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Players are often heard that a machine is ‘due’ to payout, but a machine in all actuality is never ‘due’ to payout. Machines are programmed by developers to maintain a payout percentage of as much as 99%, but that is not over the time span of a specific hour or your gaming session. Rather that payout percentage is over the entire life of the game’s operation. That means that you should read the payout percentage, but don’t expect it to pay off during your session. You have to think of all games as random driven games at all times.

Each spin or pull of the handle on the slot machine is unrelateed to the play before that one because the RNG comes up with numbers randomly these numbers is not set to go at any specific time. So any one player can win the jackpot at any given time. That means for those players with beliefs using warm or cool coins affects the outcome of the spin or pull, are only kidding themselves since the RNG works the way it works. The amount of coins put into the slot machines has no bearing on what selections that come up via the RNG picks for your reels. Also playing faster as some believe, does not help either, as the RNG picks a huge range of numbers between spins.

If you love slots, then you have to be prepared to deal with the random factor of the game. In this type of gambling there is no such thing as strategy. Remember that the game is totally built on the random factor and that means that you won’t have to study anything. Poker on the other hand is a game of skill and requires some study and research. You will never have that problem with slots gaming because there isn’t much you can do to affect the outcome. Some may think that that is a negative aspect of gambling on slot machines, but others believe that that is what makes the game so much fun as a hobby. As long as you remember that you cannot affect the outcome, you can sit back and have fun.

Did you know that the average slot machine can give you thousands of different combinations? Possibly even millions? The only other elements of gaming that come more frequently than slot machines are the enormous variety of outcomes you can possibly get on the reels. Have you ever been in a land-based casino and heard people talking about “hot” and “cold” machines? Or cash versus cards? Or playing machines for long period of time rather than jumping from machine to machine? For years now gamblers from all over the world have been deciding on the rules that work for slots play. Though they are all debatable and have their own followers, no one really can hone in on how slot machines work or what increases their probabilities of paying out.

Inside every slot machine is an RNG, or random number generator. This mechanism comes up with the varying options you get when you spin the machine or click on the virtual reels. This RNG is what dictates everything- your wins and your losses. It comes up with the huge selection of options you may have during your gaming session. When a player pushes the spin button or pulls the slot handle, whatever numbers the RNG chooses at that exact moment, the corresponding reel selection is what the player will see on the reels. Interesting fact is that the wheels that spin round and round in a slot machine are just for show. That’s where operators and developers look to replicate the actual physical slot machine to give you that casino “feel.”

When one person is on one slot machine and then walks away while another player than scoops into the seat where the other player was and wins, does not mean it would have been the first players win had the first player stayed and spun or pulled the handle one more time. The jackpot comes about when the RNG picks combinations that match up to the programmed jackpot numbers. For example, if you get a line of LEMON symbols that could mean that you win a 5x win of your initial wager amount.

Part two coming next.

Earlier this year the Venetian casino room located in Las Vegas, Nevada hosted the Jennifer Harman Charity Poker Tournament. It was a special event that benefitted the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or SPCA, no-euthanize shelter. The overall goal of the event was to bring awareness and donations to the shelter. The game had a $330 buy-in no-limit Hold’em format and it also had $100 rebuys for the initial twenty minute levels and a one-time $100 add-on for 2x stack returns. The big payout was $10,000 at the World Series of Poker main event and a Curtis & Co. watch. The top ten players on the leaderboard were also awarded a combined total prize package of $30,000.

The SPCA is a long-standing facility that is dedicated to the no-kill format and that takes continuing donations to keep the location running. The Venetian saw this as a great opportunity to not only bring in some money to the casino, but to also do something good for a charity organization. That is the new wave of gambling today. Many events are focusing on bringing notoriety to charity events. It is a great way for casinos to gain a new respect and a new client base. In the world of gambling, finding a new client base is one of the keys to survival. Remember that the recession was hard on most casinos worldwide. In particular Las Vegas’ economy suffered because so much of its economy was built solely on gambling. When people lost their jobs in record numbers, they were unable to continue wagering with the same frequency, or at all in some cases, due to the changes in their income. This is the biggest reason why casinos everywhere are looking to hook up with various charities to bring a new name to themselves. Plus players are looking to find casinos with that vision also. It is great to wager, but when you know you are wagering and part of that hard-earned cash is going to a valuable charity that helps the communities involved, players are much more attuned to gambling more. If you are looking for a charity-involved casino, look at some of the biggest casinos. Most likely they have some big promotions coming up this year due to wanting to create a much more involved and responsible gaming community.

The best thing about online poker is that there is such a wide variety of games to enjoy. If you are a fan of the game, then do a quick Google search and you are sure to find a range of tournaments to play. The stakes are varying—if you have a smaller bankroll you can find enough games that are low-stakes and low buy-ins. On the other hand, if you have a bigger bankroll, you can find many different options to play online. Some tournaments require only a few dollars while others are going to have bigger buy-ins, but much larger returns to enjoy if you get lucky.

Currently SpadeClub.com is working to create its own tournament to participate in. later this month the website is going to be awarding six lucky players with seats at the 2010 World Series of Poker. This is a huge opportunity for any player with their sights on the WSOP. Remember that it can be difficult to afford the straight buy-in for a top dollar tournament like this one and having a chance to win a free seat is a huge advantage. If you are a gamer who has confidence in your skill, then this may be the perfect opportunity for you. Spend some time working on your strategy and then test it out. It may be that if you can hone your skill and then combine it with some luck you could place at a big-name tournament like this one.

If you have the desire to participate in the WSOP, then do a Google search of qualifying tournaments throughout the online casino world. You are sure to find a wide range of them, but the key is to number one, hone your skill as a player and two, to get in on the qualifiers early. One of the easiest things to do is sign up for the newsletter at a few big online casinos. Most likely they are going to offer some way of qualifying for the WSOP due to the huge draw of the event overall. The WSOP is one, if not THE biggest, poker tournament on the market today and online casinos are getting in on the fun by creating events centered on it.

If you are a fan of gambling then you no doubt have seen the name “Isildur1.” Poker is a popular gambling game and when a player is able to make an impression on the market, he or she is noted considerably throughout the media market. Isildur1 is a player who was able to take over the poker scene by playing against professional players successfully. The player came out of no where seemingly and won millions. Of course Isildur1 lost the millions too, but the very fact that this Swedish player was able to bust into the scene nonetheless.

Now it is coming to light that Isildur1 is actually a 19 year-old player from Sweden named Viktor Blom. Blom has never confirmed—nor denied—his identity as Isildur1, but sources are saying that the identity is accurate. This past month isildur1 came out at PartyPoker’s Big Game IV. The competition was held at Les Ambassadors Club in Mayfair, London. It was a big game and many poker players came from all over the world to participate in the event. Some players were Luke “FullFish” Schwartz, Jennifer Tilly and Phil Laak. Each one is a huge name in the world of gambling and they were positioned not only to try to win, but also to bring an added notoriety to the game altogether. The game of poker is consistently growing in today’s market. It has taken some time, but the hobby is set to explode in coming months.

A spokesperson for PartyPoker.com said that the player Isildur1 was a big draw for the game. Though the player was mostly unknown a few short months ago, he managed to build an outstanding name for himself due to the big million-dollar wins. If you are looking to make a name for yourself in the market of poker, then test your luck at a few games. You could be like Isildur1—a virtual unknown who was able to get in on the fun with a few lucky and strategic moments. Focusing on a big game and entering could be one of the best things any poker hopeful does. It could open the door for a big win and some great publicity not ony for the payer but also for the sport altogether.

One of the most quickly changing things in the market is poker law. The UIGEA was the first move for the US to regulate gambling but it deemed gambling illegal. The problem was that people who wanted to gamble were forced to move their wagering activities to offshore companies. The aftereffect of that move was that billions of dollars have been channeled out of the US and into these offshore countries. The US legislators quickly became wise of the huge dollars being fueled out of the country and made moves to change things. They wanted to create a series of laws that would help to regulate gambling and allow it to be legalized in the US. The big impetus was the huge tax-revenue dollars available and the attraction of using those dollars to help chip away at the deficits plaguing the country.

Florida is a state that is in the midst of debates over the issue of gambling. Native American tribes are looking to create revenue because most were hit hard by the recession of 2008/2009. The tribal leaders have been looking for ways to come up with more revenue since most of the gambling public was lost due to the hefty unemployment rate. The most current alterations in Florida gaming law include. The laws have pushed casino operators to create $1-2, $2-5 and $5-10 dollar no-limit hold’em games. It may seem odd that people would want to pay for the higher limit games, bur poker has become so popular that there are players willing to test their luck at the game.

Florida law is evolving. Remember that back in 1989 there was a “penny ante” poker that was legalized as long as the pot was not to exceed $10. Though this is a reasonable limit, there are thousands of players who were pining consistently for the higher payout limits. So far there have been many fans of the game who pushing for a change in the law and now it may be changing. Also, in 1996 legislators passed a law that allowed kennel clubs and horse tracks to play poker during racing sessions. There was still a $10 limit though that all participants had to work with. After many years of debate, the changes did come though. In 2006, the limit of $10 was elevated, however the individual limit was kept at $2. Expect more changes in the gaming law of every state—including Florida—in coming months. States are desperate to come up with new ways to bring in revenue and many legislators are going to be altering gambling laws to increase patronage to casinos.

If you look at where poker was a few decades ago as opposed to where it is now, you will be surprised at how popular the game has become. For example, the WSOP, World Series of Poker, began in the 70s with just a handful of players participating. They were all lovers of the game who wanted to celebrate their interest. Now, over thirty years later you can watch the WSOP on various channels broadcast throughout the world. There are millions of players who participate in satellite tournaments for their chance at the big table wins. In addition to huge numbers in participation and viewership, there is also a move for major corporate sponsorship when it comes to advertisers. This is a sign of how mainstream poker has become over the years.

In response to the overwhelming desire for more poker play, Pokerstars.com announced its creation of another cash game show. This one came earlier this year and began in April—just over one month ago. It was a high-stakes/hi-roller game that is called “The Big Game” and began airing on FOX. The show was built around the biggest names in the poker world and they played $200 and $400 no-limit Hold’em games that had a minimum buy-in of $100,000. The best thing about the new game was that it game people the opportunity to watch a high-roller cash game broadcast conveniently over their television sets in the privacy of their own homes.

The other interesting thing about the start of this poker tournament thanks to Pokerstars.com is that it gives people the opportunity to qualify online for participation. The person who made it was able to duke it out with the famous poker player Daniel Negreanu via a free $100,000 entry buy-in fee. If you are looking to participate in a competition of poker, then looking for qualifying games is the best way to get into the game. Some players don’t have the large buy-ins but the great thing about poker is the satellite tournaments that can help anyone to get in if they get a little lucky. If you find a particular tournament that you enjoy then watch closely for some satellite tournaments to get into the fun. You may be able to play for the high-stakes win without risking any of your own money if you get lucky!

For many years now the world of poker had been up for debate. The biggest stride to gambling was the UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. This act was meant to make gambling illegal by putting banks in charge of flagging and denying any online gambling activities. Banks weren’t happy about the change because the added responsibility meant an added cost. They had to pay people and pay for software that could detect what activities were considered to be gambling, and then block the transactions. In essence, it made banks completely responsible for policing online gambling activity in the US.

There were two problems with the UIGEA though. First, the UIGEA talked about gambling, made gambling illegal and dictated who would manage gambling online, but it never defined what exactly “gambling” is. There was no clear cut definition of what activities were to fall under the heading of gambling. This made it difficult for legal wagering activities like fund-raisers and lotteries that by all accounts should have remained legal, but were swept away by financial institutions with other illegal activities. The bottom line is that banks that were tasked with the responsibility of managing and denying financial institutions, didn’t want to take the chance of letting legal gambling activities pass through. If banks did allow gambling transactions through, they most likely were the ones to suffer millions in penalties and fees from the government. This made them wary of approving any activity that was even close to gambling.

Now things are changing and many legislators are trying to write bills that will adequately regulate the world of gambling. legislators know full well how much money is available with gambling—it offers millions of potential tax-revenue dollars to come into the states. This is why various representatives are focused on writing bills that help. Not only will they define what gambling is, but the bills also aspire to dictate what procedures should be used to regulate it. It will take more time, but most likely 2010 will bring many changes in the legislation regarding gambling. Certain representatives are making gambling law their priority and writing laws to legalize and regulate the gambling industry.

If you have had any doubt about how popular gambling is, take a look at the changes that have gone on in today’s world. For example, note the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza II. It ran recently from April 1^st to the 24^th of that month. It was big news in the world of gambling and in particular in the city of Las Vegas. Now the world of gambling is being reinvigorated throughout the state of Nevada and tournaments that were even mildly successful before are making a huge comeback.

The Venetian’s Deep Stack Extravaganza II began with a $340 no-limit Hold’em tournament. It started off a series of gambling events with a total of over twenty-eight poker tournaments. Poker players were encouraged to enter into the tournament and test out their own skill at the game. The best thing about poker is that it isn’t just a game of luck—rather it is also a game of skill that can be taught and learned by eager players. If you study the hobby of poker and get some of the basic strategies down, you can join in on an event like this and expect to walk away with a good payout if you reach the perfect combination of good play and luck.

The best thing about finding these tournaments is that not only can you walk away with some cash if you are lucky, but you also can hone your skill as a poker player. If you like the land-based casino gaming hobby, you can find a wide range of casinos to enjoy. Now that players are moving back into the wagering hobby, casinos are creating a wide range of specials and promotions to benefit them. If you do a quick Google search online, you can also find a huge amount of specials. Online gambling has grown exponentially throughout the past few months. If you do a quick search, you can find so many tournaments and specials that you most likely will have a hard time finding the best ones to participate in. It is a great time for online gambling and land-based gambling. If you are a fan, or have wanted to try test out the gambling that is available today. Most likely you won’t be disappointed with the wide range of choices available.

Operators are watching closely how gamblers are acting. One problem is that the recent turnout of the Bellagio’s Five Star Classic was at a record low. It isn’t an unforeseen event though. The recession changed a lot of the gambling patterns people have now. Before the recession people were gambling at record rates. If you went to any land-based casino you would find a wide range of people flooding the casino floor throughout the day. Once the recession occurred, people lost their discretionary funds and were forced to cut back on all unnecessary spending. That included gambling and many casinos suffered greatly as a result. Now, casino operators are focusing on customers and how to bring them back into the casino.

The Bellagio had a low turnout and that is causing operators to make changes. The event has been changed to make all event preliminaries no-limit Hold’em tournaments with re-buys. This holds for the entire Five-Star tournament event in 2010. Jack McClelland, event director, stated that the four re-buy series of events last year went extremely well. Because of that, the casino was trying to replicate the changes. McClelland assured that the casino is trying to listen to players and respond to their individual needs. It was proven that the casino is doing just then on March the 30^th through April 22^nd when the event was held. Twenty-six players bought thirty-seven re-buys to the tournament. The total prize pool for the almost-month-long event was $61,110. That’s a good amount for the lucky winners. The number one player on the leaderboard when the event was over was “Rep Porter” who ended up walking away with $30,555 in total cash payout. 

These changes to the tournament are indicative of a new wave of casino operations. Now operators are listening closely to what the players want in an effort to spur on new customers and bring back old ones. It is a precarious time for most casinos and the Bellagio is no different. The casino has been one of the biggest in past years and is trying to maintain its market share by listening, and delivering, what the players want.