Online Casino Gambling

Realtime Gaming is an online casino software developer that does not usually change its online slot game features that often. However, on occasion the company will develop and release an innovative feature that eventually becomes part of their mainstream slot games. One example of this is their Win-Win feature.

The Win-Win function fulfills a major gap that exists in online slot games today. Most consistent online slot players are aware they will lose money during regular spins and make it back or show a net profit once the free spins bonus round is activated. During the free spins rounds, players do not have to place a wager and therefore generate nothing but profit. Unfortunately these rounds are not triggered often.

Similar to regular spins, winning during a free spin is random. Therefore, payouts are not guaranteed during free spins, no matter the quantity. As a result, most online slot players are quite disappointed when they do not win during a free spin round. Realtime Gaming has developed a way for the player to win even if they lose.

The feature works in the following manner. Before the next spin, to activate the Win-Win feature, the player must wager with all paylines activated. This feature is then automatically triggered following the end of a free spins round if the payouts are 10 times the original wager or less. If this is the case, the player is compensated as follows:

• No payout equates to 200 times the triggering bet
• Payout is less than or equal to 2 times the bet equates to a payout of 20 times the wager
• Payout 2 times the bet but less than or equal to 5 times the bet is 10 times the wager
• Payout between 5 and 10 times the bet equates to a payout of 5 times the wager

The first slot game to use this feature was Hockey Hero, a hockey-themed game. The game consisted of 25 paylines with a fixed 1 coin wager per line for a maximum wager of 25 coins. Therefore, in this game the Win-Win feature is triggered by payouts less than 250 coins.

This is an excellent feature to add more excitement to online slot games while enticing additional customers to play. Due to the initial success of this slot game function, Win-Win has become a mainstream feature at all of Realtime Gaming’s online casinos.

Card counting in the casino game of blackjack is solely used for the manipulation of the wagering pattern to exploit the information on the cards. In other words, it is a practiced and developed skill blackjack players use to their advantage to track various cards in a deck giving them a larger edge over the casino. As a result, this practice is banned at all casinos.

When using card counting in blackjack to manipulate betting patterns, there are three parameters players must remember:

• Running count (R)
• Side count (X)
• Balance number of decks in the shoe (D)

The true count of cards is adjusted based on the formula: (R + X) / D. The result is a factor that helps the player decide how to deviate from the typical blackjack strategy. Therefore, the larger the count, the more beneficial the deviation is for the player. Variables R and X take on positive and negative values which combine to determine whether the true count is positive or negative. This is a direct result of the distribution of cards within the shoe.

The most critical parameter for determining the size of the true count is D. A small number for D results in a large true count while a large value equates to a small true count value. D is indicative of the rules set forth by the casino which communicates to the player where the card counting skill will be useful.

One of the primary factors in determining D is the total number of decks used. The second factor of significance is penetration which is the percentage of all cards from the dealing shoe prior to the shoe being exhausted. For example, if all cards in the shoe are dealt, then the penetration is 100 percent with the D factor being close to 0.

The aforementioned true count is utilized in two ways. The first method is a mathematical formula known as the “Kelly Criterion” which determines the overall percentage of bankroll remaining to be wagered based on the calculated true count value. The other method is to use the typical blackjack strategy which reflects the true count.

Card counting for blackjack can be difficult to learn and even more difficult to master. You also must factor in that casino surveillance is under constant scrutiny of all players betting patterns, therefore it is important to not deviate from normal blackjack play. However if you can master this combination, a great deal of money can be made.

Love is in the air across the globe. With Valentine’s Day approaching, many online gaming software providers have announced their newest themed slot game. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of the most basic human emotion: love. Therefore, software developers have devised a way to encompass all that is Valentine’ Day into a slot game. Since the symbols of love and romance vary, software developers have a variety of content to work with.

As with most themed slot games, Microgaming leads the pack with regards to Valentine’s Day games. Each year the software development company releases a new Valentine’s Day variant. Like most of their games, the Valentine’s Day versions exude delicateness and elegance. Some of the most popular past titles include, “Burning Desire” and “Love Potions.” This year the company has created “Queen of Hearts” which is scheduled to be available starting February 7^th.

Another Valentine’s Day themed slot game Microgaming will soon be releasing is “Secret Admirer.” The clip at the beginning of the game shows Cupid shooting his arrow through a heart breaking it into a shower of rose petals. The actual game consists of the following recognizable symbols:

• Mask hiding the secret admirer – wild symbol
• Diamond ring – Scatter symbol
• “Secret Admirer” heart-shaped logo
• Heart-shaped wreath
• Perfume dispenser
• Rose
• Brooch

The game features are fairly standard with a free spins bonus game and the Microgaming gamble game. This game is available at all Microgaming-powered casinos like Royal Vegas, the Gaming Club and the Blackjack Ballroom.

Another major Valentine’s Day release is by Vegas Technology with their slot game “Cupid’s Arrow.” The game is of excellent quality and features the following Valentine’s Day symbols:

• Cupid – wild symbol
• Heart – bonus payouts
• Kiss
• Chocolates
• Roses
• Valentine’s Day card
• Ring
• Teddy bear
• Lovers
• Balloon

A nice feature of “Cupids Arrow” is that all symbols are animated when winning combinations are triggered. This makes the screen extremely active after the reels stop spinning. “Cupid’s Arrow” is available Slot Galore, VIP Slots and Grand Vegas casino.

The final Valentine’s Day-themed release is “Love Bugs” from Cryptologic. This version adds the twist of a comic angle. The main plot of the game revolves around Love Bug and Lady Bug’s love as they display antics on the reels. The symbols on the reels include:

• Perfume
• Ring
• Violin
• Chocolates
• Necklace
• Champagne
• Love letter
• Flowers

There are many online gaming software providers that have created romance-based games but none that are specifically geared toward Valentine’s Day. If you are in the mood for love, romance and slots, any one of these games will fulfill your needs.

One of the fasted-growing economies in the world is Southeast Asia. It is also one of the fastest growing areas for online gambling. There are legal issues with online gaming in some areas but this has been the norm since the industry’s existence. As a result, online gaming providers are targeting Asian customers to increase their market share of this location. There are different approaches being taken by different companies to target this demographic.

Many gaming companies are taking the direct approach by launching online casinos that cater specifically to that market. For instance, Bodog has done an excellent job of this by partnering with Manila-based betting firm, Haydock Sports to launch Bodog88.com. Haydock has been in the industry since 2006 and is aware of what Asian players want. For example, the culture is more receptive to live dealers as opposed to RNG’s.

Other gaming companies are keeping the casino, the games and betting structure the same but continue to cater to local requirements through multi-lingual customer support and many currencies available. Their software was created in many languages including Japanese and Chinese with deposit and withdrawal options in the currency of that country.

Despite Asian players preferring a live dealer, with many games this is not feasible. To balance this, other games native to that specific area are offered. Almost all online gaming developers offer Pai Gow Poker and Sic Bo. Playtech has taken this a step further by offering an Asian games category that includes Mahjong and Pachinko. Microgaming has recently followed suit.

The subtlest method of attracting Asian customers is by developing online slot games in an Asian theme. These include:

• Samurai and Geisha culture from Japan
• Ancient royalty from India
• Arabian Nights from the Middle East
• Chinese cuisine

Realtime Gaming has found other subtle methods of appealing to the Southeast Asian market. For example, since the number ‘8’ is lucky in the Chinese culture, some of its slot games give payouts ending in 8’s.

The most popular games in this region include, Eastern Dragon by Cryptologic, Cherry Blossoms created by Vegas Technology and Lady of the Orient by Microgaming. These continually attract new customers while retaining the old. Attracting the Asian market should not be an arduous task with many in the region beginning to have disposable income. Online gaming companies simply need to appeal to the tastes of each individual culture.

Commissioners in Clark County, Nevada recently added a new meeting to their usual agenda, one that specifically discusses the issues and regulations of liquor and gaming licenses. Until this point, the Board has held these discussions in the semimonthly meetings in its role as the Clark County Liquor and Gaming Licensing Board. However, Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, the chairman of the licensing board, requested a separate meeting to focus specifically on liquor and gaming.

A Review of Old Issues

These separate meetings will be held on the first or third Tuesday of February, April, July and October of each year, immediately following the regular board meeting. Jacqueline Holloway, Business License Director noted that her staff reviewed previous board meetings in an effort to find topics the group should consider discussing in these new meetings. For instance, a hot topic is distance regulations for liquor and gaming establishments from churches and schools.

The Inaugural Meeting

The inaugural meeting will be held February 1^st, 2011. This first meeting will be especially long due to the backlog of issues that have been pushed off. One issue the board recognizes as being extremely urgent and important is the moratorium on tavern applications to discuss the details of what constitutes a tavern. The county will issue a letter to gaming and liquor-serving organizations to pronounce the new schedule as well as an agenda for the first meeting.

Licenses Continue to be Processed

Despite the global economic crisis that has significantly affected the gaming industry, applications for gaming and liquor licenses continue to be processed as Clark County expands. Although these licenses are with smaller organizations and individual bar owners, the gaming and liquor dispensing industries present new challenges on a daily basis that must be addressed. The discussion of these issues separate from the regular board meetings will help improve the system.

Since the liquor and gaming licensing meeting directly follows the regularly scheduled board meeting, it will simply be a simple extension of time to discuss new developments and issues. The business licensing and liquor departments will not be the only groups that need to discuss specifics. All departments are beginning to concoct lists of previous items that must be addressed in these meetings.

Creating a completely separate meeting for these issues is an excellent idea. It will help the Clark County Liquor and Gaming License Board catch up on items they could not complete in the past. Due to the economic downturn in the United States, this committee is slower than usual so these meetings should improve overall productivity.

Realtime Gaming has been busy developing their latest release, It’s a Mystery. Aside from the mystery-theme that is found throughout the game, it incorporates some of the best slot features created by Realtime Gaming.

The Symbols on the Reels

The numerous components of the mystery are presented as symbols on the reels. A murder occurred at the mansion and a Sherlock Holmes look-alike detective is investigating. The Lord and Lady resemble Colonel Mustard and Miss Scarlet of Clue. The murderer is the butler who is holding a candlestick and blood-soaked cloth. The question mark is the wildcard symbol and when it falls, a body symbol appears.

The Portrait Prize Feature

The Portrait Prize feature is triggered by three or more scatter symbols which are the logo of It’s a Mystery. In the game, a nine piece portrait is shown then shuffled. Those pieces that are selected in the correct position are locked and the others are spun again. The total number of shuffles equates to the number of scatter symbols acquired to trigger the game. At the end of each shuffle, the correct pieces reveal the number of free spins from 5 to 50.

If the entire portrait is selected correctly, bonus credits are awarded to the player. The total reshuffling process can occur between 1 and 6 times. Once the game has ended, the free spins are immediately awarded to the player for use.

The Win-Win Feature

Another interesting function of the game is the Win-Win feature. This compensates the player for losing during the free spins opportunity. If players do not win anything during this time period, they are compensated with a free prize which is 100 times the triggering bet. Players that win less than two times the bet during the free spin will be compensated with 12 times the triggering bet.

The Feature Guarantee

An additional feature is known as the Feature Guarantee which ensures if the scatter symbols cannot trigger the Portrait Prize game for 150 consecutive spins the feature will automatically be activated. There is a small counter that appears on the screen and increase each time the game is not triggered.

It’s a Mystery is currently available at all Realtime Gaming casinos. This is one of the most interesting and fun-to-play games in the online casino industry. With a diversity of features and games, this slot game is sure to keep you busy for awhile.