The vast expanse we know as the internet only continues to get larger, and the only limit in site is the number of servers companies can produce. As with any medium, the internet offers incredible marketing and business opportunities for entrepreneurs, weekend warriors, or people just looking for a hobby. Some people prefer Ebay to sell their wares, while others prefer to setup their own website, payment gateway, and processing. Though most don't turn out to be millionaires, it goes without saying that most successful online entrepreneurs collect a nice paycheck, regardless of how they do it. One of the most promising, and growing industries is online marketing. Increasingly, customers are researching products online before making an offline purchase. As a result, the online marketing budgets of major consumer oriented companies is burgeoning, despite recent global economic difficutlies.

Padriag Flaherty, a well known marketing entreprenuer, believes this trend will continue. In a recent white paper, Flaherty stated: "I realize the global economic crisis is causing many to pinch pennies, but the internet marketing boom is still going strong. Consumerism and the pursuit of information is still alive and well online, and marketers like myself can capitalize on this phenomenom. There are a number of verticals that can produce serious income for marketers, and those include finance, banking, retail, insurance, music, and gaming. Of that set, I prefer gaming the most, in part because it can be marketed universally across the internet without regard to the actual location of the business." Flaherty has worked with many gaming companies over his 8 year career, and also has a group of personal websites he uses as supplementary income. "Diversification is key," said Flaherty, "don't put all your eggs in one basket."

So what does Flaherty market exactly? "Gaming is an exciting, high growth potential industry. People love sports and people love gaming, and that demand isn't going anywhere. The trick is to market the right material to the right people," declared Flaherty. Flaherty's point seems to resonate with other top online gaming marketers, who are in fierce competition for players. "My favorite online gaming sector is sports betting, in part because I have a passion for athletics. Though some may consider the nature of online sports betting to be dubious, I actually believe the industry itself is generally trustworthy. Yes, there are a few bad apples in the bunch, but look at the greed and excess of Wall Street in recent months, and it's easy to see that gaming really isn't that bad."

Flaherty's busy season is in the fall, where bettors come in hoards to enjoy NFL betting. The professional football season is one of American's most exciting times, and it provides much needed relaxation and escape to sports fans. The enjoyment of football betting isn't just limited to the NFL. "Obviously the NFL is a big attraction, but college football betting and its sheer number of games attracts a wide base of bettors as well," said Flaherty. Surprisingly, by the end of the season, the interest in football continues to stay strong, with intense Superbowl betting at the close of NFL action for the year. Overall profits and sportsbook handles for the football season alone are in the billions of dollars annually. Most sportsbooks have downtime after football, but many continue to see a lot of action from NBA betting, which comes to a head with the playoffs in late spring.

Next to sports, Flaherty sees lots of opportunity in casino gaming. "A good percentage of my income in the gaming market is from online casinos," stated Flaherty, "and the draw for this gaming sub-sector is even larger than sports." A few years back, gambling online might seem unsafe, perhaps even opening oneself up to theft. Despite these initial fears, however, the industry has solidified over the years, and people who don't feel like going to Vegas can play online blackjack from the comfort of their homes. Said Flaherty, "The annual action a typical online casino sees is in the millions. Obviously they don't pocket all that money, since players do win. Instead, casinos like Rushmore casino, or the competing brand Rome casino, payout a percentage to affiliate marketers, advertisers, and other venders that provide leads. That's wher I come in with my portal websites and email lists."

So, where does Flaherty go from here? "I'm hoping prohibitive legislation will eventually be overturned. For the meantime, however, there are plenty of legal skill gaming websites to promote. People that enjoy backgammon gambling will be happy to know that there are a few great backgammon sites online. Likewise, fans of online rummy have seen a new gaming vertical bloom overnight with the rise of global rummy gaming sites." In the end, whether Flaherty is promoting NFL betting or online casinos, the power of the gaming vertical continues to be strong, due to high demand from around the world, regardless of physical location or economic situations.