case).

The article was published in the official Greek Betting@Betfair Blog.
### Can you make a living from gambling?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/make-a-living-from-gambling/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:25:19.000Z
Yes, **you can make a living from gambling**, such as online betting, trading, playing blackjack or poker. At least those are my fields of expertise and I am sure they are profitable. But don’t just take my word for it. There are proof all over internet that successful professional gamblers do exist and prosper. You may find stories of success in gambling in forums, blogs or personal sites and most of their authors are willing to help you in your first steps into successful gambling.

I received an email today asking **whether it is still possible to be successful in gambling** nowadays. That was the reason for this article and made me realize that all that is needed is a little motivation. I suppose many people would dream of becoming profitable gamblers but they’d rather not lose the comfort of their established careers and jobs and the steady income those provide. That is totally acceptable and quite frankly I myself don’t know what I would do if I were in that situation.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/poker200k.png)

However, given the fact I have been a [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) since 2003 and have never had a “normal” job, I can only talk from this point of view. I have already said a couple of things about the advantages and disadvantages of professional gambling and today I’ll discuss about **the necessary capital requirements in order to make a living from gambling**.

### Bankroll to have in order to make a living from gambling

If you have wandered around in forums and gambling sites, I’m sure you already found out that the general advice is to always have about 1-year salary in bank deposits aside from your betting or poker capital. The reason is that gambling already contains a lot of anxiety and nervousness and having a healthy money reserve to support yourself and your loving ones is essential. Apart from that, your gambling bankroll should also be adequate to sustain big drawbacks and losses. You can read more on that in my article about [**Betting Capital and Correct Staking**](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/) and Maximum Losing Run (or winning run).

You must have already guessed that I suggest having available a big bankroll. You aren’t wrong. You see, I am an exception in that specific rule. I started with €1,500 playing blackjack and turned them into €15,000, then started Betfair trading with a trading capital of €2,000 and made more than enough (you can read more in my [**About me**](https://jimmakos.com/about/) page) and now play online poker having started with a $2,500 bankroll. If I were to start all over again from ground zero, I would definitely need €10,000 as a starting bankroll. I was certainly extremely lucky at least in the beginning playing in high levels of risk of ruin but managed to pull it through. Betfair trading was quite easier than it is today (even these days [**there are successful traders with steady profits**](http://betangel-betfair-trader.blogspot.com/2008%5F08%5F01%5Farchive.html)) and it seemed like printing money. Poker on the other hand gets harder every day but it can still show huge profits.

And of course gambling doesn’t end in those three fields. Stock markets, currency trading, casino games and so on are all considered gambling. It is the way of playing that makes the difference between gambling and investing. And **you can make a living out of gambling if you are devoted, disciplined and open-minded**.

So, start saving money today and start your professional gambling career when you feel ready and your gambling bankroll permits you to. Until then, study the games!
### Most World Records in Olympics 2008
URL: https://jimmakos.com/most-world-records-olympics-2008/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:35:56.000Z
Following up the post about the [****Most Gold Medals in Olympics 2008**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/08/most-gold-medals-olympics-2008/), today’s article was meant to talk about the **World** **Records** in **Beijing** **Olympics**. However, what surprises me is that there is not a single one website or blog showing record standings! There is no interest either in betting exchanges of bookmakers who do not offer any betting market about **world** **records** other than how many **world** **records** Michael Phelps holds. We want to know whether USA will break the **most** **world** **records** in **Olympics** or they will be beat by some other country. Indeed, there have not been many **world** **records** that have been broken up to now, but people keep searching for new **world** **records** and I’m one of them!

The official website of the **Beijing** 2008 Olympic Games provides information regarding Olympic and **World** **records**, but it is sorted by the date broken and there are no **world** record standings for the countries, just like the Overall Medal Standings. If you happen to know of any internet resource which shows how many **world** **records** each country holds for **Olympics** 2008, you are more than welcome to leave a comment below. For the time being here is a **world** record video:

Video footage from **Beijing Olympics** 2008 is not allowed in Youtube or any other Video Hosting Site. The video above shows an older **world** record.

Michael Phelps of the United States broke his own **world** record in the final of the men’s 400-meter individual medley at the **world** championships on Sunday. Phelps, 21, won the gold in four minutes, 6.22 seconds to wipe 2.04 seconds off the previous mark of 4:08.26 which he set at the 2004 Athens **Olympics.**
### Betfair Trading: How to Green Book
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-trading-how-to-green-book/
Last updated: 2024-06-30T14:29:17.000Z
Sports betting in betting exchanges can have many forms, like trading odds.

A sports trader makes money trading the betting odds as they swing. Their profit, which is the sum of all their profitable trades, is shown as a green number in the event they're trading.

The question is how to green book; how to have all possible results in a betting market return a profit.

The answer lies in simple math and free online betting tools.

💡

If it's the first time you've heard of this type of sports betting, read my comprehensive post about [trading the betting odds](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/) to learn everything you need to know.

Profitable trading is all about making the right decisions while backing and laying out certain outcomes of an event. The trader uses his knowledge and skill to make money when the betting odds move from highs to lows and vice versa.

At the end of his trading, he stands to win some money on the outcome he has been trading.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/trade-drift.png)

The sports trader’s next step is to equalize his profits, in other words, to produce a green book or an all-green screen. All he has to do is divide the profit by the current betting odds of the specific outcome of the betting event and lay that amount. The difference, in case his trades resulted in a loss, is that he has to back (instead of lay) the amount, which results from dividing the loss by the odds. I guess that would be a red book or an all-red screen.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/even-profit.png)

Additionally, there are free betting tools online that can help you calculate the amount to back or lay so that you have a green book. But do sports traders actually need to do this every time?

👉

Make sure you read [why odds traders should always green up](https://jimmakos.com/always-green-up-betfair-but-why/)!
### Most Gold Medals in Olympics 2008
URL: https://jimmakos.com/most-gold-medals-olympics-2008/
Last updated: 2024-04-21T18:44:14.000Z
Olympics 2008 in Beijing have already started and more than 60 out of 302 gold medals have been decided. China has currently won most gold medals (17) but USA leads the overall medal standings with 29 medals won. Betting on China to win most gold medals looks like a sure bet but selecting USA is actually a value bet! In fact, there are polls and talks all over internet about this special bet.

![mostgoldmedalspoll](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/mostgoldmedalspoll.png)

Let’s start with the facts. The image above shows a prediction poll regarding most gold medals in Beijing Olympics. 176 members of Predictify.com responded to that poll and clearly USA are favorites to come out with the most gold medals in China. If we convert that percentage into decimal odds and make the assumption that people predict efficiently (the true probability is actually defined by the % of the distribution), then USA odds should be 1.60 and China’s 2.93\. Betfair offers this special bet in their betting markets, which currently is as follows:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betfairmostgoldmedals.png)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/44892073_medal_projections_2_226.png)

Ok, maybe you are not the type of bettor who relies his betting on polls. Is your betting based on news and tips? Then you’d be interested in hearing what Luciano Barra, BBC Sport research and statistics from the former head of the Italian Olympic Committee, has to say about Olympics 2008\. But before you do that, look at the following images:

You can read his predictions about [**Great Britain’s Olympic medal target**](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/team%5Fgb/7534962.stm) in BBC site.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/44890679_projections_226.png)

Finally, [**Kickingbets**](http://kickingbets.blogspot.com/), a fellow sports blogger, has already placed his bets on [**US to win most medals**](http://kickingbets.blogspot.com/2008/07/usa-to-win-most-medals-in-2008-olympics.html). He has done so since July the 27th! In addition, in his latest blog post he advises to bet on [**US to win most Gold Medals**](http://kickingbets.blogspot.com/2008/08/us-to-win-most-gold-medals-112-betdaq.html). Here’s his betting tip:

“China probably should be favourites to win most Gold medals, but the market has over-reacted to their (limited) early success.\[…\] However, I believe the latter half of the Olympics substantially favors the US (the Athletics only starts in Week 2). I am therefore surprised/pleased to see that I can back the US at 11/2 at Betdaq to win most Gold medals – I’d make them closer to a 2/1 chance (at most). I’ve therefore had 8pts win on US to win.”

In case you are also interested in how many world records USA will break in Olympics 2008 (*updated*: my post about [**most world records in Beijing Olympics**](https://jimmakos.com/2008/08/most-world-records-olympics-2008/)) there’s an ongoing poll at Predictify.com about that. Since it is still open for responses, you can actually cast your vote and see if you can predict right. You can in fact earn real money by voting in Predictify.com’s polls. Learn how!
### Tennis: Live Sports Trading [VIDEO]
URL: https://jimmakos.com/tennis-live-sports-trading-video/
Last updated: 2024-06-22T17:27:10.000Z
Tennis is a popular sport to apply trading systems on. Like in stock trading, technical analysis provides excellent help to define entry and exit points while we try to make money trading tennis matches. The trading video shows how to take advantage of charting tools like FairBot, making use of trading indicators like Bollinger Bands and how to trade successfully in-play tennis games. Watching a sports trader execute his swing trades in a live tennis match means that sports trading isn’t only about horse racing and football, but tennis as well.

Ricardoespaniol from Youtube has recorded this video a year ago but I have just found it out while searching for useful and helpful sports trading videos regarding tennis. US Open is in 20 days time (Rafa Nadal to win it?) and I thought that it is a good opportunity to talk about trading sports other than the most popular ones, like football and horse racing. Of course tennis isn’t new to the sports trader. I have heard of thousands of traders dealing with tennis matches for years now. However, I don’t have any personal experience from trading live tennis games, so I decided to host a video from another sports trader.

The worst thing about the internet though, is that many people try to make money promoting their websites or ideas with stuff that don’t in fact help at all. Upon searching for tennis videos and how to apply trading strategies in Betfair markets, I bumped into videos with very catchy titles, but they offer nothing more than impressive green screens and showing no real trades or trading techniques.

Fortunately, the most valuable videos are not lost in the enormous databases and I was lucky to find this one. In my opinion the sports trader talks about fundamental analysis but at the same time offers free advice on not so basic stuff, like reversals and bollinger bands.

If you are really interested into sports trading, you may have a look at the following posts of mine:

[**Tutorial: Trading Charts in Betfair**](https://jimmakos.com/2007/06/tutorial-trading-charts-betfair/)

*Betfair charts aren’t the easiest to use but they are free and basic trendlines can be drawn to determine breakouts and estamblished trends.*

[**Charts and Trading Opportunities In-play**](https://jimmakos.com/2007/05/charts-trading-opportunities-in-play/)

*Tennis is great for live sports trading. However, football is certainly the most popular to trade in-play matches and here I talk about the swings of fixed betting odds of the Champions Cup Final of 2007 during the game.*

**Trading in Betfair with Mozilla Firefox**

*If you don’t want to trade with trading bots or trading platforms, internet explorer or mozilla firefox aren’t that bad. Watch a video of me trading the horse racing betting odds before the start of the race using only one window of Mozilla without any betting scripts running (except auto refreshing the screen).*

[**Trending markets, Reversals and Horse Selection**](https://jimmakos.com/2009/04/pattern-formations-entry-exit-points-betfair-graphs/)

*In case you’d rather focus on technical analysis and how to take advantage of charting tools, here is an article answering a couple of questions I had received about reversals, entry signals and market selection.*

[**Betfair Scalping Videos with Bet Angel Professional**](https://jimmakos.com/2007/11/betfair-trading-videos-bet-angel-professional/)

*Finally, I have also published an article some months ago about sports trading videos hosted in Youtube about horse racing.*
### Poker HUD Stats: How to choose and arrange
URL: https://jimmakos.com/poker-hud-stats-how-to-choose-arrange/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:32:50.000Z
Knowledge is power in poker. A Poker HUD can offer plenty. How about having information for each opponent at your table displayed directly onto the poker table for your benefit? Information that includes how often they call or raise and how aggressive they are. Ever wondered how to identify the pro player and the fish in a matter of seconds by looking at a couple of numbers? Fortunately there are a few HUD (heads-up display) programs available for your convenience but the issue isn’t which one to choose. Most of the players have trouble selecting the appropriate stats and HUD layout.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tagghud-1.png)

What stats do you display on your PokerAce HUD, and how do you arrange them? Here is my answer…

The HUD trinity (Voluntarily Put Money Into the Pot (VPIP), Preflop Raise (PFR), Total Aggression (TA)) tell us much about a player. Loose players play loose; tight players play tight. Aggressive players play aggressively and passive players play passively. These 3 stats are the most important and should be displayed clearly. That’s also the reason to use a larger font size, so that they distinguish from other stats.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/leftstatshud.jpg)

(From [**2+2 forum**](http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=8009768&page=0&vc=1)) **Voluntarily Put Money Into the Pot**: the fundamental indicator of a player’s preflop looseness, and one of the best gauges of a player’s hand range. You want your opponents’ VPIPs to be as large as possible. The more hands they play, the worse they are, and the more money you’ll make against them.

**Preflop Raise**: the fraction of the time that the opponent raises preflop. This number indicates how you will have to adjust to this opponent preflop. First off, if it is incredibly small you need not worry about this opponent raising you off a speculative hand. If the players left to act all have miniscule PFRs, you can limp with extremely speculative hands and expect to see very cheap flops, giving you marvelous implied odds. Take advantage of it. However, if an opponent with a PFR of 2% makes a raise preflop, you can fold most of your speculative hands without worrying. (NOTE: if you’re going to be heads-up against a full-stacked opponent with a PFR of under 4% who raises to 4 or 5 BBs, you can very safely call with ANY pocket pair on implied odds alone, because if you hit your set, you’ll stack your opponent VERY frequently. The tiny PFR tells you much about their holdings, and most of these opponents will commit a full stack to the pot with a hand that is powerful enough to convince them to raise preflop.)

**Total Aggression**: the best overall indicator of how aggressive this opponent will be postflop. Preflop play and postflop play are two different channels, and you should not expect a player to be either passive in both or aggressive in both. There are players who are highly aggressive preflop but turn into calling stations postflop, and there are sluggish limpers preflop who go hyper-psycho postflop when they hit a hand. If you see an opponent with an incredibly large total aggression rating, you will probably have to play passively against this opponent if you hit a solid hand, letting them do the betting for you. NOTE WELL: players with a very large total aggression come in two fundamentally different flavors — the ultra-weaktighties and the maniacs. An ultra-weaktighty is someone whose aggression is high because he folds whenever anybody else bets and he doesn’t have the nuts. A maniac is someone whose aggression is high because he bets and raises with any random crap. If you can tell these two apart, you will make MUCH more money. (Hint: look at the kinds of hands that they show down. If they’re reaching showdown infrequently and always with a monster, they’re probably ultra-weaktight. If they’re losing most of their hands at showdown, they’re probably maniacal.)

However, there are 3 more stats to make good use of. Those include the Went to Showdown Percentage (WtSD%), the Won Money at Showdown (W$SD) and number of Hands (H). I suggest larger font sizes for them as well.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/rightstatshud.jpg)

(From [**2+2 forum**](http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=8009768&page=0&vc=1)) **Went to Showdown Percentage**: the larger this number, the more of a calling station the opponent is. There is no “magic number” here that tells me an opponent will be profitable or unprofitable; rather, this number tells me how I should start to adjust to this villain. Against an opponent with a big WSD%, I value bet lighter and bluff much less often. Against an opponent with a very low WSD%, I value bet much less often and bluff much more frequently.

**Won Money At Showdown**: another very useful statistic, this is a rough measure of an opponent’s postflop skill. The larger this number is, the more likely a villain is to have the goods when we reach a showdown. It helps me decide how lightly I can value-bet an opponent, and it helps me decide how lightly I can call an opponent down. It helps me sort good LAGs from bad LAGs, nits from TAGs, and maniacs from smart but aggressive opponents. If an opponent’s W$SD is extremely high, I consider them weak tight and bluff frequently. I also shrink the size of my bets, knowing that it won’t take much to push villain off his hand. If an opponent’s W$SD is extremely low, I value bet with all sorts of crap, expecting my opponent to call me down. I also raise the size of my value bets, fully expecting to get paid off even if I push hard.

**Total Hands**: an incredibly important number, this tells you how much trust you can put in all the other numbers in your HUD. At about 50, numbers like VPIP and PFR start to be meaningful. At about 10,000/VPIP you can start to rely on total aggression (e.g., 200 hands for a player with a VPIP of 50, but 500 hands for a player with a VPIP of 20). W$SD doesn’t really lock up for several thousand hands, so treat it with a grain of salt, but WtSD becomes meaningful noticeably faster.

Moving on, it’s a good idea to know how positional aware is your opponent. You can find that out by looking at his/her stealing frequency. HUD offers you 3 stats regarding stealing, Attempted to Steal Blinds, Folded Small Blind to steal, Folded Big Blind to Steal.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/topstatshud.jpg)

(From [**2+2 forum**](http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=0&Number=8009768&page=0&vc=1)) **Attempted to Steal the Blinds**: From CO and Button, I treat this number as the person’s PFR%, and I adjust my behavior accordingly. Also, if the person’s steal percentage is markedly larger than their PFR, I assume the person has more of a clue about how to play the game, and I give them a bit more respect when they go to war. I also figure that I’ve got much more folding equity against them in general, since savvy players are less likely to be calling stations and more likely to be capable of folding a decent hand.

**Folded Big/Small Blind to a Steal**: Another basic indicator of hand strength. If the person folds to steals all the time, then I know that when they call a raise from the blinds they’ve actually got a hand. If the person is a habitual blind defender, I can assume they have crap even if they call a sizeable preflop raise. Combined with the Fold to C-Bet percentage, these numbers tell me whether stealing against an opponent will likely be profitable or not.

Finally I also keep 4 more stats shown on my display, just under the player’s name. Those include the Cold Call Preflop, the Continuation Bet %, the Folded to Continuation-bet % and the Check-Raise %.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/bottomstatshud.jpg)

So, altogether I’ve got around 13 stats shown at the same time around a player’s name. Soon we’ll discuss how to categorize each player according to those stats and how to exploit their weaknesses.
### Finding Leaks with Poker Tracker
URL: https://jimmakos.com/finding-leaks-poker-tracker/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T14:23:01.000Z
Today I’ll show how we can make use of an excellent article written in 2+2 forums about [finding leaks in our game with the aid of Poker Tracker](http://archives1.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=4946669&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1). It is not necessary to read the article, since I’ll discuss each point separately here accompanied by my personal statistics. If you do have the application you can check your own stats in the end or you can simply see how a poker player can improve his skills by studying himself. My analysis will be based on the hands I played this year at 6-max No Limit poker tables (233,579 hands).

So, Pokey (the article’s author) starts with:

- ****Preflop Aggression**

“Open up your ring game statistics and go to the “position stats” page. For each position other than the small blind, divide the “PF Raise %” by the “Vol. Put $ In Pot.” If you get a number smaller than 0.5, you’re not aggressive enough out of that position. See, aggression is a relative term; it should be a function of your level of looseness. You can be a consistently winning player at SSNL with a VPIP of 12%, and you can be a consistently winning player at SSNL with a VPIP of 30%, but only if you are sufficiently aggressive. My general guideline is that you should raise at least half the hands you play, from every position on the table.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pfaggression.gif)

Upon checking the tab in my database, we can see that I’m quite aggressive at all positions but blinds where I still play by the rule, although my aggressiveness has decreased. That is expected though, since the Blinds’ positions offer no positional advantage to the player.

- ****Positional Awareness**

“To test this, go to the Position Stats and look down the list of VPIP from Button to UTG. You should see that VPIP steadily dropping the farther you get from the button. I’d love to see my button VPIP at double my UTG VPIP, but if my Button VPIP is at least 50% larger than my UTG VPIP, I’m happy with the situation.”

From the previous image I am able to verify that my VPIP increases significantly towards the Button where the actual figure is more than double that of UTG’s one. No leak there.

- ****Stealing Blinds**

“To check on your performance when trying a blind steal, go to the General Info. tab. Where it says “Att. To Steal Blinds” I’d like to see that number at LEAST 20%. (Personally, I like mine to be over 30%, but I’m very aggressive in these situations. If you’re trying to steal the blinds less than 20% of the time, you’re leaving lots of money on the table.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/stealblind.gif)

Now click on “Filters…” and under “Chance to Steal Blinds” click “Chance to Steal & Raised.” Select OK and look at the numbers. This shows every time you’ve tried to steal the blinds, and how the attempt turned out for you. Under “Totals” see the “BB/Hand” statistic. That shows your per-hand winrate on blind steals. If you multiply this number by 100, it should be at least double your “PTBB/100″ average winrate. If it’s much less than that and you have a decent sample size, you have a hole in your game when it comes to blind stealing. This should be an exceedingly profitable thing to do when you try it; if it’s not, you need to work on your strategy.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/chancetosteal.gif)

No apparent leaks are found here either. My Att. To Steal Blinds is over 40% (maybe I overdo it?) while my total BB/Hand multiplied by 100 (=21) is almost 20 times more than my actual BB/100 (1.27).

- ****Defending blinds**

“Click on “Turn Filter Off,” and then click on “Filters…” again. Under “Blind Status” click on “Either Blind.” Now under “Vol. Put $ In Pot” click on “Put Money In.” This shows you if you’re bleeding money out of the blinds. A “BB/Hand” of about -0.375 would indicate that you were no better off putting money into the pot than if you had folded. If your “BB/Hand” is larger than that, then you typically win back some of your blind money when you put money into the pot from the blinds. That’s all you can really hope for.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/defendblind1.gif)

If you click on “Filters…” again and go under “Steal Attempted Against Your Blind” and click on “Steal Attempted.” After you click “OK” you’ll now see how you did when you chose to defend against a blind steal. Again, the magic number is for your “BB/Hand” to be bigger than -0.375; that means you’re making back some of your blinds when you try to defend against a steal. If either of these numbers is lower than -0.375, you’d lose less money by always folding rather than doing what you’re doing.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/defendblind2.gif)

Now, that doesn’t look a leak to me, does it? While I am defending my blinds against stealers, I actually manage to show significant profits!

- ****Heads-Up Play**

“Click on “Turn Filter Off,” then click on “Filters…” again. Under “Hands With Between…Players Seeing The Flop” change the range from “0 to 10 players” to “2 to 2 players.” Hit “OK” and see what comes up. This shows you how you’ve done when you were heads-up preflop, but a flop was dealt. See how you’ve done in these situations.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Headsup1.gif)

If things look OK, go back to “Filters…” and under “Pre-flop Raise” select “No Raise.” This will show you how you’ve done when you didn’t raise preflop, but the hand was heads-up on the flop (this includes pure limping and when someone ELSE raised preflop, but not when you were the preflop raiser). Is this number positive? If not, it could be an indicator that you have trouble when you are not the aggressor preflop, especially without padding in the pot.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/Headsup2.gif)

Houston, we have a problem. Both images show mediocre results and the heads-up play is something I should focus on.

- ****Multiway Pots**

“Clear the filter and go back under filters. Change “Hands With Between…Players Seeing The Flop” to “3 to 10 players.” This shows you how you do in multiway pots.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/multiwaypots1.gif)

If things look good, go back and select “No Raise” under “Pre-flop Raise.” Is it still positive? If so, you’re selecting good times to play/limp multiway pots, and you’re playing them well postflop.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/multiwaypots2.gif)

Hmmm, I can’t say I’m doing well in multiway pots either. My postflop game really needs improvement.

- ****Pocket pairs**

“Under “Filters…” change the “Type of Hole Cards” to “Pairs.” This will show you how you generally play and perform with pocket pairs. Your Total VPIP with these should be EXTREMELY high; unless you play at highly unusual tables, I’d be surprised to see this number below 85%. Pocket pairs make extremely powerful hands that are extremely well-hidden; if you’re not playing them almost all the time, you’re leaving money on the table. Also, your Total PFR% with these hands should be rather high — at least 1/3 of your VPIP, if not 1/2\. Some people have this number higher still, and I don’t have a problem with that, especially at short-handed tables. If you have enough hands, I’d expect every one of these lines to be positive, and reasonably significantly so. If you have any glaringly negative numbers, especially AA-88, it may indicate bad play. Look over individual hands where you lose lots of money and see if you played too timidly early in the hand, or if you went too far unimproved in the face of resistance. Also, look at the hands where you won to see if you played too timidly, or if you routinely forced weaker hands out when you should have been milking them for profits.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/pocketpairs.gif)

I guess I should take a closer look at 88-TT’s hands for any leaks.

- ****Suited Connectors**

“Under “Filters…” change “Type of Hole Cards” to “Suited Connectors.” I’m much less likely to play suited connectors than pocket pairs, but some people play them religiously. As a result, I don’t really have a good suggestion as to how high your VPIP or PFR should be. However, your BB/hand should be positive; if it’s not, you’re probably not playing your suited connectors well. Remember: these hands play best in a multiway, unraised pot, or as a steal move.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/suitedconnectors1.gif)

In the “Filters…” change “Vol. Put $ In Pot” to “Cold-Called.” When you hit OK, you should have almost no entries to view. Of the times you cold-called, you should be able to come up with a specific explanation for why you did so in each and every one of them. Review the hand histories; if you can’t come up with a really good reason why you thought it better to cold-call, rather than raise or fold, you need to rethink your suited connector strategy. Good explanations: the raise was very small, villain is passive post-flop, I had position on villain, villain and I are both extremely deep-stacked, villain is incredibly aggressive preflop, my suited connectors are particularly strong, there are several cold-callers in front of me, etc. I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever cold-call with suited connectors; rather, I’m saying you shouldn’t AUTOMATICALLY do so. Your default play here should be to fold weak suited connectors and reraise strong ones.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/suitedconnectors2.gif)

I’m able to show positive numbers in both situations although I’m not entirely happy with the result. Perhaps if someone could share his own numbers as a comment, we could have a better idea of where I stand.

- ****Unsuited Connectors**

“Clear the filter and then go back into it. Change “Type of Hole Cards” to “Off-Suited Connectors.” Your VPIP for these hands should be noticeably smaller than your VPIP for suited connectors. Check your winrate and make sure it’s positive.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/offsuitconnectors1.gif)

Filter for cold-calling and see if you had good reasons for doing so, keeping in mind that the reasons need to be even stronger than for suited connectors.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/offsuitconnectors2.gif)

While I’m breaking even at the first scenario, I’m losing money when I’m cold calling my off suit connectors. Guess I won’t be doing that any more. I’ll save 0.63BB per hand by doing so!

- ****Postflop Aggression**

“Select the “More Detail…” button above the “Filters…” button. Scroll down. There is a section marked “First Action on Flop After A Pre-flop Raise.” This shows your likelihood of continuation betting. If you add Bet and Raise, the total should be at least 40%. If it’s not, you’re probably giving up too soon on your good hands, and that will cost you money in the long run. Remember: people who cold-call a preflop bet are often in fit-or-fold mode. If you don’t bet, you don’t give them a chance to fold. The pot is already decent-sized, and there’s no reason to give some donk a free look at a turn card that could sink you. If you raised preflop, you need a good reason NOT to raise the flop. Continuation betting should be your default play. Scroll down a bit farther to “Aggression Factor.” Your total aggression factor should be at LEAST 2\. No-limit is not a game where you can call frequently and turn a profit. You should always be looking to see if you can raise or fold; only if you have a good reason why you CANNOT raise or fold should you call. As a result, calling should be an infrequent occurrence in your play, which gives you a large aggression factor.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/postflopaggression.gif)

I’m continuation betting about 68% and my total Aggression Factor is 3.90.

- ****Check-raising**

“Some people never check-raise; others check-raise infrequently. I personally like to check-raise at least once in awhile; 1% would be fine, 0.5% would be acceptable. The goal of the check-raise is to remind your opponents that just because you checked does NOT mean that you don’t have a hand. However, circumstances need to be very specific for a check-raise to be appropriate. Typically, I check-raise on the flop when OOP against a preflop raiser, or on the turn when OOP against a flop bettor/raiser who was clearly not on a draw (uncoordinated flop). If you are check raising much more than 2% of the time, you’re being entirely too tricky for a SSNL table, and straightforward play would probably be more profitable for you.”

The previous image shows that I’m check raising about 1%.

That completes my first analysis of my poker play. You can do your analysis on your own statistics if you happen to use [Poker Tracker](https://jmks.co/pokertracker). If you don’t, Poker Tracker version 3.0 has just been launched and is offered with a trial period of 60 days.
### Horse Racing Trading still beatable?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/horse-racing-trading-still-beatable/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:26:53.000Z
Apparently yes! Or so it seems. Today I took a look at [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) web page and I noticed a banner in the right column with the title: “2008 £1k to £100k Challenge”. That rang a bell since Adam Todd from RacingTraders had attempted such a challenge in the past. So I decided to visit the link wondering what kind of blog I will bump into this time. And I must say, it’s a simple but VERY promising blog.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tradingbanner.jpg)

At first, I thought a fellow blogger had started that challenge, since the layout of the blog was almost the same with his. You see, the [Betfair Trader](http://thebetfairtrader.blogspot.com/) has already paid for his [wedding](http://thebetfairtrader.blogspot.com/search/label/wedding) with his trading’s profits and… Oh, he is also trying [a £1k to £101k Challenge](http://thebetfairtrader.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-challenge-1k-to-101k.html) nowadays! However, this new blog seems like a fresh one but to tell you the truth not so original. Anyway, upon surfing for a few minutes inside the blog, the posted results are really impressive! It is certain he knows what he is doing and makes good money.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/2008-week06.png)

His results are posted as photos, captured from the main Betfair’s P&L screen. He just shows the total amounts of each week though. His average weekly profit is about £2,000 and I consider that a top performance.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/2008-week051.png)

Take a look into the [Betfair racing trader – £1k-£100k blog](http://betangel-betfair-trader.blogspot.com/).

That made me do some sports trading this afternoon, and here is my own performance for the day. Amazing huh? 😛

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/110208.gif)

So, is horse racing trading beatable nowadays? Definitely. Making that much money in a month proves it in the best possible way. It’s been a long time since I dealt with sports trading for the last time, and I got melancholic looking at those images. So, here are a couple of mine taken during the good old days! <sigh>

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/bestday.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/170707a.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/130807a.gif)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/160707a.gif)
### Betfair Trading with Bet Angel Professional [VIDEO]
URL: https://jimmakos.com/betfair-trading-videos-bet-angel-professional/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:25:36.000Z
I’ve recently received a video response to a [trading video of mine posted on Youtube](https://jimmakos.com/2011/08/making-eur53-trading-before-race-starts-video/). Upon searching a bit, I found another Betfair trader who posts trading videos in Youtube and shows how he trades the UK Horse Markets in Betfair. Watch a couple of videos and see how he’s doing. Although the stakes are low, that doesn’t mean his trading is easy. He always makes use of a BetAngel function called “offsetting”, which places a bet in the opposite direction in order to automatically close the trade with one tick profit. According to the official [Bet Angel](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) website, “*use **off setting* to instantly place a counter order in the market ‘in the money’ to ensure you have the best possible chance of closing out a profitable trade”.*
### Calculate Commission in Betfair
URL: https://jimmakos.com/calculate-commission-betfair/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:22:13.000Z
How much [commission ](https://jimmakos.com/2007/04/commission-gambling/)did I pay this week to Betfair? Here is an easy way to calculate it. We access “My account” and we view “Betting History”. We set to view the “settled” bets for the period we are interested in and we download it to excel.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/bethistory.gif)

Since we now have it in excel format, we calculate the sum of the column (Profits/Loss).

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/excelbethistory.gif)

Then we access Betting P&L and view our total P&L for the same period we are interested in.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betPandL.gif)

We subtract this amount (P&L) from the sum we calculated in excel and there it is, the commission we paid during this week.

However, there is a necessary requirement for this to work correctly. We should have NO unsettled bet (open position) before the start of the period, which will be settled during the period. In the above example, that is not to have an unsettled bet at 00:00 of 19th of November, which eventually will be settled during this week. In that case, the bet will not appear in the betting history but it will be added in this week’s profit and loss. This will result in a reduced commission than it should be and even perhaps a negative one.
### Expectations and Bankroll Growth
URL: https://jimmakos.com/expectations-bankroll-growth/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:20:19.000Z
We have defined our [bankroll and staking plan](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/) we are going to apply and we may now calculate how much winnings we should expect and when we will make our first withdrawal. Because, after all, if we are not going to spend our hard earned money, what is the point to [build our Betting System ](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/how-to-build-betting-system/)in the first place?

Yes, of course we would be proud of our achievement and we would gain extreme self-confidence, but it is the biggest satisfaction to know that you bought some goods with the profits of betting!

So, let’s see if the bank’s safe will be big enough to keep all our profits inside…

Once more we need to calculate some numbers, which will help us see where we are heading to and if it is worth the effort after all.

- The first thing to consider is the total ****turnover** of our bets. This is easy to calculate by adding all the stakes (caution: for “lays” you need the liability).
- Then by deviding the total profits (or losses) with the turnover we calculate the ****yield** (in case we are winning) of the betting system.
- Moving on, we fill a column in excel with the formula that adds the latest row’s outcome to the previous. In other words, starting from zero we add the wager’s outcome to the previous sum. In that way we can then draw a graph showing the progress of the betting system. Apart from having a nice drawing of the system’s performance, we are able to calculate the ****maximum drawdown** of the bankroll. This is the biggest difference between a highest peak to a lowest. Here’s an example:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/drawdown.gif)

The drawdown is usually a number of bets (for a fixed stake of €500 the above maximum drawdown represents a loss of more than 40 bets) or a percentage of the bankroll.

These numbers can be calculated regardless of the staking plan.

## Why do we need the above calculations?

- First of all, we need the drawdown in order to have ***AT LEAST that amount as bankroll***, so that ****we survive a losing run**. We will need more funds in order to keep betting, so I’d say the bankroll really needed is ****double the maximum drawdown**.
- Turnover is in fact there just to calculate the yield but it is also a nice figure showing us how good of a customer we are to the betting company and perhaps [calculate the commission](https://jimmakos.com/2007/11/calculate-commission-betfair/) we pay for our hobby.
- Yield tells us that for every euro/pound/dollar we bet, we earn that specific % of our wager in the [long run](https://jimmakos.com/2007/04/winning-long-run/), meaning by either winning or losing that particular bet ****we will make in fact THAT amount of money**.

We now count the bets we place each month, calculate the turnover for that month and figure out how much money we stand to win during the next month. Jugding from the maximum drawdown we ALWAYS expect to hit a losing run of that size again and again. We examine the duration of the drawdown and we can see how long the next bad run will last. Finally, watching the graph we can evaluate if we may have a month or possibly two months without winnings or perhaps having a negative P&L.

All these are done so that we will be ready to confront a losing run, we know what to expect and know how big of a bankroll we should have available at one time. By doing all that, we can set a limit which when it will be hit, ***we withdraw the winnings above that limit**.

Concerning the bankroll, the growth will be linear in case of flat betting plan (fixed stakes) but can be [exponential](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponential%5Fgrowth) if the kelly criterion is applied. For maximum growth a kelly fraction of “1” is necessary although it is not recommended as the risk is substantial. Remember, it must have been proven a winning strategy first ([positive expectation, +EV, expected value](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expected%5Fvalue)) before applying the Kelly criterion, otherwise we will lose much faster.

Before moving to the last chapter of this series, I should mention that I have tried to show you how to build your betting system in the simplest way I could think of. There are a lot more sophisticated methods and the maths behind the whole project can be overwhelming. You may check some interesting links below for optimal betting, risk of ruin, bankroll growth, optimal bet size and formulæ (caution: a lot of maths included):

- [Risk Formulæ for Proportional Betting by William Chin & Marc Ingenoso](http://condor.depaul.edu/~wchin/riskpaper.pdf)
- [Simulation of the growth of a poker player’s bankroll](http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=150435) (re****member, all gambling related stuff have the same math concept, you always need winrate and standard deviation)**
- [Optimal Betting by Marvin L. French](http://marvinfrench.com/p1/blackjack/optimal.pdf)
- [Risk of Ruin](http://web.archive.org/web/20120620205735/http://www.bjmath.com:80/bjmath/ror/ror.htm) Index
- [Drawdown mentality](http://www.mypivots.com/articles/articles.aspx?artnum=22&page=2)
- Kelly Value and Equity Curve of a trading system
- Fine-tuning your money management system

Ok, we have the betting system we needed and the profits have started coming in. You will notice that you will begin neglecting your spreadsheet and just submit your bets according to it, but won’t see that the spreadsheet will quickly become enormous and difficult to navigate through it. Worst of all you will find extremely difficult to fine-tune it for better results due to bad organization.

Your betting system needs periodic maintenance. We’ll talk about it tomorrow along with some last advice and many links to continue your studying…
### Bankroll Requirements and Staking Plan
URL: https://jimmakos.com/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:20:07.000Z
We have now arrived to the point we are confident with our [probability calculations and understand value betting](https://jimmakos.com/probability-calculations-value-betting/), and we want with no further delay to submit our bets and start making money. However, if we don’t bet according to a staking plan and not having defined any bankroll for our system, we will be lucky not to end up bankrupt. But what are the staking plans we can choose from, which one is most appropriate for our system and how can we calculate the bankroll we are going to need?

All these are found in this article being the fourth one on the Series about [how to build your own Betting System](https://jimmakos.com/how-to-build-betting-system/).

Let’s start with the staking plans:

1. The first and most used plan is the ***flat betting plan***. It is exactly what the name implies, betting with the same fixed amount on each wager. It doesn’t take into account any bankroll and you don’t have to calculate anything. It is the easiest method to apply. Still, I advise using it for the first 1,000 or so bets, because this plan can be used in order to see if the betting system is a winner and some other significant statistics of it. More on than later in this post.
2. Then comes the staking plan based on the ***Kelly criterion***. I won’t get into details, there is adequate information and documentary in the internet (check [here (wikipedia)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly%5Fcriterion), or [here](http://www.investopedia.com/articles/trading/04/091504.asp)), but I have to say that there are some advantages and disadvantages about it. There are also variations and modifications of it (check [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambling%5Fand%5Finformation%5Ftheory)) and you are free to apply any of them. The main concept in simple words is that your bankroll will increase much faster with it (in case the betting system wins) but at the same time there will be wilder variance (swings) of the bankroll.
3. There are ***other staking plans*** (martingale, anti-martingale, etc.) but I won’t go deep into them. I have found the aforementioned plans to be the best regarding betting (and investing in general), at least during the first steps. If one has become an expert in the field, he may test or even invent his own sophisticated plan.

Regarding bankroll requirements, there have been a lot of discussions in forums and websites. I won’t bother you with the same stuff and I will try to get directly into the point. Given that we apply the flat staking plan, we will need 500-1,000 games in order to exact some useful conclusions. While we collect this sample data, we may in fact place the bets but I’ll suggest using very small stakes, the smallest available. By betting say €4 on each event, we would have staked €4,000 in the end. If our betting strategy loses, we would expect about 10-15% losses in the worst scenario. Our funds would have depleted around €400 after 1,000 bets. While it is still a big amount, I can fully understand the desire to apply the method as soon as possible. Just have in mind that it can be expensive.

Having collected the sample data, so that we are now ready to tune our system, there are some interesting statistics calculations we can do, in order to see if we have a winning strategy. While we are collecting sample data, it is very important to record the odds for all the possibilities of the events. the final result and whether our bet won or lost and how much. By doing this, we will be able to fine-tune later our system. But for now we will just need the amount that won or lost for each bet.

1. We calculate the **average number of all the results** (wins AND losses). If it is a positive number we would have won, if it a negative we would have lost. Note that if a row didn’t include an actual bet, that shouldn’t be added as zero but rather not included at all in the calculation. Don’t forget that (hint: write an “if” statement in excel defining a cell as empty (“”) if there was no betting in that row).
2. We calculate **the standard deviation of those results**. The formula is included in Excel (stdev).
3. Finally we calculate **the confidence of our results**. The formula is once again included (confidence) and we will use 30% significance level (alpha = 0.7).
4. Comparing this number with the average (mean) number, we want to see **a difference of less than the average number**. That is if the average is €1, we’d expect the confidence at 30% significance level to range between €0.10 to 0.90\. That would mean **we most probably have a winning strategy**. If the number is bigger than the average (>1) then we can’t say for sure yet. You can read the formula’s help page found in Excel.

Since by now you’ll know if your betting system is showing steady profits, you may use the kelly criterion to calculate your stakes. Theoretically, using that criterion, you won’t experience bankruptcy ever in your betting career since the bets are always defined proportionally to the bankroll. For a ***flat betting plan*** I’d advise having a bankroll of at least 5***0 or 100 (better) bets***. Finally ***I wouldn’t risk more than 2% of my bankroll*** on any bet, regardless of what my staking plan implies. A drawdown of 50 losing bets would have my bankroll erased.

Let’s see where we stand now:

- 1,000 sample data? **Check**.
- Calculated probabilities? **Check**.
- Do I have a winning betting system? **Check**.
- Can I use a staking plan other than flat betting? **Check**.

We are in the most desirable position to figure out our [long-term expectations and how to maximize our bankroll](https://jimmakos.com/expectations-bankroll-growth/).
### Probability Calculations and Value Betting
URL: https://jimmakos.com/probability-calculations-value-betting/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:17:08.000Z
Usually, [inputing data, variables and stats](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/data-collection-statistics-input-variables/) into an excel spreadsheet is dull and when it’s done on a daily basis it can get frustrating. Now, the clever part of [building a betting system](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/how-to-build-betting-system/) is making proper use of those numbers in order to ***calculate a probability percentage as close as possible to the real probability of an event**. How this is done depends only on the bettor’s knowledge, skill and method. Here is how you can do it…

Up to now, your excel sheet should have at least 10 columns containing games’ information and data collected according to the previous article on [the sport you have selected](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/selecting-sport-bet/) initially. In the following columns there will be equations calculating the probability you will use later in your staking plan and back testing. Let’s see examples of some methods to get you started (football will be used as a reference):

1. You examine the stats of average goals scored and conceded per game by the home and the away team in the first row of your sheet. Home team shows 1.25 goals for and 0.80 against. Away team reads 1.5 and 0.50 respectively. You then add all those numbers (=4.05), you add 1.25 and 0.50 (home goals for and away goals against) and divide the result with the previous sum, that is 1.75/4.05 (=43.21%). This is your calculation for home win probability. The away win probability is calculated at 56.79%. An easy procedure but there is a problem. Where is the draw probability and how will affect the other 2 probabilities?
2. Since the above method is inadequate, you need some other stats. You check now the draw stats for each team. Home team appears to draw about 28% of the time overall and away team draws 34%. You calculate the average of these and come up with 31%. The remaining 69% will be shared by home and away win according to the previous ratio. 43.21% of that will be for home win (=29.81%) and the rest for away win (=39.18%). Final you come up with 30-31-39 for home-draw-away probabilities.
3. Nevertheless, it can get a bit more complicated. Say you have heard of an interesting theory which implies that football results follow the Poisson distribution. You may check out 2 free Poisson calculators online here and [here](http://www.sbrforum.com/Betting+Tools/Poisson+Calculator.aspx). The equations behind the distribution can be easily added into your spreadsheet, since the distribution is available in the formulas section of Excel. Hence, you can calculate probabilities in excel with that formula, given you supply the necessary input data.
4. However, the task of calculating probabilities may turn out to be either the simplest thing in the world or the hardest. You may explore all the distributions available, all the mathematical models, apply neural networks into your calculations and indeed see it as science. Yet you may just read the news and papers, make up some probabilities of yours (i read that and that, so I conclude the probabilities are 20-20-60, end of story) and carry on. It really depends on how much effort and accuracy you want into your betting system

We have arrived now to the point we have imported the games, the data, we have the probabilities ready and… now what? It would a good idea to convert the probabilities into odds to make our life easier. This is done by dividing 1 by each probability. For example, 33% is 1/0.33 (=3.33 odds), 50% is 1/0.50 (=2.00 odds) and so on.

Next, you need to import the actual odds offered by the bookmakers or Betfair . Finally you are interested in value betting, meaning betting on an event only when there is value in it. A value bet is on offer when the odds you have calculated are lower than those available to bet. If you have calculated odds of 1.80 and the odds offered are 2.2, you should back it. If the odds offered are 1.50 you should lay it. You should additionally consider [the commission and how odds are affected](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/who-pays-commission-how-odds-affected/) by it before submitting your bet. You can in fact apply the commission effect into your excel spreadsheet, in order to check for a value bet at once.

Ok, bet now? Of course not, without proper money management we are doomed to fail, even if we have designed the most favorable betting system. We are going to need [a starting bankroll and a staking plan](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/) in order to succeed.
### Data Collection, Statistics and Input Variables
URL: https://jimmakos.com/data-collection-statistics-input-variables/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:15:21.000Z
Having already discussed about [selecting a sport to bet on](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/selecting-sport-bet/) in the tutorial series on how to build your own Betting System, it’s time to deal with the input variables of the system we are going to develop. Now, don’t panic, by saying “input variables” doesn’t mean we plan on building a nuclear reactor! We will have some data entered in our system in order to make our calculations. That data can be anything that we found useful and in referance to the sport we have already selected. Let’s see some examples…

- The most common and widely spread data to be used in betting systems is statistics. Whether or not you are a fan of them, it is almost impossible not to use some of them at one stage of your system planning. There are team and players’ statistics depending on the sport. The statistics can include but are not restricted to: goals for %, goals against %, points won %, aces %, hit and run %, home wins %, breaks %, and they are usually expressed in percentages, although some of them are just a number. If you are going to depend on statistics, make sure you have found the necessary resources (newspapers, websites, forums, etc.) that provide them and keep them up to date.
- Another form of data to be contained as your input variable is simple sport facts. That is for example the league standings, consequtive wins/losses, venue, weather conditions, form and ratings. You never know if they are going to come in handy, so bookmark the sites that give them for free.
- You may always of course make use of other information found throughout the internet. Let’s say you used to work in financial markets and need to implement your charting knowledge to your betting. The simplest thing you can do is write down the trend of betfair’s graph. How is that possible? Just by writing the first odds to be traded and the last one close to the kick off is a start. It can get a lot more complicated, but that is left to you to think about what will suit you best.
- No, no, I haven’t forget. News, injuries, suspensions and rumours. Your favorite ones, hm? But, why have I put them last? The truth is that they are a bit difficult to be imported into a betting system that is based more or so on a mathematical model. Yet, they are admittedly quite important and can make a whole difference in the efficiency of the system. The question is how we can define them in our variables. The simplest method once again is setting a number representing those news. Say for some good news add 1\. For a major team injury substract 1\. For some curious rumours (oh come on, fixed games? how’s that possible?) multiply by 2\. You want the final number to be as close as possible to your mental feeling.

Now that you have made up your mind on which of the above you are going to place as inputs in your betting system, sort them in columns. Remember, your database may evolve to a very big and lengthy excel spreadsheet, therefore design it with that in mind, because any change afterwards may be painful and time consuming. The first columns must have the players or teams, date, and any other information to keep track of where you stand (league, tennis tournament, etc). Then come the input variables. First column home wins %, second one home goals for %, third one rain/sunny/windy, and so on. The more inputs, the better the prediction (according to most) but also the more effort you have to make each day updating your database.

The worst thing in this stage of [building your own betting system](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/how-to-build-betting-system/), is that you don’t really know IF the inputs you are entering are going to be useful at all. For that reason, and until you have enough sample data to work with, you’d better have as many inputs as you can. Later, you will be able to get rid of the unnecessary ones. But for now, keep them all.

Ok, input variables done. Let’s move on to see how we can use them in order to calculate probabilities and value bet.
### Selecting a Sport to Bet on
URL: https://jimmakos.com/selecting-sport-bet/
Last updated: 2023-10-22T14:22:45.000Z
So, you want to start betting with a system and not randomly huh? But where to begin with? [Building a betting system](https://jimmakos.com/2007/07/how-to-build-betting-system/) looks like a labyrinth and a heavy task, but not in my book. There are some steps you should take in order to be successful and completing each one of them with the greatest attention will prove invaluable.

First you should decide the sport you are going to bet on. Pick a sport, any sport you like, the one you are a fan of, the one that you hate the most, the sport that you believe has the greatest potential. However, there are some requirements before you blindly select a sport. Let’s check them out…

Great knowledge of the game is more than essential. Gameplay rules and type of games should be known and fully understood. Not just the general type, you should know the game inside out. Say you decide to bet on football (soccer for USA). Am I familiar with cup games and their schedule? Do I know when leagues start and how many games each championship includes? Players’ suspensions, injuries and whether a player is eligible for european cups should ring a bell. Is the game settled on full-time or must extra time be considered?

1. Next comes the ease of data collection. You don’t want to bet on some kind of sport, information of which is provided by just one website in the other side of the world! You’d like to make your life and business easier. You will need some data inevitably, being either statistics, or livescores, or anything else. Are all of these free, and if yes are they in a useful format I can make use of? I may be using Excel spreadsheets, can I copy the info I need easily? Is there a site which has gathered all the needed information and you don’t have to wander around 10 sites? That’s a plus for me. Most importantly, are they up-to-date? Will you have fresh data each morning? Internet is an endless source of information, use it to your benefit.
2. Say you decide to take your business to Betfair. Liquidity is one of the most troublesome aspects of the game and one that should be taken into account. No one wants to develop a profitable strategy only to see that there is no one to bet against! This problem is solved easily if you choose to bet on some other bookmaker. Have in mind however that winners are not welcome to the most of them and moving bankrolls from one bookmaker to another will definately be time-consuming.
3. Time is generally precious and we must make the most out of it. That’s why we need a lot of games to bet on during the year. Pick a sport that offers many betting opportunities, so that you increase your turnover and eventually your profits. Remember, it’s not only the number of games played during a year, it’s also the variety of bets available. If for instance you come to develop a method based on asian handicap betting, you need more games which are offered with that kind of bet.
4. Does the sport need you to be alert 24 hours? Is it necessary to sit in front of the monitor for many hours? Are the games spread throughout the day, or are there only evening matches? Does the time schedule fit in your social life (you don’t want to lose that, do you?) or you are going to end up a sleepless owl? Select a sport that looks promising but at the same time leaves you some breathing room.
5. Finally, you don’t have to be a fan of that sport. Many bettors place their bets on sports they like watching or discussing with other friends. You are not a bettor, you are an investor. You are looking into starting your business, so personal emotions should be left out. Certainly, no one told a baker to open a bakery shop if he didn’t like baking! However, what you like here is betting, not playing or watching football! So, make that hobby of yours pay you!

This is the end of part one of the series on building your own betting system. Tomorrow we will speak of [input variables, statistics and how to collect data](http://www.betstories.com/2013/12/06/football-betting-system-variables-parameters/) to use in our system’s database.
### How to Build your own Betting System
URL: https://jimmakos.com/how-to-build-betting-system/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:21:11.000Z
We all have visited plenty of websites offering tips which are based on some betting systems and strategies. We never get the chance to see one, but we are happy to receive the tips in our emails and move on. How about this time to build our unique betting system and have the tips right in front of us whenever we like to. Now that must be difficult, building our strategy from scratch, what are you talking about?

I’m going to post a series on How to Build your own Betting System, which upon completion might come in handy. There will be the following 6 posts:

- [Selecting a sport to bet on](https://jimmakos.com/selecting-sport-bet/).
- [Data Collection, Statistics and Input Variables](https://jimmakos.com/data-collection-statistics-input-variables/).
- [Probability Calculations and Value Betting](https://jimmakos.com/probability-calculations-value-betting/).
- [Bankroll Requirements and Staking Plan](https://jimmakos.com/bankroll-requirements-staking-plan/).
- [Expectations and Bankroll Growth](https://jimmakos.com/expectations-bankroll-growth/).
- System Maintenance and some last advice.

I’ll post one article each day until it’s finished.
### Who pays commission? How are odds affected?
URL: https://jimmakos.com/who-pays-commission-how-odds-affected/
Last updated: 2020-12-13T14:11:24.000Z
Everyone pays ****commission** in order to be able to bet on an event. This is true either in Betfair or another bookmaker. The bookmakers have “vig” representing the ****commission**.

*Vig, which is short for vigorish, is a term used to describe the book’s theoretical edge, or **commission*, on each betting online wager.*

So, how does this ****commission** affect the fixed ****odds** and more importantly, who pays for it? I hear you say “*the one who backs in Betfair*“. You are mistaken…

Let us assume that we have come up with a strategy, which is capable of calculating a predicted probability of the event.

As a first example we will assume this probability is 50%. Upon examining the ****odds** Betfair offers (or elsewhere) we see that it is 2.50\. Logic and basic mathematics dictate that we have to back that event. How much will we win? We will actually make 25% of our bet. We can arrive to this conclusion if we multiply 50% by 2.50\. The outcome is 1.25\. Anything above 1 is considered profit and this is another way to figure out if we should make that bet. So, 1.25 – 1 = 0.25\. This is the % we will profit in the long run in case our strategy can calculate the exact true probability.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/moneypie.jpg)

In other words, by betting 100 identical bets, we will make 75 units (*\=50 \*(2.50-1)* ) out of 50 bets and will lose the other 50 bets. So, out of 100 bets (100 units) we will make 25 (*\=75-50*). Therefore, 25% of our total stake.

If then they apply 5% [commission](https://jimmakos.com/2007/04/commission-gambling/) on our winnings, every winning bet will return 1.425 (=1.5 \* 0.95) and not 1.5\. Betting the same 100 events, we will profit by 71.25 units and lose 50, accumulating 21.25 units instead of 25.

When we see 2.50 ****odds** in Betfair, it is in fact 2.425 after ****commission**. Still, 2.425 \* 50% results once again over 1, therefore making us bet on it with positive value. We just have 3.75% less profit due to the ****commission**.

Let us say now that having calculated the probability at 50%, the ****odds** offered are 2.05\. If there was no ****commission** whatsoever, we would have to submit the bet once more, since 2.05 \* 50% > 1\. But if there is 5% ****commission** on the winnings (*1.05 \* 0.95)* then we arrive at true ****odds** of 1.9975 (=*1+ (1.05\*0.95)* ). Now 50% \* 1.9975 results below one, so we shouldn’t bet although the ****odds** prior the ****commission** is above 2.00.

As a third example, we will presume that the ****odds** are now 1.80\. We can easily figure out that 1.80 \* 50% is well below 1 and will leave it alone. As a matter of fact, betting on such an event will lose us 10% of our total turnover in the long run (even without taking ****commission** into account!). If we add the commission’s effect on that, the bet costs us about 12% of any amount we bet with! If for instance we bet 100€, we would have lost 12€ in the long run either winning or losing that particular bet. If we make that same bet 100 times, our losses will have climbed to 1,200€!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/moneypack.jpg)

Hmmm… now, hold on a minute you’ll say. If we have 100 bettors like the above who make 100 bets like the above, we are talking about ****120,000€** which are lost by them! ****SOMEONE MUST** get that money for sure!

The ones that get them are those who having calculated the true probability at 50% and seeing the ****odds** at 1.80 are placing a LAY on the event. Therefore, whenever we calculate the probability \* ****odds** less than one, we submit a lay. So, that’s it? We do that ALWAYS whenever we come to that conclusion? NO! We should once again take into account the ****commission**. Here things will look a little tougher, due to the “lay”.

By laying at 1.80 and applying 5% ****commission** on the winnings, everytime we lose we pay 0.80 units and get paid 0.95 (=1-5%) for every winner. So, the real ****odds** we lay at are 1.842 (=1+(0.80/0.95) ). If we multiply this number with 50% we still come up to a number below 1, so we must lay in order to be correct.

How much expected value (EV) do we expect by our move? |50%\*1.842 -1| = |-0.079| = 7.9%

So, by laying 100 times each of the aforementioned bettors/backers (10,000 lays) we would have won 79,000€.

*Question*: Hey, backers lost 120,000€, we won 79,000€, ***where is the 41,000€??***

I welcome you to magical world of ****commission**! That money would have ended up in Betfair’s account!

100 bettors lose 100,000€ during a month, and some other bettors win that 100,000€. Both sides however pay about 20,000€ for their hobby during the month. *20% **commission* you say*? Of course not! Remember, the first 100 bettors (backers) would have played 100 bets of 100€ ****each one of them** in order to lose 100K€. The total VOLUME of each bettor would be 10,000€. All together would have staked 1.000.000€ during that month and betfair would have got paid 20,000€ for those bets. 2% on the backers. Respectively, we conclude the same amount about the ****commission** paid by the layers at the same time.

After studying all the above, we can say that ***commission* is paid by BOTH backers AND layers, and indeed 50-50!***

The issue here is to learn how to bet correctly when we have to deal with probabilities. Do you believe an event to have 80% probability and you find small ****odds** of 1.40? Wrong! I remind you, 80% \* 1.40 = 1.12\. You in fact DON’T get 12% profit!

Do you have a feeling about an event, your method dictates 50% probability but the ****odds** offer 1.75 and you still want to back it? Wrong again! You MUST submit a LAY! Remember, 1.75 \* 50% = 0.875\. You DON’T get 12.5% profit!

You examine a 50% event on 2.05 ****odds**? Do you calculate the ****commission**, arrive to a number below 1 and decide to lay? Wrong! You should consider the ****commission** even when you lay. When 2.05 is 1.9975 after ****commission** for backing, it is 2.116 for laying after ****commission** (do you own calculations to see if you are right). 2.116 \* 50% results a number well above 1 and “that” above 1 is your losses[ in the long run](https://jimmakos.com/2007/04/winning-long-run/)!

[Read here how you can calculate the ****commission** you pay to Betfair.](https://jimmakos.com/2007/11/calculate-commission-betfair/)
### Tutorial: Trading Charts in Betfair
URL: https://jimmakos.com/tutorial-trading-charts-betfair/
Last updated: 2024-06-04T06:48:36.000Z
Using as a reference the races taking place in Ascot these days, we will examine the fixed odds’ charts regarding technical analysis, which is widely spread in the financial markets.

Cockney Rebel was the favorite in the 3.45 race at odds of 2.20\. 10 minutes before the start of the race the chart was like this:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/CockneyRebelchart17-45ascot.gif)

The volume traded was about 2,000,000€ (yes, million) and judging by the chart, we could conclude that we would witness an accelaration of the downtrend at 2.20, where the blue lines collude, or violent reverse action. We weren’t sure and we would do something invaluable which many usually forget. PATIENCE!

Eventually the odds fell even more and big bets were placed. Let’s see how things evolved:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/CockneyRebelchart17-45ascotstart.gif)

We can see that at that 2.20 spot, a 40,000€ bet was placed forcing the odds even lower. Big volume increase (mainly the mean price of it) with simultaenous sudden price rise or fall, is everything in technical analysis. So, at that point we back the horse and wait. After a while, we witness an inactivity period and here I’d advise closing our positions when we see this inactivity to avoid unpleasant conditions. Indeed, and while the inactivity was accompanied by volume increase (tha bottom vertical lines get bigger as time goes by) – a bad sign for our position, it means the price is pushed but the trend has stopped – a big bet came and corrected the price leading it up (yellow arrows). It would have been a good choice if we had gone out earlier or at that exact moment. However, the price wouldn’t climb over 2.20 (blue line which turns into green) and in fact we verify a peak at the purple arrow which ends the uptrend correction.

During the last 10 minutes prior to the race’s start, big amounts of money appeared as the following picture shows. While the other offers are around 10-20,000€, there is 170,000€ for sale (back) at 2.18! In comparison with the total volume (2,7mil €) it is an enormous amount and the biggest proof that it is a bet that doesn’t want to be matched, but rather wants to push the market downward. This phenomenon is called “spoofing”.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ascot17-45.gif)

A couple of seconds before the start, things were like the image shows. Oh yes, 4 million euros in 5-7 minutes in just a horse race. No comments.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/ascot17-45start.gif)

Let’s see one more example. A bit earlier at the Thirsk 3.30 race, 5 minutes before the start, Trees of Green was trading like this:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/treesofgreenchart17-30.gif)

A rather good choice would be to lay at the pink arrow (4.50) and back at the blue one (6.0). However, take a look what happened 1 minute before the start of the race.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/2treesofgreenchart17-30.gif)

Starting from 6.0 it reached 8.8, and if we think how much we would have won if we traded like before but without closing at 6.0, we would consider if technical analysis is meaningful after all.

Still, notice the simultaneous volume increase (usual fact in betfair, where the bets are increased constantly while we approach the start of the events, not just the horse racing but the rest as well).

The article was published at Betfairinfo.gr.
### Make Money Trading Fixed Odds in Horse Racing
URL: https://jimmakos.com/make-money-trading-fixed-odds/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T11:12:12.000Z
Let’s examine what it means to bet and mainly trade the horse racing markets and make money out of it. As an example, we will refer to a Brighton race, which offers the favorite horse at odds of 3.00\. Before submitting our bets, we’d better do some configuration in the “options” box, put by Betfair in the upper right corner of the image. Upon entering this menu, we apply the following changes:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/options.gif)

Then, if we want to bet on the favorite horse, we enter our stake and our screen looks like this, depending on the amount.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/betonromany.gif)

If, on the other hand, we wish to lay the favorite, then we will face a screen like the following:

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/layromany.gif)

Let’s say now that we want to trade the fixed odds of that horse and in our opinion we believe the odds will drop. We will firstly back the horse and in case the odds fall, we will close our position putting a lay. In other words, we back at 3.00 and lay eventually at 2.70, securing a profit on that particular horse.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tradesteam.gif)

On the other hand, if we think the odds will climb, then we lay first and finally back the horse. All the above are done always with the same amount. We again secure a profit on the horse.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/tradedrift.gif)

This kind of trading is done either [prior to the start of the race](https://jimmakos.com/betfair-trading-football-betting-make-money-before-kick-off/) , or [during the race](https://jimmakos.com/charts-trading-opportunities-in-play/) (with a lot bigger risk). We secure a profit on the Romany Princess in both ways, while if we are wrong in our predictions and the odds move against us, we will have a loss on the horse but zero risk on the other horses. However, we usually want to secure a profit on all horses, whatever the outcome of the race. Then we are able to divide that profit equally (or in any other way) to the other horses. All these, of course, if we are correct in our predictions. For instance, in the 2nd situation when the odds drift, we could submit the following bets, taking a profit whatever horse wins the race.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/evenprofit.gif)

These betting options as we see are unique and entirely new to the betting community, offering many additional acting and betting methods. If the bettor experiments a little with the amounts and the odds like the examples show, he will easily be able to get into the meaning and the philosophy behind trading . Surely, the examples, the help and the instructions don’t stop here. The above were merely the first steps!

[Sports Trading: How I Made Money as a Sports Betting Odds TraderSports trading for a living can be done. Here’s what worked for me as a full-time sports betting odds trader making money by predicting how betting odds move.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2022/10/sports-trading-betfair.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)
### Betfair Charts and Sports Trading In-play
URL: https://jimmakos.com/charts-trading-opportunities-in-play/
Last updated: 2024-08-06T11:16:50.000Z
After reading about the [trading options before kick-off](https://jimmakos.com/2009/03/betfair-trading-football-betting-make-money-before-kick-off/) , let’s see now what the game between Liverpool and Milan in the Champions Cup final really offered to the bettors and mainly traders in-play.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/milaninplay.gif)

Milan started trading at 2.50, climbed to 3.25 just before the foul kick, and fell to 1.50 when Inzaghi score. A trader could have backed before the goal scoring and then laying either when he scored, or after waiting for some more profits, which indeed was true as Liverpool wasn’t scoring. On the second goal the odds reached 1.01 and the late Liverpool’s goal didn’t affect at the Milan odds.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/overinplay.gif)

Then we see the Over 2.5 goals chart, which had big variance, and we shouldn’t forget that is was a winning bet. While it was not a favorite prior to the kick-off, the odds began at 2.50 (lay), and before the first goal we could back at about 6.0 securing big profits. Even if we didn’t back then, we could still close our position without losses right after the goal (since odds fell to 2.50 again), or we could wait for the second half to kick in when the odds drifted up to 13.00, offering the inital layer a lot of profits. Still, even after 2-0, the odds continued to be traded higher than 2.50, giving us the opportunity to profit without risking anything before Liverpool scored the 3rd goal. However, had we not backed at all, we would have lost all the inital amount.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/over45inplay.gif)

Now, let’s say someone had started by backing over 2.5 right before the foul kick (6.0). He could lay at 3.0 after the first goal. Another option is backing at the second half (odds 10.00) and trade out at 4.0(2-0) or even let it run and win his bet at odds of 10.0!!

[Sports Trading: How I Made Money as a Sports Betting Odds TraderSports trading for a living can be done. Here’s what worked for me as a full-time sports betting odds trader making money by predicting how betting odds move.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w256h256/2024/02/jim-makos-health-wealth-make-money-online-stay-healthy-documentary-filmmaker-working-from-home.png)Jim MakosJim Makos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/size/w1200/2022/10/sports-trading-betfair.jpg)](https://jimmakos.com/sports-trading/)

Another interesting bet was Over 4.5 goals which also had big variance as we can see from the graph. It sould be noted here that this kind of bet could be combined with the above (over 2.5), according to what we’ve mentioned about Combining bets. While the “over 2.5” bet was a winner, this one lost and we could also keep an eye on “over 3.5 goals” which might offer good trading opportunities.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/asianlive.gif)

Here, we see the graph of one of the asian handicap bets which was offered before and after the kick off. We could trade it as well by backing at 2.10 and laying at 1.40 for some nice profits.

The last graph shows a long-term bet, known as “Champions League Winner”, particularly for Milan. Innumerous trading capabilities in the whole Champions League duration from the very start and not just for the last day. Continuous opportunities for trading, mainly by backing first and laying for closing the position. Worth mentioning the peeks of the graphing line, which represent tough games for Milan, when they actually even faced elimination.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/44/8d/448d9c80-c34d-4d74-8a89-3db10bee06f2/content/images/2020/12/milanwinner.gif)

Lastly, we should take account the more than impressive fact that NO aforementioned bet or trade did actually depend on the final result! As a matter of fact, we traded the odds in relation to the events during the game and the championship. Bettors/traders could have secured protifs by trading without waiting for the final minute or the final outcome.
### Commission in Online Gambling from Poker to Stock Trading
URL: https://jimmakos.com/commission-gambling/
Last updated: 2024-12-01T05:21:45.000Z
All these gambling investments are taken place in an environment, which provides some services. And what do I mean by that…

Let”s say that someone has found an edge in poker. He finds 3-4 other players who also think that they have found an edge against other players (usually in poker terms, edge has the meaning of skill) and all together want to sit and play. They have, however, many problems to confront such as, who will keep the money until the end of the game, who brings the chips, who will guarantee for the decks, who provides the house, etc.

So, they have another friend who doesn't play poker, but is offering a room in his house, a poker table, chips and he is the one keeping the money, so that the team can play their game totally concentrated. Well, this friend is providing these services and is charging them some money, which is his *commission*.

Respectively, stock brokers charge commissions for their orders (since without them, traders couldn't work), online poker rooms charge commission (rake) for the games the gamblers can play there, betting exchanges charge their commission for the [trading platforms](https://jimmakos.com/bet-angel/) they provide to bettors/traders, etc.

Does that commission affect the investment”s performance? But of course! And greatly as a matter of fact. However, commission”s influence depends on the field of gambling, the strategy, the money management and the way the commission is implied (per order, per bet, per time frame, etc.).

Therefore, the pro gambler needs to find his field of action, his edge, to [take into account the commission](https://jimmakos.com/calculate-commission-betfair/) and… Is he then ready for the long run profit?

If only it was that simple (although for some it already sounds complicated!).
### Winning in the Long Run
URL: https://jimmakos.com/winning-long-run/
Last updated: 2024-09-02T07:54:47.000Z
Winner in the Long Run. That's the goal of every [professional gambler](https://jimmakos.com/professional-gambler/) out there.

Investments in general show their performance in annual report, in many years” report or in monthly basis. Investment in gambling doesn”t fall away from that. The expected gain of the edge of a gambler is between 1-10% in the long run, being a month or years. Rarely and in specific occasions gains of 25% are reported although that sort of investments will most probably remain secret and known to few people.

However, there is still an important difference between gambling”s investment and, for example, a bank”s investment. A bank account might have an 1% interest. Although the interest will be paid in the end of the year, it is added each day. That is, if there are $10,000 for 30 days in a bank account on 1%, there will be a profit of about $10 (instead of $100 for the whole year).

In gambling things change. In 30 days’ time there can be a loss of 5% and the next 30 days profits of 15%. Simply put, we can say that in that 60 days, the profit was 7-8%. How many gamblers would have been disappointed the first 30 days and would stop the investment, when it would turn up a profit?

From the example above we conclude that “winner in the LONG RUN” means a lot in gambling.

Is it however really a zero-sum game (that is, the loss of a gambler is profit for another) or, in order to calculate the investment”s performance, [some other things must be taken into account](https://jimmakos.com/2007/04/commission-gambling/)?