http://www.virtuacasinos.com Virtua Casinos en-us 266 105 http://www.virtuacasinos.com http://www.virtuacasinos.com/images/logo.gif Online Multi-Hand Blackjack is part of the same family as the classic Blackjack game, which means the rules are theoretically the same, except the fact that the fun, the excitement and the chances to win are up to five times more significant.

Multi-Hand Blackjack is the most interesting game of chance, a game for the pros, played with five standard decks of 52 playing cards. Players can bet on up to five hands, playing them all independently, one after another. The decks are shuffled before each game. The aim is to beat the Dealer's hand by either getting a better hand without exceeding 21, or by the Dealer's hand going bust.

The first thing a player must do when playing multi-hand Blackjack is to decide how many hands he wants to bet on. On multi-hand Blackjack, the dealer must stand at 17. The player who wins with a Blackjack is paid out at odds of 3:2 on his original bet. And if he has taken out insurance against the dealer's Blackjack, the player is paid out at 2:1.

The player decides the hands he wants to bet and the dealer deals out the cards to as many hands as the player has bet on, plus to his own hand. Then, the player plays each of his hand independently, deciding whether to hit or to stand, to split or double down, surrender or buy insurance. The player can bet different amounts of money and he can use different strategies on each hand independently.

As you can see, the multi-hand Blackjack requires a perfect knowledge of the online Blackjack game, permanent concentration and a good strategy as well. The best way to understand the game is to train yourself as much as you can before playing for real money. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/All-About-Online-Multi-Hand-Blackjack.htm According to the official website of the movie, “Hitting The Nuts” is the 'true story' of the annual illegal poker championship in Scott County, Indiana.

'Hitting the nuts: The True Story of the Scott County Series of Poker' only pretends to be about poker. In fact, the story is about “an outrageous group of blue-blooded American misfits who have spent a lot less time hitting the nuts in life…and a lot more time being hit in the nuts by life.”

The movie is a Rebel Pilgrim Production, written and directed by Joe Boyd. Boyd appears in the movie as Amish farmer and poker player, Aezekiel Yoder.

Since the movie's release on DVD on April 15th, the company has sold half of their initial run of DVD's. Joe Boyd, the producer and director, says: “Since last Friday we have sold over half of our initial run of DVDs. Hundreds were pre-ordered and it hasn’t slowed down since our release on the 15th.”

“Hitting the nuts” has already won important awards such as the “Audience Choice Award”at the 2010 Cincinnati Film Festival and the “Best Feature Film” award at the 2011 Derby City Film Festival.
Kristopher Rommel, the Derby City Film Festival Director described the film as: “Perhaps the funniest movie in the history of our film festival”.

When a player “hits the nuts”, it means he cannot lose, because he is holding the best hand possible in that given scenario. The film features a number of funny and interesting characters, such as a returning champion, a busty waitress, a town preacher and a man who idolizes Phil Hellmuth and who never plays the first few hands of the tournament. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Poker-Film-Hitting-The-Nuts-Available-On-DVD.htm People across the world use the internet for a wide range of activities and purposes. According to a Nielsen Company research, people spend 10.2%, up from 9.3%, of their online time playing online games, which puts gaming in second place, right behind the social networking with 22% of time spent.

The Nielsen's research shows a significant growth of the gaming industry, especially in the online gaming area, including casino games, console games, mobile games that require online connectivity in order to play, or other types of browser-based games.

“Because of increasing average Internet speeds and advances in technology, a large number of game genres are now playable online. With these new online gaming options, people are spending a larger share of their online time playing games. Playing video games currently amounts to ten percent of the time spent online by American consumers,” said Pietro Macchiarella, Research Analyst, Parks Associates.

American online gamers spend 906 million hours per month on social networks (22.7%), 407 million on games (10.2%) and 329 million on email (8.3%). The rest of the activities include portals (4.4%), instant messaging (4.0%), videos/movies (3.9%), search (3.5%), software info (3.3%), multi-category entertainment (2.8%) and classified/auctions (2.7%). ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/People-Spend-10%-Of-Their-Online-Time-Playing-Games.htm Peter Fisher, a psychology professor at the University of Regensburg, Germany, has revealed the results of a new study, which took him twenty five years to complete.

The study suggests there is an unquestionable connection between risk talking and risk-glorifying media, including in the following domains: video games, movies, advertising, television and music.

The research was conducted between 1983 and 2009 in the United States and Europe and it incorporated more than 80,000 participants. Most of the subjects were aged between 16 and 24 year-old, but there were a few older and younger participants as well.

“It appears from our meta-analysis that risk-glorifying media has potentially grave consequences, such as innumerable incidences of fatalities, injuries and high economic costs in a broad variety of risk-taking domains, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, gambling and risky sexual behavior,” Fischer said in a statement. “These results support recent lines of research into the relationship between risk taking and the media.”
“There is indeed a reliable connection between exposure to risk-glorifying media content and risk-taking behaviours, cognitions and emotions,” Fischer added.

Professor Fisher showed that 961 young adults who watched movies showing people drinking, were more likely to have alcohol-related problems later in life.

The study also revealed that glorifying big wins in the gambling industry and broadcasting big stake poker tournaments really does attract more players at these events. Advertising is a form of communication which intends to persuade the audience to purchase a certain product, idea or service, or the attempt to convince people to take a certain action. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Risky-Gambling-Linked-To-Media-Exposure.htm The California Institute of Technology has conducted a new scientific research on gamblers. The study showed that people with the so-called “warrior genes” may carry better judgement when confronting with financial risks. The research was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.

The “warrior gene” is a mutation that seems to make players better at risky decisions. The gene variant MAOA-L gives people better judgement when they confront with financial risks (when they play poker games for example).

The study of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, led by Cary Frydman, associated the gene variant with lower production of the enzyme. Frydman analyzed the genes of 83 male volunteers aged between 19 to 27 and focused on three variations with particular emphasis on the MAOL-L “Warrior Gene”.

The 83 volunteers, from different ethnic backgrounds, were asked to perform a financial decision-making task a total of 140 times. Men were asked to choose between a sure option or a risky gamble.
Analysts say that, when faced with a potentially winning gamble, subjects who carried the MAOAL-L genes made the right choice more often than those with MAOA-H genes (subjects with higher levels of the enzyme).

"It shows that risky behaviour is not always counterproductive and it's not always suboptimal," Frydman said. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Gambling-Luck-May-Be-In-Your-Genes.htm The British Medical Association is considering the introduction of the bingo games in hospitals to boost the morale of the patients, to aid their recovery and to reduce the patients' boredom.

According to the BMA, traditional fun games such as bingo and cluedo could speed the recovery and save the NHS's money, beating boredom and keeping patients happy in same time.

Dr. Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's head of science and ethics said:
“What people sometimes forget is that while helping people to feel better during their hospital stay we can reduce their need for painkillers, their likelihood of getting some depression and perhaps not eating enough.”
“All of these things will limit their recovery and if we can speed people's recovery, they have shorter time in hospital, shorter time for the problems of being in hospital and of course save money.”

Dr. Vivienne Nathanson suggested that simple measures such as: making the hospital rooms sunnier, with more natural light and even entertaining patients with music, drama or games, could help patients feel better.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health suggested that healthcare professionals should plan care according to each patient's individual needs “to achieve the best possible clinical outcomes”.

Katherine Murphy of the Patients Association welcomed the BMA's report, hoping that this would serve as a “wake up call to healthcare providers to see the person behind the patient and to treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve... Healthcare professionals must stop treating people as widgets on a production line or a statistic and treat the person as a human being,” she added.

The Salisbury District Hospital in Wiltshire has already experienced this non-conventional technique, providing their patients with individual and group activities, run by volunteers who played card games, arranged bingo games with elderly people and even read the newspaper to them.
A spokesperson from the Salisbury District Hospital said the initiative, that was launched last year, has been so successful that the hospital hopes to extend it to younger patients as well. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Hospitals-Think-Bingo-Can-Boost-The-Morale-Of-Their-Patients.htm Australian Psychological Society has published a new report in which it proves that teenagers in Australia adopt the gambling habits of their parents.

According to the Australian Psychological Society, three out of five 13 to 17-year-old teenagers gamble at least once a year. Moreover, the household exposure to gambling by adults, particularly fathers, increases the risks for children, who are exposed to develop gambling problems in later life.

Associate Professor Paul Delfabbro, co-author to the study, warned that kids can adopt the gambling and sports betting habits of their parents and stated: “All the time they are reminded of the opportunity to gamble and this awareness, in addition to opportunities like at poker machines or betting at the TAB, can pose risks for young people.”

“All the evidence shows that we do what our parents do, and if kids are learning casino-style card games that teach them how to gamble, they will repeat that behaviour elsewhere,” the professor added, claiming that even teaching children how to play card games could normalise gambling among young people.

Paul Delfabbro encourages parents to talk to their children about the risks that are involved in gambling and about the risks and the odds of success.
UnitingCare Wesley spokesman Mark Henley, thinks young people are particularly vulnerable to online gambling and he believes that children should be educated at school about the dangers of gambling, just as they are educated about the risks of sex and drugs.

“Young people are much more tech-savvy than their parents and with online gambling you don't even need to leave the house…. The fact is if parents are gambling in any form, children are more likely to gamble too,” he said. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Australian-Kids-Learn-To-Gamble-Illegally-From-Their-Parents.htm H2 Gambling Capital, the respected UK online gambling monitor has published a report on the gross win in the internet gambling business, which grew by 12.5 percent in 2010.

According to the online gambling monitor, the highest growth rate was represented by the online betting sector, which was up 10.8 percent to $12.1 billion, followed by the online bingo market that had an increase of 28.4 percent to $2.67 billion, and the online casino market with a growth rate of 13.3 percent to $2.67 billion.
The online betting increase was aided by a huge world wide interest in football betting, thanks to the World Cup 2010.

The online poker sector generated the slowest growth rate of all the product verticals. The 7.1 percent growth rate of the online poker market generated a gross win revenue of $5.6 billion.
According to the H2 Gambling Capital, without the French and Italian poker liberalization, that recently opened their markets, the gross win revenue would have actually fallen.

Also, the H2 Gambling Capital report mentions the positive regulatory changes in Belgium, Greece, Denmark and Spain, that would help the online gambling industry to maintain the double digit growth in the coming years.
The mobile gambling is also likely to see a significant growth over the next few years.

In April 2011, the online gambling monitor will release the results and projections for 2011 to 2015.
H2 Gambling Company, located in the United Kingdom, started its business in 2000 and it is the supplier of data and consultancy regarding the gambling industry. The company has developed its own proprietary software of monitoring the online gambling market. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Online-Gambling-Industry-Growth-In-2010.htm Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari - At the age of 19, Esfandiari became a professional magician. His poker career started when he was invited to a game of Texas Hold'em. In 2004, he won his first WSOP bracelet and first WPT title. In 2010, “The Magician” won his second WPT title at the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World for over $870,000.

Barry “Robin Hood of Poker” Greenstein – Barry Greenstein won a number of major events, including 2 WPT titles and 3 WSOP bracelets. He earned his “Robin Hood of Poker” nickname thanks to his incredible generosity. He donated his profit from tournament winnings to charities, being a dedicated sponsor for many children through the Children Incorporated.

Howard "The Professor" Lederer – Lederer is a professional poker player and brother of Annie Duke. He was nicknamed “The Professor” because of his long history of wins. He is the author of an instructional poker video called “Secrets of No Limit Hold'em” and runs the “Howard Lederer Poker Fantasy Camp”, despite the fact that he had never been to college.

Mike "The Mouth" Matusow – Matusow's nickname reflects his reputation of being one of the most aggressive and trash-talking players at the poker table.

Phil “The Unabomber” Laak – Phil Laak is known for wearing hooded sweatshirts and sunglasses at the table, that make him look like the Ted Kaczynski - The Unabomber. He holds a WPT title and one WSOP bracelet.

Tom “durrrr” Dwan – Tom Dwan is an American poker player who regularly plays online in the highest-stakes No-Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha games. He said he adopted this nickname to annoy and throw his opponents off. As of 2010, Dwan's winnings exceed $1,550,000.

Stu “The Kid” Ungar – Stu Ungar was the greatest Texas Hold'em player and a gin rummy legend. He won his first rummy tournament at the age of 10 and he became known as “The Kid”. He was one of the greatest card players of all time, who won the World Series of Poker three times: in 1980, 1981 and 1997.

Gus “The Great Dane” Hansen – Because he is a Danish player. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Famous-Poker-Players-And-How-Did-They-Get-Their-Nicknames
Part-II.htm I'm sure you have often wondered why most of the professional poker players are known by their nicknames, what do their nicknames really mean, or how did they get them? In poker world, earning a nickname is a sign of respect and consideration among other players.
Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Phil “The Poker Brat” Hellmuth, Doyle “ Texas Dolly” Brunson, or Daniel “Kid Poker” Negreanu are just a few of the most known poker nicknames.

Chris “Jesus” Ferguson – The long and dark hair, his beard, his soft-spoken, anger-free manner and his behaviour, make him a great Jesus lookalike.

Phil “The Poker Brat” Hellmuth – He is the 11-time bracelet winner, known for his sarcasm, temperamental personality and for his high level of self-confidence. He usually tries to make his opponents feeling like they were luckier rather than better than him at the table. But, despite his “bad boy” reputation, “The Poker Brat” is known for being one of the most ardent supporters of using his poker talent for charitable works.

Doyle “ Texas Dolly” Brunson – “Texas Dolly” nickname came from a mistake made by Jimmy Snyder, an old road gambler, who mispronounced Doyle Brunson's first name. In Texas Hold'em, there are two poker hands named after him: a ten and a two of any suit (because he won the WSOP No Limit Hold'em event two years in a row with this hand, in both cases completing a full house) and the ace and queen of any suit because, as he confessed in one of his books, he “tries to never play this hand”.

Daniel “Kid Poker” Negreanu – He is one of the most respected players in the world of poker. He earned the “Kid Poker” nickname in 1998, when he became the youngest WSOP bracelet winner in history, at the age of 24. He held this record until 2004. Daniel Negreanu's poker career counts 4 bracelets, 23 WSOP final table appearances, including 2 at the WSOP Europe and 48 money finishes, plus 2 WPT titles. His total live tournament winnings exceed $13,000,000 million.

Johnny “The Orient Express” Chan - In 1981, at the Bob Stupak America's Cup poker tournament, Johnny Chan made it to the final table and knocked out all 9 other players in less than an hour. Johnny Chan has 10 WSOP bracelets and 43 WSOP money finishes. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Famous-Poker-Players-And-How-Did-They-Get-Their-Nicknames
Part-I.htm PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the world's largest providers of assurance, tax and business consulting services, headquartered in London, UK, has recently released a report on the “Global casino and online gaming market to 2014”. The report looks at the trends in both the land-based casinos and online gaming world in the following years, which will be dominated by large and prestigious gaming developments.

Bricks-and-mortal casinos and the online gaming industries have faced financial difficulties and dramatic declines in revenues lately because of the global recession, but PricewaterhouseCoopers' analysts think that the next following years are all about rebuilding. Their study finds that the gaming industry in 2014 will be quite similar to today's market, characterized by large developments.

“The gaming industry is facing an evolution, which presents both challenges and opportunities for the industry’s established players and those considering to enter the market,” said Mary Lynn Palenik, director, gaming, entertainment, media & communications practice, PwC US.
“The explosion of entertainment choices for consumers will make it vital for the industry to produce an offering and experience that consumers want to spend money on.”

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the US is expected to become the biggest regional gaming market in 2014, accounting for 44% of all global revenues, compared to 40% in Asia Pacific. The US gaming revenues are expected to increase from $57.2 billion in 2009, to $68.3 billion in 2014, which represents a 3.6% compound annual increase, compared to Asia Pacific's increase of up to 62.9 billion in 2014 from $21.8 billion in 2009.

According to PwC's study, more governments will continue to licence, regulate and tax online gaming between providers and players within their borders, but without allowing cross-border activity until 2012-2013. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/PwC’s-Online-Gaming-Predictions.htm The Carlos III University of Madrid has recently published a research on gambling behaviour. The study was based on a sample of 1,000 interviews from people aged 18 to 75.

According to the Spanish research, 92.4 percent of the interviewed adults have gambled at least once in their lives, while 49.4 percent of them gamble on a regular basis. The research proved that gambling is a widespread practice in the Spanish society. Almost half of the Spanish adult players (49.2 percent) gamble on a regular basis.

“They think that they are browsing the net, going into pages of this type and gambling, believing that they are still browsing.”

“On the other hand, in the case of conventional gambling, if you are going to make a bet on football scores, playing instant lottery, buying a lottery ticket, or taking part in a bingo game, you are more aware that you are gambling”, said Jose Ignacio Cases, one of the research project's coordinators, after analysing gambling patterns and perceptions among internet punters together with his colleague at the Institute for Policy and Governance at UC3M, Javier Ruiz.

One of the most important conclusions in the report was that people usually underestimate the amount of money wagered: a player who thinks he has gambled 22 euros a month, in reality he has bet 40 euros.

Most of the gamblers are men, aged between 22 and 55, with medium high social status, who belong to the working class. 55 percent of the interviewed people dedicate an average of 10 minutes a day to gambling. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Spain-Studies-Gambling-Behaviour.htm 2010 was an incredible year in poker. Although you may see poker as a men's game, 2010 was the year in which women managed to dominate the world of poker, something almost unheard in the poker world of the past. Women have become a force at the poker table lately, proving their skills and intelligence and winning event after event.

Mike Matusow even engaged himself in a bet, saying he would walk completely naked on the Las Vegas Boulevard, if women won three World Series Of Poker bracelets this year. Eventually, he kept his clothes on and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
When most of the women around the globe were extremely disappointed to see that another year went by without any major victory, their thoughts suddenly changed.

According to Rebekah Mercer, the editor and senior staff writer for PokerStars Women, 2010 has been a fantastic year for women in poker. Everything has changed lately and women have gained a well-deserved popularity in this area, and especially the PokerStars female players.
Rebekah Mercer refers to major victories for women this year, including Vanessa Selbst's incredible win at the PokerStars NAPT Mohegan Sun in April, where she collected over $750,000 for her efforts.

A few weeks later, Liv Boeree won the European Poker Tour San Remo main event, which brought her the fabulous prize of €1,250,000. Her victory was highly publicized and brought her a well-deserved fame.

In October Selbst registered another huge success, finishing the forth in the European Poker Tour London High Roller Event, where she won $226.910. And that was not all. A few weeks ago she went to France, where she cashed in the biggest prize of his poker career. Selbst won the Partouche Poker Tour for over €1.3 million.

On November 15th, Shin Young-Im, a female poker player from Korea, participated at the final table of the Asian Pacific Poker Tour Cebu Main Event and won the title, becoming the first female winner of the APPT Main Event. Shin Young-Im, who has been playing poker for two years, entered the APPT Cebu Main Event after qualifying in a $22 tournament on PokerStars.net.

Thanks to their impressive results, Vanessa Selbst and Liv Boeree became part of the PokerStars team of professionals. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Role-Of-Women-In-Poker-In-2010.htm An independent study conducted in Quebec, Canada, found out that there are 86,000 online players who gamble an average of $9,903 per year.

Online gambling is extremely popular in Canada and most of the gamblers play online games with non-local operators, because the state legalized operator does not offer online gambling.
The same study found out that 32.9 percent of the adult players who gamble online smoke pot as well. Most of the Quebec's online players are the unmarried males below 44 years old. Occasionally players spend a far lower average of $527 each year.

The median annual online betting amount is of $856, which is significantly less than the average online betting of $9,903. Figures prove a small rate of online high-rollers who spend significant amounts on internet gambling.

The results of the study are based on a telephone survey on 11,888 subjects. The telephone survey was conducted in the summer of 2009, with interviews lasting 12 minutes each. The complete study, which costs $500,000, will be released by 2014. Its purpose is to collect enough information for preventing, supporting and treating gambling problems. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Canadian-Online-Players-Spend-$9903-On-Gambling-Yearly.htm The Online Services and media company AOL has recently published the list of the top five Las Vegas casinos. The list includes information, as well as special features of each of the casinos. Here are the top five Las Vegas Casinos in Las Vegas: MGM Grand, Bellagio, Venetian, Mandalay Bay and Caesars Palace Casino.

The MGM Grand Las Vegas, the hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, is the second largest hotel in the world and the second largest hotel resort complex in the United States. It has over 3,500 slot machines and 165 game tables. One of the main attractions of the MGM Grand is the lion habitat inside the casino area, where six lions are shown every day.

The Bellagio Casino features one of the most incredible choreographed fountains with performances set to light and music. Bellagio Hotel and Casino, member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is located on the Las Vegas Strip as well. It is famed for its incredible elegance. The Bellagio Casino features a variety of slots, video poker, table games and a race and sports book, as well as a high-limit area, where big players can gamble in an art-deco inspired lounge, and an exclusive Baccarat room for VIP guests.

The Venetian Casino is a luxury resort hotel located in the east side of the Las Vegas strip. It offers 116,000-square-foot casino, over 110 table games and 2,500 state-of-the-art video and reel-interactive slot machines. The opulent Resort and Casino recreates the romantic atmosphere of Venice, with gondolas that run through the Grand Canal Shoppes, with fine Venetian dining restaurants, everything in a true Italian spirit.

The Mandalay Bay Casino, owned by MGM Resorts International, is the fourth luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas strip. Their 135,000 square-foot gaming environment welcomes you in a tropical area with flowing water, lush foliage and exotic architecture. The casino features over 2,000 slot machines and 200 gaming tables.

At the Caesars Palace Casino visitors can experience a bit of the ancient Rome. The luxury hotel and casino is also owned and operated by Harrah's Entertainment. It has 3,348 rooms in five towers: Augustus, Centurion, Roman, Palace and Forum. The 129,000 square-foot casino area welcomes you in a special environment, with spaying fountains and replicas of the detailed Roman statues all around. The Caesars Palace Casino offers hundreds of table games, a wide variety of slot machines, a 6,000-square-foot poker Tournament area, keno games, race and sports book, etc. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Top-Five-Las-Vegas-Casinos.htm Keno is a lottery gambling game in which numbers are randomly selected from a pool of 80 numbers. The Keno game is often played in modern casinos. This popular game has a long and fascinating history and well-defined rules that we invite you to discover below.

The Keno game, also called the “Chinese Lottery”, brings you great rewards and ensures even greater pleasure. It is a very profitable game.
A Chinese legend says the game saved an ancient city in time of war and its widespread popularity helped at the rise of funds for building the Great Wall of China.

The game exists for centuries in China. Long time ago, the game was to represent 80 Chinese characters on a sheet on which players were betting.
The Keno game has not really changed over the years, except for the fact that, when it was brought to the United States, the Chinese numbers were replaced by 80 Arabic numerals.

Keno Rules
- First you need to choose a ticket with a total of 80 numbers printed on it.
- Select one to ten numbers. Then, you must decide on how much you want to spend per number.
- Online Keno rules can vary among casinos, so make sure you read their rules first. The numbers you choose will be available for the next game's drawing only.
- The numbers will be randomly chosen every few minutes. The Keno game is entirely governed by chance.
- Watch the game to find out if your numbers are among the 20 numbers randomly chosen by the computer.

Keno Glossary
Bet – the amount of money you choose to wager per draw;
Board – the electronic board that shows the numbers selected in a drawing;
Call – drawing the numbers for each game;
Catch – a catch is when one of the chosen numbers, marked on your keno ticket has been drawn;
Draw – the act of drawing the 20 winning numbers;
Hit – A hit is when a drawn number matches one of your selected numbers;
Multi-game ticket – a ticket played for multiple keno games;
Spot – any number from 1 to 80 that you choose to select on the keno ticket.

Playing online Keno has several advantages, including the comfort and the calmness of your own home. Players can make the game even more exciting, if they play online with their friends.
If the game is played with real money, winnings will be transferred directly to the winner's account. The gaming sites also offer an introduction to new players and tricks that allow them to put the odds on their side. The quality of graphics and animation is a plus for online keno. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Keno-Game---Rules-and-Strategy.htm Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, one of the world's leading Alzheimer's disease researchers, has recently published a study which proves the positive effects of the poker games on this mental disease.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Cummings' study, elderly men and women, who play card games at least twice a week, have 50% less chances of developing a form of dementia, compared to those who are mentally sedentary. The study was conducted in France and included 5,000 participants.

Elderly people who have a sedentary lifestyle, with no mentally challenging activities have more risks of developing the Alzheimer disease, the most dangerous problem of elderly men and women. The research has proven poker is one of the most effective of all mentally stimulating activities, a great way to keep the brain working.
Dr. Cummings even suggested the retired people should continue working for a few more years if they are physically capable for the job.

“We have a social idea of what retirement consists of and we need to re-examine that idea,” Dr. Jeffrey Cummings said. “The logical extension of the data we have on dementia is that a person who is still capable of working, who is mentally stimulated with a strong sense of purpose, is better off from the cognitive point of view continuing to engage in that position.”

Other popular activities that can help people to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's include board games such as chess, or physical activities with a creative component, like dancing.
In 2006, 26.6 million people worldwide were suffering from the Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's disease is predicted to affect 1 in 85 people globally by 2050.
The disease is characterized by long-term memory loss, confusion, irritability, aggression and language breakdown. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Poker-Games-Reduce-Risk-of-Alzheimers-Disease.htm Harvard University has recently released a new study on the way humans make decisions under pressure. The study was conducted by Dr. Erik Schlicht and his team, who gathered 14 novice poker players for studying their actions during a Texas Hold'em poker game. Dr. Schlicht's goal was to study the effects of an opponent's facial expressions on a poker player's action.

The 14 subjects, aged 19 to 36, were dealt two-card hands on a computer that displayed various facial expressions, represented on the screen by a photo of a human.
Researchers discovered neutral or untrustworthy expressions had no effects on the participants, while friendly faces confused them and it took longer to decide whether to fold or to call. When friendly faces appeared on the screen, players made less productive decisions.

According to these results, Dr. Schlicht and his team discovered threatening or inexpressive faces which make professional poker players look so menacing, have less impact on their opponents than smiling faces.

“Surprisingly, we find that threatening face information has little influence on wagering behavior, but faces relaying positive emotional characteristics impact people's decisions. People took significantly longer and made more mistakes against emotionally positive opponents,” said the study’s author.

Dr. Schlicht and his team published the results of the study under the title “Human wagering behavior depends on opponents faces”. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Friendly-Face-Is-The-Best-Poker-Face.htm Chinese players are the most superstitious gamblers worldwide. The Chinese race is well-known for its large number of superstitions and passion for numbers. They have always been passionate about games. Asians are superstitious, but the games of chance are part of their traditions.

Let's take a few examples. The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas had to rebuild its entry because it was initially decorated like a lion's mouth and it scared all Asian gamblers. Asians think the mouth of a lion brings very bad luck.

Baccarat is by far the most played casino game in China, where gamblers use to blow on their cards for getting rid of any bad numbers.

Other common Chinese gambling superstitions include: to wear red underwear, to switch on all the lights at home before heading to the casino – I personally do it for security reasons :) -, etc.
In 2008, 86 percent of the Chinese gaming revenues in Macau, totaling 11.8 billion, came from Baccarat games.

Other Chinese superstitions:
Do not count money during a gambling session;
Do not touch someone's shoulder during his gambling session;
Avoid seeing monks or nuns before going to a casino;
Avoid casinos' main entrances for there are coursed;
Do not make sex before going at the casino;
Female players are more likely to win during their period;
Wear the same red underwear every time you go at the casino;
Do not check into a hotel room whose door number contains the unlucky figure 4.

Figures like 3, 6, 7 or 9 are known as lucky figures, especially when there are put together with figure 8. The seven days of the week, seven deadly signs, seven wonders of the world, seven colors of the rainbow, seven continents, the 7th heaven and so on. The seven figure is considered to be linked to happy events, so it remains a figure on which gamblers can place their bets without any hesitation.

So no wonder that Microgaming has released a new slot machine which uses the Chinese New Year as a theme for the game. During the Chinese New Year, players perform different rituals that are thought to increase their chances in the game.

Even the online games have attracted lots of Chinese players lately. Macau is the only place in China where gambling is allowed. In 2001, Macau region counted only 6 casinos, compared to 25 this year, and the resorts are continually growing, offering more table games and slot machines to millions of visitors who enjoy these institutions.
Macau region also welcomes 22 million tourists each year, 11 million of which are Chinese and 7 million are Hong Kong residents.

Whether you chose to follow the Chinese superstitious or not, that is totally up to you. But if you do not believe in these theories, then you should not judge the Chinese players, because you do not have this right. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Chinese-Gambling-Superstitions.htm The YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program is an educational program on the risks of gambling. The program addresses to youth aged 8 and up, parents and professionals and it aims to reduce the potential harm associated with youth gambling.

With the recent announcement that Ontario, one of the most populated areas in Canada, is going to introduce internet wagering to its citizens by 2012, the YMCA's programs were welcomed.
Studies have shown that gambling patterns can begin as early as the age of eight, so the YMCA-YWCA of Guelph, one of eighteen Youth Gambling Awareness Programs sites funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, decided to educate their community to reduce the potential harm that can be linked with gambling.

Also, the studies have shown even kids can be problem gamblers as early as six, while youth aged 18 to 24 are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop a gambling problem than adults. Although the YMCA's programs were introduced to schools 10 years ago, the general manager of the program in Toronto, thinks youth are at more risk now than when the program started in schools.

“I'm not going to say it's bad and I'm not going to say it's really good, but I am going to teach you to gamble safely,” Renee Grenier told to a group of students in St. Catharines.
During the educational program, the kids learned the differences between games of chance and skills, and how to identify low to high risks behaviors.

Renee Grenier told the kids aged 10 to 14, to write down on a piece of paper the name of one of their most valuable things. Then, the kids were asked to bet on these things, which belonged to them alone. Renee's example helped the kids to understand value and odds, and what are the responsible things to play at. Kim Charteris, general manager of the program in Toronto, said kids must understand their choices and risks as well.
Children learn all gambling activities have an element of risk, that they cannot solve their problems by gambling, or that they should not carry more money than they are prepared to lose. Also, they learned gambling is entertainment that has a cost and that they should hope to win, but expect to lose as well.

The Youth Gambling Awareness Program works directly with youth, parents, teachers, providing community awareness sessions, presentations to schools and youth organizations, prevention and education programs for helping gamblers to reduce the potential harm associated with youth gambling, etc. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Program-Teaches-Canadian-Children-The-Risks-of-Gambling.htm Shuffling is a mechanism used to randomize a deck of cards in order to provide the element of chance. The shuffle is usually followed by a cut, to ensure players that the shuffler hasn't manipulated the deck of cards.

There are several ways to shuffle a deck of cards for a better randomization or suited for special situations. Some of the most popular techniques are: the Overhand Shuffle, the Riffle Shuffle, the Hindu Shuffle, the Weave Shuffle and the Pile Shuffle.

The Overhand Shuffle
The Overhand Shuffle is one of the most common methods to shuffle the deck of playing cards. This procedure is also called “the stripping”, or “the slide shuffle”. Small groups of cards are removed from the top of the deck to the opposite site. The Overhand Shuffle is a very common shuffle especially amongst occasional players.

The Riffle Shuffle
The Riffle, or the Dovetail Shuffle is the second common shuffling technique that professional players use. The deck must be placed face down on the table and divided into two halves. The shuffler holds each half of deck in each hand, with the thumbs inward and releases the cards by the thumbs so that they fall to the table inter-twined. The Table Riffle Shuffle is often used in casinos because it minimizes the risk of exposing the cards during the shuffle.

The Hindu Shuffle
The Hindu Shuffle is also known as “Kattar” or “Kenchi”. The shuffler places the deck of cards face down, with the middle finger on one long edge and one thumb of the other on the bottom half of the deck. With the other hand, the shuffler draws off a packet from the top of the deck, then he drops this packet into the palm. The maneuver will be repeated until the deck is all in the second hand. The Hindu Shuffle is the most common shuffling technique in Asia.

The Weave Shuffle
The weave shuffle is a very simple shuffle to perform, especially for those to master the riffle shuffle. The shuffler holds the cards by the short end with his right hand and releases small groupings of cards from the top of the deck horizontally into the palm of his left hand. He weaves the cards in both cards by the edges, pushes the cards together, bend them with the palm of the left hand, and then releases the pressure so that the cards interweave.

The Pile Shuffle
The shuffler splits the deck into several piles. Then, he places the piles one on top of the other, ensuring that the cards that were next to each other are now completely separated. However, the Pile Shuffle does not ensure the perfect card randomization, so it is not very used land-based casinos and poker rooms. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Shuffling-Techniques.htm
In 1949, Nicholas Dandolos, famous poker player, also known as “Nick the Greek”, Told Benny Binion to set up a match between him and another famous poker player at that times, Johnny Moss.
The high stakes poker marathon was played in public view and lasted five months with breaks only to sleep. One day, Dandolos told Johnny Moss: “Mr. Moss, I have to let you go”, and went to his room to retire. Moss was the winner of the “biggest game in town” and of an estimated amount of $30,000!
20 years later, after that incredible game, Johnny Moss was still considered the unofficial Poker Champion.

In 1970, Binion decided to officially launch the World Series Of Poker and he invited a wide range of players to compete against Moss. Binion invited six of the best known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino. At the first edition of the WSOP, the “World Champion” title was awarded based on the popular vote. Johnny Moss was declared the winner.
The following year, the system changed, the players being eliminated one by one. In 1971, Johnny Moss won his third consecutive title of “World Champion”. He also won the same title in 1974.

In 1972, in addition to the larger tournament prizes, the winner received a WSOP gold bracelet, respected by all poker players worldwide. It was Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston who managed to beat the famous Johnny Moss. The winner took home $80,000.
Then, in 1976 and 1977, it was Doyle's Brunson turn to conquer the most wanted title. Stu Ungar also won consecutively in 1980 and 1981.

Year after year, the WSOP continued to attract more players. “This poker game here gets us a lot of attention. We had seven players last year, and this year we had 13. I look to have better than 20 next year. It's even liable to get up to be 50, might get up to be more than that. It will eventually,” said Binion in 1973, when he discussed on the impact of the World Series Of Poker with the interviewer Mary Ellen Glass.

In 1982, the WSOP tournament drew 104 participants. Satellite competitions with lower buy-ins were introduced. By 1987, the number of entrants grew to 152 and in 1991, the first place prize money exceeded $1 million! In 2000, the number of entrants came to 512, with a first place prize of $1,500,000.
Last year, Joe Cada, 21, became the youngest champion ever. He outlasted a field of 6,494 poker players and won $8,546,435!

Since 2009, the World Series Of Poker consists of 57 events, with a delayed Main Event poker table in November. The winner of each of the 57 events wins a WSOP bracelet and a money prize, based on the number of entrants and on buy-ins.
This year's final nine poker players include six American players, two Canadians and one Italian. They will compete for the amazing first place prize of $8,944,138, as well as for becoming the 2010 World Series Of Poker Main Event champion. Here are their names: Jonathan Duhamel, John Dolan, Joseph Cheong, John Racener, Matthew Jarvis, Fillipo Candio, Michael Mizrachi, Soi Nguyen, Jason Senti. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/All-About-WSOP.htm Online Blackjack
Blackjack is among the mostly played online casino games where skill really matters. It is simple to learn how to play. Blackjack is a game based on mathematics – your objective is to earn the largest number of points that doesn't exceed 21. Blackjack games are played against the dealer, not against other players. The game is played with one, two, four, six or eight decks of cards. If you learn to count cards, you will have a 1-2 percent edge over the casino, but watch out – the casinos are increasingly clever in dealing with the card counters over the years.
In the land-based casinos, the anti card-counting computer systems can be used in surveillance rooms for identifying card counters by comparing previous hands and betting patterns of the player with recognized card counting strategies.

Online Craps
Craps is a simple game to learn how to play. It is a game of luck where two dice are rolled and players win or lose according to the number both dice show. The game is played on a large betting table. One player shoots the dice and the others bet on what numbers the dice will fall on. In craps, there is a huge variety of possible bets or odds.

Online Baccarat
Baccarat is an action packed game with a low house edge. The game is played with 12-14 players including 3 dealers. In Baccarat there are two basic types of bets: banco or punto banker or player, and players are invited to choose where they want to place their bets. The object of the game is to get a two card hand as close to nine as possible. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/What-Are-The-Most-Popular-Online-Casino-Games--II.htm The rates of popularity of the online casino games can differ from country to country. Today there are dozens of different variations of each online casino game which stood the test of time.
Here is the list of the most popular online casino games, together with their specific features, tips or strategies for increasing your winning ratio.

Online Slots
Slots have always been the most popular online casino games, mostly because they do not require any special skill to be played. Slots can be played by novices and amateurs too, because it is just a matter of luck. Usually the prizes are huge. Slot machines are easy to use and understand, with no skill involved, with very nice graphics – there are thousands of different themed slot machines – and they do not cost much to play. These are the most popular games played in casinos, card rooms and cyberspace.

Online Poker
Poker has been the most favourite game since the days of the Old West saloons. Poker is a game of skill where players are competing against each other. Poker games are simple to learn how to play, but there are not that easy to master. There are many poker variations, most of which were created in the US. The most common variations are: Texas Hold'em, Omaha High/low, Omaha high, 7 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud High/Low, 5 Card Draw, Razz, etc. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/What-Are-The-Most-Popular-Online-Casino-Games---I.htm The greater the amount you invest, the greater the payments to be expected. Each time we gamble, the payments are directly proportionate to the investments.

On progressive slot machines, the jackpot can only be achieved if the player has bet the maximum amount. Otherwise, the player receives a fixed payment or he only manages to build the progressive jackpot for someone else. In order to win the progressive jackpot, remember to wager the maximum coins/credits on a progressive slot machine. The maximum bet will offer the best possible odds of winning, although it also means the wager will be larger.

For example, if a particular combination pays 5000 coins jackpot and a player has a line of $1 bet, then he will win $5,000 in credits. Suppose that the player doubles his investment and has a line of $2 bet, then he will earn $10,000 for the same jackpot. However, the advantage of placing a bigger bet on slots goes beyond simply increasing proportion of returns.

On video slots, the player doesn't need to play the maximum bet, as he only needs to activate the maximum number of paylines to qualify for the top prize.
On slots, the “Bet Max” button, placed to the right of the “Spin” button on the slot machine console, will allow you to bet the maximum number of coins with only one touch.

Let's take another example: If you bet 1 credit and you hit 3 cherries, you will receive 10 credits. If you bet 2 credits and you hit 3 cherries, you will receive 20 credits. But if you bet the maximum 3 credits, you would receive 50 credits!

There have been a number of slot machines, such as “Batman” and “Superman” from Cryptologic, on which players have received important benefits for their significant bets. The maximum bet on these slot machines is of 50 credits. But, if you activate the “Bonus Bet” option, you can bet 60 credits. The main advantage is that the bonus game may be activated only if the “Bonus Bet” has been activated. The bonus game offers payments of up to 100 times the original bet.

This “Bonus Bet” became so popular that Microgaming has introduced a similar feature in its recently launched “CashOccino” slot machine. This feature is called the “Extra Bet” and it increases the amount wagered by 50%.

If you do not afford to make the maximum bet, play a progressive machine with smaller stakes and pay-lines, or a slot machine that doesn't pay on progressive. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Maximum-Bet-On-Slot-Machines.htm CanWest has just released a recent report on gambling, showing that gambling is not a recession-proof industry. According to Statistics Canada, revenues from government-regulated online gambling had a significant decrease from $13.70 billion in 2007 to $13.67 billion in 2008, for the first time in the last 16 years.

“Gambling is discretionary spending and in tough times with the economy in a downturn, people tend to spend less on any sort of discretionary items,” said Brad Humphreys, Chair in the Economics of Gaming Department of Economics University of Alberta, commenting on the release.

During the economic decline, many players kept gambling and even increased their spendings, in a desperate bid to win money, to remain steady even throughout economic difficulties, or to simply increase their wealth. Others reached the end of their credit limit, with less money available for gambling facilities.
Although the number of the addicted players increased, the gaming industry suffered significant loses in the last couple of years.
Statistic Canada showed that even gambling is not immune to the economic recession. The gaming industry faces big lay-offs, fiscal problems and a downward trend in revenues.

“It's not a recession-proof industry, that's for sure,” said Garry Smith, a gambling research specialist at the Alberta Gaming Research Institute.
“But if you're an addict, you're still going to play and I guess that's one of the reasons it stays up there. Most industries drop significantly, gambling has levelled off and dropped a bit, but not that much,” he added. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Gambling-is-not-a-recession-proof.htm Online players shouldn't worry about the security issues of their personal data, especially about their banking information. What about you? Are you aware of the risks of an insecure online casino?
Do not take risks, it would be a pity!

Gambling fraud involves money laundering, credit card fraud, bonus abuse – such as the creation of multiple accounts in order to obtain multiple bonuses, false charge-backs, etc.

Online casinos are obliged to use the strictest security measures possible, to be vigilant in monitoring for fraud, to know the identity of each of their users, to ask for a valid email address and for a valid sign up or login, etc. Online casino should establish a channel of communication with their partners and share the information, for operating efficiently and effectively against fraud.

We will try to suggest you possible tools and tactics for preventing the fraud, what is the magnitude of the casino frauds, etc. People need to educate themselves on the fraud environment, as well as to understand the legal aspects of the fraud detection.
Outlaw casinos and fraudulent players sometimes use common methods in order to cheat and to steal money. One of the most common methods is the use of counterfeit credit cards or the use of the credit cards that do not have a specific limit to deposit money at the online casino and then, the attempt to withdraw these funds just before the casino to be able to detect the fraud.

Another scam used by the online players is to charge the transaction, so that they could not be charged by the credit card company, and then try to withdraw funds from the online casino. Online casinos usually call the special services of experts to detect and to prevent such fraud. The online service providers are continuously trying to improve their systems for preventing and detecting the fraud schemes.

Here are some particularly methods that can be applied in the gaming industry for preventing fraud:
- the ID verification. The ID verification allows the verification of the individual's identity through a user-friendly interface;
- the residence verification and history;
- age verification;
- phone and identity card verification;
- authentication question generator.

The GTECH G2 Group is a leading provider of online gaming services. Thanks to its subsidiary Finsoft, GTECH G2 Group provides the MarginMaker, a software platform. Iovation is yet a pioneer in preventing online fraud methods.
GTECH G2 and Iovation signed a partnership and announced the latest Iovation technology which will be integrated into the MarginMaker software. This will allow gambling operators using MarginMakers, to manage in real time the risk, arising from the fraudulent use of credit cards.

Iovation maintains the largest database of the world stories of fraud. Their database system controls the number of the debit card and even the identity number of the computer used by the player.
If a player has any connection with a prior fraud, the transaction is immediately stopped and the database is updated. The system is able to recognize the computers used by the cyber-criminals and it prevents all transactions made from these computers.

“The service provided by Iovation has proven itself to be extremely successful for so many companies in the online betting industry—it absolutely makes sense for us to include it in our fraud management process. Iovation allows us to offer our customers the best device-based fraud protection technology that exists,” said Predrag Popovic, Chief Technology Officer of GTECH G2 and CEO of Finsoft.

Ethoca Limited is another company that offers new and innovative methods, based on its Ethoca360 Signals technology, for preventing fraud. Ethoca controls the online transactions in real time through the Global Alliance of fraud (GFA), which currently contains a history of more than 500 million fraudulent transactions. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Fraud-Prevention-in-the-Gaming-Industry.htm The High Roller Casino Bonuses are for those players who are used to take risks because they know what they want. Online casinos reward the trust of their customers with huge bonus offers.

However, everyone knows that online casinos can obtain big advantages thanks to high rollers. Although they are less than the usual players, they are very important. Therefore, online casino always include special bonuses and promotions for ensuring they meet the requirements of each high roller.

There are two main strategies that online casinos use in order to satisfy the needs of their high roller customers.
The first strategy is to develop special bonuses, especially created for high rollers. Online casinos offer huge rewards for their customers' large deposits. Of course, the wagering requirements are twice as many as for the usual online players, but that doesn't seem to disturb the high rollers.
The second strategy of online casinos is to offer a unique bonus to all players. However, the perimeters of such a bonus give more benefits to high rollers.

This kind of approach makes each high roller to feel a little more special, since he benefits from an exclusive treatment.
Gamblers have different opinions on high roller bonuses. For instance, some of the players appreciate if the casino offers big bonuses each month and they look forward to these bonuses based on their first deposit each month, or the combined amount of all of their deposits for the month. Other players appreciate if online casinos offer big bonuses each time they deposit an amount that the casino considers 'a high roller deposit'.

Online casinos offer high roller bonuses in order to show their level of commitment and to prove they are willing to share the risks with their players.
Most of the online casinos have VIP hostesses professionally trained to make sure all customers feel they are taken care of.

Players need to enjoy their gambling experience. Therefore, gamblers should wager an amount of money they can afford to lose.
This makes gambling to feel completely safe and exciting, because if you don't care whether you win or lose, you are free to enjoy the passion of the game.
The key is to find the perfect balance between money and the pleasure of the game. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-High-Roller-Casino-Bonuses.htm The Backgammon is an extremely popular game for thousands of years, whose history began in the ancient Egypt and in the Middle East. The Backgammon's variations include several rules and vary depending on different cultures and parts of the globe.

The Backgammon is a game which depends on strategy, reflexion, but mostly on chance. This is why it is a very acclaimed game in the world of online games. Despite its strong popularity, the virtual backgammon clubs are still rare. It is also known as the Royal game of Ur.

The Acey-Deucey Backgammon
The Acey-Deucey is the most familiar Backgammon variation on American backgammon, which was invented by the US Navy sailors.
It was named after the roll 1-2, which is the best possible dice roll, as opposed to traditional backgammon rules. When a player rolls 1 and 2, he is rewarded with an additional roll and he can play any double after rolling 1-2 and before re-rolling.

The HyperGammon
The HyperGammon is the fastest Backgammon variation. Players get only three checkers, placed on the players' 1-point, 2-point and 3-point, instead of using the fifteen checkers as for a traditional American game.

The Nackgammon
This version is played with a different arrangement of the backgammon board, with 2 checkers on each player's 1 point and 2, 3 checkers on the 8-point and 4 checkers on the 6 and 12 points.
It was invented by the great California champion, Nack Ballard.

Russian Backgammon
The Russian Backgammon is a variant in which players start with no checkers on the board. The players advance their checkers in the same direction.

Chouette Backgammon
The Chouette Backgammon is a variation of backgammon played with a minimum of three players. A captain and a team play against the box. The game features the frequent use of the doubling cube, discussion and dispute of possible moves, and shifting rivalries among players.

Thanks to these exciting Backgammon variants, players will always be able to find a version that appeals to their sense of fun. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Backgammon-Variations.htm The card shuffling allows you to place particular cards at the top bottom of the deck and to keep them that way. The false shuffling is important for card magicians who want to create the illusion of shuffling cards without losing track of their desired card. This technique allows you to control the cards when you are in play.

A false shuffle is a cheating technique which involves a special way to place the cards exactly in their desired location using this technique to your advantage. False shuffles generally depends on the pre-arranging of the entire pack.
When doing a false shuffle, the public must see no deception or hesitation, but to assume that the dealer or magician is mixing the cards at random.

There are many ways to accomplish a false shuffle.
For example, you could keep the bottom card on the bottom of the deck, shuffling the bottom card to the top of the deck, shuffling to keep one or more cards undisturbed at the top of the deck and then stacking the deck. This operation can be repeated hundreds of times without fear of a mistake.

It is important to know how to mix the cards very fast, except one – that you should never lose from sight. We use the French shuffle when a card, which is placed on the game needs to remain in the same position.
For this we need to keep the cards in the left hand and shuffle the cards in a fairly normal way. But remember to make sure that the fingers of your left hand keep a grip on the bottom card of the pack.
Then you will drag off the top card of the pack with your left thumb, so that it falls on top of the bottom card. Shuffle the rest of the pack onto the 2 cards.

The false shuffles can only be prevented by making a cut after the shuffle and watching the player's hand very closely and intensely during the entire game. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/False-Shuffles.htm Gambling is not a recently discovered phenomenon as it dates from the Egyptian antiquity. Chinese, Japanese, Greek and Roman people were all known for their passion regarding the games of skill and chance.

* The first Las Vegas casino was licensed in 1931.
* The name “Las Vegas” means “the meadows” in Spanish.
* Las Vegas covers 84.272 square miles, 219.1 square kilometers and there are currently 1701 licensed gambling places there. The state gaming revenue is of 9 billion dollars every year.
* Las Vegas counts 36.7 million annual visitors.
* In 1953, Las Vegas counted 1,800 hotel rooms. Today there are 124,270.
* Seventeen of the 20 biggest hotels in the U.S. are in Las Vegas.
* Each king in a deck of cards represents a great king in history, through historical figures. For example: The King of Spades represents David (the King of the Kingdom of Israel), The King of Clubs represents Alexander the Great (the legendary king of Macedon), The King of Hearts represents Charlemagne (or Charles the Great), and The King of Diamonds represents Julius Caesar.
* The four suits from a deck of cards can correspond to:
- the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter;
- or they can correspond to the four winds: North, East, South and West.

* The various suits of the cards can also represent the four different cultures (the Middle East, Greece, the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire), that had major influences on the world.
* The two colours, red and black can represent the day and night.
* The 52 cards can also represent the 52 weeks of the year.
* The four suits of 13 cards each can correspond to the four quarters of the year, each having 13 weeks.
* The twelve court cards are analogous to the twelve months of the year, or to the twelve hours between noon and midnight.

* There is one slot machine for every eight of the Las Vegas inhabitants.
* The first slot machine was developed by Charles Fey and it was called “The Liberty Bell”.
* Studies show that 24% of all Americans admit they have gambled illegally at least once in their lives. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Fun-Facts-about-Gambling.htm "You can win more friends with your ears than with your mouth" – Doyle Brunson

Using the good manners in social situations makes the game more enjoyable for everyone, allowing you to dominate the situation against others who do not use the proper etiquette.

If you know the basics of the poker etiquette, it will help you to beat your opponents and leave them loving you. A polite attitude can even increase a player's odds of success.

Have you ever noticed the professional players' attitude during the poker tournaments? They always prove fair play and respect for the poker games and for their opponents.
Good manners at the poker table make the game to flow easily and it will allow you to play more games per hour. The experienced players never insult the less experienced because it's from them the money comes.
Moreover, insulting the less experienced players may also alert them regarding your superiority.

We will share some advice you can follow in order to maintain the polite atmosphere. The rules of the poker etiquette are:

- Be polite with your opponents, do not swear, do not be verbally abusive!
- Do not criticize your opponent's play!
- Avoid disturbing the other players.
- Do not comment about the possible hands or about the cards you just threw away.
- Do not let anyone to see your cards and keep them on the table. Also, you must keep your chips and money on the table, managing your personal space reasonably.
- Do not touch your opponents' chips or/and cards!

Remember that whenever you talk to your opponents, it means you exchange information and certain information may hurt or it may help you, depending on whether you share or you receive the tips.
If you think the conversation prevents you from staying focused, do not hesitate to close it. It would be better if you learn how to quickly, but courteously answer to all your opponents' questions.

Take the right decisions at the right time because when you lose time, it means you lose an opportunity.
Do not reveal the level of your play. Remember that the way you talk can tell a lot about your game level and your opponents may have an advantage if they find it.

A good game of poker is played silently. Every word you say could be a critical information for your opponents. Poker is a social game which requires a proper behavior. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Poker-Etiquette.htm According to a study carried out by the researchers from McGill University and DECODE, an organization which examines youth issues, parents do not think underage gambling is a cause for their concern.

The study was made on 2,700 Canadian parents and it revealed that most of them do not completely understand the danger of the growing trend of teenage gambling.

“Canada is a world leader in researching and understanding gambling behaviors and this study looking at parents of teens is a global first. However, while there are some resources on youth gambling currently available for parents, and other resources being developed, this is still an emerging area," said Dr. Jeff Derevensky, Co-Director of the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University.

Gambling has “become clearly normalized” lately. 18 million people – many of whom are youth – subscribe to the popular Texas Hold'Em poker application on Facebook, for example.

“Parents should be made more aware of the rapid growth of the underage gambling activities, including on social networking sites like Facebook”, says Eric Meerkamper, President of DECODE, the youth-focused strategy firm which collaborated on the study.
“Encouraging parents to speak with their children about gambling is particularly important since unregulated online opportunities for youth gambling are growing at a phenomenal rate,” he added.

The researchers found gambling was placed well behind drug use (87 per cent), alcohol (82 per cent), sex (81 per cent), as well as obesity (66 per cent), negative body image (64 per cent) or excessive video game playing (64 per cent).

“Gambling for youth, as a social issue, doesn't really sit on the parents' radar," said Eric Meerkamper, DECODE's president, in a teleconference.

Dr. Jeff Derevensky said that four percent of adolescents are serious problem gamblers, but the consequences often remain undetected because teenagers cannot lose their houses, as they still live with their parents, they cannot lose their wives or husbands, because they are not married yet, etc.
But the implications can be disastrous for their future.

Most of the kids are familiar with gambling. The study's respondents declared they have bought lottery tickets for their underage children as gifts at least once.
However, 95 percent of parents think they are responsible for the prevention of underage gambling and they said they would be able to have productive discussions about the subject with their children.

Some of the signs which can betray underage gambling problems include:
* Showing off or hiding large sums of money;
* Borrowing money from friends and family members;
* Unexplained spending;
* Mood swings;
* Secretiveness;
* Lying;
* Increasing amounts of time spent in gambling-related activities. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Parents-Ignore-Underage-Gambling-Risks.htm The customer support is one of the most important factors involved when it comes to an online casino.
Every online casino involves a high level of trust and it is extremely important that you should be able to reach the operator 24/7.

One of the most important things about the online casino support is that it can bring a great benefit by providing quick answers to your issues, so that you have no trouble in playing and enjoying the game.
A high level of customer support service can give more credibility to the website.

A quick customer service is extremely important, as there could be critical issues (like a money transfer, or questions about the games or the bonuses, for example), that a player could meet during his game play. A professional customer service increases the popularity of an online casino.

It is important to make sure that the customer support is easy reachable if required, and it would be better to test their services before playing, even if your question is not so important. A new member who reads the instructions, the rules and the terms of an online casino for the first time, may contact the support team for clearing up.
Beginners and loyal players are usually using the customer service quite often.

There are three important aspects that the customer service must fulfill:
Assistance must be available when needed;
Assistance must be free of charge;
Assistance must also be quick and responsible.
The online casino customer support staff helps players with access to different games or general information, they assist gamblers in money matters, they advise players in all aspects related to the online casino.

Most of the online casinos offer customer assistance via telephone, toll-free numbers, fax and email.
The support service via telephone it takes time and the discussion often involves the exchange of confidential information. This method carries a serious verification process, which could be irritating, especially if the player pays the phone.

Another method is the customer support via email, but this could take time and no player can afford to waste 24 hours to solve concerns, such as delayed payments or how to download the software.

The live chat is the most preferred method through online players.
It is free, it requires no verification and the answers are instantaneous. Therefore, players should check whether their favourite online casinos offer support via live chat.

Unfortunately, none of these three options does not guarantee, however, the quality of support.
You should not assume that you will never need customer support.
These simple tips on Customer Support service must be taken seriously if you want to avoid problems. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/All-You-Need-to-Know-About-the-Customer-Support.htm Slot Machines are equipped with a Random Number Generator, which is considered the brain of the machine.

The Random Number Generator is a system that generates numbers to match up with the symbols on the reels at every millisecond. It is the brain of the slot machine.

Players should only know how to choose the right machine depending on the RNG. Although there is no way to predict the outcome of RNG, a player should know how to “feel” the slot machine and how to choose the slot with the higher payout percentage in order to maximize your odds of winning.
You can view the payouts by accessing the “Pay Table” or the “Help” button. The payout percentage represents the result of the numbers that were generated at a particular moment.

People who do not fully understand how the RNG generates numbers to correspond to the symbols on the reel of the slot machine, create different myths for explaining what they are not capable of understanding.

The Random Number Generator generates a value between 0 and 4 billion every millisecond. When a player pushes the spin button, the RNG chooses a number at that very instance, every fraction of seconds generating varying results.

The Random Number Generator operates with a microprocessor. The microprocessor generates numbers. Each number has a corresponding symbol, found on the reels of the machine.
This generating process is in perpetual motion. The frequency of hitting the jackpot have been long-term programmed.

Every second of hesitation, before pushing the button, changes the results of the game and playing faster doesn't mean it will improve your chances.

Slot machines use the best technologies, which improve the quality of the gambling experience in slot machines. The computerized reels are made to entertain the player, while the result of the game was determined by the RNG behind the machine.
The odds of hitting the jackpot on a slot machine are of 27,000 to 1. It is this low probability of winning the jackpot that makes the slot machine's system so hard to understand. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Random-Number-Generator-–-The-Brain-of-The-Slot-Machine.htm The Martingale Betting System is a betting strategy which was very popular in the 18th century in France.

The Martingale strategy is a very old and extremely simple system based on the probability of losing infinite times in a row. It is usually applied to 'even money' bets.
The main strategy is to double your bet after each loss and keep using this system until the first win, then go back to the original bet.

For example, if you are playing a three dollar bet, the progression will look like this:
Bet $3. Let's say you win, so you should bet $3 again.
If you lose, double your bet to $6.
If you lose again, bet $12 and so on until recovering all your bets plus one unit profit.

The Martingale system can be used as a sure method of winning, the results leading to a good chance of small short-term wins, with a smaller chance of incurring large losses. But you should have an unlimited bankroll because in case of the long run, there could be abnormal streaks.

Besides the Martingale betting system, there is another strategy called the D'Alembert system, which is based on raising your bet by one unit after you lose, or lowering the bet by one unit after you win.
Each bet will be either 1 unit higher or 1 unit lower than the last one, depending if you win or lose.

Both the Martingale and the D'Alembert betting systems are recommended for increasing the player's enjoyment, but you should use this strategies very cautiously and never let yourself lose more than you can afford. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Martingale-Betting-System.htm The most intelligent players will make the right choice and take the best decision during the game, but they cannot always win. Even them can lose the battle with Mrs. Chance.

Intelligence and luck are not the only factors when it comes to casino games. There are two general views regarding the meaning of gambling and money, from a psychological point of view.
People usually see casino games as being either bad or a deviant behavior, either an extension of a normal behavior. But most of them think gambling is a bad, even an illegal activity.

People who think gambling is a bad activity, usually do not agree with the elements of risk and they would rather place their money into a bank account, than trying their luck with a risky investment.
They think the stock market is the same thing as gambling and they see the act of playing in a casino as a pathological behavior which cannot be controlled. They even feel pity for the gamblers, seeing this kind of activity as a disease.

People who see gambling as a natural extension of our lifestyle, usually think gambling is a rational and an instinctual based activity. They think gambling is a healthy form of entertainment.
This doesn't mean they cannot become addicted or that they cannot lose money, but they only see gambling as a natural way to live their life. They simply see gambling as being a fun activity.

There is no right or wrong, we cannot judge their way of acting or thinking because everyone has the right to choose its own lifestyle.

How to control your emotions
In gambling, losing control of the emotions is a dangerous thing. This could distract the player from acting in an intelligent manner. If you are not able to control your emotions, you would better leave the table. A successful player knows when to stop his game, he has the sense of time and he would never risk losing everything.

Although it's hard to control our emotions, and although becoming emotional is a natural factor, every player needs to find his own way to leave stress, anxiety, or anger. Intelligent players rarely show their emotions.
Online gamblers should first get a good practice and try to manage their emotions and not let these emotions to cloud their rational decisions. Having a proper attitude is just as important as being smart. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-psychology-of-gambling.htm I recently discovered a survey which says that 80% of the gamblers believe in superstitions or they carry lucky items with them.

Here is a list of the most common superstitions among gamblers:
Many gamblers have different rituals, for example, they may choose to wear a specific lucky item of clothing. They wear red clothing, or they have a favourite color while playing in a casino;
When they are playing in a land-based casino or with a live dealer at online casinos, some gamblers refuse to play the game if they think a certain dealer brings them “bad luck” and they may ask the dealer to be replaced;
Some gamblers think that the $2 or the $50 bills are unlucky, so they do not accept to be paid with these bills;
It brings “bad luck” to count your money during a gambling session. Kenny Rogers even immortalized this superstition in one of his songs singing “You never count your money when you sitting at the table, there’ll be time of enough for counting when the dealings done”;
Do not cross your legs when playing poker because you “will cross out your good luck”;
Do not use the main entrance of a land-based casino because it is coursed;
Singing or whistling while gambling and breaking a mirror are bad luck signs as well;
Avoid seeing nuns or monks before going to a casino;
Do not touch someone's shoulder while he is gambling;
And here is the superstition I personally like the most: females are more likely to win during their period!!

The list can go on, but only as long as you don't let your superstitions to control your life, or as long as choosing to follow a superstition do not harm anyone.
Believing in something that will bring you good luck can actually be beneficial because optimism makes your life happier and more exciting. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Naturally-Born-Superstitious.htm

Female players are consistent gamblers and studies show 1 out of 4 women visit casinos and gamble at least once a week.
Another survey from casino.com recently showed that more than a quarter of the female players are French and 32 percent of them prefer roulette and slot games.

What's even more surprising is that most of the surveys revealed that women see online games not just as a way of winning money, but as a form of social entertainment.

Cameo Casino is one of the few online casinos which understood the female player's needs and it designed a special gaming environment for women.
They offer an elegant and sophisticated environment, top quality customer support and very exciting bonuses and promotions.
Cameo Casino includes over 40 slots and fruit machines, video poker, 16 Progressive Jackpot games, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps, arcade games and many other games. Men are welcomed to play as well.

The average online casino player is female aged between 46 and 55.
Most of the women have families to take care off, careers, housework to do, so playing online as a way of entertaining seems the perfect solution for a relaxed evening, or for escaping from stresses of the modern life, for example.

Female players usually make smaller initial deposits that men, they use to gamble for socializing with other players, they like online casinos which offer a more relaxed appearance (unlike men who like sexy female graphics), and they definitely don't need a guy to convince them whether to gamble or not.

Female players have the right to play where and when they want! Check out some of the casinos they like the most:
Cameo Casino, Caribbean Gold Casino, VIP Slots Casino, English Harbour Casino, 888Ladies Casino and Bingo, Zodiac Casino, etc.
Some of the most popular slots among women are:
Sex and the City Slots, Cleopatra Pyramid Slots, Safari Slots, etc. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Online-casinos-for-female-players.htm
Marcus will say “Yes, sir, that's my brown chip under those reds!”. The confused dealer will lift off the three reds and he will find a brown chip worthing $500. This brown chip, plus the three $5 red chips worth a $515 bet, which pays $1,030.

The three red chips are placed on the top of the brown chip, but pushed slightly forward, so that the dealer couldn't see it, as in a brilliant optical illusion.
If he loses, the stack is switched with a true stack of three red chips only. The switch can be done the moment when the dealer is turned toward the roulette wheel in order to see the winning number.

Using this method, Richard Marcus tricked several casinos from Atlantic City, Las Vegas, London, Monte Carlo, etc, without even drawing too much attention on himself.

Many other cheaters, found out about Marcus' theory and they used it without being prepared, or by doing something stupid. But Marcus was a “great talent”.

Casinos are aware that “where there are games, there are cheaters as well”. The casinos spend huge amounts of money for detecting the cheaters.
For example, they use a system which can identify the cheaters by a photo, which is already in their database. Or, there is another mechanism, which is able to transmit signals to the dealer for informing him about the number and value of each player's chips.

Richard Marcus does not trust the casinos' anti-cheating systems.
”No person alive has ever been detected by the recognizing system, and it's not even necessary dressing up in foolish dress. That system isn't better than those people who operate it,” he says.

However, Richard Marcus was discovered and sued. He is currently retired from his cheating career, he has his own website and he writes books about cheating. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Richard-Marcus-–-The-Casino-Cheating-Legend-–-part-II.htm
We will tell you the full story of his cheating methods which helped him stealing from different casinos and winning over $5 million during his “career”.

Some people say genius is related to madness the same way as a very skillful player is a skillful cheater.
The player and the cheater share many similarities: they both know the game as their own pockets, they both have the courage to risk everything, they keep their head cold in pressed situations, and they know when it's time to leave the game.

Indeed, Richard Marcus was an excellent player before he became a swindler. In his youth, he used to work as a dealer in a casino. Seeing both sides of the green table helped him to store knowledges and finally to change his destiny.

One day, by the time he worked as a croupier, a man named Classon made him an offer. Classon knew Marcus was very skillful and he offered him a place in his team. Marcus was glad to accept his unique offer. Although he was aware of the danger, he immediately began his apprenticeship as a professional casino cheater.

Classon became the teacher, the leader, the mentor and he was almost like a father to Marcus. Classon taught Marcus everything he knew about casino cheating and asked Marcus to find and to develop his own theories. And that was exactly what Marcus did one night, in a strip bar, when a new idea took shapes in his head, the moment when a stripper lady sat in his lap.

Marcus named the new theory “Savannah”, after the name of the stripper. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Richard-Marcus-–-The-Casino-Cheating-Legend-–-part-I.htm
Usually, all online casinos ask their customers if they agree on receiving their newsletters because sending unwanted emails is a bad practice and it is against the law in some countries. If you are asked this question, you can feel almost safe because this is a proof that their newsletters are sent in accordance with all current and proposed national and international legislation on commercial email.

We think unsubscribing from the casino newsletters is a mistake because you could lose the only chance of being informed about the promotional offers and bonuses.
These newsletters could be the key in helping you to collect long-term rewards from your online casino by countering the house edge.

And most of the online casinos are just trying to inform you about their exclusive Freerolls and Poker Tournaments, for example.

Players also receive the latest casino promotions, special bonuses and free chips, straight to their inbox.
They can win extra cash prizes for participating in monthly drawings as well.

If you unsubscribe from the casino newsletters, you might miss substantial bonuses which are sometimes given for celebrating a special occasion, on a particular day, or decided on a day to day basis.

Casino newsletters are also dedicated to provide all types of information and news on online gambling, online casinos, player issues, etc.
Usually, the casino bonuses are temporary, and there are only offered on a daily or weekly basis.

Players should know that personal sensitive information, such as passwords to enter Poker Tournaments for example, are not published directly on the casino's website. Players will get the information directly into their mailbox.
Casino newsletters are absolutely free and you can unsubscribe any time. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Why-you-should-subscribe-to-Casino-Newsletters.htm
Others think playing at an online casino has even more aspects of isolation, players not being surrounded by other people as in a land based casino. People who choose to gamble at home are often accused of expressing an anti-social behavior.


I personally believe this is a misled information because most of the people who play at online casinos are deeply involved in social activities, in their communities, they have families and careers which do not allow them to frequent land based casinos. They are socially active, so they play online games for fun and entertainment and the gains come as a bonus for them.

Of course, there are many different types of gamblers, but we cannot say happy people gamble less than those who feel lonely, do we?

I rather think lonely people who gamble frequently have dysfunctional brain activities such as the problem gamblers, caused by a moral breakdown of a weak individual.
We've already seen in the “Problem Gamblers Have a Dysfunctional Brain Activity” article that studies show this kind of gambler is struggling with limits on his behavior, job, family, responsibilities and he becomes under-active.

Gambling is not an activity especially created for a certain type of player. Everyone is fascinated by risk. Gambling means risking, or playing with your destiny.
Everyone gambles in life, everyone gambles against odds. Heroes, explorers, investors, pilots, fire-fighters – we all face our destiny at least once in a lifetime.

Why should we stop gambling in real casinos as long as we are in total control over the situation, and as long as we are able to gamble for fun, excitement and for some relaxed moments?
Casino gambling activities are the extensions of the risk and chance in real life, where players can choose the stakes and they can determine when to stop the game. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Do-Lonely-People-Gamble-More?.htm
Some of the most popular varieties of Rummy are: Gin Rummy, Canasta, Kaluki (Kalooki), Oklahoma Rummy and Traditional Rummy.

Our article will focus on the basic rules of the Traditional Rummy because, once you learn the basic rules of the traditional rummy, you can easily understand and apply your knowledge to other rummy variations.

The Traditional Rummy Game is played by two to four players and it uses a standard 52 card deck. The main objective is to be the first who gets rid of all cards from your hand by picking up and then discarding cards and forming the cards from your hand into melds.

A meld consists in minimum three cards with the same value, or a group of consecutive cards with the same suit.
For example:
Set = at least three cards with the same value from different suits (5, 5, 5 OR 10 10 10 10);
Run = at least three consecutive cards from the same suit (3, 4, 5 OR 6, 7, 8, 9).

When picking up, each card is arranged according to what melds you are planning to form.
When getting rid of the cards, you must form sets or runs, then you must lay them down into the meld area, but you must also keep a card which could complete the turn at the end of the game in your hand.

The first player who gets rid of all of his cards, wins the game. The other players are penalized according to the accumulated value of the cards which are left in their hands.
The winner gets at least 75% of the pot. The rest of the pot will be divided between his opponents according to the number of the points that he accumulated, but always with 80 points less than the winner.

It is very important that you try to memorize the cards and to deduce what is in your opponent's hand. This will help you not to give up any good cards away or to keep cards for an unlikely meld.
The seven is the most important card in the deck because it can be used to make melds in more ways than any other card. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Traditional-Rummy-Game.htm
The study shows that playing online games regularly can boost cognitive abilities in different key areas.
Rolf Nelson gathered 20 students who were presented with a spatial relation problem, both before and after playing either a strategy or action game.
Rolf Nelson proved poker and online casino games can have positive effects on the player's memory and reasoning skills.

Nelson challenged students to solve the spatial relation problem and he observed that the participants who had played the action game were found to have completed the task much faster than during their first attempt, while those who played the strategy game finished the task with a far greater degree of accuracy the second time.

Nelson said his goal was to “understand the way in which video game play affects subsequent perception and cognitive strategy”.
He also noted that playing a skill game has immediate and positive effects on the player's memory and reasoning skills. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Online-games-improve-memory-and-reasoning-skills.htm It requires excellent ability to memorize because the player needs to keep the track of every card dealt from the deck. Then, the player should be able to guess which cards are still left to be played.

The player should have at least minimum knowledge of the mathematical distribution of the deck and then he will be able to change, or to apply his personal strategy during the game.
Most of the card counting systems start with a count of 0, while keeping track of all the cards that are dealt to every player and to the dealer.

The simplest cards counting strategy is to learn the values of the cards. Aces and 10-value cards, which include kings, queens, jacks and tens, worth -1; the twos, threes, fours, fives and sixes worth +1; and sevens, eights and nines worth 0.
Add the entire deck of cards in this manner and you will see that the final value is 0.

When the card count is positive, the player should know there have been more smaller cards played and the deck has a higher percentage of larger cards.
If the deck has a high percentage of larger cards, the player has several different advantages and he should increase his bets because the cards will be in his favor.
You will have better chances of getting Blackjack when 10 to Ace predominate in the deck of cards. It's time to double up your bets.

When the card count is high, it means that:
the player will be dealt more blackjack;
the player will be dealt stronger and higher starting hands;
the dealer will must more often.

When the count cards starts to drop and it becomes neutral or even negative, the player should bet smaller amounts because the house has higher advantage. So, if the card count is low, there are more low cards remaining and this will give the advantage to the dealer.
This card counting system tells you what are the cards predominantly remaining in the deck.
Never forget to continue the card counting! Stay focused!

According to the latest laws and regulations, card counting is not illegal in a land-based casino, as long as you don't use any counting devices such as computers and electronics.
However, most of the casinos do not allow card counters to play at their tables and since casinos are private properties, they have full authority and they will ask you to leave.

Once you were rejected from a casino because of this method, you will definitely not be permitted to return and other casinos might exclude you as well.
Most of the casinos have continuously made efforts to prevent this type of cheating and they introduced different strategies such as shuffling more often, adding several decks and other technologies for detecting the card counters.
And, according to some analysts, the card counting strategy will soon be history thanks to a new card counter detector, invented in the United Kingdom. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Blackjack-Card-Counting-Strategy.htm The study included sophisticated diagnostic techniques which were applied on pathological gamblers. The results proved that the brain's chemical response to gambling is similar to a drug addict's response to a fix or an alcoholic's response to a stiff drink.

A high level of dopamine is released when gambling is consistent and the gambler loses its control. It has the same effects as among drug addicted and alcoholic individuals.
Increasing wagers is a result of a dysfunctional brain activity, which may even cause a moral breakdown of the weak individuals.
Although gambling stimulates a hyperactivity of certain areas of the brain, other parts, such as the areas dealing with limits on behavior, job, family, responsibilities, etc, becomes under-active.

“The higher executive functioning skills and problem solving become impaired. It's similar to patients with methamphetamine addictions. The real challenge in treatment is to reverse that,” said Fong, who is co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program and director of UCLA's Addiction Medicine Clinic.
Hae Wang Lee, gambling addiction counselor in Walnut, thinks gamblers can hide their compulsive behavior because most of the gamblers have an IQ that is 120 or higher. They are bright and they can lie easily.

Jane Shultz, who runs an intensive outpatient program in West Los Angeles and Redlands treating all kinds of addictions, thinks there are four phases of progressive deterioration in problem gambling:
The winning phase, when occasional gamblers increase their amounts of money;
The losing phase, when the debts begin to accumulate;
The desperation phase, when the gambler begins to steal money in order to support his habit;
The hopeless phase, when he becomes overwhelmed by debt, divorce and even suicidal thoughts.

The study also revealed that compulsive gamblers suffer from their mental instability whether legal gambling is present or not. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Problem-Gamblers-Have-a-Dysfunctional-Brain-Activity.htm Knowing how to keep your emotions under control is essential when gambling in a land-based casino.
Professional players hardly ever show their emotions while playing, especially the poker pros who cannot afford their opponents to read or to take advantage of their intentions.

Not being able to control your emotions can have disastrous consequences when playing in a land-based casino.
Look at Doyle Brunson, Allen Cunningham, or Johnny Chan and see how they manage to hide their thoughts and how they win year after year.

Poker players should play each hand as if it were a brand new one, trying to forget about their negative feelings caused by other past hands. However, best players usually memorize important information from the past hands.
If you cannot gain control of your thoughts and if you are over reacting, laughing, making noise, etc, while playing in a tournament, for example, you should better get up and walk away.

So, don't lose your temper and always look for changes in your opponents playing attitude. Anticipating your opponent's next move could help you to plan your own moves in advance and to determine your success.
Don't waste your time thinking about your luck, when you should concentrate more on making the correct play. Emotional control and personal discipline are essential for your success.

Martha Stokes, C.M.T. is the co-founder of TechniTrader, an educational financial service company.
She teaches positions, options and long-term trading and investing techniques and strategies.
“The Technical Aspects of Trading Emotions” study describes her opinion about how to achieve your emotional control, by following a few steps:

Know what you are going to do before you do it;
Develop your own unique Trading Style (strategy);
Ignore the Money;
Don't count your profits before the trade is completed;
Know your risk tolerance;
Know your Financial Self-Worth;
Treat it like a Business;
Be Self-Reliant and take responsibility for your trades.

Your emotional control will become better and stronger if you continue disciplining yourself by not letting outside forces to affect you negatively.
These restrictions do not necessarily apply in online gaming, where players can enjoy the silence and the comfort of their own house. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/Emotional-Control-in-Poker.htm The system refers to winning or losing at the Roulette Table, Baccarat or Blackjack and it speaks of the “equilibrium in nature”.

The main strategy is to raise your bet one unit after you lose and to lower the bet by one unit if you win. Each bet will be either 1 unit higher or lower than the last one, depending if you win or lose.
A contra-D'Alembert system, which reverses the strategy by increasing the bets when winning and decreasing when losing can be also employed when necessary.
According to the theory, you have more chances to win after losing and higher chances to lose after wining. The system is also called the “Pyramid System” and it is easy to understand and to follow.

Let's take an example:
You bet $5 and you lose, so you will have -$5 gain.
You add another unit and you place $6.
Let's say you lose again, so you will have -$11 gain.
Add another single unit ($7) and if you win, you will have -$4 gain.
Then, according to D'Alembert system, you should decrease by a single unit, place $6, and if you win, you will have $2 gain and so on.

The D'Alembert betting system was originally designated for the roulette table, but it can easily be applied in Baccarat or Blackjack as well.
This betting system is less risky than the popular Martingale strategy, which means doubling your bet after each lose. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/DAlembert-Betting-System.htm
In 1981, he went to Monte Carlo and turned around £4000 into 1 million francs after playing on roulette for eleven hours, including one stretch in which he won more than 20 spins out of 30. He broke the bank for 12 times. Soon after that, Charles Wells returned for another game and won another million winning on the five spot five consecutive times.

Although private detectives were hired in order to find out what was his secret system, no one could ever prove that he used such kind of things.
It is said that his winnings were the result of a scam and that he used to defraud investors who believed he was an inventor who needed money for testing and researching his designs.
His tempestuous life game experience ended as fast as it began. He begged money from everyone and lost it, then he was arrested at La Havre and he was sentenced for 8 years for fraud. In 1926, he died penniless in Paris.
Charles Wells is considered the luckiest casino player ever and a legend in the world of gambling.

As for the most unlucky casino player ever, it is hard to decide or to name one.
However, we could mention Fouad al-Zayat of Syria, for example, who was born in 1941 (one hundred years later after Charles Walles, the luckiest player was born). Fouad al-Zayat was one of the world's most prolific gamblers.
In March 2000, he went to try his luck at Aspinalls Casino in London and he left owing the casino over two and a quarter million pounds. His bad luck continued for seven more years, while he lost nearly 23 million pounds on gambling.
Thanks to his highly successful investments in oil, aviation and construction, Fouad al-Zayat managed to earn enough money to pay the debts.
The high roller, who is also known as “The Fat Man”, took six prestigious British casinos to court, claiming that they illegally allowed him credit. ]]> http://www.virtuacasinos.com/The-Luckiest-and-The-Most-Unlucky-Casino-Poker-Player.htm