I posted this opinion in the WOV thread about gambling forums. (Post #3719) I’m asking Dan to remove that posts content since I moved it here. (except for the first and last paragraph which directly relates to the thread and was removed from this post) I think the opinions for gambling forums deserves a more open debate on its own.

There is one thing no one wants to talk about or ever mentions. What is the actual purpose of all these different gambling web-sites that exist? Does anyone believe these different righteous owners of these gambling sites are putting up money to run these sites with the hopes of anonymous posters being able to gain any edge on casinos, or how they could earn a free burger and fries? If so, why? You could buy perfect play cards for video poker, BJ, etc. directly in the casino lobby. Other than already dead information no one is going to teach you the best way to use it. They did that with video poker and blackjack and now for the most part those games became nothing more than a typical slot machine game with a slightly slower death. Once in awhile a casino promo comes up where these games are smarter to play, and of course the exceptions like 15 year veterans named KJ. LOL For the most part it's all dead information.


The actual facts of the matters are these owners are obviously associated with or are gamblers and are taking a chance no different than investing in a penny stock, with the hopes and prays of spiking a winner. The perfect example of this risk is Shank and his sites. You have to give him credit for creating a site (don’t think he actually created the site first) teaching the math about gambling generating a lot of traffic. Yes, he was brought down to his knees after years and begging for money to help run it. (math didn't hold up for him) But his penny stock mining company struck gold just in time before the doors were about to close, thanks to offshore online gaming interests. Not to mention their and Shanks lack of concerns about illegal money transfers to foreign gambling sites from the USA. If you get in trouble for it I'm sure Shank won't answer the phone.


The difference with his gold strike and other ones like Casinomeister in Europe, is the owner of Casinomeister is in direct collusion with the online casinos where its legal. He is lobbied and influenced no different than politicians for cash, all the while pretending to protect the suckers who play. Plus, he owns the web-site he promotes from. To give him credit he does help players when the casinos are blatantly obvious crooks. But I certainly would feel a little better with a regulator making any tough decisions over issues than a person who is on the casino’s payroll collecting checks from them.


Now Mike Shank actually sold his site and is now just a shill for foreign offshore gambling interests. They just don’t have influence on him anymore, they own him. The site is being run and controlled like a dictatorship by the people that own it. Mike Shank could care less about anyone that goes to or belongs to the club, (just recently telling his AP's if they don't like it to take a walk) or whatever happens to the sites down the road. He doesn’t own them. He has no choice but to play along. I would guess he would have rather collected his money and made a run for it. But he can’t.


The other sites like here look and try to create enough traffic and hope to be realized by gambling lobbyist’s for advertisements. All these other owners including Dan can make all the claims they want about their concerns of free speech, their concerns of teaching unknown people how to benefit from casinos, how to play games, etc. But the truth is their waiting for the lobbying contact, and along the way maybe some AP will privately turn them onto a profitable play. The risk of investment is peanuts with no down side if things don't work out.

If you’re reading these sites hoping to find any active AP play worthwhile, you’re only kidding yourself. If you’re lucky you’ll locate some two-bit play that’s already played out or expired. This fact falls into place for every type and form of gambling.

Math questions are something else. But once you’ve discussed your math question what’s left?

I guess my real question is why do you think forum site owners invest or even bother taking on the troubles to run one? I think Dan said when he bought this place from Alan, he wanted a place to post his sports picks. Really Dan? I’d like to challenge anyone’s sports picks with a coin flip and compare results.