Archive for December, 2009.
December 31, 2009
Perhaps online blackjack isn’t your first choice for a casino game or maybe you are completely new to casinos and are looking to see what game suits you best. If so, here are some simple rules for you to follow. Basically the aim of the game is to keep turning cards until the points add to 21. Going over 21 is a bust and you lose.
The value of each card equals how many points, with a face card worth 10 points and the ace being either high (11) or low (1).
To begin, you are dealt two cards and the perfect score would be for their value to total 21, but if you are not the luckiest person on the planet, then a few tips may help you out.
If your first two cards are 9 or lower, you should ‘hit’ (ask the dealer to turn you another card).
If the first two cards equal 10 or 11, you should ‘double down’ (double the bet).
If the cards total between 12 and 16, depending on the dealer’s exposed card (one card will be shown, the other will be turned over and hidden from the players) you play as follows. If the dealer’s ‘upcard’ is 6 or lower, you should ‘stand’. If it is 7 or higher, then ‘hit’.
Do the opposite if your cards total 18, ‘stand’ if the dealers ‘upcard’ is 7 or higher and ‘hit’ if it is 6 or lower.
Always stand if your cards total 19 or over, as the risk of ’busting’ is too high.
It all takes practice, so make most of the online casinos free play games, learn, without it costing a penny, but most of all, enjoy yourself, after all it is only a game.
December 28, 2009
Having been around since 1996, the award winning InterCasino.com is one of the oldest online casinos available. The site was voted the best online casino for five years running, from 2003 to 2007 by Gambling Online Magazine.
Intercasino.com has over 180 games available including online roulette, poker, slot games and blackjack meaning there is plenty to keep even the most hardened online casino player from being bored. For new players the site conveniently offers a full list of game rules for each game available to play. Intercasino.com offers many monthly promotions as an added perk for the player.
Getting started with Intercasino.com couldn’t be easier; simply download the casino software, install it onto your computer and you are ready to play. There is also an ‘instant play’ option for those not able to or not wishing to download the software. Payments to your account are through cheque, debit or credit cards, or you also have internet options such as Neteller and Moneybookers.
Intercasino.com implements the responsible gaming policy and the site software allows the player to set his or her own limits on deposits, session limits and also session time played. The site also does not allow persons under the age of 18 to participate in its games.
Intercasino.com offers 24 hour, seven day a week customer service. They can be contacted via telephone and email and aim to answer all enquiries sent via email within 24 hours. The site even offers an email address for their casino manager for those who require a little extra help.
December 23, 2009
All types of people have played the game of bingo for many years and today, most will have played the game in one form or another. The popularity of bingo increased over the years and as it did so it became necessary to find larger venues to hold all the people that wanted to play. The bingo hall was introduced to satisfy the demand from these ever increasing numbers.
As bingo halls became more popular, they evolved to become more appealing. They improved the quality of their decor and the bingo callers became much more outgoing and behaved as though they were the hosts of a show. The lively atmosphere made the bingo hall very popular and helped to provide a whole evening’s entertainment for the bingo player.
As the growth of the Internet spread, so did the possibility of playing bingo online. Online bingo has now become great alternative for many bingo players, due to the convenience that it offers. You are able to avoid the crowds and play a game of bingo within the peace and quiet of your own home. Many people prefer to play bingo at home, as it offers the opportunity of enjoying a game of bingo without having to wade through all of the other entertainment that some bingo halls now offer. As long as you have your own computer and an Internet connection, you will be able to play online bingo whenever you wish.
December 17, 2009
We received this email from a bloke who wishes to remain anonymous. We think his story’s pretty interesting, so we agreed to share it with our readers. If you’ve been affected by gambling problems yourself, we recommend visiting Gamble Aware for help and advice.
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I wasn’t much of a gambler or anything when I was younger. I had some mates from the rugby club who’d play a few hands of cards and invite me along, but I never really understood what was happening and generally ended up twenty quid out of pocket and none the wiser as to how.
Anyway, when I’d left uni I settled down with a girl and we moved out of my home town for her job. Away from home with not much in the way of personal contacts and ‘home alone’ a lot thanks to the rigours of her job I didn’t get much in the way of socialising.
Gradually though, I made friends when I found a job of my own and it turned out they had a big gambling culture going on. Whenever there was a works night out it always took place at a casino.
Well after a few nights out like this, I really started to get hooked into to it all. It was only when I lost £200 in a night – money we really couldn’t afford – that I realised that I was getting compelled into betting more than I should. For a while I stopped going on the nights out, but when I was alone at home I started checking out online gaming sites.
Before I knew it I was totally hooked. What started as the odd fiver here and there soon ballooned into a situation where I was regularly dropping £300 on the turn of a card. If I was enjoying a “hot streak”, I would convince myself that the whole thing was only positive for me and my girlfriend, and when I was losing badly, I kept going because I knew that things would turn around.
Of course I was wrong. The losses always came to more than the winnings and my girlfriend began to notice that our accounts were low. When she confronted me she didn’t even give me a second chance. She said that I was spending her money that she was putting into the bank for our future. She was right, on reflection, but at the time I just blew up and left her.
I was pretty lucky that a close friend of mine had had prior experience of what gambling addictions can be like. He gave me some amateur help himself, but eventually got me into a program where I weaned myself off my habit. Today I know that I can’t even risk a flutter on the horses in safety and make sure I stay well away from online gaming sites.
So yes, gambling can be a thrill, but I’d advise everyone to keep things in moderation.
December 17, 2009
The number of online gambling sites seems to be increasing by the day. Where once you had to join a club and wear appropriate dress to take your place at the roulette or blackjack tables; now you need only a computer with Internet access to indulge your passion.
Sites such as Spin Palace and Jackpot City vie with the more familiar Littlewoods and Ladbrokes online casinos for customers. This could create good offers for the potential gambler as they want each others’ custom.
All of them have a pleasant starting interface with full instructions on how to get started and full customer support on hand at all times should problems be encountered.
Along with the Blackjack and Roulette tables, which require software to be downloaded, there are hundreds of games of chance and moderate skill available that can be accessed immediately.
All you need to do is open an account and make a deposit to get started, which takes just a few minutes. Security is a priority and customers need have no concern about their details being misused. In fact, it’s probably safer gambling online with all the measures in place than walking out of a real casino late at night with your winnings in your wallet.
As well as traditional casino games such as blackjack and roulette, there are also online slots in various guises. With these, you can play for as little as one penny on the five-reel slot games. Ladbrokes casino offers a wide range of fun and potentially profitable online slots, such as the popular Tomb Raider and Mermaid Millions.
December 16, 2009
Bingo was formerly named “Housey Housey” within the United Kingdom, and is a game of gambling from unknown origins.
The game is played by participants crossing off numbers that are called out at random – the players then mark the numbers from their cards. Players will win the game if they achieve a certain winning combination of the numbers. This version of the game is unlike the American version, where the tickets and calling are slightly different.
A bingo ticket is made up of 27 separate spaces which are set out into nine columns with three rows. Each of the rows has five numbers with four of the spaces left blank. The columns will each contain one, two, or uncommonly three numbers.
The first column contained within the ticket is made up of the numbers one to nine. The second column is numbered ten to 19, and the third from 20 to 29. The columns continue in a similar numeric pattern and the final column includes the numbers 80 to 90. The final column is diverse to those preceding it by including ten numbers.
Each game of bingo is overseen by a caller. Their position is required to call out the numbers that players need to cross off of their tickets. Bingo callers will also authenticate any winning tickets that may appear during the session of bingo.
The bingo caller will also announce the prize prior to the game beginning. Just before they are about to begin calling the numbers they will say “eyes down” to show that they are about to begin the game.
December 12, 2009
The common perception of the typical bingo player is not someone who is a highly intelligent individual. However, over the years things have changed and now all sorts of people play bingo, either online or in bingo halls.
In a recent study, playing bingo online has proven to have a positive effect on the human brain. It can also improve mental capacity and help keep your memory in good working order. This was very good news for online bingo players as it meant that you could enjoy playing a game of bingo whilst being safe in the knowledge that they were also helping keep their brains working efficiently. It was also discovered that similar effects were prominent within people that enjoyed other games, such as crosswords.
The study was conducted over a long period, in order to ensure that accurate information could be collected. The test results showed that people playing online bingo developed an improved memory and were able to retain certain brain functions more effectively than those who were not playing a game of bingo. The results also showed that people who played bingo were able to focus better on tasks that they were given and were also able to carry out these tasks much easier than someone who did not play online bingo. Although the tests were mainly carried out on older bingo players, it is also believed that the same benefits will apply to younger players.
December 10, 2009
For many of us, the thrill of gambling is a short adrenalin rush followed either by elation at the win, or despair at the loss. But for some, the thrill of gambling is much darker. Playing online casino games can give the illusion of not using real money, even though you top up your account from your debit or credit card; for some, not physically opening their wallet or purse to hand over cold hard cash makes it seem less real somehow,
All of the online gambling and casino sites detailed here such as 888.com, littlewoodscasino.com and spinpalace.com have policies to ensure responsible gaming, such as the users having to be over the age of 18 to play, or self imposed deposit limits.
But is having self imposed limits enough? For some whose online gambling addiction is too strong for them to break, the answer is probably not, although the online casino sites also allow self exclusion for people who believe their online gambling is becoming a problem. Using the option of self exclusion also means no more future correspondence from these sites, which is a very positive thing; no notification of special offers or other temptations to lure you back in.
Another thing about these sites is that players have the choice to ‘practice’ play. One can play the same casino games, but with no real money being involved at all. However, playing this way means you don’t get to win any real money either. If you are just looking to play for fun then this could be a great option for you, with no risk to your bank balance.
December 09, 2009
Online gambling, betting and online Casinos have undergone a revolutionary expansion in recent years due to great advances in Internet technology, which make complex gaming simulation possible.
Sites like 888, Jackpot City, Bet365 and Littlewoods Casino have sprung up to satisfy a seemingly insatiable demand for online gambling. Their user interfaces, or front ends are dynamic and glitzy – in the style of Vegas – and there are all manner of promotions and introductory offers to lure the potential customer in. Once signed up with a user account and a few credits purchased through a secure online payment system, a whole world of online gambling opportunities opens up. Games such as blackjack and roulette can be played on your own or against other players. Other favourites like Bingo are there in abundance.
You can place bets on the horses, greyhounds and football results, watch live sport and experience all the thrills of the traditional high street betting shop or casino environment from the comfort of your home.
There are hundreds of online slots – the virtual counterparts of old-style fruit machines – to plough your pennies into if you don’t fancy joining the big boys at the tables. There are also plenty of fantastic ‘treasure hunting’ games that are packed with excitement.
Given the competition between online gambling sites, the high degree of security and the sophistication of the online casino games on offer, there has never been a better time to start gambling online and go for those life-changing, big money payouts.
December 06, 2009
Although you may have a computer and a basic knowledge of bingo, it is better to be fully prepared before parting with any money on the various online bingo game websites.
Although there are risks with playing bingo online, and parting with your credit card details, as long as you are cautious you should not have any problems when playing bingo online.
If you are playing a game of online bingo and the numbers are coming at you erratically it may be difficult for you to keep up with them. At some online bingo websites it is possible to do a spot check and click your mouse cursor on the open squares. The square will register as a daub if it has already been called, and if you need to be away from your computer briefly this method can be helpful.
There are some websites that allow an “auto daub” option which is also helpful in bringing numbers to your attention. This makes playing online bingo in the UK easier and faster.
If someone clicks the bingo button at the wrong time this can result in a “false bingo” – this can also slow down the game on other players computers, and if a bingo player has too many false bingos they may face a penalty.
Remember that you are playing online bingo to have fun and to hopefully win a bit of money through playing bingo on line; however, you will need to abide by the game rules to avoid being kicked out of the bingo game.