Online Casino Gambling

Keno is similar to Bingo. A player will place a bet on one or several numbers on the Keno board. A dealer, known as the “caller,” will then draw a number. If the numbers match, the player wins that round.

Shockwave Keno is played exactly like Keno with an added twist. In Shockwave Keno the Keno board is electronic and will randomly send a shockwave through the board. This shockwave gives players more chances to win. If a player’s number is chosen when the shockwave starts, the player’s bet is automatically increased.

Shockwave Keno is a popular game to play at the casino while players are waiting for a spot at a poker table or an open slot machine. Often, a caller will take number bets for several rounds and call the winning number over the loud speaker, so players have the option of playing more then one game at a time.

How Do I Play Shockwave Keno?

Shockwave Keno is one of the easiest games to play in a casino. A player can join in a round by placing a bet with the caller on one or several numbers. There are 80 numbers on the Shockwave Keno board to choose from.

Players are given one chance to up their bet on any of the numbers they have selected for that round, before the game begins. Once all bets have been finalized, the caller will select a keno ball from the board. While the ball is dropping through the board, if the shockwave is initiated a player has a chance to increase their bets. Shockwave bets are often doubled in most casinos.

To play shockwave keno at an online casino the player will select every number they want to bet on the playing board, out of the eighty numbers featured on the playing board. The player can choose to bet on as many, or as few, numbers as they wish. When the player has finished their selections they have the option of raising their bet on an individual numbers, or all their numbers or they can choose to keep their bet as it is and start their game.

How Does Betting Work in Shockwave Keno?

Betting is simple in Shockwave Keno. A player must first choose one, or several, of the eighty numbers on the Keno board. Once the numbers are chosen, the player will give them to the caller and place a minimum bet on each number. The player has the option of raising their bet higher then the minimum on any number they have chosen.

Betting is won when the Keno ball lands on a number the player has selected. Players are paid on betting scales according to the casino. These scales should be listed right next to the Shockwave Keno board.

In order to ensure fairness, all reputable internet casino operators have their games audited by independent third-party organizations.  Not only is this a requirement enforced by the licensing authority in the operator’s jurisdiction, it also done to show players that they are running a fair and reliable business.  When it comes to the auditing of online casino games, eCOGRA is one of the most trusted names in the industry, a respected agency that makes its reports publicly available.  Anyone player who is new to the realm of online gaming should consider viewing these audit reports and understanding what they mean.

The Big Three

eCOGRA provides online casinos that have demonstrated fairness and responsible gaming with three different sets of certificates.  The first set proves that the agency asserts that the operator’s games are fair, and that the company runs a safe and responsible business.  The second set is related to the RNG (random number generator) found in most casino games.  These certificates are generally issued individually to prove the fairness of the RNGs of games such as blackjack, video poker and roulette.  They are provided based on analysis conducted by eCOGRA over a six month period, showing that every number is indeed randomly generated and that the outcomes of all tested games are unbiased.

The Bigger Picture

The Percent Payout Review just may be the most useful and important eCOGRA audit report of all.  By viewing this report, you can learn the average payout percentages for a variety of different casino game categories.  These categories include “all games,” “poker games,” “slots games,” and “table games.”  Conducted on a monthly basis, the figures in this particular report display the percentage of total player winnings vs. the amount wagered in a given month.  It should be noted that these numbers represent an average of the payouts and do not determine whether a player will win or lose money.  We will provide some real life examples to show you how these percentages work.

In September of 2009, slots games at Platinum Play Casino paid out at an average percentage of 95.60%.  This basically means that players were paid out $95.60 for every $100 wagered on those games, with the house keeping $4.40.  In the same month, the report indicated that poker games payout at an average of 99.51%.  Why such a big difference?  Well, because slot games are based more on pure luck while poker requires strategy and optimum decisions.  Skilled players who make sound decisions may notice that the payout percentage is either around or above this average.  Bad players are more likely to find that the average is significantly below the reported number.  The point here is that new players should not automatically assume that the return on online poker games is 99.5% as anything could happen.

Conclusion

Checking out the audit reports published by eCOGRA is something that both new and experienced players should consider doing on regular basis.  At the very least, they should review the Percentage Payout Review and base their play on those trends.  If you obtain nothing else from these reports, they will give you the assurance that the games you play at a given casino are safe and fair.

A quick scan of hotels.com shows many recognizable Las Vegas hotels offering rooms for as low as $20/night on weekdays and even $40/night on weekends.  Consequently, The Sahara and Binion’s have closed most or all of their hotel rooms. It was determined that it makes better business sense to close the rooms than offer rates lower than $20/night.

Binion’s has closed all 365 of its hotel rooms and The Sahara has closed two of its three room towers.  The situation at Binion’s seems to be direr since they have also cut 100 jobs and have no plans to re-open the rooms anytime soon.  In addition to the rooms, Binion’s Original Coffee Shop is also closing and keno will no longer be offered.  However, the casino, sports book, and poker room will remain open.

The Sahara hopes to re-open some of its rooms after the lull in demand during the winter months.  A loophole in the law requiring casinos with non-restricted gaming licenses to have hotels allows Binion’s to close their rooms.  Since Binion’s was open before the regulation was approved it can legally close its hotel.

The Sahara will keep the 1,720-room Tangiers Tower open.  When the current owners purchased the iconic Sahara in late 2007 for $331.8 million they probably never envisioned they would have to close rooms as a business strategy.  Closing rooms during non-peak times of the year is not a new concept, but it is a far cry from announced plans to build a new 1,000-room hotel tower. The renovation plans have been tabled for now, but the hope is to revisit them when an economic turnaround occurs.

Creativity is Key

If current economic conditions continue, don’t be surprised to see other establishments follow in the footsteps of Binion’s and the Sahara by closing entire sections of their hotels.  Places like the Tropicana, Hooters, the Stratosphere, and Circus Circus are currently offering rooms for as low as $25/night.  One has to wonder how much lower rooms rates can go before these establishments also determine that it makes more sense to just close some or all of their rooms.

Closing hotel rooms, limiting hired entertainment to weekends, cutting weekday restaurant and lounge hours, and even cutting back on things like the number of free bottles of shampoo are all creative ways that mid-to-low tier hotel-casinos will have to examine the longer this current recession continues.

If you are one of the millions of people that own a smartphone, like the Blackberry or iPhone, you likely use the device to pass the time by playing mobile games. These mobile games have come a long way in recent years, adding impressive graphics and expanded game play. Turns out, they have come all the way to the casino. Several online casinos are now offering mobile versions of their slot machines and poker rooms that you can play free or for the chance to win cash prizes.

How Mobile Casinos Work

Playing at the online casino on your smartphone is the same as playing on your home computer. You download a small software program that enables you to connect to the casino’s games. Once the software is launched, you can access the online casino from anywhere you can get a data connection. The software is free and takes up very little space on your device’s memory. If you want to play for cash, you can set up an account using your debit or credit card on the mobile application as well.

Mobile casinos offer all of the same games and functionality as they would on your computer. However, some of the games may have less quality due to the size of your smartphones screen and its graphic capabilities.

The Advantages of Playing at a Mobile Casino

There are a few advantages to playing at a mobile casino. For one, you can play your favorite poker game or slot machine almost anywhere in the world, so you can pass the time while commuting to work, or on your lunch break. Playing the mobile version also gives you more opportunities to increase your skill. The more you practice, the better your skills will be, and mobile casinos give you unlimited time to practice. In addition, using the casinos software on your smartphone device may be even more secure then playing at home because smartphones are not at high risk for getting a virus or being hacked.

The Disadvantages of Playing at a Mobile Casino

The mobile version of the online casino’s playing software is limited to what your smartphone device is capable of handling. This may make some games not look as good as your use to or not function entirely. In addition, game play on a smartphone device may be difficult to get used too.

If you have a smartphone, give mobile gaming a try. The software download is free and you can test as many as you want.

Red Dog is a form of poker played at many casinos. Red Dog is a popular game because it is based largely on luck and little skill is involved. Poker players who have never played the game before can easily pick it up.

Red Dog is played on a table with up to sixteen players and one dealer. Red Dog is based on a three card game, compared to the five card game found at most poker tables. The dealer deals two cards face up to the table. It is the player’s job to then bet if the third card will fall between the values of the two cards already placed on the table.

Red Dog moves very quickly, and if a player is lucky it is an easy game to accumulate winnings in.

How Do I Play Red Dog?

Before the game is started all players who wish to be in that round of Red Dog must place an Ante bet. This Ante bet qualifies the player for the round. There is often a minimum, and occasionally a maximum, set by the casino.

Once every player has placed an Ante bet the dealer will deal two cards face up. These two cards will display a range that the third card must fall within.

The player then has the option to bet or fold based on the two cards on the table. If the players chooses to fold the Ante bet is lost. If a player wishes to continue they must raise his or her Ante bet.

Once all Ante bets are raised the dealer will place the third card face down on the table. If the third card falls within the range of the first two cards the player wins. If the third card is higher or lower then the first two cards dealt, the house wins.

Every card in the deck has a value similar to standard five card poker hands. Face cards are worth their face value. From there the cards are worth an ascending value with Jacks being eleven, Queens being 12, Kings being 13, and Aces being 14.

How Does Betting Work in Red Dog?

Betting in Red Dog is similar to most poker games. Every player is required to place an Ante bet within the casino’s pre-set minimum and maximum amounts.

Players who choose to stay in the game after the first two cards are dealt must raise their Ante bet once to stay in the hand. Often, players are allowed to raise their Ante bet as high as they wish, but most casinos still require a minimum amount.

In Red Dog the odds of winning are highly based on the first two cards dealt by the dealer. If the two cards are similar in face value, the odds are low for the players and high for the house. If the two cards have a difference of seven or more the odds are greatly in favor of the players.

The Stratosphere casino, located on the Las Vegas strip, will be hosting a poker tournament in remembrance of Dale Earnhardt with Dale Earnhardt related prizes. In addition to several exciting games of poker, several famous NASCAR drivers will be in attendance, and some of the tournament’s proceeds will go to the Dale Earnhardt Foundation, a charitable organization that focuses on children and our environment.

Who was Dale Earnhardt?

Dale Earnhardt was a race car driver with more then twenty years racing in NASCAR events and several dozen wins. Earnhardt was one of the most popular NASCAR drivers on the track. In 2001 at the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt died in a car crash in the last of the race.  Dale Earnhardt was also known for his charitable nature and love of children and the environment. Throughout his career, he routinely gave money to organizations that supported education, wildlife foundations, or needy children. After his death, the Dale Earnhardt Foundation was started to continue this charitable movement for education, children, and wildlife programs.

What is the Stratosphere Casino?

The Stratosphere is a large casino resort located on the Las Vegas strip. The Stratosphere casino is 80,000 square feet. There are more then 1,200 slot machines. Several popular games are found on the casino floor like craps, blackjack, and roulette. There is also a large poker room, which hosts no limit poker tournaments on a daily basis.

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament will be held on February 25^th inside the Stratosphere casino. Dale Earnhardt’s son, Kerry Earnhardt, will host the poker tournament. Several other NASCAR drivers are expected to appear including Scott Lagasse Jr, Andy Ponstein, Danny Efland, Aric Almirola, and Eric McClure.

The poker tournament will have a $150 entry fee, which will go to the Dale Earnhardt Foundation. The winner of the tournament will receive $2,500 as well as a package of Dale Earnhardt souvenir merchandise. In addition to monetary prizes, there will be loads of NASCAR related prizes, signed autographs, and a year’s subscription to iRacing.com.

Entry in to the Dale Earnhardt Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament is limited to the first 500 players who sign up. There will also be a special promotional price for the Stratosphere’s hotel during the event. Interested poker players can sign up for the poker tournament on the Stratosphere’s website.