Oct 22 2009

Casino War for Beginners

Casino War is an excellent card game that is based on the childhood game of ” war ” or ” battle “.

War is a game for two or more players and was considered a kids game because it was so easy to play. Using a standard deck of 52 cards, which are divided evenly and placed face down, each player then shows their top card and whoever’s card is highest takes the other cards and places them at the bottom of their deck. This continues until the player whose turn it is has no more cards and is declared the loser. There are more intricate versions and rules but this is the basic premise of the game that Casino War is based on.

Online Casino Wars

This simple card game favored by the younger generations has evolved into an exciting casino and online casino game loved by adults. Casino War is played with six decks, the suites don’t matter, the cards are ranked the same way they are in poker and Aces are always high. Some online casinos use different numbers of decks, and the house advantage increases with the number of decks in play.

Going to War

Whether you are playing at a table or online the dealer will deal a card face up to both you and himself. If your card has the highest value you win and visa versa. However if your cards are equal you can chose to “go to war” with the dealer. By choosing to go to war you will have to match your original bet, if you’re not happy with the risk you will surrender to the dealer and forfeit half of that original bet.
Once you have elected to go to war the dealer will burn three cards then give one to you, burn another three cards and deal one to himself. If this, your second card is higher than the dealers you will win your original bet but if it is lower you will lose both bets. Seeing as you never win your second bet the house advantage when it comes to Casino War is high. Surrendering has a slightly higher advantage for the house, so a player should try not to surrender. At some land based and online casinos a tie after a tie will result in a bonus equal to the original wager.

Types of Bets

There are three different types of bets in Casino War:

The Ante Bet: This is the wager placed on the outcome of the player’s card will be higher than the dealer’s. If the player’s card does top the dealer’s, he/she wins and is paid 1:1.

The Tie Bet : This is the wager placed on the likelihood of the player and the dealer both having cards of the same value. An ante bet must be placed before a tie bet but the values may differ, first so this is usually considered a side bet. The tie bet payout is 10:1.

The Raise Bet : If the first hand does result in a tie the player has the option to raise his/her bet. This is stage of the game is referred to as “going to war”.
A Few Things to Remember

• Make sure you are familiar with the payout system at the specific land or online casino you are playing at.

• If there is no tie, your chances of winning are 50:50, but if the cards do result in a tie, the house gains the advantage.
Although Casino War may seem like a game of pure luck, players with excellent memories can improve their chances of winning but while there may be a place for card counting in the land based casinos this strategy will not work for you online.

Casino War is one of the simplest card games around, and it’s great fun to play. If you’re new to the concept playing a few games of online Casino War will help you hone your skills for when you hit the tables. Enjoy!

By: Sarah Manners


Oct 20 2009

Shifts In Casino Gambling Trends

The internet’s ability to blur boundaries and society’s acceptance of casino gambling and sports betting ultimately shed light on the inconsistencies and loopholes of American gambling laws. From the makeshift sports book stalls in Nevada, most sports betting activities shifted operations and exploited the possibilities of cyberspace in the mid-1990s. At present, there are numerous online gaming sites catering to sports betting and casino gambling based in countries like Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Ireland.

Despite overseas-based operations, the lion’s share of the revenues and clients of these sites come from American states. In fact, recent studies show that these online casino gambling and sports betting sites earn more than legal casinos operating in Nevada. The profits of online gambling and betting sites are estimated at $70 billion for 2005 alone. This is a staggering amount compared to the reported $2 billion from Nevada casinos. This is enough to overthrow the three-decade reign of Nevada casinos from the 60’s to the early 90’s. Considering that sports book and casino sites have been operating for less than two decades, they are clearly a threat to the thriving Nevada gambling scene.

For decades, Las Vegas is the only place legal for gambling operations. Atlantic City followed suit and made casino gambling legal; the following decades saw the proliferation of state lotteries, card clubs, gaming ships, Indian casinos, and off-track betting salons across the nation. But still, these developments are not enough to compete with online gambling. The industry of online gambling is not even swayed by staunch opposition from legal US casinos. The gambling laws of the United States of America do not help, too. They vary widely from the different states. Most states ban all forms of gambling while some make exceptions. Inconsistencies like these make it easy for online operators to find and use loopholes in the law. The American Gaming Association maintains a defensive stand regarding online gambling. The association pushes for federal laws on the regulation of online gambling. According to them, the unregulated nature of the online gambling industry is its advantage over traditional casinos; regulating it puts both camps on even footing.

But despite this stand, some Nevada casinos are following the old stand-by : if you cannot beat them, join them. November 1998 saw the start of a new trend; traditional casinos started acquiring off-shore online casino gambling companies to improve their profits. An affiliate of the Hilton Hotels absorbed the Australian sports book Centrebet.com. Other Nevada casinos followed and this cycle again spawned a new barrage of debates.

Contrary to their earlier dislike of the online gambling industry, the traditional casinos set their sights higher. They are now pressuring the Congress to pass a law that legalizes online gambling. This is done in an effort to lower production costs; legalization means that they could now shift their operations in the US. Harrah’s and MGM Mirage, the two leading casinos in Nevada and undoubtedly owning their own online gambling sites, lead the casinos in requesting for the regulation of online gaming. Clearly, this move requesting for regulation does not intend to put traditional casinos at par with online sites anymore. The competition shifted between independent online sites and Nevada casino-owned sites. A move to regulate translates to double profits for the Nevada casinos.

Whatever comes out of this new development in casino gambling, gamers are still assured of their gambling fix. Possibly, if the proposed regulation is approved, there would be more security in betting online since it is now under US laws. Like before, casino gambling proves itself to be a dynamic and ever-changing industry.

By: Earl Talbot


Oct 19 2009

New Casino Bonus Hunting Strategy

Online Casino Bonus Hunting Strategy In Old Day

The basic premise is simple. You deposit money in an online casino account – for example $100. The casino you signed up at will give you an equal bonus of $100, and your account now jumps up to $200. The casino requires you to play a certain amount before you can withdraw your funds. We call this the ” wagering requirement “, which you’ll find on the Terms and Conditions page of each online casino. Let’s say that at a particular casino you have to wager the amount of your deposit and the bonus money combined multiplied by 12 before you can withdraw any money from your account. Using the above example figures, this means you must place a total of $200 X 12 = $2,400 in bets before you can withdraw any funds. If it exists, wagering requirement is strictly enforced in all online casinos. If you withdraw any funds prior to meeting this requirement, you will usually lose the full amount of the bonus and any winnings from your play.

Best Online Casino Bonus Hunting Strategy Nowadays

Few years ago many bonus hunters would make a few low-risk wagers, let’s say $1/hand in a blackjack table, and then withdraw the bonus plus the deposit after the wager requirement is achieved. It was an easy and sure way to make a profit, but it usually takes more than 8 hours of playing. Also, today most online casinos develop methods to stop people from hunting their bonus, such as by greatly increasing the wagering requirement and introducing “sticky” bonuses ( these “sticky” bonuses cannot be withdrawn; you can only withdraw your deposit and your winnings ).

Does this mean the casino bonus hunting method is dead ? Not at all. If you follow our method, you could still make a killing from online casinos.

First, you need to know the basic blackjack strategy. ( e.g. when to hit, stand, and double down ). Next, deposit $100 and you will receive a free $100 sticky bonus ( now you have $200 in your account ). Enter a single hand blackjack table and start wagering $3. If you win, start a new hand with the same amount. If you lose that hand, double your wager ($6 now), and so on. Since most of the casino set their blackjack table’s limit to $100, you can only double your wager 5 times.

As blackjack is one of the quickest games in casinos, after 15 to 20 minutes of playing without losing all six consecutive hands, you should win around $200, and the wagering requirement will almost be achieved and you can cash out ( wager requirement is pretty low with sticky bonus ). You might think this strategy is pretty simple, and that’s the beauty of it; it works, and works amazingly well with you having to do minimal mental work, winning in a short amount of time. Only one out of four times would we lose six consecutive hands before winning $200.

By: Tracy Ma