Jay Davis, president of Triumph Marketing, a marketing agency that has clients in online gaming industry, tends to agree with conclusion of studies. “A typical customer for an online sports book is a male 25-40 with an average income of $70,000 per year. They are typically college educated and avid sports fans.”

Future growth of online gaming industry will come more rapidly on a worldwide basis than in United States, says Congressional Report. Americans, which now represent half of online gaming revenues, are projected to be only 24% of $14.5 billion worldwide market anticipated in 2006. Japan is of extreme interest to industry because its household internet penetration of greater than 80% is largest in world and it is a country nearly as obsessed with sports as America is. Countries with even more long-term promise for industry are China and Malaysia where already two times more people have gambled on internet than have purchased a product online.

“Without question, largest areas for growth are South America and Far East due to increased internet usage and cultures immersed with a long history of gambling,” added Davis. “These markets have only a small percentage of saturation levels of North America and western Europe and offer operators markets where cost of acquisition (of new customers) is remarkably lower.”

While international markets clearly offer an opportunity for expansion, offshore industry can continue to attract more new players to industry in all countries if it satisfies new player concerns. According to River City Group, primary concerns of potential new players include: a hassle free experience; quick payments; easy instructions; attractive web sites; easy registration; secure credit card transactions; certificates from consumer protection agencies; better odds; ability to play for free; 24/7 customer service.

Since first internet gaming sites began appearing in 1995, 73 governments have approved some form of internet gambling. The industry has grown from 900 to 1400 sites in last two years, according to The Internet Gambling Report. In recent months, however, most industry analysts believe amount of sites has actually declined. The number of customers is not growing at same pace as number of sites and “consolidation among operators is most logical transgression within industry,” said Davis.

Today, only two states, Utah and Hawaii, have no forms of gambling permitted. Although United States has clearly not endorsed internet sports gaming, it is interesting to note that more than 80% of horse racing bets are now made away from track at off track betting locations and through other media like interactive television.

One other conclusion of Congressional Report is that most online players would prefer to play with a “name brand” casino rather than those virtual unknown offshore books available on internet. With market share at Las Vegas casinos continuing to decline to offshore sports books, casino operators can only hope that they will soon be endorsed to operate online again.

robjay@hotmail.com

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Note: Several of my golf students bring their hips forward with their knees. You must avoid this as it brings your hips under your shoulders causing your balance to move backwards onto your heels. Think of some of these thoughts when bending your knees: 1. Bend your knees forward and reach your hips backwards. 2. Get into ready position common to most sports. 3. Get into position you need to push a vehicle out of a snow bank or mud-puddle or to move a sofa/couch to vacuum floor. 4. If you are familiar with any kind of baseball then you make bend of knees same as back catcher starting squat position. 5. If these thoughts don't help you get knee bend correct then — picture yourself beginning first movement of sitting on a toilet seat. (My junior golfers love that tip.) Correctly doing this move will usually place your shoulders slightly forward of front of your shoes. It will also place your hip joints over or slightly behind your heels. End Note

Practice steps above facing mirror and standing sideways to mirror. In fact, do so in both sideways positions.

2. Setting up those perfect parallel body alignments Your foot position is foundation to being lined up correctly to where you want your golf ball to stop (or, best of all, fall in hole on green.) Your feet also act as guides for your turn movements in your swing sequence. (Future articles and my lesson modules will show you how your feet can guide your swing movements.) You have arrived at your ball and you have positioned your feet so they are parallel to line of flight of ball.

How do you ensure that your knees, hips, and shoulders are also parallel to flight line? For almost all golfers and "would-be golfers" this can be done by sight and feel.

KNEES: When you have taken posture position described in Part 1 #1 you can look down and see if SAME length of both of your shoes is visible past your knees. If so, then your knees are aligned parallel to your feet.

HIPS: If your knees are parallel to your feet then your hips are already parallel to your feet. This applies to almost everyone. The exception will be anyone who has different lengths in their legs. SHOULDERS: When you stand at attention your shoulders are each above one of your hip joints. You will feel comfortable with no side or back muscles working.

When you bend at your hips you must feel this same comfort — no muscles working or straining.

Your shoulders will be in line with your hips, but at an angle. Since your hips are parallel with your feet then, so will your shoulders be parallel to your feet.

During a round of golf a quick glance out of bottom of your eyes will confirm your knee and hip alignment. A quick thought about whether your back and sides feel comfortable will help confirm that your shoulders are in line.

More instruction on a good setup posture is found in Part 2. As well, I have additional notes about how to avoid improper posture and body alignments at my website.

Copyright by Glen Osborne August 2004. All Rights Reserved