Internet Casinos

When online casinos first came into the scene they had to think on a marketing idea that would attract more players. Online gambling was new and many players were unsure if they should deposit funds in what seemed like an unknown entity. The marketing ploy that most online casinos chose and is still being aggressively used today is the cash bonus.

Nothing charms a future client more than free cash, and online casino bonuses are just that. The most popular form of a bonus is the sign up or welcome bonus. The size of the bonus differs between the different casinos but it usually revolves between 100%-400% of the initial deposit. There is usually some kind of limit to the bonus so you can’t just deposit 100,000$ and hope to triple it up.

Naturally, as more and more casinos started offering cash bonuses a different kind of client emerged. A client whose sole interest was in the bonus itself and his goal was to cash out the bonus as soon as possible and than simply leave. This led up to the online casinos toughening their wagering requirements before allowing a withdrawal of the bonus.

The wagering requirement is a total amount you have the bet in order to be able to withdraw the bonus. The actual number varies from casino to casino but a typical number could be between 10x – 20x the amount of the bonus, so if you deposit 500$ and receive 500$ as a cash bonus your total betting must be above 5000$ to cash out the bonus. This may seem like a big amount but remember that if you are playing a game like blackjack using 5$ bets, you will win many hands (as well as losing) so the requirements can usually be cleared in matter of several hours.

Some casinos have blocked several games from qualifying as a method to clear bonuses. This usually includes the bets games that casino offers like a very liberal version of blackjack (for example a very small house edge single deck game) or some forms of video poker.

Online poker sites also offer sign up bonuses. The method to clear those bonuses is a little easier since you have to play a certain number of raked hands. Online poker bonuses are easy to clear even if you are a mediocre player and most online poker sites of periodical reload bonuses which allow poker players to enjoy other bonuses than the regular welcome bonus.

Bonuses are an attractive way to build up your bankroll if you are just starting out in the world of online gambling. Just remember to read the casino’s terms of agreement or consult your favorite online casino portal in order to be sure what the wagering requirements are so you will have a better idea what you are up against.

Roulette Tips and Tricks !

Roulette is the oldest of all the

casino games. A roulette wheel is round and has 38 separately

numbered pockets in which the rotating ball may land. The

numbers change back and forth between red and black; the first

red number is number one. 0 and 00 are both green. If a player

bets on a single number, he is paid 35 to 1. This means that the

casino has the advantage of 2 out of every 38 spins. So,

roulette, like any other gaming event must rely on both luck and

strategy.

BETS:

You may bet on two numbers by

placing your chip (or chips) on the line between two numbers

such as 2 and 3. Payment is 17 to 1.

You may bet on four numbers by placing your bet

between 4 numbers such as 2, 3, 5, 6 and upon winning be paid 8

to 1.

You may bet on three

numbers by placing a chip on the transversal such as 1, 2, 3 by

placing the chip on the outer line of 1. Payment is 11 to 1.

You may bet on five numbers

only in one set; they are 0, 00, 1, 2, 3. Since 31 is not

divisible by 5 it pays only 6 to 1.

You may bet on six numbers by placing your chip

on two transversals, such as the outer edge of numbers 7 and 10

to cover numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. This bet pays 5 to 1.

You may bet on 12 numbers by

placing your bet on the 2to1 space at the end of the table and

play 1, 4, 7, 10,13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34 or either of the

other two rows of numbers; or by placing your chip in 1st 12,

2nd 12, or 3rd 12. Each bet pays 2 to 1.

You may bet on 18 numbers by placing your bet on

either a color spot - red or black, on an even or odd spot, or

on 1 to 18, or 19 to 36. Pays 1 to 1.

Seem simple enough? Well it is quite easy. Just

wait till a spin has been completed and all bettors have been

paid and then place your bet.

The following section shows you five simple

systems you may want to use to win at roulette.

Never bet more than you can afford to

lose, and always quit when you have won as much as you set out

to win - such as double your stake.

There are table minimums and maximums at all

casinos and most casinos have different tables with different

amounts. *Each posted on the table.

A typical minimum is 25 cents per bet with a 75

cent minimum per spin of the wheel. This covers bets on numbers

only *-* other bets such as 1st 12 etc. will have a $1 minimum.

Now, read and learn each

system detailed below before you try any of them at a casino -

pick one or two you want to try.

SYSTEM ONE:

This is a simple game of colors. Black and red.

This has also been called a suckers bet and an absolutely

terrible system because it does not go with the odds. However,

it has consistently won for both myself and a large number of

others. Because 1/2 of the numbers are red, and 1/2 black (

minus of course the casino advantage of 0 of 00 ) a bet on a red

or black number coming up has a 50-50 chance of winning. If you

were able to accurately pick the correct color every-other spin,

you would break even, minus 2 in every 38 spins ( for 0, 00 ).

With this in mind, try the following:

Bet on a color. If you win, take your winning

and leave your original bet for the next spin. ( A good idea is

to start at $1 if you are interested in playing for a long

period of time and maybe winning some money. You can bet more

such as $3 to $5 if you can afford it and are hoping to win some

big money ). If you lose, double your bet. If you continue to

lose you may wish to continue doubling your bet, or quit and

take the lose. Then start over again, as long as you win, take

your winnings and leave your original bet.

Remember, you ALWAYS have the same odds of your

bet winning even if the other color has come up 100 times in a

row. I have had nights when I never lost more than 3 straight

times, but I have also seen the same color come up 12 straight

times.

For More TIPS &

TRICKS visit

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The Allure of the Casino For most people, even those who shun gambling in their own life, casino’s are somewhat seductive in their dark and seedy allure. Unfortunately, you need to get over any fascination you may have an you need to get your head around a certain understated etiquette before you’re likely to get near to a table.

Before you consider gambling at a casino, playing poker at a casino table, casinos are sophisticated and highly successful enterprises. They don’t get to be successful by giving away money. Your best bet – the best bet for anyone who is new to casino poker – is to learn the basics of casino operations so you can manipulate the experience to your advantage.

Know Thy Enemy Casinos really know their clients. They see you coming a hundred miles away. They know exactly who you are, how much money you make, what you like, what you dislike; whether you’re married, single, or divorced.

Marketing gurus employed by casinos know exactly what makes you tick and they will use that knowledge to extract as much business from you as possible. When you enter a casino, you need to understand that everything, every element, everything you see around you from the carpet to the lights on the ceiling is designed to draw you in and keep you in until you’ve lost your bankroll.

The objective of the casino is to make you and everyone else there comfortable and happy. They want to keep you feeling happy even when you lose everything you came in with.

The House Rules Another point to consider: the house always wins. In poker, you’re at less of a disadvantage than at, say, roulette, but the house is still going to ‘beat’ you no matter what happens.

Wondering why? What if you win a huge stake?

Well, the house charges commissions in most games. They have a mathematical edge, and, in games like roulette, true odds aren’t given out.

Although poker is slightly different, being a skills game, the casino still has many ways to fulfill their first commandment. You should be aware of this and accept it, to a degree. Don’t let the casino’s advantage set you off balance.

Money Matters When you decide to play poker at a casino, you need to familiarize yourself with the chips on the table; learn their respective values to save yourself thinking too much about it later. To make it easy for you, casinos tend to use the same colors schemes. The most common values corresponding to color are:

White: $1

Red: $5

Green: $25

Black: $100

Purple: $500

Burgundy: $1,000

Brown: $5,000

Table Manners When you go to a casino to play poker, standard practice is to sign in at the desk and, generally, indicate to the host what game (“poker&rdqu you’re interested in playing (e.g. “Texas Holdem or Omaha”). Generally, if a table is full, you will be put on a waiting list and called as soon as a place opens.

In casino poker you play for table stakes. You play with the chips that you have on the table and you’re not allowed to go into your pocket for more money in the middle of a hand. If you run out of chips, you should indicate that you’re “all in”. Any additional bets made by others after you come into the game will be put in a side pot. You’re not eligible for this pot even if you have the best hand on the table.

Be aware of some of the most common at-table mistakes. Most common is betting out of turn or making an improper raise. Wait until it’s your turn to play before you make a move. Don’t call, raise, check, or fold – don’t do anything until it’s your turn because you’ll confuse proceedings for everyone else. It’s also bad etiquette to talk about your cards while the hand is still going. No one will appreciate it if you do this. You must not show your cards either, save that for the showdown, at which time you should show one and all!

A couple of bad habits generally put out there by movies featuring poker include splashing the pot and making string bets, neither of which is appropriate in actual casino poker. You shouldn’t toss you chips into the pile when you make a bet. This is splashing the pot. Because it’s important for people to know how much you’ve bet, stack your chips neatly in front of you. And avoid saying things like “I call and raise another 300.” When you want to call, call. When you want to raise, say that you will raise and indicate the amount. Don’t string everything together.

Above all, be polite at the poker table and stay calm. Remember, it’s only a game and the objective is to have fun and let everyone else around you have fun as well.

Like the locals who despise the city folk who raid the Hamptons and take over their town every summer, wise guys and hardcore horse racing aficionados hate guys like me come Triple Crown time. While for most of the regular season, my attention is focused on more popular sports such as baseball, football, and basketball, something about the Triple Crown just piques my interest, and right around the end of April, I start hearing that familiar voice inside my head: “You’ve got to bet the Derby.”

Typically, I like to bet $50 on each of the Triple Crown races. Nothing that will break the bank, but still enough to create some fun during Derby Day. Then I tell my wife to dig up her favorite funny hat and we head to a sports bar to try and find a New York bartender who actually knows how to make a mint julep without looking at me like Nick the bartender looked at Clarence when he ordered his strange concoction in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Now there is no shortage of information available for the horse racing gambler who has just awoken after hibernating for 11 months. The preps have all just finished up and everyone has an early opinion. Mind you, none of these opinions did a bit of good last year when Giacomo pulled off a stunning win. And only a woman in The New York Daily News and my barber, whose shop is named Giacomo, were known to actually pick that horse to win. And anyone who actually picked Closing Argument for second to complete the $2 exacta brought home $9,814.80. Now with those figures, you have to want to try and eliminate some favorites from your bets in order to make some money on this race.

Even a novice knows that the favorite rarely wins on Derby Day. Since 1979, only two post-time favorites have won the Derby. And even though I’ve read how Brother Derek is a monster, my bets will not include that horse.

The second item that has been well publicized is how another favorite, Barbaro, is trying to become the first horse since 1956 to win the Derby after a five-week layoff. Okay, you might think that’s another favorite to eliminate from most of my bets. However, I also know enough to pay special attention to those workouts as Derby Day nears. Barbaro galloped out a very strong six furloughs in 1:12.1.

Now if you’re going to pay attention to history, it might be hard to eliminate another favorite. Lawyer Ron has taken a path similar to Smarty Jones. However, in a race with a lot of very fast horses, some say he might be too slow. Once I’ve heard more than one person say a horse may be “too slow,” it’s hard to get that image out of my head.

Two horses who have been referred to by many sources as peaking at the right time are Sweetnorthern Saint and Point Determined. The wise guy choice is said to be AP Warrior. Wise guys are “the smart money.” Wise and smart must know something I don’t, so AP Warrior will be in my exacta box.

If you want to take a chance on a couple of horses with pretty good odds who have a solid late kick, try Steppenwolfer or popular sleeper Jazil (although I’m thinking too popular a sleeper, kind of like the guys picking the Brewers as the NL Wild Card.)

Finally, Cause to Believe has had some strong workouts and is loved by some who feel his running style fits the Derby, despite the fact that the horse will probably go off at around 50-1.

So I’m leaning toward a $4 exacta box with Point Determined, AP Warrior, SweetNorthern Saint, and Barbaro, and maybe a $2 exacta on Lawyer Ron and Steppenwolfer, just in case.

Perhaps I’ll get lucky and win enough to start saving up for one of those $1,000 mint juleps they’re serving at the Churchill Downs this year.

Bet the Kentucky Derby and all Triple Crown Races at http://www.WagerWeb.com/Racebook/

Pai Gow Poker can be intimidating to the rank novice but it is relatively simple to play once you understand the basic rules of the game. This article takes a look at some of those rules and will help your understanding of this variation of poker.

Pai Gow can be an extremely slow game at times and may frustrate those used to a fast and frantic game of Texas Hold’em. There are a number of “pushes” which makes for a annoying game for new players. If you can understand the rules, as with any game, you can appreciate the way Pai Gow is played.

To start, place your wager. After everyone places their bets, all players receive seven cards. Usually a random generated number will determine which player takes the first set of cards. Players then try to arrange the best five-card and two-card hand. The five card hand is ranked just like any other poker hand.

The dealer or banker will then arrange the banker hand according to the pre-set rules known as the “house way”. The player’s five card hand is compared to the dealer’s five cards and then the two-card hands are compared.

During the comparison, the highest hand wins. If there is a match in both hands, it’s called a copy and the tie becomes a default banker win. If the player beats the dealer with both hands, he or she is very lucky because they get paid even money and then gets to pay the house or bank a 5% commission. If a player wins one hand and loses the other, then the hand is a push. The entire bet is lost if the player has 2 losing hands.

Here’s where it gets tricky. When setting the hands the two card hand can’t be higher than the five-card hand. If it is then it is an automatic loser. The joker can be used to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush, otherwise anything else the joker plays as an ace.

Keep in mind, the player can elect to be the banker on their appropriate turn. There are several advantages to the player being the banker which can vary by rules of the casino. The bank is supposed to rotate with everyone getting the chance to be the banker, co-banking is an option for those who perhaps don’t want to or can’t carry the financial responsibility for the hand.

Not only are the Cubs charging in the National League Central this season, but so are their fans. The city is selling off pieces of Wrigley Field, one piece at a time! There is something for just about every price range, from $5 tickets from past games to a rare stadium seat that was accidentally colored wrong—priced at $1,500—and everything in between. There is even a pretty comprehensive guide of what was and, in some cases, still is, for sale.

 

But there is a rather bizarre twist to this. THEY TAKE CREDIT CARDS! In these days, when not only is our country almost 1 trillion (that’s a lot of zeros, people! And half of that is to communist China) dollars in credit card debt,with a basic American household owing an average of $3,400 (and even McDonald’s taking credit cards now), here is an opportunity for us to pump up that average even more. Not that it wouldn’t be neat to own a piece of one of the most beloved—if not the most beloved—baseball parks in America, but this is just inviting trouble! In some states, people can buy lottery tickets with their credit cards… it just doesn’t seem right. Although the proceeds go to a good cause, I can easily see an avid Cubs fan getting carried away with this!

Can you imagine what that fan’s spouse will think when they look at the itemized part of their credit card bill? I foresee a lot of Cubs fans getting the mail and hiding the bill in their billing cycle! How would one explain a $1,000 charge on the bill for old Wrigley memorabilia? Talk about an impulse buy!

I can hear it now:

“Honey, what are these old bleacher chairs doing in our dining room and living room? And where did all our furniture go?”

Hey, maybe these buyers can use the money they got for their furniture to pay for the bleacher seats! They can even make up some story about how a certain piece of their furniture has some historical significance, like…

“This is the Texas leather EZ-Boy recliner in which George W. Bush almost choked to death when he got wasted and atea pretzel!” (Oh, how famous a chair and a pretzel those would be! Such a conspiratorial couple that would make! They would surely be executed under the U.S. Patriot Act by burning, their ashes put on display at the Smithsonian! But not before the ticker tape parade praised them as “The objects that saved the planet” and the ceremonial awarding of the congressional medal of honor…!). Well, you get the point.

And what if they don’t pay their credit card bill? Would the “Wrigley Repo Patrol” come and repossess the items? How about if they lost their house or car or even had their wages garnished because they went overboard by buying a bunch of old bricks? Oh, and here’s the neat part about buying a brick from the famed ballpark… with each brick is a map showing exactly where that brick was!

Hey! This could start a whole new trend! Cities forced to build new stadiums or risk losing their team can sell off parts of the doomed previous stadium to help offset the cost of the new one! Even if they got just $1,000 (and what piece of stadium wouldn’t get at least that?), that’s $1,000 the citizens wouldn’t have to pay!

Here in Indianapolis, we are forced to scrap a 24-year-old, 63,000-seat dome stadium that cost over $300,000,000 and, during these financially tough times, pony up a stunning $1,000,000,000 (that’s $1 BILLION!) for a “Lucas Oil Stadium” that isn’t built for decent acoustics and/or for baseball, should the opportunity come to us!

Am I way out there in left field, or does all of the entrepreneurial imperialism hit just a little too close to home… plate?

Whatever “base” is, you have to give the Cubs “credit”: it’s a great way to raise money.  The only objection I have to it is the whole credit card deal. And with the new draconian bankruptcy bill that is now in full effect, which doesn’t even allow a person to declare on medical bills and/or student loans, and gives no exceptions whatsoever to the tens of thousands of uninsured hurricane victims, it could be just too tempting for a die-hard Cubs fan to slide right into deep debt and strike out. And all to a bad, bad “no-no decision” pitcher!

This is just one of many, many reasons why I don’t have a credit card!

Perhaps the Bush Administration can raise funds to offset the $2 BILLION per week we are spending in Iraq by selling off the pieces of shattered buildings and lives the undeclared war has caused.  Oh! Sell pieces of the World Trade building to help pay for “Homeland Security.” NO, WAIT! How about an “adopt a corrupt lobbyist program” to help pay off the 3 TRILLION DOLLAR budget deficit (much of it to Communist China…talk about “Homeland Insecurity”!).

 THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

That offensive juggernaut, the Baltimore Ravens, were a 2-TD favorite last week over the Raiders. The Ravens have only been a double-digit favorite 8 times since 2000, but their record is 8-0 SU, 6-2 ATS in those games. No problem. The Ravens crushed the Raiders 28-6, covering with ease again.

Why? Home field is one key handicapping factor. Home field is very important in pro and college basketball, where almost all teams play significantly better at home. It can also be an important factor with some football teams. The Ravens happen to be one of those teams in recent years that easily play their best ball at home. In 2005, the Ravens were 6-2 SU, 5-3 ATS at home, but 0-8 SU, 2-6 ATS on the road. In fact, Baltimore is now 20-6 SU, 15-9-2 ATS its last 26 home games.

It’s not like this for all pro football teams, but it is a handicapping factor that needs to be examined carefully and taken into account. Seattle is another one. The Seahawks last season went to the Super Bowl, but it wasn’t a result of their road play: Seattle was just 5-3 SU, 3-4-1 ATS on the road in 2005. But at home they were 10-0 SU, 8-2 ATS. Part of the reason is that Seattle is in the Northwest and it can be a long road trip for many opponents. They also have a terrific home crowd that supports them. Many opposing players have said it can be difficult to hear the QB counts, especially near the end zones.

Domed stadiums often provide a key advantage for home teams, as well. A few years ago when the Rams and Vikings had some strong teams, they were very difficult to beat at home, but far less imposing on the road. From 1999-2001 the Vikings were 20-6 SU at home, but 8-18 SU, 7-18-1 ATS on the road. The Vikings just topped Carolina at home last week which makes them 10-3 SU, 8-4-1 ATS their last 13 at home.

Rowdy fans can provide that extra motivational spark that can get athletes to perform at a higher level than when they are away from home. Notice that in college football, Texas A&M is 11-3 SU, 9-3 ATS its last 14 home games, while No. 1 Ohio State is 30-2 SU, 19-10-2 ATS its last 32 at the Horseshoe. And let’s not forget Iowa. The Hawkeyes under Kirk Ferentz are 31-3 SU, 22-6-1 against the spread at home since 2001!

Last week I used this handicapping tool when I released a play on the Seattle Seahawks hosting the Arizona Cardinals. Home/road was a clear edge, as the Cardinals have been a weak road team the last few years while the Seahawks have a significant home field advantage. The Cardinals are 5-29 straight up on the road. Last year they beat only St Louis and San Francisco away from home. Those two teams combined for a 10-22 straight up record last year.

Seattle beat Arizona by a combined score of 70-31 last year. Arizona allowed an average of 28.7 points their last 15 road games. Keep in mind that they played the weak offenses of San Francisco (3 times), Houston, Detroit (twice) and Buffalo in those 15 games. Seattle has averaged 29.8 points per game their last 11 at home. Seattle jumped to a 14-0 first quarter lead on the way to another home win and cover. They had the edge in rushing yards 146-65. It should have been even more one-sided, as Seattle had five dropped passes, a blocked field goal, and a 14-yard punt.

Some other teams to keep an eye on: The Browns are 5-20 SU, 8-17 ATS their last 25 road games, Denver is 11-1 SU, 7-4-1 ATS its last 12 home games, the Jets are 1-8 SU, 2-7 ATS their last 9 road games, the Titans are 1-11 SU, 2-10 ATS their last 12 road games, the Eagles are 29-14 Su, 27-16 ATS their last 43 road games, the Patriots are 26-3 SU and 19-9 ATS at home, the Rams are 11-24 SU, 10-25 ATS their last 35 road games, the Cardinals are 15-11 ATS their last 26 home games, but 7-19 ATS their last 26 road games.

I have often found myself in such a midst of bad luck and bad plays in NL (no limit) hold’em that I force myself to either switch sites, go to lower limits or take a clean break from playing. If the latter is as hard for you to do as it is me, then the solution may be a different game. Omaha High-Low is a different game from NL hold’em for sure, but the skills you have developed in hold’em can pay off much more consistently in Omaha Hi-Lo.

With the help of a book like Bill Boston’s Omaha High-Low, you can be proficient at this game in a matter of a few sessions. After reading this book, I started playing the 10 buck Omaha Hi-Lo sit and go tournaments at Party Poker, and with no experience at all had a 50% win rate after 12 games for a nice 220 profit. Well worth the 20 bucks for the book which had been in publication for years as in independently produced manual, but now picked up by Cardoza Publishing and presented in soft cover version.

Bill Boston used the very popular program called Turbo Omaha High Low Split by Wilson Software, testing numerous Omaha Hi-Lo hands against random flops. (Same programmers of the software called Turbo Texas Hold’em, used by Sklansky, Ferguson, Raymer among other pros) Combine this research with his years of experience in that game and this book makes for a solid foundation to profitable play.

What holdem players need to realize with this game, even with pot limit betting, is that it is generally not a bluffing game. So your good hands do pay off, especially when scooping the high and low hands. Boston stresses this throughout, and has played this way with success for years. This kind of strategic showdown play, could be a welcome relief for holdem players at their wits end, over getting pushed around. You really can’t do that in Omaha Hi-Lo, save for rare specific conditions being meant.

Unfortunately, Boston doesn’t get into poker tournament play with this book, mainly focusing on 10/20 ring games, which leaves a lot of explaining for us tournament players. On the good side, the hand analysis for strength will give any player the power of knowing when to get in a hand or not. This is truly vital information and will save you enormous amounts of stress, in effect avoiding tough decisions during the hand.

A good portion of this book is a table of values associated with each and every Omaha hand combination. It is quite scientific looking, but if you peruse through some of the hand combinations and look at how they can lose you money, it is very alarming. In this game, many hands you are dealt look good, but are simply money losers. This is what separates the winners from losers, amateurs from professionals. The ability to throw strong hands away is stressed here in the balance of knowing that even if you win, your pot is likely split several ways. Certainly a good read and if you combine it with Lou Krieger’s Poker Player’s Bible which has an extensive chapter on Omaha Hi-Lo, and you on your way to professional, profitable play.