Not much to give thanks for here, I’m afraid.

None of my predicted upsets panned out, so everything just want to CRAP. I certainly picked the right weekend to go to Vegas, which pretty much meant going any weekend but this one.

Got another invite for another Vegas jaunt before Christmas… I’m thinking I might stick to betting horse races if this sort of crap keeps up. I think I misread a lot of the emotions that go into a lot of the rivalries that paired off this weekend. Either that, or the much more likely prospect that I have no idea what the hell I’m doing & have just been lucky the past few weeks.

Well, at least I ate well this week.

A pathetic 4-12-1 in college games, and a so-so 3-2 in the pros, with a loss of $210.

Season Totals:
College: 128-119-5
NFL: 35-32-1
Total Money Bet: $4664, up $491

There’s still time to turn this trend around before I put together my bowl game bets…. Stay tuned!

It was a warm 74 degrees on a perfect New Orleans Sunday. I slept late, but headed out to the track to meet some friends to catch some racing. The streets were fairly empty, especially since the Saints don’t play until tomorrow night. Until I hit Claiborne, of course. It’s Bayou Classic weekend right now, and the place is crowded with alumni and tourists. The game was yesterday, the Battle of the Bands/Greek Step Show on Friday, so I wasn’t at all surprised to see a parade getting ready to roll. I watched for a bit and then respectfully crossed the street and headed on my way. Now, going to the track on Thanksgiving is an old tradition here in New Orleans. A couple of years ago I went with friends and was shocked by the number of people there. Most days, however, the Fairgrounds seem empty, and even the folks who are there are sitting in the OTB, placing bets. Like any gambling place, it’s kinda depressing. I mean, gambling is a total set up, and one that preys on folks who can least afford to lose. Like most things in life that are incredibly problematic, gambling is also a whole lot of fun. The empty Fairgrounds meant once I locked up the Surly, I easily ran to the rails just in time to snap this picture of the horses running the first quarter of the fourth race. I had a lovely day, sitting in the sun, watching, listening, and feeling grateful I’d forgotten my money and credit cards at home. One thing, though–the Fairgrounds needs a few bike racks. There was barely room on the fence for all of us to awkwardly lean our rides.

Here are the post in the series by Phil Johnson on the morality of gambling:

1. Is Gambling OK? Don’t Bet on It
2. Gambling: Some Definitions and Distinctions
3. Answering a couple of objections
4. Oh, and one more thing . . .
5. Gambling vs. Faithful Stewardship
6. Does ‘Mutual Consent’ Eliminate the Evil in Gambling?
7. A good question
8. The Sin of Putting God to the Test
9. Gambling: The Moral Antithesis of Charity

So one thing I’ve wanted to do since I’ve started college is travel and I’m going to get the opportunity from now until next August when I start my “real job.”

December 2009

Lexington, KY: Nothing exciting, just going to get money.

Minneapolis, MN: Mystic Lake Casino + Blake Tournament. I’m pumped.

January 2010

Nashville, TN: Nothing, may cancel

Biloxi, MS: Round 2 for Melissa’s Birthday. Martin Luther King, I’m preparing to celebrate your birthday right!

February 2010

Birmingham, AL: May stop by the Atmore casino again.

May 2010

Lexington, KY: The TOC + Kentucky Derby. I will be betting this year.

June 2010

Kansas City, KS: NFL Nationals + Tons of Casinos.

I’m looking for a trip to Vegas some time next semester. Who knows – probably will happen in the summer

Read some interesting betting related articles. This time the subject is Virtual Betting.

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A day at Caymanas

I don’t often agree with the views expressed by local media, but I can get behind this Sundays editorial. The church has no business attacking gambling on Sunday in the way that they have done, and the government caving in shows a decided lack of spine, pandering for votes, and little knowledge of how (or perhaps little desire) to balance the rights and interests that arise.

Going to church should not be because you have nothing else to do on Sunday. You should go to church because you have been so inspired by the church elders that your faith is strong and you fight the temptation to pursue more worldly desires.

The Seventh Day Adventists are one of the fastest growing branches of Christianity in the world and already represent a significant percentage of Christians in Jamaica. Combined with the Jews, should they follow the precedent being set and lobby for a ban on horse racing or any activities that take away from the Lords time on Saturday?

Why is it that they can grow their numbers, fill collection bags every Saturday, fill churches and temples every Saturday, build new ones, and never see the need to cry down the rest of society? What makes them so special that they can live and let live and yet their congregation does not suffer?

The answer is simple. As I said above, the elders and pastors of the church must inspire and teach and if their works are true then their congregations will remain righteous. But of course some churches are more intent on filling the collection bags, and THAT is why they are afraid of Sunday horseracing. Perhaps if they spent more time teaching the word of the Lord the congregation would stay regardless of what else is going on in the world.

It’s Thanksgiving weekend. I’ve spent three days in Florida with no one but old people to keep me company.  What else do I have to do?

Thumbs up: Lost Season 3. Okay, I really like Lost now.  Season one was pretty good. Season two was stellar. I’m now about 3/4ths of the way though season three and I’ll admit it, I am fully addicted invested. Yesterday, I refused to come to dinner because I still had 15 minutes of an episode left.

Thumbs down: I’m in Florida but it’s too cold to go to the beach

Thumbs up:

I made sweet potato casserole

Thumbs Down: Thanksgiving without any dressing.  We had a kitchen fiasco and it was ruined.

Thumbs up: Christmas!

Thumbs down: Christmas. Not ready yet.

Thumbs up: Beck’s Record Club project, which led me to download Skip Spence’s 1969 album “Oar.” I’m not sure how Skip Spence escaped my attention until now; it was a gross oversight. Thanks, Beck.

Thumbs down: My impending homelessness

Thumbs up: Living with Thomas’ record collection for two weeks.

Thumbs down: Not knowing how to get his record collection onto my laptop

Thumbs up: Yeasayer – “Ambling Alp”

Thumbs down: Russian train bombs

Thumbs up: Horseback riding for the first time in 2 years

Thumbs down: Not being able to walk straight the next day

A confused thumbs up: I don’t normally like OK Go, but I like this song.

Thumbs down: The Food Network. My dad and stepmom watch it. I don’t get it. Why do I want to watch someone else eat a hamburger?

Thumbs up: Beating my family at poker

I'm rich

Thumbs down: Realizing this was probably a fluke

Thumbs up: Having dinner with a 91-year-old woman who was a British spy during World War II

Thumbs down: Hitler

So everyone seems to have a person in their life that constantly produces gem quotes. For me, it’s my 87 year old grandma. After spending most of the week with her this week, I could write a book. Here are some of the winners.

(walking into a casino, hearing the slots) “It’s like music to my ears!”

“When I was younger, I could finish a case of beer!”- “Grandma, what do you consider a ‘case’?” -”Well… a 12 pack split between me and Al, he drank most of them.”

“Are you dating Sarah? If you are, you should wear your glasses on a date. Then you look more sophisticated.”

“A bearded man just walked in… is that Santa Claus?!?”

“I’m always hot, I’m a hottie!”

“The only good thing about the good ol days was 10 cent beer”

(In reference to me and my cousin in our pjs) “I told Ed there were two scantily clad girls in my room, he may stop by”

(points to the embroidered butterfly logo on the bottom of my tank top) “That’s sexy!!”

(I burp, but hold it in, Grandma stops her walker, and stares up at the ceiling confused) “Are people moving chairs around upstairs??”

“OH! I have a candy bar in my pocket!”

“I hope your mom didn’t get hiney. That’s what I call the H1N1!”

“I keep my booze in the bathroom.”

(Scoots her seat up in my car, squishing herself with the seatbelt) “AHH I can’t breathe!!”

She also asked me about 5 times if I was dating. I failed to mention match.com. I’ve taken a week off and nothing life changing has happened yet, still waiting for someone who doesn’t make me cringe! Ok I know, I’m going to hell for saying that

By Lucky Kalanges

With the 10 races at Aqueduct completed and 7 remaining at Hollywood Park, N.P. of Columbus, OH has a narrow lead over K.R. from Hollywood Florida in Youbet.com’s “Last Call for Vegas” qualifying contest for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship at the Red Rock Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas. The Top 3 finishers will earn a trip to Las Vegas to compete in the $1,000,000 NHC  with the 4th through 6th place finishers earning a seat at the Coast Casinos Horse Player World Series, which carries an estimated $700,000 purse.

More than 650 Youbet.com members have participated in the contest. The top six players as of 1:30 pm, Pacific Time, Saturday are as follows:

_______________________________________________________________________

Lucky Kalanges is the Director of Track Marketing at Youbet.com, Inc. Since 1998, he has been providing Youbet members with his unique insight to handicapping and the world of horse racing. His most recent claim to fame is cashing Win tickets on Dancing in Silks (25-1) and Furthest Land (21-1) on his Youbet.com account on Breeders’ Cup Day. You may contact him via email or through his Twitter account.

The opinions of our bloggers are their own and not necessarily the opinions of Youbet.com, Inc. Handicapping, Wagering Selections and Analysis are given for Informational Purposes Only and should not be used to make actual wagers. Bettors should perform their own research and use caution when wagering. Past Handicapping success is not an indication of future performance.

Floridians have been gambling for 120 years, often illegally. In one of the periodic crackdowns — this one in 1949 — the St. Petersburg police chief chops up a poker table.

Gambling has not always been legal in Florida but it has always been here. A century before the state established the lottery, legalized slot machines, and opened the doors to casinos on Seminole reservations, Henry Flagler was enticing high rollers to the state.