Online Casino Gambling

The corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard is, arguably, the most famous intersection in the world and at that intersection the Tropicana Hotel and Casino stands tall.  This intersection has the most hotel rooms of any intersection in the world and the Tropicana has been its cornerstone since it opened in 1957.  Today the Tropicana offers 1,876 rooms and is attached to a 61,000 square foot casino. The Tropicana also boasts of 100,000 square feet of convention and exhibit space.

Back in 1957 the building was much smaller.  The original building only offered 300 rooms. In 1959 another 150-room wing was added.  Again in 1962 another 116 rooms were added surrounding the swimming pool.  The Paradise Tower shines with 21 floors, which hold 600 well appointed guest rooms and suites. In 1985 the 22-story, 806-room, Island Tower was constructed.

The Tropicana has also seen its fair share of memorable shows and performers over the years including the famous Folies Bergere production, Roger Williams, Count Basie and Guy Lombardo.

The Present

When the Tropicana first opened it was tagged as the “Tiffany of the Strip”, but in recent years it has lost much of its luster.  This hotel once catered to the affluent, but now offers some of the cheapest rooms on the Strip.  The once impressive décor of the 1960’s has not been updated since then.  Many of the Tropicana’s amenities that were considered luxurious in past decades have now become obsolete.  The once upscale shopping has been replaced with trinkets and a strip mall-like shopping area.

Future Plans

In late 2009 Alex Yemenidjian, Tropicana’s new CEO, announced a robust plan to invest $100 million to develop a South Beach Miami theme, which will be completed in several phases. The first phase is nearly complete and features the renovation of the 100,000 square feet of meeting and convention areas.  The Island Tower walkway is also undergoing extensive renovations that include imported Grecian marble.  The second renovation phase will include room renovations and upgrades to common areas. The third phase, including restaurant overhauls, is still in the design phase.

Overall, the owners plan to invest more than $100 million to renovate the 1,876-room property.  The $100 million renovation will include a makeover of every room, a new poker room, new sports book, new restaurants and even a new nightclub.

A series of poker boot camps are being launched in locations through out the globe hosted by Vanessa Rousso. These poker boot camps are set to start in 2010. Thousands of poker enthusiasts are expected to attend, hoping to gain insight on how a poker star made her wins.

Who is Vanessa Rousso?

Vanessa Rousso is a 27-year-old poker icon. In the few years she has been attending poker tournaments, Rousso has amassed over four million dollars in winnings. Rousso was the first female to ever make it to the finals of the NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship, where she came in second place. In addition to being a poker super-star, Rousso is also a spokeswoman for GoDaddy.com, and had a two-page spread in Sports Illustrated’s extremely popular Swimsuit Edition. She has also hosted televised poker tournaments, and will appear on “Bank of Hollywood.” A television show produced by e-channel and hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

Vanessa Rousso is now turning her sights towards teaching the skills of poker. She hopes to give her pupils a winning edge by using a combination of hands-on and instructional training about high-level poker strategy. According to Rousso, “My biggest passion outside of playing poker is in teaching poker strategy. I love watching that light bulb go off in my students’ minds when they discover something new.”

What is the Boot Camp About?

Vanessa Rousso’s boot camp aims to teach already-skilled poker players a higher level of strategy. The boot camp will encompass two types of training; lectures and hands-on experience. The lectures will all be held by Rousso, and will cover some of her own personal game theories. The hands-on training will work as a series of poker game stimulations where players will be allowed to try out the skills they learned during the lecture series.

When and Where the Boot Camps are Held

Vanessa Rousso’s first poker boot camp is being held in the Bahamas, at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. Rousso has dubbed this set of the boot camp circuit, “Strategy Symposium Under the Sun.”

The second in the poker boot camp set is being held in Biloxi, Mississippi. Hosted by Beau Ravage, “Poker Tournament Theory Boot Camp & Tournament” will last two days.

Rousso is currently working on the locations of several more boot camps to be held throughout 2010. These boot camps will all be hosted by a different location so poker players from around the globe can participate.

Any lectures or classes on poker are an excellent way for skilled poker players to up their game. A series held by a world-renowned poker player, who has a long resume of poker tournaments under her belt, is definitely worth the trip.

Roulette, either the American or European version, is largely a game of chance and luck. For this reason, it is one of the most popular games at the casino as anyone from any skill level can play; and possibly win. However, this can also make Roulette a frustrating game for player’s who like to up their odds by using skill tactics. Fortunately, there are a skill tactics you can employ in Roulette.

Top Five Tips for Playing Roulette

1. Spread out your bank roll. Individual games of Roulette are completed very quickly. While this is great for the excitement level; it can be bad for your bank roll. Typically, the longer you stay in a game, the better your odds are of coming out ahead. To achieve this, divide out your bank roll going in. Do not place all your money on one bet in the first round of Roulette, but do not bet so conservatively that you never win any money either.

2. Start off betting even money bets. While even money bets may not be as thrilling, the odds of winning are higher. If you start the first few rounds of Roulette using even money bets you up your odds of increasing your bankroll. A larger bankroll will help you stay in the game longer.

3. Bet on the odd or even number sets to increase your odds. Unlike betting on a birthday, anniversary, or lucky number- placing your bet on all the odd or all the even numbers increases your chances of winning. The Roulette ball must land on either an odd or even number; meaning you have a 50/50 chance of winning that round.

4. Bet on the pocket colors instead of numbers. Like betting on all the odd or all the even numbers, betting on a pocket color gives you 50/50 odds of winning that round of Roulette. There are only two colors on the Roulette wheel, red and black, by placing a bet on one of them you have a good chance of winning.

5. Increase your odds by betting on a neighbor of numbers. Placing a bet on your luck number is fine, and many people enjoy playing Roulette this way- it adds a level of excitement to the game. However, by placing your bet on a larger set of numbers, you greatly increase your odds of winning. Try placing bets on a series of numbers when you first start out at the Roulette table, and switch to betting on your lucky number once you have developed a larger bank roll.

With a little strategy you can take the game of Roulette to a whole other level. Advanced gamblers often avoid games like Roulette, but strategy can be applied- increasing both bank roll and overall enjoyment.

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in the world, so naturally, many new players are attracted to the online version.  For several players, the big problem is choosing from the vast selection of different variants.  Others have a tough time adjusting to the rules of the internet world.  If you have a general knowledge of blackjack but are new to playing online, this article will serve as the introduction that will help you get started.

Online vs. Offline Play

When playing blackjack in a land-based casino, the rules pretty much remain the same regardless of the venue.  Blackjack payouts at 3 to 1, a tie pushes and the dealer busts if their hand goes over 21.  However, the rules of the game often change when playing online, which is typically done to give the house a greater advantage.  For instance, in many online casinos, blackjack pays out at 1 to 1, the dealer wins on a tie, and rather than the dealer busting with 22, the hand round results in a push.

Despite the disadvantages that come along with playing blackjack online, there are still some benefits that make the game attractive to players.  One popular variant is a game known as Blackjack Switch.  In this exclusive online variation, players begin with two separate hands and can exchange the second set of cards dealt should it provide them with an advantage.  The downside is that the rules of this particular variant are in favor of the house, so the player is more susceptible to losing money than winning.  Because the dealer is allowed to hit on a soft 17 in a game of Black Switch, the return to the player is greatly reduced.

Online Blackjack Variants and The House Edge

Another thing you should know about playing blackjack online is that different variants are played with a different number of card decks.  The number of decks typically ranges from one to eight.  This has a huge impact on the player because the more decks that are used, the higher the house edge.  So while the basic rules remain the same, you can expect a lower average return when playing blackjack with more decks of cards.  The house edge is also increased as a result of the restrictions imposed on tactics such as splitting and doubling down.   A classic example are variants in which the rules state that you cannot double following a split or only double if the value of your hand is between 9 and 11.  Likewise, there are variants in which you can only split once or twice.  In these games, the dealer is usually required to stand on a soft 17, but the player’s advantage is neutralized by the restrictions placed on splits and doubling down.

Conclusion

If you are a master at playing blackjack in the real world and want to take your skills online, your previous experience is only half the battle.  There are so many variants online that it can make it feel as if you are playing an entirely new game.  For this reason, it would be wise to read up on different variants and their rules before making a wager online.

There is something about casinos that seems to bring out the worst in some people; or rather it seems that the presence of large sums of money have the tendency to encourage people to cheat. Many people have gone in to the casino thinking they could “beat the system.” Truth is; you can’t. Casinos spend billions of dollars a year in security- employing some of the most high tech methods out there for catching everyone from your garden variety cheater, to card counters, and even high-level operations like the MIT Blackjack Team.

Casinos employ dozens of ways to protect their money and their casino. Each casino is different and uses a different tactic. However, there are three common strategies almost every casino from Las Vegas to the American Indian casinos uses to ward of cheaters.

The Eyes on Floor- Casino Staff

If you have visited a casino, you have probably noticed the hoard of casino employees walking around the floor. These employees serve a variety of functions; fixing stalled slot machines, making change, assisting visitors, etc. However, all casino employees have one thing in common- they are all trained to spot cheating. Every casino employee on the floor has their ears and eyes peeled for suspicious behavior. They have undergone hours of training from advanced security teams. Chances are; you will be spotted.

Table Managers and Pit Bosses

The dealer isn’t the only one watching your poker table. Casinos also have table managers and pit bosses. These casino employees are trained to notice patterns that could indicate cheating at the poker table. Most casinos assign a pit boss or table manager to one specific table or any area of tables. If there is a high-stakes game going on, you can be assured at least one pit boss is watching that table like a hawk.

Eyes in the Sky

Casinos don’t just rely on the human eye to watch over their investment. Every major casino has a set of security cameras installed that look over the flood. These cameras are manned off the floor by an entire staff. They are angled to watch the tables, the slots, the cashier, and just about everywhere in the casino. Odds are the casino you frequent has dozens of security staff who spend their days with their eyes glued to the security camera monitors. Security staff positioned at the monitors are equipped with two-way radios that connect them with other employees on the casino floor. Chances are; a cheater won’t make it out of the building if they try.

The urge to cheat your way into winnings can be great, especially for gambling enthusiasts. People who frequent one casino can start to believe that they “have things figured out.” Odds are; they don’t. Casinos invest a large portion of their holdings in to stopping these people in their tracks.

A popular UK based online casinos-Crazy Poker-will be hosting a tournament to benefit the people of Haiti in late January. Proceeds from the tournament will go directly to a grass-roots organization devoted to providing relief for the people of need in the island nation.

An Earthquake Hits Haiti

On January 12^th, 2010 an earthquake struck the island of Haiti in the island’s capital city, Port-au-Prince. The earthquake was a 7.0, the highest the island has seen in more then a decade. Aftershocks were felt for hours across both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Strong winds and turbulent weather were felt as far as the island of Jamaica.

The death toll from the earthquake in Port-au-Prince was massive, with some estimates reported over 50,000. Thousands more are suffering from serious injury, living on the streets with no home after the earthquake caused hundreds of buildings to collapse.

A Nation in Need

Haiti issued a distress call and was unheard by an unlikely source- A UK based online casino. Crazy Poker has decided to host a poker tournament in honor of Haiti and has promised to send all of the casino’s proceeds to the cause.

The tournament named, “The Help for Haiti Poker Tournament,” will feature an additional $1,500 for the pool as well as an additional $1,500 earmarked for the Haitian Health Fund. The buy in for the tournament is the standard $10 with another $10 to support the cause. Crazy Poker has promised to donate the entire $10 from each player, as well as the $1,500 to the Haitian Relief Fund.

About Crazy Poker

Crazy Poker is a UK based online casino that hosts both regular games and several tournaments throughout the month. Crazy Poker is part of the Microgaming Poker Network. Some of the regularly scheduled tournaments include monthly and weekly events. The site also hosts an interactive guide to poker where beginners can learn the ways of the game and develop skills. In addition, there are several bonuses and incentives featured on the site, especially for newcomers.

The disaster in Haiti is monumental. People are still missing, the city of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas took a major blow and most homes, and buildings are destroyed. Crazy Poker stepped up to the challenge, offering not only to donate funds received by their tournament players, but also to match them. The result will easily be in the $1,000s.