Users here are forgetting that using Xapo is not at all anonymous, they ask your full details and buying Bitcoins comes at the expense of giving them your full details. I'm not saying this in a bad way, for me Bitcoin "anonymous" feature is one huge barrier it has for being adopted by the mainstream or common folks. They don't care about that, in fact they prefer to be protected and rightly so.

So I think Paypal will definitely integrate Bitcoin in the future and maybe even acquire Xapo, but for that to happen you will have to register your full identity or provide CCs/Bank information.

I'm not sure but Wences Casares is not just a guy with a vague interest in Bitcoin, they hired him only because of Xapo and his tremendous interest in BTC and I'm sure they have full integration in mind for the near future. Maybe they idea is to offer a fiat to fiat service with Bitcoin as bridge, it depends on the ambition and budget they have reserved for this project/process.

If it happens just think about how many scams related issues will vanish. Getting a hold of Bitcoin (and worst, selling it for fiat) is still a huge barrier except in certain countries that have more trusted services. If you could buy and sell Bitcoin directly in Paypal, you will never use another option.

I'm definitely not worried and personally I'm not sure if we'll go below $400, however I can see how many of you are starting to panic hehe. This happens every year with Bitcoin, it takes big dips in price and then bounce back. Every year has been rising in price but not without its bumps so just be patience. Trading Bitcoin in the short term must be very stressful.

Good luck Erkallys, I'm planning to do an NBA thread one myself since I do best when I predict picks than when I actually place a bet hehe.

New Bitcoin Killer App: “FIAT to BTC to FIAT”

Freemit is an app due for release in 2016 that will allow users to send fiat money abroad using the Bitcoin blockchain. John Biggs left “the best job ever”, Chief Editor at TechCrunch, to become CEO of this project. Freemit will automatically “translate” local currency into Bitcoin and then back into the destination country’s local currency in a completely transparent way to the user.

http://cointelegraph.com/news/116044/new-bitcoin-killer-app-fiat-to-btc-to-fiat

These are amazing news and I've no doubts it will have a MAJOR impact more than anything else in the upcoming months. The goal it's clearly Bitcoin & Paypal integration since Wences Casares has been running Xapo with the intention to make it more user friendly and get mainstream adoption for some time now. If Paypal and Bitcoin could have a more fluid integration, buying and selling Bitcoin with the click of a button just imagine the potential.

It's of course gambling because you "earned" that money doing something, and even if the process was "passive" it became your money at that point, the same kind of money you earn in your daily job even if it's a very small fraction of it. And then you decide to gamble it. That's it. There's nothing wrong with gambling though, just enjoy yourself and don't bet what you can afford to lose, really, consider that money gone, similar as if you would pay for a movie ticket. It's all entertainment.

To be honest, my parlay picks were always disastrous, I mean I think I placed more than 10 and didn't win anything. But it wasn't bad calls or picks, it's just that it's too hard to get the results with so many variables, even if they are 2 or 3, something always goes wrong in one of them and you're screwed. That's my experience, it's better to stay away from parlays, except if you really see a good opportunity (but that's how I've lost my money so...hehe).

Waiting for today's pick as I want to start follow you. You've done some very wise ones and have a similar approach to gambling as me. I think we all know you will eventually have a bad streak but in the long run we are all here to make money so if you keep a good track you can become sort of a celebrity here hehe.

It's true, I think most people saw how they started and it was a mess really, but since Griffin went down they are starting to play much better. I'm not being harsh on him it's just a fact. They are a good team to follow and bet on right now because they usually have good odds and there's no hype on them comparing to GWS or Cleveland.

Exactly that's why it could be the starting point of a new way of real life gambling with Bitcoins, new types of games and machines should be created and imagined, sort of futuristic gambling let's say hehe. The idea I think would be creating something completely new and unique and at the same time introduce Bitcoin to new people.

No, his idea would be getting rid of the chips altogether. You just deposit BTC into the casino's or machine's wallet directly and then you go play. It's a great idea in terms of advertising and marketing but for actual use it's more planning on terms of how it will all work. Same old real life casinos with boring slots won't cut it I think.

While this seems more like of a novelty idea, having a real life BTC casino just to advertise their online site can be an amazing and totally unique marketing campaign. It can act more as an informative stand to explain gamblers and common people about the virtues of Bitcoin. And who knows, maybe it eventually starts a revolution in the gambling world!

The machines would have to change though, they should be more like real life games instead or much more complex slots, what's the point of playing if it's all handled with your smartphone? You can even download an app "remote" to control the slots and games in a huge screen.

I don't think Dallas can't beat Cleveland tonight but I can see that it could be a close match. If JR Smith, Irving and Love play average or above average games then the Cavs can't be beaten by teams like this. Maybe Blatt manage a couple of player's minutes (Irving, Lebron) but I don't think any starters will be preserved for tomorrow's game against the Spurs.

My pick for this game would be Cleveland -6.5pts @ 2.02

Cleveland 102 @ Dallas 98

Alright but what many are counting on is that it is continued to get adopted by more people. If this continues to happens, then Bitcoin will eventually reach higher and higher prices due to demand. If you ask many of early adopters then having it at around $500 per BTC is really a crazy altogether. So it's logical to think that it will continue to rise as it has been during recent years.

I think there would be an event where either Bitcoin becomes obsolete or forgotten or it becomes the standard payment for digital goods or new system. I don't see Bitcoin just raising in value $50-100 per year for 20 more years really, that scenario just doesn't make sense to me.

I mean it can happen of course, but I $600 is more down to earth number. The only way I can see we can touch $1000 is with an actual announcement or upgrade which can trigger some mass adoption and demand. Nothing happened this year yet the price kept rising, but that alone it's not enough in my opinion to sustain $1000, there's too little demand right now for that.

If I were you I would complete 2.1 BTC, that's my goal since I won't ever have 21 BTC to achieve the infamous 1 million group hehe. I figure if Bitcoin ever reach such mass adoption then 2.1 BTC will be worth a lot of money already.

Right now 1,5 in fiat money is nothing, but it can be worth much more by the end of this year. If you are not interested in Bitcoin long term then you can sell it sometime during this year, I think we can all agree it will touch $500-600 or more at some time.

I mean, honestly I've tried martingale system knowing that it won't work long term but I've used for 20 minutes or so in satoshi mines I remember. I got great results and more than doubled my money. What that means? well I got lucky, but I was at the brink of losing it all many times, so I know if I've kept playing I will lose eventually.

I think this is a system very similar to just bet on black, less than 50%, double your money or lose it all, it's a hailmary attempt. The question is: it better than gambling without a system thinking you will outwin the house? That's what most gamblers do...

You can use VirWox, the fees are high but I've used them in the past with no problems, they are legit. One can understand why they charge such high fees and it is because of the risk they face accepting Paypal but you should know you have that option if you want.

This thread sadly gives some actual insight of the stigma Bitcoin has for the average person. Plus is not very easy to get a hold of or to use (again for common non tech savvy people). And users here sometimes are surprised why there is not more mainstream user adoption.