Archive for September, 2009

The Evolution of Three Reel and Five Reel Slots

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

When it comes to online casino gambling, there appears to be no end to the types of slots available to the player.    Most casinos offer classic slots featuring three reels or video slots with five reels.   The original land-based slot machine came with three reels, catering to the generation that played in casinos, pubs and shopping malls.  Five reel slots resulted from modern computer technology and the virtual casinos hosted on the internet.   Players from the old days tend to favor three reel slots as it reminds them of their youth while new players who got their start online usually prefer the more advanced five reel versions.   There is far more that set these classifications apart other than the number of reels, as you will learn from this article.

More Features, Greater Opportunity

In regard to five reel slots, the addition of two reels make for a rather large number of possible combinations, which equates to more paylines, winning combinations and bigger payouts.  Three reel slots were more of a one-size-fits all solution and very simplistic.  Due to all the advancements and  opportunities, the five reel variations are able to suit a wider range of playing temperaments.  For instance, you have your slots that have been designed to give rare payouts of a million dollars, as well as others designed to give players substantially smaller but more frequent payouts.    Another unique quality of five reel slots is the interactive bonus round that gives the player even more opportunities to win.    With five reel slots becoming increasingly popular, their three reel counterparts are slowly being phased out.

Whether it is three reel or five reel variations on or offline, slots have evolved perhaps more than any other type of casino game.  And while they have advanced tremendously throughout the years, one could say that this evolution is still on the rise.  Today, slots are being changed on two fronts.  The first is one is the overall gaming experience that has seen enhancements through enriched graphics, animation, music and other elements.  The reels themselves have also been improved with lively symbols featuring wilds and varying themes.  Wilds have become essential elements of slots and are evolving with variations such as stacked wild symbols and others that enhance the overall experience.    The second front is taking place through a wide range of features that are being incorporated into slots at a rapid rate.  Bonus games are now packed with more features and opportunities for the player to win.  Rather than the simple and traditional pick and object type of  games, more bonus games are offering challenges that have multi-level features and actually require skill.

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Summary

Three reel and five reel slots have both come a long way since the inception of the first slot machine more than one hundred years ago.    While this is also the case in land-based facilities, online casinos have benefited the most from these enhancements by far.    Whether you decide to play the old fashion version or the modern variation, you are sure to have an exciting time with slots game that offer an experience outside of the usual.

eCOGRA Gives Brightshare Affiliate Program Seal of Approval

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

For some time now, eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance or simply eCOGRA, has held the reputation as the number one independent accreditation organization for internet casino sites and online poker rooms.  Being that the body has considerably expanded its services over the past few years, it not only allows online casino licensees to apply for its coveted Safe and Fair Seal of Approval, but has also extended eligibility to various others sectors in the online gambling industry.  This includes sportsbooks, online gaming networks, bingo rooms, software providers and affiliates in addition to accredited eCOGRA casinos such as those powered by Microgaming.

Brightshare is the latest affiliate program to receive the quote on quote “green light” from eCOGRA.  This program represents the network of five traditional online casinos, two mobile casinos, a poker room and bingo room that compromise the popular casino group known as the Jackpot Factory.  Running on the powerful Viper software platform developed by Microgaming, the Jackpot Factory has one of the biggest collections of high quality casino games as well as a network of progressive jackpots renowned throughout the industry for creating a number of internet gambling millionaires.

All Jackpots and All Slots, both of which are Jackpot Factory casinos, have been on the scene for quite a while and received a lot of praise by some of the most prestigious portals in the realm of online gambling.  These two casinos are highly regarded as high ranking internet gambling destinations and make ideal places to open an account and try your luck.  Both give players the ability to play for real money and indulge in the experience of Microgaming’s innovative table games and realistic virtual slots.  The biggest downside to these sites or any online casino powered by Microgaming, is that they are not open to players residing in the United States, as the UIEGA led the company to turn its back on the American market.

Although it suffered a loss in business after abandoning the American market, the Jackpot Factory is recuperating nicely by racking up a great deal of traffic from other jurisdictions, particularly Europe, where the laws regarding internet gambling are far more lenient.  The BrighShare affiliate program has played a huge role in helping the Factory generate that traffic.  Affiliate programs have become essential drivers for many online industries as they help participants earn revenue from commissions and bring traffic to the business.  Lloyd Apter, Affiliate Manager at Brightshare, remarked that because of this, it is a must that online casino operators meet the defined standards in the affiliate management sector.

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There are few organizations that are held in such high regard as eCOGRA.  Similar to how it consistently establishes transparent operative standards within online gambling, the body also helps to ensure that the best practices are enforced and maintained by affiliate programs throughout the industry.  Thanks to the eCOGRA, more affiliate programs are making a commitment to timely payments and accurate disbursement of affiliate revenues while assuring that reliable environments are in place to facilitate the efficient communications between the affiliate and player.

Basic Tactics and Approaches for Smarter Online Gambling

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Wouldn’t it be nice if it was easy to win at online casino games?  Even though many players never hit it big, we all enter the virtual casino hoping that the next wager will end up being our lucky move.  Unfortunately, this mentality can cause a player to part with a lot of money.  And while being a winning player requires a great deal of luck, there are some tactics and approaches you can take with you when playing any casino game.  Sometimes all it takes is a little common knowledge to hold onto your bankroll and better your chances of winning.  What we will discuss in this article are basic strategies and logic that will not only help you win small shares, but secure larger sums as well.

When to Play Low Stakes

The first approach we will go over is quite simple.  If you are a bad or inexperienced player, then you should play casino games that offer relatively small takes.  Because you are not wagering with a lot of funds, your money will go slowly and this will allow you to remain in the game longer.  And since you have the chance to play more games, you have the opportunity to win more money.  If you are playing a casino game in which the stakes are high and you do not have a lot of funds to wager, your best bet would be to pull out of the game before you go completely broke.

Go For Favorable Odds

Another recommended tactic is to play games that offer good or at least decent odds.  There are quite a few games in this category and one of the most popular is craps, which has simple rules and lets you pass or don’t pass on bets.  Slots is also a game you want to consider because while it does not always offer the best odds, it does tend to have high payout ratios.  Playing games with good odds and making smart bets is a wise strategy that can help you keep your bankroll intact and actually win something.  However, these games are best when you have a sizable bankroll.  Therefore, if you are running low on money, you may want to consider going back to the small stakes approach.

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Know the Rule and Basic Strategies

You can become a much better  player by simple knowing the rules and basic strategies of any casino game. After all, if you do not know how to play the game, not even all the luck in the world will make you a winner.  At least not in most instances.  For example, when playing poker, you should know not to show your emotions at any time as experienced opponents will use this against you.  Skilled players typically eat up the unknowing rookies so you can remain competitive just by staying aware.

There are no surefire tactics or approaches to guarantee that you will be a consistent winner at any casino game.  However, paying attention to the basic details and small stuff can increase your chances of winning regardless of what game you choose to play.

RTG Launches New Slots and Casinos Pay out $1.26 Million

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Real Time Gaming, a leading provider of online casino gaming software, recently introduced a new video slot to its fast growing portfolio of casino games.  Known as the Mayan Queen, this bonus slot is the newest progressive jackpot game to hit the virtual casino market.  Though only available for a short time, this one already looks as if it could be a very profitable game.

When it comes to progressive games with twenty or more reels, hitting the max bet on the reels needed to qualify for the full jackpot can be a stern challenge.  The same holds true for the Mayan Queen video slots game.  RTG already has a vast selection of online slots that payout large winnings quite frequently.  Although your bankroll can diminish rather quickly attempting to win the progressive jackpot, it is essentially the same scenario when playing slots at online casinos powered by Cryptologic, Micrograming and Playtech, each of which no longer accept players from the United States.  And with Real Time Gaming possessing a huge network of more than one hundred casinos that are a big hit among American players, it also has a number of jackpots that consistently exceed and payout more than $1 million.

This past weekend, RTG casinos aided in building up the progressive video slot for Aztec Millions and helped produce the latest millionaire player at online casino gambling.  The jackpot, which required an additional $1 wager to participate, stopped at $1.26 million for a single player who is likely in the process of cashing a huge check as we speak.  Since the jackpot was spread out across such a wide network, it is still undetermined which casino this very lucky player games at.  We are banking that is one of the many RTG casinos deemed as the best of the best by the online gambling industry.

At the time of this writing, there are still two RTG progressive jackpots up for grabs worth more than $1 million.  Its Jackpot Pinatas has climbed to $1.4 million while both Mid-Life Crises and Shopping Spree combine for more than $1 million collectively.  As for Mayan Queen, RTG’s new video slots game maxes out at $150,000 in addition to the random progressive pot players can go after.   The game’s presentation is that of a jungle theme that portrays the Mayan culture and society.  The Emerald, which represents the scatter symbol, triggers a feature that awards a player with six free spins.  Also a multiplier, this symbol can award the player up to 500 times their original bet.  Players can also increase their winnings through a free spin bonus mode when the wild symbol, the Mayan Queen, is expanded over each payline of the third reel.

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Mayan Queen was officially launched on September 16 and is currently available for play at all RTG online casino licensees.  The game is available in a Flash or downloadable version so give it spin and perhaps you could be the next lucky millionaire.

Casino Gaming on the Random Logic Software Platform

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

In the business since 1997, Random Logic is one of the oldest online casino software providers on the scene.  While the gaming platform has been refined and improved over the years, this vendor’s approach to gaming has remained the same – simple and straightforward.  Random Logic does not have the largest selection of casino games, but offers more than enough to satisfy the needs of most players.

Blackjack

Random Logic’s blackjack tables gives off a similar look and feel of what you would find in Las Vegas’ more upscale casino establishments.  The table highlights your bets and neatly stacks all of your chips to the side.  The overall presentation and mechanics of gameplay are pleasant but there are also some other features that deserve mentioning.  For instance, if you want to make an overly risky move such as hitting on 19, the system will step in and recommend that you rethink your options.  Of course you are free to play as you wish, but it is nice to see that the gaming platform has your best interests at heart.  In addition to this, Random Logic offers a comprehensive tutorial available that provides basic rules and how to play the game as well a few blackjack strategies that might come in handy.

Slots

Random Logic slots are quite basic and conservative from a presentation aspect when compared to other offerings in the market.  Its classic slots will remind you of the machines found in a downtown casino, featuring sevens, bars and other common symbols.  There is also a nice selection of progressive slots, including the Millionaire Genie game that paid out more than $1.3 million to a single winner in April 2006.  Other fun progressive slots include Mega Gold, Treasure Twirl and Super Thundering 888.  Whether it is of the classic, progressive or video variety, Random Logic has more than enough slots to keep you busy for a long time.

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Video Poker

You will find a nice selection of video poker games at Random Logic casinos.  Its software offers single hand, multi-hand and progressive games in variants such as Aces and Faces, Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better.  If you prefer multi-hand games, you can try your luck with the aforementioned games in 5, 10, 25 or 50 hand varieties.  The pay tables and game themselves are laid out well and comprehensive enough for the novice player to understand.  While Random Logic video poker will notify you of winning hands, they do not offer any strategy so you need to be on your Ps and Qs.

Random Logic casino games are not flashy, but offer sophistication and a quality presentation that mimics the luxurious rooms in Monte Carlo and Atlantic City.  Customers all over the world appreciate the gaming platform’s elegance and most importantly, the enjoyable gameplay.  If you love to play casino favorites like blackjack, craps, video poker and others, a Random Logic casino could be in the cards for you.

Devising a Strategy for Deuces Wild

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Deuces Wild is one of the most popular video poker variants.   As the name implies, twos act as wilds and can be substituted for any card to assemble a hand.     While the wild card give can certainly work to your advantage, having a little strategy can go a long way in making you a successful player.

Probable Hand Scenarios

An optimal Deuces Wild strategy involves holding your cards to maximize your payout, which is best understood based on the number of twos dealt in your initial hand.  For example, if you are dealt four deuces, you are assured a payout of 200 to 1.  In this scenario, you certainly want to keep all of your deuces because the fifth card is irrelevant.  If you are dealt three deuces, the best strategy would be to hold them  if the cards result in a royal flush or five –of-a-kind.  If not, you should hold your card with a value of 10 or higher and replace the others in attempt to assemble a wild royal flush.

If your initial hand reveals two deuces, you should analyze your hand to determine whether you have a four of a kind or higher.  If so, you definitely want to hold onto  those cards.  Another good strategy here would be to hold onto the  cards needed to assemble a royal flush or a straight flush with six as the lowest card.  It is necessary for lower straight flushes two use the deuce as a two, which essentially reduces its wild card value.  If none of these strategies are possible, you should hold the initial two deuces and replace the other three cards to come up with another combination.

If you are only dealt a single deuce in your initial hand, the Deuces Wild strategy gets a little more complex.  In this scenario, you should hold any hand that consists of a four of a kind or higher.  However, you may want to discard a lower paying hand in favor of a wild royal flush.  If neither of these instances occur and you are a dealt a full house, you should hold onto it.  Other hands you can try to assemble in order of importance include four to a straight flush with five as the lowest card, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, four to a low straight flush, three to a royal flush, and three to a straight flush with six as the lowest card.  If none of these combinations can be assembled, you should hold onto your once deuce and replace everything else.

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Conclusion

Developing a sound strategy is critical for the player who wants to be successful at Deuces Wild as it can place the average payout ratio over 100% when betting with five coins.   If you bet five coins, a genuine royal flush pays out 800 to 1 rather than 250 to 1 when wagering with less coins.  A good strategy will also better the chances of not losing your money over the long haul.


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