When ESPN televised the World Series of Poker final table, the hole cards weren't shown until after the hand. Since there was a 15-minute delay in the airing, I assume that the decision not to show them during the hands -- as they do in almost all other televised poker events -- was made to try to improve the viewing experience. Is that true? And if so, what was the consensus on whether it was better or worse?

Should Atlantic City legalize sports betting?

Is there a point where it's good to play the Lucky's $5 progressive parlay card?

What impact will the NBA lockout (and possible season cancellation) have on college basketball betting?

How do you feel about hedging a parlay?

Fezzik Friday: Nationally syndicated (ESPN) sports-talk radio and TV personality Colin Cowherd has been hot with his football picks thus far this season, and he's made several references to moving the lines in Vegas when he gives out his picks on the air. While I didn't hear it first-hand, I'm told bookmaker Jimmy Vaccaro addressed that, saying something to the effect of "Not only does Cowherd not move the line in Vegas, he doesn't even move it in Bristol" (ESPN is headquartered in Bristol, CT). Cowherd has a big audience. Is his media clout strong enough to have an effect, or is Vaccaro right in suggesting he's full of it?

Fezzik Friday: I've spent a lot of time studying sports betting and following advice from many of the industry's top players. Yet I'm losing, and losing big over the first seven weeks of this year's college and pro football seasons. To say I'm discouraged is a monumental understatement. Should I stop and reassess? How do the pros handle a losing streak.

You sometimes reference "good handicapping" and "good betting." Can you elaborate on the distinction and is there a third component (or more) to winning sports betting?

I remember that several years ago, Paris had a roulette table with a single zero and no double zero. Are any of these roulette tables still available for action and if so, where?

From what I can tell, the sports books have three basic types of parlay cards: ties-lose, ties-win, and 1/2-point, on the latter of which there are no ties. Payoffs vary to compensate for the treatment of ties in each case. Is there a set order of how these cards compare to each other? That is, if I'm in a book with two of them or all three, is there a basic strategy that tells me which one to play?