CasinoMan Blog - Archives June 2012

How to Select an Online Casino

30 June 2012

With new dozens of casino sites cropping up every day, finding a fun, safe and reputable one can seem as daunting as finding a needle in a haystack.  With big bonuses and bundles of ‘free cash’ being offered, it could be tempting to be sucked into something you are not entirely happy with.  The good news is that by following this guide, you could be spinning the slots or beating the banker in no time at all.

• Make a list of what you want from an online casino.  Do you want to play lots of different games or specialise in just one or two? How often will you play and how much are you likely to deposit? Will you be using the same computer to play from or will you be moving around?  Downloadable software is best if you’ll be sticking to the same PC to play, but ‘instant’ or ‘flash’ play is a good option for those using mobile devices or several different computers.

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  Tags: online casino, choosing casinos,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, | Comments (4)

  The Role of Luck and Probability In Gambling
  
  29 June 2012

  Luck and knowledge on probability is a potent and winning combination when you are gambling in casinos or anywhere else for that matter. Although luck cannot be controlled by anyone, even the gambling houses will have access to information on probability. So, there is every chance that they come up with ways of beating you, even if you devise a probability approach to win consistently.
  
  

  Luck however is a totally different thing. When you have luck on your side, it is like the Midas touch. Every call you make, every card you draw and every throw of dice will win you more fortunes.

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  Tags: luck, probability,
  Posted in: Casino Games, | Comments (2)

  How can I find the Best Online Casino Promotions
  
  27 June 2012

  Surprisingly, it isn’t that difficult to find a good, wholesome online casino promotion because pretty much each online casino offers at least one or more lucrative special offers and most of them are well worth trying to get your hands on.
  
  The thing to remember when trying to find an attractive special offer is that there are standard promotions that you will be able to find. The most common of all online casino promotions includes the matching deposit bonus. This particular sign up/welcome bonus is the most common of all deals and generally works in the following way:
  
  If you deposit the maximum allowed, for example £500 and the bonus is a 100% match, you will basically receive double what you have deposited (a total of £1000). This is probably the best promotion available today as it guarantees you free money. Some casinos may offer just a 50% match up to £100 whereas others may offer a tidy 200% matching deposit bonus worth up to for example £2000.

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  Tags: online casino, online casino promotions, casino promotions, cash bonus, welcome bonus,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, Casinos, | Comments (1)

  And The Award Goes To ... Playtech
  
  25 June 2012

  For the past three consecutive years now, the eGaming Business to Business Awards have been taking place. This year’s prestigious eGR B2B Awards ceremony was held in the Atrium, in London’s Wembley Stadium.
  
  Playtech were the true champions of the evening and claimed a total of four awards. This section reveals which awards they won. Playtech software single handily dominated the ceremony this year which took place on Friday 10th May 2012. This innovative software provider was graciously recognised for having the best gaming products and also the best in-class services over each of their state-of-the-art platforms.
  
  They actually netted four awards for the following major categories: Best Mobile Provider, Best Slot Provider, Best Poker Network and finally for having the Best Bingo Network.  This awards ceremony attracts leading online gambling companies including some of the biggest names in the online casino and sportsbetting industry, plus a variety of software providers.

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  Tags: online casino, playtech, wembley, egaming, business to business, software provider,
  Posted in: Current Events, Software Providers, | Comments (0)

  The ever Changing Face of the Online Slot
  
  23 June 2012

  Online slots have come a long way in the looks department since the mid-1990s when slot machine software was still in its infancy. This section take a brief look at how they have evolved over the past 15 or so years, looking at the first ever classic slot up to the most recently developed 3 dimensional i-Slots.
  
  Classic slots were the first slots to become available online. These had just three reels and one winning payline and very few player controls. They are still around today and it was Microgaming who first blessed us with their creation.  In fact, that very first slot, ‘Cash Splash’ can still be played today in various Microgaming-powered online casinos.
  
  All of a sudden, more slots started appearing and other software companies began developing their own take on a slot machine. More online casinos also started popping up all over the web and players didn’t have to look far to find a slot.

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  Tags: online casinos, slot machine, i-slots, online slot, software, classic slot,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, Online Slots, | Comments (1)

  Where do Online Poker Sharks tend to Play
  
  22 June 2012

  If you’re just starting out with online poker then you perhaps have heard about poker sharks. These are the people who like to take your money and they can do this quite easily. The question is, “how do you avoid the sharks?”
  
  The simple answer is that you can’t, you just have to shape up and learn the game because this threat is unavoidable. This is why certain players were so aptly named – Sharks (pros) and Fish (amateurs).
  
  You would think that sharks would play on the high stakes tables winning $100’s per pot, but contrary to popular belief, many of these professional sharks tend to frequent the lower stakes tables in order to take the money from the fish, like taking candy from kids.

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  Tags: online poker, poker, high stakes, poker room, online poker sharks, poker sharks,
  Posted in: Poker Players, Online Gambling, | Comments (1)

  Why does the Standard of Online Casino Customer Support Vary So Much
  
  20 June 2012

  If you are experiencing some kind of technical issue at the online casino you have signed up to or you are looking for certain information but just can’t seem to find it, you can contact the customer support and they should be able to help you. The thing is, not all support is a good as you would expect, which is why you can normally tell a great deal from how good their customer support services actually are.
  
  Depending on how responsible and trusted the actual operators are will usually determine the type of support they offer. Almost every online casino today allows you to get in touch with a member of their support team (which are usually available 24/7) by sending in an email or by calling them on one off the supplied telephone numbers.
  
  The telephone numbers may or may not be toll free so always check before dialling. For a more immediate response, you could also try the live chat feature, which can be launched in most cases even if you are not a registered member of the casino. This small chat box is securely protected and will open in a separate small window.

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  Tags: online casino, gambling, live chat, customer support, support team,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, Customer Support, | Comments (1)

  Are Online Slots Tournaments Worth the Hassle
  
  18 June 2012

  To take part in an online slot tournament, you really have to enjoy slots. They have only become popular in the past few years and are still not yet widely available, plus it is only recently that they have gathered momentum and started appearing in more online casinos, but what is so fascinating about an online slot tournament?
  
  To actually sign up to one of these, you must be a fan of online slots. It’s not important to love slots, but what’s the point in signing up for one if you don’t like slots in the first place? Although most of the tournaments don’t tend to last too long (in some cases just five minutes), the repetitive spinning of the reels can be too much for some players, but for a slot enthusiast, these tourneys are the best thing since sliced bread.
  
  Some slots tournaments can last 20 or so minutes but some of the extended tourneys can last for an entire day, which will automatically pause each time you log out (not the tourney but your individual play). The entrance price for a slot tourney can range from low buy-ins up to the more expensive buy-ins for highrollers.

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  Tags: slots, classic slots, online slot, slot tournaments, tourneys, slot tournament,
  Posted in: Online Slots, Online Gambling, | Comments (1)

  When is it Best to Play on an Online Progressive Jackpot Game?
  
  16 June 2012

  A progressive jackpot game has an accumulating prize pool that is usually spread over a vast network of online gambling portals. In the past few years, more and more progressive jackpot games have become available for players.
  
  Each software provider has its own progressive jackpot network, with each company offering between 5 and 20 progressive jackpot games. It isn’t the software provider or the casino that contributes towards the jackpot, it’s the actual players. A small percentage of each stake spent on a progressive jackpot game is added to the total prize pool. This is why we hear of so many progressive jackpots that reach into the millions.
  
  This is also why there are certain times when players are better off playing on a progressive jackpot game. A progressive jackpot will usually have a seed amount (a starting amount) which is often been added by the casino, but from then on, the prize will continue to climb as more players vie for that same jackpot. The advice for players is to wait until the prize has reached a decent amount, otherwise if you win, you may not be so impressed with the jackpot.

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  Tags: online gambling, progressive jackpot, progressive slot, online progressive slot,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, Online Slots, | Comments ()

  Player Location Restrictions at Online Casinos
  
  15 June 2012

  Occasionally, players are restricted from signing up to a gambling portal such as an online casino and this is quite often because of where the player is located.
  
  Apart from being underage or perhaps you accidentally filled in the wrong information during the application process, the other main reason a casino could deny you the chance to sign up with them will be because of the country in which you reside. This is otherwise known as a player location restriction (or restricted territories).
  
  Sometimes is it the country that will not allow you to sign up with the online casino, but other times it is the casino that will restrict you because of the country that you live in. You will find out whether or not you register can account with the online casino when you proceed to fill out the online application form because when you get to the part that requires you to enter your address, it simply won’t have your country of residence as an option.

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  Tags: online casino, casino, restrictions, player location, restricted territories,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, Gambling Regulations, | Comments ()

  What has happened since Black Friday - America's Darkest Day for Online Poker?
  
  13 June 2012

  More than 12 months have passed since online poker’s darkest day occurred in America. This section takes a brief look at what has happened since congress decided to make gambling online illegal and reveals what has actually happened since April of 2011.
  
  Three of the founders of the world’s leading online poker sites such as Full Tilt poker were indicted by the US Department of Justice (D.O.J) and the F.B.I froze billions of dollars’ worth of player’s money. This happened overnight and left most players and operators in a state of shock. It was no longer legal for players to play in the real cash mode, or for these operators to process transactions with online payment companies or other banking institutions.
  
  The online gambling companies were officially charged with serious offences. These offences included money laundering, illegal gambling and even bank fraud. This new act was called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and meant that players basically had no legal US based gambling portals to play at anymore and many other major offshore operators also pulled out of the US market altogether.

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  Tags: online poker, online gambling, gambling, poker, poker players, black friday,
  Posted in: Online Gambling, Online Poker, | Comments ()

  Which Licensing Jurisdictions impose the toughest regulations on their Licensees?
  
  11 June 2012

  There are various different licensing jurisdictions around the world that regulate the online gambling industry, with some jurisdictions being tougher on their licensees than others and some are well-known to have higher standards than others.
  
  This section explores the main licensing jurisdictions from around the world and reveals where the best online gambling portals are actually licensed from. Also, players should know that where these online casinos are actually licensed doesn’t always mean that this is where they operate from.
  
  At the lower end of the scale of licensing jurisdictions (that don’t tend to impose strict regulations) are jurisdictions such as Panama, Costa Rica, Anjouan/Comoros and Belize. It is more likely that a rogue online casino would operate from one of these Central American online gambling licensing jurisdictions. It appears as though they hand out licenses to any old operator, providing they can afford one (and possibly a bribe as well) with little or no background checks on the casino operator.

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  Tags: online gambling, gambling, licensing, licensing jurisdictions, jurisdictions, malta,
  Posted in: Online Gambling, Jurisdictions, | Comments ()

  What is In-Play Betting and Why is it so Popular
  
  09 June 2012

  In-play betting is basically what it says, placing a bet while the action is in-play. Until recently, punters could only place in-play bets if they were either down at the local betting shop or over the phone at certain major high street bookmakers, and providing you had an active account with them. Today, almost every online sportsbetting site offers markets for in-play betting.
  
  It doesn’t matter if you miss the start of a match any more because you can now place bets right through to the last minute of the game while betting in-play. Not all sports have in-play markets, but most of the major ones do, such as football, tennis, darts, snooker, rugby, hockey, American football, baseball, cricket and other sports, plus various other special events such as the recent hit TV talent show, The Voice.
  
  While the actual event is taking place, markets become available that never used to exist. For example in football, punters can predict which minute the next throw-in could occur, when the next corner will be, when the next goal will be scored, who will actually score next, or even when the next bookable offence will be.

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  Tags: in-play betting, bet, betting, in-play markets, in-play, gambler,
  Posted in: Online Gambling, Gambling, | Comments (1)

  Can I Continue Playing in my Favourite Online Casino when I Travel Abroad?
  
  08 June 2012

  Online gambling laws vary a great deal from one country to the next, so the best advice to give would be to perform some research yourself into whether you are allowed to legally gamble or not online in the country that you intend to visit.
  
  For those of you who are just going away on a break for two weeks or so and if you feel as though this is too long to go without playing in your favourite online casino you’ll be pleased to know that you should be able to log in to your favourite online casino from most destinations and you will probably still be able to place a bet, especially if you are using a computer in for example your hotel’s internet café.
  
  You may notice a few precautionary measures trying to stop you, but allowing pop-ups for example will let you continue playing online poker or online roulette in the online casino you are already registered with. Some countries are very strict on not permitting online gambling in any form, but most of the time these countries have very few authoritative organisations that actually clamp down on the owners/operators of gambling portals, or the individuals themselves who play at these sites.

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  Tags: online casino, online gambling, travel abroad, abroad, restrictions, location restriction,
  Posted in: Online Casinos, Online Gambling, | Comments (1)

  Which Online Gambling Operators can't be Trusted?
  
  06 June 2012

  Rogue behaviour carried out by ruthless online operators comes in various different forms and whichever rogue attribute has been identified, it usually ends up with one or more players being let down in one way or another. Players must always be wary when signing up to an online casino because rogues keep surfacing on various radars.
  
  News of a rogue casino doesn’t take long to circulate in chat rooms, reviews sites and online gambling information portals in general such as Casinoman.net, but before they are found out to be running scam operations, countless players are being ripped off. Before we talk about the actual operators, players must always ensure thatthe casino they intend to sign up to is fully licensed.
  
  If it holds a license from one of the Channel Island licensing jurisdictions such as Alderney (the Alderney Gambling Control Commission), or from the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, the UK Gambling Commission , or by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, you can pretty much guarantee that you won’t encounter a rogue casino.
  

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  Tags: online gambling, gambling, online casino operators, casino operators, licensing, alderney,
  Posted in: Online Gambling, Gambling, | Comments (0)

  Are Live Dealer Casinos Secure and can they be Trusted?
  
  04 June 2012

  Live Dealer Casinos are the latest online gambling phenomenon to take the internet by storm. Most of today’s leading online gambling portals now have a Live Dealer Casino available for their registered members, and they can only be accessed after installing a secure download client.
  
  Since the first live dealer casino appeared online back in 2006, it didn’t take long before others started appearing and now there are plenty for players to choose from.   Instead of virtual games that have been developed by software providers using realistic looking tables and realistic sounds of a casino, the live dealer casino is actually set in a secure casino environment with real tables, real croupiers and reals sounds.  
  
  Once you have registered with an online casino that has a live dealer casino included in their product, the only way you will be able to access the live dealer games is by installing their downloadable casino program and then making a deposit into your gambling account.

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  Tags: blackjack, casino, casinos, live dealer, dealer, baccarat,
  Posted in: Casinos, Live Dealer, | Comments (0)