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SportsBetting GuideLearn the art of Sports Betting
www.wisepunters.com
Sports betting can be traced back as far as 1870 when bets on horses
were first made. Over the years, the way that people around the world bet
on sports has changed drastically with much of the industry taking place
online.
There are so many options when it comes to sports betting today and there
are a lot more exciting things to come. In this guide, we are going to look
at sports betting a little closer and discuss how you can place your own
bets intelligently with multiple types of sports.
We’ll also look at the pros and cons of sports betting and give you some
advice on how you can make sure that you are gambling responsibly.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to gain a better understanding of this innovative
industry and get some valuable tips.
A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
The Ultimate Guide toSports Betting
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If you had never heard of sports betting before then we would suggest
that you might have been living under a rock for many years. Around the
world, sporting events are some of the most popular pastimes and because
of this, people like to get involved in their own way.
Sports betting essentially involves predicting the outcome of a sporting
event and putting some money on this. In the past, a sports bet would have
been made at the sporting event or in a traditional bookmakers. Now, the
options on where you can place a sports bet have evolved and we can
even do it on our mobile phones whilst watching the match.
To many people, sports betting is a hobby but for others, it can be their
main form of income. There are many ways to reduce the risk of sports
betting including arbitrage betting. This kind of betting actually involves
placing a bet on both outcomes in order to make a profit regardless.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
What is Sports Betting?
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What Kind Of SportsCan You Bet On?The great thing about sports betting sites in 2020 is that they offer a wide
range of sports to place bets on. In the past, you might have only been
able to place a bet on a football match or a local horse race but now, the
options really are endless. Each site will try to offer something more than
the next which means that you can bet on almost anything you want!
Here’s some of the popular sports that you can place a bet on:
Football
Basketball
Golf
Tennis
Ice Hockey
Motor Racing
Baseball
Rugby
MMA
Horse Racing
Cricket
These are just a few of the options available to you. If we haven’t
mentioned your favourite sport, we’re sure that there will be a bookmaker
offering bets on it somewhere!
Betting Online vsTraditional bettingOver the years, the way that we place bets on sports online has changeda lot. Many people have now made the switch to online casinos and sportsbetting sites as these are often much more convenient. Of course, traditional sports betting shops or bookmakers are still on thehigh street which means that you have a huge decision to make. To helpyou with this, we have put together a table of comparisons between onlinesports betting and traditional sports betting.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
The Pros and Cons ofSports Betting
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Did you know that in the UK, football betting in particular generates a
gross gaming yield of £786 million?
This is just one sport amongst a large pool of bets and this indicates that
sports betting is a very popular activity. Of course, many people have their
reservations about sports betting due to the financial element involved.
The truth is that sports betting is fun and can be profitable if you are
sensible with your money. To convince you of this, we thought we’d list out
a few pros and cons. Hopefully, you’ll agree that the pros outweigh the
cons in this case.
It is possible to win a large amount of money back on a lower bet
Sports betting allows sports fans to get invested in the result of a game
It can be very thrilling when the bet comes through. It is possible to bet
on nearly every sport out there
Online sports betting sites make it easy to pay using eWallets
Mobile apps make it convenient to bet anytime, anywhere
It is possible to cash out on some bets
Promotions offer free bets and loyalty points at some online casinos
It is a popular hobby for many around the world
Sports betting can open you up to new sports that you hadn’t heard of
before
Some sports betting sites offer side games such as slots and table games
Pros:
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Cons:
There is a risk of losing a lot of money if the wrong bet is placed
Gambling addictions can form if responsible gambling guidelines are
not adhered to
Limits on who can gamble (over 18s in the UK)
Some online sports betting sites include wagering requirements
A lack of understanding of certain sports can mislead a player into
making the wrong bet
As you can see from the above list, the pros outweigh the cons, as long as
you are responsible with your money. Later in this guide we are going to
look a bit closer at responsible gambling so you don’t need to worry about
that too much just now.
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One of the most important things that you must understand when it comesto sports betting is the odds that are involved. Many people will go aheadand place a bet on their favourite football team without considering thefact that the odds won’t offer them a payout. Bookies create the odds based on many factors and if you don’tunderstand this then you could end up making the wrong decision.
When a bookmaker or a sports betting site creates their odds, there are afew things that they will do first. It is important to understand that their aimis to make a profit, otherwise, there would be nothing in it for them. The bookmaker will spend a lot of time researching in order to determinethe possible outcome of the event. They will then create their odds basedon the real odds but these will be downwardly adapted to create a margin. Usually, odds will be changed based on any changes and if the punters areto act in a different way to how the bookies expect.
A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Sports Betting Odds
How do bookies set odds?
How Do Odds Work?When we are taught how odds work in school, we don’t usually considerthe fact that we could be using these lessons in the future to place betson sports. Unfortunately, many people don't understand how odds workand so find it hard to locate the best odds and get the most for theirmoney. While many sports betting sites will now calculate your possible payout asyou place the bet, it doesn’t hurt to understand how odds work. Here aresome of the odds that you’ll want to know about:
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Even Odds
If something is just as likely to happen on either side of the bet, this istypically given even odds. Odds like this would usually be presented with1/1 or 2.0. If you were to place this kind of bet then you would expect towin your stake back.
Short Odds
If there is a high chance that something will happen, this will usually getshort odds. If this is the case, you’ll usually see odds like 1/10 whichmeans that you’ll get £1 for everyone £10 placed. Your winnings willtypically be smaller for this kind of bet.
Long Odds
These are the riskier type of odds as this bet is less likely to happen. Thisthen means that you could win a lot of money if your bet was to come in.Long odds would look almost like the opposite of short odds with 10/1being a common set of odds. In this case, you would win £10 for every £1you bet.
The types of bets that you can place vary from site to site and country tocountry. The common betting markets in the UK can differ from those inthe US and the way that odds are presented is different as well. There are, of course, some popular bets that you can expect to see onlineand at your local brick and mortar bookmakers. One of the most common kinds of bets is a single bet. This is typically onone thing such as a team to score a certain amount of goals or a bet on theright team to win. If you want to place a single line bet, you might need tobe willing to up your minimum stake.
This is an example of a set of football odds at popular sports betting siteWilliam Hill. In this example, the odds for the team playing away (on theright) are 10/1. This is an example of long odds and while this is risky, itcould offer a big payout if you are right.
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Popular Types Of Bets
If you are interested in horse racing thenyou will probably be familiar with an each-way bet. This kind of bet can also be used in footballand can involve betting on your team to winthe league as well as betting on them toplace in the top three.
Another popular type of bet is an accumulator bet which is popular withfootball fans. With this kind of bet, all of the selections that you have madeneed to come through, or else you won’t win anything. The kinds of bets that you can make are endless and within that, manysports will have a number of different things you can bet on. For example,in football, you might bet on the outright winner, the number of goals oreven on the players who get a red card. Below, you can see an example ofjust some of the bets that can be placed on a single football match over atWilliam Hill.
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Popular Types Of Bets Continued
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How To Bet On SportsOnline
While it is still possible to place bets in brick and mortar bookmakers, themost popular way to bet is online. Over the years, the online sports bettingindustry has grown rapidly and now, many high street bookmakers aremaking the switch and shutting down their stores. If you have never placed a bet online before then you don’t need to worry.In this chapter, we are going to take you through the process and evengive you some advice on how you can safely pay for your bet usingeWallets. You can download our guide to eWallets HERE
Choosing The SiteThe first step in the process of placing a bet online is to find the right sitefor you. Not all sports betting sites are equal with some offering much morefor players than others. You might be tempted to simply switch to the well-known brands thatyou’ve seen on the high street but are these the most reliable? When looking for a site to place a bet on, there are a few things toconsider. These include:
Ease of useWelcome bonusesSports on offerWagering requirements
Deposit and withdrawal methodsCustomer serviceSide game selection
It is really important that you take the time to consider all of these thingscarefully and that you don’t get swept up with attractive looking welcomebonuses. To help you out, here’s a list of some of the top-rated onlinesports betting sites that you should consider:
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Choosing The Site
Once you have decided on a site to sign up to, you will need to get signed upbefore you place your bet. Most sites will make this pretty straightforward andfollow a similar sign-up structure. We are going to take you through the process involved in joining Betfair.Hopefully, this will make things easier for you and you can apply our tips to thesite of your choosing. First, you need to head to www.betfair.com where you’llfind the ‘join now’ button.
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The first step involves providing your personal details. This will includeeverything from your name and your gender to your address and your mobilenumber. As you can see, Betfair will
ask for you to provide yourdate of birth. This is due torestrictions set out by theUK Gambling Commissionthat requires any playersto be over the age of 18. This is something that isrequired by law and soyou’ll not be able to bypassthis if you are under 18. It is really important thatyou give Betfair all of thecorrect details about you,otherwise, you risk nothaving your accountverified.
This then means that you might not be able to withdraw any winnings on thesite if you get lucky
The Sign-Up Process
The next stage in the process involves securing your account. You’ll be
presented with a screen like this one:
In this stage of the process, you will need to provide your email address and a
secure password. This is a very important stage as if you don’t secure your
account, you risk hackers getting your details.
Make sure that your security answer is secure here as well. Some of the other
details that are requested at this early stage in the process include choosing
your currency, including a promo code for the welcome bonus and setting a
deposit limit.
The deposit limit is very important when it comes to responsible gambling so
make sure to consider this carefully.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Once you have provided all of these details, Betfair will try to verify youraccount. This is something which has become a lot stricter over recentyears after a clamp down by the UKGC. Sites like Betfair could now befined if they do not check your identity and comply with KYC at the sametime. Most sports betting sites will ask for the same kinds of ID but this is whatyou can expect at Betfair:
This process is quite simple and don’t worry - it is also very secure. All youneed to do is take photographs of one of these forms of ID and send it overto Betfair or your chosen site. A member of their team will then verify yourdetails and you’ll be able to progress with placing a bet on the site. If you’re worried about sending over your personal details, make sure thatyou are doing so on a secured connection. Check that the site you are usinghas an SSL certificate and that they are licensed to operate in your area.Taking these small precautions can help to ensure that you are not riskingyour personal details.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Verifying Your Account
Credit/debit cardPayPalSkrillNetellerPaysafecard
Once you have your account verified, you will want to progress with placingyour first sports bet online. To do this, you will need to deposit funds to youraccount and at the same time, you can claim your welcome bonus. These days, many online sports betting operators will allow you to make adeposit in a number of different ways. You might be tempted to place your betwith your credit or debit card out of habit but this isn’t always the best option.Now, we have eWallets and other great methods like Bitcoin that you can use. Here are some of the ways that you can deposit at Betfair:
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With so many options to deposit with, there are some considerations to makebefore committing to one. Some methods will come with limits on how much youcan deposit and withdraw whilst others will charge fees on top of this. It is also worth checking the processing times for these kinds of transactions.Some will take longer than others and this could result in you missing goododds as you are waiting for your winnings to enter your account.
Depositing Funds
A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
At Wise Punters, we believe that the best way to pay online is througheWallets. While there are so many options out there for you to choose from,eWallets have a number of advantages. Some of the popular eWallets thatare accepted by top sports betting operators include ecoPayz, Neteller andSkrill. If you have never used an eWallet before, you should know that this is anonline account that holds your funds. When you want to make a paymentonline, you will simply login to your eWallet account and this adds an extralevel of security. At Wise Punters, we can also offer a service to boost your eWallet account.We’ll tell you more about this later in the guide in our ‘understandingpromotions’ chapter.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
eWallets
Once you have deposited funds into your sports betting account, the next partis the fun part - placing the bet! Our first piece of advice would be to keepyour stakes low to begin with, in order to help you understand how the siteworks and to make sure that you are not making any mistakes. The good news is that placing a bet on these sites is actually really easy, aslong as you have read up on odds and you know what you are looking for. Ifyou are a horse racing fan, you will find that there are typically new races onall of the time so you’ll be able to find one to place a bet on to get you started. Head to the horse racing section and choose an upcoming race. You’ll bepresented with a screen that looks something like this:
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Placing The Bet
As you can see, thereare odds for everyhorse in this race. You can find outinformation aboutprevious odds here andlearn more about thejockey and weight ofthe horse if thatinformation is available.
To place your bet, simply click the odds that you are happy with. Then, enterhow much you want to bet on that horse winning. This will be added to yourbetslip and you can view this at any time. Some sites will allow you to watch the race live so this is something to considerfor your first bet. If your bet comes through, your betslip will reflect this andyou can decide to place another bet or withdraw your winnings.
If you get lucky enough to win a bet online, you will usually want to knowhow to withdraw your winnings. This can differ depending on the site thatyou are using to bet and the method that you choose. It is important that you recognise that not all payment methods will allow youto deposit and withdraw. For example, if you were to make a deposit with aPaysafecard, you would need to choose an alternative method to withdrawyour cash. This is a tool used to reduce the risk of losing your entire bet, although it isn’talways available. A further feature to be aware of is a withdrawal reversal.This involves moving your withdrawal funds from ‘processing’ back to youraccount so you can place another bet. While this can be useful, it is also something to consider carefully when itcomes to responsible gambling.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Withdrawing Winnings
Most sports betting sites will have abanking page or an FAQ section thatyou can use to find out how towithdraw. There, you will find out informationabout processing times for withdrawalso this is something to look out for. At this point, it is also worth noting thatsome online sports books allow you tocash out your bet while it is still in play.
From the first time that you log onto a sports betting site, you will notice thepromotions that come along with this kind of account. Sports betting sites willentice you to sign up using welcome offers that involve free bets and free spinson the casino side games that they offer. It is important that you understand how promotions work and that you aretaking full advantage of them when you can. While some brick and mortarbookies will offer promotions and free bets from time to time, this is somethingthat is much more common online.
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UnderstandingPromotions
A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Welcome Bonuses
One of the most common kinds of promotions that you will come across whenyou sign up to an online sports betting site is a welcome bonus. This is typicallya bonus that is reserved for brand new players who have never made adeposit before. Sometimes, bonuses can be very lucrative and they are worthyour time. Other times, they are more hassle than they are worth when youconsider the wagering requirements. Here’s an example of what a welcome offer might look like at William Hill:
This bonus gives players £30 in bets when they bet £10. This is an offer that is
exclusive to new customers and it is a relatively good one. Of course, there are
terms and conditions attached that include a minimum stake of £10 and
minimum odds of 1/2. Make sure to read over these carefully.
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Another kind of promotion that you might come across when engaging in
sports betting is an event promotion. This is something that many operators will
use to encourage players to sign up or get involved in a sport that they have
not bet on before. An example of an event promotion would be when the FIFA
World Cup is taking place.
There could be a promotion that involves a free bet or better odds on one of
the big matches in this tournament. Other events that you might come across
this in include the Open, The Six Nations and the Olympics.
A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Event Promotions
Another extremely common kind of promotion that you will come across at
sports betting sites involves VIP or loyalty schemes. These schemes typically
award punters for placing a lot of bets on the site with discounts, better odds
and even free bets occasionally.VIP schemes and what they offer differ from
site to site so you’ll need to take a look around and find the right one for you.
Typically, you’ll need to wager £10 on the site to get 1 point or something
similar.
Some VIP schemes have loyalty tiers that you’ll climb as you get more points.
The more points you have, the better your rewards.When looking at VIP
schemes that are set out by operators, it is also worth looking at VIP schemes
set out by eWallet companies. eWallets like Neteller and Skrill offer great
rewards to their customers who have had a VIP boost which can be aided by
Wisepunters.
If you were to be redeeming VIP rewards from your eWallet provider and
your sports betting operator, you would be living the high life. Make sure to
join the Wisepunters Community on Facebook for all of the latest offers and
news.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
VIP Schemes
As we have previously mentioned, sports betting has evolved a lot over the
years. As technology has become more advanced, we are presented with
more innovative options. With such a growing and profitable industry, it comes
as no surprise that there is a lot more to come. Innovation is key to keeping
players and punters interested and this is where sports betting operators
excel.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Innovation in SportsBetting
Mobile Apps
The evolution of sports betting has a
few key stages including the transition
from brick and mortar bookies to
desktop sites and now mobile apps.
While mobile apps are not exactly vital
when you consider the functionality of
mobile optimised sites in 2020, they do
offer a lot to punters.
With a mobile app, punters are able to quickly access their favourite bets and
find themselves scrolling through the current sporting events without even
realising. Smartphones are everywhere and sports betting sites that cater to
customers who enjoy apps are doing it right.
While apps don’t usually offer more than the desktop version of a site would,
they do offer a streamlined service. These apps are very advanced and we
highly recommend trying them out if your favourite sports betting sites offers
one
Have you ever heard of virtual sports when it comes to sports betting? This is
something that is much more popular than you think and there is a lot of money
placed on these sports at the top sites.
Virtual sports bets are just like the sports that you’ll place on real-life sports.
They use computer programs to run horse races and play virtual football
matches. While this might sound strange to those who bet on real sports, they
can be useful for when there are no sports currently on.
Many of the top operators are offering this so make sure to have a look and
you’ll be sure to find something to suit you.
Finally, when it comes to innovation and progression in the sports betting
industry, we can’t forget to mention eSports. While these kinds of sports are
entirely different to the traditional sports that you would attend, they are just
as popular.
According to Forbes, The global revenue for eSports reached more than $1
billion last year. The audience figures also exceeded 433 million people which
shows just how serious this industry is.In a nutshell, eSports involves
tournaments that see players come up against each other in very serious
video games. These games are multiplayer based and they have very large
audiences.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
eSports
Virtual Sports
Winning eSports teams can find themselves winning millions so it makes sense
that bookies would want to get in on that too. With the eSports industry
growing rapidly, we expect to see many operators innovate their products
more.
The final chapter in our ultimate guide to sports betting will discuss
responsible gambling and its importance. If you have never placed a bet
online or at a bookies before then it is vital that you understand what
responsible gambling is and the tools that are available to you.
Responsible gambling is exactly what it sounds like, gambling in a responsible
way. This involves managing your own money properly and making sure that
you are only spending what you can afford. When all you have to do is click a
button and you’ve staked hundreds of pounds on a football team to win a
match, it can get quite risky.
Responsible gambling isn’t just something that is down to the players, the
operators are also responsible for making sure that everything is managed
carefully. Throughout the year, Responsible Gambling Week takes place in
order to draw attention to this important matter.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
What Is Responsible Gambling?
Responsible Gambling
Why Is It Important?
There are many reasons why responsible gambling is important including the
fact that it is possible to develop an addiction to gambling. If this were to
happen, it could have very serious consequences both on the finances of the
punter and on their mental health. It is important that punters are aware of
what they are doing in order to prevent this from happening.
Responsible gambling is also important as this is something that is addressed
by the UK Gambling Commission and other governing bodies around the
world. If operators are not adhering to responsible gambling regulations, they
could face a fine or have their license to operate removed. This is why you will
see a lot of sports betting sites pushing this kind of guidance to anyone who
signs up.
There are a number of ways that you can manage your finances when you are
engaging in sports betting and many sites now make it very easy for you.
Remember when we were signing up to Betfair earlier on in the guide? They
asked us to set a deposit limit during the sign-up process which indicates that
this is something that is important to them.There are so many tools out there for
you to utilise, you just have to be willing to use them
Here are some that you can take advantage of:
Some of these options are more extreme than others. Typically, we would
suggest that you set a deposit limit on sign-up before you start sports betting.
This way, you can stay in control of your money and have some fun at these
sites.
Deposit limits - this limits the amount that you can deposit to your
account on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. There are often limits on
how soon you can change this.
Time Outs - this will ban you from a certain game or site for a certain
period of time. This kind of time out will typically only be available for
up to 6 weeks but can be as short as a day to give you time to think.
Self-Exclusion - this is a more long-term ban and can be for as long as
you want. If you choose this, you won’t be able to access your account
for the length of time you decided.
Gamstop - if you want to ban yourself from all gambling activities, this
is the way to do it. Gamstop will hold your details for as long as neccast
and prevent you from joining other sites.
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A GUIDE TO SPORTS BETTING | WWW.WISEPUNTERS.COM
Responsible Gambling Tools
www.gamstop.co.uk
www.begambleaware.org
Sports betting is extremely popular and this isn’t something that is going to
change anytime soon. If you are interested in trying out sports betting,
make sure to take on board all of the tips that we have given you.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to find the right site for your sports betting needs.
You can read some of our sportsbook reviews for extra guidance on this.
When it comes to depositing at these sites, we always recommend that you
use an eWallet if the option is there. Check out our guide on eWallets to get
yourself signed up to one of these.
Then, get in touch with us here at Wise Punters and we’ll give you some
expert advice on how you can become a VIP and get real rewards.
Your future could be in sports betting so what are you waiting for?
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Summary