Monthly Archives: July 2014

What to do if you win a big Casino Jackpot

While you generally have a better chance of being attacked by a shark, struck by lightning or dating a supermodel than winning the Mega Millions lottery jackpot, online casino jackpots have far better odds of being hit, so if you’re playing progressive casino games, you could end up being the next seven or eight figure winner on the casino’s winner list.

In fact, if you do play any kind of progressive slots or casino games regularly then you’ve probably also spent your fair share of time day dreaming about what you would do if you ever won that big, life-changing progressive jackpot. And it’s also highly likely that every time you hear about a big winner on the lottery, horses or at the casinos, your dream probably comes flooding back. After all, that’s half the fun of gambling!

The flip side of course, and a reality that most of us are familiar with is that most of these big time winners end up broke and disillusioned in a few short years after receiving their supposedly life changing windfalls. Here we look at a few tips as to what you should know and do to avoid ending up in the same sad situation that so many big winners have in the past.

Before you quit your job

If you’re lucky enough to win a few million on your favourite progressive slot or casino game before you run out and quit your job be aware of the fact that not all online casinos will pay out the entire jackpot amount all at once. While some do, many will instead pay out in monthly instalments which could put a big dent in your plans. So always check the fine print of the online casino terms and conditions before you play but if you didn’t, before you quit your job, check on how much and how frequently you’ll be getting paid out.

Another important thing to do is decide on what you want your lifestyle to be and if you can really afford to quit your job long term in light of these aspirations.

Don’t tell people

Many casinos will give you the option of staying anonymous or only using your initials or first name in all publicity related to your win. This is the smart option. Many big winners will tell you that as soon as they told friends and family about their fortunes people came out of the woodworks seeking investments and loans, making the winners feel “obligated” to help. This is a fast way to put a drain on your bank account.

Another reason to stay anonymous is that as soon as the news becomes public, if your full name and photograph are published you’ll have financial investment firms beating down your door offering “help” and investment advice for your newfound wealth.

Pay off debts and set a Budget

When you win big the last thing you’ll probably want to do is think of a budget, but no matter what sum you win you’ll have to and it’s better to do it sooner rather than later. The best thing to do is to pay off all of your outstanding debt. That way you can save on any interest charges due that end up costing you more money and make a clean start with a realistic mind set as to how much you can afford to spend on the things you want.

If you want a new house and a car, and you can afford it, by all means go for it but avoid making radical, impulse purchases until the initial excitement has worn off (this could take anything up to 6 months). The best advice most winners have been given is to a lot their money into three categories: Spend some, save some, give some. This way you can enjoy spending some of the money on the things you want and enjoy, use it to benefit others (if you so wish) and also secure your financial future.

Consult a lawyer and a financial advisor

If you’ve won a truly large sum at the casinos then you will probably need the advice of professionals as to your tax obligations – these differ from one country to the next when it comes to gambling, investment opportunities and estate planning to ensure that your family and loved ones are well looked after should anything happen to you.

Seek out the services of a recommended financial advisor but never let them control your finances, be involved in every decision and transaction that takes place so that your money cannot be stolen out from underneath you. Securing the services of a lawyer to review any new potential contracts and assist with estate planning will also be to your benefit.

If you take these few tips into account and do happen to win big then you’ll be well on your way to not only enjoying your new found wealth but also sustaining it for years to come…

Casino Games that are bad for your Bankroll

Online casinos have a lot to offer in terms of thrill and excitement, thanks to their incredibly large selections of casinos games, many of which offer some very generous payouts. There are however a few casino games that you should avoid due to their higher house edges that can really do some damage to your bankroll if you unwittingly end up playing them.

Here we take a look at the games you should be avoiding if you want to give yourself the best chance of winning.

Keno

Keno is a popular casino game that is similar to lottery games. It is easy to play and quite a lot of fun as all you are required to do is select numbers between 1 and 80 on your card and hope that they are drawn as winning numbers. To win the huge advertised payouts though, all of your numbers need to be correct which make the odds of winning very low.

Over the long term, payouts for this game are pretty dismal thanks to the casino’s house edge of between 25% and 29% at land based venues with only slightly lower advantages being available at online casinos. With odds like that you’re definitely better off playing most other table games.

Big Six

Most people refer to this game as “Wheel of Fortune” and it’s really popular at many land based casinos, thanks to the fact that it usually occupies a prominent spot at the entrance. The general idea in this game is to bet where the wheel will stop once it is spun which is very difficult to do. The house edge can be anything from 11.11% to 24.07% depending on the casino. Again there are better games to play with just as much entertainment value and better odds of you actually earning something.

American Roulette

While American Roulette offers a considerably lower house edge than the two previously mentioned games at 5.26% it is still higher than some other games. The reason for the higher house edge is due to the fact that two of the 38 numbers on the roulette wheel favour the house (2/38=5.26).

So when playing roulette always opt for the European Roulette variation instead as this only has one house friendly number and a much lower 2.70% house advantage. Even better though, if you can find a French Roulette game with the La Partage and En Prison rules incorporated into it, play that instead as these lower the house edge to a much more manageable 1.35%.

Side Bets

Many casino game have side bets incorporated into the them to add interest for the player but also line the casino’s pockets even further. In a game of Craps which is generally quite player friendly, avoid the proposition bets as these push the house edge through the roof. On the Any Seven bet, the casino holds a 16.67% edge! If you have to play a prop bet, rather opt for the Place 6 or 8 wagers which have a 1.52% house advantage.

Other side bets that you should avoid include the Tie Bet in Baccarat (14.36% house advantage), the Casino War Tie Bet with a massive 18.86% edge and the Three Card Pair Plus bet in poker with a 7.28% edge.

Obviously you don’t have to avoid the above mentioned games completely, but just be aware of the impact that they can have on your bankroll and don’t get caught up playing them as more often than not you’ll find yourself on the losing end.

Avoid Casino Tricks – Play at Mobile or Online Casinos

Casino Tropez Online and Mobile Casino

It is a well-known fact that casino have always used a number of psychological tactics and tricks to encourage players to spend more time and money playing on the casino floors. The majority of these tactics are so subtle that most people don’t even realize that they exist.

The advent of online casinos and more recently thanks to the development of Android and iPhones, mobile casinos have helped players to even the field by avoiding the tricks and traps set for them by land based venues.

Here we identify common casino tricks and take a look at just how mobile and online casinos help you to avoid these, which could end up saving you money.

Time is restored to a formerly timeless world

When you enter a land based casino, time ceases to exist – or that’s what they want you to feel anyway. You’ll notice that casinos are designed in such a way that no windows or clocks exist within the environment of the casino floor. This is because gaming establishments don’t want you to keep track of how long you’ve been gambling, after all the more deeply you are immersed in gambling, the more you’ll spend.

Online and mobile casinos however have changed this and while it’s still easy to get caught up in your favourite online casino game, it is always easy to glance at the clock on your mobile or PC screen. In fact, it is one of our top recommendations that you do so in order to manage your game play and casino bankroll effectively.

Décor is no longer a factor

In addition to bland décor on the casino floor, one thing everyone is familiar with is the gaudy carpeting that all casinos have. This isn’t due to some crazy interior decorators dream for all casinos, but rather to keep your focus on the casino games at hand instead of being distracted by luxurious and beautiful surroundings (which you’ve probably noticed are reserved for areas like the hotel and entertainment away from the casino floor.

With mobile and online casinos décor is not a factor that casinos can use to their advantage because you can literally play from anywhere you like and there is nothing that can be done about external factors that may distract you from your game.

Strategy is encouraged by availability

Skilled players are welcomed by most casinos as long as they are not advantage players who can overcome the house edge with their skills, gambling systems of methods of cheating. After all, a skilled player can merely lower the house edge rather than eliminate it altogether so they will occasionally lose money in spite of their best efforts. This however doesn’t mean that casino offer strategic aids like blackjack strategy charts or tips for other games and they won’t say a word to aid a player who is unskilled and increases their advantage.

The great thing about playing online or on your mobile device however is that you have access to all of the strategy charts, tips and advice that you need. Online casinos even include an auto play mode that will play certain games according to sound strategy for you, all of which goes a long way to keeping your bottom line in the black as you play.

The Mystery of Slot Machine Payouts is solved

Have you ever noticed that land based gaming venues never list their payout percentages for their slots while online and mobile casinos do? This is probably because online and mobile slots have higher payout rates than their land based counterparts, making them the superior option if you’re in it to win it and increase your profits.

Hidden blackjack Rules revealed

Veteran blackjack players know what rules to look for at a table before they play because some blackjack rules offer an advantage to the player, such as being allowed to re-split hands, double down on any total, the number of decks in play and the dealer standing on soft 17 as well as natural blackjack payout out at 6:5 instead of 3:2. While it’s not always easy to know what the rules are at a land based blackjack table, online casinos have the rules displayed on a dedicated screen which you can access before you spend a single cent so you are able to easily identify which games to play without the guesswork.