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Hamster-Powered Marble Races And Other Unusual Forms Of Gambling

Source: Pinterest.com

Gambling has been around for over 2000 years now, and it is much more than just casino games. There are various forms of gambling present in the market. However, the newest addition came in the form of a hamster powered marble race.

This race is led by Mia, who is a female winter white dwarf hamster. She runs on her trustworthy hamster wheel, and this project is called “Mia and her Marbles” It is an automated marble racing game and has recently attracted a lot of attention. A group of independent developers came together to develop this masterpiece.

Gambling is often synonymous with risk. However, if you are not willing to take risks, you can always gamble in a no deposit bitcoin casino like nodepositkings.com.

Source: opera

Highlights Of This Game From The Developers’ Point Of View:

Fair GamePlay: The developers were quite driven by their passion for developing blockchain gambling projects. Due to the numerous scams occurring, they decided to develop a game that safeguarded the gamers’ interest. Eventually, they began brainstorming ideas to create fair gameplay at its roots, which was equally fun to play.

Although the concept may seem weird, the developer team has recently told in an interview that they have carefully thought about the racing platform before developing it. The game is developed to deliver highly fair results that are generally released on a live platform. Also, the gamblers can easily verify these results to check their authenticity.

Takes Place On Real-Time Basis: The development team talked about how the races occur on a real-time basis and are not pre-recorded. This is done with a live streaming platform, and the video displays the first eight bits of the current Ethereum block hash. It is present on the race track along with eight movable pegs. A low peg represents zero, whereas a high peg represents one.

Source: www.opportunityhamilton.co.nz

Refund Option Available: The game features a refund function for the games that do not reveal their results within two days. Many people think of Mia and Marbles as a thought experiment or even some type of hackathon. However, the developers say that their passion for fair gambling gameplay has inspired them.

No Worries About Talent Poaching: Back in the day when she was a baby, Mia had quite a rough patch. She loved to nibble on Dev’s fingers. However, today things have quite changed. Nowadays, Mia is really productive. Hence, the chances of winning this game are relatively high now. Also, the developers follow all the protocols laid down by the DAOs. Thus, they need not worry about another protocol poaching their talent through a merger.

Good Future Prospects: Today, Mia can run up to eight km in a day. Hamsters are generally quite active and tend to wander long distances to arrange for their food. The dev team plans to introduce a better-developed track and use the “championship” bracket for the marbles. The developers intend to keep introducing new features to this game to make it quite fun and adventurous.

Other Unusual Forms Of Gambling

Source: pexels.com

Whenever we hear the word gambling, things like casinos, blackjack, and slots pop into our minds. However, there are numerous other unusual forms of gambling present worldwide. The majority of these unfamiliar gambling ways are illegal and usually pass the current state bans. Let us take a look at the unusual gambling activities that carry around the world.

Race

Source: BBC.com

Betting on races is the new trendy thing among gamblers around the world. Not only does it allow them to win a lump sum amount, but it also helps them build good relations with fellow gamblers. We have heard about betting on car races and horse races, but many strange exotic races take place worldwide. Let us take a look at them.

A very traditional way of entertainment in Pakistan is the donkey race, which is quite an unusual form of betting. Trinidad and Tobago hosts crab and goat races. During Easter, these races are held annually, and tourists visit the island during this period to view the races. Even though racing is a fun thing to watch, it has become lucrative for Tobago’s residents.

Guinea Pigs Racing

Source: The Mirror

One way of street entertainment in Colombia is the guinea pig races. The guinea pig races’ rules are that there are numbered houses on the ground, and everyone around the street by which house the guinea pig will enter. The guinea pigs race works as a huge tourist attraction and a center of curiosity.

Racing Using Cockroaches

Source: Pinterest

In these races, Madagascar cockroaches, which are about 6 to 10 cm long, are used. The Madagascar cockroaches are considered to be the fastest insects out in the world. The racing of cockroaches usually takes up in Australia. The cockroach racing is held in Brisbane, where the students stage insect races.

Pachinko

It is a gaming machine, a combination of the one-armed bandit and vertical pinball in Pachinko. In this game, the metal balls are poured into the machine from the above, and with the help of a lever, the player will have to control the firing speed.

All the balls roll down the maze, and the majority of the balls go waste, and the balls that hit the target get the point. In Pachinko, the winners don’t get cash; the balls are exchanged for prizes like perfumes, lighter, etc. But, shops can exchange gifts for money.

Pigeon Racing

Source: Freepik

Racing among birds originated in Taiwan. Such racing competitions are held in Taiwan all around the year. On average, five hundred races are organized weekly. Also, the island has more than two to three million sporting birds. People here love racing pigeons and betting on them. Once the pigeons are past the age of two months, they can participate in these races.

Final Words:

Casino gambling might get boring after a certain interval of time. However, you can always try your hands at these unusual forms of gambling for a refreshing change.

4 Tips and Tricks for Being the Best You at College! – 2024 Guide

The comforts of high school include the coziness of home, gratitude of old teachers and needless to say, the concern of childhood friends. All of this goes out the window, when you’re at college. We’re not trying to terrify you, but trust us when we say it’s a 180 degrees shift from high school. It’s new, it’s tough and it requires insane amounts of hard work and commitment. Well, now you must be wondering as to how you’ll be able to have a social life, meet the ‘one’, get a terrific internship while working for grades – we have answers!

Here’s a guide for you to succeed at college without succumbing to the pressure of doing too much in too little time without making any mistakes!

1. Plan

Source: DAMBlog

Planning is the key at college. Nothing really works out without having a concrete plan. There are more than five courses you have each semester which means you’ll have more than 50 classes each semester; each course coming on with its own level of difficulty and endless syllabus to go through. Well, it is bound to get overwhelming as freshmen which is why you plan and conquer.

It is unrealistic to believe that you’ll be able to go through notes of each class every night which is where your planning enters. Plan each day for each course. Monday for Calculus practice questions to improve your understanding, Tuesday for Economics readings, so on and so forth. This way, you won’t feel lost and will be able to be more productive by taking one day at a time. Now, obviously, you’re not here to just study which is why dedicating 2-3 hours each day for a specific course will leave you with so much more time to engage with people around and do what you’re really at college for – personal and professional growth.

2. Get out of your comfort zone

Source: Success Magazine

As clichéd as it may sound, break those imaginary walls that limit you and get out of oyur comfort zone. Go out of your way to try new things which otherwise would scare you. Initially at college, most people feel intimidated by striking up a conversation with someone new. We all feel insecure and think too much of it when actually it’s something extremely insignificant. Try to strike up conversations with people you think are interesting and you’d be surprised with the response!

Further, college is an ocean of opportunities. Most colleges offer a plethora of courses to choose from which won’t necessarily impact your final major. With that said, it’s a great way to study or rather take classes for something that you really fancy, it could be anything from music to literature to even gender studies. These courses would work as a breath of fresh air for you amidst the chaos of other classes. Moreover, these courses will also help you learn something new and interesting which would reflect sparklingly well on your resume. So what are you waiting for? Put yourself out there and let the magic happen!

3. Catch up with your old life

Source: Hamlet Hub

College can be insanely busy leaving no time for you to unwind. The best and most effective way to do so is by catching up with your old friends and family. This will help you reconnect with your loved ones by also reminding you of your old, authentic self. Further, zoom calls are fun but you can along with your friends plan movie night (Netflix Party is a great option), have game nights online or even go further as driving back home or rather a new place and rent a cabin or even camp. These activities not only will be a great way to hang out with your friends but will help you de-stress from the daily grind that you and they have to go through.

It can be extremely difficult to take time out for fun activities with friends and families without having to forego something else. Guess what? Not this time! With websites like PaperHelp you don’t have to compromise on your assignments while spending time with people you love the most. It’s a great online platform which both assists and completes your coursework for you. The service is as cheap as $14. Not just that, you can provide them with a daunting deadline and well, they deliver even then! The website promises 100% anonymity and absolutely no plagiarism. In case, you still have your doubts, you can always request for a sample paper and look at it yourself!

4. Treat yourself!

Source: InSerbia News

You’re young and beautiful; do not spend this precious time in the books and out there partying with people you don’t even care about. Spend more time with yourself. Get to know yourself and most importantly, treat yourself! Students tend to get sucked into the tumultuous college life that they forget to care about their own selves. It is pertinent to be healthy and spend some quality time of self care.

The best of treating yourself, in the long run, is by eating healthy and working out. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to survive on cow food, it means you become mindful of what goes in your body. Try and eat at home as much as you can. This won’t only be cheaper but would help you save money with the added advantage of polishing those chef skills you have! Further, alongside eating well is moving that body of yours. Sitting all day in front of a PC is not fine – get out there and move. Just be active. You can start slow by going for a jog around the campus or hitting the treadmill at your gym every once in a while. It would feel like too much in the moment but trust us, when those endorphins hit there’s no turning back!

4 Tips for Securing a Successfully-Negotiated Payer Contract

If you are a healthcare provider, the mere thought of becoming a part of carefully-monitored care networks seems welcoming. But why should a provider join a network? Well, the answer to this question is that a network affiliation can help in lowering the expenses of patients while ensuring that providers continue receiving a stable income.

However, healthcare providers who have never been in a network before must make sure that they negotiate a contract that guarantees reasonable pay for them. While it might not be an easy task, SybridMD has a few tips that might come in handy during contract negotiations.

Source: Medium

Initial Struggles Faced by the Healthcare Providers

It goes without saying that one doesn’t become a master negotiator overnight. Moreover, the fact that there are countless provider networks across the US makes it difficult for the payers to pay everyone equally. So, payers usually resort to paying more to experienced providers.

So, it’s evident that a provider looking to join a network for the first time might face difficulties in getting into a reliable network. And even if they manage to join the said network somehow, it’s highly unlikely that they will have any leverage during the contract negotiations. So, what should be such a provider’s next step?

For starters, they should focus on presenting themselves as an asset to the network, and prove how they are different from other providers within the same network. Of course, this would require loads of research.

Source: Expat Network

Is it Wise for a Healthcare Provider to Spend Months on Negotiating an Ideal Payer Contract?

Yes, it’s correct. Contract negotiations can take multiple months before both parties reach an agreement. So, is it wise to spend all of this time negotiating a contract? The answer is YES, it is. A successfully-negotiated payer contract comes with plenty of perks.

For starters, it gives healthcare providers a chance to earn a stable and sufficient amount of money. Moreover, they get added to the payer’s online provider directory. Being on this list could help the provider attract new patients and boost their revenue.

Important Tips for Securing a Successfully-Negotiated Payer Contract

So, now that you have learned why it is important to negotiate a payer contract as well as the benefits linked with it, let’s discuss four crucial guidelines that one should follow to succeed at securing a well-paying contract.

Source: Bizfluent

#1 Realize that Negotiating a Contract is a Team Job

Once you have planned on negotiating a contract with an insurance company, you need to make sure that all your bases are covered. You can start by ensuring that the medical director or the billing department is a part of the discussion.

While it’s common for the provider to assume that they don’t have sufficient leverage while negotiating the terms of their proposed contract, this isn’t entirely true. In cases where the provider is acquiring a reasonable amount of compensation (out of network) from the insurer and is saving sufficient money, they may offer a compromise to flip the game.

Additionally, providers can emphasize the unique ways in which they can contribute to the network. If the provider is found to be beneficial for the network, the chances of them receiving a lucrative payer contract go up.

Source: trialpro

#2 Remember to Have a Rate-Increase Clause Added to the Contract

While negotiating a contract and reaching an agreement with the payer are time-consuming tasks, this isn’t where you should stop. If you have negotiated a contract that allows you to rake in a reasonable amount of money on a monthly or a yearly basis, that’s when you start worrying about where can you be in the long run.

And this brings us to our next tip: Always remember to have a rate-increase clause added to your contract. Not doing so will result in you receiving the same rate for the entirety of the contract.

In case your contract says that you are signed at the Medicare rate and the said rate changes over a year, you will end up receiving the same percentage but of a lower reimbursement.

Source: libertyvilleins

#3 Save Time by Understanding the Authority Levels & Limitations

Have you ever been a part of a situation where you were tasked with convincing someone to buy a product, subscribe to a service, or undergo a procedure? And has it ever happened to you that in the end, you came to know that the individual whom you were trying to convince all along didn’t have any authority and had to discuss your proposal with someone else before issuing a response?

If yes, you are in a perfect position to understand the role played by the level of authority a person has in a negotiation. This applies here too.

So, while you are negotiating a contract with a health insurance company, there’s a strong chance of your case being assigned to a salesperson. So, even though you have a list of terms and conditions that you would like to add to your contract, it’s important to realize that the salespeople are only authorized to comply with your demands to a certain level.

So, an efficient way to save time is by finding out the limitations imposed on the insurance payer negotiators and discussing the contract accordingly. If you are not satisfied with the contract being offered, you can request to negotiate it with someone having more authority than a regular salesperson.

Source: HealthyWomen

#4 Read & Clarify Everything

Before signing on the dotted line, read each and every term and clause, and make sure that you have understood everything. From language centered on medical necessity to amendment provisions and other one-sided terms and clauses, you must be 100% aware of what you are walking into. According to GatekeeperHQ, you should read a contract management glossary first to get acquainted with the terms used in the contract.

Conclusion

Joining healthcare networks can be financially beneficial for both you and your patients. However, to acquire an ideal payer contract, providers must determine their costs and match those against the revenue they will be generating and unless this connection is financially feasible, the provider should use their negotiating skills to land a decent contract.

6 Best Adventurous Rafting in Colorado

Rafting is a common adventurous sport in Colorado. Imagine you are on a raft boat along with your friends in a river surrounded by mountains. The strong waves can drive you from one place to another. It looks adventurous and daring. Many unique spots in Colorado are known as the best rafting place.

Before discussing the spots, we should know the right time to go rafting. Well, the suitable time is between June to September. If you organize a plan for rafting with your friends and family, you can plan in this period.

If you need to go for Colorado Springs Rafting, you can choose Echo Canyon Rafting Expeditions for the best experience. They can offer a fantastic rafting experience in various places. Today, we will discuss different spots that are considered as best adventurous rafting in Colorado.

1. Buena Vista, Arkansas River

Source: KODI Rafting

You can see lots of boats here, occupied by lots of people every year. It is a popular spot in Colorado, which is highly preferred by the people. The river’s starting point is near Leadville, which flows to the Buena Vista south side, and then it goes from Nathrop to Salida. There are various amazing sessions that you can enjoy with your friends.

The exciting and adventurous thing about this trip is the narrow canyon. High rapids will mesmerize you for sure. Your raft boat will pass the beautiful suspension bridge with trains. Many people crave such an experience.

In between the trip, you will also visit a national museum in between Nathrop and Salida. There are two options to choose the adventure, i.e., half or full day.

2. Durango, Animas River

Source: Mild to Wild Rafting

Durango is a popular place in Colorado, which is known for its high and dense mountains. The population is high, which includes 20,000 residents. It is a historic town with lots of beauty and secrecy. There is a narrow railroad gauge, which one can visit through this river. The river is known for its lazy floats and exploring the white water for half or complete days.

You can do rafting here with your friends and pass impressive rapids. There are 4 to 5 adventurous rapids that people crave for. People from the US come to this place for endless enjoyment and enthusiasm.

3. Steamboat Springs and Dinosaur, Yampa River

Source: OARS

It is a non-dammed river in Colorado, which is perfect for amazing rafting trips. If you need to relax or go for a lazy boat trip, you can pick it. It is ideal for people who are looking for peace and a sightseeing atmosphere. While rafting, you can go to the Dinosaur National Museum through the Green River.

There is a monument named Dinosaur, which people love to visit. The place is quite photogenic, and people love to take pictures here. There are 3 to 4 mesmerizing rapids. The ideal time for this activity is between May to July. You can also plan for camping and go for short raft trips. It will be good if you plan for the vacation here for 4 to 5 days.

4. Kremmling and Glenwood Springs, Colorado River

Source: A Wanderlust Adventure

In the Colorado River, there are many spots, which are best for rafting. The Kremmling and Glenwood Springs are quite popular among those spots. But this place is perfect for experienced rafters who have enough knowledge of various techniques. You can enjoy 4 to 5 adventurous rapids throughout one session.

The water level is relatively high and is very dangerous for beginners. During your trip, you can visit hot springs, or you can also camp near the riverside. At night, you can enjoy the peaceful environment of the river and spend quality time with your friends.

5. Pagosa Springs, Piedra River

Source: Mild to Wild Rafting

It is a perfect spot in Colorado for rafting for both beginners and experienced rafters. The river is quite long stretched, and you can enjoy long trips. You can also come with your kids with age more than 12 years.

If you want to experience the best rapids, then you must come to this place. There are undoubtedly huge drops, which are quite adventurous for people. This place is known for big thrills and more than six rapids in a single session.

That sounds interesting, and the people who consider this spot also enjoy it a lot. You will get tired, and you need some rest in a peaceful place. You can manage to do such a thing by camping near the riverside. It is possible to make your life enjoyable and exciting by coming to this place.

6. Cortez, Dolores River

Source: The Journal

It is another popular sport on the Southside of Colorado. Here, you will get limited trips because enjoying the rafting is from April to June. There are some exciting drops and canyons here, which will mesmerize you for sure.

You can plan for the long trip, i.e., 3 to 10 days. It is a beautiful place to visit. You can go rafting here if your age is above 10. The water level is quite good in the available time period. Many people plan for the long trip and go to Durango through the Dolores River.

It sounds quite exciting and tiring. But this trip goes beyond ten days, and it sounds more like an adventure. Within the trip, the batch will experience impressive rapids and other crucial hurdles.

The Bottom Line

Undoubtedly, there are various spots for experiencing the best adventurous rafting in Colorado. People from the United States come here to get a fantastic experience. It is possible to involve kids along with you if they are also in love with adventures. The level of water is relatively high in these areas, which seems adventurous to rafters.

You can plan for camping near the riverside and enjoy quality time with your friends and family. Plan for the raft session is any nearby or desired destination to get close to nature and enjoy the rivers’ rocking tides deeply. Expose your adventurous soul to these activity spots and live your life with such adventures.

Residential and Commercial Solar Benefits – 2024 Guide

img source: homeimprovementsau.org

Today, the world strives towards an environmentally friendly habitat. To achieve the latter, people need to change their lifestyles. They should observe and eliminate everything that alienates the world from becoming an environmentally friendly habitat. The primary aspect of the latter is literate energy consumption. What type of energy do we consume? Fossil fuel energy. What is the source of fossil fuels? Non-renewable sources like coal, oil, natural gas. What are the environmental consequences of fossil fuel consumption? Pollution, global warming, climate change, and land degradation.

Should we switch to another source of energy? Definitely! Affordable, plentiful, renewable: all about solar energy. Solar energy is a huge step towards the world to become an environmentally friendly habitat. Solar panel installation is a simple procedure to switch from fossil fuels to solar energy consumption. Residential and commercial consumption of solar energy has environmental and financial benefits.

What Are The Benefits Of Residential Solar Panel Installation?

Cost-efficiency

img source: iwp-uk.com

Installing solar panels at home relieves the financial burden that people face with energy bills. Solar panels reduce energy bills. The reduction of energy bills occurs as a result of solar energy conservation. During sunny summer days, solar panel batteries conserve energy. It allows you to consume energy during cloudy winter days. If you live in a location that has no to little exposure to sunlight, no worries! The solar system absorbs and supplies indirect sunlight during cloudy days, while solar batteries assist in conserving excess sunlight energy for later use. No matter where you live and to what degree your place of residence is exposed to sunlight, solar panel installation is key to affordable energy consumption, according to LA Solar Group.

House Value Upgrade

img source: southbayaor.com

Homeowners view a solar panel system as valuable additions to the house. A house with a solar panel costs more than a house without it. Lawrence Berkeley’s study demonstrates that photovoltaic systems add almost $15,000 of monetary value to houses. Isn’t it amazing? For sure! Imagine you want to sell your house at a higher price, but you can’t because of its location, size, or equipment depreciation.

Solar panel installation will instantaneously increase the value of your house, and you will be able to sell it at a higher price. The secret here is that people spend the majority of their income on covering energy bills. With solar panel systems, energy bills are lower, and the desire to pay for the house a higher price is stronger.

What Are The Benefits Of Commercial Solar Panel Installation?

Solar Income

img source: greenbiz.com

Solar panels provide abundant energy for on-site consumption. As with all solar panel systems, commercial solar panels conserve energy. Energy conservation leads businesses to sell surplus energy to the grid. How does it work? In large companies, the saving benefits of selling to the grid come when solar panels generate approximately 1 million kilowatts of power. It requires a roof space of about 100,000 square feet. If these statistics scare you, don’t worry!

Commercial solar panels are large enough to generate this much of energy. In small companies, renewable energy credits come to help. Solar renewable energy credit is 1 megawatt of solar energy. Utility companies that operate under Renewable Portfolio Standards buy a certain quota of surplus solar energy from small businesses. It turns out that with commercial solar panel installation, large and small companies benefit as solar panels become an extra income source for them.

Energy Security

img source: vectorstock.com

Power outages in commercial buildings result in a loss of revenue and delay of work schedules for the business. How can power outages in commercial buildings be ignored? Solar panel installation is an affordable and long-lasting solution for power outages in commercial buildings. Solar photovoltaic systems optimize the energy consumption of commercial buildings. They conserve excess energy and supply it whenever needed, including during power outages. Besides, off-grid solar panels reduce commercial buildings’ dependence on the grid. Commercial buildings may not fear power outages, revenue losses, and work schedule delays with solar panels.

Do Residential And Commercial Solar Panel Installations Have Environmental Benefits? Yes!

Balanced Greenhouse Effect

img source: onlinesciencenotes.com

What is the greenhouse effect? A natural process called the greenhouse effect warms the surface of Earth. The imbalance of the greenhouse effect leads to environmental hazards, including global warming and climate change. Fossil fuels are major actors in the creation of the greenhouse effect imbalance. Solar energy is a solution to the imbalance of greenhouse effects. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions that fossil fuels generate. Solar energy balances greenhouse effects. How can you have your stake in the maintenance of the greenhouse effect balance?

Installing commercial and residential solar panels is the key. Solar panel installations sustain businesses and houses with solar panels that supply solar energy. With plentiful solar energy, the dependency on fossil fuels decreases. Your commercial and residential solar panels take care of conserving energy and supplying it whenever you need it. With commercial and residential solar panel installations, you have the opportunity to be a major contributor to the balanced greenhouse effect and eliminate environmental hazards, including climate change and global warming.

After reading this article, a few key points to consider before consuming fossil fuel energy:
You have the opportunity to purchase residential solar panels for your home. These photovoltaic modules allow you to live in a cost-efficient manner, save money on energy bills, have limitless energy throughout the whole year, upgrade your house value, and balance the greenhouse effect through environmentally friendly solar energy consumption.
For your commercial building, you have the opportunity to purchase commercial solar panels. They allow you to generate solar income, enhance energy security, ignore power outages, and align with sustainability standards by balancing the greenhouse effect through solar energy.

Solar energy solves the issue of an imbalanced greenhouse effect. As solar panels supply solar energy, the installation of commercial and residential solar panels is a solution to the greenhouse effect imbalance. The resolution of imbalanced greenhouse effects through solar panel installation benefits households and commercial buildings. However, it has a collective benefit for the world. With solar energy consumption, both in residential and commercial platforms, we collectively reduce the probability of global warming and climate change. These two are environmental hazards threatening the lifespan of Earth – our habitat. Let’s go solar, live better and longer.

Everything You Need to Know About Sports Scholarships for College

Playing sport at college is an exciting and fulfilling experience that can open plenty of doors for you, keep you fit and healthy, improve your brainpower, and help you to make some lifelong friends on the way. Not only that, it could even help you to support yourself financially. In the US, sports scholarships are some of the most prestigious awards you can get for college. As well as helping with the cost of your studies, they can also ensure that you have access to the very best facilities and training whilst you’re at university.

If you or your child are a high school athlete this probably sounds very appealing, but you might be confused about what exactly these scholarships are and how to go about getting one. So here’s a quick overview to help clear this up.

Source: Sports Scholarships for College

What is a sports scholarship?

A sports scholarship is an award of financial aid to help support student athletes whilst they are at college. It is intended to enable them to both fulfill their academic potential and perform at a top athletic level, so they can represent their school in their chosen sport. Some scholarships are awarded on a yearly basis, whilst others last for the entirety of your studies provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. In contrast to student loans, the money you get from any kind of scholarship does not have to be paid back.

What does a sports scholarship cover?

The variety of sports scholarships available is extremely diverse, and each one will differ in precisely what it covers. The most generous—and hence the most competitive—are full scholarships. These are also known as “full-ride” scholarships, and cover all of your tuition fees in addition to accommodation costs, food, books, plus any equipment or kit you need for your sport. They don’t cover other costs such as travel from your home to college, visas for international students, entry exams, or NCAA registration fees. Partial scholarships might cover tuition fees only, or provide a certain amount of money that you can use towards tuition or accommodation.

Source: Scholarship Story

Which sports can I get a scholarship for?

Scholarships are available for a wide range of sports, and not only the most popular ones such as football and basketball. There are awards for everything from tennis and golf to fencing and gymnastics, so wherever your talents lie you’re sure to find there’s a scholarship that suits you. Bear in mind that full scholarships are also the rarest, and may not be available for every college in every sport. However, it is possible to be awarded multiple partial scholarships, which can still add up to a substantial amount.

Who is eligible to get a sports scholarship?

There are a variety of requirements you will need to meet in order to be eligible for a sports scholarship, with each one potentially having slightly different criteria. These will cover both your sporting and academic ability. For instance, when it comes to academics, you will need to take certain core courses and maintain a minimum GPA throughout your studies. In terms of your athletic ability, bear in mind that only amateur athletes can receive a scholarship—not professionals.

Most sports scholarships are open to everyone regardless of which city or country you come from, so even international students can apply for them (just remember to check the equivalencies to see if your academic qualifications are high enough).

Source: MarketWatch

How good of an athlete do I need to be to get a sports scholarship?

This depends on which type of scholarship you are applying for, so be sure to check the relevant criteria. As a general guide, if you are hoping to get a full scholarship you will need to be competing at a national or international level in your chosen sport. You’ll be required to have national or international rankings, plus verified results. Those who are looking at partial scholarships will need regional, state, or provincial results and rankings, in addition to verified sport specific statistics.

What do I need to do in order to get a sports scholarship?

Firstly, be aware that the process of applying for and being granted a sports scholarship for college—particularly a full-ride scholarship—can be long and complex due to the highly competitive nature of these awards. This is one of the reasons why many student athletes sign up with agencies such as asmscholarships.com to give themselves the highest chance of success.

If possible, you should be preparing to apply right from your first year of high school (but don’t worry if you’re already older than this, as it’s not essential). Start building up a portfolio of achievements in your chosen sport to create a sort of athletic resumé that you can send to recruiters. These days, having video footage is key, and most student athletes create a short film of their sporting highlights to market themselves with.

Then it will be time to start making contact with coaches at the colleges that you’re interested in. Be sure to always keep this personal and professional in order to get the best response. Plus, if you are interested in Division I or II schools, you will need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center so that you can go on official school visits and receive scholarship offers.

Source: Fastweb

What other factors will recruiters look at?

In addition to your sporting ability and academic achievements, recruiters will look at references from your coaches to get a better idea of your personality. For example, they will see if you have a criminal record, and assess your general attitude towards achieving your goals. Any additional awards, certificates, or accolades that you have will also count in your favor.

Coaches want to make sure that they choose the right players for their team. They will want to see that you have certain necessary traits such as confidence, hard work, leadership, dedication, and the ability to learn from your mistakes. You should also be a good sportsperson, and of course, be passionate about your chosen sport!

5 Reasons Why is Women’s Tennis so Unpredictable for Gamblers- 2024 Guide

img source: calbears.com

Tennis is often called a “queen of all sports”. There are a lot of reasons why this is true. Both men’s and women’s categories are highly popular among people from all over the world. You just need to take a look at the number of spectators at every match, at practically every tournament that comes to your mind. Every seat is occupied by someone.

The popularity of these sports has risen significantly after the appearance of tennis players like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Carolina Wozniacki, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova, etc.

Surely, the players are the biggest reason for the rise in the popularity of this sport. For a quite long time, the results of these matches were unpredictable due to the fact that there were a lot of players who were considered favorites. Different from men’s tennis, we can see that women’s category cannot be predicted as they used to be, which makes it much harder for gamblers to score it big. There is a couple of different reason why this happened. So, we are going to get into this topic for a bit.

1. The Lack of Favorites

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When you take a look at the top 10 rankings, we are pretty sure that you will not see too many well-known faces and names. So, it can be said that one of the most important reasons why WTA has become so unpredictable is the lack of favorites. In the last couple of years, we can see a lot of different younger players who’ve entered the stage.

Plus, many of them have managed to enter the top 10, but this is a story for its own segment. Besides that, we can see that many popular players retired in the last couple of years. We are talking about names like Martina Hingis, Marion Bartoli, Maria Sharapova, Daniela Hantuchova, and Agnieszka Radwanska. Surely, their retirement has left a significant void in WTA.

2. New Stars Arrive Every Year

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We’ve mentioned the fact that the frequent arrival of new players to WTA is something that happens pretty frequently. There’s not a year where we don’t have the opportunity to see at least one of them per year. We are talking about players like Elena Svitolina, Bianka Andrescu, Aryna Sabalenka, Belinda Bencic, Iga Swiatek, and Sofia Kenin. Just take a look at the top 10 or top 20, and you will see it for yourself.

Different from the situation we’ve had just a couple of years ago, we can see that every second tournament is now won by the new person. Now, Serena Williams doesn’t win at pretty much every tournament. We are not in a situation where we can say that the winner of these matches is considered to be a favorite and there are more and more surprises by the day.

For more information about tennis matches and odds, take a look at https://tennisbetslab.com/.

3. Serena’s Absence

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When we are talking about Serena Williams, nobody can say that she is not the best player in the history of WTA. During her really impressive career, she managed to win 23 Grand Slams, and the last one she won as 2017’s Australian Open. She even participated in a couple of tournaments when she was a couple of weeks pregnant, which is surely one of the things which talk about her greatness in this sport.

Whenever she entered the tournament, she was the number one favorite. With her being absent for quite a lot of time, we can see that there are a lot of new players who’ve tried to take her place as a favorite. Since they are not at the same level as her when it comes to skills, we can see that establishing the favorite is harder than it has ever been, at least in WTA.

4. Equal Quality

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With the fact that there are no favorites in WTA, the thing that makes the most sense is to say that pretty all players have the same amount of quality. It means that nobody stands out from the crowd. As you can presume, it is the main source of the unpredictability we are witnessing these days. When you take a look at the current top 10 in WTA, you will see a couple of names that are pretty much of the same quality.

Osaka is often described as the player with the best overall skills. However, she has her ups and downs pretty quickly. She is currently lying in third place in the WTA. The first place is reserved for Barty, and the second is one is reserved for Simona Halep. All in all, we can expect some major changes in the future due to the fact that there are no favorites at pretty much any tournament.

5. The Lack of Consistency

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Now that we’ve established a couple of facts why WTA is so unpredictable, we can say that the lack of consistency is the biggest problem with results in women’s tennis. We can see that there’s not a name that wins a couple of tournaments in a row. Instead, the titles are going to different players. So, now you see that the lack of consistency from all the players is a pretty big problem that WTA faces these days.

With that said, making any predictions wouldn’t be as effective as it was until recently. So, this becomes a pretty big problem for gamblers who are aiming to score it big by betting on some matches. One famous tennis players stated that the current situation can be described as some kind of musical chairs at the top place of WTA. We can definitely agree with this statement.

The Bottom Line

The unpredictability of WTA is one of the biggest problems for gamblers. The situation isn’t nearly as clear as it was just a couple of years ago. Therefore, we can see that a lot of players are avoiding betting on these matches. Sure, we will need to wait for some time before the situation is once again good for gamblers in WTA. There are no predictions about this as well.

5 Pros and Cons of Renting a House For Families With Kids

For many, coming into that stage in life when your able to buy a home, is a sign of success and personal realization. A moment when you can finally settle down and start a family. It’s the American dream, as people from the USA would call it. About how much of an American dream is actually a reality, is another type of debate.

Renting and buying both have a lot of myths related to them, the first and the most common one being that it is better to pay a monthly loan installment, then rent to the landlord. The rationalization behind this myth is that the loan will be paid fully at one point in your life, leaving you owning a real-estate. While money for rent is the same as throwing it away because you’ll never get to a point when you finally own a home.

There is more and more evidence that this attitude is based on nothing but a myth. The reality is that an average family today sees more perks of renting a home, then owning it. But the reality is also that many families are haunted by this thought, not knowing which move is the smartest. That’s why we’ll present you with a number of pros and cons of renting a house for families with kids.

Source: Thailand-Property

1. Flexibility of choice

Pro.

For large families, a couple of things should be considered when renting a home, but some are considered highly important. These include safety and schooling options, as education is the top priority for most parents. The times we live in do not offer us much choice when it comes to choosing a neighborhood for buying a house since most of those ranked as safe and with good schools are quite expensive when it comes to real-estate. That’s why renting a home in this case is a good option, when the prices are out of your reach. Another advantage is the variety of choices. Renting services such as huurstunt.nl have a much larger offer when it comes to the type and locations of the houses.

Con.

Even though it might sound exciting, not owning a piece of property in the district where your kids go to school can also have a negative effect on their growing up. Especially if they like the place and have many friends. If the landlord decides to sell the house at one point, you’ll be forced to move out. That means kids will have to settle elsewhere, and that might not be what they want.

Source: thebalancesmb

2. Less responsibility

Pro.

As it usually happens, upon renting a home you will sign a contract with the landlord, specifying yours and his obligations. The best thing about the contract is that it says you are not responsible for the major house repairs and maintenance. Those who own a house know how demanding it can be, maintenance- wise and how challenging it is to find a suitable repairman who will do the work properly. Especially for parents with small kids, it’s really something they have very little time for. Your responsibility is to simply notify the landlord when something needs to be done – the rest is on him to take care of.

Con.

Sometimes it’s not so easy, since you never know what kind of person your landlord will be. It can happen that the person is simply not interested in reacting to your notifications. Or if you agree to take care of it, a refund for the bills might be a hard thing to pursue.

Source: The Conversation

3. No debt

Pro.

People turn to ban loans for buying a home, as soon as they settle with a good job offer. When you buy a house, you expect it to be yours for 15 to 30 years, depending on the duration of your home loan. First of all, you will end up paying for it much more than it is worth because the bank will profit very well on your desire to own your home – every month actually.

You are buying an apartment on the assumption that the world and the financial market will exist in a status quo, which is a bad assumption. It is very likely that it will not, and fluctuations can turn the lives of home loan owners into hell in a short period of time.

Con.

Nobody really knows how their life will develop, so being scared of bank loans is also not a good idea. If the odds in the financial market started to work against you, you can always sell and move on. If you have enough money to buy an apartment with cash, that is a slightly different story.

Source: bricksnwall.in

4. More family time

Pro.

We’ve mentioned in one of the points how renting a home leaves you with less responsibility for maintenance, therefore reducing the time you spend on choirs significantly. This is the precious time you can therefore choose to spend with your family. There was also some research performed to analyze how much time an average homeowner spends with the family in comparison to the one who rents. Turns out renters have more family time.

Con.

Family time is precious, but with a little bit of organizing, everyone can enjoy it. It’s just much better in the warmth of your own family home.

Source: Mashvisor

5. The list of expenses is shorter

Pro.

Expenses you will have in any case, just a lot less when you’re not a direct owner. You are obliged to pay rent, and the rest is not your responsibility. That’s only one point on the list.

Con.

After buying a home, you will have a number of other costs that you would not have as a tenant:

  • apartment maintenance
  • repairs
  • renovation
  • real estate tax
  • insurance
  • payment for utilities
  • various other costs

Renting a home gives you a sense of freedom, as well. You can choose to move out whenever you feel like it, without going through the stress of selling.

Electric Scooter Rentals vs. Ownership

Living without a vehicle in today’s world is almost impossible. Towns are becoming bigger and bigger in all parts of the world. That is the reason why many people decide on purchasing a new car. However, being a car owner is not the only option you have. You can also purchase a scooter for the same reason and ensure an entertaining traveling from one place to another.

Yet, you need to have one thing in mind. People often forget that protecting our environment is one of the essential tasks we all have. Because of that, purchasing an electric scooter is a much better solution. It has become a trend in the transportation world in many countries.

The list of benefits that electric scooters bring is long. For instance, people like them because they do not produce a lot of noise. Despite that, they are eco-friendly. If problems like global warming and air pollution bother you, purchasing an electric scooter would be the right choice.

Still, there is something we would like to discuss more. The price of these electric vehicles is not high. In most cases, people can afford them, but that is not always the case. That is the reason why they decide on renting the electric scooters. It seems to them like a better option because it does not take them a lot of money at once.

We would like to compare both options, renting and owning an electric scooter. After reading our comparison, you will see that both solutions come with some benefits. You need to pick one that meets your requirements and expectations. Because of that, let’s find out the main differences and help you make the right decision.

Source: varlascooter.com

Electric Scooter Rentals Benefits

Being born in the 21st century makes you a lucky person. By basic research, you will easily see there is a wide range of models out there. That is the reason why choosing the right one is going to be a challenging process. On the other hand, renting an electric scooter is not a complex process at all. You only need to find the fill the necessary form and you will get permission to use the vehicle. We would like to highlight a couple of benefits that you should know.

  • Driving Different Models

As we said, deciding on one model is going to be a challenging process. Fortunately, that type of issue does not exist with rentals. People can drive different electric scooter models every day if they want.

  • Maintenance

The maintenance cost does not exist at all. If the scooter requires maintenance, the owner is the one responsible for them. Your only task would be to be careful when driving. Of course, it is essential that you do not damage the vehicle

  • Costs

Renting a scooter is not going to cost you a lot. Despite that, you also won’t have to spend money on charging. The owners usually charge the scooter according to the distance you plan to cross. It is something you will have to say in advance.

Source: Romania Insider

Electric Scooter Rental Disadvantages

It would be unfair to say that everything around scooter rentals is perfect. There are certain disadvantages you should know as well. We will highlight the most relevant ones.

  • Lack of Safety Gear

Companies and individuals that rent electric scooters usually do not offer the safety gear. Driving without the necessary equipment is risky. Because of that, you will have to take care of that part. If you don’t have it at home, that means you will need to buy it. Keep in mind that will bring you additional fees.

  • Lack of Options

Places, where you can rent a scooter, are not on every corner. In some cases, you may need to cross more than 5 miles to reach that place. Finding an electric scooter to rent is a bit more complex. That is the reason why the lack of options is the number one disadvantage of electric scooter rentals.

Source: Menkind

Benefits of Owning an Electric Scooter

Being the owner of an electric scooter is a more responsible thing. However, it is also a better option for those that are big lovers of this type of vehicle. We will highlight four benefits that are most important for you.

  • Safety Gear

We do not want to say that electric scooters always come with protective gear. However, it is not going to be a problem to purchase them. Despite that, when you rent a scooter, there is a big chance you won’t do that every day. Because of that, purchasing safety gear would only bring unnecessary costs. On the other hand, when you are the owner, purchasing safety equipment is a necessity.

  • Freedom

There is a quiet competition between the electric scooter drivers. They all want to make their vehicle look different, attractive, and unique. When you rent an electric scooter, you don’t have the right to customize it. That opportunity is only available to the owners. If you are a creative soul, we are sure this benefit is going to be essential for you.

  • Availability

Finding the best electric scooter for buying is not a challenging process. There are many websites like Varla Scooter where you can get familiar with different models. We recommend you check the features as well as reviews for all the models. That is the only way to make the right choice in the end.

Source: Romania Insider

Disadvantages of Owning Electric Scooters

Generally speaking, all the disadvantages are connected with responsibility and maintenance. You will need to invest additional time and money to ensure that your vehicle works perfectly. We hope that you pick the right model that does not require a lot of maintenance. Yet, we know that is not a big problem for the owners. They will anyway invest additional time to make their vehicle look super cool. There is always something they would like to fix, improve, and upgrade.

Despite that, charging is another task you will need to take care of. You will have to appropriately charge it with your electricity.

Conclusion

After reading the benefits and disadvantages of both options, we are sure making the final decision will be easier. It may be good to primarily rent an electric scooter and check which things you like and don’t like. After you do that, you can determine a certain set of features you are looking for. That will allow you to purchase the perfect electric scooter for your needs.

When to Hire Freelance Services VS Agency Services – 2024 Guide

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If you’re a business owner, it’s possible that you spend a lot of your time dealing with various challenges. After all, you’ll have to implement new strategies and technology, you must efficiently communicate with your staff members, and more importantly, you need to ensure that you hire the right professional for the job you need to outsource.

But, there are two options when it comes to outsourcing your business tasks – you can choose to hire freelance services or the services of an agency. There are differences between the two options and in order to make the best decision, you’ll have to understand those differences. Luckily, this is exactly what we’ll discuss in this article today, so, let’s take a closer look:

1. The Experience, Skills, And Knowledge

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Freelancers: Generally speaking, people operating in this field are experienced and knowledgeable professionals in their fields. Some of them already have a lot of experience since most of them have already worked in physical businesses and companies. When searching for an organization online, you’ll surely be able to find a person that will suit your specific needs, no matter if you need someone to run your advertisements or if you need an SEO consultant such as Lucatagliaferro.com to take care of your SEO ranking. But, it might be difficult to find someone with a wide range of skills, which is why in most situations, you’ll have to hire several of them.

An Agency: If you opt for hiring a professional organization, you’ll be operating with a team of qualified experts that have a wide range of skills and experiences. Since it’s a company, you’ll probably have to sign a contract in order to hire a group of experts. The main difference between the two options? Well, when working with them, you’ll have an official and written guarantee that the outsourced tasks will be completed, whereas, with a freelance organization, you won’t have that since most of them don’t offer contracts.

2. The Scope of Services Available

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Freelancers: We cannot really say that they don’t care about their reputation with their clients, however, not all of them will be responsible and trustworthy. In some situations, they might simply disappear without previously finishing the tasks or notifying you that they won’t complete them. And since people don’t sign contracts with them, you won’t have anyone to turn to when the task isn’t finished when agreed.

An Agency: On the other hand, an agency will provide the best possible services to their clients mostly because they really care about their clients’ experiences. Additionally, they’ll be operating in a team, which means that they’ll have frequent meetings where they’ll monitor the progress of the outsourced tasks.

3. The Expenses

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Freelancers: When it comes to the expenses you’ll have, hiring a freelancer is cheaper than hiring a team of people. After all, you’ll be paying one person to do the job, which is definitely more affordable than hiring an entire group of people that will work on the tasks you outsource. Additionally, they don’t need to share their salaries, nor do they have to pay taxes.

An Agency: We already mentioned that it’s more expensive to hire a professional agency that will provide you with a team of experts working on your business tasks. But, you should know that, in most cases, they will charge more than 35 percent more than the previous option. And since they’re a company, they’ll also need to pay monthly taxes.

4. One Person VS a Team of People

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Freelancers: Hiring the services of a freelancer means that you’ll be hiring one person that operates alone. In most cases, they don’t have a boss, nor a manager, which means that you’ll need to frequently communicate with them in order to learn about the progress they made, meaning that you’ll need strong managerial skills.

An Agency: If you hire an expert team of people, you’ll probably have fewer things to worry about. All you’ll need to do is provide them with information on what they need to do and they’ll start right away. Hence, if you aren’t up for some management tasks, hiring an agency might be the option you should choose.

5. The Working Hours

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Freelancers: The very first thing that you should know is that they don’t work the normal business hours, which means that they’re more flexible with their schedules. But, keep in mind, not all of them are online 24/7, it’ll depend on the person you hire. Some will have specific business hours, while others might not.

An Agency: Like any other company out there, these organizations will have their business hours. Hence, if your organization has non-conventional working hours, this option might not be suitable for you. Nonetheless, most agencies follow the requirements of their clients, meaning that they’re always ready to help if needed.

6. The Support

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Freelancers: As mentioned earlier, when you’re working with a freelancer, you’ll need to constantly get in touch with them, hence, they might not provide you with the necessary support. Also, they might not provide you with useful advice and tips, mostly because they’ll have a lot of clients and it would be difficult for them to focus on one person for a longer time.

An Agency: Agencies are different when it comes to the support your receive. For starters, you’ll hire a team of people, which means that there will always be someone there ready to talk to you. This will allow them to provide you with various tips and advice, especially since they’ll always have someone to speak to you.

Conclusion

Determining whether you should hire the services of a freelancer or an agency is often quite daunting and time-consuming. However, since you now know all the differences between the two options, you should be able to make the entire choosing process easier, as well as less time-consuming.

So, now that you’re aware of all the differences you need to take into account when determining which option might be suitable for your business, you should not lose any more time. Instead, take a look at this article one more time and then determine which option suits your needs best.

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