I should preface this by saying there is no guaranteed way to win at slots. It’s a game of luck, but there are some simple strategies to help your chances. Some slots offer better odds than others. You can find this on the side of the machine in land-based casinos and online casinos are legally bound to advertise their payouts. Here you can learn about the right type of slot to play and how much to bet.
The most popular slots currently have five reels and multiple lines, along with a bonus feature. You can play the entire position of the reel rather than fixed lines like the old classic 3-reel slots. It’s more than just spinning a reel and hoping for the best. A 1-reel slot has 243 ways to play. Video slots are popular online because they have great graphics and a good story to the game. Realtime Gaming (RTG) has this with the Real Series and Rival Gaming has this with i-Slots.
Find slots with scatter features, because those have more ways to win. A double up bonus also helps because it’s the only bet in slots without a house edge. You are usually allowed for up to five bonus spins in a row. Always play the maximum bet on a slot so you can get the full jackpot, instead of just a percentage. If you can’t afford it, find a less expensive slot. Progressive jackpots are linked slots, sometimes from multiple affiliate online casinos, with up to millions of dollars up for grabs.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Winning at Roulette
No matter what anyone tells you, roulette requires more luck than strategy. It’s sort of like craps where you need to know what bets have better odds. The strategy is in the betting. That’s it.
The casino game originated in the French Riviera and Monte Carlo for the wealthy but you can play it anywhere today. The goal is to guess the numbered pocket the ball will land in once the roulette wheel stops spinning. The wheel is shaped like a bowl and is three feet in diameter. The two most common types are American Roulette and European Roulette. American Roulette has 38 pockets (1-36, 0 and 00) and a 5.26% house advantage. European Roulette has 37 pockets (1-36 and 0) and a lower house advantage of 2.7%. You won’t find European Roulette in many land-based U.S. casinos, but you can find it online.
In both types of roulette, half the 1-36 numbers are red and half are black. The 0 and 00 are green. Each number has a box on the roulette layout, where you bet your chips. The dealer, also called the croupier, spins the wheel and offers the payouts after the spin. Your bet must be in before the dealer spins the wheel and calls out “no more bets.” Bets are still accepted shortly after the wheel begins spinning. Each player has their own colored chips and each table has minimum bets and limits.
The roulette layout has 48 boxes for red, black or green bets known as inside bets. There are 11 boxes on the outside for special bets such as red/black, high/low and even/odd. These are called outside bets.
The casino game originated in the French Riviera and Monte Carlo for the wealthy but you can play it anywhere today. The goal is to guess the numbered pocket the ball will land in once the roulette wheel stops spinning. The wheel is shaped like a bowl and is three feet in diameter. The two most common types are American Roulette and European Roulette. American Roulette has 38 pockets (1-36, 0 and 00) and a 5.26% house advantage. European Roulette has 37 pockets (1-36 and 0) and a lower house advantage of 2.7%. You won’t find European Roulette in many land-based U.S. casinos, but you can find it online.
In both types of roulette, half the 1-36 numbers are red and half are black. The 0 and 00 are green. Each number has a box on the roulette layout, where you bet your chips. The dealer, also called the croupier, spins the wheel and offers the payouts after the spin. Your bet must be in before the dealer spins the wheel and calls out “no more bets.” Bets are still accepted shortly after the wheel begins spinning. Each player has their own colored chips and each table has minimum bets and limits.
The roulette layout has 48 boxes for red, black or green bets known as inside bets. There are 11 boxes on the outside for special bets such as red/black, high/low and even/odd. These are called outside bets.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Winning at Blackjack
Blackjack is a casino game that requires a bit of strategy. It’s the fastest table game you can find, so you must learn to control your bankroll with the runs of good and bad luck.
You play the dealer just like other players at the blackjack table. Your goal is to get up to 21 without going over. Cards 2 through 10 are face value and face cards are worth 10. An Ace can be worth 1 or 11. Therefore, a hand with an Ace is called a soft hand. A hand without an Ace is a hard hand because the value doesn’t change. A casino will use anywhere from six to eight decks to aid the house edge and discourage card counters. Online casinos use an RNG but your odds are still better online.
If you tie the dealer in blackjack, it’s a push and you get your initial bet back. A blackjack hand of 21 generally pays out 3 to 2. A hard 17 is the point at which most dealers are required to stand. If an Ace is involved, it’s a tougher decision. With soft hands, always hit or double down with an Ace and a 2 though 6. Be careful when splitting hands. According to basic strategy, don’t split 5s or 10s. Instead, split 8s instead of deciding what to do on 16.
Blackjack has a house advantage of 5%. Using basic strategy can reduce that to 0.5%, but blackjack is a game of patience. The professionals only get a 1-2% profit long term. And, don’t bother counting cards because those make up less than 1% of all players, and most ultimately fail because of a lack of discipline.
You play the dealer just like other players at the blackjack table. Your goal is to get up to 21 without going over. Cards 2 through 10 are face value and face cards are worth 10. An Ace can be worth 1 or 11. Therefore, a hand with an Ace is called a soft hand. A hand without an Ace is a hard hand because the value doesn’t change. A casino will use anywhere from six to eight decks to aid the house edge and discourage card counters. Online casinos use an RNG but your odds are still better online.
If you tie the dealer in blackjack, it’s a push and you get your initial bet back. A blackjack hand of 21 generally pays out 3 to 2. A hard 17 is the point at which most dealers are required to stand. If an Ace is involved, it’s a tougher decision. With soft hands, always hit or double down with an Ace and a 2 though 6. Be careful when splitting hands. According to basic strategy, don’t split 5s or 10s. Instead, split 8s instead of deciding what to do on 16.
Blackjack has a house advantage of 5%. Using basic strategy can reduce that to 0.5%, but blackjack is a game of patience. The professionals only get a 1-2% profit long term. And, don’t bother counting cards because those make up less than 1% of all players, and most ultimately fail because of a lack of discipline.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Winning at Keno
Now that you know everything there is to know about bingo, it’s time to learn about keno. Keno is the big-boy version of bingo, offering bigger payouts and usually higher buy-ins. Each are lottery casino games based on luck but will take up some time at the casino without much pressure on your wallet.
Keno has more numbers to play with than bingo. It has a field of 1-90 and numbers are drawn randomly. You hope to match the numbers to those you chose on your card and the each game is called a race. Your payout will depend on how many numbers you matched, how much you wagered for that race and if you bet at a special rate. There is no guaranteed winning strategy to the game.
To play, choose between one and 15 numbers for a game. Twenty numbers a drawn. Therefore, you only have to match 15 of 20 numbers for the jackpot, which can range from thousands to millions of dollars. The average keno jackpot is $10,000 so this is no game to take lightly. If you match a number, mark the corresponding number on your ticket with an “X.”
A keno card can be played as a straight bet or way bet. For a straight bet, you pick up to 15 individual numbers. For a way bet, the numbers are grouped to give you more ways to win. If you choose six numbers, they can be put into three groups of two, giving you four ways to win (a straight bet and three groups). Keep track of way bets by circling your grouped numbers.
The lowest payout starts at six of 15 matched numbers. Since it has such large payouts, keno has one of the highest house advantages in the casino. It can range from 22-50%, depending on how many numbers you played.
Keno has more numbers to play with than bingo. It has a field of 1-90 and numbers are drawn randomly. You hope to match the numbers to those you chose on your card and the each game is called a race. Your payout will depend on how many numbers you matched, how much you wagered for that race and if you bet at a special rate. There is no guaranteed winning strategy to the game.
To play, choose between one and 15 numbers for a game. Twenty numbers a drawn. Therefore, you only have to match 15 of 20 numbers for the jackpot, which can range from thousands to millions of dollars. The average keno jackpot is $10,000 so this is no game to take lightly. If you match a number, mark the corresponding number on your ticket with an “X.”
A keno card can be played as a straight bet or way bet. For a straight bet, you pick up to 15 individual numbers. For a way bet, the numbers are grouped to give you more ways to win. If you choose six numbers, they can be put into three groups of two, giving you four ways to win (a straight bet and three groups). Keep track of way bets by circling your grouped numbers.
The lowest payout starts at six of 15 matched numbers. Since it has such large payouts, keno has one of the highest house advantages in the casino. It can range from 22-50%, depending on how many numbers you played.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Winning at Bingo
You may be wondering if there is a guaranteed way to win at bingo. Sadly, there isn’t. Like many casino games, it is based on luck. Unlike skill games like video poker and Texas Hold'em, there isn’t much you can practice to swing the odds toward your favor. However, bingo is a game that can occupy some time without hurting your bankroll too much. Bingo is good for an hour or two of entertainment away from the hustle and bustle of the gaming floor.
The goal of bingo is simple: match randomly drawn numbers to those on your card. The numbers are called out by a designated person. If you fall behind, there is a well-lit board of recently called numbers to help you catch up. To win, the numbers must be matched to a pattern on your card like a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line. To spice up the game a little, there are other game options like four corners or a butterfly pattern.
Different varieties of bingo can be found at online casinos. You can still find it at some gaming halls of the casino but many people play electronic bingo at stations throughout the gaming floor. In the gaming halls, some still use a dabber (or highlighter) to mark the number called out with a colored circle on your card.
Bingo is pretty straightforward with a field of 1-75. The numbers 1-15 are in the “B” column, 16-30 in the “I” column, 31-45 in the “N” column, 46-60 in the “G” column, and 61-75 in the “O” column. Your card has 25 spaces with a free space in the direct center and 24 random numbers. Match the numbers in the pattern for that game and be the first to yell out “Bingo!” to win.
The goal of bingo is simple: match randomly drawn numbers to those on your card. The numbers are called out by a designated person. If you fall behind, there is a well-lit board of recently called numbers to help you catch up. To win, the numbers must be matched to a pattern on your card like a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line. To spice up the game a little, there are other game options like four corners or a butterfly pattern.
Different varieties of bingo can be found at online casinos. You can still find it at some gaming halls of the casino but many people play electronic bingo at stations throughout the gaming floor. In the gaming halls, some still use a dabber (or highlighter) to mark the number called out with a colored circle on your card.
Bingo is pretty straightforward with a field of 1-75. The numbers 1-15 are in the “B” column, 16-30 in the “I” column, 31-45 in the “N” column, 46-60 in the “G” column, and 61-75 in the “O” column. Your card has 25 spaces with a free space in the direct center and 24 random numbers. Match the numbers in the pattern for that game and be the first to yell out “Bingo!” to win.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Winning at Craps
When you first look at all the different bets on a craps table, it can be confusing. But it has basic rules as far as table games go. It just differs if you are the shooter or not.
The shooter is the person rolling the dice. It’s an automatic win if your fist roll is a 7 or 11. You crap out, or lose automatically, with a 2, 3 or 12. Any other number allows you to keep rolling until you hit that number again. The number you first roll is called the pass-line point. In this case, you want to avoid rolling a 7 on any subsequent roll, which is when you lose and the dice is passed to the next player. You win if you match the pass-line point before rolling a 7.
Other players at the table bet that you will match your pass-line point or won’t match it. It’s frowned upon to bet against a shooter that is on a hot streak. You are free to pass on a roll. You can also pass the dice after a pass-line point is decided. Your first roll is called the come-out roll and other players win even money if they bet with you and you roll a 7 or 11. If you establish a point like 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, other players bet if you will roll that again before a 7 comes up.
A craps table can have up to four staff members such as the boxman, two dealers and the stickman. The boxman monitors the game and resolves disputes. The dealers stand at either side of the table to take bets. The stickman gives the dice to the shooter and calls out the roll and betting options. If it’s a light table in terms of players, there will be less staff. A plastic disk known as the puck keeps track of the roll. The black side labeled “off” means it is a come-out roll. The white side labeled “on” means a point has been established and is placed on the numbered box on the table for that point.
The odds of any number hitting in craps is 1 in 36. The odds of a 7 or 11 is 22% and the odds for a crap out is 11%. You will see plenty of people at the craps table because it is a social game at the casino and the house advantage is just 1.5%.
The shooter is the person rolling the dice. It’s an automatic win if your fist roll is a 7 or 11. You crap out, or lose automatically, with a 2, 3 or 12. Any other number allows you to keep rolling until you hit that number again. The number you first roll is called the pass-line point. In this case, you want to avoid rolling a 7 on any subsequent roll, which is when you lose and the dice is passed to the next player. You win if you match the pass-line point before rolling a 7.
Other players at the table bet that you will match your pass-line point or won’t match it. It’s frowned upon to bet against a shooter that is on a hot streak. You are free to pass on a roll. You can also pass the dice after a pass-line point is decided. Your first roll is called the come-out roll and other players win even money if they bet with you and you roll a 7 or 11. If you establish a point like 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, other players bet if you will roll that again before a 7 comes up.
A craps table can have up to four staff members such as the boxman, two dealers and the stickman. The boxman monitors the game and resolves disputes. The dealers stand at either side of the table to take bets. The stickman gives the dice to the shooter and calls out the roll and betting options. If it’s a light table in terms of players, there will be less staff. A plastic disk known as the puck keeps track of the roll. The black side labeled “off” means it is a come-out roll. The white side labeled “on” means a point has been established and is placed on the numbered box on the table for that point.
The odds of any number hitting in craps is 1 in 36. The odds of a 7 or 11 is 22% and the odds for a crap out is 11%. You will see plenty of people at the craps table because it is a social game at the casino and the house advantage is just 1.5%.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Winning at Texas Hold'em Poker
All poker is derived from Five Card Draw. That includes Let It Ride, Pai Gow and the most popular community poker game, Texas Hold’em. This version of poker has grown in popularity because of televised tournaments like the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. Online poker has been booming as well, especially among the 18-25 year old age range.
The game uses a standard 52-card deck and no Jokers. There are seven total cards and you form a five-card poker hand. Just like with other poker varieties, you bet chips into a pot and the standard hand rankings apply. You start with two hole card dealt face down and four rounds of betting. Five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table and a round of wagers is included between each deal. There are other Hold’em options like limit, no-limit, Omaha and ones using antes, but Hold’em using blind is the most common.
The small blind is the person left of the dealer. The big blind is the person to the left of the small blind and is double the size of that. Once the blinds are in, the two hole cards are dealt. The person to the left of the big blind opens the betting with a call, raise or check (pass to the next player with no bet). No Limit Hold’em allows for any raise. Limit Hold’em allows for twice that of the big blind.
You need to learn some poker slang as well with this game. The first three community cards are called the flop. The fourth community card is known as the turn. The fifth community card is called the river, often called the “River of Dreams” since it usually determines the outcome of the hand. Remember that there is a round of betting between each of these steps. When two players are left in the hand, it’s known as going “heads-up.” It's also important to use wise poker strategy in this game.
The game uses a standard 52-card deck and no Jokers. There are seven total cards and you form a five-card poker hand. Just like with other poker varieties, you bet chips into a pot and the standard hand rankings apply. You start with two hole card dealt face down and four rounds of betting. Five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table and a round of wagers is included between each deal. There are other Hold’em options like limit, no-limit, Omaha and ones using antes, but Hold’em using blind is the most common.
The small blind is the person left of the dealer. The big blind is the person to the left of the small blind and is double the size of that. Once the blinds are in, the two hole cards are dealt. The person to the left of the big blind opens the betting with a call, raise or check (pass to the next player with no bet). No Limit Hold’em allows for any raise. Limit Hold’em allows for twice that of the big blind.
You need to learn some poker slang as well with this game. The first three community cards are called the flop. The fourth community card is known as the turn. The fifth community card is called the river, often called the “River of Dreams” since it usually determines the outcome of the hand. Remember that there is a round of betting between each of these steps. When two players are left in the hand, it’s known as going “heads-up.” It's also important to use wise poker strategy in this game.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Five Strategies to Win at Poker
There are five common strategies every poker player should know if they want to be successful at community games like Five Card Draw and Texas Hold’em. Some are fairly self-explanatory and others require some practice, but all of them will help you gain a leg up on the competition.
Aggressive play: putting down an opening wager or raising someone else’s bet. This is ideally done with a strong hand. If you overuse, it can hurt you in the long run because your competition will label you as a loose player and use it against you.
Bluff: fooling others by betting with a bad hand. It’s a risky move but you’re trying to get others out of the hand by wagering big. With less players left in the hand, the odds of high cards left is lower.
Check-raise: another risky move that can pay off big when used correctly. This is when you check (pass to the next player) with a strong hand, hoping that someone else will start the wagering. When the betting comes back to you, you raise to try to confuse your competition. It’s like a bluff or a slow play.
Protection play: the complete opposite of a check-raise. This is done with a strong but vulnerable hand to scare off your competition. Let’s say you have a pair of 10s when a flush or straight is possible on the board. This is the best way to protect your hand.
Slow play: reverse bluffing. This is another way to protect your hand. With this poker strategy, you want to keep your competition in the hand by betting lower than you should. Begin with a small wager and players with vulnerable hands may stay in. Once they get pot committed, you can take them out. You are trying to be viewed as weak so they let their guard down.
Aggressive play: putting down an opening wager or raising someone else’s bet. This is ideally done with a strong hand. If you overuse, it can hurt you in the long run because your competition will label you as a loose player and use it against you.
Bluff: fooling others by betting with a bad hand. It’s a risky move but you’re trying to get others out of the hand by wagering big. With less players left in the hand, the odds of high cards left is lower.
Check-raise: another risky move that can pay off big when used correctly. This is when you check (pass to the next player) with a strong hand, hoping that someone else will start the wagering. When the betting comes back to you, you raise to try to confuse your competition. It’s like a bluff or a slow play.
Protection play: the complete opposite of a check-raise. This is done with a strong but vulnerable hand to scare off your competition. Let’s say you have a pair of 10s when a flush or straight is possible on the board. This is the best way to protect your hand.
Slow play: reverse bluffing. This is another way to protect your hand. With this poker strategy, you want to keep your competition in the hand by betting lower than you should. Begin with a small wager and players with vulnerable hands may stay in. Once they get pot committed, you can take them out. You are trying to be viewed as weak so they let their guard down.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Winning at Baccarat
If you’re looking for a different kind of card game away from all the varieties of poker, look no further than baccarat. The game was more popular in olden times after originating in France, but it is still popular at both land-based and online casinos and can bring high stakes.
The rules are simple once you get the basic math down. The goal is a total value of 9, or as close as you can to 9 without going over, in two or three cards. Cards 2 through 9 are face value and Aces are worth 1. 10’s and face cards are worth 0. If you go over 9, 10 is subtracted and basically screws you over. For example, if you have a 3 and an 8, your ending value is 1 (11-10=1), which is a losing hand.
You play against as many as 14 other players at the table. You can’t be dealt more than three cards and if the value of your first two cards is 6 or more, you can’t take a third one. A hand value of 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural hand and you must stick with it.
The dealer shuffles the cards and puts them in a cardshoe for players to take turns dealing from. If the baccarat table is full, there will be three dealers. Two dealers at each end of the table determines wins/losses and who owes money to the banker. The middle dealer calls out totals and determines who is eligible to be dealt a third card.
A player has three options for betting: that their hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the two hands will tie. The table has rows for each bet. Baccarat is different type of card game far off from other styles and has an attractive house advantage of only 1.4%.
The rules are simple once you get the basic math down. The goal is a total value of 9, or as close as you can to 9 without going over, in two or three cards. Cards 2 through 9 are face value and Aces are worth 1. 10’s and face cards are worth 0. If you go over 9, 10 is subtracted and basically screws you over. For example, if you have a 3 and an 8, your ending value is 1 (11-10=1), which is a losing hand.
You play against as many as 14 other players at the table. You can’t be dealt more than three cards and if the value of your first two cards is 6 or more, you can’t take a third one. A hand value of 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural hand and you must stick with it.
The dealer shuffles the cards and puts them in a cardshoe for players to take turns dealing from. If the baccarat table is full, there will be three dealers. Two dealers at each end of the table determines wins/losses and who owes money to the banker. The middle dealer calls out totals and determines who is eligible to be dealt a third card.
A player has three options for betting: that their hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the two hands will tie. The table has rows for each bet. Baccarat is different type of card game far off from other styles and has an attractive house advantage of only 1.4%.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Winning at Let It Ride Poker
Let It Ride is yet another variation of poker. Like in Pai Gow, you play against the dealer with other players at the table. It has all the standard hand rankings like in Five Card Draw, but the game itself is very different.
The table for Let It Ride Poker is shaped like a blackjack table. The rules are easy but the betting takes some time to get the hang of it. Five cards are dealt with two to the dealer and three to each player in the hand. You try to make the best five-card poker hand from the your cards and the dealer’s, except you don’t get to see the dealer’s cards unless you stay in the hand. You base whether or not to stay in the hand on your first three cards. The rounds of betting are minimal and each player has three spots labeled 1, 2 and $ on the table.
Based on your first three cards, you fold and take away bet 1 or stay in the hand, also known as letting it ride. Then, the dealer turns over their first card. This is the fourth card in your hand and you can remove bet 2 or continue to let it ride. The dealer turns over their second and last card to complete your five-card hand. All players turn over their cards for a winner to be claimed. Let It Ride Poker is like most poker games in that it requires strategy along with the luck of the draw.
The table for Let It Ride Poker is shaped like a blackjack table. The rules are easy but the betting takes some time to get the hang of it. Five cards are dealt with two to the dealer and three to each player in the hand. You try to make the best five-card poker hand from the your cards and the dealer’s, except you don’t get to see the dealer’s cards unless you stay in the hand. You base whether or not to stay in the hand on your first three cards. The rounds of betting are minimal and each player has three spots labeled 1, 2 and $ on the table.
Based on your first three cards, you fold and take away bet 1 or stay in the hand, also known as letting it ride. Then, the dealer turns over their first card. This is the fourth card in your hand and you can remove bet 2 or continue to let it ride. The dealer turns over their second and last card to complete your five-card hand. All players turn over their cards for a winner to be claimed. Let It Ride Poker is like most poker games in that it requires strategy along with the luck of the draw.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Winning at Pai Gow Poker
Are you looking for a different type of poker game with some great action? Look no further than Pai Gow poker. It’s Five Card Draw with a big twist.
Pai Gow Poker began in China and is played against the banker. If you’re not a fan of community poker games, this one is for you. There are seven spots at the Pai Gow table: five players, a dealer and a banker. Players get seven cards and make two hands to beat the banker, not the dealer. The role of the banker rotates around the table. Even the dealer can be the banker. The dealer plays each hand.
For the two hands, one is made up of five cards and the other is made up of two cards. However, the five-card hand must have a higher value than the two-card hand. Your first instinct is to use your top pair as the two-card hand, but that is not allowed in Pai Gow Poker. Instead, your top pair goes in the five-card hand and your two-card hand may just be a high card.
Pai Gow is a tough game because both of your hands must beat each of the banker’s hands. The banker wins if they are equal. If you win one hand and the banker wins the other, it’s known as a push and you get your original bet back. Winning players get paid from the banker’s funds. Losing players pay the banker. The house generally gets a 5% commission on wins.
Pai Gow Poker began in China and is played against the banker. If you’re not a fan of community poker games, this one is for you. There are seven spots at the Pai Gow table: five players, a dealer and a banker. Players get seven cards and make two hands to beat the banker, not the dealer. The role of the banker rotates around the table. Even the dealer can be the banker. The dealer plays each hand.
For the two hands, one is made up of five cards and the other is made up of two cards. However, the five-card hand must have a higher value than the two-card hand. Your first instinct is to use your top pair as the two-card hand, but that is not allowed in Pai Gow Poker. Instead, your top pair goes in the five-card hand and your two-card hand may just be a high card.
Pai Gow is a tough game because both of your hands must beat each of the banker’s hands. The banker wins if they are equal. If you win one hand and the banker wins the other, it’s known as a push and you get your original bet back. Winning players get paid from the banker’s funds. Losing players pay the banker. The house generally gets a 5% commission on wins.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Winning at Five Card Draw Poker
Before understanding any type of poker game, you need to know Five Card Draw. The other popular forms include Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow, Let It Ride and Stud Poker like Caribbean Stud or 7 Card Stud. Five Card Draw is pretty easy to get the hang of and start winning, and you don’t even need Charlie Sheen.
A game of Five Card Draw Poker starts with each player anteing up, which is a small wager to be in the hand. Each played gets dealt five cards. Players form the best poker hand using standard rankings. After checking out your potential hand, next is the first round of betting. Then, there is one round of discarding. You can discard as many of your five cards as you want. After that is the second round of betting. With each round of betting, players raise until everyone has called or folded. The showdown of those left in the hand decides the winner.
Since poker is a strategy game, you need to study the game before jumping in. The professionals you see on TV know the winning odds of each hand. I suggest starting out by playing poker online for free so you can get a feel for the game and learn the etiquette of when to bet. Once you get some strategy down, choose a table with low stakes. At online casinos, you will have a variety of tables to choose from and it is much easier to move to other tables than at land-based casinos.
A game of Five Card Draw Poker starts with each player anteing up, which is a small wager to be in the hand. Each played gets dealt five cards. Players form the best poker hand using standard rankings. After checking out your potential hand, next is the first round of betting. Then, there is one round of discarding. You can discard as many of your five cards as you want. After that is the second round of betting. With each round of betting, players raise until everyone has called or folded. The showdown of those left in the hand decides the winner.
Since poker is a strategy game, you need to study the game before jumping in. The professionals you see on TV know the winning odds of each hand. I suggest starting out by playing poker online for free so you can get a feel for the game and learn the etiquette of when to bet. Once you get some strategy down, choose a table with low stakes. At online casinos, you will have a variety of tables to choose from and it is much easier to move to other tables than at land-based casinos.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Most Popular Video Poker Games
Now that you know how to play video poker, its time to learn about the most popular video poker games. Video poker is a combination of slots and poker. It’s sort of the lazy man’s poker game. But with so many different types of video poker, you need to know what you are getting into each time. The betting varies for each but you can generally bet anywhere from $0.05 to as much as $100 per hand, in some cases. But usually, single bets range from $0.25 to $5. All of these games are available at land-based or online casinos.
Aces & Faces: This is the most common video poker game. Four Aces or four of a kind on face cards is worth more than a Straight Flush. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. You may have an option to double up. The dealer gets one card dealt face up and you get four cards dealt face down. You choose one and if it ranks higher than that of the dealer’s, your winnings double. In some cases, you can keep doubling but may only be able to double one more time on a tie. Like nearly every casino bonus game, you lose your entire bet if you lose.
Joker: This one uses 53 cards and the Joker is the wild card. The three best payouts are a Natural Royal Flush (doesn’t include the Joker), five of a kind (with the Joker) and a Joker Royal Flush.
Double Joker: The two Jokers are the wild cards. The same rules of the Joker game apply.
Deuces Wild: The 2’s are wild cards. Your odds of winning are better so the lowest payout is three of a kind.
Deuces & Joker: Same as Deuces Wild but adds a Joker. The 2’s and the Joker are the wild cards. Payout start at three of a kind and at the top is four deuces and the Joker. Four deuces has a higher payout than a Wild Royal Flush with the Joker.
Jacks or Better: This one offers some of the best video poker odds and can be single or multi-line. The lowest payout (break even) is a pair of face cards. On multi-line games, bets range from $.05-$100 per hand.
Tens or Better: The same as Jacks or Better but the lowest payout is a pair of 10’s.
Progressive: This one has a progressive jackpot and uses 52 cards, plus several Jokers. Different players visit the same virtual machine as the jackpot increases. The pot restarts after every hit jackpot.
Aces & Faces: This is the most common video poker game. Four Aces or four of a kind on face cards is worth more than a Straight Flush. The lowest winning combination is a pair of Jacks. You may have an option to double up. The dealer gets one card dealt face up and you get four cards dealt face down. You choose one and if it ranks higher than that of the dealer’s, your winnings double. In some cases, you can keep doubling but may only be able to double one more time on a tie. Like nearly every casino bonus game, you lose your entire bet if you lose.
Joker: This one uses 53 cards and the Joker is the wild card. The three best payouts are a Natural Royal Flush (doesn’t include the Joker), five of a kind (with the Joker) and a Joker Royal Flush.
Double Joker: The two Jokers are the wild cards. The same rules of the Joker game apply.
Deuces Wild: The 2’s are wild cards. Your odds of winning are better so the lowest payout is three of a kind.
Deuces & Joker: Same as Deuces Wild but adds a Joker. The 2’s and the Joker are the wild cards. Payout start at three of a kind and at the top is four deuces and the Joker. Four deuces has a higher payout than a Wild Royal Flush with the Joker.
Jacks or Better: This one offers some of the best video poker odds and can be single or multi-line. The lowest payout (break even) is a pair of face cards. On multi-line games, bets range from $.05-$100 per hand.
Tens or Better: The same as Jacks or Better but the lowest payout is a pair of 10’s.
Progressive: This one has a progressive jackpot and uses 52 cards, plus several Jokers. Different players visit the same virtual machine as the jackpot increases. The pot restarts after every hit jackpot.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Winning at Video Poker
If you didn’t already know, video poker is an electronic version of poker. There are many different variations of video poker where the top hand varies, but there are standard rules to each game.
You play only the dealer in video poker and it has more favorable odds than slots or roulette because there is still some skill involved. You need to know your standard poker hand rankings. With a little bit of luck on the draw and some strategy, you will be winning in no time. Unlike other forms of poker, you don’t have to rush your hand when the action is on you. You have all the time to make the decision because you are playing against a machine. Video poker games will rank the hands the hands differently so read up before playing. There are strategy sheets if you need them.
When starting out online, play for free with fun money to learn the game. At a land-based casino, start on the lowest-denomination machine until you get comfortable. Bet low amounts and test out some strategy. Each video poker game has different wild cards so commit them to memory before beginning.
As far as discarding goes, some hands are just all bad. You will run into times when you have absolutely nothing and no face cards. Don’t be afraid to discard everything. Inside straight draws like 2, 3, 4, 6 should be avoided. Your odds are slim with four possible winning cards plus the wild cards. Instead, go for an outside straight like 3, 4, 5, 6. Your odds are better with eight possible winning cards plus the wilds.
When holding, keep a pair instead of a single high card. It doesn’t matter how low the pair is, your odds for payouts like a three of a kind are better than discarding and staring from scratch. Never discard a paying hand unless you have a good chance at a Royal Flush, the jackpot of video poker. Also, bonus games in video poker are a bad idea. If you won a hand based on strategy, don’t risk it all with a game based on luck like guessing the color or suit of a card.
You play only the dealer in video poker and it has more favorable odds than slots or roulette because there is still some skill involved. You need to know your standard poker hand rankings. With a little bit of luck on the draw and some strategy, you will be winning in no time. Unlike other forms of poker, you don’t have to rush your hand when the action is on you. You have all the time to make the decision because you are playing against a machine. Video poker games will rank the hands the hands differently so read up before playing. There are strategy sheets if you need them.
When starting out online, play for free with fun money to learn the game. At a land-based casino, start on the lowest-denomination machine until you get comfortable. Bet low amounts and test out some strategy. Each video poker game has different wild cards so commit them to memory before beginning.
As far as discarding goes, some hands are just all bad. You will run into times when you have absolutely nothing and no face cards. Don’t be afraid to discard everything. Inside straight draws like 2, 3, 4, 6 should be avoided. Your odds are slim with four possible winning cards plus the wild cards. Instead, go for an outside straight like 3, 4, 5, 6. Your odds are better with eight possible winning cards plus the wilds.
When holding, keep a pair instead of a single high card. It doesn’t matter how low the pair is, your odds for payouts like a three of a kind are better than discarding and staring from scratch. Never discard a paying hand unless you have a good chance at a Royal Flush, the jackpot of video poker. Also, bonus games in video poker are a bad idea. If you won a hand based on strategy, don’t risk it all with a game based on luck like guessing the color or suit of a card.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Spotting Rogue Online Casinos
When people say online casinos are a waste of time and exist just to steal your money, they are usually wrong. With the proper gambling strategy, you can make money at online casinos. But there is one case where those people are true. It is in the case of rogue or fake online casinos.
There are certain online gambling sites that are looking for an easy way to your personal information. The online casino is a front for hacking into your account and stealing your identity. In other cases, the games are rigged so that you lose every time. They use a faulty RNG (random number generator). So how do you avoid this?
Third party organizations like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) and TST (Technical Systems Testing). They test and certify online casinos for safety and security. Look for their seals at the bottom of the casino’s homepage.
Another way to check for legitimacy is to read unbiased reviews at online casino review sites. Some of these sites even have blacklists of online casinos to avoid. You just have to make sure the site is legitimate. Unfortunately, this is an endless cycle when it comes to the Internet. If this review site is ranked high on search results, you can generally trust it.
Trustworthy casinos are operated by the best software providers. The top providers include Microgaming, Vegas Technology, Playtech, Rival Gaming and Wagerlogic. If the online casino uses one of these, this is a step in the right direction. A lot of fake online casinos share their content. That’s because scammers are lazy and spam everywhere as fast as possible to spread everywhere online. A way to check on this is to copy a paragraph from on of the online casino’s page and paste it into an Internet search engine. The search results speak for themselves. Lastly, read the terms and conditions through to the end. There could be unfair wagering requirements hidden. One big sign is the payout procedures. All fair and certified online casinos pay out on a daily or weekly basis, max. If this one pays out monthly, it could be foreshadowing bigger problems.
There are certain online gambling sites that are looking for an easy way to your personal information. The online casino is a front for hacking into your account and stealing your identity. In other cases, the games are rigged so that you lose every time. They use a faulty RNG (random number generator). So how do you avoid this?
Third party organizations like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) and TST (Technical Systems Testing). They test and certify online casinos for safety and security. Look for their seals at the bottom of the casino’s homepage.
Another way to check for legitimacy is to read unbiased reviews at online casino review sites. Some of these sites even have blacklists of online casinos to avoid. You just have to make sure the site is legitimate. Unfortunately, this is an endless cycle when it comes to the Internet. If this review site is ranked high on search results, you can generally trust it.
Trustworthy casinos are operated by the best software providers. The top providers include Microgaming, Vegas Technology, Playtech, Rival Gaming and Wagerlogic. If the online casino uses one of these, this is a step in the right direction. A lot of fake online casinos share their content. That’s because scammers are lazy and spam everywhere as fast as possible to spread everywhere online. A way to check on this is to copy a paragraph from on of the online casino’s page and paste it into an Internet search engine. The search results speak for themselves. Lastly, read the terms and conditions through to the end. There could be unfair wagering requirements hidden. One big sign is the payout procedures. All fair and certified online casinos pay out on a daily or weekly basis, max. If this one pays out monthly, it could be foreshadowing bigger problems.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Importance of Payout Percentages
Most new gamblers think all there is to joining an online casino is finding the best games, bonuses and tournaments, and make sure it is a respectable, secure site. They usually forget about payout percentages. These are one of the first things to check on when visiting an online casino.
Payout percentages are how often the online casino pays out to its customers. Online gambling sites are legally bounded to provide these percentages. They can be hard to find so look thoroughly or contact customer support if you can’t find them. If they are certified and audited by a third party like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), the percentage will be available.
Payout percentages are calculated by adding the total winnings paid out and dividing it by the total wagers. That number is multiplied by 100 to get the percentage. Let us say an online casino takes in $1 million in wagers and pays out $970,000 of that $1 million. The payout percentage is calculated as follows: 970,000/1,000,000 = 0.97 x 10 = 97%. Therefore, the casino pays out 97%. This is a reasonable amount.
Read up at online casino reviews sites like this one to find out where the best payout percentages are. Just make sure they are up to date. Some of the best online casino payout percentages right now include Online Vegas Casino (95.2%), Millionaire Casino (94.6%) and Rushmore Casino (94.1%). Pretty much any online casino has better payouts than Las Vegas, but if you want to find the best percentages, check around and don’t settle for the flashiest one offered.
Payout percentages are how often the online casino pays out to its customers. Online gambling sites are legally bounded to provide these percentages. They can be hard to find so look thoroughly or contact customer support if you can’t find them. If they are certified and audited by a third party like eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), the percentage will be available.
Payout percentages are calculated by adding the total winnings paid out and dividing it by the total wagers. That number is multiplied by 100 to get the percentage. Let us say an online casino takes in $1 million in wagers and pays out $970,000 of that $1 million. The payout percentage is calculated as follows: 970,000/1,000,000 = 0.97 x 10 = 97%. Therefore, the casino pays out 97%. This is a reasonable amount.
Read up at online casino reviews sites like this one to find out where the best payout percentages are. Just make sure they are up to date. Some of the best online casino payout percentages right now include Online Vegas Casino (95.2%), Millionaire Casino (94.6%) and Rushmore Casino (94.1%). Pretty much any online casino has better payouts than Las Vegas, but if you want to find the best percentages, check around and don’t settle for the flashiest one offered.
Friday, February 4, 2011
The Growth of Mobile Casinos
Forget about online casinos. Mobile casinos are the hottest new thing with online gambling right now. As technology has increased, mobile casinos have become more popular. Mobile casinos allow you to gamble on the go and play your favorite online casino on your wireless device.
Online casinos are taking notice and are now designing games specific to mobile devices. Games like slots, poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, video poker and more are available. They can be played on your smartphone, iPhone, PDA, wireless tablet PC, etc. Granted, you won’t get the same quality of graphics as the online casino counterpart, but mobile casinos are getting better by the day. New features have been added like being able to flick the screen or shake the device to spin the reels of a slot game.
Before playing a mobile casino, make sure you have enough memory on your device to download the casino software. If you need more storage, buy a memory chip or Micro SD card. The mobile casinos are generally free, but data and roaming fees may apply so check with your wireless provider. When you update your device, you may have to update or download the mobile casino again. If your device model doesn’t support the mobile casino you are looking for, one of the cheaper ways to play a mobile casino is a game download service through your provider. This is generally a fee per download or month.
All the same online gambling laws apply to mobile casinos. You are betting with real money and earning real money. If you are playing the mobile counterpart of an online or land-based casino, you may be able to link up your accounts. Similar online casino bonuses are available as well on mobile casinos.
Online casinos are taking notice and are now designing games specific to mobile devices. Games like slots, poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, video poker and more are available. They can be played on your smartphone, iPhone, PDA, wireless tablet PC, etc. Granted, you won’t get the same quality of graphics as the online casino counterpart, but mobile casinos are getting better by the day. New features have been added like being able to flick the screen or shake the device to spin the reels of a slot game.
Before playing a mobile casino, make sure you have enough memory on your device to download the casino software. If you need more storage, buy a memory chip or Micro SD card. The mobile casinos are generally free, but data and roaming fees may apply so check with your wireless provider. When you update your device, you may have to update or download the mobile casino again. If your device model doesn’t support the mobile casino you are looking for, one of the cheaper ways to play a mobile casino is a game download service through your provider. This is generally a fee per download or month.
All the same online gambling laws apply to mobile casinos. You are betting with real money and earning real money. If you are playing the mobile counterpart of an online or land-based casino, you may be able to link up your accounts. Similar online casino bonuses are available as well on mobile casinos.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Hidden Agenda of Bonuses
That’s right. There is more to online casino bonuses than meets the eye. By hidden agenda, I mean that bonuses have wagering requirements. Some are so strict that the bonus isn’t even worth accepting. Yes, you can decline any bonus, and sometimes it makes sense to do so.
These wagering requirements usually require you to play through to a certain amount before you can withdraw the bonus. At first glance, it seems like a good thing because you have more wagering power. However, you won’t see the free bonus money until you have gamble up to a certain amount. It doesn’t do you any good if your bankroll doesn’t last that long. This is how online casinos trick you into coming back. If you gamble responsibly and have a stable bankroll, these wagering requirements should be a problem. Just be careful and gamble within your means.
Many online casinos put a 15-30 multiplier (x), or play through, on a bonus. So, if the casino is offering a $50 match bonus on a 15x play through, you must gamble at least $1,500 ($50 deposit + $50 bonus x 15 = $1,500) before you can withdraw any money. These wagering requirements came about because of bonus abusers who would leave the casino once they received their bonus money.
There are higher play through requirements on no-deposit bonuses, which don’t require a deposit for the bonus money. These no-deposit bonuses have as much as a 30x play though. So, for a $10 no-deposit bonus, you wouldn’t be able to withdraw until you wagered $300 (30 x $10 bonus =$300). Usually, these no-deposit bonuses aren’t eligible on progressive jackpot games but instead limited to certain table games.
It may sound ludicrous to refuse free money, but, as you can see, it may be worth it. Always read the terms and conditions of the bonus. After reading the fine print, if you don’t plan on gambling through to the wagering requirement, don’t accept the bonus.
These wagering requirements usually require you to play through to a certain amount before you can withdraw the bonus. At first glance, it seems like a good thing because you have more wagering power. However, you won’t see the free bonus money until you have gamble up to a certain amount. It doesn’t do you any good if your bankroll doesn’t last that long. This is how online casinos trick you into coming back. If you gamble responsibly and have a stable bankroll, these wagering requirements should be a problem. Just be careful and gamble within your means.
Many online casinos put a 15-30 multiplier (x), or play through, on a bonus. So, if the casino is offering a $50 match bonus on a 15x play through, you must gamble at least $1,500 ($50 deposit + $50 bonus x 15 = $1,500) before you can withdraw any money. These wagering requirements came about because of bonus abusers who would leave the casino once they received their bonus money.
There are higher play through requirements on no-deposit bonuses, which don’t require a deposit for the bonus money. These no-deposit bonuses have as much as a 30x play though. So, for a $10 no-deposit bonus, you wouldn’t be able to withdraw until you wagered $300 (30 x $10 bonus =$300). Usually, these no-deposit bonuses aren’t eligible on progressive jackpot games but instead limited to certain table games.
It may sound ludicrous to refuse free money, but, as you can see, it may be worth it. Always read the terms and conditions of the bonus. After reading the fine print, if you don’t plan on gambling through to the wagering requirement, don’t accept the bonus.
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