Whether you want to play online or offline, the wide array of games available can be bewildering. Do you want to play slots or table games? Do you want games that are fun on their own, pay out regularly or have the best odds of winning? Here are a few questions to ask yourself so you can pick the right casino games for your personality.

What Is Your Bankroll?

The size of what you’re willing and able to risk can be a reflection of your personality. People who are risk averse tend to have smaller bankrolls. If you don’t have much money on hand, you can’t play the more expensive games. However, you’re at risk of playing games that seem inexpensive that aren’t; penny slots is the one we’re going to warn against here. The solution here is finding websites or gambling venues that have lower minimum bets. You can also look for slots that offer free bonus rounds, since these extend your game play.

Are You an Introvert or Extrovert?

If you are an introvert, playing with a lot of strangers is unnerving. If you’re a loner, you won’t want to play social casino games. For people like these, slot machines and video poker are your best options. You can play free slots first before you visit a casino and commit money. Another option is finding games that give you free spins so you can see what you think.

If you enjoy being around other people, then table games are your best choice. This includes, but isn’t limited to roulette, craps, poker and blackjack. Each game has its own clientele, so find a group you fit in with. When you are risk averse, you can minimise your overall losses by choosing blackjack variations that have the highest return-to-player percentage.

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Poker is one of the most popular games you can play at a casino, but one variant stands head and shoulders above the others — Texas No-Limit Hold’em.

The game has boomed in recent years, with mainstream television coverage helping to take Hold’em to a much wider audience than had previously been the case.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is widely viewed as the pinnacle of the game, with the annual tournament attracting players from around the world to Las Vegas.

Its origins date back to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament.

Fast forward to the 49th annual tournament in 2018 and there were a record 78 events where players could win a coveted WSOP bracelet and huge cash sums.

Each year the WSOP culminates with the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em ‘Main Event’, which since 2004 has attracted entrants numbering in the thousands. The winner of the event is considered to be the World Champion of Poker.

Many amateur players check the best poker bonuses in the run up to the WSOP in order to build up their bankroll with a view to booking their place in what would be the trip of a lifetime.

The winners in 2003 and 2004, Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, both qualified for the main event through online satellite tournaments, while 2007 winner Jerry Yang had only been playing poker for two years prior to his victory.

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Poker is one of the old games that used to be played by many. The look of casinos was smoky and dull. People used to take out time to go to a casino and play poker. After the 2000s internet happens and the whole scene of live games changed. The same thing happened with poker. Online casinos were made and an employee from Tennessee highlighted poker to primetime. In the early 2000s people used to play poker on online chat rooms and many small poker sites. After 2003 people started taking poker seriously and online casinos was reinvented as what you can see now.

Poker is one of the casino games in which luck and skill are very much required than any other. You can either win big in poker or lose everything you bet on. Many people are inspired by playing poker on online casinos. These online casinos give the players exactly the same feeling as you are playing in a live casino.

The rules and format of playing poker in an online casino are quite identical. However playing poker Wisegambler new casinos online is quite faster. Online poker involves less risk than playing live as well. Another benefit of playing poker in an online casino is that it is quite accessible. Whether you are at a party or at home just get online and start playing according to your mood.

Well, if we look at the drawbacks of poker in an online casino then we can say that you are not sure about the person you are playing with. Here comes the trust factor, you cannot see the face of the person you are playing with. Initially, it feels awkward and difficult to play like this, but with time one gets used to it.

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Of all the casino games played the one that stands out is poker because it more than any other game requires skill as well as that little bit of luck. It has that air of excitement as you put your wits against other players and many make a full time living out of playing poker for a living with huge jackpots available in the many tournaments that take place on a regular basis. Films like Casino Royale inspired many filmgoers to try their hand and there has always been a certain cool image projected by the ability to play well and come out a winner.

The greatest change to poker was made when online casinos were introduced and particularly when there were live lounges with dealers in actual time able to make you feel you were actually there with the same chance of winning you would have at any bricks and mortar casino. In fact in most cases more chance as you can concentrate better in the comfort of your own home without any distractions and not feeling rushed. You only have to put poker tournaments online into a search engine to see how many are constantly available, although there is no need for large bets as most of the casinos welcome all players, not just high rollers. The dealers also are very professional, you soon forget you are not actually in the room and they are usually very attractive with even nude dealers being available through certain websites.

The many online casinos vary in their priority as to who they wish to attract, for example, ones that do sports betting, or predominantly slots, are different to ones that concentrate on table games like poker, craps, blackjack, and roulette. The best ones for poker are sites like https://www.slotsino.co.uk that offer all the variants including the live option and are set up to provide a fast professional service with instant access and a first class customer service. Also, take into account the currencies that are accepted for deposit and withdrawal, Bitcoin being the one we would recommend due to its many advantages like instant transfer and anonymity among others. Poker players are some of the best reviewers as they understand how the casino works and the reviews they put online are normally true and worth taking note of.

There is much bonus offers available and they vary considerably, they are all there to attract new players and hold on to their regulars and some are certainly worth taking advantage of, however always make sure that you read the terms and conditions as they can affect whether you are a winner or a loser. Anyone who has never played poker before, make sure you understand the rules and how to play confidently and much advice is available online as to how to play and some sites offer free playing in order to practice before playing for money.

Once you start playing poker you soon realize what a great game it is and it can provide many hours of entertainment.

Which do you think is better to gamble with, regular currency or cryptocurrency? Everyone knows novelty is key if you’re trying to stand out in a saturated market. You want potential customers to feel as though they get a unique experience at your site and, with the recent proliferation of cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, the connection seems obvious. Start a casino which accepts cryptocurrencies and you’ll soon see your market share shoot up. The novelty is certain to wear off but if the cryptocurrency boom continues, you’ll be in a strong position in a few years as one of the first to adopt this new technology.

The logic is reasonably sound, but the question is: Are cryptocurrencies ready to be the prime currency for online gambling?

There are opposing viewpoints, with one of the core elements being security. If you’re playing a casino game online, be it slots, blackjack or anything else, you want to know that your money is secure and that you can get the money out afterwards. With the standard online casino, the process is fairly well understood – you deposit funds in a secure wallet for the site from your bank, you gamble with that money and once you win they transfer the funds back in. The downside to this method, as secure as it is, is that the transfer can be slow. Some transfers can take up to seven days to clear.

The contrast is that cryptocurrencies enable a far faster speed of transfer. As the currency is already digital, having it processed between your account and the casinos can happen in minutes and means any win you make can be with you in a matter of moments. But this speed brings its own assortment of problems. As the money is entirely digital and there’s no central bank behind it, if you find yourself ripped off by a rogue casino, you have no chance of ever seeing your money again. This is compounded by the fact that cryptocurrency has recently been exposed as being not as secure as previously believed with heists occurring all too frequently. The trade-off for speed versus security is a fairly simple one and makes it pretty obvious what you should bet on; slow and steady wins the race after all.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of the pros and cons of both, read on and check out this infographic.

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Casinos aren’t really renowned for being small, cozy affairs.

Which is probably why so many of the most expensive buildings on the planet are directly tied to them.

Whether you’ve come to play poker, slots or blackjack, the casino industry has a tendency to splash cash on extravagance, it’s extremely common to find excellent casinos used as key features in integrated resorts with well known brands like MGM and Caesar’s being prime examples. This trend is so common that recent worldwide expansions have helped casinos to break into the burgeoning market of Japan and raised eyebrows when plans were made to open in Dubai without the casino elements included.

While brick-and-mortar casinos are lavish and remain extremely popular, online casinos that also offer the likes of poker, slots and online blackjack are growing in popularity year after year.

This integration has meant that, by pure co-incidence, the most expensive casinos in the world are also generally the most expensive buildings with only a few exceptions like the Abraj Al Bait in Saudi Arabia and the Apple Campus 2 in California. If you’re curious about the rest, just check out this infographic! It goes over the costs and general specification of each building as well as an idea of just how big the casino itself is.

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Similarities between online slots and video poker (VP) are quite obvious and when someone looks at video poker for the first time, it is easy to mistake it for just another slot game. In truth though, VP and slot games are not one and the same. To clear the confusion up somewhat, let’s take a closer look at some of the key differences between the two next.

(Image: Pixabay)

Skill

The skill level symbolizes the ability of the player to affect the final outcome of the casino game. Slots are meant to be relaxing and fun games that can be enjoyed by just about anybody, so there’s no real input that the player can provide here, therefore skill is of little consequence in the final outcome of the game. Poker on the other hand, is a game of skill, experience, strategy, and a bit of luck that a lot of people play professionally. This holds true in the case of video poker and online poker as well, since at its core, it’s still poker.

Bigger Prizes

It’s not that poker players win any less money than slots players, because those that are good at it and play on a regular basis will in fact win a lot more. However, authentic slot games will eventually give out a bigger jackpot than the average poker game because of a system called progressive jackpot. What this means is that slot machines are mostly progressive in nature, where the potential jackpot amount continues to grow bigger every day until someone wins it, at which point, the jackpot amount is reset to the original amount. This is why it is always a better idea to play at machines which have not cleared out in a while.

Relaxation Vs. Competition

Slots are meant to relax the player and it’s a true game of chance while poker is a test of skill and one’s ability to mask emotions. Although it’s unfair to compare the two since both are meant for different type of players and different moods, slot games are definitely more relaxing than poker games. If you are looking for a bit of fun and relaxation, coupled with a chance to win big, slots are the way to go, because poker games are extremely competitive and often high stakes.

Which One is Right for You?

You won’t really have to choose one over the other here because video poker and slot games may look similar, but they are not and there’s no competition between the two. As mentioned earlier, play a few rounds of slot games online or in a casino if you are in the mood to have some fun and enjoy yourself without taxing your brain. There’s nothing stopping you from playing a few rounds of poker afterwards either, but just make sure that you really know how to play the game and that goes beyond knowing just the basic rules of poker. If you are serious about playing poker, consider practicing and consulting strategies from experienced players first.

Are you completely ‘sports mad’? If so, there’s a relatively new phenomenon taking over the online gaming world that allows you to enjoy sports matches, even when they aren’t actually happening! Popular sites like Caesars Casino Online now offer their visitors the chance to bet on their favorite sports, without having to worry about waiting for match day, or half time to be over to find out the result. Today, we’re revealing a little more about the new trend and running through where to try it for yourself.

What are online virtual sports?

Online virtual sports allow lovers of sport and electronic entertainment to participate in entirely online leagues, featuring your old favorites or fictional teams competing to become champions. Everything is set up as it would be down your local betting shop, only without having to venture outside! Each virtual team and individual comes with their own specific stats, ranging from their height and their goal scoring record, to their win/loss ratio or their average speeds. This allows you to brush up on their expertise and to make informed decisions before you make a wager. Rather than having to wait the full 90 minutes or the length of a race for a result, the outcome is decided by a random number generator (RNG), which takes into account the skills of the players/ animals on the field or track. As a fun added dimension, you’ll get to watch a computer-generated highlights reel of the action, which keeps things interesting and gives you a taste of the delicious tension you feel while watching a real-life sports match or race!

Best places to play?

If you’re looking to dive into the world of online sports, your best bet is trusty favorites, Caesars Casino. In addition to virtual soccer you can also try your hand at a range of virtual racing options including car and motorcycle racing, horse and greyhound racing. All the excitement of the track – without any potential for rain!

Online gambling has been constantly growing over the years thanks to its numerous pros. For example, players don’t need to spend lots of cash on traveling and accommodation as online gambling is available from the comfort of their home. Moreover, this market is very competitive and therefore operators often attract users with massive bonus offers and rich game selection.

(Image: iTunes)

As a result, when you join any reputable UK online casino, you can expect top-notch service and many gambling options. As gambling sites collaborate with several game developers, their game menus commonly offer picks for all types of players such as slots, table games and video poker. However, online poker is often featured under a separated tab or even on an entirely different website.

This may be confusing to inexperienced players as they cannot understand the difference between online poker and online video poker. Well, this is the perfect opportunity to learn it.

Online Poker Explained

Let’s start with online poker first. Online poker is literally poker as we know it, just played online. In other words, players must register with an online poker operator, make a deposit in order to join a particular game and then take a seat at a virtual table (if there’s a free one). The objective on online poker is to beat other players, who are playing against you in real time.

Online poker games often feature several players and require certain buy-ins from those that want to take part. Also, operators often organize online poker tournaments with massive prize pools. So, the cards are dealt by the online poker software, while players get to decide what their next move is going to be; the options are standard and include calling, raising or folding. Online poker is offered in various variations, with Texas Hold’em and traditional Omaha probably being the most popular ones.

It should be noted that online poker sessions usually take place in virtual poker rooms, whereas video poker is featured among the casino games.

Online Video Poker Guide

Those that have played video poker know that this game is a mix between poker and slot machines. Namely, the player plays against the software, rather than against other players. Therefore, video poker is considered an individual game, which doesn’t require spotting bluffing or trying to figure out other players’ strategies. On video poker you simply choose the variant and then play alone.

For better illustration, a session of online video poker would go as it follows. The player first registers with an online casino operator and then finds the desired video poker variant; there are tens of those such as All American, Joker Poker and Deuces Wild.

Once the game is selected, it is quickly loaded, and the player gets to select betting size before hitting the “Deal” button. This starts the game and the software deals five face up cards to the player, who then decides which cards to be kept and which to discard. All discarded cards are replaced with new ones and the game ends with or without a winning combination.

For the untrained eye, bluffing in poker could be considered the foundation of the game. While it is surely one of the most exciting part of it, it shouldn’t be the sole concern, and definitely not something to be overused. More experienced players know better than that but it is still important for them to know when to make use of this tool. Better yet – how to spot the bluffers among your opposition.

Photo by Santeri Viinamäki

The biggest dedicated portals like pokernews.com contain a lot of adequate helping material on virtually anything regarding how you can improve your skills. A substantial amount of presented content, perhaps on any given web page, in one way or another covers the art of bluffing. And just like art, the approach should be fine and delicate. Used more often as a defensive mechanism rather than an offensive weapon.

Although you cannot always be 100 percent sure, there are some indications and behavioral tendencies that could be helpful in determining when people are much less likely to be trying to get their hands on the pot by scaring you off. First of all, certain states of mind or psychical conditions are making it hard for us to go and try some tricks on top of the usual gameplay. For example, when extremely tired at the table all of our powers are focused on keeping in the game and waiting for something good to happen, rather than figuring out strategies. The same goes for agitation and excitement which are the signs of strength, not uncertainty.

Then there are the ones who want you to think in a specific way. They could be presenting themselves as if they are brooding over their options very hard, taking deep breaths or sighing. Excessive talking is likely to mean trouble as well, regardless if the undertone is supposed to discourage you from calling, or otherwise. There is a chance of course, this is an elaborated scheme to mess with your perception, but as a principle frightened people don’t tend to use many words. It’s a little bit different at pre-flop, when players are usually focused on their play rather than socializing, and talkers can be pegged as bluffers very quick in this situation.

Being cautious is an easier strategy – whenever in doubt you can just fold and at least you’re still in the game. However, clearly you cannot afford to be pushed off all the time. Besides, there is nothing better than catching an aggressive bettor in a compromising position. Apart from situations when you have great hand, or it’s obvious your adversary is up against the wall, spotting the bluff can be tough. The best way to tackle this issue is getting better at reading people’s emotions and recognizing tells. There is a wild variety of mannerisms and little movements that could reveals our true intentions. Many of them are involuntary, so even if we try it could be hard to control every last one of them. Plus, some players have individual tells, so figuring that out can do a lot of damage. Other than that, there is no golden rule for getting it right each time. Among other things, the basic indicators of players with weak hands trying to deceive the opposition include: tension, nervousness, nail biting, fake smiles, intensive stares, eye movements, covering mouth and eyes, or unnatural speech.

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For most of us, playing poker is more of a hobby than a career. Sure, you can make some solid cash playing online against fish or, if lucky enough, in the odd live tournament. We should always be looking to improve our game of course, but even at our best we are not likely to be taking home seven-figure sums from a big tournament any time soon.

But, what of those that have mastered the art of poker? What is the current state of play at the top of the rankings? Below are the current top 5 in the Global Poker Index rankings, with a brief snapshot of each player:

Adrián Mateos

The majority of us still aren’t even able to tie our shoelaces by the time we are 23-years-old, whereas Mateos has earned in excess of $13,000,000 from live poker tournaments. He has three Word Series of Poker bracelets, two Finals tables on the World Poker Tour and one win on the European Poker Tour. If he stays at the top of his game, it is scary to think how much he could eventually earn.

Justin Bonomo

A relative veteran in comparison to Mateos, Bonomo has earned in excess of £20,000,000. That puts him in 14^th place in the all-time rankings of poker earnings. Not bad for a 32-year-old. He came to prominence back in 2005, when coming fourth in the EPT French Open. He is also noted for winning at EPT Monte Carlo in 2012, with the final table reading like a who’s who of poker greats, including Daniel Negranu and Johnathan Duhamel.

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It is no secret; the global online poker industry has been in decline for several years. There is a magnitude of reasons for this downturn in play, from the introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the USA to the emergence of ring-fenced markets, all of which has turned players away from the game.

But online poker operators have not given up, and in recent months have introduced exciting new game formats aimed at attracting a new generation of players. What’s more, these new formats have been designed with smartphone users front of mind, and are faster and easier to play than classic Texas Hold ‘em.

The state of play

While the online casino sector has been on a major upwards growth trajectory over the past few years, online poker play has been in decline during the same period. In addition to the factors mentioned above, another major cause is the rise in other digital entertainment options.

This includes video streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Netflix, as well as video and mobile games, and social networks – all of which can be consumed on smartphones and tablets. These alternatives are enticing players away from poker with quick thrills and high-quality entertainment. They are changing player expectations, too.

Smartphones have significantly impacted every industry on the planet, and online gaming is no exception. Players now expect simple games with fast-paced action they can access on mobile. They want to be able to get their phone out on a train or while waiting in a line to squeeze in a couple of games when they have some time to kill.

This is one of the reasons why online casino, and specifically slots play, has seen a huge uptick in participation. Games can be played in a matter of seconds instead of minutes and hours.

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Longtime poker and gambling writer Sean Chaffin has partnered with PokerNews.com to produce a new show for the site’s expanding number of unique podcasts. The new show will be titled True Gambling Stories and debut on the PokerNews Podcasting Network on Jan. 31.

From the bright lights of glittering Las Vegas to Old West gambling saloons, “True Gambling Stories” brings listeners some insight into gambling’s great stories and lore. This audible experience includes plenty of cards, cash, dice, and the occasional six-shooter.

“As a contributor to PokerNews for almost a year, I am thrilled with this new podcast and think poker and gambling fans alike will really enjoy it,” Chaffin said. “The show will be similar to some of those really cool true crime podcasts, but with a gambling twist. It will be in a narrative story format and focus on a single tale from gambling or poker’s past.”

The first show will focus on an amazing and legendary craps roll in downtown Las Vegas from the 1980s.

“It’s such an amazing tale of one man’s mystical roll at the tables with some really big bucks won,” Chaffin said. “We really try to get behind the scenes and weave a cool story from this crazy night.”

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It’s 2018 and poker is changing. Well actually, depending on when you’re reading this, it still could be 2017, but 2018 is essentially here, and a flip of calendar brings with it something old and something new.

Here’s a quick rundown of what we expect to see more of in poker in 2018, as a continuation of what emerged in 2017:

Year of the Vlogger

Some of our autocorrects still haven’t learned that the term “vlogger” isn’t a typo for “blogger.” But poker fans can tell you one of these terms really has replaced the other. And much to our delight, Pokerati friend and former podcast partner Andrew Neeme is setting the bar.

His videos, which began only a year ago and come out at a clip of about two a week, have led his YouTube channel to reach more than 75,000 subscribers and generate regularly more than 200,000 weekly views. Combine his numbers with other popular vloggers such as Doug Polk and “The Trooper” and poker vloggers in 2017 got more dedicated eyeball time from people who care about poker than FoxSports and ESPN.

No wonder online poker sites that sponsor live tournaments like 888poker are inviting these guys to play in their events across the world. In Las Vegas casinos, Neeme and fellow vlogger Brad Owen host a MUG – their term for “meet up game” – where their audience joins them at the tables for some drinky, low-ish stakes games. Earlier this month, their game was $2/$3 NLH at Westgate Las Vegas, and supposedly at one point the wait list to get in on the game stood at 33 players.

With so many people in 2017 seeing what the best of these vloggers can do, we only expect their significance to grow in 2018.

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There’s no secret that we live in a digital age. People want to be able to access information, converse with friends, shop, and be entertained all while on the go from the convenience of their smart device. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that people now turn to their smartphone in order to enjoy online gambling any time the mood strikes. In fact, online gambling has become such a phenomenon that by the year 2018 it is expected that more than 164 million people worldwide will be taking part in it.

So, what exactly do these online casinos offer players? What is capturing the attention of so many players and causing the numbers to steadily increase? Well there are a number of factors in play, all of which entice people to join the fun and give it a try.

Convenience and Ease-of-Use

If you’re looking for the top reason that more players than ever before are opting for online casino games, it’s got to be the convenience and ease-of-use factor. There is no longer a need to drive to a physical casino, of which there may be none near you. As well, you don’t have to worry about the hours of business.

With online casinos you have access whenever you want and wherever you want. If you want to just play a couple of quick games, you can do that. Then again if you’ve got a couple of hours available to sit on the couch and relax, then you can also log on for that long.

These casino websites have also been designed to be extremely user-friendly. There is no need to be some sort of techie genius, or a casino whiz for that matter in order to play the games. You’ll find everything from the standard casino games such as slot machines, all the way to the table card games like roulette and poker.

Incredible Sign-Up Bonuses and Promotions

Of course, these websites are also smart in that they realise they can make the pot a little sweeter by offering all kinds of great deals for first-time and returning players. Players are enticed to play and join the action through deposit bonuses, sign up bonuses, cashback offers, free spins, and plenty more. Even more recently these online casinos have started to offer a dedicated live casino bonus, just to provide that extra bit of fun.

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