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Among the elements that help to make our Mixed Game Festivals so festive is the support of our generous sponsors. One such sponsor, Pokercoaching.com, has decided to offer something extra special for attendees of our upcoming Mixed Game Festival V at Resorts World Las Vegas, namely a FREE 7-Day Premium Membership!
To access the weeklong membership, all you’ll have to do is show up and join us from July 2-6 during the Mixed Game Festival and get the code directly from me. Upon using the code to register your account on Pokercoaching.com, you’ll receive unrestricted access to every bit of training material they’ve produced for seven days!
From the moment you open your account, the clock will start ticking, and you’ll have a full week at your disposal to look around, watch some videos, and check out a variety of tools designed to help you become a better poker player.
The platform features over 25 full-scale poker courses taught by company founder Jonathan Little as well as his top-notch roster of poker coaches, which includes highly decorated professionals such as Faraz Jaka, Justin Saliba, Lexy Gavin-Mather, Tommy Angelo, Alex Fitzgerald, Brock Wilson, Matt Affleck, Ethan “Rampage” Yau, and Jonathan Jaffe. Plus, there are over 100 hand history review videos that you can watch that are practically guaranteed to give you a leg up on the competition you’ll face at the felt.
Popular offerings to check out from their library of material include their Cash Game Masterclass and Tournament Masterclass. If you’re a more experienced player you’ll likely want to have a look at Little’s new Advanced Tournament Course.
On top of traditional courses and instructional videos, PokerCoaching.com offers a range of interactive content, including more than 2,000 hand quizzes and 700 coaching seminars. These tools will prove immensely useful when putting your newly acquired knowledge into practice, thus improving your understanding of theoretical poker concepts.
As you’d expect, you’ll also find a boatload of GTO preflop charts for different formats, as well as hundreds of coaching webinars featuring interactive sessions between coaches and students where common spots get addressed effectively. If you pay close attention and internalize the lessons, you’ll have a utility belt full of enhanced options and maneuverability during your poker sessions.
Plus, on top of your FREE week of Pokercoaching Premium access, many Mixed Game Festival V attendees will likely have the opportunity to mix it up at the felt in person with some of the stable’s pros, who’ve showed up to splash around with us in the non-Hold’em streets in the past.
Finally, during each day of our upcoming Mixed Game Festival, one player will be selected as our “Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day” and will receive a free hat along with special coverage in our daily recaps.
Success in poker is all about finding value, and you’ll be sure to find plenty of it at Mixed Game Festival V, thanks to Pokercoaching.com.
Ryan Blank, an avid poker player and member of the Onchainmonkey community, has made a generous donation of 5% of his recent winnings from a high-stakes Texas Hold’em poker event to the A-T Children’s Project. The donation aims to support the charity’s mission of raising awareness, conducting research, and finding a cure for A-T, a rare and debilitating children’s disease. The live poker game that took place in Los Angeles can be seen in it’s entirety here.
Inspired by his recent acquisition of an NFT from the Karma collection on Onchainmonkey’s platform (www.onchainmonkey.com), Ryan was moved to give back and make a meaningful impact in the lives of children facing health challenges. The concept of “give-to-earn” promoted by Onchainmonkey resonated deeply with him.
Ryan’s remarkable triumph took place during a captivating seven-hour-long live stream of the highly competitive @HCLPokerShow, featuring intense Texas Hold’em gameplay. The excitement and strategic brilliance of Texas Hold’em, a popular variant of poker, were on full display as Ryan showcased his exceptional skills and emerged victorious.
Onchainmonkey, led by prominent investor Bill Tai, esteemed blockchain engineer and Stanford PhD Danny Yang, and accomplished Wharton/Princeton graduate Amanda Terry, made its debut on September 11th, 2021. This innovative project has surpassed initial skepticism, standing out with impressive achievements in a relatively new and evolving space.
Among Onchainmonkey’s notable accomplishments are the successful rescue of Sharbat Gula from Afghanistan, initiatives for coral reef restoration, significant aid contributions to Ukraine and the Philippines in response to natural disasters, a remarkable skatepark renovation project in Brazil, and the groundbreaking release of the first 10,000 collection on the Bitcoin blockchain through a single efficient transaction. The recent collaboration with luxury brands Asprey and Bugatti further solidifies Onchainmonkey’s growing influence in the industry.
Ryan proudly holds Karma Monkey #3612, adorned with the stylish OCM Hoodie (clothes trait 11), and is an esteemed member of the exclusive OCM Hoodie Club within the Onchainmonkey community. His philanthropic gesture exemplifies the spirit of generosity and goodwill that permeates the world of poker and the Onchainmonkey community.
Texas Hold’em, known for its strategic depth and thrilling gameplay, has captured the hearts of millions of poker enthusiasts worldwide but less than 1/10th of 1% donate their winnings to good causes like Ryan Blank just did for the Metagood community. Hopefully Blanks generosity will spread to others in high stakes games.
I know I was just there in late March, but it somehow feels like forever since I’ve been in Las Vegas. It’s a place I think about every day. A happy place for me, with memories stretching back all the way to my childhood.
As the clock continues ticking down towards my impending flight, six more days of anticipation feels like an absolute eternity. I sit in my living room half a world away, desperately trying to feel that summer poker vibe pulsating throughout Sin City.
Even as I run my own poker media site, I can’t help but embrace my inner poker fan, following WSOP coverage nearly every waking moment of my day. Poker is everywhere I look: from the streaming coverage on PokerGO and YouTube to live updates on PokerNews to instant coverage on PokerOrg. There’s a never-ending stream of posts in the poker-oriented Facebook groups I participate in, as well as updates from a ton of players and fellow poker media members I follow on Twitter. Even my daily exercise walks have poker “flowing right into my veins”, courtesy of the PokerGO and PokerNews Podcasts.
It’s like I’m there… but I’m still here, over 7,500 miles away.
And I know I’ve got almost three whole weeks there coming up, my longest ever continuous stint in Las Vegas. Yet, that’s still not enough. I want to be there RIGHT NOW! I wanted to be there last week, two weeks ago. How can so much poker be going on without me?!
So, I turn to my home game for solace. Somehow, I manage to rack up about 12 hours of play over three sessions since the start of the World Series of Poker. A dozen hours of blissful mixed game poker action, of joy despite ending up in the red for two of the three sessions.
Ah, mixed games. My muse.
How much time and effort I’m pouring into the upcoming Mixed Game Festival. It’s the fifth one I will have staged in under two years. That’s just awesome. And it’s a lot of hard work! But I love it. I love coordinating the logistics with Resorts World; I can’t wait to see all the great people who work there. They’ve become my friends; not just my “poker friends.” And I love corresponding with all the Mixed Game Festival sponsors. It’s incredible how supportive they all are of what I’m trying to do: provide a space for mixed game poker to grow at a purely grassroots level. And I can’t wait to see all the regulars who’ve attended multiple festivals, and to meet “new people”, the future mixed game lovers of our poker world. It’s going to be amazing.
And yet, even that which I love is still work at the end of the day. I want more! To PLAY poker!
Six freaking days until I get on that plane! ARGH!
I want to play in tournaments. I never have time for tournaments. It’s always been cash games. This time, finally, I’ve MADE the time. I’ve played in perhaps a dozen or so tournaments in 20 years since turning 21 years old. I want that tournament poker glory so badly.
I want the winner’s photo! I want to find a goddamn bag! Hell, I just want a HendonMob profile. I came this close in my last tournament, over four months ago. Such “simple”, natural things that it feels like every poker player on the planet has, save me. Because I live half a world away. In a place with no casinos. No poker rooms. Just my beloved home game.
I can’t just hop over to Vegas for the weekend on a lark. Like everyone else.
I can’t just hop into a $5K or a $10K. How does everyone have so much goddamn money to fire armory-loads of bullets at every tournament under the sun? Where does it come from? What am I missing?
My humble four-figure bankroll has been painstakingly built over years of occasional $.25/$.50 home games and the rare trips abroad where I “move up” to $1/2 and $1/3. I’m not poor, thank Gd, but what I earn must go towards supporting my family of five, and life’s REALLY expensive in Israel. I’ve been a lifetime winner in poker, and I’m damn proud of the bankroll I’ve managed to accrue without having to ever dip into my personal funds.
To be sure, I’ve had the chance to take some amazing shots. I’ve played in two $1,500 bracelet events. I’ve even played in the famed $80/$160 mixed game, surrounded by the sharks. Multiple times.
But I want more. I want to be in the thick of it. I want to fill the gaping holes in my poker resume. And I can. Because I’ve proven that I’m a winning player. And I know that I’ve got what it takes to win.
And now, at long last, at age 41, the circumstances are such that I’m finally able to make the time! It’s been such a long road. So much waiting. So much patience. So much impatience.
My kids are 15, 13, and almost 11. My wife, Miriam, has always been beyond amazing to me. She said I could have the extra week away, but she wasn’t really thrilled. Almost three weeks away from home is a long time, even with relatively independent kids. There’s always a cost, a price to pay.
I’ve been present though. I’ve made the right decisions year after year. I matter critically in the lives of the four most important people in my life. And my absence will be felt. And I will miss them all, too. But it’s time. It’s my time. And I must make it count.
Will I win a bracelet? No. I’m not even planning to play in any bracelet events. I want to mix it up, and there are some great mid-three-figure buy-in mixed game tournaments that have my name on them, set to run over the final week of June. And I’m going to be there. And I’m going to have a seat at the table.
And I’m going to run pure.
And I’m going to prove something that I’ve always believed in all these years: I’ve got the chops to play and to win.
And it’s just a few little mixed game tournaments over a stretch of a few days… but what a magnificent few days they will be.
Life-changing money doesn’t have to be millions. Even just a few thousand dollars of proof that I can do what I believe I can do goes a LONG way towards ensuring that this “first time” will hopefully be the first of many other times. Proof that I’m destined to play more poker and fulfill heretofore unfulfilled dreams.
Six more days until I get on that plane.
Every dream I’ve chased in life, I’ve thankfully and blessedly been able to catch.
Now, it’s time to chase the elusive one.
LET’S PLAY POKER!
Bounty tournaments have gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Progressive knockouts (PKOs) have led the way, and, more recently, the mystery bounty format has taken the poker world by storm. All this means that there’s never been a better time to brush up on your bounty strategy and start crushing these games. The number of resources covering this specific area is still somewhat limited, which makes the Knockout Tournament Mastery course by Run It Once that much more valuable.
Presented by their longtime Elite coach Alex Theologis, a man with a proven track record in this format and privy to all the intricacies of these games, this course covers everything there is to know. As Alex emphasizes in the introduction, Knockout Tournament Mastery is for everyone – whether you’re a seasoned pro or a recreational player who happens to enjoy this particular format. Every important aspect of KOs is covered in the videos, with solid theoretical fundamentals and accompanying calculations and examples to back them up.
The course is divided into 22 main chapters and several logical units, starting with fundamentals of knockout tournaments and progressing through various stages of the game.
Throughout the course, Theologis sticks to the same tournament table to explain things, adjusting slightly as required. This helps keep things consistent and easier to keep up as you learn.
Some of the major topics you’ll find covered inside the course include:
Throughout the course, Theologis uses Hold’em Resources Calculator and other poker software tools to explain different situations. These explanations can get a bit overwhelming at times, so it’s critical to take your time with this course and not try to rush through it.
The first proper lesson of the Run It Once Knockout Tournament Mastery course is the one you’ll definitely need to watch, even if you decide to skip some later lessons. In it, Alex explains the theory behind different types of KO tournaments and explains how to figure out the value of a bounty.
The video offers very thorough and clear explanations that can be a real eye-opener if you like playing bounties but have never bothered with the theory. Theologis even introduces his “Helping Method,” which can help you figure these things out in real time without too much effort.
In addition to math and theory, the video discusses some other important aspects, such as:
These are all the concepts and numbers that are referred back to in the rest of the course, so make sure to take your time to understand and internalize them before moving on.
Figuring out your opening and jamming ranges is important in any poker tournament setting. Most people who have been around have certain ideas about these ranges in regular MTTs, but how do bounties influence those ranges?
Theologis starts by looking at what he refers to as “vanilla” ranges (i.e., non-PKO ranges) and then expands with the addition of bounties to the mix to demonstrate how things change.
It is interesting to see how the added value of the bounties influences both the opening ranges and call-off ranges in certain spots.
For example, Alex discusses how short stacks need to adjust to the fact that they will be targeted more. At the same time, he suggests that, for larger stacks, flat calling instead of 3-betting shorter stacks becomes a much more viable strategy.
Continuing on from his first couple of lessons, Theologis expands to discuss how to adjust for this knowledge about changed opening ranges.
He once again reiterates that calling, instead of 3-betting, is usually preferred option except in situations where we are holding hands like AK and big pocket pairs. Having some strong hands in the flatting range protects us and allows us to see flops with suited and connected hands that play well after the flop.
In these two videos (short and big stack), he also discusses how our bluffing ranges change (as there are certain hands we’d rather see flops with), and how we almost have no 3-bets in our range when short-stacked (only calls and jams), as other players are too incentivized to get involved and try to get the bounty.
A couple of videos are focused on the blind vs. blind play, which makes up an important part of any tournament strategy. Theologis examines situations where the big blind covers the small blind, and then moves on to discuss reverse situations.
Some of the things discussed in this section include SB opening range adjustments (virtually non-existent when the big blind covers), and how the big blind increases its isolation range to include some of the pure vanilla call ranges when they cover.
A couple of videos in the Run It Once Knockout Tournament Mastery course are devoted to two interesting topics. The first deals with limping, which is generally regarded as not-so-viable strategy in tournaments.
In PKOs, however, Theologis suggests there are situations where we want to limp more – with hands that we want to see flops with, but there are stacks that cover us left to act.
Another interesting aspect is the hands that we can use for multi-way all-ins. Alex runs some numbers and compares different ranges to figure out how to find the best candidates for these situations, focusing primarily on avoiding the hands that are likely to be dominated.
Several videos towards the end of the course focus on ICM (Independent Chip Model) aspects and how these change in different stages of bounty tournaments.
For example, during the bubble stage, short stacks have to further tighten their ranges, as they can expect to get looked up much more. Big stacks have to be more careful, too, as short stacks can call wider since their risk premium is lower.
Talking about the final table, it is really interesting to see how things can change, as the value of bounties (expressed in big blinds) starts to drop.
One thing I will say about the Knockout Tournament Mastery course is that it includes a lot of math and ranges. This isn’t always easy to keep up with, especially if you’re less naturally mathematically inclined, but it’s also the only way to really dig under the surface and explain how these tournaments differ from the “vanilla” ones and where the need for different adjustments comes from.
It really depends on how far you want to take your Progressive Knockout game. Even if you only pick up some smaller adjustments and understand basic principles, your game is bound to improve significantly.
On the other hand, if you are ready to put in the work, Theologis really breaks down this format to the finest detail. If you take the time to understand, learn, and memorize all the slight variations, you’ll be ready to compete with the best and easily crush the average competition in these events.
This is an advanced and detailed course, so the $499 price tag for lifetime access seems pretty spot-on. It will require some commitment, but if PKOs are your cup of tea, your commitment will undoubtedly be handsomely rewarded.
The casino industry is a very tricky one. Not only does it captivate the imagination of players and the attention of lawmakers, but it also affects the way we live, even if we don’t play at land-based or online casinos. Like any other innovative market segment, it often implements perks and practices never seen before, only to attain customers, and incite more people to join.
“Whether you play at polskie kasyno online or any other local online casinos, at standard brick-and-mortar casinos, or think gambling should be banned altogether, the truth is, the gambling industry has shaped your landscape more than you think”, explains Anna Rosak.
Anna Rosak is a Polish gaming expert and digital market specialist, who has witnessed first-hand other industries taking over the ideas spawned from casinos: “It is nothing new to “borrow” successful models from other industries. Still, many people are taken aback when facing the fact that their environment and even behaviour are modelled after certain practices in gambling establishments. But as always, what you don’t know can’t hurt you!”
Let’s take a look at them!
“Have you noticed how malls, gyms, and other spaces have fewer and fewer windows? These days, they look like labyrinths of underground tunnels, rather than places to hang out. And there is a good reason for that”, reveals Rosak.
Anna claims that brick-and-mortar casinos are famous for two things – no windows and no clocks on the walls. It is believed that people lose track of time once you remove the view of the great outdoors and clocks above their heads.
“We know that nowadays all people have either a smartphone or a smartwatch, so they can easily tell the time. But the thing is – they won’t, especially if they are having fun and have something else to do. Wasting time has been brought to sensational levels”, Anna is honest.
Some people think that Google was the first brand to think of how to keep people on the campus, but Anna argues it was casinos who did it first. In fact, she even mentioned the most famous Las Vegas establishments as prime examples of keeping people inside the venue in one way or another.
“If you visit any of the MGM resorts, you’ll wish to stay there. For instance, Bellagio is not just a casino, it is a hotel, a spa, a water park, a place with plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants, and plenty of halls for special events. Your company could do the same”, tells Anna, elaborating no one does it from the goodness of their heart, but to keep you under their eye.
Rosak is convinced that all mobile gaming apps, such as Candy Crush and similar, are actually based on casino gaming mechanisms. Despite removing the gambling element, she is pretty sure how they are oftentimes nothing more than nicely dressed up slot machines.
“Just think about it! You get a flashy game, with cascading elements, spinning reels, special bonus features, and multipliers. It is a slot machine disguised as a game for all generations”, she says.
There must be a point in her opinion, because many therapists agree mobile games, even those that are not real casino games, can easily cause addiction, even among children. “Just because there is no real money win involved, doesn’t mean you are not engaging in something risky”, concludes the expert.
Loyalty programs are nowadays more common than ever, yet many don’t know it is a practice that originates from the gaming industry.
“A loyalty program makes you think you are getting a bigger bang for your buck, but once it all sums up, it encourages you to spend more than initially planned. You might be purchasing an extra shampoo at the drugstore, although you don’t need it, just to get a discount, and a casino is making yet another deposit, to get a hold of an extra betting ticket”, explains Rosak.
She suggests taking a closer look at every offer that comes your way. Not all of them are bad, but most of them have little to no value compared to the expense.
“Casinos are notorious for giving some players a VIP treatment, and so are hair salons, beauty parlours and whatnot. I advise you to always compare the price of the VIP experience with the standard one, and see if the price difference is really worth the tag”, tells the marketing expert.
She notes that sometimes the only difference is a bottle of champagne or some sort of service you won’t get much use of anyway. “In the end, you might not even enjoy bubbly drinks, so it’s better to go with a smaller, more affordable package!”
Poker is a game where you want to make strong hands against opponents who have slightly weaker hands. The best way to get paid is by making the best possible hand, or the nuts, while your opponent has the second-best possible hand or the second nuts. It’s not always easy to make a strong hand, in fact, most of the time in any poker variant you will make a hand that is weak or middling in strength. One of the best ways to make better hands than your opponents is by taking advantage of the high card rules in poker.
Hand rankings are constant throughout most poker games. The hand rankings from high to low are as follows: straight flush (royal being the best), four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pairs, one pair, high card. Whenever you make a flush and your opponent has three of a kind, you will win no matter what. You aren’t worried so much about high cards in this scenario. However, when both players have the same type of hand the high card poker rules will determine who wins the pot.
Let’s take a look at the most popular game: No-Limit Texas Holdem. When two players have the same category of hand such as a flush, the Texas Holdem high card rules dictate the player with the highest top card in their flush will win. The cards are ranked traditionally, from high to low as ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2.
For example, if player one is holding A4 of hearts and player two has KQ of hearts, on a board of J9752 with three hearts, player one will win. Let’s say the flop was all hearts, so the J, 9, and 7. Player one will have a AJ974 heart flush while player two will have KQJ97. Since the ace is higher than the king player one wins the pot according to the high card flush rules.
The same rules are true for straights. The Texas Holdem high card rules dictate that the straight with the highest top card will win the hand. So if player one has a straight TJQKA and player two has 789TJ, player one will win.
When it comes to four-of-a-kind, three-of-a-kind, and pairs it is obvious. The larger pair will always beat the smaller pair. For full houses, the larger three-of-a-kind will win. For example, on a board of A322K player one has 33, and player two has A2. Player one has the higher full house, 33322 so they beat player two’s 222AA.
There are plenty of high card rules that dictate which hand wins in each hand ranking category. So how can players use these rules to their advantage? Like all spots in poker, the strategy begins with your first decision. Preflop in Holdem and the other Flop games or third street for Stud variants.
In order to put yourself in a better position to win, you want to be entering pots preflop with large cards. For example, AK is the best unpaired hand you can play due to the ability to win due to poker’s high card rules. When you make a pair with AK you automatically have the best kicker. The most obvious straight you can make is the ace-high straight, also known as Broadway, which is the highest straight you can have. When you make a flush you always have the highest flush possible. Due to all these properties, people play AK very strongly.
To see the advantage of playing high card hands, let’s take a look at a marginal hand. J9 is a hand a lot of players get suckered into playing, especially when it is suited. This hand is troublesome in Texas Holdem. You can make a straight, but it could be vulnerable. On a TQK board, you lose to AJ and are vulnerable to any ace in case another jack hits the turn or river. When you make a flush with J9, most of the time it will be the fourth or third nut flush, leaving plenty of suited aces, kings, and queens that can beat you in a big pot. Finally, when you make pairs you are vulnerable either way. Making a pair of jacks leaves you with a less-than-desirable kicker. Making a pair of nines means you likely won’t have a top pair by the river and when you do the board will have plenty of straights and reasonable two pairs available.
Examining these two hands clearly shows that it pays off to play big cards. When you look at preflop charts for Texas Holdem you find that high cards are always favored. For instance, it is always optimal to open AK, AQ, and KQ suited from any position. As you get into later positions like the cutoff and button the recommended opening range is much wider. You see hands like A3 suited and K6 suited becoming good hands to open when they weren’t before. While the pairs could be problematic due to poker high card rules, the flushes these hands make are very strong.
While Texas Holdem is the most popular game, it is by no means the only game where you need to pay attention to high card rules. Stud games, mainly 7-Card Stud high and 7-Card Stud 8 or better (high/low) utilize the same high card rules as Holdem. The straights and flushes with the highest top card will win the pot.
You may not have many options to watch Stud cash games played, but there is usually coverage of big Stud tournaments. You’ll see many players opting to fold three low straight and flush cards in Stud high on third or fourth street (the first two betting rounds). Other times players will continue with those high card straight and flush draws. This happens for multiple reasons.
First, those higher flushes and straights are more valuable. This isn’t a surprise of course. As we saw earlier the ace-high flush will beat all the other flushes.
Second, in Stud, you get seven cards that only you can use. If you’re chasing a high flush or straight you might not make it, but you can make pairs. Those pairs will be much more valuable since they are high pairs with high kickers and your opponents are much less likely to also have them.
For our Stud example, let’s say player 1 starts with 567 two spades and player two starts with AKJ two hearts. On fourth street, player one gets the 9 of spades and player two gets the Q of hearts. Both players here have a very strong draw. Player one needs any 8 to make a straight and is two spades away from a flush. Player two needs a 10 for a straight or two hearts for a flush.
It would be absurd if player one folded to a bet on fourth street. They have an immediate gutshot and the possibility to pick up a flush draw on fifth street. As this hand plays out, however, you can see ways that player two is in better shape due to the poker high card rules.
Let’s say both players catch a J on fifth street, neither giving them a flush draw. Player one’s hand hasn’t changed. They still have a gut shot and can hit running spades for a flush. Player two, however, now has a pair. Since they were chasing the high straight and flush catching this jack turns their hands from a draw to a value hand.
If both players miss their draw then player two will easily win the hand. Even if both players were to hit a pair player two would still be way ahead with the higher pair. This is the power of high card poker. When you play high cards you are setting yourself up to win the hand more often, whether your immediate draw comes in or not.
High cards are also uniquely important to Stud since there are no community cards. Your face-up cards (you get four in 7-Card Stud) can tell a story. You may have 23 face down, but if you have AKJ showing you can represent many hands. You can have strong pair or three-of-a-kind combinations, straights, or flushes depending on the suits.
A few high cards showing in a Stud game give you more opportunities to bluff. If you have 569 showing you may have a straight, but if you don’t it’s harder to bluff. Most strong pairs will feel inclined to keep you honest and certainly, two pairs should be calling a single bet.
One hand that is often neglected is the high card itself. While the weakest hand you can have is just a high card, you’ll be surprised how many pots you can scoop with it, especially in tournaments.
In tournaments, you will find yourself in many all-in situations. Since the blinds are constantly increasing your stack is getting shorter and shorter as the tournament progresses. There will be a point when most players have 75+ big blinds early on. Later you may find the average stack is only 20-25 big blinds. Playing short like this makes the high card poker rules much more important.
Hands like AK and AQ become very valuable when you get short-stacked. While most low-stakes cash players will have a variety of opinions on these hands, tournament players tend to look upon them more favorably. When you have less than 40 big blinds there are tons of scenarios where getting AK all-in preflop is the right move. With 20 or less it’s almost always a good idea to go all-in with these hands preflop if someone opens the pot.
There are a few reasons for this. Due to the diminishing stack sizes, you have to find more all-in spots to increase your chip stack. When you are this short getting people to fold preflop and winning the blinds and antes are very valuable. When you have 20 big blinds and the ante + small and big blinds equal 2.5 blinds you can increase your stack by over 10% just by picking up the blinds.
Most importantly, AK and AQ become valuable because of the Texas Holdem high card rules. Your opponents will be more incentivized to call your all-in. It’s a relatively small all-in with 20 big blinds and knocking you out means they get closer to that #1 spot. Many tournaments are won or lost based on the 15-25 big blind all-ins that occur as the field shrinks. Having high card hands will help you win these pots for the many reasons we’ve visited today. Your straights and flushes will be very strong. Your pairs will have good kickers. And in many cases, your high card will beat your opponent’s high card.
Tournament poker strategy has many spots where getting all the chips in with high card hands preflop makes sense. You may not find as many in cash games since you’ll be deeper stacked, but tournament players use high card rules to their advantage and get their short stacks all-in frequently with these types of hands.
Whether you are making straights, flushes, or pairs the poker high card rules matter. Across all poker variants high cards and kickers can make all the difference between a winning and losing session. While poker strategy varies between games and scenarios it always pays to take advantage of the high card rules.
All online casinos offer card games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Three Card Poker. However, there are many more card games that Kiwis enjoy. Today, we look at some of the lesser-known popular casino card games you will not find mentioned in most New Zealand online casino reviews. All games are simple to play and a ton of fun to play.
Odds are that you already play Baccarat, but a popular version of Baccarat that you will find at most New Zealand online casinos is Real Baccarat. Real Baccarat is the perfect mix between a standard RNG-powered casino game and a Live Dealer game.
The games feature pre-taped content with Live Dealers that is synched up with a standard RNG-powered Baccarat game. It is all the fun of a Live Dealer Baccarat game without waiting for other players to place bets. You can play Real Baccarat with Holly, Courtney, or Sarati. Also, you can find multiple options for Real Roulette at most casinos.
High Card Flush is a popular new poker game variant sweeping New Zealand casinos. The object of the game is to make your best flush hand out of seven cards. If your flush hand is higher than the dealer’s hand, you win.
In addition to the standard flush bet, you can make multiple side bets, including a straight flush side bet. You can potentially win up to 8,000x your stake on side bets. High Card Flush is a fast-paced and fun game that’s great for all bankrolls.
While Three Card Poker is the most popular three-card casino game, Three Card Rummy ranks a close second. In this game, the objective is to make a lower rummy hand than the dealer. You can win up to 4x your bet on standard bets. If you opt to play the Bonus Bet, you can win up to 100x your bet.
Three Card Rummy has slightly better odds, with a house edge of 1.93% versus 3.37% for most Three Card Poker games. This assumes you don’t play the Bonus Bet.
Yes, you can play real money solitaire at New Zealand online casinos. The game plays like any other form of solitaire you play on a computer, but you win money for every card you move to the top stack. You wager a fixed amount for each hand and win 10% of your bet for every card moved to the top stack.
The game can be played normally, or the computer can automatically play the hand for you. You can win up to 5x your bet on each hand. While you won’t get rich playing this game, it is a fun, low-stress alternative to traditional online casino games.
One pro tip we will give you is to check all sections for card games. Some online casinos will group card games in strange places. For example, card games like Three Card Rummy or Solitaire are under the Blackjack section instead of Table Games. It is always a good idea to browse all areas of the casino so you don’t miss out on hidden gems at the casino.
Also, check back regularly, as casinos are periodically adding new content. While the majority of new content is online pokies, new card games are regularly added. You never know when your new favorite game will be added to the casino.
Since ChatGPT embarked on its journey to answer all our queries in a conversational format, people have been going crazy over AI. Many are saying the need for human intelligence may be at risk. But how true is that? Can AI replace real workers? In this post, we’ll dive deep into the workings of modern artificial intelligence, what the experts are forecasting, the risks involved, and the opportunities that may come for people.
Undoubtedly, everyone has heard the term hundreds of times in their lifetime. But have you ever thought about going beyond the term itself? It may be time to do it since AI is buzzing worldwide, even at the top rated Australian online casinos.
According to Oxford Languages, artificial intelligence means “the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages”.
In simple words, when the capabilities of human thinking and abilities are mimicked via computer systems, you have AI on your hands. The concept itself dates back to the 1950s. But basic level intelligence made computer systems faster and more efficient, rather than exploring new dynamics. The modern day AI is posing the risk of job elimination, precisely NLP systems.
The definition of NLP dictates that it’s the “application of computational techniques to the analysis and synthesis of natural language and speech”. It is, in fact, a branch of computer science that deals with the ability to understand spoken words as humans do.
If you have a background in computer science, you may know that computers only understand 0 and 1, known as the binary system. The best we came to changing that into human readable language is the mainstream programming languages.
NLP takes it one step further and tries to create a connection between naturally spoken language and computer systems. It involves computational linguistics along with rules-based modelling of the human language. Machine learning, statistical models, data processing, etc., are all very important parts of the process.
ChatGPT is nothing but a powerful NLP model which not only understands spoken language but also knows how to respond to it. It’s been possible thanks to the use of large language models.
A large language model (LLM) uses a neural network and a massive data set (often billions or more parameters) to train an AI system. There are human trainers involved in supervising the learning process of artificial intelligence.
Compared to traditional NLP models, LLMs are a relatively newer concept, coming to life in 2018. Since then, companies like OpenAI have been working round the clock to make it a more sustainable and efficient learning model for artificial intelligence development.
Interestingly, LLMs are showing good results with text-based answers and in the world of visual art. Tools like Dall-E 2 or Midjourney AI can craft photoreal images from text prompts within a few minutes. It’s ultimately the capabilities of LLMs that are creating the industry-wide panic.
Perhaps one of the most credible studies on AI recently is the MIT Task Force published “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work”. Professors David Autor and David Mindell, along with principal research scientist Elisabeth Reynolds dabbled into the potential of AI taking over human labour and what might be the remedies to that risk.
The good thing is that this paper paints a pretty different picture from what we’ve been speculating. It states that the recent developments in AI have made them “specialised” in a particular task.
For example, Dall-E 2 can only create images from text prompts, and it’s very good at that. ChatGPT is perfect at answering questions. The thing is, it can only answer from the data it has from the training and can’t make information up by itself.
According to the experts on the paper, AI will continue to enhance its effects across all industries. But they don’t see AI systems “replacing” human tasks altogether. Rather, AI will make life easier across the board and increase efficiency of employees. At the same time, the sheer force of expansion will create plenty of new job opportunities. It seems like what the mass audience is thinking and what the experts are thinking are not the same.
Since the rise of AI tools in all spheres of life, people have been speculating about the loss of jobs across many industries. Let’s have a look at some of these areas.
Tasks that require consistent repetition are not always a good fit for humans. It limits the scope for growth and becomes monotonous over time. They may include:
AI has been used in customer service for quite a while now. Any particular company usually focuses on one general type of product or service. So, it’s possible to provide training data on that particular matter to an AI system and let it manage all the customer queries.
With the use of LLMs, it’s possible to help potential customers even more because they’re no longer bound to the same set of questions and answers.
The same theory applies to sensitive industries like health care. Of course, it’s not possible to replace real doctors and nurses with AI. But it’s undoubtedly possible to fill the gaps in emergency situations when medical staff is not available. An app, for example, where questions regarding any specific medical issue are outlined. When someone might be looking for answers regarding that problem, they can consult the AI rather than the actual doctor. It will not only help patients become more knowledgeable but also will help them save money from consultations.
Now, accounting for any business has already been automated thanks to many tools. But these tools still need inputs from humans to process the data. What if the data comes from AI instead of humans? Employing AI to collect and store data on transactions can also cut down on the margin of error to a large extent. It can also help with corruption, as AI tools cannot go out of their programmed nature.
Truck drivers are probably some of the most patient individuals the world has ever seen. They keep driving for hours at a time, staring at the road. Of course, it takes immense willpower and focus to be a successful truck driver. But these long drivers can often become dangerous due to fatigue. What’s even more dangerous is that drivers don’t always realise that they’re tired. It’s very easy to doze off while cruising through a picturesque highway.
Automotive companies like Tesla are already dabbling into driverless vehicles. A big chunk of the research goes into machine learning algorithms. The goal is to provide the self-driving system with as much data as possible to help it make the right decision at the right time.
We may not be quite there yet, but AI can surely replace the truck driving job. And it would be for the betterment of all parties involved. Automated taxis are another potential scenario we may come across soon. It takes the monotony out of driving around the same roads over and over again for taxi drivers.
One of the earliest speculations regarding AI being the future of work is that AI will replace programmers. While it’s true that LLM systems like ChatGPT can churn out thousands of lines of code within minutes, it’s not going to be an outright elimination.
Rather, technological advances will allow programmers to develop even more complex systems with more capabilities in a shorter time frame.
The content marketing industry mostly consists of writers, proofreaders, and translators. While it may not be possible to replace creative writing, AI can take care of proofreading and translation. Translation work, however, will need supervision from humans because it’s not something the current generation of AI is very good at. You can understand what we’re saying if you test out ChatGPT’s translation abilities.
If talking about iGaming industry, there are VR casinos now coming up to the forefront. This new technology let player explore even more realistic gambling experience in comparison with traditional gambling sites.
Since the time AI started making all the headlines, many notable personalities have shared their concerns over it. One of the most prominent of these personnel is Elon Musk, who is often believed to have co-founded OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
An open letter signed by Musk and over 1,000 other technology experts broke the media in March 2023. The letter stated that developers of AI are locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one — not even their creators — can understand, predict or reliably control. So, if we have to outline some risks of artificial computer vision, we can think of the following.
READ MORE: How Poker AI is Revolutionizing the Game’s Landscape
Believe it or not, we’re already victims of this practice. Social media algorithms heavily use technologies like machine learning, one of the fundamentals of artificial intelligence development. If you compare social media feeds for different people, you’ll notice that the content that shows up is dramatically different.
It’s an inherently dangerous approach because we’re very much dependent on social media to get the news and views of the world. Any kind of bias from the developers of the algorithm can lead to a massive shift in thinking.
Propaganda and false opinion have long been the biggest enemy of humankind. With the rise of AI, this kind of malicious practice can become even more serious. Many political, technological, and even religious leaders have shared concerns over the ethical dilemma AI can create among the mass people.
Pope Francis said that if mankind’s so-called technological progress were to become an enemy of the common good, this would lead to an unfortunate regression to a form of barbarism dictated by the law of the strongest.
For starters, students are using ChatGPT all over the world to aid in their assignments and even to cheat on exams. While we can paint it as a “utilisation” of technology, there’s no way to deny that this kind of practice will create serious ethical issues among the next generation, the generation that’s currently using ChatGPT for their benefit.
Sensitive issues like racial biases can lead to discriminatory hiring practices among recruiters. It can be the direct result of biases in the data fed to the training model of an AI program. If it goes unnoticed for long enough, it can create a dramatic shift in socioeconomic inequality.
If fallen into the wrong hands, everything can be used as a weapon. AI is too powerful of a tool to be used as a weapon. This is undoubtedly one of the biggest risks of replacing human tasks with AI tools.
What if an ill-intended government wants to make autonomous weapons controlled by AI? As AI can only act on the given data set, it’ll act every time a target matches the data set. Whether it’s necessary to eliminate the target or not will not matter to the system.
If you’re into investing, you may have heard the term “algorithmic trading”. Many investors use trading bots to buy and sell financial instruments based on set conditions. In recent times, AI has entered the system with various indicators. Pine Script on TradingView is a good example.
Apparently, these indicators can “predict the future”. They’re misleading investors into positions that may not come to fruition. After all, no one can predict the market movement of financial instruments, not even AI.
If enough people start investing with AI bots and enough money is lost, it can very well lead to the next financial crisis. And it’ll be far larger than what we’ve seen during the 2008 crisis.
There is no way to deny that AI has the potential to disrupt the current job market. However, if you look at historical data on any technological advancement, they have been known to disrupt this sector. AI will do the same but at a much greater scale, thanks to the globalisation we have right now. It will pose risks to some positions, but it’ll create even more jobs to fill up the void. We’re currently in a transition phase. All we have to do is wait and let the panic phase blow over.
You can be friends with someone for many years, or even decades, thinking that you actually know them, only to realize that that person who claimed to be your friend is anything but that. And that’s exactly what happened to Vida Smith.
Namely, she has been friends with Chris Lee for approximately thirty years, and the due could be defined as casino buddies since they’ve been frequently visiting them. However, what I mustn’t forget to mention is the fact that they’ve also been banned from several casinos because Chris has been accused of counting cards.
Now, the question is, what led to this horrific event? Some believe that it was done on purpose, while there are those who think that it was an accident. If you would like to know the real truth behind this murder, then stay tuned!
As previously stated, Chris Lee and Vida Smith were actually long-term friends. Furthermore, according to Casinojungle.ca, this duo has been working in a card-counting operation for more than three decades and in the meantime earned a substantial amount of money. Although they were banned for multiple casinos in that period of time, it’s safe to say that they were pretty successful.
Even though Lee hasn’t denied that he actually killed Smith, he claimed that it was just an accident. So what actually happened that day? Namely, according to him, he wanted to meet Smith in a Starbucks parking lot because he needed a fake passport.
She agreed to meet him, however, in return he had to give her $10,000. He stated that she allegedly didn’t have the passport but the birth certificate instead, but has still taken the cash and then tried to get out of the vehicle.
What happened next is that Lee grabbed her and pulled her back in the car and then placed his arms around her neck and held her tight for approximately 30 seconds until she passed away.
Once he strangled her, he placed her body in the back of his own automobile and went straight to Edmonton. After a couple of days, he drove to the mountains with the goal to get rid of her body, in the nearest vicinity of a rest stop that’s close to Canmore or Banff.
According to him, he isn’t one hundred percent sure exactly where he left the body. As soon as he realized that the police were looking for him, he started cleaning the trunk of his vehicle in order to completely get rid of the evidence, including Smith’s car keys.
Lee suggested that this wasn’t the first time that Smith tried to trick him and steal his money. In fact, she has done this two more times, and this one (the day she was murdered) was actually the final straw.
Still, according to him, he had never planned on killing her. But is it really the truth? If you ask Shane Parker, the Crown prosecutor, all of this was done deliberately. Namely, according to the prosecutor, Lee’s demeanor doesn’t prove that we are dealing with someone who is remorseful and who would never do something like this intentionally.
On the contrary. Parker suggests that Lee’s demeanor was actually pretty cold, plus additional evidence, in this case, involves a pair of handcuffs that has Smith’s DNA all over them. Apart from that, there’s also a report by a surveillance officer who stated that Lee has managed to get rid of a silencer one week after he killed Smith.
What’s shocking is the fact that he kept her body close for several days, transferring it from his automobile to another one, which he later employed to drive her body to a distant location. After a prosecutor asked Lee about it, his answer was actually very vague which is one of the reasons why the body was never found.
In addition, Parker claims that Lee actually had a .45-caliber gun in his possession, plus, let’s not forget the aforementioned fact that he tried to dispose of a silencer. So when we take all these facts into consideration, along with the one that he doesn’t want to give the exact information for the body, it can be concluded that all of this was most likely planned upfront.
Parker even believes that Smith hadn’t died because she was strangled to death but that it’s highly likely that she was actually killed with the handgun. But why would Lee then claim that a 30-second chokehold caused her death?
According to Parker, the whole point of his statement was to show to the jury that he hasn’t done anything intentionally, and since the police weren’t able to find the body, there’s no proof that’s one hundred percent reliable that’s going to show us how Smith really died.
And that’s exactly what Lee wanted the entire time. However, after a while, after the inspection of his second vehicle, which was an old SUV, the police uncovered several loaded guns, as well as, knives, the abovementioned handcuffs which contain Smith’s DNA, and $40,000 in cash.
Due to all this evidence, the jury was finally able to put the two and two together, which means that Chris Lee was sentenced to ten years in prison. Now, during cross-examination, prosecutor, Shane Parker noticed that Lee didn’t feel any remorse while he was describing the killing of his friend.
Parker told him “You were very stoic as you were describing to Mr. Wilson how you killed your friend of thirty years.”
But according to Lee, that’s not because he doesn’t have any regrets, but it’s because he generally isn’t a person who likes to show his emotions and that’s all by virtue of his life as a seasoned and professional gambler.
Smith’s children (Sina Oroomchi and Neda Power) decided to talk about their mother as well, claiming that “The world without her is darker and quieter”, and that she was their “best friend”.
Even though this murder happened almost three years ago, only relatively recently the jury was able to give closure to this unfortunate event and finally give Vida Smith (and her family) the peace she deserves.
Bitcoin casinos have been trending for a while now, and it’s no surprise why. Their breaking into the iGaming industry brought a lot of entertainment to players. For one, they brought solutions to several common complaints of players. On another note, they came in with unique features that have revolutionized how players play online gaming.
One such game that has benefited is Bitcoin live baccarat and poker games. The question now is how popular they have become. How has this been possible? Here are five points that show how popular have bitcoin live baccarat and poker become since crypto came into existence.
Online gaming, in general, has been revolutionized by Bitcoin casinos. Their fame has risen dramatically as a result of this. This has increased available live baccarat and poker games. Several new enhancements have also been made to its live baccarat and poker offerings. Because of this, many gamblers now prefer playing Bitcoin casino table games over traditional live table games.
Nobody says no to a freebie, and Bitcoin Casinos understand this well. This is why they offer several live dealer bonuses and promotions for players. This has resulted in the popularity of live dealer games like Bitcoin live baccarat and poker games.
Live Bitcoin baccarat and poker games offer players more than regular live table games. For one, deposits and withdrawals are fast, safe and secure. Two, the rate at which Bitcoin as a Cryptocurrency increases in value adds to the appeal. A player who puts five bitcoin into a Bitcoin live baccarat or poker game and wins might be leaving with more money because of increased currency value.
This is the most widely acknowledged truth about Bitcoin games, and it’s not an unreasonable assumption. Bitcoin casinos offer instantaneous cashouts and deposits. This applies to the majority of Bitcoin gambling games as well.
Live bitcoin baccarat and poker have also benefited from this wave of positivity. The minimum and maximum amounts players can deposit and withdraw vary but are typically more than in standard games. It’s no surprise that these games have exploded in popularity today.
If you gamble with bitcoins, you may rest assured that the games you play are honest. Online casinos that accept Bitcoin use provably fair software, so players can rest assured that their winnings are legitimate. You can use the tools provided by reputable Bitcoin real money online casinos to verify that the results of your game are genuinely random and not tampered with in any way. This certainty, in fairness, has made Bitcoin live baccarat and poker more popular.
There’s No doubt that Bitcoin casinos are here to stay. Many more casinos will become more popular as a result. This article has looked into Bitcoin live baccarat and poker games. Who knows what games will become popular next?
Poker, a popular card game that combines skill and strategy, has been subject to various regulations across different states in the United States. Understanding the regulatory landscape is crucial for both players and operators.
This article explores the state-by-state variations in poker regulations, highlights upcoming bills related to poker, and sheds light on reputable new casinos in the USA and their monitoring mechanisms.
Poker regulations in the United States vary significantly from one state to another. While some states have embraced the game and established a regulated framework, others maintain stricter prohibitions. Here are some notable examples:
Nevada, home to Las Vegas, has a long-standing association with poker. It was the first state to legalize and regulate online poker in 2013. The Nevada Gaming Control Board oversees poker operations, ensuring compliance with licensing, security, and player protection standards. Players must be physically located within Nevada’s borders to participate in online poker.
New Jersey is another state at the forefront of online poker regulation. It legalized online gambling, including poker, in 2013. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement oversees online poker operations, focusing on licensing, auditing, and player safety. New Jersey participates in interstate poker compacts, allowing shared liquidity with other states, thereby increasing the player pool.
Pennsylvania joined the online poker landscape in 2019, following the passage of a comprehensive gambling expansion bill in 2017. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulates online poker, emphasizing player protection, fair gaming, and responsible gambling practices. The state offers a competitive market for operators, contributing to increased choices and improved player experiences.
As the online gambling industry expands, several new casinos in the USA have emerged. These sites offer poker and other casino games to users and many have great sign-up offers which drives engagement and increasing popularity further.
Thanks to many of the new regulations surrounding online gambling in the USA, it’s clear that more players are turning to online iGaming as opposed to in-person casinos. Of course, these casinos are subject to strict monitoring and oversight to ensure fairness and player protection.
(Source: https://www.business2community.com/gambling/new-casinos-usa).
MyBookie
MyBookie is a popular online casino site that offers a diverse range of casino games, including poker, to players. With a user-friendly interface and a wide selection of games, MyBookie provides an entertaining and immersive gambling experience. The site is known for its reliable customer support, secure payment options, and adherence to responsible gambling practices, ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment for players.
BetOnline
BetOnline is a trusted online casino site that caters to players seeking a thrilling and rewarding gambling experience. With a comprehensive selection of casino games, including poker, BetOnline offers diverse options to suit different preferences. The site boasts high-quality graphics and smooth gameplay, accompanied by generous bonuses and promotions. BetOnline prioritizes player security and provides excellent customer service, making it a reliable choice for online casino enthusiasts.
BetMGM
BetMGM Casino is a reputable online casino operating in multiple states, offering a wide range of casino games, including poker. The casino is regulated by the respective gaming authorities in each state where it operates, ensuring compliance with strict regulations and standards. Rigorous auditing and security measures are in place to protect player funds and maintain the integrity of the games.
DraftKings
DraftKings, known for its daily fantasy sports platform, has expanded into the online casino market, including poker. The casino operates under the oversight of state gaming regulators, adhering to stringent regulations for licensing, fair gaming, and responsible gambling practices. Continuous monitoring and regular audits ensure the safety and security of player transactions and the fairness of the poker games.
PokerStars
PokerStars, founded by Mark Scheinberg with his father (source: https://www.forbes.com/profile/mark-scheinberg/) ,is a trusted poker site renowned for its integrity and player satisfaction. With stringent security measures, regulatory compliance, and advanced software, it provides a secure gaming environment. Its vast player base, diverse game options, and reliable payouts contribute to its reputation. PokerStars remains a top choice for players seeking a trustworthy platform to enjoy the thrill of online poker.
The poker landscape in the United States is constantly evolving, with several states considering or in the process of passing bills related to poker regulation. Here are a few noteworthy examples:
California
California has long been a key battleground for poker legislation. Multiple bills have been introduced over the years, aiming to legalize and regulate online poker. The primary challenge has been reaching a consensus among stakeholders regarding key issues like licensing, operator eligibility, and player eligibility. While progress has been made, including discussions on interstate compacts, the path to poker regulation in California remains complex.
Michigan
Michigan legalized online gambling (source: https://www.michigansharp.com/legal/) , including poker, in 2019. However, the state has recently explored the possibility of joining interstate poker compacts. The Michigan Gaming Control Board is actively working on rules and regulations for shared liquidity, which could expand the player pool and create a more vibrant online poker market.
Pokies, also known as slot machines, are an integral part of the Australian casino landscape and have been around since the late 19th century. In recent years, pokies have become increasingly popular throughout Australia, with over 200,000 machines operating in pubs, bars and clubs throughout the country. While their popularity has grown in leaps and bounds, there is still some confusion about why they are called ‘pokies’ in the first place. This article will delve into the history of pokies and explain how this name came to be.
Pokies are also known as slot machines, fruit machines and poker machines. The name “pokies” is most commonly used in Australia and New Zealand. The word’s origin is uncertain, but it may have been derived from the slang term “poking machine”. This likely came from players poking buttons to spin the reels.
These early pokie machines were fundamental in their design, with only three reels and a single payline. Still, they quickly grew in popularity due to their easy-to-learn gameplay and relatively high payout rates compared to other casino games. Over time, technology advanced, and slot machine manufacturers added more reels, lines, and other features, such as bonus rounds and multipliers, leading to “modern” slots.
Pokies have existed for over a century, with the first slot machine developed by Charles Fey in 1895. Since then, they have become an Australians love due to their entertaining nature and big payouts. They are now the most prevalent form of playing in land-based casinos and pubs worldwide. Today, the term ‘pokies’ is used worldwide to refer to any online and offline slot machine. The popularity of slots continues to grow, with more players trying their luck at these exciting games daily. With technological innovations making them even more entertaining than ever, it looks like the future of pokie machines is bright!
Gambling has been part of Australian culture since the country’s early days. Traditional forms of playing at the casinos, such as card games, horse racing and sports betting, have a long history in Australia. The first recorded casino gaming in Australia was a horse race on October 10th, 1810, near Parramatta, New South Wales. This event is considered the beginning of organised casino gaming among Australian players.
Casino gambling at Australian casinos became increasingly popular throughout the 19th century, with more and more venues offering games such as roulette and blackjack. In 1892, the first legal casino was established in Hobart, Tasmania. By 1901, there were over 400 registered casino venues across the country. The 20th century saw a rise in the casino playing across Australia and New Zealand. The introduction of Tattersall’s sweepstakes and state lotteries during the 1950s fuelled an increase in the public interest and more opportunities for people to gamble. In 1973, federal legislation was passed that legalised off-course betting on horse racing, further increasing the popularity of playing at casinos nationwide.
Today, Australia has over 200 casinos, numerous racetracks and sports betting venues. Also, there is a great possibility to play pokies online for those who want to spend time at home. Playing casino games remains a popular pastime for many Australians and is integral to the country’s culture and economy.
In recent years, increasing efforts have been made to regulate and monitor poker machine activity due to evidence that suggests some players are at risk of developing problem gambling behaviour. This includes restricting access to specific machines and limiting how much money can be gambled at any time. However, the regulation of gambling is at a record high in Australia.
The Australian Government has also put in place various initiatives to help those at risk of developing problem behaviour, such as providing counselling and support services, banning certain types of advertising, and introducing measures to restrict underage casino gaming.
Despite the increasing regulation and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing the risks associated with pokie games, the game remains popular throughout Australia. This is partly due to its convenience—players can enjoy a quick game on their terms without waiting for their turn or relying on others for entertainment. This convenience has helped make pokies one of Australia’s most common forms of gaming at casinos.
Australia’s most popular types of pokies are the classic 3-reel and 5-reel games. These slot machines offer a variety of exciting game features, including:
Multi-line online slots have also become increasingly popular in recent years due to their enhanced animations, sound effects, and unique features. There are also progressive jackpot pokies available that offer life-changing sums of money each time you play them. Finally, some online casinos offer virtual reality pokies, which allow players to immerse themselves in a virtual casino environment while playing their favourite slot games. No matter what type of pokie you choose to play in Australia, it will provide hours of entertainment and potential financial rewards.
Pokies can also come in the form of tournaments and other special events organised by the online casino. These allow players to compete for large prizes, such as cars, vacations, and cash. Pokie tournaments are usually held on specific days at different casinos throughout Australia. You can find out which tournament is closest to you online or at your local casino. Tournaments can be great fun and provide an excellent opportunity to win some of those huge jackpot prizes!
Pokies are a unique part of Australian culture and have existed since the early 1900s. They have become integral to socialising in pubs, clubs and other establishments. The name ‘pokie’ is derived from the word ‘poker’, which was very popular in colonial Australia before electronic games were invented. The popularity of these slot machines has only increased over time, with considerable amounts wagered on them every year across Australia. While there are legal restrictions on who can play pokies, their presence in public spaces has become a source of entertainment that enriches local life. Pokies may be called different things depending on where you live, but they remain one of Australia’s most-loved forms of casino games.