Webcam Poker

A Christmas to Remember

2007-12-10T07:17:00.001-08:00

It might be looking like a white Christmas where you live but December is gearing up to be the hottest month of the year on PKR. We've got some great promotions and brand new features lined up including your chance to jet off to sunny California for the LA Poker Classic plus a whole lot more.

Christmas is a Great to Play Poker - Get into the spirit of the season with cool Christmas gear for your avatar.

Hot, Hot Holidays - Watch out for a range of huge Christmas promotions coming this month on PKR.

Welcome to LA - Jet off to the City of Angels to play in the LA Poker Classic courtesy of PKR!

EPT Winners - Find out who's going to Prague to play for over $3million!

One Hand Clapping - One hand, everyone all-in and the winner takes all - one hand satellites are a huge hit on PKR.

Have More Fun at PKR - Meet other players, increase your poker knowledge and take a shot at some fabulous prizes.

Grab $200 - Free

PKRCasino is here with all your favourite casino games like blackjack, roulette, slots and casino hold 'em! Best of all, you're already a member!

How Not To Cheat At Online Poker

2007-12-04T06:22:00.000-08:00

If you are going to cheat at online poker to try to make extra money then at least do it correctly.

As happens sometimes when people chat at online poker, they are caught. This has happened again after a recent tournament where two players played on one single account.

The big mistake made here is forgetting the online poker systems will also track the IP address of login information. If you try to cheat playing online poker by using more than one person to play a table or tournament then get the players together in the same room and using the same computer.

Since online poker tournaments take hours to play through, something that never happens in the real world as breaks are regularly taken, it can be a long, arduous and extremely tiring process to play through what can be anything up to 12 hours of playing poker online.

Having some poker playing buddies around means you can share the time. Of course, that would mean having to share the poker winnings as well but often the winnings from a long tournament can increase. Sharing table time with your poker buddies also means your style of playing will change to any of your opponents who may be trying to follow patterns in your poker playing.

There will always be people who try to cheat the online poker world and some will still get away with it. Some get caught, often through their own recklessness or boasting about it.

If you cheat and win at online poker then keep quiet!

Coming In November on PKR

2007-11-06T03:46:00.000-08:00

With well over a million registered users PKR is still the fastest growing poker room in the world with thousands of new players signing up every day. So, if you're looking for cash game action on all levels and a huge range of Sit & Go's and MTTs then PKR is the place to be...

One Handed Satellites

Popular in live tournaments for years, PKR brings one of the most exciting ways to qualify for big money tournaments to online poker for the first time. One hand - everyone all-in and the winner takes all! If you feel like taking a punt on qualifying for a tournament at the last minute for the fraction of the price you'll love one handed satellite qualifiers.

Bigger Guarantees

With more players joining every day our guarantees keep going up! Take your shot at huge new guaranteed prize pools on PKR like $15,000 every Saturday night, $20,000 guaranteed every Sunday night, $50,000 guaranteed every month! Buy-in on the night or win your way in through satellites rolling right now. Check it out!

EPT Prague Play Now!

You don't need to be a high roller to compete for the biggest prizes in poker on PKR. From now until 23 November we're giving you the chance to win one of four $9,100 Packages to the EPT Prague! The best bit, you can win your way in for as little as $1.28 with our special EPT satellites. That's an incredibly low entry fee to take your shot at a prize pool worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in one of Europe's coolest cities!

Join The Club

There's always something extra to play for on PKR - no matter what your level of play and the 20K and 50K clubs on PKR are just two of the ways we reward our players. The best part is that there's nothing to sign up for - all you have to do is play PKR for real money!

More Tournament Tickets

Use your PKR Points to get in to even more PKR tournaments like our new monthly $50,000 GTD, the $20,000 GTD on Sunday and the Saturday $15,000 GTD. You can also scoop satellite seats for most tourneys along with EPT qualifiers and loads more. Check it out!

Weekly Bounty Tournaments

Bounty tournaments are always popular on PKR. Take on six special PKR bounty players every week for your shot at $100 in extra cash.

Double The Value

2007-10-25T12:46:00.001-07:00

Sign up for a cool PKR deposit bonus today and you'll be a winner in more ways than one. That's because the same PKR Points you use to cash in your bonus also unlock cool in-game gear, big money tournament tickets and coveted PKR merchandise.

It's like getting two great rewards for the price of one! Best of all we've got a huge range of bonuses designed to suit every player - from a quick $50 that you'll earn in no time to 100% up to $600 and an incredible $2K (that's the biggest bonus in poker!).

Find out more

PKR Just Keeps Getting Better

We've added a load of great new features to PKR that make it even more exciting to play.

Check out our new emotes (including an option to create your own), player notes, new voices plus a whole lot more.

Baccarat Strategies - A Dime a Dozen

2007-10-24T09:27:00.001-07:00

Card Counting is one of those phony ideas published in baccarat strategy
books. Card counting is most often associated with the game of blackjack - and is very effected, used correctly in the right casino. It could also seem to be of real worth in baccarat as the game does work off a comparable shoe. The issue that causes the problem is that of used cards be reintroduced into the shoe before very many have been taken out, thereby flummoxing any count made up to that point! Baccarat also, unlike Blackjack, does not allow the player the right to change his bet mid-hand in play. Blackjack allows this practice in a number of specific cases, and the player can increase his bet if his count changes during play. In baccarat, card counting presents very few situations with an advantage against the house that the actual overall labours are of no value to the player at all.

Baccarat can be considered a very elaborate coin toss game. This oversimplified impression of the game lures many players to using the Martingale based system of betting which entails doubling up on ones' bet each time a hand is lost. The Logic being that you eventually have to win, and the doubling will allow you to recoup all losses made from all the preceding hands! A perfect system indeed and one that actually can't be beaten in games like baccarat or roulette, and it is because of this that casinos issued new rules. The new rules limit how much a player can bet in 1 hand.

Casinos effectively got rid of the threat of the Martingale System gambler or player by setting Table maximums (and minimums). i.e. A player bets $5 on the banker and lost. Next bet, $10 on the banker, next bet $20, etc, and he continues to lose. Before long, his bet will have doubled up to a point that it will exceed the table maximum. In this case the player can't bet any higher and his system has failed, he must quit.

The Martingale System is a horrific betting system that follows a human beings panic thinking - their natural thought pattern that somehow believes that if a coin lands heads up 9x in a row, there is a greater chance than 50% that it will land tails on the 10th flip! IT DOES NOT WORK!

So - if all these strategies and systems - card counting, pattern spotting, streak spotting etc are worthless strategies for baccarat - is there any good one? Well...practically and mathematically speaking... when you analyse the numbers, the odds do seem to always be in favour when a player bets on the banker, though this is a very boring tactic to play. Perhaps throw in some pattern chasing to break the tedium, or count the scorecards!

Online Roulette

2007-10-18T01:59:00.001-07:00

Virtually every online casino these days has an online roulette table, and the main reason for this is because it's a game loved by all gamblers. Online Roulette is one of the most exciting casino games, with one spin of the wheel you could hit the big time! If you haven't tried it, you've no doubt heard about it. For sheer entertainment value this virtual casino game ranks tops.

The game is played on a table containing a betting area, and the roulette wheel. The wheel has 38 different pockets in which the ball could fall, numbered 0 to 37. The betting area is divided into small areas, representing the numbers and colors on the wheel.

Players bet by placing their casino chips on bet areas into which they believe the ball will fall.

The betting area is divided into 2 main areas, namely inside bets and outside bets.

Inside bets are found on the inside of the table and are labeled with a specific number. The outside bets are along the outer sides of the betting area and offer players an alternative to betting on the actual numbers, such as betting on any number from 1 to 12, or if the winning number is red or black; even or odd etc.

The game starts by the dealer spinning the roulette wheel and the ball in opposite directions, and then calling ‘no bets more please'.

Once the ball has come to rest in one of the pockets a marker is placed on the winning number and all the bets that were at that maker are paid out according to the odds.

All losing bets are collected by the roulette dealer.

Many roulette strategies have been developed to ensure the best possible chance of winning. Once you've familiarized yourself with the game, perhaps by trying a free online roulette table, check out some of the strategies used by the more experienced and successful players...

Play European Roulette, American Roulette, Craps and more at Betfred Casino

Online Casinos - Take A Test Run

2007-10-07T05:34:00.001-07:00

By now, you have heard about online casinos as being all the rave in the gambling circuit and being the new wave of gambling, and possibly the future of gambling. Yet, if you have never gambled at an online casino before, then you probably feel a little unsure of what it will be like and if you will like it or not. Wouldn’t it be great if you could test drive an online casino like you would a new car before you purchase it?

Well, you can. Many casinos offer a free section of their live casino where you can play their games with fake money, just to get a feel for the online casino and how the games work. If you don’t feel comfortable putting money into an online casino account, then a test drive is just what you need.

Many online casinos offer this service to their prospective clients and gamblers. Just like at a land casino, they want to give you the best experience possible to keep you coming back. Many gamblers who are new to the online casino scene are a little ‘gun-shy’ at first, not knowing what to expect. Many old hat gamblers feel that online casinos take the personality and fun out of gambling. These are the people who are giving online casinos a test run, and finding out just how fun it is to be in the comfort of your own home and gambling without worry.

Just like land casinos, online casinos offer all the popular casino games such as Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Poker, Roulette and Slots. So if you are looking for gambling entertainment that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home, then you should look into online gambling casinos. There are hundreds of online casinos available on the Internet! Why not visit any number of gambling websites and jump in on the game today?

Play Roulette Online

2007-10-06T12:30:00.001-07:00

Virtual casinos have opened a doorway, allowing all casino games available at real casinos, to be played online. Gamblers around the world play roulette online because it provides a secure online casino gambling experience. Roulette is undoubtedly one of the most popular games played at real casinos and because of this it was one of the first online casino games available. There are many reasons why players are choosing to play roulette online at a virtual casino instead of land-based casinos.

Firstly, the main attraction of online gambling is that there are no crowds to deal with and you don't have to struggle to play your favourite game because it's occupied by someone else.

Online roulette offers a level of convenience and security which most elite casinos cannot; you never have to worry about not being able to play your favourite game, and an online casino is accessible to anyone, from anywhere in the world.

The security built into a virtual casino makes it almost impossible for someone to steal your money. Your money is actually more at risk at a crowded land-based casino than if you were playing on the internet...

Different Size Clay Poker Chips

2007-10-04T23:48:00.000-07:00

There are many variations of poker chips in terms of style, weight and size on the market, but generally the ones that you see and use in the casinos are all made out of clay. Clay gives the poker chips certain feel and structure that adds a real presence, class and durability to the game of poker. 9 gram and 13.5 gram clay poker chips represent the high quality of poker chips that are available on the market today. Letâ€™s examine these clay poker chips a little further in this article.

The clay poker chips that are used in casinos have certain requirements such as size, weight and quality. Manufacturers that sell chips to the general public make these chips of a very similar quality and upon the same guidelines as the authentic chips that are played on actual casino tables. This enables amateur and social players to have quality chips made by the best manufacturers, right in their own homes.

The normal clay chip size is 39 millimeters in diameter and weighs 11.5 grams. These are exact specifications so that each chip will be identical (unless of different color). The majority of Casinos, including those based in Vegas, tend to use chips between 9 gram and 13.5 grams according to their own needs. This keeps the chips uniform and easier to control and when different colors are used it helps players to differentiate their chips form their opponents.

There are many reasons that 13.5 gram clay is the substance preferred when it comes to poker chips. First of all, it gives the chips a solid and evenly spread weight. These chips feel smooth but heavy, and usually help players to remember the value of each chip. Clay can be imprinted to give a certain design or signature of owner which is usually what happens in Casinos â€“ Casino branding is popular.

9g clay poker chips are professional grade poker chips that are perfectly and specifically designed to be exactly the same in style, texture, size and weight. Casinos pay a lot of money for the highest quality poker chips. These chips are custom made to have the design and look of that given casino. This is very important to all casinos; irrespective of their location.

Clay poker chips are special because they are all uniform and they look terrific. This means that they are exactly the same size and weight and the design and decorations are perfect. Abnormal chips are usually a sign of counterfeiting and fake chips from Casinos; therefore the manufacturers must be precise in their manufacturing processes. There is a lot of money riding on the quality of the chips and the level of difficulty that is applied to eradicating counterfeit practices.

Along with the size and weight, the outer coating of the poker chips is also quite important because this will prevent the decal from coming off if it is fiddled or deliberately tampered with. With high quality manufactured chips when the decal is removed, the chip should be ruined beyond repair. Therefore all clay poker chips are either played with when they are in their original state or they are removed from play altogether. It is neither easy nor cheap to produce such high quality chips but they really are a necessity for Casinos. Casinos must be confident with the quality and preservation of their chips which means that they are willing to put a lot into them.

But do not despair. Just because you are not a Casino does not mean that you cannot have casino quality 9 gram, 11 gram or 13.5 gram clay poker chips too. These chips are usually cheaper to the public because they do not have to pass through such stringent security guidelines. They will generally be made out of the same materials and taken through the same production process. And of course if you really want to, you can customize them to your liking, even with your own brand.

A Winning Roulette System

2007-10-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

Roulette is considered t be one of the most popular casino games in the world. It tends to draw players from all types of backgrounds. Being a relatively simple game to understand while offering a diverse range of betting options and payout outcomes is what makes Roulette such a big hit with the players. Roulette is also considered to be one of the casino's biggest money makers because it tends to place the odds in favor of the casino. Whether one is placing bets on an American Roulette Wheel which has 38 numbers (0, 00, 1-36), or on a European Roulette Wheel which has 37 numbers (0, 1-36), the odds are usually in favor of the casino, especially if one places bets such as a straight up bet (a bet covering one single number) or a split bet (a bet covering two numbers). Of course there are other types of bets which will increase the odds in the player's favor such as a dozen bet (a bet covering twelve numbers), or an odd or even bet (a bet covering eighteen numbers), but covering eighteen numbers out of a possible 37 or 38 still places the odds in favor of the casino.

Having tried many different betting systems, I finally found one that places the odds in favor of the player, is very simple to understand and does not carry a large degree of risk as far as losing one's money is concerned. If the aim of the player is to cover as many outcomes as possible while increasing the chances of winning, then this may be one Roulette system that is worth a try. Being a low risk system, the payout from a win is only 3 to 1, but the odds are 63.16% in favor of the player in an American Roulette game and 64.86% in favor of the player in a European Roulette game.

The logic of the system is as follows: By placing two Dozen bets of equal amounts, the player is essentially covering 24 numbers which is over 60% of the total numbers on the wheel. The chances of losing the bet are between 35.13 % and 36.84% which is far lower than a Column bet or Colored bet. If the winning number falls in one of the two Dozen bets, then the player will receive three credits for the two credits wagered.

For example, let us assume that you have placed a bet of $10 on the numbers 13 - 24 and another $10 bet on the numbers 25 - 36. Now you have covered over 60% of all the numbers and if you win, you will be ahead by $10. As mentioned earlier, the returns may not be high (depending on how much money is wagered), but the chances of winning each bet tend to be higher than usual.

Mobile Gaming leads the way

2007-09-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

The state of online gambling has found another highly viable ally. The opportunities offered by mobile gaming can be highly rewarding for online casinos as the stakes are increased by the popularity of hand-held devices. such as PDAs, mobile handsets and palmtops. Soon we could see a growth in various synergies and partnerships between the hugely popular online gambling market and the even trendier mobile gaming industry which could just be the ticket to adding legitimacy to the exceptionally lucrative world that is online gambling.

Mobile gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States of America and it is expected to increase from "1.2 billion dollars of annual revenues in 2005 to 7.6 billion dollars by 2010", according to reports published online. This means that the growth of the mobile gaming population is set to jump by a rapid 200 million people who will be using their cellular phones for extra curricular activities like mobile gambling.

There is no limit to the opportunities that mobile and wireless devices afford the gambling community and it is great that games like poker, slots and Roulette are already being played using mobile handsets. Wireless applications like WAP, GPRS and OTA are making the lives of million simpler and faster, and some say this adds to the overall mobile gaming experience.

However, there are some limitations that cannot be overlooked when considering a leap into the mobile gambling market and these are usually legislative, technological and cultural hurdles. In order for these factors to be properly addressed, they will need to be negotiated carefully and strict security will have to be thought out when dealing with problem gamblers.

Considering mobile gambling like its online counterpart has more anonymity than is offered at land-based casinos, there is a threat to its integrity because it is harder to pin down and track underage gambling due to the lack of real interaction with a customer.

Even though these problems could provide serious setbacks for the market, this is in no way hindering the speed at which consumers are joining in the fun that is being offered by mobile gambling. Mobile handsets are becoming more and more advanced, and with the hardware comes the same technological advancement in the software, which means an increase in use and the more people are buying into them. It is a never-ending cycle when it comes to technological advancement and one can only hope that the mobile gambling market is not just another passing trend.

Casino Bonus – Fact or Fiction?

2007-09-29T06:32:00.001-07:00

Casino bonuses – what is up with this? Is somebody actually nice enough to give you money for free? Sure, and pigs fly!

You see, the people running online casinos are actually quite clever (no, don’t laugh). They know that giving away an online casino bonus will not only attract more people to their casinos, but they will make money from it as well.

And don't think that this is a new idea. Land based casinos all over the world have been using "freebies" to attract people to play at their casinos. Think about the free drinks, rooms, etc that casinos offer.

How can online casinos make money from giving away money ? Casino bonus deals are structured in such a way that you can only withdraw it from the casino after you played a number of hands/rolls/spins. The casinos know that few people will have any of the bonus amount left by the end of these hands/rolls/spins, never mind the full amount. Plus, they probably lost their own deposit in the process!

Most people that play at online casinos are either fun players or they don’t have a strategy, or both! These people are the lifeblood of a casino, as they have no idea how to overcome the advantage the casino has over them.

Every casino game has a house edge (the average % of profit that a casino makes from a game). The only way to overcome the house edge is to enter the casino with a working strategy.

But let’s get back to our discussion about casino bonuses.

Actually, for all the bad press, casino bonuses are quite useful. You won’t get rich using them (unless you win the jackpot!), but armed with a bit of knowledge, it is an easy way to make some extra money.

Before you sign up with an online casino based on their newest casino bonus, you *must* read the terms and conditions regarding their promotions. Obviously all the terms and conditions are important, but you really want to check out the following 3 elements:

*Wagering requirements*

Simply put, this is the amount of money you have to wager before you can withdraw the bonus. This is normally expressed as a multiple of your deposit plus your bonus.

Example: The wagering requirement is 20x, you deposit $100 and get $100 bonus. Therefore, you have to wager a total of $4,000 before you can withdraw the $100 bonus. You can withdraw your deposit at any time.

*Excluded games*

Very important! Some games are excluded from fulfilling the wagering requirements. These are usually the games that have the lowest house edge, including Roulette, Craps and Blackjack and all their variants.

However, if you spend a little time and search around, you will find casinos that will include one or more of these games in the wagering requirements.

*Withdrawal conditions*

A few casinos have withdrawal conditions to withdraw the bonus. Even if you have fulfilled the wagering requirements, you still have to meet certain conditions. These might range from depositing a minimum amount of money to being able to withdraw your winnings only after you reached a certain amount.

These extra conditions mostly relate to free casino bonuses (where you do not have to deposit any money to get a casino bonus). But beware, there are some casinos where these conditions apply to the normal deposit match bonuses.

**Strategy**

In order to make a bit of money from online casino bonuses, you *have* to follow a proven strategy. Your goal is to get through the wagering requirements without losing too much of the bonus. That way you have your initial deposit plus a bonus amount which you can withdraw to make a nice profit.

Who knows, you might even have a very good system and make some profit on top of the casino bonus!

Good luck and start playing!

How To Win At Sports Betting

2007-09-25T00:23:00.001-07:00

If you've read any of my articles before, you know I always emphasize the fact that there are many viable systems for any type of gambling. Sports betting is no exclusion. I've tested and found success with several sports betting systems (see http://www.insidersystem.com/sports.html), several of which would allow someone to quit their job and make a full time living at it. Here is just one simple system for you to test for yourself...

Take your fixed odds coupon and decide on one of the following three numbers - 13 - 32 - 38. For this example we will choose number 32. Once you have made your choice place the score of 1-1 in the correct score section next to the teams that are playing at number 32 on the coupon for that week.

We simply back this number every week until we have a win. The three numbers I gave you have proved themselves to be quite consistent at attracting the score of 1-1 (One all).

With this bet you will need to increase your stake after a few weeks if you haven’t won by then. The following is recommended;

- Weeks 1 to 5 use a 1 point stake.
- Weeks 6 to 8 use a 2 point stake.
- Weeks 9 to 10 use a 3 point stake.
- Week 11 - 4 points
- Week 12 - 5 points
- Week 13 - 6 points
- Week 14 - 7 points
- Week 15 - 8 points
- Week 16 - 10 points
- Week 17 - 12 points and so on....

A point can be anything, £1 or £2 etc. If we assume that we have a win on week 6 we would have placed a 2 points bet here. This would win us back 11 points at odds of 11/2, plus our 2 points stake, making 13 points. During the previous 5 weeks we lost 5 lots of 1 points, so all in all we’ve made 8 points profit.

As you can see, this system played consistently over the long term can bring you regular winnings. Until next time, please bet responsibly, and continue to educate yourself to master your skills and gain the edge over the casino, the bookie, or whoever you're playing against!

Bingo – It’s birth and beginning

2007-09-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

The true origin of bingo dates back as far as the mid 16th century and is connected, strangely enough to the unification of Italy in 1530. This unification saw the introduction of a National lottery system, known as “Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia” held each week. Interestingly, this lottery is today a major source of income to the government, contributing over 75 million dollars each year to the budget.

It was the French who developed a passion for “Le Lotto”, as it became known and they adapted their own version of the game that strikes a strong resemblance with today’s version of bingo. Three horizontal and nine vertical rows formed the basis of the card and players would cover their numbers as they were drawn until an entire horizontal row was covered – hence the winner.

Lotto continued to flourish throughout Europe. It was used as an educational tool in Germany to teach children their multiplication tables and even formed the basis of many other games and toys still noticeable in toy stores today. But where and when did Lotto somehow morph into Bingo? Well, the answer lies in what could be described as a compromise – Beano!

Picture the scene. It’s 1929 and a weary and stressed toy salesman by the name of Edwin S. Lowe is driving to Jacksonville, Georgia to prepare for some appointments. Soon after starting his own toy company a year earlier, the market crashed and Mr Lowe’s prospects were looking very bleak indeed.

Before arriving in Jacksonville, Lowe decided to cheer himself up by stopping off at a country carnival, being a night early for his appointments. Only one carnival booth was open and very crowded. The excitement seemed to be generated by a game that was a variation of Lotto, known as Beano. A horseshoe table was covered with numbered cards and beans. Every time a pitchman pulled a wooden disk from an old cigar box and called the number on it, the players reached for a bean and covered the corresponding number on their card, if they had it. When they had totally covered a line, either diagonally, vertically or horizontally, they had to shout Beano! They then received a doll.

Lowe wanted to play, but the game was too popular and no seats were available. What he did notice though was that all the players seemed to be addicted to the game. The pitchman was not able to close and had to eventually chase the players away at 3:00am. The pitchman had apparently picked the game of Lotto in Germany and decided to adapt and bring it to the United States and to rename it Beano. The success of the game on the carnival circuit proved to be highly lucrative.

Back in New York, Lowe invited some friends to his apartment and introduced them to the game. The tension seemed palpable. One time, a player became close to winning and was getting more and more excited. When her final number was called she jumped up in a fit of ecstasy and in all her excitement got herself tongue-tied. Instead of shouting Beano she spat out “Bingo!” Lowe would later describe the “sense of elation” he experienced when he heard her cry. He knew from that moment he was going to introduce this game to the public and name it “Bingo”.

What a success it proved to be for Lowe and his company! As the game came out of the public domain it was hard for it to be trademarked. Entreponeurs emerged from all sides and began their own versions. Lowe graciously asked them to pay just one dollar a year and call their games “Bingo” as well. To avoid litigation, this seemed a small price to pay and hence the massive spread and popular interest in bingo.

Lowe became aware of the fundraising possibilities of bingo after he was approached by a parishioner who wanted to use the game to raise funds. However, there seemed to be a problem when he discovered that each game tended to produce at least a half a dozen winners. Lowe knew that in order for bingo to succeed and a larger scale he needed to develop a greater number of combinations for his cards. So he approached a mathematics professor at Columbia University by the name of Carl Leffler. Lowe wanted 6,000 new cards with different combinations. The professor agreed. What he may not have conceptualised was how much harder each card became to develop than the card before. The fee per card rose to $100 and the task was finally completed, much to Lowe’s delight and at a cost to the professor of his sanity! (Or so many people have speculated).

After that, bingo really began to take off. People started to approach Lowe in droves, asking him to help them develop bingo games. Newsletters and even a book were published. The stakes and prizes got higher and pretty soon bingo took its place in popular American culture along with sports and other forms of gambling and general entertainment.

Bingo – Good for the Mind?

2007-09-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

When we think of bingo, genius and brainpower don’t always spring to mind; these attributes have tended to be reserved for poker and other games of skill and luck. The image of a grandparent sitting in a community hall with a cup of tea and a card of bingo does not lend itself to the intrigue of psychology and mental agility. However, according to a study by the University of Southampton’s Psychology Department, bingo may not be the trivial pastime many would take it for. Researchers there insist that bingo keeps the mind sharp and equate this as especially important to people as they get older.

The tests conducted revealed that bingo players were more accurate and faster in tests that measured memory, mental speed and their ability to absorb information from the environment around them, than those who did not play the game.

What seems to be the key advantage to the sustained playing of bingo is the concept of time. There is no doubt that games such as chess, poker and backgammon all stretch the mind and keep the brain functioning. Whereas the hand-eye coordination needed for bingo may not be as exhaustive as for other games, the time constraint in which players must check their numbers is key to the sustenance of mental agility.

The tests comprised of 112 people within the age brackets of 18 to 40 and 60 to 82. Half of each set played bingo. The results concluded that all bingo players were more accurate and quicker than non-players. Interestingly, in certain tests, the older players did better than the younger players. More and more research is supporting the theory that a regular partaking of activities that exercise the mind is very beneficial to the maintenance of optimum mental functioning as we get older.

Younger bingo players tended to be faster, but the older ones were more accurate. Many people have suggested that the reason people dismiss bingo as a “junior” gaming pastime is because we so often associate it with pensioners. The social stigma of bingo has kept it out of the major casinos and therefore reduced its respect amongst the “hipper” echelons of today’s society.

Many would be led to conclude that the above study is simply out of proportion in the sense that a game of bingo is hardly a satisfactory workout for the mind in terms of endurance and mental skill. To an extent they would be right. But what the tests seem to be suggesting crucially, is that it is the prolonged or regular partaking in the game over a sustained period of time that will lead to cognitive benefits.

Then of course there are those who believe that any form of gambling being proclaimed to be beneficial to the mind is nothing short of an aberration. Whilst certainly milder in terms of the funds that change hands than other gambling games, bingo is still a game where one pays money to gain money and as such has been criticised from certain groups in society. However, the social aspect of the game cannot be overlooked and it is this type of play that would be encouraged to facilitate the mental benefits as concluded by the study described above.

In the UK, there are around three million bingo players. It is hoped that this study and the growing body of research around it will help to promote the game to those who otherwise would have written it off as something to be enjoyed with gardening, tea and everything else we assume people over the age of 65 suddenly develop a passion for.

Finding The Right Poker Table

2007-09-22T00:13:00.001-07:00

To be honest with you I spent months researching poker tables. I went to every on-line store known to man kind. I researched felt colors, quality, types, and even the different style legs. In this article I will cover a few of the things I spent countless hours researching to help you spend less time.

When purchasing a discount poker tables today, you are faced with a true problem. You can get a second mortgage on your house and buy a casino quality table. Or you can collect some cans and spend a few dollars and buy one these tables on a table.(typically called a table topper) These make your typical living room table into the hottest poker spot in your neighborhood. The only problem with these table toppers, is quality. How can you know you're getting a quality table at discount you ask? Check here for starters: http://www.the-poker-outlet.com/burgandy-poker-table-top.htm

Some of these answers depend who you buy it from. You can look for your tables at online sites, at your local novelty store, or even department stores. These places may or not be relatively safe depending on their return policy. Other less secure places include fly by night Web sites that are here today, gone tomorrow. Buy from one of these, and you may not be able to return a lemon table that breaks on the second deal.

Trusted online sites, though, offer the best product that you won't even need to worry about returning. Their selection of discount poker tables usually includes those really expensive full-sized tables, as well as the table over a table types.(table toppers)

In whatever kind of table you look for, check out the green (can vary in color) felt first. This is very important. This should be smooth to the touch, smoothed out, and secured on the table. Check for strange lumps or breaks in the felt that could interfere with all the chips coming your way. These lumps could interfere with dealing. There is nothing worse then a card being flipped over during a deal! Good models typically also come with inset trays for each player to hold drinks (beers!) and chips, the poker kind and the greasy kind.

Some fancier table in a table discount poker tables will also have black vinyl along the closing surface so it's easy to place on any table. All of them make it easy to fold up and store them between games. This is especially important if you're wife, or husband, does not allow you to play very often.

In conclusion, take your time. Believe me I know your anxious to find a table and have your buddies over. I was very happy with my table. I found a professional casino table with padded cushions to rest your arms on and it had sturdy folding legs so I can store it away when done. It was the best of both worlds. Good luck and remember you do not have to go all in!

Avoid the biggest Online Casino Gambling Mistake

2007-09-21T02:59:00.000-07:00

Online Casino Gamblers know gambling is risk taking, investing in the probability of an outcome that is yet to be determined.

Experienced gamblers often believe they have developed an intuitive instinct that guides them through their decisions about wagers, card playing, and when it's time to quit.
It's great to have a winning streak where you believe your instincts can be trusted as you follow them. What about when instincts are wrong?

What about when you know it would be best to walk away with your present winnings, but something in you wants you to stay and win back previous losses? This is where your desire and your instinct blur.

Suppose you lost $500 at playing online blackjack table today and after kicking yourself for the loss you tempt fate again a few hours later. So in the next session you are up $200 from your starting bankroll of $200. You could hit the online casino exit button right then with $400 in your pocket but you remember your earlier losses of $500. You have a desire to stay and win back earlier losses.

The desire to regain the earlier losses clouds your 'instincts' and you, without thought, strive to win your losses back. This is a mistake that experienced gamblers learn to avoid.

Most skilled gamblers begin their online casino gambling sessions at a psychological zero, meaning no wins or losses. This should be remembered anytime you begin to feel an urge to regain past losses.

Walk away a winner, and forget past losses. You are only likely to dig a bigger hole for yourself.

Casino Bonus: Gamble With Their Money!

2007-09-20T12:10:00.001-07:00

What could be better than landing at an online casino and discovering that they are offering a casino bonus? That's the term that online gambling sites use to describe money that they give YOU to gamble at their site.

Why in the world would an online casino give you some of their money? They realize that there are a lot of internet casinos out there for you to play at. They want you to play at theirs, so they offer you a pocketful of their money in the way of a casino bonus.

Of course, like anything else, there are rules and restrictions about how you can use your casino bonus. No casino online is going to let you simply withdraw the bonus and put it into your pocket. You have to play their casino games with the money that they give you.
Most casino bonuses work in one of the following ways:

Match Play Casino Bonus

This type of casino bonus is matches your initial deposit up to a certain amount. If you deposit, say, $20 they will match your deposit with another $20 of their own. You can't withdraw their $20 until you've won more than the amount that you have deposited plus their match. Most casinos online will match up to $100.

Free Casino Bonus

This casino bonus is for a set amount of money, usually $10 or $20, that the online casino will put in to your account as long as you make the minimum required deposit. If the internet casino is offering, say, a $20 free casino bonus, and their minimum deposit is only $10, you'll end up with $30 for your online gambling session.

Free Casino Bonus PLUS Match

If a particular online casino is trying to drum up a lot of business they will offer both a match casino bonus PLUS a free casino bonus. That means that they will match your initial deposit, up to whatever their limit is, and then add the $10 or $20 free casino bonus on top of that. That's one of the best deals in internet gambling so ALWAYS keep an eye out for that.
Loyalty Casino Bonus

The final common online casino bonus pays you a percentage back of your daily spends just like the "slots cards" program that you see in physical casinos do. The online casino keeps track of how much you wagered during each online gambling session and then credits some amount, usually a percentage point or two, back to your account at the end of each session. While this type of casino bonus doesn't seem like a lot of money at first, keep in mind that it is an ongoing casino bonus that you get every time that you play at that online casino. All of the other types are one-time only a casino.

There's NOTHING better than playing with the online casinos money, so keep your eyes open for those online casino bonus offers!

Casino entertainment basics

2007-09-20T11:49:00.001-07:00

Casinos have recently been popular as locations for movies like “Oceans 11”, however slot machines and roulette tables have been identified with them since long. Besides all other things casinos are excellent one-stop locations for a variety of entertainment options. People believe casinos attract famous name entertainment found only in large cities or exclusive shows nowhere else found.

Short-term performances hosted by casinos; include pop groups in between their tours or permanent or extended run shows. Latest trend being, to build larger million dollar theaters, designed specifically for a single show.

Some acts are associated pretty closely with casinos. Penn & Teller, Cirque du Soleil, and David Copperfield though also known for TV shows and live performances, are yet still known for their casinos only. To get a newer audience base casinos are looking for more entertainment options. Cabarets though shall remain as a prominent option Broadway shows are troop setting up at casinos.

Family oriented options are also being tried as an option and are becoming popular, as some casinos are eager to be known as destinations for family vacation. A lot of shows with high adult content have been modified to make them acceptable for a younger audience also.

However casinos shall always keep there original moneymaking shows intact, despite all the changes creeping in. Big name singers like Celine Dion and Elton John are joining the band of performers, signing long-term contracts with casinos. Sports fans gathering for boxing shows remain a constant Friday night fixture. Showgirls and casinos shall always be one steady relationship.

It is seen as an extension to the existing work they are doing. This can be technically termed as value addition or sales promotion. Whatever one may call it but the fact remains that the sole purpose of this exercise is to get the masses to the casinos. Many of the casinos are trying to create the scenes of the past in front of the customers giving them a nostalgic sense. So you might end up sitting with the pharos at the dinner table or might be found playing with the dukes and the duchess’.

The major shows in the world are coming to the casinos. This is not only popularizing the casino culture but also vitalizing the experience of the customers who come to seek entertainment with betting. The pricing of these has been made affordable to attract more and more people from the various strata of the society. Incentives to the children are acting as promotional methods and are very successful. Adding to all these are the glamorous events like boxing fixtures etc. that take place at the gambling hubs.

All one can imagine is that the gambling related travel becoming the mainstay of tourism. If so happens the whole world will have to change their brochures and include entertainment providing casinos as their Unique Selling Proposition. Gambling is here to stay and the more glamorous it is made the more following it will have. if you can bring them to the casino you can make them throw some money on the table.

Asian gambling basics

2007-09-20T11:48:00.001-07:00

Gambling became popular in China in the last phase of the imperial dynasty i.e. from 1644 to 1912. Canton, Macao, Shanghai and Hong Kong became the famous for their liquor and gambling. These areas inhabited foreigners, usually Americans, who were known to be rough. Moreover, majority of these inhabitants were males. Chinese natives indulged in gambling along with the foreigners.

Famous gambling games in China include Mah Jongg and Pai Gow. Pia Gow consists of a bank having one woodpile. The banking duties are entrusted to one of the players. Other players are given four tiles of the woodpile, which they have to group in pairs of two such that the player's pair should have a greater value than the bank. If the player succeeds then he wins the bet. A lot of money can exchange hands over this game.

Mah Jongg, meaning 'sparrow' is an ancient game which was developed primarily for the rich class of China. The game is said to have been invented by a fisherman to prevent sea sickness. It is said that the fisherman invented this game to distract the other fishermen from the surroundings, so that they do not feel sea sick in the middle of the sea. Later, a Chinese general heard of the game and engaged his soldiers in it at night to prevent them from falling asleep. The game underwent a lot of variations and every region called it with a different name. Finally, the game was standardized in early 1990s. the game consists of 136 to 144 tiles depending on the whether the players choose to play with flowers or seasons. The play resembles rummy except for the fact that the game is played with tiles. The game also uses a pair of dice and chips to keep the score. It requires four players, the aim of each being to obtain a set of tiles. The set types that are permitted are "kong", "pung" and "chow". A complete hand contains four sets and a pair of similar tiles. The fist one to have this combination of fourteen tiles wins.

Another game is Sci Bo, meaning 'two dice'. This game is a betting game with players betting on the total of their dice. It is played with three dice. The bets include small bets that is the total may fall; between the range of four to ten, or big bets i.e. the total may fall between eleven to seventeen. The players shake the dice in a cup and keep the cup upside down with the dice hidden in the cup. Wagers are then made on the outcome. The player guessing the total can earn hugs sums. It is rumored that skilful players can predict the total by hearing the clanking of dice in the cup. In casinos the entire game is mechanized. Bets are placed on the number marked on the table. The dice are then shaken using a vibrating platform. The results are displayed on a screen. Other famous gambling games include Keno and Pachinko.

Despite the popularity of these gambling games, not all Chinese states are ready to legalize it. While Macao has legalized gambling, Shanghai carries it on illegally. In Hong Kong, only horse raising is legalized and The Hong Kong Jockey Club earns huge revenue.

Aladdin Hotel Vegas

2007-09-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

How would you like a place where you can rest comfortably, have real fun, win some money and be transported to a mystical and enchanted time space like the ones you have read in books about the magical Arabian nights?. Would not it be nice? Aladdin hotel Vegas allows guests to enter a modern-day Cave of Wonders filled with gourmet restaurants, world-class shopping at Desert Passage and dazzling entertainment. Themed after several stories from the "Arabian Nights," Aladdin hotel Vegas takes you on a mystical journey. See a lot of cool things: ebony horses stampede from the race and sports book, a giant Djinni's lamp smokes in the casino center and the structures over the casino table games resemble magic carpets.

Get online all the information about Aladdin hotel Vegas in a very professional and interactive way, including the exact location and the best ways to get there from any starting point no matter where it be, how many rooms the hotel has and when is the best time to go knowing that you will certainly find great rooms available so you can rest comfortably; also find out the great first-class service you can get there which will allow you to have everything you need while you are there at any moment, which attractions and activities you may find there for yourself and those who travel with you whether they be kids, teenagers or adults, including pools, health club, spa, lots of world-class shops, wedding chapel, parking garage, convention rooms and much more, assuring you will have the best time of your life and can really enjoy your time there; and , of course, lots of beautiful pictures that will make you want to come to Aladdin hotel Vegas and stay there for a long time. In few words all you need to know so you can get a lifetime and magical experience as you always wanted.

Also get detailed information about the prices you will find there and how to pay them, whether it be in cash or with credit cards no matter what credit card you may have. But do not worry about how much it will cost you; the whole experience at the hotel will certainly meet your budget, so you will just have to concentrate in having a great time.

Now that you have already covered all you need to know for your next visit to Las Vegas, what are you waiting for? See all sorts of magic things that will make your visit here a lifetime experience, have fun and try your luck in the gaming areas, and get the most comfortable rooms you have ever seen. Aladdin hotel Vegas will grant all your wishes, and you will wish you could stay for a thousand and one nights. Just do not get too surprised if you see magic carpet flying around there.