Monday, January 31, 2011

Mad props

It's been a while, but I've not forgotten about the Things I Love series of blog posts. What better way to jump back into things than to feature a Thing I Love fitting for the season: sports betting.

I enjoy gambling- I like the thrill of the games and the logic behind the betting. I've played poker since I was 13 or 14, with a coffee can of pennies I'd tote along on Boy Scout camping trips. I love table games like craps, black jack and roulette. In all those games though, the bet lasts only as long as a hand of cards, a roll of the dice, or a spin of the wheel.

Sports betting offers something unique: the ability to drag a bet out over several hours, or even longer, all the while enjoying an event in its own right. Just a few bucks on a game brings immediate attention to the contest, inciting interest where there previously may have been none. I'm way too cheap to bet more than a few bucks at a time, but it doesn't take much to create passion about something I may have not cared much about before.

One of my favorite parts of Finkbowl is the side action on the game- the bets on the coin toss and the commercials, the dollar-a-box bets, and the props throughout the game. I love looking at the list of props that are being offered by websites and casinos and finding interesting ones that are near even odds, then picking a side at random and placing a bet with someone (usually Judge). The fun in rooting for something crazy, like for more goals in the Penguins/Capitals game on Sunday than touchdowns in the Super Bowl (currently a prop offered at the above site), is well worth my dollar investment.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Resurrection

Like a phoenix from the ashes, Finkipedia rises again.

With Finkbowl XV next weekend, a new Idol season just kicking off, and pitchers and catchers reporting in just a few weeks, I figured it was time to get back to the blog you and I both love the most. Thanks to those who asked where I've been- I hope both of you enjoy the multitude of posts I have planned for the weeks ahead!

Lock down the internets- Finkipedia is live again!