Many of you are thinking: “What’s a bachelor party without alcohol, my best buds and sexy strippers dancing around us?”  While that question does make sense to the majority of the male population, trying something different like a casino night (even if you plan it prior to attending a strip club) can be quite entertaining.  With rows upon rows of slot machines, tables with card games, Roulette and Black Jack, the casino is a modern-day playground for adults.  However, gambling doesn’t end at the casino.  Visit Woodbine Race Track and bet on the best breeds and see if you’re lucky enough to score some extra coin off a winning horse.  Of course, there are many ways to bet on the horse races – daily double, pick 3, and so on.  Plus most facilities will provide you with instruction sheets if you’re new to betting.  What’s even better about these places is that your friends can kick back, socialize amongst each other and grab some food as well.  Here are some suggested gambling endeavors:

 The Casino

 The casino is without a doubt the place where adults come to play at all hours of the day up until the wee hours of the morning.  This is undoubtedly one of the places where you and your friends can spend hours in!  Who knows? One of you may even walk out of there a millionaire.  But unrealistic expectations aside, you and your buddies can spend time gambling and eventually dine at one of the casino’s restaurants followed by seeing a live show.  Transportation is usually the easiest to arrange when going to a casino.  If you and your buddies are looking to go to Casino Rama, for instance, their website brings up a list of coach bus services traveling there.  On the drop-down menu, select the city you’re coming from and the website will then pull up a list of pick-up dates, places and times, making your casino arrangements that much easier and no one has to volunteer to drive. Too drunk to get home at the end of a gambling night? Most casinos come equipped with hotel packages and continental breakfast to chase your hangover away the next day. 

 Horse Racing

 Betting on slim odds are not always a favourite, however, it can quickly become an addiction once you get a feel for the stronger breed, or winning horses.  Start off by betting something small.  Woodbine racetracks allow a person to bet an amount as little as $2.  From there you increase your betting amount as you begin to get comfortable with your bets and betting styles.  Check out Wegz Stadium Bar as well for off-track betting and high quality televisions to view sports games on (for those in your group not looking to gamble).  Wegz also has designated areas for group events complete with golf simulators, arcade games and lounge areas that you and your friends can book for a bachelor party. 

 Betting on your Favourite Hockey Team

 If you’re looking for something simple but not too standardized like your regular boys’ night in playing poker, check out a live Leafs game (or hockey team of your choice) and agree to bet on the odds your favourite team will win.  This puts an exciting gambling ‘twist’ to viewing a sports game and for the gambling amateurs out there, it will make watching the game that much more exciting.  You can make things interesting by arranging to take a shot every time your favourite team scores a goal? Or you can buy the groom a beer when the opposing team scores? – Create the bets as the game continues for added excitement.

Twitter.  Facebook.  Digg. MySpace. Delicious. Tumblr.  I suppose you get it by now: there are a variety of ways to connect with friends and family members online, especially since social media makes it very convenient to do so.  Moreso now with the advent of smart phone applications and public WiFi portals, it is easier than ever to stay plugged in.  And although you had a great time that night at your friend’s bachelor party, you may not want every photo and updated status to give away evidence of a crazy party with strippers, sexy barmaids and drunken sessions.  Some posts may not even be from you.  This blog article is to help you brush up on your knowledge of social media privacy, considering the possible implications social media has on society today.  It is best to conceal any evidence as much as possible and remember: what happens at a bachelor party should stay at a bachelor party.  But just in case it doesn’t, here are some tips in which social media can be a little easy on you and the guys after a crazy night of partying:

 Knowing Who’s Attending The Party

Chances are, you know everyone attending the party and everyone will have a common understanding that posts will be kept to a minimum.  This way, none of your buddies won’t post “evidence,” incriminating any of you – that breaks a guy code, too.  But if there are a few people attending that you’re not too chummy with, you may want to have that little disclosure chat with them, and remind them that this is a once in a lifetime party, meant to not humiliate anyone, especially not the groom-to-be.  Chances are, they will understand because anyone who attends a bachelor party, are there to support the groom.  Furthermore, the bride wouldn’t appreciate the drunken photos of her soon-to-be spouse and his friends.  All-and-all: do your best to keep scandalous party photos offline.

 Out of Your Control?

Photos can turn up online on a club’s or event promoter’s website so be weary if a photographer is nearby to take some photos of you and your crowd.  You can always ask him or her not to post the photos on their website, or ask if it is on a secure site where only those with a username and password can access it.  After all, you wouldn’t want the wrong person to come across those photos, like your boss. 

Social Network Updates – Status Changes

It may be fun to change your status to: “Last night was awesome at Muzik Night Club for Jon’s bachelor party.” However, that may cause friends on your list to become curious and check out the club’s website for photos, look for photos on your friend’s pages or try to find info from the Facebook event page (another reason why buying physical tickets work – there is no online evidence).  It is best to ensure your status on Twitter and Facebook is simple, so coworkers, friends, ex-girlfriends or family members won’t try to search for the “evidence.”  You can simply state that you enjoyed yourself that night and glad you hung out with the guys.  Keep it simple.  If not for yourself, do it for the poor groom-to-be who will wake up with a massive hangover and blurred memories of the night before.  If you had a great time and want to share it with friends, do so in person as face-to-face conversations can’t be stored, downloaded or saved! 

 Profile Settings

Ensure you have a high degree of privacy when it comes to your online profiles.  If you have coworkers and business partners on your list or younger family members, it may be best to restrain their ability to view your photo albums or tagged photos and updated statuses using controlled privacy settings.  It is always good to take necessary precautions so you can keep your online reputation professional and sincere.  Think of what that pretty girl you met last night will think about you when she adds you and sees your angelic profile…