The bets are on.

by Christopher Flood and Adam Koehler
THE POST

It's another beautiful Sunday afternoon on the campus of Athens' Ohio University. The leaves are beginning to change and the warm, sunshine-filled day has invited students to come out and play.

So are you ready for some football? Or at least some money?

The Cincinnati Bengals come out of a time-out trailing the Tennessee Titans 23-14 in the fourth quarter. Less than two minutes appear on the clock and "Who let the dogs out" blares as the Bengals' Neil Rackers lines up for a 35-yard field goal.

Somewhere in the dark depths of an apartment on Mill Street, a self-proclaimed "betting enthusiast" sits poised on a coffee table inches away from the television and inches away from his destiny.

The snap is down and the kick on its way. For him, a make equals a loss, the total score cannot exceed 38 points. The tension mounts for the "enthusiast" as he now picks up the coffee table where he was perched and clutches it over his head. He screams out in anticipation while falling to his knees just in time to watch the field goal attempt miss wide left. Another day - another $10.

Having more disposable income than their parents, online betting has become an increasingly popular pursuit of college students. Although the odds are clearly not in a better's favor, the hope of striking it big or just making a sporting event more exciting has provided all the incentive one needs. Add to that the relative ease of getting online and using a credit card to start an account, and the betting world becomes much easier to enter than a trip to Las Vegas or dealing with Big Vince, your bookie's forceful crony.

So how do these online accounts work?

SportingbetUSA, formerly betmaker.com or betmaker.net, is a legally operating off-shore sports book and online casino. Its parent company, Sportingbet.com (http://sportingbetusa.com), has over 43,000 customers betting in over 80 countries with offices in London, Sydney and now via the betmaker acquisition in Costa Rica, originally established in December 1996.

"Betmaker.com is one of the longest-running and largest Internet sports books, and we believe that with Sportingbet behind it, customers can look forward to many improvements, new features, more choices and a truly comprehensive range of betting opportunities," said Managing Director Mark Blandford.

Wagering with SportingbetUSA is completely legal because all bets take place on servers located in Costa Rica, where gambling is legal. One can wager on traditional events such as college and professional football, boxing and future events such as the NBA championship winner, but also more exotic challenges. The more interesting categories include auto racing, golf and proposition bets such as: Will either team score in the first 7:28 of this Monday night's NFL match-up?

In order to begin wagering online, an application must be filled out via the Internet or telephone. An initial deposit must be made using either a credit card or Western Union. Once a credit card is on file, additional deposits may take place using an online deposit through a secure site.

There are no start-up costs, monthly fees or deposit minimums. And incentives are always offered for deposits over $300. Sportingbet also offers numerous loyalty programs and special promotions. The minimum wager is $6 and maximums vary by sport. Games may be bet flat (one team), or parlayed (multiple teams, but all must win).

In order to get a better grasp of the process, the following are excerpts from a "betting diary" of an OU student. The diary is helpful in gaining insight into the thoughts behind the actions of a betting enthusiast (not a gambling junkie):

Miami at Cincinnati (October 1)

The Bet: Miami will cover the spread of -8 points.

What Happened: Feeling very bitter about a sizeable loss the week before, in an act wrought with emotion, I bet every dollar in my account against my hometown team, the "Bungles." I get the feeling that I have sinned against my homeland and will pay dearly for my crime as the Bengals miraculously ring up 13 unanswered points in the first quarter against the top-notch Dolphins. Luckily the Dolphins wake up by the second quarter and proceed to win handily, 31-16. Feeling shame for betting against "my Bengals" for a full ten seconds, I rejoice at my newly plump account and assure myself that it's okay to risk everything sometimes. Though if I'm still gambling like this at age 40, it could spell trouble for my kid's college fund.

Buffalo at Miami (October 8)

The Bet: Buffalo will cover the spread of +3 points.

What Happened: Feeling nostalgic about the success the Bills had during the '99 season, I decide that this 2-2 team will rediscover the magic against one of their fiercest division foes. See, a lot of this bet placing revolves around your ability to convince yourself that a team will win the game, score a certain amount of points, etc. based solely on indescribable emotions you have towards that team. A bit ridiculous, yes. Actually, a lot ridiculous in this scenario, as the Bills never have a shot, losing 22-13. On a funny side note, my friend (we'll call him John) tries the whole week to convince me that the winless Bears are actually a good team, and will tear up New Orleans. Though I lose my bet, I laugh deeply as John loses his bet and the Bears gets spanked at home, 31-10. That's another funny thing about betting, you truly are comforted when your friends share in the loss of money with you.

Carolina at New Orleans, Oakland at Kansas City, Minnesota at Chicago (October 15)

The Bet: A parlay that New Orleans will win, Oakland will cover the spread of +2.5 and Minnesota will cover the spread of -7.

What Happened: I've got to tell you, unless you think you know a lot about the teams involved and are feeling lucky, do not parlay bet. You will lose repeatedly due to some freak occurrence that nullifies the whole damn thing. By the decree of the gambling gods somewhere in the universe, I win every single bet, thereby hitting the parlay and getting a 1:6 payoff (that's good). I don't claim to be the master of sports or even NFL knowledge, but for these particular games on this particular day, my instincts and thoughts were dead on. John also reaped in the rewards, courtesy of Minnesota, after declaring that the Bears do indeed "suck." I sleep easy this night, knowing that it could take weeks of misguided betting to lose all my profits. The thought of quitting while ahead does not come even close to entering my mind.

And thus is the roller coaster ride of an online gambler. Fun for some? Maybe. Frightening for others? Probably. Worth the time, money, blood, sweat, tears and even furniture? It is decidedly so.