Linkbaiting is something most, if not all, webmasters do-whether they realize it or not! Who doesn’t want their content linked to? Backlinks are a good thing, and getting them without any extra effort on your part should always brings a smile to your fac

Producing content that prompts other webmasters to want to tell the world they need to visit your site, is the very best form of flattery to my way of thinking!

Linkbaiting has gotten a bad rap lately (because of the lengths some will go to in order to elicit back links.) It’s always best to linkbait by just writing the best, most compelling content you can.

I’m not writing this article to argue the ethics of linkbaiting, but to give what I feel are the five best techniques you can use for getting some of those links.

My five all time favorite, best, tried and proven linkbaiting techniques:

Create compelling content-Create content that begs to be linked to. Cover your topic completely, become the ultimate online resource for your chosen topic, include video, audio, and images in your content. Provide real value for your readers, try to produce content that is attention grabbing, unique, provocative, and just plain useful to your visitors.

Let them hear it from you first-Be the first to break the “big” story. Stay on the cutting edge. Subscribe to magazines, trade journals, or any source of up-to-the-minute happenings in your niche. Try to be the one who gives them “the scoop”.

Offer a free tool or piece of software-Give them a good reason to come back to your site, bookmark it, and share your link with others. even if you are unable to produce this tool or software yourself, you can always find someone to do it for you.

Provide a list of links to high value sites or resources-Give your visitors links to more info, or more resources on your niche. Try to make your list the most complete, or the very best list available, try to stand out for the pack!

Give stuff away-Everybody wants free stuff (I know I do!) So give it to them, and they will share it with their friends. The more value you can give away the more links you’ll find showing up.

Use these techniques, and use them consistently as you write your content, wether it’s blog posts, articles, website content, etc. and you will find your offerings linked to more and more often. And naturally occurring backlinks are the best kind!

Books on other ‘winnable’ gambling pursuits like horse racing and poker are good resources of theoretical information for the sports gambler. While for some reason there hasn’t been much written specific to the sports handicapper that deals with the discipline from a serious theoretical level, there are countless books devoted to a thoughtful discussion of horse racing and poker.

On one level, this is likely due to the fact that poker”like sports gambling“is a pursuit in which the knowledgeable and skillful practitioner can overcome the theoretical odds against him. To paraphrase the great poker theoretician Bob Caro, there are some professional blackjack players and sports gamblers in addition to professional poker players. There may even be a few professional horse players (though the house edge against the horse player is a hefty 17% or so). In the entire world, however, there is not one professional roulette player.

The simple fact is that the house edge in roulette cannot be overcome by any combination of skill, experience and/or discipline. When you win, it is because you get lucky. When you lose, its because you didnt get lucky. To add another Caro concept to the equation, the decisions that the player makes when playing roulette simply dont matter”at least in terms of overcoming the theoretical edge enjoyed by the house. In the long term, it doesnt matter whether you choose red or black, odd or even, or certain numbers. You may get lucky with your choices or you may not, but these decisions do not impact the house edge one iota.

Caro strongly emphasizes the importance of discipline at the table to a poker player’s long term profitability. The average person goes into a casino to “escape” from the real world–in other words, he goes into a casino to temporarily forget the need for discipline that exists in day to day life. He wants to have a few drinks, do a little gambling and enjoy a break from the mundane. Casinos exist to facilitate this ‘escape’ while using their mathematical edge to turn a profit. While poker operates somewhat differently in terms of the casino making money, the motivation that drives a recreational poker player to the tables is no different than in any other casino game.

Caro’s emphasis on discipline in poker is also true for the serious sports gambler. The foundation of a professional sports bettor’s long term success is to approach it with the same discipline, rigor and professionalism that he would any other job. If you continue to think about it in the same terms as the recreational gambler does, you’re in for a difficult road. The more seriousness that you bring to your sports betting, the higher the likelihood that you’ll be successful.

There’s nothing wrong with being a recreational sports gambler, or a recreational gambler of any sort. They’re vital to those of us who do this for a living since they’re what keeps casinos and sportsbooks in business. Ultimately, the best handicapping is pointless without a sportsbook to take the action.

The life of a professional sports bettor isn’t for everyone, and if you just want to bet recreationally and have fun with it that’s great. While a few theoretical tips here and there won’t hurt, the only discipline that really matters for a recreational player is the same thing for any other hobby–don’t spend more on it than you can afford to. After that, you’re on your own to have fun with it.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer who has written on sports gambling and how to successfully bet on NFL football. He has appeared as a guest on TV and radio talking about boxing, hockey and NFL pointspreads. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a ferret.