Think back five to ten years ago… if you wanted to play some poker you had two options; call over a few friends, or head over to your nearest casino. Now, through the power of the internet, you can play poker and win/lose money from the comfort of your own home! Poker is now bigger than ever and everyone wants to get in on the action!

My good friend Neil Patel is about to take the online poker world by storm with his new blog, Online Poker Lowdown, where he covers everything from learning how to play poker, to mastering the arts of bluffing,  and teaching others how to master the game without having to lose their wallets.

Being a close friend of Neil for many years now, I already know that everything he touches turns to gold, so I’m very excited to see what Neil has in store for his readers at OnlinePokerLowDown.com.

Are You the Next Poker Rockstar in the Making?

Just like building a business, learning how to win at poker takes a lot of time and effort. That is why Neil created Online Poker LowDown, to help you learn the game and become a poker pro! Whether you’ve won or lost thousands of dollars playing poker, or just play for fun, you need to download Neil’s free guide to learning how to play poker like a rockstar.

The best way to get good at poker is by playing it, alot!… but Neil sums it up best in the following…

At first I tried to read as much information online about poker, but I couldn’t find one good website that could help you go from not knowing anything about poker to becoming an expert.

After a while I just gave in and decided that I would get good at it by playing in countless tournaments and games. And I have to say it worked really well. The problem was I lost over $13,000 before I started to get good at the game.

For that reason, I decided to start Online Poker Lowdown. And as I mentioned earlier, although I can’t guarantee that you’ll win the next WSOP, if you decide to join the Online Poker Lowdown community I can promise you 3 things:

1.    You’ll become a poker rockstar – if you are willing to put the time and effort into getting good at poker, I promise that I’ll do everything in my power to make you a poker rockstar. From teaching you about the basics to helping you with advanced poker strategy.

2.    I’ll save you money – I can’t guarantee that you won’t lose money, but I’ll help you avoid the dumb mistakes I made so you won’t have to spend $13,000 to get good at poker.

3.    I’ll never brag – a lot of people like talking about how much money they make playing poker. You’ll never have to worry about that with me because it does no good for me to brag. Just think of it this way, if I told you how I made thousands dollars playing poker will it help you make thousands of dollars? No! So there is no point in me bragging.

Don’t have $13,000 to blow on playing poker? Download Neil’s free guide “How to Win Heads Up” and subscribe to his RSS blog feed for all future posts and poker updates. Let me know what you think!

While at BlogWorld it was amazing to see how many people are not making money with their blog, or at least not fully monetizing their blog for a potential revenue stream. Though some of this information may seem basic to seasoned affiliates and bloggers, the purpose is to help and increase revenue growth and awareness for bloggers of all sizes. Here are a few ways that you can start making money with your personal or business blog.

1.)    Google Adsense
What has been referred to as many as “webmaster welfare”, is sometimes the best solution for beginners. For those just starting out with a blog, or unsure how to start making money, Google Adsense is a good way to start. As a blogger, all you need to do is place a simple line of code on your blog and Google Adsense will place relevant contextual ads on your web site based on your written content. However, since Google is doing all of the work, you will be receiving a small cut for the actual amount of advertising you are given.

2.)    Direct Advertising
One of the best ways (if not the best) to monetize your blog is to create your own on site advertising and to sell these spots yourself. Not only are you in control of what advertisements are on the site, but you are receiving full payment for each spot. The majority of blogs are implementing 125×125 ad spots on their pages for direct advertising.
- An excellent management system for selling ads on your blog is OIO Publisher. Many top bloggers are using this program to generate revenue monthly.

3.)    Paid Reviews
Once you have an established blog or brand, you may want to start offering services for exposure on your blog, such as a sponsored or paid review/post. The best way to offer paid reviews on your blog is to setup an advertising page for sponsored reviews, or you can also join “sponsored review” networks like ReviewMe and PayPerPost, which will feature your blog in their directory and send you new customers, in exchange for a commission percentage.

4.)    Contextual Advertising
Placing advertising on your site from Google Adsense is a form of contextual advertising, but it is also still also banner advertising and not displayed directly within your written content. There are many advertising networks out there like Kontera, which will find targeted keywords in your blog content and link them to specific advertisers. You are then paid per click to these advertisements.

5.)    Self Managed Content Links
Just like using any advertising network, the less work you have to do, usually the smaller margin you will receive. Instead of using  a company like Kontera, you can purchase a word press plugin (such as WP Affiliate Pro, which I also use) and manage your own content advertising. The best way to do this would be through affiliate networks and selecting offers that best match your content and linking up related keywords in your blog content.

6.)    Referrals
Depending on your blog niche market, you can earn commissions on referring your readers to other networks or web site. A great example of this is for affiliate marketing. If you refer an affiliate to a network, you can receive a percentage from all commissions they generate for the life of their account. Another example would be to provide your visitors to a service they are billed monthly for, some programs will then pay you a commission every month as long as they remain a subscriber.

7.)    Widget Based Programs
If you currently run a blog that is focused on product reviews or about any type of item sold in stores or online, you may find that “widget based” programs perform best with your blog. Programs like Chitika, WidgetBucks, Shopzilla and TZZ Media will all display relevant advertising on your blog, matching up with your content. Most of these programs pay on a per click basis. As most of these programs are widget based, you will have actual text and picture ads displayed on your blog, rather than just text within your content.

8.)    Contests & Promotions
Though you may not get paid for running contests or promotions on your blog, if you run them correctly, you can be compensated with a prize or additional advertising. Additionally, running contests will also increase your readership, as everyone likes free stuff! (Example: If you are running a niche blog on digital cameras and Nikon or Canon were to offer you a free camera to review and one to give away to your readers, this would be a great form of compensation, while offering great information to your readers.)

9.)    Consulting
One of the best ways for you to get exposure for yourself or your brand name, is through having a well known blog. As your readership and branding grows, you may be able to offer “consulting” services if you become a prominent and very knowledgeable in your niche area. There are many very big name bloggers out there who make all of their money off public speaking or consulting, and have NO advertisements on their blogs.

10.)    Self Branding
As cliché as it may sound, the “self branding” and exposure you can receive from your blog may end up being the most power asset you can receive. Not only are you building up your brand name, and people are rushing to your blog with every new post you write, but you are also becoming an expert in your niche area and advertisers will flock to you. As you gain a bigger presence online, you will also start networking more and more, which will only continue to grow your blog and your bottom line.

The most important thing to remember when trying to make money through blogging, is that it is NOT fast and it is NOT easy. It’s actually one of the slowest ways to make money online, and as a blogger you will need to establish yourself and continue to write quality content. It’s the long term value and connections you will establish over time that can make your blogging experience priceless.

Please contribute to the list with any other advertising options I may have missed or what you have found to be most profitable.

For the past couple of years now Affiliate Summit West has been held in Las Vegas. The first time around it was at the Riveria, then Bally’s and this year it will be at the Rio. Each time around, Shawn (founder of Affiliate Summit) has the hotel offer him discount rates on rooms, because of the attendance volume for an event. I have yet to pay for my stay in Vegas over the past three years during Affiliate Summit, and today I will show you how to do the same!

If you are attending Affiliate Summit this year in Vegas, it’s likely you will gamble a few times during your stay. The first thing you should do when arriving or entering a casino, is make sure you get yourself a players card. Not only will get a few comps, but you will establish a record and partnership with the casino. Now that the casino can track your game play, they will reward you for your time. If you are going to be gambling in Vegas, here are a few tips to consider while there for Affiliate Summit.

1.) GET A PLAYERS CARD
Whether you are a small player, or like to spend a few thousand on a roll of the dice… the casino wants your action. As a registered player at the casino you will be given a players card, which you place into any slot machines you play at, or hand to the dealer at any table games. While you are playing, you are earning points/rewards/comps, which are based on your average bet over the amount of time you are playing. Even if you only play a little, I highly recommend you get a players card. Lastly, most casinos in Las Vegas will actually have some sort of incentive to have new players signup for a players card, whether it be a free handbag or a $25 credit towards your game play.

2.) MAILING LIST
Once you have your players card, you will be added to the casino mailing list. Throughout the year you will receive a decent amount of promotions from the casinos… they want you back! From free rooms to free entertainment systems, depending on your level of game play, they will offer you anything. Depending on where you live, making a quick run to Las Vegas for a free 4 day/3 nights vacation might not be a bad deal. I’ve had offers sent from Vegas casinos to pick up $1200 Visa Gift cards, just for staying at their casino. Unfortunately, I’m on the other side of the country.

At least the SPAM I get from Casinos is Usefull!

3.) CASINO HOST
Depending on your level of game play, I would ask for a casino host. Once you arrive for check-in, you can ask the desk person where the VIP or Rewards Center is, from there you can ask for a casino host. The great thing about having a casino host, is that they can heavily help you with comps or any problems you have during your stay. If you are playing at table games for a while (where you earn comps/rewards slower than slots), and would like to get a comp’d dinner, simply contact your casino host so they can look at your game play. As long as you are a decent player with a nice average bet and playing for a while, the casino host shouldn’t have any problems writing you a complimentary dinner pass.

4.) LINE OF CREDIT
If you are a big gambler, you may want to setup a line of credit with the casino. Instead of walking around with a lot of cash, you can have the casino hold funds for you, then when you want to play at the tables, you simply tell the floor person how much you would like. They will then issue you a receipt to sign and your requested chip value. If you end up winning, you can bring the receipt to the cashier window and close out your line of credit… if you lose, you usually have 7-15 days to pay back the casino… usually by check. One would think, that setting up a line of credit in a casino would help with comps, or get you some free rooms… but it doesn’t, it merely lets you have access to more playing money.

5.) BILL EVERYTHING TO YOUR ROOM
Once you are setup with the casino and in your room, I highly recommend you bill everything possible to your room (instead of paying cash). Not only will you benefit from doing this, but it will make tracking all of your expenses a lot easier. If you are a decent sized player, this will play highly to your benefit at the end of your stay during check out.

6.) CHECK OUT
The checkout is the most important time in your stay at a casino. Before going down to the front desk and paying off your stay (assuming your rooms weren’t complimentary), you should go to the VIP Players or Rewards Center and try and talk with your host or any that are available. Hand them your players card and tell them you would like to see if there is anything they can do for you based on your game play and removing some of your costs. At the very least, they should be able to knock off a few dinners you had. If you won or lost big, they may wipe out your whole bill and let you go. This is why you should bill everything to your room!

I personally have a players card at nearly every casino in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Since I frequently visit Atlantic City, my rewards and game play that I earn in AC can be used or credited towards related properties in Las Vegas. It was extremely easy for me to call up the Rio and get my whole week’s stay complimentary. Since I play at Ceasars in Atlantic City (Harrah’s owns Ceasars & Rio)… they know I have a decent game play record, and would gladly invite me to their casino.

Offers Available through Harrah’s Online Reward Center

I highly recommend you grab a few players cards this time around in Las Vegas. By doing so, your visit to Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas next year, should be a lot cheaper. Assuming you don’t lose on the casino floor!

Last night Reena and I headed down to Resorts Casino in Atlantic City. They had sent us another of their weekly promotions for their “Ultra” players, this time it was a free 6-bottle thermoelectric wine cooler and a 12-piece stainless steel cookware set. Since we are down there a decent amount, the benefit of picking up these free promotions while down there is pretty amazing. Since I starting playing at Resorts in June, I have already received well over $2,000 worth in free promotions… and I usually only go down for the good ones!

Resorts, Trump, Hilton Casino… they all send me massive promotional offers!

After we picked up our goodies, we decided to play for a bit. At first I wanted to play some poker, but the tables games at resorts were full. Their poker room only has six tables or so, and their highest game was 2-4! After passing on that we went over to play some Craps. I started with $900, gave Reena $250 in chips to play with and I played with the other $650. Everything was going well and I threw a few points along with the rest of the table. About an hour or so passed and we were up a couple hundred combined. I was next in line to throw and we decided we would leave after my throw. Little did we know what was to come…

It was my turn to throw the dice and at this point we had around $1200 in chips. I’ve been playing in casinos for over five years now and have never seen anything like it… I threw for nearly two hours and hit 10 points in a row. (If you play Craps, you’ll understand the sheer insanity and odds of this ever happening… if you don’t… trust me, it’s phenomenal!) Everyone at the table was going insane and near the end of my last few throws, I was tossing out hard eights like crazy (both dice showing the 4). The eight was the point many times, so everyone was heavy stacked on the HARD 8… I had $75 on it myself. Once I finally sevened out, everyone at the table was giving me a round of applause… even the dealer was bowing to me during the game! We went to Resorts with $900, and ended up leaving with a few thousand… (for once it wasn’t the other way around) it was a good time! Actually,… it was insane! I can only hope to have the same experience with my blog readers and friends at Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas next month. Stay tuned and I’ll make a follow up post this week on how to get your next stay in Vegas for Affiliate Summit Free!

Earlier this week I was invited to attend a "Casino Host Party" at the Atlantic City Hilton. I was invited by my new awesome host Indira. A couple weeks ago I posted on "Who is Reading Your Blog?", which was based on when Indira sent me a written letter after coming across my blog and hearing about how unhappy I was with Resorts Casino, and then how they fired my previous host. I first met with Indira last night and she was super nice and let me know if there was anything I needed, that I should get in touch with her.

So we (Reena, her sister Anji, my friend Alex and myself) arrived at the Hilton last night, not expecting what type of party it would be, but it was actually pretty sweet. It was a classy party that was thrown by all the casino hosts, and their players were invited to attend. They had a live band, lots of drinks and a three course meal… all free of course! After dinner we ran down stairs and played craps for about 30 mins. Some lady at the end of the table got mad when it was my turn to throw because the dice bounced off the table a couple times when I threw the previous time. It was the come out roll and I had
$25 on the "Whirl" (I win a decent amount if 2, 3, 11 or 12 comes up). So she was complaining, then I threw a "3"… I won she lost… it was kind of funny. Then I threw again and pressed up my "Whirl" bet since it won. I ended up throwing four whirls in a row and kept pressing my bet. In the matter of four throws I went from bring down $400 to up $300! After my roll we cashed out and left.

The Hilton and Resorts Casinos are both owned by the same company and share the same players card. So far these two casinos have been awesome on game play and rewards. They send me something new to pickup each week! Yesterday was another great trip to AC and that makes for SIX profitable trips in a row. I’m heading down to Resorts Casino today to pick up my Free Coach Watch valued at $300. Let’s see if I can make it SEVEN profitable trips in a row!

OCTOBER 7 – UPDATE:

Reena and I went down the next day to pick up a free Coach watch from the Resorts Casino. We arrived about an hour or so before they were giving away the watches. We decided to play some roulette. We saw a table that had 32 RED (my favorite number that I always bet heavy on) keep coming up, so we picked that table. I cashed in for $1700 and went through it super fast. We had a horrible run of SIX numbers hitting that we had nothing on.

After we left roulette, we wanted to play craps. The tables were all so busy that we had to wait nearly a half an hour just to play on one. Finally some people left and I got to sneak up to a table. I cashed in for $2100 and started to play. The games were up and down… some were hitting points, but most were "sevening out". It was eventually my turn to throw the dice. It was the best throw I EVER PLAYED… and the BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN! I ended up throwing for an HOUR & 15 MINS! I hit four points and a TON of numbers. It was ridiculous, I’m sure it will never happen again. Once I finally sevened out, we went upstairs, got the Coach watch and headed home. After being down $1700, then my super unrealistic craps throw, we ended up $1200 + a Free Coach Watch!