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One of the cruel ironies of human existence is that bountiful gifts are often given to those who cannot handle them. Beauty and money come immediately to mind, but talent in a particular discipline is often bestowed upon those who cannot maximize it to its greatest potential. Still others are unwittingly destroyed by some trait or characteristic that makes them exceptional. That’s what makes an athlete like Michael Jordan so exceptional-seldom are awesome talent, desire, discipline and dedication found in the same package in such prodigious abundance. The mass of humanity often reaps the benefits of their talents despite their external flaws. Such was the case with poker great Stu Ungar, who was found dead in his room at the Oasis Motel in Las Vegas on November 22,’98.

The only way to accurately describe Ungar’s poker skills is to evoke a sports metaphor–Ungar’s skills at the card table were like those of Michael Jordan or LeBron James on the basketball court. Ungar’s greatest accomplishment was his three World Series of Poker victories, an accomplishment not far removed from Michael Jordan’s six NBA titles. While countless volumes have been written on poker strategy, Ungar’s understanding of the game was almost instinctive. Although he won millions playing poker, the amazing reality was that it was essentially a ‘plan C’ for him as a professional card player. He started as a Gin Rummy prodigy, but quickly ran out of willing opponents in his native New York. He then moved to Nevada, and cleaned out the gin players in the Silver State. He turned to blackjack out of necessity and was almost instantly successful, only to be barred as a card counter at a number of Las Vegas casinos. Needing a new way to earn money as a card player, he took up poker.

The cruel irony of Ungar’s life, however, was that masterful as he was at the poker table he was equally as inept at life beyond the casino walls. He was addicted to drugs for most of his life, and gambled away millions betting on sports and golf (a game he played despite being horrible at it). After his WSOP win in’97, he was nearly broke and wasted away from drug use by the time the’98 tournament rolled around. Vegas casino owner Bob Stupak bankrolled him, but as the games began Ungar cowered in his darkened hotel suite at Binion’s unable to pull himself together enough to play.

Other stories of Ungar’s troubled life away from the poker tables evoke the same theme: buying a new Mercedes with cash after a WSOP victory and driving it until it fell apart from lack of maintenance; signing mortgage papers as he played in the Dunes poker room; losing 1.5 million dollars betting on sports in the course of a weekend.

Ungar’s death came as something of a shock as he’d shown signs of cleaning up his act. Longtime friend Bob Stupak and helped pay off his debts and staked him in the major poker tournaments. Ungar was found dead two days after the two had drawn up a formal contract. Ungar also left behind an ex-wife and a teenage daughter, who still live in Las Vegas. Though the official cause of death was listed as a ‘heart attack’, there were a mixture of drugs found in his system including cocaine and methadone.

Most of the famous gamblers of Las Vegas legend-guys like Puggy Person and Doyle Brunson– have been tough, larger than life individuals with a healthier than normal dose of self-preservation skills. In this respect, Ungar was an anomaly among gambling greats-he was physically frail and almost completely helpless away from the poker table. With a handful of cards and a pile of chips, however, he became a ruthless and indomitable warrior. His story is certainly not one that the modern day, publicity conscious Las Vegas will celebrate. He will be remembered, however, as part of the tradition that gives the city its unique character. From the mobsters that pioneered the city, to the Rat Pack that civilized it, to the corporations that cleaned it up, characters like Stu Ungar have provided the spice that makes Las Vegas America’s ‘Paris in the desert’. Ungar may never have a statue on Fremont Street, but his spirit will live on.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer who covers travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.

There’s a strange dichotomy between the complexity of high level sports handicapping and the amount of theoretical literature on the subject. While successful sports betting is a complex and difficult pursuit, there’s very little that’s been written on the subject from a serious theoretical angle. For that reason, it can be helpful to delve into the wealth of books available to the serious poker player for insights that can be applied to sports betting.

Poker–like sports betting–can be a profitable endeavor, and one in which knowledge and skill can counteract the theoretical odds against him. Legendary poker theorist Bob Caro once noted that while there are some professional poker players, sports bettors or blackjack players there’s not a single professional roulette player.

The reason for that is that the house advantage in roulette is too high to overcome by any combination of skill, money management, strategy or discipline. To throw in another Caro concept, its a case where the decisions made by the roulette player simply don’t have a role in overcoming the house advantage. Over the long haul whether you choose red or black, even or odd the house edge remains the same.

Caro stresses the paramount importance of discipline to a poker player’s long term success and profitability. It’s important to keep in mind that to succeed as a professional gambler that you need to approach a trip to the casino with a diametrically opposite mindset to that of the recreational gambler. A recreational gambler heads to the casino to *avoid* discipline and ‘unwind’. The professional uses discipline to his advantage.

Caro’s emphasis on discipline in poker is also true for the serious sports gambler. The foundation of a professional sports bettor’s long term success is to approach it with the same discipline, rigor and professionalism that he would any other job. If you continue to think about it in the same terms as the recreational gambler does, you’re in for a difficult road. The more seriousness that you bring to your sports betting, the higher the likelihood that you’ll be successful.

There’s nothing wrong with being a recreational sports gambler, or a recreational gambler of any sort. They’re vital to those of us who do this for a living since they’re what keeps casinos and sportsbooks in business. Ultimately, the best handicapping is pointless without a sportsbook to take the action.

The life of a professional sports bettor isn’t for everyone, and if you just want to bet recreationally and have fun with it that’s great. While a few theoretical tips here and there won’t hurt, the only discipline that really matters for a recreational player is the same thing for any other hobby–don’t spend more on it than you can afford to. After that, you’re on your own to have fun with it.

Ross Everett is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports and is in charge of providing daily free sports picks to a variety of websites and broadcast media outlets. He is a widely published freelance writer specializing in sports handicapping, horse racing, wombat breeding and falconry. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a wombat.

One of the most relaxing and satisfying feelings is when you finally find a few moments in the day that are all your own, when you can unwind with a nice cigar. However, cigar smoking is not as easy as just grabbing a stogie and lighting it up.

Should you choose a Zippo pipe lighter for your cigar? What brand of cigar should you try first? Should you remove the band around the cigar or leave it on as you smoke?

Should they remove the band that is on the cigar or should they leave it on? While this might seem like a trivial question, you might be surprised at just how important it is. When it comes to cigar etiquette, you will find that there are certain things you should do and certain things that are considered rude. If you are only smoking your cigar at home, and you don’t have a lot of friends over, then you can feel free to leave the label on the cigar. However, when you are smoking around others who know a thing or two about cigars, you should take the band off.

Why would leaving the band on your cigar be rude? Well, the band contains as much information about the cigar as you would likely ever need to know. Those who are knowledgeable about cigars will be able to tell not only the brand of cigar, but also the approximate amount of money that you spent on it. When you have an expensive cigar and leave the band on, it can look as though you are bragging about your wealth in some people’s eyes. You can avoid the envious glares of others around you by simple removing the band and enjoying your cigar.

Since most people don’t like to brag and consider it unbecoming, you can simply remove the band. The best way to remove the band easily is by lighting the cigar and smoking it for a moment. As the heat course through the cigar, it will loosen the label and make it easy to remove. You can discretely remove the label and discard it without inadvertently offending anyone. Etiquette is very important in the world of cigar smokers, and if you want to do things right you should take the time to learn the various traditions.

Brian is a business consultant for an online specialty torch lighters store and has expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including table lighters.

Lighters have come a long way in the past few decades. The first blue-flame lighters were interesting enough but, today, there are innovative designs which are even more attractive to the eye. These lighters have two, sometimes three flames which create quite a visual display and will most certainly turn heads!

A torch cigar lighter with multiple flames has its uses and its place but offers pros and cons which sometimes make a torch with only a single jet preferable in some situations. Most often this has to do with practical considerations.

Single flame lighters have the advantages of being easy on fuel, of providing reliable lighting and of being compact. Because lighting a cigar is a complex process, one may find that these lighter’s efficiency is desirable as constantly refueling the lighter can become something of a hassle. They are available in designs which feature an elegance commensurate with smoking a cigar and they provide an even, hot-burning flame that can be directed toward the tobacco which makes lighting the stogie very easy and convenient.

The double-jet lighters are very attractive and have advantages for certain types of smoking. Those who enjoy smoking a pipe will appreciate the compromise between a wide area of flame coverage and a compact design. The lighter’s spread of flame will generally fit within the space of most pipe bowls and the fact that these jets will remain directed where pointed, even when completely inverted, makes them especially handy for lighting up a pipe correctly. The butane fuel means that there is no taste given to tobacco with these lighters.

Lighters are oftentimes chosen for aesthetic reasons and this is a concern when choosing a jet style. The multi-jet lighters are larger, obviously, and less convenient to carry around. Consider leaving the multi-jet lighter at home and carrying around a single-jet model as they have a very slim profile and slip easily into a pocket. These lighters may not be quite as flashy but a blue flame’s still quite a sight. Of course, the smell of an expensive cigar is also very attention-getting and any one of these lighters are one of the best choices for firing up a good stogie.

Brian is a business consultant for an online specialty triple flame torch lighter store and has expert knowledge of zippo blu lighters.

Zippo lighters require some care when refueled. The liquid fuel used is slow to evaporate”thus, the lighter’s famous windproof performance”and can damage surfaces in addition to posing a fire hazard. It is also a skin irritant so caution must be exercised immediately after refueling the lighter, particularly by individuals with sensitive skin.

As anyone who has ever spilled it on a painted surface certainly knows, lighter fluid is an excellent solvent. The lighter fluid itself can be used to wipe away any carbon or other impurities from the lighter. Simply put a small amount on a cotton swab and clean around the workings of the lighter. For the best results, pull out the flint and clean around the wheel, around the screen and around the wick and lever. In no time, the lighter will be looking like new!

To eliminate any taste, one should either quickly exhale the first few puffs of a cigar or a pipe or not inhale the first drag of a cigarette. Most smokers who use Zippos habitually are familiar with this compromise. The reliability, durability and style of the lighters is oftentimes more than enough to compensate for this minor inconvenience. The higher quality fuels will usually be available at high-end tobacconists and lighter dealers. They cost a bit more than the discount types but offer a superior smoking experience, according to many aficionados. Lighter fluid, of course, must be handled with care.

Zippos are enormously durable and reliable lighters and they offer a nice alternative to the wasteful, unreliable and cheap disposable lighters that crowd the market. There are butane lighters, however, such as Nibo lighters, which offer a nice, mess-free alternative to liquid-fueled lighters. Which one is best depends upon the user.

A well cared-for liquid-fueled can easily provide several generations of service. These devices are incredibly simple which is a large part of their long-lasting nature. By keeping them clean and by using high-quality fuel, one can be assured of getting their money’s worth. Remember to never substitute any other fuel for the lighter fluid called for by these lighters. This can be dangerous to both the user and the lighter itself and is certainly not safe for smoking purposes.

Brian is a buisiness consultant of an online torch lighters store and has expert knowledge of zippo pipe lighters.