While gambling at online casinos is a form of entertainment, no one plays with the intention of losing. We all play to win, right? If not, you should probably take up a different hobby to pass the time. Blackjack is one of the most popular games at any online casino because it’s such an easy game to learn but these simple tips can help improve your chances of winning.

Blackjack is a very simple game – in order to win, you must get a hand that totals 21 or closer to 21 than the dealer. If you get more than 21 points, you automatically lose (bust) and if the dealer’s total is closer to 21 than yours, you also bust. While the rules are simple, there is an element of strategy to playing winning blackjack.

The average blackjack player relies on pure gut feeling on deciding whether to hit or stand. We’ve all had those times when we’ve got a good feeling about winning but this should rarely be the basis of deciding what to do with your hand. It’s much better and more profitable to rely on mathematical statistics, instead.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that in a deck of cards, there is four times as many ten point cards as any other card value in the deck. Keeping that in mind, a good assumption to make while playing blackjack is that the next card drawn will be a 10 point card.

Upon making that statistical assumption, it’s easy to see that any hand with a value higher than 12 will be more likely to bust. Of course, if the dealer card showing is a 2 through 6, the dealer is more apt to draw again. When he does, he is statistically likely to draw a ten and go bust.

Because of the 4 to 1 odds of drawing a ten, a good player always assumes that the dealer’s down card is a ten or face card. Then you can make a more statistically probable guess when you see what the dealers showing card is.

If your hand is 17 or higher, it is always a good idea to stand. If you have 13 to 16 points, it will depend on the dealer’s showing card. If they have a 6 or lower, you have a better probability of winning if you stand. If they have a 7 or more, your chances are better taking a hit because the dealer has a good chance of going bust.

If you are new to blackjack, you will encounter some jargon that could leave you pretty confused. Few games have as many specific and colorful terms to describe things as blackjack seems to have. Perhaps it’s because of the popularity of the game since it’s one of the most played casino games there is. Whatever the reason, here are some basic terms that you should be aware of.

Blackjack – This is what everyone wants to get while playing blackjack since it’s almost always the winning hand. It means that you were dealt twenty-one right off the bat.

Bust/Break – These two mean the same thing which is to go over twenty-one and lose the hand. Which term you will hear depends on where you are playing.

Double – To place another bet next to your initial wager. You get another card to try to improve your chances when you bet double.

Five Card Charlie – In some blackjack variations, this refers to drawing five cards without getting more than twenty-one. Depending on the rules of the variation played, this can mean an automatic win.

Insurance – This is a way to hedge your bet, so to speak. When the dealer has an ace showing, you can place a half bet that the dealer is going to hit blackjack. This enables you to break even if the dealer wins.

Counting – You have to have a pretty good memory for this but if you keep track of the number of ten point cards left in the deck, you could conceivably bet higher when you know there are a lot of high cards left.

Soft Hand – This is a hand totalling 11 points or less or a two cards hand that holds an ace. It means that hand can’t be busted with another hit.

Hard Hand – This hand can be busted if hit because it is any hand without an ace that’s worth 12 or more points.

In an effort to make online casinos feel more realistic and interactive, one online casino has introduced a new online 3D casino that incorporates many of the features that you can find in popular virtual world environments. With this new software, you can play at lecroupier in the most dynamic online casino the net has seen thus far. The graphics are based on a real land-based casino in Normandy, the Lucien Barriere so if you’ve been there, it may feel familiar to you.

With the new 3D technology, online casino players can create and save customized avatars to represent them while playing. These avatars can be made to look like yourself or complete fantasy depending on what you choose. You are able to choose every detail from gender to how the avatar is dressed. You will use that avatar to interact with other players and the dealers while you are in the online casino.

For the first time in an online gambling establishment, you can actually walk around the casino floor and look around you. Instead of simply chatting with other players on the sidelines, you’ll be able to walk up to them and interact in a level that was not possible before this. You can even talk to the dealers just as in a land-based casino.

lecroupier may be the first online casino to use this new technology but you can expect to see this quickly spread through the online gambling world. With the booming popularity of social networking and virtual reality worlds on the internet, this new technology could prove to be the next big thing in internet gambling.

There is a requirement that your computer be of certain specifications in order to utilize the 3D technology. It’s currently only compatible with the Windows XP or Vista operating systems that are DirectX 9.0c compliant. To run smoothly, you will need a 2GhZ P4 processor or better. Of course, this is a graphic intensive and interactive program so you will need to have a good amount of available RAM and hard drive space. For Windows XP, you’ll need at least 1 GB of available RAM and for Vista, at least 2 GB. They recommend having at least 1.5 GB of free hard drive space to utilize the software.

Many of the people who hesitate to try gambling at an online casino are nervous about putting their personal and credit card information on the internet. If this sounds like you, hopefully this article can help allay some of those fears. A reputable online casino is just as safe as paying a bill online or viewing your bank statement.

There are ways to tell if an online casino is reputable including doing research and seeing what other players have to say about them. Check the website to ensure that the casino has a license for some jurisdiction – that shows that they have some body governing their actions. The big gambling software providers won’t let unlicensed casinos to use their software so checking what software powers the games is another way to tell if a company is likely to be reputable.

When you have to put any personal information in, make sure that the casino site is using secure encryption technology such as 128 bit SSL digital encryption. One way to tell is if the address bar starts with "https" because the s means it is a secure connection. There are higher levels of security but even most banks use 128 bit so that level is more than enough to safeguard your information.

If your concern is more about whether you’ll be able to collect your winnings, part of the concern should be addressed when you did your research and talked to other players. If they’re all happy with the site and saying they got paid, then it is pretty likely that the online casino will pay you, as well. You can also see if the site publishes any reports of player winnings, especially if the report is done by an independent company and not the casino itself.

Probably from the day of the caveman, there has been controversy over what the differences and similarities are with men and women. Although there are still those who argue that men and women are equal in all things, too many studies have shown differences for any rational person not to recognize that these differences do exist. Harvard performed a huge research study to determine whether certain gambling stereotypes were real or myth and the results may surprise you.

The team of researchers took over 40,000 people (both genders) and gave them money to gamble with and they studied the results. While men are commonly thought to be the more practiced gambler and therefore more successful, the study dispelled the stereotype as a myth. Instead it turned out that women were not only more aggressive bettors than men, they also won 15% more money than the men did.

The Harvard study was done on land-based casino gaming and one analyst speculated that the popularity and ease of access of online casinos may have affected the outcome. The analyst said they were finding that many of the women had played the various games at online casinos, learned the strategies and took that knowledge into the land-based casinos.

That is one possibility, of course, but the other is that perhaps women are naturally better at gambling. We will probably never know the answer but it is another angle to add fuel to the fire with the ever present battle of the sexes.

There have been comments made recently saying that since the recession is keeping people closer to home and tighter with their funds that more are turning to online gambling for a less expensive form of entertainment. The people making these comments then go on to express that they believe that online gambling will diminish once the economy recovers.

I have to disagree with that premise for several reasons. First of all, online gambling has been on the rise since it’s inception in the mid-90s. Every year has seen more players, higher profits and more sites being founded. This boom wasn’t started by the recent recession.

Sure, the recession may be spurring some of the growth for the reasons listed above but there are many other factors to take into consideration. One big force driving many from land-based casinos to online casinos is the smoking ban that has been instituted almost universally. Smokers want to continue smoking while they play so they just stay home and play in the comfort of their own homes.

With some players, it’s not the travel expenses that deter them from going to land-based casinos but the comfort factor. Some are just not comfortable with lots of strangers being about while others want to be able to play sitting in the pajamas if they choose to. There is no place quite so comfortable as your own home, is there?

While the recession will eventually go away, don’t look for any decrease in the popularity of online casinos. People like the freedom they get playing from home and the ease with which you can move from casino to casino. Online gambling will continue to remain popular and even grow in popularity long after this recession is a distant memory.

The first thing you should remember is that while online gambling can win you some money, the goal really should be to have fun. Winning is more of a bonus with gambling. You should budget the amount you intend to spend on the evening’s entertainment and not really expect to have any of it left at the end of the night. If you do get lucky enough to not lose it all or even win a few bucks, that’s wonderful – but it shouldn’t be something to count on.

When you do budget an amount, make sure it’s an amount that you can afford to lose. As we stated earlier, you shouldn’t count on a win while gambling. When your budgeted amount is gone, it’s time to knock off for the evening. It can be tempting to deposit more in an effort to recoup your losses but that usually results in just losing more. Better to play on another day when you’re fresher and can make a new beginning.

Even if you haven’t burned through the amount you plan on spending, don’t continue to play the same game when you do hit a losing streak. This is almost guaranteed to have you keep losing until all the cash is gone. As you lose, you tend to get more frustrated and more tense, therefore playing worse than normal. It’s a better idea to take a break from gambling or at least switch to a different game for a while.

When you’re set for a long, intense night of gambling entertainment, be sure to take breaks throughout the night. Grab a bite to eat and a drink to renew your energy. If you allow yourself to grow too tired, your playing will suffer. You need a mind and body that is well-rested to be able to play at your best.

The first thing you should do when picking your first online casino is to do your research. Unfortunately, the online gambling arena isn’t as tightly controlled as land-based casinos. There is no one law for all internet casinos. Instead, the laws governing what they can and cannot do are dependent on which country the gambling company is based out of.

Start by reading any reviews you can find online and don’t stick to just casino review sites. Some of these sites are created solely for the purpose of signing up affiliates for the gambling sites so the reviewer can make money. Not all of the reviewers are high in integrity and some will tell you a site is reputable just to make you trust it, whether it’s true or not.

Try googling the site name and adding +blog or +forum to find places where ordinary players are talking about the online casino. If you find a lot of people complaining that the company didn’t pay them, then that’s a good clue to stay far away from that site. On the other hand, if you see a lot of good comments, that is a good sign that the site is reputable, honest and fun to play at.

After you find a site that has a lot of good reviews and you think you’d like to try it, make sure you read everything before agreeing. Read the terms of service of the site along with any FAQ pages they may have. If there is something that concerns you or you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to contact the site’s customer service. That’s what they are there for, after all.

A majority of the online casinos offer ways for you to try their games without putting up any cash up front. This may be limited demo versions or even full playing version but without cash prizes. Take advantage of things like this to see how playable the site is. There are a number of software providers for the online gambling community and there are some differences in play between them. Be sure that the play is smooth, easy to follow and comfortable for you before deciding which site to commit your dollars to.

The top thing you should check for before trying a new online casino is how securely your personal and financial information will be kept. Read the site’s privacy policy and terms of service before considering using their site. Make sure that all private information is transmitted securely and that all financial details are guaranteed to be kept confidential.

Once you are positive that the site is handling the data in a responsible and secure manner, it’s time to take a look at what they have to offer in terms of bonuses, promotions and prizes. There is a ton of competition in the online gambling arena with new sites popping up all the time. Almost all of these sites will offer you bonuses in order to entice you into gambling with them. Some will even give you free money to begin play without even requiring a deposit on your part.

Most will offer some sort of match on your first deposit, from 50% all the way up to matches as high as 400%. A deposit bonus is a great way to stretch your gambling dollars. Quite a few sites will continue to offer deposit matches on an ongoing basis just to keep your coming back. They are hoping to have you become a loyal and faithful customer.

After you’ve found a few sites that seem to offer the best bonuses and promotions, you should first look into their payment methods before making a deposit. Some sites will take only major credit cards while others may take debit cards and wire transfers. Many of the online casinos will also accept one or more online payment processors such as Neteller. The online payment processors are often preferable to keep your credit card details private. The only ones that see the specific details are the payment processors.

Pack Your Bags

A man rushes into his house and yells to his wife, “Sally, pack up your things. I just won the state lottery!”

Sally replies, “Shall I pack for warm weather or cold?”
The man responds, “I don’t care. Just so long as you’re out of the house by noon!”

Sam’s Search

Sam was down on his luck in Las Vegas. He had gambled away all his money and had to borrow a dime from another gambler just to use the men’s room. The stall happened to be open, so he used the dime in a slot machine and hit the jackpot. He took his winnings and went to the blackjack table and turned his small winnings into ten million dollars.

Wealthy beyond his wildest dreams, Sam went on the lecture circuit, where he told his incredible story. He told his audiences that he was eternally grateful to his benefactor, and if he ever found the man he would share his fortune with him. After months of lectures, a man in the audience jumped up and said, “I’m that man. I was the one who gave you the dime.”

“You’re not the one I’m looking for. I’m looking for the guy who left the door open!”

Obliging Blackjack Dealer

A blackjack dealer and a player with a thirteen count in his hand were arguing about whether or not it was appropriate to tip the dealer.

The player said, “When I get bad cards, it’s not the dealer’s fault. Accordingly, when I get good cards, the dealer obviously had nothing to do with it so, why should I tip him?”

The dealer said, “When you eat out do you tip the waiter?” … “Yes.”
“Well then, he serves you food; I’m serving you cards, so you should tip me.”
“Okay, but, the waiter gives me what I ask for. I’ll take an eight!”