http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/poker-betting-methods.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/poker-betting-methods.html Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600
You must have developed a great betting strategy playing the regular limit, no-limit and pot-limit games. Now let’s see some other methods of betting involved mainly in private games. I will just cover a few for example Set limit, Straddle method, Freeze out and Running out of money. So let’s discuss each of them. These methods bring in a lot of excitement and fun when playing private games.

Set limit:
Here players agree to a minimum and maximum bet where there is enough opportunity for them to make good raises. It is important because if you raise a decent amount of chips then you might force other players into folding. Also there is an agreement on a minimum ante by every player before the cards are dealt, so, there is some money in the pot before you start playing. To stay in the game each player must bet an amount equal to the previous player or raise the stakes up to the maximum as agreed before the play.

Straddle Method:
Here first a player bets an ante and the next player doubles the bet called straddle before the cards are dealt. Now the third player can either fold or double the straddle depending on his cards. The betting continues and each player must bet at least the same amount as the previous player. Here showdown occurs when no one else raises or the maximum bet is reached as agreed before the play.

Freeze Out:
Here the betting is same as in regular games but with few exceptions. Betting is arranged using an agreed method and the objective is for one player to win all the chips. When a player runs out of chips, there is an immediate showdown and the player with the best hand wins the pot. Games like these are already marked as Freeze out tournaments.

Running out of money:
Again the betting here is same as in regular games but with few exceptions. If a player runs out of money during the game a second pot is opened by the remaining players. Now that player has to wait until one player remains or there is a showdown. If one player remains then he definitely wins the second pot or else a player with the highest hand wins the pot. Now the hand that won the second pot is compared to that of the player who ran out of money. The player with the best hand wins the first or original pot.

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Also visit us for how to play poker including rules, strategies and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/pai-gow-poker-rules.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/pai-gow-poker-rules.html Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600
Let’s learn some different type of poker other than Texas holdem, 7 card stud, 5 card draw and Omaha. Yes, pai gow poker. Now you must be wondering that pai gow sounds little Chinese; yes you are right this game is a mixture of the Chinese game pai gow and our very own American poker. Definitely this is not one of the most popular forms of poker but still widely played. It can be played by up to seven players.

It is played with one deck of 52 cards, plus a joker. Interestingly, joker can be used only as an ace, or to complete a straight, a flush, a straight flush, or a royal flush. The important thing here to remember is other than the usual ranking of hands we have one more winning hand that is “Five Aces” (five aces including the joker). Surprisingly, five aces beat all other hands including royal flush.

Each player is dealt seven cards. The cards are arranged to make two hands; a two card hand and a five card hand. The five card hand must rank higher or be equal to the two card hand. Finally both of your hands must rank higher than both of your opponents hands (both five and two card hands). Further the two card hand can only have two combinations; one pair and high card.

After the cards are arranged in to two hands, they are placed on the table face down. Once you put them down, you can no longer touch them. The dealer will turn over his cards and make his hands. Each players hand is compared to the dealer’s hands. If the player wins one hand and loses the other, this is known as “push” and no money is exchanged. If dealer wins both hands then he/she wins the players stake and vice versa. Now what if there is a tie, the only advantage with the dealer here is he/she wins all ties.

After the hand is played, the next person clock-wise becomes the dealer and the next hand is played. The major disadvantage to this game is that there is no skill involved and you rely too much on luck. Also the odds are poor compared to playing with a pot.

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Also visit poker tournaments including free rolls, qualifiers and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/party-poker-room-review.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/party-poker-room-review.html Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600
Party Poker is one of the world's largest online poker rooms with over 70,000 players. They cover almost 60% of the online poker market. Now what this means to you as a poker player is that with the large number of players and rooms you will never have to wait for a game, the player quality is relatively poor compared to rooms like Ultimate Bet and Poker Stars. As mentioned earlier start playing with play money and once you get hold of the game you may jump to the real money game. They have around 18,500 - 19,200 ring game players and 26,700 - 28,000 tournaments players live during peak hours.

Party Poker has some great signup bonus offers, $25 extra, 20% extra up to $100 and free entry to the partypoker.com million qualifying tournaments ($34 value) with your first deposit. The requirements to clear the bonus is pretty simple, you have to play 5 times the raked hands of the bonus amount i.e. if the bonus value is $25 you need to play 125 raked hands. The time period to finish the raked hands is 30 days. Party Poker offers standard game variety like Texas holdem, omaha hi and hi/lo and 7 card stud hi and hi/lo but does not offer 5 card draw poker and 1-on-1 tournaments. Limit Texas holdem game is the major traffic puller at party poker. Remember these are only real money player statistics.

They also have beginners live game tables reserved for new real money players only. New real money players can play on these tables for 45 days after they have set up a real money account. Where to go? Just log in to your account, go to the main lobby, click on the real money heading and then select beginners. Then choose a table and start playing. Following games and stakes are offered for beginners.

1. Game: Texas Hold'em

2. Limits: $.5/$1, $1/$2, $2/$4 and $3/$6

They also have good round the clock customer service, including both text and voice based. Party Poker also has a fairly good retention program and they recently started the Player's club and we expect them to come up with more programs soon. Good luck and play safe. :-)

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Also visit us for poker bonus code section and more.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/caribbean-stud-poker-rules.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/caribbean-stud-poker-rules.html Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0600
All the games we have looked so far involved betting against other players. But this game is different; here everyone plays against the casino or room which acts as a bank (dealer), paying out all winning bets. To win you have to beat the dealer’s hand, other player’s hands don’t make a difference.

First each player makes an ante (initial blind bet) and is dealt 5 cards face down. The dealer receives 4 cards face down and 1 card face up. Now each player decides whether to fold or play by looking at their cards, if they fold then their ante is lost but if they continue, they have to double their ante-bet.

Now the dealer reveals his hand, but he must have an A-k or higher in order to play his hand, if not the player is paid even money on the ante and also the additional bet is not lost (See the table for odds). If the player’s hand beats the dealer’s, the ante is paid at evens. However, if the dealer’s hand beats the player’s hand then both bets are lost.

Additional Bet Payout odds:

One pair or High card ---> 1/1 (Even)
Two pair ---> 2/1
Three of a kind ---> 3/1
Straight ---> 4/1
Flush ---> 5/1
Full House ---> 7/1
Four of a kind ---> 20/1
Straight flush ---> 50/1
Royal flush ---> 100/1


If the dealer and player play the same poker hand, then remaining cards are taken in to consideration. If all five cards are equal, the hand is void. Neither the ante nor the additional bet is lost. The ranking of suits makes no difference to the hand.

Here the odds are poor; a normal game of poker with seven players will have odds of at least 6/1 which is a great deal better when compared to the minimum odds in this game which is 1/1. Also the odds paid for additional bet are poor. Again there is no skill required and you rely too much on luck. Finally remember you have much better odds of winning money when you are playing for the pot. Good Luck :)

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Also visit us for other basic poker rules and strategies.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/8-golden-rules-for-betting-on-horses.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/8-golden-rules-for-betting-on-horses.html Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0600
People assume that betting on horses is based on luck, and that the only method to win money while doing it is to get inside information. By inside information, people generally refer to match fixes or some other knowledge that one or more of the horses is sick. This might have been true once, but in todays modern world where the gambling is institutionalized and checked daily, this sort of thing rarely (if ever) occurs.

So What Then? Should you gamble according to unexplainable hunches and simply hope for the best?
There is a better option. Base your bets on information that you collect about the different horses and then make a calculated guess. I have listed here the 8 Golden Rules you should look out for when judging how good a particular horse will fair in the race you are going to bet on.

1. Check out the weather, and then check how the horses in the race fared accordingly. Certain horses have a tendency to outlast others in the rain, while others charge unstoppable to the finish line on cloudy days. Why? I don't know, but what's important is that its true, and it has worked for me.

2. Do not think that older horses run slower than three-year old ones as the season comes to a close. This is just not true. What you have to check is how many races each horse did run. Sometimes horses compete in too many races and this slows them down, but this has nothing to do with age.

3. Surprisingly, though you might think that there is a direct ratio between the weight of the jockey and how fast the horse can run, but this is not true. Since most of the jockeys weigh approximately the same, its actually the relatively heavier ones who manage to win.

4. Similarly, heavier horses can run faster than lighter ones, but only up to a point. A colt weighs about a hundred pounds more than fillies and thus they are more likely to win long distance races.

5. Just because a horse has new blinkers does not mean that the horse will run faster. I know this sounds crazy, but a friend I met at the horse-track offered me this piece of advice, and I had to refute it to spare the heartache from any who do fall for it.

6. Check the pedigree of the horses. Remember to keep whatever information you find. You can even buy one of the books on certain horses at your local bookstores. After you have gathered all the relevant information keep in mind that a colt doesn't need as much of a pedigree as a filly to run very fast.

7. Don't rely too much on pedigree at the lower class races. This is the place where those horses with a weak pedigree tend to shine.

8. Female jockies are starting to make a name for themselves, so don't underestimate them when they race. Lately, they have been winning admirably.

Use the above 8 Golden Rules of Betting on Horses the next time you go to the track or enter an online sportsbook to place your bet so that your wager will have a better chance of winning.




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Jack Reider is currently writing his PHD on the the reigns of Caesar and Augustus, but he also loves to frequent the race track and play poker. He created Gambling Portal – www.gambling-portal.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/poker-glossary.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/poker-glossary.html Fri, 03 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600
Let us know what is poker first?. Poker is a name given to huge number of card games. What they have in common is that they are based on the ranking of five card hands. The basic games relatively easy to learn. The object of the game is to win the money bet by having the best ranking hands. Poker is mostly played with in a minimum of two players but around five to seven players is more practical.

The rules of individual games vary enormously. The number of cards dealt to each player, the methods of betting and the ranking of the hand can all differ. Even games of the same name will often be played in a variety of ways. It is therefore important to ensure that you fully understand the rules before you start playing.

In private games you play against all other players. In order to win you need to beat all of your opponents. Each player takes turns at being the dealer. When you play in casino, you have two options. You can either bet against other players or against the casino. In the former, the casino supplies the dealer, charging a percentage of the pot( the money bet) for this service. A deduction around ten percent is common. Alternatively, the casino may make an hourly charge for the use of their facilities. Let us look at some poker glossaries

Ante:- a bet made before any cards have been dealt.

Babies:- small value cards.

Bicycle:- see wheel.

Blind Bet:- a bet made without looking at your cards.

Bluff:- tricking the other players into thinking that you have really good hand.

Board:- the community cards in games such as Holdem and Omaha .

Bone:- another name for a chip.

Call:- a verbal statement that player will match the previous bet.

Calling Station:- a player who hardly ever raise.

Dead man’s hand:- two pair of aces over eights.

Draw:- exchanging cards in your hand for cards from the deck.

Flop:- the deal where the first three community cards are revealed in Holdem and Omaha.

Full House:- three cards of the same value with pair, for example three aces and two sixes.

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Also visit mac online poker and also view our poker odds section.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/what-is-online-poker.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/what-is-online-poker.html Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600 What is Online Poker?

Online poker, as the name suggests, is the game of poker played over the Internet. Online poker has been responsible for a dramatic increase in the number of poker players worldwide. Thanks in part, to the proliferation of online casinos, the craze for poker is spreading beyond the mega-rich, business-suited elite, allowing everyone a fair chance to place modest bets from the comfort of their own homes.

Statistics confirm the above. In January 2003, the total global daily cash game turnover for online poker was just $10 million (£5.3m) and in 2004 it rose to $60m (£32m). Now, $180m (£95m) is wagered in cash game pots in online poker every day! Not surprisingly, this number is expected to grow steadily every year.

How different is online poker compared to playing it on-site?

There are hundreds of portals offering online poker; most of them are, more or less, similar. The difference, if any, is usually in the gaming environment and the quality of interaction with other players. This could depend a lot on the popularity of the site, as popular gaming sites try to have certain in- built checks and attract serious gamblers who can in turn, enhance your overall gaming experience. Also, while some portals have a responsible, informative approach and offer considerable amount of content (news, tournament results, strategy articles, reviews of online card rooms, etc.), others attempt to act as mere conduits to other sites, normally where actual gambling games are offered.

Though people have many different views, as far as differences between online poker and brick and mortar poker is concerned, most agree on at least few of the following:

Online venues are cheaper and easily accessible.
Online poker rooms are more player-friendly, as they offer suggestions, allow the players to play for low stakes and are very much suitable for beginners.
Online poker playing is a lot faster, as there's no banter around the table. Though brick and mortar casino players consider this interplay a central element of the game, for most playing online, the stress is laid on mathematical calculations and actual moves. Fixed place or offline poker game is time consuming where the average rate of play is around thirty hands per hour while in online poker these delays, dealing and shuffling, are instant and thus the average play is faster due to 'auto action' buttons.

One disadvantage of playing online poker is that it is more vulnerable to certain types of fraud even though most poker sites have safety checks.
Unlike a bricks and mortar casino, you can play at more than one table at a time when you play online. So, you could log into more than one poker site simultaneously, which means that you don't have to be as good a player to make the same amount of money online (since you increase your chances of winning by playing on multiple tables simultaneously)!

Some experienced players also feel that people who mostly play online poker could be at a disadvantage in a brick and mortar casino, as they don't have opportunities to learn to study and influence body language.
Another differentiating feature of online poker is that it provides free money play, so that new players may practice without the risk of losing real money.

From the legal point of view, some legal issues are common. Online game poker is very legitimate and regulated in many advanced countries in Europe. Many online poker websites are certified by legal Game Commission bodies and major auditing firms like PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) to review the fairness of the shuffle and payouts.

Getting Started

Whether you are a professional or a novice, online poker offers you a comfortable and interesting gaming environment and a safer (compared to brick and mortar casinos) means of learning how to play using smaller bets. There are numerous sites that offer guidelines and tips on learning how to play well. Here are some interesting poker- related terms to get you started:
Royal flush: high cards (ace, king, queen, jack) of the same suit in number sequence.

Straight flush: cards of the same suit in number sequence.

Four of a kind: cards of the same value (e.g. four queens).

Full house: three cards of one value, two of another.

Flush: all cards are of the same suit.

Straight: cards are in number sequence, but not of the same suit.

Three of a kind: three cards of the same value.

Two pair: two pairs of cards with the same value (e.g. queen, queen and king, king)

Pair: two cards with the same value.

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The author, Brian Hover, is a well- known online gambling specialist and has been lending his expertise and experience to the Internet gambling industry since 1997.Having studied the scope and potential of secure online gambling alternatives, Brian has been instrumental in providing a number of secure online gambling portals like http://www.cardgamesclub.com. The portal is known for the number of popular gambling options, along with the security and reliability it offers.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/giving-while-you-spend--the-two-fold-benefit-of-charity-credit-cards.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/giving-while-you-spend--the-two-fold-benefit-of-charity-credit-cards.html Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600
Various charities are making arrangements with different credit card companies in an effort to get funding for their cause. For all intents and purposes, the only thing you have to do is to sign up for the credit card—for each application fulfilled, charities immediately receive a donation from the credit card company. Moreover, as you use the card on various purchases, the credit card companies again make donations to the charities associated with the cards being used on the purchases.

So what kind of credit cards are you able to apply for online? The Red American Express credit card is one of many cards being offered for such a worthy cause. Each time you use the Red American Express credit card the amount spent increases the donation sent to the charity: a charity pre-chosen by the card issuer. During the first month that you use the Red American Express card, American Express will donate £5 to the Global Fund: an organisation that is helping children and women in Africa experiencing the affects of AIDS. Plus, each year, American Express donates one percent of anything you spend up to £5000 and 1.25 percent of anything spent over £5000. Essentially, each time you use the Red American Express card you will be helping women and children in Africa who really need that your help—something you can feel good about.

There are other card companies that you can use to assist others in need such as the Cancer Research card. Signing up for the Cancer Research card promises you quite a bit in terms of donation. Once you have signed up for the Cancer Research card, upon its first use, the card company willingly donates £20 to further Cancer Research. Later, as you use the card again and again, the card company offering the Cancer Research card, Halifax, will donate .25 percent of every £100 that you spend. A great deal for Cancer research and an excellent cause.

On the other hand, you may want to sign on for the RSPCA credit card, offering you the opportunity to assist animals every time you use your card. Every animal lover would surely like this one: with each pound spent, a donation will be given to help animals. Animal lovers like you will find that the RSCPA credit card allows them to donate £15 when you sign up for the card. Later, with each use of the RSPCA card, you will be automatically donating .25 percent of every £100 spent. Plus, Beneficial, the card company issuing the RSPCA credit card, will donate £1 to the RSPCA each year that you keep and use the card. How about the opportunity to assist children? If and when you choose to sign up for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children credit card Halifax gives the NSPCC £10 when you are approved. Later, like the above mentioned cards, .25 percent of every £100 spent is further donated to the NSPCC.

Many of the cards available to you can be readily applied for online and you will be notified of their approval within 30 seconds or less. What is particularly nice about the various cards available is that you don’t necessarily lose out on a good deal because you have chosen a charity credit card over other cards available. Many of the APRs on charity credit cards are extremely low and some cards offer additional rewards and savings to you. Plus, accounts associated with various cards can be easily managed with online access.

What better way for you to feel good about yourself than to give to others while you shop? The benefits of having one or more charity credit cards serve a two-fold purpose: you get to reap the benefits of the low APRs such cards have to offer and you also get to feel good about yourself for donating to important causes every time you use one or more of the charity credit cards. Sign up now for your charity credit card and start donating to organisations that need your help today!

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Diane Newsom is an author for the UK search portal Usewho. Please visit us for more information on charity credit cards.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/gambling-online--the-housewifes-favourite-game.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/gambling-online--the-housewifes-favourite-game.html Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600
Cara Thurston, a housewife fond of online gaming entertainment, explains why she loves online gambling : “When I gamble online I have the freedom to do what I want to do and I don’t have other players judging me because I am a woman. When I play online blackjack , my identity remains anonymous for the most part and I can just enjoy the game.”

Gambling online provides housewives like Cara the opportunity to spend their leisure time the way they want to—relaxing and enjoying a challenging game of blackjack or any of the other games offered at online casinos.

When gambling online you will find that you can either play the game of your choice for free or you can play for real money and prizes. Of course, where you choose to gamble online will determine whether or not cash and prizes are offered. There are many websites offering free gambling but if you want to get in on real money action you will need to visit one or more online casinos to begin playing for real money.

Typically, when gambling online for real money, you will find that you will be required to become a registered member at the online casino of your choosing. However, what is particularly nice about becoming a member at an online casino is that you will be offered signup bonuses for becoming a member. Signup bonuses are a percentage of the initial deposit you place in an account when you first signup at an online casino to begin gambling for money. Such a bonus can be used to place wagers on blackjack, poker, roulette and more.

Many online casinos offer you, as a new member, the opportunity to play several blackjack variants. Blackjack variants include Vegas Strip Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Multi-Hand Atlantic City Blackjack, European Blackjack, Spanish Blackjack, Triple 7’s Blackjack, Bonus Blackjack, as well as others. Yet, blackjack is not the only game available and you will find fun at the slots, the roulette wheel and all the poker tables you can dream of when you gamble online.

You may be required to download special software to your computer so that you can get in on the gaming action. Typically the software applications that allow individuals to play games are easy to install and are free to you when you create an account. This software gives you the sense that you are really at the casino—that is, without all the hubbub and noise around you that you will typically find in a brick and mortar casino. If you are a housewife and you choose to gamble online you don’t have to worry about the typical problems associated with travel and travel costs. You can enjoy a simulated casino setting in a safe environment.

Are there any risks associated with gambling online? In fact, there are risks associated with any kind of gambling, whether it is online or off. The biggest risk that you face while gambling is losing a lot of money. Gambling is just that—a risk, it is important when you are gambling that you take care not to become over eager—don’t be willing to place just one more bet to get the big bucks. Anyone gambling should set a budget and stick to it. Once the money is gone it is gone and placing one more bet is only going to get you even deeper in the hole than the hand before. When you are gambling you can truly benefit when you know the right time to fold.

Gambling can become an addiction. Some people enjoy the high of winning and their mood will mirror that high, just as their mood will mirror the low they feel when they lose. In essence, when gambling becomes an obsession for you or when you begin to really rely on winning to feel good, a significant problem has begun and you will need to seek help for your gambling problem before it gets out of control. There is counselling available for anyone that has gambling problems and if you suspect that your gambling is an addiction, you should refrain from playing the game and seek out assistance for your problem immediately, before it becomes an all consuming and destructive issue. Make gambling fun and you will really enjoy the experience.

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Diane Newsom writes for the UK search portal Usewho. Please visit us for more information on how to play blackjack online.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/blackjack-one-of-the-top-casino-table-games.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/gambling/blackjack-one-of-the-top-casino-table-games.html Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0600 Do you love to gamble? Most people will usually state that blackjack is their favorite casino table game. Blackjack is not only a great game to play but also a game with great odds. For instance, blackjack is the only game that you can actually have a slight odds advantage. If you are interested in playing blackjack the next time you go to the casino, here are some tips.

Blackjack is a great game to play. It is actually one of the favorites for professional gamblers because the odds are excellent. In very rare circumstances, you can actually have an advantage over the casino, if you know how to count cards. While many casinos now deal with 5 to 7 decks, you still have a great opportunity to win at blackjack.

If you would like to learn many strategies on playing blackjack, there are plenty of handbooks and video guides that can teach you the rules of the game, the best strategies to play and how to manage your money. There are plenty of online gambling sites that will allow you to play for fun to learn the game inside and out. So if you like to gamble at the casino or even online, look into the great game of blackjack.



More informations on games are available at http://www.games-00.info


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Joel Dresse is the Webmaster of http://www.games-00.info, an informative site on games with a free arcade games section.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>