Categories
Search

Why Roulette is the Ideal Game for Online Casino Novices

May 1st, 2009

Roulette does not have the best odds of success and is like other games of chance such as craps, slots, or baccarat where the odds are in favour of the house and always will be.

It is however; a game of glamour and to play roulette gets us into a different world and is pure escapism.

You can also pick bets that are close to the house edge and once you know them, you will have as much chance of winning as anyone else.

If you play roulette you get a simple game that’s fun, glamorous and exciting, it’s therefore a great game for seasoned players and complete novices.

Roulette History and Tradition

When most people think of casinos they automatically associate it with roulette and it is of course, hard to imagine a casino without a roulette table!

There is no other casino game that reflects the glamour of gambling more than roulette. It has quite rightly has become known as ″a game for kings and queens″

The movies have reinforced this image further. From the café in Casablanca, to James Bond coolly betting all on a single number, reflect the glamour and mystique that surrounds roulette.

Roulette is Exciting

If you play roulette, you will know how exciting it is. As you watch the ball spin quickly and then the flush of anticipation just before the ball settles, you get an unrivalled buzz of excitement that no other casino game can match.

Roulette is Easy to Play

This is why newcomers and even seasoned casino players like roulette. Sure, you can make more money in blackjack and poker, but is it as exciting?

This is why experienced players still play roulette as a light relief from the more profitable yet, mentally tougher casino games such as card games.

Of course, the simplicity of roulette also makes it a great place to start for novices.

Roulette is Not Just for the Rich

Roulette had an image of just being for the rich, but the spread of online gaming has altered this perception entirely.

Anyone can now play and if you play online you don’t even have to dress formally to come to the table!

Just sit back with a few beers, play roulette, and experience it in your own home.

How to Win at Roulette

If you play roulette correctly, you will find that the odds are not so bad - you just need to know the right table to play and the right bets to place.

Firstly, play the European roulette wheel with a house edge of just 2.7%; you also need to play bets with low odds.

For example, if you were to only bet black or red you would win just under half the time and this will allow you to often walk away from a roulette session a winner.

There is also one bet you can place with a house edge of just 1.35%; and we explain this at our web site.

How to Manage Your Money

If you play roulette, you will need to set aside some fun money - not money set aside for the school fees or housekeeping! This must be money you are prepared to lose, and when it’s gone, that’s it - no chasing losses!

So, there you have it, a quick introduction to the world of roulette - a fun, exciting and glamorous game.

Online Casinos - How to Maximize Wins and Minimize Losses

April 27th, 2009

I have learned of a simple technique that can dramatically maximize your winning streaks, and minimize your losing streaks. I used to win a lot of money at the casinos, until I faced a series of long continual losing streaks. These continuous losses are very damaging and can cause you to lose all of your money! So what can you do to counteract these losing streaks? How about betting less money? Sure, that works sometimes, but on the other hand, when you experience a winning streak, you won’t win much money! Here is how I’ve been using this system to win money playing Roulette.

How To Maximize Your Wins And Minimize Your Losing Streaks Playing Roulette

In simple terms, you must double your bets when you win, and half them when you lose. This will allow you to maximize your winning streaks, and minimize the damage done from losing streaks.

Identifying A Pattern

I once observed the results of a roulette table for five continuous hours, and I discovered a couple of interesting things. Over time, patterns seem to form. Sometimes the colour red appears eight times in a row. Sometimes a pattern of red, black, red, black appear for six or seven times in a row. However, it seems that once a pattern like this has ended, it will not appear again for a short period. Its very rare for red to appear 8 times in a row, then appear 8 times in a row over the next 10 spins. If you want to maximize your wins, and minimize your losses, you need to pay careful observation to the roulette results.

Patterns In Roulette

Pattern One: Red/black/red/black/red/black

Pattern Two: Black/black/black/black/black/black

Pattern Three:Red/red/red/red/red/red/red/red

How To Bet Once An Identified Pattern Has Ended

If you have noticed a pattern appearing, that has just finished, e.g. Red/black appearing 8 times in a row, then its time to start betting on another pattern. Patterns seem to appear, but they don’t last for very long. If you can guess the next upcoming pattern, you are going to win a lot of money!

Good luck and happy gambling!

What is Online Poker

April 27th, 2009

Online poker, as the name suggests, is the game of poker played over the Internet. Online poker has been responsible for a dramatic increase in the number of poker players worldwide. Thanks in part, to the proliferation of online casinos, the craze for poker is spreading beyond the mega-rich, business-suited elite, allowing everyone a fair chance to place modest bets from the comfort of their own homes.

Statistics confirm the above. In January 2003, the total global daily cash game turnover for online poker was just $10 million (£5.3m) and in 2004 it rose to $60m (£32m). Now, $180m (£95m) is wagered in cash game pots in online poker every day! Not surprisingly, this number is expected to grow steadily every year.

How different is online poker compared to playing it on-site?

There are hundreds of portals offering online poker; most of them are, more or less, similar. The difference, if any, is usually in the gaming environment and the quality of interaction with other players. This could depend a lot on the popularity of the site, as popular gaming sites try to have certain in- built checks and attract serious gamblers who can in turn, enhance your overall gaming experience. Also, while some portals have a responsible, informative approach and offer considerable amount of content (news, tournament results, strategy articles, reviews of online card rooms, etc.), others attempt to act as mere conduits to other sites, normally where actual gambling games are offered.

Though people have many different views, as far as differences between online poker and brick and mortar poker is concerned, most agree on at least few of the following:

Online venues are cheaper and easily accessible.

Online poker rooms are more player-friendly, as they offer suggestions, allow the players to play for low stakes and are very much suitable for beginners.

Online poker playing is a lot faster, as there’s no banter around the table. Though brick and mortar casino players consider this interplay a central element of the game, for most playing online, the stress is laid on mathematical calculations and actual moves.

Fixed place or offline poker game is time consuming where the average rate of play is around thirty hands per hour while in online poker these delays, dealing and shuffling, are instant and thus the average play is faster due to ‘auto action’ buttons.

One disadvantage of playing online poker is that it is more vulnerable to certain types of fraud even though most poker sites have safety checks.

Unlike a bricks and mortar casino, you can play at more than one table at a time when you play online. So, you could log into more than one poker site simultaneously, which means that you don’t have to be as good a player to make the same amount of money online (since you increase your chances of winning by playing on multiple tables simultaneously)!

Some experienced players also feel that people who mostly play online poker could be at a disadvantage in a brick and mortar casino, as they don’t have opportunities to learn to study and influence body language.

Another differentiating feature of online poker is that it provides free money play, so that new players may practice without the risk of losing real money.

From the legal point of view, some legal issues are common.

Online game poker is very legitimate and regulated in many advanced countries in Europe. Many online poker websites are certified by legal Game Commission bodies and major auditing firms like PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) to review the fairness of the shuffle and payouts.

Getting Started

Whether you are a professional or a novice, online poker offers you a comfortable and interesting gaming environment and a safer (compared to brick and mortar casinos) means of learning how to play using smaller bets. There are numerous sites that offer guidelines and tips on learning how to play well. Here are some interesting poker- related terms to get you started:

Royal flush: high cards (ace, king, queen, jack) of the same suit in number sequence.

Straight flush: cards of the same suit in number sequence.

Four of a kind: cards of the same value (e.g. four queens).

Full house: three cards of one value, two of another.

Flush: all cards are of the same suit.

Straight: cards are in number sequence, but not of the same suit.

Three of a kind: three cards of the same value.

Two pair: two pairs of cards with the same value (e.g. queen, queen and king, king)

Pair: two cards with the same value.

Top Five Online Poker Advantages

April 21st, 2009

Famous poker rooms enclose hundred thousand people playing online poker simultaneously. Online play is faster and more convenient than a live game: some players watch TV, talk on the phone or read while others even play in more than one game at a time. Without a doubt, online gaming, especially poker, possesses unique features that turn online experience into a real pleasure. Any person with a computer and proper internet connection can learn poker game and earn the game’s initial capital from zero.

Let us take a closer look at incredible advantages of online poker industry.

Economical Benefit

One of the main reasons of online poker development is that unlike the online casino where you are not guaranteed against dishonesty of a casino, online poker gives much more sufficient opportunities for absolutely fair prize of money. Poker players have a very clear economical benefit by playing online. They can play about 10-15 times more hands per hour online with multiple tables and the rake is significantly lower at the higher limits. In addition, they are not necessary have to be professional poker players because in most cases it is enough to acquire simple poker strategy and to know elementary mathematics to win the game.

Accessibility

Probably the greatest advantage with online poker is its fast accessibility. It is always possible to find a favorite game to play twenty-four hours a day from anywhere in the world, as well as from the comfort of player’s home. Once upon a time, a poker fan had to travel long hours in order to get access to poker room, but now no airfare, no hotel room and no bar tab are needed to get access to live poker game. In addition, the accessibility of online poker has speeded up the education process of various poker players. The quickest way to learn poker is actually to read up on basic strategy and play at micro-limits online.

Promotions

While the practice of free money promotions is quite common in various casinos, online poker rooms have needed to develop new ways to honor faithful customers. The most common way of doing this is through deposit bonuses, where poker player receives a bonus code when placing money into an account. The bonus code adds either a percentage or a set amount of chips to the value of the deposit. Moreover, several online poker rooms employ VIP programs, monthly promotions and referential bonuses to reward loyal players.

Clear Pot Odd

When you play in a live game, some players find it difficult to keep track of pot odds and determining if they are getting the correct odds to call a bet or not. When you play online, you always know exactly how much money is in the pot. You can easily calculate the pot odds for each decision you have to make. If you are unsure, you can refer to an out chart and even quickly use your calculator to do the math. This is not something you can do sitting at a table with other players.

No Physical Action

Sitting down in a live game and facing other players can be very intimidating for a new player. Playing online poker resembles video game as you sitting in front of your computer facing a monitor instead of a live person and nobody can see if your hands are shaking because of nerves. On top of all, it is hard to read your opponent by his physical actions, a skill which in right hands turns into a powerful advantage. Since online betting lacks physical players, it takes away the advantage of the old time card sharks who rely on reading your ″tells″.

Arkansas Casinos

April 21st, 2009

The state of Arkansas is a Southern state with a population of nearly 3 million. Arkansas' capital city is Little Rock, where one of Arkansas' casinos is located. The state of Arkansas is the only U.S. state with an official pronunciation (ar-kan-SAW), and the only state where diamonds are found naturally. There are not a large number of Arkansas casinos, but visitors to Arkansas can find gambling action in several places situated around the state.

One popular Arkansas casino is Cherokee Casino in Siloam Springs. This 50,000 square foot casino is open 24 hours a day and features a restaurant and a bar with live music. This Arkansas casino boasts 813 electronic gaming machines and over 40 tables for card games, roulette, craps and more—including 19 poker tables. One interesting feature of Cherokee Casino is that they offer poker games that are played against other players rather than the house. Cherokee Casino is an Arkansas casino worth checking out.

Another Arkansas casino, located in Holiday Island, is Spinzz Casino. This Arkansas casino was closed down because of gambling law disputes but has recently reopened for business. Guests visiting Spinzz Casino can stay at the nearby Spinzz Casino Hotel to be close to the action.

Though there are not many Arkansas casinos, there is a town with a rich casino history, which also happens to be former President Clinton's boyhood hometown. Hot Springs, Arkansas, in addition to being celebrated for its naturally 140-degree mineral springs, was one of America's original "sin cities." The town was a meeting place for gangsters, but instead of shoot-outs and showdowns, crime families such as the Nittis and the Capones would come to Hot Springs to sit down and talk. Historic Arkansas casinos were rampant in Hot Springs, and despite their "illegal" designation, residents of the town insisted that the casinos were good for business. At its peak, Hot Springs served as a Mecca for gambling and tourists flocked to the colorful Arkansas casinos lining its streets.

Today there are fewer choices for Arkansas casinos. However, gamblers looking for great casino action can visit the exciting Cherokee Casino or the centrally located Spinzz Casino. Of course, online Arkansas casinos are always a great option for anyone! Despite limited availability, Arkansas casinos have a long and rich history and should not be overlooked by casino aficionados and casual gamblers. Visit an Arkansas casino today!

The Future of Blackjack Card Counters

April 15th, 2009

The question our members are most concerned about is what will be the future of the blackjack card counters. are the days of card counting over? many believe so.

Automatic shuffling is being used in todays tables which makes shuffle tracking or card counting impossible. The land based casinos are going to insert shuffling machines at the tables.

It is said that in places like Las Vegas - Nevada, surveillance cameras are being used to analyze the skill of the players and smart blackjack tables that keep tracks of players hands and strategies using magnetized chips.

The gambling control board in Nevada, an agency that protects the right of both the players and the casinos to ensure fair gaming decided that casinos may not alter the games in a way that would change the frequency of the payouts. Since then, many Nevada casinos train their dealers to count cards and shuffle as they please, and also a wide variety of casinos keeps information of card counters, including names and photos to try and keep them out of the game.

These casinos have big corporations supporting them with huge political power and money influences. The professional blackjack players on the other hand are unknown.

So what will be the future of this blackjack ″war″? is it just starting or will it soon reach an end? Despite all their latest technology, political and money influences, I believe there is still a chance for a happy ending. With more than 25 states within the US offering blackjack games legally, there are more profit possibilities for card counters than back in the good old days.

Source Article: Lucky Blackjack

Free Hot Gambling Tips

April 14th, 2009

There is no better feeling than the one you get from winning money. It’s even better when you can do it from the comfort and safety of your own home. If you are thinking about trying an online casino, I’d like to offer you some free advice. Not all online casinos are built in the same way, some are better than others. Here are four great gambling tips. Follow them and you should experience better long term results.

Tip One - Probability Isn’t Always Correct

Imagine that you are playing Roulette and red has just come up five times in a row. Obviously black is going to be coming up soon right? Absolutely not! Probability is only a rough estimate and is rarely accurate at predicting future results.

Tip Two - Look For Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpots are everywhere, especially on online slot machines. Look for slot machines that have large progressive jackpots. If you ever hit the big time, a larger progressive jackpot will make you a lot more wealthy.

Tip Three - Shop Around

Not all online casinos are equal, which is why you must shop around before choosing an appropriate casino. Which online casino offers the best features for you? Which online casino has the games that you want to play? Which online casino is the most reputable?

Tip Four - Look For Big Welcome Bonuses

Big welcome bonuses greatly increase a gamblers chances of winning big. They will keep you in the game for much longer, especially if you experience a long losing streak.

The biggest advantages online casinos have over land based casinos are the real cash bonuses. Some online casinos are prepared to offer you large amounts of money as a welcome bonus. I hope that these four tips have been helpful. Next time you gamble online, these tips should be considered, and with enough time, they will hopefully become common sense.

Laying Down a Big Hand

April 10th, 2009

Fixation - Definition: an unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone. (Dictionary.com)

Fixation happens. I've seen players with pocket aces not notice that someone at the table has possibly received a flush on the flop. After the river, they confidently flip over their aces only to realize they have lost the hand.

I have got caught in the act of not laying down a big hand. I was in a tournament at Catfish Bend Casino in Iowa and was dealt pocket Queen's. I wasn't paying enough attention to the other players at the table and went "All In" before the flop. Had I been paying attention and simply made a small bet instead of going all in, I would have noticed that the posture of one of the other players had changed. He leaned forward and placed his hands differently on the table. I realized later that this signified he had a good hand. He ended up beating my pocket Queen's with pocket King's. It's very rare but it happens. Thankfully, I was able to buy back into the tournament at that point and ended the tournament in 5th place.

Knowing when to lay down a big hand is part of playing quality poker. Being able to read the other players at the table and determine what hands they will typically play will give you this edge. It also relies on your ability to estimate the cards that the other players have as well as the cards that will likely come on the flop, turn and river. This is estimated through probability. See my article "Its all about the cards," for more information about this subject.

I was watching a poker tournament on TV and it was heads up play. The TV did not show the cards they were playing with. Simply by watching the way one of the players was acting (he was unsure) and the cards in the flop, it told me he had a low pocket pair. My father asked me to guess what he had and I said pocket nines. I was right on the money.

I've also prevented myself from losing a hand as well. I had determined that one of my opponents had pair their 10 on the flop and the other I wasn't concerned about because of their previous betting pattern. I had paired my 9 on the flop and I was able to determine after I saw the turn that he had a pair of 10's. The only reason I knew this is because I watched how he played and how he bet in hands that I wasn't playing. I subsequently folded the hand and he beat the other player by showing his pair of 10's.

Overall if you do not become fixated on your hand and pay attention to the whole table, you will become a more successful poker player. Poker is not only about the cards you have in your hand, but it is also about being able to confidently determine, through probability and psychology, that you have the best hand.

Blackjack Favorable Rules – Play the Casino With The Best Rules To Win!

April 8th, 2009

In any casino game, knowing the factors that affect your chances of winning are all important. Here you will find everything you need to know about playing with favorable rules.

Keep in mind you can be an expert card counter but unless the rules are in your favor you will lose.

Casinos are not going to advertise that the chances of winning at their game are less than if you play in other casinos, but the fact is some casinos offer far more favorable rules than others and you have to find them and play in them.

Bring Those Odds Down - Look for the Favorable Rules

Any blackjack player can increase their own odds advantage by including in their strategy 'card counting', which will eventually shifts the odds advantage in their favor.

Card counting is not enough as we have said; you must play blackjack with favorable rules.

The calculated odds of different rules below show how favorable and unfavorable to the player they are.

They can make the difference in winning and losing, so note them.

Rules Favorable to the Player

Early surrender +0.62%

Late surrender Single deck +0.02%

Double down after splitting +0.13%

Drawing to split aces +0.14%

Re splitting of aces +0.03%

Double down cards any number +0.20%

2:1 payoff blackjack +2.32%

Rules Unfavorable to the Player

no doubling on hard 11 -0.89%

no doubling on hard 10 -0.56%

no doubling on hard 9 -0.14%

no doubling soft hands -0.14%

dealer hits soft 17 -0.20%

dealer takes no hole card -0.13%

2 decks (v single) -0.35%

4 decks (v single) -0.51%

6 decks (v single) -0.60%

pairs no re splitting -0.05%

Card counting plus the infleunce of the casino rules can clearly be seen in numbers of decks.

By increasing the number of decks used in play the casino shifts the odds in their favor.

Understanding this fact is essential for any player before they play a game. Card counting is severely effected by the number of decks used.

For example, in a single deck game, of a player against a dealer - a +2 count is a 2% advantage to the player. As the number of decks is increased, with more cards to be dealt, the increased remainder of cards reduces the odds of success for the player.

Card counting How to make money

Is simply a probability theory whereby you calculate the odds of winning by the number of cards in play to decide what cards may come out of the deck.

With multi decks the odds are obviously reduced, as there are simply more cards to come out of the deck and your probability of being right is reduced.

In conclusion, the more decks the more cards there are to be dealt and the less your chances of winning are. Card counting + Favorable rules = long term success

As carding counting gives you an edge of just 2%, you can see how critical the number of decks used are.

You can also see how other rules affect the odds, our example of number of decks is just one variable influencing your success but as you can see there are many others. Take your time and find a casino that tips the odds in your favor.

So if you want to make money card counting you must combine this with favorable rules or your skills will be wasted.

Craps for beginners

April 7th, 2009

Craps is one of the most exciting and social casino games in the world today. But the loud crowd and complicated-looking table can sometimes scare beginning players away.

Craps, at its core, is actually a simple game. There is only one main bet that players need to learn before heading over to the table or checking out a virtual table online.

After this one main wager, the other bets will come in time. Luckily, for the players, this one main bet has better odds than any of the other possible wagers in craps.

More money is played at craps today than at any other casino game. The game is also one of the oldest of all the casino games and the only popular dice game at American casinos today. Its popularity isn’t it doubt and after a player learns the one basic bet in the game, its simplicity will not be questioned either.

Before starting to play craps, a player needs to learn the basic etiquette and vocabulary of the game. Craps players have a language all their own. The terminology is also rivaled by the etiquette and politeness rules. This game is ancient and many of the players’ superstitions date back to its historic origins. Most players claim that learning the terms and etiquette is actually more complicated than learning the game rules and strategies.

There are two rounds in craps. The first round is called the Come Out Round and the second is called the Point. Even though there are two rounds, there is really only one basic bet.

The bet is this: the shooter - the person throwing the dice - needs to throw a 7 or 11 in the Come Out Round. These numbers mean an automatic win. A 2, 3, or 12 being rolled means an automatic loss. Any other number: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 will become the Point and the game moves to the second round.

The objective in the Point round is to roll the Point number before rolling a 7. If the shooter rolls a seven before the Point this is an automatic loss and a new game will begin.

Beginners can find some great resources online at sites like the CrapsWizard (http://www.crapswizard.com/tutorials.asp) and Online-Casino (http://www.online-casino.com), where players can brush up their rules and game tips then head over to the free practice play version of craps. It is important to keep in mind that the online version of craps is significantly different than its land-based counterpart.