Archive for June, 2008
Triple 7s Blackjack is a new online blackjack game loosely based on the standard blackjack, but with a side bet that qualifies the player for a progressive jackpot of hundreds and thousands of dollars. In order to win at triple 7s, one has to get three diamond 7s in a row from the first hand of his hand. While it is not at all an easy feat to achieve, one will be over the moon if that indeed happens.
Triple 7s blackjack is played using five standard decks of 52 cards that are thoroughly shuffled before the start of each game. The side bet is mandatory, and it is automatically set for each player when they play the game. It is equivalent to one coin or credit. Like in the standard blackjack game, here as well, the objective of the player is to beat the dealer’s hand sans going over 21 or force the dealer himself to go bust (going over 21).
Now, here are some of the rules that govern play in Triple 7s: The dealer has to stand on 17 and split on 16. Splitting and re-splitting are permitted. Aces can be re-split as well. But one can’t split cards that has the same value, but with different denominations. That is, one can’t split a ten and Jack even if both have a value equal to ‘10’. Further, doubling down is permitted only in hands with a value of 9, 10 or 11. Also, one can’t double after splitting. Finally, in Triple 7s blackjack, a player can play only one hand at a time.
Regarding value of cards, in Triple 7s blackjack, all face cards have a value of 10. Aces have a value of 1 or 11, depending on how a player wants it in his hand. A hand can have a maximum of 11 cards. If the hand still does not go over 21, the hand stands. If a player is dealt a 10 card (including picture cards) and an ace, he has a blackjack (referred to as ‘natural’) and such a hand automatically stands. A natural blackjack can only be matched, and can’t be defeated. In the rare even of both the player and dealer having a blackjack is called a ‘push’ in which case the player is paid his original bet amount.
As mentioned above, the biggest draw of Triple 7s blackjack is the progressive jackpot of hundreds of thousand of dollars. Apart from the progressive jackpot, Triple 7s also offers other bonus jackpots, which pays well even though it is no match for the progressives. For example, three 7s of the same suit - other than diamonds - win $1,000. Triple 7s of different suits win $250. In fact, two 7s, and sometimes even a single 7 wins bonus jackpots. No wonder, the Triple 7s is becoming popular amongst online casino gamers.
Even though Triple 7s blackjack is similar to standard blackjack in many ways, it is advisable that one may read and understand the game rules before start gaming. It is always better to go prepared than committing some silly mistake and lose the game.
It may be ironic that the game of roulette is of French origin, but its ‘non-French’ versions, the European and American Roulettes, are the most known roulette games today. But a French version of roulette still exists, called the French Roulette.
Basically, the French roulette is played in a similar manner to European roulette or American roulette. That is, the player(s) will wager or bet on which number(s) the ball might land after the croupier throws it into the spinning roulette wheel. But there are certain other features that make it different, and sometimes superior, to its more popular cousins.
The main difference that one might note about French roulette is that the roulette table is in French. In other words, there will be no English words anywhere. Also, the numbers on a French roulette table are red colored. But the change in color has no other relevance and hence makes no difference whatsoever to the game as far as the players are concerned.
The French roulette, like its European cousin, has only one ‘0’ on its wheel. That means, players have a greater probability of winning at French roulette than in American roulette, which has an additional ‘00’ on its roulette wheel. The French roulette also provides another advantage, but this time over the European roulette. That is, in French roulette, it has a unique rule named La Partage, according to which players will lose only half the wagered money on an even bet even if the ball lands on the ‘0’. In other roulette forms, the player is bound to lose his entire bet amount if the ball lands on ‘0’ or ‘00’.
Regarding bets, the French roulette has three types of bets, the inside bets and outside bets as in the other roulette versions, and a set of special bets known as call bets.
The different inside bets are:
- Straight bet: It is the bet on a single number wherein the chip is placed on the middle of the number, on the table. Straight bets have the highest odds (35:1).
- Split bet: It is a bet on two adjacent numbers, wherein the chip or wager is placed on the line that separates the two numbers, on the table. A split bet pays 17:1.
- Street bet: In any roulette, the term ‘street’ refers to a horizontal row of three numbered spaces on the layout. A street bet is placed by placing the chip on the outside of the beginning of one of the ‘streets’. It pays 11:1.
- Square bet: It is placed at the vertical and horizontal intersection of four numbers on the layout. It pays 8:1 meaning that for every bet of $1, the player could win $8.
- Line bet: Here, a player places the chips between the two rows of numbers, which are wagered on. A line bet pays at 5:1, which is the lowest in the game.
The outside bets pays less than the inside bets. The different outside bets are,
- Column bet: It is a 12-number bet that pays 2:1. The player places a column bet by placing the chip at base of the chosen column consisting of 12 numbers.
- Dozen bet: The player places the chips on the boxes marked 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. It pays 2:1.
- Even-Money bet: The player bets on half the numbers on the roulette table. The bet is placed on one of these squares - Even, Odd, 1-18, 19-36, Red or Black. It pays even money (1:1).
Call bets, which are also called ‘announced bets’ include,
- Voisins du Zero: Also called the ‘Neighbors of Zero’, this bet is placed on the seventeen numbers - 0, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, and 35 – that surrounds 0 on the French roulette wheel.
- Tiers du Cylindre: Called the ‘Third of the Wheel’ in English, here, the bet is placed on the 12 numbers located opposite side of the roulette wheel from 0. These numbers are 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, and 33.
- Orphelins or Orphans: This bet is placed on the eight remaining numbers that does not form part of Voisins du Zero or Tiers du Cylindre.
- Finales en Plein: It is a bet placed on all numbers ending with a particular digit. For example, Finales en Plein 2 is the bet on 2, 12, 22, and 32.
- Finales a Cheval: It is a bet placed on all the numbers on the roulette table that ends in either of the two numbers. For example, Finales a Cheval 2/5 means a bet placed on 2, 5, 12, 15, 22, 25, 32 and 35.
The bets in French roulette may appear to be a tad complex to a beginner. But it is this perceived complexity and variety that exists in betting that makes French roulette much more fun and exciting to the players than its European and American cousins.
For the most part, Roulette Royale is a game all about chance. The game itself is comprised of a wheel and a table. Of course, there are many different versions of the actual classic roulette game, and Roulette Royale is one of them. In fact, this is one that is actually based on the standard European style roulette. So people from America and other places may find that the rules are a little different. The main thing that makes this game so different from other forms of roulette is the progressive jackpot. This is a jackpot that can be won the same number of hits in a row. Of course, we will get into this more in a second.
How to Play Roulette Royale
The Roulette Royale is played on a European roulette wheel, which (unlike the American roulette wheel) only has one zero. Thus, the player has a much better edge of winning. The object of this game, is to guess the number on the wheel that the ball is going to fall on (the wheel is made up of many slots, and every slot has a different number). When you are done placing your bet, the wheel is spun in the opposite direction that the ball is dropped. Now, back to the progressive jackpot. If the ball hits the same number five times in a row, you get a progressive jackpot, which is going to give you a ton of money.
Now, when playing Roulette Royale, you have to know that there are two different kinds of bets. There are the outside bets and the inside bets. The inside bet is where you bet on a number (0-36) that the ball is going to land on. The outside bet has to do with the color on the table. Each number has a different color in it’s slot, either red or black. An outside bet is where you bet on the color that it is going to land on. You can also bet on a combination of numbers as well. Everyone has their own theory on which is better to bet on. Only you can choose what works best for you.
How to Win at Roulette Royale
To win, you, of course, have to win your bet. As you just learned, there are many different ways to go about placing a bet in Roulette Royale. Here are the full range of things that you can bet on. You can bet on one number, a combination of numbers, the color (either red or black), or even if it’s going to be even or odd.
When calling your bet, you will have to tell them what you are doing. If you call a straight up bet, then you have to place your chips on a number on the board. The pay off for this is 35 to 1. If you do a split bet, then you divide your chips among two different numbers. Your pay out this way is 17 to 1. A street bet is where you can place your bet on three different numbers in a row. Your odds here are 11 to 1. After this, you have your corner bet, which is where you place your chips in four numbers that meet in a corner of the board. The payout there is 8 to 1. A line bet is like a double street bet. Where you place your chips on two rows of three, and the pay out for this is 5 to 1. There is also a column bet, in which you place bets on all the numbers by placing your chip in the box. Your pay out here is only 2 to 1.
As you can clearly see, there are a lot of different ways that you can bet. The higher payout you get, the less likely you are to win. However, that is how all betting goes.
Like every casino game, one’s chance of winning at craps depends a lot on tactical gaming. Here are few craps tips that would help to improve your game significantly. Read them and implement them in your game in a way that best suits your style.
As a first step, make yourself familiar with the technique of making pass line bets and how to place 6 and 8. The importance of these bets is rooted in the fact that the house benefits associated with them are as less as 1.5%. So, if one harbors any ambition to perform well in the game of craps, he simply has to master this trick to perfection.
Secondly, don’t even think twice when it comes to avoiding all suggestion bets placed at the center of the layout. The dealers will always attempt to persuade the gamers to play at the ‘house bets’ because that drives the casino advantage to as much as 16%. Whatever happens, don’t ever fall in this trap. Another bet to avoid is proposition bets. This could also place the players in a precarious position if nothing goes in his way. In short, as a thumb rule, simply avoid making bets that increases the house advantage significantly.
Once you have made yourself familiar with the working of Odds bet, always refrain from making Come or Line bets that you’re not ready to back up with full odds. Further, if the table minimum for a particular table is too high, don’t hesitate to skip that table. And most importantly, at any point, if you find yourself in doubt, never waste a second to ask the dealer. Most of them will be prepared to help you out sincerely. On the contrary, if you get doubts about the dealer’s behavior, it will be better to quit the game.
Every casino game has its share of risks. But, playing with such risks only brings rewards to the players in the end. One such high risk bet in craps is Field bets, which are decided on a single roll of the dice. While playing it, be on guard always, and don’t commit unless you’re sure in your mind that the shooter is going to roll 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. On the other hand, if you have your doubts, or can’t afford to take risks, avoid Field bets.
Also, preferably avoid Buy bets. They can potentially lower a player’s edge far lower than the Place bets. But, if one is hell bent on making one, bet only on 4 or 10. These are the only numbers on the bet where it’ll offer a return of 2:1 in the player’s favor.
Now some general tips:
- Don’t ever hand over hard cash to the dealers to make a change because it is illegal as per the casino rules. The method is to place the money in the layout, before the shooter getting the dice, and request the dealer for ‘change only’.
- Keep your hands off the table or in the direction in which the dice is thrown. Doing so, even inadvertently, could invite a ban from playing at the casino again.
For shooters, they should not glide the dice across the layout. One has to throw it instead. Gliding is illegal and might invite punishments.
A lot of people tend to think of roulette as being an easy game to play, in which it is. The game is pretty straightforward, and you do not have to do too much thinking. The problem here is that people often take this to mean that the game is easy to figure out as well. However, this is not really the case. A good roulette strategy is anything but easy to come up with. There are also a few people that think that roulette is all about luck as well. This is not always the case either! Today we are going to talk about the best roulette strategy that you can use!
Roulette Strategies and Roulette Systems
Before we get into this topic anymore, you have to know that there is a big difference between a roulette strategy and a roulette system. When you look online for a roulette system, you are going to find a lot of systematic programs out there. These are different rules to follow when you wager. However, just because there are a lot of systems out there, does not make them right. In fact, a lot of roulette systems should just be forgotten. There may be a few good ones out there, but for the most part, they are very faulty and have great risks to them.
Of course, there are a few roulette strategies that can go a long way if you use them right. See, a straight is not a mathematically beat over the house. It’s a simple to use guide to help you, not a set group of rules. The first tip is to read everything you can about roulette. Make sure that you understand everything about the game and that you are comfortable with the odds associated with the bets that you are making. Another key roulette strategy would be to give yourself a limit on how much you are willing to lose. Also, you need to set a limit on how much you want to gain. No, you heard it right. Put a limit on how much you want to gain! This puts a limit on the risk that you take each round.
Also, if you have a choice, always, and that means always, play European roulette over American roulette. The American roulette table has one extra slot that is a zero. Now, this may not sound like a lot, but it gives the house a 5.26% advantage over you every time. The European house only has a 2.7% advantage over you. As you can see, that’s a pretty big jump. When placing your bet (no matter which roulette you are playing), you want to avoid any single number bets. This is because the odds of payout are so slim. On the same note, do not use five number bets, because the amount of money you win and the odds are the overall worst.
We covered a lot of what not to do, so what is it that you are supposed to do? Well, you need to bet on anything that has a high odd of wining. Thus, you may want to place your bets on things like even or odd numbers, or maybe even red or black. This gives you a 45% chance of winning, and that is a pretty good odd. The worst thing that you can do is relate the spins of the wheel. Keep all spins of the wheel unrelated. Do not think that it’s going to land on red again, because it has been landing on red a lot. This is of no help to you at all.
European Roulette is a game of chance. It is played by throwing a small round ball into the spinning roulette wheel (in the opposite direction of the spin of the roulette wheel). When the wheel comes to a halt after sometime, the roulette ball will come to rest on some numbered slots/pockets. The game is all about placing bets on certain numbers or a series of numbers on the anticipation that the ball might land on it after the spin.
Before going into the details of bets, here is a bit of trivia relating to roulette in general. European roulette, the original roulette, has a close cousin, the American Roulette. The versions are similar in most parts, except for few differences. For example, in European roulette, the roulette wheel has only one ‘0’ while its American counterpart has an additional ‘00’ on its wheel. Further, both games use different colors of chips. If to point out one more subtle difference, in European roulette, the croupier uses a ‘rake’ to gather the chips while in the American version, the dealer uses his hands to collect the chips. In terms of bets and rules, both versions of this popular game are nearly the same.
Regarding bets, there are two types of bets in European roulette: inside bets and outside bets. An inside bet, as the term indicates, is the bet placed on the numbers (0-36) inside the roulette wheel. The different inside bets are the follows:
- Straight bets: It is the bet with the highest odds (35:1). It is the bet on a single number wherein the chip is placed on the middle of the number, on the table.
- Split bet: It pays 17:1. In split bet, the wager is placed on the line between two numbers on the table. Here, a player has twice as much probability to win as he will win even if the ball lands in either of the two numbers.
- Street bet: In roulette, the term ‘street’ refers to a horizontal row of three numbered spaces on the layout. A street bet is placed by placing the chip on the outside of the beginning of one of the ‘streets’. The street bet pays 11:1.
- Square bet: The player bets on the center of a square of four numbers. It pays 8:1.
- Line bet: It is the bet with the lowest odds, which pays 5:1. In line bet, a player places the chips between the two rows of numbers, which are wagered on.
An outside bet, on the other hand, is placed outside the numbered table layout. The outside bets in European roulette are,
- Column bets: In a column bet, the chip is placed at base of the chosen column consisting of 12 numbers. The bet pays 2:1.
- Dozen bet: This bet pays 2:1. The player places the chips on the boxes marked 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. If the ball lands in ‘0’, the player loses.
- Even-Money bet: Player bets on half the numbers on the roulette table. The bet is placed on one of these squares - Even, Odd, 1-18, 19-36, Red or Black.
When you play online European roulette, the user PC will be your dealer, and the wheel, table and ball all virtual. Otherwise, it is all fun and excitement, and perhaps a bit more convenient to the gamers, to bank, wager, or even strategize one’s game plans.
It may appear that craps does not need the skill levels or analytical mindset required in playing games such as blackjack or poker. While it is true to an extent, it is not entirely true either. In craps, some amount of strategy is required, if not to win the game, but to ensure that one does not lose too much money in a short span of time. In other words, in order to fare well in a game of craps, one needs to have in place an efficient money management strategy, and a thorough working knowledge of the best bets on the table.
The first one, managing one’s bankroll is the crucial pillar of any crap strategy. A good method to do so is to set for oneself a loss limit and strictly stick to it. As it is often seen, players tend to start the game by bankrolling oneself $100 (say), and as one begins to lose his way, and the money is lost, he is tempted to increase the bankroll again. It is also equally difficult to keep a maximum limit to winnings. If one is winning, why leave?
The best way of money management in craps is to bet using one’s own winnings. For example, if you start with a bankroll of $100, keep that as your loss limit as well. Now, start gaming and should you lose the money, just walk away once the $100 is finished. On the other hand, if you win, go on gaming until you have $75-100 at least above your initial bankroll, and keep that money aside. This way, even if you lose the $100 gained, still you’ll have your original bankroll. If you win more, put that money as well aside and hold it back from the game permanently. Now that’s the profit that you have earned.
The second element of a decent craps strategy is to discern the best bets on the table. For example, take the maximum free odds on your passline bets. Passline bets have a house edge of 1.42, which is good enough in the context of casino games. As a player, always take the maximum they allow. Free odds, on the other hand, are fair bets having zero house edge. If you are new to craps, don’t hesitate to clarify the game rules with the dealer. Remember, many players lose money in craps owing to their flawed understanding of the game rules governing betting.
Finally, play intelligently. While craps can be fun and exciting, at times it can also be frustrating and nerve wracking, especially if you are losing money. Play the game with a cool head, and never increase your bets to cover the losses incurred. The game can be noisy at times with those conversations and noise from around the table. Hence it is advisable that players remain focused throughout the duration of the game. Else they might lose track of their bets, especially if there are quite few of them.
In short, while playing craps, have a strategy in your mind before you walk/sign into a casino and while playing, stick to it fiercely. It is uncontested that luck plays a major part in the game. But it is the right strategy that separates the winners from losers.
Roulette is a French word, meaning ‘small wheel’. The two popular versions of Roulette today are the European Roulette – the original Roulette – and its US cousin, American Roulette. The American Roulette differs from European Roulette in having an additional ‘00’ on its wheel, and the use of different color chips for the game. Now, looking from a player’s perspective, in American Roulette, the house will have a higher advantage (5.26%), owing to having more numbers on the wheel, than the European Roulette where the house advantage is just 2.7%. In fact, there is one more subtle difference between the two versions of the game. While the croupier uses a ‘rake’ to gather the chips in European Roulette, in its American version, the dealer just collects it with his hands.
American Roulette is played by throwing a small round ball into the spinning roulette wheel (in the opposite direction of the spin of the roulette wheel). When the wheel comes to a halt after sometime, the roulette ball will come to rest on some numbered slots/pockets. The game is all about placing bets on certain numbers or a series of numbers on the anticipation that the ball might land on it after the spin.
Regarding bets, there are two types of bets in American Roulette: inside bets and outside bets. As the term itself indicates, inside bet is when a player bets on any of the numbers (0-36) or a small group of up to six numbers on the wheel. The different inside bets are:
- Straight up bet: The bet is placed on any number between 0 and 36.
- Split bet: The bet is placed on the line between two numbers. Here, a player has twice as much probability to win as he will win even if the ball lands in either of the two numbers.
- Street bet: The bet is placed on the ‘street’ of three numbers. This is the favorite bet amongst the players as they have thrice as many chances to win it than a straight bet, and still gets a hefty payout if they win ($8 for every $1 bet).
- Square bet: The player bets on the center of a square of four numbers. For every bet of $1, the player could win $8.
- Basket bet: The bet is placed on a row of five or six numbers. The odds are 6:1 for five numbers row and 5:1 for a row of six numbers.
Outside bets, on the other hand, is placed on colors (black or red) or on large combinations of numbers (usually 12 or 18). The outside bet is placed outside the roulette table layout. The outside bets are:
- Even money bet: Player bets on half the numbers on the roulette table. The bet is placed on one of these squares - Even, Odd, 1-18, 19-36, Red or Black.
- Dozens bet: This bet pays 2:1. The player places the chips on the boxes marked 1-12, 13-24, or 25-36. If the ball lands in ‘0’ or ‘00’, the player loses.
- Column bets: It is a 12-number bet, and pays 2:1. The bets are made on the boxes at the bottom of each vertical column.
- Line bet: It is equivalent to two Street bets, and it pays 5:1. The bet is placed on the line dividing the outside and inside area (like in Street bets), which at the same time also straddles the row above or below.
In online American roulette, the table and ball will be virtual, and the user PC, the dealer. But the effect will be nearly the same, and you, the player, will enjoy it for sure.
The origin of craps, one of the popular casino games today, can be traced back to thousands of years, to the ancient Arab world and the game they played called ‘Hazard’ (”az-zahr”, which rhymes with Hazard means ‘dice’ in Arabic).
The game came to Britain in the 12th century and soon it became popular over the Channel of France, where it was called ‘crabs’ (the term used to indicate the losing throw of ‘2’ in the original Hazard game), the French pronunciation of ‘crabs’. The game was also played widely in England for centuries. Historians note instances where noblemen and higher classes had lost fortunes by playing Hazard in the English gambling houses in the 17th century. The game was also found mention in the literary works of those times, such as the famous Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, indicating that Hazard was quite a popular past time in the Victorian era, at least amongst the rich and influential sections of the English society.
The game reached the American continent in the mid-1700s, along with the immigration of French settlers in Canada to the US after their defeat by the British. However, this point is somewhat contentious for some say that it was the English settlers who took the game to the US and not the French and vice versa. No matter which version is correct, it was in America that the game of craps had evolved further, and got transformed into the form that we see and play today in the land based and online casinos worldwide.
Craps popularized in the US in the 17-18th century, thanks to the game’s entertainment value and the high risk taking attitude of the immigrant Americans of that time. The game also underwent significant changes during this time. For example, an American named John H Winn added major changes to the rules of the game by enabling players to bet with the shooter or against the shooter. This amendment in rules was actually made to negate the widespread practice of houses playing with crooked dice in those times. As a matter of fact, John H Winn is considered the father of Modern Craps and his version of craps became the 20th century casino game of Bank Craps with those layouts and tables.
Today, craps is played in casinos worldwide and is one the biggest gambling games in the history of casinos in terms of the money wagered. Such is the popularity that the game enjoys amongst the gamblers that it was widely portrayed in numerous Hollywood movies, of past and present, as the low and high rollers favorite casino game. It is true that the game has come a long way since its early days as Hazard, played in the Arabic countries. But the excitement it generates in the players, and entertainment value it embeds has only enhanced during its evolution in the last few centuries, that made it a favorite pastime for professional as well as amateur casino gamers from across the globe.
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