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The time has come for poker’s biggest event to take center stage on PokerGO throughout June and July. The 2023 World Series of Poker will dominate everything that PokerGO has to offer as it heads to Horseshoe / Paris on the Las Vegas Strip.
The 2023 World Series of Poker will run from May 30 until July 18 with 95 WSOP gold bracelet events taking place on the Las Vegas Strip at Horseshoe / Paris Las Vegas.
PokerGO has doubled down on its livestreaming for the Summer with 47 days of WSOP action being broadcast live starting on June 1. Livestreams from PokerGO will be offered on both PokerGO.com and the PokerGO YouTube channel with some days offering two choices to users.
The highlight of PokerGO’s streaming schedule is the WSOP Main Event that will begin on Monday, July 3, and conclude with two days of final table coverage on July 16-17. Other major events on the livestreaming schedule include new events Event #2: $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed and Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions, along with favorites such as the Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship, Event #40: $250,000 Super High Roller, and Event #67: $1,000 Ladies Championship.
June 1 – Event #4: Tournament of Champions (Day 2)
June 1 – Event #2: $25,000 High Roller 6-Handed
June 2 – Event #4: Tournament of Champions
June 3 – Event #6: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em / Pot-Limit Omaha
June 3 – Event #7: $1,500 Limit Hold’em
June 4 – Event #8: $25,000 Heads-Up Championship
June 4 – Event #9: $1,500 Seven Card Stud
June 5 – Event #3: $1,000 Mystery Millions
June 6 – Event #12: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout
June 7 – Event #16: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller (Day 2)
June 7 – Event #14: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship
June 8 – Event #16: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
June 9 – Event #19: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout
June 10 – Event #22: $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship
June 11 – Event #23: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
June 12 – Event #18: $300 Gladiators of Poker
June 13 – Event #25: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship
June 14 – Event #29: $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
June 15 – Event #33: $10,000 Razz Championship
June 16 – Event #35: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Secret Bounty
June 17 – Event #40: $250,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller (Day 2)
June 18 – Event #40: $250,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller
June 19 – Event #42: $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack
June 20 – Event #39: $1,500 MONSTER STACK
June 20 – Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (Day 3)
June 21 – Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship (Day 4)
June 22 – Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
June 23 – Event #50: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship (Day 3)
June 24 – Event #50: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship
June 25 – Event #54: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship (Day 3)
June 26 – Event #54: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship
June 27 – Event #55: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller (Day 3)
June 28 – Event #55: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
June 29 – Event #63: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Championship
June 30 – Event #61: $1,000 Seniors Championship
July 1 – Event #69: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Championship
July 2 – Event #67: $1,000 Ladies Championship
Note: All events are final tables unless specificized otherwise.
July 3 – Main Event (Day 1A)
July 4 – Main Event (Day 1B)
July 5 – Main Event (Day 1C)
July 6 – Main Event (Day 1D)
July 7 – Main Event (Day 2ABC)
July 8 – Main Event (Day 2D)
July 9 – Main Event (Day 3)
July 10 – Main Event (Day 4)
July 11 – Main Event (Day 5)
July 12 – Main Event (Day 6)
July 13 – Main Event (Day 7)
July 14 – Main Event (Day 8)
July 16 – Final Table (Day 1)
July 17 – Final Table (Day 2)
Watch live 2023 WSOP final tables on PokerGO.com. Schedule subject to change, please visit PokerGO.com for current streaming schedule.
PokerGO saw an extremely busy May with three shows dominating the airtime in the lead up to the World Series of Poker.
High Stakes Duel returned with the fourth installment of the series, and it all began with the first-ever “Undercard” that featured Shaun Deeb facing off with Mike Matusow. The two would play a $20,000 match, and it would be Matusow emerging victorious over Deeb.
The Main Card would see Daniel Negreanu return to the High Stakes Duel battleground, and he would be sitting opposite Eric Persson. Both players were competing in the $100,000 match, and Negreanu would take the victory to advance to Round 2.
The tenth season of High Stakes Poker would conclude on the eve of the first WSOP stream for 2023, and the final lineup included Negreanu, Ben Lamb, Bill Klein, Eric Persson, Charles Yu, Stanley Choi, and Eric Hicks playing $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em. Negreanu and Lamb dominated the final few episodes to end the season before the two battled in one final hand to close out another huge season.
The second season of No Gamble, No Future also concluded with a set of double episodes in the week prior to the WSOP starting. The final four episodes included Eric Persson, Matt Hanks, Chris Moneymaker, Eric Worre, Eric Hicks, Shawn Madden, Kevin Martin, and Markus Gonsalves playing $100/$200 No-Limit Hold’em. In what may be a good omen ahead of the WSOP for Moneymaker, the 2003 World Champion dominated the final episodes and closed out as one of the biggest winners who was unable to put a foot wrong in his No Gamble, No Future debut.
Connect with PokerGO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Watch daily poker clips on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Join the conversation on the PokerGO Discord server.
Of all the components that have helped the casino industry thrive in the digital age, you could make a solid case for the graphic game designer being the most integral. The internet has provided a fantastic platform, but without innovative designers constantly working to make games that look and sound better than the games that came beforehand, nowhere near as many people would be attracted to the industry.
You may have heard stories about the ingenious methods these graphic designers use to bring the latest games to your phone. However, have you read a sit-down interview with an actual casino graphic designer who has been instrumental in bringing innovations to millions of gamblers worldwide?
The casino graphic designer we’re featuring today once said: “I have complete faith that the casino graphic designing industry will continue to grow in strength. Our world is moving closer to a mobile-centric environment. Casino graphic design is one of the leading industries pushing this exciting charge forward into fresh, unchartered waters.”
We couldn’t be more excited to pick the brain of one of the top Norwegian casino graphic designers. He is one of the best in the business, and he’s with us today, answering some of the big questions about how the industry works. He will also explain how casino graphic design is becoming a billion-dollar business as a standalone industry sector and how big this flourishing, unique sector could get by the end of this decade. Without further ado, let’s learn more about the casino graphic design industry with one of the best in the business, Are Eirik Nielsen.
Hi, thanks for giving us some time out of your schedule. We really appreciate it. Why don’t you start by providing us with some insight into how graphic designers operate in the casino industry?
“There are many different things graphic designers do in the industry, whether it is designing games and levels or how the music and graphics can interact with specific triggers within the game.”
What is it that you do on a general day-to-day basis?
“I’ve been in this industry for over a decade, so I am well-versed in what works and what doesn’t. That said, I don’t sit on my hands all day and stick to the blueprint of what works. Part of the magic of graphic design is incorporating new ways of working and seeing what works for other people in the sector too.
I keep things interesting by mixing it up with a casino review or two. Even though I enjoy the behind-the-scenes look and tightening the nuts and bolts of the game, so to speak, there’s also great enjoyment when it comes to witnessing how the final product looks and what the end user sees when the design has been fully completed.
I am most proud of my work on Norske Spilleautomater, where we have been able to blend the most innovative computer gaming graphics and immersive casino features to build a product and a website that works.”
Sounds really interesting Are. I imagine no two days are the same. How did you get into that?
“Well, as a graphic designer, I have a passion for improving the display of games. Maybe a decade ago, I noticed that many companies that used graphic designs in their games had flaws. So, I contacted them directly and managed to get a few on board. Once they knew I could improve their sites and, more importantly, improve their customer’s experience, word soon spread, and I was able to turn my passion into a full-time freelance role.
After I’d refined my skills and became one of the top graphic designers within the Norwegian casino graphic design sector, I started bringing my expertise to Norske Spilleautomater with fantastic results, using a specific design on the visual language of iGaming.
However, I still strive every day to get better at what I do, and even though I’ve discovered so much I love about the casino graphic design industry and how I can make the customer experience even better, I also enjoy looking at it from another angle and reviewing games.”
The visual language of iGaming? What does that entail?
“It might sound like a fancy phrase, but it’s relatively simple. Visual language in casino graphic design works as it might in a film or a book; it’s how you bring an image to life to enhance or complement the original design. So, in the world of casino gaming, the best example would be slot machines. However, you can also apply it to blackjack, where you can create certain sounds and graphics that are triggered when you hit a specific number.
In slot machine gaming, you have more at your disposal, so visual language can cover and support the slot’s theme, whether it is fruit, Egyptian, Greek or Irish. I’m adept at designing graphics that work for a wide variety of different slot games.”
So how does the casino industry use graphic design to its advantage?
“The industry is innovative, and I’ve found through my experience that graphic designers are now moving into the sector because of how much money is involved. However, it would be unfair to relegate it just to money. Healthy competition is brewing in the industry, cultivating an atmosphere of ingenuity and innovation at a rapid speed. This is arguably the most vital factor causing so much money to avalanche into research and development in the sector.
We could break it down game by game, but the most considerable advances have been in slot machine gaming. Some people might not realize there are several different types of slot machine games, each requiring a different design.”
In what sense are slot machines a more significant industry for casino graphic designers?
“Let’s look at video poker, for instance, which places more emphasis on the design and look of the game than any other type of casino venture. 3D slots are a brand new, exciting feature all to themselves. As a result, video game designers have frequently used graphic designers for the best projects. I’m sure you know some megamoney projects that have unfolded over the last 20 years in the console gaming sector.
Although this sector is still highly profitable, the scope for profit in the casino industry is much greater, as there’s a potential for these games to generate more money more often. In addition, ensuring that the game’s design is of the utmost premium quality is a lucrative market that requires skill, so it challenges graphic designer skills to the max.”
Is there a trend of more graphic designers moving over from other industries?
“Yes, I’d say so at the minute. The casino industry is riding a wave of looser legislation in colossal markets such as the United States, creating a more lucrative avenue for designers to direct their talents towards casino gaming.
Also, another thing that people may not realize is that these companies are much more prolific, you could be working on a big console game project for a year or two, but slot machine games typically need to be designed and ready to go in short order because the industry is so non-stop. So, the challenges are different but more exhilarating if you seek this type of challenge in your day-to-day role.”
What are the most significant changes you have seen as a casino graphic designer?
“When I started as a freelancer, I could identify areas of casino graphics that needed improving and how to improve them. This used to excite me, and I felt I could change the industry in Norway and help providers deliver a fantastic all-around experience for gamblers at the end of the process.
There are two big things that I would say have changed in the industry over the last decade. Firstly, the number of graphic designers looking to enter the industry has exploded, especially in the past five years.
As the industry experiences the sort of boom we saw in the tech industry in the early 21st century, many incredibly talented graphic designers have decided to switch from whatever industry they’re in to attempt to try their hand at designing unique and new innovations within the sector. The boom you’re witnessing and the incredible, intricate designs in some graphics are a direct result of this.
Secondly, the number of components we now have at our disposal is much larger. Ten years ago, graphic designers worked with a much smaller number of tools. However, as the money has been pumped in and the resource and development sectors have exploded, an avalanche of innovations has again created a fantastic working environment for people like me and also resulted in a better customer experience.”
Well, this has been such an eye-opening insight into a world that is highly discussed but usually not by the experts who drive the innovations within it. We’re so glad to have interviewed you today to find out how the industry looks from the inside and how underrated the work of casino graphic designers has been.
“Thank you so much; being here and fielding your questions was fantastic. Hopefully, we can do it again sometime!”
It doesn’t take much research to figure out that casinos make money hand over fist. Seemingly endless rows of slot machines net millions of dollars per year one penny at a time. Table games constantly take chips from players as sevens are rolled and 18s are beaten. Slots and table games have something in common: players are betting against the house. It’s clear that when the house wins they are taking the player’s money, and when players win they get the casino’s money.
Poker, however, is a game that is not played against the house. Players come together at a table and try to take each other’s money, the casino just facilitates the game by providing the table, chairs, chips, cards, and dealers. Since they aren’t involved in the betting, do casinos make money on poker? Of course they do!
Real estate in a casino is incredibly valuable. That is why you see the most square footage being devoted to slot machines; they make the most money. The casino would never dedicate an entire ballroom-sized piece of property to a game that doesn’t make them money. So how does the house make money on poker?
Casinos make money on poker in two ways, either by taking a part of the pot commonly referred to as “rake” or by having players pay an hourly rate to pay, also known as “timed rake”. It may not sound like there is much difference between the two but there is. Let’s take a closer look at these options and see how casinos make money on poker.
Rake is the most common way casinos take a cut out of poker. At a typical low-stakes casino game the house will take out 10% of the pot up to a certain amount, typically around $5-$6. There can also be an extra dollar or two taken out for promotions. For example, most casinos in the Northeast U.S. will take out 10% up to $5 with an additional $1 being taken out for the bad beat jackpot or high hand depending on which promotion is running. So if a pot is $100, $5 goes to the house and $1 goes to the promotions. If a pot is only $20, then the house gets $2 and $1 to the promotions.
This doesn’t sound too bad on the surface, right? If you are winning pots that are over $50 then it isn’t really even 10% due to the cap. Also, players may like this structure at first because only the winner is paying the casino. It may not be easy to see but especially in low-stakes games rake is taking an absurd amount of money off the table.
When you have a quick dealer you can play roughly 30 hands per hour. Let’s say you are playing $1/$2 at a casino with a 10% rake capped at $5. If the average hand is $40, there is roughly $4 per hand coming off the table. At 30 hands per hour, you are looking at $120 per hour off the table. If 6 players all bought in for $200 and nobody busted or added money in, after about 10 hours there would be no more money on the table. Sounds extreme right?
If that is the case, how do casinos make money on poker when they rake so much? Wouldn’t players decide to go elsewhere or play different games? We can see from the popularity of poker this isn’t the case because most players don’t even notice the money coming off the table.
Players don’t see how much is being taken out of the game because there is typically a list of patrons coming in and joining the cash games. In the above scenario, it is painfully obvious how much money is coming off the table because everyone started with $200 and nobody added more chips. In a casino, however, not only do you have people reloading and re-buying but you have new players entering the game. This makes it a lot easier to miss the fact that anywhere from $80-$120 could be coming off the table every hour in rake.
The extra money taken off for promotions is another thing to look out for. Since this money doesn’t go to the casino, it isn’t technically part of the rake. That money goes back to players in the form of high hands and bad beat jackpots. If you are traveling, you will likely never see any of that money. If you are a regular, that money will eventually make its way back into the games you are playing.
High-hand promotions are better for everyone since they are paid out frequently and are small enough increments that they will make their back to the tables. Bad beat jackpots aren’t as good for the player pool. Of course, winning $50,000 playing $1/$2 would be amazing, but for everyone else, it is a bad thing. You likely won’t find a low-stakes player ready to lose that $50,000 back over the next year, so most likely that is money the player pool will never see again.
Taking a “drop” instead of “rake” isn’t as common, but there are some casinos (mainly in the Los Angeles area) that do this. A drop is very similar to rake since the casino is taking money out of each pot. The big difference is the drop is a set amount per street rather than a percentage of the pot. If a casino is taking $6 per hand in drop for a $2/$3 game, that typically means $1 preflop, $2 on the flop, $2 on the turn, and $1 on the river. Sometimes it could be $1, $2, $3, or even $2, $4. This is significantly worse for the players because small pots will be raked the same as large ones.
For example, in $2/$3 a game that takes a drop, let’s say the BTN and SB players both limp and the BB checks their option. The casino takes $1 out of the $9 preflop. Now on the flop the action checks through and the house takes another $2. The players have already given 33.33% of the pot to the house, more than triple the rate in a raked game. The worst part is, if it folds to the SB and they want to chop, the SB player still has to pay $1 preflop to chop! So they can either call for one more dollar and play the hand, or lose $1 to fold and move on. If you find yourself in L.A. it’s best to just play those blind vs. blind pots than sacrifice your dollar.
Taking a drop instead of a rake is extremely harmful to the player pool and it requires a huge pool or deep-pocketed players to sustain. This is why the casinos in L.A. can get away with it, there are so many poker players in that city so they can sustain the terrible drop.
Paying time, or a timed rake, is another way casinos make money on poker. A timed game has a set dollar amount per hour that each player must pay. Some card rooms like those in Texas clock the time you sit down and when you leave the front desk attendant will calculate your total and collect payment. In Vegas and other areas with timed games, the dealer or floor will come around once per hour or half hour to collect the rake. This is usually lined up with the dealer change, which is every 30 minutes.
Timed rake is the standard in Texas since local laws allow for private clubs that can run poker games if they choose, but don’t allow for raked poker games. You can buy a membership and each time you visit you must pay the hourly rate to play poker.
Timed rake is also a favorite among high-stakes cash game players. Many casinos offer timed rake for $10/$20 no-limit and higher. Some may even offer it for $5/$10 if that is the biggest game in the room. Big mixed games like the $200-$400 limit games in Las Vegas will also be timed. There’s a good reason the high-stakes players prefer the timed rake: less money goes to the house.
Think about our earlier example. When six players sat down playing average pots of $40 at 30 hands per hour, $120 was being taken off the table each hour, so roughly $20 per hour per player. Most popular poker clubs in Texas charge anywhere from $10-$12 per hour, meaning half what the raked game was taking. Not only is it less money in the timed games, but the money stays on the table. If two players go all-in for $200 in Texas, the winner gets a $400 pot. In a raked game, the winner gets $395 or less depending on promotions. By keeping all the money on the table the game can go on for longer and will be deeper stacked.
The only real downside to timed games is when you are losing. In a raked game, if you don’t win any pots you don’t pay the house any money. Of course, it’s no fun playing poker and winning no hands, but it’s even less fun when you have to pony up more cash on your way out the door. In a raked game, when you bust you can high-tail it to the parking lot and get out of there quickly. In a timed game, you have to stop at the door and pay extra after getting stacked. It is not a great feeling, but in the long run you will make more in a timed game than a raked game.
Much like cash games, poker tournaments also have a rake or house fee. Casinos don’t rake pots or make you pay time in tournaments though. The chips in play have no monetary value and it wouldn’t make sense to have people who bust the tournament early pay extra for the time they sat. Instead of the two normal methods, casinos will rake the tournament buy-in. For example, in a $150 daily poker tournament, the casino may take $15-$30 depending on the property. In a tournament with a $25 fee, that means $125 goes into the prize pool and the $25 goes to the house.
If you play online poker, you will generally see tournaments listed with their rake involved. For example, a $20 tournament online could be listed like this: $20 ($18+$2). This means $18 goes to the total prize pool and $2 goes to the casino. 10% is very standard for online tournaments, live tournaments will vary based on the casino.
Paying attention to rake is integral to being a successful poker player. A few dollars for each pot may not sound like much, but rake can be the difference between a winning and losing player in the long run. Micro and low-stakes games have high rake so it is important to find the most reasonable rake structure you can. Casinos will post information about their rake, so spend some time and do some digging to find the lowest rake possible.
This isn’t something just for professionals either. If you love poker and want to play as much as you can recreationally you should still hunt for the lowest-raked games. Much like looking for soft games with easy opponents, you should be looking for soft rake structures that can be beaten easily.
Whether you find yourself with many or just a few options available, searching for lower-raked games will help improve your win rate in the long run. We’ve seen a number of ways casinos can make money on poker, so do your best to give them as little as possible and keep that money on the table.
No matter what card games you enjoy, there’s always more to learn and master to be the best. From newcomers to veterans, this is an element of play that we all understand, but can still tend to overlook. As we grow comfortable with a game we can fall into bad habits, or chase early strategies that worked for us that no longer help at the higher echelons of play.
To be your best, skills need to be built from a solid foundation and worked on until they become second nature. With that in mind, we want to explore some of these skills, and how these can be applied through the concept of a mental stack to keep your performing at your peak.
It’s possible to enter the boxing ring without knowing how to properly throw a punch if you still know all the rules. Doing so will increase the chances of a negative outcome, however, and the same applies to every card game, especially those with competitive multiplayer components. A common problem we see here is that many of us learned our games so long ago, and in such an intuitive way, that we never really checked the full breadth of the formal rules.
Combatting this problem can be as simple as studying. For example, poker players might check a step-by-step tutorial on how to play poker and grasp its rules. Of course, this will be just as helpful to newcomers looking to build a strong foundation. The websites which offer games to play like Unibet and PokerStars can also ease you back into the simpler forms of play with special features like deposit matches, or low-cost tables. Playable over desktops and mobile systems, the availability of learning or refreshing on this front shouldn’t be a problem.
The term mental stack is commonly used in the world of fighting games. It refers to how you categorise information, to best focus on what’s the most important at any given time. Without properly learning to work with a mental stack, players can end up falling for distractions or putting their attention on non-crucial elements.
To work with a proper mental stack, a player needs to automate as much of the game in their brain as possible. Entire books have been written about this subject, where the basic idea is that you need to become so used to quickly discerning probabilities that you don’t waste time or effort, or display weakness.
Again using poker as an example, this could practising checking the table cards against yours, and the likelihood of others containing winning combinations. If you have two aces and the table has one, then you need to be able to understand the other player’s position relative to your own at a glance. This way you can optimise your mental stack, and better play with others.
Being great at a game takes time. No matter your natural aptitude, it’s only by practice and dedication that you’ll start to carve out a strong position and reputation. Sometimes this can mean returning to basics and working on parts of yourself that you’ve long discarded as unimprovable. Stick with it, however, and you might be surprised to see just how much potential you have locked away.
The secret to winning at poker is learning easy-to-remember skills that can help you improve your game. Whether you’re looking to play cash games, tournaments, in-live poker rooms, or online casinos, hard work and dedication can make you the next Phil Ivey.
If you’re looking to make money at the poker table, here are some tactics and strategies that can help you become an ultimate player.
To become a competent poker player, you must take your time to learn the game from tutorials, videos, or full courses. But where can you find these learning materials to play poker?
Depending on your preferences and learning style, here at Cardplayer Lifestyle you can search for the best poker betting strategies for top poker training guides. You will find well-curated learning materials that will improve your overall poker skills.
Unless lady luck is on your side, playing too many hands bleeds away your chip stack. Patience is a virtue. Develop a solid preflop poker strategy and stick to it.
Does this mean you only play aces, kings, or other strong hands?
Not entirely. It means playing a hand that increases your winning chances, especially if you’re playing against good players. For example, when you raise after disguising the strength of your actual hand, your opponents can’t tell whether you’ve A-A, A-K, or 7-6, making you stay ahead of the curve.
Playing poker requires money to win, but mismanaging your bankroll will definitely lead to failure.
Some days the cards won’t break your way no matter how well you play. In such times when your opponents hit every flush draw, you need to be properly bankrolled to avoid going broke before luck comes your way. A bankroll of at least 25 times the buy-in for the game you’re playing will make you safe.
But if you’re on a limited budget, playing online poker is the best deal – you can play free poker games or get generous bonuses and offers to increase your bankroll. You can check out CasinoBonusCA for a guide to the most trusted selections of the best casino bonuses in Canada. Additionally, you will experience unparalleled casino accuracy and expertise.
Poker is a game of chances and you’ll have losing sessions. But that doesn’t have to destroy your morale.
To become a professional poker player and make it in this difficult game, you must possess mental toughness. You have to learn to accept defeat. Some days you’ll win, some days you’ll lose, and that’s how poker rolls.
Networking with successful poker players brings you closer to mastering the game. It’s a good way of finding and befriending seasoned poker players.
Read their strategies when they play. You can also record and let them judge how you played. They’re resourceful and will console you when you lose, with the hope of making you a tough poker player.
While no poker player wants to be bluffed, it’s a way of winning at poker. It’s hurting when an opponent flips over a bluff after you’ve folded a winning hand, but it’s part of the game.
In the long run, folding the best hand occasionally is more ideal than giving away money for fear of an opponent flipping a bluff. You’ll get all the money if you raise your best hand occasionally and it wins. And that’s what experienced poker players do to win games.
Just like losses shouldn’t destroy your confidence, a win should not make you too high. Humility allows you to remain level-headed as you learn the trade.
Yes, you can win a $300 hitter one night and then lose it back the next due to over-excitement. So, take note and remain level-headed throughout the practice. Also, check out Poker.org for additional reference on how to better your game.
Hopefully, you can follow our tips and improve your winning chances. Take your time to learn the fundamental poker skills, work on your emotional intelligence, and start by playing in low-stakes games.
Out of all the classic card games out there, poker remains the pinnacle of the concept of ‘easy to learn, difficult to master’. For decades, players have studied, researched and practiced endlessly in the hope of reaching the top of the poker world, although the best way to learn has always been up for heavy debate.
Something often overlooked in the poker world is the wide array of single-player poker games out there. Below, we look at exactly how good those games are for learning how to play full poker games.
The best way to think of the core concept of solo poker is as something much closer to blackjack than regular poker. As the name implies, solo poker is played without other players involved and is usually a straight contest between the player and the dealer.
The rules are usually the same as the original with both the player and dealer getting a hand in the style of Texas Hold’em or stud poker, although other variants also get solo versions. Depending on the exact variant used, the player may get chances to raise or fold but in the simplest versions, it is a straight five-card comparison in the blackjack fashion. Other versions, like three-card poker or video poker variants, don’t even feature a dealer, but instead, give odds and fixed payouts like slot games of forming good combinations.
You aren’t likely to find many solo poker games in physical casinos as they often aren’t as popular as full poker games, although if you go to review sites like Vegas Slots Online you can find dozens of poker-based titles of all varieties from several different developers. The only type of solo poker that you may see in physical casinos would be three-card poker but, given that it works far more like blackjack than other poker variants, there is some debate as to whether it really counts as poker at all.
Put simply, having other players involved is what makes poker a far more strategic and intriguing game when compared with all others. Losing that human element completely changes the game, as you lose the psychology and pattern reading from competitors that are a core feature. We’ve mentioned before at Cardplayer Lifestyle that even things like changing the seating order can have subtle but significant effects on how a round of poker is played, so the loss of players entirely is massive.
Aside from this, the concepts of raising, calling, and folding get completely changed. Some solo poker games do have features that are called raise or fold but these are simple concepts based entirely on the player’s own hand. Full poker games not only consider your own hand but the hands and the behaviour of all other players around you. Full poker also has multiple betting rounds in most cases where solo poker is very often limited to a single one.
It may not be very useful for learning the more advanced parts of poker that involve psychology and people-reading, but solo poker does have value for those just starting out. New players are likely to go to sites like Bicycle Cards to learn the absolute fundamentals of the game but these guides are no substitute for actual playing, in the same way that reading about chess is very different from being in a game.
Most solo games do still use the same basic features such as the 52-card deck, the hierarchy of winning hands, and some form of the betting system. Given that poker comes down to predicting the draw of the next card at its heart, having hands-on experience of seeing the draw patterns and outcomes is never a bad thing.
For learning purposes though, solo poker should be used only at the very start of the learning process as the player will quickly grasp these fundamentals and require more experience with other players involved. In the end, though, this doesn’t mean that solo poker can’t be enjoyed for what it is anyway. After all, getting a poker night together or heading to a casino can often take a lot of planning, and there’s nothing wrong with a quick game at home!
Undoubtedly, the global gambling industry has undergone profound changes, mostly driven by the evolution of online casinos. Before the 1990s, online gambling was virtually non-existent, meaning gamers had to find their way to brick-and-mortar establishments to indulge in the games they love, such as slots and blackjack. However, the emergence and ongoing popularity of online casinos such as Magyar online casino have significantly affected the traditional brick-and-mortar casino industry. Learn how online casinos have influenced their physical counterparts, exploring the challenges and opportunities that have emerged simply because online casinos exist.
It would be right to say that online casinos have dominated the market, especially when compared to traditional gaming establishments. The widespread accessibility to the Internet and technological advancements are key factors contributing to the immense growth of Internet gaming avenues. The online gaming experience provides unparalleled convenience, allowing players to enjoy their favourite casino games from the comfort of their homes or a location of their choice.
With a vast array of games, faster gameplay, and the option to play multiple games simultaneously, online casinos have become a preferred choice for many gamblers, posing a direct challenge to traditional brick-and-mortar establishments. The fact that some people have to travel miles to access traditional casinos does not sit well with many players, one of the main reasons they prefer online establishments.
One of the most prominent effects of online casinos on their physical counterparts is the intensification of competition. The allure of online gambling and its convenience has attracted many gamblers who previously favoured brick-and-mortar casinos. Online platforms often offer a wider variety of games, quicker gameplay, and more appealing bonuses and payout rates. As a result, players have flocked to online casinos, causing a decline in foot traffic and revenue for traditional establishments. Traditional casinos have been forced to become more creative in what they have to offer to fight for more clientele and remain relevant and competitive in the industry.
To mitigate the adverse effects of online competition, traditional brick-and-mortar casinos have been compelled to adapt and diversify what they bring to the table. Many have incorporated online components into their business models, such as developing mobile apps or online platforms to enable remote access to casino games. Additionally, some establishments have expanded their entertainment options to include live shows, restaurants, and other non-gambling attractions that gamers cannot enjoy while playing online.
By transforming into comprehensive entertainment destinations, traditional casinos aim to attract new customers and retain loyal patrons who the allure of online casinos might have enticed.
Online casinos leverage cutting-edge technology to deliver immersive and engaging experiences to members through:
The above and many more recreate the ambience of physical casinos, captivating a wide audience who prefer the traditional experience without stepping into a gaming establishment. Moreover, integrating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies further expands the boundaries between virtual and real-world gambling. Alternatively, traditional brick-and-mortar establishments often encounter challenges when incorporating these innovative technologies due to infrastructure limitations and hefty expenses.
Online gambling presents regulatory challenges for governments and regulatory bodies worldwide. Unlike brick-and-mortar casinos, which operate under strict regulations and licensing requirements, online gambling often operates with varying degrees of regulation. This discrepancy creates an uneven playing field, potentially exposing players to risks such as fraudulent platforms, underage gambling, and a lack of responsible gambling measures. Governments face the complex task of adapting regulations to ensure adequate player protection while fostering a fair and competitive environment. It may be considered a win for traditional casinos because they may attract more players who do not want to be scammed when gambling online.
While online gambling has disrupted the traditional casino industry, there is potential for both to enjoy their market share and maximize profits. Forward-thinking brick-and-mortar casinos have recognized the opportunities presented by online gambling and have ventured into the digital realm. These established casino operators leverage their brand recognition and existing customer base by launching their online platforms. Through diversification and seamless integration between physical and online gambling experiences, these casinos can cater to a broader range of players, enhancing their profitability.
The impact of online gambling on brick-and-mortar casinos cannot be underestimated. The rise of online casinos has altered consumer preferences, intensified competition, and prompted traditional establishments to adapt their strategies. While brick-and-mortar casinos face challenges incorporating advanced technologies, they can diversify their offerings and embrace innovation to thrive in the evolving landscape. By striking a balance between physical and online gambling experiences, traditional casinos can maintain their relevance and ensure a vibrant and dynamic casino industry in the future.
The World Poker Tour has set a new benchmark with its WPT Prime Series of tournaments. The WPT Prime Championship held this past December at the Wynn, Las Vegas had a staggering 5,430 entrants and saw Stephen Song of Greenwich, CT taking home the grand prize of $712,650. After an amazing 20th anniversary celebration in 2022, the decision was made to unveil a new trophy that befits this new benchmark. Thus, the WPT Prime “Perpetual” Trophy will be presented at the currently ongoing WPT Prime Vietnam festival.
WPT Vietnam was chosen because it was the debut Prime stop in 2022. This year’s WPT Prime Vietnam Main Event begins today, May 25th, and will have three starting flights. The buy-in will be $1,000 and the event will offer a guaranteed prize pool of $511,000.
After months of working with multiple designers and production companies, the WPT chose the “Ballerina” design because of the beautiful flow of its wings, and its uncanny resemblance to the Main Tour cup. The Main Tour Cup, renamed The Mike Sexton Champions Cup in July 2020, is a coveted and well-recognized trophy in the poker community. It was renamed in honor of Mike Sexton, longtime WPT Commentator. Every WPT champion has their name permanently inscribed on the cup along with the winning hand from each player’s victory.
Mike Sexton, of course, was inducted into the Poker Hall of Famer in 2009 and was the WPT Honors recipient in 2017. Sexton recorded $6,708,146 in live tournament earnings during his career. One of his biggest prizes was for the 2006 No Limit Hold’em tournament at the WSOP Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas for $1 million after nabbing first place. In 2009, Sexton along with Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher and Lisa Tenner, created PokerGives.org, a nonprofit organization that provides a way for poker players and the poker industry to give back to various charities.
The Prime Trophy may mirror the Mike Sexton Champions Cup but with one difference. Instead of every player being inscribed on the cup, the trophy will display a QR code at its center, which will link to a Prime Champions page on the World Poker Tour website. The WPT Prime perpetual trophy will travel to every Prime Tour stop, and a replica of that trophy will be awarded to each Prime main event winner to take home.
While the trophy is new, the WPT had always wanted to create something special for their mid-major tour. When it was decided to revamp the entire Tour in 2021, introducing WPT Prime, it provided the perfect opportunity to execute this longtime goal. Cardplayer Lifestyle spoke with Adam Pliska, President and CEO of the WPT about the significance of the new trophy.
Why was the creation of this trophy important to the World Poker Tour?
Considering the significance and recognizability that the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup has embodied over the years, we have always dreamed of creating a similar, iconic piece. With the evolution of WPT in 2021, we saw the revamping of WPTDeepStacks into the WPT Prime as the perfect opportunity to implement another one-of-a-kind trophy to the tour.
Can you elaborate on the significance of the trophy design mirroring the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup but also having its own image?
I could not tell you how many design options we went through before landing on the perfect one. To be honest, we were not necessarily looking to create the Prime trophy in the image of the Champions Cup at first. However, when the ‘Ballerina’ concept was presented to us, we instantly saw the resemblance and knew our heart was set on that direction. The individuality of the design was of course important to distinguish the two tours and the most significant difference is the unique QR code capability that comes with the new Prime trophy.
What are your aspirations for this tour in the future?
The Prime Tour has only just begun. We aspire to continuously expand its reach to bring the WPT experience to all corners of the world. Along with that notion, we would like to foster longstanding partnerships that become staples of the tour, festivals that players look forward to year after year. WPT Prime is a great entry point for players that can lead them toward a deeper journey into their poker aspirations.
Thus, the WPT Prime Trophy will in essence be shared by all poker players, as it travels to each stop on the tour. The hope for many will now become to have their own version of the trophy to bring home.
Iowa legalized in-person sports betting in 2019, and on August 29, that same year FanDuel Iowa launched its retail sportsbooks at Diamond Jo in Dubuque and Diamond Jo-Worth in Northwood. Just over a year later, in September 2020, FanDuel launched its online sportsbook. What exactly does FanDuel offer punters in the Hawkeye state, and how does its annual revenue stack up? Read on to find out more.
FanDuel started in 2009 as a Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) site in Scotland, UK. As a DFS site, FanDuel offered bettors the chance to create their own teams for big competitions such as the NFL and, more recently, the NHL. Unlike a traditional bookmaker, bettors did not wager on the outcomes of games. Rather, the fantasy team earned points based on the actual performance of the players that the bettors had chosen. Cash prizes were awarded to bettors if their fantasy team came top of the leaderboard.
When the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was declared unconstitutional in 2018, it opened the way for legal sports betting in the USA. Irish bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair merged with FanDuel in May 2018 with the aim of having the FanDuel brand expand its DFS site to also offer regular sports betting. In July 2018, the first FanDuel-branded retail sportsbook opened in New Jersey, followed in March 2019 with one in Pennsylvania. Today, FanDuel offers DFS betting in 44 states as well as a host of other betting options.
As mentioned, FanDuel was originally a DFS site. However, the merger of Paddy Power Betfair’s US arm with FanDuel created the FanDuel Group for all US betting operations.
Like other US bookmakers, FanDuel now offers retail and online sports betting for a wide range of popular and niche sports in addition to its original DFS bets. When bettors are using Fanduel in Iowa, they are able to place bets on futures, moneylines, over/unders, and more on over 20 different sports.
Punters in Iowa and 17 other states can place bets on a variety of national leagues, such as the NFL and NHL. Iowans can also wager on college sporting events, but player props for college events are not allowed. Like many other bookmakers, live betting is also available for some sports.
Additionally, thanks to that merger, FandDuel has access to the TVG Network and TVG2, two cable networks dedicated to horse racing. Punters can bet on the horses in 25 states, either through the FanDuel app or through TVG. However, neither is available for Iowans.
FanDuel also offers a unique Faceoff app in 32 states. Here, players can play games for free or opt to play for cash. The app matches each player against an opponent with a similar skill level, and the player with the highest score wins a cash prize.
Last, but not least, FanDuel also offers bettors in just 5 states access to an online casino. This features an exciting range of slot games along with table games like blackjack and roulette as both virtual games and live dealers.
In each state in which it operates, FanDuel is consistently ahead of all its rivals in terms of handle. In fact, it was the first online sportsbook operator in the US to post a profit with earnings of $22 million before tax and other deductions after the first 6 months of 2022.
Also in 2022, it was estimated that bets placed on FanDuel accounted for 51% of the online sports betting market in the US. The company’s growth is not expected to slow down any time soon, with new launches planned.
The projection for 2023 is that FanDuel will see full-year profitability for the first time, beating all its rivals by at least a year. The brand has worked hard to attract bettors and offer an eclectic betting market incorporating virtual and live bets. One big driver of this profitability is the “same-game parley” bet. FanDuel was the first to market this type of bet, which has proved popular with punters.
Written resources for learning mixed game poker have been somewhat limited over the years, with a sprinkling of information released here and there, starting with the original Super System, published back in 1979.
From there, a few game-specific titles from 2+2 publishing came out through the 90s, followed by Super System 2 in 2005, a very thorough nearly 700-page effort by Ken Lo titled A Poker Player’s Guide to Mixed Games in 2014, and most recently Chris Wallace and the Mizrachi brothers’ 2022 release, Getting Started with HORSE.
Each of these books has its merits, but what I and many others feel is the must-read for comprehensive mixed game information is Mastering Mixed Games by Dylan Linde, first published in 2019.
For those unfamiliar with Linde’s extensive resume, his Hendon Mob profile lists over $6.6 million in career tournament earnings in No-Limit Hold ‘em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and of course a litany of mixed games. He’s a WPT champion, a WSOP bracelet winner in Mixed Omaha, and has multiple big scores and victories in high-roller events.
Linde is one of poker’s best and most well-rounded players, but his love and knowledge of mixed games are what he’s chosen to share with the poker world, and Mastering Mixed Games (MMG) is a book that can be appreciated by both those just dipping their toes into the mixed game waters, and by experienced players alike.
While books may have taken a back seat to online content when it comes to poker training over the years as people’s time has become more and more valuable, I can absolutely recommend MMG for not just the quality of content throughout, but because that content is laser-focused and very consumable. If there are criticisms to be made of previously written content on mixed games, it’s that they can be like a Michael Bay movie in that if you shave a good 20 minutes to a half-hour from it in the edit suite, you get an infinitely more watchable movie.
Coming in at a very readable 304 pages, with no game-specific section more than 42 pages long, Mastering Mixed Games is the equivalent of a smash-and-grab 90-minute thrill ride, with no wasted words throughout.
Those sections are separated within the formats of flop games, stud games, and draw games, with all games covered listed below.
Flop games:
Stud Games:
Draw Games:
Single Draw Game:
Each section has a brief introduction explaining the rules of the game being discussed before getting to the heart of the lessons. A short quiz with answers and explanations follows at the end of each section.
As mentioned, Linde’s teachings of each game are incredibly efficient and well-written. There are no skippable pages anywhere. Consistent lessons in each game include opening ranges by position, playing versus raises and three-bets, the importance of playing to scoop in split pot games, types of hands that play better heads-up versus multi-way, and strategies for every street of play within a hand, be it flop, turn, and river; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd draw; or 3rd-7th streets.
Dylan Linde with his book
Something that is illustrated very effectively throughout Mastering Mixed Games is how close equities run in many spots, no matter the game. As such, equity comparisons are shown throughout, providing visual and mathematical examples including variations of hands showing how what may appear to be a slight difference in hand strength can have a notable impact on its value. In particular, I found the various equity comparisons included in the Stud and Draw games sections to be very helpful.
With each section clocking in at roughly 20-40 pages, readers can quickly navigate the book to study the specific game they want and get an intense yet easily understood lesson in a very reasonable amount of time. With the aforementioned breakdowns of street-by-street play clearly identified in each section as well, intricate and specific study modules can be easily found. Need to brush up on your 5th street play in Stud 8 or your post-2nd draw play in Badugi? These specifics can easily be found.
If I must drop a bit of criticism on MMG, unfortunately, deep-stacked, non-cap play in big-bet games and tournament-specific strategies are areas not covered. Big-bet games are only taught with consideration for a 40 BB cap, as is quite common in mixed cash games. Pot-Limit variations of Triple Draw and Badugi are also not discussed. Strategies throughout are primarily based on a 6- or 7-handed mixed cash game format.
Those are small drawbacks though, considering the wealth of information throughout the rest of the book.
As mentioned earlier, MMG is a great resource for mixed game players, no matter their experience or skill level. As with most mixed game players, I consider myself more proficient in certain games than others, however, I was still able to boost my knowledge significantly with this poker strategy book.
As for the games that I don’t get a chance to practice regularly (shout out Badeucey and Badacey), MMG provides a great primer for when I do get to splash around in the split-pot triple draw streets, giving me the perspective for this review of both experienced and novice players.
I appreciated MMG’s efficiency and readability in teaching both types of players. What a reader may already understand is elaborated on effectively, while those with limited knowledge of a game also receive easily understandable instruction which will quickly get them acclimated to their new game of choice.
Mastering Mixed Games is truly the gold standard for mixed-game poker instruction for players of all skill levels. And if you’re crazy enough and really want to learn Pot-Limit Triple Draw, Linde is a super friendly and approachable person who I’m sure would be happy to personally pass along his knowledge in that insane game as well.
Lastly, Linde is a regular attendee at Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festivals and will happily autograph your copy of his book as well as help you get your reps in in the low-limit mixed game streets.
Sweepstake casinos have barreled into the iGaming scene over the last few years and are vastly popular across the US. Most likely you’ve been seeing names pop up while you’ve been surfing the web and might be wondering what’s got people so interested. With the current cost-of-living crisis and the legislative landscape in the US, the sweepstake casino model is more relevant now in 2023 than ever.
But what’s behind this increase in popularity?
Sweepstake casinos offer all your favorite casino games, but rather than playing with real money, the game works with a virtual currency usually called sweeps coins. Players stake these coins on the game rather than using real money and have a chance at big rewards — both in the game’s virtual currency and real prizes.
While brick-and-mortar casinos have been declining in popularity, there’s a new generation being swept up in the new world of online casinos. Sweepstake casinos are one of the newest crazes. Below we’ll look at some of the aspects of the games that make them so popular.
Gambling is illegal in several US states, and online casinos are no exception to this rule. Sweepstake casinos, however, are exempt from this law and this means that sweepstakes casinos are fully legalized in the USA except for in Washington state.
This is because of the virtual currency used in the game. While the option exists to purchase sweeps coins, it’s not essential to play and due to the several steps between your money and the game’s currency, it’s not considered gambling according to the current regulations in place.
As they’re legal, sweepstake casinos are well-regulated and safe to use, making it a great choice for people who want the thrill of gambling without having to travel to one of the relatively few traditional casinos available in the US.
There are several fantastic bonuses available from sweepstake casinos. You can get plenty of different rewards, such as free coins, bonus spins on the slots, discounted purchases or cashback on losses. It’s really easy to access all of these rewards, and many you earn simply by signing up and playing.
A few of the different bonuses available include:
Welcome bonus: Most good sweepstake casinos will offer you a great sign-up bonus. This is the first thing customers see when they’re looking to sign up, so casinos will compete to make you the most attractive offer they can. The bonuses usually include a bundle of free coins to get you started and some free rolls at your favorite games.
Daily bonus: Sweepstake casinos reward you for coming back. Rewards are offered daily when you log into your casino game, with rewards such as free coins and bonus spins, as well as things like reward multipliers to give you a leg-up while you play.
Purchase discounts: When you do need to top-up your coins, there’s a good chance the casino will have a deal to discount the cost of your new sweeps coins. Keep an eye on these – you’ll really be getting your money’s worth on play then!
Match deposit: Sometimes the casinos will offer to match a percentage of any new coins you buy as well.
Rakeback bonus: Losing doesn’t have to mean all your winnings disappear! Rakeback bonuses will return a portion of your lost coins back to you at the end of the month.
Loyalty programs: Sweepstake casinos have outdone themselves on the quality and complexity of their loyalty programs. To give back to their long-time players, a lot of casinos have elaborate tier systems of rewards and bonuses. These can be tiered milestone progressions on your favorite games or mini-game quests across the platform.
It’s the free-to-play model that’s behind most of the popularity of sweepstake casinos. Instead of making a deposit to gamble, players use the casino’s virtual currency which can be acquired completely free.
Players are free to try out new casino games and to play for longer on their favorites without any financial concern. It’s an accessible way for new gamers to take their first steps into casino gaming.
Often, players will get their first bundle of sweeps coins in a welcome bonus package, but they can also be won in other ways. Some casinos work on a model where you mail them a request for the virtual currency and when you receive it back, you can use this to play. Many casinos also run competitions on social media giving away huge bundles of sweeps coins that are suitable for both new and returning players.
Once you’re a member, sweepstake casinos take many opportunities to load you up with new coins through the bonuses mentioned above, so there’s very little risk of running dry.
There is always the option to purchase additional sweeps coins with real money, but at the end of the day, the virtual currency means you can play absolutely free. Given this, there’s no wonder that sweepstake casinos have become so popular.
Sweepstake casinos don’t skimp on the games they offer. The sites will offer hundreds of classic casino games, so you’re bound to find your favorite or a new thrilling game to give a spin. It’s the variety of games that keep the attention of players who have been brought in by the lure of welcome bonuses and free currency.
Below are some of the games you can expect to find:
Slots: Slots are a classic in the casino world, and sweepstake casinos don’t fail to deliver. With some sites offering over 300 kinds of slots, you’re bound to find your favorite type. Having all this for free is a huge part of the appeal of sweepstake casino games.
Poker: Almost everyone’s heard of poker, and whether you’re an expert or a beginner wanting to learn the rules of Texas Hold’em, you can have as much of the tense, strategic gameplay as you want at no cost. Even poker-only sites have been operating on a sweepstake model to great success over the last few years.
Blackjack: Blackjack is another classic casino game available at sweepstake casinos. From classic to multi-hand to high stakes variants, there’s something to enjoy for everyone.
Baccarat: Chance rules baccarat and chance alone, making it perfect for the type of casino player who loves the thrill of random luck on the slots. It’s easy to learn, and at a sweepstake casino, there’s no need to lose any money while you do.
Roulette: It’s impossible to think of a casino without thinking of roulette. Take as many spins on the wheel as you like, and when you hit your number, you might just hit it big without spending anything at all.
One thing comes up again and again when discussing sweepstake casinos – the lack of risk. Being able to learn and try new games without the fear of losing your stakes is exactly what makes sweepstake casinos so popular among beginners in the casino world. Sweepstake casinos still offer all the entertainment of real money casinos especially with the promise of real prizes, but it’s a great testing ground for those who aren’t quite yet ready to step into the world of traditional online casino games.
If you’re unfamiliar with casino gaming, there are so many avenues and facets that even avid gamblers may not know how specific terms and games work. A sweepstake is an excellent example of that, as there is a different version in the United States than in the United Kingdom.
In the UK, a sweepstake is usually a form of lottery where a group of people will pool their funds together. The most common form of a sweepstakes casino is a lottery where people will collectively and strategically put their money into one pot. Then they will share the winnings equally between themselves.
A sweepstakes casino is an entirely different type of gambling in the United States. Although we’ve started with some trivia from across the pond, we will break down eight key things about sweepstakes casinos that should help you broaden your knowledge.
If you’re new to the world of casino gaming, then online sweepstakes casinos may be a great starting point for you. You can sample a wide array of games that casinos offer without exposing yourself to some of the risks you would usually have to, in a standard casino, but we will explain that in more detail for you later on.
Sweeps cash casinos are a specific corner of the sweepstakes gaming market. While you don’t need to spend your money on a wager, you can participate in various casino games using the in-game currency the casino provides. A sweeps cash casino operates differently, as you can win specific prizes. If you win enough in-game currency, you can swap it for prizes ranging from real cash to free spins and other casino-specific bonuses.
Sweeps cash casinos are like a prize draw; they’re a lighter version of gambling. They’re specifically designed competitions for players who would rather experience the games without having to stake any money. In addition, the possibility of winning a prize while not having to spend your money is a pretty high reward-to-risk ratio, which is rarely seen in casino gaming.
A sweepstakes casino is a special type of gaming that involves playing with tokens that only provide access to the games on that company’s website. Depending on the kind of game you play at a sweepstakes casino, you could be given gold coins to play a slot machine title or other branded tokens to use in games such as roulette or poker.
Sweepstakes casinos are defined by the fact you don’t use real money, and it provides more breathing space for people who would rather enjoy the game than have the added excitement or fear of winning or losing money.
Some gambling purists don’t have a high opinion of sweepstakes casinos. However, they’re a suitable middle ground for gamblers who want to play without losing money and for casinos who want to advertise their services to potential customers without immediately taking their money. It’s a method of indirect advertisement that helps increase the visibility of the casino and provides a look into how the site’s inner workings operate.
A general sweepstakes competition acts in the same format, but there’s no casino gaming involved. Usually, it will involve a free-to-enter competition to promote a product or bring publicity to a company. For example, a company may have a free competition that awards the winner a $250 gift voucher for a large online retailer, this is the textbook definition of a sweepstakes competition.
Finding an online casino where you can gamble with real money won’t take long; the market is very deep and saturated. However, a sweepstakes casino is an establishment where you can only gamble using the site’s in-game tokens. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no; you cannot play sweepstakes casino games with real money.
However, if you win one of the prizes available at a sweepstakes casino or generate a big win which gives you a large number of in-game tokens, there are circumstances where you can cash in these coins for real money. This could technically count, but by definition, sweepstakes casinos are types of games that you enjoy without having to deposit your own money.
More states are starting to reap the benefits of legalized, fully regulated online gambling and watching their tax bases swell due to its increasing popularity. However, sweepstakes casinos don’t technically fall into the gambling bracket because players do not have to part with their cash.
It’s always best to double-check the legislation where you reside; some states have strict anti-gambling laws, so even sweepstakes casinos may be restricted. However, as a general rule of thumb, sweepstakes casinos are legal in the US because they’re technically free to enter competitions.
Yes, if you’re looking to play real money casino games or sweepstakes casino games, you can do so on a variety of mobile devices. Given the colossal explosion of growth in the sector, designing games that work on all devices that connect to the internet is paramount for casino companies to continue their exponential growth.
With billions of smartphones and mobile devices, such as iPads and Android tablets, you can play casino games on mobile with no issues.
Many casino gaming companies now have their own apps you can download, which help streamline your experience. However, if you’d prefer to just log in to a website and begin playing, many options are available online too.
The rise of mobile gaming has helped fuel internet gambling and turned it into an even more significant sector than land-based casinos, so much so that designers and developers now design casino and sweepstakes casino games solely for the mobile gaming audience.
Although these games can work on bigger devices such as PCs or laptops, mobile devices now dominate so much of the online casino industry that they’re the biggest standalone market.
The obvious benefit of sweepstakes and social casinos is that you do not have to hand over any financial information. Although casinos use incredibly sophisticated security and technology, you don’t need to worry about changing your card details or any other financially identifiable information if there is a breach.
If you gamble solely on sweepstakes casinos, you don’t need to worry about safe gambling tools such as deposit limits. As you are not using real money, you do not need to watch how much money you have lost.
Sweepstakes and social casinos help advertise the positive and fun nature of playing casino games without worrying about finances.
The primary positive of sweepstakes casinos is that you can get a good feel of how a casino site looks, what gaming themes you enjoy and what casino games you prefer the most. If you go in and start spending your money before settling on these basics, you could lose money unnecessarily.
Sweepstakes casinos allow you to sit down, play a game with no stakes, and get an understanding of how it all works. Of course, not incurring any financial losses is a fantastic positive, but another positive of sweepstakes casinos is that you can focus purely on gaming. While you can use practical guides to learn how to play poker and other casino games, sometimes learning by doing is the most beneficial and effective way of imprinting it into your memory.
One of the main criticisms that avid gamblers like to lay at the door of sweepstakes casinos is that they do not substitute for the real thing. While you can get a solid feel for how the game works and what to look for, the argument is that unless you’re wagering with real money, the experience isn’t authentic.
This isn’t always the case; of course, don’t feel compelled to spend money just for the sake of it. If you enjoy sweepstakes casino gaming and not losing money, continue doing what you want.
Another negative that people point out is that there’s far less selection than in standard casino gaming, but that’s to be expected. Online casino gaming generates billions of dollars of revenue, so naturally, there will be more selection, but that’s not to say there’s a shortage of sweepstakes slot games.
You can find a wide range of engaging slot machine titles online. They span across your favorite themes, including fruit, Ancient Egypt, TV and film. Once you have sampled the best sweepstakes slots games, you can also try out their real money-based versions and see whether you prefer that type of gaming or whether you’d like to stick to sweepstakes.