The Difference Between Video Poker and Online Slots
March 11th, 2011
Many casino players are not attracted to online slot machine games because these do not offer so much of a challenge and can become rather boring very easily. In present times, online slot games have a series of extra added features that give players the chance to interact with the game rather than simply pull a lever or press a “spin” button. Bonus rounds, free spins and extra games within the slot complete these games and make them more of a video game and help the player stay active and continue building their bankroll.
However, some online casino players find that this is not enough and head to the table games like blackjack or roulette. These games are more challenging because they are not just based on pure luck or randomness but have a skill level involved to them. There are other games nevertheless that somehow combine the simplicity of slots with the complexity of a table game and these are called video poker machines.
Video poker machines are games that do require a certain level of skill and where players can actually put into use what they know about poker in a more relaxed environment. In most online casinos, video poker machines have a lower house edge than the slot machines; of course, this is if players play the game correctly. Just over the past five years there has been an enormous increase in popularity for online video poker machines and land-based casinos as well as online casinos are adding more and more machines to their game selection. Back in the 1970’s, when video poker machines made their first appearance on the casino floors, the only game players could enjoy was Jacks or Better draw poker but today players can choose from over 100 variations of video poker.
UIGEA Continues to Cause Trouble to All Online Casino Players
February 25th, 2011
It’s been over five years now since the United States Federal Government decided to enforce the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) to all online casino players that wished to take part in any type of gambling from the comfort of their homes. However, if gamblers do decide to visit a live casino venue in the United States it is perfectly legal to enjoy a slot machine game or poker table, but it is extremely frowned upon if bettors do it from their own homes and this has really outraged a whole lot of folks out there. Several focus groups, Senators from both parties and Gambling Associations have tried without rest to get the UIGEA bill repealed but so far have had no success. However, the Federal Government seems to have forgotten about one specific group of people in the gambling community and that is the handicapped gamblers.
This anti-gambling bill has discriminated the handicap gamblers so severely that it has completely outcasted these players from being able to enjoy their favorite casino games from their personal computers. Those gamblers that are on a wheelchair or rely on oxygen can not travel to a brick and mortar casino and let time pass by playing their favorite slot machines or table games like millions of other gamblers without disabilities do enjoy. The minute the Federal Government passed the UIGEA gambling bill they completely neglected to take into consideration the rights of those casino lovers who are unable to leave their home. Those people have rights too and their needs should be considered as well.
To partake in online casino games is something those handicapped players should be able to afford without so many obstacles and legal problems. The United States government needs to open their eyes and accept that online gambling is not only a financial benefit for the country but also a right for anyone who wishes to play an online casino game and especially those groups of gamblers that are unable to leave their houses.
What’s the Dealer’s Bust Percentage in Blackjack?
February 11th, 2011
When online casino players dive into a game of Blackjack they must first take into account that in order to make their decisions they have to get used to the fact that they have some incomplete information at hand. Of course players know the value of the two cards that were dealt to them and they also know the value of the dealer’s up card. However, what players don’t know and what remains as a mystery is the the dealer’s hole card or what the next card to come out of the shoe will be. Nevertheless, players have the chance to use the basic blackjack strategy to make better decisions based on the information that they do have right in front of them.
The basic strategy in Blackjack is solely based on the mathematics of this online casino game. Unlike with games of chance such as slots, when blackjack players follow the strategy correctly they will have the house edge to the minimum, which usually stands at about one-half of a percent. This strategy has been tested thoroughly with various computer simulations. When players use this technique they will make a decision to Hit, Stand or Double Down based on the two cards that they have been dealt and the dealers’ up card. What many players are thinking at this point is what percentage of time will the dealer bust based on their up card.
The truth is that the dealer will bust more times that others with certain up cards than with others. The worst cards for the dealer are the 5 and 6 followed closely by the 4. When the dealer has a 5 or a 6 they have a 42% chance of busting and a 40% chance when they are showing a 4 card. This is why platers are advised to double down more often when the dealer is showing a 4, 5 or 6.
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Why Keno Can’t be Strategized
January 21st, 2011
Some online casino players have tried to think of a simple winning strategy for the game of Keno and have really put their minds and efforts into coming up with a helpful tool for the many avid Keno fans. However, everyone knows that Keno is a game completely based on chance and luck and that there is no real strategy that is able to change the outcome of the game and improve the winning odds. The truth is that the winning numbers in Keno come out randomly each time and have no relation whatsoever with the numbers that have previously appeared on the board. This means that all your favorite numbers have the exact same possibility to fall and there’s no real use in trying to come up with a pattern or number counting as it will not work.
As opposed to other online casino games such as Poker or Blackjack, players of Keno have a real low influence on the game itself. Keno is practically played on its own and players are unable to modify the end results of the game. Even so, some experienced Keno players are always on the look out for new ways of making the game more enjoyable and allowing themselves to be more active in the decision making.
Most players who have won at Keno claim that they’ve been successful by choosing the numbers that did not appear in the previous games. These players claims that these numbers are most probable to come up next. However, players must always keep in mind that this is not necessarily effective since Keno is a truly random game. Some players believe that several numbers are successive. For example, if a player chooses a 2 and 3 or 15 and 16 they may be qualified as successive ones. The most important thing to remember is that no strategy or technique has a true logical explanation but by using them players tend to have a more fun and enjoyable game.
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Ireland to Launch New Online Gambling Law
January 7th, 2011
More good news to come out of Europe for those who love online gambling and playing free video slots and other casino games. Just recently, Ireland went an extra mile in the creation of a firm legislative framework to govern licensing of small-scale land based casinos as well as online casino and other gambling sites in the country. However, this procedure to adopt will not be easy, since it needs to take into account players as well as online casino operators and more.
The Minister of Justice of Ireland, Dermot Ahern, recently published a consultation paper called “Options for Regulating Gambling” which outlines the framework for licensing small-scale land based casinos have operated as unlicensed private member clubs since 1970. Minister Ahern also provided further details as to how the licensing and regulation of the operators of online casinos in would significantly improve the scope of job creation in Ireland.
Ireland’s Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, was very supportive of Minister Ahern’s framework and in his recent budget speech he proposed a tax and licensing system for online casinos operating within the country. In his budget speech, Minster Lenihan highlighted the benefits of licensing online gambling and betting site, pointing out that “it would make Ireland an attractive location for online casinos, betting and gambling operators.” He also said that the quick passage of the framework into law will help create thousands of new jobs, reduce unemployment and generate higher tax revenues which could only mean good news to an already weak economy in the country. The Associate Director of the Gaming and Leisure Association, David Hickson, was feeling positive about the framework and called it “a step in the right direction”. He encouraged the legislature to begin drafting as soon as possible and possibly during the current session, “which would provide certainty to the online casino industry and offer extra protection to consumers.”
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