Make the Most of Online Casino Bonuses, online casino how it works.

Online casino how it works

New casino sites to play real money

Just like in any competitive marketplace, online casinos try to outshine the competition to attract and maintain as many players as possible. That’s why every casino worth its weight offers some kind of cash incentive. As UK casinos aim to outdo each other, you stand to profit. We’ll cover the different types of bonuses here in our online casino bonus guide. Welcome bonus - the welcome or sign up bonus is essentially free money for signing up with a new online gambling site. Most commonly a match bonus, this cash might double what you initially deposit to a new casino. In a 100% match bonus, for example, your £150 becomes £300.

Make the most of online casino bonuses

When visiting an online casino in the united kingdom, players stand to earn huge cash bonuses and other substantial benefits starting at right the first signup.

How does an online casino deposit bonus work? That largely depends on what kind of bonus you’re dealing with. Have a look at our guides to learn the ins and outs of bonuses, including specific bonus types, strategies, and wagering requirements. Learn how to claim and qualify for all the benefits you deserve. Bonuses help you get the most out of your online casino games in the UK, and we’re here to help you maximize the effect.

Online casino bonuses 101

In short, an online casino bonus is a sum of cash offered to players, under certain terms and conditions, as an incentive to sign up or stay loyal to an online gambling site.

Just like in any competitive marketplace, online casinos try to outshine the competition to attract and maintain as many players as possible. That’s why every casino worth its weight offers some kind of cash incentive. As UK casinos aim to outdo each other, you stand to profit. We’ll cover the different types of bonuses here in our online casino bonus guide.

Bonus varieties you'll discover

Your favourite real money casino likely offers a few different types of bonuses, which may be confusing to some players. Usually, most bonuses come as match bonuses, where the casino will match any cash a player deposits. The best part is that match bonuses often exceed 100%. Here, we’ll break down the most common bonus varieties.

No deposit bonus - these are convenient offers where the casino offers free cash to play online casino games without requiring you to make a deposit beforehand. Typically smaller in amount, no deposit bonuses are great for getting a feel for new games.

Free spins/bets - free play options, including free slot machine spins or freeroll poker tournaments, give players a chance to earn real money prizes or test new games without the risk of making a large deposit. Not to be underestimated!

Welcome bonus - the welcome or sign up bonus is essentially free money for signing up with a new online gambling site. Most commonly a match bonus, this cash might double what you initially deposit to a new casino. In a 100% match bonus, for example, your £150 becomes £300.

Bonuses and promotional offers aren’t just advertising stunts for gambling sites online. When used wisely, bonuses offer key support for real money gambling, buffering your bankroll and helping to level the playing field in various games. They also act as goals for seasoned players, with some sites offering high roller perks only available to those who’ve had a certain amount of success.

Is there a catch?

Reputable casino sites are transparent and upfront about any requirements and restrictions on bonuses, but this means that all players should take the time to read through any terms and conditions. Many bonuses, including initial deposit bonuses, are time sensitive. That means you’ll need to make your deposit on a specified date or within a certain amount of time. Most also come with wagering requirements, which we’ll cover in the next section.

In general, most customer service staff are more than happy to walk you through any questions you might have. We’ve found that most issues with bonuses can be prevented by informing yourself beforehand.

Cashing out your winnings

Bonuses offer countless perks for your wallet, such as keeping you in the game longer without reaching too deep into your own pockets. You can also essentially test out new games for free without the risk of losing when you’re still a beginner, whether with free spins or cash. But of course, online casino sites don’t offer hefty bonuses just so players can cash out and never visit the site again. That just wouldn’t make sense. Rather, bonuses should be seen as a springboard to your future winnings.

Each casino has a slightly different set of rules for withdrawing your bonus winnings, but, in general, they require you to bet a certain amount or play for a set amount of time before you can cash out your winnings. This amount is often termed the ‘wagering requirement’ of a casino.

For example, let’s say that the casino is offering a 100% matchup worth up to £100 and you decide to take advantage of the entire amount. You deposit £100 and get £100 in bonus money, bringing your account balance to £200. But how much of this cash belongs to your main cash balance, or winnings, depends on the wagering requirement.

If that the wagering requirement is 20 times your wager plus the bonus (£200 x 20 = £4,000). That means you will have to wager, not lose, £4,000 to meet the wagering requirements. If that seems tricky, here’s an easier way to think of it. If you bet £10 per spin on the slots, you would have to spin the reels 400 times to meet the requirements at online casinos.

Knowledge is power

On our top-rated UK casino sites, bonuses and free spins and play are an amazing way to pad your bankroll, or to test the waters of new games before making the commitment of a larger deposit.

Of course, even with bonus cash or casino bonus codes, you should always gamble responsibly. This means reading up on the terms and conditions, including the wagering requirement, of each bonus offer, so you know exactly how and when you can cash out. When used wisely, bonuses buff up your playing time and effectively increase your chances for a big win or progressive jackpot. What are you waiting for? Redeem your online casino offer today!

Pay outs at online casino: how do they work?

Have you ever tried to play at an online casino? If not, you probably have lots of questions before actually trying it out. Perhaps you would like to try online casino poker tournaments but are not really sure on how they work, how do you join, but most importantly: how do you cash out if you win?

Of course it is important to know that when you go ahead and do an online casino deposit, you are basically doing the exact same thing you would at a land based casino: using some of your cash to play a game. Of course, at a land based casino you will probably get your winnings paid off to you right away, while casinos online work a little different. Here is a quick online casino guide to help you understand how pay outs work on these websites, how long will you have to wait to get your winnings into your hands and some of the reasons why this process is a little bit longer than one would enjoy:

It is very important to keep in mind that each casino will probably have their own rules and terms when it comes to casino withdrawals and that you need to make sure you fully understand those at the time you want to request a payout. At the virtual casino, we have our own way to handle everything: from your online casino deposit to your cash out goes through a very secure process. This is how it works:

To be able to withdraw money, the first step is to log into your casino account and clicking on the cashier button, this will take you into your main screen, look for the WITHDRAW MONEY button and click on it.

There are several withdrawal methods that will immediately display, in our case we offer: click2pay, MG cash, neteller, overnight express (check), usemywallet, wire transfer or WU cash. It is important to keep in mind that most cash out methods will charge you a fee for their service. If you are not familiar with these fees, you can contact the customer service department at the virtual casino and they will give you all the pertinent information.

After you have requested your pay out and have chosen a payment method, the request is submitted to the withdrawals department where your personal information will be checked out to make sure no one is trying to use your account in a fraudulent way, also, there are different rules regarding withdrawals: if for example you used a bonus, a free chip or a coupon code, they all have different cash out rules, which will be verified by the withdrawals agents. If the withdrawal request does not meet the requirements, it will be denied within 72 hours after the request has been made.

In the case that the withdrawal does meet all cash out requirements, the approval takes within 10-15 business days of the date the withdrawal was requested. The reason why this takes so long is mostly because all the personal information needs to be verified in detail. After you request is approved, you will receive notification within 48 hours of the approval. At this moment you are required to verify all personal information one last time and will be given the choices of current payout options.

For each type of withdrawal request, there is certain documentation involved and the player need to comply with all of it in order for the withdrawal will be processed.

Another important thing to remember is that there are weekly cash out limits, in the case of the virtual casino, we have a max cash-out of $2,000.00 per week, however depending on your player status these can be higher, for example if you are a VIP player.

When will I finally get my money?

In most cases, payments are made within 7 –10 business days of approval; yet this is not an exact estimate as you can see and there is the possibility of a slight delay every once in a while, these mostly because of the banking issues currently undergoing gambling activities. Depending on the payment method you chose, the payment dates may also vary.

So now that you have a clearer idea on how do casino pay outs work, and have a better sense of the security methods used to make sure you receive your money, you might feel a bit less hesitant about doing a deposit to play, don’t you?

Online casino bonuses - the TRUE cost

£100 casino games bonus

18+. New customers only. Deposit min £10. Applies to first deposit to casino only. Max bonus £100. 15x wagering (game weighting applies) on deposit and bonus to make the bonus balance withdrawable. Time limits apply.

£100 casino games bonus

18+. New customers only. Deposit min £10. Applies to first deposit to casino only. Max bonus £100. 15x wagering (game weighting applies) on deposit and bonus to make the bonus balance withdrawable. Time limits apply.

• Great casino bonus


• £100 deposit match


• Only 15x wagering needed


• Standard and live dealer games


• New customers only


• Time limits and T&cs apply


• 18+ only

Get $3,000 in bonuses

US players welcome!

$3,000 casino bonuses

US players welcome!

• $3,000 new player bonuses


• $1,000 100% deposit match


• Bonus on THREE deposits


• Low wagering requirement


• Bovada accepts US players
  

How do casinos make money from bonuses?

How much does 'free' money cost?

Whatever type of casino bonus is on offer - 1 hour free play, 100% match, 200% match, sign-up bonus - it eventually comes to a point where you have to release a sum of money from the bonus account into your real money account. And this is where it starts to cost.

In order to 'unlock' the bonus amount, you'll have to wager i.E. Risk some of your own - often many times more than the bonus is worth. It's all stated quite clearly in the bonus terms and conditions, but it's not always as easy to understand as you might like.

It's important to remember that you don't have to take out a bonus in order to play at any online casino. But if you do, make sure you know exactly what's required of you - before you start to play!

How to calculate the cost of a bonus

There are three important elements in understanding how much a bonus will cost you:

1. The wagering requirement


2. The game contributing percentage


3. The game's house edge

1. Wagering requirement

A bonus's wagering requirement is the number of times the deposit plus bonus amount must be wagered before the bonus is released. It varies by bonus and by casino, but on average it's between 20 and 40 times.

Our casino bonuses page has a list of bonuses ranked by wagering requirement - click here to see it.

2. Game contributing percentage

The contributing percentage is the amount that each individual game counts towards the overall wagering requirement. Think of it like a multiplier: if the wagering on a game only counts as 50%, in effect you have to wager twice as much.

For slots players, the contributing percentage is normally 100%, so the wagering requirement stays at the basic level.

The difficulty starts with games like baccarat, blackjack and roulette. For those games, each casino has its own opinion, but generally the contributing percentage will be 50% or less.

Take blackjack, for example, where at microgaming casinos the percentage is just 8%. What this effectively means is that the wagering requirement is actually 375x (100 / 8 x 30).

The contributing percentage varies by game, casino and bonus, so can get quite complex.

Our casino bonuses page lists bonuses by game (eg best blackjack bonus) so you can see exactly what the wagering is for a particular game on any of our casino bonuses - click here to see the lists.

3. House edge

In simple terms, the house edge is the percentage of total bets taken that the casino expects to keep in the long term. So in a game with a house edge of 2%, the casino will expect to make an overall profit of 2%.

All games have a house edge, ranging from less than 1% in some blackjack variations to over 50% in some of the worst keno bets.

Each game's house edge will affect the amount of game time you'll need before you can expect to show a profit.

The exceptions to this are the four games at betfair's zero lounge which, as the name suggests, have NO house edge, though no bonus is available for play on the zero lounge games - for obvious reasons!

The casino bonus trap

The casino bonus trap is this:

The wagering requirement, contributing percentages and house edge combine to ensure that your betting is at a level where the expected loss is greater than the bonus amount.

Gambling without a bonus, your expected loss (ie the amount you should be prepared to lose) can be calculated as:

Expected loss = amount wagered x house edge

(eg if you bet 2000 on a game with a 1.5% house edge, you should expect to lose 30)

Gambling to release a bonus, the amount you have to wager is dictated by the wagering requirement and the game percentage, so:

Amount wagered = (deposit + bonus) x wagering requirement x (100 / game %)

Expected loss = ((deposit + bonus) x wagering requirement x (100 / game %)) x house edge

Example blackjack bonus

Let's say you've taken up a 100% match bonus of 50 (with 30 x wagering) to play blackjack (house edge is 0.5% or 0.005) which in this case contributes 10%.

Your expected loss is therefore:

((50+50) x 30 x (100 / 10)) x 0.005

Which gives you a figure of 150.

In other words, the amount you have to gamble in order to release the 50 bonus should, on average, incur a loss of 150!

This is the true cost of an online casino bonus and a clear indication of why you should think carefully before taking up an online casino's bonus offer.

Do you recommend any bonuses?

Table and card game bonuses

Dreams are offering a very unusual bonus, where there are NO wagering requirements and ALL games are eligible.

Even slots players, who are used to minimal rollover, will find the zero wagering unusual. But for table games fans, this is unheard of! You now have a blackjack, baccarat, roulette or even sic bo bonus that doesn't expect you to roll it over 100 or more times.

At first sight, this can seem too good to be true. But it's not - it's dreams casino's way of 'going out on a limb' and seeing how many players can be successful. The coupon code to use is DREAMS2000.

The bonus itself isn't cashable, but any winnings you make can be withdrawn, with no maximum. All in all, this is an excellent bonus and we highly recommend it, especially to table games fans.

If you're a slots player, then any of our casino bonuses will work for you - they all have 100% game contribution and offer large percentage matches and maximum amounts (see carousel below for latest deals).

Short term bonus or long term rewards?

For casinos, bonus promotions are a way to attract new players to the casino. They're not really designed for experienced gamblers.

Serious, long-term players will find that the excellent and comprehensive loyalty schemes offered by casinos will reward their level of gameplay. For more details, read our casino rewards guide.

The best casinos for slots

Check out the casinos below for the best slots games currently available.

Online slot machines

Some slots found on the internet are the same as ones available on the las vegas strip. Others are exclusive to online casinos.

Best online casinos with real money slots

Difference between live and online slots

Slots in las vegas casinos have some similarities with online games. In most cases, the same title found in a live casino is available over the internet. The denomination is usually $.01 on both. That is where similarities end.

Classic slot machines use reels. These often have just one pay line, although some may have up to 10. These classic slots are nearly impossible to find online. Where they are available, the screen is video and not reels.

The payouts on online slot games are often much higher than land-based ones. The slot hold by the house at internet casinos is usually about 5 percent. This number is often 10 percent or higher at bricks-and-mortar casinos. That makes online slots a much better deal for players.

Virtually all online casinos offer first deposit and reload bonuses. These bonuses tend to only apply to slots. The added return through the first deposit bonus is about 5 percent. This means that online slots can have little or no house edge when playing with a bonus.

Online casinos offer VIP programs. These are especially lucrative for slot players. You can earn points faster at slots than other games. The comps earned at online slots are straight cash. Live casinos players typically have to accept comps in the form of free play, hotel or overpriced food.

Slots manufacturers

International game technology, also known as IGT, is one of the largest casino slot manufacturers and distributors in the world. The company is based in nevada and is a subsidiary of GTECH, a major lottery provider. IGT provides slots to casinos in las vegas, atlantic city and other major casino cities.

IGT is home to the game king. This is the most popular video poker machine in the world. It includes the bonus poker series.

IGT also owns major slot titles. These include cats, cleopatra, coyote moon, double diamond, ghostbusters, jeopardy, star trek and wheel of fortune. These same slots are found at dozens of online casinos.

Scientific games

Scientific games and its subsidiary WMS interactive is another major casino slot provider. Most bricks-and-mortar casinos spread slots machines distributed by WMS.

Popular titles include battleship, jackpot party, monopoly and the wizard of oz. These and many other titles are available at regulated casino sites offered to players in countries where online gaming is legal.

888 is a company that only operates over the internet. It is home to the second largest poker site in the world, behind only pokerstars.

888 also has proprietary casino software. This includes video poker, blackjack, roulette and a handful of house-banked poker games. 888 also has a slots selection but it is one of the smallest in the industry. None of the slots spread by 888 are recognizable to live casino players because they are only available on the 888 and its partners’ websites.

Amaya gaming

Amaya gaming owns pokerstars, the largest poker site in the world. It also has a casino platform. Amaya has table games that include blackjack, roulette and craps.

There is also a video poker series known as royal touch. It also powers games distributed by other interactive gaming companies.

Bally technologies

Bally technologies is a gaming device manufacturer with decades of experience. It distributes slots, table games and video poker. Its slot titles include big vegas, cash spin, grease, hot shot progressive, money vault, pawn stars, quick platinum hit, fireball and many others.

Its main video poker game is game maker. This includes video let it ride, keno and pick’em poker.

Getting the most value at online slots

The variance in online slots is substantial. The jackpots and bonus rounds are few and far between. When they hit, it can be the most exciting moment for online casino players.

It is important to play within your bankroll. While big hits are what we are all looking for when playing slots, it is important to have enough cash to wait out the cold periods.

Playing with a bonus is another way to get the best value from playing online slots. This can cut the house edge drastically. It will also generate special offers from the casino. Most slot players should be able to always play with a bonus between first deposit offers and reloads.

Nearly all online casinos offer VIP programs. You may have to opt in to receive these privileges that include cash and bricks-and-mortar comps. Always read the terms and conditions of the VIP program to make sure that you qualify and if any action is needed on your part to join it.

VIP programs tied to slots usually pay straight cash to players that may be used immediately.

How slot machines work

There are many myths and misconceptions that people believe govern the way online slots work. Maybe you are one of those people who love the idea of winning money from a online slot machine but have no idea how they actually operate.

The random number generator (RNG)

In every online slot game, there is a computer component normally referred to as the random number generator (RNG), the main purpose of which is to create random sequences in intervals of a millisecond all day, every day.

The rngs always produce random and different series of numbers every time you click the spin or bet max button.

The random number generator is applied to all online casinos to determine the outcomes of the numerous online slots they offer. These outcomes are all dependent on a combination of algorithms and the RNG software, and these systems alone determine the outcome of each spin you bet on — the previous spin or spins are irrelevant to the outcome of any other spin.

How the RNG works

Your fate is usually determined by certain mathematical equations, and the moment you initiate a play sequence, it is instantly decided upon by the RNG. It is important to note that the results of your online slots spins are not pre-programmed to yield certain results.

When you initiate a spin on an online slot game, the RNG starts spitting out whole numbers, at the rate of hundreds per second. Whichever number the RNG is on at the split second you click your mouse determines what symbols the reels will land on. So, the only thing that you do that affects the outcome of your spin is deciding at what second to click the mouse.

The moment you press the start button on a three-reel slot game, for instance, three numbers are recorded from the RNG (one for each reel). The first digit determines the first reel’s position, the second determines the second reel’s position, and the third determines the third reel’s position, and the same is true for five-reel slots and other slot game variations.

How video slots work

Video slots feature on average 50 individual paylines, but sometimes up to 100 or more. The moment you press the play button, the programs draw five random numbers each on every reel. The reel numbers will then stop depending on the numbers that each has been assigned by the random number generator.

The system, thus, quickly calculates the complex mathematics behind your win or loss once the last reel stops. The prizes are instantly and automatically summed up to your balance. In cases where free spins are awarded or a bonus round is initiated, the reels spin consistently through the same random number generator process.

Benefits of rngs

If you held any uninformed myths about slots machines, now you know the outcome of every spin that you make is independent and different from previous results. Random number generator software is rigorously tested before use to ensure that the outcomes are free from manipulation, and thus fair and safe.

Reputable online gambling sites will have rngs that are certified by the technical systems testing (TST). It is also important to note that though the modern online slot machines have changed considerably due to more sophisticated gaming technology that progresses every day, the fundamental aspects of the random number generator always remain the same.

Types of slot games

Are you a casino games fanatic but have no idea what online slot games exist in the market?

Fortunately for you, there are a wide range of slot games available including video slots, bonus slots, progressive jackpot slots, and 3-reel slots, just to name but a few.

These slot games offer exciting features such as sliding symbols, free spins, lucrative bonus rounds, and wild multipliers.

3-reel slot games

The 3-reel slot game is also referred to as a single line slot machine and is the simplest of all slot games. An alternative reference to the game is one-armed bandits, a name derived from the earlier mechanical slot machines that had a lever that was pulled by the player to initiate a spin.

3-reel slots are the best online slots for you if you are a newcomer to the online casino realm. These slot games are simple and easy and very enjoyable. Many seasoned online slot fanatics prefer playing 3-reel slots exclusively; however, to win, it is crucial that you have the ability to grasp the basic rules quickly.

The typical 3-reel slot game features three reels with various symbols. When you click spin, the random number generator (RNG) randomly stops that the reels on three symbols that land across the single line.

Normally, 3-reel slot games take a maximum wager of three coins per spin. The rewards of a 3-reel slot game are healthy and also come with generous progressive jackpots.

Video slot game or multiple reel slot

Another type of online slot game is the video slot game, which has at least 5 reels. Many times these online casino games are referred to as 5-reel slots. The sounds, images, and graphics of video slots games are attractive, sophisticated, and designed to enhance the experience of the game significantly.

Just like in the 3-reel slot games, the video slot reels feature a variety of symbols, but unlike 3-reel slots, there is more than one payline. Some video slots offer up to 100 paylines on which you can bet. Video slots also operate with an RNG.

Video slot games have a number of advantages over their 3-reel counterparts, including an array of bonus rounds, free spins, multipliers, and a seemingly unlimited amount of betting options. Payouts on video slots are typically very high, and maximum payouts and progressive jackpots can be won easily with a maximum bet.

Bonus slot game

Bonus slot games are characterized by their incorporation of a bonus game round.

This bonus game round is triggered by certain combinations and symbols on an active payline. The incorporated bonus games are usually designed to complement the theme of the game with vivid graphics and sound effects that bring these slot games to life. Many bonus slot games are now even interactive and are carried out like a mini arcade game, serving as a game within a game.

The bonus slots are appealing to online slots fans and thus attract thousands of online bettors daily. Whether or not a slot game features a bonus round is usually a deciding factor for many when players when selecting online slots game to play regularly. This is because the amount of enjoyment and the rewards derived from bonus slots games are compounded, as bonus slots offer substantial winnings as well as free spins to winning players.

Free spins slot game

Many regular online casino patrons love to play online slots that feature free spins because they believe these are loose games that payout better due to more spins for the bet.

Ultimately, the free spin feature on certain online slot games allows you to spin the reels for free when certain symbols land on the appropriate paylines, in turn initiating free spins.

X of Y bonus slot game

The X of Y bonus slots are rewards that you could get by attaining a certain number of particular symbols on the reels. This slots game is different from the free bonus slots in that the X of Y bonus feature occurrence is not dependent on the position of the reel after spinning, but on attaining the required number of a given symbol on another screen.

This explains why the X of Y bonus is at times referred to as bonus game on the second screen.

While playing an X of Y bonus slots, you are expected to pick one or a number of objects from a group of objects and then add up the winnings on each object. You can also play the X of Y bonus slots game at several levels. You have to complete each level successfully before you can play the next one.

Multi-level bonus slot game

The multi-level bonus slots game is another popular slots choice of many online slots players. The multi-level bonus slot consists of a number of levels with each level offering the opportunity to win increased profits and rewards.

Once you are through with the first level successfully, you move onto the next until you complete the entire series. However, should you fail to complete a level, you do not proceed to the next.

Progressive jackpot slot game

Progressive jackpot slots offer online casino slots players the opportunity to cash in big. With jackpots that grow to reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, these games can be quite rewarding and extremely enticing for those online slot players who like to bet big, as progressive payouts are only awarded to maximum bet spins.

Progressive slot games are linked across machines, games, websites, and casinos, making the total payout quite staggering. Once the progressive jackpot has been won, the game is reset and the jackpot begins to build up again. The large winning that comes with progressive slots game makes it undoubtedly the most popular type of online slot game.

More about progressive jackpot slots

As you’ve just seen, the gambling industry today is saturated with many types of online slots. This is because as the world’s technology and gaming platforms advance, so do slots.

Online slots are like snowflakes in that no two are alike. While some are similar in theme and some even share the same jackpot, they are still all different and every online slot player has his or her favorite. Some of the more common online slots include 3-reel slots, 5-reel slots, video slots, and by far the most popular, progressive slots.

Progressive slots feature jackpots that continually increase with each bet placed by all players playing that particular game. The jackpot is dependent on the individual percentages of each bet made and is clearly displayed on the gaming screen at all times.

However, you must eventually win at some point to earn the jackpot. It is possible for you to win an award without necessarily acquiring the progressive jackpot, should you not bet the maximum number of coins or win a combination that qualifies for a lesser prize than the jackpot payout.

Progressive machines exclusively pay the maximum jackpot when you hit on the specific winning symbol combination on a maximum bet spin. To win a progressive jackpot, it is important that you wager the maximum number of coins or credit bets, or maximum bet.

You’ll also find blackjack and video poker games at various online gambling sites that have a progressive jackpot component.

Types of progressive jackpot slots

1. Standalone progressive jackpot slots

Standalone progressive slot games have a single-game jackpot that is not linked to any other online slot game. The value of the standalone progressive slot’s jackpot is calculated using the percentages of the bets made on the game by all users.

As is true with all progressive slots, the standalone slot’s jackpot continues to increase with each bet made until the progressive jackpot is paid at which time it resets. These types of progressive jackpot slots typically feature a lower payout than other types of progressive slots.

2. In-house progressive jackpot slots

In-house progressive jackpot slots are progressive slot machines that have been joined together within one online slots casino or a group of online casinos owned by the same operator. These progressive slots offer higher jackpot payouts because there are multiple games contributing to the jackpot – therefore, more players and more bets.

3. Network progressive jackpot slots

Progressive jackpot slots that span across an entire network of online casinos sharing the same platform offer the biggest progressive jackpot payouts because hundreds of thousands of bets are being placed on multiple games across large numbers of online casinos.

Therefore, the payouts become life changing amounts that go up into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

4. Multiple progressive jackpot slots

Multiple progressive jackpot slots provide players with the opportunity to win one of three progressive jackpots.

Tips for selecting the best progressive slot game

Online casino software platform

The first thing that you should consider before playing a progressive jackpot slot online is the platform or software that powers the online slot game. Be keen to investigate the reputation of the company that manufactured that particular progressive slot game.

Some of the more renowned and reputable casino game platforms are microgaming, playtech, net entertainment, real time gaming (RTG), wagerworks and random logic. It is important to investigate the platform that runs the online slot to ensure that the platform has met all the respectable industry certification standards because these games hardly make errors.

Progressive jackpot slot maximum bet

Another crucial factor to consider is the bet amount. Do not get attracted to a game and start playing before you investigate what the betting limits are and coin credits. Because you must make the maximum bet to win a progressive jackpot online, then you will want to make sure that your bankroll can support the maximum bet repeatedly.

Online slot progressive jackpot payout

Also, pay attention to the game payout of the slot machine. Note that not all progressive slot machine payouts are created equal. You can also study the past payouts of the game and select one that hasn’t hit in a while or one that is due up to hit based on past jackpot payouts.

For instance, if a game has hit about once every seven months and it hasn’t hit in six months, you may utilize the strategy that it should be about ready to payout the progressive jackpot.

Know your limits

Though progressive jackpot slots may be the most attractive slots in the market with extremely high potential payouts, they might not be the best for you, especially if you are operating on a limited budget.

Common slots game myths and misconceptions

Slots, both in land-based casinos and online casinos, are among the world’s most popular casino games. Diverse reasons make these games well-liked, such as these games are relatively easy play and no real skill is required.

Furthermore, slots can be played at low denominations, making them some of the safest gambling games for online casino patrons on a budget. There are, however, many myths and misconceptions about slots.

We’ll attempt to dissect some of these myths and misconceptions so as to give you a clear understanding about slots.

There are no loose or tight slots

This is not true, as some slots have been set specifically to lower payouts. This basically implies that some slots are a bit tighter or looser than others. Those slots that are set to be tighter are normally aimed at targeting the tourists.

Veteran slot gamers can easily identify tighter and looser slots.

The machine you play at most frequently offers you better chances of hitting big

This is a misconception because regardless of the machine you use, the outcomes are independent and all apply the same fundamental rules and principles to each individual spin and are not dependent on previous spins or payouts. It does not matter whether you have played on a certain machine for hours or just sat down.

This does make slots all the more exciting and enticing.

The casino can slow down a slot machine by merely touching a button and tightening it up

A slot machine cannot be modified by the entity that owns or operates it. All the slot machines’ modification activities can only be carried out by the representatives of the manufacturers of the machines.

Alternatively, if the casino owners or operators need to make any modifications on them, they have to do it under the supervision of the gaming commission representative. The gaming commission representative must approve that there is need for the slot machine modification and ensure that the casino follows the rules and the regulations to the letter.

For a machine to operate steadily without stopping payouts, the mechanic has to keep opening it from time to time

This is a misconception because the only time the slot machines should be opened is when the coins are being refilled. This has nothing to do with the terms of the game play. Once the coins have been added, and the machine is restarted, it continues from where it had stopped.

Higher denomination slot machines have better payouts than lower ones

What is true is that that the higher denomination slot machines’ payouts occur more frequently than lower bet slot machines, and this could be the root of this misconception. These payouts are actually smaller than the coin-denomination play.

Note that all the slot machines, whether higher denomination or quarter slot machines, are programmed with fixed payouts that they stick to regardless of how often or seldom they hit. Furthermore, it should go without saying, if you place a larger bet, you will get a larger payout.

If you have stuffed the slot machine with too much money, you will eventually win

This is a misconception that leaves many players frustrated. It is not guaranteed that because you have made hundreds of spins you will eventually hit the jackpot. It is by mere luck that you hit the jackpot, if you ever do.

The slot machine, as aforementioned, functions independently and has no memory of prior spins or wins, so it has no idea whether you deserve to win or not.

When you become a member of a slot club, the slot machines favor you

This is a lie for the aforementioned reasons. What is true is that being a member of a certain slot club has its own benefits, but these benefits have nothing to do with better payouts.

The slot machines do not have the ability to tell if you are using coins or cards, and thus being a member of a club does not influence the outcomes of the game in any way. They must follow the programmed fixed payout percentage.

One can see when a slot is due to pay

It is good to always remember that it is a random number generator system that determines what symbols the reels land on. It is this same system that, if you are lucky, will create a combination of winning numbers on any given spin.

The software operates on a random base, and thus, has no guarantee that the next combination will be a winning combination. Furthermore, the slot machine does not know whether it has a jackpot or not. It also has no memory, and therefore, does not know how much the last payout was worth. Therefore, don’t be misinformed that there is any way in which you can predict the next combination.

You cannot hit two jackpots consecutively

This is also a misconception because, as stated earlier, it is by mere luck that you hit the jackpot. In fact, there have been numerous occasions that online slot players have hit a sizeable jackpot and kept playing on the same slot game, only to win another sizeable jackpot.

It is human nature to become irrational and hold misinformed beliefs so as to grow and prosper. This is especially true if things don’t go our way. Myths can be fun, but only if you do not let them dictate your game plan. They are not so laughable when they control the way you carry out your daily activities, and the way you enjoy your casino games.

It is important that you now know and are warned off the slots myths that could lead you to making the wrong decisions, which could seriously threaten your bankroll and see you lose huge amounts of money.

How do online casino games work?

In this article we will attempt to provide an explanation of exactly how online casino games function. In each section the we will attempt to provide a short answer and an expanded explanation and these explanations will be added to and expanded as and when appropriate information comes to light.

Most of this article was authored by our resident casino software expert binary 128 (you can chat to him on the message boards). Binary 128 is one of the developers behind galewind software, the casino platform for pinnacle sportsbook.

What is a random number generator (RNG) and how does it work?

In an online casino a random number generator (RNG) is something that returns a number to whatever asks it for a number. It’s as simple as that.

Let’s use european roulette (single zero) as an example. The “wheel” spins, and needs to stop on a number between zero and 36. So, the “wheel” asks the RNG for a number between zero and 36. The RNG returns 17.

The RNG doesn’t know or care what is asking for that number. The ONLY thing that it does – when something asks it for a number within a range, then it makes sure that any number in that range has exactly the same chance of being returned as any other number.

• When a european roulette “wheel” asks it for a number between zero and 36, then zero has exactly the same chance of being returned as 1, or 17, or 36.


• When a video poker “dealer” asks it for a number between 1 and 52, then 1 has exactly the same chance of being returned as 2, or 23, or 52.

And that’s it. The RNG doesn’t know that in one case it is a roulette “wheel” that is asking, and in another case it is a video poker “dealer” that is asking. It doesn’t know what the number is for, or how it is going to be used.

In that way, the RNG is one of the stupidest parts of online casino software. Something asks it for a number, it returns a number, and its job is done (until something else asks it for another number).

Again, the ONLY thing that an RNG does – when something asks it for a number within a range, then it makes sure that any number in that range has exactly the same chance of being returned as any other number.

What does this mean?

The most important part of the quick answer was the statement – when something asks the RNG for a number within a range, then the RNG makes sure that any number in that range has exactly the same chance of being returned as any other number.

When the roulette “wheel” spins, and asks the RNG for a number between zero and 36, the RNG returns 17. When the “wheel” spins again and asks the RNG for another number, 17 has exactly the same chance of being returned as any other number. And when the “wheel” spins again, then again 17 has exactly the same chance of being returned as any other number.

When players see the number 17 returned three, or four, or five times in a row (or even more), then they start thinking “hey, this isn’t a random wheel! Is this game rigged!” that’s because people see things in “patterns”. People like to see “patterns” so much that they can see them in things even when there are no real “patterns” there at all. (let’s call it imagination.)

But, like I said earlier, rngs are just amazingly stupid. They have absolutely no imagination. AND, they have no memory. They don’t know what the last number they gave was, what the requested range was, who asked for it – nothing – no imagination, and no memory.

So, for an RNG, returning the number 17 to a roulette “wheel” three, or four, or five times in a row is … random. It doesn’t happen very often, and because it doesn’t happen very often the player notices it even more. If the roulette “wheel” stops on:

14, 12, 2, 3, 2, 34, 27, 21, 6, 15, 13, 22, 36, 9, 0, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17

Those five 17s in a row stick out like a sore thumb. “hey, this isn’t random. How can you have a pattern with five 17s in a row?”

There is no doubt – it can be a little confusing to think about it.

But if we look at that sequence of numbers above, then the first five numbers – 14, 12, 2, 3, 2 – have exactly the same chance of being returned as the last five numbers – 17, 17, 17, 17, 17. That is, the exact return order of 14, 12, 2, 3, 2 has the same chance of happening as the exact return order of 17, 17, 17, 17, 17.

This last part can be difficult to really understand, but … that is random.

How does a random number generator guarantee that any number in a requested range has exactly the same chance of being returned as any other number?

There are two methods to a random number generator (RNG). The first method is the one that generates a random number – I’ll call this method generate. The second method transforms that random number into something that can be used by whatever asked for it – I’ll call this method scale.

The generate method

There are 2 different types of things that can generate a random number – the first is a piece of hardware, and the second is a piece of software. A hardware example is the QUANTIS product from a company named ID quantique. A software example is named the mersenne twister algorithm.

The VAST majority of online casino programs use a piece of software to generate, and the mersenne twister is a very common software program. (galewind software uses it.) when I use examples in all of this documentation, I’ll tend to focus on the mersenne twister.

The generate method usually returns a number from one of two different generate ranges (depending on the software). Range #1 is [0 to 0.999999999999999]. Range #2 is [0 to 4,294,967,295]. (the mersenne twister uses range #2.)

The most important contribution of the generate method to the RNG’s performance – over the millions, or billions (or trillions) of numbers that it is asked to return:

1. There is no observable pattern to those numbers (aka correlation).


2. Those numbers are equally distributed across the generate range (aka bias).

In other words, the generate method returns a random number. No correlation is the “no one can guess the next number” guarantee. No bias is the “every number has an equal chance” guarantee.

There are all sorts of tests that can be run on the numbers that the generate method returns to determine their “quality” as “random numbers”. (link to test details 1. Link to test details 2.)

(the “quality” of the “random numbers” returned by the mersenne twister algorithm is considered excellent.)

The scale method

Since a large number of online casino software uses the mersenne twister to generate, let’s focus on the mersenne twister to talk about scale.

As we’ve seen, the mersenne twister’s generate method returns a random number in the generate range of 0 to 4,294,967,295. Obviously, these numbers are of no use to a roulette “wheel” that is asking for a value between 0 and 36. The generate method’s random number has to be transformed into a number that can be used by the “wheel”. Most importantly, it needs to be transformed without messing up the “quality” of the generate method’s “random number”.

Here is one way to make that happen.

The mersenne twister’s generate range (including 0) is 4,294,967,296 numbers. The roulette “wheel’s” requested range is 37 numbers. Divide 4,294,967,296 by 37, and we get 116,080,197.18919. Throw away the decimal and we get 116,080,197.

Now set up 37 “number bins”, one for each of the roulette “wheel’s” requested range. The first bin will return to the “wheel” the number 0, the second bin will return the number 1, and so forth. The last bin will return the number 36.

Into each of these “number bins” we put exactly 116,080,197 numbers. The first bin will contain the numbers 0 to 116,080,196. The second bin will contain the numbers 116,080,197 to 232,160,393. The last bin will contain the numbers 4,178,887,092 to 4,294,967,288.

Finally, we ask the mersenne twister to generate a random number – it returns 2,031,403,430. (bin 18, which returns the “wheel” number 17, contains the numbers 1,973,363,349 to 2,089,443,545). So, the generate number 2,031,403,430 returns the scale number 17 to the roulette “wheel”.

A final note

You can see that the highest number that the mersenne twister’s generate method can return is 4,294,967,295. But the highest number in the last roulette “wheel” bin is 4,294,967,288. This is a difference of seven numbers.

If the mersenne twister’s generate method sends into the scale method one of these seven numbers, then the scale

Online casino no deposit bonus – how does it work?

Have you often thought about redeeming an online casino no deposit bonus, but haven’t been sure exactly how it works? Do you think that it is unlikely a casino will give you something for free and that there must be a ‘catch’ somewhere along the line? Well if you do, then this article will explain exactly why casinos offer these bonuses, what they are and why they work for both you and the casino.

A typical online casino no deposit bonus works in this way; a casino wants to attract new members and to do that, they offer new customers a chance to earn something extra by joining their casino. For example, join zodiac casino and you can simply deposit $1 and you’ll receive $20 from the casino completely free.

How does this work? Well, the casino knows that you are looking for a reliable place to gamble and by giving you $20, or another similar amount, to play with, they are banking on you enjoying their games so much, you’ll deposit more cash and continue playing. You can often also earn extra cash too on subsequent deposits after your initial deposit with many casinos.

This works for you, because you get considerably more gambling cash for the amount you pay, but it works for the casino too because they get happy customers playing their games more of the time than their rivals games. The more happy customers depositing cash, the more the house edge (of roughly around 3%) ensures the casino make a small profit on their games.

In return, you the user gets to play fabulous casino games, slot machines and more and with many games offering progressive jackpots offering a life changing sum of money; perhaps you could be the lucky one to hit the big jackpot!

To redeem your bonus, the casino will state how much you need to deposit in your account after earning it. This can range in price from as little as 0.10c up to several hundred dollars, but it is scaled so that the bigger your bonus, the more you have to deposit to access it.

That is how online casino no deposit bonus deals are structured and they work because for both parties, it is a win/win scenario.

How does online poker work?

Are you curious about how online poker works?

We don’t blame you. It’s not as clear as live poker.

With live poker, you walk in, choose from the games they have listed, sign up and sit down when there’s an empty chair or when the tournament is scheduled to start.

It’s clear who owns the poker room. It’s clear who gets paid, and how that process works. And if you’re playing in a legit poker room or casino, you know they’re licensed and regulated. You can quickly find by who, too, by asking the staff or doing a quick google search.

But it’s not the same online. There are more hands in the pie, and it’s not clear who each hand belongs to. It’s all done online, behind computers, firewalls and servers.

And while knowing how this all works shouldn’t affect your experience, it’s still good (and maybe reassuring) to know who you’re giving your credit card info to, who your poker room is regulated by, and how the games work.

Then let’s jump into it. We break this down for you into 4 sections below.

Overview of the company, jurisdictions & networks

One big difference between a live and online poker room – that you’ll most likely never see – is that online poker sites have a physical location, but not for housing tables, chairs and players.

It’s to house their servers, customer support staff, and any other staff they may need to run their business instead. Which they’ll need to do according to the rules set by the gaming authorities and regulators based in the area their servers are located in.

For example, if your servers are in canada, then chances are the rules set by canada’s gaming authorities are the ones you’ll need to follow.

These rules can be enforced on a federal (country or nationwide), state AND/OR local (city or town) basis. Each area will be different.

It’s up to each jurisdiction to create and enforce the rules. Then it’s up to the poker room’s parent company to make sure they follow the rules. The more they follow the rules, the better you can feel about playing there.

There are many gambling jurisdictions and licensing authorities. These are the most common ones:

• Alderney


• Gibraltar


• Isle of man


• Costa rica


• Curacao/ netherlands antilles


• Kahnawake

The rules cover things like the types of customers they can accept, the types of games they can offer, fees they can charge, software tests, and so on.

If a company ever fails to live up to these rules, the jurisdiction can remove their licensing. For many poker sites this is usually the (public) beginning of the end.

Networks aka white label poker sites

It’s less common today, but a few years ago lots of poker sites were a part of a network. Carbon poker, who was on the merge network, is a good example of this.

Every network is different. But they usually offer a white label platform any company could use to quickly jump start their poker program.

White label basically means “business in a box”. This means the network would supply all or a combination of the following:

• Software


• Customer support


• Marketing


• Promotions


• Payment processing


• Shared player base

The player base was/is real important because few sites – especially new ones – have the player base necessary to sustain regular, consistent games. And without games running it’s hard for a poker site to take off.

Network sites are often referred to as ‘skins’ because the only thing different about each poker room is what they looked like. Nearly everything else – from the games to how the software worked to the promotions – was the same.

In some ways this is great because there’s consistency between poker rooms. If the software is good at poker room A, then no doubt poker room B is good, too. You can sign up to poker room B knowing you’ll enjoy their games.

There are problems with this model, though.

For one thing, there’s nothing unique from one room to the next. The only reason to try another room out is to get their welcome bonus.

Another thing we don’t like about skins is how easy and cheap it is to start one. For as little as ten or twenty grand you could start a skin. It’s great if you’re legit. But such a low barrier to entry attracts the scum too, and we’ve seen a lot of that. A google search for carbon poker, lock poker or aced poker will keep you busy for hours.

The worst part is if the jurisdiction is so laid back that they let this happen and don’t do anything to prevent it from happening again.

So, it’s a good idea to not only review the poker site you’re joining, but to have an idea of who they’re licensed and regulated by. That will give you a good idea as to the quality of the room you’re thinking about joining.

Getting signed up & making a deposit

Getting started is simple.

You’ll visit the poker site you want to join and click the ‘join now’ button.

Then you’ll fill out a form asking for details including your name, address, phone number, and so on. They’re required if you want to play for real money.

You’ll need to choose a screen name, too, unless the site doesn’t use one (like bovada).

That’s it. Like we said, it’s simple.

Once you click submit you’ll want to check your email. Most poker sites send you a verification email with a link you’ll need to click to prove you’re you.

The next step is to make a deposit. This is simple, too.

All poker sites have a cashier section. Here they’ll have anywhere from 3 to 20+ different banking options you can use to fund your account. The options available to you will depend on where you’re playing from.

The most common options are credit/debit cards and bank wires.

From there it’s like shopping online. You’ll plug in your details and the amount you want to deposit – then click submit.

One of the neat things about playing online are the min and max deposit limits. Many sites let you deposit as little as $5 or $10.

The poker sites aren’t the ones (usually) processing your payments. Like both on and offline stores, online poker sites work with 3 rd party companies to have their payments processed.

Do keep in mind some sites will charge a fee when you make your deposit. Few sites do. We’re assuming because they don’t want to discourage you from making a deposit. But keep in mind some will.

And when you first make your deposit most poker sites will offer you a welcome bonus. The most common offers are either a free small cash bonus, or a match welcome bonus. The latter is the most popular.

The general idea behind match offers is the poker site will match a percentage of your deposit up to so many dollars.

For example, a 100% match bonus up to $600 would mean that for every dollar you deposited, the poker site will give you another dollar – up to a max of $600.

One thing you want to pay attention to are the terms. Nearly all promos come with terms that will say you need to wager so many dollars or hands before you get to keep your bonus money (if they let you keep it), let alone the money you won using it.

From there you’ll usually have several promos to take advantage of while playing. Like more bonus offers and VIP schemes.

You’ll earn those by playing real money games.

Playing poker games online

Online poker games are tough to cover, generally speaking, because there are so many games online. WAY more than you’ll ever find offered in a live poker room. And the reason for that is simple.

There’s just not enough space in a brick and mortar casino. But there’s darn near infinite space in an online casino. Which is also one of the reasons why they can offer free poker games.

Anyway, here’s a shortlist of the poker games you can play online:

Then you have variations like:

• 6 max


• Heads up


• Turbo


• Super / hyper turbo


• Deep stack


• Bounty / knock outs

Which you can play in formats like

In stakes ranging from free to .01 to $2,000+ per hand/game.

And this is barely scratching the surface. There are way more variations and games than what’s listed here. And that makes for a TON of different combinations and choices to pick from.

The options available will depend on where you choose to play. You can learn more about a site’s games by reading reviews or checking out the poker room’s website.

You can also sign up for free and browse the lobby. The games are clearly labeled, and you’ll usually find a key so you know what each symbol means. The lobby also tells you the buy-in, the time the games start, and how many players there will be per table.

It’s also here you can (usually) see how much the poker room is making off you.

For example, say you sign up for a $15 + $1 SNG. The $1 is the poker room’s rake or fee for you to play.

In the case of cash games, they’ll either tell you on their site or on the table itself what their rake is. It’s not always as obvious as it is for tournaments, but it’s always posted somewhere.

And, like live poker, there are caps to how much the poker room can earn per tournament or per cash game hand. This is all listed (usually) on the poker room’s website.

Of course, you can usually play online for free too. You’ll just need to find that section of the poker room (labeled free or play money). Then they’ll give you so many credits to play with. Some sites, like pokerstars, even sell free money credits if you don’t have the patience to play and earn them.

As for the games themselves, they’re unlike live poker in that each hand is dealt by a random number generator. These aren’t 100% random, but thanks to the combination of the algorithm used and the values they place on each card, it’s random enough no player could ever find a pattern or hack it.

Depending on the game you’ll exit/finish differently. Cash games you can usually get up whenever you want. You can also sit out.

With tournaments you can sit out or lose your stack (bust).

In either format you can also be disconnected, either from a bad internet connection on your end or something wrong happening with the poker site.

You’ll want to read the poker site’s rule to know more about how they handle each of those cases, plus other things like cancelations, delays, cheating, and so on.

In most, if not all cases, if you have money on the table or if you’ve won any money, it’ll be added to your balance right away when you leave.

Collecting your monies

Cashing out is the opposite of depositing with a few exceptions.

For one thing, you’ll usually have fewer banking options. Especially if you’re in the US. The most common options are checks and bank wires. Money transfers are popular, too.

Cash outs usually take longer. Between processing and the time it takes for the funds to get to you, you can wait a few days to a few weeks. In some cases, you can even wait months.

It really depends on the site and where you live. If you live in the US or anywhere else online poker is a gray area (or illegal), and you play on less than stellar or reputable sites as a result, then chances are cash out times are going to be slower.

Everywhere else though? You’ll wait hours to a few days max.

Fees are more common on cash outs. We think poker sites are less likely to cover your fees since you’re pulling money OFF their site (instead of depositing to play).

Fees will vary from a few bucks to a flat $30-$60 (or more) per cash out. The more expensive options are bank wires, money transfers and checks.

Sometimes the poker site will give you the first one or two cash outs of the money for free. From there all cash outs will cost you something.

The best way to know which site charges what fee though is to read reviews and double check their banking sections on their sites.

Conclusion

Now you know how online poker sites work.

The biggest difference between online and live poker rooms is that, online, you don’t get to see everything that goes on in running the room. You don’t see the transactions, other players, support staff, or any of the tech stuff.

And that can make a person uneasy.

But now that you have an idea of how things work, you can feel a bit better about depositing and playing online.

And if you ever need any help, or can’t find the answers on our site or in the poker site’s FAQ, you can ask the room. The most common methods of communication are email and live chat. Some rooms offer a phone or IM option, too.

No deposit bonus - how does it work?

In general, no deposit bonus means that newcomer doesn’t need to deposit money into the account to use it. However, in practice, this is not so simple and these bonuses come in several forms, while the conditions for their withdrawal require special attention. By giving a player a no deposit bonus, a good online casino significantly reduces chances of earning and increases the likelihood of user’s winning. Despite wagers and all other conditions, the player does not risk anything at all, with a chance to get a decent amount of winnings from the licensed casino. It does not matter at all whether you are an experienced player or a newcomer - no deposit bonus 2019 will definitely be useful. Even if you fail to win, you will have an interesting experience and at the same time will not lose your money.

What types an online casino bonus include?

Since the rules of free online casino gaming are not always clear, it is really important to closely monitor the conditions of the current promo offer. The bonuses themselves without a deposit can be divided into several subtypes:

• Free spin bonus that different types of users get


• Deposit cash bonus that you can get for depositing a certain amount


• Gifts for registration in the free casino online


• Timely bonuses – certain rules that work in hot hours in an online casino.

Free spins are a gift that companies offer in different situations – registration, birthdays, hot hours and etcetera. The free spin casino gives a certain number of free spins in special free spins slots or in all slots (depending on the decision of the casino). Winnings from these spins can be withdrawn after meeting certain requirements. To understand them, you need to learn more about payouts and wagers. Luckily, in our casino, we offer a free spin win without wagers.

Cash deposit bonus arrives at the beginner's account, which can be used to play in some slots. The cash bonus also has to be played for a wager, which is often somewhat higher than the wager for free spins. Anyway, to understand how it works in each case, users need to learn the details in each slot.

Timely bonuses cannot be withdrawn but can be played on for a short period of time. As soon as the time comes, the bonuses go away. However, the winnings go to the main account. Again, like with online casino deposit bonuses, here you should take wagers and payouts into account. Always carefully read the casino rules for wagering a certain bonus.

How to get no deposit bonus?

The easiest way to get no deposit bonus code is for registration. Provide the casino with all the necessary information and the bonus will be automatically credited to your bonus account. In addition to registration, you can get a no deposit bonus at the casino using a promo code. After that, to make a withdrawal of winnings, you will have to create your deposit at least for a minimum amount.

Working for online casinos

Online casinos are big business around the world with many websites bringing in millions of dollars every month! At any given moment anywhere from hundreds to thousands of players will be rolling the dice and turning the slots with a click of their mouse literally all over the world. Note: this form of gambling is illegal in the U.S.

If you are currently looking for work and have considered casino employment it might not be a bad idea to try to cash in on the new spin of the gambling craze: online casinos.

There are many different avenues that one may try to find work in this type of business. Reputable online gambling sites will sink a lot of money into their website to make sure their players have the best time possible while gambling for them.

The obvious:

It seems every new online casino that pops up has strived to be “more life like” than the others. Graphic artists work with computer programmers to make games as appealing to the player as possible. This avenue of work can be quite exciting to be a part of as well as rewarded handsomely.

Websites don’t magically run without support of internet technicians. Games will have bugs and data collections servers will go awry. These things are bad for business. The website’s owners will strive to resolve these problems immediately. Therefore, IT staff can be in a good position to negotiate a great deal of money if they decide to work on an online gambling site.

The not so obvious:

Customer support can and should be a major decisive factor in choosing to gamble with an online casino. Many of the casino websites have 24-hour customer service support that can assist customers by phone, fax or e-mail. Customer support staff mainly assist players with questions regarding problems that are occurring with games, registration and payouts.

Many online casinos also have a customer retention department. Customer service reps communicate with their casino players with the goal of making sure these players are happy playing at the casino – win or lose! The job is similar to a casino host at a land based casino, except that your communication is usually via phone. If you have good people skills, this is often a great area to work in.

There are so many online casinos to choose from today the competition can be fierce. Advertising and marketing are an online casino’s way of shouting to the world who they are and entice potential players to gamble at their internet casino. Advertising and marketing are vital to the success of the online gambling site and can be very lucrative for the individuals working in these positions.

Conglomerations or corporations own big name online casino websites. Like any big company these corporations need experienced executives to help direct and run their operation. This type of position would be good for someone who would like to make the move from land based casino operation to online casinos or executives from other internet companies that would like to make a switch into the online casino business.

Every online gambler wants to know how they will be paid their winnings. Online payment services are also riding the wave of the internet casino craze making it profitable to work for these companies as well. Look into job opportunities with the companies that are used for secure banking methods for internet casinos and gamblers.

Each online casino you visit has used a type of software that will either allow the player to download for free or play live on the internet. The downloadable software is more advanced. It might be a good idea if you are considering working in the IT, graphic artist or computer programming department to check with the actual casino software companies that are predominant in the online casino business.

Where to look:

Now that you know what type of positions are available:

• IT


• Graphic artist


• Computer programmers


• Customer support


• Advertising & marketing


• Executives


• Payment or data collections services

You may want to check out the vendors who supply these services to the online casinos independently. A very good website to start with is www.Casinocity.Com at the bottom of the homepage they offer a resource for people who already work in the online casino industry. Various websites of vendors who supply the above positions to internet casinos can be found and researched as well as a “who’s who” section with key names and contact info for various vendor companies.

Check out the casino employment listing on jobmonkey.

How sports betting works

Wagering is almost as old as man. You can find places in the bible where it talks about casting lots, which is a form of gambling.

No one knows for sure when the first bet was made on a sporting event, but the odds are that it was made soon after sports were invented.

If you want to learn how sports betting works and how to get started placing bets you’ve come to the right place.

On this page you’re going to learn:

• What sports betting is


• The different types of popular sports bets


• How to place bets


• Where to place bets


• How the sports books make money

1 – what is sports betting?

Sports betting is what it sounds like. You place a bet on a sporting event and win a set amount of money if the team or player you bet on wins. If the team or player you bet on doesn’t win you lose your bet.

You can place a wide range of different bets and find many different places to bet and ways to make the bets.

Placing bets on sports is a way for some people to make money and a way for many to enjoy watching a contest more than if they didn’t have money riding on the outcome. Only a few people are able to make money in the long run betting on sports, but millions of people bet on events every year.

The article states that the majority of that amount is made in illegal ways. You’ll learn more about legal and illegal betting later on this page. The important thing to do is learn if what you want to do is legal or illegal so you stay out of trouble.

2 – plus and minus lines

Plus and minus line bets are the most common wagers in sports betting. This is also called spread betting.

Most contests are listed with a favorite and an underdog. The favorite gives points or runs and the underdog receives points or runs.

In this game, miami is playing at dallas and dallas is the favorite and miami is the underdog. The home team is usually listed second.

If you bet on dallas you give 3 points. This means that for you to win dallas has to win by 4 or more points.

If you bet on miami you get 3 points. This means you win if miami wins the game outright or if they lose by 1 or 2 points. You also win if the game ends in a tie.

If dallas wins by exactly 3 points you don’t win or lose.

Lines aren’t always whole numbers. Half points are often part of a plus or minus line wager. This makes a tie or push impossible.

In this example, if you bet on philadelphia you win the bet if they win the game outright or lose by 4 or fewer points.

When you bet on new york they have to win by at least 5 points for you to win.

3 – money lines

Money lines are a type of bet where you bet on who you think is going to win the contest. On a money line bet you don’t need to worry about how many runs or points a team wins by.

The money line is still listed with a plus or minus number, but they signify how much you need to bet or can win.

Favorites are listed with a minus number and underdogs are listed with a positive number. At first, it can be confusing to understand how to read money lines but once you get the hang of it, you’ll quickly be able to see the possible bets.

On a money line for a favorite with a negative number it means you have to bet this much to win 100.

This means that you have to risk 200 for the chance to win 100.

On a money line with a positive number for an underdog, the number is the amount you win if you bet 100.

This means that if you bet 100 you win 180 when san diego wins.

In evenly matched games or contests you might see a money line with both teams at – 105 or – 110. This means you can bet on either team by betting 105 to win 100 or betting 110 to win 100.

You don’t have to bet 100 on the plus lines or the total amount on the minus lines. You can bet any amount between the minimum and maximum amount the sports book will accept. The numbers are adjusted to fit your wager.

Here’s an example:

If you want to bet on san diego at + 180 but only want to bet 50, here’s how the numbers work. Since you can win 180 if you bet 100, you can win 90 if you bet 50. If you want to bet 25 you can win 45.

To quickly determine the amounts divide 100 by your bet amount and then divide the line by the result. 100 divided by 50 is 2, and 180 divided by 2 is 90.

You can use the same concept if you want to bet less on a minus money line. If you want to bet 100 instead of 200 on baltimore at – 200 you bet 100 to win 50.

If you want to bet more than 100 or the negative line you simply multiply the possible win by your bet divided by 100 or the minus line.

4 – over/under

The over/under is a bet on the combined score of both teams in a game.

• New orleans at houston 48 ½

In this example you bet on whether the total score of both teams will be over or under 48 ½.

If you think the two teams will score more combined points you bet on the over and bet on the under if you think the final scores will total less than the line.

Over/under bets are an easy way to get started betting on sport, but the sports books are good t setting these lines and you may quickly learn that picking winners is harder than it looks.

You can find over/under lines on basketball, baseball, american football, football that’s known as soccer in some places, and many other sports.

5 – vig

The vig is the main way sports books make a profit. It’s a fee you pay when placing bets.

The fee is built into money line bets and is represented by the difference in the lines. If the favorite is listed at – 200 and the underdog is listed at + 180 the difference between what you can win and have to wager creates an area of profit for the book.

The most common form of vig is when you bet on plus and minus lines. You need to risk more than you can win in these situations.

Common vig numbers are betting 110 to win 100 and betting 105 to win 100.

When you place a wager with vig and win you get your vig back, so you only pay vig when you lose.

Here’s an example:

If you bet 110 to win 100 and win your bet you get back 210. But if you lose you lose the entire 110.

When the sports books accept the same amount of bets on each side of a contest they lock in a profit.

The book takes 11,000 to win 10,000 on team A and 11,000 to win 10,000 on team B. If team A wins the book gives the winners back their 11,000 and 10,000 from the losers. This leaves a profit of 1,000 for the book. The same thing happens if team B wins.

Sports books rarely receive the exact same amount on each side of a contest, but over the course of hundreds or thousands of games or matches they lock in a profit as long as they post good lines.

The books also adjust the line when they get too much bet on one side of a game. They move the line to encourage more bettors to place wagers on the side they have a lower amount of money bet on. When they move the line this way it also discourages more bets on the side they have more money wagered on.

6 – where to place bets

The main places you can place bets are in a land based sports book or at an online sports book. The other options are using a bookie or placing bets with other people you know.

Land based sports books are available in many parts of the world. But sports betting is illegal in many areas as well. Some places the book is in a casino and in others the book is a standalone business.

Online books are available anywhere you can access the internet, but they’re also illegal in some parts of the world. Even where sports betting is clearly illegal most people can find an online business willing to take their bets.

You should always learn about the laws where you live before placing sports bets.

Bookies are individuals who take sports bets and in most areas, they’re operating outside the law. In many areas the authorities ignore bookies, but if you place bets with an illegal bookie understand that you may be opening yourself up to possible problems.

Bookies operate almost exactly like a traditional sports book operation and charge vig on their bets. They usually steal their lines from large book makers.

Some bookies also offer betting cards or parlay cards where you pick a number of games for a bigger possible pay out than making straight bets. These cards are usually a huge profit center for bookies, which should tell you that they should be avoided.

Betting with friends and acquaintances is the best way to place bets without paying vig. But it can be difficult to find enough people willing to bet on the opposite side of the game that you want to bet on if you make many bets.

7 – how to place bets

The first thing you need to do is look at the posted lines and decide which team you want to bet on and whether you want to bet on the plus and minus line, the money line, or the over/under line.

In land based sports books you go to a betting window and tell the person what you want to bet on and how much you want to risk. Some book offer betting papers where you can mark your selections, but most simply take bets by you stating your intentions.

When you place a bet and hand over your money the book gives you a betting slip. It lists the bet and amount. You must turn the betting slip back in to get paid when you win.

When you go to the betting window tell the person the team you want to bet on, whether you want to bet the normal line, which is the plus and minus line, the money line, or the over/under, and the amount.

• Cincinnati at +3 at 110 to win 100.

• The over for 100 on the dallas buffalo game.

• 100 on the money line on seattle.

Different sports books have slightly different preferences on how they take bets. Ask a book employee if they have a standard method or ask the first time you place a bet at the window.

When you place bets with a bookie you can use the same language and methods as you use in a regular sports book.

If you place bets at an online book you find the game you want to bet on and click the bet or team you want or check the box beside it and enter the amount you want to risk. Most online books then take you to a confirmation screen where you verify your bet.

The money is deducted from your account and if you win your winnings are deposited into your account.

Betting with friends is simpler. All you need to do is agree on the terms.

Conclusion

This guide about how sports betting works helps you go from a complete novice to making bets like a pro. Even if you’ve never placed a bet in your life you can now understand all of your options and make wagers without worrying about making a mistake.

Make sure you understand how the sports books make money and how the vig is a direct cost. If you make bets without vig you only need to win half the time to break even. But when you incorporate the vig you need to win more often than you lose to break even.

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