Even though most online casino games are top-rated and secure, we can’t deny several rumours and misconceptions regarding them. These false notions are gaining traction among both casino players and non-gamblers around the world. This is a significant issue, so we believe it is vital to expose the following 7 popular myths of online casinos and debunk them one by one.

Players don’t get paid

Some folks assume they can get conned while playing online games. The truth is that online casinos would never have grown so famous if they had nothing to offer their customers. It is pretty safe to win money if you find casino games at reputable sites that adhere to all online gambling regulations. 

The game is not legal

We’ve seen several illicit businesses fail to survive the test of time online. If online casinos were considered illegal in every country, they wouldn’t have grown in popularity over time. Currently, some regions do not have legal frameworks to permit online casinos’ operations. However, country-by-country regulation governing this industry is becoming more prevalent as time goes on. Also, gambling at online casinos with sportsbook functions is neither forbidden nor authorized in some jurisdictions. It is only permitted or subject to appropriate regulation/legislation.

Online casinos are overtaking business from “real casinos”

Offline (physical) casinos are considered “real casinos” by certain players, while others consider online casinos to be the future of gambling. The European Business Review published an online article on this topic stating that online and offline casinos can coexist and complement one another. 

Many other players and investors believe that internet casinos have helped offline casinos grow by introducing more players to various games and direct gambling experiences while also enjoying the physical amenities.

Online casinos are linked with money laundering

Organizations or individuals who run internet casinos must undergo extensive background investigations before being accepted and licensed. Openness is a must in this situation. There is yet to be evidence to support the claim that online casinos practice money laundering.

Online casinos are rigged 

Many individuals assume that online casinos are rigged. They also assume that online casino operators or owners can control the volatility of their games. Although casinos have an advantage (the house edge) in different games, the outcome is wholly reliant on the player’s luck and abilities. Furthermore, third-party agencies keep track of internet casinos, which means any defrauding of players or customers will lead to the loss of their license. 

Underaged players can access online casinos

You are required to be at least 18 years to play at any registered/licensed online casino. Players whose ages aren’t verified will be unable to participate in the games.

Gambling addiction is easier online than offline 

Some people indeed have better self-control than others when it comes to addictive behaviours. This, however, does not necessitate blaming either online or conventional casinos. Many players play within their financial and time constraints and are not at risk of becoming hooked to online casinos. Some online gaming sites take gambling addiction very seriously and offer help and advice to help players control their gambling habits.

Conclusion

It’s easy to conclude and make assumptions about things we don’t understand. Just keep in mind that regulating bodies and organizations all contribute to the legitimacy of online casinos.

Free online slot games are one of the easiest ways to learn the ropes of slots while having a good time! Not having any monetary prizes doesn’t necessarily mean spinning the reels won’t be thrilling. But how do you get access to online slot games for free?

You can begin by looking up websites that provide the game you wish to play. You’ll find a plethora of alternatives for playing whatever game you desire without even having to register with a casino site. You could base your search on themes that you find interesting. There are slot games with sports themes, movie themes, ancient mythology themes, festive themes, Irish themes, and many other captivating themes. Simply type in a game title in the search bar and wait for it to load up.

It helps to recognize various reel setups. There are simple, classic arcade games as well as complicated, modern video slots. The main distinction is the number of spinning reels and paylines. Start with simple free slots, such as the 3×3 or 5×3 layout, which are simple to understand and have a few prominent symbols on them.

Look around the game matrix before clicking a demo mode button. The operating buttons are usually located at the bottom of the screen. Here you’ll find the options for selecting lines and placing wagers on them.

The paylines may be fixed, in which case, there’s no need to select them. On either side of the wagering window is usually a “+ and –” button. This is especially useful in the real money mode when you wish to place a real wager. 

Bonus features are developed to make online slot games very interesting. Symbols align in various combinations as the lines rotate. Scatters are usually used to activate free spins. The bonus features would vary depending on the game. Free spins, multiplier options, and win combos with additional features are frequently available in bonus games, opening multiple screen displays.

Select the autoplay feature in demo mode to fully explore all capabilities. This is a quick method to learn about how winnings are distributed. It shows the pattern or time intervals at which they can occur. Playing becomes easier once a specific number of rounds have been completed. You’ll learn about special features, bonus games, and how they’re activated this way.

Playing on free slot sites gives you a reasonable possibility of winning something. Playing for free will help you to fine-tune your approach before putting your actual money on the line. 

If you’re a casino game newbie, you’ll appreciate the chance to try out the various features of free demo slots. Based on the number of players that put money into the pot, progressive jackpots can hit enormous sums of money.

Keep in mind that you can also get free spins from casinos that offer no deposit bonuses. But these free spins usually come with heavy wagering requirements meaning that you probably won’t be able to withdraw your earnings.

Why don’t you try your hands on a few demo slot versions? Who knows? You might get lucky with some fantastic wins.

The sports industry is a massive space that revolves around health, fitness, and entertainment. It has a diverse audience based on age, nationality, culture, and countless other parameters. It’s a dynamic sector that is constantly changing. Hence, marketing efforts must keep pace to stay relevant.

As the digital revolution continues, marketers are racing against time to identify and leverage the next big trend to stay ahead of this ever-evolving market. And while foreseeing the future is a crucial skill, a lot depends on one’s ability to constantly adapt to the changing trends.

Five Major Changes in Sports Marketing Trends

Although several marketing trends could transform the future of the sports industry, we’ll discuss the top 5 most likely candidates.

Focus on eSports

While sports marketing was primarily focused on traditional sports like football, cricket, horse racing, motorsports, etc., the emphasis recently shifted towards eSports. As of 2021, the popularity of eSports has skyrocketed, and the industry is projected to be worth between €650 million and €1 billion annually by 2030. The younger generation is into eSports, which indicates the onset of a revolution in the sports industry.

Active Female Participation

Since sports is a reflection of society, it isn’t surprising that women are slowly taking up important positions in the field. As women’s sports take precedence, the female audience is gradually increasing. Events like women’s football tournaments are very popular among female viewers. Therefore, future marketing strategies must take the varied audience into account. Big brands have begun designing campaigns with that in mind. A few examples include the British Government’s “The Girl Can” initiative, and She Moves Mountains by North Face.

Penetrating Communities Organically

The sports community comprises several elements like fans, enthusiasts, technicians, and professionals involved in different fields. Intercepting these communities will be a crucial task for sports marketers since it’s a huge market. While there are several ways of reaching out to this group, using social media influencers is an effective solution. Organically penetrating private communities on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram will be an important business strategy in the future.

Influencer Marketing

While influencer marketing is already popular in the sports industry, there are several ways the trend could further explore in the coming years. Super influencers will continue playing an important role in future marketing trends, albeit with a few subtle changes. For instance, while big brands currently use celebrities for product endorsements on traditional media outlets, the digital trend could see a major shift in focus to social media platforms.

Sustainability

The younger generation is focused on social responsibility. Therefore, brands must spread the right message to remain popular. For instance, environmental sustainability is a major point of debate, and social media is rife with related discussions. Several studies show that people today are willing to pay extra for a brand’s products or services to simply reward its commitment to social responsibilities. Therefore, every digital marketing agency that knows how the game is played creates marketing strategies with sustainability in mind.

As online sportsbooks continue to grow popular, new bookmakers are cropping up every day. But sports betting sites are businesses at the end of the day. So, the most common question people ask is how do these platforms make money? And, is it legal?

For starters, sports betting is legal in most parts of the world. If you’re unsure about the local regulations, a quick Google search should clear the confusion. Now, to answer your first question, bookmakers make money by retaining a part of the losing wager as commission. Let’s delve a little deeper for a clearer picture.

How are Bookmakers Making Money?

Bookmakers primarily make money in four ways.

• By setting the betting prices
• By specifying and altering the bet lines
• By balancing the book
• By counting on bettor emotion and lack of knowledge

The Overround

The most common technique that bookmakers use to mint money is the overround, which is nothing more than a commission. Bookies include this margin in every bet to make a profit irrespective of the result. For instance, let’s take a look at a simple 1×2 football bet.

Let’s assume team A (1) win odds is 12/5, draw odds is 11/5 and team B (2) win odds is 7/5. These odds correlate to 29.41%, 31.25% and 41.67%, respectively. However, you may realise that these percentages add to 102.33%. The extra 2.33% here is the overrounded margin and it represents the bookmaker’s profit.

Odds Compilers

Odds compilers are essentially a group of traders that determine the wagering amount a bookmaker can accept and how much money they can make. This is commonly called pricing the market. The primary goal is to predict the likeliness of a favourable result while retaining a profit margin.

Compilers must be familiar with the sport that they’re pricing the market for. Therefore, they usually specialise in just one or two sports. Compilers must also have a solid understanding of several statistical and mathematical principles. Bookmakers simply follow the odds specified by compilers.

Balancing the Book

A bookmaker with balanced books makes the same amount of money irrespective of the results. While this limits profits, it eliminates losses, which is the ultimate goal. An imbalanced book could result in a loss as it affects revenue. This is why bookmakers rely on compilers to balance the book.

Since the odds fluctuate with time, the compilers are responsible for fine-tuning the calculations to keep the books balanced. But there are no guarantees that adjusting the odds will perfectly balance the book. What’s interesting is that sometimes compilers want an unbalanced book if they’re confident about getting favourable results. This maximises the bookies’ profits but has a fair share of risks.

Conclusion

It’s clear that bookmakers have a mathematical advantage on every bet. That’s how they make money and it’s perfectly legal. And while they might not make a substantial sum on every market, the odds are slightly tilted in their favour.

Stock administration alludes to the way toward deciding the measure of stock you ought to have that is fit to be dispatched when you get the request. With the right mix of stock administration techniques, you can draw in more clients while keeping away from chances and undesirable stock expenses.

Importance of Inventory Management 

Item stock close by is a business resource. Yet, whenever left unmanaged, they can be left adrift and lose the correct way. As your business develops, you might experience issues, for example:

• Additional inventory
• Low level of stock
• Trapped or dead stock
• Error
• High storage costs

Let’s explore the common problems of these inventories and some ways to avoid them. You can always read in more detail at Olifant Digital.

How Does Amazon Inventory Work?

At the point when merchants decide to utilize the FBA, they consequently access Amazon’s AI-based stock administration framework. The framework utilizes information sources, for example, the cost of merchandise sold, shipment time, and Amazon information to anticipate client interest and set the most extreme stock level.

• IPI is dependent on how good you are
• Replenish popular products
• Maintain a healthy inventory level
• Fix listing issues

Improve Your IPI Score to Reduce Storage Costs

Similarly, as a high FICO rating will give you benefits, so will a high stock score. By and large, vendors with a higher IPI score ordinarily pay under 1% of the capacity expense as a level of income. Keep your IPI score high to decrease stockpiling costs and augment benefits. A score over an Amazon IPI of 400 diminishes your capacity costs and gives you an extra stockpiling limit at Amazon Completion Centers. Capacity limits change quarterly dependent on your business volume, IPI score, and accessible culmination limit. This can help you reduce operating costs and increase the number of products sold on Amazon marketing agency with two days of shipping.

Check Whether the Price Is Right 

Focusing on the right cost for your item is the main part of the business cycle. Understanding who your potential clients are, and following their ways of managing money, can assist you with deciding how much your item should cost. If you charge more for it, your item might be left on the online passageway. Diminish the cost and hazard not boosting deals. 

The perfect balance for your item is someplace in the center, just underneath where the vast majority of the opposition has put them. A superficial look at the postings made in your classification will help you sort out some way to value your item in a manner that makes it stand apart from the rest.

Keep an Eye on Turnover Periods

The inventory turnover period is the time frame in which all your inventory is sold. You can without much of a stretch compute your business rate by following the normal number of requests got each week or month to month. For instance, if you have 250 SKUs in your stock and they sell a normal of 100 units every month, your stock will keep going for about 2.5 months. While these are just estimates, they are really helpful in maintaining your stock level and protecting you from running out of stock or over-stocking. You can understand the monthly and annual trends to make your forecast more effective and sophisticated. On the off chance that your items are utilized more at specific seasons, you will see an increment in deals around that time and will need to build your stock to satisfy the need. 

Another significant number you need to watch out for is the store network lead time. This alludes to the time it takes for your item to arrive at your stock from your provider. A decent comprehension of these two numbers will empower you to expand your stock. 

Run Strategic Promotions

Promotion is a great way to speed up sales and clear inventory. In case you are selling different items that complete one another, you can consolidate them into one group and set a limited cost. This is a powerful deal and strategically pitching technique. By making point-by-point client profiles, you’ll have the option to decide when your clients need to spend more. Vital advancements for occasional items work best with the occasion and merry advancements. 

A significant part of running an effective special mission is realizing when to stop it. You need to monitor your stock to do it. Discover how much stock you need to save for your advancements. When you hit the objective, respite or interruption the mission.

Unload the Luggage

Outsourcing is an idea that permits you to sell an item without putting away it. In case you are getting your stock from another vendor, you can without much of a stretch boat your item so the merchant can send the request straightforwardly to Amazon for your sake. This keeps you from effectively taking care of your stock in return for an outsourcing charge paid to your provider. Nonetheless, you should go through all the charges associated with this interaction and ensure that you are making a decent benefit eventually. Amazon has an outsourcing strategy that dealers should follow. Ensure your provider sticks to the arrangement or your dealer record might confront suspension and punishments.

Use Inventory Management Software 

The entirety of the above can once in a while be overpowering. With such a lot of effects on your plate, you’ll need to consider some assistance that can direct you through these complexities. A stock administration programming assists you with getting sorted out and deal with your Amazon stock, permitting you to zero in on other key spaces of your business. 

A device accompanies an assortment of combinations and incredible investigation capacities that can assist you with survey your whole stock. You can screen the level of your stock, set mechanization triggers, request more when it arrives at a specific level, and substantially more.

Conclusion 

Managing your inventory at first seems like a simple request, but a closer look at it reveals that it’s much easier than working. However, once you practice it, start practicing best practices, and using all the tools at your disposal, you will be able to achieve it permanently and beat the competition. 

Have you ever been browsing events in Matchbook Australia and wondered how much do the athletes earn? Well, today we’re going deep into the topic as we have prepared a list of the world’s ten richest athletes by net worth. We will be only considering the modern athletes as they’re the ones you probably want to learn about. Before counting their money, let us just list them for a brief overview:

1. Michael Jordan.
2. Tiger Woods.
3. Arnold Palmer.
4. Jack Nicklaus.
5. Michael Schumacher.
6. Phil Mickelson.
7. Kobe Bryant.
8. David Beckham.
9. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
10. Shaquille O’Neal.

10. Shaquille O’Neal – $735,000,000

Shaq is definitely one of the most popular athletes in the world thanks to his performance as an L.A. Lakers player and his public activity. He quit basketball in 2011 but has done lots of other things that only increased his popularity and, therefore, his net worth. Apart from being a professional basketball player, Shaq has four rap albums, one of them being platinum. He is now 49 and, according to Forbes, his net worth is $735 million.

9. Floyd Mayweather Jr. – $785,000,000

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the highest-paid boxers in the history of sports. His latest retirement dates back to 2017. Don’t be surprised by the wording: he has retired twice before and made one-fight comebacks. Floyd has an undefeated record, having 50 fights with no losses, 11 major world titles behind his back, and his net worth is estimated to be around $785 million.

8. David Beckham – $800,000,000

David Beckham is a professional soccer player from England. He has played in Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and on his national team. He retired at the age of 38 and also has a range of titles earned, but his passion for soccer was not over: Beckham is currently a co-owner and president of Inter Miami and his net worth is around $800 million.

7. Kobe Bryant – $800,000,000

Another L.A. Lakers former player on the list, Kobe’s net worth is a bit higher than Shaq’s. He was by many fans considered one of the best basketball players worldwide and had a long successful career behind him. Also known as Black Mamba, Kobe played his last season in 2016 and tried other activities in the following years. He died in 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.

6. Phil Mickelson – $815,000,000

Also known as Lefty, Phil Mickelson is one of the most successful golf players in modern history. He has managed to win a total of forty-five PGA Tour events and his net worth is estimated to be around $815 million. He is currently 51 and he does not seem to be planning on retiring: he won a major championship in 2021, becoming the oldest player to reach such an achievement.

5. Michael Schumacher – $1,000,000,000

The last type of sport that is going to be featured today is auto racing and of course, it is represented by Schumacher. He is one of the most successful and most popular racers in the world, having seven world championship victories behind him. Schumacher retired in 2012 and is currently 52 years old, his net worth is estimated to be $1 billion.

4. Jack Nicklaus – $1,200,000,000

Another golf veteran on the list, Jack Nicklaus has won 117 tournaments during his career. His passion for golf started at a young age and has not ended yet. He began his career in 1961 and is currently 81 years old. He is now doing court designs and writing books and his net worth is around $1.2 billion.

3. Arnold Palmer – $1,400,000,000

Palmer was a professional golf player that also had won lots of tournaments in his life. He was one of the first golf stars during the development of television and apart from playing golf he was an active businessman. He died in 2016 at the age of 87 and according to Forbes, his net worth is estimated to be around $1.4 billion.

2. Tiger Woods – $1,700,000,000

The last golf player on our list and probably the most popular one among modern athletes. He has set multiple golf records, won lots of tournaments, including 18 world championships and created the TGR Foundation. He is now 45 and his net worth is $1.7 billion.

1. Michael Jordan – $1,850,000,000

Jordan is probably not the most popular basketball player in the world, but he is currently considered the richest. His career as a player started in 1984 and ended in 2003, but he did not exit the sport completely. He is currently the owner of the Charlotte Hornets and his net worth is estimated to be around $1.85 billion.

Who is the greatest player of all time? It’s one of the oldest rowdy disputes in sports history. How are you expected to measure it with all the different players and styles of play throughout NFL history? As the NFL pre-season kicks off on 13^th August and the competitive season commencing on September 9^th, now is the perfect time to register yourself with an online bookmarker and use OddsNinja Betting Guide to get the best promotions and bonuses so you can enhance your playing experience.  

Tom Brady (Patriots, 2000-Current)

Tom Brady is living proof that intangibles are considerably more important than raw talent when it comes to the quarterback position in the NFL. Look at Brady’s resume: 5 Super Bowl titles, 4 Super Bowl MVPs, 2 NFL MVPs, and 12 Pro Bowl appearances. But this may be the most astounding statistic: Brady has played 16 NFL seasons, excluding the 2008 season when he was injured in week 1 and missed the rest of the season (not including 2017). Brady has appeared in seven Super Bowls in his 16 NFL seasons. 

That means he’s appeared in the Super Bowl in nearly half of the NFL seasons he’s played! Whether you like him or not, you can’t dispute that he’s a champion. Tom Brady has won the AFC East 14 times (an NFL record) and has a record of 214 victories and only 63 defeats in his career. Not bad for a player who was drafted 199th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Jerry Rice (Raiders, Seahawks, 1985-2004)

Jerry Rice’s statistics are well-known, including NFL records for touchdowns (205), receptions (1,519), and receiving yards (1,519). (22,466). On paper, those figures may not seem impressive, but let’s compare Rice to the #2 player to put things in context. Ready…? Rice has more touchdowns and receiving yards than any other player in NFL history, with 33 and 6,961 yards respectively.

That’s three to five further Pro-Bowl-calibre seasons! Rice’s work ethic, though, set him apart. Rice’s work ethic was, and still is, unmatched, and it’s one of the reasons he’s considered one of the greatest players in NFL history. He made significant receptions not only in the games that didn’t matter, but also in the games that did.

Jim Brown (Browns, 1957-1965)

Jim Brown, at 6ft 2 and 230 pounds, he separated the men amongst the boys. Brown outgrew his opponents in terms of size, speed, and strength. He was too quick for linemen and line-backers to tackle him, and he was too strong for defensive backs to stop him. Brown won eight running crowns during his nine seasons in the NFL (1957-1965), and he retired with every key record in the league.

Although other back liners have exceeded Brown in the record books, fans should keep in mind that the regular season was 12 games from 1957 to 1960 and 14 games from 1961 to 1965 when Brown was active. Brown holds the record for most yards per game (104.3) in NFL history, which he has held since 1965.

Weekly fantasy basketball is the newest addition to the fantasy game leagues and tournaments which has been a popular game for most sports enthusiasts. Basketball however is the most loved sports game in the world, and each young boy all over the world dreams of becoming the next Kobe Bryant or Lebron James. Unlike football and baseball which have a strong following among their fans, basketball fans are very vocal and supportive of the game and their players. Moreover, basketball fans can range from the most successful businessman to that quiet lady in the bookstore, it transcends age, gender, nationality, race, and culture. Everybody indeed loves basketball. The sheer number of basketball teams in every country and the many leagues that are formed to provide a venue to compete and play against other teams are proof that basketball has become pervasive in our society. Many people idolize basketball players and their careers are followed closely by their fans, most young players start as high school basketball players, then to college basketball, and after which get drafted into the professional leagues. But some great players come from playing college basketball in their freshmen year and get invited into a professional team right after, especially if they have outstanding game scores and statistics. More than that, basketball players who become celebrities enjoy such fame and fortune that is not seen in other athletes. With this level of interest and die-hard fans, it is no wonder that many would also be interested in playing weekly fantasy basketball. There have been many video games and online games of basketball, but it is only in fantasy basketball that you get to play as a team owner or manager, and your success in the game is determined by how well your team plays against other teams in a weekly tournament. When you win in the tournament, you do get the bragging rights among your friends or group and you also get to cash in your game money for real dollars. 

How To Play Weekly Fantasy Basketball 

Playing weekly fantasy basketball is fairly easy as everyone has a good amount of knowledge about the game, the players, and how they are performing in the current season. More often than not, even if you start as a beginner in fantasy basketball, by the end of the tournament, you will get the hang of it and be able to reach the advanced levels. To play, you must first have a computer or gadget and an internet connection, as these are the most vital pieces of equipment you should have to play fantasy basketball. In the past fantasy, basketball was played off-line, using cards and player scores and sheer forecasting skills and a little bit of intuition, but with the internet and online platforms, it is much easier to play fantasy basketball and all the data and statistics you need is within grasp or just a download away. Most of the time, you would be interested to play fantasy basketball because you are a fan of the game and has a good amount of knowledge of the players and their careers and how they play and whether making a team composed of different players would be your winning dream team. You get to choose ten players to form your team and then you start entering them into tournaments weekly where your team plays with other teams or on a head-to-head format where you play against a single team for the whole week. The team with the highest score at the close of the tournament wins, and you get to choose another set of players for a new team in the next tournament or you can retain your old one. The most important thing to remember is that the games only run for a week and after which the winners are ranked and announced. You need to be able to pay the fee to play weekly. The scores you get can be earned as game coins which you can also exchange for real money, which most players do as a sort of reward for their efforts and a motivation to make their gameplay better. 

What Makes For A Better Weekly Fantasy Basketball Game?

Weekly fantasy basketball is a pay-to-play virtual online game, which means that you need to pay a subscription fee every time you want to play the game. You can pay it weekly that coincides with the beginning and end of the tournament, although you always get a weekly tournament whether what day of the week you start. Since the game is hosted on an online platform, you need to download the app or software needed to run the game. There are some technical requirements for the game to run, to avoid any issues later, make sure that your gadgets and internet speed meet the minimum requirement specified in the game. With the app, you can now send in your payment, buy or draft your players and launch your teams. You can also monitor the players’ performance in real life so you would get to know how the season is turning out for the player, and whether he will be sought after or not. Very few people on earth would probably say that they just play for the game itself, and not because of wanting to win the game. But, as most people would agree, the goal for every competition is to win the game. 

How To Earn Money In Weekly Fantasy Basketball 

There is probably no shortage of basketball fans, and every game is watched by thousands of those fans and therefore there will be no shortage of people playing weekly fantasy basketball. That being said, it is a given that the prizes would always be high and magnanimous and the potential to earn real money is very high. You just need to keep playing and have your teams get the highest score at the end of the tournament will get to keep their game money and wait until it is large enough to cash in to buy more game credits or buy new team players. 

Making it big in the world of sports is usually all about landing sweet deals with the biggest and most lucrative sports teams. Plus, seizing well-paid endorsement deals can keep you in the black and make for a fruitful career. 

Whether you’re negotiating for yourself or you’re an agent acting on behalf of a sportsperson, here are the most valuable tips for negotiating solid contracts. 

Set straightforward goals

When sealing any deal, in sports or elsewhere, contract negotiation training teaches that the first step to setting yourself up for success is to have clear goals. When you set specific goals and targets, you’ll be more focused on your aims and can avoid being easily distracted by the other side.

Setting clear goals will also make it easier for you to figure out how much leeway you hold for making concessions. You can focus on some critical areas like: 

• The basic salary. How much will be satisfactory for you? What percentage do you expect to stay fixed? 
• Bonuses. How will the signing bonus be paid out? Which other performance bonuses will you be entitled to? 
• Public appearances. How many are you comfortable with?
• Autonomy. Will you accept free-agent control or no-trade provisions? 

While what you plan for isn’t always what you’ll get, focusing on clear targets will train your mind to stay on the right track. 

Do your homework

Negotiating without all the information can put you at a disadvantage. That’s why it’s essential to do as much research as possible.

Collect as much data as you can and read up on key past negotiations in your field of sport. Some important areas to consider include:

• How do other contracts typically look?  
• Who’s in control of each team?
• Which clauses are usually included? 

When you know what to expect, there are fewer chances that you’ll be pulled into a deal that will bleed you dry. 

Plus, when you have the lowdown about the situation on the ground, you can set more realistic expectations. 

It’s also important to keep researching throughout the negotiation process. Continual research allows you to prepare your responses and adjust your strategy accordingly. Train yourself to resist being rushed into making concessions. Take time to precisely determine what the clauses mean from a legal standpoint and their implications on your future. 

Read between the lines 

To reach a consensus, you need to understand what the other person is saying, but hearing the “why” behind the words can be twice as important. That’s why when discussing the contract, listen out for true intentions to understand the reasoning that might be underpinning the spoken words. 

Some techniques to help you see through what people are saying include:

• Spotting body language cues.
• Watching out for facial expressions.
• Listening for changes in tone or quality of voice.
• Uncharacteristic changes in a number of disparate patterns.

When you unmask the other side’s intentions, you’ll be better placed to circle back and iron out kinks amicably. This is because you can figure out what’s most valuable to the other side and concede on those areas of the deal to get what’s most valuable to you.  

For instance, consider this scenario:

You detect that the team is facing some cash flow challenges. On your part, your main concern at this point is higher, longer-term payments that you can invest over time rather than a cash lump sum. So, you can agree for the team to pay your signing bonus in tranches over a set period instead of upfront. In exchange, you get a larger figure — a win for everybody. 

Keep an open mind

The best contract isn’t always defined by the dollar figure attached to it. Sometimes you can consider negotiating for better perks. You can go for fringe benefits that increase the value of the deal, like:

• Access to top-of-the-range facilities for training and nutritional care.
• Accident or disability benefits.
• Life and health insurance.
• Higher merchandising royalties.

In some cases, foregoing present financial gain for future deals might also be worthwhile. For instance, a lower amount to join a reputable team that can open the door for huge endorsements may be a viable option. Just remember to take note of the term of the contract so you don’t get stuck for too long in a lower-priced deal. 

Play for a win-win

As an athlete, you may be trained to have a winner-takes-all stance that helps you to succeed in competitions. However, in negotiations, it helps if both sides aim for a satisfactory result. So, keep the fight off the table and instead move towards seeking a common understanding. 

Maintain a friendly disposition and form a working relationship with the other side. It’s usually easier to come up with an agreement that makes everyone happy if the talks are calm. 

Winning the best contracts

Lay the groundwork for negotiating money-making sports deals by researching and setting clear goals. It’s also vital to read into the other side’s words and open yourself up to the possibility of non-monetary gains. Most important of all, remember that you win more if everyone wins.