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Types
of Online Casinos
There are a number of types of online casinos at which you can play. Many of
them are Java-based and load directly in your browser. Some of them use Flash
or Shockwave, which also runs in your browser but may require the Flash (or Shockwave)
plug-ins available from Macromedia.
Both of these
types are usually referred to as no-download casinos, even though you have
to download graphics and sounds every time you play. The biggest advantage
of a no-download casino is that it can be played on most computers and operating
systems, and many of these will also work on WebTV.
Then there
are the downloadable software casinos, which will only run on Windows-based
platforms. File sizes generally range from 5-15 megabytes, so you should
make sure you are definitely planning to play at this casino before investing
the time to download. If you run Windows, I recommend that you stick to these
download casinos. They are generally more stable and secure, and once downloaded
minimize communications between your computer and the casino game server,
making them ideal for those of you with dial-up connections.
Bonuses
One of the biggest advantages to online gambling is the wide availability of
bonuses that online casinos offer. Some casinos give you money right off
the bat for you to test out their games. Others require you to make a deposit
in order to receive a bonus, which is either a percentage of your deposit
added to your account, or a fixed amount received for an exact deposit
of X dollars.
For example,
Casino A might give you $10 free just for downloading, and $40 additional
when you make your first deposit of $100 within seventy-two hours.
Casino B may
offer you a bonus of 25% of the amount you deposit up to a certain limit.
The reason
that online casinos can offer bonuses like this is simply because they have
a much lower overhead cost. Less staff, less equipment, no construction required,
etc. And on top of that, they make you wager your deposit (and usually your
bonus) at least three times over before you can collect your winnings.
It is very
important that you read the terms and conditions which are either posted
on the web site or included in your email offer—how many times you
must wager the deposit and the bonus, the validity period of the bonus offer,
and which games you can or cannot play in order to ensure your winnings are
valid.
Making
a Deposit
So you’re ready to make your first real money bet? There are usually
a number of methods by which you can send the casino money.
Firstly, there’s
your credit card: Visa and Mastercard are commonly accepted by nearly every
online casino. However, many of you in North America may find that your credit
card purchase will be rejected.
This is not
because the casino doesn’t want your money; it’s because of a
regulation at credit card companies, which forces the merchant (the casino)
to identify the transaction as 7995: the purchase of tokens for the purpose
of Internet Gambling. Most banks in the US are afraid to accept these high-risk
transactions and automatically reject the purchase.
If this is
the case, you have two alternative methods of using your credit card—by
opening up an account at either PayPal or FirePay. You can tie your credit
card to these accounts and the purchase will be identified as a pseudo-cash
transaction instead of Internet Gambling transaction. These two methods are
now the most common ways by which North American residents deposit money
into online casinos—and in some cases casinos will offer an additional
bonus if you make a deposit by one of these methods.
Many casinos
also offer incentives for making a purchase by Western Union—you can
use your credit card to send funds by Western Union online, or you can always
go to your nearest Western Union agent and hand over cash. Some casinos will
even allow you to deposit money by other methods such as ACH (which is basically
an electronic check), or by wire transfer, Neteller or Layeway.
Playing the Games
Most casinos offer a pretty good selection of table games. At the very least,
you should be able to find blackjack, baccarat and roulette online; many
casinos offer additional table games like Caribbean Stud, Craps, Red Dog,
even Casino War and Three Card Poker—but sometimes the names are
slightly changed.
Video poker
is one of the more popular gambling games—while a few casinos only
offer one or two types of video poker, the best casinos may offer as many
as 10–15 different games, and some even offer multi-hand video poker.
And then there
are slots: hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of different slot machines.
Whether it’s single-line, three-line, 9-line, 3- or 5-reel, progressives,
bonus games, you name it, they’ve got it somewhere on the Net. The
best are the progressive slots, which often pay more—and hit more frequently—than
the progressives you’ll see in Vegas. The two largest portals that
feature these games are Jackpot Madness and Jackpot Mania.
All of these
games are simple to learn—usually just a click or two—and they
play as fast as, or faster than, land-based casinos. Some are multi-player,
some are single-player; but after you take a break for dinner, or perhaps
take the dog out for a walk, there will always be a seat waiting for you
when you come back.
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