Probably the most fun place to bet on horse racing is in person, at the Kentucky Derby. In fact, its often referred to as The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports, since it only lasts two minutes. Its also nicknamed The Run for the Roses which has more poetry to it. That name comes from the 554 roses that are draped over the winning horse every year. The Derby is a Grade I stakes race run by three year-old thoroughbred horses. The Kentucky Derby Festival starts in late April every year and the race itself is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville on the first Saturday in May. One reason this race gets talked about so much is the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. This is the first of three, followed by the Preakness Stakes then the Belmont Stakes, and the commentators love to speculate on the chances that the Derby winner can become one of the fabled Triple Crown winners. This is part of what makes it the most fun day in horse race betting. Betting at the track at the Kentucky Derby is perfectly legal, and it makes the day a lot more fun. Everyone likes to have a horse to cheer for. Everyone knows that spectators at the Derby are expected to drink Mint Julep, but what is it? Its simply bourbon, mint and sugar syrup. Its not for everyone, and if youre going to have a couple, make your bet first! Be sure to drink yours from a souvenir glass you can take home with you, instead of the traditional silver cup. The best place to see the race is a part of the stands called Millionaires Row, but it has that name for a reason. Its expensive and genuinely filled with famous people and rick people. The women often dress in exceptionally fancy outfits with outlandish and large hats. General admission spectators end up in the infield, inside the actual track. Its harder to see the race, but the mood is pure fun, excitement, and okay, a little bit of drunkenness. When you bet, the three easiest ways to win, to place, and to show. If youre only a casual bettor, make a conservative bet on one horse to win. That way you can cheer for one horse, and not worry so much about the betting paying off. Have fun!

Every year about this time a conference and exhibition is held called the ‘Online Bingo Summit’. This two day event examines many aspects of this recent rapidly growing phenomenon, and in order to gain an insight of what lies ahead this year we will look at some highlights from last year’s summit.

Last year the conference started by looking at some firm figures regarding market size and demographics, particularly with reference to geography. It then went on to examine TV advertising, SEO and affiliate activities to develop a cost benefit model of marketing strategies. Using Ireland as a specific study, less traditional marketing activities such as blogs and promotions such as fashion shows were examined. One focus of this was to target specific player profiles rather than just to maximise the total number of players.

The summit went on to provide a number of unique opportunities for networking between the attendees, with one to one introductions and other ice-breaking strategies.

This was followed by a special panel meeting of Chat Room moderators. This included discussions on the Chat Room Moderator’s role and how he or she might best create the right sort of chat environment. Another panel looked in depth at affiliate marketing models, including social networking.

Following these panel meetings the conference went on to look at the latest technologies behind online bingo. The emphasis of this was on user experience and brand building. Tips were provided on to how best select the bingo software platforms for specific business models.

Day 2 started by examining the business trends involving mergers and acquisitions, something that has underpinned much of the commercial development of online bingo over the last year. This was followed by a discussion of the ways in which providers could discover more about the habits of their customers and consequently use this information to optimise their customers’ experience. Following on from this in a similar vain there was discussion regarding payment strategies and developing customer loyalty.

The final afternoon was concerned mainly with legal aspects of online gaming and the possible effects of recent legislation.

This year the conference kicks off on June 16th and promises to be an insightful event.