Best Online Casinos for US players

A new law came into effect in the United States on October 13, 2006. It is called the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006” which the gambling industry immediately shortened to UIGEA and it was tacked onto the end of a law that was being rapidly pushed through Congress relating to the defense of American ports. The new law does not make it illegal to fund an online gambling account or to visit an online casino and play online casinos games. The law prohibits US Credit Card issuing Banks and Credit Card Companies from processing payments for online gambling sites for residents of the United States. As a result, the online casinos are no longer able to process Credit Card transactions. This applies only to US Residents. The rest of the world can happily still visit the online casinos and continue playing online casino games to their heart’s content.

However, the online casinos are still accepting other methods of payment via many of the cash transfer systems that are to be found on the internet. So there is no reason to stay away from your online casino or to stop playing your favorite online casino games. Other effects of this ban will soon be felt when some of the badly affected online casinos go out of business and the competition among the survivors heats up. Watch the bonuses grow in size and keep an eye open for a whole slew of new online casino games.

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Here at the Golden Ages retirement Center, the huge project of houses and apartments built overlooking the river, the chief pastime of the residents has become online casino games. I am here on the lawn. All around me are groups of residents standing around laptop computers and all the laptops are logged into online gambling sites. One group is playing bingo. Very popular down here. Another is in an online casino playing blackjack. The two groups on the far side are both in online casinos playing roulette. But everyone is busy with online casino games.

The betting in these online casino games is not that heavy. Everyone seems to have passed the age of heavy online gambling but they all enjoy a ‘mild flutter’. The most popular online casinos offer all the online casino games, poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, bingo, craps, slot machines and a dozen varieties of poker. The online casinos are all very entertaining, offering great graphics and good sound and the residents really enjoy themselves playing. It had become the main entertainment – outside on the lawn in the mild summer months and inside in the dining room in the colder months. I am sure, although no one knows for sure, that some of the people out there are also winning huge amounts of money by gambling online!

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Poker uses a 52-card deck without jokers.  There are many professional poker players but this shouldn’t mislead you into thinking that it is anything but a game of luck.  The chance of getting good cards is the same as that of getting bad cards.

Before you sit down to play at a poker table, be sure to read the sign next to the dealer indicating the table limit.  The game begins with each player placing a minimum bet. After the minimum bets have been placed, each player will be dealt five cards, face down.  After the players have seen their hands, the first round of betting starts.  You must call just to stay in the game.  At this point, the players will decide which cards they want to keep and which they want to replace.  There is no limit on the number of cards that can be replaced.  After the new cards have been dealt, a second round of betting commences.  The hands are then compared and the player holding the highest-ranking hand wins.

How to Bet

Once the opening bets have been placed, the players will receive their cards.  When they have their cards they can then decide between the following three plays:

1.    Call – If you call, you must bet enough money so your bet equals the previous bet.  For example, if your first bet were dollar and someone later bet two dollars, to call you would have to bet another dollar.
2.    Raise – With a raise, you must first call and then bet any additional amount of money you wish.  For example, if another player raises a dollar, you would have to first match that dollar and then add the additional sum of money you want to wager.  Some tables have a raise limit that is based on the minimum bet limit. The table might, for example, limit the raise to ten times the minimum bet limit.
3.    Fold – This is the option to withdraw from the game and give up your chance to win.  It is obviously the play you make when you think you have no chance of winning.

Hand Rankings: From Bottom to Top

High Card:  This is the lowest ranking hand and is used to determine the winner only when none of the players have any of the hands listed below.  If nobody on the table has a pair or better the player with the highest card wins.  If several players have the same highest card, then you look at the second highest card, and then the third highest card, etc., etc.  High cards can also be used to break ties if there are multiple high hands.  If two players have the same two high pairs, for instance, the highest fifth card will be used to break the tie.

Pair:  One pair with three distinct cards. If there is a tie, the high card will be used to break the tie.

Two Pairs: A hand with two pairs (two tens and two jacks for example).  The hand with the highest pair wins.  If two players are holding the same two pairs, the fifth card will determine the winner.

Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same value.  As in the other hands, the high card will break the tie.

Straight: Five consecutive cards but not the same suit.  For example, a 9, 10, jack, queen, and king of different suits would comprise a straight.  The highest straight wins and two straights of the same value split the pot.

Flush: Five cards of the same suit but not in consecutive order.  If there is more than one player with a flush, the highest card wins.

Full House: Three cards of one value (e.g. three kings) and two cards of one value (e.g. two tens).  The player with the highest full house wins.

Four of a Kind:  Four cards of the same value (for example, four 10s).  Highest four wins.  Obviously, if one player is holding four of the same cards, there is no need for a highest card to act as the tiebreaker since there are no more than four cards of the same suite and value in a deck.

Straight Flush: Five cards of the same suit in consecutive order (8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen of Diamonds, for example).

Royal Flush: This is the same as the straight flush but the highest card must be an ace (for example, ten, jack, queen, king, ace)

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One of the most exciting of the casino games, roulette is a very simple game to understand.  The game consists of a table with betting fields, a roulette wheel and a roulette wheel ball.  The wheel is divided into 38 slots, numbered 1 through 36, 0, and 00.  The zero slots are colored green and the other numbered slots are black and red.  You begin the game by placing a bet with the special chips provided by the dealer.  Each player gets a different colored chip to make each player’s bet easier to identify.  The game begins after the players have placed their bets on the betting field.  At this point, the dealer spins the roulette wheel in one direction and the little ball in the opposite direction.  Bets can be placed up until the moment the dealer says: “no more bets”.  The numbered field that the ball stops on contains the winning number.  The dealer then marks the winning field and pays out the bets accordingly.

Placing Bets

There are a number of different bets that can be placed and, while they may appear complicated, they are really relatively easy to make.  Below you will find a roulette table layout that will help explain the betting process.  The white chips indicate the wagers that can be placed.

The Table

1.  The Straight Bet:  With this bet the player can place a chip on anyone of the 38 slots. This bet offers the highest odds in this game.  Odds are 35:1 that the ball will land on the number you selected.  Make sure that you place the ball securely in the square surrounding the number you choose so that there can be no confusion on the part of the dealer as to which number you placed your wager.

2. Split or Two Number Bet:  In a split bet the chip is placed on the line between two neighboring numbers (12 and 15). The player wins if the ball lands on either of those numbers. The odds on this bet are 17:1.

3. Street or Three Number: With this bet you can bet on an entire row on the table.  To make this type of bet, place your chip on the outside line of the row you want to bet on.  If those three numbers come up, you are a winner.  Odds for the street bet are 11:1.

4. Corner Bet:  The corner bet covers four numbers. To place this bet, you must put your chip right in the middle of the four numbers where they join corners. In this case they are 20, 21, 23 and 24. The odds for a corner bet are 8:1.

5. Five Number Bet: With this bet you place your chip on the only possible five number street option. 0, 00 1, 2 and 3 are the only numbers covered with the five number bet. If just one these numbers comes up you will get paid 6:1 odds.

6. Six Bet Number: With this bet you can cover two rows of three numbers each.  To place this bet, you must put your chip on the outside line of the two rows you want to cover. In this case the numbers are 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33. The odds on this particular bet are 5:1.

7. Any Red or Black Bet:  For this type of bet, you place your chip on either the black or the red field on the outside.  Depending upon which color you choose, this covers all the red or black numbers on the field.  The odds for this bet are 1:1.

8. Low or High Number Bet: For this bet the field of numbers are divided into a low group of numbers (1-18) and a high group of numbers (19-36).  The player bets on whether the ball will land on a number between 1-18 or 19-36.  If the 0 or 00 come up, the player loses.  The odds for this bet are 1:1.

9. An Even or Odd Bet: As the name implies, with this bet you are betting on whether the next number that comes up will be even or odd.  As in the high/low bet, each bet covers a field of 18 numbers and a 0 or 00 means a loss.  The odds of this bet are also 1:1.

10. Dozen Bet:  This divides the numbers into three groups of a dozen: 1 to 12, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36.  The player’s bet covers all the numbers in the dozen he bet upon.  For example, if a player bet on the first dozen numbers, numbers 1 through 12 would be covered by the bet. Winners are paid 2:1.

11. Column Bets: With this bet, there are three columns (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) each of which covers 12 numbers.  If any of the numbers in your column come up, you are paid at 2:1 odds.

Roulette is purely a game of chance so there are no particular strategies to recommend.  You can, however, maximize your chances of winning by placing only straight bets, which offer the highest payback rates in the game.

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Upon first impression, craps appears to be very complicated but it does not have to be. Craps is one of the most exciting and glamorous games in a casino and craps tables are almost always full. Two dice are needed to play the game and up to eight players can play at the same time.

The game commences with the ‘come out’ roll, which is made by the ‘shooter’. The shooter is a player that rolls the dice. If the shooter rolls a 7 to 11, he wins the game. This is called a natural. If he rolls a 2, 3, or 12, he loses. This is called craps. The rest of the numbers are called point numbers. If the player rolls a point at the come out roll, he must roll another point and then a seven in order to win the game. If he rolls a 7 right after the first point roll, he loses the game and the dice are passed to the next player. The next player can either choose to roll or pass the dice another player.

Betting in Craps

There are a number of different types of bets that can be placed and any player at the table can place a bet. Below is shown part of a craps table that can help explain the betting options. The black chips indicate which bets can be made.

1) Pass Line Bet: This is the most popular craps bet. Here a player bets that the shooter will win his game. The bet can be made at any time but is generally made before the first come out roll. Odds of winning are 1:1.

2) Don’t Pass Bet: Exactly the opposite of the Pass Line Bet, in this bet you bet that the shooter will lose his game. The odds are also 1:1.

3) Odds Bet: When the shooter establishes the point in the come out roll, you can place an odds bet instead of the pass line or don’t pass bet. With this bet, the house does not gain an advantage because you are not betting against it. Essentially you are just strengthening your pass line or don’t pass bet. A winning odds bet pays you true odds: 6:5 for a six and eight roll, 3:2 for a five and nine roll and 2:1 for a four and ten.

4) Come Bet: The come bet is the same as the pass line bet but you make the bet after the point is established. The next roll is then the come out roll for your bet. A come bet loses with 2, 3 and 12 and wins with 7 and 11. All other rolled numbers cause your wager to be moved to that particular number (the X is the spot to which your wager is moved). For you to win, the point would have to be re-established before a 7 is rolled. Odds for this bet are 1:1.

5) Don’t Come Bet: This bet is exactly the opposite of the come bet. The odds are also 1:1.

6) Field Bet: In this bet you are betting that the next roll will yield a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. If the roll yields a 5, 6, 7, or 8, you lose. The odds are 1:1 on a 4, 9, 10, and 11 roll and 2:1 on a 2 and 12 roll.

7) Place Bet: With this bet you are betting that a certain number will be rolled before a 7. The odds are 7:6 on an 8 and 6 roll, 7:5 on a 9 and 5 roll, and 9:5 on a 10 and 4 roll.

8) Buy Bet: This is the same as a place bet but the buy bet pays true odds with a five percent charge with every win.

9) Big 6 and 8: With this bet you are betting that a 6 or an 8 are rolled before the 7. Odds for this bet are 1:1.

10) Any Craps: Here you are betting that the next roll will bring a 2, 3, or 12. The odds on this bet are 7:1.

11) Hardways: A hardways bet is a place bet on one of the following doubles: 2+2, 3+3, 4+4, and 5+5. The odds are 9:1 on a hard 6 and a hard 8 (3+3 and 4+4) and 7:1 on a hard 4 and hard 10 (2+2 and 5+5).

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The most popular card game in the world is Blackjack. One of the reasons for its popularity is that players know that the game is mathematically beatable and does not require luck alone to win. Unlike roulette or slot machines, blackjack is not only a game of luck, but is also a game of skill. Most people put the origins of blackjack in France around the 1700s. At that time it was called ‘vingt-et-un’ (21). Blackjack made it to the U.S. in the 1800s. The name blackjack comes from the winning hand created by an ace of spades and a jack of spades. While the rules of the game are simple to learn, there are a number of strategies that must also be learned in order to increase your chances of winning. Blackjack requires a standard 52-deck card and every player plays against the dealer. In blackjack, the king, queen, jack and ten all have point values of ten. The rest of the cards have point values equivalent to their face value except for the ace which can either equal 11 or one (depending upon what value is best for the player’s hand).

To win in blackjack, the player must have the highest point value without exceeding 21 points. The player’s hand must have a higher point value than the dealer in order to win the dealer but the hand must not exceed a point value of 21. A hand that exceeds a point value of 21 goes bust and is an automatic loss. When the hands of the dealer and the player have the same point value, it is a tie or a push and the bet is returned to the player. In cases where the player has a natural blackjack, where his first two cards equal 21, he automatically wins one and half times his bet. Natural blackjack hands can only be made out of an ace plus either a ten, jack, queen or king. The natural blackjack hand wins every other hand except another natural blackjack hand. For example, if the player is holding a natural blackjack hand and the dealer is holding four cards totaling 21, the natural blackjack hand is still the winning hand.

The Value of Winning Hands

Winning Hand: 1 to 1

Insurance: 2 to 1

Blackjack: 3 to 1

In case you lose a deal, you only lose your bet.

Blackjack: Step by Step

1. The dealer can play against from one to seven players at the same time. After the opening bet, each player is dealt two cards. The dealer also receives two cards but his last card is placed face down on the table.

2. Players pick up their cards and check their point value. Each player then needs to decide whether he should take a hit (another card) or stand (keep the cards he has). There is no limit to the number of cards he can take). Players play against the dealer, hoping their hand will be higher than the dealer’s without going bust.

3. If you are dealt an ace, you must decide whether its value should be 11 or 1.

4. Once all of the players stand, the dealer will then show his cards. If the dealer’s hand is worth between 17 to 21 points, he must stand. If his hand is worth 16 points or lower, he must take another card until his hand reaches a value of 17 or more. If the dealer busts, the other players that did not bust automatically win but if the dealer has the highest point value without going bust, any players that have a lower point value will lose.

5. The amount of money you win is based upon the amount bet for a winning hand. If you are holding a blackjack, you can only lose if the dealer is also holding a blackjack.

Blackjack Options

Split:

If your first two cards have equal value you can split your hand into two different hands where each card becomes the first card of the new hand. When you split you must place another bet equivalent to the first bet. When you split you can draw as many new cards as you want unless you had two aces in which case you are only allowed one more card for each hand. You can also split cards valued at ten points although this is not recommended. It is recommended that you spit two aces. Most casinos will allow you to re-split your hand as well. In other words, if you receive another set of doubles after you have split once you will normally be allowed to split again. Some casinos place restrictions on the number of times you can split, so you should always check with the casino. It is recommended that you split on eights and aces.

Doubling Your Bet

If you think you will beat the dealer after you get your additional card(s), you can increase your bet by doubling it. This is known as doubling down. If you do decide to double down, you will only be allowed one more card. For example, if you are already holding a five and a six and decide to double down hoping to get a card valued at ten, you will only be allowed one more card. Different casinos have different rules about doubling down. Some casinos will only allow you to double down if the first two cards you are holding are worth 10 or 11. Other casinos will allow you to double down on any two cards. Still other casinos only let you double down on your original hand while others will let you do so on every hand. It is best to check with the casino about its doubling down rules before you sit down to play.

Insurance

Insurance gives the player an opportunity to protect himself against a possible dealer blackjack. In order to buy insurance, you simply need to press the insurance button.

If the dealer has blackjack, you will get two to one on your insurance. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, however, you will lose your insurance bet.

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