Archive for September, 2009.
September 30, 2009
In June 2007, UK bingo chain Gala Bingo announced the launch of its ‘KerChingo’ game creating one of the first ever bingo millionaires. According to the rules of the game, there was only one winner, who walked away with a guaranteed £1,000,000 prize.
KerChingo was a tournament of bingo games run from 4th to 29th July 2007. These games were played in the same way as regular UK bingo games, but the full house winners won an entry ticket to the final game as well as the house prize.
These entry tickets could only be won once, so if the full house winner already had an entry ticket to the final game then it was re-allocated to the second line winner and if necessary to the 1 line winner. If all three players already had a ticket then no ticket would be awarded for that game.
Gala Bingo offered three ways to participate in KerChingo. They were online via its website, at a local high street Gala bingo hall or via TV on the Gala Channel accessed using Sky or Freesat. Gala also offered existing members a £5 bonus if they invited friends to play KerChingo.
The final game was held on 29th July 2007 at 10pm and was broadcast on Gala TV and streamed live online. The winner was 62 year old bingo regular Pauline Clarke from Bristol. She had only graduated to online games two months prior to winning and used her £5 bonus to play the KerChingo qualifying game.
September 29, 2009
Most online gamblers seek nothing but thrills induced by competition. This fast-paced and fun way of gambling has allowed online casinos to set up tournaments. In the Jackpot City online casino, tournaments are held for those who enjoy the adrenaline-pumping ride that competition brings. The multiplayer blackjack tournament is one of those that Jackpot City has in store for its members and the best part about it is that it comes for free.
The first step is for the online gambler to download the free casino software. After the initial login, the gambler should then proceed to the Tournaments section and open the Blackjack folder. Two types of tournaments are available: the Scheduled and the Sit ‘n’ Go.
Scheduled Blackjack tournaments have a specific start and end time. The number of players who can join depends on the tournament requirements. If the minimum number of players is not reached, the tournament will be cancelled. As for Sit ‘n’ Go, only a limited number of players are allowed to play within a set time frame. Once the required number has entered the tournament, the game will start. Joining scheduled Blackjack and Sit ‘n’ Go is only allowed if the status says “open” or that players are required, respectively.
Once the gambler enters a desired tournament, a pop-up notification message will appear a minute before the start of the game. At the beginning of the game, a gambler will be given a certain amount of tournament credits, similar to that of the other players. These credits have no cash-out or monetary value. They simply serve as counters for the tournament. In the event of a tie, the starting player with more tournament credits will get the higher ranking. If two players have the same number of credits at the start of the tournament, the player next to the starting player will get the higher ranking.
No entry fee is needed for these blackjack tournaments.
September 27, 2009
Las Vegas is a gambler’s haven and the home of the world’s best casinos. Every gambling aficionado knows that the glitz and glamour of Vegas is incomparable. But if flying all the way to the United States just to gamble your moolah is out of the question, there’s always another way to experience Vegas: the online casino.
The big question is, which one can give you Vegas? Gambling Planet, an online source for gambling and online casinos, gives us five of the top online casinos based on overall service and reliability:
1. Europa Casino – This uniquely themed and user-friendly casino is run by the pros of Casino del Rio, Vegas Red, and more. It offers more than 100 games and can offer a whopping €2,400 in bonuses. It also accepts a variety of payment methods and offers international customer support via phone and email.
2. Eurogrand – Available in 19 different languages, this online casino is frequented by visitors worldwide. It uses the popular Playtech software, which is considered to be good, stable and really fast. It holds more than 60 popular casino games with stunning graphics. There’s also a good selection of progressive jackpots.
3. Casino Tropez – With more than a hundred games and an option to play in dollars, euros or British pounds, Casino Tropez is indeed one of the best casinos online. There’s also an attractive €3,000 welcome bonus plus more than 100 state-of-the-art Las Vegas style casino games.
4. William Hill Casino – This is one of the world’s leading betting companies and also considered to be the fastest UK-based Internet gambling site online. Its online casino uses Boss Media software and offers more than 100 games. If you want that classy casino feel, William Hill is the place.
5. Millionaire Online Casino – Take your gambling skills to the next level with this online casino. It hosts unique tournaments weekly, including slots and blackjack tournaments, to name a few. It also gives an attractive $1000 bonus to new players.
September 25, 2009
These are the fundamental concepts that you should know and learn before competing in an online roulette tournament: the terms and conditions, minimum and maximum bets, prizes, how payouts are done and how much of a deposit is needed as an entry fee. After you pay a buy-in to enter an online roulette tournament, you will be given chips to use throughout the competition.
Online roulette tournaments work in rounds. The player who has the most number of chips at the end of the rounds will be declared the winner. Contrary to most online games that impose a strict rule on collecting winnings, players of roulette tournaments can cash out anytime. Once they decide to stop playing, their chips will be counted, recorded and they will be given appropriate credit that will be visible in their scores.
Usually the number of players in such tournaments range from hundreds to thousands of players. At each table, there will be around 10-20 people. There will be a scoreboard, which will enable you to keep track of your placement and winnings as well as the status of your competitors.
In the first rounds, the two players with the most number of chips will proceed to the next round. From that second round, the top two players will be qualified to play in the succeeding round. The number of entrants/players will dictate the number of rounds in a particular tournament.
Zealous roulette players will be fascinated with online roulette tournaments because they can showcase their tried and tested skills and strategies. However, amateur roulette players need not worry, because no special skill is needed when competing in tournaments. As long as a player knows the basics of the game, he/she can participate.
September 24, 2009
One of the main advantages of online bingo is that you can play it within the comfort of your own home. All you need is a computer with broadband access.
First of all, do your homework. There are a many different online Bingo sites and it’s worth shopping around. Stick to websites launched by reputable companies such as Littlewoods, Foxy Bingo or Wink, and look out for joining incentives such as free bingo no deposit games for new players.
Many of these websites offer free bingo games with no prizes to allow you to have a try before signing up for the real thing. There are also websites that offer bingo online free and these are also worth looking into. However, only a few allow you to play unlimited free bingo games.
Before you can play you need to register a playing account. You will be asked for your details such as your name and address, as well as your card details. You will need to make a deposit which is used to purchase your bingo cards. Note that funds will not be taken from your card unless you deposit funds in your bingo account. Alternatively, any winnings will be credited to this card or put on account.
Some operators may require you to download free software before you can play. This can be easily done if you follow instructions. Others may use JavaScript or Adobe Flash based games that allow you to play bingo online immediately.
September 22, 2009
You don’t need to go to Vegas for the glitz and glamour. JackpotCity, the home of More Jackpots, More Often, boasts of 400 exciting online casino games that will surely give online gamers an exciting game experience. Promotions, giveaways, and 18 amazing Progressive Jackpots are also on the line to give customers more chances of winning.
JackpotCity, which is part of Belle Rock Entertainment and is operated by Tower Rock Limited, has been operating since 1998. It uses software powered by Microgaming Systems, voted as the Best of Online Gaming by various gambling publications.
With JackpotCity, your credit card is safe. The establishment ensures that customer details are fully encrypted for privacy and security reasons. JackpotCity has also established an e-cash partnership with Datacash Ltd, which has a Fraud Department that uses the latest credit card control measures for customer information confidentiality.
With a commitment to provide a safe and secure online casino environment, JackpotCity has been awarded the eCOGRA Seal of Approval for prompt payouts, fair game play, player service, and responsible online casino conduct. JackpotCity also ensures that only players above 18 can play, and offers its customers the option to lock their gaming account whenever necessary.
With JackpotCity, you can experience a goldmine of games such as online slots, blackjack, video poker, roulette, craps, and many more. You can also win up to $20,000 with JackpotCity’s slots tournaments. And if you want to test your card-counting skills, the fast and fun multiplayer online blackjack tournament is also available for free.
Customer satisfaction and commitment is what JackpotCity is all about, giving loyalty points for the bets you place and auction points every time you play. The more you play, the more JackpotCity pays.
September 18, 2009
Yes, gambling can be a source of fun, and good, safe entertainment, but sometimes there are people who gamble beyond what they can own, who seek financial help from family and friends in order to have the means to gamble, and who end up totally bankrupt.
With the advent of so many online casinos that offer the traditional games, such as blackjack, roulette, poker and the like, addict gamblers do not have to go to Vegas anymore to lose their money. As long as they have their cheque books, ATMs, and credit cards, they can continue to gamble without thinking of the consequences.
This is the reason why many online casinos, such as spinpalace.com/uk, 888.com, jackpotcity.com, bet365.com, littlewoodscasino.com, ladbrokes.com, intercasino.com, and sports.williamhill.com, promote responsible gambling. Though money is important for the owners of these sites, they still recognise that there are a number of people who turn to gambling not only as a form of entertainment but as an addiction.
There are numerous tips on how to practice responsible gambling, one of which is to gamble with a companion who is not a fan of gambling and betting, so that there will be someone who can remind the addict gambler to stop when he starts losing big amounts. This advice is backed up with research that proves that gamblers who have problems usually gamble alone, since they don’t want their contacts to know the extent of their gambling.
Furthermore, a famous quote that addresses this issue came from Kin Hubbard, who said, “The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.”
September 16, 2009
If you are thinking about signing up for an online bingo account make sure you know about the different incentives available to new members and what they mean. This will ensure you get the best deal when joining.
One of the most attractive is the free bingo no deposit bonus. The site will credit your account with a specified amount which you can use to pay for your bingo cards.
The most widespread is the matching bonus. They will offer to credit your account with a certain amount provided you deposit a certain amount. These amounts will vary from site to site, from a 1 to 1 match to some sites doubling or tripling the deposit amount up to a certain limit.
Percentage bonuses are the same are matching bonuses by another name. Some websites offer the matching bonus in percentage terms to make it that much more attractive. For example, a website may offer a 300% matching bonus whereby you deposit £10 and the website offers £30.
Less common are cash back bonuses. These work on the basis that you are paid back the amount that you have lost during a specific time of play. As you can imagine, these are highly sought after.
One of the most effective incentives for an online bingo site from a marketing point of view is the recommendation to a friend. They will offer bonuses very often to both parties if one recommends another to their site. This is usually in the form of a deposit to your account.
September 15, 2009
The name Ladbrokes does not sound foreign to avid online bettors and gamers, since a lot of them make use of Ladbrokes.com to satisfy their urge to play online casino games.
The Ladbrokes Company was established in 1886, operates in six countries, and is certainly a market leader in the bookmaking industry. They own almost 2,700 betting shops located all over the world—the U.K., Ireland, Belgium, and Spain.
There are truly a lot of channels that gamblers can utilise.
The company provides betting services through the telephone, which has call centres in Malaysia, the U.K., and many more countries. The owners want the company to expand in spite of the global economic recession. They are exploring possible locations in Asia, to make their mark even if it is far from their home continent—Europe.
In addition to the global impact of the company, their version of gambling is made available on the Internet through their website, which has an impressive casino— players can choose from over 440 thrilling games. The website features blackjack and roulette, with amazing graphics and sound to boot! A gambler may also join online bingo or backgammon games and place his/her bets online as well. To add more excitement, there are big prizes available.
Aside from offering exciting casino online games, and administering retail bookmaking, Ladbrokes manages racecourses, including the famous Ascot, where people place their bets on their desired participant in various sporting events.
Many gamblers patronise their website due to the high-level security that the company provides and the credible approval of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission for sports and financial betting.
September 10, 2009
If you have just started playing bingo online you may have been given the option of choosing the 90 or 75 ball game. Both games involve the purchase of bingo cards with numbers marked in a grid but the configuration of the grids are different.
The 90 ball game is traditionally played in the UK. The grid on each bingo card is made up of 27 squares in a 3 by 9 arrangement. Each row contains five numbers and four blank spaces, while each column contains either one, two or rarely three numbers. The first column will contain numbers between 1 and 9, the second column between 10 and 19, and so on up to the last column which contains numbers from 80 to 89 and also number 90. Balls or tokens numbered from 1 to 90 are selected at random by the bingo caller.
The 75 ball game is traditionally played in the USA and Australia. The grid on each bingo card is made up of 25 squares in a 5 by 5 arrangement. The letters B-I-N-G-O are at the top of each column. Each column contains 5 numbers within the ranges 1 – 15, 16 – 30, 31 – 45 and so on up to 75. The centre square is sometimes a free or ‘wild’ square.
The bingo caller will call out a combination of the letter corresponding to the column and the number. For example, ‘B2’, N31 or ‘O75’. There are generally more patterns that can win prizes in 75 ball bingo.